- iris89
- Administrator
Offline - Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Discourse On The Latest Flavor of Worldly Wisdom - Evolution. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 11A]
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31 – 32, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We must prioritize things in our lives and seek to win Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) approval first of all as revealed by Philippians 4:8 – 9, [AV] “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
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] Discourse On The Latest Flavor of Worldly Wisdom - Evolution:
INTRODUCTION:
Throughout all the ages so called intellectuals have NOT been able to accept the simple fact found at Genesis 1:1, " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (American Standard Version; ASV). They have continually come up with all kinds of theories through the ages that sound plausible at the time, but centuries later are proven false, to deny the obvious that both the earth and all that is on it was the result of creation by intelligent being either directly and/or through is only begotten son as a master worker. Why? They either consciously or unconsciously do not want to admit and/or acknowledge that their very existence is due to special creation by a Creator (YHWH) that we call Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at Genesis 28:3, "And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a company of peoples." (ASV).
Why is this? Because men want to make sense of the world around them, but many do NOT want to admit that there is an intelligent being greater than they are due to pride and ego. As mentioned previously, they have come up with all kinds of theories to explain their existence and the existence and substance of the earth through the centuries. Early on some individuals speculated that mankind came from elsewhere and/or were produced by plants as a form of living 'fruit'; strange as it may seem, even today there are those who still theorize that we came from other planets. In fact, at this very point in time, NASA of the US government is spending a fortune in an attempt to determine if life ever existed on Mars. This is nothing but a veiled attempt to try and prove the Bible in error as they can not state their real purpose publically as the US Constitution's First Amendment states that the government can NOT state or determine religious beliefs, and wisely so.
With respect the earth, so called intellectuals early on stated that a great turtle gave existence to it and carried it on his back, foolishness true, but this foolish theory was believed by many for centuries and gave birth to a later theory that the earth was flat. This caused most sailors to not stray far from land for fear of falling off of the earth. However, one daring admiral, Christopher Clumbus challenged this theory and found the so called new world. Yet even to this day, there exist a society that still argues the earth is flat, The Flat Earth Society. This group says the following, (1) Why we don't believe the world is round , (2) Scientific data and measurements backing up our claims, and they are now located in California the last I heard. Yet the Bible clearly showed at Isaiah 40:22, "[It is] he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;" (ASV) . Here God (YHWH) is spoken of as viewing the earth from heaven in terms that are quite similar to the views sent back to earth by the Hubble Space Telescope. Of course, there are the so called intellectuals that will say this scripture is speaking of a flat plane in the form of a circle or otherwise the word globe or sphere would have been used here, but they overlook what the original word was here was the ancient Hebrew word "chug" which means circle or sphere as they had one word for both. One commentator on this said, "Before the time of Columbus, many scientists taught that the earth was flat. However, the Bible contained the truth more than 2,100 years before Columbus. Isaiah the prophet wrote the word of God:
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, . . . Isaiah 40:22. (KJV) (See also Proverbs 8:27.)
Did you notice the expression "circle of the earth?" The original Hebrew word is (chug), which means circle and sphere.5 This Hebrew word contains the scientific truth that the earth is round and is a sphere. Obviously, Isaiah did not" [source - www.oldpaths.com/Archive/.../ch09.html].
Of course this foolish pseudo-science masquerading under the label scientific continues into the present time, and continues to mislead and deceive the gullible. The latest flavor of this so called worldly scientific wisdom, really foolishness, is called the theory of evolution. It has more holes in it, of course, than a sieve. What is this latest theory of pseudo-science? Well the American Heritage Dictionary defines evolution as, "A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form. See synonyms at development. 2a. The process of developing. b. Gradual development. 3. Biology a. Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species. b. The historical development of a related group of organisms; phylogeny. 4. A movement that is part of a set of ordered movements. 5. Mathematics The extraction of a root of a quantity." (source - American Heritage Dictionary, 4 edition), but starting with Charles Darwin it became a theory not for incremental changes in life forms, but for the origin of life itself. He postulated that over very long periods of time that by chance occurrence the necessary elements that exist in all life forms came together and life came into existence which of course makes as much sense as saying the necessary elements came together and presto you have a new Ford sedan.
Of course this theory is easily blown to bits with the mathematics of probability as was done by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, and other mathematicians such as
Let's face the fact that you must have a support system there to sustain life once it arrives, and this would be another system that must come into existence simultaneously with life for it to continue once it was created in some manner. As shown, just the possibility of life coming into existence is, as shown by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, is 10 to the 123 a number so large as to stagger the imagination. Or consider: 103 means 1,000, a thousand. 10 to 103 zerosis a number that that has 1 followed by 1000 zeros. If there are six zeros, it's called a million; if nine, a billion; if twelve, a trillion and so on. There is not even a name for a number that has 1 followed by 10 to 123 zeros. And that it is a well known in practical mathematical probability reality that, a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros means "zero probability". Penrose's number is more than trillion trillion trillion times less than that. In short, Penrose's number tells us that the 'accidental" or "coincidental" creation of our universe is an impossibility.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 12A]
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:9, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Satan has since his corruption of the first human pair with his untruths and the outcome, clearly shown that neither he nor humans can provide good rulership. To wit, in effect, he in the garden of Eden claimed that his rule would be superior to that of Almighty God (YHWH), but his claim possesses no merit as shown at Genesis 3:1 – 5, [AV] “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” The Devil has caused the whole world great distress with his rulership. And as 1 John 5:19 - 20, [AV] “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
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!
THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Jiaogulan
This story from a popular Chinese newspaper reports on a study in the 1970s. The Chinese government asked scientists to research the unusually large number of centagenarians in the small mountain provinces of Guizhou, Guangxi and Shicuan . In addition to unusual longevity the researchers found low incidences of many common ailments associated with aging including, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s and cancer. After over 10 years of study they found one common thread, a plant the locals called “xiancao” the “immortality” plant. The villagers drank it several times a day simply because it tasted good and is naturally sweet. The researchers identified the plant as Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum).
Free radicals are one of the primary causes of aging. Anti-oxidants have been found to eliminate free radicals from the body. See our anti-oxidant link regarding research on Jiaogulan and anti-oxidants. [sourc - retrieved from Guangxi Ribao (Guanxi Daily News) March 4, 1972. on 1/19/2016]
JIAOGULAN AND AGING, JIAOGULAN AND CANCER, JIAOGULAN AND YOUR HEALTH, JIAOGULAN AND YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
HOW JIAOGULAN HELPS PREVENT AGING AND ILLNESS
Jiaogulan ( gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a very unique herb which can have many positive effects on our health and will even help us to prevent aging. Many factors play a role when it comes to aging, and scientists are just beginning to appreciate that infections caused by viruses have a huge impact on aging and our general well-being. Pharmaceutical companies around the world are spending millions of dollars researching the relationship between aging and viruses
If, we can prevent infections, and boost our immune systems, we will age at a slower pace and live healthier lives. Often in the fight against infections caused by viruses and bacteria, we employ a spectrum of antibiotics or virus suppressing drugs. HIV is a perfect example of a virus which is suppressed by drugs and we treat the most common throat infections with a plethora of antibiotics. But, shouldn’t we really be asking ourselves if we are taking the right approach, and shouldn’t we be boosting our immune systems instead. Perhaps, it is time to turn to nature to help us provide a permanent solution which would allow us to focus on prevention rather than cure.
Understanding Viral Infections
Doctors often talk about that viruses can be difficult to detect. It is true and has to do with the way they reproduce. A virus is not a cell in its own right, it is a genetic code which uses our cells to reproduce.
