Discovering the Biblical Kingdom of God, Jesus & Holy Spirit
America's Choice: Constitutional Republic or Democrat-Socialism?
"Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants." (Benjamin Franklin)
Jesus Christ, the Word of God, became flesh
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we saw His glory,
glory in the same manner as the only child of the Father,
full of grace and truth." --John 1:1,14
Contents
Jesus - "...for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
"I AM" - "The Way, Truth and Life"
Without Sin - Blameless
God's Gift - Grace for
what He has done. "Not of yourselves."
Anointed - Savior. "...to
preach Good News to the repentant."
Tolerance? - Or Love and
Repentance
Lamb of God - Which takes
away the sins of the world
He is Risen! - Victory over
death
Ascension - The Right Hand of God
The birth, ministry, parables, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ foretold by Old
Testament prophets.
Philippians 2:5-11 - For you must live in harmony with yourselves, who
are also in Messiah Y’shua, Who was in the form of God, yet did not
think that this equality with God was to be eagerly clung to or
retained, but emptied Himself of His own equality, taking the form of a
servant, when He came in a likeness of men: and, when He was found in a
manner of life as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient until
death, even of a death of the cross. On this account then God raised Him
to the highest rank and He freely gave Him the name above every name, so
that at the name “Y’shua!” every knee of the heavenlies and the earthly
and those below the earth would bow and every tongue would confess that
Y’shua Messiah is Lord in the glory of God our Father. (Isaiah 45:23)
If Jesus had never come it would be always winter, but never Christmas.
--C.S. Lewis (paraphrased)
Birth
Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold,
a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
Matthew 1:18 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as
his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Micah 5:1-2 - But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among
the thousands of Judah, yet out of you One will come forth to Me Who is
to be ruler in Israel.
Matthew 2:1-6 - Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the
days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to
Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we
have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod
the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with
him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the
people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And
they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by
the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least
among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that
shall rule my people Israel.
Parables
Psalms 78:1-2 - Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to
the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter
dark sayings of old:
Matthew 13:34-35 - All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in
parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth
in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the
foundation of the world.
Ministry & Death
Isaiah 53:1-12 - Who would have believed our report? (Romans 10:13) And
to whom is the arm of the LORD* revealed? (John 12:38) For He grew up
before Him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He had no
form or splendor, and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should
desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of pains and
having known about sickness, disease, and as one from Whom men hide
their face: He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
Surely He has borne our sicknesses, our pains; He carried
them, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. (1
Peter 2:24) But He was wounded because of our transgressions, bruised
because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him,
and we have been healed by His wounds. (Matthew 8:17, Luke 24:46, 1
Peter 2:24)
All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, each
one, to his own way, and the LORD* has caused the iniquity of us all to
fall upon Him. (1 Peter 2:25) He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet
He did not open His mouth, like a lamb which is brought to the slaughter
and like a sheep is mute before her shearers. (This is referenced in
Matthew 27:12,14, Mark 14:60-61; 15:4-5, Acts 8:32-33, 1 Corinthians
5:7, 1 Peter 2:23, Revelation 5:6,12; 13:8.)
He was taken away from rule and from judgment, and who will
recount His life? For He was cut off out of the land of the living. He
was stricken because of the transgressions of My people. And one made
His grave among the wicked and His tomb among the rich, (Y'shua was
crucified between two criminals [Matthew 27:38], then buried in a
wealthy man's tomb.[Matthew 27:57-60]) although He had done no violence,
nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Peter 2:22,
Revelation 14:5)
But it pleased the LORD* to bruise Him. He has put Him to
grief: if His very being will consider it a recompense for guilt, He
will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and the pleasure of the
LORD* will succeed in His hand. He will see of the travail of His soul
and will be satisfied.
By His knowledge My Servant will justify the righteous
before many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I shall divide
Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoil with the
strong, because He has laid open His very being to death, and was
numbered with transgressors (Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:28, Luke 22:37) and
He took off the sin of many (1 Peter 2:24), and made intercession for
the transgressors.
