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.