Retrobyter

Shalom, @Luther. It's just backwards, bro'. "Christians" are believing Jews! Why? Because we've been ADOPTED into the Family! We BECOME Jews through our Messiah Yeeshuwa` who has graffed us into the Olive Tree! Through His finished work, we are "accepted in the Beloved!"

Shalom, @truth7t7 My pastor-friend who believes in the "Jesus comes, burns it all up, and takes us home to Heaven" position, is NOT correct! God doesn't destroy everything and start over; He CLEARS the way for a new beginning, and forms the New out of the old, just as He did with the earth after the global Flood and just as He will with our bodies (us). Please, follow the logic of what the Scriptures ACTUALLY SAY, not what we are taught to BELIEVE the Scriptures say! There's a BIG difference: The current earth and sky came through the Flood, and all life upon the earth was destroyed, according to Genesis 7-9. And while all the living things upon the earth were destroyed, except those who survived on the ark, the same will be true with the global Fire: God will PURGE the earth and sky, and they, too, will come THROUGH the Fire ready for new life to begin! He doesn't destroy the earth; He destroys the things UPON the earth. The words "all things" ("τούτων πάντων" = "these all-things") in 2 Peter 3:11 do NOT refer to "everything in the universe!" They are "οἱ οὐρανοὶ ῥοιζηδὸν παρελεύσονται στοιχεῖα δὲ καυσούμενα λυθήσονται, καὶ γῆ καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔργα" in 2 Peter 3:10, and the same matter becomes the New Earth and the New Sky - a Third Earth (the soil on top; the land) and a Third Sky (atmosphere of weather, the air). (See 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.) Let's look carefully at 2 Peter 3:10 in the Greek: Here's the verse in the koinee (the commoner's) Greek recorded in Scrivener's 1894 edition of the Textus Receptus (the Received Text): 10 ἥξει δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτὶ, ἐν ᾗ οἱ οὐρανοὶ ῥοιζηδὸν παρελεύσονται, στοιχεῖα δὲ καυσούμενα λυθήσονται, καὶ γῆ καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔργα κατακαήσεται. This transliterates to ... 10 Heexei de hee heemera Kuriou hoos kleptees en nukti, en hee hoi ouranoi hroizeedon pareleusontai, stoicheia de kausoumena lutheesontai, kai gee kai ta en autee erga katakaeesetai. Translated word for word, we get ... 10 Will-come but the day of-Lord like a-thief en night, in the-which the skies with-a-roar shall-pass-by, orderly-arranged-parts but being-on-fire shall-melt/dissolve, and earth/soil/land and the in it works shall-be-burned-up. Rearranged in English word order, we get ... 10 But the day of-Lord will-come like a-thief in night, in the-which the skies shall-pass-by with-a-roar, but orderly-arranged-parts shall-melt/dissolve being-on-fire, and earth/soil/land and the works in it shall-be-burned-up. So, in verse 11, Peter is summarizing this into a single phrase, "τούτων οὺν πάντων λυομένων," "toutoon oun pantoon luomenoon," "these therefore all-things shall-be-melted/dissolved" or "therefore all- these -things shall-be-melted/dissolved," and the word "since" was added to show its relationship to the rest of the verse. Both of these words, lutheesontai and luomenoon, are based upon ... G3089 λύω lýō, loo'-o; a primary verb; to "loosen" (literally or figuratively): —break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-)loose, melt, put off. Compare G4486. BlueLetterBible adds this as an "outline of biblical usage": I. to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened I. 1. bandages of the feet, the shoes, I. 2. of a husband and wife joined together by the bond of matrimony I. 3. of a single man, whether he has already had a wife or has not yet married II. to loose one bound, i.e. to unbind, release from bonds, set free II. 1. of one bound up (swathed in bandages) II. 2. bound with chains (a prisoner), discharge from prison, let go III. to loosen, undo, dissolve, anything bound, tied, or compacted together III. 1. an assembly, i.e. to dismiss, break up III. 2. laws, as having a binding force, are likened to bonds III. 3. to annul, subvert III. 4. to do away with, to deprive of authority, whether by precept or act III. 5. to declare unlawful III. 6. to loose what is compacted or built together, to break up, demolish, destroy III. 7. to dissolve something coherent into parts, to destroy III. 8. metaph.(metaphorically), to overthrow, to do away with Therefore, its primary meaning is not "to destroy" but "to UNTIE!" We don't "destroy" an assembly (or church) when we dismiss it; we "break it up!" That's my opinion based upon the OT prophecies, as well as those in the NT, and upon the definitions! One must be careful using the word "all." Although it COULD mean "everything," it is frequently LIMITED by its context. For instance, when we say "all WITHIN the room," we've just set a limit to everything WITHIN that room. It doesn't apply to anything outside of that room! I guess the REAL key lessons I've been learning is that we don't "HAVE souls"; we "ARE souls," that is, we "ARE air-breathing creatures!" Genesis 2:7 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. The word "soul" is the Hebrew word "nefesh" (or "nephesh") ("נֶפֶשׁ"): H5315 נֶפֶשׁ nephesh, neh'-fesh; from H5314; properly, a BREATHING creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): —any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, × dead(-ly), desire, × (dis-) contented, × fish, ghost, greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, × jeopardy of) life (× in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, slay, soul, tablet, they, thing, (× she) will, × would have it. (emphasis mine) This entry notes that it is "from H5314": H5314 נָפַשׁ nâphash, naw-fash'; a primitive root; to BREATHE; passively, to be BREATHED upon, i.e. (figuratively) refreshed (as if by a CURRENT OF AIR): —(be) refresh selves (-ed). (emphasis mine) (I transliterate this as "naafash.") God didn't "put" a soul into the man; God FORMED the man of dust FROM the ground, puffed into his nostrils the puff of living things, and the man of dust BECAME a living AIR-BREATHER, a living "soul!" This doesn't change when one moves on to the Greek: The Greek word for "soul" is "psuchee" (or "psychḗ") ("ψυχή"): G5590 ψυχή psychḗ, psoo-khay'; from G5594; BREATH, i.e. (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: THESE TERMS THUS EXACTLY CORRESPOND RESPECTIVELY TO THE HEBREW H5315, H7307 and H2416):—heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you. First, understand that one's theology will also influence how one will write a definition; so, we must remember that even the writers of definitions are HUMAN BEINGS and are thus susceptible to error. We ALL sin. We ALL make mistakes! "Let God be true, and every man a liar!" (Romans 3:4). Even when I check everything I've written - TWICE - I STILL find errors in what I wrote! However, I am VERY CAREFUL AND METICULOUS - to a fault! And, if I see an error, I will go back and correct it, if I can. If it's a minor change, I just change it. If it's a major revision, I will annotate it as being changed. I've even noticed that sometimes in the correcting of one error, I will introduce a different error into my writing! We do the best we can and commit the rest into the hands of the LORD. Note that this entry also says the word comes "from G5594": G5594 ψύχω psýchō, psoo'-kho; a primary verb; to BREATHE (voluntarily but gently, thus differing on the one hand from G4154, which denotes properly a forcible respiration; and on the other from the base of G109, which refers properly to an inanimate breeze), i.e. (by implication, of reduction of temperature by evaporation) to chill (figuratively): —wax cold. BUT, the part of the Greek definition that says, "from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul," is questionable. That understanding comes from theological philosophy, not the Bible. The ONLY place I see the "soul" - the "air-breathing creature" - being "immortal" in the Scriptures is in the Resurrection! G4151 πνεῦμα pneûma, pnyoo'-mah; from G4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit: —ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind. Compare G5590. 1 Corinthians 15:35-57 (KJV) 35 But some [man] will say, "How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?" 36 [Thou] fool, that which thou sowest (put in the ground) is not quickened (brought back to life), except it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other [grain]: 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. Here, Paul likened the death and resurrection to sowing grains, whether of wheat or something else, like barley, flax, etc. 39 All flesh [is] not the same flesh: but [there is] one [kind of] flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, [and] another of birds. 40 [There are] also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial [is] one, and the [glory] of the terrestrial [is] another. 41 [There is] one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for [one] star differeth from [another] star in glory. 42 So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. So, there are different types of flesh - human, beastial, piscine, and avian. And, there are also bodies "above the sky" ("celestial"), just as there are bodies "above the ground" ("terrestrial"). Among these are the sun, the moon, and the stars. "Glory" is the Greek word "doxa" and it means ... G1391 δόξα dóxa, dox'-ah; from the base of G1380; glory (as VERY APPARENT), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective): —dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship. It refers to that which makes something "very apparent" or "stand out" from the rest, like a bright star among the blackness of space, or the rich oppulence of a king among the drab, plainness of poor men. Stars shine in many bands of light, including visible light, but human beings and animals only give off lightwaves in the infrared region, "HEAT!" It is sown in corruption (decay); it is raised in incorruption (unable to decay again): 43 It is sown in dishonour (obscurity;defeat); it is raised in glory (dignity): it is sown in weakness (frailty); it is raised in power (strength): 44 It is sown a natural body (σῶμα ψυχικόν = sooma psuchikon = an-air-breathing body); it is raised a spiritual body (σῶμα πνευματικόν = sooma pneumatikon = an-air-blasting body, blasting like a wind). There is a natural body (σῶμα ψυχικόν), and there is a spiritual body (σῶμα πνευματικόν). 45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul (Greek: 'εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν' = 'eis psucheen zoosan' = 'into an-air-breathing-creature living')" (Genesis 2:7); the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit (Greek: "εἰς πνεῦμα ζῳοποιοῦν" = "eis pneuma zoo-opoioun" = "into a-wind/an-air-blasting-creature life-producing"). 46 Howbeit that [was] not first which is spiritual (Greek: "τὸ πνευματικὸν" = "to pneumatikon" = "the air-blasting-creature", but that which is natural (Greek: "τὸ ψυχικόν" = "to psuchikon" = "the air-breathing-creature"); and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man [is] of the earth, earthy (Greek: "ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός" = "ek gees choikos" = "out of-[the]-earth/soil made-of-dirt"): the second man [is] the Lord from heaven (Greek: "ἐξ οὐρανοῦ" = "ex ouranou" = "out of-[the]-sky"). 48 As [is] the earthy (Greek: "ὁ χοϊκός" = "ho choikos" = "the one-made-of-dirt"), such [are] they also that are earthy (Greek: "οἱ χοϊκοί" = "hoi choikoi" = "the ones-made-of-dirt"): and as [is] the heavenly (Greek: "ὁ ἐπουράνιος" = "ho epouranios" = "the one-of-above-the-sky"), such [are] they also that are heavenly (Greek: "οἱ ἐπουράνιοι" = "hoi epouranioi" = "the ones-of-above-the-sky"). 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy (Greek: "τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ" = "teen eikona tou choikou" = "the likeness of-the one-made-of-dirt"), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (Greek: "τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου" = "teen eikona tou epouraniou" = "the likeness of-the one-of-above-the-sky"). 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, (i.e., some will still be awake) but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we (both still living and newly living) shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible (Greek: "τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο" = "to ftharton touto" = "the decomposition this-one") must put on incorruption (Greek: "ἀφθαρσίαν" = "aftharsian" = "incorruption/inability to decay"), and this mortal (Greek: "τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο" = "to thneeton touto" = "the mortality this-one") [must] put on immortality (Greek: "ἀθανασίαν" = "athanasian" = "immortality/inability to die"). 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory." (Isaiah 25:8) 55 "O death, where [is] thy sting (stinger)? O grave, where [is] thy victory?" (Hosea 13:14) 56 The sting (stinger) of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law. 57 But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. This also taught me that we don't "go to Heaven" when we die! Instead, we go to our graves and await the RESURRECTION! And, after the Resurrection, that which is CALLED "heaven," the New Jerusalem, "COMES to us!" Revelation 21:1-4 (KJV) 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven (Greek: "καταβαίνουσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ" = "katabainousan apo tou Theou ek tou ouranou" = "descending away-from the God out of-the sky"), prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men (Greek: "ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων" = "hee skeenee tou Theou meta toon anthroopoon" = "the tent of-the God with the men"), and he will dwell with them (Greek: "σκηνώσει μετ᾽αὐτῶν" = "skeenoosei met' autoon" = "He-will-tent with them"), and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them (Greek: "αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς ἔσται μετ᾽ αὐτῶν" = "autos ho Theos estai met' autoon" = "He the God shall-be with them"), [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." That's what we are to anticpate, not this "going to Heaven" nonsense.

