@JOHN BUTLER Do you actually know what PROPHECY is? Isaiah 4610 "From the beginning I foretell the outcome, And from long ago the things that have not yet been done....."

Isaiah 42:9  See, the first things have come to pass; Now I am declaring new things. Before they spring up, I tell you about them.

Isaiah 45:21  Make your report, present your case. Let them consult together in unity. Who foretold this long ago And declared it from times past? Is it not I, Jehovah? There is no other God but me; A righteous God and a Savior, there is none besides me.

Are you following the unauthorized course of Eve who forsook her belief in the word of her Creator and wrong became right to her?  She deliberately violated God’s commandment and she lost her standing of perfection. Her act constituted  the unmistakable crime of "lese majeste"  or treason which cost her her life.

There has always been one channel, used by Jehovah, to impart spiritual food. Ephesians 4:5,6 " one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." 

You can bend and twist your position all you want and it all comes back to the same thing you want to go. Jehovah God is cleaning house - it is his time to reveal the apostates hiding within the organization. You've gone on social media to swallow up those unsteady and new in the truth.

As for me, I've been a baptized member of the congregation for sixty nine years and have seen people come and go. The door is always open to those who want to come in and that same door closes behind when you want to leave.

Isaiah 29:16 "But now, O Jehovah, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are our Potter; We are all the work of your hand."

@JOHN BUTLER I'm sure anyone can find a scripture to suit their own needs. 

sami  - Why have you not done that then? I'd like to see that scripture that says to wear clothing where your private parts protrude whether upper body or lower body.

@JOHN BUTLEROne other point on the clothing of brothers and sisters.  Assemblies and conventions are where the young ones / single ones go to find a marriage mate. Well they are not supposed to be looking 'in the world', so it has to be at the conventions. Not everyone wants someone from their own congregation. 

Hence the young and single want to look like young and single and who can blame them. Just because the GB are old frumps doesn't mean everyone has to be... And just because you don't like something doesn't mean everyone has to dislike it.

sami - I wonder how people attracted the opposite gender before the mass production of obscenely designed clothing? Could be Christian personality and spirituality would and has attracted the special person one would want to spend their lives with, HUH!!

@James Thomas Rook Jr. So let me get this straight.....you disagree with the definition of porneia provided by the encyclopedia?  Too bad for you. Better put that pistol away before you shoot yourself in the other foot.

@James Thomas Rook Jr. Sounds like sour grapes to me!!!!   When one has to rely on a twenty second and ten second youtube blurb to present as their case, that person is an apostate who will receive their wage in full. Your day is almost here and there is no where to hide.

@JOHN BUTLER 

WHO REALLY IS THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE AND HOW CAN THEY BE IDENTIFIED?

In Ezekiel chapter 47 we begin to see an expanded vision of  Revelation, chapter 22. Again there is a “river” of water of truth being channeled to the earth out from Jehovah’s spiritual temple. The waters begin to flow through the channel of the “slave” class from their restoration in 1919. This “river” is described as going eastward, in the direction of greater light, signifying that the Society’s publications of truth would be progressing in the light of truth as the years advanced after 1919. Ezekiel makes a periodic survey, every thousand cubits, of the increasing depths of this river, which first was ankle deep, then up to the knees, and further up to the loins, and finally the river was so deep that one had to swim if he wished to cross it.—Ezek. 47:1-5.

So in the latter days of fulfillment a periodic survey of every three years shows a steady increasing in the spiritual depth and clarity of the published waters of truth by the Watch Tower Society.

From whom then, have these waters of truth flowed? Who has brought to light the false teachings of an immortal soul or hellfire and the trinity doctrine or all good people go to heaven?  From whom did we learn of God's kingdom and the earth becoming a paradise and a resurrection would take place here on earth?

What organization brought to light the history of the pagan celebrations of Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, Samhain (halloween)  purgatory, limbo etc. etc.?

So then, who is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time? The slave and the domestics are the same persons, only from different viewpoints. Under the term “slave” Christ’s anointed followers of today are viewed as a class, a composite slave or composite servant. God himself so interprets matters: “Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen.” (Isa. 43:10, AS) Note that many witnesses are called one servant. Under the term “domestics” those making up the slave class are viewed as individuals. They are spoken of as “body of attendants” at Luke 12:42 (NW). Murdock’s translation from the Syriac agrees in using “domestics” at Matthew 24:45, and another translation from the Syriac, by A. S. Lewis, renders it “companions”, that is, companion slaves. They are domestic slaves in the household of God and, as a united class or society, are termed “the faithful and discreet slave”. Similarly, when a number of domestics turn wicked and start to beat their fellow slaves these evildoers become the foretold “evil slave” class.—Matt. 24:48-51, NW.

 Matthew 24:45-51 shows the service privileges granted to the faithful ones as a class and the punishment meted out to the unfaithful ones as a class. Matthew 25:14-30 shows the Lord’s dealing with faithful and unfaithful slaves as individuals. As individuals each one must strive to measure up to the Master’s requirements. United as a faithful company of slaves they comprise a visible theocratic organization and in Jesus’ illustration here under discussion are pictured as a “faithful and discreet slave”, and this composite slave class must see to it that it provides properly for all its individual members, the domestics. Prior to the coming of the Master, Christ Jesus, it must be providing for all its members “their food at the proper time”. It must also be noted that God does not have several discreet-slave classes, several theocratic organizations among which the work is divided. “Does Christ exist divided?” No! It is “one body”.—1 Cor. 1:13; 12:12, 13

“Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time?” In 1878, forty years before the Lord’s coming to the temple for judgment, there was a class of sincere consecrated Christians that had broken away from the hierarchic and clergy organizations and who sought to get back to true Christianity, as practiced by early Christians before the grievous wolves ravished the flock after the death of the apostles. They launched a campaign to restore the fundamental truths for the spiritually hungry to feed upon, to replace the pagan doctrines that had been adopted by apostate Christendom. It was the proper time for such spiritual food, to prepare the way before Christ’s coming for judgment at the temple. (Mal. 3:1; 4:5, 6) This group of faithful students began publication of The Watchtower, then called “Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence”, and in the first issue, July 1879, its announced purpose was to provide “meat in due season” to the “little flock”. The facts show that it did this from 1879 on. In 1884 they formed a legal corporation to represent in a business or legal way the society of witnesses or ministers. Down to this day the legal corporation, the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, has been used as an agency to publish for and direct and unify the preaching activities of the society of witnesses overspreading the earth. When Christ came for judgment in 1918 he found some associated with this group that thought the Lord had delayed his coming and they were oppressing their fellow slaves in Christ. These were cast off as the “evil slave” class. Those faithfully serving God were identified as the “faithful and discreet slave” class.

