Why is the priesthood important to you?

We are called (those who have the Holy Spirit Living in them) to be Kings and Priests.  Peter tells us we are chosen to be a royal priesthood.  John tells us that we are a kingdom and priests to serve The God and Father forever. Then John tells us that we will serve and reign on the earth and be the priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years during the millennium.  Just stop and think what this is really saying in so many words.  We will be serving and teaching the individuals that are alive during the millennium about Jesus Way of Life and then with a strong arm enforcement that they will have to follow the Way of Life that Jesus taught, lived, and by His example.  For example, all people, there will be no exception to this, will worship during the Feast of Tabernacles, the Sabbath day and the Feast Days.  This is why learning more about the priests is very important for us to learn.

Blessings

Stephen

(1 Pet 2:9 NIV)  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

(Rev 1:6 NIV)  and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

(Rev 5:10 NIV)  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

(Rev 20:6 NIV)  Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

 

Israel either gathered the manna or they trampled it underfoot.

When we look around, we know that manna is a scripture idiom for Jesus our Lord and the Word of God.  What do we mean, when we say, they trampled it underfoot.  Does it mean, when we do not follow the commands, teachings, instructions, or follow the example of Jesus, our Lord; we are trampling Jesus underfoot by not doing these things?  Alternatively, by not taking the Bible seriously when the Bible explains many different things and not taking them seriously.  Is this also trampling the Word of God underfoot?  It all depends on how our understanding or should I say, what has been taught to us from others, for example, pastors, ministers, preachers, friends, or teachers.  Where do we get our understandings of the scriptures, from these individuals or from the scriptures?  Do we study the scriptures daily as the Bereans do to see if what we is told is correct or do we just take their word at it? 

One example is the Passover.  The original question was not Passover vs. Easter, but when to celebrate the Passover, on the 14^th or on Sunday.  The Apostle John and Polycarp (John disciple) taught the Easter church to celebrate the Passover on the 14^th and the Western church celebrated Passover on Sunday.  Later, the Western church called it Easter.  The Western church then forced the Eastern church to call it Easter and to celebrate it on Sunday or be killed.  The Western church went and killed thousands of those who celebrated the Passover on the 14^th that John taught them. I did a presentation of this subject in the I-700 class. If you are interested, it is located at

http://www.studycenter.com/school/slideshowdata/3011/570/slideshow/Slideshow.swf?cache_buster=0.000743002719245851

Blessings

Stephen

What purpose did the Sabbath rest serve to the children of Israel?

The purpose of the Sabbath rest for the children of Israel was to show them which day that Jesus (The Lord and Creator of the Old Testament) that He (Jesus) set aside as a day of worship to Him, prayer, study, spend time with the family, give Jesus thanks and to serve others while away from our lively hood work.  The Sabbath is the first feast mention by Jesus that He says, these are “my” feast times appointed by me (Jesus).  We know Jesus created the Sabbath at the very beginning (Genesis) for all mankind. 

Very few individuals observes the Sabbath (Saturday) today and we know that when Jesus set up His Kingdom at the start of the millennium, one of the first things Jesus does is to restore the worship of Him on the Sabbath day (Saturday) and all of the other feast days (Ezekiel).  The Temple will only be open on the Sabbath and Feast days. 

It does not matter what anyone thinks or say, this is what the scriptures say.  We can worship Jesus anytime of the week, but Jesus tells us to worship Him on the Sabbath.  Daniel tells us that Satan is out to attempt to alter times and laws at the end time.  The Sabbath then is a time set aside for mankind to worship the Father and Jesus.  Blessings

Stephen

Tell the Israelis, "These are “my” feast times appointed by the LORD that you are to declare as sacred assemblies.  (Lev 23:2 ISV)

Six days you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work. It's a Sabbath to the LORD wherever you live.  (Lev 23:3 ISV)

He'll speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One. He'll attempt to alter times and laws, and they'll be given into his control for a time, times, and half a time.  (Dan 7:25 ISV)

"This is what the Lord GOD says: 'The inner, east-facing courtyard will remain shut during the six working days of the week, but on the Sabbath day it will be opened, as well as on the day of the New Moon.  (Eze 46:1 ISV)

"'The people who live in the land will worship at the doorway of the gate on the Sabbaths and New Moons in the LORD's presence.  (Eze 46:3 ISV)

(Zec 14:16 KJV)  And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What safeguards do you have in place to protect you from Satan’s weapon of imitation?

