What have you learned so far about God's holiness?

God has said to His people Israel and to Christians today,  Be Holy, for I am Holy.

To the Nation of Israel God tells them

(Lev 19:2 NIV)  "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

(Lev 20:7-8 NIV)  "'Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. {8} Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

 (Lev 20:26)  "You are to be Holy toward me, because I the LORD am Holy. I've separated you from among the people to be mine.

To us, Believers and Christians today

(1 Pet 1:15-16 KJV)  But as he which hath called you is Holy, so be ye Holy in all manner of conversation (behavior)  ; {16} Because it is written, Be ye Holy; for I am Holy.

To be Holy is to be distinct, separate, in a class by oneself, set apart.

(Exo 15:11 KJV)  Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

We find that the word Holy is listed 611 times in 544 verses.

And Holiness is listed 43 times in 43 verses.

What does God consider Holy?  The following are some things that are “set apart”, these statements are taken directly from the scriptures: 

Holy ground, Holy habitation,  Holy Sabbath, Holy nation,  Holy men, Holy garments, Holy place, Holy anointing oil, Holy sanctuary, Holy water, Holy instruments, Holy people, the Holy city, Holy name, Holy One, Holy Spirit,  Holy angels, Holy Child Jesus, Holy kiss, Holy apostles and prophets, Holy priesthood.   

(Isa 6:3 NIV)  And they were calling to one another: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

(Rev 4:8 NIV)  Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

Please take it to heart, when our Lord, Creator God say to each of us,

“Be Holy, for I am Holy”

Blessing

Stephen

How do you define "sacrifice?"

I define sacrifice a little different.  As a Christian and a Believer, we have the Holy Spirit living in us and Paul tells us that we are the Temple of the Living God.

(1 Cor 3:16-17 NIV)  Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? {17} If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

We are God's temple – do we really realize what this means

God's temple is sacred, and we are that temple – we, all of us are that Temple.

We who have the Holy Spirit living in us and through us are a Priest of God, with the privilege of offering spiritual sacrifices though our Lord, Jesus.

(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.

We are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.

(Rom 12:1-2 NIV)  Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. {2} Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

How do we do this is by following the commands, teachings and example of our Lord, Jesus the Messiah.  We are to be Holy as God is Holy.

I believe these are very encouraging verse for us today.

Blessing

Stephen

What is the most important thing in the universe?

I do believe that the most important thing in the universe is the Holiness of God.  The Hebrew word is qodesh, which means Holiness, consecrated, dedicated, hallowed, holiness, holy, saint, sanctuary while some translations for example ISV uses set apart.  Lev 11:44-47 gives the reason by God gave the Nation of Israel food laws for what they can eat and what they are not to eat.  If an Israelite eats an unclean living creature, then since the Israelite individual is Holy before God, which will make the individual unclean and become defile.  If the individual does not purify himself; he must be cut off from the community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD and become unholy until they are purified.  Interesting, something to think about.  Blessing

Stephen

(Lev 11:44-47 NIV)  I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. {45} I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. {46} "'These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves in the water and every creature that moves about on the ground. {47} You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.'"

Exo 22:31  "You are to be people set apart for me. You are not to eat flesh torn apart in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs."

Lev 11:44  because I, the LORD, am your God. "Set yourselves apart and be holy, because I am holy. You are not to defile yourselves with any of the swarming creatures that swarm the earth.

Lev 20:26  "You are to be holy toward me, because I the LORD am holy. I've separated you from among the people to be mine.

Holiness:  6944. qodesh, ko'-desh; from H6942; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstr. sanctity:--consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.

(Num 19:20-22 NIV)  But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean. {21} This is a lasting ordinance for them. "The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. {22} Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening."

When should you believe the man of God rather than the experts?

When should we believe “the” man of God instead of someone who claims to be an expert.  If someone claims to be an expert, then I will dismiss them in a hurry, because no one is an expert of the Holy Scriptures except the one who wrote it through the Holy Spirit, that is Jesus, our Lord.  We are always learning from the scriptures.  That leads to the part of “believe the man of God” which I have to assume means ministers or teachers.  We look at the fruits of their lives, have the fruit of the Spirit, and are they living the Way of Life that Jesus taught and lived.  Are they teaching from the scriptures in their sermons or giving a 45 sermon with only a few scriptures.  Are they a person of prayer?  We need to be like the Bereans to examine the Scriptures every day to see if the man of God said was true.  Do they have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures and proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ?  Only after we prove from the Scriptures then we can believe the man of God.

Blessing

Stephen

(Acts 17:11 NIV)  Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

(Acts 18:24 NIV)  Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.

(Acts 18:28 NIV)  For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

(1 Cor 15:4 KJV)  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

(2 Tim 3:16 KJV)  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Discuss the objective of Paul’s teaching in Acts 28:23.