A virus can invade a cell and not start to reproduce straight away. HIV and herpes are perfect examples of this process. They can lay dormant in a cell for a long time, and all of a sudden as the cell starts to reproduce, they switch on and start to copy their genetic code.
The virus genetic code becomes part of the host cell, and the cell now reproduces with the new genetic information. It is called the lysogenic cycle and the cells are referred to as lysogenic cells. In other words, they are cells that contain a genetic virus code and behave differently than other cells. They are reproducing complete with their original code PLUS the viral genetic code.
But viral infections do not age us, do they?
Yes, they do and we know that viruses are probably behind many diseases such as cancer and heart disease. We already know that some cancers are caused by viruses, and scientists are trying to ascertain how many more types of cancers are experienced as a result of viruses.
Some of the most common cancers such as cervical cancer are caused by one or more of 150 virus strains belonging to the Human papilloma viruses ( HPVs). Even the common Epstein Barr virus is now being linked to some stomach cancers.
However, we are not sure what switches these viruses on and what makes them turn a cell into a cancer cell.
Viruses also cause other problems which are associated with aging such as heart disease and liver health problems. Scientists even suspect that many of the other signs of aging such as eye sight problems and wrinkles may be caused by viruses.
The problem is that there are millions of viruses, and one group of virus may be made up out of thousands of virus offsprings (strains) and mutated viruses. We need to learn a lot more about viruses and what makes them mutate to lead to disease and aging.
Free Radicals and Viruses
Free radicals are atoms, or groups of atoms, with one unpaired electron or more. These electrons are always looking for a friend to pair up with and they can by doing so, cause cellular damage or damage to DNA.
This may sound very complicated, but it simply means that they may have the ability to switch on a dangerous invasive virus, or cause a harmless bacteria to act differently. This is what many scientists believe cause viruses to start to behave differently and become dangerous.
The body has its own range of weapons against free radicals called antioxidants, but we can also eat foods and use herbs to increase our body’s range of weapons against free radicals.
Herbs and Antioxidants
Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Jiaogulan) is very special in terms of it’s antioxidant benefits. Usually, we consume antioxidants in foods. This is why, for example, we are told to drink orange juice when we have a cold. Oranges are rich in antioxidants. However, the reality is that up to 90% of the antioxidants are actually lost during the digestive process.
Gynostemma works differently. Gynostemma stimulates your body to increase production of an enzyme called Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD). SOD is your own body’s most powerful antioxidant. Because it is internally produced, none of the benefit is lost during digestions.
This may explain why gynostemma has been used for many thousands of years in Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) to combat different types of diseases. In recent studies Chinese scientists have discovered that Jiaogulan can boost a cell’s immune defense system by inhibiting a virus coping its genetic code. The rate of inhibition, rate of genetic copy, was reduced by 70% giving the body’s own system of antioxidants more of a chance to fight the virus and reduce the amount of free radicals.
How Can This Help Me to Prevent Disease?
All this talk about viruses, free radicals and antioxidants can sound like something for the ears of scientists only, but the way it works is very straight forward. If, the cells in our bodies can copy their genetic material without the interference of viruses and free radicals, they would be able to do so in a much better way.
It would result in better and healthier cells which would be less likely to carry any type of genetic material that can potentially cause disease and aging. We would have a much better chance to fight off infections and therefore live longer. The best way to explain it, would be that we would consist of better copied material which would be stronger and more disease resistant.
We should not try to suppress our immune system in all cases. Most of the time we should boost our immune system to help us fight of viruses, bacteria and free radicals. Hidden or “sneaked in” viruses cause a lot of the health problems we face today. By a herb such as Gynostemma, we can help our bodies to boost its defense system and help us to live both longer and healthier lives. Adding Gynostemma to your health routine would allow you to prevent disease rather than cure it. [sourc - retrieved from on 1/19/2016]
JIAOGULAN AND AGING, JIAOGULAN AND CANCER, JIAOGULAN AND YOUR HEALTH, JIAOGULAN AND YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
HOW JIAOGULAN HELPS PREVENT AGING AND ILLNESS
Jiaogulan ( gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a very unique herb which can have many positive effects on our health and will even help us to prevent aging. Many factors play a role when it comes to aging, and scientists are just beginning to appreciate that infections caused by viruses have a huge impact on aging and our general well-being. Pharmaceutical companies around the world are spending millions of dollars researching the relationship between aging and viruses
If, we can prevent infections, and boost our immune systems, we will age at a slower pace and live healthier lives. Often in the fight against infections caused by viruses and bacteria, we employ a spectrum of antibiotics or virus suppressing drugs. HIV is a perfect example of a virus which is suppressed by drugs and we treat the most common throat infections with a plethora of antibiotics. But, shouldn’t we really be asking ourselves if we are taking the right approach, and shouldn’t we be boosting our immune systems instead. Perhaps, it is time to turn to nature to help us provide a permanent solution which would allow us to focus on prevention rather than cure.
Understanding Viral Infections
Doctors often talk about that viruses can be difficult to detect. It is true and has to do with the way they reproduce. A virus is not a cell in its own right, it is a genetic code which uses our cells to reproduce.
A virus can invade a cell and not start to reproduce straight away. HIV and herpes are perfect examples of this process. They can lay dormant in a cell for a long time, and all of a sudden as the cell starts to reproduce, they switch on and start to copy their genetic code.
The virus genetic code becomes part of the host cell, and the cell now reproduces with the new genetic information. It is called the lysogenic cycle and the cells are referred to as lysogenic cells. In other words, they are cells that contain a genetic virus code and behave differently than other cells. They are reproducing complete with their original code PLUS the viral genetic code.
SEE PART 2
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
PART 2
But viral infections do not age us, do they?
Yes, they do and we know that viruses are probably behind many diseases such as cancer and heart disease. We already know that some cancers are caused by viruses, and scientists are trying to ascertain how many more types of cancers are experienced as a result of viruses.
Some of the most common cancers such as cervical cancer are caused by one or more of 150 virus strains belonging to the Human papilloma viruses ( HPVs). Even the common Epstein Barr virus is now being linked to some stomach cancers.
However, we are not sure what switches these viruses on and what makes them turn a cell into a cancer cell.
Viruses also cause other problems which are associated with aging such as heart disease and liver health problems. Scientists even suspect that many of the other signs of aging such as eye sight problems and wrinkles may be caused by viruses.
The problem is that there are millions of viruses, and one group of virus may be made up out of thousands of virus offsprings (strains) and mutated viruses. We need to learn a lot more about viruses and what makes them mutate to lead to disease and aging.
Free Radicals and Viruses
Free radicals are atoms, or groups of atoms, with one unpaired electron or more. These electrons are always looking for a friend to pair up with and they can by doing so, cause cellular damage or damage to DNA.
This may sound very complicated, but it simply means that they may have the ability to switch on a dangerous invasive virus, or cause a harmless bacteria to act differently. This is what many scientists believe cause viruses to start to behave differently and become dangerous.
The body has its own range of weapons against free radicals called antioxidants, but we can also eat foods and use herbs to increase our body’s range of weapons against free radicals.
Herbs and Antioxidants
Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Jiaogulan) is very special in terms of it’s antioxidant benefits. Usually, we consume antioxidants in foods. This is why, for example, we are told to drink orange juice when we have a cold. Oranges are rich in antioxidants. However, the reality is that up to 90% of the antioxidants are actually lost during the digestive process.
Gynostemma works differently. Gynostemma stimulates your body to increase production of an enzyme called Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD). SOD is your own body’s most powerful antioxidant. Because it is internally produced, none of the benefit is lost during digestions.
