COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]    Who or What is the Antichrist?
 
[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 381A]
 
And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.   Revelation 18:24,  [authorized King James Bible; AV]
 
Yes, the scripture are speaking about the judgment that will be rendered against false religion at the conclusion of the end times.  Their crimes have been very great as stated at Revelation 6:9 – 10, [AV] “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:  10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?’  Almighty God (YHWH) judgment against them will be great as revealed at Revelation 16:5 - 6, [AV] “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”  They will be judged unworthy to live in His kingdom that all pray for when they say the Lord’s prayer found in Matthew 6:9 – 10, [AV] “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”  Their judgment is detailed at Revelation 16:5 - 6, [AV] “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” 
 
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[2]       Who or What is the Antichrist?
 
INTRODUCTION:
 
Many through history from when the Apostle John wrote 1 and 2 John until today have wondered who the Antichrist is, and many have said it is this one or that one, but let's look at the facts.    First, the words of both Jesus (Yeshua) and the Apostle John clearly indicate that the Anthchrist is not a single person, but is a composite of many including false prophets, and false religion whose principle objective is religious deception.
 
At 1 John 2:18, the Apostle John wrote, "Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour." (American Standard Version; ASV). By the last hour, John evidently meant that of the Apostolic age as he was very old and all the other apostles had died, and that there would be a falling away. John's statement shows that there are many individual antichrists, though all together they may form a composite person designated "the antichrist." Per 2 John 7, " For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). However the expression 'hour' refers to a period of time of undetermined length. Thus, He thus did not restrict the appearance, existence, and activity of such antichrist to some future time only but showed that the antichrist was then present and would continue on per 1 John 4:3, "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (AV).
 
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF 'ANTICHRIST' AND WHO DOES IT GO AFTER?
 
'Antichrist' has the meaning of being against or instead of Christ; therefore, in its all incomposing sense refers to all who oppose and/or falsely claim to be the Christ or his representatives.  Jesus (Yeshua) said at Luke 11:23, "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." (AV).   Clearly showing all not with him were against him.
 
Since at the time the Apostle John wrote, Jesus (Yeshua) had been dead and resurrected to heaven for over 60 years; therefore, the activities of the Antichrist must be understood per Matthew 25:40-45, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." (AV), to apply to his faithful footstep followers, the genuine (true) Christians.   Therefore, today, the Antichrist goes after the footstep followers of Jesus (Yeshua).
 
THOSE ACCUSED IN THE PAST OF BEING THE ANTICHRIST:
 
Let's look at some who have been called Antichrist in the past and by whom:
 
One of the first accusations of a group being the Antichrist was made by Pope Gregory I (590-604 AD.), according to epistles #1 and #B 13:1, called all those within the
Catholic church who forbid working on the Saturday Sabbath, 'Antichrists.'[reference - Sabbath Diagnosis: A Diagnostic History and Physical Examination of the Biblical Day of Rest By Gary Hullquist, Page 371].   Interestingly this was answered recently as follows, <<""No; it never was changed, nor could it be, unless creation was to be gone through again: for the reason assigned must be changed before the observance, or respect to the reason, can be changed!! It is all old wives' fables to talk of the change of the sabbath from the seventh to the first day. If it be changed, it was that august personage changed it who changes times and laws ex officio-I think his name is DOCTOR ANTICHRIST."[source - Alexander Campbell, The Christian Baptist , Feb. 2, 1824, vol. 1, no. 7.].>>.
 
Another early example was, In the year 1524, at a town in France, called Melden, one John Clark set up a bill on the church door, wherein he called the pope Antichrist. For this offence he was repeatedly whipped, and then branded on the forehead. Going afterward to Mentz, in Lorraine, he demolished some images, for which he had his right hand and nose cut off, and his arms and breast torn with pincers.[reference - The Testimony of the Spirit Concerning Antichrist by Michael Bunker (http://www.historicist.com/articles2/spiritantichrist.htm)].
 
And the list of those accused of being the Antichrist is a very long one.    In addition, to the examples given above, those labeled Antichrist have included Jews, the Roman emperors, the Catholic popes, etc.   For example, when Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250) decided not to join a Crusade on behalf of Pope Gregory IX who called him the antichrist and excommunicated him, and his successor, Pope Innocent IV excommunicated him again.   In response Emperor Fredrick declared Innocent IV to be the Antichrist. [reference - The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades, By Paul L. Williams].
 
Now, the Antichrist is a deceiver and a liar who, in the composite sense, is bent on destroying a person's relationship with Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is.  Therefore, the Apostle John warned at 1 John 4:1-3, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (AV). 
 
Likewise, Jesus (Yeshua) warned against false prophets and deceivers at Matthew 7:15-16, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" (AV).   Now let's see how we can identify this vicious deceiver.
 
THE SPREADING OF RELIGIOUS LIES:
 
At 2 Timothy 2:16-18, the Apostle Paul warns against the teachings of apostates, such as Hymenaeus and Philetus as follows, "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;  18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." (AV).   What were the lies that these two were spreading?   They were teaching the false doctrine that the resurrection was only a symbolic one and that Christians had already been resurrected in a spiritual sense.   This was a clear rejection of Jesus' (Yeshua's) promise of a literal resurrection of the dead under the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, Kingdom rule per John 5:28-29, "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.  29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." (AV). 
 
This was not the only example of false prophets pushing the false doctrine of a purely symbolic resurrection.   The Gnostics combined apostate (counterfeit) Christianity and merged it with Greek philosophy and Oriental mysticism.   They held to a false doctrine known as Docetism under which all physical matter is evil, and that Jesus (Yeshua) did not actually come in the flesh, but only seemed to have a human body.   As the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia put it, <<"In Christianity, Docetism (from the Greek d???? [dokeo], "to seem") is the belief that Jesus' physical body was an illusion, as was his crucifixion; that is, Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and to physically die, but in reality he was incorporeal, a pure spirit, and hence could not physically die. This belief has historically been regarded as heretical by most Christian theologians.
This belief is most commonly attributed to the Gnostics, who believed that matter was evil, and hence that God would not take on a material body. This statement is rooted in the idea that a divine spark is imprisoned within the material body, and that the material body is in itself an obstacle, deliberately created by an evil lesser god (the demiurge) to prevent man from seeing his divine origin. Humanity is, in essence, asleep."[source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]>>.
 
The Trinity is another false doctrine which is still being spread.  This false doctrine, lie, is no where mentioned in the Bible.  To try and 'prove' this none Biblical god, Trinitarians use questionable translations of John 1:1, but conveniently miss the point that this is "a singular anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb," that is, not just that the noun theos lacks the Greek definite article.  Similar Greek construction such Mark 6:49,
Mark 11:32, John 4:19, John 6:70, John 8:44a, John 8:44b, John 9:17, John 10:1,
John 10:13, John 10:33, John 12:6 as usually have an inserted either an "a" or "an" there in most translations.
 