Shalom, @truth7t7 Since a "scholar" is a "student," yep. I've been a student of Greek and Hebrew since the 70's. But, I'm still learning. On the other hand, I feel that I owe you an apology: I try to remember not to use the second person pronouns, like "you" and "your" when I'm responding to others, and I failed to do that in my response above. I did not mean that to sound like an attack on you or anyone. When I said, "If you're hanging all your beliefs on these two passages of Scripture, then I hope that you're NOT in a position where you are teaching others this stuff," I sounded harsh and judgmental against you. For that, I'm truly sorry. I should have focused on the TEACHING, not the TEACHER. I have a pastor-friend who believes in the "Jesus comes, burns it all up, and takes us home to Heaven" position. However, while I believe that stance is fundamentally wrong, I still love my friend and do not question his "salvation" (justification by God) nor his sincerity. I don't want you believing that I question your justification by God nor your sincerity in what you believe, either. I just see things much more positively than that. God doesn't destroy everything and start over; He CLEARS the way for a new beginning, and forms the New out of the old, just as He will with our bodies (us). We are RESURRECTED to new life, the old breathing bodies made into air-BLASTING bodies, and so will be His Creation. The current earth and sky came through the Flood, but all the living things upon the earth were destroyed, except those who survived on the ark. The same will be true with the Fire. He will PURGE the earth and sky, and they, too, will come through the Fire ready for new life. The same matter becomes the New Earth and the New Sky - a Third Earth and a Third Sky (See 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.) That's my opinion based upon the OT prophecies, as well as the NT.

Shabbat shalom, @truth7t7. First, I'll just say this: If you're hanging all your beliefs on these two passages of Scripture, then I hope that you're NOT in a position where you are teaching others this stuff. God can correct one person's theology simply enough; however, when the teaching has been pushed on others, THEN it becomes a matter where one is now RESPONSIBLE to God for what he or she is teaching! Both of these passages are NOT saying what you're concluding that they are saying. Let's start with the basics - definitions: The word "heaven" is NOT equivalent to the "universe"; NOR is it talking about some place other called "God's Abode," with a capital "H," "Heaven." Forget the English for a while; it's been generalized too much. The Greek word for "heaven" is primarily "οὐρανός." We transliterate this word into a more English-looking representation, "ouranos." Now, this is singular in number, but we will also find the plural, especially when Jews have done the writing of the Scriptures we're reading, such as 2 Peter 3: "οὐρανοὶ." The only difference is changing the "-ός" singular, masculine ending into the plural, masculine ending, "-οὶ." Notice that the accent is still put upon this syllable. So, it is translated plural: "heavens." The definition of this Greek word (according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance's Greek dictionary) is ... G3772 οὐρανός ouranós, oo-ran-os'; perhaps from the same as G3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity): —air, heaven(-ly), sky. So, this entry has many parts: The first part, "G3772," means that it is the 3772nd entry in the Greek dictionary. The second part, "οὐρανός," is the Greek word itself. The third part, "ouranós," is the Greek word transliterated by their scheme of transliteration, which may be different in different dictionaries. The fourth part, "oo-ran-os'," is the pronunciation of this word, showing the accent on the last syllable. The fifth part, is the explanation of the word's origin (which may or may not be accurate). The sixth part, "the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity)," is the actual definition of the word. The primary definition is first. This definition says that the meaning of the word might be EXTENDED to mean "heaven (as the abode of God)," although that is not its primary meaning. However, this "extension" can be influenced by the theology of the one making the "extension!" (Even dictionaries are works of human beings, and are therefore fallible.) This definition is also saying that the word may "imply" "happiness, power, or eternity," and again, this is at the whim of the interpreter. God may have meant for the word to be there literally! And, there may be a plae or two that "specially" used the word for "the Gospel (Christianity)," again in the understanding of the interpreter. The final part of the entry, occurring after the colon-dash (:—), were the English words in the Authorized (King James) Version into which this Greek word were translated. This is written, "air, heaven(-ly), sky" and means that the words "air," "heaven," "heavenly," or "sky" may have been used to translate this ONE Greek word. THIS is where most of the confusion lies! Why so many words? "Sky" includes anything we notice when we look "up." "Air" is talking about the composite of gases that envelop our planet. "Heaven" is vague and nebulous in meaning. We don't always KNOW what the author meant by that description; one must check it out as best as one can by its context. The bottom line in all this is that "ouranos" means "the sky." That's its first meaning and seldom (if ever) does it need to mean anything else. Look at how the Pharisees used it and then how Yeeshuwa` used it right afterwards: Matthew 16:1-4 (KJV) 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven (Greek: ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ = ek tou ouranou = "out of-the sky"). 2 He answered and said unto them, "When it is evening, ye say, '[It will be] fair weather': for the sky (Greek: ὁ οὐρανός = ho ouranos = "the sky") is red. 3 And in the morning, '[It will be] foul weather to day': for the sky (Greek: ὁ οὐρανός = ho ouranos = "the sky") is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky (Greek: τοῦ οὐρανοῦ = tou ouranou = "of-the sky"); but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." And he left them, and departed. Something I think is worthy of comment: Why were the SAME WORDS in Greek, "tou ouranou," translated as "from heaven" in verse 1 but "of the sky" in verse 3? Just something to think about. They asked Him for a sign "from heaven," and He gave them WEATHER WISDOM! "A red sky at night is a sailor's delight; a red sky at morning, and sailors take warning!" This is something the translator couldn't hide! And, it's how Yeeshuwa` used the word translated as "ouranos," which was probably the Aramaic (שְׁמַיִן = shmayin) or Hebrew equivalent (שָׁמַיִם = shaamayim)! One more simpler definition, and this post is done: The "earth" in 2 Peter 3:10 is the Greek word "γῆ" = gee = earth; land: G1093 γῆ gē, ghay; contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application): —country, earth(-ly), ground, land, world. (I use "ee" for the Greek letter eta, as opposed to the single "e" for an epsilon. That way, I don't have to hunt for a way to represent it with the long-e symbol they have in this Strong's dictionary definition.) Thus, it was translated as "country," "earth," "earthly," "ground," "land," or "world," in the King James Version. Its primary meaning is "soil" or "DIRT!" (Reminds me of "Q" in Star Trek Next Generation who made fun of humans for calling their home, "planet DIRT!") "Soil" and even ROCKS are melted all the time in places, like Hawaii, which have active lava flows! Think about Pompeii! Peter's word was also the Hebrew (אֶרֶץ = 'erets) or Aramaic (אֲרַע = 'ara`) versions.

