Tag Archives: Mark

Revelation Study Guide

Posted on by
Reply

miniJimShort Study Guide:

Revelation Bible class blog Study Guide: We need to stay focused and need God’s help distinguishing who is and who is not a part of the following numbers discussed in Revelation 14 and Revelation 7. [See Revelation Chapter 14-1 PowerPoint on chapter 14, 144,000, and Who Are They]

  1. Ezekiel 9:4-6 a mark is put on those who grieve and lament their sin and the sin of Jerusalem. Mark in this Hebrew means TAUV, the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet.
  2. Revelation 14 people have the name of the father and the lamb written on their foreheads.
  3. Revelation 6:9 The Tribulation Saints “[souls] under the throne” who have an exact number that must be killed before vengeance is taken by God. Is their number one of the groups of the 144,000 or simply a great sea of people?

Different marks/seals mentioned in scripture:

There are 21 Greek words for “mark” and 28 words form “mark” in the Hebrew.
There are 6 Hebrew words for “seal” and 3 in the Greek.

  • Revelation 7:2, 3
  • Revelation 13:16, 17
  • Ezekiel 9:4-10
  • Revelation 14:1

Distinguishing or mentioned characteristics about groups of people in end time sealed or marked in one way or another.

Ezekiel 9

This book is focused on Israel, as is most of Revelation following the first four chapters that discuss seven the Messianic Christ churches.

  1. It is in Jerusalem, not throughout the world
  2. Those marked (tauv) lament the sins of the city (historical and present)
  3. The rest are slain without pity
  4. The context of this judgment goes back to Ezekiel 7:(1-10) but should include the entire chapter.

Revelation 7

This is very specific in identifying who that will be marked; 12,000 from 12 Tribes of Jacob (Israel). Dan has walked away and is not included as a tribe. Ephraim name is replaced by the name of his father, Joseph of Egypt. Manasseh is listed as one of the twelve Tribes.

Additional considerations:

  1. The souls under the throne and the handing out of white robes
  2. Those who appear in great multitudes that cannot be counted.
  3. Who are 24 elders?
  4. The woman in chapter 12 and the woman in chapter 15
  5. The dragon, 1st beast, 2nd beast

Personal Notes:

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

 

Why does Jesus call God “Father?”

Posted on by
2

In the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, this identity of Jesus addressing God as father is given well over 100 times. In the Book of John, also synoptic, it is used 60 plus times. We are taught in the Lord’s Prayer to use this identity of father in “Our Father…” But why? We often hear of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If Jesus and the Holy Spirit is in fact a part of a triune God, meaning three-in-one, then how can Jesus become the son of God? How could God create himself? Why would Jesus consistently call him Abba-father?

Many people, including seminarians ever think upon these things. JIV Note: Don’t confuse assumption with faith or doctrine. God is Spirit (John 4:24) and we must worship him in spirit. In a previous post we discussed “Our Father” and the fact that God created man with body, mind, spirit and soul. Click here to read this article. If God is spirit and created mankind with spirit, he metaphorically or literally fathered all. (You decide if it is metaphor or literal; circle your choice)

Let’s take a brief look at this. If something is an unknown biblical factor, it cannot add to our confidence in Jesus Christ. Understanding is at the lower end of the human Learning Pyramid; i.e. Awareness – Understanding – Convinced – Conviction – Desire – Action. This is a study in and of itself but here is the very short version and explanation.

The greater one’s understanding of something the more likely s/he will be convinced of its actuality instead on one’s perception or their personal reality. (This too is an article discussed in another article in this website) Once convinced of possibilities we have but three choices. Two of them are excuses, not reasons once there is a personal understanding. One can opt to Ignore, reject, or accept. It is at this point humans will DESIRE to either move on, the first two options, or take the third option desiring to do something with this gained knowledge. This takes us to the action level. We take a given learning situation and apply it to our life.