But we need not get so technical as a quick application of logic to the usual questionable translational construct for John 1:1 quickly shows that it can in no way support a trinity god.  Let's look at why.  John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.) (AV) - now to have a trinity of anything, one must have THREE like items and only two spirit creatures are mentioned, not three, hence no trinity.   In addition, someone can NOT be with someone and be that person also..
 
This false doctrine obscures the relationship of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, with his Son, Jesus (Yeshua), and was a masterstroke of the Antichrist.  It makes it difficult to "draw close to God" as encouraged by James 4:8, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." (AV). [sources & references - Laing, Gordon Jennings. "Survivals of Roman Religion.". New York: Cooper Square Publishers. 1963, The Encyclopedia of Religions, Carter, Jesse Benedict. "The Religious Life of Ancient Rome: A Study in the Development of Religious Consciousness, from the Foundation of the City Until the Death of Gregory the Great." New York: Cooper Square Publishers. 1972. (page 16-19), Pelikan, Jaroslav. "The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition" (100-600). Chicago: U of Chicago P. 1971. Vol. 1 of "The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine." 5 vols., heraldmag.org., Morodenibig, Naba Lamoussa. "Light From the Trinities.", Edersheim Bible History (page 59-62), New Catholic Encyclopedia, (Vol. XIV, 306), International Encyclopedia of the Bible," Vol. 5, (page 3012), McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6, Lamson, Newton & Durant, Will, "Caesar and Christ," cited from Charles Redeker Caesar and Christ, W. Duran (page 595), ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366),  Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957), BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933, ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D., by Francis David and others, Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02), The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976), Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960, Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75, and Durant, Will, "Age of Faith,"].
 
Also, the ancient Jewish practice of substituting titles for the divine name such as Lord and God is a false practice and flies in the face of what all pray for when they say Jesus (Yeshua) prayer found at Matthew 6:9-10, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (AV) when they do NOT know his name and/or use it, even though in the original scriptures it occurs over 7,000 times.[references - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1; Greek Septuagint (Fouad Inv. 266)].   Clearly any attempt to turn the the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, into a nameless mystery is a mystery is an act of gross disrespect for our Creator, and a direct violation of what the Apostle John wrote at Revelation 22:18-19, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (AV). 
 
REJECTION OF GOD'S (YHWH'S) KINGDOM BY THE ANTICHRIST:
 
The activity of the composite Antichrist was foretold to greatly increase in the ultimate days of the end times at 2 Timothy 3:1, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." (AV).   The modern day deceivers and false prophets seek to mislead every one in regard to Jesus' (Yeshua's) role as the King of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, Kingdom which is a heavenly government that will soon rule over the entire earth per Daniel 7:13-14, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (AV); and Revelation 11:5, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (AV).  
 
Some religious leaders falsely preach that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, Kingdom is a condition in the heart of men which is a view that finds no basis in the Bible per Daniel 2:44, "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (AV).   In addition, Jesus (Yeshua) clearly stated at John 18:36, "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." (AV) that his kingdom has nothing to do with the nations of this world.
 
In fact, the Bible clearly shows that Satan the Devil is the ruler of this world at John 14:30-31, "Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.  31  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence." (AV), and 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (AV).
 
Because the religious leaders support the political systems of this world, they have been likened to a symbolic great harlot called in the Bible, 'Babylon the Great,' who is per Revelation 17:4-6, "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:  5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." (AV).   She is symbolically 'drunk' with the blood of the saints in that she as a collective composite has both opposed and persecuted those proclaiming the truth with respect the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael's, creator of all there is, Kingdom.   She also practices symbolic harlotry by supporting the rulers of this world ruled by the ruler of this system, Satan the Devil.   This symbolic woman is of course the false religions of the world, and a major part of the composite Antichrist per Revelation 18:2-3, "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.  3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." (AV); and James 4:4, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (AV).
 
REJECTION OF GOD'S (YHWH'S) STANDARDS OF MORALITY:
 
Many of the members and clergy of the world's religions practice gross immorality of the most base types.   In addition, they preach to 'tickle the ears' of their members and NOT to put forth Bible truths.   Bible standards and truths are shoved out the door, so to speak, but this was foretold at 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (AV).   These are false prophets, deceitful workers who like their leader keep transforming themselves into apostles of Christ per 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (AV).
 
As previously mentioned, their works involve loose conduct and violations of Romans 1:19-28, "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  " 28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" (AV).   We now see a large number of religious leaders adopting and/or condoning loose morals in a brazen disregard for high moral principles.   Recently the Episcopal church of America choose <<"- The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori was empowered to take charge of the Episcopal Church on Saturday in a Gothic sanctuary filled with well-wishers and the acrid smell of hot wax and incense, becoming the first woman to lead a national church in the Anglican Communion's roughly 500-year history." ...Her selection as the 26th presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, the denomination's highest office, was hailed as a breakthrough for women and for the inclusion of gays and lesbians, which she supports."[ source - First woman takes helm of Episcopal Church, By Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer on 11/05/2006]>>.
 
But let's look at some more even flagrant violations of morals. Among both apostate (counterfeit) Christians and members of Islam some practice deviant forms of sex and both religious groups say this is wrong, but wink at its practice.   On 11/02/2006, one leading Evangelical leader was uncovered to be publicly denouncing homosexuality as condemned at Romans 1:27, "and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); here is the news account of this winking at wrong doing by The Rev. Ted Haggard, <<"CATHERINE TSAI, Associated Press Writer (11/03/2006), COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A leading evangelist and outspoken opponent of gay marriage has given up his post as president of the National Association of Evangelicals while a church panel investigates allegations he paid a man for sex.   The Rev. Ted Haggard resigned as head of the 30 million-member association Thursday and also gave up leadership of his New Life Church pending the investigation into allegations he had monthly trysts with a gay prostitute over the past three years...
 
"I just know that there has been some admission of indiscretion, not admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt," Ross Parsley told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs.
Parlsey did not elaborate, but in an e-mail addressed to congregants, he wrote that the church's four-member board of overseers had since met with Haggard.   "It is important for you to know that he confessed to the overseers that some of the accusations against him are true. He has willingly and humbly submitted to the authority of the board of overseers, and will remain on administrative leave during the course of the investigation," the e-mail stated. A copy was obtained by KMGH-TV in Denver...
 
[outted by]Jones, who said he is gay, said he was also upset when he discovered Haggard and the New Life Church had publicly opposed same-sex marriage.  "It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," he said.
 
Jones claimed Haggard paid him to have sex nearly every month over three years. He said he advertised himself as an escort on the Internet and was contacted by a man who called himself Art, who snorted methamphetamine before their sexual encounters to heighten his experience...
 
At the time, Haggard said that he believed marriage is a union between a man and woman rooted in centuries of tradition, and that research shows it's the best family unit for children.">> [[Note, the Los Angeles Times also had a very telling article on this, "Evangelical leader steps down amid allegations The Rev. Ted Haggard denies a man's public charges that the pastor of a mega-church had been paying him for sex.  By Stephanie Simon, Times Staff Writer (11/03/2006).]].
 
