Depth Perception 

Read the scripture verse below to discover exactly where this world is heading. Such is unfolding in front of our eyes at this very moment… Protesting Israel’s very existence and Christian standards. 

Zechariah 12:3… “And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (NKJV). 

Think very seriously about this. “…a very heavy (stone) burden for all people?” Even the current (2024) President of the United States and administration is losing support for Israel. 

If one is not and has not been watching the news about the Middle East, this article requires that one pay attention to what is happening. Not to add to one’s list of should do’s, s/he must also pay close attention to world opinions of Israel. Even though they were attacked by armed neighbors, Israelis realize that the Hamas regime was ELECTED by the locals of their neighboring nation and militant groups. What makes it even more troubling is even the few that have the backs of Israel are not offering strong support.  

Zechariah 12:3 is NOT an ancient prophecy. The verse says… “I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for ALL peoples”. Is this not a fact in today’s world news? What is it about Bible-believing people, yet alone the world that we (they) fail to accept that Israel was attacked. Why do even those who regularly attend Bible studies and church worship services not accept and refuse to acknowledge the warning that also comes with verse 3? We are not fighting against man. We are fighting against the King of this world… SATAN. Men or mankind’s powers are nothing more than proxies of Satan.  

John 12:31 – “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler (Satan) of this world will be cast out.” 

John 14:30 – “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler (Satan) of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me…” 
 
John 16:11 – “…the ruler (Satan) of this world *has been judged.” *In short, God has already judged. He has yet to bring His full judgment upon Satan. 
 
2 Corinthians 4 reads: – “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving …” 

Satan was judged when he rebelled against God while he and his minions (fallen angels) were still in heaven.  

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Satan-As-The-Prince-Of- This-World 

Many who stand behind the pulpits leading worship and/or Bible studies have seminary learning but lack depth perception. They get the verse(s) implications but lack the application. The Bible is not a book of the past. It is as current as today is today. Satan is powerful. He has substituted everything about scripture to make many not grasp the real thing or depth-thinking. 

Back to Zechariah. Ask oneself, why has Jerusalem been fought over for centuries? It is the home base of Christianity and Judaism, including Islam. It was the focal point of the Crusades. The claims and occupation of this city are centuries old. That which was once called Salem is now Jerusalem. Melchizedek with whom Abraham gave tribute, was the king of Salem.  

Yes, it is felt by many that the demands of Deuteronomy 28:15 are too much of a burden. That is exactly the point. It does not mean to tuck oneself in a corner or monastery, but it does mean making God and Jesus Christ the center of life. Most of the time it all goes back to not really taking to heart that God created all things that were created. Revelation 4:11 reads: “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.” Also read Colossians 1:15. 

Often it is not understanding or clarity that one seeks. It is the required change of individual hearts that is the roadblock. An understanding and clarity are excuses. We must also accept that the ruler of this world, Satan, puts irrational thoughts in our minds. He does not want God’s creations to believe that Satan even exists. 

NOTE: If some evangelical pastors sense s/he must constantly give salvation invitations due to the “aliens” in the audience, their messages tend to resemble the Milk of the Word, not the Meat of the Word [1 Corinthians 3:2, 1 Peter 2:1-25] Hebrews 5:14]. 

Disciples (believers) of the Word need to learn what to apply and how to apply the meat and depth of the word. They (we) need depth perception. 

Rev. Dr. Stark – August 2024 

This will be one of the most highly contested articles ever published by this web site. Read and study the following. Then, weigh it for yourself. 

It is common Biblical knowledge that there are subjects in the Bible that find controversy. To put it simply, it is often outsiders telling insiders (true believers) that they are wrong to have standards that conflict with “their” standards. One hot topic is murdering the unborn or just born children if deemed wanted. Israel did the same with child sacrifices by their “so-called” priests. God judged their kingdom-nation for doing this.  

The United States was initially settled by Europeans seeking religious freedom. They had too many outsiders giving them great grief in Europe. This comment is not to the dismissal of the native Indians already occupying this American land. Europeans set up colonies as Theocracies. Israel had kings after 400 years of being ruled by Judges. If one looks at and examines the multiple Christian churches initially set up by the Apostles in Eurasia and the Middle East, where are these same churches today? Satan casually dismantled them by bringing outsiders to the inside. Now with these outsiders on the inside, their voices were then heard. A church begins to depend upon and calculate these donations into the Church budget. 

