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Sunday, October 25, 2015

Does The Old Testament Speak Only of Sheol as a Dusty Place?

Question: Does the Old Testament speaks only of Sheol, not Hell? Is sheol a dusty place in the earth where everybody goes after they die.

Sheol: underworld (place to which people descend at death
Original Word: שְׁאוֹל
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: sheol
Phonetic Spelling: (sheh-ole')
Short Definition: Sheol


Numbers 16:30 King James Version (KJV)

30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.


Sheol is translated pit in Numbers 16:30. Hell is always considered down while heaven is always considered upward. This scene describes a place in the nether or lower places of the earth. It does not describe a simple covering of dust.

"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains" Deut. 32:22.

Sheol is translated hell. It is a place of God's anger and fire. There are also levels in sheol.

"The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up" 1 Samuel 2:6.

Heaven and Hell are simple concepts. One is down and the other is up. The grave is an appropriate term for the dead. It is a place after death.

"The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me" 2 Samuel 22:6.

Some Bibles have "sorrows" translated "cords." The idea is being ensnared with ropes. Sheol has a way of dragging us downward to the place where we do not want to go. It is the place of sorrows. David gave the solution to escaping the cords or sorrows of Hell. He said, 

"In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. 2 Samuel 22:7."

Salvation is that simple,

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" Romans 10:12-13.


To escape sheol all it takes is a call to Jesus.

"It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?" Job 11:8.

Sheol is the antithesis of heaven. Whereas Heaven is high we see that hell is deep. Heaven is the place of joy whereas hell is the place of sorrows. Heaven is the place of adventure and fellowship with the saints; hell is the place of sorrow and solitude.

"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" Psalm 9:17.

Hell is not only a place below us but also becoming manifest among the wicked and godless nations.

Do you want to see hell? Look around you. All the pain and suffering that wickedness is bringing into our world is clearly visible. If we live as though God doesn't exist, we are living in Hell. We are not to love the world or the things in the world. The world of sin is subjected to hell and is ready to bring us down to the lower depths of deprivation. Thank God we have a lifter upper. His name is Jesus.

This is just a sample of what you will find about the true meaning of the Hebrew word sheol. It means more than a dusty grave. There are unseen elements that will become more visible to the wicked in the neitherworld. Blessed are those in Christ. The Kingdom of God is already within us and more of Heaven will unfold to us as the invisible things of God become manifest in the glorious days to come.

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you" Luke 17:21.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Does the Qur'an teach more consistently on the concept of a violent afterlife than the Bible?

1. Question: Does the Qur'an teach more consistenly the concept of hell?

Qur'an: We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. 4:56

Answer: The Qur'an says we shall expose them to Fire. Who are we? How long shall the Muslims be in the exposure business? What about time with their virgins? How can they enjoy time with their virgins if they are always burning. It is a continual process of exchanging their skins for fresh skins so that they (the tormented) can be exposed to fire again. This sounds like a never ending concept that has Muslims renewing skins of the tormented so they can be tortured again and again.

Bible :"Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup" (Psalms 11:6).

"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains" (Deuteronomy 32:22).

The Bible teaches that God does all the punishment in Hell. Hell is in the domain of the Lord. While the saints are enjoying Heaven the lost will suffer the fires of Hell. Hell is instigated and administered by God. The punishment of Hell belongs not to "WE" but to HIM, the Lord of Glory.

Qur'an: They will wish to come forth from the Fire, but they will not come forth from it. Theirs will be a lasting doom. 5:37

Bible: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:41-46).

Qur'an: For them is drink of boiling water and a painful doom, because they disbelieved. 6:70

The doomed will drink boiling water. It sounds painful but different than Biblical revelation. 

Bible: "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame" (Luke 16:24).

Hell is the place of thirst not boiling water. There will be no boiling hot water in Hell. 

Qur'an: On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded 9:35

According to this verse the doomed will be branded and yet, "We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. 4:56" Fresh skin is not branded skin. Did the Qur'an become inconsistent? 

Bible: No such branding in the Bible. I wonder who does the branding? 