Of course this is no isolated case.  The cases are so numerous that the accounts would definitely fill a library rack many meters or yards long.   Some references on this dysfunction would be "The Church and the Homosexual Priest Facing the challenges and accepting the gifts offered by homosexual priests in the Catholic Church" by James Martin - in The National Catholic Weekly, The Changing Face of the Priesthood, Rev. Donald B. Cozzens, Prince Charles Praises Openly Gay Anglican Priest, by Terry Vanderheyden, published Oct 11, 2006, by LifeSite News:, etc.
 
And this wrong practice is not limited just to apostate (counterfeit) Christians but the winking at violation of Romans 1:27 carries over into Ialam where gay members of Islam actually operate a web site implicitly implying Muhammad (pbuh) may have been gay, called Gay Egypt>com which states, "sponsors 3,500 forums for 175 million GAY muslims & their admirers across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, & Worldwide."
 
Gay Egypt said this of Muhammad (pbuh), <<"These essays reveal a forgotten history including the amazing saga of the Prophet Muhammad [(pbuh)]and Zaid Ibn Haritha. A story which has been suppressed in order to justify the persecution of gays in the name of Islam.
 
Zaid was a slave, a wedding gift from Muhammad's [(pbuh)'s] wealthy older bride Khadija, so there was no question of adultery under Sharia law. When the Prophet eventually freed Zaid, he proclaimed a formal partnership or union, equivalent to a marriage. Zaid became, in effect, a "male wife" who was equal in status to Khadija.
 
First with Zaid, and later with Ali, Muhammad [(pbuh)] formed a bond which was even closer than those of his ten "heterosexual marriages." Love that was tested through extreme adversity and martydom. [source - http://www.gayegypt.com/archivesonly.html]>>.
 
Of this organization, Newsweek said,<<"GayEgypt.com "pokes fun at Egypt's autocratic regime with an irreverence no domestic site would dare express,">>, and the The Middle East Times said, <<"GayEgypt.com has emerged as a key source of information and communication for the gay community in Egypt.">>.
 
Interestingly Islam is winking at this and doing nothing about Gay Egypt.com, nor are members of Islam protesting what most would take as a serious attack on their prophet's moral character; yet they rioted over silly cartoons of Muhammad (pbuh).   Makes one wonder does it not?
 
GUARD AGAINST BECOMING A VICTIM OF THE COMPOSITE ANTICHRIST AND CONCLUSION:
 
Test all things and test them for validity per 1 John 4:1-3, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (AV).    Be like the Beroeas of the first century who carefully examined the scriptures to be sure that what the Apostles were telling them was the truth per Acts 17:10-11, "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.  11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (AV).   Yes, while eager to learn, check what you are being taught is the truth per John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (AV).
 
Do NOT be influenced by popular views, but be sure all is in keeping with truth per Philippians 1:9, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;" (AV).
 
ADDENDUM ON ANTICHRIST FROM WATCHTOWER DATA:
 
Who Is the Antichrist?
A recent horror film was entitled Antichrist.
A popular music group named one of its albumsAntichrist Superstar.
Friedrich Nietzsche, 19th-century philosopher, named one of his works The Antichrist.
Kings and emperors in the Middle Ages often called their opponents antichrists.
Martin Luther, German Reformation leader, labeled Roman Catholic popes as antichrists.
SINCE the term “antichrist” has long been used as a label for everything from monarchs to movies, it is only natural to ask: Who is the antichrist? Does this term have anything to do with us today? Surely the logical place to begin when searching for the identity of the antichrist is in the Bible, where the term appears five times.
 
ANTICHRIST EXPOSED
 
The only Bible writer to use the word “antichrist” is the apostle John. How did he describe the antichrist? Note these words in the first letter bearing his name: “Young children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared, from which fact we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of our sort . . . Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.”—1 John 2:18, 19, 22.
 
The apostle John understood the antichrist to be all who deliberately spread religious deception about Jesus (Yeshua) Christ and Jesus’ teachings
 
What do we learn from those words? John mentioned “many antichrists,” indicating that the antichrist is, not an individual, but a collective term.  People or organizations making up the antichrist spread lies, deny that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Christ, or the Messiah, and try to distort the relationship between God and His Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. Those who make up the antichrist claim to be Christ or his representatives, but since “they went out from us,” they deviated from true Bible teachings. Furthermore, this group was present at the time when John wrote his letter, in “the last hour,” presumably the end of the time of the apostles.
 
What else did John write regarding the antichrist? Speaking about false prophets, such as the false Prophet Muhammad, he warned: “Every inspired statement that acknowledges Jesus (Yeshua) Christ as having come in the flesh originates with Almighty God (YHWH) .  But every inspired statement that does not acknowledge Jesus (Yeshua) does not originate with Almighty God (YHWH) .  Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s inspired statement that you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world.” (1 John 4:2, 3) Then, in his second letter, John reiterated this point: “Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those not acknowledging Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 7) Clearly, John understood the antichrist to be all who deliberately spread religious deception about Jesus Christ and Jesus’ teachings.
 
Long before John wrote about such religious deceivers, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ advised his followers: “Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) The apostle Paul likewise warned Christians in Thessalonica: “Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it [the day of Jehovah] will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.”—2 Thessalonians 2:3.
Hence, in the first century, false prophets and apostates were already at work, endeavoring to weaken the Christian congregation. All those involved in spreading lies and religious deception about Jesus (Yeshua) Christ and his teachings were included in John’s term “antichrist.” Jehovah’s view of them was revealed when Paul described them as “the son of destruction.”
BEWARE OF ANTICHRIST’S ACTIVITIES TODAY
What about today? People and organizations making up the antichrist still oppose Christ and his teachings. They deliberately spread lies and deceptions with the intent of confusing the identity of the Father, Jehovah God, and of His Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. We have good reason to beware of such religious deceptions. Let us look at two examples.
For centuries, the churches propagated the doctrine of the Trinity, claiming that the Father and the Son are part of the same entity. The antichrist thus shrouds in mystery the identity of Almighty God (YHWH)  and Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. This mystery hinders sincere people from imitating Jesus (Yeshua) Christ and drawing close to God, as the Bible encourages them to.—1 Corinthians 11:1; James 4:8.
 
The churches add to the confusion by promoting the use of Bible translations that omit God’s personal name, Jehovah, from the text. They do this despite the fact that the name Jehovah occurs some 7,000 times in the original text of the Bible. The result? The identity of the true God becomes even more shrouded in mystery.
 
For centuries, the antichrist has kept millions in spiritual darkness. But by studying God’s Word, the Bible, we are able to learn the true identity of the antichrist and be set free from the antichrist’s religious lies and deceptions.—John 17:17.    [source of data – Watchtower of June 2015, pp. 14 – 15]
 
 
 

COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]    Muslims Deceitfully Attack the Apostle Paul
 
[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 383A]
 
For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 Indeed, a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and whoever has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it.  Matthew 10:35 – 39, [New World Translation Revised; NWTR]
 
Jesus (Yeshua) showed that members of one family could be divided with respect being obedient to Almighty God (YHWH) and him as shown by what was recorded with respect what he stated at Luke 12:52, [authorized King James Bible; AV]  “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”  And this reality was foretold at Micah 7:6 – 7, [AV] “For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.”
 