Shabbat shalom, @truth7t7. Not so fast, there! What does one do with THESE verses? Ecclesiastes 1:4 (KJV) 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. Psalm 89:3-4 (KJV) 3 "I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, 4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations." Selah. Psalm 89:20-37 (KJV) 20 "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. 24 But my faithfulness and my mercy [shall be] with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. 26 He shall cry unto me, 'Thou [art] my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' 27 Also I will make him [my] firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make [to endure] for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 34 MY COVENANT WILL I NOT BREAK, NOR ALTER THE THING THAT IS GONE OUT OF MY LIPS. 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 36 HIS SEED SHALL ENDURE FOR EVER, and HIS THRONE AS THE SUN BEFORE ME. 37 IT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOR EVER AS THE MOON, and [as] A FAITHFUL WITNESS IN HEAVEN. Selah. This is God's Word, too, y'know. How can one rectify this with your interpretation of 2Peter 3? For me, it was easy: 2 Peter 3 is about the SURFACE of the earth, and even more specifically, the LAND, rather than the planet! Also, the Greek words frequently translated as "the heavens shall pass away" in 2 Peter 3:10 is "παρελεύσονται," which is the future tense, deponent middle voice, indicative mood - 3rd person, plural form of "παρέρχομαι": G3928 παρέρχομαι parérchomai, par-er'-khom-ahee; from G3844 and G2064; to come near or aside, i.e. to approach (arrive), go by (or away), (FIGURATIVELY) perish or neglect, (causative) avert: —come (forth), go, pass (away, by, over), past, transgress. So, the word could mean "shall approach; shall arrive; shall come near; shall come aside; shall go by; or shall go away." However, this is talking about "the heavens," which is the Greek plural words, οἱ οὐρανοὶ or "hoi ouranoi," which mean "the skies." Peter was a Jew and would think in Hebrew or Aramaic, a close cousin to Hebrew, and the word would be "הַשָּׁמַיִם" or "hashshaamayim" or "hashshaamayin" in Aramaic, both of which are DUAL words, speaking of the "daytime sky" and the "nighttime sky." It's talking about the ATMOSPHERE of this planet. So, this says "the skies shall pass by with a loud noise!" In fact, if one is familiar with the old sci-fi movie, "Alien," the catch-phrase for the movie was, "In space, no one can hear you scream!" One NEEDS an atmosphere to hear sound! Vibrations in a object cannot be transferred to a listener's ears without the molecules of air between the vibrating object and the ear. So, this verse isn't talking about the DESTRUCTION of the atmosphere, but rather the RUSHING BY of the atmosphere! Hot winds would be caused by whatever was burning up the works of men! I'm not saying that there won't be destruction, because it will be enough to dissolve or melt all the works of human beings. BUT, it won't be the entire destruction of the planet! And, it CERTAINLY won't be the destruction of the Universe, as some teach! The conclusion for me is that "God doesn't LOSE His Creation!" Not to haSatan or to ANYONE! He WINS! He remakes the earth after the Fire, just as He remade the earth after the Flood! That's why a simple comparison between Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22 can be helpful; God is REBUILDING His original Creation, and He doesn't need to go elsewhere to get it done! I sincerely hope this will help you. And, don't think this is aimed right at you. I have pastor friends that are convinced that God is going to destroy the planet and take us all off to Heaven. But, IMO, that's a PESSIMISTIC VIEW of what God can do! Why should God destroy the whole uinverse on account of a relatively small amount of insignificant creatures on a mere speck of a planet in the vastness of space?

Shabbat shalom, again, @Locust. Think about it: Yeeshuwa` ("Jesus") the Messiah of God ("the Christ") gave us the parable in Luke 19 just as He was about to enter Jerusalem's territory for the last time before His death. He KNEW THAT! It was the "scribes" (transcribers and copyists of the Law, Prophets, and other Writings) and the P'rushiym ("Separatists," "Pharisees") who were the ones MISLEADING the Jews of Jerusalem against Him. They would be "praying to God" NOT to have Him come and be their King! How is the King Yeeshuwa` when He comes, going to deal with THEM, so long in the future as it has been since He ascended to His Father? How is He going to deal with the actual SOURCE of the problem adequately? They must BE THERE for Him to deal with the SOURCE! After the Resurrection of the children of Israel, ALL of those who were misled will be there, too. (This will be a whole chapter, for the whole thing is important to understand.) Ezekiel 37:1-28 (KJV) 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry. 3 And he said unto me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, thou knowest." 4 Again he said unto me, "Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, "'O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; "'"Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD."'" 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them. 9 Then said he unto me, "Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."'" 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army (Hebrew: חַיִל = chayil = "company; population"). 11 Then he said unto me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken [it], and performed [it]," saith the LORD.'" 15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, 'For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions': then take another stick, and write upon it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and [for] all the house of Israel his companions': 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18 "And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, "'Wilt thou not shew us what thou [meanest] by these?' 19 "Say unto them, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, [even] with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand."' 20 "And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. 21 "And say unto them, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 "'"And David my servant [shall be] king over them; and they all (David included) shall have One Shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."'" One may chafe at these words, if one doesn't want to see them in the Scriptures, but they are there! And, GOD said them! They SHALL be fulfilled LITERALLY and without fail! Many call this a "vision," but NOWHERE in the text does it call it that! This will happen, just as written!

Shabbat shalom, @Locust. Not when the Messiah Himself said it.

Shalom, @Locust. While that may have been true, Yeeshuwa`s words to the Jews are instructive: Matthew 23:39 (KJV) 39 "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.'" Now, think about the ramifications of this: He is saying that they wouldn't see Him until they could say this statement. It comes from Psalm 118:26: Psalm 118:26 (KJV) 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD (the Temple.) The Hebrew is this: בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה בֵּרַכְנוּכֶם מִבֵּית יְהוָה׃ 26 The words transliterate to ... 26 Baruwkh haba' b-sheem YHWH; barkhnuwkhem mibeeyt YHWH: They translate to English word-for-word like this: 26 Welcome the-Comer in-name (on-authority) of-YHWH; we-have-welcomed [you] from-the-house of-YHWH. As I've said before, these words, Baruwkh haba', in the plural, Baruwkhiym haba'iym, are found at all the seaports and airports in Israel today! They mean, "Welcome, comers (visitors)!" Therefore, they must WELCOME HIM! And, welcome Him "in the authority of YHWH!" They must welcome Him as God's Messiah! How are they going to know to do that UNLESS WE TELL THEM?! If Yeeshuwa` ("Jesus") isn't returning until they can say those words to Him, then it is WE who are delaying His Coming, if we're not telling them about their Messiah! In the next chapter, the Olivet Discourse, Yeeshuwa` said, Matthew 24:14 (KJV) 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom (good news about the Kingdom) shall be preached (heralded) in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and THEN shall the end come." I submit to you that we have BARELY STARTED to "herald this good news about His coming Kingdom!" Just some things we must all consider.