Qur'ran: Thou wilt see the guilty on that day linked together in chains, Their raiment of pitch, and the Fire covering their faces. 14:49-50

Bible: No description as to the apparel or raiment. Fire has a tendency to burn off all clothes. I would tend to believe the lost will have no raiment. Naked we came into the world and for some naked will they go out of the world. Saints are given white raiment to wear while enjoying Heaven.

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels "Revelation 3:5.

Qur'an: We shall assemble them on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their habitation will be hell; whenever it abateth, We increase the flame for them. That is their reward because they disbelieved Our revelations. 17:97-98

God does not have much to do with the Qur'an's hell. Here we go again, "We increase the flame for them." Is the Muslim faithful going to be on the controls of a hot furnace? Must the faithful be employed in hell to make sure the flames remain hot?

Bible: God controls the temperature of Hell. "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). 
I'm pretty sure that a lake of fires does not need stroking to make it hotter.

Qur'an: Lo! We have prepared for disbelievers Fire. Its tent encloseth them. If they ask for showers, they will be showered with water like to molten lead which burneth the faces. Calamitous the drink and ill the resting-place! 18:29

No mercy to those asking for showers. The Bible's Hell will become place of silence, perhaps during the final sentencing of the lost. The lost will not be able to request showers. This Scripture must be fulfilled, 

"The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out" (Proverbs 10:31).
  
to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant
  1. (Qal)
    1. to cut off 1a
  2. to cut off a body part, behead
    1. to cut down
    2. to hew
    3. to cut or make a covenant
  3. (Niphal)
    1. to be cut off
    2. to be cut down
    3. to be chewed
    4. to be cut off, fail
  4. (Pual)
    1. to be cut off
    2. to be cut down
  5. (Hiphil)
    1. to cut off
    2. to cut off, destroy
    3. to cut down, destroy
    4. to take away
    5. to permit to perish
  6. (Hophal) cut off

The doomed might gnaw off their own tongue,

"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" Mathew 25:30.

With all that gnashing taking place something like a tongue might get severed.

I'm taking you through the Qur'an in order to prove that it is not more consistent in its concept about Hell than what the Bible teaches. The Bible states the facts about Hell without embellishing it with weird ideas like Muslim participation in the torture of unbelievers or renewable skins or boiling hot water and showers.  In fact, some the descriptions on Hell are more frightening in the Bible than what a Muslim could conceive. 
There are many more verses in the Qur'an that teache about hell. I think you get the point that Muslims believe differently than what Christians believe. 

Satan's work is to keep you from the truth--Larry Zoro

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

New Beginnings: Expose (update 10/23)

“You had me going there. Where do you come up with this stuff, headless civilians and bodiless solders?"

A man set to become the world’s first head transplant patient has scheduled the procedure for December 2017.

Revelation 20:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.


Since establishing O.D.C. (Outer Dimensional Communications), TL-1 was first to make contact with an intelligence source outside our dimension. 

The interdimensional hypothesis (IDH or IH), is an idea advanced by Ufologists such as Jacques Vallée that says unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related events involve visitations from other "realities" or "dimensions" that coexist separately alongside our own. It is an alternative to the extraterrestrial hypothesis(ETH).

Jude 6 King James Version (KJV)

6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.




1 Timothy 4:1 King James Version (KJV)

4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;


The Messenger of Light gives true meaning of our existence. 


2 Corinthians 11:14 King James Version (KJV)

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

The world has finally learned that the major cause of disease is from our lack of spiritual harmonic balance with higher dimensional beings. 

From the shaman's perspective, there are three classic causes of illness, and interestingly, they are not microbes or bacteria or viruses. Rather, they are negative internal states that appear within us in response to negative or traumatic life experiences. The first among these is disharmony.


Revelation 16:14 King James Version (KJV)

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.


"I really like seeing them traveling about on their insect flying machines."

https://www.google.com/search?q=fairies+riding+on+insects&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=595&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI4uT7kqPUyAIVi5UeCh3QYwkD&dpr=1.5

Romans 1:25King James Version (KJV)

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.


"We have still got a far ways to go in cleaning up the waste left behind from industrial pollution."

"When these factories became full scale industries and manufacturing units, the issue of industrial pollution started to take on more importance."

Isaiah 14:16-17 King James Version (KJV)

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?