@James Thomas Rook Jr. BROTHER LETT'S TALK WAS FROM THE 2014 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION WHICH RELEASED THIS BOOK https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kr/E/2014

"OH WHAT A TANGLED WEB" YOU'VE TRIED YOUR BEST TO WEAVE....BUT DO IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

“MEʹNE, MEʹNE, TEʹKEL  (Daniel 5:24, 25)  MEʹNE, God has numbered your days - TEʹKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and have been found deficient.”

@James Thomas Rook Jr. MASTURBATION IS NOT INTERCOURSE - IT IS SELF ABUSE.

The Bible’s View of Masturbation

There are those that have said that the Bible describes masturbation in Genesis chapter 38, and that Onan was put to death for the offense. But this is not true. The Bible says that when Onan “did have relations with his brother’s wife he wasted his semen on the earth.” (Genesis 38:9) So apparently Onan interrupted sexual relations with Tamar, spilling his semen on the ground rather than giving it to Tamar. He did this because he did not want to raise up children in the name of his dead brother. And it was for this failure to perform “brother-in-law marriage” that Onan was put to death.

Two other passages in the Hebrew Scriptures have been discussed in literature dealing with the Bible’s view of masturbation. The first, Deuteronomy 23:10 and 11, tells of the situation when the Israelites were in a military encampment. According to Today’s English Version, it says: “If a man becomes unclean because he has had a wet dream during the night, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. Toward evening he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may come back into camp.” But what is mentioned here is not masturbation. Masturbation is defined as: “Erotic stimulation of the genital organs commonly resulting in orgasm and achieved by manual or other bodily contact.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1981) Jehovah God so created males that, when they do not engage in sexual intercourse, they will from time to time spontaneously emit semen during sleep. This emission is often accompanied by an erotic dream, hence the expression “a wet dream.” Since the emission usually occurs at night, it may also be called a “nocturnal emission.”

The other passage discussing this matter is Leviticus 15:16, 17, which says: “Now in case a man has an emission of semen go out from him, he must then bathe all his flesh in water and be unclean until the evening. And any garment and any skin upon which the emission of semen gets to be must be washed with water and be unclean until the evening.” Apparently this passage is not referring to masturbation. Evidently it is referring to the aforementioned “wet dream.” Although the Bible mentions an ‘uncleanness’ in association with the emission of semen, this is a ceremonial not a moral uncleanness. This is obvious when we note in the next verse Le 15:18 that an Israelite man and wife incurred the same uncleanness when engaging in their God-approved marital relations.

Well, then, do the Christian Greek Scriptures say anything about masturbation? No, they do not discuss the subject. Not even wet dreams are mentioned. But does that mean that the Christian Greek Scriptures give no direction in forming a proper attitude toward masturbation? No, it does not. Consider Colossians 3:5, which reads: “Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness.” And 1 Thessalonians 4:4, 5 says: “Each one . . . should . . . get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God.” Such counsel applies to married Christians as well as to those who are single, but even more restraint needs to be exercised by single persons since finding relief of passion by sexual relations is limited to those who are married.

Can you see that masturbation is a practice that violates the command to deaden “sexual appetite”? True, Jehovah created humans with an appetite, or desire, for sex, even as he created us with an appetite for food and drink. So the Bible is not saying that having sexual appetite is wrong, just as it does not condemn having a natural, proper appetite for food and drink. Yet we know that in our imperfect condition, appetites can get out of control. A person can come to have an inordinate desire for food or alcoholic beverages and become a glutton or a drunkard. Similarly, sex can become a chief or prominent part of a person’s life, and he can thus become like people of the nations who have a “covetous sexual appetite.”

A person who masturbates is putting improper emphasis on sex. He feeds and enlivens his sexual craving in a wrong way. Yet not only men are involved; there has been an increase of masturbation among women. God, however, provided humans the gift of sex to use within the arrangement of marriage. But a masturbator is using sex outside the marriage arrangement for personal gratification. Such a person needs to deaden his sexual appetite in order to please God. He needs to cultivate the self-control that is necessary to de-emphasize sex in his life and to leave his sexual organs to adjust to any pressures in the normal way.

Jesus taught: “Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) A masturbator often has such kinds of passionate thoughts, fantasizing about having sexual relations. Such a person is certainly not living in accordance with Christ’s teaching. There can be no question that these who feed their sexual appetite by masturbating are violating God’s instructions to DEADEN their sexual appetite.

But how can a person deaden his sexual appetite and keep from masturbating? True, for people who have practiced this type of self-abuse, it can be a real fight to stop it. But one should not give up in the fight! With Jehovah’s help, a person can succeed. He should first develop a hatred for the practice. (Psalm 97:10) Then it is vital that he make the firm determination in his mind and heart to stop masturbating. He must make it a continual subject of his prayers; then he needs to work at what he prays for. He cannot, as it were, feed the flames of passion by reading or looking at things that stir his sexual appetite. Nor can he be talking about matters that feed his inclination to masturbate. Rather, he must keep busy in theocratic pursuits, in meeting attendance, field service, making return visits, conducting Bible studies, helping others spiritually, and he will receive the strength to control his sexual appetite. If the problem persists, he should not hesitate to seek help from an elder in his congregation. A sister with the problem might seek the help and support of an older sister in the congregation.

There is no question about it—keeping integrity to Jehovah calls for a hard fight. But it is worth it! If we fight now against our sinfully inclined flesh, then Jehovah will grant us complete victory in his righteous, clean New Order. Just imagine! Then we will see Jehovah’s glorious purpose fulfilled—an earth filled with people living in Paradise—all of them brought into existence as a result of the marvelous gift of sex with which God created us.

@James Thomas Rook Jr.

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@James Thomas Rook Jr. EXCEPT, the Slave's existence does not depend on pacifying a client, employee or volunteer. Their continued success (since 1870) Is Jehovah's spirit. Prospective volunteers continue to fill out applications and flock to Jehovah's organization. The Governing Body is directed by Jehovah himself. The problem isn't modest dress it is the corrupted reasoning by apostates. Nit picking, whiners mirror 1914 and what happened to those who tried to bring in apostate teaching and thinking? The were cast out/ thrown out where they still fought amongst themselves until they split into several splinter groups which are never ever heard from.