In the Old Testament the use of the word “father” is remarkably missing, Where it is found it is usually within a context or single scenario. This is how Robert Stein puts it:

“Throughout the Bible we find God portrayed as a Father. This portrayal, however, is surprisingly rare in the Old Testament. There God is specifically called the Father of the nation of Israel ( Deut 32:6 ; Isa 63:16 ; [twice] 64:8 ; Jeremiah 3:4 Jeremiah 3:19 ; 31:9 ; Mal 1:6 ; 2:10 ) or the (metaphorical) Father of certain individuals ( 2 Sam 7:14 ; 1 Chron 17:13 ; 22:10 ; 28:6 ; Psalm 68:5 ; 89:26 ) only fifteen times.” (emphasis mine)

http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/fatherhood-of-god.html Robert H. Stein; Fatherhood of God

Other than in the Lord’s Prayer where Jesus answers a disciple’s question, “teach us how to pray,” Jesus identifies God as his FATHER, not our father. This is a very personal identity. So how, when or where did this identity originate? Go to the Bethlehem record found in Luke 1 and Matthew 1.

This article is not intended to tell the Christmas narrative. We are researching and discussing the term “father” in its relationship to God the “father.” We read in Matthew 11:18… (ESV)

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

So much content is skipped in this verse. First, Matthew is looking back at the birth of Jesus; “when his (Jesus’) mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph.” Matthew is looking back at this event in history. He is actually explaining to the Jews that Jesus is within the bloodline and DNA of King David and that HE is the promised Messiah of Isaiah prophecy. Both Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, and Mary, his earthly mother, are from the Tribe of Judah and a blood-relative of King David. This is important to the Jewish leadership of that day as this is the birth-line from which they expect their Messiah. Matthew targets Jews.

In the Book of Luke, a book targeted to the Gentiles, he does not attempt to make this connection. He makes the connection with Adam, the first human. Luke begins with current names and genealogically lists names from current to back Adam; i.e. son to father DNA. Matthew does just the opposite, he begins with King David and shows that Jesus has a legal right to the throne of King David; i.e. father to son DNA. Matthew targets the message to the Jews and Luke targets his message to the Gentiles; same message but different beginning points.

Matthew 11:18 also points out that Joseph refrained from, as this verse states (ESV) “before they came together.” That means, before they consummated their marriage. Why? Mary was already pregnant via God the Holy Spirit… “…she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (ESV). This is the reason Jesus always identified himself as the Son of God. Mary conceived through God the Holy Spirit. This is why he always called God, ‘Father.’ He was actually his “only begotten son.” John 3:16.

Now that you know the rest of the Bible Story (history), and evidence has been provided not through an opinion but through the Bible itself, this puts all of us in the Learning Pyramid at “desire.” Each one of us is left with Ignore – Reject – Accept; our only three choices. If one ops for either of the first two, s/he puts destiny (not eternity however) in human hands. If one opts for the third choice, accept, then destiny and eternity is put into Gods hands. Are you in good hands?

Action is the top level of the Learning Pyramid. After learning facts we still have the options of ignore, reject, or accept, that is, to remain ignorant via denial; say it means nothing to you by rejection of facts; Accept Jesus Christ for who he is! Of course, this is a choice. Exactly the way God intended it to be. It is called a Free Will (Romans 9:16).

Using cellphone outdoors while crossing the street.As a friend once commented in a home Bible study, we can opt to ignore the oncoming traffic, reject the fact that crossing the street at this time is deadly, or, accept the facts and use one’s choice to act(ion) accordingly.

Merry Christmas.

jStark3Rev. Dr. Jstark
December, 2015

But there is one thing you lack….(Mark 10:21; NIV)

Posted on by
Reply

BLOG – August 26, 2015jStark3

But there is one thing you lack….(Mark 10:21; NIV)

Here is a passage that has a very broad application to major single item issues in our lives. The bible records that a rich young ruler approached Jesus and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

The Rich Young Man (Mark 10:17-27; ESV)

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, onethinglooking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

This is not a passage that condemns wealth. Job, Abraham, Jacob, and others in scripture were very wealthy individuals; many camels, sheep, servants… It is about the possessions or in this situation the one possession that keeps us from living a full life with God. I recall a similar situation when preaching at a church many years ago. The preacher was ticking off a list of sins and an elderly lady sitting in the front row was vocally agreeing with each sin he identified. It goes something like this:

There are some here today who need to get certain sins out of their life. There are those here who have wondering eyes (amen mumbled the lady in the front row); those who seek wealth more than God (again she mumbled amen but a bit louder). There are those who cheat (Yes! Amen says the lady now audible to others). There are those who have tempers (Amen; now loud enough for those a few rows back). Some here have not supported the church as they should (now with a bit of a shout… Amen). There are those who have secret sins (Amen). Someone here is a compulsive liar (AMEN ). Someone here is an over-the-fence gossiper. With that the lady in the front row shouts out…”Now you are getting too personal!”