Resurrection
Hosea 6:1-3 -Come! We will return to the LORD*! For He has torn and He
will heal us. He has smitten and He will bind us up. After two days He
will revive us: on the third day He will raise us up and we will live in
His sight. (1 Corinthians 15:4) Then we will know, if we follow on to
know the LORD*. His going forth is prepared as the morning and He will
come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.
1 Corinthians 15:1-6 - And I am making known to you, brothers, the Good
News which I proclaimed to you, which then you accepted, in which you
have also stood, and through which you are being saved, if you hold fast
to the kind of message I preached to you, except in case you believed in
vain. For I gave over to you at first what also I had accepted, that
Messiah died on behalf of our sins according to the Scriptures and that
He was buried and that He rose on the third day according to the
Scriptures (Hosea 6:2) and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the
twelve: (Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-23, 26-29.) then He
was seen by more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom
are remaining until now, but some fell asleep: then He was seen by
Jacob, then by all the apostles: and last of all as in an untimely
birth He was seen by me.
Ascension (See Ascension: The Right Hand of God below.)
Psalms 110:2 - The LORD* says to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I
make Your enemies Your footstool. (Matthew 22:44; 26:64, Mark 12:36;
14:62, Luke 20:42, 43; 22:69, Acts 2:34, 35, Ephesians 1:22, Hebrews
1:13)
Acts 2:29-36 - "Men, brothers, allow me to say to you with confidence
concerning the Patriarch David, that he died and was buried, and his
tomb is among us until this day. Therefore since he was a prophet, and
knew that God swore to him with an oath, He will cause One to sit on His
throne from the fruit of David's loins," (2 Samuel 7:12, 13, Psalms
132:11) since he saw beforehand, he spoke concerning the resurrection of
the Messiah that 'neither would He be forsaken in Hades nor' His flesh
'see corruption.' (Psalms 16:10) God resurrected this Y'shua, of which
we all are witnesses: therefore since He has been raised to the right
hand of God, and has taken the promise of the Holy Spirit from the
Father, He poured this out which also you are seeing and hearing. For
David was not raised into the heavens, but he says, 'The Lord said to My
Lord, You must sit at My right hand, until I would have put Your enemies
under Your feet.'(Psalms 110:1) Therefore assuredly all the House of
Israel must continually know that God also made Him Lord and Messiah,
this Y'shua Whom you crucified."
See also:
Statistical Probability of Jesus Fulfilling Messianic Prophecies
"No man comes to
the Father except through Me"
Luke 4:16-21 - Then He came into Nazareth, which was
where He grew up, and He entered the synagogue according to His custom on the
day of Sabbaths and He stood up to read. And a scroll of the prophet Isaiah was
handed to Him and when He opened the scroll He found the place where it was
written, "The Spirit of the
Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach Good News to the repentant,
He has sent Me to preach release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
(Isaiah 61:1) to
send release to the oppressed,
(Isaiah 58:6) to
preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
(Isaiah 61:2) Then rolling up the scroll, after He gave it back to the attendant, He
sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were looking attentively at Him.
And He began to say to them "Today
this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears."
Sir Lionel Luckhoo
(1914-1997), was ambassador of Barbados and Guyana.
Knighted by the Queen of England, he was listed in The Guinness Book of
World Records as the world's most successful criminal attorney. Sir Lionel
Luckhoo, who spoke to presidents, kings, parliaments and the United
Nations, stated: "The bones of Muhammad are in Medina, the bones of
Confucius are in Shantung, the cremated bones of Buddha are in Nepal.
Thousands pay pilgrimages to worship at their tombs which contain their
bones. But in Jerusalem there is a cave cut into the rock. This is the
tomb of Jesus. IT IS EMPTY! YES, EMPTY! BECAUSE HE IS RISEN! He died,
physically and historically. He arose from the dead, and now sits at the
right hand of God."