   @James Thomas Rook Jr. Everybody in the office knew what the problem really was ... EXCEPT MANAGEMENT.

WOW!! Is that meant to be a threat? I'm sure the Slave will take your rebellious diatribe under consideration. If one is not part of the sheep fold, its because the shepherd did not call their name.

@JOHN BUTLER "Traditions of men" are the designers of the couture of the day. Whatever a so called fashion house thinks will sell. Those are the traditions of men which have nothing to do with being modest but blatantly immodest.  Are the designers looking to please God or their pocket book?

There is a wide variety of styles and/or colors that can be chosen as long as the clothing is not revealing breasts or emphasizing genitalia. However, "traditions of men" do not follow those guidelines. The apostle councils "Obey your spiritual leaders, and what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit."

Acts 20:28 " Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed YOU overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].

I must emphasize that the door opens the same whether your going out or coming in. The world welcomes all those who desire to look as though they are wearing their baby brother's clothing. "Traditions" are waiting for you on the other side of the door.

The Governing Body is there to do oversight of Jehovah's organization, just as in the first century. If you can speak 930 languages, send out thousands of envoys into 240 lands - then feel free, no one is stopping you. If you can build Bethel homes and translation facilities, If you can care for disaster relief for millions then have at it.

But markedly, those who constantly find fault with the "Governing Body, The Slave" do not leave because they want to preserve their complaining behinds. They actually think that they will be preserved alive through the tribulation and that Jehovah has not already read their hearts. Free Will, The Choice is yours.

@James Thomas Rook Jr. I remember when I used to attend Catholic school and church, the girls had to wear head coverings and dresses, the hem of which had to be below the knees. The boys had to wear shirts, ties and slacks. It was called respect for where you were and standing before God in modesty. Then as the churches began to loose so many parishioners and the pews became empty, the hierarchy gave up the idea of modesty and decorum and now allows men and women to wear shorts, T shirts, flip flops, hair curlers and no head coverings.

I read an article, a few months back, where med students did a study taking swabs of chairs in public places, seats in theaters and on public transportation and various other public places and they found feces, blood, urine and other various bodily fluids on a mass scale. It may be cute and titillating to see a girl walking around and bending over while in her preferred attire, however, most people gag at what they may be exposing themselves to.

Lack of respect and lack of modesty for God and your fellow man is at the crux of the matter. Everyone has freedom, freewill to do what is within their purview as acceptable. But if one calls themselves a Witness of Jehovah, their metamorphosis must be complete as to Christian dress, grooming, behavior and as the apostle Paul admonishes at Romans 12: 2 "Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (WHY?)  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

WE do not have to be exposed to a piece of cloth stretched across  someone's genitals to know he's a male, we do not have to be exposed to a thong and bare behind to know we are in the company of a female. We do not need hypocrites, with their pretend piety and lips dripping  death dealing venom, in our midst when there are hundreds of "come as YOU are and do what YOU want" religions available to them.

 In Jeremiah 19:2-6 we see Jehovah deprecating "hell" (that is, denouncing it as a thing which never came up in his mind or heart).

That's right. "Hell" was never an idea or concept of Jehovah. Specifically, Jehovah commands Jeremiah to organize a field trip of sorts by purchasing a potters jug (or flask) and escorting a few of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests to the deep valley just outside of Jerusalem – destination – "Valley of the Sons of Hinnom" - that's geh'hinnom in Hebrew.

Here, Jeremiah is to present those attending the field trip a few additional charges aside from those already covered in earlier Chapters of Jeremiah - such as; failure to abstain from idol worship; solicitation and participation in religious prostitution; general adultery; institutional corruption and unjust gain; reluctance to keep the Sabbath; encouraging general and institutionalized apostasy; bloodguilt; grafting themselves to foreign political parties; basking in the blanket of amnesia towards God; and producing and honoring false prophets (all originally forbidden in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers).

As though these charges were not enough to make even the most reluctant district attorney giddy, there were a few other charges leveled – building altars and images in honor of Ba'al and Molech at Topheth in the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom and sacrificing their children (sons and daughters) by burning them alive in fire as encouraged by Ahaz and Manasseh. To prevent its use again for such religious purposes, King Josiah had the valley polluted, particularly the part called Topheth (2 Kings 23:10).
The Jewish commentator David Kimhi (1160 C.E) writes about this valley:"It is a place in the land adjoining Jerusalem, and it is a loathsome place, and they throw there unclean things and carcasses. Also, there was a continual fire there to burn the unclean things and the bones of carcasses. Hence the judgment of the wicked ones is parabolically called Gehinnom."

The Valley became the dumping place and incinerator for the filth of Jerusalem. The bodies of dead animals were thrown in to be consumed in the fires to which sulpher or brimstone was added to assist in the fires – and bodies of executed criminals, and others, who were considered undeserving of a decent burial in a memorial tomb mnêmeion.

The really cool part is, we can even go along, of sorts, on this filed trip, as the Hebrew Bible provides some rough coordinates of the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom references are made in Johsua 15:8, and Joshua 18:16 - and if you are of the more visually oriented, you can even view photos of geh'hinnom on the internet.

In addition to the images and altars and child sacrifice, at Topheth there was practiced sorcery, magic, soothsaying and augury, often employing mediums, and wizards – and these things too Jehovah found disgusting and in specific violation with the commands previously given. But it is not the sorcery, magic, soothsaying and augury which is so emotionally confronted to the field-tripping elders and priests – no, it is the burning of people, alive, in fire that seems to most disturb Jehovah about the atrocities performed in the Valley.

Imagine that. Jehovah is disturbed about the thought of burning people alive with fire. In Jeremiah 32:35 it states, "They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter my mind that they should do this abomination". And in Jeremiah 7:30-32 it states nearly the same, "For the people of Judah have done evil in my sight, says yhwh; they have set their abominations in the house that is called by my name, defiling it. And they go on building the high place of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire—which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind".

In both Jeremiah 32:35, and 7:30-32, the word rendered by the NRVS above for "mind", is the Hebrew word lev, which literally means heart. The burning of people, alive, in torturous fire – is not a thing which came up unto Jehovah's heart. But it gets worse.

Christians who have adopted the Zoroastrism belief in an endless, conscious, torturous punishment in a fiery "hell" in the 4th century C.E. for all non-believers and other assorted sinners following death, appear to be in direct conflict with the very heart of God. Seems God's heart is not inclined to burning of people alive in fire.

