Imagine with me an initial set of 28 short graphic videos and an associated website inspired by the 28 fundamental SDA beliefs. The number of videos could increase later. I have in mind a number of principles, guidelines and attributes that unify the videos and comprise a "brand" for the videos and website. This page is intended to expand on what I have in mind.
I have in mind an accessible information resource. The goal is to make Bible truth clear and simple. The theme or byline phrase that is repeated in all the videos and the website is "clear and simple". The videos should be easy to share. This is very important.
The videos are short and high quality. The longest video is less than 5 minutes long. Each video introduces one main point having to do with one of the 28 fundamental SDA beliefs. The videos are organized with links so they can all be viewed sequentially or by subject. The total amount of time required to watch all of the videos should be less than 2 hours.
The videos all start out with a standard intro. They say "The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple." After those words come something like "Think about this.", "This is what the Bible says." or "Consider this. The Bible says:".
To keep the material interesting, the backgrounds in the videos vary. They could show animals or nature scenes.
The fonts and typography are consistent. The Bible verses that support the script are shown as they are read. The translation or version used is referenced visually by book, chapter and verse using consistent abbreviations but not necessarily spoken in the audio.
Each video features twp, three or four Bible passages. The passages relate to or closely relate to one clear and simple point.
Commentary is short and clear. Explanations, when given, are clear and direct. The Bible is be allowed to speak for itself. The idea is to provide as much room as possible for the Holy Spirit to interpret and explain the Bible to the viewer and listener.
At the end there can be a short summary or restatement of the main point. A video clip of an open Bible begins at this point and continues to the end of each video. Drifting into topics not clearly based on the Bible is always to be avoided.
The videos all end with a standard finish that says this:
The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
On the web page and along with the YouTube post, etc. there are links and text that can vary. This can includes more than what is listed here but here is some typical content to present.
The words of the Bible quoted above are clear and direct. But however simple it may seem to some people others find fault with the logic of the text.
Others have written or commented on this topic and some links to external resources will appear here for your review. Or, you may wish to converse with the author and producer of this short production.
There are 28 videos in this collection and all are available on (the Project 612 website) and at (the Project 612 YouTube channel) with additional references and resources. Go to (the Project 612 website) for schedules of discussion groups and events.
You man contact the producer of this video with the producer using this link. Also below are links to other related videos.
I prepared this document and web page so I can easily share it with others. Please support this project. Share this web page or send me a comment.
I will keep the most current version of this document on my personal website. This document was last changed on 8-26-2024. I may print this document and mail it to some. If you want to read it online you may be able to access it at https://cythink.com/bible_basics.html
The rest of this document consists of 28 scripts, one for each of the 28 fundamental doctrines.
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Psalm 107 the Bible says this:
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Notice what happens to those that rebel against the word of God. It is not good. The Bible expects the reader to take seriously what it says.
In Numbers 24 the Bible says this:
Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak? And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Notice how the word of God was transmitted to the receiver through a spokesperson, in this case Balaam.
In Psalm 19 the Bible says this:
The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament shows His handiwork.
In Romans the Bible says:
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
The Bible tells the reader about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ himself is quoted as saying, "You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they which testify of me.
In summary, the Word of God consists of words spoken by God, written by God and also includes thoughts and concepts communicated to humans by other means. The written Word of God, the Holy Bible, is written record by humans in human language of the Word of God. The Bible is about the invisible God and the historic Jesus Christ. The attributes of God and the person of Jesus Christ are consistent with what can be observed in physical universe but extend beyond the material world to encompass a universe that includes spritual and invisible elements.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Acts 17 the Bible says this:
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Among other things this passage clearly states that God is not an object manufactured by human hands.
In Romans chapter 1 the Bible says:
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Not only does this passage equate God and the Godhead but it shows that creation is an act of God and God is opposed to evil.
In Colossians chapter 2 the Bible says:
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Notice here that Jesus Christ reveals or shows us the character or nature of the Godhead. The most relatable understanding of the mystery of God is to be found in the person of Jesus Christ.