John 1:10-14 - He was in the world, and the world was made by
Him, and the world knew Him not. He
came unto His own and His received Him not. But as may as received Him,
to then gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on His name; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word
was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth. Colossians 1:12-17 - With joy
giving thanks to the Father, the One Who equips you with adequate power
for you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Light: Who
rescued us from the authority of the darkness and transferred us to the
kingdom of the Son by His love, in Whom we have the redemption, the
forgiveness of sins: Who is of the image of the invisible God, Firstborn
of all creation, because by Him all things were created in the heavens
and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or
lordships or leaders or authorities: all things have been created
through Him and in Him: and He was alive before all things and all
things have come together in Him...
Romans 8:11 - "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall
also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you."
Exodus 3:12-16 - 12. And He said, “Certainly I shall be with you, and
this will be a sign for you, that I AM3
has sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will
serve God upon this mountain.” (Acts 7:6, 7) 13. And Moses said to God,
“Behold, when I come to the children of Israel and will say to them,
‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ then they will say to me,
‘What is His name?’ What will I say to them?” 14. And God said to Moses,
“I AM THAT I AM!”4
And He said, “Thus will you say to the children of Israel, I AM5
has sent me to you. 15. And God said further to Moses, “Thus will you
say to the children of Israel, ‘The LORD* God of your fathers, the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Acts 3:13) has sent
me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all
generations.’ 16. Go! Gather the elders of Israel together and say to
them, ‘The LORD* God, the LORD*6
of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob appeared to
me saying, I have surely visited you and seen what has been done to you
in Egypt.
[3] (v.12) The I AM is the very forceful
Anokhi. The Anokhi is referred to three times in New Testament writing:
Matt. 22:32, Mk. 12:26, and Acts 7:32. These all refer to the same verse
in the Hebrew Scriptures, Exodus 3:6, And he said, I AM the God of your
father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And
Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
[4] (v.14) This is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh,
literally “I WILL BE AS I WILL BE.”
[5] (v.14) Literally, I WILL BE. This is a
statement that He is now and forever will be the Power, always the same.
[6] (v.15) The letters 6 (v.15) The letters
of His name are the third person masculine singular of the verb, while
Ehyeh is the first person masculine singular future. The LORD*’s name is
in the imperfect tense which cannot be limited to past, present, or
future.
John 14:6-9 - Jesus said unto him,
I Am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man comes unto the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you should have
known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him.
Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it will suffice us.
Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you
not known me, Philip? he that has seen me has seen the Father; and how do
you say then, Show us the Father?"
Matthew 16:13-17 - Either Jesus is Who He
says He is, or He is a liar. - "When Jesus came into the coasts of
Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I
the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that you art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He said unto
them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You
art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said
unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not
revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven."
John 2:18-19
- Then answered the Jews and said unto him,
What sign will you show unto us, seeing that you do these things? Jesus answered
and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will raise it up.
John 8:52-58 - Then the Jewish people said to Him (Jesus), "Now we know that You
have a demon. Abraham and the prophets died, but You are saying, "If someone
would keep My word, he would not ever taste death. Are You greater than our
father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died. What do You make Yourself?" Y'shua
answered, "If I shall glorify Myself, then it is not
My glory: My Father is the One Who glorifies Me, Whom you are saying that 'He is
our God,' and you have not known Him, but I do know Him. And if I were to say
that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you: but I do know Him and I keep
His Word. Abraham your father rejoiced because he would see My day, and he did
see it and was joyful." Then the Jewish people said to Him, "You are not
yet fifty years old and You have seen Abraham?" Y'shua said to them, "I
most positively say to you, before Abraham was born I AM."