What does the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom have to do with Jesus and Christianity? In the Greek form of the Hebrew word "geh'hinnom, it is simply "gehenna". In Joshua 18:16, where Valley of Hinnon occurs, the Septuagint reads "Gehenna". This very same Greek word occurs 12 times in Christian Greek Scriptures, first appearing in Matthew 5:22, then in Matthew 5:22, 29, 30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33, and in Mark 9:43, 9:45, 9:47; and in Luke 12:5; and James 3:6.

If you are a Christian - these should sound familiar to you. Yes indeed. Jesus often used this place (geh Hinnom) in his warnings of where one would not wish to be sent upon one's death, as culturally, it was a loathsome place, a place for executed criminals, and basic ones rejected – those not fit to be buried in a memorial tomb (John 5:28-29, ironically renders mnêmeion – a memorial, or memorial tomb).

And his Father, Jehovah, did not care for it much either. Those not deemed worthy Jews were tossed into Gehenna following death – and their dead bodies were consumed, and they had no memorial tomb – hence they would not be "remembered" by their God when the time for resurrection came about.

Jehovah did not much care for the Valley of the Sons of Hinnon, and it even became a cursed place, in Jeremiah 7:32, it is stated, "Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter: for they will bury in Topheth until there is no more room". If you were a Jew, this would not be where you would want to end up.

Jesus was a Jew, and so his figurative use of Gehenna did not indicate the "hell" so well known by the Pagan and especially the Zoroasters – for after all, Jesus also knew the scriptures, and knew death meant non-existence, the opposite of life, knowing nothing, nothing at all (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

(Luke 22:44) "But he was in such AGONY that he kept praying more earnestly; and his sweat became as drops of blood falling to the ground.

Why does the scripture use the word AGONY to describe Jesus inward struggle that produced outward manifestations?

Jesus was suffering what is described in the Koine Greek as, an AGONIA. that is a (heightened) severe mental struggle, anxienty, anguish....it was a personal struggle from the pressure he felt about what he was to suffer on behalf of mankind..... betrayal, severe physical abuse and death as a criminal, in order to reconcile the human race (offspring of Adam) to Jehovah God from whom we had been alienated. Christ's act of love and mercy made us acceptable to Jehovah allowing communication (prayer) through the mediation and reconciliation of Christ's sacrifice.

What was Christ's response to such agony? The scripture informs us of his actions "HE KEPT PRAYING MORE EARNESTLY" This sort of intense prayer is a SUPPLICATION and as we know...ALL SUPPLICATION IS PRAYER BUT NOT ALL PRAYER IS SUPPLICATION.

Jesus supplicated so intensely until his perspiration mixed with blood fell to the ground.
Yes, a mediator that had such intense love for mankind that he was willing to suffer the humiliation of being put to death as a criminal and enduring the most painful and sadistic physical torture in order to reconcile men to God. A perfect and righteous mediator indeed!

A mediator is one who interposes between two parties at variance to RECONCILE them; an intercessor; an intermediary agent, or go-between. In the Scriptures the term is applied (ONLY) to Moses and Jesus, the mediators respectively of the Law Covenant and the New Covenant. Galatians 3:19;  THE SCRIPTURE EXCLUDES ANY IDEA OF MEDIATRIX, SAINTS, RELATIVES, ETC.  

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus,"1Timothy 2:5
To reconcile means to bring back into harmony or cause to be friendly again; also to adjust or settle, as in reconciling differences. In Greek, the words related to reconciliation are derived from the verb ALLASSO which, basically, means “change or alter.”Acts 6:14; Galatians 4:20,
The compound form KATALLASSO, while meaning, basically, “exchange,” came to have the meaning “reconcile" Romans 5:10  
In Paul’s letter to the Romans and in several other letters, he uses ka·tal·lasʹso and a·po·ka·tal·lasʹso (an intensified form) in dealing with man’s being reconciled to God by means of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

This reconciliation was necessary because an alienation has existed, a separation, a lack of harmony and of friendly relations and more than that, a state of enmity. This came through the first man Adam’s sin and the resultant sinfulness and imperfection inherited by all his descendants. (Romans 5:12; compare Isaiah 43:27.) Paul could therefore say that “the minding of the flesh means enmity with God, for it is not under subjection to the law of God, nor, in fact, can it be [due to its inherited imperfect, sinful nature].

 Enmity exists because God’s perfect standards do not allow for his approving or condoning wrongdoing. (Psalm 5:4; 89:14) Of his Son, who reflected his Father’s perfect qualities, it is written: “You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness.” (Hebrews 1:9) Hence, even though “God is love” and even though “God loved the world [of mankind] so much that he gave his only-begotten Son” on mankind’s behalf, the fact remains that mankind as a whole has been in a state of enmity toward God and that God’s love toward the world of mankind was love toward enemies, a love guided by principle (Gr., a·gaʹpe) rather than affection or friendship (Gr., phi·liʹa).  1John 4:16; John 3:16; compare James 4:4.

Since God’s standard is one of perfect righteousness, he cannot countenance, or view with favor, sin, which is the violation of his express will. He is “gracious and merciful” and “rich in mercy” (Psalm145:8, 9; Ephesians 2:4); but he does not disregard justice in order to display mercy. As correctly observed in M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia (1894, Vol. VIII, p. 958), the relation between God and sinful man is thus “a legal one, as that of a sovereign, in his judicial capacity, and a criminal who has violated his laws and risen up against his authority, and who is therefore treated as an enemy.” This is the situation into which mankind was brought because of the inheritance of sin from their first father, Adam.

The apostle Paul wrote at Hebrews 11.1 "Estin de pistis elpizomenôn hupostasis pragmatôn elenchos ou blepomenôn: en tautêi gar emarturêthêsan hoi presbuteroi"

Pistis means to trust or a trust, often meaning position of trust such as a trustee, a pledge or act of good faith, a guarantee given, an entrustment, often used in the Greek commercial world to account one credit [e.g., tosouton chrematon esti tini para tisi - eis pistin didonai - he has credit for so much money with them] - the Hebrew noun corresponding to emunah, rendered pistis, in the Septuagint - from the root aman means firm, something that is supported or secure - as used in Isaiah 22:23 for a nail that is fastened to a "secure" place - the Hebrew emunah is a firm action - hence the specific examples given in Hebrews 11 of what faith "is". This idea of support for the word emunah can be seen in Exodus 17:12, "But Moses' hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady (emunah) until the going down of the sun." It is the support/emunah of Aaron and Hur that held up Moses' arms, not the support/emunah of Moses - "I have faith in God", should be more accurately saying according to Hebrew application, "I will do what I can to support God".