This may explain why gynostemma has been used for many thousands of years in Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) to combat different types of diseases. In recent studies Chinese scientists have discovered that Jiaogulan can boost a cell’s immune defense system by inhibiting a virus coping its genetic code. The rate of inhibition, rate of genetic copy, was reduced by 70% giving the body’s own system of antioxidants more of a chance to fight the virus and reduce the amount of free radicals.
How Can This Help Me to Prevent Disease?
All this talk about viruses, free radicals and antioxidants can sound like something for the ears of scientists only, but the way it works is very straight forward. If, the cells in our bodies can copy their genetic material without the interference of viruses and free radicals, they would be able to do so in a much better way.
It would result in better and healthier cells which would be less likely to carry any type of genetic material that can potentially cause disease and aging. We would have a much better chance to fight off infections and therefore live longer. The best way to explain it, would be that we would consist of better copied material which would be stronger and more disease resistant.
We should not try to suppress our immune system in all cases. Most of the time we should boost our immune system to help us fight of viruses, bacteria and free radicals. Hidden or “sneaked in” viruses cause a lot of the health problems we face today. By a herb such as Gynostemma, we can help our bodies to boost its defense system and help us to live both longer and healthier lives. Adding Gynostemma to your health routine would allow you to prevent disease rather than cure it. [sourc - retrieved from on 1/19/2016]
What is Jiaogulan?
Jiaogulan (Latin name:Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a low-lying vine from the Cucurbiticeae family of plants. Jiaogulan is indigenous to Southern China but is now cultivated widely throughout Asia, most notably in Thailand and Vietnam.Jiaogulan is produced primarily as an herbal tea and is also available as both whole leaf
and extracted supplement.
Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends Jiaogulan as a general health tonic and in some regions of china it is called Xian Cao (the Immortality Herb) due to its association with longevity and robust health.
The plant first came to the attention of modern researchers
in the 1970’s as a result of China’s first nationwide census. Demographers noted a statistically significant higher percentage of centenarians in two small Southern provinces. The Chinese
government dispatched a team of researchers whom ultimately conducted a ten-year study.The researchers attributed the unusual longevity in those areas to the regular traditional consumption of jiaogulan tea in those areas. Following these findings, Dr. Jialiu Liu of Guiyang Medical College conducted extensive research including human clinical studies into the plant. His research identified active ingredients in Jiaouglan that provided a broad range of health benefits, including, cardiovascular health, improved immune systems, protection from and faster recovery from oxidative stress, cancer protection and improved blood flow
resulting in better mentation and organ health. Dr. Lu authored a book with American researcher Michael Blumert extolling jiaogulan as the Herb of Immortality.
Jiaogulan was also the subject of extensive research in the 1980’s by Japanese researchers who, noting the natural sweetness of jiaogulan, hoped jiaogulan could be developed as a natural sweetener. While the project was unfruitful, Japanese researchers also compiled an impressive list of provenhealth benefits.
Today herbalists recommend jiaogulan for three main health
benefits.
1) Put your body in
the optimal state of balance –
Adaptogens are a class of herbs identified by herbalists as helping the human body maintain a state of “homeostasis”, i.e. balance. The mechanisms vary from herb to herb but primarily adaptogens work by supporting the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system is the combined systems of hormones and nervous system. Modern researchers have proclaimed jiaogulan the world’s most potent adaptogen. One theory is jiaogulan’s stimulation of Nitric
Oxide production improves the overall function of the neuroendocrine system
2) Reduce blood pressure
and improve cardiovascular health – Chinese research has proven that jiaogulan stimulates the human body to increase production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a natural vasodilator. Increased vascular size makes it easier for the heart to pump blood throughout the body and reduces blood pressure. The increased blood flow also mitigates the harm from arterial build up due to arteriosclerosis.
Jiaogulan also reduces cholesterol. Since high cholesterol is the number one cause of clogged arteries, there is a double benefit to cardiovascular health. Blood vessels are less likely to develop obstructions and, when they do occur, the impact is mitigated by increased blood vessel size.
Increased Nitric oxide production is also the reason jiaogulan is popular with endurance athletes. The increased blood vessel size increases oxygen flow which directly result sin greater endurance. This increased blood flow is also believed beneficial to sufferers of Erectile Dysfunction and to improved mentation in the elderly.
3) Fight the effects
of aging and strengthen the immune system – Most people have read about the health benefits of antioxidants. One can hardly visit the grocery store without being bombarded by marketing messages on products touting their high antioxidant content. Marketers have gone so far as to co-op a formerly scientific measure of antioxidant called the ORAC scale. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. It is a measure of the anti-oxidant levels in a food. Marketers engage in heated debate over whose product as the higher ORAC value.
But the reality is that most of the health benefit of antioxidants consumed in food is wasted. When we digest food only a small percentage of the antioxidants present actually survive the digestive process and enter the blood stream where they can be distributed throughout the body and help destroy free radicals and boost the immune system.
However, there is a solution. The human body does produce
it’s own natural antioxidants, two enzymes Super-Oxide Dismutase (SOD for short) and catalase.
These internally produced antioxidants are crucial to all
animal life as they are the main mechanism of cleansing and protecting the body from free-radicals created during the metabolization of foods. Increased productions of these
internally produced antioxidants is far more effective than consumption of antioxidants because the internally produced antioxidants to not undergo digestion and are therefore 100% bioavailable.
Research proves jiaogulan increases SOD production in
humans. Researchers speculate this is the primary reason the herb is so strongly associated with longevity is Traditional Chinese Medicine. There has also been substantial research in Canada using jiaogulan to support the compromised immune systems of chemotherapy patients. This improved immunity has resulted in jiaogulan’s popularity as a immune support supplement during cold and flu season.
Recent media attention has been focused on jiaogulan for
weight loss. Researchers in Korea have determined that jiaogulan is a potent activator of the AMPK enzyme in humans. AMPK plays a crucial role in the regulation of human metabolism. In one Korean study, obese men were given jiaogulan extract for 14 weeks. The placebo group experienced no significant change. However the jiaogulan group lost an average of 2Kg., saw reduction in their waistlines, improved body mass index and lower cholesterol levels.
Jiaogulan is a perennial and can be harvested throughout the
year. Jiaogulan Tea is produced by a three-stage process. The plant is harvested and stems removed by hand. The plant is quickly pan dried to form the typical 5 leaf clusters of dried tea and then air dried on raised platforms with forced air. The resulting tea is simultaneously slightly bitter and slightly sweet. The tea is popular in Southern China often consumed as a substitute for tea from Camelia sinensis. Jiaogulan can also be consumed as a supplement, in extract form, as a tincture and the raw leaves may be added directly to foods. [sourc - retrieved from on 1/19/2016]
My investigation has uncovered a source for this plant in North America – only one source, Michigan Bulb Company, POB 4180, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025-4180, FAX 513-354-1499, www.MichiganBulb.com. It is listed as SKU #81062, on page 8 of their Spring 2016 Catelogue.
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 this plant, go to,
Or in Michigan Bulb Company, Spring 2016 catalogue on page 8.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
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!
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] False Allegations of Discrepancies in the Bible. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 13A]
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. Psalms 5:4 – 6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Almighty God (YHWH) has purposed to eliminate wickedness and the evil ones causing it off of the face of the earth. This foretold at Psalms 37:9 – 10, [AV] “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.” Psalms 37:20, [AV] backs this up as follows, “But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.”