1 Corinthians 1:18 -
The "Good News" of the "Kingdom of God"
that Jesus came to reveal is for
believers to have a relationship with God the Father and His Son (the King)
through the Holy Spirit as Jesus proclaimed: "...the Spirit of Truth, Whom the
world is not able to accept, because it does not see and does not know
Him..."Jesus: John 14:17) For the message of the cross on the one hand is
foolishness to the lost, but on the other hand, to those among us who are saved,
it is the power of God, for it has been written (Isaiah 29:14), "I shall destroy
the wisdom of the wise And I shall do away with the understanding of the
intelligent."
Ezekiel 3:18-21 -
When I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die;
and you give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way,
to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood
will I require at thine hand. Yet if you warn the
wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall
die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Again, When a righteous
man does turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a
stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because you have not given him warning,
he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be
remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if you warn
the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he does not sin, he shall
surely live, because he is warned; also you hast delivered thy soul.
Hebrews 4:14-15 - Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed
into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we
have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
The Outlaw"
by Larry Norman
"Some say He was an outlaw..."
For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew
no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. --2 Corinthians 5:21
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His
mouth: --1 Peter 2:22
And you know that He was manifested to take away
our sins; and in Him is no sin. --1 John 3:5
For we have not an high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. --Hebrews 4:15
For because He suffered when He was tested, He
is able to help those who are being tested.
--Hebrews 2:18
Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 3:23-27 - For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this
time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which
believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of
works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Romans 7:24-25 - O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God
through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the
flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin
in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Empowered
By The Holy Spirit - By Derek Prince - Have you ever considered the fact that Jesus needed the
Holy Spirit, just as we do? Jesus never took credit
for Himself, but attributed His whole ministry to the presence of the Holy
Spirit. ...If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit, surely we do! Nothing
can take His place.
...The first and most significant fact about the Holy
Spirit is that He a Person, a very important Person! It is absolutely
essential for believers to embrace this truth. He is not just an influence,
a doctrine, or a theological abstraction. The Holy Spirit is a Person, as
real as your own father or mother or son or daughter.
...What Is the Dove Looking For? As the Dove descended over
the crowd of people that day, what was He looking for? The Lamb of God. What
is the Dove looking for today? He is looking for the nature of the
Lamb, Jesus' nature. If we cultivate the nature of the Lamb, the Holy Spirit
will find us, descend on us, and remain on us. There are three Scriptural
characteristics of the nature of a lamb: purity, meekness (humility), and sacrifice,
a life laid down. When the Holy Spirit finds that nature in a
person, that is where He chooses to settle and remain. He does not approve
of arrogance, self-seeking, boastfulness, or aggressiveness. Those are
characteristics of the nature of the Beast.
See Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Spirit-Filled Author Gives 7 Truths That Distinguish Jesus From Every
Other Religious Leader (5 minute video: Bill Wiese - Jesus Is The
Savior) - We celebrate Christmas each year, but many people don't acknowledge
the Savior of all mankind: Jesus Christ. They happily acknowledge the holiday,
but not the one it's all about. The decision to repent of our sins and receive
Jesus as our Lord and Savior is a precious gift that so many just brush off as
insignificant. Since hell is a place that's horrific and eternal, the decision
to follow Jesus is not one to be shunned. Watch this video to find out how a
non-decision for Christ is in fact a decision to reject Him.
Jesus' Most Amazing Trait
-
By Dr. Ray Rooney Jr. - The political and military power of history's most
prolific generals, conquerors, and royals are laughable when stood up next to
the King of kings and the Lord of lords for as the book of Hebrews says, "he
upholds the universe by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3). But then the
pre-incarnate "Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
...One of the
most astonishing facets of Jesus of Nazareth was His mind-boggling restraint
when considered in the light of His power. Here was a Man who openly
demonstrated His dominion over things that human beings have no dominion over.
Things like nature (walking on water, silencing storms, withering a fig tree
with just a word, ascending into heaven on a cloud), history ("before Abraham
was I am," "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw
you," "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven"), and even death (raising
from the dead the widow's son, Jairus' daughter, Lazarus, and ultimately
Himself).