Jesus (Yeshua) showed that members of one family could be divided with respect being obedient to Almighty God (YHWH) and him as shown by what was recorded with respect what he stated at Luke 12:52, [authorized King James Bible; AV]  “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”  But he stated at
Matthew 19:29, [AV] “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”  This was in keeping with Matthew 16:24 – 25, [AV] “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”  Finally he made it clear that anyone doing the will of his Father would be acceptable at Mark 3:34 -35, [AV] “And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  35  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”
 
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[2]       Muslims Deceitfully Attack the Apostle Paul
 
INTRODUCTION:
 
Many Muslims deceitfully attack the Apostle Paul with misleading and untrue accusations.   They make such claims such as accusing him of being a self-proclaimer instead of proclaiming Jesus (Yeshua) Christ.   In doing so they overlook and/or are ignorant that Jesus (Yeshua) Christ was the one who personally selected the Apostle Paul as he saw much good in him even though at the time of his selection he was actually persecuting Christ genuine (true) footstep followers.   Now let's look at the Biblical account of his personal selection by the resurrected Jesus (Yeshua) Christ at Acts 9:1-22, "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,  2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.  3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.  8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.  9  And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.  10 ¶  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.  11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,  12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.  13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:  14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:  16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.  17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.  19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.  20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.  21  But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?  22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).  
 
Of course, immediately after is dramatic conversion by none other than Jesus (Yeshua), himself, many of the disciples and apostles still doubted his conversion as testified to at Acts 9:26-27, "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.  27  But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." (AV).   Therefore, there can be no doubt that he was personally selected by Jesus (Yeshua) to be a proclaimer of the good news or gospel with respect to Jesus (Yeshua) and the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, Kingdom.
 
Now let's view some of the deceitful and misleading things some Muslims say about the Apostle Paul.
 
MISLEADING AND DECEITFUL THINGS SAID ABOUT THE APOSTLE PAUL BY SOME MUSLIMS:
 
Let's look at some of the misleading and deceitful things some Muslims are saying wrongly about the Apostle Paul in their own words.
 
COMMENT 1, which we shall examine.
<<" Galatians 1:6 ''I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a DIFFERENT GOSPEL...'' You said there was no other gospel, who is the deceiver now?. As i said before that there was another gospel and when Paul heard and saw it he got very angry. Im still of the opinion that the other gospel was the real gospel of Christ and Pauls gospel was not so inspiring because the Galatians started to reject Pauls gospel and accepted the DIFFERENT GOSPEL." [source - A Sunni Muslim]>>.
 
First, Let's look at Galatians 1:6 in context and see how wrong this Sunni Muslim is, Galatians 1:1-9, "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)  2  And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:  3  Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,  4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:  5  To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  6 ¶  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (AV), clearly the Apostle Paul was speaking of false gospels at Galatians 1:6 that some were starting to listen to instead of the gospel of Christ, i.e., some were perverting the gospel of Christ per Galatians 1:7.
 
Now let's get a better understanding of the above Bible scriptures by looking at a dictionary definition of 'gospel' is several dictionaries:
 
[1] The American Heritage(r) Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. Defines gospel as follows:
 
NOUN:
1. often Gospel The proclamation of the redemption preached by Jesus and the Apostles, which is the central content of Christian revelation. 2a. Gospel Bible One of the first four New Testament books, describing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and recording his teaching. b. A similar narrative. 3. often Gospel A lection from any of the first four New Testament books included as part of a religious service. 4. A teaching or doctrine of a religious teacher. 5. Music Gospel music. 6. Something, such as an idea or principle, accepted as unquestionably true: My parents' rules were gospel.
 
ADJECTIVE:
1. Of or in accordance with the Gospel; evangelical. 2. Of or relating to gospel music.
 
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old English gdspel (ultimately translation of Greek euangelion) : gd, good; see good + spel, news.
 
[2]  Easton Bible Dictionary, a religious dictionary, gives two definitions for gospel.
 
Gospel - a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek evangelion, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called 'Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The term is often used to express collectively the gospel doctrines; and 'preaching the gospel' is often used to include not only the proclaiming of the good tidings, but the teaching men how to avail themselves of the offer of salvation, the declaring of all the truths, precepts, promises, and threatenings of Christianity." It is termed "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), "the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt. 4:23), "the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16), "the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15), "the glorious gospel," "the everlasting gospel," "the gospel of salvation" (Eph. 1:13).
 
Gospels - The central fact of Christian preaching was the intelligence that the Saviour had come into the world (Matt. 4:23; Rom. 10:15); and the first Christian preachers who called their account of the person and mission of Christ by the term evangelion_ (= good message) were called _evangelistai (= evangelists) (Eph. 4:11; Acts 21:8).
There are four historical accounts of the person and work of Christ: "the first by Matthew, announcing the Redeemer as the promised King of the kingdom of God; the second by Mark, declaring him 'a prophet, mighty in deed and word'; the third by Luke, of whom it might be said that he represents Christ in the special character of the Saviour of sinners (Luke 7:36; 15:18); the fourth by John, who represents Christ as the Son of God, in whom deity and humanity become one. The ancient Church gave to Matthew the symbol of the lion, to Mark that of a man, to Luke that of the ox, and to John that of the eagle: these were the four faces of the cherubim" (Ezek. 1:10).
Date. The Gospels were all composed during the latter part of the first century, and there is distinct historical evidence to show that they were used and accepted as authentic before the end of the second century.
Mutual relation. "If the extent of all the coincidences be represented by 100, their proportionate distribution will be: Matthew, Mark, and Luke, 53; Matthew and Luke, 21; Matthew and Mark, 20; Mark and Luke, 6. Looking only at the general result, it may be said that of the contents of the synoptic Gospels [i.e., the first three Gospels] about two-fifths are common to the three, and that the parts peculiar to one or other of them are little more than one-third of the whole."
Origin. Did the evangelists copy from one another? The opinion is well founded that the Gospels were published by the apostles orally before they were committed to writing, and that each had an independent origin
 
[3] World English Bible Glossary, gives the following definition for gospel,
 
Gospel means "good news" or "glad tidings," specifically the Good News of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for our salvation, healing, and provision; and the hope of eternal life that Jesus made available to us by God's grace.
 
So as we can see, 'gospel,' has the meaning of "good news" or "glad tidings;" therefore, the Apostle Paul was clearly simply warning all to only accept the 'good news' that originated with Jesus (Yeshua) Christ as shown by Galatians 1:7-9, and definitely NOT a proclaimer of gospel as the Sunni Muslim was deceitfully implying.   Let's consider the dictionary definition of 'proclaimer.'
 
PROCLA'IMER, n. One who publishes by authority; one that announces or makes publicly known.[source - Webster's 1828 Dictionary]
 
COMMENT 2, which we shall examine.
<<" And yes Paul did get very angry when he found out people where dumping his gospel for a different gospel which many x christians call the ''Genuine Gospel of Christ'''[source - A Sunni Muslim]>>.
 