However the righteous ones will possess the earth as revealed by Pslam 37:29 - 31, [AV] “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” And Revelation 21:4 - 5, [AV] reveals, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
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] False Allegations of Discrepancies in the Bible
Some falsely allege that there are real discrepancies in the Bible, but when any of these are closely examined it is always found that what appeared on the surface to be a discrepancy really is not. Here is an example of one such case investigated by Caleb Colley and his findings:
Apologetics Press :: Alleged Discrepancies
Did Jesus Come to Bring Peace-or Turmoil?
by Caleb Colley
Militant, violent, religious extremists have caused legitimate concern for America's security. In Palestine, on the very soil Jesus walked, people kill each other in warfare motivated by religion. Do the teachings of Christ authorize or encourage such behavior? In John 14:27, Jesus said: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Some have charged that Jesus' promise of peace in that verse contradicts His message in Matthew 10:34: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword." Did Jesus come to Earth to bring peace-or turmoil?
Based on scriptural evidence, it is indisputable that Jesus wants His followers to have peace. The words "Christ" and "peace" are found together in the same verse no less than 24 times in the New King James Version. Consider Philippians 1:2: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:2 reads: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul urged the Thessalonians, "Be at peace among yourselves" (1 Thessalonians 5:13). The message of Christ is called "the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15), and Philippians 4:7 says that the peace of God "surpasses all understanding" and that peace will guard the hearts and minds of Christians. Jesus, Who is called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6, most definitely came to bring peace.
Could it also be that Jesus came to bring turmoil? Certainly. In the context of Matthew 10:34, Jesus was explaining to His disciples that the Gospel, in some cases, would cause division. A son would believe in Jesus, but his father might not. A mother would believe, but her daughter might refuse even to hear the Gospel. In Matthew 10:37-38, Jesus presented a hard truth: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." Richard Lenski offered insight into the implications of the "turmoil" brought by Christ:
The idea is this: if Christ had not come, the earth would have gone on undisturbed in its sin and its guilt until the day of its doom. Now Christ came to take away that sin and that guilt. At once war resulted, for in their perversion men clung to their sin, fought Christ and the gospel, and thus produced two hostile camps. Christ foresaw this effect and willed it. Emphatically He declared that He came to throw a sword on the earth. Better the war and the division, saving as many as possible, than to let all perish in their sin (1943, p. 415).
Many react with hostility to the Gospel. This is not because Christ's teaching promotes hostility (see Matthew 5:44; 7:12; John 13:14; 13:35), but because Jesus' teachings are highly controversial. In Matthew 10:34, Jesus did not mean to suggest that His purpose was to bring hostility or turmoil, but that hostility would, in some cases, be an effect of His teaching (Barnes, 1949, p. 115). It always will be the case that some people will respond negatively to Christ's teachings, for some always will prefer spiritual darkness to the light of Jesus (John 3:19). Christ, Who came to Earth to bring both peace and turmoil, never contradicted Himself.
REFERENCES
Barnes, Albert (1949), Notes on the New Testament: Matthew and Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
Lenksi, Richard C. H. (1943), The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg).
[source - Alleged Discrepancies, Apologetics Press, 230 Landmark Drive, Montgomery, Alabama 36117, U.S.A., (334) 272-8558, ]
Why do people try and cast doubts and insult and attack the Bible? Because they are trying to promote something that is not in harmony with it, and it stands in their way.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] WHEN GOD'S (YHWH'S) KINGDOM STARTS RULLING. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 14A]
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 4:17, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, Almighty God (YHWH) will deliver the upright as revealed at Psalms 37:37 -40, [AV] “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” And these upright ones Psalmss 37:11, [AV] “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
Therefore as the conclusion of the end times draws near, it is imperative that Psalms 37:34 - 38, [AV] “Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
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] WHEN GOD'S (YHWH'S) KINGDOM STARTS RULLING:
INTRODUCTION:
This is a matter over which many have different opinions, so let's let the Bible, the Word of God (YHWH) clear up the matter for all. [many of the sources supplied for this writing were supplied by another Bible Scholar Nat and are NOT the ones I regularly use. However, my spot check of their information showed they were right on the mark.].
First, there are two distinct phases to when God's (YHWH's) Kingdom starts to rule. The first phase is when it starts ruling in heaven and the second phase is when it starts ruling over the earth.
Second, the first phase has already occurred, and this is spoken of in Revelation 12:1-11, " And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels [going forth] to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death." (American Standard Version; ASV). This article shall show when this occurred.
Third, there is the second phase which is yet to occur that all pray for in the Lord's Prayer as recorded at Matthew 6:9-15, "After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one.] 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (ASV).
UNDERSTANDING MATTHEW 16:28:
Let's look at this scripture and its significance, Matthew 16:28, "Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (ASV).
Now here is the understanding on this scripture:
"The Transfiguration Builds Faith
The transfiguration was a prophetic event. Said Jesus: "The Son of man is destined to come in the glory of his Father with his angels . . . Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:27, 28 Did some of the apostles actually see Jesus coming in his Kingdom? Matthew 17:1-7 states: "Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them." What a dramatic event! "His face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light. And, look! there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with him." Also, "a bright cloud overshadowed them," and they heard God's own voice saying: "'This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him.' At hearing this the disciples fell upon their faces and became very much afraid. Then Jesus came near and, touching them, said: 'Get up and have no fear.'"
This awesome event likely took place on one of the ridges of Mount Hermon, where Jesus and the three apostles spent the night. The transfiguration evidently occurred at night, making it especially vivid. One reason Jesus called it a vision was that long-dead Moses and Elijah were not literally present. Only Christ was actually there. (Matthew 17:8, 9) Such a dazzling display."
This gave Peter, James, and John a spectacular foregleam of Jesus' glorious presence in Kingdom power. Moses and Elijah find parallels in Jesus' anointed joint heirs, and the vision powerfully reinforced his testimony about the Kingdom and his future kingship.
The transfiguration helped to strengthen the faith of the three apostles who were to play a leading role in the Christian congregation. Christ's shining face, his glistening garments, and God's own voice declaring that Jesus was His beloved Son to whom they should listen-all of this served its purpose most effectively. But the apostles were to relate the vision to no one until Jesus was resurrected. Some 32 years later, this vision was still vivid in Peter's mind. Pointing to it and its significance, he wrote: "No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory: 'This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.' Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain."-2 Peter 1:16-18.
SEE PART 2
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
PART 2
Of utmost importance was God's proclamation: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him." This statement focuses attention on Jesus as God's enthroned King, to whom all creation must render obedience. The overshadowing cloud indicated that the fulfillment of this vision would be invisible. It would be discernible only with the eyes of understanding on the part of those who recognize "the sign" of Jesus' invisible presence in Kingdom power. (Matthew 24:3) In fact, Jesus' instruction not to tell the vision to anyone until he had risen from the dead shows that his exaltation and glorification would come after his resurrection.
After referring to the transfiguration, Peter stated: "Consequently we have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts. For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit." (2 Peter 1:19-21) The transfiguration underscores the reliability of God's prophetic word. We must pay attention to that word and not to "artfully contrived false stories" that do not have divine backing or approval. Our faith in the prophetic word should be strengthened by the transfiguration because that visionary foreview of Jesus' glory and Kingdom power has become a reality. Yes, we have undeniable evidence that Christ is present today as a powerful heavenly King.[source - WT of 4/1/2000, page 12-14.]
And another source said:
"When Jesus Comes in Kingdom Glory
"Some of those standing here . . . will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."-MATTHEW 16:28.
SHORTLY after Pentecost 32 C.E., three of Jesus Christ's apostles saw a memorable vision. According to the inspired record, "Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them."-Matthew 17:1, 2.
