3 Main Themes I see in the Bible: Love - Image - Dominion

[Alive]

“so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

(Ephesians 2:7 NAS95)

[Neighbor]

Interesting view, one I think  John Gills speculated upon; and there is the or a tree of life of mention in the account Revelation (2 and 22) too.

Fun stuff.

 

[Vine Abider]

41 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Interesting view, one I think  John Gills speculated upon; and there is the or a tree of life of mention in the account Revelation (2 and 22) too.

Fun stuff.

 

The first two chapters and the last two chapters of the bible mirror each other in many ways. There are at least 20 things mentioned in Genesis 1-2 which become fully manifested in Revelation 21-22.  There is also no mention of the devil in those 4 chapters. 

All the chapters in between deal with the ramifications of Adam & Eve's choice, and their lost dominion to the old serpent. It all shows how much man needed the Savior - who restores God's image and dominion to man!

[farouk]

55 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

The first two chapters and the last two chapters of the bible mirror each other in many ways. There are at least 20 things mentioned in Genesis 1-2 which become fully manifested in Revelation 21-22.  There is also no mention of the devil in those 4 chapters. 

All the chapters in between deal with the ramifications of Adam & Eve's choice, and their lost dominion to the old serpent. It all shows how much man needed the Savior - who restores God's image and dominion to man!

I know various ppl who read John Gill; I've not been one myself, really.

[AdHoc]

19 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi VA,

Which topic - the `bride in a bloody battle,` as Ad Hoc is suggesting? or the `bride` as who, what, when, where?

I did not want to get this topic off course but just reply to Ad Hoc`s errors.

@Vine Abider

I did watch the exchange. I also though it was a part-derailment of the original posting. I think I probably should take some blame, but if we discuss "dominion" then war is inevitable. It always amazes me how scripture talks of Armageddon in Revelation 14,

 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

... and yet people think that blood has some other meaning. Or take Isaiah 34 and 63 with the Lord coming back from Bozrah with garments "dyed" in blood. Do Christians really believe the Bible? Will the Idumeans escape bloodshed. Or is God's Covenant with Abraham vain? Did He not promise to curse those that cursed Israel?

Noah's Covenant lasts as long as winter and summer do. Do the Christians think that the change in government on earth will somehow eradicate the Adamic nature of the survivors of the Great Tribulation? Does our Lord's choice of the "rod of iron" indicate Utopia? Is Magog's rebellion an accident? Do you think that rape, murder, sodomy and child pornography will slip from the dictionary in the Millennium?

Noah's Covenant says "the murder's blood shall be shed by "Men" (Gen.9:6). If you make king of a city (Lk.19:17-19) my dear Marilyn C, and a man savagely rapes and murders a seven-year-old, will you not stand for God's honor and get spattered with blood? Was that seven-year-old not made in God's image? Be practical. Be a Samuel - not a Saul. The Millennium is not Disney World. God has 1,000 years to put 6,000 years of Gentile rule to shame. Will Christ, at the Bema, name a Christian co-king with Him if He knows that you'll let those who strike at God's image go?

Let us not be superstitious about our duties in the Millennium - nor at Armageddon. And let us not have any doubts what "Dominion" means when men try to set up the mafia in your millennial city.

[Vine Abider]

30 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

@Vine Abider

I did watch the exchange. I also though it was a part-derailment of the original posting. I think I probably should take some blame, but if we discuss "dominion" then war is inevitable. It always amazes me how scripture talks of Armageddon in Revelation 14,

 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

... and yet people think that blood has some other meaning. Or take Isaiah 34 and 63 with the Lord coming back from Bozrah with garments "dyed" in blood. Do Christians really believe the Bible? Will the Idumeans escape bloodshed. Or is God's Covenant with Abraham vain? Did He not promise to curse those that cursed Israel?

Noah's Covenant lasts as long as winter and summer do. Do the Christians think that the change in government on earth will somehow eradicate the Adamic nature of the survivors of the Great Tribulation? Does our Lord's choice of the "rod of iron" indicate Utopia? Is Magog's rebellion an accident? Do you think that rape, murder, sodomy and child pornography will slip from the dictionary in the Millennium?

Noah's Covenant says "the murder's blood shall be shed by "Men" (Gen.9:6). If you make king of a city (Lk.19:17-19) my dear Marilyn C, and a man savagely rapes and murders a seven-year-old, will you not stand for God's honor and get spattered with blood? Was that seven-year-old not made in God's image? Be practical. Be a Samuel - not a Saul. The Millennium is not Disney World. God has 1,000 years to put 6,000 years of Gentile rule to shame. Will Christ, at the Bema, name a Christian co-king with Him if He knows that you'll let those who strike at God's image go?