First, as we previously saw looking at Galatians 1:6 in context, Paul was warning all to only accept the genuine "good News" or gospel that emanated from Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, and NOT some other gospel that emanated from a source controlled by Satan the Devil per 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (AV).   Galatians 1:7-9, "Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (AV) where he makes very clear that he is not proclaiming another gospel other than the gospel or 'good news' that emanated from Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, but CLEARLY warning others NOT to accept any other gospel except that which originated with Christ.   But as usual, there are deceitful individuals who will take a scripture, in this case Galatians 1:6 out of context and misleadingly try to make it seem that it is saying just the opposite from what its original writer/speaker intended.
 
That is why the Apostle Paul wrote the following about the Bereans, Acts 17:10-11, "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.  11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (AV).   Basically the Apostle Paul was congratulating the Bereans on their diligence in carefully searching the scriptures daily to see that what he told them was the truth in keeping with John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (AV).
 
COMMENT 3, which we shall examine.
<<" You are not dealing with the facts that Paul told Timothy to hold onto the translation which includes the extra books of the Catholics and Paul said they are all inspired. Please show us solid evidence that Paul told Timothy to hold onto the original Old Testament, im looking forward to your evidence
 
I see that you are trying to protect your faith by being deceitful as Paul the self acclaimed deceiver has instructed you to do so. I appeal to the christians that are not deceitful to research for them selves of the scripture Timothy knew from childhood, which is a translation. Iris, I can understand you cannot accept that Paul was wrong to say what he said to Timothy. You will not find ''mans words'' in the Glorious Quran, Ameen."[ Source - a Sunni Muslim]>>.
 
Just another deceitful and misleading item by this Sunni Muslim.   Notice, he calls Paul a self acclaimed deceiver and tries to call the Apocrypha books inspired canon which they are not.   Let's first consider what the Apocrypha is.
 
[1] Easton Bible Dictionary, a religious dictionary, gives the following definition for Apocrypha.
 
Apocrypha - hidden, spurious, the name given to certain ancient books which found a place in the LXX. and Latin Vulgate versions of the Old Testament, and were appended to all the great translations made from them in the sixteenth century, but which have no claim to be regarded as in any sense parts of the inspired Word.
 
(1.) They are not once quoted by the New Testament writers, who frequently quote from the LXX. Our Lord and his apostles confirmed by their authority the ordinary Jewish canon, which was the same in all respects as we now have it.
 
(2.) These books were written not in Hebrew but in Greek, and during the "period of silence," from the time of Malachi, after which oracles and direct revelations from God ceased till the Christian era.
 
(3.) The contents of the books themselves show that they were no part of Scripture. The Old Testament Apocrypha consists of fourteen books, the chief of which are the Books of the Maccabees (q.v.), the Books of Esdras, the Book of Wisdom, the Book of Baruch, the Book of Esther, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, etc.
The New Testament Apocrypha consists of a very extensive literature, which bears distinct evidences of its non-apostolic origin, and is utterly unworthy of regard.
 
[2] Smith's Bible Dictionary, a religious dictionary, gives the following definition for Apocrypha.
 
<<" Old Testament Apocrypha ._The collection of books to which this term is popularly applied includes the following (the order given is that in which they stand in the English version); I. 1 Esdras; II. 2 Esdras; III. Tobit; IV. Judith; V. The rest of the chapters of the book of Esther, which are found neither in the Hebrew nor in the Chaldee; VI. The Wisdom of Solomon; VII. The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus; VII. Baruch; IX. The Song of the Three Holy Children, X. The History of Susanna; XI. The History of the destruction of Bel and the Dragon; XII. The Prayer of Manasses king of Judah; XIII. 1 Maccabee; XIV. 2 Maccabees. The primary meaning of apocrypha , "hidden, secret," seems, toward the close of the second century to have been associated with the signification "spurious," and ultimately to have settled down into the latter. The separate books of this collection are treated of in distinct articles.">>
 
[3] Irivng Hexham's Concise Dictionary of Religion, a religious dictionary, gives the following definition for Apocrypha. 
 
<<" APOCRYPHA: in Greek this means "hidden things" and is a term applied to both JEWISH and CHRISTIAN writings which were excluded from the official CANON of SCRIPTURE".>>.
 
As can be seen from all of these definitions, the Apocrypha are spurious writings NOT by the claimed writers, NOT in harmony with the inspired scriptures, etc.   
 
In fact with respect to the Septuagint, LXX, there were different versions, some contained some of the Apocrypha and others did not, but all contained all of the inspired books of the Bible.   One encyclopedia said this,
<<" Septuagint: A page from Codex vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Brenton's English translation.
The Septuagint (or simply "LXX") is the name commonly given in the West to the ancient, Koine Greek version of the Old Testament translated in stages between the 3rd to 1st century BC in Alexandria. It is the oldest of several ancient translations of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. The name means "seventy" and derives from a tradition that seventy-two Jewish scholars (LXX being the nearest round number) translated the Pentateuch (or Torah) from Hebrew into Greek for one of the Ptolemaic kings. As the work of translation went on gradually, and new books were added to the collection, the compass of the Greek Bible came to be somewhat indefinite. The Pentateuch always maintained its pre-eminence as the basis of the canon; but the prophetic collection changed its aspect by having various hagiographa incorporated into it. Some of the newer works, those called anagignoskomena in Greek, are not included in the Hebrew canon. Among these books are Maccabees and the Wisdom of Ben Sira. Also, the LXX version of some works, like Daniel and Esther, are longer than the Hebrew.[1] Several of the later books apparently were composed in Greek." [source - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] >>.
 
Of the Apocrypha books, the encyclopedia said several of these books were apparently composed in Greek; whereas, all of the inspired books of the Old Testament were composed in ancient Hebrew.   This being a feature that immediately identifies them as spurious.
 
Paul NEVER said any of the Apocrypha were inspired as this Sunni Muslim deceitfully says.    In fact, as we previously say in Galatians 1:1-9, the Apostle Paul warned against perverted gospels, i.e., spurious ones such as the books of the Apocrypha.    However, this Sunni Muslim deceiver is trying to twist the meaning of 2 Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (AV).   He is trying to falsely imply that the Apocrypha is part of what the Apostle Paul was referring to which of course is very unreasonable and illogical to the extreme and especially so if 2 Timothy 3:16 is looked at in context, 2 timothy 3:12-17, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;  15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (AV).   He, the Sunni Muslim, is one of those covered by 2 Timothy 3:13.
 
Now in other comments by this same Sunni Muslim he has inferred that Timothy had and learned from a copy of the LXX containing the Apocrypha as he only knew Koine Greek which is of course untrue.   His father was a Greek, but his mother was a Jew who spoke Hebrew.   His mother, not his father, was the one who taught him, and this fact was recognized by the Apostle Paul at 2 Timothy 1:1-5, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,  2  To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.  3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;  4  Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;  5  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." (AV).
 