I found this section of Acts 28 about the objective of Paul’s teaching somewhat different from before.  We know that the words, they, are the leaders of the Jews that Paul called them to meet with them and they came to Paul according to vs 17.  I found it interesting that Paul said in vs. 20, why he wanted to speak with the Jewish leadership was because “it is for the hope of Israel that I'm wearing this chain.”  Than after setting up an appointed time and date, Paul then (1) declared to them the kingdom of God and (2) tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets which is the Gospel from morning until evening.  So Paul preached about the Kingdom of God that is coming for Israel and the Gospel of Jesus life (birth, death and resurrection).  I would have loved to be there to hear in person this sermon.  Blessing

Stephen

(Acts 28:23 NIV)  They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

Acts 28:17 ISV -  Three days later, Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. When they assembled, he told them, "Brothers, although I haven't done anything against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

Acts 28:20 ISV -  That's why I asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the hope of Israel that I'm wearing this chain."

Where are the “ten lost tribes” of Israel?

This is a subject about the “ten lost tribes” of Israel that is very controversial among believers.  The word lost is a bad word for this, but probably blinded to the fact that someone is a descendent of the Nation of Israel (northern tribe).  We know the scriptures says Israel is blinded until Times of the Gentiles is up (I always seem to get these mixed up).  I kind of believe that Jesus happens to know who all the descendants of Israel are today.  Do I really know who they are, no, but there are hints and indications in the scriptures.

One of the things that has bother me about the 10 lost tribes was, how come 10.  I agree should be less tribes, because people move with their feet.  Those of the north tribes moved south and those of the south tribe moved north.  That is why I am in Texas right now.  Where does 10 come from.  There was a casual comment one time in one a lectures that gave me the answer.  So, I had to look it up.  When Josephus said 10 tribes in his writings, then that is where the number comes from.  We know that James knew where the 12 tribes were located.  We know that all the tribes will have a land grant when Jesus sets up His Kingdom at the start of the millennium.  David will be the king over all Israel then.  Blessing

Stephen

Antiquities Of The Jews

By Flavius Josephus

Book 9 Chapter 14

HOW SHALMANESER TOOK SAMARIA BY FORCE AND HOW HE TRANSPLANTED THE TEN TRIBES INTO MEDIA, AND BROUGHT THE NATION OF THE CUTHEANS INTO THEIR COUNTRY [IN THEIR ROOM].

demolished the government of the Israelites, and transplanted all the people into Media and Persia among whom he took king Hoshea alive; and when he had removed these people out of this their land he transplanted other nations out of Cuthah, a place so called, (for there is [still] a river of that name in Persia,) into Samaria, and into the country of the Israelites. So the ten tribes of the Israelites were removed out of Judea nine hundred and forty-seven years after their forefathers were come out of the land of Egypt

Book 11 Chapter 5

wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Iomans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers. Now there came a great number of priests, and Levites, and porters, and sacred singers, and sacred servants to Esdra

Discuss the three charges Tertullus brought against Paul.

I found that the three charges brought against Paul from Ananias and the attorney, orator, or lawyer, Tertullus, was brought by the Jewish leadership from Jerusalem, to Felix.  Tertullus said in Acts 24:5, that Paul was a (1) a perfect pest and an agitator among all Jews throughout the world, (2) a ringleader in the sect of the Nazarenes  and (3) tried to profane (desecrate) the Temple .  

Yes, I have to agree with the first charge that Paul was the perfect pest and an agitator among all Jews throughout the world when he told them about Jesus life, death and resurrection and the Way of Life they should be following instead of their anti OT traditions that is not in line with the teaching from the OT. 

On the 2^nd charge, you can tie loosely to Paul since we know Paul was a follower of our Lord, Jesus.  We know there was already an attitude about people from Nazareth among the Jewish people.  Was it not Nathaniel said about Jesus, "Out of Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?"  So, maybe it will apply.

Now, on the 3^rd charge Paul was innocent completely because of a rumor going among the Jews.  Paul did not profane or desecrate the Temple because from Acts 21:28, the Jews assumed that Paul had taken brought Greeks into the Temple and desecrated this Holy Place.

Now looking at the 3 charges, I guess Paul could be convicted of charge 1, so-so, up in the air on charge 2, and totally innocent on charge 3.  Of course, this is all from the point of view of the Jewish leadership.

Blessing

Stephen

Acts 24:5-9  ISV  For we have found this man a perfect pest and an agitator among all Jews throughout the world. He is a ringleader in the sect of the Nazarenes  and even tried to profane the Temple, but we arrested him. By examining him for yourself, you will be able to find out from him everything of which we accuse him."  The Jews supported his accusations by asserting that these things were true.

John 1:46  Nathaniel asked him, "Out of Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?" …

Act 21:28  yelling, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere to turn against our people, the Law, and this place. More than that, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and desecrated this Holy Place."

Acts 21:29 … assumed that Paul had taken him into the Temple.

(Acts 24:5-6 NIV)  "We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect  and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.