The transfiguration vision came at a critical time. Jesus had started to tell his followers that he was going to suffer and die in Jerusalem, but they found his words difficult to grasp. (Matthew 16:21-23) The vision strengthened the faith of Jesus' three apostles in preparation for his coming death and also for the years of hard work and testing that would follow for the Christian congregation. Can we today learn something from the vision? Yes, because what it foreshadowed actually takes place in our time.
Six days before the transfiguration, Jesus told his followers: "The Son of man is destined to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will recompense each one according to his behavior." These words would be fulfilled at "the conclusion of the system of things." Jesus further stated: "Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:27, 28; 24:3; 25:31-34, 41; Daniel 12:4) The transfiguration took place in fulfillment of these latter words.
Exactly what did the three apostles see? The following is Luke's description of the event: "As [Jesus] was praying the appearance of his face became different and his apparel became glitteringly white. Also, look! two men were conversing with him, who were Moses and Elijah. These appeared with glory and began talking about his departure that he was destined to fulfill at Jerusalem." Then, "a cloud formed and began to overshadow [the apostles]. As they entered into the cloud, they became fearful. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: 'This is my Son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.'"-Luke 9:29-31, 34, 35.
Faith Strengthened
The apostle Peter had already identified Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16) Jehovah's words from heaven confirmed that identification, and the vision of Jesus transfigured was a foretaste of Christ's coming in Kingdom power and glory, eventually to judge mankind. More than 30 years after the transfiguration, Peter wrote: "It was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory: 'This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.' Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain."-2 Peter 1:16-18; 1 Peter 4:17.
Today, our faith too is strengthened by what the three apostles saw. Of course, events have moved on since 32 C.E. The following year, Jesus died and was resurrected, ascending to the right hand of his Father. (Acts 2:29-36) At Pentecost of that year, the new "Israel of God" was brought forth, and a preaching campaign began, starting in Jerusalem and later spreading to the ends of the earth. (Galatians 6:16; Acts 1:8 Almost immediately the faith of Jesus' followers was tested. The apostles were arrested and severely beaten because they refused to stop preaching. Soon Stephen was murdered. Then James, an eyewitness of the transfiguration, was killed. (Acts 5:17-40; 6:8-7:60; 12:1, 2) Peter and John, however, survived to serve Jehovah faithfully for many more years. In fact, toward the close of the first century C.E., John recorded further visionary glimpses of Jesus in heavenly glory.-Revelation 1:12-20; 14:14; 19:11-16.
Since the beginning of "the Lord's day" in 1914, many of the visions seen by John have been fulfilled. (Revelation 1:10) What of Jesus' 'coming in the glory of his Father,' as foreshadowed by the transfiguration? This vision began to be fulfilled at the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom in 1914. When Jesus, like a daystar, rose on the universal scene as a newly enthroned King, that was, as it were, the dawn of a new day. (2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 11:15; 22:16) Did Jesus at that time recompense some according to their behavior? Yes. There is strong evidence that shortly thereafter, the heavenly resurrection of anointed Christians began.-2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 14:13.
Soon, though, Jesus will arrive "in his glory, and all the angels with him" in order to judge mankind as a whole. (Matthew 25:31) At that time, he will reveal himself in all his magnificent glory and give to "each one" just recompense for his or her behavior. Sheeplike ones will inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom prepared for them, and goatlike ones will depart into "everlasting cutting-off." What a splendid conclusion that will be to the fulfillment of the transfiguration vision!-Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Mark 8:38; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.
Jesus' Glorified Companions
Jesus was not alone in the transfiguration. Moses and Elijah were seen with him. (Matthew 17:2, 3) Were they literally present? No, for both men had long since died and were asleep in the dust awaiting a resurrection. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Hebrews 11:35) Will they appear with Jesus when he comes in heavenly glory? No, because Moses and Elijah lived before the heavenly hope opened up to humans. They will be part of the earthly "resurrection of . . . the righteous." (Acts 24:15) So their appearance in the transfiguration vision is symbolic. Of what?
SEE PART 3
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
PART 3
In other contexts, Moses and Elijah are prophetic figures. As mediator of the Law covenant, Moses foreshadowed Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. (Deuteronomy 18:18; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 8:6) Elijah foreshadowed John the Baptist, a forerunner of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:11-13) Further, in the context of Revelation chapter 11, Moses and Elijah foreshadow the anointed remnant in the time of the end. How do we know that?
Well, turn to Revelation 11:1-6. In verse 3 we read: "I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth." This prophecy was fulfilled upon the remnant of anointed Christians during World War I. Why two witnesses? Because the anointed remnant perform works that, in a spiritual way, are like those of Moses and Elijah. Verses 5 and 6 go on to say: "If anyone wants to harm [the two witnesses], fire issues forth from their mouths and devours their enemies; and if anyone should want to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the authority to shut up heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish." Thus, we are reminded of miracles performed by Elijah and Moses.-Numbers 16:31-34; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 1:9-12.
Who, then, do Moses and Elijah foreshadow in the context of the transfiguration? Luke says that they appeared along with Jesus "with glory." (Luke 9:31) Clearly, they foreshadow Christians who have been anointed with holy spirit as "joint heirs" with Jesus and who thereby received the wonderful hope of being "glorified together" with him. (Romans 8:17) Resurrected anointed ones will be with Jesus when he comes in the glory of his Father to "recompense each one according to his behavior."-Matthew 16:27.
Witnesses Like Moses and Elijah
There are notable features that mark Moses and Elijah as fitting prophetic pictures of Jesus' anointed joint heirs. Both Moses and Elijah served as Jehovah's spokesmen for many years. Both faced the wrath of a ruler. In a time of need, each was supported by a foreign family. Both boldly prophesied to kings and stood firm against false prophets. Moses and Elijah both saw demonstrations of Jehovah's power on Mount Sinai (also called Horeb). Both commissioned successors on the east side of the Jordan. And the times of both Moses (with Joshua) and Elijah (with Elisha) saw the greatest number of miracles, apart from those that occurred during the lifetime of Jesus.
Does not all of that remind us of the Israel of God? Yes, indeed. Jesus told his faithful followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 28:19, 20) In obedience to these words, anointed Christians have served as Jehovah's spokesman from Pentecost 33 C.E. until now. Like Moses and Elijah, they have faced the wrath of rulers and have witnessed to them. Jesus told his 12 apostles: "You will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations." (Matthew 10:18 His words have been fulfilled repeatedly during the history of the Christian congregation.-Acts 25:6, 11, 12, 24-27; 26:3.
Further, anointed Christians have been as fearless as Moses and Elijah in standing for truth against religious falsehood. Remember how Paul denounced the Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus and tactfully but firmly exposed the falseness of the gods of the Athenians. (Acts 13:6-12; 17:16, 22-31) Remember, too, that in modern times the anointed remnant has boldly exposed Christendom and such witnessing has plagued her.-Revelation 8:7-12.
When Moses fled the wrath of Pharaoh, he found refuge in the home of a non-Israelite, Reuel, also called Jethro. At a later time, Moses received valuable organizational counsel from Reuel, whose son Hobab guided Israel through the wilderness. (Exodus 2:15-22; 18:5-27; Numbers 10:29) Have members of the Israel of God been helped similarly by individuals who are not anointed members of the Israel of God? Yes, they have been supported by the "great crowd" of "other sheep," who have appeared on the scene during these last days. (Revelation 7:9; John 10:16; Isaiah 61:5) Foretelling the warm, loving support that these "sheep" would offer his anointed brothers, Jesus said to them prophetically: "I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked, and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to me. . . . Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."-Matthew 25:35-40.