The Bible clearly tells us there are elements of mystery connected with God. In these verses the word "Godhead" is used to partially unpack this basic Bible teaching. Not everything can be fully explained or understood.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. Speaking of God In Psalm 103 the Bible says this:
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
God is described as a father, a merciful father. and an understanding parent.
The Bible recites an encounter with God in Exodus.
The Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
Notice the lengthy list of character attributes of God. These characteristics include mercy and justice in that negative consequences and guilt are not lightly swept under the carpet, so to speak.
The Bible recounts these words spoken by Isaiah and addressed to God.
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Again, God is compared to a father, a father that listens to the appeal of the humble petitioner. The elements of loving care, mercy, forgiveness and fatherly kindness are presented in a context of justice and thoughtful consideration.
Many other attributes of God can be rightly listed such as holiness, patience and graciousness. Also, functional attributes and be listed. God, as Creator, is the ultimate Source and Provider and Sustainer of the physical universe.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. The Bible records a conversation between Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Jesus refers to God as his father and Jesus is rightly called the Son of God.
The special nature of this title is apparent in this well known passage.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Notice the relationship between God the Father and God the Son in this passage. The purposes, missions, roles and identities of the two individuals is laid out in broad strokes. Each is described as an individual person while their joint mission and authority is clear.
Notice how the Bible describes Jesus Christ in this passage from the book of Hebrews.
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
We are made a little lower than the angels and Jesus Christ was made a little lower than the angels. Christ was human while at the same time divine.
This is simple and clear even though it cannot be completely understood.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. Jesus Christ is speaking about the Holy Spirit in these words recorded in the book of John. This is what he said.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
These actions attributed to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, are the actions of a person. These are not the actions of an impersonal force or disembodied influence. The Holy Spirit may rightly be seen as a person.
In Genesis the Bible tells of the earth before the flood. It says:
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Notice that the Lord calle the Spirit "MY" spirit. The Holy Spirit existed back then at the beginning. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has existed from all eternity, just like God the Father and God the Son.
In the book of Acts the Bible tells a story from the life of Paul. It says:
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Note the process said to be the receiving of the Holy Spirit. There is a process and times when the Holy Spirit becomes active in a believer. This is not somehow automatic and identical in every situation and for every person.
The Holy Spirit is a person that needs to be invited to come in and be received as a guest is received in by a host.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Genesis 2 the Bible says this:
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
God created the environment as we know it in six days and marked the seventh day as a rest day explaining the origin of the seven day week.
Think about this. In Isaiah 44 the Bible says this:
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. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
God claims to be the source of life from creation to the present and on into the future. This is not a one time creation but a continuous creation past, present and future.
There is more. Think about this. In Isaiah 65 the Bible says this:
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
This is poetic language but what is clear and simple is that God will at some point in the future create a new heaven and a new earth.
One of the major attributes of God, traditionally, is omnipotence. The point here, illustrated in these Bible passages is that God is more than simply omnipotent. God is Creator, Sustainer and Provider.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Genesis 2 the Bible says this:
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.
Before God put His breath of life in the dust-man he was not alive but became a living soul when God put His breath in the man.
This is also in Genesis 2. The Bible says:
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
If man did not have the ability to think, discern choices and make decisions the command of God makes no sense. We have a basic ability to choose among alternatives.
This is found in Genesis 3. The Bible says:
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
To know good is to experience what it is like to be innocent. Likewise, to know evil is to experience the consequences of acting contrary to the demands or commands of God. Because of what we do we experience guilt, shame and humiliation. These feelings and consequences were not in the human experience before God's instructions were disregarded.
It is man's nature, according to the Bible, to be dependent on God for life, sustenance and existence.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the book of Hebrews the Bible says this:
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Notice how angels are described here in comparison to the human population. Man is a little lower, angels are a little higher. The Bible clearly teaches that intelligent beings called angels exist with superhuman abilities.
Think about this. In the book of Revelation the Bible says this:
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
At one time there was a war in heaven. There were two sides in this conflict but significantly the two sides had major differences regarding some spiritual or intellectual issues that resulted in a physical confrontation with the one side being physically ejected for that region of the universe called heaven.
Think about this. In the book of Isaiah the Bible says this:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
These words appear in the middle of a tirade against the king of Tyre but seems to be talking about a supernatural controversy in heaven. In simple language Satan the leader of the rebellion in heaven wanted to usurp the authority and position of God.