...Nature yearned
to heed His commands. Legions of angels stood ready to unleash the fury and
wrath of Almighty God on His behalf (Matthew 26:53). Demons yielded to His
softly spoken commands. Even the ultimate equalizer, death, relented to His
will. Yet there He went into the wilderness without food or water, shelter or
sword to spend more than a month being tempted and harassed by none other than
Satan himself. With the power to turn stones into bread, He went hungry.
...Instead, the
Son of God "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death"
(Philippians 2:8). ...He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before
its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7).
Though Jesus was
(and still is) the true Master and Sovereign of the entire cosmos, "He learned
obedience through what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). He did not then nor does He
now require anyone to love Him or even obey Him. Consequently, most people
mistake His lack of interference with those who ignore or even hate Him as a
sign of weakness or impotence. But His friend Peter warned the entire world not
to mistake lack of the execution of His will or power for anything other than
loving forbearance: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count
slowness, but is patient toward you not wishing that any should perish but that
all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief." (2
Peter 3:9-10).
...Yet for all
our fascination with the power and authority of Jesus of Nazareth, I believe the
most breathtaking aspect of the divine revelation that Christ let shine out into
this darkened world was restraint.
Scriptures don't tell us to preach love and tolerance; Scriptures
implore us to preach love and repentance.
Do You Know the Biblical Jesus? -
By Dr. Ray Rooney Jr. -
...So when I hear churchgoers speak of how Jesus was all about love,
hospitality, and inclusivity, I wonder how they managed to mangle the Sermon on
the Mount and how they possibly reconcile the passion and crucifixion of Jesus
to what they claim was His central message to humanity. If Christ was all about
promoting tolerance and acceptance toward everyonehow in the world did He end
up beaten and crucified?
...It boggles the mind that
people actually believe Jesus was accepting of all and simply proclaimed a
message of love and tolerance. Do people really believe that's what the Jewish
and Roman leaders tormented and killed Him for? I have no interest in painting a
picture of an angry vindictive Jesus here. He certainly was (and still is) a Man
of grace, truth, and love. But to suggest, as many do, that His central goal and
mission was to make everyone comfortable with themselves and feel good about
their future is absolutely ludicrous.
...He said and did things
that infuriated a lot of people and it wasn't "God loves you" or working in the
local food pantry that did it. He flat out said more people were on their way to
hell than heaven (Matthew 7:13-14; all references below are from the gospel of
Matthew as well). He said those who blasphemed the Holy Spirit would pay for it
eternally (12:31). He referred to some people as tasteless salt (Matthew 5:13),
dogs (Matthew 7:6), diseased trees (Matthew 7:17), fools (Matthew 7:26), snakes
(Matthew 23:33), robbers (Matthew 21:13), hypocrites (Matthew 23:13 and many
more), children of hell (Matthew 23:15), blind fools (Matthew 23:17),
whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27), and sheep and goats (Matthew 25:32). None of
which, supposedly had anything to do with His central message and purpose?
...Not only did He proclaim
that God is love, but He also preached a very clear message of righteousness and
holiness that is required for forgiveness and eternal life. ...Jesus Christ was
crucified because He made people very uncomfortable about their sins. If you
feel comfortable with Jesus in your sinful lifestyle, you don't know the right
Jesus.
See also: Judging &
Reproof - How "progressives" distort and falsify "Do not judge."
John 1:29 - The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and says, Behold
the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. Isaiah 53:1-12 - The Coming Messiah
"He is not here. He has risen from the dead as he said he would." Matthew 28:6
The
Resurrection of Y'shua (Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10)
Matthew 27:62-66 - The Guard at the Tomb: And the next day,
which was after the preparation for the Sabbath, the high priests and the
Pharisees were gathered to Pilate saying, "Sir, we remembered that that deceiver
said while still living, 'After three days I shall rise.' Therefore you must
immediately order the tomb to be guarded until the third day, so when His
disciples come they could not steal Him so they could say to the people, 'He was
raised from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first."
