"And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And The Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. And The Lord said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." (Deuteronomy 34:1-4 RSV).
It must have been a very emotional moment for Moses, looking out from the top of Mount Nebo and seeing the promised land, while knowing he would not enter. After all of his exploits during the Exodus, and after struggling 40 years in the wilderness leading the constantly complaining and disobedient Israelites, he was being allowed to go this far and no farther. He had made a serious error in judgment regarding The Lord's miraculous power, in effect claiming supernatural ability to himself, and was then paying the price: "Now there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people contended with Moses, and said, "Would that we had died when our brethren died before The Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of The Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink."
"Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces. And the glory of The Lord appeared to them, and The Lord said to Moses, "Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation and their cattle."
"And Moses took the rod from before The Lord, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle."
"And The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:2-12 RSV)
Mount Nebo is located in Moab, east of the Jordan River, which today is in the Kingdom of Jordan. It rises more than 1,200 meters / 4,000 feet over the nearby Dead Sea, and from it a great amount of Israel can be seen on a clear day. The magnificent view would have made the scene all that more bittersweet - a tear or two very possibly ran down that
noble old weather-beaten face as he gazed out over the land he would not now enter.
Soon after viewing the promised land, Moses died and was buried there in Moab. He was by then very elderly, but apparently still very strong and vigorous: "Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." (Deuteronomy 34:7 RSV). The Lord probably just had him have something like a sudden massive heart attack - quick and relatively painless.
Despite the troubles and insubordination that they gave him while he was alive, after he died the Israelites realized that they had lost a great leader: "And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended." (Deuteronomy 34:8 RSV). His exact grave location is unknown, likely to keep people then, and today, from idolizing it.
We need not feel too sorry for Moses for the way he died however. While he didn't quite make it into Israel's physical promised land, he was nearly always a loyal, obedient and hardworking servant of The Lord. His humanity failed him, but he didn't fail God. He is still held in very high regard by God, and the Bible clearly states that he will be in The Kingdom of God (Matthew 17:3), the true and eternal Promised Land.
Fact Finder: Did Satan try to steal Moses' dead body?
Jude 9
If one looks at a map of the region between Egypt and Israel, the question of why it took 40 years to travel a straight-line distance of only about 240 miles is rather startling. Why an average of only 6 miles per year, which seems incredibly slow, even for people on foot? The answer is because the 40 years wilderness wandering wasn't a journey, as much as it was a death sentence for those who had refused the opportunity to enter the Promised Land not long after they left Egypt. Instead of a relatively direct course from Egypt to Israel, the generation that refused to enter the land promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob turned back and wandered around and around in the wilderness until they were all gone. For them, the Exodus became a journey without a destination.
Map Of Israel's Wilderness Journey
An Opportunity Lost
Numbers chapters 13 and 14 describes how, as the Israelites were approaching their entry into Promised land, from the south, through the Negev Desert (Numbers 13:17), 12 Israelite scouts were sent ahead to gather information. What they found truly was a land blessed with milk and honey (Numbers 13:27). However, it was also occupied by formidable Canaanite forces (Numbers 13:28-29), which caused all of the scouts, except Joshua and Caleb, to lose courage (while ignoring the fact that with God fighting their battles for them they were undefeatable), so they gave a false report to the people. This in turn caused the people to lose heart, and to actually want to return to their slavery in Egypt (Numbers 14:3). At one point they were about to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb who desperately tried to encourage the people to remain obedient and courageous (Numbers 14:5-6,10), but they wouldn't listen. It was a very costly mistake.
"but truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of The Lord, none of the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put Me to the proof these ten times and have not hearkened to My voice, shall see the land which I swore to give to their fathers; and none of those who despised Me shall see it."
"But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea."
"And The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, "How long shall this wicked congregation murmur against Me? I have heard the murmurings of the people of Israel, which they murmur against Me. Say to them, 'As I live,' says The Lord, 'what you have said in My hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and of all your number, numbered from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against Me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun."
"But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know My displeasure.'" (Numbers 14:21-34 RSV)
Fact Finder: Did Moses later enter the Promised Land with the Israelites?
Deuteronomy 34:1-4
See also Mount Nebo
"Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one [see The Tabernacle In The Wilderness and Temples], but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; for then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:22-26 RSV)
Aaron's Role
Aaron was the firstborn son of Amram and his wife/aunt Jochebed, who were Levites (Exodus 2:1; 6:20). He was born during Israel's time in Egypt, 83 years before the Exodus, 3 years before his brother Moses, and about 10 years after his sister Miriam (Exodus 2:1,4; 6:20; 7:7).
Aaron married Elisheba, a daughter of Amminadab, who was of the tribe of Judah (Exodus 6:23; 1 Chronicles 2:10). They had 4 sons - Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
When the time of the Exodus came, God sent Aaron (Exodus 4:14, 27-30) out to meet the returning Moses (who had just spent 40 years out in the Sinai with Jethro), to join with him in their assigned task. Aaron was to be the spokesman for Moses, who was unable to speak well, perhaps from stuttering (Exodus 6:30; 7:1-2,9-10,19). Although Moses was the leader, it was Aaron who did the actual speaking to Pharaoh through the events leading to the Exodus, and the crossing of the Red Sea.