Proverbs 20:1King James Version (KJV)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

“This is more exciting, we are voting on joining the League of Dimensional Worlds.”

The United Nations (or simply UN) is an international organization established in 1945 for the purpose of securing world peace. It replaced its predecessor, the League of Nations, which had failed to prevent war between nations. It was founded by 51 nations led by the allied powers afterWorld War II. Now with 192 members, the organization's structure still reflects the geopolitical circumstances at its founding. On the United Nations Security Council, the body with the ability to enforce its decisions, there are five permanent members (P5) with veto power—the United States,Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and the People's Republic of China (PRC). Neither Russia nor the PRC were originally permanent Security Council members but took over the seats of theSoviet Union (defunct since 1992) and Republic of China (UN membership withdrawn in 1971).

“I know, but we will still have a world leader picked by the League of Dimensional Worlds and many other representatives belonging to the United Nations.”


Revelation 13:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?


“What do you think about receiving a computer made of microdots placed permanently on your skin?” Hal asked as he placed another beer close to Bob before taking his seat.

With a chip under your skin, you can do everything from unlocking doors to starting motorbikes, says Frank Swain, who has been trying to get his own implant.

Revelation 13:17 King James Version (KJV)

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

"I remember the Healthcare Act that forced everyone to get health insurance. It was a fiasco."


Jeremiah 30:17 King James Version (KJV)

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.



"That once we take the microdots we are doomed to hell fire and everlasting punishment.”

Revelation 14:11 King James Version (KJV)

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

----------------------------------------(Update 10/23)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That’s old time teaching on hell that many used to believe in is now irrelevant to modern spirituality."


1. Of all the world's scriptures, the Qur'an teaches most consistently the concept of a violent afterlife for unrepentant sinners.
2. Hell is far more real in Virgil's Aeneid than in the New Testament.
3. The Old Testament speaks only of Sheol, not Hell, and Sheol is the dusty place in the earth where everybody goes after they die.
4. St. Paul, who lived and wrote before the New Testament gospels were written, doesn't seem to have thought much about Hell at all.
5. The idea of Hell wouldn't have been possible without the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and that comes most from Socrates and Plato.
What does all this mean? Perhaps: For 2,000 years, Christian teaching on Hell has been built more on ancient myth and pagan philosophy than the Bible. So, Christians who still want to preach Hell, should at least know what they're talking about. 


Saturday, October 17, 2015

Short Story by Larry Zoro

New Beginnings

“New governments begin with great advertising campaigns”

Bob picked up an old newspaper clipping and began to read: September 5, 2026—

We have news of great monumental importance; Techno Labs has revealed its latest model, called TL-2. It will be available to all major governmental agencies. TL-2 will provide sound and video communication. Since establishing O.D.C. (Outer Dimensional Communications), TL-1 was first to make contact with an intelligence source outside our dimension. After months of investigations from major scientists around the globe, it was found that TL-1 was not a hoax but truly an audio link into another dimension.

The association called E.T.I. (Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) reported that communications from TL-1 revealed news about a world residing in another dimension. The earth was reported to be more like layers or levels of dimensions with different civilizations living diversely upon the same sphere.

The dimensional governments, we are told, are unified under one leader called the “Messenger of Light.” The Messenger of Light is neither male nor female but is an exalted being composed of living light particles.

All dimensions or levels rely upon each other for harmonic balance. A world out of sync with other dimensions will manifest symptoms of imbalance in various ways. Sickness, disease, and environmental decay are just some symptoms of harmonic imbalance.

The Messenger of Light gives true meaning of our existence. He said, “The beings of life never truly die. We are constantly evolving and moving in and out of different dimensions. After our life in one dimension we continue to evolve and are born again in a new world within the same sphere.” The new world spokesman, Joel Aderman assures us, “In death we only evolve into more superior sentient beings.”

TL-2 will help us begin a new era when worlds of other dimensions will be at our disposal. The wealth of information that has already been given to us is staggering. Our most recent and newest information deals with preventing disease. The world has finally learned that the major cause of disease is from our lack of spiritual harmonic balance with higher dimensional beings. What we do as an individual affects the rest of us on this planet. By harmonizing our inner spiritual light and balancing our energies with the other dimensional worlds, we will solve many of the problems that plague our planet.