Pilate said to them, "You have a guard: go, as you know you will have your
guard." And then after they left they guarded the tomb, by having sealed the
stone with a guard. Matthew 28:1-15 - And after Sabbaths, on the First Day of the
Week at dawn, Miriam Magdalene and the other Miriam came to see the tomb. And
behold there was a great earthquake: for there was an angel of the Lord, who
descended from heaven, and after he came he rolled the stone away and was
sitting upon it. And his appearance was like lightning and his
clothing white as snow. And those who were guarding trembled from fear of him
and became as dead. And the angel said to the women, "You must not be afraid,
for I know that you are seeking the crucified Y'shua: He is not here, for He has
risen just as He said. Come! See the place where He was laid." And go quickly, you must tell His
disciples, "He has risen from the dead, and behold He is going before you into
Galilee, for you will see Him there: behold I told you." Then they left quickly
from the tomb with fear and great joy, and were running to report to His
disciples. And behold Y'shua met the women saying, "Greetings." And they, who
had approached Him, took hold of His feet and they paid homage to Him. Then Y'shua said to them,
"You must not be afraid: you must go, report to My brothers so they would go
into Galilee, they will see Me there." The Report of the Guard: And
after they left, behold, some of the guards, having gone into the city, reported
to the high priests everything that happened. And gathering with the elders they
formed a plan and taking silver coins they gave them to the soldiers saying,
"You must say, 'When His disciples came in the night they stole Him while we
were sleeping.' And if this is heard by the governor, we will persuade him. We
will keep you out of trouble." And those who took the silver did as they were
taught. And this word was spread widely by Jewish people until today, this very
day. 1 Corinthians 15:11-22 - Therefore whether it were I or
they, so we preach, and so you believed. Now if Christ be preached that he rose
from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the
dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And
if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also
vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of
God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise
not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not
raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins. Then they also which are
fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in
Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by
man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive.
The Eyewitness Testimony That'll Make You Never Doubt the Resurrection Again
- By Paul Strand - Christianity's core belief is that the Son of God took on
human form, died for our sins and then rose from the dead to give us eternal
life. But if Jesus Christ didn't come back to life, it undoes His claim to be
the all-powerful, eternal Son of God, Savior and Messiah. So, Christianity
hangs on the Resurrection. (See the evidence and videos at link.).
Ascension - The Right Hand
of God
Psalms 68:18 - You have ascended on high: You have led captivity
captive: You have taken gifts among men, yea, even among the rebellious,
so Yah, God, might dwell among them. (Eph. 4:8)
Ephesians 4:7-10 - And the grace was given to each one of us according
to the measure of the gift of the Messiah. For this reason it says
(Psalms 68:18), "When He ascended into the high places He turned the
tables on your enemies in warfare (The literal is "turned captivity
captive" which is a Hebrew idiom for "turn the tables on your enemies in
warfare." This idiom is also used in Amos 9:14, "V'shavti veyish'vu, in
Hebrew.). He gave gifts to mankind." (This is from the Greek text, the
Hebrew saying, "You (God) took gifts from men," referring to God's
taking of Judea and its spiritual advantages, thus making Israel the
home of His people forever.) And He went up. What is this ascending,
unless He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? The One Who
descended is the same One Who also ascended high above all the heavens,
(Heavens is always plural in Hebrew, with seven Hebrew words describing
seven levels of heaven.) so that all things would be filled with His
presence.
Zechariah 14:4 - And His (the LORD's) feet will stand in that Day upon
the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the
Mount of Olives will split in the middle toward the east and toward the
west and there will be a very great valley, and half of the mountain
will remove toward the north and half of it toward the south.