Further, the Israel of God had an experience comparable to that of Elijah on Mount Horeb. Like Elijah at the time he was running from Queen Jezebel, the fearful anointed remnant thought that their work was done at the end of World War I. Then, also like Elijah, they had an encounter with Jehovah, who had come to judge those organizations claiming to be "the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17; Malachi 3:1-3) While Christendom was found wanting, the anointed remnant was recognized as "the faithful and discreet slave" and was appointed over all Jesus' earthly belongings. (Matthew 24:45-47) In Horeb, Elijah heard "a calm, low voice" that proved to be that of Jehovah, giving him more work to do. In the quiet period of the postwar years, faithful anointed servants of Jehovah heard his voice from the pages of the Bible. They too perceived that they had a commission to fulfill.-1 Kings 19:4, 9-18; Revelation 11:7-13.
Finally, have outstanding manifestations of Jehovah's power been channeled through the Israel of God? After Jesus' death, the apostles performed many miracles, but these gradually ceased. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13) Nowadays, we do not see miracles in a physical sense. On the other hand, Jesus said to his followers: "Most truly I say to you, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these." (John 14:12) This had an initial fulfillment as Jesus' disciples preached the good news throughout the Roman Empire in the first century. (Romans 10:18 Even greater works have been done today as the anointed remnant has spearheaded the preaching of the good news "in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." (Matthew 24:14) The result? The 20th century has witnessed the ingathering of the greatest number of dedicated, faithful servants of Jehovah in history. (Revelation 5:9, 10; 7:9, 10) What magnificent evidence of Jehovah's power!-Isaiah 60:22.
Jesus' Brothers Come in Glory
As the remnant of Jesus' anointed brothers finish their earthly course, they are glorified with him. (Romans 2:6, 7; 1 Corinthians 15:53; 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17) Thus they become immortal kings and priests in the heavenly Kingdom. With Jesus, they will then "shepherd the people with an iron rod so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels." (Revelation 2:27; 20:4-6; Psalm 110:2, 5, 6) With Jesus, they will sit on thrones judging "the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28 Groaning creation has eagerly awaited these events, which are part of "the revealing of the sons of God."-Romans 8:19-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8.
Paul spoke of the revelation of Jesus during the "great tribulation" when he wrote: "He comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who
SEE PART 4
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
PART 4
exercised faith." (Matthew 24:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:10) What a magnificent prospect that is for Peter, James, John, and all spirit-anointed Christians! The transfiguration strengthened Peter's faith. Surely, reading about it strengthens our faith too and fortifies our confidence that Jesus will soon "recompense each one according to his behavior." Faithful anointed Christians who have survived to this day see their confidence confirmed that they will be glorified with Jesus. Other sheep have their faith strengthened in the knowledge that he will save them through the end of this wicked system of things into the glorious new world. (Revelation 7:14) What an encouragement to stand firm to the end! And this vision can teach us much more, as we will see in the following article.[source - WT 5/15/1997, pp. 9-14].
And another source said:
"It was to the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometime after Passover of 32 C.E., the Son of God told his disciples: "Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:28 In a matter of days, those words of Jesus were fulfilled. Taking with him the apostles Peter, James and John, God's Son climbed a high mountain, presumably Hermon. On a spur of this mountain, the following took place: "[Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant as the light." Thus the three apostles had confirmed to them that Jesus' coming in Kingdom power would indeed be glorious. Then a "bright cloud" formed and a voice came out of it, saying: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him."-Matthew 17:1-5." [source - A Hope With A Sure Guarantee, page 36-37].
IMPORTANCE TO US OF TODAY:
Fulfillment of Bible prophecy in our day indicates that Jesus' presence in Kingdom power began in 1914 C.E. (Matt. 24:3-14; 25:31-33) Obviously, Matthew 16:28 could not refer to this event, for Jesus there spoke of something that would take place before the apostles all died. Then what could that have been?
The Hebrew Scriptures had foretold that the Messiah was to be an everlasting king. (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 9:6, 7) Daniel's vision in particular gave Jews reason to expect the Messiah's reign to be glorious, powerful, magnificent. (Dan. 2:44; 7:13, 14) But just who was to be this Messianic king, and would he rule from an earthly throne? Even Jesus' disciples who accepted him as the Messiah could benefit from assurance that he would reign from heaven with power and glory.-Matt. 16:16-22; Acts 1:6.
Accordingly, less than a year before he died Jesus explained that some of the apostles would "see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," or, as Mark phrased it, "see the kingdom of God already come in power." (Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1) After Jesus was no longer among them, the disciples would be able to draw strength from their having been eyewitnesses of his future heavenly presence in Kingdom power.
But how were Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 fulfilled? Often the meaning of a verse is suggested by its context. In this case, all three Gospel accounts of Jesus' promise about seeing him in his kingdom lead immediately into the record of the transfiguration.
Now this opens the important question of when this will take place. Of course we do NOT know the hour or the day as even God's (YHWH's) Son, Jesus (Yeshua) stated that he did not know that at Mark 13:30-32, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (ASV). But world conditions clearly show we are in the end times and the culmination of the end times can not be very far in the future.
Let's consider Matthew 24:33-35, "even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, [even] at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (ASV).
Comments by others on this scripture:
"These Things Must Take Place"
Do you know and understand Jesus' answer? It is found in three of the Gospels. Professor D. A. Carson states: "Few chapters of the Bible have called forth more disagreement among interpreters than Matthew 24 and its parallels in Mark 13 and Luke 21." He then gives his own opinion-just another of the conflicting human views. In the last century or so, many such views reflected a lack of faith. Those offering them held that Jesus never said what we read in the Gospels, that his sayings were later corrupted, or that his prediction failed-views shaped by higher criticism. One commentator even approached Mark's Gospel 'through the lens of Mahayana-Buddhist philosophy'!..
.
A Tragic Fulfillment in the Offing
The apostles knew that Jesus was the Messiah. So when they heard him mention his death, resurrection, and return, they must have wondered, 'If Jesus dies and goes away, how can he carry out the wonderful things that the Messiah is expected to do?' Further, Jesus spoke of an end for Jerusalem and its temple. The apostles might have wondered, 'When and how will that occur?' In trying to understand these things, the apostles asked: "When will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are destined to come to a conclusion?"-Mark 13:4; Matthew 16:21, 27, 28; 23:37-24:2
.
Jesus foretold that there would be wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, hatred and persecution of Christians, false messiahs, and a widespread preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. Then the end was to come. (Matthew 24:4-14; Mark 13:5-13; Luke 21:8-19) Jesus said this early in the year 33 C.E. During the following decades, his alert disciples could recognize that the foretold things were in fact occurring in a significant way. Yes, history proves that the sign had a fulfillment at that time, leading to a conclusion of the Jewish system of things at the hands of the Romans in 66-70 C.E. How did that come about?
During the hot Judean summer of 66 C.E., Jewish Zealots led an assault on Roman guards in a fort near the temple in Jerusalem, sparking violence elsewhere in the land. In History of the Jews, Professor Heinrich Graetz relates: "Cestius Gallus, whose duty it was as Governor of Syria to uphold the honor of Roman arms, . . . could no longer witness the rebellion spreading around him without an effort to stem its progress. He called his legions together, and the neighboring princes voluntarily sent their troops." This army of 30,000 surrounded Jerusalem. After some fighting, the Jews withdrew behind walls near the temple. "During five successive days the Romans stormed the walls, but were always obliged to fall back before the missiles of the Judæans. It was only on the sixth day that they succeeded in undermining a part of the northern wall in front of the Temple."