Undoubtedly his mother Eunice would have regularly taken him to the Synagogue where he would have listened to Rabbis reading the sacred inspired scripture per the canon of Ezra or Jerusalem canon so the inspired scripture the Apostle Paul was referring to in 2 Timothy 3:16 would have been only the inspired scripture and NOT the spurious Apocrypha.
 
In addition, scripture in those days was NOT written/printed in books as it is today, but was hand written on scrolls which made copies very expensive.   Therefore, it is highly unlikely that young Timothy had a personal copy of of the scriptures, let alone a copy of the LXX containing spurious Apocrypha.
 
Timothy undoubtedly knew exactly which writings the Apostle Paul was speaking of .   For example, I often use the Catholic New American Bible (NAB) which contains some Apocrypha books, but I well know which books are the Holy Scriptures as did Timothy, and which are spurious Apocrypha.   In other words, this Sunni Muslim is implying that Timothy was both stupid and gullible, a fact NOT in anyway supported by scripture as quite the contrary is supported by scripture.
 
CONCLUSION;
 
Members of Islam get irrationally insane over silly cartoons, a speech in a university where the Pope quoted from something a Byzantine Emperor said which they mistook as the Pope trying to insult them - which he was not trying to do, and other minor and silly nonsense.   However, they feel it is okay to tell untruths and deceitful things about the Apostle Paul - what a double standard they have as shown in this article.
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT   WWW.JW.ORG

COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES.   With the Scripture of the Day first.
 
[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 385A]
 
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.   Proverbs 3:5 – 6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
 
As testified to at Psalms 62:8, [AV] “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”  And trust in him and not yourself as directed at Proverbs 28:26, [AV] “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered”  Yes, per Colossians 3:17, [AV] “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  Ask Almighty God (YHWH) for guidance according to James 1:5 - 6, [AV] “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
 
[2]       THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Marula bears small round shaped fruit; (green in colour when unripe) that ripens to a yellow colour and can be harvested by being collected from the ground from January to March. According to Matt Marten operations manager of MNP, an analysis of the ripe fruit in the 2004 season yielded the following results: Average weight of 19.6g, peel of 31.6 %, stone 33.7% and pulp of 34.7%. The pulp is used as a base for juices, jams, jellies, ciders and alcohol drinks. The peel of the fruit is believed to have more than 27 different kinds of flavours and contains ten newly-isolated volatile esters that may be able to be extracted for use in aromatherapy, homeopathic medicines and essential oils and the freeze dried pulp of the marula fruit can be used in a number of cosmetic applications. Other products are the marula tea and as flavourant for ice –creams, etc. The fruit pulp contains up to four times vitamin C than oranges. Even though this fruit is seasonal, it can be processed into pulp in large volumes and stored frozen for a period of over a year.  [source - retrieved from   http://www.marula.org.za/abfruit.htm  on  4/25/2014]
 
Sclerocarya birrea, the marula, (Greek skl?rós, "hard", and káryon, "nut", in reference to the stone inside the fleshy fruit) is a medium-ized dioecious tree, indigenous to the miombo woodlands of Southern Africa, the Sudano-Sahelian range of West Africa, and Madagascar. The tree is a single stemmed tree with a wide spreading crown. It is characterised by a grey mottled bark. The tree grows up to 18 m tall mostly in low altitudes and open woodlands. The fruitsare used in the liqueur Amarula. The distribution of this species throughout Africa and Madagascar has followed the Bantu in their migrations, as it has been an important item in their diet since time immemorial.
 
The fruits which ripen between December and March have a light yellow skin, with white flesh, rich in vitamin C—about eight times the amount found in an orange—are succulent, tart with a strong and distinctive flavour.[2] Inside is a walnut-sized, thick-walled stone. These stones, when dry, expose the seeds by shedding 2 (sometimes 3) small circular plugs at one end. The seeds have a delicate nutty flavour and are much sought after, especially by small rodents who know to gnaw exactly where the plugs are located.
 
Relationships: Belongs to the same family Anacardiaceae as the mango, cashew, pistachio and sumac, and is closely related to the genus Poupartia from Madagascar.
 
Common names:
Tshivenda:mafula
English: jelly plum, cat thorn, morula, cider tree, marula, maroola nut/plum
Afrikaans: Maroela[3]
Bambara: nkuna, nkuntan
Portuguese (Mozambique): canhoeiro
Hausa: dania
Sotho: Morula[3]
Swahili: mng'ongo
Shona: mutsomo, mukwakwa, mushomo, muganu, mupfura; [fruits] pfura; [tree] mufura, mafuna, marula
Tswana: Morula[3]
Northern/Southern Ndebele: iganu, ikanyi, umganu, umkano
Swazi: [fruits] emaganu, [tree] umganu
Zulu: Umganu,[3] [fruits] amaganu, [seeds, tree] umganu
Other: Boran (Kenya) – didissa ; Kamba (Kenya) – muua; Kwangali – ufuongo; Lovedu – marula; Maasai (Kenya) – ol-mangwai; Meru (Kenya) – mura; Pedi [fruits] – lerula, marula; Pedi [tree] – morula, merula; Pokot (Kenya) – oruluo; Ronga (Mozambique) – ncanhi; Sebei (Kenya) – katetalum; Shangaan – nkanyi, inkanyi; Diga (Kenya) – mngongo; Tonga: tsua, tsula, umganu; Tugen (Kenya) – tololokwo; Dinka (Sudan) – Gummel; Nuer (Sudan) – Kamel, Omel; Moru (Sudan) – Kyele; Luo (Kenya) Ong'ono.
The Marula tree is protected in South Africa.[3]
 
Traditional Uses
While little known globally, the fruit is traditionally used for food in Africa, and has considerable socioeconomic importance.[4]
 
The seed kernels are high in protein and fat, with a subtle nutty flavour, and constitute an important emergency food. Marula oil, made from the seed kernel, is a delicious additive to meals in Africa. It contains antioxidants and oleic acid. The bark is used both as treatment and a prophylaxis for malaria. An infusion of the inner bark of the marula tree may be applied toscorpion stings and snake bites to alleviate pain. The leaves are chewed on to help indigestion and to treat heartburn. Marula oil, made from the seed kernel, can be used as a type of skin care oil. Products of fruits and the tree are useful in crafts and agriculture. Gums exudates from the stem are mixed with water and soot to make ink by certain tribes in the region. The bark also yields a red-brown dye used in colouring traditional craft ware. The fruit infusion is used to bathe tick-infested livestock. The fruit is regarded as a potent insecticide
 
Commercial Uses
On an industrial level the fruit of the marula tree is collected from the wild by members of rural communities on whose land the trees grow. This harvest and sale of fruit only occurs during two to three months but is an important income to poor rural people. The fruit is delivered to processing plants where fruit pulp, pips, kernels and kernel oil are extracted and stored for processing throughout the year.
 