Shalom, @Locust and @Anne2. Yes, @Locust, "blinded," not permanently rejected. @Anne2 is correct. The common people of the Jews have been misled by their leaders, who themselves have been misled by others, ultimately by the scribes and Pharisees in Yeeshuwa`s time. I actually believe that Yeeshuwa` is going to RESURRECT them, fulfilling His parable against them! Luke 19:11-27 (KJV) 11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12 He said therefore, "A certain nobleman (referring to Himself) went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, "'Occupy (Trade with this) till I come.' 14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, "'We will not have THIS [man] to reign over us!' 15 "And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, "'Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.' 17 "And he said unto him, "'Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.' 18 "And the second came, saying, "'Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.' 19 "And he said likewise to him, "'Be thou also over five cities.' 20 "And another came, saying, "'Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.' 22 "And he saith unto him, "'Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant! Thou KNEWEST that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury (interest)?!' 24 "And he said unto them that stood by, "'Take from him the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds.' 25 "(And they said unto him, "'Lord, he HATH ten pounds [already]!') 26 "'For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and SLAY [them] before me!' " He's going to RAISE them to life just so He can have them SLAIN before Him properly! Christians today don't have accurate ideas about the "Judgment Seat of Christ" nor do they understand the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb!" The JOB of an Israeli King is to be the nation's "SUPREME COURT JUSTICE!" His judgment won't be during the "seven years of tribulation" some think will happen. His judgment will be THROUGHOUT the Millennium and BEYOND! If anyone within His Kingdom has a matter that needs to be decided, He will be the One who is "the One greater than Shlomoh ("Solomon"), both greater and WISER than he was! Furthermore, His Judgment will extend to all those nations who are annexed into His Kingdom, and they will rely upon His wisdom, as well! Notice how the servants to the King will be given roles over "ten cities" and over "five cities," when they have shown their wisdom to be in His hierarchy of kings! He won't be called the "King of kings" for nothing! He will become a WORLDWIDE EMPEROR, and we shall reign with Him! Also, we are told that He will have HELP in deciding matters, because David will be raised to life, and I imagine that will also include Shlomoh, as well! There will be roles to fill, like ambassadors to other countries, which some of us may fill! As kings over various regions of the world, we will judge the easier matters, and escalate the greater matters more difficult to decide to the King of kings in Israel. It will be much as Moses was instructed to do by his father-in-law, Yitrow ("Jethro"), an anointed priest for Midian: Exodus 18:13-26 (KJV) 13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What [is] this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?" 15 And Moses said unto his father in law, "Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make [them] know the statutes of God, and his laws." 17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, "The thing that thou doest [is] not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that [is] with thee: for this thing [is] too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: "Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, [that] every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear [the burden] with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee [so], then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace." 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. He set up a HIERARCHY of judges! And, since the job of kings is to be judges for their several jurisdictions, there will be a hierarchy of kings under the King of kings!! Read Ezekiel 34 and 37; David is explicitly mentioned as reigning over the children of Israel, who are all under ONE SHEPHERD! I believe the King of kings will be that "Shepherd!" Resurrections will also occur throughout the Millennium (and Beyond) and not just by Yeeshuwa` either! He had sent His disciples out throughout the Land of Israel during His First Offer of the Kingdom, and they were instructed, Matthew 10:5-8 (KJV) 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into [any] city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, "'The kingdom of heaven is at hand (is within your grasp).' 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, RAISE THE DEAD, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." If He did this in His First Advent, He will surely do it again in His Second Advent!

Shalom, @truth7t7. People have been going on about the "antichrist" for so long that they think Daniel 9:27 is about this person instead of the true Messiah, but there are GRAMMATICAL reasons why the "he" in Daniel 9:27 must be referring back to the "Messiah" in 9:26, not to some "prince that shall come," as many claim. Therefore, the "He" mentioned 3 times is really the Messiah, as we can see this verse fulfilled in the person of Yeeshuwa` ("Jesus") the Messiah ("Christ") of God. Here's the verse: Daniel 9:27 (KJV) 27 And (a) HE shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and (b) in the midst of the week HE shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and (c) for the overspreading of abominations HE shall make it DESOLATE, even until the consummation, and (d) that determined (the pressure; tribulation) shall be poured upon the desolate (the children of Israel). Part (a): The "covenant" mentioned here is the DAVIDIC Covenant of 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. David first reigned for 7 years over the tribe of Yhudah ("Judah"), reigning from HeVrown ("Hebron"). Then, he moved to Jerusalem and reigned there for 33 more years. Yeeshuwa` ("Jesus"), too, was announced as the "King of the Jews," both when the Magi came from the east, and upon His cross as an epitaph or "charge" against Him. Furthermore, the Almighty announced Him as "My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," which reflects the DAVIDIC Covenant, while anointing Him with the Ruwach haQodesh (the Holy Spirit): 2 Samuel 7:14-16 (KJV) 14 "I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit (be twisted into) iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: ... [This last part happened when He went to the cross: "He (God the Father) made Him (the Messiah) to be sin for us, who (the Messiah) knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21).] 15 "... But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took [it] from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." This last part was quoted by Gabriel to Mary in ... Luke 1:30-33 (KJV) 30 And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the LORD God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." This was the Covenant that Yeeshuwa` came to fulfill! However, they rejected Him after half of the Week was over: Part (b): He caused the sacrifice and the gift ("oblation") to cease, because HE became the FINAL Sacrifice for sin! Hebrews 9:23-28; 10:1-22 (KJV) 23 [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens (Greek: ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς = "en tois ouranois" = "in the skies") should be purified with these; but the heavenly things (Greek: τὰ ἐπουράνια = "ta epourania" = "the-[things] above-the-sky") themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ (the Messiah) is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself (Greek: εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν = "eis auton ton ouranon" = "into itself the sky"), now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ (the Messiah) was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year. 4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, 'Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.' " (Psalm 40:6-8). 8 Above when he said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the law"; (Jeremiah 31:33). 9 Then said he, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." (Jeremiah 31:34) He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST (THE BODY OF YEESHUWA` THE MESSIAH) ONCE [FOR ALL]. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But THIS MAN, AFTER HE HAD OFFERED ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD; 13 FROM HENCEFORTH EXPECTING TILL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE HIS FOOTSTOOL. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 [Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 "'This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days,' saith the Lord, 'I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.'" 18 Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, THROUGH THE VEIL, THAT IS TO SAY, HIS FLESH; 21 And [having] an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Note: In verse 12 of chapter 10, the words "for ever" are describing the results of the OFFER; they are NOT talking about the Messiah "sitting down!" Instead, there is a "TILL" ("UNTIL") associated with the "sitting down," and is a part of "TILL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE HIS FOOTSTOOL." Now, there are two stages of this "making His enemies His footstool": First, His Father gives Him the Kingdom and the authority to rule over that Kingdom, sending Him back to earth, and second, He must subdue His enemies, putting them under His feet: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (KJV) 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: (0) Christ the firstfruits; (1) afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 (2) Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For HE MUST REIGN, TILL HE HATH PUT ALL ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET. 26 The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death. 27 For "he (God) hath put all things under his (the Messiah's) feet." (Psalm 8:6) [But when he saith "all things are put under [him," it is] manifest (revealed) that "he" (God) is excepted (He is the exception to the 'all things'), which (who) did "put all things under him (the Messiah)."] 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Apparently, this will take a thousand years to accomplish, for those are the first 1,000 years of His eternal Kingdom that lead up to the Great White Throne Judgment, where we read Revelation 20:14 (KJV) 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And, then we read in the next chapter, Revelation 21:3-4 (KJV) 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven (Greek: ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου = "ek tou thronou" = "out/from the throne," in many versions, although the Received Text says ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ = "ek tou ouranou" = "out/from the sky") saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Part (c): The fulfillment of this part of Daniel 9:27 is seen in Matthew 23, Mark 12, and Luke 20, when He condemns the "scribes and Pharisees" for their abominations. He concludes: Matthew 23:37-39 (KJV) 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 "Behold, your house is left unto you DESOLATE. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord' (Psalm 118:26)!" And, this wasn't the first time He said this, for it is also recorded in Luke 13: Luke 13:34-35 (KJV) 34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen [doth gather] her brood under [her] wings, and ye would not! 35 "Behold, your house is left unto you DESOLATE: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until [the time] come when ye shall say, 'Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord' (Psalm 118:26)!" It was for the abominations of the scribes and Pharisees, spreading out like the feathers of a bird's extended wing, that they were left "DESOLATE," and they won't see Him again until its "consummation" or "accomplishment." It's been going on for almost 2,000 years now! Part (d): This is the "desolation" or "tribulation" itself. It SHALL have an ending, but it won't end until the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, especially, the Jews, cry out to Him for God's power through the Messiah to subdue His enemies which will be surrounding Jerusalem at some point in the future, fulfilling the evils of Zechariah 12 as prophesied. And, they shall cry out to Him from a house of God, a Temple rebuilt, whether discouraged by God or not. I know this has been quite long, but I'm trying to tie all the loose ends together for you; so, you can see how everything works together into a unified whole.

