Christian Churches of God

[098]

逾越节

(版本 3.0 19950401-19990130-20080128)
本文处理逾越节的定时和意义,以及它与异教复活节的差别。逾越节的不同阶段受到探讨。它们被分为主的晚餐、逾越当晚或该被谨守的晚上,以及无酵饼节。
Christian Churches of God
PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA

(版权@ 1995, 1999, 2008 Wade Cox)
(译2009)

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逾越节

定时和意义

 

逾越节是圣历的第一个圣日时期;圣历是一个有十二个月的月历,有第十三个月在它每十九年重复的循环中插入七次。圣年是在尼散或阿比月(约在三月)开始,并在作为第十二月阿达尔月,或第十三个月的阿达尔II月结束。

 

逾越节是以神殿的圣化时期居先,这时期是在第一个月的第一天开始,并持续至第一个月的第七天,即‘简单和错误’的圣化(比较文章上帝神殿的圣化 (No. 241)).

 

逾越节是一项纪念节日,代表救赎计划中一系列的特征。遵守逾越节和无酵饼日为我们是上帝人民的记号(出埃及记. 13:3-10). 出埃及记形成这节日的基础,在这故事是基于以色列人民之实体拯救的同时,其象征代表整个地球的精神拯救。地球是在堕落伊罗兴的霸权之下,他是由遮盖的智天使,即撒旦所领导。选民为伊罗兴(No. 1)我们崇拜的上帝(No. 2)论文对宇宙论的解释处理了这一点。弥赛亚由逾越羔羊的牺牲以及这节日的次序描绘出来。基督是第一个世界收获。这是为何这三个节期是基于北半球、特别是耶路撒冷的收获系统之原因;耶路撒冷被选为千禧年和千禧年后上帝的政府之行政结构中心。

 

基督在被钉十字架时期实际上是在跟随逾越节的律法。由于现代基督教守异教复活节,它对称为最后的晚餐的一餐,或是这节日开始和结束的真正定时都没有解释。主要的象征在遗失在现代基督教中。

 

区别逾越节与异教的复活节

圣经对逾越节的条文

 

逾越节的条文在出埃及记 12:3-49; 23:15-18; 34:18; 利未记 23:4-8; 民数记 9:2-5, 13-14; 28:16-25; 申命记 16:1-8, 16; 诗篇 81:3,5以及以西结书 45:2及其后章节发现。

 

逾越节实际上是以在埃及土地发生的一项军事大撤退事件为根据,它被用来说明世界从罪恶中被救赎。无论如何,将撤退计划谨记于心以便构想早期象征主义所作的描绘,是有用的。

 

出埃及记第12章以解释逾越月或尼散月为月份(年的)的开始作为开头。 预备是在圣年的第一天和第七天,教士为非有意的罪恶赎罪时作出(也见以西结书 45:18-20)。这些献祭现搁在基督身上,而赎罪和预备须继续进行( 以西结书中的段节进行至千禧年). 那些未备好过逾越节者,或那些旅行者,须在第二个月守逾越节(民数记 9:6-12; 历代志下 30:2-4).

 

住在以色列的异乡人也要应祝逾越节(出埃及记 12:48, 49; 民数记 9:14), 作为他们的救赎–即对异教徒或所有人类的救赎-是在圣会中。

 

这节日要在一个由上帝通过祭司所指定的地点庆祝(申命记 16:5-7),并要以无酵饼庆祝 (出埃及记 12:8, 15-20; 12:3,6; 23:15; 利未记 23:6; 民数记 9:11; 28:17; 申命记 16:3, 4; 马可福音 14:12; 路加福音 22:7; 使徒行传 12:3; 歌林多前书 5:8). 忽略遵守这节日的惩罚是从人民或圣会中被除去(民数记 9:13), 除非他们是不洁或如上所说是在旅行中。有一条例是给予外乡人或寄居者的 (民数记 9:14).

 

圣会得预先为逾越节作出准备,如上所述,并得在这个月的第十天选择逾 越羔羊,收养它并在这个月的第十四天屠杀它(出埃及记 12:3). 羔羊的象征显示弥赛亚在尼散月第十四日下午大约3时起的牺牲(即,在磨难年,公元30年,落在四月五日星期三。一些团体坚持是公元31年,我们知道这是不正确的). 见文章 磨难的定时和复活(No. 159)).

 

这节日根据月历落在不同的基础上。磨难不是在星期五,而复活不在星期日(也见伴读圣经, 附录42). 家庭得根据人数准备羔羊来守逾越节(出埃及记 12:4)。

 

最后晚餐的意义

 

大部分基督教的评论者对基督在他被磨难之前一晚进行最后晚餐的意义感到混淆。这是尼散月十四日星期二晚上。一些从基督谓他想与他们一起吃这逾越羔羊的评论假设犹太人不知何故将这日期弄错了,而正确的日期是在前一晚。的确,很多仍遵守逾越节和最后晚餐的基督团体视尼散月十四日的一餐为逾越餐。它不是的。

 

基督遵守逾越节和律法(马太福音 26:17-20; 路加福音 22:15; 约翰福音 2:13, 23; 13:1及其后). 他未改变律法的一点一滴of (马太福音 5:18).

 

逾越节被进行为一项撤退。要使或达两百万人的部队民功撤退,需要有某个程度的军事精密。人民从死亡的天使将逾越以色列国家并重击埃及人这晚之前一天在兰塞集合。这是要反映世界的毁灭以及羔羊的牺牲为他们提供的保护;所有人民、异教与否,将被安置在主的圣会中在一个世界统治者之下。为了纪念这部队的集中以及献祭的准备而有这称为chagigah 或 chagigoh的一餐(见伴读圣经). 现代犹太教将这放逐到巴比伦后守逾越的chagigoh 理解为一项铺助的献祭。

 

这两道菜:

… 通常包括一块烤肉骨和烤蛋(哈伊姆索斯,犹太节日的历史和仪式, 索根丛书,纽约, vii, “逾越节= 非寻常的仪式” 页56).

 

申命记16中对Chagigoh 所提供的理解,以及于基督时代在耶路撒冷所遵守的,不是遗失就是已被近代的犹太教所曲解。蛋被推介作为后期放逐巴比伦后的巴比伦系统之象征。复活蛋也是这项系统的一个众所周知的衍生品。拉比犹太教对基教的攻击,以及犹太-基督教系统共同性质的困惑导致了无知,较后至遵守律法的犹太人和非达修基督教徒的被迫害(关于中世纪的一些行动和无知的诽谤,也见索斯, 如上,页57及其后).

 

逾越节需要临时的住处

 

那些守逾越节者,从尼散月十四日准备日起,要在他们平常居住以外的地方遵守。

申命记 16:5-7 16:5在耶和华你神所赐的各城中、你不可献逾越节的祭、16:6只当在耶和华你神所选择要立为他名的居所、晚上日落的时候、乃是你出埃及的时候、献逾越节的祭。16:7当在耶和华你神所选择的地方、把肉烤了吃.次日早晨就回到你的帐棚去。(英王钦定本)

 

申命记16中的律法是基督派遣门徒出去找房间的原因。在马太福音 26:17-19有述.

马太福音 26:17-19 26:17除酵节的第一天、门徒来问耶稣说、你吃逾越节的筵席、要我们在那里给你预备。26:18耶稣说、你们进城去、到某人那里、对他说、夫子说、我的时候快到了.我与门徒要在你家里守逾越节。26:19门徒遵着耶稣所吩咐的就去预备了逾越节的筵席。(修订标准版)

 

这一天不是一些人所翻译的无酵饼的第一天,而它实应译为无酵饼之前 (从也在约翰福音 1:15,30 中使用的字prõte, 意即他在我之前存在). 英王钦定本提及这一天为无酵饼的第一天,保持了一些意义。我们知道,除非这字眼是一个通称,这是不可能的。

 

马太福音 26:17-19 26:17除酵节的第一天、门徒来问耶稣说、你吃逾越节的筵席、要我们在那里给你预备。26:18耶稣说、你们进城去、到某人那里、对他说、夫子说、我的时候快到了.我与门徒要在你家里守逾越节。 26:19门徒遵着耶稣所吩咐的就去预备了逾越节的筵席。(英王钦定本)

 

逾越节无酵饼这两个名词是专用和通用的。逾越可包括从逾越餐前以及逾越到无酵饼的所有阶段。同样的,无酵饼可以指所有这些活动。实际上,它不是在无酵饼之前一天,而是在两天之前。律法规定所有人在尼散月十四日离开他们的家住进临时住处,这,如所有日子一样,从尼散月十三日入黑开始。这么做是要在这个地方进行完整的准备日,为逾越节的真正晚上作出预备,即在尼散月十五日或第一个圣日,即被称为该谨守的夜 (出埃及记 12:42) 之傍晚. 代表弥赛亚的羔羊是在尼散十四日的预备日在太阳下山时,从下午大约3时宰杀(申命记 16:6).基督确是在这时间被杀,并死于被指定为傍晚逾越献祭开始的时间。若他未在第一只献祭羔羊被杀的准确时间死去,如律法所列下的,那他就不能完成这律法,因此不可能是弥赛亚。

 

逾越餐的准备方法

 

出埃及记 12:9在发现的现有条例规定羔羊被烘烤并与苦香草一起吃。申命记中在临时住处守节日的条例似允许羔羊被煮,它在一些圣经中被译为煮沸,但这个字实际上是,这是涵盖烤和煮的通用词。基于出埃及记 12的律法,这通用词允许出埃及记 12规定的改变是不可能的。对煮沸的误译,是用来证明基督在最后的晚餐傍晚所吃的筵席种类。基督用饼吃这餐(约翰福音 13:26), 或也用无酵饼 (以便用作饼, psõmion).

 

这一餐不是如出埃及记12所列,在第一个圣日所吃的逾越餐,而是在它之前的傍晚。这一餐不会是任何浸透的肉。律法规定逾越餐要烘烤并与苦香草一起吃。因此,这称为最后晚餐的筵席是完全可在律法内说明的,而且与基督所规定的原有条例没有冲突或缩减。

 

无酵饼节的第七日在随着的傍晚,节日的第一个圣日即尼散月十五日开始,在公元前30年是一个星期三晚/星期四。

出埃及记 12:15 你们要吃无酵饼七日.头一日要把酵从你们各家中除去、因为从头一日起、到第七日为止、凡吃有酵之饼的、必从以色列中剪除。 (修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 13:6-7 你要吃无酵饼七日、到第七日要向耶和华守节。7 这七日之久、要吃无酵饼、在你四境之内不可见有酵的饼、也不可见发酵的物。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 23:15 你要守除酵节、照我所吩咐你的、在亚笔月内所定的日期、吃无酵饼七天.谁也不可空手朝见我、因为你是这月出了埃及。(修订标准版)

 

因此可见以色列人出埃及是在无酵饼节之内或期间。

 

无酵饼节的准备部分和 定时

 

犹大在传统上吃无酵饼八天。第八天一般上随节日之后而非在它之前。无酵饼节是在称为逾越夜的出埃及记的晚上开始,并从这圣日持续至是一个圣日的第七天。因此,这七天不能在尼散月十四日开始,而是在十五日,否则,最后的一天不会落在无酵饼节的最后一个圣日。因此,上帝的晚餐是与称为该记取/谨守(出埃及记 12:42; 13:3)的固有逾越餐不同的筵席。

出埃及记12:42-43这夜是耶和华的夜、因耶和华领他们出了埃及地、所以当向耶和华谨守、是以色列众人世世代代该谨守的。43耶和华对摩西亚伦说、逾越节的例是这样、外邦人都不可吃这羊羔。 (修订标准版)

 

这谨守夜是为死亡天使而守的,过后被所有以色列人遵守为一项纪念。这是逾越餐,象征圣民受到保护免受死亡天使之害。献祭的血是放在门柱上,以象征弥赛亚的赎罪献祭。因此,例如主张逾越餐可以在外的一间餐厅食用是荒谬的,因回到埃及食用是无意义的,其象征将失。主的晚餐和逾越节,或该谨守的晚上,得在一个人正常居处以外的地方遵守。

 

人们在第十五天的第一个圣日早上返回他们的家(申命记 16:7), 并根据利未记23,在神殿渡过这一天。

 

尼散月十五日有圣会,然后再次在无酵饼节的最后或第七天,即这个月的第二十一天有圣会。

 

保罗解释这节日要以无酵饼来遵守,以象征真诚和真理的无酵饼。恶毒和邪恶之酵(歌林多前书 5:8)是一种罪,因此,在这节日的七天期间须从屋里除去(的确,在你四境之内, 申命记 16:4)。犹太人在预备日饼和称为chomets酵头方面守着一个特别的信号。索斯在第52页提及这项习俗(上述引文). 预备日在耶路撒冷举行的惯例是大为显示国民已停止顺从在申命记 16中所发现的律法,而且人们在这节日不搬到临时的居处。基督因此维持了律法已被忽略的一个环结,即正确地遵守chagigoh

 

这个节日因此有两个部分。第一个预备部分涉及两项准备要素:

 

  • ×       第一部分准备期是在引入这时期,包括尼散月一日(或阿比月一日)的新年以及尼散月的第七和第十天的日子里。犹太人在提市黎月庆祝新年的惯例因此是一项不受批准的异教习俗,源自巴比伦系统。拉比 柯恩在特兰西瓦尼亚的守安息日者中相当清楚地说,犹太新年或提市黎月的新年是一项神殿后时期的传统,一直到公元第三世纪才进入犹太教中,并从未在神殿时期或早期的基督教会中被遵守;
  • ×        第二部分准备期是三十六小时,涉及从一个人的家移到临时居处,与住棚节(见住棚节部分)所涉及确切相同的方式。这是基督为最后晚餐所作的。

 

第三个阶段是七天的无酵饼节,圣日是在尼散月十五和廿一日。在这第三阶段中,有称为麦穗节的献祭,象征基督被接受为首生,以及合意的上帝祭品。没有这些仪式,我们不能与上帝和解。它得被遵守(见文章麦穗节 (No. 106b)).

 

逾越晚的一餐清楚的是羔羊和苦香草,它们呈现在犹太的传统逾越节家宴桌上。不过,蛋是代表巴比伦的掳掠,因此是次要的衍生。

 

从埃及离去也是将在弥赛亚返回时将发生的进一步出埃及的原型,届时他将派遣生还者到列国以确定及取回以色列圣会的剩余者。他们将骑马、或坐车、坐轿、骑骡子(以赛亚书66:20)返回。这节日因此也将有另一个象征。

 

逾越节理解方面的错误

 

逾越节有一些不正确的解释,这将随着受到探讨。有关逾越节的讨论集中在以下几点:

  • 逾越羔羊的宰杀日期和定时;
  • 吃逾越羔羊的日期和定时;
  • 出埃及记的日期和定时; 以及耶稣和他的门徒共用最后晚餐的性质。

 

这项讨论的基础出自对观福音书,马太福音, 马可福音和路加福音对最后晚餐的描述和约翰对最后晚餐的描述之间的明显冲突。

 

马太福音, 马可福音, 和路加福音的记录列下:

马太福音 26:18-19 耶稣说、你们进城去、到某人那里、对他说、夫子说、我的时候快到了.我与门徒要在你家里守逾越节。19门徒遵着耶稣所吩咐的就去预备了逾越节的筵席。(修订标准版)

 

马可福音 14:12 除酵节的第一天、就是宰逾越羊羔的那一天、门徒对耶稣说、你吃逾越节的筵席、要我们往那里去预备呢? (修订标准版)

 

马可福音 14:16 门徒出去、进了城、所遇见的、正如耶稣所说的.他们就预备了逾越节的筵席。 (修订标准版)

 

路加福音 22:8耶稣打发彼得、约翰、说、你们去为我们预备逾越节的筵席、好叫我们吃。(修订标准版)

 

路加福音 22:15耶稣对他们说、我很愿意在受害以先、和你们吃这逾越节的筵席。 (修订标准版)

 

在这些描述中,耶稣似在他死于十字架之前预期着然后吃逾越餐。这也将确立逾越傍晚筵席的饼和酒的象征。

 

不过,约翰在约翰福音 13:1中记录:

约翰福音 13:1 逾越节以前、耶稣知道自己离世归父的时候到了.他既然爱世间属自己的人、就爱他们到底。(修订标准版)

 

约翰福音 13:27-29 记录:

他吃了以后、撒但就入了他的心。耶稣便对他说、你所作的快作吧。28同席的人、没有一个知道是为甚么对他说这话。29 有人因犹大带着钱囊、以为耶稣是对他说、你去买我们过节所应用的东西.或是叫他拿甚么赒济穷人。 (修订标准版)

 

这里的经文清楚显示,这不是尼散月十五日的傍晚。没有购买可在那一晚进行。约翰福音13:1也显示洗脚等是在逾越节之前以及晚餐期间发生 (约翰福音 13:2). 饼是在晚餐期间,酒被分配后被撕分(马太福音 26:26)。不过,这酒在晚餐后才受祝福和饮喝的(路加福音 22:20)。当饼和酒在被食用时,犹大仍未离开前往出卖基督(路加福音 22:21).

 

约翰福音 18:28也显示它是在逾越节之前

约翰福音 18:28 众人将耶稣、从该亚法那里往衙门内解去.那时天还早.他们自己却不进衙门、恐怕染了污秽、不能吃逾越节的筵席。(修订标准版)

 

这确立它是在预备日逾越节之前,因那时的污秽将已阻止他们吃逾越餐。这由约翰福音 19:14所证实。

约翰福音 19:14那日是预备逾越节的日子、约有午正。彼拉多对犹太人说、看哪、这是你们的王。(修订标准版)

 

约翰福音 19:31 也确实这一点。

约翰福音 19:31犹太人因这日是预备日、又因那安息日是个大日、就求彼拉多叫人打断他们的腿、把他们拿去、免得尸首当安息日(因那安息日是圣日)留在十字架上。(修订标准版; 加重强调)

 

约翰福音 清楚将基督的最后晚餐置于逾越餐前的傍晚。基督在逾越餐之前的下午死在十字架上,即在尼散月十四日的预备日、无酵饼的第一个圣日,即这里所提及的安息日而非每周安息日之前。约翰和对观福音书之间的异议是明显的。它们也确信耶稣是在逾越节的预备日中死去。

 

马太福音 27:62 次日、就是预备日的第二天、祭司长和法利赛人聚集、来见彼拉多、说、(修订标准版)

 

马可福音 15:42 到了晚上、因为这是预备日、就是安息日的前一日、(修订标准版)

 

路加福音 23:54 那日是预备日、安息日也快到了。 (修订标准版)

 

为何基督指这一餐是逾越餐?它若不是对逾越作为一个节日的通称,因它在那些遵守节日者-犹太和基督徒-中是普遍的;即是一个他无法完成的愿望。这通称在路加福音 22:1有所解释: “除酵节、又名逾越节,近了。”在路加福音 22:7中,我们看到这词包括预备日。

路加福音 22:7 除酵节、须宰逾越羊羔的那一天到了。 (修订标准版)

 

二十年世纪美国正统派基督教从这些对观福音书的评论而起的误差是,宣称基督实际上在尼散月十四日晚期间吃逾越餐。他被指是顺从出埃及记 12的指令,这指令被错误地宣称为教导逾越羔羊应在尼散月十四日的开始献祭,而在尼散月十五日吃逾越餐是不正确的。这尼散月十五日的逾越餐被指只是犹太人的一项传统。这立场似源自将基督对逾越节的评论分开看待,并只将它应用在尼散月十四日晚而非基督的审讯和磨难和复活时期中。特别的辩护声明似起自事后防护这项错误立场的努力。

 

我们在以上所引述的任何依据都肯定未支持这项宣称。无疑的,根据旧约和新约的参考,基督是在逾越之前去世。确实的,他应已死去以实现预言。迟一天杀死的逾越羔羊不是一只逾越羔羊。第二个月的逾越是不同的问题。更何况使徒的任何著作之中都未指示逾越的定时、或犹太人和基督徒在第一及后来的世纪中一同遵守的任何其他圣日的日期或准确性有任何争论。有关主的晚餐,即尼散月十四日晚是逾越餐的论据,是以一系列前提为根据的。这些前提在附录A中加以探讨,并将被看到是错误的。

 

那些说他们相信逾越节是在十四日者,通常有以下的意思:

  • 他们相信出埃及记 12的原有逾越羔羊是由以色列子民在尼散月十四日开始宰杀,并在十四日晚上吃用。
  • 即基督时代的犹太人做错了,他们在尼散月十四日的下午宰杀逾越羔羊,然后在十五日傍晚吃用。
  • 即耶稣在死前所吃的筵席是逾越筵席,正确地在尼散月十四日晚的开始和期间遵守,而耶稣在这筵席期间以新的饼和酒象征取代了羔羊和苦香草即所谓的有关尼散月十四日的纷争是,基督徒是否应在尼散月十四日傍晚或尼散月十五日傍晚分享饼和酒。
  • 事实上,有关犹太人在那一晚吃逾越餐方面从未出现任何显著的辩论。基督教一直都理解这正被讨论的日期。一向的理解者是,羔羊是在十四日将近结束时宰杀,以及在十五日晚上吃用。基督徒的辩论是集中包括洗脚和饼和酒的主的晚餐是否应在尼散月十四日傍晚遵守(在正常的逾越餐之前一天)或作为一项耶稣受难节-复活节传统。这项纷争是在第二世纪爆发。领导的主角是罗马的主教和波利卡普以及他的继承人波里克里特。

 

虽然基督教会在很早时期就遵守复活节, 犹太基督徒和那些非犹太后裔者之间不久之后对遵守它的日期产生了严重的歧见,导致冗长和剧烈的纷争。问题在于当逾越节的禁食被视为结束时。犹太基督徒的主要思想是作为逾越羔羊基督之死,这项禁食与犹太人同时在这个月的第十四天傍晚结束,随即是复活节,不管是在一周的那一天。另一方面,非犹太基督徒,因犹太的传统而得自由,确定这一周的第一天为复活日,并遵守之前的星期五为磨难日的纪念日,不考虑到它是在这个月的那一天” (大不列颠百科全书,第11版, 文‘复活节’).

 

这被称为十四日节纷争;从历史而言,它是唯一环绕在主的晚餐应在什么时候吃问题的主要纷争(比较文章圣诞节和复活节的起源(No.235) 以及十四日节纷争(No. 277)).

 

在第二十世纪的一些上帝的教会之中曾有一项争论,源自学术上的无知,它是有关耶稣是否吃逾越餐而非一顿逾越餐。从这一点引起了有关出埃及逾越羔羊献祭和吃逾越餐的定时,进而是主的晚餐应在那一晚遵守的辩论。不过,这是与十四日纷争不同的问题,这两个问题不应被混淆。

 

有关的混淆是基于对对观福音书(以上)经文,如马可福音 14:12-26的过分单纯处理方式。门徒的问题是,他们要知道基督要在那里吃逾越餐。他们 不知道他将作为逾越羔羊死去。

在无酵饼的第一天,当他们献祭逾越羔羊时,他的门徒对他说,‘你要我们到那里去为你准备吃逾越筵席呢?

 

任何圣经学生都应明显知道我们是一般地发言。首先,无酵饼的第一天根据出埃及记 12:3-10不是逾越节。逾越羔羊是在尼散月十日被搁置一旁并在尼散月十四日傍晚宰杀。然后逾越餐是在这一晚食用,这开始了尼散月十五日和无酵饼节。尼散月十四日傍晚这词是在一天结束时的事实,从在出埃及记 12:18-20中计算无酵饼节所用的术语中明显可见。

12:18从正月十四日晚上、直到二十一日晚上、你们要吃无酵饼。12:19在你们各家中、七日之内不可有酵、因为凡吃有酵之物的、无论是寄居的、是本地的、必从以色列的会中剪除。12:20有酵的物、你们都不可吃、在你们一切住处要吃无酵饼。

 

这七天的计算从尼散月十四日傍晚开始,即是在尼散月十四日结束时而非它的开始,如利未记 23:5所说,尼散月十四日是主的逾越,而利未记 23:6说无酵饼节是在尼散月的第十五天开始。这七天从十五日继续,一直到尼散日廿一日傍晚。尼散月廿一日是无酵饼节最后的圣日。因此最后的圣日是第七天,在傍晚结束。出埃及记 12中所指的尼散月十四日傍晚是第十四日的结束以及尼散月十五日的开始,否则这两段经文将产生矛盾。

 

指基督在错误的日子被钉十字架,因为犹太人弄错了,这在两个原因上是谬误的。首先,弥赛亚的献祭是不能废经文(约翰福音 10:35)经文的完成。 其二,律法的完成和实践是弥赛亚的目标。他在旧约中作为约的天使将律法交给摩西时列下这些律法。

 

麦穗节

 

约拿的神迹得正确地在它所有的阶段完成。第一个阶段是基督在墓里三天三夜,不多不少。基督也得在每周安息日过后一周的第一天早上复活,因为他是摇或麦穗祭,为所有收获的首生(出埃及记 29:24-27; 也见 利未记 7:30, 34; 8:27, 29; 9:21; 10:14, 15; 14:12, 24; 23:11-20; 民数记 5:25; 6:20; 18:11, 18).

 

你将它都放在亚伦的手上、和他儿子的手上、作为摇祭、在耶和华面前摇一摇。要从他们手中接过来、烧在耶和华面前坛上的燔祭上、是献给耶和华为馨香的火祭。你要取亚伦承接圣职所献公羊的胸、作为摇祭、在耶和华面前摇一摇、这就可以作你的分。那摇祭的胸、和举祭的腿、就是承接圣职所摇的、所举的、是归亚伦和他儿子的.

 

传统上这是在上午九时献祭。这是玛利亚前来见他时基督对她这么说的原因:

约翰福音 20:1, 15-17七日的第一日清早、天还黑的时候、抹大拉的马利亚来到坟墓那里、看见石头从坟墓挪开了。15耶稣问他说、妇人、为甚么哭、你找谁呢。马利亚以为是看园的、就对他说、先生、若是你把他移了去、请告诉我、你把他放在那里、我便去取他16 耶稣说、马利亚。马利亚就转过来、用希伯来话对他说、拉波尼.(拉波尼就是夫子的意思。) 17耶稣说、不要摸我.因我还没有升上去见我的父.你往我弟兄那里去、告诉他们说、我要升上去、见我的父、也是你们的父.见我的神、也是你们的神 。

因此,被钉十字架得于落在昨期三的尼散月十四日发生。发生在星期五的被钉十字架不能完成弥赛亚的预言。基督是在完成律法和预言的每一个限定预言。因此,律法必须以其次序和细节来理解才会使在公元30年这逾越节中发生的事具有意义。

 

逾越筵席

 

逾越节须特别根据出埃及记 12:8-12作出准备。

12:8当夜要吃羊羔的肉、用火烤了、与无酵饼和苦菜同吃。12:9不可吃生的、断不可吃水煮的、要带着头、腿、五脏、用火烤了吃。12:10不可剩下一点留到早晨、若留到早晨、要用火烧了。12:11你们吃羊羔当腰间束带、脚上穿鞋、手中拿杖、赶紧地吃、这是耶和华的逾越节。 12:12因为那夜我要巡行埃及地、把埃及地一切头生的、无论是人是牲畜、都击杀了.又要败坏埃及一切的神、我是耶和华。

 

申命记 16:7所用的字在对照圣经中被译为煮,以及在注解修订标准版 中被译为煮沸,它是一个通称术语bashal (SHD 1310),即命题煮沸的根本,因此是在烹煮中进行;它比喻成熟:因此是烘焙、煮沸、带来、成熟悉、烤、沸腾、浸(或浸透)。它的使用必须配合其内容;这里其特别意义是烘烤。从这字的使用主张申命记 16的事项是一个不同的事项,与出埃及记 12所规定的不同,是没有根据的。在出埃及记 12:14中,基督将这一天列为以色列世世代代的纪念日,其定义包括选民

14 你们要记念这日、守为耶和华的节、作为你们世世代代永远的定例(SHD 5769 ‘olam 至消失点实际的永恒).

 

逾越的时间和地点

 

一项必须理解的公理是,基督不能出席他本身的逾越节。他是逾越羔羊因此将死去。但他在作为耶和华的天使时已列出一个将迎合这事件的次序。他给予摩西举办这项活动所需条件;他已在马可福音14:12-26中指令门徒办同样的活动。这些需要条件列于申命记 16:2,5,6中:

你要注意亚笔月、向耶和华你的神守逾越节、因为耶和华你的神在亚笔月夜间、领你出埃及。你当在耶和华所选择要立为他名的居所、从牛群羊群中、将逾越节的祭牲献给耶和华你的神..(对照圣经继续这经文为),在耶和华你神所赐的各城中、你不可献逾越节的祭、只当在耶和华你神所选择要立为他名的居所、晚上日落的时候、乃是你出埃及的时候、献逾越节的祭。当在耶和华你 神所选择的地方、把肉烤了吃、次日早晨就回到你的帐棚去。你要吃无酵饼六日、第七日要向耶和华你的 神守严肃会、不可作工。

 

这里所指的时间证明了出埃及记中的经文。显然这七天包括尼散月廿一日的最后一个圣日。因此,尼散月十四日的傍晚指的是一天的结束时,即在尼散月十五日的开始,这也为利未记经文所确证。因此,这三段经文互相解释和支持,消除了有关之前的一夜,即尼散月十四日或涉及的可能性。这通用术语,在傍晚,在你出埃及时, 不能被视为是显示接着的一天已取代了真正的逾越节之事实。其中所涉及的概念是,通过逾越献祭,死亡天使越过了以色列。根据圣经的定义,死亡天使必是基督,因审判的力量是由上帝给予他。通过基督的献祭,以色列人得赎并开始被带出埃及。因此,逾越是在镇外并是在尼散月十五日之前的。通探讨摩西下的出埃及记和   原有的逾越,这一点将得以透视。

 

出埃及为军事撤退

 

撤军

 

撤出埃及是一项军事撤退。以色列人是在歌珊各地,而他们已备好在摩西的命令下离开家园。主说,在这一天,即尼散月十五日(出埃及记 12:17), 无酵饼节的第一个圣日,他将以色列军队带出埃及土地。因此,主是在尼散月十五日晚救赎了以色列人,并在下一个白天由摩西命令开始他们的移动。

 

要取得有关撤退的概念必须理解一些数字。除了妇女和儿童之外,行走的以色列人数达大约60万人。一批混合的群众与他们一起走,以及很多羊群和牧群 (出埃及记 12:37-39)。人数至少有1百万人,而且更可能达到超过1百50万人而接近2百万人。普通的军操排列是三人并排。每列1百人,间隔一公尺,每一组间距10公尺,将达大约50公尺。每个组之间的距离是需要的,以使行动顺畅,减低拖延和尘埃。每1百人组之间将有50公尺。因此,这部队将达大约1千公里长。假设这组10人并排前进,那这长度将减至大约6百公里。由于一个人每小时行进三英里或每一小时四个半公里(比方说公里/时), 这列队将需一百个小时才能走出兰塞,假设兰塞是撤退的控制点-从出埃及记 12:37中似是这样。

 

若一个人可以设想这行列的一角站在兰塞,另一角在疏割,手拉手而仍在横列中达50人的深度,即可想像得到这行列的程度。他们可50人并排前进,在疏割中的一天仍是在离开着兰塞。由于家畜每天只能移动大约少过30公里,,要这个行列在三天内完成旅途,假设在集合地区没有时间,是不可能的。

 

由于这行列得从歌珊各地集合,得采用正常的军事撤退阶段。前卫得在摩西返回发出撤退命令时即离开兰塞。摩西在尼散月十五日,在第一个首生被杀后被法老传召 (出埃及记 12:31)。

 

因此,摩西必已在那一晚发出指令给前卫。到了早上,第一个行列已离开兰塞。不过,整个国家将仍在移动进入集合地区和歌珊各地的控制点。摩西在这些事件上受到训练。他已将派出信使到歌珊各地并开始这项迁移。其定时和控制是极为重要的。人们和家畜得守秩序而家畜得被管制和给予水。若不然,结果将是混乱的。

 

人们应从兰塞撤出前往疏割大约四天。在最后的那些离开兰塞之前,带头者将已到达只离开65公里的疏割。若他们以1百人并排前进,那这行列仍将达超过1百50公里或3百公里长。

 

正常的前进距离是每天大约20英里或30公里。因此,它需要至少一天的全天行进才能抵达那里。鉴于行李、老人、病者和跛足者,前往疏割的行动应是以分批的。从那里起的行动应采用了相同的系统。

 

出埃及记是一个规模庞大的有策划撤军行动。指从兰塞的迁移影响逾越的日期,是对这工作的庞大性质真天全然无知者的推测。对主谨守夜是在尼散月十五日,在它全部开始时,而是当向主谨守的夜,是以色列众人世世代代该谨守的(出埃及记 12:42).

 

无酵饼节的最后一个圣日

 

从对这些行列迁移的认识,无酵饼节的最后一个圣日似可能是当行列到了疏割而取得休息时。前进的部队或已辛苦操行6天,走了大约2百多公里的路程。因此,他们或以直线前进(约170公里)到达红海。无论如何,要主体在这时间内完成这个距离似是绝对不可能的。故此,疏割或是第一个营寨,如它看来所被描绘一样。

 

逾越的预言

 

逾越节被确立是作为一个特殊仪式,以显示基督将到来的方式,以及成为祭品,因此是使世界从罪恶和掳掠中得释的方法。故此,他将掳掠掳掠人者。(启示录13:10).

 

这仪式次序的构思是要由弥赛亚以有系统和谨慎的基础完成。他因此在逾越节之前六天进入贝瑟尼 (约翰福音 12:1) ,以便他可以在第十天被置一旁。在公元30年,第十天是一个安息日。基督在第九天抵步并在马大伺候下吃安息日筵席 (约翰福音 12:2). 在第十天(约翰福音 12:12)他进入耶路撒冷,以便符合出埃及记 12献祭。群众在他面前放下棕叶,而他骑着驴驹到来完成在约翰福音 12:15中部分引述的预言。

锡安的民哪、不要惧怕、你的王骑着驴驹来了 。

 

撒迦利亚书 9:9 的引述是:

锡安的民哪、应当大大喜乐.耶路撒冷的民哪、应当欢呼.看哪、你的王来到你这里.他是公义的、并且施行拯救、谦谦和和的骑着驴、就是骑着驴的驹子。

 

基督有整个预言次序要完成,而经文是不能废的。因此,基督得为逾越在正确的时间被杀,否则经文将废了。一些救世预言列出如下:

 

从以赛亚书 53:5,基督在鞭苔中被毁至变容:

… 那知他为我们的过犯受害、为我们的罪孽压伤.因他受的刑罚我们得平安.因他受的鞭伤我们得医治。

他被欺压、在受苦的时候却不开口.他像羊羔被牵到宰杀之地、又像羊在剪毛的人手下无声、他也是这样不开口。

 

这是基督为何在他的指控者面前保持静默的原因(马可福音 14:60-61),以使他能完成这预言。他在马可福音 14:16-20中被嗤笑,完成了诗篇 22:7的预言。

凡看见我的都嗤笑我.他们撇嘴摇头、说、

 

在路加福音 23:35中,百姓站在那里观看。

官府也嗤笑他说、他救了别人.他若是基督、 神所拣选的、可以救自己吧。基督在架上被嗤笑。

 

这也完成了诗篇 22:17.