The most important industrial product is Amarula which is probably still the second largest selling cream liquor in the world. Mirma, based in Phalaborwa, assembles and processes 4,000 tons a year of fruit. They produce a pulp from the skin and flesh which is refrigerated and shipped to Distel in the Cape Winelands. Here it is fermented, distilled, matured, blended and bottled before being internationally distributed.
 
Another fruit based product is a frozen marula puree, which is produced by Bronpro in Nelspruit. Bronpro supply puree to food manufacturers who use it as an ingredient in their products. The best known of these products is Marula Mania a juice blend produced by The Ceres Beverage Company under the Liquifruit label.
 
The third largest marula fruit based industry, is the production of marula oil as an ingredient for cosmetics. This tends to be scattered amongst many producers although PhytoTrade Africa is probably the leading "supplier" to the cosmetics industry through its integration of the production of many producers.
 
Popular culture
The alcoholic distilled beverage (maroela mampoer) made from the fruit is referenced in the stories of the South African writer Herman Charles Bosman.
The marula fruit is also eaten by various animals in Southern Africa. In the movie Animals Are Beautiful People by Jamie Uys, released in 1974, some scenes portray elephants, warthogs and monkeys becoming intoxicated from eating fermented marula fruit. Later research showed that these scenes, at least in large animals were improbable and, in all probability, staged. Elephants would need a huge amount of fermented marulas to have any effect on them, and other animals prefer the ripe fruit. The amount of water drunk by elephants each day would also dilute the effect of the fruit to such an extent that they would not be affected by it.[5] Reports of elephants becoming intoxicated from marula fruit, however, are persistent.[6]
 
References
1. Jump up^ "Entry for Sclerocarya birrea". JSTOR Global Plants. JSTOR. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
2. Jump up^ Wickens, G. E.; Food and Agriculture Organization (1995). "Potential Edible Nuts". Edible Nuts. Non-Wood Forest Products 5. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization. ISBN 92-5-103748-5. OCLC 34529770. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "Protected Trees". Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Republic of South Africa. 3 May 2013.
4. Jump up^ National Research Council (2008-01-25). "Marula". Lost Crops of Africa: Volume III: Fruits. Lost Crops of Africa 3. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.ISBN 978-0-309-10596-5. OCLC 34344933. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
5. Jump up^ Morris, Steve; David Humphreys and Dan Reynolds (2006). "Myth, marula, and elephant: an assessment of voluntary ethanol intoxication of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) following feeding on the fruit of the marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea)". Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 79 (2): 363–9. doi:10.1086/499983.PMID 16555195. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
6. Jump up^ Couper, Ross. "Elephants drunk on native fruit at South Africa's Singita Sabi Sand". Retrieved 25 April 2014.  [source - retrieved from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sclerocarya_birrea   on  4/25/2014]
 
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to  www.jw.org].
 
To view images of the tree and its fruit, go to,  https://www.google.com/search?q=Marula+fruit&espv=2&es_sm=90&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NvVaU6HwOYPJsQSH0YGICA&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=935&dpr=1
 
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
 
 
 

COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]   The Significance of the Sacrifice of Abraham
 
[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 387A]
 
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.   Proverbs 17:17,  [authorized King James Bible; AV]
 
This important point is made in one way or another throughout the Bible such as at Proverbs 18:24, [AV] “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”  And this genuine love was shown between David and Jonathan, the son of King Saul at 1 Samuel 18:3 - 4, [AV] “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  4  And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.”  And between Ruth and Naomi at Ruth 1:16 - 18, [AV] “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:  17  Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.  18  When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.” 
 
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
 
 
[2]       The Significance of the Sacrifice of Abraham
 
INTRODUCTION:
 
Let's look at what an encyclopedia says to give you a feel for the situation, <<" The Binding of Isaac (Hebrew: ???????? ???????, Akedát Yitzhák) in Genesis 22, is a story from the Hebrew Bible in which God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. To many readers the tale is one of the most challenging, complex, mystifying, and perhaps ethically troublesome episodes in the entire Bible. The story is referred to as the Akedah (????) or Akedat Yitzchak (????? ????) in Hebrew (the binding of Isaac) and as the Dhabih in Arabic.
Abraham agrees to God's command without argument, even though God gives him no reason for the sacrifice (called an Olah in Hebrew -- for the significance of sacrifices, especially in Biblical times, see the korbanot). The text of the story says that God wishes to test Abraham, which indicates that he does not intend for Abraham to actually sacrifice his son. Indeed, after Isaac is bound to an altar, an angel stops Abraham at the last minute, at which point Abraham discovers a ram caught in some nearby bushes. Abraham then sacrifices the ram in Isaac's stead.
According to Josephus, Isaac is twenty-five years old at the time of the sacrifice, while the Talmudic sages teach that Isaac is thirty-seven. In either case, Isaac is a fully grown man, strong enough to prevent the elderly Abraham (who is 125 or 137 years old) from tying him up had he wanted to resist.
In 2 Chronicles 3:1, the Bible seems to identify the location of this event as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, though Genesis only states that it occurred on a mountain somewhere in "the region of Moriah," and not necessarily on the hill of that name. This space is currently occupied by the Dome of the Rock. Some have speculated that the binding may have occurred at Golgotha, i.e., Calvary, the hill on which Jesus was crucified, which is also a hill in the same general vicinity." [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia on 11/21/2006]
 
GOD (YHWH) MADE A COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM FOR THE PROMISED 'SEED' TO COME THROUGH HIS SON ISAAC:
 
First, let's consider the fact Abraham was of the line of Shem, and in an earlier prophecy Noah had spoken of Jehovah as "Shem's God" per Genesis 9:26-27, "And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.  27  God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).  This indicated God's favor on Shem.  In Abraham's time the "seed" of promise was foretold to come through Abraham at Genesis 15:5, "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." (AV) .
 
So we can see the promised 'seed' was foretold to come through Abraham.   This seed was to come through the only son of Abraham by his wife Sarah, and was to be a vital link in the line of descent leading up to Christ as shown by Luke 3:34, "Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor," (AV).   The birth of this only son of Abraham's wife Sarah was under the most unusual circumstances.   How so? Both his father and his mother were very old, his mother long before having stopped menstruating as testified to at Genesis 18:9-14, "And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.  10  And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.  11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.  12  Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?  13  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?  14  Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." (AV).   Therefore, as can be seen from the scriptures, that when the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, told him this, both he nor his wife, Sarah, had a hard time believing it.   In fact Abraham said at Genesis 17:17, "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" (AV).
 
Now this son of Abraham and his wife Sarah was to be the one whom the promised 'seed' and the everlasting covenant would come as testified to in Genesis 17:, "And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.  20  And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.  21  But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.  22  And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham." (AV). 
 