Shalom, @Alive. Sure it is; however, it is also a rallying place where prayers are made collectively. What is the PURPOSE of the Temple? (Hang on; this will be a little long...) Shlomoh haMelekh (King Solomon), an Anointed One (a Messiah), said, 1 Kings 8:22-53 22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23 And he said, "LORD God of Israel, [there is] no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: 24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled [it] with thine hand, as [it is] this day. 25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. 26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. 27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? 28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: 29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, [even] toward the place of which thou hast said, "My name shall be there": that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive. 31 "If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 33 "When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: 34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. 35 "When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. 37 "If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, [or] if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness [there be]; 38 What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: 39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, [even] thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) 40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. 41 "Moreover concerning a stranger, that [is] not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; 42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as [do] thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. 44 "If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and [toward] the house that I have built for thy name: 45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 46 "If they sin against thee, (for [there is] no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 [Yet] if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, "We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness"; 48 And [so] return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: 51 For they [be] thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee. 53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, [to be] thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD." The Temple was their FOCAL POINT for their prayers to YHWH God! Don't think that the sacrifices made in the future will be atoning sacrifices. That job is done in the work of the Messiah upon the execution stake called a "cross." The veil was torn from the top to the bottom signifying that access to the Holy of Holies was made available through the Sacrifice made once for all by the Messiah. On the other hand, the Temple and the Temple worship will still be required to REMEMBER what the Messiah has accomplished! It's a MEMORIAL unto God and His Messiah! It's a TRIBUTE to Them! Also, for feasts that they will have in the future, it was a place that was the slaughter house for the food provided to the Levites and to those participating in the feasts! The Leviyiym ("Levites") had no inheritance in the Land of Israel; their inheritance was YHWH God Himself! The service they provided WAS their inheritance! And, their work will continue throughout the Millennium, the FIRST 1,000 years of the Messiah's Kingdom, and will continue after the Great White Throne judgment, for His Kingdom will NEVER END! (Luke 1:30-33).

Shalom, @Anne2. When I was young and my grandmother on my mom's side was still alive, she told me that her mother was a Jew. However, I was always raised as a Gentile, and didn't know what that would entail. Growing up, I was the son of an Independent Baptist minister, who taught me Baptist beliefs. He also PERSONALLY led me to the Lord Jesus (Yeeshuwa`) when I was almost 6 years old. So, I had the advantage of knowing the Messiah personally, having made Him my Sacrifice for sin! (Isaiah 53:10), for, "He (YHWH God) made Him (the Messiah) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21). By saying the simple prayer that Yeeshuwa` taught, "God, be merciful to me a sinner," (Luke 18:13), I was justified by God and made a part of His mishpachah (His FAMILY). I was "born again." (John 3:3). So, I consider myself a Messianic Jew, now, although I still know the truths of God's Word highlighted above and have learned MUCH about the definitions of both Hebrew and Greek words (that NEVER should have been forgotten, in my opinion). It's been my experience that those who claim to be "Jehovah's Witnesses" don't know the part highlighted above or are weak on it, not giving it the importance it has in Scripture. I don't trust in a "church" - an "ἐκκλησίαν κυριακῇ" or "ekkleesian kuriakee" or a "called-out (assembly) for-the-Lord" - a simple, local meeting of like-minded people who were instructed to find and give support to one another in matters of faith, living righteously, and teaching others the truth of God's Word.. It's important for one to know the LINK between "Israel," the "Prince of Peace," and "Sarah." All three names/titles have the ONE word in Hebrew, שַׂר or "sar," meaning "prince." In Hebrew, the letters listed in their alefbet (alphabet) are all CONSONANTS! Vowel sounds are consistently said and read, but only for children and those learning Hebrew are the vowel pointing marks included. Thus, the Hebrew core word is "שַׂר" or "SaR," meaning "prince." The first letter shin: with a dot above on the left, is actually a "sin," pronounced as "s" instead of "sh." The patach (the single line under the shin) says "ah" as in "father," and the letter reish is pronounced as an "r." The Hebrew of each name/title is ... Sarah = "שָׂרָה" or "Saaraah," the feminine form, a name meaning "a princess." (The qaamets (a small "T") under the first two letters is represented as "aa " and is pronounced as "aw" in "saw." Thus, her name sounds like "Saw-RAW" with the accent on the last syllable.) Israel = "יִשְׂרָאֵל" or "Yisraa'eel," a name meaning "he-[is]-a-Prince/Contender-with-God." (The two horizontal dots (..) under the alef is a "tseeree," is represented by an "ee " and is pronounced "ay" as in "day." The word also has a qaamets under the reish. The single dot (.) under the yowd, is a chiriq, represented by an "i " and is pronouced as a long "e" as in "beet.") Prince of Peace = "שַׂר־שָׁלוֹם" or "Sar-Shalowm," is a title meaning a "Prince of (or a "Contender for) Peace." One needn't worry; God will make His Son known to them soon, and they will welcome Him back as God's Champion (God's Messiah) to fight against the adversaries of the small nation of Israel, who is surrounded by its enemies, when all seems lost without Him! And, YHWH God SHALL intervene on their behalf! One also shouldn't think that just because they are TEMPORARILY blinded to God's Messiah that they will stay that way! To the contrary, God ALWAYS fulfills His promises and His prophecies 100% and every last detail LITERALLY, just as He did with the 400 propheccies about Yeeshuwa`s FIRST Coming! Nobody "takes their place"; although we can become members of His Kingdom WITH Israel!

Shalom, @Locust. To put it quite simply, they were BLINDED to the fact that Yeeshuwa` was YHWH'S Messiah anointed to be their King. And, according to Paul, Romans 11:25-27 (KJV) 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved (rescued; delivered): as it is written, "There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." (Isaiah 59:20-21; 27:9 [see LXX]; Jeremiah 31:33-34). They have NOT permanently fallen; but, they have been TEMPORARILY SHELVED UNTIL they can say, "Baruwkh haba' b-shem YHWH." ("Welcome, the Comer in-the-authority of YHWH.") It's important to note that these were Yeeshuwa`s ("Jesus'") words in Matthew 23:37-39 (and Luke 13:34-35): Matthew 23:37-39 (KJV) 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.' (Psalm 118:26)." Thus, He told us that He would NOT return until they could say these words! Furthermore, to see the verse itself gives us one more sign: Psalm 118:26 (KJV) 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. Therefore, there must first BE a "house of the LORD," a "בֵּית יְהוָה" or "beeyt YHWH" or "house of-YHWH," out of which they could welcome Him! And, that is what the children of Israel called the Temple!