Let us not be superstitious about our duties in the Millennium - nor at Armageddon. And let us not have any doubts what "Dominion" means when men try to set up the mafia in your millennial city.

Well this is definitely in the vein of dominion, so seems okay to explore - at least a bit - on this thread.  

That is basically my vision of the millennium too.  Some think that it will be absolute heaven on earth for a thousand years.  But since I don't think God's purpose has changed since Genesis 1:26 (have image & dominion), I see it as a display of how that purpose through man will be carried out on a fallen world.  That is, the earth and heavens are not burnt up and renewed until afterward.

And yes, what would be the need for the promise of overcomers ruling over the nations with an iron rod, as stated in Rev 2:27, if there was not something needed a rod of iron to subdue?!

However, I had not thought about how certain situations might need to be resolved with bloodshed in the millennium . . . I guess I thought that everything would be sort of automatically subdued, because of the brightness of His glory through us, everyone would just submit.

You've definitely given me some food for thought regarding what dominion might look like there, at least in certain extreme situations. (i.e. - most people don't think of a nice, loving Jesus in terms of deep red garments from Bozrah) But evil must be confronted strongly.

[Marilyn C]

1 hour ago, AdHoc said:

@Vine Abider

I did watch the exchange. I also though it was a part-derailment of the original posting. I think I probably should take some blame, but if we discuss "dominion" then war is inevitable. It always amazes me how scripture talks of Armageddon in Revelation 14,

 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

... and yet people think that blood has some other meaning. Or take Isaiah 34 and 63 with the Lord coming back from Bozrah with garments "dyed" in blood. Do Christians really believe the Bible? Will the Idumeans escape bloodshed. Or is God's Covenant with Abraham vain? Did He not promise to curse those that cursed Israel?

Noah's Covenant lasts as long as winter and summer do. Do the Christians think that the change in government on earth will somehow eradicate the Adamic nature of the survivors of the Great Tribulation? Does our Lord's choice of the "rod of iron" indicate Utopia? Is Magog's rebellion an accident? Do you think that rape, murder, sodomy and child pornography will slip from the dictionary in the Millennium?

Noah's Covenant says "the murder's blood shall be shed by "Men" (Gen.9:6). If you make king of a city (Lk.19:17-19) my dear Marilyn C, and a man savagely rapes and murders a seven-year-old, will you not stand for God's honor and get spattered with blood? Was that seven-year-old not made in God's image? Be practical. Be a Samuel - not a Saul. The Millennium is not Disney World. God has 1,000 years to put 6,000 years of Gentile rule to shame. Will Christ, at the Bema, name a Christian co-king with Him if He knows that you'll let those who strike at God's image go?

Let us not be superstitious about our duties in the Millennium - nor at Armageddon. And let us not have any doubts what "Dominion" means when men try to set up the mafia in your millennial city.

That sounds like HELL!

[Marilyn C]

@Vine Abider,

Do you agree with Ad Hoc`s view of us doing a `bloody battle` and then in the millennium either killing or wounding those that rape young children, etc?` 

Is that the Blessed hope you are looking for?

[Neighbor]

19 hours ago, farouk said:

I know various ppl who read John Gill; I've not been one myself, really.

The exposition of the entire Bible by John Gill ( Predecessor to Charles H. Spurgeon) is one of several commentaries available on every "verse" of the Bible at BibleHub.com

I use his material more and more often as it is thorough yet concise, easy to understand. Whether I am led to agree or not I find it valuable to stimulate  my own thinking, praying, and search of the Bible. 

Just a note:  For online purposes I find both Bible Hub and Bible Gateway to be fast thorough convenient  resources.

As to the subject at hand, I find one theme," one thing", and I'll happily stick to that in all that I read,  think, and pray over;  that is the reveal of Jesus from Genesis through Revelation. He is the redeemer that  the Holy Spirit  reveals to all that will be found mature in His gospel at His return. There is no other.

There  are themes aplenty of course, including themes within  the of review by Paul in his letter to the large church bodies at Galatia, but it is all subtext to the basic and superior reveal, that  of God the Son  the redeemer who created all that is and will be. He is my redeemer.

[AdHoc]

13 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Well this is definitely in the vein of dominion, so seems okay to explore - at least a bit - on this thread.  

That is basically my vision of the millennium too.  Some think that it will be absolute heaven on earth for a thousand years.  But since I don't think God's purpose has changed since Genesis 1:26 (have image & dominion), I see it as a display of how that purpose through man will be carried out on a fallen world.  That is, the earth and heavens are not burnt up and renewed until afterward.