Aaron was a faultless servant with his brother, at least at first. At Rephidim, when Moses overlooked the battle with the Amalekites from a nearby hill with the rod of God in his outstretched hand, it was Aaron and Hur (his brother-in-law, Miriam's husband), who held up Moses' tired arms until Israel's forces under Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:8-13).
Aaron's greatest lapse in judgment occurred while Moses was away on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God. For whatever reason, Aaron gave in to the people's demands, and made that now-infamous golden calf for the people to worship (Exodus 32:4). When Moses returned, Aaron was sternly rebuked, but was forgiven by God after Moses prayed for him. Aaron came very close to being killed for that incident (Deuteronomy 9:20).
Aaron was appointed directly by God to be the first high priest. He and his sons were consecrated to continue the priesthood through time (Leviticus 8 and 9).
Aaron Aaron again displayed a failure in good judgment at Hazeroth when he and Miriam spoke out against Moses for marrying a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. Once again, The Lord vindicated Moses, and punished Miriam, who had led the minor rebellion, with leprosy (Numbers 12:1-16). After Aaron acknowledged his and Miriam's error, at the intercession of Moses they were forgiven by God.
Aaron's career seemed to blow hot and cold. He certainly had his low points (i.e. the golden calf), but overall he remained a steadfast ally of his brother. During the Korah rebellion, Aaron stood courageously with Moses (Numbers 16:1-50). Not long after that, the miraculous sprouting of his rod was used to demonstrate that he was indeed the high priest to those who were questioning his authority (Numbers 17:1-13). That rod was afterwards preserved in the Tabernacle (Hebrews 9:4)
Neither Moses nor Aaron were permitted to enter the Promised Land. Aaron was involved in the water-from-the-rock incident at Meribah (Numbers 20:8-13), and for that presumptuous disobedience to God's instructions both were not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:24).
Aaron died at Mount Hor after his priestly authority was transferred to his son Eleazar. He was 123 years old (Numbers 20:23-29, Deuteronomy 10:6, 32:50). The people mourned his passing for 30 days.
Aaron was a forerunner of Jesus Christ in his role as the high priest. His priesthood was a "shadow of heavenly things," and was intended to lead the people of Israel to look forward to the time when the True High Priest would come (see The Day Of Atonement below).
Fact Finder: Which 2 of Aaron's sons lost their lives for offering "unauthorized fire"?
Leviticus 10:1-2
According to the Bible Calendar, the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri) is the Day of Atonement. Jews call it Yom Kippur. In Hebrew Yom means day, (marked from sunset to sunset, as instructed by God), and Kippur means to pardon, or condone. The word atonement carries the meaning to English-speaking people. It means to make amends or to reconcile - to become "at one."
What Does The Day of Atonement Mean To Christians?
The observance of the Day of Atonement originates all the way to the time of Moses:
"And The Lord said to Moses, "On the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves [i.e. fast] and present an offering by fire to The Lord. And you shall do no work on this same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before The Lord your God." (Leviticus 23:26-28 RSV)
The Lord commanded the Day of Atonement as a solemn annual observance of the Israelites (see also Physical and Spiritual Israel), past and future - as plainly evidenced by the example of the Christian apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament that Christianity is based upon, and who never stopped observing the Day of Atonement (e.g. Acts 27:9). It's unique in that it's the only of the annual God-commanded Biblical Holy Days in which fasting was required. The fast was such a strict requirement that anyone who failed to do so would be cut off from the community.
All of the Biblical Holy Days are significant to Christians because they individually symbolize the steps in God's Plan of Salvation (the very purpose of Christianity) for all humanity. There is only one God, and only one Way (see The Way) to eternal life. Just as, for example, the Passover's slain lamb symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (the "Lamb of God"), or The Feast Of Trumpets which pictures the future Return Of Jesus Christ, the Day of Atonement also has its significance to the Christian world - so much so that many truly-repentant Christians observe the Day of Atonement as a Holy Day, including the fast.
There are 3 elements of the Day of Atonement that apply directly to Christians:
* The first element is the fast itself. Going 24 hours without food and water is not easy (anyone who has ever done it can tell you that it can be a very uncomfortable experience). It takes genuine determination and willingness, just as does truly repenting in a world that is largely defiant of genuinely obeying God. An Israelite's refusal to fast, which resulted in the offender being cut off from the community (Leviticus 23:29) is the Old Testament's equivalent of a New Testament Christian refusing to repent, which will result in the offender being cut off from eternal life (Luke 13:3). Fasting is an outward sign that the person doing the fasting is serious about repentance, which is vital for forgiveness (see the Fact Finder question below). It's very significant that the first Christians, those closest to the Messiah, including the apostle Paul himself (e.g. Acts 27:9) observed the fast of the Day of Atonement as a Christian (Acts 27:9).