Put this all together and humanity is a pawn caught in the crossfire of a larger conflict between good and evil, Christ and Satan, those who line up with God's side and those who identify with the unruly, disobedient, rebellious Satan.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the book of Hebrews the Bible says this:
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This verse clearly states that Jesus lived a life without sin. This is one explanation of how the death of Jesus Christ on the cross can be acceptable as a substitute or exchange for our death. We are guilty and should rightfully die for our sins. All are in the same condition. Only a sinless person could die in the place of a guilty sinner. All are guilty before God and all this is part of God's plan to save us from the death penalty.
Consider this passage from Romans. The Bible says this:
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Consider this passage from First Corinthians. It is a bit long but it is not hard to follow. The Bible says this:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
This is as clear and simple as possible. Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to evade death, the penalty for our sins, by dying in our place because He is sinlees and He is able to do this for everyone because He is God. To top it off He proves all this by His resurection from the dead.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
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(standard intro)
The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. Paul writes this in the book of Ephesians. He writes:
To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
This is a rather long passage but notice that Paul expects God to provide comprehension, wisdom, boldness, confidence, strength and power to do the things God wants us to do. All this is grounded in love and is in accord with the riches of God's glory.
Think about this. This is in the second book of Peter. The Bible says:
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice that the believer has these qualities now and they increase. They don't dwindle out and dissipate.
Think about this. This is from the book of Romans: The Bible says:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Notice that there is something that involves the mind. It involves our thinking and our relationship with God. It involves the workings of the Holy Spirit. The expectation is clear and simple even when difficult.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. This appears in the book of Psalms. The Bible says:
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Clearly deliverance comes from God.
Think about this. This is from the book of Philippians. The Bible says:
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
It is clear that many good behaviors are commanded but included in this list of behaviors is the reminder that God is active to keep the heart and mind aligned with the mind of Jesus Christ. This much is clear and simple. God is the source of the power and strength to do what God requires of us.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the King James Version of the Bible the word church only occurs in the New Testament. The basic meaning of the word is a group or gathering of believers. Notice this passage from the book of Ephesians. The Bible says:
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The main point of this passage is that the group of believers, the church, is subject to Christ as the individual is subject to Christ as a wife is subject to her husband. All all subjects under Christ as the Head. This is clear and simple and the Bible has a lot to say about how believers should act as members within and as part of a group of other believers in other places as well.
Think about this. This is in the second book of Timothy. The Bible says:
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
In this passage a church leader, Timothy, is instructed in the basics of church leadership. The Holy scriptures are declared to be the foundation or basis for leadership.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. Notice this passage from the book of Revelation. The Bible says:
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Notice the usage of the word persecuted. The woman is persecuted. Here and elsewhere in the Bible the church is persecuted. See the book of Galatians for an example of this. The simple conclusion is that the woman symbolized the church. The church is preserved or nourished for a specific time period but persecution is not limited to that time period. Persecution occured before then and continues afterward. This is clear and simple.
This next passage follows immediately after the one just quoted above from the book of Revelation. Continuing, the Bible says:
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Focus on the word remnant. The remnant is the last portion sequentially. In this passage of scripture the period of time mentioned in the earlier text passes by and events continue to develop. The woman and the remnant of her seed are the church and the members of the church that follow in time. Satan continues to persecute, kill and war against the church as time continues to the end of the time as we know it.
Immediately after the above two passages the Bible has this. Again, this is from the book of Revelation. Continuing, the Bible says:
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
A long passage but the message is clear and simple. The beast from the sea, the sea beast, is identified by a long description but the character of the sea beast is clearly against the church and against God. It persecutes the church and it blashemes God.
The mission of the church opposes and will expose the sea beast. The church opposes the sea beast and this opposition is connected to at least the two elements mentioned in this passage. These are firstly the keeping of the commandments of God and secondly the witness or testimony of Jesus Christ. That much is clear. What may be a bit unclear is the substance of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Briefly stated, the Holy Spirit is the representative of Jesus Christ and the Guide that leads be believer into all truth. This function is called prophecy and therefore the testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of Prophecy. That should be clear and simple but we will dig into this more in other videos.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the book of First Corinthians the Bible says this:
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Clearly and simply this is an appeal for unity in the church.