Just think how confused the Jews would have been, since they had long felt that God would protect them and their holy city! Jesus' disciples, though, had been forewarned that calamity awaited Jerusalem. Jesus had foretold: "The days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you." (Luke 19:43, 44) But would that spell death for Christians inside Jerusalem in 66 C.E.?
When replying to the apostles on the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicted: "Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days." (Mark 13:19, 20; Matthew 24:21, 22) So the days would be cut short and "the chosen ones" saved. Who were they? Certainly not rebellious Jews who claimed to worship Jehovah but who had rejected his Son. (John 19:1-7; Acts 2:22, 23, 36) The true chosen ones back then were those Jews and non-Jews who exercised faith in Jesus as Messiah and Savior. God had chosen such ones, and on Pentecost 33 C.E., he had formed them into a new spiritual nation, "the Israel of God."-Galatians 6:16; Luke 18:7; Acts 10:34-45; 1 Peter 2:9.
SEE PART 5
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
PART 5
Were the days "cut short" and the anointed chosen ones in Jerusalem saved? Professor Graetz suggests: "[Cestius Gallus] did not deem it advisable to continue the combat against heroic enthusiasts and embark on a lengthy campaign at that season, when the autumn rains would soon commence . . . and might prevent the army from receiving provisions. On that account probably he thought it more prudent to retrace his steps." Whatever Cestius Gallus was thinking, the Roman army retreated from the city, with grave losses inflicted by the pursuing Jews.
That surprising Roman retreat allowed "flesh"-Jesus' disciples who were at risk inside Jerusalem-to be saved. History records that when this window of opportunity opened, Christians fled the region. What a display of God's ability to foreknow the future and to ensure the survival of his worshipers! Yet, what of unbelieving Jews who remained in Jerusalem and Judea?
Contemporaries Would See It
Many Jews felt that their system of worship, centered on the temple, would long continue. But Jesus said: "Learn from the fig tree . . . this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away."-Matthew 24:32-35.
In the years leading up to 66 C.E., Christians would have seen many of the preliminary elements of the composite sign being fulfilled-wars, famines, even an extensive preaching of the good news of the Kingdom. (Acts 11:28; Colossians 1:23) When, though, would the end come? What did Jesus mean when he said: 'This generation [Greek, ge·ne·a´] will not pass away'? Jesus had often called the contemporaneous mass of opposing Jews, including religious leaders, 'a wicked, adulterous generation.' (Matthew 11:16; 12:39, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36) So when, on the Mount of Olives, he again spoke of "this generation," he evidently did not mean the entire race of Jews throughout history; nor did he mean his followers, even though they were "a chosen race." (1 Peter 2:9) Neither was Jesus saying that "this generation" is a period of time.
Rather, Jesus had in mind the opposing Jews back then who would experience the fulfillment of the sign he gave. Regarding the reference to "this generation" at Luke 21:32, Professor Joel B. Green notes: "In the Third Gospel, 'this generation' (and related phrases) has regularly signified a category of people who are resistant to the purpose of God. . . . [It refers] to people who stubbornly turn their backs on the divine purpose."
The wicked generation of Jewish opposers who could observe the sign being fulfilled would also experience the end. (Matthew 24:6, 13, 14) And that they did! In 70 C.E., the Roman army returned, led by Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian. The suffering of the Jews who were again bottled up in the city is almost beyond belief. Eyewitness Flavius Josephus reports that by the time the Romans demolished the city, about 1,100,000 Jews had died and some 100,000 were taken captive, most of those soon to perish horribly from starvation or in Roman theaters. Truly, the tribulation of 66-70 C.E. was the greatest that Jerusalem and the Jewish system had ever experienced or would ever experience. How different the outcome was for Christians who had heeded Jesus' prophetic warning and had left Jerusalem after the departure of the Roman armies in 66 C.E.! The anointed Christian "chosen ones" were "saved," or kept safe, in 70 C.E.-Matthew 24:16, 22.
Another Fulfillment to Come
However, that was not the finale. Earlier, Jesus had indicated that after the city was devastated, he would come in Jehovah's name. (Matthew 23:38, 39; 24:2) He then made this clearer in his prophecy uttered on the Mount of Olives. Having mentioned the coming "great tribulation," he said that afterward false Christs would appear, and Jerusalem would be trampled on by the nations for an extended period. (Matthew 24:21, 23-28; Luke 21:24) Could it be that another, a greater, fulfillment was to come? The facts answer yes. When we compare Revelation 6:2-8 (written after the tribulation on Jerusalem in 70 C.E.) with Matthew 24:6-8 and Luke 21:10, 11, we see that warfare, food shortages, and plague on a greater scale lay ahead. This greater fulfillment of Jesus' words has been occurring since World War I erupted in 1914...
Referring to the tribulation just ahead of us, Jesus said: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days [the destruction of false religion] the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."-Matthew 24:29, 30.
Hence, Jesus himself says that "after the tribulation of those days," celestial phenomena of some sort will occur. (Compare Joel 2:28-32; 3:15.) This will so startle and shock disobedient humans that they will "beat themselves in lamentation." Many will "become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth." But this will not be the case with true Christians! These 'will lift their heads up, because their deliverance is getting near.'-Luke 21:25, 26, 28.
Judgment Ahead!
Note that Matthew 24:29-31 foretells that (1) the Son of man comes, (2) this coming will be with great glory, (3) the angels will be with him, and (4) all the tribes of the earth will see him. Jesus repeats these elements in the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46) Hence, we can conclude that this parable deals with the time, after the opening outbreak of tribulation, when Jesus will come with his angels and sit down on his throne to judge. (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; compare 1 Kings 7:7; Daniel 7:10, 13, 14, 22, 26; Matthew 19:28.) Who will be judged, and with what result? The parable shows that Jesus will give attention to all nations, as if they were assembled right before his celestial throne.
Sheeplike men and women will be separated to Jesus' right side of favor. Why? Because they used their opportunities to do good to his brothers-anointed Christians, who will share in Christ's heavenly Kingdom. (Daniel 7:27; Hebrews 2:9-3:1) In line with the parable, millions of sheeplike Christians have recognized Jesus' spiritual brothers and have been working in support of them. As a result, the "great crowd" have the Bible-based hope of surviving "the great tribulation" and then living forever in Paradise, the earthly realm of God's Kingdom.-Revelation 7:9, 14; 21:3, 4; John 10:16.
What a different outcome there will be for the goats! They are described at Matthew 24:30 as 'beating themselves in lamentation' when Jesus comes. And well they should, for they will have built up a record of rejecting the Kingdom good news, of opposing Jesus' disciples, and of preferring the world that is passing away. (Matthew 10:16-18; 1 John 2:15-17) Jesus-not any of his disciples on earth-determines who the goats are. Of them he says: "These will depart into everlasting cutting-off."-Matthew 25:46.
Our progress in understanding the prophecy in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 has been thrilling. However, there is a part of Jesus' prophecy that merits our further attention-'the disgusting thing that causes desolation standing in a holy place.' Jesus urged his followers to use discernment regarding this and to be ready to take action. (Matthew 24:15, 16) What is this "disgusting thing"? When does it stand in a holy place? And how are our present and future life prospects involved? The following article will discuss this.[source - WT 5/99/1999, page 8-13].
USE OF 'GENERATION' BY JESUS (YESHUA):
Many scriptures confirm that Jesus did not use "generation" with regard to some small or distinct group, meaning only the Jewish leaders or only his loyal disciples. Rather, he used "generation" in condemning the masses of Jews who rejected him. Happily, though, individuals could do what the apostle Peter urged on the day of Pentecost, repent and "get saved from this crooked generation."-Acts 2:40.