It was the one sin for which she felt was excusable and okay since it was her practice in life and unwilling to give it up… a gossiper; “there is one thing…“ To keep this story parallel to our passage in Mark, she agreed with hearty amen’s to the other listed wrongs and wasn’t guilty of those other sins (in her opinion that is). But there was one sin she felt was too much to give up and in her opinion was justifiable.

The rich young man in Mark 10 (also found in Luke 18:18-23 & Matthew 19:16-22) asked Jesus what must he do to inherit eternal life. There is nothing in any of the passages found in Matthew, Mark or Luke to indicate he was not sincere. He knew Jesus was the Messiah, good teacher, and sent from God. He wanted to be a follower of Christ like the other disciples.

Jesus then listed (v19) a few laws of Judaism (10 Commandments); the young man replies…”all these I have kept since I was a boy (v20; NIV)” Then comes the zinger; the point we all need to consider in our personal lives, worship, and faithfulness to our salvation. In verse 21 Jesus looks (emblepō; to fix one’s eye upon) him in the eyes and says… “One thing you lack,” (v21a; NIV) “go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then, come and follow me.”

Note that Jesus didn’t tell him that he would never again have treasures or that he would no longer possess wealth. Jesus told him… “you will have treasures in heaven.” The word ‘treasures’ in the Greek is thēsauros; a coffer, box, or storehouse in which valuable things are deposited/stored. By deduction this suggests that his exchange of wealth on earth is but a deposit box for the wealth he would have in the storehouse of God in heaven.

Like the amen-lady in the story told on page one of this article, he was unwilling to “give up that one thing” that was too close to his heart; she: gossiping; him: wealth. It isn’t like he sacrificed much to live within the laws of Judaism. We are not told about this other than he has upheld these laws since a bay. This obedience to the laws made him a recognized, respected and good man in Jewish society and culture. This goodness is a given in his life since childhood. He sincerely wanted to follow Jesus, but on his own terms; willing to follow but wanted to keep one hand on his earthly security of treasures or desires. He was not willing to empty his earthly coffer of one particular thing in order to follow Jesus Christ; “One thing you lack.”

It isn’t a matter of giving up wealth or any one-thing, but it is a position or attitude of the heart. We can be more sincere than the pastor or leadership of a great or small church yet still covet one thing in life that seems too much to give up so Christ can completely fill and fulfill our life on earth. Maybe that one thing is telling an exaggerated story, a lustful eye, watching questionable movies, that drink that takes us to the red-eye of the wine, unwillingness to share in and nurture the growth of a child (Greek: pahee-dee’-on; a child or immature Christian), bear false stories, gossip, adultery, not giving due honor to those who deserve it whether it is earned or not, speeding, etc.

We should make a ‘study-note’ that in this situation it is but an example of other one-things we are not willing to surrender in order to follow God. Buying into political correctness does not assure it is correct with God just as is looking past evils, speeding, filing almost correct taxes, the white lie, not using our spiritual gift in church, and the like. Not leaving a tip worthy of being called a tip at a restaurant is NOT a sin but is politically incorrect, anti-culture and it is being judgmental or perhaps selfish. I have seldom met a wealthy waiter or waitress; often: the poor.

Before we are tempted to use this opportunity to begin staring in the face of incorrect political correctness go back to v21; ”Jesus looked at him and loved him.” This is agapaō love. It means Jesus loved him. I found this definition of two types of love:

There are generally two types of love spoken about in our New Covenant. The first is the Greek word phileō; it means a brotherly love, to be a friend, to have affection for. This is the most common type of love that we experience in this world and it’s an emotional love that occurs in almost every person to some degree. Whether they’re saved or unsaved, the average person today readily has this phileō, this emotional type of love within them.