“I hope you have enjoyed reading my news clipping,” spoke Hal, as he laid down the precious article on his table. “I think I’m going to frame it in glass. It brings back my memory of how thrilled I was when the dimensional worlds were first discovered. And then to find out that we could not only talk to them but also see them on our television. It blows my mind.”

“I know,” replied Bob. Their world does seem so much more vivid than ours. I really like seeing them traveling about on their insect flying machines. Their plant life is so much larger than what we find on earth. They have a world that is so much more interesting than ours that I can’t wait till we become more like them.”

“The only difference ....,” Hal took a breath while still looking back down at his cherished news clipping. “The only difference between their world and ours is that we nearly destroyed our world through industrial pollution, fertilizers, overpopulation, insecticides and other harmful chemicals that are emitted into the atmosphere.”

“You got that right. We have still got a far ways to go in cleaning up the waste left behind from industrial pollution. But we are making strides towards a better world. When people begin to change themselves then we begin to change the world.”

They both settled down into their chairs while drinking their favorite cans of beer. 

“Hal, are you going to vote tomorrow?”

“Oh, you’re right, tomorrow is voting day around the world. Thank God we’re not voting for a president or some world leader.”

“I know what you mean,” replied Bob. “This is more exciting, we are voting on joining the League of Dimensional Worlds.”

“It will be strange not having a president.”

“I know, but we will still have a world leader picked by the League of Dimensional Worlds and many other representatives belonging to the United Nations.”

“I know what you mean. Each country will have at least one representative depending on their size. I don’t understand it all, but the instruction was made clear to our national representatives by the Messenger of Light, the Supreme Dimensional Ruler.”

“It’s about time we have someone to take charge. Our constitution is archaic and so are those who run our country (USA). Our way of government might have worked if only our system of politicians could have agreed on anything and by all means fix things. There has been so much political posturing for power that many have corrupted our government. And we all know that politicians never live up to their promises. It’s time for them to go and the Messenger of Light and his chosen one to come into power.”

“I’m willing to give them a try.”

“So am I.”

Months later, Bob met at Hal’s house for evening fellowship. The scent of beer, combined with salty nuts, filled the room where Hal and Bob came together for a little friendly chat. Hal asked Bob if he wanted another beer before he sat down.

“What do you think about receiving a computer made of microdots placed permanently on your skin?” Hal asked as he placed another beer close to Bob before taking his seat.

“I don’t like anything forced upon us. I remember the Healthcare Act that forced everyone to get health insurance. It was a fiasco. Lawsuits proliferated and many full-time jobs were lost. The only people to get health care were the rich. It got to the place where our government could not help the poor or aged. Health care was just too darn expensive.”

“I know what you mean. It was affordable insurance for the poor that was really needed, not some high priced insurance that only the rich could obtain. However, the government did force vaccinations on us. The government says it was for our own good and that of our neighbors. I remember the slogan at the time, ‘A forced action of morality will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people.’”

“True, but today many on the street have brought the Christian Bible into play. They say the bio microdots placed on the skin is none other than the ‘Mark of the Beast.’ That once we take the microdots we are doomed to hell fire and everlasting punishment.”

Hal had the beginnings of a huge grin on his face as if he knew something that most did not know. “I used to study Christian theology on-line. That’s old time teaching on hell that many used to believe in is now irrelevant to modern spirituality. Most who believed in hell also believed that the world was flat. Today, most followers of the Messenger of Light rightly believe there is no hell. However, some Christians are bringing back the old time scare tactic of hell to stop progress. Look at history, hell was only a threat that kept men paying their indulgences and obeying church doctrines.”

“I know what you mean,” spoke Bob. “Gods are benevolent beings that would never torture or blame anyone for the things we might do wrong. Our wrongdoings are really just stepping stones to achievements.”

“You got that right. We learn by our mistakes and become better beings in the process. The Supreme Messenger of Light said, ‘Sentient beings are on a journey, a journey that does not end in one dimension. It is a journey of self-enlightenment and growth. Today, we might be merely fallen creatures, but tomorrow we shall be as gods.’”

“And yet today, there are still literalists out there that fancy every word in the bible. They are screwing up our global consciousness of love and terrorizing our society with their demonic teachings.”