Elpizomenôn [form of elpizô] which refers to one's expectations, looking forward to something, even to look for in wait for that which you know exists.

Hupostasis refers to that which settles at the bottom, the sediment [even the lower part of a crenellated wall], the substantial nature of a thing, its true foundation, its true support upon immovable confidence can be placed, its true purpose, its underlying plan - used quite often in antiquities in specific reference to what we would call today, a title deed - which is the underlying and foundational official document for property ownership.

Pragmatôn [from pragma] meaning that which has been done, an act, or a deed.

Eenchos - a cross examining, or testing.

Bepomenôn [from blepô] meaning to see, to have the power of sight.

Earturêthêsan [aortist passive form of martureo] meaning to be a witness, the bear witness, give evidence, or bear testimony.

Pesbuteroi [from presbus], lierally, an old man, or elderly one.

Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities [foundational] though not beheld - for by means of this the men of old times had witness borne to them.

In other words, as stated in 11:3, by faith we perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s word, so that what is beheld has come to be out of things that do not appear. 

Hebrews 11:4-40 then proceeds to provide many examples of pistis.

"Certain of what we do not see" - no, certain of the foundational things not now seen on the immediate surface for the reality of them must be observed through examination and testing of the true foundation underlying them.

A person invoking “faith” could be compared to a person who steps from the shore of a murky lake onto a lily pad but his weight does not collapse the pad and so he does not fall into the water – he performed this act not in a blind belief [a trust with no underlying basis] that a “miracle” would be the cause for his weight not collapsing the lily pad – but because he was able to observe that the pad rested upon a column of concrete lying under the waters surface – and he long ago tested the reality of that observation and was provided comprehension through examination that what he observed was real – and so he knew, or “came to know” that when he left the solid ground to step on the lily pad, that it would hold his weight, and he would not fall into the water. He had an assured expectation of that which he longed or hoped for because of the evident demonstration of realities [foundational] though not beheld from simply the surface of the murky water which appeared to present only a lily pad which floated upon water – he therefore, had witness borne to him.

I could be nuts too.

Yes

God speaks to us through His inspired Word.

7 hours ago, Cos said:

The contradictions run thick and fast.

 

 

 

 

 

We had the claim that the passage in Luke 23:46 means that Jesus ceased to exist, but now we have this by @Gone Away that Luke 23:46 is Jesus’ “future life prospects to God as opposed to describing the death state”, Now the person who proposed Luke 23:46 as meaning Jesus ceased to exist, liked this (up voted), even though this proposal by Mr. Joyce’s, contradicts that persons earlier claim!

 

 

 

 

 

Then @sami who also "up voted" Mr. Joyce’s above comments but then does an about face by going back to the ceased existing nonsense.

 

 

 

 

 

Scripture shows that when a person dies their spirit does not cease to exist but leaves the body (Psalm 146:4).

 

 

 

 

 

In Luke 8:55 we read that the spirit of Jairus’ daughter returned to her body and she rose up immediately. <><

 

 

**Scripture shows that when a person dies their spirit does not cease to exist but leaves the body (Psalm 146:4).
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sami said: The Hebrew word here is RUACH 7307 [e] rū·ḥōw ר֭וּחוֹ     its meaning is (breath). At death, the breath goes out and if a person is not revived with the administration of oxygen to prevent cell destruction, those cells die, the life force is gone. There is a limited time that one can be revived because cell destruction takes place which cannot be healed.
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**In Luke 8:55 we read that the spirit of Jairus’ daughter returned to her body and she rose up immediately.
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sami said: Here is the Koine Greek word 4151 [e] pneuma πνεῦμα spirit/ Like its Hebrew counterpart (rûach) it has the same range of meaning 4151 (pneúma), i.e. it likewise can refer to spirit/Spirit, wind, or breath.]

Jesus was not gifted with immortality until his resurrection to heaven. So what lived on? Why would he need a resurrection if he had never died?

In the account of Jarius' daughter a person from his home came and told him his daughter was dead and not to bother the teacher (Jesus) anymore, it was too late. There is only one designation for dead....that is the absence of life. It's the same with Lazarus and he had been dead for four days his flesh having begun to deteriorate.

When man was created Jehovah used two things to make a living creature, that being dust and breath. If it could possibly be something more than that then God would have lied when he told Adam that the punishment for disobedience would be death. Adam and Eve are not living are they? And all their generations of offspring die as their inheritance. Paul points this out very clearly "Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin - thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned." Romans 5:12

We are mortal - we are living human beings which are subject to death. Nothing lives on after death.

IMMORTALITY (deathlessness - the inability to die)
WHAT IS IT? 

For centuries, the fleeting and highly subjective world of feelings, emotion, and thought was the purview of philosophers and theologians. But during the past 30 years, Antonio R. Damasio has striven to show that feelings are what arise as the brain interprets emotions, which are themselves purely physical signals of the body reacting to external stimuli through use of small levels of electricity and chemical manipulation. Damasio's efforts presented some obvious and significant questions for the aforementioned philosophers and theologians

For example, is there really a difference between 'body' and 'mind? And if the suspicions turn proof that there is no difference, what exactly does that mean? Does it mean that we have no souls, no personal spirit, which can escape our death by separation from the body? It may very well be that science soon proves that our bodies and our "minds" are one in the same biological unit – functioning as a whole – even providing us with our own sense of self. And this 'sense' itself may prove to be rooted in pure biology rather than theosophy or philosophy. Man's "consciousness" may simply prove to be no more than biological man himself. Christian de Duve states in his recent publication "Life Evolving: Molecules, Mind, and Meaning" from the Oxford University Press (2002, p.108) that:
"The proofs are there, indisputable, that no manifestation of consciousness is possible without the normal functioning of cerebral neurons. Let this functioning be impaired by lack of oxygen, or by a drug or trauma, and loss of consciousness inevitably follows."

According to the scientists – it is looking more and more like we are nothing more than the sum of our biological parts – and when these biological parts eventually quit functioning, we as a person - being a single biological entity, including our minds, thoughts, emotions, feelings, memories, and all the elements of who we are – cease to exist. Death, it appears, is not only inevitable, it appears it may also be final.