The Ascension of Y'shua Therefore indeed those who came
asked Him saying, "Lord, are You restoring the kingdom in Israel at this
time?" But He said to them, "It is not for you to
know the times or seasons which the Father set by His own authority, but
you will take power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be
My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the
outermost part of the earth." And after He said these things, as
they were watching, He was lifted up and a cloud bore Him up and away
from their eyes. And as they were looking intently into the sky at His
going, then there were two men in white clothing who stood by them, and
they said, "Men of Galilee, why have you stood looking into the sky?
This Y'shua, Who, as He has been taken up from you into the sky, will
come back in the same way as you saw Him going into the sky." (Zechariah
14:4)
John 3:13, 6:61-63, 13:36, 14:2-4, 16:7 - And no one has ascended to
heaven except the One Who has descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
...When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said
unto them, Does this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of
man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickens; the
flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,
and they are life. ...Simon Peter said to Him "Lord, where are You
going?" Y'shua answered him, "Where I am going you are not now able to
follow Me, but you will follow later." ...In My Father's house are many
dwelling places:1 and if it were not so, would I tell you that I am
going to prepare a place for you? (1 Kings 8:13) And if I would
go, then I shall prepare a place for you. I am coming again and I shall
take you (The verb used here is paralambano which speaks of the
bridegroom taking his bride.) along with Me, (Exodus 6:7) so that where
I AM you would also be. 4. And you know the way, where I am going."
...But I am telling you the truth, it is profitable for you that I would
leave. For if I would not leave, the Comforter will not come to you: but
if I would go back, I will send Him to you.
Mark 16:19 - Indeed then after the Lord Y'shua spoke to them He was
taken up into the sky and sat at the right hand of God.
Luke 9:51 - And it was the days in which His ascension was to be
fulfilled and He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.
John 14:25-29 - "I have spoken these things to you while staying with
you: but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My
Name, that One will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything which I Myself said to you. I am leaving peace with you, I
give My peace to you: I am giving to you, not just as the world would
give. Your heart must not ever trouble you and it must stop being timid.
You heard that I said to you, 'I am going where I came from, then I am
coming to you.' If you loved Me you would rejoice because I am going to
the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told
you before it happens, so that when it would happen you would believe."
John 3:1-8 - And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus was his
name, a leader of the Jewish people: this one came to Him at night and
said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You, a teacher, have come from God:
for unless God were with Him no one is able to perform these signs that
You do." Y'shua answered and said to him, "Most definitely I say to you,
unless someone would have been born from above, he is not able to see
the Kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How is a man able to be
born when he is in old age? Is he able to enter his mother's womb and be
born a second time?" Y'shua answered, "Most certainly I say to you,
unless someone would have been born out of water (Being born of water
speaks of baptism but also of Torah, from Exodus 14:22 and Isaiah 55:1.)
and Spirit he is not able to enter the Kingdom of God. What has been
born of the flesh is flesh, and what has been born of the Spirit is
spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'It is necessary for
you to be born from above.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear
its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going:
thus it is with everyone who has been born of the Spirit."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - And we do not want you to be ignorant,
brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, that you would not
grieve as the rest of those who do not have hope. For if we believe that
Y'shua died and rose, so God will also bring with Him those who have
fallen asleep by means of Y'shua's redemption. Indeed we say this to you
in a word of the Lord, that we, those left behind who are living to the
coming of the Lord, would not precede those who are sleeping: because
the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a command, with a voice
of an archangel and with a shofar (trumpet 1 Corinthians 15:51-58) of
God, and the dead in Messiah will rise first (Revelation 20:4), then we,
the living, those who are left behind, will be taken away together with
them into the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air (1 Corinthians
15:20-23, Revelation 20:5): and thus we will always be with the Lord. So
you must continually comfort one another with these words.
See also:
The Fourth Man and God's Hebrew Names and their meaning.