“Maybe that’s why the government is closing down whole cities while they institute their new law of global compliance. Those who do not obey the new law and receive their microdots will be completely expunged from their communities. Hal continues to speak while his eyes began filling up with tears while quoting the newest heartfelt slogan, ‘If you do not join with us, then you are against us.’”

“Hey! Hal, I hate to change the subject, but have you gone to a VSR (Virtual Sex Relief) machine yet?”

“No, aren’t they for gangs and the sexually depraved?”

“No, they are for everyone in need of sexual relief. When was the last time you had sex? Bob smiled as if he knew the answer.”

“What I hear is that they watch you through cameras.”

“That’s only so you won’t be robbed by muggers. It’s a good thing too. While on the machine, you are definitely out of touch with reality.”

“You seem to know so much about it. Did you create a virtual lover?”

“Not only that but I’ve had three virtual lovers at one time.”

“That’s disgusting, how much does it cost?”

“For one global yet (a yet is $5.00 compared to old US currency) you can have a fun time for five minutes.”

“I don’t know about using the machine. With its popularity, I’ve heard they were getting lines of thugs, impatient to wait and mistreating those in line. But I did hear some good news about private brothels. They are in the works for VSR machines. They will be renting private rooms to all sexes. For a few extra yets, you can rent a room for an hour with no crowds of people waiting in line to use the machines.”

Bob looked at his watch and determined it was getting late. He enjoyed his conversation so much that he decided to stay there a bit longer. “You’re right Hal; nothing would be greater than enjoying sex in the comfort of your own rented room. I can’t wait till we get our microdots. I read that it would be much easier for the VSR machine to port with us. The new VSR will give us better experiences with more touch and feel sensations along with new visual sensory enhancements.”

“I might not use it but I sure do support VSR technology. Did you know that the virtual sex machines have lowered rape crimes by as much as 80 percent? With statistics like these, they should be putting them out in every city block in the world.”

Hal and Bob parted ways. It was late and Hal had to work in the morning. Bob, on the other hand, did not retire to bed. He drove to Mickey’s Tavern where in the back room was a VSR machine. To his amazement there were five seedy looking fellows hovering over the machine while one was using it. Bob determined it was not a night for VSR sex. As he left, he dreamt of owning a VSR machine for his own personal use.


The next time that Hal and Bob met it was at Bob’s house. When Hal entered the dining area, to his surprise, there was a small buffet of sliced meats, crackers, jar of peanut butter, and of course many types of dark and light beer. As Hal was sitting down he said, “Have I got news for you. Did you hear about the new DMA law? The Dissolved Marriage Act will make all marriages dissolved. No more couples, only single people.”

“Yes and No, replied Bob. Do you want a cold glass for your beer? What about a plate for your crackers? Would you prefer a ceramic plate to eat on?”

“Everything is fine. I’ll just eat on one of your paper plates you have stacked here.”

Hal was a little disturbed by Bob’s last comment. “What do you mean yes and no?”

“I just mean yes I have heard of it. It will dissolve marriages but it will not keep couples or friends from living together. Couples or friends living together must apply and get a Consensual Living Arrangement Document. It’s a document that tells civil authorities who lives together in a particular building. There are no entitlements included in the Living Arrangement Document; it just a permit to live legally with another person or persons. The DMA law was enacted mainly to stop corruption. People were claiming to be married, when they just were living together. It got so bad that many forged documents just to obtain benefits.”

“Yeah, you’re right, said Hal. If the deceased person was married, commonly the surviving spouse gets the largest share. If there are no children, the surviving spouse often receives all the property. More distant relatives inherit only if there is no surviving spouse or children. In the rare event that no relatives at all can be found, the state takes all the assets.”

“Not anymore. The Messenger of Light declared at his last summit, 'We are all on a solitary journey. When we die, we do not take our loved ones with us. We have only one solo existence at a time. It is in this solo existence that we must spread our love in its entire splendor to each other. We must not be tied down or bound with fetters of limitation. We must liberate those in marriage and claim responsibility for our own existence.’”

“So that’s what was behind the DMA law.” Hal looked as if a light turned on in his head. The Messenger of Light sure does make things simple to understand. I just want to lift my hands in adoration like the day I first swore allegiance to Him.”