These are the words of Christ recorded in the book of John. The Bible says this:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Clearly and simply this is also an appeal for unity in the church.
The conection between unity and the work of the Holy Spirit is clearly seen in this selection from the book of Galatians. The Bible says:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of Christ is the essential element that brings unity.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the book of Acts the Bible says this:
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Peter told the questioners to repent and be baptized. Clear and simple.
Lisen to this story also in the book of Acts. The Bible reads as follows:
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
This is clear and simple. Philip elicited from the Ethiopian a statement of belief prior to performing the rite of baptism.
Consider also this passage about baptism found in the book of Mark. The Bible says:
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Among other points notice that there are two baptisms. One is with water and a second is a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In First Corinthians the Bible records this:
But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
The writer, Paul, is instructing some church leaders regarding some divisions and contentions within the group of believers. It is very clear that there was an issue regarding the Lord's supper. This ceremony is distinct and saparate from what would be a normal meal. The ceremonial meal is not about eating for physical strength but has a spiritual and symbolic meaning. This much, at least, is clear and simple.
Consider this passage regarding the symbolic meaning of the two components of the Lord's supper meal. This is found in the book of John. The Bible says:
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
Again, this is clear and simple. Jesus is making a spiritual, symbolic and abstract application regarding physical food and the spiritual life. Physical food sustains the physical body. Spritual food is necessary to sustain the spiritual life. And, lest the point be lost, the source of spiritual food is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Make no mistake. This is clear and simple.
These words follow the passage from First Corinthians that we read earlier. The Bible records these words of Paul:
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
To be clear the Bible plainly teaches that the Lord's supper consists of eating some bread that symbolizes the body of Christ that died and lived again and secondly drinking some juice of the grape that symbolizes His blood.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the first two chapters of Acts events in the early church are described. Consider these verses from that story:
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
In response to their preaching those that gladly received their teachings
were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
The clear and simple point to see is that the Holy Spirit gave special powers to these people that enabled them to preach and convey gospel teachings to people. These powers are called spiritual gifts. These spiritual gifts may also be called the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
This is what the Bible says:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
It seems clear that some people are not as well endowed with some of the spiritual gifts as are others but all the spiritual gifts are good gifts that are given by God, the Holy Spirit.
It is said that all good gifts come from God. In a sense all good gifts are spiritual gifts. Notice what the Apostle Paul says in the Book of Romans. The Bible says:
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
So it is clear and simple. Spiritual gifts are gifts from God through the ministry and agency of the Holy Spirit and the purpose of these spiritual gifts is to support and build up the church. The spiritual gifts are the gifts from God that support and build up the church members.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this in the book of Exodus. The Bible says:
And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
Notice the use of the word prophet. Aaron was a spokesman, He spoke the words of another, higher authority. He spoke to the human authority, the lower rank of authority. In this case God spoke to Moses, Moses spoke to Aaron and Aaron spoke to Pharoah. The point is that a prophet has no intrinsic authority. The authority of a prophet is the authority of the Source.
Examples of false prophets or posers without authority are not hard to find in the Bible but rather than give examples of this, consider this from the book of First Thessalonians:
Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
The clear and simple truth here is the reader should take prophecy seriously but with a measure of skepticism. The reader needs to examine the words of the prophey and to some degree determine if the words of the claimed authority are good.
This is from the book of Revelation but the point seems clear and simple. The Bible says:
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
This point is clear and simple. The group of people called to the marriage supper of the Lamb have access to prophecy. Prophecy, messages from God, messages from Jesus Christ Himself, faithful, true, righteous, good, beneficial messages are available and accessible to the church at this time, at all times, at any time. The communication channel between God and man is open and working. It is up to us to take the prophetic words seriously and reject falsehoods, lies and deceptions.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
In this rather long selection from the book of Romans is something very clear and simple. Think about this. The Bible says:
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
First, it is clear and simple that a conflict exists between what I want and what is good. I want things that are not good for me and there are good things that I know are good but I want nothing to do with them. Again, that much is clear and simple. Secondly, the Bible clearly asserts that law is good. Specifically, the law of God is good.