Shalom, @Locust. This is a partial fulfillment of the latter half of Daniel 9:27. Daniel 9:27 (KJV) 27 And he (the Messiah) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he (the Messiah) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he (the Messiah) shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Shabbat shalom, (a Sabbath of peace), to you, @Locust. Nonsense. They are no more done than you are! Are you "done?" Has God ever given up on you? If not, then why would you think that God has given up on them?! (Just as a reminder: I use royal purple for the words of YHWH God, red for the words of one who is anointed, particularly THE Anointed of YHWH, the Messiah of God, Yeeshuwa`, and blue for the words of anyone else. I also use green for narration:) God said, Isaiah 41:8 KJV - 8 "But thou, Israel, [art] my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend." Isaiah 43:10 KJV - 10 "Ye [are] my witnesses," saith the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." Isaiah 44:1-2 KJV - 1 "Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: 2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, [which] will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen." Isaiah 41:9 KJV - 9 "[Thou] whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, 'Thou [art] my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.'" And, God said, 1 Chronicles 16:22 22 "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." So, we now read this: Ezekiel 37:1-28 (KJV) 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry. 3 And he said unto me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, thou knowest." 4 Again he said unto me, "Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, "'O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; "'"Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD."'" 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking (rattling), and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them. 9 Then said he unto me, "Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."'" 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11 Then he said unto me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, "'Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.' 12 "Therefore prophesy and say unto them, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken [it], and performed [it]," saith the LORD.'" 15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, "'For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions': "then take another stick, and write upon it, "'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and [for] all the house of Israel his companions': 17 "And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18 "And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, "'Wilt thou not shew us what thou [meanest] by these?' 19 "Say unto them, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, [even] with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand."' 20 "And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. 21 And say unto them, "'Thus saith the Lord GOD; "'"Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 "'"And David my servant [shall be] king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."'" Read the words of God carefully! God will NEVER be "done" with the children of Israel! Isaiah 66:5-24 (KJV) 5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; "Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, "'Let the LORD be glorified': "but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. 6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies. 7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. 8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? [or] shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth?" saith the LORD: "shall I cause to bring forth, and shut [the womb]?" saith thy God. 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith the LORD, "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon [her] sides, and be dandled upon [her] knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." 14 And when ye see [this], your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD (the Messiah) shall be known toward his servants, and [his] indignation toward his enemies. 15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. 17 "They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one [tree] in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together," saith the LORD. 18 "For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. 19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, [to] Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, [to] Tubal, and Javan, [to] the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren [for] an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem," saith the LORD, "as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. 21 And I will also take of them for priests [and] for Levites," saith the LORD. 22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," saith the LORD, "so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me," saith the LORD. 24 "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." God still makes a difference between the children of Israel and the Gentiles, just not WITHIN the Messiah. But, Jews don't need to become "Christians"; Gentiles who believe become "JEWS," when they become circumcised in heart! Romans 2:12-29 (KJV) 12 For as many as have sinned without (outside of the) law (Gentiles) shall also perish without (outside of the) law: and as many as have sinned in the law (children of Israel) shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18 And knowest [his] will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: BUT if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision (Gentiles) keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God. People frequently have the wrong idea about these verses, which is why I resorted to quoting more of the chapter. Throughout the chapter, there is still a difference between the two groups of people, the "circumcision" (the children of Israel) and the "uncircumcision" (everyone else). It's settled in the next chapter that NEITHER GROUP can be "those who keep the Law," and that the Law was for the purpose of teaching the children of Israel that they COULD NOT keep the Law, despite having it in their possession! In the same way, the Gentiles couldn't keep the Law simply because they did NOT HAVE the Law! "In the spirit, and not in the letter," means "in confession and attitude, not in writing!" It's not about the WRITTEN Law; but rather about the confession and attitude about the Law! When one comes humbly to God, whether Jew or Gentile, his or her attitude of humility is what God accepts! It's NOT about being Jew or Gentile! Yeeshuwa` said this: Matthew 9:9-13 (KJV) 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom (taking taxes for Rome): and he saith unto him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto his disciples, "Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?" 12 But when Jesus heard [that], he said unto them, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, 'I will have mercy, and not sacrifice': for I am not come to call the righteous, but SINNERS to repentance." David said, Psa 51:17 KJV - 17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psa 34:18 KJV - 18 The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. And God said through His prophet Yeesha`yahuw (Isaiah), Isa 57:15 KJV - 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name [is] Holy; "I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." They are a "chosen people" out of all the other peoples of the world, but BEYOND that, anyone from any people can ALSO be a part of His people if they have a humble spirit (attitude), and a contrite heart ("core" of one's thinking). They are INCLUDED with God's original people. Right now, the original people HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY BLINDED that Gentiles might be graffed into the "Olive Tree." But, the day SHALL come when they return to their God with that "humble spirit and contrite heart."

Shabbat shalom, @truth7t7. I'm not "protecting" anything evil! One should be aware of how the Jews got into this situation with a "Talmud" in the first place! Furthermore, it's wrong for "Christians," who are supposed to act like "Christ," to have treated the Jews so poorly in history as to PUSH them into writing such "filth" about them! "CHRISTIANS" (in name only, I might add) have "blackened the eye" of "Christ," to them! When "Christians" have KILLED their ancestors and their own families in the name of "Christ," what are they going to think about "Christ?" Can you see how this worked? Put yourself in their shoes for a moment! What conclusions would YOU have drawn if you were in their shoes? Most Jews, then and today, DON'T KNOW THE REAL "JESUS CHRIST!" They only know what "He is like" by how His followers act and have treated them! It's WRONG for them to treat other human beings as less than the "image of God" that YHWH God made them! However, that goes DOUBLE for those who claim to know the Son of God! They have a better relationship today with USA's AMBASSADORS than they do with CHRISTIANS from America! What does that say about "Christians?" We can't do anything about the past; what's done is done. HOWEVER, we should NEVER CONDONE what those who called themselves "Christians" have so viciously done to them as a people THOUSANDS OF TIMES in Europe! We as true believers in Christ need to take some RESPONSIBILITY for the past actions of "Christians" and treat them as Christ and Paul would have! As I've already said, I DO NOT CONDONE the teachings of the Talmud! In fact, I would ACTIVELY CONDEMN them! BUT, one must UNDERSTAND WHY those teachings were started at all! Those teachings were started REACTIONALLY BECAUSE of their treatment by "Christians!" So, what's done is done. How do we UNDO what cannot be undone? We start AFRESH! We start treating them as Christ's literal FAMILY! After all, Yeeshuwa` haMaashiyach (which is how we must call Him to them) told us to "love one another" and said, John 13:33-35 (KJV) 33 "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." That includes the Jews, for Paul added, Romans 2:1-11 (KJV) 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, OF THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO OF THE GENTILE; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, TO EVERY MAN THAT WORKETH GOOD, TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GENTILE: 11 For THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD. And, why is there "no respect of persons" with God? Because "ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD!" (Romans 3:23) and, Galatians 3:28 (KJV) 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one IN Christ Jesus.

Shalom, @truth7t7. I'm not leveling a charge of anti-Semitism against @Luther or anyone else. I'm just saying that such limited teaching can LEAD to antisemitism. And, you're right! That's PRECISELY what the spirit (attitude) of anti-Messiah (antichrist) is! It's being AGAINST their MESSIAH! But, "blindness in part" has been TAUGHT to them since they were children! AND, the way that so-called "Christians" have been toward the Jews down through the centuries has only served to SUPPORT such anti-Messianic attitudes! When in the Crusades, some chose not to ride all the way to Jerusalem to fight against the Moors, and stopped and fought JEWS (and ARABS) closer to home instead, what are the Jews (and Arabs) supposed to think about the "Christ" whom these "Christians" claim? They were taught to FEAR the name of "Jesus Christ" and those who speak that name! So, if that fear is written down in the teachings of the Talmud, it should come as no surprise to believers! There's also a certain vindictiveness in the teachings of the Talmud by the very people who should KNOW BETTER! They were often mistreated down through the centuries; so, many teachers have taught retaliation! They were in a survivalist mentality! They treated goyim (Gentiles) as dogs and cattle, useful animals who were even to be considered the PROPERTY of the Jews whom they served! These are teachings in DIRECT OPPOSITION to God's teachings in the Torah! However, in some things, they were RIGHT! Some Catholics DO have the tendancy to worship the images of their saints, praying to them, instead of praying to GOD! That practice is INDEED "idolatry!" Yeeshuwa` haMashiyach ("Jesus the Christ") DID teach His disciples to pray to God, His Father, and not to Himself! He was also called rightly, "the SON of God," and taught them that they could be "sons of God," as well! The lineage of His adoptive father, Yowceef ("Joseph"), was traced back to AVraahaam ("Abraham"), but the lineage of His mother, Miryam ("Mary") was traced all the way back to the Creator God as Adam's Father! As I've said, I never read the Talmud directly. It is a COMMENTARY on the Tanakh, at best, and the teachings of Rabbis who were trying to survive the "times of the Gentiles," and the "times of Jacob's Trouble." I just read Grace Note's "Talmud on Christ", which is written "By Rev. I. B. Pranaitis, Roman Catholic Priest; Master of Theology and Professor of the Hebrew Language at the Imperial Ecclesiastical Academy of the Roman Catholic Church in St. Petersburg." It's a short read; so, I would encourage anyone to read it. But, in its reading, one should remember that this work was written from the mentality of the very "Church" who were the CHIEF instigators of the hatred of the Jews in Europe down through the years! Their teachings were RESPONSIBLE for the Crusades and the Inquisitions! I can see the mistrust and the hatred and the "it's them or us" mentality on BOTH sides, and it saddens me to tears. Neither "side" is completely right or completely wrong, and I fear that it will take the Messiah's intervention to rectify these teachings when He returns. He is the "Christ" whom the Catholic Church worships, and the Jews still expect the real Messiah to come, the ONE who will fulfill the prophecies and establish the Kingdom of God in Israel. BOTH sides don't have much correct and MUCH MORE wrong! Christ taught: Matthew 5:43-45 (KJV) 43 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.' 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." And, these teachers of the Jews have forgotten the teachings of the Torah they claim to respect! Exodus 22:21 (KJV) 21 "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." and Exodus 23:9 (KJV) 9 "Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." But, it is for US to bury our prejudices against the Jews and lead them to their Messiah, who is actually GOD'S Messiah - the LORD'S Anointed - who will be their wise and righteous King!