In that statement, Peter was clearly not being precise as to any fixed age or length of time, nor was he tying the "generation" to any certain date. He did not say that people should get saved from the generation that was born in the same year Jesus was or the generation that was born
SEE PART 6
- iris89
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/07/2015
- Posts: 1,949
Re: Scripture of the Day
PART 6
in 29 C.E. Peter was speaking about the unbelieving Jews of that period-some perhaps being rather young, others being older-who had been exposed to Jesus' teaching, had seen or heard of his miracles, and had not accepted him as Messiah.
That evidently is how Peter understood Jesus' use of "generation" when he and three other apostles were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. According to Jesus' prophetic statement, Jews of that period-basically, Jesus' contemporaries-were going to experience or hear of wars, earthquakes, famines, and other evidences that the end of the Jewish system was near. In fact, that generation did not pass before the end came in 70 C.E.-Matthew 24:3-14, 34.
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus' words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?"-Acts 1:6.
In fact,
"Saved From a "Wicked Generation"
"O faithless and twisted generation, how long must I continue with you and put up with you?"-LUKE 9:41.
WE LIVE in calamitous times. Earthquakes, floods, famines, disease, lawlessness, bombings, horrendous warfare-these and more have engulfed mankind during our 20th century. However, the greatest calamity of all threatens in the near future. What is that? It is "great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:21) Yet, many of us may look forward to a joyful future! Why? Because God's own Word describes "a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues . . . 'These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation . . . They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore . . . And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.'"-Revelation 7:1, 9, 14-17.
The inspired record at Matthew 24:3-22, Mark 13:3-20, and Luke 21:7-24 introduces Jesus' prophetic description of "the conclusion of the system of things." This prophecy had an initial fulfillment on the corrupt Jewish system of things of the first century of our Common Era, culminating in an unprecedented "great tribulation" on the Jews. The entire religious and political structure of the Jewish system, centered at Jerusalem's temple, was thrown down, never to be restored.
Let us now consider the circumstances that surrounded the first fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy. This will help us better to understand the parallel fulfillment today. It will show us how urgent it is to take positive action now in order to survive the greatest of tribulations that threatens all mankind.-Romans 10:9-13; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 15:58.
"The End"-When?
About the year 539 B.C.E., God's prophet Daniel was given a vision of events that would occur during the final "week" of a period of "seventy weeks" of years. (Daniel 9:24-27) These "weeks" began in 455 B.C.E. when King Artaxerxes of Persia ordered the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. The final "week" started with the appearance of Messiah, Jesus Christ, at his baptism and anointing in 29 C.E. God-fearing Jews of the first century C.E. were well aware of this time feature of Daniel's prophecy. For example, concerning the crowds that flocked to hear the preaching of John the Baptizer in 29 C.E., Luke 3:15 states: "The people were in expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John: 'May he perhaps be the Christ?'"
The 70th "week" was to be seven years of special favor extended to the Jews. Starting in 29 C.E., it included Jesus' baptism and ministry, his sacrificial death "at the half of the week" in 33 C.E., and another 'half week' until 36 C.E. During this "week," the opportunity to become Jesus' anointed disciples was extended exclusively to God-fearing Jews and Jewish proselytes. Then in 70 C.E., a date not known in advance, the Roman legions under Titus exterminated the apostate Jewish system.-Daniel 9:26, 27.
Thus the Jewish priesthood, which had defiled Jerusalem's temple and conspired in the murder of God's own Son, was wiped out. Gone, too, were the national and tribal records. Thereafter, no Jew could legally claim a priestly or a kingly inheritance. Happily, though, anointed spiritual Jews had been separated as a royal priesthood to "declare abroad the excellencies" of Jehovah God. (1 Peter 2:9) When Rome's army first besieged Jerusalem and even undermined the temple area in 66 C.E., Christians recognized that military force as "the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place." In obedience to Jesus' prophetic command, the Christians in Jerusalem and Judea fled to the mountainous regions for protection.-Matthew 24:15, 16; Luke 21:20, 21.
Those faithful Jewish Christians observed the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy and were eyewitnesses of the tragic wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and lawlessness that Jesus had foretold as part of the "sign . . . of the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 24:3) But had Jesus told them when Jehovah would actually execute judgment on that corrupt system? No. What he prophesied about the climax of his future royal presence surely applied also to the first-century "great tribulation": "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father."-Matthew 24:36.
From Daniel's prophecy, the Jews could have calculated the timing of Jesus' appearing as the Messiah. (Daniel 9:25) Yet they were given no date for the "great tribulation" that finally desolated the apostate Jewish system of things. It was only after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple that they realized that the date was 70 C.E. However, they had been aware of Jesus' prophetic words: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matthew 24:34) Apparently, the application of "generation" here is different from that at Ecclesiastes 1:4, which speaks of successive generations coming and going over a period of time.
"This Generation"-What Is It?
When four apostles seated with Jesus on the Mount of Olives heard his prophecy about "the conclusion of the system of things," how would they understand the expression "this generation"? In the Gospels the word "generation" is translated from the Greek word ge·ne·a´, which current lexicons define in these terms: "Lit[erally] those descended fr[om] a common ancestor." (Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) "That which has been begotten, a family; . . . successive members of a genealogy . . . or of a race of people . . . or of the whole multitude of men living at the same time, Matt. 24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 1:48; 21:32; Phil. 2:15, and especially of those of the Jewish race living at the same period." (W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) "That which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family; . . . the whole multitude of men living at the same time: Mt. xxiv. 34; Mk. xiii. 30; Lk. i. 48 . . . used esp[ecially] of the Jewish race living at one and the same period."-J. H. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Vine and Thayer both cite Matthew 24:34 in defining "this generation" (he ge·ne·a´ hau´te) as "the whole multitude of men living at the same time." The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1964) gives support to this definition, stating: "The use of 'generation' by Jesus expresses his comprehensive purpose: he aims at the whole people and is conscious of their solidarity in sin." Truly a "solidarity in sin" was apparent in the Jewish nation when Jesus was on earth, just as it marks the world system today.
Of course, Christians studying this matter guide their thinking primarily by how Jesus used the Greek expression he ge·ne·a´ hau´te, or "this generation." He used it consistently in a negative way. Thus, he called the Jewish religious leaders "serpents, offspring of vipers" and went on to say that the judgment of Gehenna would be executed on "this generation." (Matthew 23:33, 36) However, was this judgment limited to the hypocritical clergy? Not at all. On a number of occasions, Jesus' disciples heard him speak of "this generation," applying the term uniformly in a far wider sense. What was that?
"This Wicked Generation"
In 31 C.E., during Jesus' great Galilean ministry and shortly after the Passover, his disciples heard him say to "the crowds": "With whom shall I compare this generation? It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who cry out to their playmates, saying, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.' Correspondingly, John [the Baptizer] came neither eating nor drinking, yet people say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of man [Jesus] did come eating and drinking, still people say, 'Look! A man gluttonous and given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'" There was no pleasing those unprincipled "crowds"!-Matthew 11:7, 16-19.
Later in 31 C.E., as Jesus and his disciples set out on their second preaching tour of Galilee, "some of the scribes and Pharisees" asked Jesus for a sign. He told them and "the crowds" who were present: "A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. . . . That is how it will be also with this wicked generation." (Matthew 12:38-46) Obviously, "this wicked generation" included both the religious leaders and "the crowds" who never came to appreciate the sign that was fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection.
SEE PART 7