It is a matter of debate whether animals have an awareness of mortality or not, but it is certain that man alone among all living creatures knows that he has to die.

This we all seem to understand – yet – as Martin Heidegger shrewdly observed that the proposition, "all men are mortal" usually involves the deeply personal tacit reservation "but not I.

Even as Freud, and Schopenhauer before him pointed out, "deep down" even contemporary man does not "really" believe in his own death. This internal inconsistency is certainly not new – it is seen manifest in the earliest pages of the Hebrew Bereshit (Genesis) as Eve juggles between the two choices placed in front of her:

Genesis 3:3, "God has said, 'YOU must not eat from it, no, YOU must not touch it that YOU do not die.'

Or as Satan told Eve…Genesis 3:4, "You positively will not die.

The implication here is quite simple – in whom do you demonstrate faith by virtue of action - either God was lying and she was immortal and could not die by definition (i.e., continued existence did not necessarily depend on obeying God), or he was not lying, and death was very much "reality" (i.e., continued existence does necessarily depend on obeying God). Not long after choosing a mark for herself - her husband, Adam, was faced with a similar choice.

Outside of the writings in the Hebrew Scriptures, it cannot be determined with any degree of accuracy the time nor the historical sequence of mankind's discovery of the two elements of death — its inevitability as well as its finality. But there was surely some point in time when someone first contemplated death as being inevitable and final (the natural observation) - and likewise there was also some point in time when someone imagined that what they observed was not reality – saying as suggested by Heidegger, "but not I.

Likely the two discoveries were closely associated. While the Hebrew Scriptures never assign "immortality" as a trait to earthly man or woman in any literal, figurative, or symbolic sense (except perhaps for the unrecorded thoughts which may have occurred to both Adam and Eve as they determined their choice)– the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh Epic does. It offers us the first written record of mankind's thoughts regarding his immortality. It is in the Gilgamesh Epics (a written account reflecting in part long held Babylonian/Chaldean/Sumerian religious thoughts) that the realization of the inevitability of death as well as its possible finality seem to have occurred simultaneously.

If this is so, it is pointless to ask which of the two produced the greater shock. But again on the basis of the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh legend, there can be no doubt about its severity. It may have been this very severity which eventually gave birth to the thought of immortality.

While King Gilgamesh strongly suspects that death may well be total extinction, or a state of nonexistence, the predominant view of death of his contemporaries was that the dead somehow continue to exist (i.e., immortality of man). But one cannot help but be impressed by the somber and frightening nature of the afterlife as it appears in the Babylonian and the later related early Greek mythologies. Typical is Achilles' complaint in the Odyssey that it is better to be a slave on earth than a king in the realm of phantoms – but nonetheless – the immortality of mortal man took firm root and began to grow.

The after-life existence eventually evolved into more pleasant concepts for the good (or those pleasing to the gods), and worse concepts for the bad (or those rejected by the gods). Undoubtedly, Adam and Eve, having chosen to believe their creator a liar, likely began to entertain similar thoughts much earlier in denial of the absolute reality of death, in the hope that life would continue in some form or other after the physical body has proven its mortality by falling into the article of death and corruption. It is, after-all, what the serpent was selling, and that product which they choose to invest.

Nevertheless, such entertaining thoughts of immortality easily and quickly spread outward from earliest Mesopotamia through later Egypt, India, China, and Europe – just as man spread out across the land – his pleasurable ideas of immorality went with him.

There was one notable exception.

The path of immortality was basically ignored, in fact rejected, by a lesser known, lesser prominent, ancient Semitic peoples – the Hebrew. Though being of the same Semitic roots as those so eagerly embracing thoughts of immortality – history records a clear philosophical and theological separation - distancing the ancient Hebrew from the Mesopotamians in regards to thoughts on life and man's mortality. The only real difference between the two emerging cultures being their gods – the Hebrew god claiming origin over Adam and Eve (a god who we saw earlier told of death), and the Chaldeans and Sumerian gods, who offered comforting ideas of immortality.

As reflected in the Hebrew Scriptures, the God of the Hebrews further explained exactly what death was. The majority of the ancient Hebrew people denied thoughts that man was immortal. Such thoughts being based on what they were taught by their God – thoughts which were reflected ultimately in their historical religious texts. For the ancient Hebrew, death was a reality in every sense of the word. It is a condition or state in which the "breath of life" (ruach) the life giving force from God has been withdrawn, and the living-breathing creature (ne'phesh) dies as a result and no longer has any existence whatsoever. It means a complete and total cessation of life. For the ancient Hebrew it was clear, death was nothing more than the opposite of life – an absence of life.

This is clearly reflected in a plethora of passages from Hebrew Scripture (e.g., "For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19); "The dead know nothing . . . There is no pursuit, no plan, no knowledge or intelligence, within the grave." (Eccl 9:5, 10), The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4). "his spirit (ruach – God life giving force) goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish" (Psalm 146:4)). Two out of every three occurrences of ne'phesh (that which man is – a living breathing creature) in the Hebrew Scriptures refers soberly to the mortality of the ne'phesh and ultimate liability to death.

According to the ancient Hebrew, the dead no longer existed, knew nothing, had no thoughts, could not see, hear, or speak. The ne'phesh dies, and the ru'ach (what we call spirit today in English) was merely God's unseen life giving force which enacted upon the ne'phesh, it itself returned to God – leaving the living breathing creature called man with nothing more.

He was dead.

The ancient Hebrew held these thoughts for hundreds of years before being reintroduced to immortality in Mesopotamia likely as a result of the Babylonian exile, combined with eventual Hellenistic and Zoroastrism influences. Many diverted away from the mortality of man concept, but many also held fast – recognizing that although death was a state of nonexistence a hope for resurrection or being remembered by God was hinted at in their same Scriptures.

One of the most well written and famous proponents of the immortality of man was Plato - a thinker, who was strongly influenced himself by much earlier Babylonian religious traditions. Plato, who lived about 427-347BC, and has been regarded as one of the most important thinkers and writers in the history of Western culture, expanded on the concept of man's immortality. He was a philosopher and an educator, but all his so -called "wisdom" was the product of his own mind, supported by ideas and philosophies adopted from the teachings of others. His influence on both religious and philosophical thought was considerable and widespread, even today.

Plato's concept of the immortal soul built upon the earlier foundations established in Mesopotamia – he taught that the soul left the body and migrated to what he termed the "realm of the pure forms" from which, after a time, the soul may even return to the earth in another form.