The original Church of Acts has today been replaced by churches. The Catholics state that they are THE (lone) CHURCH. However, even within their ranks there are differentiations. There are more church denominations than one can recite from memory. One simple example of this is within the names of Baptist Churches. There are more than 150 different Baptists churches; each has individual and select beliefs. The same is true of most if not all mainline denominations. When outsiders get into the mix, so do their views. This does not expand Bible understanding, rather it adds to differing understandings. Denominations do not unite the Church of which Christ is its head. It divides them.  

The Book of Acts is the foundation of a Christian Worship Service. 

1. Unequally yoked in worship also means believers trying to worship alongside unbelievers i.e., unequally yoked. Whether in business, relationships or worship, Christians are not to be equally yoked with unbelievers. [Amos 3:2 1 Corinthians 6:15] 

2. AFTER salvation, bring them to church for discipleship, worship, study, and fellowship as equally yoked. [Acts 5:14, Acts 4] 

Read the ahabiblemoment article on why quoting the Lord’s Prayer is not what scripture tells us how to pray as a church group. It is mostly because believers and unbelievers are chanting the same words. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, and a shorter form in the Gospel of Luke Secondly, the first few verses where we can find the Lord’s Prayer specifically states to go into one’s Prayer Closet… alone. Then follow the full instructions of Jesus and pray a similar type of prayer as he offered as an example to his disciples [Matthew 3-15]. It is a bit of a challenge to grasp that after three years with Jesus, they still did not know how to pray. 

Now the controversy of controversies... 

Deuteronomy 28:43 This passage is specific to the Israelis, but we should take all scripture for what it states. Click on this verse and read it before continuing. 

Different translations of the Bible use different terms or words in this and many other verses. What is a sojourner, foreigner, or alien amongst us? It is simple. Such people are not officially or regularly part of a specific group, setting, organization, team, or follower of the organization’s purpose. . This is the complaint against those crossing a nation’s border illegally, such as the Mexican border with the USA. They bring their culture with them. Such can easily conflict with the basic USA culture(s). Even enough to bring dangerous conflicts. Take any outside organization such as the Mason’s Gild. Trying to be invited into one of their gatherings as an outsider/nonmember. It isn’t going to happen.

Take any outside organization such as the Mason’s. Trying to be invited into one of their gatherings as an outsider/nonmember. 

Let’s cut to the chase. Looking at the NIV translation, this verse reads… The alien who lives among you will rise higher and higher (gain more influence), but you will sink lower and lower (losing influence or surrendering control) with (to) the alien amongst you. Has the modern-day church gotten it mixed up and surrendered evangelism/witnessing to the ministerial staff? Has the modern-day Christian determined that his or her job is to BRING outsiders (unbelievers) to church hoping the pastor will convince and lead this person to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? This is not how the Book of Acts explains it. New church attendees at that time were already believers either by travel or new converts.  

If evangelical pastors sense s/he needs to constantly give salvation invitations due to the “alien” in the audience, their messages remain the Milk of the Word, not the meat.  

Rev. Dr. Jstark – 2024 

Q #1:     …about the three heavens. In technical terms, they are the atmospheric heaven that is called the “troposphere”; the space above it is called the atmosphere most known as the space that surrounds the earth holding our oxygen supply. See James 5:18, Genesis 6:7, Hebrews 4:14, or Matthew 6:26. 

Immediately above the first heaven is called Celestial Heaven – The Second Heaven. This is what is best known as outer space. It holds our stars, sun, moon, and other planets. See Deuteronomy 4:19. 

The third heaven is the Heaven of all three heavens. The highest heaven belongs to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it (Deuteronomy 10:14). All three heavens belong to God. He can occupy any of these three at any time but the home base for Trinity is third heaven. See Hebrews 8:1, Acts 9:24, Acts 7:24. 

There are angels in the third heaven. They are in what is called the courtyard singing praises and exalting God. Refer to Revelation 7:11, 5:11, Ezekiel 1:12-20. 