Now some may ask just what is a covenant, and for an understanding of that we shall look at a Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, <<"An agreement between two or more persons to do or refrain from doing some act; a compact; a contract. The Hebrew word berith', whose etymology is uncertain, appears over 280 times in the Hebrew Scriptures; more than 80 of these occurrences are in the five books of Moses. That its basic meaning is "covenant," comparable to our modern legal word "contract," is seen from cuneiform tablets found in 1927 at Qatna, an ancient non-Israelite city SE of Hamath. "The contents of the two tablets [of 15 found] are simple. Tablet A contains a list of names . . . Tablet B is a ration list . . . List A is thus a compact in which the men in question . . . agree to enter someone's service or to carry out certain obligations. List B, written by the same scribe, then illustrates the nature of the compact; the men were to receive specified rations in return for their services. . . . the Israelite concept of berit, 'covenant,' was a central theme in Yahwist theology. Here we have the first published extra-biblical occurrence of the word from early times-not later than the first third of the fourteenth century B.C." [source - Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, February 1951, p. 22.]>>.
 
Now in some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures the word di·a·the'ke is variously rendered "covenant," "will," "testament" (testamentum, Vg). However, M'Clintock and Strong's Cyclopaedia (1891) says, under "Covenant": <<"There seems, however, to be no necessity for the introduction of a new word [other than "covenant"] conveying a new idea. The Sept[uagint] having rendered [berith'] (which never means will or testament, but always covenant or agreement) by [di·a·the'ke] consistently throughout the O.T., the N.T. writers, in adopting that word, may naturally be supposed to intend to convey to their readers, most of them familiar with the Greek O.T., the same idea. Moreover, in the majority of cases, the same thing which has been called a 'covenant' (berith') in the O.T. is referred to in the N.T. (e.g. 2Cor. iii, 14; Heb. vii, ix; Rev. xi, 19); while in the same context the same word and thing in the Greek are in the English [in KJ] sometimes represented by 'covenant,' and sometimes by 'testament' (Heb. vii, 22; viii, 8-13; ix, 15)."-See also NW appendix, pp. 1584, 1585.">>.
 
So we can see that a covenant is a contract for something to be received and or done.   A covenant always involves two or more parties.   Covenants can be unilateral - where one side has the sole responsibility to carry out the terms, or bilateral - where both sides have the responsibility to carry out its terms.
 
Therefore, the promise made by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, with Abraham is a covenant or contract.   However, when the the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, makes a covenant, it is certain to be carried out; it can be relied on with confidence for its fulfillment as testified to at Hebrews 6:18, "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" (AV).   In this case the covenant and promised 'seed' was to be through Abraham's son, Isaac - he had another son, but it was NOT through his wife Sarah.
 
This son of Abraham, Isaac, was indeed born and the account at Genesis 21:1-9 says, "And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.  2  For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.  3  And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.  4  And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.  5  And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.  6  And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.  7  And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.  8  And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned." (AV)
 
WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF GOD (YHWH) ASKING ABRAHAM TO SACRIFICE ISAAC?
 
First, let's consider that all sacrifices commanded under the Law covenant all pointed forward to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice or to benefits that flow from that sacrifice per Hebrews 8:3-5, "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:  5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." (AV); and Hebrews 9:9, "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;" (AV); and Hebrews 10:5-10, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:  6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.  7 ¶  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.  8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;  9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.  10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (AV). 
 
Now, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, tested Abraham's faith by requesting that he offer up his son Isaac through whom the promised 'seed' was to come as recorded at Genesis 22:1-2, "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (AV).
 
Now Abraham must have wondered when asked by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, to sacrifice his son, Isaac, through whom the promised seed was to come, but he new a covenant with the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, would NOT fail.   Abraham well knew that anything with the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, was possible, and that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, could raise his son, Isaac, from the dead so the covenant could be fulfilled.
 
However, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, did not let Abraham kill his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice, but on seeing his unquestionable faith provided an animal in place of Isaac as the sacrifice as recorded at Genesis 22:3-19, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  4  Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  5  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.  6  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.  7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  8  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  9  And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  11 ¶  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.  12  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.  13  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.  14  And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.  15 ¶  And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,  16  And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:  17  That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;  18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.  19  So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba." (AV).
 
This dramatic episode proved the faith and obedience not only of Abraham but also of his son Isaac. Jewish tradition, recorded by Flavious Josephus, says that Isaac was 25 years old at the time.   Flavious Josephus may not be completely correct on this, but at least he was old enough and strong enough to carry a lot of firewood up a mountain; therefore he could easily have resisted his approximately 125 year old father when the time came to bind him if he had choosen to be rebellious against the commandment of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is. [reference - Jewish Antiquities by Flavious Josephus], but instead, Isaac submissively let his father proceed to offer him as a sacrifice in harmony with the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael's, will.
 
For this remarkable demonstration of faith, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, repeated the covenant and enlarged on it; which covenant was transferred by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, to Isaac after the death of his father as recorded at Genesis 26:1-5, "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.  2  And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:  3  Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;  4  And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;  5  Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." (AV); and highlighted at Romans 9:7, "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." (AV); and also at James 2:21, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" (AV).
 
CONCLUSION:
 
Not only did this test of Abraham's faith show he firmly believed in the promise of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, for the promised 'seed' to come through the line of Abraham's son, Isaac, but it even resulted in an enlargement of the promised covenant that was to come through the line of Isaac.
 
More important, a great prophetic picture was there enacted, portraying how Christ Jesus, the Greater Isaac, would in due time willingly lay down his human life as the Lamb of God for mankind's salvation per John 1:29 and 36, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (AV) and "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!' (AV); and John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).
 
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COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]    Explanation of Mark 7:24-29:
[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 389A]
 
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;   2 Peter 2:5,  [authorized King James Bible; AV]
 
Almighty God (YHWH) wants both the angels and humans He created to be obedient as shown by 2 Peter 2:4, [AV] “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”  Yes, we must also believe that is is the Creator to win His approval as testified to at Hebrews 11:6 – 7, [AV] “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”  And this wicked systems will soon be destroyed as shown by 2 Peter 3:5 – 7, [AV] “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:  7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”.  
 
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[2]      Explanation of Mark 7:24-29:
 
INTRODUCTION:
 
Before considering Mark 7:24-29, it is important to realize that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, is no respecter of persons as he created all of mankind not just one particular group.   This point that he is no respecter of persons, a discriminator, was clearly made at Acts 10:34-35 by the Apostle Luke as follows, "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:  35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).  
 
EXPLANATION OF MARK 7:24-29:
 
To understand this scripture, we first must know what his Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, who sent Jesus (Yeshua), the Isa, to earth with a specific assignment stated at Matthew 15:24, "But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (AV); however, because of his great love and compassion for mankind, he was moved to assist her, nevertheless as recorded at Mark 7:24-29, "Mark 7:24-30, "And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.  25  For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:  26  The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.  27  But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.  28  And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.  29  And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.  And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed." (AV).   
 
This was not the only time was persuaded to deviate from his specific assignment from his Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, but another similar case is reported by the Apostle Matthew at Matthew 15:21-28, "Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.  22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.  23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.  24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.  26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.  27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.  28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." (AV).
 
CONCLUSION:
 
The true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, is no respecter of persons, discriminator, but finds all doing his will and serving him in obedience acceptable regardless of what race
and/or nationality they are.
 
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