我的骨头、我都能数过.他们瞪着眼看我。(修订标准版)

 

为了完成预言(约翰福音 19:36),基督也被扎而骨头未被断在十字架上。

这些事成了、为要应验经上的话说、“他的骨头、一根也不可折”.

 

首先,从出埃及记 12:46的指令: 应当在一个房子里吃、不可把一点肉从房子里带到外头去.羊羔的骨头、一根也不可折断。

 

而民数记 9:12:

一点不可留到早晨、羊羔的骨头一根也不可折断.

 

故此守了诗篇 34:20中有关正义者的经文。

又保全他一身的骨头、连一根也不折断。

 

被钉十字架是出埃及记 12和 民数记 9中所提及的,在尼散月十四日傍晚祝福的逾越献祭。这是基督被杀时。基督的死本身是一个救世预言。基督被扎以完成撒迦利亚书 12:10-13中的预言。

12:10我必将那施恩叫人恳求的灵、浇灌大卫家、和耶路撒冷的居民.他们必仰望他.就是他们所扎的.必为我悲哀、如丧独生子、又为我愁苦、如丧长子。 12:11那日耶路撒冷必有大大的悲哀、如米吉多平原之哈达临门的悲哀。 12:12境内、一家一家的、都必悲哀.大卫家、男的独在一处、女的独在一处.拿单家、男的独在一处、女的独在一处.12:13利未家、男的独在一处、女的独在一处.示每家、男的独在一处、女的独在一处.

 

大卫的家庭,通过拿单,在路加福音 3中完成。同样的,玛利亚的家庭也与利未有关系,因依丽沙白嫁给了亚比雅的大祭司。

 

从对祭司所施的有关部族婚姻禁令,伊丽沙白是利未人,因此,玛利亚也是部分-利未人。亚伦的弥赛亚,以及也是以色列的弥赛亚因此拥有两个世系而成为两次降临的弥赛亚 ,如我们从死海古卷中看到。

 

基督在马可福音 15:34 (从诗篇 22:1)救世主地说:

我的神、我的神、为甚么离弃我?

 

基督未被离弃,但这里他如同一个将死的人一样说话以完成诗篇 22:15中的预言:

… 我的精力枯干、如同瓦片.我的舌头贴在我牙床上.你将我安置在死地的尘土中。

 

从诗篇 22:24, 上帝并未离弃他。

因为他没有藐视憎恶受苦的人.也没有向他掩面.那受苦之人呼吁的时候、他就垂听。

 

这项声明是要将注意力引至弥赛亚诗篇和它的完成,即列国的所有家庭将崇拜上帝。基督与对的神说话。

 

指基督不是与他的神说话而只是要完成一个预言,即是指基督在他临死时时说着假和误导性的经文,因此已犯罪因无忏悔而失去资格,或已使他的牺牲变得无意义。

 

基督的被扎也可从22:16-17中看到。

犬类围着我.恶党环绕我.他们扎了我的手、我的脚。17 我的骨头、我都能数过.他们瞪着眼看我。

 

在诗篇 22:18中,他们投签以分取基督衣服。

… 他们分我的外衣、为我的里衣拈阄。

 

在约翰福音 19:28中,他说,‘我渴了’,引述 诗篇 69:21。

他们拿苦胆给我当食物.我渴了、他们拿醋给我喝。

 

苦胆是要毒害他,因此自杀,而醋是要使口渴加剧和掩饰苦胆。

 

他在以上说话后说:“完了” (约翰福音 19:30),意即预言已被完成。他在路加福音 23:46中说:

耶稣大声喊着说、父阿、我将我的灵魂交在你手里.

 

这来自诗篇 31:5:

我将我的灵魂交在你手里.耶和华诚实的神阿、你救赎了我。

 

因此 ,基督寻求诚实的神-他的上帝我们的上帝-即万物的父给予救赎。

 

从路加福音 23:45,在他死时从第六个小时至第九个小时,或从中午12时到下午3时一片黑暗。他死去:

… 日头变黑了.殿里的幔子从当中裂为两半。

 

殿里的幔子裂为两是要为人类启开一条路以进入至圣所(希伯来书9:8).

 

圣灵用此指明、头一层帐幕仍存的时候、进入至圣所的路还未显明.

 

以赛亚书 53:9 也说道:

他虽然未行强暴、口中也没有诡诈、人还使他与恶人同埋.谁知死的时候与财主同葬。

 

这次序是从世界的基础确立。逾越节是在正确的时间遵守,而基督作为逾越羔羊完成了预言。这定时和次序不是偶然的,它也不能在错误的日子里进行。若基督不是逾越羔羊,如应当发生一样被杀,那我们将没有弥赛亚。若逾越是在早一天,那他将在早一天被杀,而非朝反方向走。

 

逾越节献祭的分散

 

逾越节是在以色列外面遵守而且这些献祭在基他犹太神殿中进行,是无可争辩的历史记录。它的考古证据从H.L.京斯柏所译的阿拉姆语书信日期开始 (见 J.B. 毕里查德, 古代的近东, 卷1, 页278及其后).

 

逾越节浦草纸古卷是志期公元前419年起对犹太驻军所发出的政令。它授权遵守无酵饼节。它指明逾越节需在尼散月十四日,与尼散月十五日和廿一日的无酵饼节圣日一起遵守。从尼散月十四日起的日落(或入黑)起不可吃酵素七天,一直到尼散月廿一日为止。因此,尼散月十四日的日落在古时被理解为尼散月十日的结束。这文写道:

[致]我[兄弟耶多]尼亚1和他的同事[犹太驻军],你的兄弟哈南[尼亚].2 祈望神照顾我兄弟的福利[一直寻求]. 现在,这, 大流士王的第五年, 王送话给阿尔沙[默斯3 说“允许犹太[驻军]庆无酵饼节.” 因此,你计算[尼散月的第十四日] 遵[守逾越节],4 并从尼散月的第十五和廿一日守[无酵饼节]守。在(仪式)上要净洁并留心。[不要][在第十五或第廿一天]工作,或[从尼散月十四日日落起]喝[酒,或吃] 任何[有]酵母的东西, 一直至廿一日。你们在在七天内不可看到酵母。不要将它带你的住处,而在这期间将[它]密封起来。[大流士王喻令. 致给]我的兄弟耶多尼亚和犹太驻军,你的兄弟哈南尼[亚].

  1.  厄勒芬延犹太社区(军事殖民地)的一名祭司和首领。
  2.  显然是亚尔沙米斯犹太事务的一名秘名。
  3.  从公元455/4到至少公元407年的埃及总督。
  4. psh这字分两个陶片从厄勒芬延或意谓“逾越(献祭)。”
  5. 只有在哈南尼亚的传统下,如拉比律法,“酵母”之下包括发酵玉米和发酵水果(酒),这复兴才是正确的。撒马利坦会采纳较严厉的观点(毕里查德,页278).

 

不喝发酵玉米的传统是拉比的传统。在这些节期中烈酒的问题是不被禁止的。申命记 14:26 在发酵和加强的玉米酒方面没有作出任何区别。

 

从这段经文所产生的另一个要点是,上帝的名字被称为耶和(YAHO),清楚显示发音和元音的存在,因此有 耶和华〔Yahovah〕和耶和威〔Yahovih〕之名称

 

这段经文因此解决了这些争论,即逾越节献祭得到以色列和外国犹太教士以及波斯国王的正式批准,普遍在以色列以和耶路撒冷外和外国进行。此外,从古时,康比斯之前起, 显然有至少两个神殿(如上, 犹大和撒马利亚总督给厄勒芬延犹太人(即巴哥亚斯和迪来伊亚)的忠告, 页281). 这座神殿在大流士第十四年被毁。在它重建后,马兹迪的阿尔沙默斯似限制在厄勒芬延的献祭至熏香、饭祭和奠祭。通过肉体亵渎火应该也会被他所禁止(也见京斯柏,注1, 页281).

 

埃塞尼筵席

 

最特别现代发现之一是死海古卷。从死海天古卷中我们能够鉴定在新约中所作的背后的圣经概念可在第一世纪犹太派的仪式中找到解释。确实的,我们发现基督和使徒所作的是由 埃塞尼所反映。这未显示使徒们是埃塞尼派,而是我们与主的晚餐联系起来的筵席是朱迪亚的一项确立的仪式。这细节可以从神殿卷轴中找到(Y. 雅丁, 卷I, 页140).在这项埃赛尼餐期间,据说祭司将祝福这一餐的饼和酒。

并将他的手伸到饼上。以色列被涂膏者过后将把他的手伸到饼上而所有雅哈德的圣会将在他的尊严等次下发出一项祝福。他们将根据这条例在有至少十人集会的活动上这么进行。

 

雅丁说:

这些描绘的基本重要性是,它们措绘了这宗派的生活和组织以及他们的密切类似处和他们在约瑟夫战争2:130-131的著作中背叛了埃塞尼餐, 此外,这些仪式的某些方面与那些在基督爱筵中主的晚餐仪式有很多共同点(见 D. 法拉舍, 埃塞尼派的最后的晚餐,以马内利春天, 1973, 页23).

 

埃塞尼派先祝福饼然后酒。神殿卷轴,卷17:6-9确立了逾越牙是被理解为是在这个月十四日傍晚,在两个傍晚之间献祭的,即在太阳下山和黑暗之间尼散十五日开始时进行(神殿卷轴卷1, 页 96; 历法见页 118).

 

无疑的,如犹太人所理解,逾越节是在尼散月十五日发生。这概念和圣经所说的之间没有矛盾。的确,这与考古学的发现所揭示的之间有肯定的一致性。这受到在第二世纪开始之前已守主的晚餐的教会之理解所证实。

 

关于逾越理解的错误如何发生?问题是上帝的教会理解尼散月十四日晚是主的晚餐,一直到近期当它被重新设置时,从对新约中所用通用术语的误解开始。若经文作为上帝默示的道是相关的,那实际上没有理由误解或误会。

 

附录A

 

指关于逾越节的定时有一场大辩论的声明,是假的声明。指逾越是在尼散月十四日的主张,在美国一些宗派中得到最大的辩护。这论点起自贫乏的学术研究,而在一些方面是人为或被歪曲的经文。所理解尼散月十四日逾越是假设:

  • 即出埃及记 12中的原有逾越羔羊是由以色列子民在尼散月十四日的开始宰杀,并在十四日晚吃掉。
  • 即基督时代犹太人在尼散月十四日下午杀死逾越羔羊并在十五日傍晚吃它而犯了错误。
  • 即耶稣在死前所吃的筵席是逾越筵席,正确在地尼散月十四日   晚的开始及期间被遵守,而在这筵席期间,耶稣以饼和酒的新象征取代羔羊和苦香草。
  • 即所谓的尼散月十上日纷争是有关基督徒是否应在尼散月十四日傍晚或尼散月十五日傍晚分享饼和酒的问题。

 

这项争论是基于以下前提:

  1. 即,历史上,对新约逾越节是否应在尼散月十四或十五日遵守方面据指已有一场大争论。
  2. 即希伯来术语ba ereb(“93 /) 的意思是日落并特指在太阳似接触地平线时开始以及在它一落在地平线以下时终止之间的短时间(3-4分钟)。
  3. 即一天的结束和另一天的开始是在日落,或ba ereb.这前提的支持是取自利未记 23:32有关赎罪日,以及随着出埃及记 16:6,8,12-13后提供的鹌鹑。
  4. 即希伯来术语ben ha arbayim(.*”93 % 0*”) 或傍晚之间是日落与黑暗之间的时期。
  5. 从前提2, 3和4,由于一天是在日落结束以及另一天是在日落开始,即 被定为ben ha arbayim 的时期或傍晚之间是落在一天的开始,而非一天的结束。
  6. 即希伯来术语boqer(98″) 的意思是早晨或有亮光时的破晓时分而不能指午夜和凌晨当它仍黑暗时之间的任何时期。
  7. 即希伯来术语lailah(%-*-) 或夜晚不能与早晨交迭。

 

以上的前提在以下绘图中措绘出来。

绘图一翻译如下:

24 hour ‘day’ – 廿四小时‘天’

Night -夜

Day –日

Between the evenings - 傍晚之间

Sunset -日落

Dark - 黑暗

Midnight - 午夜

Morning-早晨

  1. 逾越羔羊是在ben ha arbayim或尼散月十四日傍晚之间宰杀。
  2. 从前提5和8,逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日的开始,而非接近十四日的 结束时宰杀。
  3. 即出埃及记12:6中希伯来术语term ad ($3) 或一直到的意思是羔羊是要保养到尼散月十四日的开始而非较后时。
  4. 即没有逾越羔羊可被留到早上(boqer)而以色列的子民不被允许离开他们的家,一直到早上(boqer)。
  5. 即马可福音1:35中有关耶稣次日早晨、天未亮的时候的描绘不意味着在早晨的黑暗时间,而是早,仍夜时。
  6. 由于羔羊在被杀后得被烤及在晚上期间吃掉,这将意味着死亡天使是在尼散月十四日的晚上部分期间越过埃及。
  7. 从前提9, 10, 11, 12和13,以色列的子民在尼散月十四日全部晚上部分留在户内而不出外,一直到尼散月十四日白天为止。
  8. 因此,从前提14,以色列的子民用十四日白天部分的时间抢劫埃及人而未撤离埃及,一直到尼散月十五日的开始,即晚上为止。
  9. 即大多数抢劫埃及人的行动到死亡天使逾越过后才发生。
  10. 即出埃及记12:6-14完全是指十四日,而出埃及记 12:15-20是指十五日起, 对第与 6-14节经文的事项没有交迭。
  11. 即以色列的子民不能在死亡天使逾越过后的一段时间内立即离开他们的家,因为:
  12. a)他们将被迫在夜的黑暗中旅行到兰塞;以及
  13. b)火柱未出现,一直到他们离开兰塞后。

 

  1. 以色列的所有1百50万至2百万子民在行军离开埃及之前,在兰塞集合。
  2. 即经文明确之说:”…主你的神带你[生下你作为一个联合、自由的人民]出埃及,在夜间… 11时, [ba erev,第十五日的开始], 在太阳下山时,在你出埃及的季节” (申命记 16:1,6).
  3. 出埃及整体在晚上发生;即最后的子民在晚上离开,因此,(因所涉及的人数)出埃及之夜不可能是在第十五日凌晨的几个钟头里。
  4. 若在一大早撤离埃及是事实,那埃及人必是在午夜和黎明之间的晚上埋葬他们的死者。

 

前提8至20在绘图二中展示。

绘图2 翻译如下:

尼散月十四日

  • Death angel passes over at midnight; Passover lamb roasted and eaten during night –none remains till morning – 死亡天使在午夜逾越;逾越羔羊被烤和在晚上吃掉…一点都不留到早上。
  • Passover lamb slain at twilight -逾越羔羊在黄昏宰杀
  • (midnight)-(午夜)
  • Plundering of Egyptians; Egyptians bury dead; Israel moves to Rameses – 抢劫埃及人;埃及人埋葬死者;以色列迁移至兰塞
  • 尼散月十五日
  • Exodous from Rameses begins at sunset; All Isral leaves Egypt before dawn – 从兰塞的出埃及在日落开始;所有以色列人在凌晨前离开埃及

 

这些前提将各别受到探讨。所谓十四日/十五日逾越纷争的大部分争论假设之前所提的前提是正确和真实的。

 

前提1

如在主文中所说,对于犹太人在那一晚吃逾越餐从未有过任何显著的辨论。据理解羔羊是在十四日结束时宰杀以及在十五日晚吃掉。基督徒的争论集中在包括洗脚和饼及酒的主的晚餐是否应在尼散月十四日傍晚遵守(比正常的逾越筵席早一天)或作为耶稣受难节-复活节传统。

虽然基督教会在很早时期就遵守复活节, 犹太基督徒和那些非犹太后裔者之间不久之后对遵守它的日期产生了严重的歧见,导致冗长和剧烈的纷争。问题在于当逾越节的禁食被视为结束时。犹太基督徒的主要思想是作为逾越羔羊基督之死,这项禁食与犹太人同时在这个月的第十四天傍晚结束,随即是复活节,不管是在一周的那一天。另一方面,非犹太基督徒,因犹太的传统而得自由,确定这一周的第一天为复活日,并遵守之前的星期五为磨难日的纪念日,不考虑到它是在这个月的那一天” (大不列颠百科全书,第11版, 文‘复活节’).

 

这被称为十四日节纷争;从历史而言,它是唯一环绕在主的晚餐应在什么时候吃问题的主要纷争。在第二十世纪的一些上帝的教会之中曾有一项争论,源自学术上的无知,它是有关耶稣是否吃那逾越餐而非一顿逾越餐。从这一点引起了有关出埃及逾越羔羊献祭和吃逾越餐的定时,进而是主的晚餐应在那一晚遵守的辩论。不过,这是与十四日纷争不同的问题,这两个问题不应被混淆。

 

前提2

有关ba ereb 的意思是日落 – 只达3-的分钟的短时期 –的前提,完全是不对的。布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯(BDBG)的希伯来词典显示ereb 的意思是傍晚、夜晚或日落。史特朗的希伯来文辞典(SHD) 提供了黄昏、傍(晚、黄昏)夜晚的使用。通过用一个结构遮盖的概念,Ereb来自词根arabArab的意思是成为傍晚,渐变得黑暗。Ereb 是一个含糊的术语,并可涵盖从下午至日落过后很久的时期。附录B列出了旧约中ereb 出现的地方。从比较以下经文,可看到这术语的不定性:

创世纪1:5 神称光为昼、称暗为夜.有晚上、有早晨、这是头一日。 (修订标准版)

 

创世纪24:11 天将晚、众女子出来打水的时候、他便叫骆驼跪在城外的水井那里。(修订标准版)

利未记 6:20 当亚伦受膏的日子、他和他子孙所要献给耶和华的供物、就是细面伊法十分之一、为常献的素祭、早晨一半、晚上一半。

申命记 23:11 到傍晚的时候、他要用水洗澡、及至日落了才可以入营。 (修订标准版)

约书亚记 8:29 又将艾城王挂在树上、直到晚上。日落的时候、约书亚吩咐人把尸首从树上取下来、丢在城门口、在尸首上堆成一大堆石头、直存到今日。

撒母耳记下 11:2 一日太阳平西、大卫从床上起来、在王宫的平顶上游行、看见一个妇人沐浴、容貌甚美。 (英王钦定本)

撒母耳记下 11:2一日午后、大卫从床上起来、在王宫的平顶上游行、看见一个妇人沐浴、容貌甚美。(修订标准版)

撒母耳记下 11:13卫召了乌利亚来、叫他在自己面前吃喝、使他喝醉.到了晚上、乌利亚出去与他主的仆人一同住宿、还没有回到家里去。(修订标准版)

约伯记7:4 我躺卧的时候、便说、我何时起来、黑夜就过去呢.我尽是反来复去、直到天亮。

 

诗篇 30:5 因为他的怒气不过是转眼之间.他的恩典乃是一生之久.一宿虽然有哭泣、早晨便必欢呼。

 

箴言7:9 在黄昏、或晚上、或半夜、或黑暗之中、(修订标准版)

 

耶利米书 6:4你们要准备攻击他、起来吧、我们可以趁午时上去。哀哉、日已渐斜、晚影拖长了。(修订标准版)

 

以西结书 12:7 我就照着所吩咐的去行、白日带出我的物件、好像预备掳去使用的物件.到了晚上、我用手挖通了墙.天黑的时候、就当他们眼前搭在肩头上带出去。(修订标准版)

 

撒迦利亚书 14:7 那日、必是耶和华所知道的.不是白昼、也不是黑夜、到了晚上才有光明。(修订标准版)

 

从以上所用,ereb 的意思不是在太阳接触到地平线以及越过地平线以下之间的3-4 分钟时间间隔。它应用在从下午至进入深夜之间的一大时段。它通常是用在指黑暗方面。

 

前提3

 

一天结束而另一天在日落天始(ereb). 以上所列段节清楚显示ereb可以是在日落之前或在日落一段长时间后。犹太的理解长久以来是一个自然日在日落后,黑暗时开始和结束。然而,关于安息日和圣日, 犹太人已在自然日周围建立了一个安全边缘。安息日和圣日是从日落之前几分钟至入黑后遵守。

 

利未记 23:32未说明ereb 为日落。配合之前所提的经文,它视它与黑暗一样,在太阳下山后。出埃及记 16:6-13上下文也未将ereb 定义为日落。它只显示鹌鹑在与黄昏相关的傍晚(或傍晚之间) 进入营里。在这方面,ereb是用来涵盖从日落至黑暗的时期。出埃及记 16中未说上帝在黄昏所提供的鹌鹑的收集是违反安息日或试探他们有关安息日的遵守的。吗哪的提供是用来试探以色列有关安息日的正确遵守。

 

前提4

 

ben ha arbayim 的定义是日落和黑暗之间的时间。

 

这通常以这意义被使用。布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯的希伯来词典说,它的可能意思是在日落和黑暗之间。新世纪圣经对出埃及记的评论附加说,傍晚之前是一个技术措辞。它被下了不同的定义:

  • 在日落和星星看得见的时候。
  • 在太阳开始西下以及影子开始拉长(午后不久)以及夜晚开始之间的时期。
  • 在太阳的热度开始减低(下午大约3时)和日落之间的时期。

 

法利赛人将最后的定义视为正确的定义。撒都该教派以第一个意义理解它,而撒马利亚人至今保持着这形式。在摩西时代,第一个定义是被接受的定义。不过,应注意的是,所有的定义推定傍晚之间是在一天结束而开始时到来。

 

技术上,这产生是因为有一个傍晚被认为在午后某个阶段开始并在日落时结束,而有第二个傍晚是在黄昏或黑暗时开始。无论如何,要点是傍晚之间一直被理解为是在一日的结束时到来。这一点也从厄勒芬延逾越节蒲草纸古卷中可见(见主文).

 

前提5

 

ben ha arbayim在一日的开始而非结束时到来。这是因为ba ereb 的意思是日落, 而且是新的一天的开始,而ben ha arbayim 是日落和黑暗之间的时间。

 

这是不正确的。如如展示ereb 的意思不能被定为正好是日落;而它的意思可以是午后直至夜晚。

 

当我们明白ben ha arbayim 作为一个技术措辞的来源后,它显然是在一天的结束而非开始时到来。其证据在一些段节中可找到。例如:

出埃及记 29:38-41 29:38你每天所要献在坛上的、就是两只一岁的羊羔、 29:39早晨要献这一只、黄昏的时候要献那一只。29:40和这一只羊羔同献的、要用细面伊法十分之一、与捣成的油一欣四分之一调和.又用酒一欣四分之一、作为奠祭。29:41那一只羊羔要在黄昏的时候献上、照着早晨的素祭、和奠祭的礼办理、作为献给耶和华馨香的火祭。 (新国际版本)

 

民数记 28:3-4又要对他们说、你们要献给耶和华的火祭、就是没有残疾一岁的公羊羔、每日两只、作为常献的燔祭。4早晨要献一只、黄昏的时候要献一只。(新国际版本)

 

这里可看到这些献祭是包括每天两只羊的献祭: 第一只在早晨,第二只在傍晚或黄昏[ben ha arbayim], 而两者都是一天的献祭。如上所指,明显的,傍晚之间是在一天结束时而非它的开始时到来。

 

前提6

 

Boqer的意思是早晨,当有光时,而不能指午夜和黎明之间仍黑暗的时期。

 

这再次是错误的。布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯的希伯来词典 为boqer提供了以下的定义: 早晨;指夜晚结束;指日光的到来;指日出的到来;指一天的开始;指一夜忧伤后的欢快(比喻); 次日,明天,下一个早晨。erebboqer 是一个可含有多个意义的普通术语。有一些段节可显示boqer 可应用在凌晨时光,即午夜和日出之间仍黑暗时。

路得记3:14路得便在他脚下躺到早晨(boqer):、人彼此不能辨认的时候、就起来了.他说说、不可使人知道有女子到地上来。 (英王钦定本)

 

路得记3:14 路得便在他脚下躺到早晨:、人彼此不能辨认的时候、就起来了.波阿斯说、不可使人知道有女子到场上来.  (新国际版本)

 

指路得不能起身是因为天仍黑而她将不能找到回家的路,是荒谬的。同样的,看守系统可以从用法中看到。

 

出埃及记 14:24,27 14:24到了晨更(boqer)的时候、耶和华从云火柱中向埃及万军观看、使埃及的军兵混乱了。14:25又使他们的车轮脱落、难以行走、以致埃及人说、我们从以色列人面前逃跑吧、因耶和华为他们攻击我们了。14:26耶和华对摩西说、你向海伸杖、叫水仍合在埃及人并他们的车辆、马兵身上。 14:27摩西就向海伸杖、到了天一亮、海水仍旧复原、埃及人避水逃跑的时候、耶和华把他们推翻在海中。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 14:24 到了晨更的时候、耶和华从云火柱中向埃及的军兵观看、使埃及的军兵恐慌了。(新修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 14:24到了拂晓前看守的时候、永恒的从云火柱中向埃及人观看… (摩法特)

 

出埃及记 14:24到了晚上的最后看守时、耶和华从云火柱中向埃及的军兵观看、使埃及的军兵混乱了。 (新国际版本)

 

夜晚上被分成3 x 4-小时的看守. 傍晚的看守是在黑暗时开始,并维持到大约晚上十时。然后是从晚上十时至凌晨大约二时的中间看守。最后的,或清晨的看守是从凌晨二时至日出。称为晨更是因为它在凌晨进行。

创世纪44:3天一亮(boqer)就打发那些人带着驴走了 (英王钦定本)

 

撒母耳记上 29:10故此你和跟随你的人、就是你本主的仆人、要明日早晨(boqer)起来、等到天亮回去吧。 (修订标准版)

 

这些段落显示,利用boqer这字眼,可能在凌晨时分,天仍黑或夜时起身,然后等待天亮开始旅程。

列王记上3:21 天要亮的时候、我起来要给我的孩子吃奶、不料、孩子死了.及至天亮、我细细的察看、不是我所生的孩子。(英王钦定本)

 

列王记上3:21天要亮的时候、我起来要给我的孩子吃奶、不料、孩子死了.及至天亮、我细细的察看、不是我所生的孩子。(修订标准版)

 

列王记上3:21天要亮的时候,我起来要给我的孩子吃奶、不料、孩子死了.我在晨光中细细的察看、不是我所生的孩子。 (摩法特版)

 

在这方面,凌晨的喂养明显是在天亮前的黑暗时间期间。其他经文使它更明确。无疑的boqer 是一个普通术语,在大部分语言中,包括英语,可用在午夜过后直至天亮的任何时候。英文中早晨(morning这字可应用在午夜过后至中午的任何时间。

 

前提 7

 

lailah 或不能与早晨交迭。布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯的希伯来词典给lailah 一词的定义为(与日相反), 阴暗. 没有什么可避免将lailah 用在与凌晨的黑暗时间交迭上。这项前提是一项无确实根据的果敢主张。

 

前提8

 

即逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日ben ha arbayim 时宰杀。

 

前提9

 

即逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日的开始而非结束时宰杀。

 

正确的,逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日的ben ha arbayim, 或傍晚之间宰杀。这在出埃及记 12:6, 利未记 23:5和民数记 9:3,5,9,11中有述。不过,如我们从主文,包括古代逾越节蒲草纸古卷的各例子中看到,ben ha arbayim 是在一天结束而非开始时到来。因此逾越羔羊是在接近尼散月十四日结束时宰杀和烘烤,并在尼散月十五日傍晚吃掉。

 

前提10

 

ad 或直至, 在出埃及记 12:6中,意味着羔羊得收到某个开始,而非在这开始过后。

 

希伯来文中的ad 有广泛的用途。在时间方面, 布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯的希伯来词典给它的定义是即使至、直到、到、直至、期间、结束。布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯的希伯来词典也显示它在出埃及记12的第15和第18节中以同样的方式被使用:

出埃及记 12:15 你们要吃无酵饼七日.头一日要把酵从你们各家中除去、因为从头一日起、到第七日为止、凡吃有酵之饼的、必从以色列中剪除。

 

出埃及记 12:18 从正月十四日晚上、直到二十一日晚上、你们要吃无酵饼。

 

从这些经文,到了无酵饼节第七日结束时才可吃有酵饼。这些段节清楚显示ad或直至不意味着直到开始而未更远。当在第6, 15和18节用到日时,它包括整日而非只是它的开始。

 

前提 11

 

即逾越羔羊不被允许留到早晨(boqer), 而以色列的子民不被允许离开他们的家,一直到早晨 (boqer)。

 

这是正确的。不过,如以上所展示,boqer 是一个普通术语,并包括从午夜过后直至天亮的时期。若逾越羔羊是在黄昏时宰杀并用了几个小时烘烤,那它或是在很晚但肯定是在午夜前被吃掉。在匆忙中吃后剩下的必须被烧掉。这必将需要另外两个小时。在凌晨时光,在它仍黑暗时。在摩西的指令下,以色列人可自由离开他们的家。这在出埃及记的描述中有所解释:

出埃及记 12:29-42 12:29        到了半夜、耶和华把埃及地所有的长子、就是从坐宝座的法老、直到被掳囚在监里之人的长子、以及一切头生的牲畜、尽都杀了。 12:30法老和一切臣仆、并埃及众人、夜间都起来了.在埃及有大哀号、无一家不死一个人的。12:31   夜间法老召了摩西亚伦来、说、起来。连你们带以色列人、从我民中出去、依你们所说的、去事奉耶和华吧.12:32   也依你们所说的、连羊群牛群带着走吧、并要为我祝福。12:33     埃及人催促百姓、打发他们快快出离那地、因为埃及人说、我们都要死了。12:34     百姓就拿着没有酵的生面、把抟面盆包在衣服中、扛在肩头上。12:35     以色列人照着摩西的话行、向埃及人要金器银器、和衣裳。12:36          耶和华叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩、以致埃及人给他们所要的、他们就把埃及人的财物夺去了。 12:37以色列人从兰塞起行、往疏割去.除了妇人孩子、步行的男人约有六十万。 12:38又有许多闲杂人、并有羊群牛群和他们一同上去。 12:39       他们用埃及带出来的生面、烤成无酵饼、这生面原没有发起、因为他们被催逼离开埃及、不能耽延、也没有为自己预备甚么食物。12:40 以色列人住在埃及共有四百三十年。 12:41正满了四百三十年的那一天、耶和华的军队都从埃及地出来了。12:42 这夜是耶和华的夜、因耶和华领他们出了埃及地、所以当向耶和华谨守、是以色列众人世世代代该谨守的。 (修订标准版)

 

前提 12

 

即马可福音 1:35中有关耶稣在次日早晨、天未亮的时候起来之描绘,不意味着它是凌晨的黑暗时间,而是早仍夜时。

 

有关方面在企图使boqer 是一个普通术语的事实变得模糊以及在仍黑时可被用在凌晨时间方面,对马可福音1:35中希腊文的相同术语作出了一些争论。这段经文开始部分的希腊文为(从马歇尔的对照圣经): 6″ BDTÅ «<<LP”         8/”<  •<“FJH   ¦>­82,<在夜仍很早时他起身出去了

 

这项争论指 BDTÅ或prõi 的意思是早而非早晨,而 «<<LP” 或ennucha 的意思是夜,因此它不能说是早晨与夜交迭。其答案在所用的希腊文惯用语方面可发现。根据塔耶的希腊语-英语词典,Prõi的意思是在早上、很早时。Ennucha 的意思是夜间的,夜的。7/”<或lian 的意思是很。prõi ennucha lian 这短语的结合意思是凌晨仍很暗时。事实上每个主要的翻译(例如:修订标准版, 英王钦定本, 新修订标准版, 巴克雷版, 摩法特版, 当代英文版, 扩增版, 新国际版本)都承认这惯用语。Prõi 在接着的段节中被译为早晨: 马太福音 16:3; 20:1; 马可福音 1:35; 13:35; 15:1; 16:2,9; 约翰福音 20:1; 使徒行传 28:23. 无疑的,早晨被理解为包括黎明前午夜后直至早上工作日的这些钟头。

 

前提 13

 

死亡的天使在尼散月十四日夜间逾越埃及。

 

这是不正确的前提。从以上,以及主文,逾越羔羊是在接近十四日结束时 宰杀,以及在尼散月十五日晚吃掉。因此,死亡的天使是在十五日晚期间逾越。

 

前提 14

 

即以色列的子民在尼散月十四日夜间留在户内不外出,一直到尼散月十四日天亮为止。

 

从主文以及以上的附录,这声明是不正确的。在十五日午夜过后,法老送话给摩西,指示他离开埃及(出埃及记 12:31)。摩西和以色列的子民在十五日早晨很早的时候,在仍然黑暗时开始出埃及。

 

前提 15

 

即以色列的子民用十四日白天的时间抢劫埃及人,一直到尼散月十五日开始时,在晚上才撤离埃及。

 

前提 16

 

即对埃及人所作大部份抢劫行动是在死亡天使逾越过后发生。

 

前提 17

 

即出埃及记 12:6-14完全是指第十四日,而出埃及记 12:15-20指的是第十五日起,与第6-14节经文中的事件无交迭。

 

这些主张简直是错误的。以色列人开始在第十五日早晨很早的时间里,在天仍黑暗时开始前往兰塞。对以色列人真正在几时抢劫埃及人,圣经的描述并不明确。修订标准版和其他翻译(新英王钦定本, 新修订标准版, 摩法特版, 当代英文版, REB等等)可被推论为将对埃及人的抢劫置于首生的死亡之前,例如:

出埃及记 12:35-36以色列人照着摩西的话行、向埃及人要金器银器、和衣裳。耶和华叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩、以致埃及人给他们所要的、他们就把埃及人的财物夺去了。(REB)

 

其他的翻译指抢劫行动是发生在出埃及时。掠夺品夺取似是日夜发生,因此,是在尼散月十五日的整个时期。为了支持这项错误的立场,第6-14节经文的事件被指不与15-20节经文中的事件交迭。这是错误的。它假定,并被分开,以支持有关逾越筵席是在十四晚而非十五晚的论点。在当时以及历史上,对立的情况被论证为实情。从历史层面看来,第6-20 节经文形成了一个持续的措述,没有真实或必要地造成的分划现象。

 

前提 18

 

以色列的子民不能在死亡天使逾越后的数小时内立即离开他们的家,因为:

  1. a)他们将被迫在黑夜中离开前往兰塞;以及
  2. b)火炷未出现,一直到他们离开兰塞为止。

 

根据主文中出埃及的需要,这立场是荒谬的。首先,所有埃及人在这一晚上都醒着 (出埃及记 12:29-30). 法老在晚上送话给摩西和亚伦并下令他们离去。整体埃及人都催促这些人快点离去(节31-33)。从所有进行着的活动中,街道上应都点燃着火把。其二,它是这个月的第十五日,月亮循环的中期,而月应是圆满的。其三,以色列人撤出兰塞的行动是得分阶段进行的,在早晨很早时刻的晚上开始,并持续进入白天及更久。出埃及记是一个有策划的运动,通过兰塞为集合点。

 

前提 19

 

即所有1百50万至2百万名以色列子民在撤离埃及前在兰塞集合。

 

这项主张没有圣经根据。其实,它是不切实际和不必要的。

 

前提 20

 

即经文明确地说, “ 耶和华你的神在夜间.. 在黄昏[ba erev], 十五日的开始,在日落时,在你出埃及的季节、领你(生下你这为一个团结、自由的人民]出埃及…. ” (申命记 16:1,6).

 

这前提是引述自弗雷德R.科奥特, 基督教的逾越节(约克出版公司,美国, 1993, 页86). 这是对经文实际所说的一项明显曲解。科奥特合并了这两节经文的一些部分以提出他的主张,即出埃及是在尼散月十五日日落时开始。第6节经文的内容显示它完全不是在讨论出埃及的定时:

申命记 16:5-6在耶和华你神所赐的各城中、你不可献逾越节的祭。只当在耶和华你神所选择要立为他名的居所、晚上日落的时候、乃是你出埃及的时候、献逾越节的祭。 (修订标准版)

 

申命记 16:6全未提及以色列撤离埃及的时间。整个十四日逾越节案例中的学术辩论标准和知识分子的诚实性,是令人震惊的。事实上,科奥特的论据是主要是建在此间所论及的假前提上。

 

前提 21

 

整体出埃及是在晚上发生;即最后的子民在晚上离开,因此(基督涉及的庞大人数)出埃及的晚上不可能是在十五日一大早的几个小时内。

 

前提 22

 

若在一大早撤离埃及的说活是正确的,即埃及人将是在午夜和黎明之间的晚上埋葬他们的死者。

 

主张以色列的整体子民是在十五日早晨的首几个小时出埃及的前提2,是没有圣经根据的。出埃及是在早晨的头几个小时开始,并持续至十五日的白天部分。

 

前提22本身是基于一个假前提。它假设以色列整体是在十五日(前提21)的早晨时间期间离开,而它实际上不是这样的。此外,有关的论点显示对埃及葬礼的全然无知(见 沃利斯巴奇,死者之书).

 

前提1至22受到探讨和拒绝。关于逾越羔羊的宰杀事项和出埃及的正确次序是在主文中,并由以下绘图展示:

 

 

绘图3翻译如下:

尼散月十四日

尼散月十五日

  • Passover lamb slain at twilight – 逾越羔羊在黄昏时被宰杀
  • Death Angel passes over at midnight; Passover lamb roasted and eaten during night – none remains till morning – 死亡天使在午夜逾越;逾越羔羊被烤并在晚上吃掉,一点都不留到早上。
  • Exodus from Rameses begins in early morning while still dark; (possible) last-minute plundering of Egyptians as outlaying Israel moves to Rameses; Egyptians begin burying dead –

出埃及在一大早仍暗时从兰塞开始;在以色列人撤往兰塞时(可能)有最后一分钟的抢劫埃及人行动;埃及人开始埋葬死者。

 

用来支持指逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日开始时宰杀然后在晚上吃掉的论点之主要前提是错误的。这项论点是错的。原有逾越事件的正确次序可从主本看到。支持在尼散月十四日开始时宰杀羔羊的进一步的论据是必要地有缺陷的。进一步的论据探讨如下:

 

前提 23

 

即逾越节得以出埃及记12中所描绘原有逾越节确切相同的方式遵守。

 

这是不正确的。由于上帝要通过它达致某目的,原有逾越筵席得以某个方式遵守。不过,在往后的年代,它是对这事件的纪念而非这事件本身。最显著的改变是,摩西指令当以色列安顿下来后,逾越节要在一个上帝选择立他名字的地点遵守。我们在申命记 16中看到这一点。以色列子民被明确地告知:

申命记 16:2-7 16:2你当在耶和华所选择要立为他名的居所、从牛群羊群中、将逾越节的祭牲献给耶和华你的神.16:3你吃这祭牲不可吃有酵的饼、七日之内要吃无酵饼、就是困苦饼.你本是急忙出了埃及地。要叫你一生一世记念你从埃及地出来的日子。16:4在你四境之内、七日不可见面酵.头一日晚上所献的肉、一点不可留到早晨。16:5在耶和华你神所赐的各城中、你不可献逾越节的祭、16:6只当在耶和华你 神所选择要立为他名的居所、晚上日落的时候、乃是你出埃及的时候、献逾越节的祭。16:7当在耶和华你 神所选择的地方、把肉烤了吃。次日早晨就回到你的帐棚去。(英王钦定本)

 

以色列人被指示离开他们的家长达大约三十六小时。在基督时代,据理解一个家庭得离开到一个临时住所渡过尼散月十四日,并在那里吃特别的预备筵席。一些前往耶路撒冷,一些未这么做。布林格在他的伴读圣经中针对路加福音22:8,15确定这一餐为全餐(Chagigah)。隔一天将为逾越筵席作准备。羔羊是在十五日下午被宰杀以及在晚上被吃掉。接着的一天将是在神殿举行的仪式,然后人们将返回他们的家。逾越筵席是在七天的第一天与无酵饼一起吃用。这只可能是在尼散月十五日.

 

前提 24

 

一直以来没有集中逾越庆典的证据,一直到希西家和约西亚在出埃及数百年后所作的记述为止。

 

这是不正确的,若非在更早前,至少在所罗门时代,逾越节和无酵饼节在耶路撒冷和神殿受到遵守。有关大卫和所罗门时代在一个中央地点过节的证据见历代志上 23:31和历代志下 8:13。历代志下 35:18表示在一个中央地点遵守逾越节的事迹可追溯至更远的撒母耳时代。以上的前提是不正确的。

 

前提 25

 

家庭式逾越节于基督时代在以色列是普遍的。

 

无论逾越羔羊于基督时代在以色列以及神殿宰杀的证据是什么,较后所作的指这些家庭式逾越节是在十四日的开始以及神殿的逾越节是在十四日下午的声明(前提35)是那些如科奥特者在无任何历史根据的情况下所作出胡乱主张。简单地说,从未有任何有关逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日的那一个部分宰杀的争论。埃塞尼筵席是一个例外。

 

前提 26

 

即原本有两个节日,逾越节和无酵饼节,较后被合并为一个单一节日。通常用在这方面的证据被那些坚持逾越节是在十四日开始时的人士所误解。当历史学家赞成将两个分别的节日合并为一时,他们不是为十四日开始的逾越献祭和筵席作争辩。他们是从发展宗教的观点而非针对经文中的任何冲突作争辩。他们争论说以色列有一个发展中的宗教,一些团体在十四日遵守一个节日,而另一些则在十五日遵守一个节日,而这些随着时日并合为一。出埃及记被视为以色列移动的传说,或更甚的是,这些历史学家视它为纯粹虚构的。

 

前提 27

 

即犹太人较后时将逾越羔羊的宰杀时间从十四日的开始改为十四日的结束。

 

这是错误的。没有这种改变的历史证据,而且,当出埃及记12中的次序清楚否定十四日开始有任何逾越羔羊的宰杀时,这实在怎么可能? 此外,逾越蒲草纸古卷显示这古代实践的持续性。

 

前提 28

 

即神殿未遵守逾越节,一直到在希西家之下复兴为止,然后它根据希西家的指示而非上帝律法中的指示被遵守。

 

这是一个没有根据的主张。历代志上 23:31 和历代志下 8:13是节日在大卫和所罗门时期在一中央地点举行的证据。至于我们所可确定的,希西家是顺从上帝的。对上帝律法的不顺从为以色列人带来了祸根(申命记 28),因此他很谨慎地遵守律法所提供的逾越节条例(见历代志下30:5,16; 31:3-4). 十四日逾越倡议者作出这项宣称,并忽视或错误地引用申命记 16.

 

前提 29

 

即约西亚的逾越节并未根据上帝的诫命,而只是约西亚的命令而遵守。

 

这是另一项无根据的主张。约西亚是顺从上帝的(见历代志下34:2,14-15,21,30-32; 35:6,12,26). 历代志下 35 第16节有时被用来争论约西亚的逾越节是根据他的命令而非上帝的命令而守。这是荒谬的宣称。约西亚的命令是,犹太人根据上帝的诫命遵守逾越节。有关的描绘使这点大为明显。

 

前提 30

 

即希西家和约西亚推行神殿逾越节的理由是因为人民经常反叛并不能信任他们会遵守家庭式逾越节。

 

这项主张是无根据的。神殿逾越节已在申命记16中摩西的律法中被预期。

 

前提 31

 

即申命记 16:1-8指的非逾越节。

  1. a)这些指示似是为逾越节所作的指示,但实际上只是为无酵饼节作出的指示;以及
  2. b)逾越节只能正确地与死亡天使的逾越而不能与出埃及联系起来。
  3. c)第6节提及逾越的献祭为ba ereb而非ben ha arbayim, 因此指的不能是逾越羔羊。
  4. d)第1节中的到了晚上将你带出这些话与你们之中没有一个人将走出他的家门,一直到早上的逾越节指令有冲突。
  5. e)第2节允许以牛羊作为逾越节祭品, 与原有的指示即以一只羔羊或小山羊作献祭有冲突,因此,这里所说的逾越节献祭是为无酵饼节而非逾越节所作的普通献祭。
  6. f)即第5-6节指示在上帝以他为名地方,而非在家里进行逾越献祭,与出埃及记 12有冲突。
  7. g)即第3节说逾越祭品是要与无酵饼一起吃七天,因此,这逾越祭品不能是在尼散月十四日献祭的逾越羔羊。
  8. h)即当第7节说逾越献祭要烘烤时,这是一项错译,它应被译为煮沸。由于原有的逾越羔羊非煮沸,第7节的逾越祭品不能是逾越羔羊。
  9. i)即第4节中的字眼第一天,指的是无酵饼节而非逾越节的第一天。
  10. j)即第4节未包含任何烧掉剩下的逾越祭品的命令,只有勿让它留到早上,而这与出埃及记12中明确指示烧掉剩余羔羊经文有冲突。
  11. k)即第2, 5和6节是摩西五书中唯一将无酵饼节的献祭称为逾越节献祭的地方。因此,摩西未写它。
  12. l)即第8节说无酵饼应吃6天,因此可能已被以斯拉所修改。由于a)至l), 申命记 16未提及逾越节献祭而只有在无酵饼节进行的逾越节祭品。

 

将近所有这些异议和声明是基于指原有的逾越羔羊是在尼散月十四日开始时宰杀以及在这傍晚被吃掉的假前提,因此,申命记16:1-8 未说它看来所说的。 没有大家知道的学术观点支持指申命记16不适用于逾越节(即使它是这么说的)的荒谬主张。以上要点在主文和以上已超过充分地被涵盖。通过探讨有关第7节的论点,可看到这些前提的错误性质是简单的。主文已研究了有关被译为的字理应被译为煮沸的主张。出现问题的字是希伯来文的bashal. 根据布朗、德来维尔、布里格斯、基西纽斯的希伯来词典,它的意思是煮沸、煮、烘焙、烤、成熟、长熟。它是烹饪的通称。我们在历代志下 35:13 中读到:

他们根据条例用火烤[bashal]逾越羔羊:但[其他]神圣[祭品] 则在锅、在大炉、在平底锅中煮 熟[bashal],并快速将[它们]分给所有的人。

 

所有各造皆接纳它指的是逾越节的这段文,使用bashal 一字两次,一次是用作烤,一次用作煮熟。明显的,在申命记16:7中将bashal 译为烤是没错的,而这确是长久以来为犹太人所接受的理解。出埃及记 12:9禁止逾越羔羊被煮沸或生吃。它林完全被烤熟。这论点是故意滥用经文来维持新约一些段节的错误翻译。

 

前提 32

 

即以斯拉在尼散月十四日的开始守逾越节。

 

没有证据证明这项主张。这是曲解以斯拉记 6:19-22的经文。以斯拉是一名书记并知道清楚显示逾越羔羊要在十四日结束而非开始时献祭的律法。逾越节蒲草纸古卷的理解,即或是同时候,与我们在以斯拉记中所发现是同样的。

 

前提 33

 

即以斯拉修改申命记 16和约书亚记 5:10,以反晚后期在历代志下35 (科奥特, 页156及其后)中所提出的术语。

 

这是另一个毫无根据的主张。虽然以斯拉似协助将旧约的经文神圣化,指他修改律法来反映较后的实践是没有证据的。对申命记16的攻击是必要的,以维持十四日逾越的论点。这经文是上帝之口所默示或非上帝之口所默示的。这项主张被以西结书45:21中的千禧年逾越预言所否定。

“正月十四日、你们要守逾越节、守节七日.要吃无酵饼。(修订标准版)

 

前提 34

 

即以斯拉记决定要将逾越节集中在耶路撒冷,但无疑有很多人继续于十四日的开始在耶路撒冷的市郊之内作家庭式的逾越献祭。

 

没有任何历史证据支持指在耶路撒冷或其他地方曾在十四日的开始有家庭式逾越节献祭以及在十四日结束时有神殿献祭的主张。科奥特有关逾越节集中在耶路撒冷(页171及其后)的主张被同一时期的厄勒芬延亚拉姆语经文所否定。

 

前提 35

 

即在十四日的开始遵守的家庭式逾越节和在十四日结束时遵守的神殿逾越节,在新约时代中持续。犹太哲学家斐罗的著作被提作其证据。

 

斐罗的著作完全未证实这一点。它们只是表示,在进行逾越献祭时,每个家庭的首长是负责宰杀羔羊者。无论羔羊是在神殿献祭与否,这是确实的 (见ISBE, 卷3, 文章‘逾越节’,页 677). 舒勒赫(耶稣基督时代中犹太人的历史, 卷II, 页 14)显示,朱迪亚和加利利遵守逾越节的方法是不同的。在朱迪亚,人们在尼散月十四日工作至中午。在加利利,他们完全不工作。此外,在耶路撒冷,只有一只羔羊被用作逾越羔羊献祭并被呈献在大祭司前,但在公共和私底下献祭的动物数目巨大。私人献祭在节日大到成千上万名的祭司也无法应付其数目(舒勒赫, 卷II, 页308). 二十四个班次的祭司由国民的二十四个分组所反映,而国民代表前往耶路撒冷进行每日献祭。基余的人留在家里作崇拜(舒勒赫,如上, 卷II, 页292-293). 工作活动的定时显示尼散月十四日傍晚是预备时间而逾越节也是在耶路撒冷以外进行。

 

前提 36

 

即耶稣在十四日的开始遵守逾越节。

 

这是不正确的。耶稣和他的使徒所守的,是逾越节的预备餐,那是在十四日的开始遵守的。

 

前提 37

 

即约翰福音指逾越节为犹太人的逾越节,传达了犹太人未适当地遵守无酵饼节的意思。

 

这也是不正确的。约翰在接近第一世纪末期时著述。教会在组合和观点方面已日益成为异教。约翰在他的著述中确定了这些节日,以使他的异教听众能够理解它们;他们大部分仍未皈依而且不理解所涉及的原则。它也清楚显示耶稣是一名犹太人,并在上帝的律法内遵守犹太节日。约翰在有关耶稣的传道方面用了几次犹太人的[节日](约翰福音 2:13; 5:1; 6:4; 7:2; 11:55; 19:42).福音书中没有证据显示耶稣或犹太领袖们视上帝的节日为具争议性的。新约的使徒行传显示,使徒们和早期教会都守这些节日(见主文和文章上帝的圣日(No. 97)). 耶稣也承认文士们和法利赛人坐在摩西的席上(马太福音 23:2).

 

前提 38

 

即据知由犹太人在十四日,即在逾越羔羊于十四日下午在神殿被宰杀之前遵守的逾越节预备筵席,也由那些在十四日的开始遵守家庭式逾越节的犹太人在十三日谨守。

 

这项主张(也由科奥特作出)是另一项无根据的主张,毫无历史根据或事实。其简单的事实是,没有十四日的开始之逾越献祭,因此也没有尼散月十三日的逾越预备。

 

前提 39

 

即马可福音 14:12的原有希腊文应被译为当他们在宰杀逾越羔羊时, 显示当使徒问耶稣他们应在那里预备守逾越时,在十四日的开始家庭式宰杀逾越羔羊的实践已存在。

 

这项主张是不正确的,并显示对所应用的希腊惯用语缺乏理解。马歇尔的对照圣经的主文为:“在无酵饼节第一天,当他们献祭逾越羔羊时”, 显示他们在无酵饼节献祭逾越羔羊。尼散月十四日是逾越献祭和筵席的预备日。耶稣的使徒问他们应在哪里为逾越节作准备,意思是他们应按照申命记到哪里暂居。逾越羔羊是在十四日下午宰杀,而非在它的开始。

 

前提 40

 

即耶稣与使徒的筵席是在尼散月十四日开始时遵守的逾越筵席。

 

这与约翰福音 19:14的明显记录有矛盾:

那日是预备逾越节的日子、约有午正。彼拉多对犹太人说、看哪、这是你们的王。(修订标准版)

 

前提 41

 

即约翰记录耶稣吃十四日开始的逾越筵席,但他指它为逾越节的预备筵席。这是在经文被著述两千年后对其简单言语所作的荒谬主张,并与它们的一贯翻译相反。基督一名使徒的著述将反映其目的。若基督想要纠正这种重要的错误,那为何约翰未记录这一事实?这论点是似是而非的。

 

前提 42

 

即随着耶稣死亡发生的地震在那一年阻止了神殿中任何逾越羔羊的宰杀。因此,上帝是不赞成在十四日下午宰杀逾越羔羊的。

 

福音书记录耶稣在第九个钟头或下午大约三时垂死(我们推测)(马太福音 27:46; 马可福音 15:34-37; 路加福音 23:44). 根据Pesahim vl (ISBE, 卷3, 文章‘逾越节’, 页677), 在神殿进行的逾越节献祭是在大约下午3时开始。这定时不是意外的。耶稣死去的时间正是第一只逾越羔羊被献祭的同一个时间,以完成预言。对众所周知历史事实的这种明显曲解,是令人难以认真看待的。

 

前提 43

 

指洗脚仪式和饼及酒为主的晚餐,是错误的。相反的,它应被称为基督教的逾越节。

 

这项主张是具误导性的。歌林多前书11:20中主的晚餐之内容是歌林多人已将它改变为一个筵席。保罗是说,因他们的态度,他们所庆祝的这个傍晚简直不可被称为主的晚餐,而不是它不应被称为主的晚餐。这术语显示它当时的确被指为主的晚餐。歌林多人已失去它的尊严和意义。现代的翻译展示了这事实:

因此,当你同来相同一个地方时,是不可能吃一个其性质被指定为是属于主的晚餐的。 (韦斯特)

 

再次的,保罗不是说他们不应称它为主的晚餐,而是因为他们的态度而不适合称它为主的晚餐;这确是它的历史名称。

 

逾越是一个通称,包含整个预备时期、羔羊的准备、它的作为一餐,以及跟着的称为无酵饼节的整个七天无酵饼时期。

 

基督一般地使用逾越节这术语以及作为不能实现期望的描写。约翰福音 19:14 清楚显示他被杀死之日是逾越节预备日。路加福音 22:15显示他‘期望与他们一起吃逾越筵席’。不过,路加福音 22:16相当清楚地说他不能,以及的确不能吃它,一直到它在上帝的王国中完成为止。通过这一点,我们知道他未吃逾越筵席而是一个预备筵席,而且他他表示逾越节将在上帝的王国中重建。这是以撒迦利亚书 14:16-19为依据的。

 

这两个主要逾越节的次序和定时包含在附录C中。

 

附录B

 

以下经文显示ereb出现的所有段节,它被译为傍晚、晚上、黄昏、日暮、等等:

 

创世纪1:5 神称光为昼、称暗为夜.有晚上、有早晨、这是头一日。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪1:8 神称空气为天.有晚上、有早晨、是第二日。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪1:13 有晚上、有早晨、是第三日。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪1:19 有晚上、有早晨、是第四日。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪1:23 有晚上、有早晨、是第五日。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪1:31神看着一切所造的都甚好.有晚上、有早晨、是第六日。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪8:11 到了晚上、鸽子回到他那里、嘴里叼着一个新拧下来的橄榄叶子、挪亚就知道地上的水退了。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪19:1 那两个天使晚上到了所多玛.罗得正坐在所多玛城门口.看见他们、就起来迎接、脸伏于地下拜, (修订标准版)

 

创世纪24:11天将晚、众女子出来打水的时候、他便叫骆驼跪在城外的水井那里。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪24:63天将晚、以撒出来在田间默想.举目一看、见来了些骆驼。(修订标准版)

 

创世纪29:23 到晚上、拉班将女儿利亚送来给雅各、雅各就与他同房。 (修订标准版)

 

创世纪30:16 到了晚上、雅各从田里回来、利亚出来迎接他、说、你要与我同寝、因为我实在用我儿子的风茄、把你雇下了。那一夜雅各就与他同寝.(修订标准版)

 

创世纪49:27便雅悯是个撕掠的狼、早晨要吃他所抓的、晚上要分他所夺的。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 12:18从正月十四日晚上、直到二十一日晚上、你们要吃无酵饼。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 16:6 摩西亚伦对以色列众人说、到了晚上、你们要知道是耶和华将你们从埃及地领出来的,(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 16:8 摩西又说、耶和华晚上必给你们肉吃、早晨必给你们食物得饱、因为你们向耶和华发的怨言、他都听见了.我们算甚么、你们的怨言不是向我们发的、乃是向耶和华发的。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 16:12  “我已经听见以色列人的怨言.你告诉他们说、到黄昏的时候、你们要吃肉、早晨必有食物得饱、你们就知道我是耶和华你们的神。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 16:13 到了晚上、有鹌鹑飞来、遮满了营.早晨在营四围的地上有露水、(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 18:13 第二天摩西坐着审判百姓、百姓从早到晚都站在摩西的左右。(修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 18:14 摩西的岳父看见他向百姓所作的一切事、就说、你向百姓作的是甚么事呢、你为甚么独自坐着、众百姓从早到晚都站在你的左右呢? (修订标准版)

 

出埃及记 27:21在会幕中法柜前的幔外、亚伦和他的儿子、从晚上到早晨、要在耶和华面前经理这灯.这要作以色列人世世代代永远的定例。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 6:20 “当亚伦受膏的日子、他和他子孙所要献给耶和华的供物、就是细面伊法十分之一、为常献的素祭、早晨一半、晚上一半。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:24 “这些都能使你们不洁净.凡摸了死的、必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:25 凡拿了死的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:27 凡四足的走兽、用掌行走的、是与你们不洁净.摸其尸的、必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:28拿其尸的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服.这些是与你们不洁净的。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:31 这些爬物、都是与你们不洁净的.在他死了以后、凡摸了的、必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:32 其中死了的掉在甚么东西上、这东西就不洁净、无论是木器、衣服、皮子、口袋、不拘是作甚么工用的器皿、须要放在水中、必不洁净到晚上、到晚上才洁净了。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:39 “你们可吃的走兽、若是死了、有人摸他、必不洁净到晚上.(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:40 有人吃那死了的走兽、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服.拿了死走兽的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 11:46这是走兽、飞鸟、和水中游动的活物、并地上爬物的条例.(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:5 凡摸那床的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:6 15:6那坐患漏症人所坐之物的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:7 15:7那摸患漏症人身体的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:8若患漏症人吐在洁净的人身上、那人必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:10凡摸了他身下之物的、必不洁净到晚上.拿了那物的、必不洁净到晚上.并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:11患漏症的人、没有用水涮手、无论摸了谁、谁必不洁净到晚上.并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:16人若梦遗、他必不洁净到晚上、并要用水洗全身。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:17无论是衣服、是皮子、被精所染、必不洁净到晚上、并要用水洗。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:18若男女交合、两个人必不洁净到晚上.并要用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:19女人行经、必污秽七天.凡摸他的、必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:21凡摸他床的、必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:22凡摸他所坐甚么物件的、必不洁净到晚上.并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:23在女人的床上、或在他坐的物上、若有别的物件、人一摸了、必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 15:27凡摸这些物件的、就为不洁净.必不洁净到晚上、并要洗衣服、用水洗澡。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 17:15凡吃自死的、或是被野兽撕裂的、无论是本地人、是寄居的、必不洁净到晚上、都要洗衣服、用水洗身.到了晚上、才为洁净。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 22:6摸了这些人物的、必不洁净到晚上、若不用水洗身、就不可吃圣物。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 23:32你们要守这日为圣安息日、并要刻苦己心.从这月初九日晚上、到次日晚上、要守为安息日。(修订标准版)

 

利未记 24:3在会幕中法柜的幔子外、亚伦从晚上到早晨、必在耶和华面前经理这灯.这要作你们世世代代永远的定例。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 9:15立起帐幕的那日、有云彩遮盖帐幕、就是法柜的帐幕、从晚上到早晨、云彩在其上、形状如火。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 9:21有时从晚上到早晨、有这云彩在帐幕上.早晨云彩收上去、他们就起行.有时昼夜云彩停在帐幕上、收上去的时候、他们就起行。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 19:7祭司必不洁净到晚上.要洗衣服、用水洗身、然后可以进营。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 19:8烧牛的人必不洁净到晚上、也要洗衣服、用水洗身。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 19:10收起母牛灰的人、必不洁净到晚上、要洗衣服.这要给以色列人和寄居在他们中间的外人、作为永远的定例。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 19:19第三天、和第七天、洁净的人要洒水在不洁净的人身上、第七天就使他成为洁净.那人要洗衣服、用水洗澡、到晚上就洁净了。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 19:21这要给你们作为永远的定例.并且那洒除污秽水的人、要洗衣服.凡摸除污秽水的、必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

民数记 19:22不洁净人所摸的一切物、就不洁净.摸了这物的人必不洁净到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

申命记 16:4在你四境之内、七日不可见面酵.头一日晚上所献的肉、一点不可留到早晨。(修订标准版)

 

申命记 16:6只当在耶和华你神所选择要立为他名的居所、晚上日落的时候、乃是你出埃及的时候、献逾越节的祭。(修订标准版)

 

申命记 23:11到傍晚的时候、他要用水洗澡、及至日落了才可以入营。  (修订标准版)

 

申命记 28:67你因心里所恐惧的、眼中所看见的、早晨必说、巴不得到晚上才好、晚上必说、巴不得到早晨才好。(修订标准版)

 

约书亚记 5:10以色列人在吉甲安营.正月十四日晚上、在耶利哥的平原守逾越节。(修订标准版)

 

约书亚记 7:6约书亚便撕裂衣服.他和以色列的长老把灰撒在头上、在耶和华的约柜前、俯伏在地、直到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

约书亚记 8:29又将艾城王挂在树上、直到晚上。日落的时候、约书亚吩咐人把尸首从树上取下来、丢在城门口、在尸首上堆成一大堆石头、直存到今日。(修订标准版)

 

约书亚记 10:26随后约书亚将这五王杀死、挂在五棵树上.他们就在树上直挂到晚上; (修订标准版)

 

士师记 19:16 A晚上有一个老年人、从田间作工回来、他原是以法莲山地的人、住在基比亚、那地方的人却是便雅悯人。(修订标准版)

 

士师记 20:23未摆阵之先、以色列人上去、在耶和华面前哭号直到晚上、求问耶和华说、我们再去与我们弟兄便雅悯人打仗可以不可以.耶和华说、可以上去攻击他们。(修订标准版)

 

士师记 20:26以色列众人就上到伯特利、坐在耶和华面前哭号、当日禁食直到晚上.又在耶和华面前献燔祭和平安祭。(修订标准版)

 

士师记 21:2以色列人来到伯特利坐在神面前直到晚上放声痛哭。(修订标准版)

 

路得记2:17这样、路得在田间拾取麦穗、直到晚上、将所拾取的打了约有一伊法大麦。(修订标准版)

 

撒母耳记上 14:24扫罗叫百姓起誓说、凡不等到晚上向敌人报完了仇吃甚么的、必受咒诅.因此这日百姓没有吃甚么、就极其困惫。(修订标准版)

 

撒母耳记上 20:5大卫对约拿单说、明日是初一、我当与王同席、求你容我去藏在田野、直到第三日晚上。(修订标准版)

 

撒母耳记上 30:17大卫从黎明直到次日晚上、击杀他们.除了四百骑骆驼的少年人之外、没有一个逃脱的。(修订标准版)

 

撒母耳记下 1:12而且悲哀、哭号、禁食到晚上、是因扫罗和他儿子约拿单、并耶和华的民以色列家的人、倒在刀下。(修订标准版)

 

撒母耳记下 11:2一日太阳平西、大卫从床上起来、在王宫的平顶上游行、看见一个妇人沐浴、容貌甚美。(修订标准版)

 

撒母耳记下 11:13大卫召了乌利亚来、叫他在自己面前吃喝、使他喝醉.到了晚上、乌利亚出去与他主的仆人一同住宿、还没有回到家里去。(修订标准版)

 

列王记上17:6乌鸦早晚给他叼饼、和肉来.他也喝那溪里的水。(修订标准版)

 

列王记上22:35那日阵势越战越猛.有人扶王站在车上、抵挡亚兰人.到晚上、王就死了.血从伤处流在车中。(修订标准版)

 

列王记下16:15亚哈斯王吩咐祭司乌利亚说、早晨的燔祭、晚上的素祭、王的燔祭素祭、国内众民的燔祭素祭奠祭、都要烧在大坛上.燔祭牲和平安祭牲的血也要洒在这坛上.只是铜坛我要用以求问耶和华.(修订标准版)

 

历代志上 16:40且派祭司撒督和他弟兄众祭司在基遍的邱坛,耶和华的帐幕前燔祭坛上,每日早晚,照着耶和华律法书上所吩咐以色列人的,常给耶和华献燔祭。 (修订标准版)

 

历代志上 23:30日早晚,站立称谢赞美耶和华,(修订标准版)

 

历代志下 2:4我要为耶和华我神的名建造殿宇、分别为圣献给他、在他面前焚烧美香、常摆陈设饼、每早晚、安息日、月朔、并耶和华我们 神所定的节期献燔祭.这是以色列人永远的定例。(修订标准版)

 

历代志下 13:11每日早晚向耶和华献燔祭、烧美香、又在精金的桌子上摆陈设饼.又有金灯台和灯盏、每晚点起、因为我们遵守耶和华我们 神的命.惟有你们离弃了他。(修订标准版)

 

历代志下 18:34那日阵势越战越猛.以色列王勉强站在车上抵挡亚兰人、直到晚上.约在日落的时候、王就死了。(修订标准版)

 

历代志下 31:3王又从自己的产业中定出分来为燔祭、就是早晚的燔祭、和安息日、月朔、并节期的燔祭.都是按耶和华律法上所载的。(修订标准版)

 

以斯拉记 3:3他们在原有的根基上筑坛、因惧怕邻国的民。又在其上向耶和华早晚献燔祭。(修订标准版)

 

以斯拉记 9:4凡为以色列神言语战兢的、都因这被掳归回之人所犯的罪、聚集到我这里来.我就惊惧忧闷而坐、直到献晚祭的时。(修订标准版)

 

以斯拉记 9:5献晚祭的时候我起来、心中愁苦、穿着撕裂的衣袍、双膝跪下向耶和华我的神举手, (修订标准版)

 

以斯帖记 2:14晚上进去、次日回到女子第二院、交给掌管妃嫔的太监沙甲.除非王喜爱他、再提名召他、就不再进去见王。(修订标准版)

 

约伯记4:20早晚之间、就被毁灭、永归无有、无人理会。(修订标准版)

 

约伯记7:4我躺卧的时候、便说、我何时起来、黑夜就过去呢.我尽是反来复去、直到天亮。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 30:5因为他的怒气不过是转眼之间.他的恩典乃是一生之久.一宿虽然有哭泣、早晨便必欢呼。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 55:17我要晚上、早晨、晌午、哀声悲叹.他也必听我的声音。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 59:6他们晚上转回、叫号如狗、围城绕行。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 59:14到了晚上、任凭他们转回.任凭他们叫号如狗、围城绕行。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 65:8住在地极的人、因你的神迹惧怕.你使日出日落之地都欢呼。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 90:6早晨发芽生长、晚上割下枯干。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 104:23人出去作工、劳碌直到晚上。(修订标准版)

 

诗篇 141:2〔大卫的诗。〕愿我的祷告、如香陈列在你面前.愿我举手祈求、如献晚祭。(修订标准版)

 

箴言7:9在黄昏、或晚上、或半夜、或黑暗之中。(修订标准版)

 

传道书 11:6早晨要撒你的种、晚上也不要歇你的手、因为你不知道那一样发旺、或是早撒的、或是晚撒的、或是两样都好。(修订标准版)

 

以赛亚书 17:14到晚上有惊吓、未到早晨、他们就没有了.这是掳掠我们之人所得的分、是抢夺我们之人的报应。(修订标准版)

 

耶利米书 6:4 “你们要准备攻击他、起来吧、我们可以趁午时上去。哀哉、日已渐斜、晚影拖长了。 (修订标准版)

 

以西结书 12:4你要在白日当他们眼前带出你的物件去、好像预备掳去使用的物件.到了晚上、你要在他们眼前亲自出去、像被掳的人出去一样。(修订标准版)

 

以西结书 12:7我就照着所吩咐的去行、白日带出我的物件、好像预备掳去使用的物件.到了晚上、我用手挖通了墙.天黑的时候、就当他们眼前搭在肩头上带出去。(修订标准版)

 

以西结书 24:18于是我将这事早晨告诉百姓.晚上我的妻就死了.次日早晨我便遵命而行。(修订标准版)

 

以西结书 33:22逃来的人未到前一日的晚上、耶和华的灵〔原文作手〕降在我身上、开我的口.到第二日早晨、那人来到我这里、我口就开了、不再缄默。(修订标准版)

 

以西结书 46:2王要从这门的廊进入站在门框旁边.祭司要为他预备燔祭、和平安祭、他就要在门槛那里敬拜.然后出去.这门直到晚上、不可关闭。(修订标准版)

 

但以理书8:14他对我说、到二千三百日圣所就必洁净。(修订标准版)

 

但以理书8:26所说二千三百日的异象是真的、但你要将这异象封住、因为关乎后来许多的日子。(修订标准版)

 

但以理书9:21我正祷告的时候、先前在异象中所见的那位加百列、奉命迅速飞来、约在献晚祭的时候。(修订标准版)

 

哈巴谷书 1:8  他的马比豹更快、比晚上的豺狼更猛.马兵踊跃争先、都从远方而来.他们飞跑如鹰抓食。(修订标准版)

 

西番雅书2:7这地必为犹大家剩下的人所得.他们必在那里牧放群羊.晚上必躺卧在亚实基伦的房屋中.因为耶和华他们的神、必眷顾他们、使他们被掳的人归回。(修订标准版)

 

西番雅书3:3他中间的首领是咆哮的狮子.他的审判官是晚上的豺狼、一点食物、也不留到早晨。(修订标准版)

 

撒迦利亚书 14:7那日、必是耶和华所知道的.不是白昼、也不是黑夜、到了晚上才有光明。(修订标准版)

 

                                                附录C

 

日期 时间 旧约 新约
尼散月10日 逾越羔羊被置一旁  

 

尼散月13 日 前往临时住所 遵循申命记 16:5-6 (马可福音 14:12-26),使徒被派往建立临时住所

 

尼散月14日 在市镇外的临时住所内 (申命记 16:5-6) 吃完预备日筵席

 

基督确立了洗脚和主的晚餐。

被捕和受审。

逾越羔羊在傍晚 (出埃及记 12:8) 太阳下山时 (申命记 16:2,5,6) 被宰杀。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

从出埃及记12:17-20,无酵饼节是从尼散月十四日开始。

基督作为逾越羔羊被钉十字架 (约翰福音 19:36; 歌林多前书 5:7).

 

基督被扎: 利未/示每和大卫/拿单的(撒迦利亚书12:10-13).

 

基督于星期三,在下午三时过后太阳下山羔羊被宰杀时死去。一片大黑。

 

殿里的幔子裂为两半(路加福音 23:45) 而进入至圣所(出埃及记 26:31-35) 的路打开了(希伯来书9:8; 10:19-20).

尼散月15日 晚上 吃完逾越筵席

 

无酵饼节第一天(出埃及记 12:17).

 

摩西在午夜过后被召见法老(出埃及记 12:31).

 

出埃及开始

 

60万人加上妇女和儿童和一批混杂的非以色列人加上两批人的牛群和羊群(出埃及记 12:37-39).

 

从歌珊各地开始移动

基督在墓中过第一晚。

吃完逾越筵席。

 

无酵饼节第一天。

列队开始从兰塞撤离(出埃及记 12:37). 在墓中的第一天。

 

尼散月16日 无酵饼节第二天 无酵饼节第二天。

在墓中的第二天。

列队仍从兰塞的集中地区移出。 在墓中的第二天。
 尼散月17日 无酵饼第三天。 无酵饼节第三天。

在墓中的第三天。

列队仍在从兰塞移出。 在墓中的第三天。

基督在安息日傍晚复活。

完成约拿神迹的第一阶段(马太福音 12:39-41; 16:4; 路加福音 11:29-30,32).

尼散月18日 无酵饼节第四日。 入夜时基督以肉体从墓中复活(约伯记19:26-27; 以斯拉记37:1-14)等待肉身升天。

无酵饼节第四日。

抹大拉的马利亚在星期日早上黎明前见到基督(约翰福音 20:1,14-18)。

摇祭被确立为首生的象征(出埃及记 29:24-27).

圣灵降临节的计算从这祭日,即每周安息日过后的一周之第一天开始。

由定时比例确立的进行中收获的次序(利未记 23:15-16).

基督作为摇祭或麦穗祭,即首生升天(出埃及记 29:24-27).

作为基督之后的首生,使徒和选民在圣灵降临节获得圣灵(使徒行传 2:1-4)。

 

 

尼散月19日 无酵饼节第五日。 无酵饼节第五日。
 

 

尼散月20日 无酵饼节第六日。 无酵饼节第六日。
列队在疏割。  

 

尼散月21日 无酵饼节第七日。 无酵饼节第七s日。

 

为从埃及撤退所宣布的休息圣日。 无酵饼节结束。

使徒等待圣灵降临节。

Contents

One True God:

God exist-Why is God eternal-Many names for God-Which name, which entity-Elohim/Eloah-Elohim plural-How many elohim-Jehovah/Jehovah of Hosts-SHD 3068/3069-Two different beings-God look on sin-God and His Law

Spiritual Creation:

Angel of YHVHIs Christ YHVH-Worship the son-Great Angel OT-Who spoke to Abraham-Who did Moses see-Who talked to Moses and Aaron

Sons of GodHow many sons of God-Difference in heavenly beings-24 Thrones/Elders-4 living creatures-4 rivers/4 Cherubim-Lion headed systems-Who are the host-Cause of rebellion-Cherub rebel-Rebellion-Fallen host repent-Angels male or female Lucifer: Meaning of Lucifer-Satan still has access to God-Satan not always evil- Abaddon/Apollyon Angels: Function of angels-Can we recognise angels-Pray to angels

Physical Creation:

Nephilim: Humans before Adam-Pre/post Adam DNA-Nephilim not resurrected Adam and Eve: Why create man-Mankind’s destiny-Adam rebuke Eve-Life before Adam-Children’s stories-Apple forbidden fruit-Different races-Vegetables or meat first-Physical condition early people Noah: Origin or faces from Noah-Flood worldwide-Noah’s faith Abraham: Blessings for Hagar/Ishmael

The Law:

Two tablets of stone-6 and 4 or 5 and 5-First Commandment-Sabbath-Reading the law Society: Uncleanness until sundown-Not coming near wives-Childbirth-Garments etc-Swearing-Violence on innocent-Death penalty-Tattoos-Owe no man-Gambling Food Laws: Mushrooms-Supplements-Pork and fish-Eating meat-Food and ten commandments Tithes and Offerings: 3 or 7 offerings-Atonement tax-Stealing from God

Israel:

12 Judges-Kings-Numbering of tribes-Order of tribes-Moses: Broken tablets-Wife and children-Hosts of Pharaoh-Red sea-Seven-day march-Fall of Jericho- Red cords-Blood on doorposts-Idols and Images: Golden idol-Why a calf-Worship of images-Golden calf/golden cross-Divisions of Israel

Joshua…Joshua’s life-12 rocks/12 apostles-2 spies

JudgesJudges 9:7-21;Judges 19-Gideon 70 sons-Samson’s hair-Riddle to 30

RuthRuth’s kinsman

1Samuel1Samuel 1:6-17:40-David

1Kings…1Kings chapter 6

2Kings…2Kings chapter 2

EstherEsther 9:13 Nuremburg Trials

Job7 sons 3 daughters-Job of Genesis 46:13

PsalmsPsalm 82-Psalm 187

Proverbs…Proverbs 8 and 9-Proverbs 31

EcclesiastesEcclesiastes 7:1-Birthdays

Prophets:

IsaiahIsaiah 19:23-Isaiah 65:1-6-Isaiah 1:29

Jeremiah…Jeremiah 4:15ff

EzekielEzekiel 46:20;-26:21;-Exekiel’s Temple-Ezekiel 20:37-38

DanielDaniel 12:1-2;-2:43;-7:9-10;-Daniel and 3 in oven-Lion’s den
Hosea…Hosea 2:15

JoelJoel 2:23

MicahMicah 6:4;-5:5

Zechariah…Zecariah 14:16-19

God’s Calendar:

Full moon-Time lost-Number 7-Jubilees: What is a Jubilee-How to count-Blown on Atonement-5 months in 50th or 1st year-End of Jubilee Feasts: Where does he place his name-Assemblies of God-Fat of the Feast-Pentecost: Shavuot-Trumpets: Trumpets blown-Feast of Shofar-New Year-Atonement: Meaning-Tribute tax-Half Shekel

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FAQ Old Testament

One True God

Why do you believe that God exists? 

A: It is written only a fool says in his heart that there is no God. The entire structure of the creation demands that God exist: From the Laws of Thermodynamics to the phase space volume selection of the universe and Quantum Mechanical theory. The philosophical basis of Causation is singularist and not supervenient. Why would you think that there is no God?

Why do you think God is eternal? The fact that God created us should not mean that God never dies. Maybe your God just had special power to create the whole world and maybe His life has just been very long, of years old.

A: God stands outside of time and space. The Bible is very clear that there is only One True God, whom no man has ever seen or ever can see (John 1:18), and who dwells in unapproachable light and who alone is immortal (1Tim. 6:16).

We know this to be true as the phrase “space volume selection of the universe” is held to be a factor of ten to the tenth, to the 123rd power. It cannot be written in normal denary notation, even if the entire substructure of matter in the universe were to be used. In other words, there is a point of origin, and only one for the entire universe.

We now know from the general theory of relativity and subsequent quantum mechanical theory and its adaptations that a substructure, which we call “quarks”, underpins the basis of matter.

We know from the decay of “K Mesons” that there is directionality to time. We know that the structure of matter in the universe is a directional structure in which Space, Time Mass, Energy and Gravity are equivalent expressions of a single fundamental essence, and that essence we call spirit. The Bible is understood to teach us that God creates it “ex nihilo” or “out of nothing”. This was also the doctrine of the Shepherd of Hermas, the earliest of the writings not now included in the New Testament.

God created the entire spiritual realm, and then he created the physical. This is examined in the papers How God Became a Family (No. 187) and The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160). The structure of the creation and the logical necessity of Singularist Causation and the impossibility of Absolute Creation in the work is shown in Creation: From Anthropomorphic Theology to Theomorphic Anthropology (No. B5). 

I see in my concordance that there are multiple words in Hebrew that are translated as “God.” Do they all mean the same thing? Why do the Hebrews have so many words for God? 

A: No, they don’t all mean the same thing. The various names for God are a function of His activity in the creation. Also, beings carry the name “God” and “Yahovah” when they act for the one true God. The name of God in the singular is “Eloah.” “Elohim” is a plural name, which can be used of singular beings.

In the same way “Yahovah” is used of multiple beings of the angelic host including Christ, but “Yahovih” is not so used. “Yahovih” is “Yahovah of Hosts” who is the “Most High” or the “Elyon.” The term “I am that I am” is a corruption of this idea. The text is “ ‘eyeh ‘asher ‘eyeh” or “I will be what I will become.” The term, “Yahovah” is “He causes to be” as a third person form (see fn. to Exodus 3:14 in the Oxford Annotated RSV). The names of God in the various forms are covered in the texts The Names of God (No. 116) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

I am confused as to the different names given in the Bible for God. I have read your papers and all makes sense, but it does not tell which name is for which entity. For example, how do you know in Genesis 1:1 that this Elohim is the One True God in the Spirit? In verse 26 it states, “Let us make man in our own image…” That sounds like the plural Elohim and not the One True God. Then I look at 2:4 and on and it states, “YHVH Elohim.” Who is the Elohim in 1:1 and who is YHVH Elohim in 2:4 and how do you know how to distinguish between them? It does say in 2:4 that YHVH Elohim created the Heavens and the Earth. Were they created by YHVH Elohim through His Elohim(s)?

A: Yes, this is a very important question. We have this basic rule. No man has ever seen God, neither heard His voice, nor seen His form (Jn. 1:18). We have this from the mouth of Christ and reinforced by John and Paul. Thus, the beings that are referred to in the Bible as Elohim who were seen or touched were sons of God and not the One True God. This One True God dwells in unapproachable light and no man has seen Him or ever can see Him. All that was experienced by man was delivered by the Great Angel of the Old Testament, who gave the Law to Moses and who became Jesus Christ, or those other sons of God who worked with him and who also bore the name of God. Look at the papers The Names of God (No. 116) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243). The One True God, Eloah has created all things by His will and all beings act under His will.

Am I to conclude that we do not know which elohim it is referring to in Genesis 1:1 and it really does not matter because all the Elohim are acting under the direction of Eloah? Do you think it is the sons of Eloah it is referring to because of the plural used in verse 26? So everything was created through the Elohim for Eloah?

A: The word God in Genesis 1:1 refers to Eloah and the first act of creation already completed, which was the extension of Himself as Elohim. Thus, the extended being is Elohim and He creates as Elohim because it involves multiple beings.

Job 38:4-7 shows the concept. He created and the sons of God were gathered together and the Morning Stars sang for joy at the creation of the earth. Thus, all were elohim under the One True God (cf. Jn. 17:3). It is irrelevant who was allocated tasks from the primary creation, which was the generation of the elohim from Eloah. Look at the papers How God Became a Family (No. 187) and The Government of God (No. 174).

Could you explain and define the Hebrew word for God, “Elohim”? Isn’t this a plural word? Are we to understand that it encompasses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

A: The Hebrew word “Elohim” is a plural word meaning both “God;” and “Gods” plural, depending on its use. The singular word for God is “Eloah.” This is “Elahh” in Chaldean. The plural word for God in Chaldean is “Elahhin’” which is the same meaning as Elohim. “The God” is referred to as “Ha Elohim.” The Arabic came from the eastern Aramaic or Chaldean and that is why the Arabic word for God in the singular is “Allah’.” Elohim extends to cover all the sons of God as a council of elohim and a body of spirit beings. The Bible refers to the elohim as a plurality and elohim is rendered as “aggelos” in Greek and “angels” in English. For example, Psalm 8:5 says of Messiah that “Thou hast made him a little lower than the elohim.” This is translated in the English of the KJV as “angels” from the rendering in the Septuagint (LXX) as “aggelos”. The same is true in the Vulgate, and the Syriac. Thus, it was generally understood for three hundred years before and after Christ that the “elohim” were the “sons of God” who were termed “messengers” or “angels.” This text is also rendered “angels” in Hebrews 2:7. The Angel of the Old Testament is also an elohim. Psalm 97:7 also refers to the elohim as a wider council of elohim. It is a very important and interesting point, which is obscured by the Trinitarian system (see the paper Psalm 8 (No. 14)). The Trinity is a pagan system of the Triune God, which was introduced from Rome in the fourth century. Look also at the papers The Elect as Elohim (No. 1); The Angel of YHVH (No. 24); The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243); Creation: From Anthropomorphic Theology to Theomorphic Anthropology (No. B5) and The Soctratic Doctrine of the Soul (No. B6).

In Genesis 1:26 it says man was created in the image of Elohim. In 2:7 it says that YHVH Elohim formed man of the dust. In Revelation 21:17 it refers to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. It seems to me that it is talking about two different men and maybe two different Gods. Are the words in the ancient text for man in all the places that I referenced the same word? Are we talking about the same beings?

A: The Bible does speak of various elohim. The elohim are a council, as we know from the Psalms and elsewhere. The text in Revelation speaks of the measure of a man as the measure of an angel, and that tells you that we are all brethren and made in the image of God. This aspect also has ramifications about the angelic host. We are all to become brothers and part of the City of God where God is all in all. Look at the paper The City of God (No. 180).

Are Jehovah and Jehovah of Hosts one and the same, or are we talking about different beings? 

A: We are talking about different beings. Yahovah or Jehovah in English (there is no J in Hebrew) was allotted Israel as his possession by the Most High (Deut. 32:8 esp. RSV). The Most High or “Elyon” is Yahovah of Hosts. All beings who act for Yahovah of Hosts have the title, “Yahovah.” Christ was the key figure in the Old Testament as the Great Angel of Yahovah who had this title, but there were others. In Genesis, chapters 18 and 19, we see three Yahovahs who came to see Abraham. The senior remained with Abraham and the other two went on to Lot at Sodom.

They destroyed Sodom by calling down fire from Yahovah in Heaven. Thus there were four there and the One in Heaven who sent the fire down on Sodom. That One is Yahovah of Hosts. He sent Messiah to the world as the giver of the Law and as the protector of Israel. Look also at the papers The Names of God (No. 116); The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243); The Angel of YHVH (No. 24) and Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127)The creation had a purpose and Christ had a role in the creation given to him by “Yahovah of Hosts” who is “Yahovih” (cf. The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160)).

In your writings you make a distinction between Yahovah (SHD 3068) and Yahovih (SHD 3069). You state that Yahovih (3069) is superior to Yahovah (3068). It is my understanding that the original script is just the Tetragrammaton that is translated YHVH with no vowels. If I am correct, how did the translators come up with 2 different versions of the word and make one superior to the other when they both were YHVH?

A: The Hebrew Text has preserved these distinctions. The alteration by the Sopherim of “Yahovah” to “Adonai” is a basis for the vowel point argument from Adonai. Look at the comments in Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary for 3068 and 3069. You will see there the distinctions. 3068 is read as “Adonai” and 3069 is read as “elohim.”

I was reading the paper Law and the Second Commandment (No. 254) and in Deuteronomy 11:17 ‘Lord’ is referenced both ways in the same verse. Is this a misprint or are we talking about 2 different beings? If so please explain the difference. Also explain 2Corinthians 6:17-18. 

A: The word translated “Lord” in the text is “Yahovah” (SHD 3068) (cf. Green’s Interlinear Bible). The Septuagint makes no distinction in the use of “Kurios,” and it is also translated the same way.

In 2Corinthians 6:17-18, it is speaking of the “Lord Almighty” and there is no distinction. There is a distinction between the entities, as in Zechariah 2:8-11. The “Yahovah” sent to save Israel and Jerusalem is sent by “Yahovah of Hosts.” This is the distinction in Psalm 45:6-7 and seen in Hebrews 1:8-9 as “Messiah.”

Can God look on sin? I heard a sermon where the minister said “God can’t look on sin, that’s why Christ said ‘my God, my God, why have you forsaken me’ as he bore the sins of the world.” Is this true?

A: Yes, God can look on sin but we ask Him not to (Ps. 51:9ff.; Isa. 59:2).

That statement is a myth spread by people who have never read the Psalms properly. The text spoken by Christ was an Aramaic form of the Hebrew in Psalm 22:1. In Psalm 22:24 we read that God did not hide his face from him.

The events in Psalm 22 all refer to Christ and his actual crucifixion. Verse 24 says:

“For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Neither has He hid His face from him; But when he cried unto Him, He heard.”

This fiction is designed to deal with the concept of the reparation for sin without real understanding or acknowledging the Wave Sheaf offering and the true concepts of the Passover. Because they do not obey God’s laws and kept pagan systems, they do not understand Scripture and the Laws of God. The matter of the crucifixion and the aspects of Psalm 22 are examined in the papers on the web at http://www.ccg.org and http://www.logon.org

Ezra 9:15 refers to God being righteous, and Psalm 119:172 refers to God’s Law being righteous. Is there a connection between God and His Law? 

A: God is holy (Ps. 145:17), perfect (Mat. 5:48), righteous (Ps. 145:17), good (Ps. 25:8) and true (Deut. 32:4) and His Law is holy (Rom. 7:12), perfect (Ps. 19:7), righteous (Ps. 119:172), good (Rom. 7:12), and true (Ps. 119:142). This is because the Law proceeds from the nature of God and not from His whim. This is analysed in the papers Distinction in the Law (No. 96) and Love and the Structure of the Law (No. 200).

Spiritual Creation

Angel of YHVH

It was my understanding that “YHVH of Hosts” is the Father and the King is Christ (Zech. 9:9), but in Zechariah 14:16 we are told “all shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts.” Does Christ also have this title “YHVH of Hosts” or is this speaking of “worshipping” both the King and YHVH of Hosts?

A: Christ is given the names he is by the Father and acts for the Father under His delegation. God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and yet we see Christ coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords strapped, as a title, to his thigh (Rev. 19:15-16). Only Yahovah of Hosts is worshipped and as such He is King. The title is given to Christ as it is also given to the elect.

Christ is also given a new name in this process, which will also be written on the elect (Rev. 3:12). We have all been redeemed to be a nation of kings and priests (cf. Rev. chs. 4 and 5 for the council and their statements about the saints and the Messiah).

Because some of these titles given to Christ overlap with titles ascribed to Almighty God, many have misconstrued the intent and believed that Christ is somehow God as God is God, being part of a Trinitarian, Binitarian or Ditheistic Godhead.

This is not the case. These titles given to Christ all convey the concept of delegated authority, even as the Mal’ak of YHVH was termed YHVH and Elohim because he represented YHVH of Hosts (Eloah). See the papers Isaiah 9:6 (No. 224) and The Names of God (No. 116))

In Daniel 2:45 we read about the Stone that was cut out of the Mountain and then in Daniel 7:13-14 we read about the coronation of the Son before the Ancient of Days. It appears the Son came from the Father differently than all the other creation. It almost seems like a type of cloning the Father did on Himself. Could you comment on this? If this is different from the creation of angels and the physical creation, then it would be quite acceptable to “worship” the Son in addition to the Father. He really would be in the Father and the Father in Him.

A: Christ was generated by God in the same way all the sons of God were generated by God. Christ was sent to earth in a different way and was the “only born god,” the “monogenes Theos” of John 1:18. The vision of Daniel 2 is covered in the papers on the nature of God series of the Bible Study Program (No. B1). Look especially at the paper How God Became a Family (No. 187).

No, it would not be acceptable to worship the Son as the Father. The Bible is clear that he who sanctifies and they who are sanctified are of one origin (Heb. 2:11). The doctrine that Father and Son were one God, and the son was worshipped and came to be sacrificed is the doctrine of Attis, and entered Christianity in the Council of the fourth century. “Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us?”(Mal. 2:10)

Who was the great Angel who was with Israel in the Old Testament? 

A: The belief of the Church in the first and second centuries was that this was Christ. He gave the Law of God to Moses. Justin Martyr, in writing to the Roman Emperor (ca. 150) in his “First Apology,” states categorically that it was the belief of the Christian Church that the Great Angel of the Old Testament who gave the Law to Moses was Christ. That is the teaching of the Original Catholic Church. See also www.originalcatholicchurch.org. Look at the papers The Angel of YHVH (No. 24)The Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

Who was it who spoke to Abraham? Was it Jesus? Who destroyed the cities?

A: It was the angel of Yahovah who became Jesus Christ. He was termed Yahovah, as were the other two angels who came with him to meet Abraham, and then the other two Yahovahs went on to Lot at Sodom and Gomorrah. They (Yahovah) then called fire down on the cities from Yahovah out of Heaven (Gen. 19:24). This Yahovah in Heaven was Yahovah of Hosts or Yahovih. These matters are explained in the papers: The Elect as Elohim (No. 1); The Angel of YHVH (No. 24); The Names of God (No. 116) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

If no man has seen God as John states, then who was it that Moses saw? Didn’t he see God? 

A: No, Moses did not see the One True God. Christ said no man has seen his form or heard his voice at any time so also repeated by John and Paul (Jn. 1:18; 1Jn. 5:20; 1Tim. 6:16). The belief of the early Church was that the Angel of the Old Testament that gave the Law to Moses was Christ. See the papers The Angel of YHVH (No. 24); The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243) and Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127).

In Exodus (referring to the 10 plagues) who was giving Aaron and Moses instructions for the pharaoh?

A: The being that was with Israel in the wilderness was the rock that was Christ. He was the Angel of the Old Testament who gave the Law to Moses at Sinai. This was the teaching of the original Church and it is the teaching of the Church today (cf. Justin Martyr, First Apology). Look at the papers: The Angel of YHVH (No. 24); Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

Sons of God

How many sons of God does the Bible say there are? 

A: The sons of God are mentioned in the texts in the Old Testament, but no number is given. Deuteronomy 32:8 shows the nations were allocated to the sons of God according to their number (this was altered later in the Masoretic Text but the RSV has the text correct). So we have 70 by tradition for this, but we know it was much more than that from the vision in Elijah. Job 1:6; 2:1; and 38:4-7 just mentions the sons of God and the Morning Stars.

Job 33:23 indicates there are a thousand in the structure capable of ransoming men. We get the term “myriads” used of them and the term “armies” is also applied to them (Rev. 19:14). The book of Revelation gives a number of 200 million horsemen which are marshalled by the four angels bound at the Euphrates for the time appointed to slay a third of mankind (Rev. 9:16). These may well be men and not of the heavenly host.

We have no way of knowing if this reference is an exhaustive number or not. Thus, the number of the sons of God, sometimes termed Messengers, in the texts is perhaps 200 Million, but certainly numbered as armies. Perhaps they are as many as people have been since Adam. We will know when we get to The City of God (No. 180) and are joined with them as a living Temple and residence for God and the Lamb.

Could you explain the differences between all the heavenly beings – sons of God, Angels, Cherubim, Nephilim? Are all sons of God Angels, and all Angels sons of God?

A: All the heavenly host are sons of God. The ones sent to mankind are messengers, termed angels. These are in ranks and positions: Cherubim, Seraphim, and Morning Stars. All are sons of God. Christ is one of them.

The Nephilim are the product of the fallen host. See the paper The Nephilim (No. 154). They have no resurrection. The demons are the sons of God who fell from grace. We will all be Sons of God. Look at the papers How God Became a Family (No. 187); The Government of God (No. 174) and The Elect as Elohim (No. 1).

Can you explain in a nutshell about the 24 thrones and 24 elders?

A: The inner council of the elohim has thirty beings. These thirty are comprised of the twenty-four elders under the High Priest, who is Messiah. The four Living Creatures are the cherubim around the throne of God. They have the elders allocated to them on the basis of two to a system, with three systems making six to a division. God is in the centre at the throne. This makes thirty.

There are others who then make up the council of the seventy. This structure was reflected in the system in Israel, and at the Tabernacle and the Temple. The twenty-four division high priests and the High priest reflected the council of the elders. The seventy plus two reflected the outer council. Israel was divided into four divisions of twelve tribes, three tribes to a division, and with the priesthood of Levi at the tabernacle or throne (see Numbers 10). The divisions of the priesthood were allotted to the division of the tribes. The structure is also covered in the paper The Government of God (No. 174)Look also at How God Became a Family (No. 187).

What are the 4 living creatures and of what importance are they?

A: The Four Living Creatures are the anointed covering Cherubs that stand before the throne of God. The Ark carries two on the Lapporah or cover and another two stand over them. Look at the papers The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196) and The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision (No. 108). The paper The Government of God (No. 174) explains their function.

The four living creatures and the Council discharge function within the Host related to administration and judgment. They are in effect quadrant commanders of the universe and cover the throne of God.

The living creatures represent the four stages of the history of the priesthood and Israel. The first stage was the tabernacle of the wilderness and the Judges. The second stage or cherub was as the first Temple from Solomon to the captivity. The third stage was from the reestablishment after the return to the destruction in 70 CE and the fourth stage was as the era of the seven churches until the return of the Messiah.

Each stage is as a covering cherub that protects the throne of God and by human hands (under the wings) accomplishes His purpose on earth. The living creatures have been described elsewhere in the Bible but the symbolism of the form has a much deeper meaning than that of a created oddity with four different faces. In Revelation 4:6-8 we see the same faces but separate as four living creatures each with one of the faces but with six wings.

Do the four rivers flowing from Eden have anything symbolically to do with the four Cherubim around the throne of God? 

A: Yes, symbolically the rivers represent the four divisions of the creation. The creation and the role of the cherubim have been examined in a number of works. These are The Government of God (No. 174); The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160)The Doctrine of Original Sin Part I The Garden of Eden (No. 246) and How God Became a Family (No. 187).

You referred to the man and lion-headed systems; what are the roles or duties of these positions?

A: They are the quadrant commanders of God’s system. They are anointed covering cherubs, and they also appear as such in the Temple in Ezekiel. Revelation shows that they are at the throne of God. They occupy the position senior to the 24 elders, and they are seen in Ezekiel chapter 1 et seq where they are identified as the Cherubim. They have set areas of responsibility as we see from the fact that they do not change their orientation no matter where the throne is headed. Look at the papers: The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision (No. 108); How God Became a Family (No. 187); The Government of God (No. 174) and The City of God (No. 180).

Please give me as much information about the Hosts as you can. Who exactly are they, how many, their function and roll? Was Jesus part of the Host?

A: The Host are the sons of God. They are called messengers only from the fact of their mission to man. Angel is a derivation of the Greek word for messenger. “Malak” in the Hebrew has become “Malaikat” in the Arabic, and on into the Indonesian etc.

The Host are centred on the throne of God and serve Him. Christ was one of those sons of God in the beginning. The process is explained in the papers How God Became a Family (No. 187); The Government of God (No. 174) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

We are to become sons of God and elohim and that is covered in the paper The Elect as Elohim (No. 1). The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision (No. 108) also has information of interest regarding the Cherubim. How we all fit together is covered in the paper The City of God (No. 180).

What was the cause of the rebellion of the host?

A: It was always understood as being their objection to our creation. The Koran gives this as the specific reason. That is why Satan is the accuser of the brethren. They accuse us night and day to God. Look at the papers How God Became a Family (No. 187) and The Government of God (No. 174)Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son (No. 199) is also of interest in this matter as is The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80).

Could a cherub rebel and lose his position? If so what does the future hold for him? 

A: Yes one, Satan, and perhaps two did rebel. They can repent like all of God’s sons. Look at the paper The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80) and also Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son (No. 199)God’s mercy endures forever.

If one third of the host rebelled and there are 30 in the inner council one could speculate 10 rebelled. Is that why there are 10 components; 7 church eras, 2 witnesses, and Messiah needed to repair the problem/breach created by the hosts rebellion?

A: One might speculate that way and it would seem logical; however, the figures used by the Satanist cells are of the order of twelve/twelve. It seems they actually might have got more from the inner council than a third. However, over all they got a third as it says. Perhaps it was two cherubs and the ten. We will know when we get to Jerusalem and Christ gives us new information.

The ten components of the Temple are not related to individuals, save in the Messiah and the two witnesses. The seven are churches unless we identify the seven angels of the seven churches as potential replacements in the host, and the human elements as the new section. 

If the fallen angelic host (the demons) can repent and still become sons of God, then maybe you believe that the unrepentant demons will be killed forever? What is the difference then, between us and them? Are people just another more creative way of doing the same thing that is done with angels?

A: Yes, that is the answer. The human creation with the family system was another way of giving the angels similar responsibilities of the human family, but with greater oversight. When Satan objected to our creation and the third of the host objected and rebelled with him, they were then given responsibility for us. They became our accusers instead of our spiritual parents. They became an obstruction to the plan and our salvation. After the final rebellion at the end of the Millennium, the demons will be reduced to physical form and die. This is the sense of being brought down to the side of the Pit and to die like any man, as we see in Ezekiel 28 and also the same sense in Isaiah 14. This aspect has been examined in the paper The Fall of Egypt The Prophecy of Pharaoh’s Broken Arms (No 36) and Lucifer: Light Bearer and Morning Star (No. 223). They will then be placed within the physical resurrection at the Second or General Resurrection of the Dead. One can imagine the difficulties they will face when dealt with, in examining their roles over the last 6000 years and the havoc they caused even by simply failing to prevent false action, let alone actually inducing it in the human host.

It was probably to escape this accounting that they developed the theory and doctrine among the mystery cults, especially the Orphic, of the daemon among the humans which was a fallen theos or god, and which had to be purged in order to return to heaven. The inducement of humans in the endeavour was probably a reaction and a desire to be returned to their former estate without enduring the process of the second and physical resurrection under the human elect of the First Resurrection.

The soul doctrine is an invention of Socrates of the “psuche” in reaction to the Orphic doctrines, and from which we get the immortal soul and which later went to the heaven of the Gnostics. The eternal soul is another lie, on the same vein as demons cannot die and they cannot repent. Christ was reduced from one of the elohim to the form of a man and he died on the cross, was resurrected and ascended into heaven. If he could do that, then so can any one of the demons. God has no limitations in the creation. Look at the papers The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243); The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80); The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143); The Soul (No. 92); Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son (No. 199)and The Socratic Doctrine of the Soul (No. B6).

I have read up on the paper entitled The Nephilim (No. 154). The angels involved in this sin to create Nephilim were clearly male in origin. So, does that mean that all the spiritual creation is closer to a male type as we understand male and female, or are there also spirit beings that would be closer to the female species? 

A: The sons of God have the capacity to materialise in whatever form. If they can appear as a man, they can also appear as a woman and do appear as women often, hence Fatima etc. They appeared as Balaam’s donkey in one instance. Satan is termed the serpent and may well have literally appeared to Eve in that guise. We make the mistake of thinking that the Spirit world is just another copy of this one. We see through a glass darkly.

The Spirit world has the capacity to move through time and space without the limitations we understand or think within. Mass, space, time, gravity and energy are equivalent expressions of the single fundamental essence we understand as spirit. Some of our scientists have made the error of assuming an immanent God from this basis.

The sons of God were all gathered together here when the world was created. Their leaders, the Morning Stars, sang for joy. Satan was among them as a Morning Star and the anointed Covering Cherub. The function of woman was the capacity by which God would produce more sons of God.

Demons appeared as men to interfere with the creation. They may well have become women but then they would have been tied to the creation and the upbringing of the cuckoos they laid. They were probably emotionally immature for that responsibility without the Holy Spirit of God. Also, the woman was the one they influenced. They lost the Holy Spirit when they finally rebelled and were cast from heaven. They then had to produce the pseudo logon. Thus, they are no longer consubstantial. Look at the paper Consubstantial with the Father (No. 81).

We will all be asexual in the resurrection. The second physical resurrection also seems to demand that asexuality. Look at the paper The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143) and Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272).

Are you aware of any scriptures besides Psalm 8:5 that refer to spirit beings (other than the Father and the One that became Christ) as elohim?

A: Yes, there are a few texts. Moses is referred to as an elohim in Exodus 7:1. Abraham is referred to as an elohim in the original Hebrew text in Genesis 23:6, which is termed Mighty Prince in the English.

Satan is referred to as an elohim or theoi in various texts. Paul says there are many theoi (theoi polloi) or elohim in the New Testament. Zechariah 12:8 said that the household of David will become elohim with the Angel of Yahovah (Jehovah) at our head. It is written: “I said ye are gods and Scripture cannot be broken” (Jn. 10:34-35). Look at the paper The Elect as Elohim (No. 1).

Psalm 45:6-7 says that Christ, our elohim, was anointed with the oil of gladness above his partners. Thus, there is a council. Psalm 82 deals with this aspect. The other references are covered in that paper. Also look at the The Angel of YHVH (No. 24).

Are the 1000 sacrifices offered by Solomon in the Tabernacle referring to the council of the 1000 sons of God? Just as Job 33:23-24 talks of one of 1000 and redemption through Messiah; or Genesis 20:16 mentions the 1000 pieces of silver to Abraham for the vindication of Sarah but the entire council needed the appeasement for the offence; or Song of Songs with 1000 shields (Eph. 6:16 shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.) Bottom line, do all these scriptures tie to God’s administrative council of a 1000?

A: Yes, the reference in Genesis 20:16 is in fact an appeasement along the lines we see in Job, where the redemption was from one of the 1000. And the irony of Abimelech, in using the term brother, is because of the sin and damage he suffered.

The notion of being protected by the host is evident as well, as being redeemed by one of the 1000. This is fairly esoteric ground now. Nothing turns on it, other than the view that sin was an offence against God. That was why thirty pieces of silver was paid for Christ. Because it was an offence against the council and it was also deemed the price of a slave

Lucifer

What does the name Lucifer mean?

A: Lucifer means Light bearer. The name comes from his function as the Morning Star of this planet. It is an educative and controlling role which is taken up by Christ and the elect at the end of the age, in the not too distant future, for the millennial reign. The terms are covered in the paper Lucifer: Light Bearer and Morning Star (No. 223).

In remembering that Satan came before God with the angels as told in Job, I am wondering if he still has this access to God and does he still have influence on the angels?

A: Yes, he is the accuser of our brethren and he still has one third of the host under him. Some are held to have repented from the activities of the early Church. He is cast down and knows his time is short. Christ said He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Thus, he must be cast down. Revelation speaks of the short time and his fury against the Church because of that short time. We are in that time. In fact, we are past the 1260 years of the woman in the wilderness. The Fifth Seal is still continuing and the woman that rides the beast, who is drunk on the blood of the saints, is about to be destroyed. Look at the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272) and also The Role of the Fourth Commandment in the Historical Sabbath-keeping Churches of God (No. 170).

I believe that Lucifer and Satan are one and the same being. This presents a bit of a problem though for this would mean that Satan was not always evil wouldn’t it? This is looking more like it may be true as Ezekiel 28:15 shows him being perfect from the day he was created. So how better can one be than perfection?

A: Lucifer was the anointed covering Cherub of the Throne of God and he was perfect among the sons of God. Lucifer means, “light bearer” and thus he was the educator of the host and Morning Star of the planet. See the paper Lucifer: Light Bearer and Morning Star (No. 223).

He and the fallen host became iniquitous. They sinned and tried to grasp equality with God. They failed in the test of faith. They became accusers of the brethren at the creation of Adam. Christ was not, and did not seek co-equality with God and did not try to grasp what was not His. He preferred to be given and earn the gift of power by obedience, and so He became a man and He humbled himself unto death, even death on the stake (Phil. 2:5-7). See the paper The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160).

He became a son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4). See the paper The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243). All of God’s creation is perfect, but we have the choice to mess it up, and we have done so. The Plan is perfect and includes a safety net, so we will all attain to perfection in God’s time. Look at the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272).

Some of my friends believe the earth is the place of restraint for the angels that sinned. In Luke 8:31 I read where the demons begged not to be cast into the deep or the Abyss. Also Revelation 9:11, 11:7,17:8, IPeter 3:19, IIPeter 2:4 and Jude 6 leads me to believe there is more to this than just the earth in general. Is Abaddon/Apollyon a king restrained also for a future release or is he the same as Satan? Where might this place be? The ocean possibly?

A: The New Testament term is also “Tartaros” which is reserved specifically for the fallen host. Abbadon or Appollyon is the destroyer and, as such, it is another term for Satan and the system he commands. The fallen host or demons have power over the earth and over mankind for 6000 years. At the return of the Messiah, Satan and the demons are restrained for the thousand years of the Millennium.

The pit is death and the texts indicate that the demons are made to die like any man. They are then dealt with in the Second Resurrection like anyone else. This matter has been examined in the papers The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80) and in Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son (No. 199)The timing of the activities is seen from the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272).

Angels

When asked what is the function of angels or what are they, the most common answer heard is that they are simply messengers indicating that they are basically footmen or errand boys. This does not exactly add up. For instance, the 38th chapter of Job is an explanation to Job as to how everything was created. At verse 7, it says that the sons of God, shouted for joy at the creation. I believe sons of God here refers to the angels, so if they were already around at the creation of the earth, and before the creation of man, then what were they doing up to this point?

A: Yes, that is the point. Angel is from the Greek “aggellos” meaning “messenger” which was applied to the heavenly beings. In the Septuagint the word “aggellos” was used to translate various concepts. It was used to translate “Sons of God” in Deuteronomy 32:8. During the post-Temple period, Jewish scribes changed that to read “Sons of Israel” to get away from the concept of there being sons of God in charge of Israel, as Christ was associated with the Angel of Yahovah as a son of God.

The LXX of Isaiah 9:6 says, “Angel of Great Counsel” for the Messiah who was son of God. Job 1:6 and 2:1 use the term “Aggeloi”, “Angels of God” for the “sons of God.” The same is also in Job 38:4-7 where “angels” were used for “sons of God”. The understanding of the meaning of the Hebrew texts is starting to slip by this time. And the concept of the Hebrew Morning Stars is not well understood by the translators in the LXX translation. Nehemiah says they had to explain the Hebrew to the populace during his time because they no longer understood it, speaking only Aramaic.

Basically, an Angel was a messenger. Before the creation there was no one to carry messages to, and so they were simply all sons of God. When men were created they were sent to men as messengers, and so all of them who were in that capacity were angels. Look at the papers The Angel of YHVH (No. 24)The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243) and How God Became a Family (No. 187)For the long-term plan look at the paper The City of God (No. 180).

Were some people able to recognise angels as soon as they saw them and yet others did not? If they appear as humans are we supposed to know they are angels? 

A: The Patriarchs recognised them, as we see by what they did and said in the Bible. It’s the “duck test.” If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. Sometimes they are with us and we are not informed. We entertain angels unawares (Heb. 13:2). God makes His wishes known through His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).

These people speak for God. So too, the sons of God in the heavenly Host speak for God, and are sent to men as “angels” or messengers. Look at the papers on the sons of God for example The Angel of YHVH (No. 24) and How God Became a Family (No. 187).

I have been presented with Genesis 48:16 as a supporting scripture to pray to angels. What is the correct understanding of this text?

A: This text, and the comment by Stephen, is the only text in the Bible where Christ is addressed in prayer. Moses spoke to him face to face, and stood between him and Israel, as did David. David addresses him is Psalm 45:6-7. When he says: “Therefore God thy God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy partners.” In each of the cases concerned, it is a direct request to Christ in his role as protector of Israel. Look at the paper The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

In each case they are used as teaching comments. How would we know that the Angel of Redemption was the elohim of Israel (Zech. 12:8; Heb. 1:8-9), appointed by his God, unless we had the direct testimony of the Patriarchs in the Scriptures to demonstrate this fact? They reflect the direct relationship of the prophets with Christ. We pray to and worship only the One True God.

Physical Creation

Nephilim

Were there human beings alive on this planet before Adam, and when was Adam created? 

A: According to Bishop Ussher’s chronology, Adam was created in 4004 BCE. We know from archaeology that there were beings created on this planet before Homo Sapiens existed.

Thus, there was another creation prior to Adam. The discussion on what the Bible has to say about this is carried on in the works The Nephilim (No. 154) and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248).

The interpretation of Genesis to confine the creation to the sons of Seth and the sons of Cain was an invention by Augustine of Hippo in the early fifth century. It denied the understanding of the ancients and left Christianity entirely unprepared to cope with the modern scientific finds of the last two hundred years. This one single false doctrine of Augustine has made the destruction of Creation theory with the false doctrine of evolution possible.

Are you aware of any information in the comparison of pre-Adam humanoid DNA and post-Adam DNA? Do you see any conflict with Bible scripture and archaeology finds?

A: Yes, recent tests made on the Neanderthals have isolated their DNA structure and it is a 27-strand system whereas a human is an 8-strand. We are trying to isolate the Cro-Magnon to see the exact divergence between it and modern humans. There seems to be a reluctance to discuss this issue of release of any results, if tests have in fact been done. What we have so far is indicative that modern primates are of a totally unrelated creation to the Neanderthals. The humanoids we have so far from Australia, such as the Arunka and Kowe Swamp people, have marked divergences from modern humans. Their mitochondrial DNA differs from modern humans. The Lake Nitchie Male was a giant. These aspects have been covered in the paper The Nephilim (No. 154).

I understand that the pre-Adamic creation was inferior and as stated in Isaiah has no resurrection. The Nephilim are not resurrected because they are not fit physical receptacles able to be acted upon by the Holy Spirit. Is this correct? After 6000 years of misrule of this planet multiple vectors such as viruses, transposons, etc that are able to insert foreign genetic material into our DNA could cause man to become nearly as corrupt as the Nephilim. If the fallen host were given a much longer time period than 6000 years, they could achieve what they tried to achieve with the Nephilim. Do you agree with this?

A: The solution is that the Creation was made in the image of God so that the Holy Spirit could be implanted or superimposed over it. The degradation of the species is certainly happening. It is probable that the limitation of the creation to 6000 years was to limit the degradation of the species by its genetic isolation and other problems. The lessening of the life spans indicates a problem. Also, it appears that there has been a deliberate attempt to interfere with the DNA makeup of humans by the Host through the pre-flood structure of the Nephilim.

There is no doubt that the Neanderthals were of a completely different system but the later structure was not. Neanderthals reportedly have a 27-strand system and the current primates have an 8-strand system. We have more in common with chimpanzee DNA than with the Neanderthals. Our capacity to survive may well be limited if it went any longer than 6000 years unchecked.

I’ve read several responses on resurrection and you state that the Nephilim have no resurrection, but Satan and his demons will have a chance to repent. Can you explain why?

A: The fallen host were all part of God’s Creation and were made in his image and through His will. They can repent and can be used. The Nephilim were not part of God’s Creation. They were made by the fallen host specifically to frustrate the Plan of God, and they are not in the image of God. Thus, they cannot function with the Holy Spirit as the demons are able to do.

God is obliged logically and morally to extend repentance to His Creation, but not to things created by the demons contrary to His Will. Thus, He will extend that capacity to the demons and they will be judged by us according to Scripture (1Cor. 6:3). In like manner, He has said that capacity will not be extended to the Nephilim. They have no resurrection (Isa. 26:14). Look at the papers The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80); The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143) and Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son (No. 199).

Noah was chosen to be saved in the Ark because his lineage was perfect. I understand that to mean that his lineage was not corrupted by the Nephilim. All these humans that were corrupted by the Nephilim and died in the flood would be resurrected wouldn’t they? If all of the Nephilim did not perish in the flood, are their descendants subject to resurrection or not?

A: No, the Nephilim/Rephaim have no resurrection as we know from Isaiah 26:13. The whole matter of who they were and what happened before and after the flood is covered in the paper The Nephilim (No. 154).

Adam and Eve

Why would God desire a physical human creation when He had already created spirit angelic beings to be sons of God? Why not just create more angels? What is the difference in the roles of entering His family?

A: This question is perhaps the most fundamental question to the plan of salvation. God could have made spiritual sons as many as He needed or wanted. Why then did he create a weaker physical creation that was then placed under the spiritual creation?

The same question then applies to the physical creation. Why did God create humans in a sequence of breeding animals that would suffer and perhaps die in the process? Why did they eventually die anyway? Why did He not create them all at once and simply educate them?

The answer is both simple and complex. In this way He would have to be obeyed and the entire creation would have to walk by faith. The angelic host would have to see the physical creation destined for some event as sons of God and would have to walk by faith and nurture them as ministering spirits as parents nurture children. The human creation could see even less and that is why faith exhibited in them is greater.

Satan used the creation to bring one third of the host to rebellion. These rebellious sons were then placed in charge of the creation to test both and to judge both.

The church is a group called out to test and judge the demons as they are measured against the standard we set. In the Millennium we will do the job they were set to do now under God’s laws. The demons decided to create another system with another structure of worship that does not work. So we see that the structure was made to ensure that the elect walked by faith and only those who exercise faith and obedience are made sons of God in power from the resurrection of the dead.

The sons of God had to be tested by faith and tested by their duties. Thus the spiritual creation was tested by the physical creation and both come to salvation together. Look at the papers How God Became a Family (No. 187); The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80); The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160) and The City of God (No. 180).

What is mankind’s ultimate destiny?

A: The purpose of the creation of man is to rule as God (Zech. 12:8). The name Israel means literally “he shall rule as God.” We were created to raise ourselves and the sons of God of the Angelic host in a sense of mutual interaction and shared responsibility. We are to get ourselves, and the Host, through the Resurrections to the City of God. Look at the papers The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160) and The City of God (No. 180). We will rule the heavens and we can only guess, at present, at what God has in store for us and the rest of the Host (1Cor. 2:9; Deut. 4:19).

In the Garden of Eden, why didn’t Adam rebuke Eve for eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, instead of following along with her?

  1. It was his responsibility to rebuke her. He did not and the way we are dealt with was changed. However, God knew that he would do it and that it would also become necessary to send Christ to become leader as the slain lamb. We were written in the Book of the Lamb, The Book of Life and of the Resurrection from the foundation of the world.

Thus, God understood the events and they were provided for in the system of Salvation. Look at the papers The Doctrine of Original Sin Part I The Garden of Eden (No. 246) and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248).

The Old Testament says that Adam was created about 5000 years before Jesus Christ, but actually there have been several civilisations like the Pharaohs in year 4200 BCE and the Chinese before that. Scientifically, they found some human bones dated millions of years back. How can we justify this contradiction? 

A: According to Ussher’s chronology, which follows the Bible, Adam was created in 4005/4 BCE. The explanation of the pre-Adamic creation is contained in the paper The Nephilim (No. 154)Look also at the papers The Doctrine of Original Sin Part 1 The Garden of Eden (No. 246) and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248).

Do you have any idea why so many of the children’s stories only represent Adam and Eve sinning and making themselves loin coverings of fig leaves (Gen. 3:7)? Most accounts stop the story there and do not explain the time frame, how Adam and Eve were being taught by God, or how even after their sin God made them garments of skin and clothed Adam and his wife (Gen.3:21).

A: The stopping of the text here is based on a number of false premises. Firstly, the efforts by them were man-made efforts and in contrast to the God-made clothing of animal skins. The emphasis is thus on the human effort and not on God’s effort (cf. Rom. 8:3).

The popular presentations are for a number of reasons. The Gnostics and their doctrines were ascetic vegetarians and wished to conceal the fact of the killing of animals and the consumption of meat. Look at the paper Vegetarianism and the Bible (No. 183).

The leaves also have symbolism among the mystery cults. Thus, they were portrayed more readily. The oak leaves are clearly condemned in the Bible. The priests of Attis in Rome also tattooed themselves with ivy leaves, which were sacred to their god. Thus, the leaf is often used in their symbols, as was the phallus or Asherah, and the kid.

Was the forbidden fruit really an apple? I don’t see that in my Bible, could you tell me where it says that Eve ate an apple? 

A: The notion that Eve gave Adam an apple is not biblical. It comes from the myths and mysteries and is associated with the golden fruit of discord. The full story is contained in the paper The Doctrine of Original Sin Part 1 The Garden of Eden (No. 246).

I believe in God but one thing I have difficulty understanding is if “Adam and Eve” were supposedly the first humans on earth, then where did all the distinct races of man come from? 

A: There is only one race, the human race. We are all brothers. The tongues were confused at Babel. It is a bit like the breeding of animals. The darker skinned people were basically developed, in terms of skin pigmentation, over many years. The fairer ones were in countries where they wore more clothing. However, they are still the same people with the same basic structure. The blood types or categories vary from east to west but they still have the same basic varieties.

In animal terms, we can say that the German Shepherd and the Sheepdog both come from the wolf, and not so long ago. Even though they look different they are both dogs. The creation is dealt with at The Doctrine of Original Sin Part 1 The Garden of Eden (No. 246) and the Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248). The pre-Adamic creation destroyed with the flood is covered in the paper The Nephilim (No. 154).

All variations of the human species are explicable in the variations we see occurring from pigmentation and family/tribal likenesses. The finds in the Choukoutien Cave in China indicate the coexistence of families with what we consider vast racial differences within what appears to be the one family group.

These findings by anthropologists are examined in the light of a series of humanoids that existed before modern man but which have no link to them. This matter is examined in the paper The Nephilim (No. 154). The matters have also been examined in the paper The Fall of Egypt (No. 36)This complex matter is too large to be explained here in detail.

God’s word teaches that it is incest to marry a brother or sister, yet how else could the family of Adam and Eve grow? Is it possible He made wives for the sons as He made one for Adam? 

A: This matter is explained in the papers Rachel and the Law (No. 281) and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248)It is also forbidden in other aspects, but Lot produced Ammon and Moab through his daughters contrary to Law. They perceived it as necessity knowing that the world would end by fire and they believed they were in that position then.

‘And Cain knew his wife’. Was she his sister? Why could she live alone before marriage, without being afraid of wild animals?

A: She may have been his sister or she may have been one of the Nephilim. It is likely that she was his sister as that was the only explanation for the sons of Adam keeping their generations pure. Look at the paper The Doctrine of Original Sin Part 1 The Garden of Eden (No. 246)Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (248) and The Nephilim (No. 154).

Did man eat vegetables or meat first? I say vegetables since they were easier to get than hunting meat.

A: It is believed man had a balanced diet from the beginning (Gen. 1:28-30). The Adamic species has a delineated process from the Bible record. This is covered in the papers The Doctrine of Original Sin Part I The Garden of Eden (No. 246) and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248) and also Vegetarianism and the Bible (No. 183)The paper, The Nephilim (No. 154) might give you some other views of interest regarding the last 140,000 years.

There are divisions to this question. In the case of pre-Adamic man, the answer is both. Man was omnivorous and ate both fruits and also grubs and insects on them and in the trees. The body structure of vegetarians make for significant guts, and this is evidenced by Australopithecines skeletal reconstructions such as Lucy.

What was the physical condition of the early biblical people? Did they exercise? What do you know of their diet? What did they do when struck with an illness? Why were so many struck with leprosy and blindness? Didn’t they have a lot of knowledge of medicinal plants, oils and such?

A: Well, if the ages of the patriarchs are any indication, they were of a vastly superior diet and genetic structure than we are. It appears we have seen a degeneration in the age of man as we have gone from a longevity of 120 years to 70 years, and we are varying downwards on that due to other problems. The diet of the ancients can be seen from the paper The Food Laws (No. 15).

Also they had superior forms of grain then which had the necessary vitamins and minerals. We have developed superior yields, which have in many cases decreased benefit. They did get a lot of exercise because they walked everywhere, or rode horses and camels and donkeys. Their knowledge of drugs was reasonably high. We now have direct evidence that they imported tobacco and cocaine into the Middle East from America at the time of King David (ca. 1000 BCE). They had extensive use of herbs and medicines.

Our evidence also shows advanced surgery such as trepanning in early times. The failure to keep the quarantine laws resulted in the transmission of leprosy. Blindness often resulted from infections carried from birth through immorality, as it does to this day. They had a great capacity for navigation, and there was a sea and trading empire from Israel and Phoenicia from 1000 BCE onwards. There was degeneration in world conditions from the fourth century. In the sixth century there was a series of cataclysms, along with the attitude of the Church, which contributed to the Dark Ages. From this time, the world lost vast levels of knowledge and we are only now putting together what was actually lost.

Noah

In the past some ministers have said one of Noah’s sons was married to a black woman, one married an oriental woman and one married a white woman. This, they explain (or speculate), was to keep the 3 races alive. After the flood they separated by migrating. I have a hard time believing this and wonder if the true reason we have people of different colours is due to the environment and that we are all really the same “race”, the human race, with the same parents Adam and Eve. After all we see a type of evolution within the various “kinds” of animals depending on what part of the world they are from, etc. What do you think about the origin of the various “races”?

A: This view postpones the issue back to Adam (meaning the one who was ruddy or red). Another variation was that Noah had the capacity to throw hybrids, being pure in his generations. This is the real basis of the explanations. Every variety of dog on the planet came from two forms based on the wolf. The capacity to be in various forms was inherent in the early peoples.

Our finds in the Choukoutien Upper Cave in China (discovered 1930 excavated by Pei (1939, 1940) in 1933 show a peculiar group. This one group comprised of two adult males, two adult females, one adolescent, one child, and one baby showed a surprising spread of racial characteristics. The female skulls were a Melanesoid and an Eskimoid. Of the two adult males, one was elderly (estimated at 60), and was relative to the Obercassel skull but was defined as being primitive Mongoloid. Weidenreich (1939) defined these as being of three different racial types, primitive Mongoloid, Melanesoid and Eskimoid type (R.M. and C.H. Berndt, Aboriginal Man in Australia, 1965, p. 30).

Professor Berndt was of the view that current Australians are related to the ancient Egyptians and the Indian Dravidians.  Egyptian relics have allegedly been found in some parts of Australia (cf. notes to I.L. Idriess’ Drums of Mer first edition re the ancient artefacts in the caves of the Zogo Le). There are also numerous boomerangs from the tomb of Tutankhamen now in the Egyptian museum.

The Choukoutien finds were in the one cave in the same strata, all living together so it seems. This indicates that the family groups, who resettled China, all had the diverse genetic capacity to encompass at least three racial groups in the one family system. This matter has not been fully examined from this point of view for obvious reasons.

The Epic of Gilgamesh states that Noah also took the artisans on board with their families as well. If looked at in this light, then the eight people were the heads of families and the women were not counted among the eight. This raises other matters as well. The eruption of the Nephilim is placed in the Midrash at the foot of Og, who allegedly stowed away on the top of the ark and Noah allowed him to remain. Look at the paper The Nephilim (No. 154).

The question of the diversity of current racial types is simply explained as one of pigmentation and localised breeding patterns. For example, one can tell someone from Manx as they have a peculiar line to their ears in relation to the jaw, which is not seen elsewhere in Britain. Pigmentation is simply resistance to the sun’s rays. Modern mapping of the genome and DNA shows we are all from the same ancestors, and not all that far back. The discussion is now merely where and how far.

Was Noah’s flood a worldwide catastrophe or was it limited to the Mediterranean area? If it was worldwide, how was it possible for Noah to gather all the species of plants and animals into the ark? 

A: The Bible indicates it was worldwide. A localised flood scenario has been mooted to resolve the problems seen by geologists and archaeologists working to the current accepted theories of planet age. The Ark was basically a box that God told Noah to build, which Noah did, over a period of one hundred years.

The animals of the earth were the responsibility of God to collect, and he did so collect them. The genetic diversity of the animals was contained in the mother species, and they had the capacity over the following millennia to diversify. Plants did not need to be gathered as they were seed driven and simply germinated when conditions were ready, as they do now. The same is true with spores and others.

Many seeds were taken into the ark as well in the form of food supplies. With, for example, the desert plants and eucalyptus, fire is needed to germinate the seeds. Wood is preserved underwater for a long time, so all the forests were either swept to certain areas, as appears to be the case in the North Pole area with the trees and mammoths etc., or left in areas to generate, first through grass to start the next series off.

We are finding out more and more about the species of the planet. In fact, the procedures for mapping the human genome have shown that the entire creation is based on a similar model. All humans are 99.99 percent exactly the same, and so it is with other species. There is no race other than the human race, and most animals are of the one common species. Mammals are all based on a similar blue print.

We know that this is not so with the DNA of the Neanderthals for example as they are an entirely different structure to our DNA and even chimpanzees, with which we have more in common than the Neanderthals. Look at the paper The Nephilim (No. 154).

During a sermon, our pastor was preaching on faith. He made the statement, “Look at the faith of Noah. God told Noah to build the ark before he even had a family (a wife, three sons, and daughters-in-law).” He said if you will read this chronologically you will see that this is true. Can you explain this to me?

A: The Bible says at Genesis 6:10: “And Noah begat three sons Shem, Ham and Japeth.” He then proceeds to tell Noah (V. 14) that the earth is corrupt and orders him to build the ark. The sons helped to build the ark. Other versions of this flood account all agree in this aspect (cf. The Epic of Gilgamesh).

The genealogies, up to the flood, are covered in the paper Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248)The genealogy of Shem, the youngest son of Noah, is covered in the paper Melchisedek (No. 128).

 

Tower of Babel

What in your opinion was God’s purpose at the Tower of Babel? What do you think He was trying to accomplish? 

A: The dispersion at Babel was to ensure that mankind did not become as elohim of their own accord and destroy the planet under Satan before time.

Satan had been given 6000 years as Morning Star of the planet. As it is Christ is going to have to return so that we are saved. If he did not there would be no flesh left alive. The plan of Salvation can be seen from the papers. Look at the papers Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272)Lucifer: Light Bearer and Morning Star (No. 223) and The Millennium and the Rapture (No. 95)There are also many other papers dealing with prophecy.

What exactly was happening at the tower of Babel, and why was God so worried about it? Seems to me there must have been a bit more going on there than just building a church with a tall steeple that would reach the heavens. 

A: Yes, there was a lot more to it. The false system at Babel was destroyed and the languages confused so that man would not progress at a rate that was so fast as to endanger the existence of the planet too early within the time frame given to Satan.

They would become as elohim but without the Holy Spirit and thus destroy this planet and hence, the Plan of God. The system you see unfolding now might have happened two or more thousand years ago. The planet would not exist now.

Abraham

Did Hagar or Ishmael receive any blessings for their relationship to Abram? 

A: Indeed, they did receive a blessing. Christ himself said, at the direction of God, He would bless Ishmael and make a mighty nation from him (Gen. 21:17-18).

Look at the various papers that deal with Abraham: Why was Abraham called “the Friend of God” (No. 35); The Angel and Abraham’s Sacrifice (No. 71); Abraham and Sodom (No. 91) and also look at Genesis 22, Judaism, Islam and the Sacrifice of Isaac (No. 244).

The Law

Is there a reason why the commandments were given on two tables of stone? 

A: Yes, there is a reason. The two tablets were small and they were carried by Moses. They appear to have been written on both sides. The tablets appear to be duplicates as a double witness. The tablets of the law were placed within the Ark of the Covenant (See the papers The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196) and Distinction in the Law (No. 96).)

The Law is explained in the series The Law of God (No. L1). The concept of being written on stone was one of God, who is the rock (Ps. 17:31) from which we, and Christ, are all cut (Isa 51:1) and who engraves his Law in our hearts through his power. He becomes all in all.

In Deuteronomy 10 it talks about the covenant (Ex. 34:28) being the Ten Commandments that were written on the 2 tablets. In verse 5 it says he put the tablets IN THE ARK. Is this the LAW that is the New Covenant that is written in the minds and hearts of the elect? Is there more significance to this that you could expound on?

A: Yes, that is the significance both of the Ark and of the tablets being placed inside it. The Law of God was to be placed in the hearts and minds of the elect. This aspect is examined in the papers: Distinction in the Law (No. 96); The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196)The Oracles of God (No. 184) and The Law of God (No. L1).

Are the commandments in two lots of 4 and 6 or 5 and 5? 

A: Assuming you refer to the divisions based on the two great Commandments of the Law; the First Great Commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your mind and with all your heart and with all your strength.” The second is like unto it. “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” The Commandments fall into two natural divisions of the first four dealing with the love of God and the last six dealing with the love of man. Thus the Fourth Commandment, dealing with the Sabbath day, covers the aspects of the Law and the testimony concerning God’s Calendar and His worship and is the technical end of the First Great Commandment proper.

The Fifth Commandment, concerning the love of father and mother, is the first with a promise. It relates to life on this earth and the formation of the family, which is the building block on which God has chosen to build society. This extends into the heavenly family of the Church and the sons of God. Thus, this Commandment forms a link between the first four and the last six so that, in a sense, both answers are correct.

The Law is divided into two great commandments the first four and the last six linked by the fifth, which joins both the First and the Second Great Commandments. Look at the papers in the series on The Law of God (No. L1) and the associated reference papers as well.

Could you please define and interpret the first commandment?

A: It is written (Ex. 20:2-3):

“I am the Lord thy God Which has brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the House of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Roman Catholics join the second commandment to this commandment and split the tenth commandment into two, which is impossible, based on the text in Deuteronomy 5.

The words for “Lord thy God” here is not simply “Yahovah.” It is “Yahovah Elohim” meaning God in His extended and creative sense. If it were Yahovah, as Bullinger says, it might be argued that the Law was limited to Israel, which it is not.

The first two Commandments are in the first person. The remainder are in the third person. Deuteronomy has the same structure for the first two Commandments. The section in Deuteronomy is argued to be a repeat and definite explanation by Moses of the original ten, which were in Exodus (cf. Soncino Commentary, Chumash p. 458).

“Thou shalt have no other elohim before me” means that no other elohim is to be placed before, or worshipped as, or in place of the One True God, who in the singular is “Eloah” the God of the Temple who placed His name at Jerusalem. See the text in Ezra 4:24-7:26 for the use of Eloah in relation to the Temple and the Law. It is the Law of Eloah.

Eloah has a son from Proverbs 30:4-5. Thus, the Son is not the One True God, Eloah. The First Commandment and the application of the Law and the Prophets have been outlined in the text Law and the First Commandment (No. 253) which was prepared for the Reading of the Law in the Sabbath Year of 1998.

Knowledge of the One True God, and Jesus Christ whom He sent, is eternal life (John 17:3). Explanation of the names of God and of the position of Jesus Christ are contained in the papers The Names of God (No. 116)God Revealed Chapter 1 – Ancient Monotheism (No. G1) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

 

Exodus 16 (before the 10 commandments were given) vs. 23 “…then he said to them, This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a Sabbath Rest (how did they know it was the Sabbath since it wasn’t given at Sinai? It must have been through oral transmission from Adam to Moses) a Holy Sabbath to the Lord.” Vs. 28 “Then the Lord said to Moses ‘How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my instruction? Vs. 29 “The Lord has (past tense) given you the Sabbath…”. When did God give them the Sabbath?

A: The law was given to Adam at the creation. Not only was the Sabbath established then but also the sacrifices and the Calendar were established. Abel’s sacrifice was more acceptable to God than Cain’s because it was a blood sacrifice and he was more righteous.

The SDA doctrine of preflood vegetarianism is quite wrong, as is the notion that the law was not given until Sinai. Look at the paper Vegetarianism and the Bible (No. 183) and also Rachel and the Law (No. 281). The Passover also preceded Sinai and the New Moons, and the sequence of the Calendar was set in place from the first week of the creation. Look also at the paper God’s Calendar (No. 156)Look also at the papers The Doctrine of Original Sin Part I The Garden of Eden (No. 246) and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248)The preflood system was destroyed because it broke the laws of God. See the paper The Nephilim (No. 154).

The commandments were in place and known when Abraham went into Egypt. See the paper Abraham and Sodom (No. 91). Look also at the paper The Doctrine of Balaam and Balaam’s Prophecy (No. 204). Abraham tithed to Melchisedek over four hundred years before Sinai. See the paper Melchisedek (No. 128).

The Fourth Commandment covers a system of God’s order and the system will be enforced when Christ returns. Look at the paper Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256). The Sabbaths will be kept with the New Moons (Isa. 66:23). The feasts will be kept and the nations will send their representatives to Jerusalem each year, or they will get no rain in due season and the plagues of Egypt will be brought down on them. This is Scripture and Scripture cannot be broken.

Reading the Law

We are seeing instruction at Deuteronomy 31:9-12 to read the Law every Sabbath year at the Feast of Tabernacles. On which day at the Feast is this to be done? The idea that the law is to be read on one day is a Jewish idea and they do it on the Last Great Day.

A: The Law was read over the entire feast in the seventh year. To read the Law and the testimony correctly, utilising the Law and the Prophets and explaining it correctly as Ezra and Nehemiah did at Jerusalem, takes the entire feast of Tabernacles.

That is why God demands it be done every seventh year, and that it is set aside for the purposes of the reading so that Israel does not forget the Laws of God. Look at the papers Reading the Law with Ezra and Nehemiah (No. 250) and the Law series listed under The Law of God (No. L1) which were read at the commanded Reading of the Law in 1998.

Society

How does the uncleanness until sundown relate to us today as being sanctified? Is there a time now, or a time in the future that He does not want us to sleep with our wives? If so, when and why would this be do you think?

A: The whole process of sanctification for the Seventh of the First month and the Tenth of the Seventh month logically requires fasting from all aspects, including our partners.

The separation from our partners in total will come at the Advent. The High Priests always regarded themselves as being separate when they went into the Temple on the sacred days. They disqualified themselves when ritually unclean. We have to prepare ourselves to enter into a relationship with Christ.

Could you please explain these passages about the days and what is meant about not coming near your wives? I believe this has to do with the second coming of Jesus, but I am not really sure.

  1. The process involves the sanctification of the elect. Under the law a man was ritually unclean if he had an issue of semen until sundown and the aim here was to ensure the host of Israel was sanctified in the day that the Lord was to come to them.

The process of the sanctification of Israel is examined and explained in the papers The Sanctification of the Temple of God (No. 241) and The Sanctification of the Simple and the Erroneous (No. 291)See also Ezekiel 45:18-20.

The entire process of the calendar and the sanctification that takes place in the structure of the plan of God as explained in the calendar and its Sabbaths new Moons and Holy Days all point to Messiah and the restoration of the planet. Look at the papers God’s Calendar (No. 156) and Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256).

 

We are the Temple of God and the Law of God will live in our hearts. We will go from the church to the nations to the world as the Temple of God and will become the City of God. Look at the papers The Oracles of God (No. 184)Measuring the Temple (No. 137) and The City of God (No. 180).

Why was a woman considered unclean for forty days after giving birth to a male child, and eighty days after giving birth to a female child?

A: There are some very difficult issues arising from the laws of female purification (cf. Purification and Circumcision (No. 251)). Science has studied food in many of its aspects, especially its physiology and nutritional value. As a result, we can now understand why certain foods are “clean” and others are not and have been forbidden to us (see the paper The Food Laws (No. 15)). However, for generations we have been following those food laws simply because God told us to. We understand that God gave us His laws in order for us to be able to lead healthy, well balanced, well ordered lives. The laws relating to women have not been studied in the same way; therefore, we must do as we have always done. Rely on the fact that if God has said so, then it is in our best interests to do so. These matters are also qualified in and by their spiritual aspects, as they relate to Messiah.

The term “unclean woman” might bother many people. It seems to be offensive, but it is not. It is simply a time of separation because the woman requires rest and understanding. The term “unclean” is not the equivalent of “sinner.” The purification is scientifically a time of cleansing for seven days. It is a natural and physical act, where the lining of the womb, in not receiving a fertile ovum for the process of impregnation, is rejected during menstruation. Normally, it is a period of seven days in every 28. This process of cleaning permits the continuation of human kind for which this law, in the same manner as all the others, is a blessing from God (Gen. 1:28). The fulfilling of the laws are tied to the daily life of the human being. The Law of God is in force in its totality both physically and spiritually (2Cor. 7:1).

In the text in Leviticus 12:4 we see the term “to touch not what is holy.” In these terms we see the parallel symbolism that goes to setting apart the elect in purification. This distinction was made until Christ. The theory was that the woman in her condition would defile that which was holy. However, that which was holy would also sanctify that which was in a state of purification. For this reason, the woman who was in a state of discharge and in need of cure was made clean by touching Christ’s garment. This did not make Christ unclean but rather the Holy Spirit flowed from Him to her making her clean.

Matthew 9:20-22  And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. (KJV)

This action pointed towards two things. One was that Christ was the new High Priest whose hem was set apart from Exodus 28:33-34; 39:25-26 and whose headband was also Holiness to the Lord (Ex. 28:36; 39:30). The second lesson was that by faith through the Holy Spirit cleanliness and purification are extended to the sick and the infirm. This is repeated again in Matthew, that we might see the importance of the presence of Christ to the impact of the Law and the prophets and the restoration of the sick and the infirm and the unclean.

Thus, from the Law, that which was unholy could not touch that which was holy. This was asked of the priests and the answer was given. Yet from God’s own law and prophecy the same situation pointed towards a time when God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh and make it Holy within His law and He would write it on their hearts. This action was accomplished through Messiah.

Thus all flesh was made holy in the Spirit and was cleansed through Messiah in the Holy Spirit. The Purification legislation pointed towards the cleansing of the human mother as Israel the Church, and Bride of Christ, and mother of the new nation. From this position we see that the mother is cleansed and may partake of the Lord’s Supper and Passover as one of the elect, being cleansed in the Holy Spirit.

If Christians are supposed to keep the Old Testament food laws, what about other Old Testament laws such as not wearing garments mingled of wool and linen? What about the quarantine legislation, and when a woman has an issue of blood? Are Christians to observe these also?

A: Yes, they are supposed to keep those laws. Some matters are covered in the paper Purification and Circumcision (No. 251)Quarantine legislation is very important and badly neglected. TB was eradicated in Australia by concerted effort forty years ago and now, through failure to observe strict quarantine, it is back and some of it is resistant.

When one is asked to testify in a court of law, one is asked to “swear.” But I believe scripture indicates not to swear.

Do you have any suggestions of how to handle the situation?

A: Israel swore oaths before God. The Law says thou “shalt not swear by my name falsely, nor profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord” (Lev. 19:12). There are many references to Israel swearing to truth. David swore an oath to Jonathan (1Sam. 20:12). Israel was made to swear (Ezra 10:5). Isaiah 65:16 prophecies that the earth shall swear by the God of truth and Scripture cannot be broken.

The idea of not swearing in Christianity comes from Matthew 5:34-36 when Christ said: “Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.”

This was interpreted as meaning you shall not swear an oath at all. For that reason, affirmations were permitted in a court of law. The text by Christ is “let your yes be yes and your no be no.” The sense of this was that pagans were swearing by their mother’s graves, and by all sorts of other strange ideas. The oath is: “Do you swear by almighty God to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” This is in accord with the sentiment of the text in Isaiah. The word “swear” has been changed to “affirm” and the term “Almighty God” has been removed. Pressure for the change came from Atheists and Pagans, but it also assisted the truly devout to avoid the possibility that they were in contravention of the dictum of Christ here in Matthew 5:34-37. Thus, he produced a hedge around the sentiment of swearing using the texts in Exodus 20:7; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21. Thus, we can deduce that Judah had introduced practices regarding swearing under the Law which contravened the Law and the Spirit of God. Look at the papers Law and the Ninth Commandment (No. 262)Law and the Third Commandment (No. 255)  and Swearing By God (No. 32)).

What is your view on what the punishment should be for violence on the innocent?

A: The implementation of punishment is contained in the papers on The Law of God (No. L1). Look at the papers: Law and the Sixth Commandment (No. 259); Law and the Seventh Commandment (No. 260); Law and the Eighth Commandment (No. 261) and Law and the Ninth Commandment (No. 262).

In the second resurrection, violence to the innocent is made good by God. All are resurrected and all are retrained in the Holy Spirit. Look at the logic of the release of Satan. At the end of the Millennium, God orders the release of Satan in order to deal with the planet. He also has allowed him to remain in power on this planet for six thousand years when he has the power to restrain him, and does so restrain him for the Millennium.

In this sense God is complicit in the evils of this world and responsible for allowing the evils to take place. Do we then judge God: By no means. This whole creation is a teaching exercise and at the end of it we will lose no one. We will keep the laws of God and love one another because it is clear to us all what will happen when we do not do so. The purpose of all punishment is the rehabilitation and protection of all people concerned.

What is your position on the death penalty? Is it biblical? If so, how should it be accomplished?

A: Yes, every one of the Ten Commandments is backed by the death penalty. The application of the death penalty is covered in the paper Law and the Sixth Commandment (No. 259) and Law and the Fifth Commandment (No. 258).

Leviticus 19:28 and Deuteronomy 14:2 teaches a Bible student what in relation to tattoos?

A: Tattooing and marking or carapacing is an ancient practice that is forbidden under the laws of God. The origins of the system are found in most ancient societies. The word (tat) actually comes from Polynesia and means, “to strike repeatedly.” The history and ancient times in both Egypt and Mesopotamia are in the paper Tattooing (No. 5)The earliest tattoos in ancient Egypt had the form of a fly (associated perhaps or seemingly with the god of Ekron) and also a form of cross like a swastika.

I appreciate the Biblical direction to “Owe no man.” I have been reading how the 7th year of a 7-year cycle should work. It would appear to me that there is provision to “owe” others at least for a time, otherwise why would debt that lingered past the 6th year need to be forgiven in the 7th year? In this day and age there seems no way to purchase land or houses within 6 years. How can we live in current economic conditions and obey this law?

A: The Bible is quite clear that it is improper to charge interest on any loan. Our world system makes slaves of our children and our poor. No debt can be carried on past the Sabbath year. We should owe no man anything. We should pay our debts. This is very difficult in modern society. Our people have virtually been sold into slavery by the system we have. We are all trying to get out of debt and simplify our lifestyles. We all find this very hard, and we have made it harder for our children than it was for us. The Jews get around this by saying that only applies to the Jews but they are only one of twelve tribes. Our houses are over priced. Our people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and those who obey God’s Laws make themselves prey. Look at the papers on The Law of God (No. L1), and especially Law and the Eighth Commandment (No. 261).

 

Is it okay to gamble? Surely it is simply spending hard-earned money to make more?

A: The Law works on productive increase. The making of money off the losses of another is contrary to the spirit of the Law of God. The Roman Catholic Church condones and in fact uses gambling. That is almost unique in the English speaking system. Gambling in America and Australia has been allowed to increase and the poker machine system has intruded virtually everywhere, such that the results are catastrophic. Gambling can become compulsive addictive behaviour for some as is the case with alcoholics and other drugs users. Compulsive gamblers lie, cheat and even steal to maintain and support their habit. At this point it destroys relationships, marriages and families. Many resort to suicide when things are out of control.

Problem gamblers have a specific mind-set in which the brain operates differently to that of other people. The prospect of gain makes the brain cross transfer impulses and produces larger than normal activity. They can’t help what they do. The pleasure is in the rush of actually risking all and losing. It is only the loss that is the true and full release. The social costs of gambling are horrendous and it will be stamped out in a just society

Food Laws

We are careful to obey Gods food laws. A friend of ours does not eat mushrooms because they have spores to reproduce and he does not consider a spore to be a seed. Have I been wrong in eating mushrooms?

A: No, Mushrooms can be eaten. This idea came from the concept that as we were given seeds to eat and clean animals and spore driven items were not specifically mentioned then anything that grows from spores is unclean in that they are not mentioned among the foods to be eaten or not eaten.

If spore borne items were not to be eaten as unclean then we would be in real trouble. We could not eat Leavened Bread at all as yeast is a spore product. The offerings at Pentecost would be a bizarre contradiction as the two loaves at Pentecost are leavened. God would be ordering us to contradict his own laws.

Beer is leavened by yeast. Wine is yeast fermented. Wild spores are in the air and we eat them all the time. All food has been exposed to some spore activity. Yet God tells us that only for seven days are we not to eat leaven. This is a case of excess zeal not according to knowledge. The people who said this no doubt are trying to be faithful to what they know but have picked up this error from some of the more way out groups keeping the food laws.

One of the academics in the Oxford/Cambridge system published a book a few years ago now about Christ and the mushroom cult. That sort of reasoning is the result of an overactive imagination. The Church of God should be able to see through this error.

We know the food laws are in effect, but if someone needs supplements, i.e. calcium, should it be from a clean animal or plant-based or because it is not being consumed for food, it does not matter? 

A: This is an interesting point. Most food supplements that are required are necessitated by vegetarianism, which is a perversion of Bible laws. If the food laws are obeyed and clean animals are consumed, the necessity for food supplements is considerably reduced. If quality vegetables are consumed in proportion, then the likelihood is reduced. If vitamins were needed, then the manufacturing process would not normally involve unclean animals. In the case of insulin, there are types available from clean animals. The Food laws protect the planet and its environment as well. Look at the papers The Food Laws (No. 15); Vegetarianism and the Bible (No. 183); Wine in the Bible (No. 188) and Balance (No. 209).

Some people I know refuse to eat pork and certain fish. Are they just being fanatical or could there be a valid reason for this in this century with refrigeration available?

A: There is a valid reason for it. The food laws were given in the Bible. God does nothing without good reason. The food laws were dismissed by anthropologists such as Mary Douglas on taboo grounds. Drs. Nanji and French had demonstrated in 1986 that pork was a cause of cirrhosis of the liver. There are a host of other scientific reasons that are covered in the paper The Food Laws (No. 15).

 

There are sound reasons for not eating all the unclean varieties prohibited in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 and the handling legislation. The Foodlaws were not eliminated in the New Testament and Acts 10 concerns the conversion of the Gentiles, and not Peter eating unclean food. Look also at the papers Balance (No. 209)Vegetarianism and the Bible (No. 183) and Wine in the Bible (No. 188).

Do biblical food laws prohibit eating meat? Or just certain meats like pork?

A: The food laws prohibit the eating of certain types of meat such as pork. All animals that chew the cud and have cloven hooves are clean to eat. Thus, one can eat a giraffe but not a pig. The pig, among other things, has been demonstrated to cause cirrhosis of the liver due to a chemical in the soft tissue of its flesh that cannot be removed. There are sound scientific reasons for all the food laws.

Fish that can be eaten must have fins and scales. The reason for this is that fish without scales lack the capacity to isolate heavy metals and toxins making them unavailable for human consumption. For example, one can eat tuna but not shark. The reason is that a tuna has scales and that seems to be indicative of a process whereby the mercury levels, while similar to a shark, are bound up with selenium to make it unavailable for human digestion. The selenium is again bound up with arsenates, which are too small to effect human digestion. Prawns and similar seafood have heavy metals in distributed forms throughout their bodies. Oysters cause various entero-viruses and are reinfective agents. Look at the paper The Food Laws (No. 15).

Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 seem to indicate we are to eat certain types of food and avoid other types of food. Do these food laws tie to the ten commandments?

A: All of the law and the prophets are subtended from the Two Great Commandments. These are:

  1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength.
  2. You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

The Ten Commandments are directly under these. The first four Commandments hang from the First Great and the last six hang from the Second Great Commandment. The Fifth Commandment ties the two together. The responsibility to “make alive” covers a series of aspects both of the environment and of the individual. The well being of the planet depends in part on the food laws. These are explained at the paper The Food Laws (No. 15).

The relationship to the Law is found in the Law series Law of God (No. L1) and particularly Law and the Fifth Commandment (No. 258) and Law and the Sixth Commandment (No. 259).

All of the Laws of God tie into the Ten Commandments and the prophets explain them all. The New Testament is simply commentary on them. That is why it is so absurd to suggest that Messiah would have eliminated them in any way. That is why we are commanded to read the Law every Sabbath year so that we understand how the Law works and interacts. All of the Law proceeds from the nature of God and reflects that nature.

Tithes and Offerings

I once belonged to a church, which had special offerings that were taken up on the Feast day, seven times during the year. I’ve also read in Deuteronomy 16 and in Exodus 23 that there are three feasts to attend and that offerings were made here. Wouldn’t God be more pleased with seven annual offerings than with only three? 

A: If God had wanted seven offerings in a year, He would have said seven and not three times a year. If He had wanted a weekly offering, He would have said that. Instead, He instituted the tithe system and three offerings a year at the three feast seasons. The issue of tithing and offerings is examined in the papers Tithing (No. 161) and Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256).

I was studying your paper Tithing (No. 161), when I saw that offerings are to be 3 times a year not 7. I do agree. You also mentioned Atonement is strictly forbidden as an offering. Could you please tell me where I could find the Atonement offering forbidden in these scriptures?

A: The law regarding the Atonement tax is at Exodus 30:15: “The rich shall not give more the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give and offering unto the Lord to make an atonement for your souls.” Originally it was a tax without exception in Israel. Now it is a tax without distinction paid for us by Christ, and salvation is open to the Gentiles and they enter Israel by grace and adoption as sons of God.

This concept is developed in Acts 10:34 and Romans 3:22,23; 10:12. The offering is a heave offering. Bullinger also understands this point in his notes to the Companion Bible at Exodus 30:15. When an offering is taken up on Atonement, it is a direct violation of the Law and a rejection of the all-embracing power of the redemption of Christ and the extension of Salvation to the Gentiles.

My pastor says that if a believer does not tithe he is stealing from God and therefore is a thief, and that thieves do not go to heaven. Is he scripturally correct? 

A: Your pastor is referring to the text in Malachi 3:7-12. If you do not tithe, you rob God. This is covered in the paper Tithing (No. 161). It is a sign of the return of the individual to God. However, it is only one sign and your pastor cannot have it both ways. The Law of God has to be kept and so do the commandments regarding the festivals. The Tithes and Offerings are tied up with the Feasts of the Lord. Look at the paper Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256). It is all too common for ministers to appeal to the law regarding tithing, and yet ignore it on all the other important aspects. You may find it interesting to look at the series on The Law of God (No. L1).

No one goes to heaven. It was the test of a true Christian in the early church. If anyone said that they were a Christian and that when they died they went to heaven, they were not to be believed. That was the test of a Christian and a Gnostic. Anyone who said that when they died they went to heaven, showed by that statement they were a Gnostic and not a Christian (see Justin Martyr, Second Apology). This is covered in the papers The Soul (No. 92) and The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143).

ISRAEL

Weren’t there 12 judges in Israel? Does this have anything to do with there being twelve tribes? 

A: The twelve judges of Israel have a relationship to the twelve tribes and were drawn from them. The apostles also head the twelve tribes and the 144,000 are also allocated to them. The twelve apostles and the twelve judges all represent the twenty-four elders of the inner council, and the twenty-four high priests of the division of the Temple also have this symbolism. Look at the papers The City of God (No. 180) and Samson and the Judges (No. 73).

Do you know how many kings there were in Israel from Saul until the deportation by the Assyrians? 

A: There is a list of the kings in the Companion Bible at Appendix 50 but the chronology is completely erroneous. The Kings of the combined kingdom of Israel and Judah were Saul, David and Solomon.

Jeroboam reigned over Israel from the Division, and Rehoboam reigned over Judah. From then on the kings of Israel were: Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri (7days), Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum (1 month), Menahem, Pekahiah s. of Menahem, Pekah s. of Remaliah, and Hoshea. In 722 BCE, the fall of Samaria to the Assyrians occurred and Israel was taken into captivity. Total: 22 kings of Israel.

This question involves one of the tribes of Israel. The tribes are numbered as thirteen when the two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh are counted separately but when they are counted as one single tribe they are numbered as twelve. In Genesis 49 Ephraim and Manasseh are counted as one tribe. In Ezekiel 48 the two half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh are treated as two separate tribes, making the number of the tribes thirteen. Regardless of how one counts the tribes, the fact is Dan has been left out here. Why has Dan been left out of the 144,000?

A: The birthright is with Joseph because Reuben lost it through fornication with one of the wives. Levi was the priesthood and so became the thirteenth tribe, but not taking part in the physical blessings of Israel directly but through the tithe, which was given to it as the priesthood. Joseph, as the birthright holder, had a double portion under the law. This went to Ephraim firstly and Manasseh secondly. Look at the papers Law and the Fifth Commandment (No. 258) and The Law of God (No. L1) and the Law series generally.

In Numbers 10 we see the battle order of the tribes of Israel. These are East: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; South: Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; West: Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin; North: Dan, Asher, and Napthali. These differ from Ezekiel 48, which is a prophetic or millennial system. In that system, Joseph goes back to one allocation and Dan resumes their order. Reuben goes to the North with Judah as firstborn, and this is now the reverse of the order of battle of the original tribes. There is also an allocation of the lands according to the tribes as well, which is not being examined here. The lands of Israel will stretch to the Euphrates.

The text in Revelation 7 refers to the priesthood for the inner priests of Christ comprising the 144,000. These were drawn out as living sacrifices comprising a council of 72 per year for the forty Jubilees of the church in the wilderness. 72 x 2000 equals 144,000. This is explained in the paper The Harvests of God, the New Moon Sacrifices, and the 144,000 (No. 120). Levi’s major function is as a priest tribe therefore they resume their normal duties and take a share in the priesthood of the 144,000.

To achieve this Dan who has another major birthright promise to take up yields part of its inheritance as does Ephraim and they share in the 12,000 of Joseph who is always a combined tribe. Manasseh takes 12,000 in its own right, which is very interesting. Dan then takes its birthright and becomes judge in Israel as promised in Genesis 49:16. This is the reason for the verse: “I have waited for thy salvation O Lord.” Only on the return does Dan take up his inheritance as Judge in Israel. This is Scripture and cannot be broken.

Dan then takes its position at the East gate in Ezekiel’s system with Joseph and Benjamin, the children of Rachel. This is the place of entry of the Messiah and hence the seat of Judgment. There is another point also in the birthright promises that has not been taken up as yet, and that is the calling of the people to Jerusalem. That birthright is taken up by Issachar and Zebulun (Deut. 33:18-19). Look at the paper Calling the Peoples to Jerusalem (No. 238). None of these three tribes has exercised these birthright promises as yet and Scripture cannot be broken. God’s word does not come back void or empty.

Does God give any indication as to the criterion for the order of the tribes for battle (as referenced in your answer citing Numbers 10) and for the order of the tribes at the gates (cited in Ezekiel 48)? Levi is not in the battle order (with Ephraim and Manasseh counted as sons of Israel) but Levi is in the gate order (with Ephraim and Manasseh represented by Joseph)?

A: Levi is in the battle order in Numbers 10 carrying the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple, but is broken up for these purposes. Look at the paper The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196). They carried the physical structure and thus, were an order of priests set apart for that purpose.

We are the Temple of God now and we are the Oracles of God. We are the Ark of the Covenant and that is why Jeremiah was told to hide it where he did. If they found it again where it is hidden, we would have to send a team to re-bury it. There is a new order of priests after the order of Melchisedek, and which comprises Levi who paid tithes in the loins of Abraham to Melchisedek and is thus a lesser priesthood. Hence, Levi is one of the priesthood for the millennial system and thus appears in the gate order as the apostles of the twelve tribes are over each one. Look also at the papers Melchisedek (No. 128) and The Oracles of God (No. 184). This gate order in Ezekiel tells you the gate order of the City of God. Thus, we can also be given an indication of the foundations of the apostles over the tribes from their placement and dispersion. This is another matter. Look at the paper The City of God (No. 180).

It is also our view that the order of the tribes in the Gates is indicative of the order of March. As you are aware, Messiah enters always via the east gate and that is why it is bricked up at the moment in the wall at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The witnesses will probably shatter that gate when they arrive, in preparation for or at the arrival of Messiah, when the Mount of Olives cleaves and the First Resurrection occurs. Look at the paper The Witnesses (including the Two Witnesses) (No. 135). As Dan is judge, it is also in the East gate with the birthright tribes, but Dan leads the sons of Rachel, the birthright tribe of Joseph (i.e. Ephraim, Manasseh and the son of the promise, Benjamin). Dan thus becomes first and not last. Judah is the rearguard, instead of Dan, as Messiah is our rearward or rearguard protection. This will take place during the Millennium also. It is written: Manasseh shall feed off Ephraim then Ephraim shall feed off Manasseh (which is where we are now) and then both shall feed off Judah. Again, Scripture cannot be broken. Look also at the paper Rachel and the Law (No. 281). This may also give an indication of the birthright shift from west to east.

Three tribes were also given an inheritance over Jordan, these were half Manasseh, Reuben and Gad and some Ephraim and Dan also joined them in Gilead. Dan split into two as well in the occupation. Israel and Assyria will come out of Europe in the north, hand in hand, to reoccupy the Middle East also. We moved into Europe in the second century CE when the Parthian Empire fell and joined the rest of the Israelite-Hittite-Phoenician alliance in Britain and West Europe in the fourth century. The Bar Kochba rebels of Judah had gone on to America after the failure of the revolt in the second century. Look at the paper The Unitarian/Trinitarian Wars (No. 268).

Allen’s work of Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright misidentified the tribal movements and trivialised the issue. The US and BC in Prophecy, published by the  Worldwide Church of God, merely reinforced the historical errors by plagiarising Allen’s work. The movement from Europe will be after the wars of the Fifth and Sixth trumpets. The last wars of the kings of the North and South are about to begin. Look also at The Seven Seals (No. 140) and The Seven Trumpets (No. 141). The movement will commence with the flooding of the Netherlands and the low countries in the not too distant future (See the paper Global Warming and Bible Prophecy (No. 218).

 

This is in reference to the allocation of the 24 elders. I realise there are 4 cherubim around God’s throne. I thought this would make 4 quadrants or areas of responsibility; therefore I would divide 24 by 4 and get 6 elders given responsibility under each cherub. The division might continue with the 12 judges and 12 apostles each also being allocated responsibility under a cherub, with 3 judges and 3 apostles to each quadrant. Would this be correct?

A: Yes, your idea is correct. Israel was divided as two divisions to a tribe. There were three tribes to a quadrant. The zodiac is a corruption of the divisions of the government which the tribes represent.

The East, and first, quadrant under the Lion which is of Judah is: Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. They are first in the order of march. Second is the South, or man system, of Reuben Simeon and Gad. Third is the Western, or Bull-headed system, which is Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. Fourth, or last, is the Northern or Eagle system, which is also represented by a Scorpion and balances in judgment. These tribes are Dan, Asher and Napthali.

These are the rearguard of Israel, hence the sting in the tail and also the symbol of the serpents path. The Tabernacles and the priesthood move between the First and Second Quadrants. The position of the Ark is examined in the paper The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196). Look also at the papers The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision (No. 108) and The Government of God (No. 174). This structure will become the City of God. Look at the paper The City of God (No. 180).

Moses

In this verse (Ex. 32:19) it states that Moses broke the 2 tablets. Then he had to go back up to get them written again. Does this have any significant meaning? Is there more to this than Moses just getting mad?

A: Yes, this has great significance. The symbolism was that Israel would break the law and be unable to keep it in a state of sin, being divorced from God. The second time represented the new Moses who was to come as Jesus Christ, who would ascend to the Mountain of God and return with the Holy Spirit, which would lock the law of God in all our hearts.

That is why, when Christ ascended to the throne of God on the Wave Sheaf at 9 a.m. following his resurrection, he returned that day and breathed the Holy Spirit on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:22).

Would you please explain if Moses’ wife and 2 children went with Moses when he returned to Egypt to lead God’s people to freedom? Exodus 4:20 seems to indicate they were along on part of the trip; yet, Exodus 18:1-5 indicates that Jethro brought Moses’ wife and children.

A: Zipporah went down to Egypt with Moses and the two boys as we see in Exodus 4. She appears to have tried to prevent the circumcision of Eliezar and nearly had him killed because of that fact. She then did it herself to save his life and accused Moses because of it. The language in the texts is accusative. She was herself a descendent of Abraham, through the sons of Keturah, and should have known better.

Exodus 18:2 says that Moses sent her back. It was probably at this point in Ex. 4:26 that he sent her back to her father Jethro from the inn, thus she did not make it to Egypt. The meeting of Aaron and Moses in the next verse (Ex. 4:27) makes no mention of her or the boys. Nothing short of wholehearted spiritual strength would bring Israel out of this Exodus with their minds set on God.

In Exodus 14 it speaks of the hosts of Pharaoh. Who were these and do they have symbolic meaning? 

A: The entire story of Moses and the Exodus is dealing with the nation, and also the fallen host that it worshipped and by which it was governed. The significance of this is covered in a paper on the Exodus called Moses and the Gods of Egypt (No. 105).

The entire structure of the Bible is allegory and parables dealing with the structure of the Plan of Salvation. You will also enjoy the paper Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115), which takes the Exodus on to Sinai and the giving of the Law. The next paper in that aspect is The Golden Calf (No. 222). Thus, we have both a physical host and spiritual host, which God dealt with through Christ. Look also at the paper The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).

I need some information on the Red Sea parting. I once saw something about a scientific reason for this. Any biblical reference will be of great importance for what I am looking for.

A: For a long time scientists and people in general have been trying to explain away the miracle of Israel and the Exodus in the crossing of the Red Sea. Some linguists try to make it read the Reed Sea and place it as a marsh in the area of the canal. The Israelites allegedly marched over the marsh of the reed sea and the Egyptian chariots sank. However, that is not what the Bible says happened.

There is another version which places Pi ha Hiroth on the Gulf of Aqaba. It is asserted that the gaps in the mountains either side allowed the deluge to wash down massive amounts of soil and that there is a bridge under the water, some few hundred feet down. Thus, the sea was piled up on the sides of the underwater bridge and the Israelites crossed into Midian near Jebel el Laws in Saudi Arabia. The name means, “The Mountain of the Law” in Arabic. There is a video purporting to have been made at this site. We have no evidence of its authenticity. When we can send a team there, we will look for the crossing.

Which day of the First month did Israel start the seven-day march around the walls of Jericho?

A: Israel, under Joshua, crossed into the Promised Land on the tenth day of the First month, and was set aside to the Lord in circumcision on that day. They abode four days and on the Fourteenth day of the First month, they killed the Passover and ate of the old corn of Canaan on the First Holy Day of Unleavened Bread (Josh. 5:11). This act enabled Rahab to be counted by the scarlet thread on her lintels, and salvation was again extended to the Gentiles as part of Israel.

Joshua 5:13 says that “it came to pass that when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted his eyes and there stood a man against him with a drawn sword.”

This is held to be between the 15th and 21st of the First month. We can assume that they kept the 15th as a holy day as commanded. We can make one of two deductions. The command of Christ as the Captain of the Host of God came to him when he was near Jericho. We might assume that the story is conjoint and that he spoke with Christ on the 14th day, and that the activities of the host took place from 15th Nisan and went for seven days. The Seventh Days were the Holy Days, and the walls went flat and the children of Israel entered on the last Holy Day of Unleavened Bread. This has merit in that the symbolism of the feast of Unleavened Bread is to remove sin, as malice and wickedness, from among us. The fall of Jericho is symbolised by this activity. The difficulty with this is that the major activity of the battle took place on a Holy Day.

We might conclude that this was done to show the victory of the host was enabled by the right conduct of Israel as the Church keeping the feasts of God. In this light, the case has merit. In the other view, we might say that the story is continuing; that the events took place over the Feast and the Last day’s activities took place on the day after the Holy Day. In which case, we overcome the objection but we lose the full power of the symbolism of the Battle and the purpose of the feast of Unleavened Bread.

The story is covered in the paper The Fall of Jericho (No. 142) but this aspect is not properly developed there. The seven days were most probably the seven days of Unleavened Bread from 15 to 21 Abib. The battle and victory took place at the end of the Feast. The end result is that the first day was 15 Abib, but it may possibly have been 16 Abib. It is discounted as being after the 21st, as the full symbolism of Abib is lost.

Christ probably appeared to Joshua as the prototype on 14 Abib.

The fall of Jericho sounds a little like the book of Revelation with the marching around the city for seven days, and going around seven times on the seventh day. Is this coincidence, or is there a link here? 

A: The actions of the Old Testament were a reflection of the New Testament and the Church. The entire story of the forty years in the wilderness and the taking of the Promised Land were a reflection of the forty Jubilees in the wilderness of the church.

Christ met Joshua, son of Nun of Ephraim, at the plain of Jericho as the captain of the Army of God, and he will come again to Israel to save them and place them again in their inheritance. The paper The Fall of Jericho (No. 142) deals with the similarities of which you speak.

Was there any significance to the red cords that Rahab was told to put in the window of her house so that the Israelite army would not kill anyone in her house? 

A: The red cords were a symbol of the blood of the lamb that was on the doorposts and lintels of Israel in Egypt. Rahab had made a deliberate decision to affix herself to the body of Israel. She was the symbol of the salvation of the Gentiles. There was a mixed multitude that also joined Israel when they went out of Egypt.

The Lamb was her protection here, as it was in Egypt. Here he came as the captain of the Army of the Lord. He also gave the Law to Moses. The same thing was said to Joshua as was said to Moses: “Take off your shoes for the place where you are standing is Holy Ground.” Look at the paper The Fall of Jericho (No. 142).

Rahab was told to put red cords in the window of her house so that the Israelite army would not kill her or her family. Is this the same concept as the blood put on the doorposts of the Israelites’ houses on the first Passover?

A: Yes, but not many people make that connection. If Judah understood that, then they would all be converted. This is why we have to keep the Lord’s Supper on 14 Abib and the Night of Watchings on 15 Abib. That is why the first thing the pagans eliminated from the Church was the Passover, and substituted Easter using the bishops in Rome from Anicetus in 152 to Victor in 190-192. Once they did that, the Church in Rome was cut off from Christ and the rest was easy. Look at the paper The Quartodeciman Disputes (No. 277) and also the papers The Lord’s Supper (No. 103)The Passover (No. 98) and Sanctification of the Temple of God (No. 241).

Idols and Images

There seems to be a contradiction in the story of the golden idol or idols that Aaron either made or allowed to be made while Moses was upon the Mount. After the completion of the molten calf or calves, he said at Exodus 32:4 “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” Then Nehemiah 9:18 says they had made for themselves a molten calf, indicating a singular idolCould you please clarify the difference?

A: Yes, this is another contradiction in the Bible, which serves to illustrate a lesson. Aaron is recorded as saying: “These be thy gods, O Israel” and Nehemiah says Aaron said, “This is thy god, O Israel.” Aaron is speaking of the earrings that were used in the construction, which were themselves amulets which were collected, and from which the calf was made.

Nehemiah’s reference is in the singular to illustrate it was only one idol made up from many individual amulets. The calf was allowed because it served as a teaching lesson and cleaned idolaters out of the priesthood. The nation was also cleaned of the amulets. The idolatrous purpose behind these protections for the orifices of the head is explained in the paper The Origin of the Wearing of Earrings and Jewellery in Ancient Times (No. 197)The story of the Calf and the theology behind it is found in the paper The Golden Calf (No. 222).

In reading further about the account of Israel making an idol while Moses was away, I am wondering why they chose to make a calf instead of say a lion or a bear or some other creature. Was there some particular reason why they chose to make a calf?

A: The calf was a symbol of the moon god, Sin. The horns, symbolised by the crescent moon, were also associated with the finger of Ashirat, which was another name for the deity associated with the feminine aspects, as Istar. The horns in Egypt were also associated with Hathor who was a symbol of fertility as a pregnant horned female. As the mother goddess she was associated with Isis and also Nut. Isis was the consort of Osiris and the mother lover of Horus, as was Easter (or Istar or Ashtoreth) of the Baal-Easter system. They are all part of the mystery sun cults.

The Trinity stems from this system as the Triune God and appears in Egypt as Osiris, Isis and Horus; in Palestine as Baal, Ashtoreth and the Morning star as the third element; and in Rome it was as Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva who was the virgin of the Immaculate Conception. These elements were transferred into Christianity in total by the fifth and sixth centuries. The term “Easter” comes from “Istar,” as does “Ostar” or “Ostara.”

The Minotaur of the Cretans is the same as the god Chemosh and Milcom (hence Malcolm) of the Moabites and Ammonites. The human sacrifices were offered to the god and sometimes cooked alive inside it. This is the origin of passing your children through the fire to Moloch. This Golden Calf was worshipped among the Irish Celts until the 5th century and cannibalism is noted among the Scots in France during the same century. The details are found in the papers The Golden Calf (No. 222) and The Origins of Christmas and Easter (No. 235).

I heard that images were authorized based on John 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” The reasoning was that Christ approved the making and exalting of the brazen serpent, by which the Israelites were healed in the desert. I know Christ would never support worshipping an image but what is the correct understanding of the text?

A: Moses used the brazen serpent as a symbol to Israel that they had power over the serpents and it acted as a psychological prop for people who were bitten (cf. Num. 21:9). No one prayed to it or worshipped it. Moses was dealing with the problem of getting an uneducated people to a point where God could work with them. It was also a prophecy that referred back to the position in Genesis where the heel of the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent and he would bruise his heel. This referred to the battle between Christ, as head of Israel and the Church, and Satan. It looked forward to the redemption of man by the elevated Christ who was to die for our sins. These papers are relevant: Moses and the God’s of Egypt (No. 105); Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115) and The Cross: Its Origin and Significance (No. 39).

Joshua

I am doing a report on the man Joshua in the Bible. I have several questions, but a lack of resources. I need a basic bibliography of Joshua’s life and how he did things. Can you help?

A: You can get an idea of the life of Joshua, and the symbolism of what he did and his environment, from looking at five papers for the background to the Exodus and the significance of what he did: The Passover (No. 98); Moses and the Gods of Egypt (No. 105); Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115); The Golden Calf (No. 222) and The Fall of Jericho (No. 142).

He was the son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim. The concept of his name here means, “the Salvation of God (Yahoshua) comes through Endurance (Nun).” These were names of the Messiah. “Jesus” is a rendering in English of the Greek form of writing “Joshua.” It is correctly translated Joshua in English (see the paper Joshua, the Messiah, the Son of God (No. 134)).

He was a young man in Egypt who came out with Moses. He was one of the twelve spies and the only one of the twelve, along with Caleb of Judah, to enter the Promised Land. He rose to war leader of Israel and was chosen as Judge of Israel to enter the Promised Land. He took Jericho and then the cities mentioned in the Bible text in progression. He lived to 110 years of age. He was buried in his inheritance on the North side of the hill of Gaash on the border of his inheritance, which was the city of Timnath Serah in Mount Ephraim. The Septuagint adds to Joshua 24:30 that they buried the knives of stone with him that he used to circumcise Israel at Gilgal.

Look at the Book of Joshua for the details of the conquest and his life, as that is the most comprehensive account. You will find sketches of his life in the Bible dictionaries at your library. Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible is a good one and so too is ISBE.

I was reading the book of Joshua and saw a few things that were of interest. One was that when he was to take the people over the Jordan to the land God had promised them, he had a priest step into the Jordan and it was divided just like the red sea and the people went across on dry land. Does this prefigure baptism? Also they had to circumcise all the males again because they had wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Why weren’t they circumcised 8 days after birth? Joshua was instructed to take 12 rocks and make a memorial. Do the 12 rocks represent the 12 apostles?

A: Joshua is a very interesting text. The symbolism of entering the Promised Land was like that of Israel in the Exodus. The Passover brought them out of Egypt. This was a type of Christ, who was the Passover Lamb. They could have gone into the Promised Land when the twelve were sent to spy out the land but only two, Joshua and Caleb, were dedicated enough. These two symbolised Israel and Judah.

They then had to spend forty years in the wilderness before they were allowed to enter. That is the same as the Forty Jubilees of the Church in the wilderness. They were not circumcised so as to make a difference between the old generation, which refused to take up their inheritance, and the ones not part of the decision that were born in the wilderness. That represented the Church.

The Church has to be prepared once again for the coming of the Messiah, and so does Israel. The priest standing in the Jordan was symbolic of baptism. These people were brought through the Jordan and then circumcised into Israel and the Covenant. The circumcision here represents the rolling of sin from the Gentiles and from the nation of Israel. There were twelve stones left in the middle thread of the river. This is a boundary marker and the division of Israel and the world. There were twelve stones also taken as an altar at Gilgal.

There are thus two lots of twelve as twenty-four stones. These in two divisions represent the two aspects of the priesthood and the apostles and judges. The symbolism of what happened there and its relationship to the Plan of Salvation and the Return of Messiah is explained in the paper The Fall of Jericho (No. 142).

 

What is the meaning of the 2 spies hiding in the hill country for 3 days (Joshua 2:1-24)? There are many references to 3 days, i.e. sign of Jonah, etc.

A: It is another example of the two witnesses’ concept. We saw it with John and Messiah, and we will see it again when the witnesses get here. The two spies act as witnesses against the civilisation they are sent to spy out. In the last days, the two will stand for 1,260 days and then they will be killed by the world systems. They will lie in the streets for 3 ½ days and then be resurrected. Look at the papers The Fall of Jericho (No. 142) and The Witnesses (including the Two Witnesses) (No. 135).

 

Judges

What is the meaning of this passage (Jud 9:7-21) in reference to 4 different types of trees and other components of the text?

A: The trees of Judges 9:7-21 represent the trees of Israel’s power and the fourth false system of the Antichrist that is allowed to rule over it, and in the end destroys it.

Trees went forth, in the emphatic sense in the Hebrew, with great earnestness of purpose. (cf. Companion Bible n. to v. 8). The first is the olive, which represented Israel’s religious privileges and power (cf. Rom. 11 and Zechariah 4 re the olive trees). The Olive Trees are the power of witness of the nation of Israel. By the oil of its fatness, the nation honours God. In other words, the power of its witness was used to glorify God. But the spirit, who represented the trees, wanted it to participate in a false system of self-aggrandisement.

They asked the fig tree, which was the symbol of Israel’s national privileges (Mat. 21:19-20; Mk. 11:13, 20, 21; Lk. 13:6-9). This was its birthright promise. The fig held to its birthright under temptation of the host, who wanted to tempt it to defeat its birthright promise.

The vine was Israel’s spiritual privilege. For the vineyard of the Lord is the whole house of Israel (cf. Isaiah chap 5 and John chap 15). The word “leave” in v. 13 is “forsake” as in v. 11, and the concept is that of forsaking the power of the Holy Spirit through this temptation of the host and its false system. The wine here is “tirosh” or “new wine” which cheers both God and man. This is the wine of the Lord’s Supper and the Passover of the saints of God.

The bramble is the false tree of the Antichrist system and the false system of worship, which devours Israel through the fallen host and the Babylonian Mystery and sun cults. This is seen as devouring the false nation under the Antichrist system. This also can be seen from the concept of the story of Gideon. Look at Gideon’s Force and the Last Days (No. 22).

In Judges 19 we read about a situation where a Levite has a concubine that has been gone 4 months and he goes after her to reconcile after she has been unfaithful. It is quite similar to the time of Lot. The woman is raped to death by the sons of Belial then her man dismembers her and distributes the 12 body parts into all the coasts of Israel. Is there some symbolism here for us today and why did they not hesitate to turn the women over to these men as Lot was also willing to give his daughters?

A: Yes, there are some striking parallels in this story. The tempting conclusion is that the symbolism of the Levite is Christ, as elohim of Israel. The concubine from Bethlehem-Judah (a Jewess of Messiah’s clan) who was unfaithful was Israel that was taken in and repented as the church. Bethlehem-Judah was also of the Gentiles in Tamar and Ruth.

There are two periods of four whole months, which are two lots of 120 prophetic days. This was allowed to happen so that the message to the tribes would be understood. The tribe of Benjamin was the youngest and the “son of the promise.” Saul was also from Gibeah. The tribe was almost wiped out and then was allowed to be rebuilt by the stealing of the daughters of the tribes.

The Church was abused and murdered by the sons of Israel. Israel decided to rebuke Benjamin, but lost 40,000 men in two days. But Benjamin was destroyed except for 600 who formed a nucleus of the new tribe. The real message is that Israel paid a price for the treatment of the Church and the sons of the promise were also wiped out and then had to be built up at the expense of all.

Gideon

Would you please explain if Gideon had 70 sons (Jdg. 8:30) or 72 because Abimelech and Jotham were his sons and not accounted for in the dead of Jdg. 9:5? What is the significance of these numbers and systems?

A: Yes, the seventy represent the elders of Israel and the council of the Church. The Sanhedrin were always referred to as the seventy, but were always understood as seventy plus two. They represented the Council of God and were understood as having the two. This was depicted by the seventy with Eldad and Medad outside the tabernacle under Moses. Moses and Aaron also depicted the positions of Christ and God over the seventy.

This position was also seen in the Sanhedrin at the time of Christ, where the Seventy were supervised by the High Priest and his deputy (Annas and Caiaphas at the time of Christ). This later became the Nasi or prince and the High priest. Luke 10:1,17 shows that the seventy were ordained by Christ and sent out but the text in the Greek reads “hebdomekonta”[duo] or seventy[two]. Gideon represents the story of the church in the last days. Look at the paper Gideon’s Force and the Last Days (No. 22).

Samson

Was Samson’s power really derived from his hair, or did he just think so? 

A: His hair was a symbol of the power of the Holy Spirit. Until the Messiah, the closest one could get to the elect was as a Nazirite under vow, and their hair was not cut.

Other than that, God conferred his power on individuals according to their selection as prophets or kings, such as David, or the elders of Israel, and the Judges. Now all men can approach God through Christ and be given the Holy Spirit. What they do with it determines their entry to the First Resurrection.

God also calls whom He chooses and predestines. These are the called and chosen of Romans 8:29-30 and they are thus justified and glorified. Many are called but few are chosen. Look at the paper Samson and the Judges (No. 73) for a fuller explanation of the operation of the Holy Spirit in the cycles and the explanation of some important parables.

Samson gave a riddle to thirty companions (Jdg. 14:12-14). Later Samson’s wife told them the answer, after which he got mad and went into town and slayed 30 men and took their festal garments and gave them to the companions. My question is this: Is there some kind of symbolism to this story?

A: The story points to the structure of the inner council of God and also to the salvation of the Gentiles. The council is comprised of seventy plus two. But the inner council is comprised of twenty-four divisional commanders or elders allotted to the four covering cherubim, in divisions and structures of two to a unit of twelve as were the high priests symbolising them; and then into quadrants of six in three units as were the tribes of Israel divided into quadrants of three making up twelve tribes (see Num. 10).

The Lamb and the Ancient of Days make up the inner throne council of the thirty. Satan was also removed from this council and will be replaced. The thirty garments are representative of the allocation of the Holy Spirit in power and the opportunity of salvation going to the Gentiles. If they had gone to God, He would have told them that out of the dead carcasses of the lion came the fruit or honey of the Holy Spirit.

The word “Essene” means “Bees” and this was the ancient religion of Assyria right up until the time of Christ, and was seen in the Celibate priests of the Baal-Easter system. Instead they ploughed with Samson’s heifer and he killed them and took the garments they already had. This was a warning to the demonic host as well. Look at the paper Samson and the Judges (No. 73); The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80); David and Goliath (No. 126) and The Pinata (No. 276).

Ruth

In the book of Ruth, Boaz represents Christ and Ruth the Church. Who does Ruth’s kinsman, who does not fulfil his obligation to marry her, represent? Is it Satan or someone or something else? 

A: It is symbolic of Levi and Judah as a whole who failed the Gentiles because of their xenophobia, and also of Satan and the fallen Host who were given the responsibility for the Gentiles but failed to take them into the Kingdom of God as brides.

The elder kinsman is both Levi and Judah, and the Anointed Covering Cherub that was Lucifer. Look at the paper Ruth (No. 27) and also look at Lucifer: Light Bearer and Morning Star (No. 223) and Lost Sheep and The Prodigal Son (No. 199).

1Samuel

Would you comment on 1Samuel 6. Once again I noticed it contained the number 5. How did the Philistines have a concept of the guilt offering? Is there any significance regarding the cities and their religions? Also was the ark returned around Pentecost since they were harvesting wheat?

A: In this text in 1Samuel 6 we see the Ark receives its own divine title as “The Ark of Yahovah.” The Law was placed within the Ark, as the Law proceeded from Yahovah of Hosts to the entire Host through the Holy Spirit.

The Ark was captured after the Feasts of the Seventh month and was with the Philistines for seven months. The symbolism is this. Israel was to live by the law of God and protect the Law as Holy, Perfect, Righteous and Good Truth, which thing also is God.

The Ark was given to the Gentiles and they had it but did not live according to the laws of God and so the curses or the plagues of Egypt came upon them. In this way, they attracted the emerods and the mice, which were the plagues of Egypt. They got piles, in other words, and no doubt boils and other things, as well as the mice plague.

However, we know that the five cities of the Lords of the Philistines were all struck by the plagues and they were given until the Passover, and then the second Passover experienced during the Omer count and the fifty days to Pentecost, which is the Wheat Harvest.

So, the Philistines were given a chance at salvation. They were given the five months of grace, from the Last Great Day to the Preparation for the Sanctification of the Temple and the Passover, which they did not observe and so they were under judgment and the curses of Deuteronomy 28 came on them being under judgment. Look at the paper The Blessings and the Curses (No. 75).

They did not repent and take the First Passover, and then failing that the second Passover, as is provided by Law. Look at the paper Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256). This was to look forward to the opportunity, which was to be given to the Gentiles for the Law of God to come upon them as the Philistines were given charge of the Ark.

The five Lords had as witness against them the two plagues, which they symbolised in their votive offerings of emerods (haemorrhoids) and mice. These five cities of the Philistines were similar to the five nations that were later given the area of Samaria and Galilee. The five are a symbol of grace. By grace God conferred salvation on the Gentiles.

The Philistines failed to live by the laws of God and so incurred the penalties. They had literally to give up the Law of God and the Ark, symbolising the Holy Spirit that proceeded from God. They had to hand it back to those whose right it was. In this way, any Gentile who comes into the Church and does not live by the commandments of God is removed and cannot enter the Kingdom of God. If they do not speak according to the Law and the Testimony (Prophets), there is no light in them (Isa 8:20).

The Holy Spirit gave command to the priests of the Philistines as it commanded Balaam. Look at the paper The Doctrine of Balaam and Balaam’s Prophecy (No. 204). The Philistines knew what the religion of Israel was and had observed it first hand for centuries.

The result was also to stand as a witness to Israel. They asked for a sign that they might tell that it was the God of Israel that smote them with the plagues. It was to have gone up by the way of the House of the Sun, which stood on the border of Judah and Dan.

This is another reprimand for Israel, as they have been backsliders into the worship of the sun cults and Baal-Easter for millennia. They will not learn, even to this very day, for they are a stubborn and rebellious people, the whole house of Israel.

The cart came into the field of Joshua, which is the name of the Messiah, and the cart was used as fuel and the oxen were offered up as a sacrifice to the Lord God in that place called the House of the Sun Beth-Shemesh.

The Ark was set down on the Great Stone of Abel at Beth Shemesh. This is a reference to the Church that was begun with Adam, and the first sacrifices that were accepted as those of righteous Abel. The Holy Spirit had been given to the patriarchs, and the Church had been founded on the Rock that was God with the Ark representing the Holy Spirit. On this stone God would build His church through the Holy Spirit and on the foundation of the apostles with the chief corner stone who was Joshua, the Messiah, the Son of God. Look at the papers The Ark of the Covenant (No. 196); Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248) and Joshua, the Messiah, the Son of God (No. 134).

When David slew Goliath we are told that he picked up 5 rocks from the stream, one of which killed Goliath (1Sam. 17:40). Do you think there’s any symbolism to there being 5 rocks and not say 4 or 6 or 7 rocks?

  1. Yes, there is a symbolism. The five rocks represent the five churches that make it into the Kingdom of God in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. Two churches do not make it. These are Sardis and Laodicea, with only individuals of these organisations who triumph.

One of these churches is used by Messiah, here represented by David, to strike the giant of the world’s systems in the forehead, where is found the mark of its system. In the last days, truth and the well-aimed stone of David as the anointed King of Israel, who is yet to take up his crown, overcome this system. The symbolism of the religious structures of the world and the Philistine’s relationship to them is seen in the paper David and Goliath (No. 126).

What did King David achieve in his life? Why is his story important? How did God touch his life? 

A: David was chosen by God to be King of Israel, and David was given the Holy Spirit to achieve that end. He was also placed in various positions and tests to provide lessons for all of us, as to the conduct of a man after God’s own heart.

He was used to make all preparations for the Temple of God. David prepared and then Solomon built the Temple. This was to serve as an illustration of the lessons of creation and the Plan of Salvation. The story of his battle with Goliath and the theological significance of that event are covered in the paper David and Goliath (No. 126).

The place of David in the Plan of God will be dealt with in the paper Rule of the Kings Part II: David (No. 282B)His time in history and the entry into Jerusalem is discussed in the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272)He is to be the king of Israel under Messiah as elohim, as are the elect from Zechariah 12:8.

1Kings

In Exodus 20:3 God commanded us not to make any carved images of anything. When I was studying 1Kings 6, especially verse 23 and on I see that Solomon made 2 cherubim of olivewood and carved others. Why is this? Also what is the significance of the cherubim, palm trees and the open flowers that were carved?

A: The Second Commandment is read in two ways. One is that no image of anything is to be made at all. The second way is that no image on anything that is to be worshipped is to be made. It is “thou shalt not bow down to it or worship it” that is conditional to the making of the image itself.

This is obviously the meaning, otherwise the instructions for the building of the Ark of the Covenant were in direct contradiction to the Second Commandment and Solomon’s actions here, and in the subsequent temple, are all in breach of the Commandment. So too, we see Ezekiel’s Temple is in breach of the Law.

Israel never worshipped any graven image or object, and the cherubim were no exception. It is from Ezekiel that we see the identity and purpose of the anointed Covering Cherubim. There were four of them. They are represented as the Bull-headed, Lion-headed, Eagle-headed, and Man-headed cherubim. They surround the throne of God. Look at the papers The Meaning of Ezekiel’s Vision (No. 108); The Government of God (No. 174) and Pentecost at Sinai (No. 115).

2Kings

From 2Kings chapter 2 is there any significance to the fact that just before Elijah gave his mantle to Elisha and was taken by God, that they went from Gilgal to Bethel, to Jericho, and finally to Jordan, each time Elijah telling Elisha to wait for him?

A: The Gilgal here is not the well known Gilgal near Jericho, but the one between Tibneh and Shiloh (cf. 4:38). In this case, it was a circle. The instructions were a test for devotion and the passage of the power. He had been foreordained, from his anointing, to follow Elijah and to slay those that Jehu did not slay. His devotion shows his progression and identification, and then his receipt of power after the taking of Elijah in the chariot of God. At each point, Elisha was met by prophets and told that his master was to go that day. The effect of all this was to establish Elijah in the eyes of the prophets, and as the key prophet of God.

Would you please explain why 2Kings 25:8 and Jeremiah 52:12 both seem to be describing the same event but have different dates listed? The same question follows with Jehioachin’s release from prison in 2Kings 25:27 and Jer. 52:31.

A: The word in Kings is that he came “to” Jerusalem on the seventh day of the month. He set fire to the city. Jeremiah says he came “into” Jerusalem. This is a bit like the fall of Jerusalem to the Australians and British in December 1917. The attack went in on the seventh, and it was taken by the eighth, but Allenby did not enter until the Australians had secured it and the contingents were in place on the eleventh of the month. This aspect has been examined in the paper The Oracles of God (No. 184).

In the case of the release of Jehoiachin the order appears to have been given on the twenty-fifth day but not carried out until the twenty-seventh. The texts of 2Kings 25:27 in the Septuagint and the Syriac say “and brought him forth out of his prison”. The text in Jeremiah does not say that. Thus, we must deduce that he was ordered released and that he did not take his place at the king’s table for two days. This was probably to rehabilitate him.

Esther

Do you think Esther 9:13 is a prophecy of the 10 men being hung after the Nuremburg trials?

A: This is an interesting parallel but not necessarily prophecy. The Book of Esther is certainly not just a story about Judah 2,500 years ago. Haman was an Amalekite. Agag was killed by Samuel in front of Saul because Saul had let him live. That activity looked forward in prophecy.

The wars of the Amalekites look forward to the days of the end at the end of the forty Jubilees in the wilderness. They were carried out just before Israel went into the Promised Land. Israel was forty years in the Exodus and then fought the wars of the Amalekites. Israel was forty Jubilees in the wilderness and then fought the wars of the 20th century. The wars of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets have still to be fought. Look at the papers The Seven Seals (No. 140) and The Seven Trumpets (No. 141).

Over that last period, from 1914 to the present, we have seen a drive for the defeat and extermination of Judah, and also of Israel. The Jews are not the Israelites. Judah is only one Tribe of Israel, and Levi is another while not all Levi is in Judah. The Holocaust was involved in the story of Esther and the hanging at Nuremburg was part of that story, but it has gone on for decades.

The Arab wars are also part of the process. Messiah will come to save those who eagerly await him. Judah will be converted in the last days at the very end. The explanation of the Story of Esther is in the paper Commentary on Esther (No. 63).

Job

Could you explain the significance of the fact that Job had 7 sons and three daughters? These numbers are repeated in that he had 7000 sheep and 3000 camels, 5000 oxen and 5000 she asses. These numbers must have important significance?

A: The round numbers 7, 3 and 5 are held to denote perfection and sufficiency according to Daath Mikra (cf. Soncino fn. to Job). This aspect also carried over into the function of the numbers in relation to the church. The seven spirits of God and the seven angels of the seven churches are accompanied by the three other candlesticks of Messiah and the two witnesses making the ten.

The seven churches have five only that are accounted worthy, and hence five is also the number of grace. The entire structure is one of plenty and sufficiency according to the purpose of God, yet these were allowed to be destroyed by Satan because they sinned. Look at the papers Symbolism of Numbers (No. 7) and Birthdays (No. 287).

The point is that of perfection removed through sin. Children are sanctified in their parents, but are killed through sin. God allows actions to be undertaken to test and deal with people in the faith. Job could not save his children because they were of age and they had taken up with a foreign religious system in the practices they were undertaking as Job knew, and hence the sacrifices.

This lesson is to the church and the nation. The nation is not protected in the birthright promises through idolatry. The Church is not protected in sin. Loss is made good also through faith and faithfulness. The break-up of the 5000 is through grace. The five and the five, wise and foolish virgins also are a consideration in the concept of the retention and loss of salvation.

Can you give me some insight on the book of Job? Was this Job also the Job mentioned in Genesis 46:13?

A: Yes, it is commonly accepted that Job is the son of Issachar mentioned in Genesis 46:13. It seems most probable that Job was in Midian and the friends seem to be Midianites. The work was most likely given to and written by Moses while he was in Midian, and formed the preparation for the Exodus and the writing of the Pentateuch. It may well have been the first book of the Bible written.

Psalms

Can you explain Psalm 82? Is the Psalm referring to the angelic host or the human elect?

A: The text refers to all the sons of God, both heavenly and human. He said he was a son of God and He quoted this Psalm in John 10:34-35 and said that Scripture cannot be broken. We are to all become elohim (cf. also Zech. 12:8). We are all to be sons of God and as elohim or gods. The text also speaks of the fallen host as judging unjustly (the poor here are the oppressed) as well because in 82:7 it says: “But you shall die like men and fall like one of the princes.” Thus, the unjust ones of the elohim are brought down to the pit and die like men and fall as any human prince. This theme is also taken up in Ezekiel 28 ff., and Isaiah 14.

In this text we are speaking of Messiah who stands as judge among the congregation of the elohim. 82:8 says, “Arise o elohim, judge thou the earth for thou shall inherit the nations.” This is Messiah, and the true version of Deuteronomy 32:8 (RSV) has Israel allotted to Yahovah as his inheritance when the nations were allotted to the sons of God. However, here all nations are part of the inheritance and so we see that all nations are to come into Israel and under Messiah. Thus, the entire host will come under Messiah as judge and king. Look also at the paper The City of God (No. 180).

Psalm 137 indicates that Israel’s captors required them to sing “one of the songs of Zion.” This seems like a strange request if you are conquering a people to ask them to remember their songs and the meanings of the song. Any ideas why this request of their captors?

A: The captives of Judah had been taken away, just as Israel had been taken away by the Assyrians under Shalmaneser in 722 BCE. The Babylonians were mocking them. The songs of Zion are the Psalms of the Lord. They were effectively saying, “Well, you were not protected by your God. Where is He now? Sing us a song to Him.” The purpose of captivity is to bring us to repentance and to a knowledge of the Lord God of Hosts. Each time we have fallen into the ways of the heathen we have been sent into captivity and that may well occur again very soon.

Proverbs

I have a question regarding the book of Proverbs, chapters 8 and 9. I’ve heard from people, that the wisdom in that book is Christ. Is that true? I always believed that it was talking about the Holy Spirit or one aspect of that Spirit. Some try to prove the eternal existence of Christ with that text. What is the correct answer? 

A: Wisdom is rendered here in the feminine and was understood as the “Sophia,” Greek for “wisdom.” The Holy Spirit is the function or power of God, which confers wisdom. Kings (and princes) reign in wisdom through it, as the text says in verses 15 and 16. The Lord possessed wisdom in the beginning, before His works of Old. The text says: “I was set up from everlasting from the beginning before ever the earth was.”

The Trinitarians cannot use this as a text for the co-eternality of Christ, as it clearly says that wisdom was set up from everlasting: from the beginning. Thus, wisdom is a creation of God, whether it was referring to Christ or the Holy Spirit.

The text that refers to Christ is in verse 30:

“Then I was by Him as one brought up with Him and I was daily His delight; Rejoicing always before Him. Rejoicing in the habitable parts of His world” (Heb: tebel ‘arez and tr. earth in the KJV: See Bullinger fn. to v. 31 Companion Bible).

Whosoever finds wisdom finds life and favour from the Lord. This is the Holy Spirit, which is being spoken of, as the cosmology of the Bible depends on this force of God tying all the sons of God together from their generation.

Thus, for Christ to be one with God, he needed the Holy Spirit to achieve that and thus, the Holy Spirit is logically prior to the unity of the Host. The fact that it was removed from the sons of God who rebelled reinforces that fact.

The comments in chapter 9 place wisdom as a female building her house. She has hewn out the seven pillars. She has killed her beasts, she has mingled her wine and she has sent forth her maidens. She is the Church. The Holy Spirit is the Church because without it, the Temple of God cannot exist. We are that Temple. We are the house of living stones that is the Temple of God. She is the bride of Christ. Her maidens are the elect of the marriage supper. The seven pillars are the angels of the Seven Churches and are the seven spirits of God.

One could say that the invitation to come eat my bread and the wine, which I have mingled, refers to Christ. But remember that John says clearly that Christ had to go to the Father who was his Father and our Father and his God and our God. When he returned to the Apostles he was able then to blow the spirit on them and say, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:22). The text explains itself.

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy Spirit is understanding. “For by me your days shall be multiplied and the years of your life shall be increased.” From Proverbs 9:13, we are given the example of the foolish woman, which is the false church under the false spirit set up by the fallen Host under Satan. It is referred to in the New Testament (cf. 1Tim 4:1-2).

There is no doubt we are speaking of two women here and one was with God from everlasting and is the woman that is the Church. The concepts are explained in the papers The Holy Spirit (No. 117); Consubstantial with the Father (No. 81)The Development of the Neo-Platonist Model (No. 17)How God Became a Family (No. 187) and The City of God (No. 180).

I once belonged to a church, which taught that the main message of Proverbs 31 is that women should be subservient to their husbands. While I do agree that the head of the woman is her husband, I am beginning to think that there is more to Proverbs 31. What would you say is the main message in that text? 

A: The king is Christ and the woman is the Church, and the Church is then comprised of men as heads of families, and women as the woman. The main message is that the church has to perform as a proverbs 31 woman at all times. The explanation of this text is given in the paper Proverbs 31 (No. 114). Too often the text is used by churches to silence women and deny their own responsibilities.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 7:1 states “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” Could you explain why the day of death is better than the day of birth? This would seem to be the opposite of what most people would believe?

A: The celebration of birthdays is a pagan custom that came from the Babylonians. Look at the paper Birthdays (No. 287). The idea is carried on by the Satanists and the Stargazers, who use it as a fate determination and to elevate the individual above God and as a god. The Bible position forbids this view. Our destiny is to become sons of God. We await the resurrection of the dead so we can become sons of God in power through the Holy Spirit so God can become all in all (Eph. 4:6). Look at the papers The Soul (No. 92) and The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143).

So, you’re saying that the day of one’s death is better than that of their birth because we are that much closer to the final destiny of mankind which is to be a son of God in power, as God becomes all in all? Interesting how Satan has deceived most of the world into celebrating their birthday while confusing them as to their destiny after the resurrection from the dead.

A: Yes, the Soul Doctrine and the invention of the great lies of Heaven and Hell are part of the deception of the false religious system he established.

PROPHETS

Isaiah

Does Pharaoh have symbolic meaning for the future exodus that is coming?

A: Sodom and Egypt are names for the nations under the demons. In this sense Pharaoh is a name for Satan, as is Tyre and Babylon. In the coming Exodus the demons under Satan will be bound. The Bible shows that Israel will march out of the north, hand in hand with Assyria, and a highway will be built from the north to Jerusalem and also from Egypt to Assyria (Isa 19:23). They shall all serve together, and Israel will be a third with them. They will all be blessed together by God and they will serve the Lord together from Jerusalem.

Isaiah walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign to Egypt and Ethiopia that they would be taken captive, and the coast land would also be taken captive, naked and barefoot by the Assyrians (Isa. 20:3-6). In the final phase the breach will be healed and they will serve the Lord together at Jerusalem. Look at the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272)Trumpets (No. 136)The Day of the Lord and the Last Days (No. 192); The Seven Trumpets (No 141) and The Millennium and the Rapture (No. 95).

Who is being spoken of here in Isaiah?

Isaiah 65:1-6  I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. 6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

A: There are two groups here. One group represents the gentiles of the church who seek God and obey His commandments. The other represents the nation of Israel, and those who associate themselves with it – those who know God but eat swine flesh and other abominations and burn incense on their hewn and constructed altars contrary to God’s Law.

These are the false priests of the false religious system who destroy the commandments of God and lead the people astray. They set themselves apart as holy from the people they lead. God says these people are an abomination in His sight, a smoke in His nostrils. To fully understand the ramifications of the text, you have to know where the ten tribes of Israel are found. Israel is not the Jewish people, but Judah is one of the twelve tribes of Israel. There are elements of Judah, which also fall into this self-righteous mentality. It stems from the Pharisees and entered rabbinical Judaism from that source.

The movement of the Tribes and their location is discussed in the paper The Unitarian/Trinitarian Wars (No. 268)The identity of these false priests and what happens to them is also discussed in the paper The Messages of Revelation 14 (No. 270).

Isaiah 26:14; 43:17 and Jeremiah 51:57 are used by some to claim that there are many that will not be awakened from the dead. To whom are these verses referring? Was it from a certain time frame only?

A: The text in Isaiah 26:13-14 refers to the Rephaim, who have no resurrection. They are the Nephilim of Genesis 6:4. Their identities are examined in the paper The Nephilim (No. 154). Jeremiah 51:57 refers to the fall of Babylon and the death of the host who are with them. This is not the same as the Rephaim in Isaiah. These people are put to sleep and are dead. However, the matters are examined in the papers The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80) and The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143).

What is meant by purifying themselves in the gardens behind one tree? Why the reference again to eating swine flesh? What’s the significance of the mouse? (Isa 66:17)

A: The structure of the Mystery cults was around the Asherah, which was often an oak tree. Isaiah 1:29 commences this sequence and we see it in the texts in 57:5; 65:3; and 66:17. It runs oaks, gardens, oak, garden in the sequence. These are the places of worship in the Mystery cults. The oak leaf is also condemned in 1:30. The Asherah was a phallus and it was often used with a phallic implement.

The cutting of mistletoe and the other items associated with the solstice are part of this festival. It is the basis of Christmas and Easter. In the depictions of the mystery cults in the Roman frescoes there was also a kid. This appears to be the origin of the Bible prohibition of the kid seethed in the milk of its mother. A phallic implement was also depicted and that is why the mysteries were also popular with the women. The fertility rites associated with these systems came in as the Christmas and Janus festivals. They then went on through the Carnival and Shrove to Ash Wednesday, and then Lent, and on into the Easter festivities. None of it is Christian, and that is what God is condemning here. Look at the paper The Origins of Christmas and Easter (No. 235).

The mouse is ‘akbar (SHD 5909 pr. ‘akbawr) as attacking and hence a mouse as nibbling. There are twenty-three members of the family Muridae in Palestine, and we are unsure of the exact species. There was a cultic practice of sacrificing and eating field mice, and Maimonedes preserves the tradition that it was carried out by the Harranians. Haran was the centre of the Babylonian Moon cult from 2000 BCE, and hence the centre of the mystery cults. It was a centre of Lunar paganism down until Christian Times. (cf. Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 2, p. 524). They worshipped the Moon God, Sin, and the Triune system of the Mother goddess, and the Easter and sun system. This same system penetrated Christianity. Look also at the paper The Golden Calf (No. 222).

The real problem is that Israel will not repent of this evil. The English speaking people, and the European Aryans, are wedded to their iniquity and to these pagan festivals.

The entire civil calendar of the USA is based on the pagan days of Human Sacrifice. It is impossible for it to be a coincidence. The administration has to be influenced by paganism and witchcraft at their decision making levels. God will deal with these people very soon.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 4:15ff. seems to infer a prophet in the end times warning the nations and condemning false religions etc. How will we know when this prophet is among us? Is there a time sequence for this prophet?

A: The text refers to the voice from Dan that publishes affliction from the mountains of Ephraim. Warn the nations that “He” is coming and beseigers or watchers come from a distant land. The term in this text is not the same as the Watchers elsewhere and thus may not refer to the heavenly host.

The text is corrupted in some Bibles because of its implications. The fact of the voice does not mean it is a single prophet but rather it is a warning issued in the last days concerning the coming of the Messiah and may be a work of many people of the church. It is however a specific warning. The question has been examined in the paper The Warning of the Last Days (No. 44).

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 46:20 seems to say that animal sacrifices will be performed again in the Kingdom? Could this be possible?

A: Yes, it does and they will be performed. The killing of animals will be for the festivals and systems of worship on the Sabbaths and New Moons. Zechariah 14:16-21 shows clearly also that there will be meat killed and eaten in Jerusalem and the pots shall be holy to the Lord. Look at the papers: The Millennium and the Rapture (No. 95); Vegetarianism and the Bible (No. 183); God’s Calendar (No. 156) and Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256).

 

We read in Ezekiel chapter 26 about the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar. In verse 21 it says that Tyre shall be no more and never found again. Yet, in Matthew 15:21, we find Jesus going to Tyre. How can this be?

A: Tyre was taken by Nebuchadnezzar after a thirteen year siege (Isa. 23:1; Josephus. A of J, x, 11, 1; Contr. Apion, i, 20). The prophecy began to be fulfilled then. The prophecy covers a period of time and deals with it as a declaration.

The fate of Sidon was different. Tyre was destroyed and was a promontory in the sea and she was made as a bare rock. The garrisons or pillars are visible even today in the sea. The area was known at the time of Christ and the text of which you speak says he went into the parts or regions of Tyre and Sidon. It is rendered “coasts” in the KJV. The text in Ezekiel is concerned with the fallen host as well, and Tyre typifies Satan and we see that develop over the texts in Ezekiel 28. The text in chapter 29 then goes on to deal with Egypt and its fall. See the paper The Fall of Egypt The Prophecy of Pharaoh’s Broken Arms (No. 36).

Is there a reason in Ezekial’s Temple that there are carvings of a young lion’s face toward a palm tree and a man’s face toward the palm tree on the other side? 

A: Yes, there is a reason. The lion-headed and man-headed beings are the two living creatures around the throne of God. The palm tree represents Messiah, who was the tree Moses used to cleanse the waters at Meribah on the way to Sinai. In other words, we could not take of the Holy Spirit without Messiah.

The rebellion involved a third of the Host, but one area is only a quadrant thus, there had to be two quadrants involved in the rebellion. These are the manheaded and aeon systems. These two beings are to be replaced and the elohim, with Messiah, are listed in the Bible. They are Moses (Ex 7:1) and Abraham. The text that makes Abraham an elohim has been mistranslated so it is impossible to find except in the original Hebrew. Look at the papers The Government of God (No. 174)How God Became a Family (No. 187) and The Covenant of God (No. 152).

Most of the people that have entered Israel since the war do not keep God’s Law. How do you understand the following scripture?

Ezekiel 20:37-38  “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will let you go in by number. 38 I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.” (RSV)

A: The Jews are only a part of Israel. There are nations of the ten tribes still out there who are greater and mightier than the Jews. In the last days there will be a second Exodus. This Exodus will make the first one pale into insignificance. It is mentioned in Isaiah (66:18-23).

This period sees the First Resurrection and then the breaking of the nations at Armageddon. After that event, the nations will be required to give up their Israelites from among them and they will be returned under the rod, as was Israel in the first Exodus.

Some that have already returned will be sent away into captivity. These rebellious will also die in the wilderness. The only people who will return will be those who keep God’s Law either physically or spiritually. All others will be allowed to die in the wilderness. Each will pass under the rod of judgment.

Those nations, which do not obey and send their representatives to Jerusalem each year at the feast of Tabernacles, will be given no rain in due season. Those that attempt to get around the law by irrigation, such as in Egypt, will be destroyed by plagues (Zech. 14:16-19). Eventually everyone will keep the Commandments of God and the Feasts, New Moons and Sabbaths.

The people who argue that the Law was nailed to the “stauros” in Colossians 2:14 will simply die. There will be no further discussion. That is Scripture, and Scripture cannot be broken. Look also at the papers Measuring the Temple (No. 137) and Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256).

Daniel

Could you explain to me Daniel 7:23-27?

A: The fourth kingdom is the “legs of iron” of chapter 2. This empire was the Roman Empire. It followed the gold of Babylon and the silver of the Medes and Persians and the brass of the Greeks and the Hellenised system. It went on into the feet of iron and clay.

The feet referred to the Holy Roman Empire formed in 590 CE and which lasted until the revolutions in 1848 ending in 1850 and being confined in 1870. The ten kings did arise and form part of this system. They persecuted the saints over the 1260 years of the empire. They first subdued the ten tribes by intrigue and treason after the fall of the Parthian Empire and the move into Europe (see the paper The Unitarian/Trinitarian Wars (No. 268)).

The feet also had ten toes, which formed the structure of the Alcvin twins or the “Thing” of Europe: The Parliament of the Aryans. In the last days this union forms a beast. This entire structure is the system of Antichrist, yet it claims for itself the power of God and uses that charge against others. This system wore out the Saints of the Most High over the 1,260 years, and in the 20th century from WWI and the Holocaust to the end of WWII and the death of Stalin.

The system changed times and laws for its followers. The “three and a half times” of the 1,260 years is the same time as that in Revelation 12. The Church is pursued by the dragon, which tries to kill the seed of the woman. But the earth helped her and swallowed the Church so that it could not be identified and destroyed by this false religious system and the power of the dragon.

This system will establish a final empire for one hour, which will rule the world and then disaster will descend upon it. The kingdom will be given to the Saints in the final wars of the end. Soon Christ will come to save those who eagerly await him.

In Daniel 12:1-2 God tells us of a time when Michael stands up and there shall be a time of trouble unlike ever before. Then the Bible says: ‘at that time many that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt’. Which resurrection is this and what exactly does it mean to be raised to “everlasting contempt”?

A: This period is referring to the Day of the Lord and to the entire structure of the resurrection. The concept here of everlasting life means the restoration to the spiritual fold as sons of God. The words “everlasting” here are “owlam” (SHD 5769) meaning time out of mind or to the vanishing point from the concept of concealed.

The Hebrew word rendered “contempt” is actually two words, neither of which is confined to what we understand as contempt. The first one is SHD 2781 “cherpah,” meaning reproaches or shame. The second is “dera’own,” (SHD 1860)  meaning abhorring, and in this sense it is contempt.

The view is that individuals will face judgment. The shame and abhorrence one feels when sin is made known is a very serious matter. We are healed by grace and the love of God. That does not mean we do not face shame for what we have done ourselves, and many will endure that knowledge as spirit beings and know that other spirit beings also know their sin.

That is why forgiveness is so central to the love of God. If we cannot forgive others, how can we expect forgiveness and, most importantly, how can we deal with shame that comes from perfect knowledge as a spirit being? The details of these processes are explained in the papers: The Soul (No. 92); The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143) and The City of God (No. 180).

In Daniel 2:43 there is a statement about the toes of the image that says that “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.” My question is who are the “they” being spoken of here, and what is meant by not mingling themselves with the seed of men?

A: These ten kings are also spiritual powers as the sons of God from Deuteronomy 32:8 who were allocated the nations according to the number of the sons of God. There were two cherubim, Satan and the Aeon and ten others making the inner twelve elohim of the fallen host. This was then also extended to seventy in the original.

This is a reason why Deuteronomy 32:8 was changed after the fall of the temple and the Jewish Hebrew MT is incorrect. One of the few Bibles that has it right is the RSV. Another is the Roman Catholic New American Bible. Thus, the government is that of the Antichrist over the entire period of its existence. It is the image of the beast of the Holy Roman Empire and then the union of Europe in the last days. This union is given dominion over the whole world and Christ returns to destroy it.

The demons are not allowed to mingle with the seed of men as they did prior to the flood. That happens within the Sign of Jonah and the fortieth Jubilee. “Their days” means the end of the time of the fifth and sixth power. Look at the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272).

Daniel 7:9-10 seems to refer to fire being at the throne of God. What is the symbolism of fire? There are so many items that come to mind: the burning bush, pillar of fire, walking on coals of fire, etc.

A: The fire is the spiritual power that issues from the Throne of God. As the Ancient of Days, He dwells in unapproachable light. No man has ever seen him, or can see Him. He alone is immortal (1Tim. 6:16). It is in this aspect, as the One True God and Creator, that He is seen as Judge of the Universe. He has given this power to Christ in judgment.

Fire is used to portray the spirits, and power of God, and also the demons that fell from grace before this throne. That is why the flame is so important in demonology, especially in the seats of its power, for example at Rome in the Temple of Vesta and among the curia.

In the book of Daniel, we read of the three friends of Daniel being thrown into the oven. Is there some kind of symbolism here, and if so what is it? Also, why three men and not say seven, or twelve?

A: The three friends were chosen with Daniel to show the captivity of Israel and its deliverance under persecution.

The Triune system is represented also in these three. They were taken by Babylon and given names of the Babylonian system and these three represent in their own way the elect called out under God’s protection. The Son of Man was sent to protect them. As Christ walks with these three in the furnace he walks with us now. The heat of the furnace has been raised and as it killed the guards there so it will kill the system in the last days.

There are so many references to lions in scripture. Do you have any idea why Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den versus some other kind of animal or other test?

A: Lions were the largest predators available to them in Mesopotamia. They used them for disciplinary reasons as far down as the Roman Empire. They did not feed them well so that they would tear their victims to death and eat them.

Many of God’s people were tested in this way and were torn apart by wild animals. Daniel had no way of knowing if God would protect him or not. The same was true in the furnace of fire. They said, “We do not know if God will save us or not, but we will not worship you.” In this case, the king pronounced his own judgment as he said, “Your God whom you continually serve, He will deliver you.” In this case, God did this as an example to the king.

The king was caught in his own laws. His decree could not be altered even though he knew he had been tricked into the plan to kill Daniel. The fact that King Astyages spent the night fasting for Daniel showed his respect, and God heard the prayers of the king. The people who sought to kill Daniel set the test.

The Bible position is this: “He who digs a pit for another, falls into it himself and catches himself in his own snare getting out” (Prov 26:27). These people were then killed and eaten by the same lions they sought to use to kill Daniel, as were their wives and children. This is a powerful lesson on the laws of God (see The Law of God (No. L1)).

Hosea

What is the meaning of the Door of Hope and valley of Achor in Hosea 2:15? 

A: “Achor” means, “trouble.” The Door of Hope is Christ who is the door of salvation. The valley of trouble becomes the door of hope. This text must be compared with Joshua 7:24-26. Israel was burdened through the idolatry of some among it and one, Achan was stoned to death. The Lord’s wrath was stilled in that day and the valley of Achor also became a valley of hope to those who trusted in God through the Messiah. Look also at the paper The Fall of Jericho (No. 142).

Hosea takes the story of Joshua onward to the end days, and the idolatry that has permeated Israel through the Baal-Easter system will be removed. Israel shall be restored and they will call Yahovah, “Ishi” and “Baali” no more. For He will remove the names of these idolatrous gods from among us.

Joel

Could you explain Joel 2:23 for me? Some Bibles translate “early rain” as “teacher of righteousness”. Does this refer to Jesus and/or someone else?

A: Joel 2:23 is a prophecy that concerns Messiah and the Holy Spirit. The rainfall system in Israel was sparse and they were placed there in Canaan so that they were in direct relationship with God. The blessing of the rain was indicative of that relationship. That was in direct contrast to Egypt that relied on flood irrigation. The crops of Barley and wheat are reliant on the rains to develop their root system and then to branch correctly. The latter rain is necessary to fill out the corn for harvest. But it must not be too late other wise the crop is blackened.

Thus, the latter rain falls early in the first month to enable the Wave Sheaf and the subsequent harvest to be fully developed. Christ was the Passover lamb, but He was also the Wave Sheaf offering at 9 a.m. on the Sunday Morning. This also began the count to Pentecost of fifty days occurring on the Sunday at 9 a.m. fifty days later.

When Christ was presented as the Wave Sheaf, on the Sunday morning after the resurrection the previous evening (see John 20:17), He told Mary Magdalene to go and tell the disciples that he was going to His Father and their Father, and His God and their God.

Later that same day before dark, He returned and spoke to the disciples and breathed on them the Holy Spirit. This was the sign that He had returned with the rain of the Holy Spirit. Now this latter rain aspect has a twofold meaning. He was the Messiah of two advents. This was the former rain of the planting as well as the Passover of the harvest. The Omer count had begun to the wheat harvest, which harvest we are.

The latter rain will come with the Restoration of all things spoken of by Malachi. That process is commencing to be implemented now. In a few years, the witnesses will be with us and then the nexus of the law will be restored. Then the Messiah will come. Thus the latter rain is the final pouring out of the Holy Spirit on all mankind. It will take a lot of hard knocks to get there however, as most of humanity seems dedicated to destroying itself and ignoring God.

Micah

What is the meaning of: I set before you Moses, Aaron, Miriam? What symbolism do these individuals have when we read scripture? (Mic. 6:4)

A: Moses, Aaron and Miriam were sent before Israel when they were brought up out of the land of Egypt. The symbolism here in Micah 6:4 is that The Lord is expressing His controversy with Israel. He asks where has He wearied Israel? What has He done to us? He asks us to testify against Him. He brought us out of Egypt and He gave us leaders, priests, and prophets as represented by these three. He does nothing except that he warns His people through His servants the prophets first.

He reminds Israel of what the Moabites under Balak wanted to do and how they wanted to use Balaam, son of Beor. However, God was righteous. He also says that He requires us to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. The rich among us use wrong measures and rob from the poor. The rich are full of violence and the inhabitants of our cities speak lies and are full of deceit.

He will smite Israel for the statues of Omri and all the works of the house of Ahab who served Baal-Easter. For this He will make us a desolation and a reproach. Israel still worships the Easter goddess to this very day. They are filled with the servants of Baal-Easter and the Khemarim, or black cassocked priests, who worship the sun cults and Easter. Their laws are not based on the law of God and they are changing them daily to this false European system. The inhabitants of the city are being spoken to in rebuke.

Chapter 5 speaks of the Messiah and His establishment of Israel. Chapter 6 deals with his rebuke of Israel. In this entire process, we see a span of 2000 years or forty jubilees. Messiah came, and Judah was given 40 years to repent but did not, and they were destroyed. The church was sent into the wilderness for forty jubilees, and a new order of Melchisedek was established. Messiah was at its head. In this period of time, Israel was given its birthright and will be brought to subjection before its God, and then the nations will be brought into it.

This period is covered in the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272)The papers Measuring the Temple (No. 137) and The Messages of Revelation 14 (No. 270) are also important to understanding what is happening.

Would you please explain the meaning of Micah 5:5. Who are the 7 shepherds and 8 leaders of men?

A: Micah 5:2-3 refers to Messiah and the meaning of that text is covered in the paper Micah 5:2-3 (No. 121)The text in Micah 5:5 refers to the invasion of the nation of Israel in the last days by Assyria.  Isaiah 5:3 refers to the Church, which Christ has given up to the world until she has brought forth those of the elect who were predestined. Then, the remnant of Christ’s brethren shall be returned unto the children of Israel, which is also the Church.

At that time of the end, there will be a great tribulation and Messiah shall return to save those who eagerly await him. He shall stand in Israel as the great shepherd of Israel. The term feed means to tend as the flock.

Compare the following verses with this verse. Psalm 80:1; Jeremiah 31:10; Ezekiel 34:23; and importantly Genesis 49:24. He shall be great refers also to Psalm. 22:27; 72:8; 98:1; Isaiah 49:5,7; 52:13; Zechariah 9:10. The Hebrew regarding the Assyrian is emphatic. The terms regarding “When he shall tread in our palaces” can be compared with Isaiah 7:20; 8:7-10; 37:31-36;

The sequence as to what follows can also be compared with Isaiah 44:28; 59:19; Zechariah 1:18-21; 9:13; 10:3; 12:6. In the last days, the Israelite nations will be so weakened by treason from within and apostasy, that the Assyrian people will enter Israel. They will then turn to Messiah in repentance.

In the sequence that follows, there will be raised seven shepherds and eight principal men. This sequence is yet to be fulfilled. The concept of seven shepherds is akin to the seven angels of the seven churches. The eight principal men are akin to the judges in Israel as war leaders. The exact nature of this prophecy has not yet been revealed.

The time frame would indicate that this will occur probably in the next ten years. Seven nations under Ephraim will be galvanised with the eighth of Manasseh. The European system will again commence the war — WWIII. This time the English-speaking people will be destroyed by treason from within, through the agency of this European system. They will fight on their own soil for their very survival.

Messiah will return and the nations will be brought to repentance through their own almost total annihilation. Zechariah 2:8-13 shows that Yahovah of Hosts sends Yahovah to Jerusalem in the last days, and Messiah shall stand there to protect it. Judah will be restored in the last days, as will Jerusalem.

Isaiah shows that after this, Assyria and Israel will come hand in hand out of the north. In other words, Assyria will be brought to repentance as well. Have a look at the process in the papers Measuring the Temple (No. 137) and Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272).

The text in Micah 5:7-8 shows that the remnant of Jacob shall be mighty as a young lion among the Gentiles at that time. There is a distinction between the land of Assyria and the Land of Nimrod in this text (cf. Gen. 10:8-10). The entrances mean the passes of the land of Nimrod.

In other words, we will be cleaned of apostasy and weakness through our tribulation and the saving strength of Messiah. In the last days, we will have gone through the process of weakening and strengthening. Manasseh fed of Ephraim, and now Ephraim must feed of Manasseh, but at the end time both will feed of Judah under Messiah.

Zechariah

When do you think this prophecy of Zechariah 14 will come to pass?

Zechariah 14:16-19  And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

A: After the return of the Messiah, the armies of the nations will be brought down to Armageddon and subjugated. Then the Second Great Exodus will occur. The system of the millennial structure will be set up at Jerusalem and the Law of God will emanate from there. All nations will be required to keep the Holy Days of the Bible (cf. Isa. 66:23) and send their representatives to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles and especially for the Reading of the Law in the seventh year. If they do not go up to Jerusalem every year, that nation will receive no rain and suffer the plagues of Egypt. This will take effect from the 121st Jubilee, which is the 41st since Messiah, and the 50th since the Restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah and the issue of what became the finalisation of the canon of Scripture, which we term the Old Testament. Look at the papers Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272and Reading the Law with Ezra and Nehemiah (No. 250). This is Scripture and Scripture cannot be broken. The cosmology of the Roman Catholic Church is borrowed from the pagans and Gnostics and has completely negated the doctrines of the original Church through their introduced traditions.

God’s Calendar

In some literature, there is reference to blowing a trumpet on the full moon. In searching the Strong’s Concordance, I cannot find the term “Full Moon” mentioned even one time. Do we ever need to determine when the full moon happens?

A: No, it is not mentioned but some try to make Psalm 81:3 say “full moon” when it is the “new moon” of Abib or the new year in Abib or Nisan that is meant as the solemn New Year feast of the First Moon. It is a New Moon. If the New Moon is correctly determined according to the conjunction, then the feasts will fall correctly anyway.

The Feasts are centred on and determined from the New Moons according to the conjunction. These aspects are discussed in the papers: The Moon and the New Year (No. 213) and God’s Calendar (No. 156)Some fall on the full moon but all are determined from the New Moon. The full moon has significance for paganism and non-biblical cults.

Due to the passage at Joshua 10:13 where it is said that the moon stood still for about a day, some have said that time has been lost and that we cannot determine the exact days that God set aside for worship. Does this fact cause any calendar concerns for us today?

A: There are a number of miracles in connection with the sun and the moon. 2Kings 20:11 and Isaiah 38:8 also show that the sun went backwards. Amos 8:9 says it went down at noon. Isaiah 60:20 mentions “no more going down.” It is darkened in Isaiah 13:10; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10:31; 3:15 and Matthew 24:29; Revelation 6:12; 8:12; 9:2; 16:8.

This miracle is to be performed again (Luke 23:44,45). Psalm 19:4-6 deals with the motion. The important thing to note is that at no time was it ever suggested by any of God prophets that the times had been lost or the days misplaced. The entire Temple period was regulated according to the Calendar and there was never any suggestion, from Joshua to the close of the Temple, that the Sabbath and other days had been misplaced. Christ was silent on the matter and kept the entire Temple calendar.

If a day had been lost, then He was presented as the Wave Sheaf on the wrong day and there are no firstfruits. There has never been any suggestion that the Sabbath is misplaced except for a few uninformed Protestants who try to make Sunday the Sabbath. An equally uninformed group in Islam are trying to make the sixth day of the week the Sabbath using exactly the same arguments as the Protestants do for Sunday.

You have commented on the number seven being significant. Is there any correlation of the 7 days of the week to God’s plan?

A: Yes, the number 7 is the symbol of perfect spiritual completion and it relates to the entire creation. The seven days of the week are also of that complete creation. The Seventh Day Sabbath is part of the Plan of God, as a perfect “Sabbaton” or week made complete by the reconciliation to God in the last day, which is the Sabbath. The Hebrews and Arabs always had the week ending on the Sabbath.

The seven-day week came into the Roman system from the Egyptians. The Babylonians began the corruption of the week with the seventh day being determined from the New Moon instead of being independent from it (cf. ERE, vol. 3, p. 63). Look also at the paper God’s Calendar (No. 156).

Jubilee

What is a Jubilee, and what if anything is its significance? 

A: The Jubilee is the key cycle of fifty years in the calendar and the Law of God. The Jubilee determines the cycles of the tithe and of land ownership and control. It ensures freedom from oppression and slavery.

The Jubilee is a cycle of fifty years with the Jubilee year as the fiftieth year, but starting in the forty-ninth year with Atonement and lasting until Atonement in the Fiftieth. The Jubilee is blown at Atonement. The Law is read in the seventh year of the cycle and also with the Jubilee when all lands are returned to the lines of owners in the tribes. From the day after the Last Great Day at the end of Tabernacles the lands are then worked. That is so the harvest is ready again for the barley harvest at Passover and the Wave Sheaf Ceremony in Unleavened Bread. Look at the papers Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256); God’s Calendar (No. 156); Reading the Law with Ezra and Nehemiah (No. 250) and Tithing (No. 161).

 

We’ve learned that there are 7-year time cycles similar to the 7-day week and that the 7th year of each cycle is like the 7th day Sabbath where there is a rest. Then after 7 of these cycles, or at 7 X 7 (49) there is a special rest year called a Jubilee. How is the Jubilee year counted then? It would not start the next cycle as year 1 would it?

A: The Jubilee is counted as an eighth year of the cycle. It runs from Atonement of the Sabbath year to Atonement of the Jubilee year unlike normal years. This is so the restoration of lands can be made and the new holders can commence ploughing and sowing for the harvest at the Passover of the next and first year of the new Sabbath and Jubilee cycle. The cycle of the Jubilee is covered in the papers: God’s Calendar (No. 156); Tithing (No. 161) and Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256).

The Jubilee seems to be “blown” on Atonement (Lev. 25:9) and I assume this is a special observance during that particular 8th year. If it actually begins with Atonement then into which year do the first 7 months fall that occur just after the last day of the previous 7th year? Is it an extension of the 7th year or is this space of time not counted at all until Atonement? Could it be that the Jubilee functions start at Atonement and then extend partly into this New First Year?

A: In the 48th year of the jubilee cycle, which is the Sixth year of the Seventh Sabbath cycle, God gives a treble harvest. The next year in which this occurs will be 2025. The Sabbath year of the cycle starts at 1 Abib, like all normal years. From Trumpets the reading of the law is prepared, as we saw in the restoration of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Jubilee year commences from Atonement in the Sabbath year and continues until Atonement in the Jubilee year. At Tabernacles of that Sabbath year, the Law is read and the Jubilee festivities and the rest accorded to the lands and trees occurs.

From the blowing of Atonement in the jubilee year, all lands revert to their owners. Only the houses in towns can be sold in perpetuity. After the Last Great Day following Tabernacles all the restoration is put in place. This is termed the eighth year for the purposes of calculation. This period of five months is used for ploughing and sowing so that the first harvest can occur in the month of Abib of the first year of the new cycle. Look at the papers: Tithing (No. 161)Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256); Reading the Law with Ezra and Nehemiah (No. 250) and God’s Calendar (No. 156).

In a previous question it was said the Jubilee year is from Atonement to the next Atonement or in the fall of the year. Stored crops are eaten and there is no planting or tithe paying. What happens to the next five months and are they in the 50th or the 1st year of the next cycle?

A: The Bible says that they were in the eighth year of the cycle, which is the Jubilee year. However, the actual Jubilee itself is blown from Atonement to Atonement, which is why there is a treble harvest year in the 48th year of the Jubilee cycle, to enable this extended period of rest. The preparation for the harvests must be undertaken after the Last Great Day of the Feast cycle in the Seventh month, and so that period is normal for agricultural purposes. The structure is examined in the papers Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256) and Tithing (No. 161).

When does the Jubilee end? Are there different jubilees for different kinds of people?

A: There is only one true jubilee–the jubilee of the Bible. It is fifty years in duration and consists of seven seven-year cycles with the fiftieth year as the jubilee. The jubilee is also called the Acceptable Year of the Lord and was declared by Christ in 27 CE, the year he was baptised by John. The determination of the jubilee year is made from a number of Bible references. Look at the paper Law and the Fourth Commandment (No. 256).

The jubilees occur in the years 27 and 77 of each century of the current era, and the years 24 and 74 BCE. The reading of the Law occurs at each Sabbath year and in each jubilee. The jubilee is declared or blown from Atonement of the Sabbath to Atonement of the Jubilee year. Look at the paper Reading the Law with Ezra and Nehemiah (No. 250).

In that year, all lands are to be restored and the jubilee acts as an eighth year of the cycle. From the end of the Last Great Day of the Feasts of Tabernacles, the lands are ploughed and sown for the Harvests of the next year in Abib and through to the Wheat Harvest at Pentecost.

New Years day begins on 1 Abib approximating March of the Pagan Roman Calendar. This is explained in the paper The Moon and the New Year (No. 213). The calendar is set by God from Creation and is essential for the correct system of worship. Look at God’s Calendar (No. 156)The year 2000 is an invention of man and is not a jubilee year. Look at the paper The Significance of the Year 2000 (No. 286).

Feasts

We are told to keep the holy days of YHVH-where He places His Name. In this world today with all the confusion in the churches how can we really know where He places His name for His feasts?

A: Finding a place where Yahovah has placed His name is the same commandment to discern the body of Christ for the Passover. We are all commanded to discern the body of Christ in order to take the Lord’s Supper and Passover sequence with that body. To do that we normally examine which church is faithfully adhering to the doctrines of the Original Church of God. In the past, that has been fairly easy as we have normally been underground and persecuted but faithful to the truth.

The Doctrine of the nature of God was readily understood, and Christ was understood to be the Great Angel of the Old Testament who gave the Law to Moses and was never confused with the One True God. This century the Hillel Calendar was introduced from Judaism in some branches, which has made it even more diverse.

The task is fairly simple on the face of it. You have to find the people on the planet doing what the Church has done for two thousand years; keeping the original Calendar with all the Sabbaths and Feasts (including the Wave Sheaf service and New Moons) and worshipping the one True God in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Once you have found them, you have found the place where God has placed his hand and where Christ will be for the Feast. Nothing has changed — there are just more errors and confusion in the last days. The work by Samuel Kohn, Sabbatarians in Transylvania will show you what the church was doing at the Reformation in Europe. We are still doing the same thing.

If the men of Israel were to go to Judea at least 3 times a year, on Passover, Tabernacles, and First Fruits, and now Jesus is our Passover and Pentecost is our First Fruits, that leaves Tabernacles as the required Feast right? Why do we have a weekly Service to hear the word? What did the men of Israel do the rest of the year? We should only have to go to services 2 or 3 times a year.

A: The commanded assemblies of God are in Leviticus 23 and the New Moons in Numbers 10. The Sabbath is the first commanded assembly and feast of the Lord. Thus, it precedes the others and all the commanded assemblies of God flow from this text and the Fourth commandment. The New Testament church had to keep Pentecost at the right place and time together otherwise the Holy Spirit would not have come upon them. The weekly Sabbath was kept by the New Testament church; and so were the New Moons. They also kept Passover and Unleavened Bread, the Wave Sheaf, which is the first of the First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. Acts shows they kept the feasts. Colossians 2:16 shows they kept the Sabbath, New Moons and Feasts and were not to let anyone judge them in how they kept them.

The Bible is quite clear, Christ will enforce the Sabbaths, New Moons and Feasts when He returns, and if you do not keep them you will die of starvation or the plagues of Egypt (Isa. 66:23; Zech. 14:16-19). The Witnesses will be the first to address this issue when they get here and Elijah restores the Nexus of the Law and restores all things. Then all debates are over.

What exactly is the ‘fat of the feast’ mentioned in Exodus 23:18?

A: The fat of the feast in this context is the same as that used for the command to eat the fat and drink the sweet in the Restoration of Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 8:10). It has nothing to do with the consumption of, or usage of animal fat. It is the concept of the fat and sweet of the feast being distributed, and the offerings taken as soon as the feast is commenced. Thus, the Levites and the poor can eat.

That is why there are only three offerings, one at the beginning of each feast season. The Second Tithe is also used for this activity as we see by Nehemiah’s command on the Day of Trumpets. The fat of the feast, the offerings, are not to remain until the morning. In other words, they are to be collected and used, being distributed to the poor so that they may also enjoy the feast in a timely manner.

Pentecost

What day is Pentecost?

Many Christian churches, that observe God’s holy days, calculate the day of Pentecost by counting fifty days from the day after the weekly Sabbath that falls within the days of Unleavened Bread. This is the Wave Sheaf Offering (Sunday) which commences the countdown to Pentecost (Lev 23:15-17).

The early church kept Pentecost on a Sunday. Only the Jews kept a Sivan 6 and only after the Temple was destroyed. See the paper The Wave Sheaf Offering (No. 106b).

What is the meaning of Shavuot?

A: Note: Shavuot = Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.

“Unlike all the other Holidays in the Tanach [Hebrew Scriptures], the Feast of Weeks is not given a fixed calendar date but instead we are commanded to celebrate it at the end of a 50-day period known as “The Counting of the Omer” (Shavuot being the 50th day). The commencement of this 50-day period is marked by the bringing of the Omer Offering in the Temple as we read, “And you shall count from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day you bring the Omer [Sheaf] of Waving; seven complete Sabbaths shall you count… until the morrow of the seventh Sabbath you will count fifty days… and you shall proclaim on this very day, it shall be a holy convocation for you ” (Lev 23,15-16.21).”

In late Second Temple times a debate arose between the Boethusians and the Pharisees about whether the “morrow after the Sabbath” [Heb. Mimohorat Ha-Shabbat] refers to the Sunday during Hag HaMatzot [Feast of Unleavened Bread] or the second day of Hag HaMatzot (i.e. the 16th of Nissan). Like the Boethusians and Ancient Israelites before them, the Karaites count the 50 days of the Omer from the Sunday during Hag HaMatzot [Unleavened Bread] and consequently always celebrate Shavuot on a Sunday.”

The quotation above is taken from the Karaite Jews:

www.karaite-korner.org/shavuot.shtml

The Karaite Jews follow the Judaism of the Sadducees. It doesn’t matter that Paul was a Pharisee; it was the Sadducees who were in control of the Temple. The explanation of the Karaites also follows the Church and the Ancient Temple system as well as the Samaritans.

Trumpets

I read the paper Trumpets (No. 136). I see that trumpets were blown at this commanded assembly. Were trumpets blown at other times as well?

A: Yes, they were. The trumpets were blown on New Moons and feasts in various forms. It is a good exercise to look up “trumpets” in Strongs and then look at when they were commanded. Also look at the papers God’s Calendar (No. 156); The Holy Days of God (No. 97) and The Moon and the New Year (No. 213).

Should the Feast of Trumpets be called the Feast of Shofar or Yom Teruah, Day of Blowing? Using The Interlinear Bible (Hebrew, Greek, English)

A: Leviticus 23:24 (Hebrew) In the month seventh, on the first of the month (2320) shall be to you a Sabbath (7677) (Sabbathown) reminder (2146) SIGNALLED (8643) a gathering (4744) holy (6944)

Leviticus 23:24 (English) In the seventh month, on the first of the month, you shall have a Sabbath, a Memorable Acclamation, a holy gathering.

Numbers 29:1(Hebrew) And in month the seventh, on the first of the month, a convocation holy shall be to you any work of service not shall you do; A DAY (yom) OF BLOWING (8643) [the trumpet] (included, but no Hebrew word or number for it) it shall be to you. 8643 Teruah (Teruwah) a type of blowing. 8643 comes from 7321, split the ear, blow an alarm, shout. Cry (alarm, aloud, out) destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout sound an alarm, triumph.

I am finding the use of the word Trumpet is mostly translated as Ram’s Horn in the Interlinear Bible…the shofar. Trumpets…. 2689 Shofar…7782. Is the Shofar as well as the Silver Trumpet to be blown? Is the blowing…..the sounding of the alarm to awaken us to the coming events of Atonement and Tabernacles?

A: Trumpets is a New Moon. The sound of the ram’s horn is heard by those keeping the New Moons. The Day of Trumpets is a traditional term applied to the festival. It is also a New Moon and so the double sacrifices were applied to this day and also the New Moon instruction. 3117 is prior to 8643 in Numbers 29:1 and Green translates this as “a day of blowing of the trumpets.” We say Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur but, as we are English speakers, we say Day of Atonement more often and it conveys meaning to us. The word “teruwah” means a “clamour” or “acclamation” or “battle cry” and especially of the clangour of trumpets as an alarm. The word carries with it the implicit meaning of raising an alarm as a battle sound of trumpets. The use of trumpets occurs elsewhere in Numbers.

In dealing with Trumpets we must always bear in mind that it is a double Holy Day and the New Moon activities are also carried out. Look at the papers God’s Calendar (No. 156); The New Moons (No. 125); The Holy Days of God (No. 97) and Trumpets (No. 136).

Many times I’ve heard of Trumpets or the beginning of the 7th month as being celebrated as the Jewish New Year. I am wondering if this could be true and whether the Jews have always had this for their New Year?

A: The Day of Trumpets has always been celebrated in the Temple Calendar, but it was not the New Year under the Temple system. According to the Mishnah, we see it intruding in as a New Year, beside the New Year of 1 Abib or the First Month. The festival of Rosh Hashanah, which modern Jews keep, did not enter Judaism until the Third century of the current era. Rabbi Samuel Kohn makes this comment as proof of Jewish influence on a Sabbatarian sect in Europe after the Reformation. This is contained in the work Sabbatarians in Transylvania, CCG Publishing, 1998 which is available from the CCG offices in USA and Australia.

The effect of the Hillel Calendar of 358 was calculated to enshrine the postponement system in the Jewish calendar. It effectively made the Babylonian New Year the means of determining the beginning of the year and effectively moved the New Year, and hence all the Holy Days, out by one or two days. Consequently, Judaism rarely keeps the true calendar. Look at the papers God’s Calendar (No. 156)The Moon and the New Year (No. 213) and The Calendar and the Moon: Postponements or Festivals? (No. 195).

Atonement

Since every word of God is given for a reason what is the meaning of the Day of Atonement from Leviticus 23:27 and following?

A: Atonement points toward the reconciliation of the Nation and the planet to God in Messiah. The Azazel goat, being placed in the wilderness, is the symbol of binding Satan for the millennial system. This aspect is covered in the paper Azazel and Atonement (No. 214). The High Priest firstly performs his duties in linen symbolising the priest Messiah of the First Advent. After the atonement is undertaken, the High Priest then changes into the royal garments of the High Priest symbolising the King Messiah at the return of the Messiah and in the Second Advent. Look also at the paper Atonement (No. 138).

It appears that Messiah paid the tribute tax on Atonement from this text (Ex 30:11-16). If that is correct is it because he kept the entire law, which required it to be paid even though he was to be the ransom, atonement, kaphar?

A: Yes, this was the didrachma or half shekel tax of Exodus 30:11-16. It is shown here that we are free but, so as not to cause offence and break the law before his death and atonement, the tax was collected in this way to show us that he paid it for us. This text shows we are forbidden to take up a collection on Atonement as it is an affront to the atoning sacrifice of Messiah. Only three offerings a year are authorised under the law.

Regarding Exodus 30:13 “This is what everyone who is numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as a contribution to the Lord.” Does this mean the person gave a full shekel and 1/2 shekel went to maintaining the sanctuary and the other 1/2 shekel was a heave offering to the Lord?

A: No, only one half shekel was given in this tax. It was reduced to a third of a shekel under the Babylonian captivity as the shekel then was thirty gerahs according to their system of weights and measures. This tax pointed towards the Salvation of Messiah who paid our tax for us as an atoning sacrifice. That is why it is forbidden to take up a collection on Atonement in any Church. It is a census tax under ancient Israel and hence, forbidden to Judah as well and it was paid by Christ and hence forbidden to Christians as well. The early Church kept this day as we see from Acts 27:9.