And yes, what would be the need for the promise of overcomers ruling over the nations with an iron rod, as stated in Rev 2:27, if there was not something needed a rod of iron to subdue?!

However, I had not thought about how certain situations might need to be resolved with bloodshed in the millennium . . . I guess I thought that everything would be sort of automatically subdued, because of the brightness of His glory through us, everyone would just submit.

You've definitely given me some food for thought regarding what dominion might look like there, at least in certain extreme situations. (i.e. - most people don't think of a nice, loving Jesus in terms of deep red garments from Bozrah) But evil must be confronted strongly.

 

12 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

That sounds like HELL!

 

3 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

@Vine Abider,

Do you agree with Ad Hoc`s view of us doing a `bloody battle` and then in the millennium either killing or wounding those that rape young children, etc?` 

Is that the Blessed hope you are looking for?

Thank you @Vine Abider for allowing this avenue of discussion. I won't dwell on, but I thought that a practical example would suffice to bring perspective - not on men's evil, but on what type of man or woman will be named co-king with Christ. First, as the title of the thread goes, is Love. The man or woman who does not have a love relationship with Christ first, and his fellow man second, will hear the words of the Great Judge "I never knew you".

Second, contrary to hearing and heeding the gospel, which needs faith, the qualification for entering the Kingdom with Christ is that one is spiritually mature. The end of the age is a harvest (Matt.13:39) and God's tithe is the "Firstfruits", or the "Firstripe". The fruits of the Holy Spirit are listed in Galatians 5.22 and Ephesians 5:9. This has to do with being in the image of Jesus (Rom.8:29, 2nd Cor.3:18).

Third, according to Matthew 7 and other scriptures, by direct statements and parables, ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE is a prerequisite. God's ways are not ours. We would attack Jericho in a totally different way. The men and women who make co-king with Jesus are men and women who will carry out instructions by PURE OBEDIENCE without even understanding them.

The narrative of the rich man in Mathew 19 shows us that the obedience needed is above the human. Here is a man who had kept the Law. And Jesus loved him. His wealth is gained legally. His wealth is God's side of a Covenant. It is God's honor to prosper the man who keeps the Law. But the man wanted to enter "life" which our Lord Jesus changes to "kingdom". For life in Canaan obedience to the Law is required. For life in the Kingdom total dedication and obedience are required.

Marilyn C gave the perfect example. She has been born and raised a tender maiden. She has been born and raised in countries that have semblance of civilization. She has been born and raised in the age of grace. For her to sentence a man to death by beheading, or do the deed herself, is PURE HELL. I believe you. So does the Lord. But you will have, as co-king, been selected and honored to PROTECT GOD'S INTERESTS on earth. The age of grace IS OVER. It is the age of JUST RETRIBUTION.

No longer will the guilty be protected like the Gentiles do. No longer will the law-abiding subject (for it is a Kingdom) lock his/her door. In the first days and months the remainder of men (who survive the Great Tribulation) will be rocked by a regime of PURE JUSTICE - the 100% type only known to God. It is, "THY Kingdom COME (to earth)". It is a Kingdom where the good must not fear. It is a Kingdom where evil men will KNOW that retribution is coming - fast and violently.

The Chief of this Kingdom is the One who killed every man on earth except eight. The King in power is the King who slew 24,000 of His men for fornicating with the enemy - 23,000 of which were in ONE DAY (Num.25, 1st Cor.10). God tolerated Israel's unbelief for about 2 years in the wilderness, but then, at Kadesh Barnea he ripped the Good Land away from 600,000 men - His men - men who He had saved from the angel of death and opened the Red Sea for.

In God's immutable council of Genesis 1:26-28, we have men commanded to SUBDUE and then rule. Think not that we have to subdue some pre-teens having a cake fight. The Millennium is the time, on the earth as we know it now, when God's enemies are SUBDUED - the last being death. You will be handling the most vicious, hardened and evil men and women on earth. SUBDUE is an active suppression of another unlawful force. You will show, as co-king with Christ, in the shortest time possible, that any hurt to God's Kingdom, and all that is in it, will be met by instant, violent, intolerable but just force. 

Settle it now in your mind whether you will LOVE your God enough to act LIKE Him and OBEY Him to protect the innocent and HAMMER the criminal (with a rod of iron). Your training is NOW. Is it human to sell all and give it away? Is it human to turn the other cheek? Is it human to go to Golgotha as an innocent? The OBEDIENCE learned in this age is FOR THE NEXT.