“I know what you mean. I like to memorize his words. Many times it has calmed my soul by repeating His words. Especially at night, it helps me fall asleep faster. I like his address called ‘The ways of Life.’”

Hal was about to say a remark when he paused for a moment. “I like his words, ‘Love with Consequences.’ The Supreme Messenger said, ‘Love has consequences. Love is not a condition where the betrothed is bound in slavery to false devotion. We love with no strings attached, a love that knows no bounds or false commitments. We come together with nothing in our arms but devotion and purpose. We expect nothing in return but only the reciprocation of our immediate actions.’ You see Bob I too can memorize. His words are comforting to my body and soul.”

Bob face grew angry as he spouted out his next remarks in what was otherwise a friendly conversation, “I can’t believe there are still religious groups out there causing contention.”

“For a minute there, said Hal, “I thought I might have angered you. You looked so bothered. But you have the right to be. The recent news is that anyone distributing or giving out anti-dimensional propaganda will be arrested and their heads severed from their bodies and used for medical research. The word on the street is that they are literally removing people’s heads and using their bodies for medical replacements.

The other week, I heard about a reporter who bypassed a sanctioned road block in order to report on a helicopter crash containing many critically injured soldiers. The soldiers were coming back from Syria and had suffered lethal injuries from the crash. The medics on hand were severing their heads and putting them in individual life support jars for body transplants. They interviewed one of the surviving soldiers. ‘It was a nightmare,’ he said. ‘They were attaching bodies from young headless civilians to soldier’s heads like mine. All of us were traumatized by what was going on. It was so horrible. Many of my fallen bodiless comrades cried out from their life support jars to let them die with dignity and honor.’”

Hal then showed Bob an article confirming what he heard. It showed a photograph of a soldier with a body transplant. Bob saw the scar around the soldier’s neck revealing where his head had been attached.

“You had me going there. Where do you come up with this stuff, headless civilians and bodiless solders? But then again it would explain why Barbara Wheaton’s face on CBC news keeps looking older while her body keeps getting younger. She now has a sexy body of a twenty year old. And boy is she stacked.”

They both chuckled like they were going to explode with beer and deli snacks.

“I doubt if there are many religious zealots left after implementing the microdots. I remember many tried to hide but with our newer infrared technologies mounted on drones they could not run very far.”

Hal nodded and said, “I know, I thought the Christians were going to be raptured and caught up into heaven? What ever happened to that calculation?”

“Some fanatics claim the rapture had already taken place during the last major earthquake. People who died and were lost in the rubble were considered to have been raptured. They quoted Revelation seven as meaning many escaped the earthquake by being taken or raptured to heaven, ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation.’ I have read news stories about this delusion caused by the loss of so many loved ones. Self-deception was the only way for some to cope with their grief.”

“I know many preachers had taught the rapture and even put dates on their theories. Christians are a strange people.”

Bob’s nostril flared, “Well, anyway those dissidents are getting what they deserve. Spreading myths and lies about our new dimensional family will not be tolerated. Christians are treasonous by nature and worthy of death. ‘Those who spread hate speech will not go unpunished.’” Bob felt proud that he remembered the slogan and had repeated it by verbatim.”

Friday, October 16, 2015

The Evolutionist's Attack


"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" Romans 1:20

God is under attack. It is not as much as God is being hurt by the attack but that the naive and gullible are lead away by those attacking God. There is warfare  being done for the souls of men. If God can be successfully attacked as being uncreditable then men's hearts will fail and never find hope and salvation in God.

There are different views of creationism as there are in evolution. You might find one view simply stupid, however, one view does not represent all of creationism's teaching.  I find the teaching that men evolved from primordial slime, stupid. Can you imagine a exhibit at a museum with a green pit and a green monkey coming out of the slime? Talk about being hilariously funny. Creationism does not discount everything that science has to say. However, some in the scientific community will discount everything that the Bible says. In some circles, any scientist supporting a created God, might as well give it all up and become a minister. He will not be accepted.

The term dirt man is used by evolutionist as a derogatory term against creationism that is intended to be a joke. It is, however, very scientific. Almost 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. Only about 0.85% is composed of another five elements: potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. All are necessary to life.What is dirt composed of? Potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus and many micronutrients. Science makes it clear that we have the same elements as does soil.