Isaiah 61:1-3 -
The Spirit of Adonai, the LORD*, is upon me, because the
LORD* has anointed me to preach Good News to the humble. (Matthew 5:3)
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to
the captives, and opening of eyes for those who are bound, to proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD*, (Luke 4:18-20) and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn, (Matthew 5:4)
to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty instead
of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment, prayer shawl, of
praise instead of the spirit of infirmity,3 so they could be called oaks of
righteousness, the planting of the LORD*, so He would be glorified.
Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 
And
Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from
Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the
devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and
when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And
the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of
God, command this stone that it be made bread.
And Jesus answered him, saying,
It is written, That man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
of God. And the devil, taking him up into
an high mountain, showed unto him all the
kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And
the devil said unto him, All this power will I
give thee, and the glory of them: for that is
delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I
give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all
shall be yours. And Jesus answered and said unto
him, Get thee behind me,
Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set
him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto
him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence: For it is written, He shall
give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
And Jesus answering said unto him,
It is said, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God. And when the
devil had ended all the temptation, he departed
from him for a season. --Luke 4:1-13
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that
we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Luke 11:13 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him?
Luke 4:18-19 -"The Spirit of the
Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach Good News to the repentant,
He has sent Me to preach release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
to send release to the oppressed,
to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord."
1. Who would have believed our report? (Rom. 10:13) And to whom is the arm of
the LORD* revealed? (John 12:38) 2. For He grew up before Him as a tender plant
and as a root out of dry ground. He had no form or splendor, and when we see
Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3. He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of pains and having known about
sickness, disease, and as one from Whom men hide their face: He was despised,
and we esteemed Him not.
4. Surely He has borne our sicknesses, our pains; He carried them, yet we
esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. (1 Pe. 2:24)
5. But He was wounded because of our transgressions, bruised because of our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and we have been healed
by His wounds. (Matt. 8:17, Luke 24:46, 1 Pe. 2:24)
6. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, each one, to his own way,
and the LORD* has caused the iniquity of us all to fall upon Him. (1 Pe. 2:25)
7. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth, like a
lamb which is brought to the slaughter and like a sheep is mute before her
shearers. (Matt. 27:12, 14, Mk. 14:60, 61; 15:4, 5, Acts 8:32, 33, 1 Cor. 5:7, 1
Pe.2:23, Rev. 5:6, 12; 13:8.)
8. He was taken away from rule and from judgment, and who will recount His life?
For He was cut off out of the land of the living. He was stricken because of the
transgressions of My people.
9. And one made His grave among the wicked (Matt. 27:38) and His tomb among the
rich (Matt. 27:57-61), although He had done no violence, nor was there any
deceit in His mouth. (1 Pe. 2:22, Rev. 14:5)
10. But it pleased the LORD* to bruise Him. He has put Him to grief: if His very
being will consider it a recompense for guilt, He will see His seed, He will
prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD* will succeed in His hand.
11. He will see of the travail of His soul and will be satisfied. By His
knowledge My Servant will justify the righteous before many, and He will bear
their iniquities.
12. Therefore I shall divide Him a portion with the great, and He will divide
the spoil with the strong, because He has laid open His very being to death, and
was numbered with transgressors (Matt. 27:38, Mark 15:28, Luke 22:37) and He
took off the sin of many (1 Pe. 2:24), and made intercession for the
transgressors.
He is Risen! "Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:54
Acts 1:1-11 -Indeed the first narrative I made concerning everything, O
Theopholis, which Y'shua began to do and also to teach, until that day
He was taken up, after He gave orders to the apostles whom He had chosen
by the Holy Spirit: to whom He also presented Himself alive, by many
convincing proofs, after He suffered, while He appeared to them for
forty days and was saying these things about the Kingdom of God: and
while He was staying with them, He ordered them "Do
not go away from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which
you heard from Me, for John on the one hand immersed3 in water, but you
on the other hand will be immersed in the Holy Spirit after these not
many days." (Ten days later on the Day of Pentecost.)