 Q#2       How many New Testament books were written and studied before Christ’s crucifixion?  

NONE! Most New Church Christians studied the Book of Isaiah and heard the witness of the Disciples who observed the crucifixion or directly knew about it. Even the Eunuch situation of Ethiopia was introduced to the eventual meaning of the New Testament gospels by Philip via the Book of Isaiah. All New Testament books were written AFTER Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Other theologians, including myself, believe the first New Testament Book was written by Mark, not Matthew. See Acts 8:26-40. 

Ephesians 4:9&10 (NKJV) 

What Bible are you using? There is nothing in these two verses that suggests there is a “THEY”. Ephesians 4:9 (Now this, “HE ASCENDED”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? (NKJV) 

Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)  (NKJV) 

It is all about Christ in verses 9 & 10, not a “they” can be found in the Greek. Hades/Sheol is a sort of holding tank for unbelievers. That is, in contrast to Paradise which is the holding tank for believers until after the New Heavens and New Earth including the Millennial Reign of God/Christ. LOOK seriously at verses 11 and 12… Ephesians 4:11 To some were made prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  

Verse 12… for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” It is not a specified place of the dead, but means that person is no longer a body with a soul.  The soul has departed but still exists. The New Testament Greek equivalent to Shaol is Hades. Neither is the “hell” referenced in scripture. A pretty good brief on this is found in https://www.gotquestions.org/sheol-hades-hell.html. Cut and paste this web page for a short but good description of your question and beyond. It is only on the Day of Judgement that HELL becomes an actuality. Even Hades is tossed into the Lake of Fire. 

Rev. Dr. Jstark –2024 

1. Barnabas and John Mark are cousins
2. Every city Paul visits he goes directly to the Synagogue, if there is one to be found.
3.  
4. Jewish leadership of New Testament times want it Their Way, not The Way.
   1. I am The Way, the truth, and the light [John 14:6]
   1. They made God to be what they wanted him to be, not what God wanted them to be.
5.   There are five women named Mary in the N.T.
6. There are 6 who are named King Herod in the bible. All from the same family:
   1. Herod the Great (ruled 37-4 B.C.): Christmas event King; tried to trick the three wise men from the Tribe of Magi in Mede (East of today’s Iran)
      1. Herod the Great’s kingdom was between his sons
   1.  Herod Archelaus (ruled 4 B.C.-A.D. 6): Joseph was unwilling to move Mary and toddler Jesus to Bethlehem after fleeing to Egypt because Bethlehem was in Herod’s territory. Archelaus ordered the killing of all Hebrew babies aged two and under.
   1. Herod Antipas (ruled 4 B.C.-A.D. 39): Killed John the Baptizer
   1. Herod Philip the Tetrarch (ruled 4 B.C.-A.D. 34): Married his niece, Salome, the daughter of Herodias (Herod Antipas’s wife-of-sin).
   1. Herod Agrippa I (ruled A.D. 37-44; 41-44 over all of Judea): In the book of Acts he is known as the one who put Peter in prison (Acts 12:1-5) … although he couldn’t keep him there (Acts 12:6-19)! PLUS, “He did not give God the glory” when hailed as a god by the people of Tyre and Sidon. He was immediately struck by an angel and “eaten by worms” (Acts 12:20-23) Grandson to Herod the Great.
   1. Herod Agrippa II (ruled A.D. 50s until long after the end of the Jewish war; he died around A.D. 93): Great-grandson to Herod the Great. He questioned Paul then Paul appealed to Caesar in Rome. Paul was a Roman citizen.
7. Acts 14:5,6  [JIV]: soon-i’-do in Greek means that Paul and Barnabas were “aware, knew, and understood” (Strong’s Commentary) their pending assault.  Acts 14:6; i.e. the pyramid you have been taught as a step-by-step growth process. Recall the Iceberg principle. We only see 10% above the water line; that is the Action Level.

A natural geological fault line runs through the place mentioned in Zechariah 14:4 where Jesus will return with feet on the Mt of Olives when the Mt splits North and South.