Shalom, @Locust. Nope. Sorry, but God will not lose the people with whom He has endured and worked so long! HaSatan will NOT win in this way, either! This will probably sound backward to you, but God will RESURRECT them and THEN show His Messiah to them! They shall see His wounds, and they will ask Him about them! Zechariah 12:10-14 (KJV) 10 "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED," and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives ("Bathsheba") apart; the family of the house of Nathan (Natan) apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi (Leeviy) apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei (Shim`iy) apart, and their wives apart; 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. Why shall they mourn for Him as "for his only son?" or be in bitterness for Him, as "one that is in bitterness for his firstborn?" The answer is to be found in where one may see these names again in this order (although in reverse order): Luke 3:23-31ff (KJV) 23 And Jesus (Yeeshuwa`) himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph (Yowceef), which was [the son-in-law; adopted son] of Heli ('Eliy), 24 Which was [the son] of Matthat (Mattat), which was [the son] of Levi (Levi), which was [the son] of Melchi (Malkhiy), which was [the son] of Janna (Yannan), which was [the son] of Joseph (Yowceef), 25 Which was [the son] of Mattathias (Mattatyah), which was [the son] of Amos ('Amots), which was [the son] of Naum (Naachuwm), which was [the son] of Esli (Hesliy), which was [the son] of Nagge (Naggeh), 26 Which was [the son] of Maath (Ma'at), which was [the son] of Mattathias (Mattatyaah), which was [the son] of Semei (Shim`iy), which was [the son] of Joseph (Yowceef), which was [the son] of Juda (Yhuwdaah), 27 Which was [the son] of Joanna (Yochannan), which was [the son] of Rhesa (Reesha`), which was [the son] of Zorobabel (ZerubaVel), which was [the son] of Salathiel (Salati'eel), which was [the son] of Neri (Neriy), 28 Which was [the son] of Melchi (Malkhiy), which was [the son] of Addi ('Addiy), which was [the son] of Cosam (Kowsaam), which was [the son] of Elmodam ('Elmowdaam), which was [the son] of Er (`Eer), 29 Which was [the son] of Jose (Yoshiyah), which was [the son] of Eliezer ('Eliyeezer), which was [the son] of Jorim (Yoriym), which was [the son] of Matthat (Mattat), which was [the son] of Levi (Leviy), 30 Which was [the son] of Simeon (Shi`mown), which was [the son] of Juda (Yhudaah) , which was [the son] of Joseph (Yowceef), which was [the son] of Jonan (Yownaah), which was [the son] of Eliakim,('Eliyaqiym) 31 Which was [the son] of Melea (Mele`ah), which was [the son] of Menan (Meenaan) , which was [the son] of Mattatha (Mattatyah), which was [the son] of Nathan (Naatan), which was [the son] of David, ... These people will be among those who are RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD! These four names are among Yeeshuwa`s lineage through His mother! If each had more than one son, his heir would be his firstborn son; if he only had one son, then his heir would be his only son! So, these who are listed are among Yeeshuwa`s ANCESTORS! They are His grandfathers, no matter how many "greats" must be thrown in! They will mourn for Him because they will see from His wounds that He had to die a brutal death on our behalf! The men will mourn apart (in frustration, bitterness, and anger), and the women will mourn apart in their way (in heartbroken weeping and sorrow that won't be easily slaked)! They will ALL have a few choice words to say to the generation that crucified Him! So, don't be too sure you know how things will play out!

I agree with everything you've said! They are ALL about God's people, both the children of Israel, and the Gentiles who believe! If I'd add anything, it would be the Davidic Covenant that God made with David, promising that His Seed would be "His Son and He would be His Father": 2 Samuel 7:1-17 (KJV) 1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king (David) said unto Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains!" 3 And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that [is] in thine heart; for the LORD [is] with thee." 4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5 "Go and tell my servant David, "'Thus saith the LORD, "'"Shalt THOU build ME an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in [any] house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In all [the places] wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, 'Why build ye not me an house of cedar?' 8 "Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, "'Thus saith the LORD of hosts, "'"I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great [men] that [are] in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges [to be] over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies." "'Also the LORD telleth thee that HE will make THEE an house. 12 "'"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I WILL BE HIS FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON. [Notice: He didn't use "like" or "as" in this sentence.] If he commit (be twisted into) iniquity [as happened when "He became sin for us"], I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took [it] from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."'" 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. This promise was repeated to Miryam ("Mary"), Yeeshuwa`s mother, by the messenger GaVriy'eel ("Gabriel"): Luke 1:30-33 (KJV) 30 And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (Greek: Ieesous = Hebrew: Yeeshuwa` = "He shall save"). 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Shalom, @Luther. Yes, I can agree that "His seed" would include all believers, even the Gentile believers who call themselves "Christians," with one proviso: They must first have "made His air-breathing body an offering for sin." Not all Christians have actually done this. While it is true that "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21), we must actually take that step of making His Sacrifice to be OUR Sacrifice for sin. It is THEN that we can be "JUSTIFIED by God." This is so VERY true. It is the MEANS by which we may legally be JUSTIFIED BY GOD. The "remnant" were those who survived the Roman invasion and the Diaspora that followed. The "remnant" now has grown considerably. It was NEVER said to be a "permanent remnant," after all. That's an important concept! The Jews - all the children of Israel - shall return to God and to His Messiah, His "Christ." The prophecy of Hoshea ("Hosea") points out the fact that YHWH God is Israel's "Husband," and they are the "unfaithful wife," as was Gomer to Hoshea. And yet, God had Hoshea BUY her back from the slave market to be his wife again. This will also happen for Israel when God returns and His Messiah begins His reign. He will call for their return from wherever they ended up in the world. Well, Yeeshuwa`s ("Jesus'") name means "He shall save" and His step-father Yowceef ("Joseph") was told, "for He shall save His people from their sins." That prophecy has yet to be fulfilled, but just as ALL of the other 400 prophecies about the Messiah's First Coming were fulfilled literally, so too will these prophecies be fulfilled literally. Well, some of that may still be in play when the Messiah returns; however, after the Resurrection when their ANCESTORS have returned to life, they will be re-instructed in the truth of God's Word. This prophecy SHALL be fulfilled: Zechariah 10:1-12 (KJV) 1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; [so] the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. 2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because [there was] no shepherd. 3 "Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. 4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together. 5 And they shall be as mighty [men], which tread down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD [is] with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded." 6 "And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I [am] the LORD their God, and will hear them. 7 And [they of] Ephraim shall be like a mighty [man], and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see [it], and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 8 I will hiss (whistle) for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. 10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and [place] (room) shall not be found for them. 11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name," saith the LORD. There are other such passages, like Isaiah 66, and Ezekiel 40-48. They SHALL return to GOD'S Land! After all, He WROTE His Name upon it! It's HIS Land and He'll put whom He WANTS to be in His Land! And, He promised AVraahaam, Yitschaq, Yaa`aaqoV, Yhudaah, David, and Shlomoh, among many others that the children of Israel shall live forever in His Land, and we who are Gentile believers shall also be a part of that, for our Head is the Messiah, and He was AND STILL IS a Jew! Therefore, we are Jews, too, brought into God's mishpaachaah (God's family) THROUGH HIM! May God bless you and me as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord.

Shalom, @Alive. Sure. Genesis 1 and 2 speak of the Creation of this world. The Arabs talk about how Adam, being the first prophet, was shown that there would be two destructions of the earth, the first one of Water, and second one of Fire. Peter (Keef or Keefa' in Hebrew, which means a "hollow rock," a "geode") said, 2 Peter 3:3-13 (KJV) 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation." 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: This is the First heavens (skies) and the First earth. 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: This is the Flood of Noach's day. 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. This is the Second heavens (skies) and the Second earth, in which we live today. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. This is the Third heavens (skies) and the Third earth, which will occur AFTER the Fire associated with the "day of judgment and perdition (sentencing) of ungodly men," also called the "Great White Throne Judgment." A pastor/friend of mine long ago gave me this outline of the Bible: I. Genesis 1, 2 - What aught to be II. Genesis 3 - What is III. Genesis 4-Revelation 22 - How to get from What is to What aught to be Pretty simplistic, but accurate, for Acts 3:21 says, Acts 3:1-26 (NKJV) 1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth [hour]. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called "Beautiful," to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted [him] up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the "Beautiful Gate" of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw [it], he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let [Him] go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name (authority), through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which [comes] through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did [it] in ignorance, as [did] also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until THE TIMES OF RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, "'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be [that] every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' 24 "Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, "'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one [of you] from your iniquities." Therefore, there SHALL be the "times of restoration of all things." (The KJV says "the times of restitution of all things.") If one will compare the things that happened in Genesis 1 and 2 with the things that are restored in Revelation 21 and 22, one will see that God will REMAKE the earth and its skies to duplicate the original Creation. There will only be many more people to enjoy it.