The safeguards we have is the Holy Spirit.  John tells us that the Holy Spirit will lead us in all truths. Jesus tells us by His own words, “"If you love me, you will obey what I command.”  If we do not obey Jesus commands, we are showing we do not love Jesus.  Then Jesus tells us in again His words, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."  Jesus tells us again that if obey His commands, then he is the one who loves me and Jesus will love him.  Jesus is telling us to obey His commands.  Many of the false ministers today (sorcerers) are teaching we do not have to obey Jesus commands from their churches. How do we know what Jesus commands and teachings are, but to read, study and mediate on His Word, the words of the Bible.  Since Jesus is the God of the Old and New Testament, we have what Jesus tells us we are to do.  We are to search the scriptures daily.  We need to learn and follow the teachings, commands, and Jesus Way of life He lived.  Blessings

Stephen

(John 16:13 NIV)  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

(John 16:13 NIV)  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

(Acts 17:11 KJV)  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

(John 14:15 NIV)  "If you love me, you will obey what I command.

(John 14:21 NIV)  Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

 

Who or what would be represented by the “sorcerers” in today’s world.

When I look at who represented the sorcerers today in the scriptures, my misconception was brought to my mind that what I thought was wrong.  When I look at the Greek word, magos, says it means a magician, or wise man. 

Jeremiah 27 brings attention that the sorcerers prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land, which means, to lie about what the Lord tells us to do.

Reading different verses, I think the Apostle Paul explains what a sorcerer is in Acts 13.  Paul tells us “thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord.”  Therefore, we now know that a sorcerer wants to pervert the right ways of the Lord.  This is very strong words recorded in the scriptures that wants to pervert the right ways of the Lord.  Are we finding that a sorcerer want to take individual away from following the Way of Life that Jesus taught and lived.  These have to be religious individuals and secret followers of Satan.  1 John 4:1 says many false prophets have gone out into the world.  Then Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light and his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Cor 11:14-15).

From the above scriptures, the sorcerers would be those false ministers in the pulpits today that does not teach to follow and perverts Jesus Way of life.  Blessings

Stephen

(Acts 13:6 NIV)  They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,

Sorcerer:  3097. magos, mag'-os; of for. or. [H7248]; a Magian, i.e. Oriental scientist; by impl. a magician:--sorcerer, wise man.

(Acts 13:8-10 KJV)  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. {9} Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, {10} And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

(Jer 27:9-10 KJV)  Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: {10} For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.

(2 Pet 2:1-3 NIV)  But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. {2} Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. {3} In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

(1 John 4:1 NIV)  Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

(2 Cor 11:14-15 NIV)  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. {15} It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

 

 

 

 

How do you see Moses’ upbringing shaping him for God’s service?

Moses upbringing was a miracle directed by Jesus to fulfill the plan of God; Moses was adopted into the Pharaoh household by the Pharaoh’s daughter and was in line to be the Pharaoh someday.  I believe one verse sums up Moses upbringing would be Acts 7:22.  Moses was educated or learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.  This short sentence has many different results when we look at the real meaning of the words.  Moses was taught poetry, mathematics, music, medicine, and all the modern things at the time.  Moses was mighty or powerful in speech and deeds or action.   Josephus tells us he was the general of the Egyptian army, defeating the Ethiopians when they invaded Egypt. He was taught Egypt religion but learned about the One, True God as he grew up.  When we look at how Moses was brought up, with all the resources that was at Moses hands, we can see how Moses was ready to lead the Nation of Israel after 40 years trial wilderness to build up the right character for the job.

Blessings

Stephen

(Acts 7:22 NIV)  Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

(Acts 7:22 KJV)  And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

(Acts 7:20-21 NIV)  "At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house. {21} When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

 

 

 

In Hebrews 11 we read “by faith Moses’ parents”

This subject was something I had not thought about in detail, concerning Moses’s parents and how faith does relate to Moses and his parents.  We know that faith comes from the hearing of the Word of God.  Jesus gave the Word of God to Abraham because they spoke to each other.  Then the Word of God went from Abraham to his decedents (Israel) as Gen 26 brings out, because Abraham obeyed Jesus and kept His requirements, His commands, His decrees, and His laws.  Abraham gave this information to his children and grandchildren. Jesus talked with Moses and Moses codified, in writing God’s requirements, commands, decrees, and laws to the Nation of Israel. 

I wonder, did God send an angel to Moses parents telling them what to do with the child?  Is this as far out as we might think?  No, because we already have examples where an angel tells someone what to do.  If we look at Joseph and Mary and the angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt and then later, the angel again told Joseph to return to Israel.  I can now see that God can and probably did tell Moses parents in detail what to do in this situation. 

Very interesting.  Blessings

Stephen

Heb 11:23 NIV)  By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

(Rom 10:17 KJV)  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

(Gen 26:5 NIV)  because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws."