Religious Confusion -- Part 2

Very few of those who profess to be followers of Christ properly understand man’s relationship with God the Father. Last week I tried to address a portion of this issue but the format of a blogsite does not allow for such a lengthy and important discussion; I shall therefore bend one of my own rules and suggest that those who are truly interested should contact one of the more prominent Churches of God and request some of their literature. Be warned that I do not find everything they teach to be accurate and true; however, they are by far much closer to the truths of God than are others of the mainstream Christian Churches.

Some Church of God websites offer an excellent variety of very helpful literature free-of-charge; they may limit the number of booklets you may request at any one time, but they will eventually send everything you request and will not in any way try to force their beliefs, themselves, or their Church upon you.

Having gone this far, I feel obligated to better define my recommendation. If you desire a more comprehensive understanding of the many truths and mysteries of God you would do well to search the websites of the United Church of God and the Living Church of God. I would especially recommend the sermons of Garner Ted Armstrong as offered by the website of the Intercontinental Church of God. These are only three of the more than 300 groups which separated from the Worldwide Church following the death of Herbert W. Armstrong. Truly the words are found in Scripture: “I shall strike the shepherd and scatter the sheep.”

The Worship of Idols

Exodus 20:4-5 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image -- any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.”

Islam teaches that Mohammed was forty years of age when he received the first of many revelations from God/Allah; the angel Gabriel is said to have been the messenger of those revelations. I have come to believe that however the knowledge came to Mohammad, he saw the creation of graven images as a sin against God; and that the veneration of these images was an abomination.

The Koran relates many stories of the Patriarch Moses as he led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt and into the Promised Land. There is a certain fascination awaiting those who take time to study the parallel accounts of Moses from both the Koran and the Bible. Many discrepancies exist between the two; and yet these discrepancies can actually add to the fascination as you search for truth as the Spirit of God may lead you. Moses was only one of the many Patriarchs who spoke out against idolatry.

Sura 7.138 “And We made the children of Israel to pass the sea; then they came upon a people who kept to the worship of their idols. They [the children of Israel] said: ‘O Musa [Moses]! make for us a god as they have (their) gods.’ He said: ‘Surely you are a people acting ignorantly...’”

Islam reveres the Patriarch Abraham as the Father of the Faithful -- as do followers of Judaism and followers of Christianity. There are many references in the Koran to the time when Abraham was still living in the land of his father; and according to most of these accounts Abraham’s father and his people were idol worshippers. In these stories Abraham took it upon himself to preach against the practice of idolatry; he even went so far as to destroy many of the images they had created.

Sura 21.51 to 54 “And certainly We gave to Ibrahim [Abraham] his rectitude before, and We knew him fully well. When he said to his father and his people: ‘What are these images to whose worship you cleave?’ They said: ‘We found our fathers worshiping them.’ He said: ‘Certainly you have been, (both) you and your fathers, in manifest error.’”

I find it interesting that the Koran’s account of Abraham’s destruction of the idols more closely resembles the biblical story of Gideon (a.k.a. Jerubbaal) than it does the story of Abram before his departure from the land of his fathers. In fact, anyone who tries to parallel many of the stories from the Koran with their biblical counterparts will almost certainly find similarities; but these similarities will often be identified with different times and/or different individuals than those referred to in the Bible. This is something I hope to address in a future blog; many of these parallel accounts can be truly fascinating.

When considering the revelations Mohammad received (whether through the Archangel Gabriel or otherwise), you need to determine for yourself what really happened and what Mohammad really began to understand. If you carefully study the words of the Koran you will see his continual reference to a “Book.” As I suggested in “Part 1” it is my firm belief that this “Book” is nothing less than the Holy Scriptures; the same Scriptures which have been handed down to us as the book of the Bible. The Taurat (the Torah) is a portion of that book; and the Injeel (the New Testament) is another portion of that book.

Sura 4.51: “Have you not seen those to whom a portion of the Book has been given? They believe in idols and false deities and say of those who disbelieve: ‘These are better guided in the path than those who believe.’”

During the early years in the life of Mohammed, the religion of the people in Mecca included idol worship. Mohammed himself was born into the tribe of the Koriesh who were keepers of the Kaaba, the temple of idols at Mecca. But who were the people he refers to in Sura 4.51? Were they his own people; or were they followers of Christianity as it was being practiced by the Roman Catholic Church in the days of Mohammad? Notice that whoever they were, Mohammad describes them as “those to whom a portion of the book has been given.”

From historical antiquity the proliferation of idols and icons created and venerated by the Church of Rome is well known. In fact, during the 8th and 9th Centuries a disputation over the veneration of idols tore the Church of Rome apart. This disputation, referred to as the Iconoclastic Controversy, brought about the separation of the Roman Church from that which is now recognized as the Eastern Orthodox Church.

You may find it interesting that this Eastern Church was located within the Byzantine Empire (i.e. the Eastern Roman Empire), headquartered in the city of Constantinople. Constantinople is now known as Istanbul and is one of the major cities of modern-day Turkey; today, the population of Turkey is recognized as being almost 100% Muslim. Notice the following synopsis of historical information taken from the “Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation.” And remember that the Prophet Mohammad was born in the year 570 and died in the year 632:

“Prior to the year 628, the armies of Persia had occupied the nations of Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. Up to that time the Byzantine Empire had to endure a long series of wars with the Persians. The Byzantine Emperor Heraclius finally terminated these wars with the Persians by a decisive victory in 628 and recovered Persian-occupied Syria, Palestine, and Egypt; however, exhaustion from this struggle and bitter religious disputes between rival Christian sects weakened Byzantine defenses and morale, leaving the empire unprepared to face another danger in the decade that followed.

“Between 634 and 642, Arabs, inspired by the new religion of Islam conquered Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt. Constantinople weathered major Arab sieges in the 670’s and in 717-18; and Byzantine Asia Minor survived almost annual Arab raids. These major Muslim offensives halted at the beginning in the 9th century and it was during the 8th and 9th centuries that the Iconoclastic Controversy took place.”

I wonder how much (if any) the preaching of Mohammad concerning the practice of idolatry had to do with the controversy which separated the Eastern Orthodox Church from the Church of Rome. There is certainly no doubt in my mind that the blatant idolatry practiced by the Roman Catholic Church is anathema to the teachings of God and the Bible. The worship and/or veneration of idols is offensive to not only the followers of Islam but to those who follow the true teachings of Christianity.

Sura 39.17 to 18 “And (as for) those who keep off from the worship of the idols and turn to Allah, they shall have good news, therefore give good news to My servants, those who listen to the word, then follow the best of it; those are they whom Allah has guided, and those it is who are the men of understanding.”

God’s Government

The following two paragraphs were used in a previous message but they have relevance to this present discussion so I hope you’ll forgive me for using them again:

Regardless of the many good intentions being put forward by our national leaders, this may be as good a time as any for those of the “church” and the Churches of God to remember that the government of God is not, was not, and never will be a democracy! We need to realize that when America attempts to spread its concept of democratic thoughts and freedoms to the peoples of the Muslim nations, many of them see it as nothing less than the spreading of Western immorality and licentiousness -- and who amongst us can say they are wrong?

As a nation, it may be argued that America has lost all moral justification to lead the world: greed, violence, illegal drugs, sexual immorality, and an almost unbridled selfishness run rampant throughout the land. Governmental arrogance, deceit, and corruption has reached levels which are almost beyond belief in the land many of us recognize as the fulfillment of the promise of national greatness God gave to Abraham.

Isaiah 1:4-6 “Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores...”

The proliferation of competing ministries within nominal Christianity has attached so many contradictory and confusing doctrines to the teachings of Jesus that it is sometimes difficult to accept the simplicity of the message he brought to mankind. Jesus came to proclaim the good news (the gospel) of the soon-coming Kingdom of God! The message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is that Jesus will one day reign as King of kings and Lord of lords over His Father’s Kingdom, here upon the Earth.

The inception of the Kingdom of God will presage the eradication forever of political influence and governmental corruption. No longer will mankind have to suffer the farcical political process with its resulting circus of lies, deception, and corruption. Those whom God has chosen will be placed in positions of authority and responsibility after having been thoroughly tried, tested, and trained for that position.

The government of God can be described as a benevolent dictatorship. Throughout man’s history, various societies have tried to set up such a government and have failed. In portions of the world today the leaders of modern Islam have set up their concept of an Islamic State; in their minds and their teaching this is nothing less than the government of God ruling over mankind from the top down. To this point in time all such attempts have failed; they have failed for the simple reason that mankind is incapable of true justice and righteous governance in the absence of the will and the actual leadership of our Creator.

1st Samuel 8:4-7 “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.’”

The Almighty Creator God ruled over the descendants of Jacob/Israel until the people decided they would rather have a human king to rule over them. You should read 1st Samuel 8:10-17 directly from your own Bible where you will learn that through Samuel, God gave Israel fair warning what would happen if they went ahead with their desire to replace the rule of God with that of a man. He told them how they would be made to serve their king (or their government) with their children, their possessions, even their very lives; and when they eventually realize how much better off they had been with God as their King it would be too late for He would refuse to listen.

1st Samuel 8:18 “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.”

1st Samuel 8:19 “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

This is where we find ourselves today; carping and complaining no matter which form of governing party happens to be in power -- and we only have ourselves to blame. It could be argued that the fault lies with those of our fore-fathers who rebelled in the days of Samuel; but even today, each of us has the opportunity to choose whether we want a man to rule over us or the governance of Almighty God -- very few of us ever choose wisely.

Sura 1.1 to 1.4 “All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.

The leaders of Islam profess their acceptance to the rule and the governance of God; they openly reject the rule and the governance of mankind and abhor what they see as the excess and licentiousness of Western democracy. In the Arabic language, the very word “Islam” means the surrender or submission to God. Likewise, the word “Muslim” refers to a follower of Islam -or- one who surrenders to God. To accept what they perceive as the immoral and corrupt Western concept of democracy, over the rule and governance of God, would be abhorrent to the majority of Islam. It is my considered and constant belief that they will continue to rebel against any form of democracy being imposed upon them.

Church of God Government

The “church” and the Churches of God give allegiance to their Heavenly Father and to His Son; but in doing so they readily admit to the blessing of living in a land governed by a democracy rather than a dictatorship -- benevolent or otherwise! The reason is quite simple; until we are governed by the righteous laws of God, and the wisdom and power of God’s leadership, any other form of governance will be imperfect.

In the lands of Western democracy we are free to keep the seventh-day Sabbath of God. We are free to reject the pagan celebrations of nominal Christianity so revered by our peoples and accepted and approved by our national leaders. We may worship and live our lives according to that which we have been given to understand; always mindful that we give offence to no man, government, or God.

1st Corinthians 10:32-33 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God...”

As part of the development of the begotten child of God, he or she must strive to never offend those with whom they must interact. It is a further part of their development that they show respectful obedience not only to the laws of God and His governance, but also to the laws and governance of the lands in which they now live, whenever those laws are not at variance with the will of God.

Finally: Many followers of Islam will be offended by those they consider nothing less than infidels; no matter what those infidels may do. Likewise, those Christians who are offended by Islam, or by any other of the many conflicting religions, will be offended no matter what those others may do. To those who are thus offended I shall quote the words of the Prophet of Islam: “And whoever disbelieves; let not his disbelief grieve you...”

Note: There is so much more which could be said, but I can see no merit in further striving with the long and somewhat shameful list of that by which we of the Western world offend both Islam and God; so I shall end it here. And as much as I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts through these weekly messages (even if they end up lost forever in the limitless void of cyber-space) it is time for me to return to my own personal studies.

This week’s posting is the fortieth since the inception of the blogsite; perhaps in the fall or early winter (God willing) I’ll be ready to begin again with a new set of thoughts and ideas which someone out there may find helpful. An important part of my studies will be to return to the first message of the forty; to study it again very carefully, searching the Scriptures whether these things are so, editing and improving wherever possible.

Whatever my present beliefs, I am forever striving to improve that which I have come to accept as truth. I freely admit that at this time, in this life, I am far from perfect. That which I have come to believe may therefore also be far from perfect. Nothing would please me more than to have one or more of you return to the first of these forty messages in your own search for a more perfect understanding and a more perfect truth; if you should find anything I may have overlooked, or have mistaken, or have misunderstood, then by all means share what you find with me and with others of our brethren.

Note: Nest week I shall endeavor to post a complete list of each of the forty weekly messages with the date each message was posted making it easier to find in the Archives. To those who have taken an interest in that which I have tried to say and do I thank you; and may God Our Heavenly Father bless you in every way!

Religious Confusion -- Part 1

NOTE: On May 7th I travelled to Los Angeles for a much enjoyed visit with my elder sister. It had been my intention to publish messages 39 and 40 from her computer but had not anticipated her not having Microsoft Word to make this possible. I apologize to those few of you who may have wondered at my absence. Above all else, it is my hope that the words of this blogsite are meant for you to read.


Within the religion of Islam there are many differing thoughts, teachings, and ideals; but this diversity is often surpassed by the confusion found within the confines of nominal Christianity. This in no way suggests that the Islam of today teaches the unerring truths of God -- far from it! But it does suggest that a more perfect understanding of Muslim beliefs may help us to better understand the hatred which followers of radical Islam seem to have for everything Christian.

It would be foolish to believe that anyone may understand the truths and mysteries of God simply because they have access to a Bible. It would be equally foolish to believe that others may understand Islam simply because they have access to a Koran. Nevertheless, these are the books we must turn to if we are to even hope for a more perfect understanding -- it is then up to the individual to search for whatever he or she believes is truth according to that which the Spirit of God may direct them.

The message presented in this two-part series in no way suggests the correctness of Islam over Christianity; in fact, what I hope to show is that just as nominal Christianity has misunderstood and misrepresented the teachings of God as they are recorded in the Bible, so has nominal Islam misunderstood and misrepresented the teachings of Mohammad, as they are recorded in the Koran.

Whether you are Christian or Muslim; whether you believe the teachings of the Bible or of the Koran; I challenge you to consider the thoughts which follow and then to “search the Scriptures” whether what I suggest is or is not true. I would also suggest that you go to the “Archives” of this blogsite and read “Words of the Prophet” and “Clear Proofs of Mohammad” -- these messages were published September 29th 2006 and March 16th 2007 respectively. In them I try to prepare the way for those Christians who desire to have at least a rudimentary understanding of Islam; and offer a digest of some of the many surprises I discovered from my own in-depth study of the Koran.

This rather lengthy preamble would be incomplete if I did not try to impress upon you this final thought: whether you read that which I have written about the teachings of Mohammad, or whether you read the words someone else may have written; nothing can take the place of that which the followers of Islam claim to be Mohammad’s actual words. Therefore, as you study this very important subject be sure you have access to at least one version of the Koran, placing each and every passage carefully within its own scriptural context. You should also have an open Bible by your side with an Exhaustive Concordance so you can diligently “search the Scriptures” whether these things are so.

The Bible and the Koran

Do yourself a favor: do not reject the words of the Koran simply because some man has told you that Islam is anathema to the teachings of God. I readily admit the book of the Koran can be one of the most difficult books to read and to understand; however, there are many surprises waiting for those Christians who with open minds would study the teachings of Mohammad and then “search the Scriptures” to more perfectly understand.

Please understand that I am a Christian. I believe the Bible is a compilation of the words of God as they were given to men of old and passed down to us for our instruction and edification. To the people of Islam, the book of the Koran is a compilation of the words of Mohammad as they were given to him from God through the Angel Gabriel. But note this: “The Prophet Mohammad did not write the book we know as the Koran!”

Several years passed following the death of Mohammad before his followers compiled what they remembered, or had recorded of his teachings. From this “compilation of Mohammad’s recitations” they produced the book known by the Arabic name “Qur’an” (Anglicized to “Koran”); it is this book of the Qur’an which has been passed down to the Muslims of today for their edification.

Sura 2.87 And most certainly We gave Musa [Moses] the Book and We sent apostles after him one after another; and We gave Isa, the son of Marium [Jesus, the son of Mary], clear arguments and strengthened him with the holy spirit, What! Whenever then an apostle came to you with that which your souls did not desire, you were insolent so you called some liars and some you slew.

Throughout the Koran you will find constant references to “a Book” or “the Book” or to “followers of the Book.” If you place these passages in their literal context and study them very carefully, you will find there can be little doubt Mohammad was speaking of that which we have come to know as the Bible. More specific references are made to the “Taurat” (the Torah) the Hebrew name for the Mosaic Law, the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament; or as Mohammad refers to it in the previously quoted Sura 2.87 “And most certainly We gave Musa [Moses] the Book.”

Sura 5.46 “And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium [Jesus, son of Mary], verifying what was before him of the Taurat [the Torah] and We gave him the Injeel [the teachings of Jesus] in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat [of the Torah] and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil).”

Notice the following verse as offered by two of the most noted translators of the Koran:

Sura 2.97 (by YUSUFALI): “Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel -- for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe...”

Sura 2.97 (by PICKTHAL): “Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who is an enemy to Gabriel! For he it is who hath revealed (this Scripture) to thy heart by Allah's leave, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers...”

It is the teaching of Islam that God revealed His truths to the Prophet Mohammad by revelation through the angel Gabriel. If you do nothing more than carefully study these three verses (i.e. Sura 2.87; Sura 5.46; and Sura 2.97) I believe you will gain a vitally important insight into the teachings of Mohammad.

From my own study of the Koran, I have come to accept that Mohammad was following the path of an apostle of God to his own Arabic speaking peoples; just as he understood Moses and Jesus and many other prophets and apostles had done before him to their own nations and peoples. I believe the message Mohammad preached was according to his understanding of Holy Scripture -- that is to say: the Old Testament as it was recorded and preserved by the Patriarchs; and the New Testament as it was recorded and available to the world at that time.

Sura 26.191 to 197 “And most surely your Lord is Mighty, the Merciful. And most surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Faithful Spirit has descended with it, upon your heart that you may be of the warners in plain Arabic language. And most surely the same is in the scriptures of the ancients. Is it not a sign to them that the learned men of the Israelites know it?

That which Christianity has come to know as the New Testament of the Bible is referred to in the Koran as the “Injeel” (Arabic: “good news”). Mohammad explains the “Injeel” as the good news (Old English: “gospel”) teachings of Jesus. He even refers to these teachings as “verifying what was before him [before Jesus] of the Taurat [the Torah].” However, according to the teaching of present-day Islam, that which Christianity has come to accept as the Old and New Testaments are false records of that which God originally inspired to be written.

Sura 10.37 “And this Quran is not such as could be forged by those besides Allah, but it is a verification of that which is before it and a clear explanation of the book, there is no doubt in it, from the Lord of the worlds.”

When we see the diversity of interpretations offered in almost limitless versions and publications of the Bible, (not to mention the countless contradictory books written about the Bible), we may find reason to forgive those who would condemn all Scripture as heresy. And yet, from the Exhaustive Concordances of the Bible the ardent searcher may gain an understanding of each and every word of Scripture as those words were originally inspired to be written; from this, he or she may still find accuracy and truth as the Spirit of God may lead them.

Sura 2.136 “Say: We believe in Allah and (in) that which had been revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to Ibrahim [Abraham] and Ismail [Ishmael] and Ishaq [Isaac] and Yaqoub [Jacob/Israel] and the tribes, and (in) that which was given to Musa [Moses] and Isa [Jesus], and (in) that which was given to the prophets from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit.

I am the LORD your God

Exodus 20:1-3 “And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.’”

It is the teaching of Islam that “There is no god but God, and Mohammad is His prophet.” Within nominal Christianity you will find little argument with the belief that there is no god but God; however, the one true God of Christianity usually refers specifically to God the Father. Christianity teaches the deification of Jesus as the Son of God and Islam sees this as anathema to the belief in One God. Add to this the somewhat nebulous individual referred to as either “God the Holy Spirit” or “God the Holy Ghost” and you may begin to appreciate why Islam believes the Christian doctrine of the Trinity offends their belief in the One True God.

Sura 4.171 “O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not speak (lies) against Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Marium [the Christ, Jesus son of Mary] is only an apostle of Allah and His Word which He communicated to Marium and a spirit from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God; far be it from His glory that He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His, and Allah is sufficient for a Protector.”

The Trinity of today’s nominal Christian teaching consists of God the Father; Jesus the Son of God; and God the Holy Spirit (sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost.) That there are three parts to one individual seems to be a constant to this teaching; and yet each of the three seems to have a definite individuality. During his earthly ministry, Jesus prayed to His Father many times; and although he is quoted as saying that if we have seen him, we have seen the Father, to equate this with Jesus and the Father being one and the same person is to say the least tenuous -- and to say the worst, foolishness!

Sura 5.73: Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three, and there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.

I must admit to having a less than perfect understanding of the Trinity -- nor do I wish to have a more perfect understanding of that which I believe to be a flawed interpretation of Scripture. I doubt if there could be a more confusing doctrine in an already confused and confusing set of pseudo-Christian doctrines. My own understanding of the Trinity has never been able to get past the fact that in the Bible, the Almighty God is consistently referred to as God the Father of Jesus; and yet, which of the “Three” fathered Jesus?

Matthew 1:18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together -- she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

Whereas the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is anathema to the followers of Islam, it should be understood that in the days of Mohammad the “Three” were identified as God the Father; Jesus the Son of God; and Mary the Mother of Jesus. Regrettably, some of today’s Christian teaching does deify Mary as the mother of God; this is a teaching which only further confuses an already confusing doctrine. In the days of Mohammad, that which had become known as Christianity had spread to the Middle-East from the Church in Rome; and to this day the deification of Mary is one of the principal doctrines of this Church. As far as the doctrine of the Trinity is concerned, it is unclear in my mind how the deification of Mary fits in with the teaching of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- and once again, I’m not sure I even want to know.

Sura 5.116 “And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?’ He [Jesus] will say: ‘Glory to You! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, you would indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, You I know not what is in Thine. For You know in full all that is hidden.’”

It is my profound belief that there is no god but God; but in the original inspired texts the Hebrew word translated “God” is not recorded in the singular sense. From a study of the uni-plural meaning of that Hebrew word we may understand that it is used in the sense of a “family” -- and so I believe it should be understood. In whatever way the doctrine of a Holy Trinity may be explained, I want you to clearly understand that I do not accept this as a true teaching of the Bible!

Sura 6.101 “Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created everything, and He is the Knower of all things?”

The man we have come to know as Jesus constantly referred to the Almighty God as his Father. We are taught through his words to the disciples that when we pray we should refer to God as Our Father; and at the time of his baptism the Bible records the words of God as He spoke directly to the newly baptized Jesus: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

Sura 18.4 to 5 “And warn those who say: Allah has taken a son. They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers; a grievous word it is that comes out of their mouths; they speak nothing but a lie.”

Mohammed did not believe that Jesus (or anyone) should ever be referred to as a child of God; throughout his dissertations he denies such a thing is even possible and for most of professing Christianity there is likewise little depth to the understanding of this question. Since this is neither the time nor the place for such an important discussion, I shall simply ask these questions: “If God wanted to raise up for Himself a son, could He do it? Is there any man, even one so revered by his followers as the Prophet Mohammed, who would dare tell the Almighty and Everlasting God that He cannot take to Himself a son?”

Sura 19.88 to 19.92 “And they say: ‘The Beneficent God has taken (to Himself) a son.’ Certainly you have made an abominable assertion. The heavens may almost be rent thereat, and the earth cleave asunder, and the mountains fall down in pieces, that they ascribe a son to the Beneficent God. And it is not worthy of the Beneficent God that He should take (to Himself) a son.”

Who is this man that would tell the Almighty God of Creation He is not worthy if He should take to Himself a son? Take care with your condemnations O man -- do not overstep the limits of your religion which God has placed upon you! That which God should choose to do is for God alone to determine! As for myself, I shall repeat what I have said so many times before and will surely say again: “There is no god but God -- and Jesus is His Son!”

Post Script: A better understanding of Islam may help bridge the widening gap between Muslim and Christian; but such is not the principal reason for this blogsite. Those who shall be given positions of importance in the soon-coming Kingdom of God will be required to offer both understanding and compassion to those who have embraced Islam in this lifetime; such compassion can only derive from a more perfect understanding of the words and the will of God. When the Messiah returns to gather together his brethren from the four corners of the Earth, he will begin to more perfectly prepare each of them for the positions of governance they will assume in their Father’s Kingdom. Each of us as individuals must prepare for that Day of our Lord; each of us as individuals must do everything we can to make ourselves ready -- as a people prepared for their Lord.

Note: There is much more which needs to be said on this very important subject. How does Islam view the veneration of idols and icons so prevalent within certain cultures of professing Christianity? What does Islam teach about man’s use of God’s name; or his obedience to God’s laws; or even the acceptance of God’s governance? Next week I hope to touch on at least some of these questions as we conclude this discussion with the posting of “Religious Confusion -- Part 2.”

Bits and Pieces -- 3

This is the third time a few bits and pieces have been selected as one of my weekly blog offerings. What began as a hopeful way to present snippets of information instead of a full-blown essay has become most enjoyable. This format has not only given me a useful way to present new thoughts and ideas, it has actually become a fun way for me to share what I once considered subjects with too little information to be of value. I hope these additional bits and pieces will add to your pleasure in that first love of new understanding; and will also bring you the joy of sharing something of value with myself and with others of our brethren.

The Name of Jesus

The 2002 Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia tells us that the word “Jesus” is derived from a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” or in full “Yehoshuah” (i.e. Yahweh is deliverance). The word “Christ” is derived from the Greek word “christos” and is a translation of the Hebrew “mashiakh” (i.e. anointed one, or Messiah.)

When we look into the life of the man we know as Jesus, how many of us really consider his name? The English pronunciation of the word “Jesus” is certainly close to the phonetic sound of the original Greek word “ee-ay-soose” used in the Bible; but it is important for us to remember that any difference in pronunciation between languages really doesn’t matter -- the man we know as Jesus did have a name; and in English we know and pronounce that name as Jesus.

If there is a problem with the form of address we use, then that problem exists with what most people have come to accept as his full name -- “Jesus Christ” is a form of address and should not be mistaken for the full name of our Lord! He may have been known as Jesus the carpenter, or Jesus the carpenter’s son; perhaps even Joshua the carpenter, or Joshua the carpenter’s son. Whatever name he was known by at that time, he lived in the town of Nazareth and we often refer to him as Jesus of Nazareth.

We may refer to him as Jesus “the Christ” or Jesus “the Messiah” for so he was, and so he is; in fact there is nothing wrong with referring to him as “Jesus Christ” so long as we remember this refers to his title, or his position, but not to his name. The word “Christ” was not, is not, and never has been the surname of Jesus!

To repeat what was earlier quoted from the Encarta Encyclopedia: the word “Christ” as it is used in the New Testament of the Bible is the English translation of the Greek word “christos.” In fact, the word “Christ” is nothing more than an Anglicized form of that original, biblically inspired Greek word. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible shows the word “Christ” as 5547 “christos” = anointed i.e. the Messiah.

John 1:45 quotes the Apostle Philip as saying: “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Jesus was the Messiah, the Anointed One promised to come throughout the writings of the Old Testament and that is precisely what the original Greek word “christos” means.

By simply Anglicizing the original Greek word into the English word “Christ” the translators have inadvertently obscured the true purpose of the original text. Recently, I have taken to mentally translating the word “Christ” to myself as I read it. In Acts 2:38 instead of reading “...and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ” I read to myself “...and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus, the Messiah.” In Romans 8:2 I read to myself “For the law of the spirit of life in the Anointed One Jesus,” instead of reading “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus…”

These alterations do not disturb the true meaning of the originally inspired words of the Bible. Speaking for myself, I find they have added a new, albeit a very small dimension to my understanding; and yet I am very grateful for it.

Babylon the Great

Most of you have a reasonably clear picture in your mind of King Nebuchadnezzar’s great statue; the one with a head made of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, and its feet made of iron partly mixed with clay.

This statue was a prophetic representation of a series of world-ruling empires, beginning with the Empire of Babylon led by King Nebuchadnezzar. I once believed that Satan was responsible for setting up each of these world-ruling Empires and that any prophecy concerning the duration of their influence must include the Empire of Babylon -- but this may not be so! The passage found at Daniel 2:37 makes it quite clear that it was: “...the God of Heaven [who] gave Nebuchadnezzar his kingdom, his power, his strength and his glory.”

If we think back to the original creation, the archangel Lucifer, (now referred to as Satan) was given some form of dominion over the Earth; but this was before his rebellion and long before the creation of man. During the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Satan claimed to have the power to set up and to tear down kings and kingdoms; this claim was not disputed by Jesus. As I have come to understand the term of Satan’s power over the nations, it could only have had its beginning following the reign (or the kingdom) of Nebuchadnezzar and will last only as long as it takes for the anointing of the Messiah as King of kings over the nations and peoples of the Earth.

With what has been recorded for us in the book of Daniel, it may be possible to develop a prophetic timeline which has as its conclusion the end of this present age and the setting up of the Kingdom of God. I have long believed that the prophecy of Daniel Four gives us such a timeline; and once again we may need to consider the duality so prevalent in biblical prophecy to find the answer.

The end of this present age will eventually give way to the beginning of the Millennium and the time of God’s Kingdom. In historical parallel and scriptural duality, the downfall and destruction of the political and military union now being created in Europe, (shown as the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s great statue), will be heralded by a specific statement recorded in the book of Revelation. Notice:

Revelation 18:2 “And [the angel] cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen; is fallen…’”

Is it possible that a prophetic timeline has been recorded for us beginning with the original fall of the temporal Empire of Babylon and concluding with the fall of the end-time spiritual Babylon? If so, then there is a distinct possibility that the actual words of King Nebuchadnezzar, as recorded for us in the fourth chapter of the book of Daniel, may give us some indication as to when the final fall of Babylon the Great may take place.

Miracles and Deception

The ministers of the Church of God teach that the Beast of the end time will do great miracles in the sight of men; and by these miracles mankind will be deceived into believing a lie. Most of us understand miracles as supernatural events, and being deceived means not knowing the truth; but there is an alternate understanding to all of this that needs to be considered before accepting any of it as the perfect truth of God.

Revelation 13:13-14 “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth -- by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast…”

The apostle John was the narrator of the Book of Revelation; he lived almost two thousand years before the events he was able to see in his vision. He understood that the power behind the beast had the ability to “make fire come down from heaven on the Earth.” But even in his wildest dreams John could never have imagined that mankind in these latter years would have the ability to deliver weapons of incredible destructive power by means of intercontinental ballistic missiles?

I’m not even sure that the word “miracle” is necessarily the best translation for the original inspired Greek word “simeion” used in verse 14. This word has been translated in other parts of the Bible to read “sign” or “token” or “wonder.” There is no question that to see a man-made device falling from the sky to deliver the destructive force of a five-megaton nuclear bomb would indeed be seen by John as a “wonder” if not a “great miracle” -- but if what John saw was a man-made device, then it is not a miracle!

Now notice that the power behind the beast is able to “…deceive them that dwell on the earth by those miracles…” The word “deceive” has been taken from the original Greek word “planao” and could just as easily have been translated to read “to (cause to) roam from safety, truth, or virtue.” If the power behind the soon coming Beast has the ability to use nuclear weapons, then he will have a powerful tool with which to force his will upon the peoples of many nations and/or religions.

Normal usage of the word “deceive” bears the connotation that the one deceived does not realise that he or she is being deceived; I have grave doubts that this conveys the correct meaning of these scriptures. In the end-time the power behind the Beast will have the ability to impress his will upon mankind; and he will be able to back up his demands with the threat of (and the actual use of) nuclear weaponry. He will have the power to demand obedience from those nations under his influence; and it may come to pass that one of his demands will be that no one Judaize by observing the true seventh-day Sabbath.

The possibility exists that threats from the Beast may force mankind to “roam from safety, truth, or virtue,” so as to keep Sunday as the Lord’s Day -- and if it were possible, he might even be able to coerce such obedience from the very elect!

Michael the Archangel

Whether there will or will not be a place of safety for the elect during the time of the Tribulation is a question which has often bedevilled the Churches of God. I can’t say that an actual “place of safety” has ever been one of my strongest beliefs; but at one time there was an aspect to this story which greatly disturbed me. I wondered: “If the elect are to be taken to a place of safety, would their children and other loved ones go with them; or would they be left to fend for themselves during the horrors of the end-time?”

I had great difficulty believing the elect would be able to relax and enjoy three-and-a-half years of protection, knowing their loved ones were being forced to endure horrors almost beyond the imagination. It was then that I perceived a whole new meaning of the words recorded in the book of Daniel as if referring precisely to this subject:

Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the [children] of your people...”

Note: I quote this verse from the New King James Version but have taken the liberty of changing the word “sons” to read “children” as it is recorded in the Authorized King James Version. Regardless of how we understand the meaning of this passage, the intent of God’s word cannot be that only the sons would be protected and not the daughters.

It has been my experience that ministers of the Church of God use this passage to show the Archangel Michael watching over the people whom God has set apart for His holy purpose -- I have no great dispute with this belief. I do however question the teaching that Daniel 12:1 refers specifically to the “church” and the Churches of God during the time of the Tribulation. Speaking for myself: I have always taken comfort from the belief that this passage refers to our children -- not to ourselves!

Who are the actual people of Daniel if not the Jews; and by extension, the entirety of the descendants of Israel? However, if this passage is meant to be understood in the spiritual sense, then Daniel’s people must be spiritual Israel i.e. the true “church” of God! Who then are those individuals referred to as “the children of [Daniel’s] people”? Surely they must be the children and/or the loved ones of those who are the elect of God.

Whether there is or is not an actual place of safety should be seen as a separate issue. It is my belief that the assurance given by Daniel 12:1 is that in the end-time God will send the Archangel Michael to protect and care for our children -- no matter where the elect may be.

Picture the Actual Resurrection

How many of you have really tried to understand what went through the mind of Jesus when he experienced his very first moment of conscious thought following his death? In fact; how many of you have truly taken to heart the scripture which admonishes us to: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”?

I would strongly recommend that each of you set aside a little quality time for meditation, (perhaps on an upcoming Sabbath day), when you can attempt to experience what your own thoughts and feelings will be at the precise moment of your own future resurrection.

Try to experience the elation and the wonder associated with such an event. Will your imagination picture great excitement with many trumpets sounding and hosts of angels? Do you expect to see many friends and family both old and new? How do you envision your first meeting with some of the prophets; or with the Patriarchs and/or Matriarchs of the Bible? Can you picture your very first meeting with King David; or with Moses; or with Jesus himself?

The resurrection of Jesus took place within a sealed tomb hewn out of solid rock! I hesitate to say he awoke in darkness because I must believe the angels that were there to tend him would have provided more than sufficient light as they removed his bindings and prepared him for his awakening. If you had lived the life of Jesus and had died his death, what would be your first conscious thought in that first moment of awareness? What would be your first physical reaction in that first moment of consciousness?

Of course it would! With a heart filled with rejoicing and eyes filled with tears, you would humble yourself before the Living God in worship and in prayer! The only question might be how long would you spend on your knees or prostrate on your face, rejoicing with tears of thanksgiving before the Great and Almighty God; the God who was now truly your Heavenly Father? If Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day following his death, he would have had ample time to reminisce, in tearful prayer with his Father, all that had happened to him throughout his lifetime before having to leave his tomb!

Note: Next week I hope to begin a two-part series dealing with many of the reasons for the “Religious Confusion” that mankind seems powerless to resolve.