Consider this passage from Psalms. The Bible says this:
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
After I recognize and acknowledge that the law of God is good I need to acknowledge and confess my decision and determination to orient myself in relation to the law. I decide to seek, pursue and obey the law.
Clear and simple, but hard to do without help. Don't quit there. Help is available. Consider this passage from John. The Bible says this:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Don't miss this point. The help or answer to the problem of how to relate to the law is called abiding in Christ. It is also called walking with Christ and there are other analogies. There is help and it is available through a connection with Jesus Christ, Son of God.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Genesis the Bible says this:
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
The Bible clearly claims the source of the seven day week to be God, the Creator Himself. And God declares a special blessing on the seventh day of the seven day week.
Consider the story of the manna. This happened before the ten commandments were given at Mount Sinai. This is what the Bible says:
And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
The thing to notice here is the people had some knowledge of the Sabbath before the ten commandments were given on Mount Sinai and the verification or validation at to which day of seven is the seventh is made at the exodus from Egypt when there were well over a million citizens in the new nation of Israel. The weekly Sabbath has been observed every seventh day from that time to now without interuption. It is abundantly clear that we know which day is the Sabbath.
Consider how Christ's disciples kept the Sabbath. This is what the Bible says:
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Notice the dispute over how to keep the Sabbath holy. Notice how the Sabbth law was corrupted with the addition of requirements that were above and beyond and actually perversions of God's intent. People are certainly not slaves to scrupulously obey laws and additions of human origin. The clear and simple point however is that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath and the Sabbath is set aside to serve and benefit man. It is not a weapon to assault people that don't see things in exactly the same light as you do.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Consider this. In Psalm 24 the Bible says this:
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
The Bible clearly states that everything and everybody belongs to God. God is the owner of everything and every person.
The Bible records Paul's description of this relationship in First Corinthians. The Bible says:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Again, the point is clear and simple. Everything you claim as yours is simply held in trust. You are the trustee or steward of your property. God has but you in the position of a manager. You manage God's things as yours and are accountable to God for what you do with God's things. We are responsible to God for the proper use of things God puts in our control.
Jesus Christ told this story as a parable that illustrates this dimplr Bible truth. The Bible says:
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
The teaching is clear and simple. It is apparent that we are responsible to wisely and intelligently manage that with which God has blessed us.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
These are the words of Jesus Christ recorded in the book of Luke. The Bible says:
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
This is clear and simple. God warns us about our behavior. There is good behavior and bad behavior. There is commendable behavior and behavior to be avoided.
Consider this council from the book of First Corinthians. The Bible says:
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
One point here is clear and simple. Behavior includes what you eat.
This short passage does not include the context but the point is clear and simple. This is from First Peter. The Bible says:
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Behavior includes what you wear and how you act. The Bible commends a gentle and quiet pattern of behavior.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Ephesians the Bible says this:
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
One point is clear and simple. The relationship between a husband and wife is a compared to the relationship between Christ and the church. This simple parallel has obvious complexity built into it but the parallel itself is clear and simple. The Bible invites the reader to compare these relationships and discern the parallel elements.
Consider this passage from the book of Hosea. The Bible says:
The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.
This passage alarms some readers but there is a clear and simple point that is easily seen. Mariage and fammily life can be very messy. At the same time God is trying to communicate something to the reader and the Bible challenges the reader to think. God can use difficult circumstances to create situations that cause us to think.
When talking about marriage and the family we need to consider that the Bible says about love. This passage is from the book of first Corinthians. The Bible says:
Charity (or love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
The Bible concept of love is quite different from what it can sometimes means in common conversation. This is the plain and simple takeaway from this passage. Think about it.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In the book of Hebrews the Bible says this:
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
There is something clear and simple here that should not be missed. There is, in heaven, a sanctuary or temple that God made. God made this temple or tabernacle to perform certain functions and one function is to be the great original of which the earthly sanctuary is a reflection or model.
Here is another selection from the book of Hebrews. The Bible says this:
Moreover he (Moses) sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 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. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ 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.
The clear and simple point here is the role of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has at least one function to perform in heaven and that function has a name. It is called "bearing the sins of many."