By now, nearly all the world's religious organizations subscribed to the concept of an immortal man – something which transcends the death of the man. It was these Hellenistic, Zoroastrism, and Platonic concepts which were adopted by the greater majority of the world's religious organizations. They, like Adam and Eve, choose to believe that they "would positively not die". By this point, there was no longer a single religious system which had not been infiltrated with the idea of man's immortality. But the immortality doctrine monopoly was short lived.

Shortly following Plato, came Epicurus. According to Epicurus the fear of death is one of the two major afflictions of mankind, the other being the fear of the gods. Accordingly, he did away with both, and is proven to have given birth to the more modern secular movements (Rationalists, Freethinkers, Agnostics, Atheists, Secularists, Humanists, et al).

According to Epicurus, man fears death because he erroneously believes that he will experience pain and suffer after he has died (the concept originating in Mesopotamia). But, says Epicurus, death is deprivation of sensation. As to the soul it too does not survive death because, as Democritus has taught, like all things, it too consists of atoms (albeit particularly fine ones) which will disperse at death. Consequently "Death, the most terrifying of all ills, is nothing to us, since as long as we exist, death is not with us, and when death comes, then we do not exist".

God was dismissed, and immortality executed.

The period spanning the time from Gassendi to Jefferson is called "the Enlightenment", an appropriate title for the era where political authoritarianism, faith-mongering and claims of a divinely-ordered cosmos, and the mystical doctrines of astrology and alchemy, were abandoned in favor of modern science and intellectual and political freedom. With the exception of Jefferson, Epicurus's role in providing the philosophical foundations for the Enlightenment was largely unacknowledged, as there was still considerable prejudice against non-Christians that kept Epicurus in the closet, or at least dressed up with suitably Christianized or Deistic doctrines – but it cannot be denied today, that much of our secular, scientific based communities are established in part due to Epicurus.

Though adequate recognition is given to the various shades of grey from a former art student, our world today consists largely of two groups - .those descendents of Mesopotamia who hold man to be immortal in one sense or another, and those descendants of Epicurus, who typically do not. And it is to that end, that, as quoted above, that Christian de Duve in his recent publication states, "The proofs are there, indisputable, that no manifestation of consciousness is possible without the normal functioning of cerebral neurons. Let this functioning be impaired by lack of oxygen, or by a drug or trauma, and loss of consciousness inevitably follows" becomes most significant.

It appears as though the Epicurean children may win out after all.

Man is not immortal, and probably is nothing more than flesh, blood, and bone, just as the ancient Hebrew once believed. It appears it may very well be quite true as modern neurologists are empirically proving - . What we "are" is "us" – a living breathing creature fully contained in flesh, and blood, and bone (i.e., ne'phesh). There is life, and there is death, and death itself may simply be just as the earliest Hebrews informed us by the Word of their God - the dead no longer exist, know nothing, have no thoughts, cannot see, hear, or speak.

But what I personally find so irresistibly ironic in all of this (or perhaps it is poetic justice of some sort), as a proclaimed follower of Jehovah and his son, Jesus, is that those secular and scientific communities - the offspring in part of the Epicureans - who would now be the first to deny the existence of Jehovah (or any god or gods) are the very ones who are now providing evidence in support of the truth of His original statement "You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that You do not die" and that man is not immortal.

While on the other hand – Those religious systems which on the whole include the majority of Christendom, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, the Great Mystery Religions, et al, who would be the first to proclaim the existence of an eternal superior being or force, are in fact the ones being proved false through their own acceptance of the words of the serpent – "You shall not positively die" – those who to this day imply by their very thought Jehovah to be a liar.

The godless are ultimately proving the truth spoken by a god they do not believe exists, while those claiming to be god-fearing have chosen to believe the lie made against the very god they claim to believe.

In his book " An Essay On The Development Of Christian Doctrine " says this:

How do we know that death is THE dreaded enemy of mankind?  The Apostle Paul leaves no room for a different interpretation when he wrote: “ And the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing.”(1 Corinthians 15:26 )  

It takes parents from children or children from parents, it separates mates and siblings from one another, causing untold distresses, pain, sorrow and loss.

Could this have been the purpose of a loving God?  Let’s examine that query in the light of scripture. God looked at all he had created and pronounced it tov – good. That Hebrew word (tov) also means functional. What is at the center or core of that definition?  In the case of his human creation, he gave Adam a body that was made from the earth and perfectly suited for dwelling in earth’s environment. This human needed oxygen to breath, food to eat and water to drink, in order to sustain life. Jehovah gave him eyes to see the beauty that surrounded him, the faces of his mate and children, when that time came. He fashioned ears, to hear the sounds of rippling streams or songs of birds and the lovely voices of children at play. A nose so he would be able to smell all of earth’s beautiful fragrances and a mouth to sing praises to his creator, to communicate with family and friends and enjoy the innumerable sumptuous flavors designed just for him. A body that was able to rejuvenate forever so families would never be torn apart by death.
God’s stated purpose to his human creation is found at Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”

Adam was to be a caretaker of God’s other creative works – earth, animals, plant life, water and air. In order for man to continue on being blessed, his worship had to be pure and undefiled. Adam and his wife had to be obedient and loyal to their Creator and if they followed this simple order of things they would continue living in this paradise, happily, throughout all eternity.

If death was not God’s purpose for mankind, then how did death come to be?  Scripture states that yod hey waw hey (yhwh, Jehovah or Yahweh) laid a command upon His human creation. He commanded that they not eat of the fruit of a tree which he designated to be his own.  After all, paradise was a large place and there were many of the same kind of trees growing there – there was no hardship or deprivation contained in his command.
Genesis 2:16,17 “ And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. 17 But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” This literally means:  “dying (the process) you will die. (finality of the process)” The Hebrew phrase is mohth ta·muth′ and is the first reference to death in the Bible. It is the eventuality brought on as a direct result of disobedience (sin) against their Sovereign. Notice also, that death is a process, mohth ta muth – ‘dying you will die’. Adam did not die immediately after sinning, but over the course of his life span of 930 years, his body grew old, he became sick and eventually he succumbed to the ravages of time beginning the moment he sinned. So, “death” was the consequence (or result) of sin and dying was the process by which he got there.

The apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 3:8, states that Adam died within the period of time referred to as a DAY (yom).   “ However, let this one fact not be escaping YOUR notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.”