Evolution teaches abiogenesis  which involves three main types of considerations: the geophysical, the chemical, and the biological, with more recent approaches attempting a synthesis of all three. Many approaches investigate how self-replicating molecules, or their components, came into existence. Abiogenesis does not deny the chemical aspect of life forms and yet Christians believing in a dirt man gets a laugh. God created replicating molecules of life and evolution teaches self-replicating. The evolutionist simply believe that self should get all the credit. Christians believe the creator should get all the glory and honor. We have given evolutionist many years to prove their self-replicating theories. "Come on," we've been saying,  "show us new forms of life that are evolving out of nothing." All we get is hot air and delusional ideas not based on science.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The Worm of Hell


Our Text: Mark 9:48 says,

"Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

The Greek word SKOLEX is a worm that preys upon dead bodies.  Strong's dictionary suggests it could be a "grub, maggot or earthworm" (4663 Strong's index).

I've always wondered why the text had said, "worm," instead of worms. The Greek teaches that the word is a "noun - nominative singular masculine." It is a noun in a singular form. Keep in mind it is,

"Where their worm (not worms) dieth not."

Verse 47 states the place where you would find such a worm, "hell fire."  The word hell in this text is the Greek word, Gehenna,  Gehenna fire or unquenchable Gehenna fire; verse 9:44-48.  Gehenna is a deep narrow Glen just south of Jerusalem, where the Jews had offered their children to Moloch (2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 7:31; 19:2-6). Most scholars today would agree on these several historical points: 1: There was a cult of child sacrifice in ancient Israel (Canaanite origin). 2: That this type of sacrifice, contra some older scholarship, does indeed refer to the practice of actually sacrificing children, and not simply of dedicating them to a deity.  In later times, it served as a receptacle for all sorts of putrefying matter.  Jesus said Gehenna was the place where, "the fire is not quenched."  

Today Gehenna is a place of tranquil surroundings, beautiful gardens, and luscious trees.  It is a peaceful place where you would like to rest in the open air upon the green matted grass.  However, it will not always be so.  I believe it will become a place of unbelievable horror,

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" Revelation 20:14).

Hades is cast into Geheena, and has become a lake of fire, Gehenna fire.

Do we cast off the thought that Jesus meant literal worms of fire? Or do we consider it metaphorical language? Mankind has been called a worm in the Scriptures,

"How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?" (Job 25:6).

"Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 41:14).

"But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people" (Psalms 22:6).

Certainly it could be taught that the worm Jesus spoke of refers to men who will suffer the eternal fires of Hell.  Like worms they squirm, always twisting and turning in their eternal agony.  However, even if Jesus spoke metaphorically, the point is still clear, "their worm dieth not."    I will repeat it again.  The teaching of this passage in Mark 9:48 declares that mankind will never have a chance of self-annihilation in the lake of fire for even in Hell fire, they will continue to exist.

But what about a more literal interpretation of Mark 9:48 that a special worm will be prepared for every occupant in Hell?  Special worms have been prepared in the past,

"But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered" (Jonah 4:7).

I have no doubt that God could prepare such a worm to torment and feed on the lost,

"The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree" (Job 24:20).

God has used the worm before in the destruction of the wicked.  I instantly recall King Herod,

"And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost." (Acts 12:21-23).

It was such a disturbing incident that even the historian Flavius Josephus wrote about it in his book, Jewish Antiquities,

"But now Herod's distemper greatly increased upon him after a severe manner, and this by God's judgment upon him for his sins; for a fire glowed in him slowly, which did not so much appear to the touch outwardly, as it augmented his pains inwardly; for it brought upon him a vehement appetite to eating, which he could not avoid to supply with one sort of food or other. His entrails were also ex-ulcerated, and the chief violence of his pain lay on his colon; an aqueous and transparent liquor also had settled itself about his feet, and a like matter afflicted him at the bottom of his belly. Nay, further, his privy-member was putrefied, and produced worms; and when he sat upright, he had a difficulty of breathing, which was very loathsome, on account of the stench of his breath, and the quickness of its returns; he had also convulsions in all parts of his body, which increased his strength to an insufferable degree. It was said by those who pretended to divine, and who were endued with wisdom to foretell such things, that God inflicted this punishment on the king on account of his great impiety" (Book 17 Chapter 6:5).