Matthew vs Luke lineage of mankind and that of Jesus:Matthew traces Jesus Lineage BACKWARD to Abraham (originally written in Hebrew)

Luke traces Jesus’ lineage beginning with Adam (Written in Greek) forward to Jesus

You are provided over 50 reminders of bible ahamoments.com. These are but a few in comparison to the hundreds of points made within ahabiblemoments.com.

Matthew 25:34-40 and Luke 6:30-38

Go Thou and now do likewise!

This document was originally provided for the students who attended the origination and first semester of Cadillac Community Bible School in Cadillac, Michigan.

1. 144,000 (Revelation 7 & 14 are challenging)
   1. Chapter 7: 144,000 sealed unto God; 12,000 from each of the 12 Tribes of Israel
      1. Sealed but no “MARK” on their forehead or hand is mentioned
      1. These are not the same people who refuse the Mark of the Beast (Tribulation)
      1. The 144,000 mentioned does not include any from the Tribe of Dan
   1. Chapter 14: 144,000 redeemed from earth who will accompany Jesus during his 2^nd advent. These are identified as having a mark on their forehead.
2. *Tauv is the mark mentioned in Ezekiel 9:4; i.e. it is also the last letter in the Hebrew Aleph- bit. Probably implicates the last of human actions in Jerusalem as we know it today.
3. Taking the Mark of the Beast is eternal condemnation, no forgiveness.
4. How does every nation, people, and village hear the “Word of Salvation”?
   1. “Then I saw another angel… proclaiming the gospel to every nation…” [Revelation 14:6]
   1. Apostle John sees how every person will have the opportunity to accept the Salvation Jesus offers BEFORE the final judgment i.e., the two witnesses during the first half of the 7-year Tribulation. Modern technologies make this possible.
5. The name of the first church i.e., denomination was called “The Way.” They were first called Christians in Antioch (Turkey) according to Acts 11:19-30. Denominations are manmade self-serving motives from other denominations but, do all claim brotherhood in Christ.!? Denominations do not unite believers. They distinguish, identify, and separate.
6. Judgements by God
   1. Christian Bema Seat Judgement is like the original Greek Olympics. Awards given for what one does as a believer from the Bema Seat of the of Christ. (Roman’s 2:6)
   1. Great White Throne Judgement is totally about punishment. Interestingly in Isaiah 59:18 and Romans 2:6, Old and New Testaments, He will judge [at the Great White Throne Judgement Seat] everyone according to what each has done.
      1. This says there are differing levels of eternal judgements.
      1. Differing levels of punishment in hell?
7. Satan falls from being a brilliant light of God’s creations to a condemned angel named Abaddon (Hebrew) or Apollyon (Greek). Rev. 9:10,11. Both words translate “destroyer.”
8. After Revelation 3, all following Revelation scripture is about Israel, Jerusalem, and the Tribes of Israel. The ‘church’ is never again mentioned after the 3^rd chapter of Revelation. This suggests that the Tribulation is all about Israel and new believers during the End of Time

 7- year tribulation period. The final 3 1/2 years will be total anarchy and chaos.

• Isaiah 17 says at or just before the time of the Tribulation, Damascus will cease to exist after a 5,000-year history of continual occupation. Is Damascus, Syria being threatened today? YES! Both internally and externally.
• End of Time and End Time are two different things. Time was created in Genesis 1:5. End of Time means that time is replaced with eternity. Eternity means TIME no longer exists. This is a difficult concept for us as humans. Genesis 1:5 is the first day. P.S.; no calendars existed! This means the FIRST DAY of TIME; not the first day of a week.
• Most do not realize that Genesis 3:15 does not talk about the fear, hate, and dislike between serpents (snakes) and mankind (women). It is a prophecy of the “enmity” between Satan and God’s elect (Jews) including the church until the time of the Tribulation.
• Jacob’s Trouble means Israel’s trouble…N.T. Matthew 24; O.T. Jeremiah 30:11-12
• Two Witnesses in Jerusalem of the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation
  • It is appointed unto man once to die (sleep) [Hebrews 9:27
  • Only Enoch and Elijah never died. Revelation 11: the two witnesses are killed by anti-Christ. After 3 ½ days both are raised in front of the global eyes of the world.

Rev. Dr Jstark – 2024