The Apostle Paul clearly points to why all offspring of Adam, follow that same pattern – Romans 5:12 “ That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned” Was the sin ours? No. Nevertheless, our inheritance from our forefather is death. When Adam and Eve sinned, they became genetically defective, this they passed on to their offspring through procreation.

God has not deviated from his original purpose for his human creation. He does not change his mind. Our inheritance, of an earthly, paradisiac dwelling place, remains the purpose for which humans were created. Almighty God purposed a time, during Christ’s millennial reign, when there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous. John 5:28,29 )” Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” Because of God’s perfect righteousness, he will resurrect the unrighteous (not wicked) for the purpose of learning righteousness, this will be a judgment period for them. ”

How do we know this?  By analyzing the Greek word translated “memorial tombs.” Notice that the plural form of taphos [grave, an individual burial place] or haides [gravedom, the common grave of dead mankind] are not used but,  the plural dative form of mne·mei′on [remembrance, memorial tomb] IS used. This lays stress on preserving memory of the deceased person. Not those whose memory was blotted out in Gehenna because of unforgivable sins but persons remembered by God will be resurrected with the opportunity to live forever.—Matt. 10:28; Mark 3:29; Heb. 10:26; Mal. 3:16.)

What Jesus said here, at John 5:28,29, must be understood in the light of the later revelation that he gave to John in Revelation 20:12, 13 Both those who formerly did good things and those who formerly practiced bad things will be “judged individually according to their deeds.” What deeds? If we were to take the view that people were going to be condemned on the basis of deeds in their past life, that would be inconsistent with Romans 6:7: “He who has died has been acquitted from his sin.”

It would also be unreasonable to resurrect people simply for them to be destroyed. So, at John 5:28, 29a, Jesus was pointing ahead to the resurrection; then, in the remainder of verse 29, he was expressing the outcome after they had been uplifted to human perfection and been put on judgment.

The apostle John, in Revelation chapter 21 vs.4 states:  4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

This text is in agreement with the previously mentioned text in 1Corinthians 15:26. Scripturally, a thrice repeated statement establishes a matter. This stated promise guarantees that death will be abolished forever. It is a promise, one that was known, believed, and taught by the ancient Hebrew. Further, we have this fact clearly stated by the prophet in Isaiah chapter 25 vs.8   He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth for Jehovah himself has spoken [it].

This statement comes with the aforementioned guarantee “Jehovah himself has spoken [it].”What hope do we then have?  The hope we enjoy and put full faith, is the same hope believed in and expressed by Job and contained in the question posed by him. Job 14:14 states: “ If an able-bodied man dies can he live again?” He then makes a statement reiterating his belief in an earthly resurrection, in these words: “All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait, Until my relief comes.” His prayer expresses his belief in the promise of being raised up from sheol, the grave. This is made clear in verse 13 “ O that in Sheol you would conceal me, That you would keep me secret until your anger turns back, That you would set a time limit for me and remember me! Verse 15 leaves absolutely no room for ambiguity “ You will call, and I myself shall answer you. For the work of your hands you will have a yearning.”

The resurrection hope, offered in scripture, is sure. Hosea 13:14 puts it this way: “ “From the hand of Sheol I shall redeem them; from death I shall recover them. Where are your stings, O Death? Where is your destructiveness, O Sheol?…” The Hebrew word “Sheol” and the Greek word “Hades” are the common grave of mankind from which humans can be recovered, just as the above texts indicate.

When on earth, Jesus told his disciples, as recorded by his apostle, John “No man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.” John 3:13   Here, Jesus clarifies the mistaken teaching that any human was taken to heaven prior to Christ’s ascension. Is there more evidence to establish the matter? Indeed there is, Matthew recorded Jesus words in this way: “Truly I say to YOU people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.”

The third declaration, uttered by Jesus, is found at Acts 2:34 “Actually David did not ascend to the heavens.”

Heavenly life is a gift by invitation (calling) ONLY as stated by Paul:“Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest whom we confess—Jesus.” Hebrews 3:1

“Now we know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose; 29 because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30

“God is faithful, by whom YOU were called into a sharing with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1Corinthians 1:9

“ I am pursuing down toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

“ For this reason, brothers, all the more do YOUR utmost to make the calling and choosing of YOU sure for yourselves; for if YOU keep on doing these things YOU will by no means ever fail.” 2 Peter 1:10

2 Timothy 1:9 He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not by reason of our works, but by reason of his own purpose and undeserved kindness. This was given us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long lasting,

Those called and chosen (invited) are a small group, also known as the bride of Christ and the New Jerusalem who will reign with Christ from the heavens - Revelation 5:10 “and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”

Revelation 14:1,3 reveals that this HEAVENLY CALLING is also limited in number “And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.  3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.”

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.

Revelation 7:4 “And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand…”

Pay attention to Revelation 7:4, quoted above, which calls our attention to those with the heavenly “calling or invitation. Scroll down a bit farther to vs. 9 where John’s vision focuses on another group, he notes:

“ After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. 10 And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.”11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen.”13 And in response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one that knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”

This is the time that we wait for, the time when death, sickness, defects and sorrow will be things of the past and Jehovah wipes the tears from all faces - as the prophet Isaiah foretold - 5 At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. 6 At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness. For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain. 7 And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy pool, and the thirsty ground as springs of water. In the abiding place of jackals, a resting-place for [them], there will be green grass with reeds and papyrus plants. 8 And there will certainly come to be a highway there, even a way; and the Way of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not pass over it. And it will be for the one walking on the way, and no foolish ones will wander about [on it].9 No lion will prove to be there, and the rapacious sort of wild beasts will not come up on it. None will be found there; and the repurchased ones must walk [there]. 10 And the very ones redeemed by Jehovah will return and certainly come to Zion with a joyful cry; and rejoicing to time indefinite will be upon their head. To exultation and rejoicing they will attain, and grief and sighing must flee away .Isaiah 35:5-10

Isaiah 11: 6 And the wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and with the kid the leopard itself will lie down, and the calf and the maned young lion and the well-fed animal all together; and a mere little boy will be leader over them. 7 And the cow and the bear themselves will feed; together their young ones will lie down. And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. 8 And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his own hand. 9 They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.

So sleep awhile, my beautiful sons, and soon you will hear the voice of the Son of God calling you forth from the dead, then we will forevermore, live, breath and fellowship - just as Jehovah promised – life for eternity on a cleansed earth (paradise).