The other Greek word for love is agape (ah-gah-pay) and sometimes agapaō. This is a much rarer type of love that only comes from our Father in Heaven through His Son Jesus Christ. Agape / agapaō love is the love of Jesus shining forth from his and our heart. It’s that divine love that’s related to being obedient to God’s Word. (John 14:23) Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves (agape) me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love (agape) him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

The wealthy young ruler desired to follow Christ and Jesus loved (agape/agopao) him; not for his willingness but for his being a person for whom Jesus Christ was soon to die on Calvary and pay the debt of sin. “For God so loved the (entire ) world that he gave his only begotten son.”(emphasis mine). Here in the life of the rich young man seeking to follow Jesus on earth, we have a very familiar phrase that is often used by God the Father and his son Jesus Christ when making a promise or covenant. It goes like this; If you_________, then I (God-head) will ______________. In the case of this young man, it was a matter of giving up, not an easily identified sin, but something that he held more personal and of value than a fulfilled walk with Jesus. It was not the wealth, but his unwillingness to give up the “ONE THING” that kept him from Christ fulfilling His plan for his life… ours too.

Does the reader of this blog have just one inner secret of issue in life that keeps him or her from a closer walk with Christ? If there is, it is _(confidential)______                              _____________________ ?

Crucifixion

Posted on by
Reply

The Bible often mentions earthquakes. If they are so, they are also a matter of secular records making these Bible records the same history as found in secular records. This series is designed to explore secular history, archeological digs [discoveries] and scriptural records of Biblical Earthquakes. This series will end with an article or two  on End-Time earthquakes. This is article number three in the series.

Earthquakes of the Bible and Secular History Coincide; secular views fail; the crucifixion

Before anyone reads the following article, I caution those who want to jump at conclusions steeped in one’s “belief” that now is the time; the end of the earth as we know it. Half-truths have done much damage to our Christian-based evangelical society. We (me included) accept without challenge statements that support our beliefs or desires without checking the facts. The World Wide Web has been one of the best tools for sending out half-truths.
Example: When in 2011 quarterback Tim Tebow and the Broncos beat the Steelers in overtime, a playoff they statistically never should have even been one of the competing teams, all sorts of “posts” were put out on the WWW that glorified the the view it was a “God supported” win. Perhaps the Broncos simply outplayed the Steelers. But what happens when a post goes viral stating that “amazingly four of the seven officials on the field were Matthew, Mark, Luke and John”; all key authors of Books of the Bible? What happens when it isn’t the truth yet it is forwarded to tens of thousands? Yes, it undercuts the reliability of Christian truth.

This is why we are using this series on the earthquakes of the Bible and secular history. When both sides identify the same earthquake, there is little room for middle ground.

In 1931 A.D., there were about seismograph stations 350 stations operating in the world. Today, there are more that 4,000 stations and the data now comes in rapidly from these stations by telex, computer and satellite. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us and other seismological centers to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years.

This is not to say that writers like Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, Michael D. Evans, and Peter LaLonde, to mention but a few, point with some validity to the End Times being very close via reported earthquakes. This author maintains that we are concerned about the wrong thing. We should be less concerned about the earthquakes, the supposed increasing numbers and the horrendous damage such as in Japan just last year than a concern about the PEOPLE who died without Christ. None the less, let’s try to help those who think the Bible is *full of stories and that secular history is distinctly different and not full of stories; i.e. one is a story and the latter is history. We trust by pointing out that the Bible and secular records of a simple thing called earthquakes and huge storms are the same history recorded in the annuls of both scripture and secular history.

*Story (synonyms): tale, narrative, yarn, legend, fairy-tale, anecdote, rumor, report, hearsay, scoop, lie, fib, untruth, falsehood. These words all play a part in how the hearer of the Word and the world at-large can translate the facts of the Bible if we constantly call them “stories.” They are NOT STORIES! Bible events and history are facts that are often proven through science and secular histories.

One more word of caution and clarification for what too many pulpits, radio and television speakers point out as fact and it just isn’t so. We are often left with the impression that in scripture such as Matt. 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11 that the natural destruction of end time earthquakes will be an INCREASE in numbers. Double check the facts… the word “increase” just isn’t there. Yes, the intensity may increase but we have no scriptural evidence that this will be a time when there is an increase in the number of earthquakes.

Matthew 24:7 (ESV) Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat. And there will be earthquakes in different places.

Mark 13:8 (ESV) Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat. And there will be earthquakes in different places.

Luke 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, sicknesses, and other bad things in many places. In some places there will be no food for the people to eat. Terrible things will happen, and amazing things will come from heaven to warn people.