Shalom, @Locust. Sure, they "blew it." Just as we would have done, had we been in their place! "For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God!" (Romans 3:23) God "turned to the nations" "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in!" (Romans 11:25) God doesn't "lose to Satan" at all, not in one thing! He will restore the nation of Israel, just as He will restore this earth to the earth before the Flood! However, we're currently in the "time of Jacob's Trouble," which is the same as "the Tribulation." That is the CRUCIBLE in which the Jews find themselves for now. They have been victims of their own "DESOLATION" since the Messiah "LEFT THEM DESOLATE" (Matthew 23:38; Daniel 9:27). They've suffered the Roman persecutions; they were hounded from nation to nation throughout the world, and particularly within Europe through the Diaspora. They have helped countries to prosper, but the moment some calamity arises, they were BLAMED for it, and driven out of that country into the next! They were chased from place to place, suffering in the Crusades, the Inquisitions, the Pogroms in Russia, and the Holocaust! They finally were allowed to move back to their own homeland by the British under the Balfour Declaration, and have suffered terrorist attacks from all the nations surrounding them ever since (and some from within their borders, such as the late-comers, the "Palestinians" (the name being an old Romanization of the term "Philitines"). These "Palestinians," by the way, didn't come FROM "Palestine"; they were INTRODUCED into the Land, exiled by the Jordanians! The Jordanians "SEEDED" the Land with non-Israelis just to make trouble for the new, to-be-formed state of Israel as a homeland for the Jews! All the same, the children of Israel, particularly the Jews, are MIRACULOUSLY BACK in their Land, and God has blessed them ever since, despite their past infidelity to Him! And, they have since begun to work with the Land to make it prosperous again. Now that it's "blooming like a rose," the Muslims want it for themselves. (They never wanted it when it was a salt-seeded wasteland, salted by the Romans many years earlier to make the Land unlivable.) Are they there, yet? No. WILL THEY BE? MOST DEFINITELY! "God doesn't renege on His gifts or His calling!" (Romans 11:29) "All Israel shall be saved!" (Romans 11:26a) It is OUR RESPONSIBILITY to tell them about their Messiah - the Messiah of God whom they missed the first time He came! (To the Jew and the Gentile) "Even so have these also now not believed, that THROUGH YOUR MERCY THEY ALSO MAY OBTAIN MERCY." (Romans 11:31). Romans 2:1-10 (KJV) 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who "will render to every man according to his deeds" (Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12) 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and ALSO OF THE GENTILE; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and ALSO TO THE GENTILE: Later Paul added, Romans 2:17-29; 3:1-4 (KJV) 17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18 And knowest [his] will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you," as it is written (Isa. 52:5, see XII; Ezek. 36:20, 22). 25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God. 1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? 2 MUCH EVERY WAY: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles (statements; sayings) of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 GOD FORBID!: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, "That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Psalm 51:4) (Remember: There weren't any chapter divisions before the 15th Century A.D. Even paragraph divisions were questionable.) So, although they cannot count on being Jews and keeping the Law to justify themselves, for "ALL have sinned!" Nevertheless, they are still the "people of the Book!" And, they are therefore a people still with the greater advantage! We who are Gentiles and of the uncircumcision, are graffed in among them and can be accounted as "Jews" through the circumcision of the heart! So, they are down, but not out! They SHALL make a come-back, when they are ready to receive God's Messiah for their King. It makes God out to be a LIAR to say otherwise!

Shallm, @Luther. I believe that the religion of worshipping YHWH God has not changed, because YHWH God has not changed. The Jews, even today's Jews, still are the "People of the Book," and they HAVE the Book in the original language. The MODIFICATIONS that such works like the Talmud have put upon the original worship of YHWH God are an addition that tends to TAINT the religion. So, no, the religious practices that they have today are not purely the same as the religion of the OT saints. Yeeshuwa` knew this as early as the First Century! However, the REVIVAL of the language as the national language of the modern state of Israel has also REVIVED much of the religion of the OT saints, as well. What they do not have, however, is the means for making sacrifices to God. They are RIPE to be introduced to the Sacrifice that GOD HIMSELF made with the body of Yeeshuwa` the Messiah! That is clear from Isaiah 53:10, and we should be ENCOURAGING the Jews to recognize that Sacrifice and make it their own! "... when thou shalt make his (the Messiah's) soul (His "air-breathing creature") an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD (YHWH) shall prosper in his hand. He (the LORD, YHWH) shall see of the travail of his (the Messiah's) soul ("air-breathing creature"), and SHALL BE SATISFIED: 'by his knowledge shall my righteous servant (the Messiah) JUSTIFY MANY; for HE (the Messiah) SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES.'" (Isaiah 53:10-11) It can't be any clearer than that! AND, it comes DIRECTLY from their own TANAKH, their own Scriptures (which is also our OT)! Not very much. I don't study it; I study the Scriptures. The Talmud is very much like our commentaries on the Scriptures. "Let GOD be true, and every man a liar!" (Romans 3:4) And, for the record, I don't think too highly of our commentaries, either. They are WORKS OF MEN, trying to understand God's Word! One can see a few things from them because they broaden our knowledge about how other HUMAN BEINGS understood the Scriptures, but they are NOT the Scriptures themselves! Again, "Let GOD be true, and EVERY man a liar!"

Shalom, @Luther. Oh, yes, I agree with you. However, one must understand that prophecies just tell the truth of what will happen, whether the activity is sanctioned by God or not. Look, the Jews have the Temple furniture, the priests' clothes, the red heifers, the walls for the Temple, and all the plans ready to go! All they have to do is allow the building to begin! Whether they are "right or wrong" in building the Temple and beginning the Temple worship again is irrelevant; the prophecy SHALL be fulfilled, and when it is, we're one step closer to the Return of the Messiah! It's not just the "Old Covenant" pitted against the "New Covenant." That dichotomy shows a LIMITED view of history! More important, from the perspective of the Messiah's future Kingdom is the DAVIDIC Covenant! THAT'S the covenant that counts! The New Covenant, as originally prophesied, is for the nation of Israel, as the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel when the prophecies were first written! They are in anticipation of the REUNIFICATION of Israel under the Messiah's rule! The P'rushiym ("Pharisees") were not a bad lot. For most of that time period, they were the HEROES of the Jews! The word means "Separatists," and they believed in "separating themselves" from the evils and corruption in the world at that time. Remember: Paul was a "Pharisee of the Pharisees!" HOWEVER, there are always a few bad apples who give the "black eye" to the rest. Such was the case in power at the time that the Messiah came. The Talmud was originally the "oral Torah" as opposed to the "written Torah." The written Torah was the first five books of the Bible, but the Talmud was the applications of that written Torah in many different instances that occurred in life. Some of it was good; however, much was OVER THE TOP, in the practical sense, like - for instance - the mixing of beef and cheese in one's diet. This was a rule that was birthed from the THREE Scripture verses: Exodus 23:19 (KJV) and Exodus 34:26 (KJV) 19 and 26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. and Deuteronomy 14:21 (KJV) 21 Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. Again, it was the "OVERKILL" in the appication of these verses that exibits the downfall of the Talmud. To avoid breaking this commandment, they would not allow the eating of ANY meat with ANY dairy product! It was just that kind of NONSENSE to which the Messiah reacted! Tithing the mint and the cumin were far less important than justice and mercy! He wouldn't let them get away with "it's korban (dedicated to God)" when their parents needed anything, reminding them that they were to HONOR THEIR FATHERS AND MOTHERS! The whole diatribe against them in Matthew 23 is when Yeeshuwa` told them (in verse 37) that He would have LOVED to gather their children together, but they wouldn't allow it! That's when He pronounced them "DESOLATE" (verse 38 and Daniel 9:27). Right after that is when He said, "Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." His quotation of ... Psalm 118:22-26 (KJV) 22 The stone [which] the builders refused is become the head [stone] of the corner. 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it [is] marvellous in our eyes. 24 This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

Amen! (Hebrew for "Truth!") At least, you've been exposed to my point of view. What you do with it is TOTALLY between you and God. I appreciate and respect your point of view on this. I agree that Martin Luther was an important component to the development of Christianity in his time. It still bothers me that "he no longer spent his time trying to convert Jews." Paul said, "23 And they (the children of Israel, especially the Jews) also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, 'There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.' 28 As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] BELOVED for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance. (I.e., God DOESN'T CHANGE HIS MIND about His gifts and calling!) 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through YOUR mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon ALL." (Romans 11:23-32 KJV). It's our DUTY to continue to share with the Jews about their Messiah, for His name means "He shall save" His people from their sins! (Matt. 1:21). Paul felt it was HIS duty; are we greater than Paul? Furthermore, Yeeshuwa` ("Jesus") said to the Jews,"Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23:39) How can they do that if (1) they don't know that He was (and will be) their Messiah, the "One who comes in the authority of YHWH," and (2) that they must say this in their prayers to God?! We also need to understand that Yeeshuwa` was telling them that He wouldn't RETURN UNTIL they could say that! And, if you read Psalm 118:26 from which this quote in highlighted blue comes, they must do so from the "house of the LORD" - the TEMPLE, implying that a new Temple must be built first!