If only all mankind would learn,

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7).

You might laugh with glee at a thought of a worm living in unquenchable fire.  A preacher in your neighborhood would be considered mad for such an idea.  Nevertheless, are we to believe the words of Jesus? Repeatedly He said, "Where their worm dieth not."

A worm-eating flesh is very nasty business.  The thought of it is so abhorrent to our modern minds. However, a worm of fire, a worm that can withstand the heat and yet eternally live?

In my study about the worm of Hell, I wanted to see what earthly, physical creatures lived in the hottest temperatures.  I found out that many biologists described fishes that can withstand heat for small periods of time.  And then I found the creature that can withstand the hottest temperatures.  I found that worms that live in deep-sea hypothermal vents have the highest temperature preference of any animal studied.


Examining Paralvinella sulfincola from the deep ocean off the Pacific coast of Washington, researchers found that given a choice, these worms look for places where temperatures reach a scorching 113 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Those are survivable air temperatures, but in water they're deadly for most creatures, because water conducts heat to the body more efficiently. In laboratory settings, the worms chose to stay in sections of the aquarium where temperatures were 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 Celsius) for the entire duration of a seven-hour experiment.  These worms are real and not metaphorical language.  Is it too hard to believe that a worm can be prepared by God to live in fire?

If worms can live in temperatures of 122 degrees Fahrenheit, how hot is the coolest flame? Cool flames have been made as low as 120 centigrade or 250 Fahrenheit.  Why tell you all this?  If God can make a creature that lives in extreme heat like the Paralvinella sulfincola then God can surely make one that lives in Gehenna fire.  In fact, I know of three boys who supernaturally survived a fire of at least 500 degrees Fahrenheit.  It is a true story from the book of Daniel.  Here is the news story,

"Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them" (Daniel 3:22-27).

No, there is nothing too hard for the Lord,

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27).

Here are some verses that may support an actual literal worm of Hell,

"The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree" (Job 24:20).

"For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation" (Isaiah 51:8).

"Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee" (Isaiah 14:11).

"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh" (Isaiah 66:24).

"Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt" (Mark 9:44-49).

Whether you believe that the worm is a lost soul or a literal worm dwelling in the fires of Hell, you cannot deny this, "their worm dieth not."  Not a place of annihilation or obliteration but a place of never ending damnation,

"And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29).

God is a merciful God. Just in the fact that God has warned us of Hell, makes Him worthy of all our praise.

Hell's Refining Fires?

1.  I heard that the fires of Hell were refining fires?


Answer:

"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day" (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10).

No amount of wishing could ever change the clear truth of God.  It is mere fancy to suppose that sinful men could be refined.  There is nothing in them to refine. The Bible teaches,

"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:12).

But those who have faith in Christ are called,

"A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

What makes us different?  Only what God gives, the faith that we have in Christ,

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

There is nothing in the Bible about the lost going through a refining process or purgatory.  Fire is a means of punishment, not correction.  If a father told his child not to put his hands into a hot fire, the child would listen and obey his father who knows better.  Are we not to obey God and take heed to His warnings of Hell fire or are we to believe the words of the serpent, who said,

"hath God said" (Genesis 3:1).

Hath not nature revealed to us that fire is burning hot?  And hath not God said that the lost are going to a hot place?

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15).

If someone told you to take a swim in a lava lake called Nyiragongo Crater, would you not say he was nuts?


But then he went on to say that the true substance of the lake was not lava at all but only the color of orange water. And that those who called it a lake of lava were only referring to its color.

The fact is Nyiragongo lake is the biggest lava lake in the world, an estimated 282 million cubic feet of lava.  Yet in the Word of God, many presume that everything God says means something else other than what is clearly written.

In nature, there is a literal lake of fire; however, when God mentions a lake of fire it is described as symbolic or figurative language, "The fire of His love" or, "the refining fire that makes a sinful man perfect." Not taking the Bible literally is as nutty as believing you can swim in Lake Nyiragongo.