Yes, the intensity of earthquakes may increase, and we do know from secular records that there is an increase in recorded and reported earthquakes (see paragraph 3 above) throughout the world, but the Bible simply does not say there will be an INCREASE in earthquakes. For the record, we checked the following interpretations of scripture to verify that the Bible does not say anything about an increase in the number of earthquakes:

King James; Lexham English Bible; Modern King James Version; Revised Version; Young’s Literal Translation of 1898; 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible; English Standard Version; American Standard Version; The Apostolic Bible Polyglot Greek… (I think the point is made).

Why is this important? Remember the example of Tim Tebow and the supposed Gospel-names of four officials in the playoff game? We as Christians need to get the facts correct or the world will use our misuse of them against us. The secular world holds us to a different standard. When they slip-up, it is simply dismissed. When Christians get the facts wrong, it is headlines on major communication networks and publications; not to mention the hey-day on the World Wide Web.

Article – the crucifixion and its earthquakeEarthquake

There is much evidence surrounding the earthquakes that occurred during the crucifixion of Jesus, His resurrection, and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Quoting Jennifer Viegas of Discovery News:

To analyze earthquake activity in the region (Dead Sea), geologist Jefferson Williams of Supersonic Geophysical and colleagues Markus Schwab and Achim Brauer of the German Research Center for Geo-sciences studied three cores from the beach of the Ein Gedi Spa adjacent to the Dead Sea.

Varves, which are annual layers of deposition in the sediments, reveal that at least two major earthquakes affected the core: a widespread earthquake in *31 B.C. and a seismic event that happened sometime between the years *26 A.D. and 36 A.D. (see Science on NBCNEWS.com)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47555983/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/quake-reveals-day-jesus-crucifixion-researchers-believe/#.UK_DXvJDSSo

*These dates do not preclude that they could have occurred within hours or a few days of each other. The fact remains, there are secular geological records of two significant earthquakes surrounding the time of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
These dates also coincide well and are within the scripture records of two earthquakes that surround the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ: Matthew *27 & **28, Mark *15 & **16, Luke *23 & **24 (*the first chapter is the record of the crucifixion and the **second chapter in each book is the record of His resurrection). */**You can look these passages up in YOUR BIBLE.

Colin Humphreys, a British physicist, and Graeme Waddington , co-author and professor at Oxford University in the U.K., authored a paper that gives us some additional insight into the history surrounding these events.

• All four gospels and Tacitus in Annals (XV, 44) agree that the crucifixion occurred when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea from A.D. 26 to 36.

• All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.

• All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday).

• The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan, right before the start of the Passover meal.
This suggests that the events of the death and resurrection of Christ and the earthquake records strongly coincide. They both settle in and around the same time period in secular and Biblical history. It should be pointed out that this means one is not a story and the other is history. They are both records of the same history, at the same time in history, and founded on research.

Is this another coincident or aha bible moment (ahabiblemoments.com)? You decide, but consider this additional information. Titus and Flavius Josephus, 37 C.E. to 100 C.E. were either youthful eyewitnesses to these events or lived so close to the time of these events, they heard it from people who actually witnessed this demarcation in history and eternity.

Bonus aha moments… The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, penned sometime between 50 A.D. and 60 A.D., were written during the lifetime of secular historian Flavius Josephus and Emperor Titus (Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus). This mean they are contemporary with the penning of these Gospels.

Thallus, a Greek historian who wrote The Chronicle of the Olympiad and was anything but a supporter of Christianity. He writes in his 3-volume edition of the History of the Mediterranean World about the darkness at the time of the crucifixion. He identified it as a lunar eclipse. Problem? A lunar eclipse by scientific standards can only occur during the evening hours; the moon is opposite the sun in the solar system during daylight hours and the earth is directly between the sun and the moon.

Don’t confuse a lunar eclipse as a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse puts the moon between the earth and the sun. One might argue that Thallus was incorrect in his terminally. I guess that would take unfounded faith that Thallus didn’t understand science simply using the wrong name for the occurrence. (read the closing paraphaph)

Christ died during the afternoon hours. A solar eclipse takes an hour to happen and last but a few minutes. The darkness that fell over the earth at the time of the crucifixion lasted over three hours.

http://jesusevidences.com/datesntgospels.php

Another coincident? Possibly, but you decide. Study the Word of God and compare it to history, archeology, geology, and seismology for yourself. The proof is there, but http://bible.cc/romans/10-17.htm (the word “faith” in this click on link is pistis in the Greek. it translates “TRUTH”. Therefore truth itself is assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity)jStark3