Jesus Christ refers to another one of His responsiblities. This is from the book of John. The Bible says:
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
So, among the activities in the heavenly sanctuary is a process of judgment. That much, at least, is clear and simple.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
In the book of Hebrews the Bible says this:
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 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. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ 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.
Notice the sequence of events. Firstly Christ appeared the first time to sacrifice himself and put away sin. Secondly Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary. Lastly Christ appears a second time. The second coming is an event in which Christ appears in some ways similar and in some ways dissimilar to His first appearance.
`With a pointed focus on the second coming of Christ this passage from First Corinthians is relevant. The Bible says this:
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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 shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
This passage associates or ties together several events. Firstly, a group of people, the we here, experience a change. Secondly, a trumpet sounds. Thirdly, dead are raised. Fourthly, mortals become immortal. Said another way they become incorruptible. Said yet one more way death is swallowed up.
This passage reports words of Jesus Christ recorded in the bible book of Luke. The Bible says;
Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him, Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
The Second Coming and The Ressurection are clearly connected but exactly how they are connected bears close examination. A clear and simple Bible teaching is apparent here. The worthy dead return to life and become like the angels of God and this event is connected with the second coming of Jesus Christ.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
In Genesis known as the book of beginnings the Bible tells this story:
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Notice the clear and simple implication. God says death is the peril and the serpent accuses God of blatant deception. The two possible consequences seem complete polar opposites incompatible with each other.
If death is not death then what is the sense in this? It is clear and simple that death has two opposite meanings or the subject is at the very minimum extremely confusing. Consider this verse from the book of John. Jesus Christ's words are recorded like this:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The clear and simple teaching of the Bible is made plain in this passage from the Bible. There are two types of death and two possible conditions or situations in the future for every person. Firstly there is the common death that is the experience we can witness as we look around us now. Secondly there is a second death that will be the experience of those that have done evil. There is this life and that future life for one group. There is this life and a different future for the second group.
More can be said but for now consider this selection from the book of Ezekiel. The Bible says:
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
This is clear and simple. God wants you to live and tells you what you need to do. Remember at the same time that God is powerful and able to help you do the right thing.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Revelation the Bible says this:
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
This passage is quite long and much can be said about it but for now please focus on one clear and simple truth. There is a one thousand year period described with events and happenings identified and connected with the beginning, duration and end of the thousand years.
Looking at the passage that immediately preceeds this section about the thousand years we find a description of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Notice some of the details. This of course is also from the book of Revelation. The Bible says:
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Again the point is simple and clear. The thousand years follows the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The events that correspond with the start of the thousand years align with the last events in the prophecy of Daniel's metal image. Consider this from the book of Daniel. The Bible says:
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
This much is clear and simple. The millennium and the End of Sin are events that happen at the end of earth history. Before sin and sinners receive their final consequence Jesus Christ returns with a number of things that happen at that time. Folowing those events a period of one thousand years is foretold with the several things that happen over that period of a thousand years. And then at the end of the thousand years another group of events transpire to mark the end of the millennium.
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The teachings of the Holy Bible are clear and simple.
Think about this. In Second Peter the Bible says this:
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: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 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. 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. 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. 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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 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? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The central point here is clear and simple. The future home of the righteous is this earth but it is an earth that has been cleansed and renewed. It is a real place. This passage leaves no doubt. This real new earth is a Bible teaching.
Here is another passage that supports this conclusion. This is from the book of Matthew. The Bible says:
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
There it is again. Clear and Simple. Among all the other blessings on the righteous is the statement that they will inherit the earth.
Here is another passage that supports this conclusion. This is from the book of Isaiah. The Bible says:
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Parts of that seem to be poetic language but other than that it seems that the new earth will be a real place with a lot of things being extensions of what we experience now.
(standard finish) The words of the Bible are clear and simple but you may still have a question or perhaps you would like to see and hear more on this Bible topic. Below are some resources you may find helpful."
TopThis document is presented as a idea or concept for a series of Bible themed videos. I am open to complementary ideas and even some assistance in developing this project. Please see other related documents that have been prepared to advance this project. To support the project, please contact the author, Wayne Salhany.