* The second element involved the high priest. Only once per year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest (Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first high priest, Aaron's descendants thereafter) entered the Most Holy Place of The Tabernacle to offer ceremonial sacrifices for the forgiveness of the people (Hebrews 9:7). That Old Testament observance was a direct fore-picture of Jesus Christ, our High Priest (Hebrews 9:11), Who, after His Sacrifice, entered the very Throne Room of God The Father in heaven to make atonement for all humanity (Hebrews 9:11-12) (see What Is Jesus Christ Doing Right Now? and Type and Antitype).
* The third element during the Day of Atonement involved the Azazel goat, or scapegoat (see The Scapegoat) which was taken out into the wilderness after having had all of the sins of the Israelites ceremonially placed on it (Leviticus 16:10, 21-22). The scapegoat symbolized the condemnation of Satan (see That Old Serpent) for the sins of all humanity, and his being put away in an eternal wilderness from which he will never return (Revelation 20:10). The sending of the azazel goat out into the wilderness as done by the Old Testament high priest after he returned from inside The Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle is a ceremonial preview of Jesus Christ sending Satan into the abyss which will be done after His Return from the Throne Room of God The Father (see What Satan Fears Most).
The Day of Atonement signifies the 3 most vital aspects of Christianity:
1. Willing repentance on the part of those to be saved.
2. The completed sacrifice of Jesus Christ formally presented to God The Father to make atonement for the sins of humanity.
3. The final guilty verdict upon Satan as the source of all evil, and the sentencing of him to eternity in the abyss.
Fact Finder: Does the Word of God plainly warn that faith alone is a dead faith?
James 2:17
"King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it."
"Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
"Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. At this time some astrologers [see Witches And Sorcerers] came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."
"Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
"Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace."
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
"They replied, "Certainly, O king."
"He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
"Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
"So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them."
"Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants! They trusted in Him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
(Daniel 3:1-29)
Fact Finder: What were the original names of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego?
Daniel 1:6-7
* The second element involved the high priest. Only once per year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest (Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first high priest, Aaron's descendants thereafter) entered the Most Holy Place of The Tabernacle to offer ceremonial sacrifices for the forgiveness of the people (Hebrews 9:7). That Old Testament observance was a direct fore-picture of Jesus Christ, our High Priest (Hebrews 9:11), Who, after His Sacrifice, entered the very Throne Room of God The Father in heaven to make atonement for all humanity (Hebrews 9:11-12)
* The third element during the Day of Atonement involved the Azazel goat, or scapegoat which was taken out into the wilderness after having had all of the sins of the Israelites ceremonially placed on it (Leviticus 16:10, 21-22). The scapegoat symbolized the condemnation of Satan for the sins of all humanity, and his being put away in an eternal wilderness from which he will never return (Revelation 20:10). The sending of the azazel goat out into the wilderness as done by the Old Testament high priest after he returned from inside The Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle is a ceremonial preview of Jesus Christ sending Satan into the abyss which will be done after His Return from the Throne Room of God The Father.
The Day of Atonement signifies the 3 most vital aspects of Christianity:
1. Willing repentance on the part of those to be saved.
2. The completed sacrifice of Jesus Christ formally presented to God The Father to make atonement for the sins of humanity.
3. The final guilty verdict upon Satan as the source of all evil, and the sentencing of him to eternity in the abyss.
Fact Finder: Does the Word of God plainly warn that faith alone is a dead faith?
James 2:17
Witchcraft does exist in the bible, but under different names - witchcraft, sorcery, astrology, idol worship, wizards, familiar spirits, magicians, etc. Most organized groups of sorcerers were men, operating in king’s courts and temples. In the bible, there were isolated cases of women at work as well.
Witchcraft, in all of its various forms, has been around for a very long time, nearly as long as humans have existed. God has much to say about witches and sorcerers - past, present, and future.
In The Old Testament
"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to The Lord, and because of these detestable practices The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before The Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 18:10-13 NIV)
"For rebellion is like the sin of divination [witchcraft] and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. (1 Samuel 15:23 NIV)
In The New Testament
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit The Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21 NIV)
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur." (Revelation 21:8 NIV)
Salvation At Risk
God condemns witchcraft and sorcery because it involves blatant idolatry and paganism. Sometimes it even includes outright worship of Satan, making it extremely vile and wicked in God's sight, as His own Words make plain. Those who seek to obey The Lord, those whose salvation is important to them, should have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Fact Finder: What was the name of the witch who was married to King Ahab of Israel? 2 Kings 9:22
“Witches and Wiccans practice a nature-based religion, and worship at least one goddess and/or god. satan, or “The devil” is a Christian belief. Witches do not believe in the devil, and therefore do not worship one. People who worship satan are known as “satanists”. witchcraft is not satanism.”
What they do not see is that the god or goddess they worship is a demon, a false god presented to them by satan. So they are deceived. Since they do not see themselves worshiping satan directly, they are doing so indirectly, as demon worship replaces the worship of the One True God of the Bible.
General Biblical view:
In the Hebrew Bible references to sorcery are frequent, and the strong condemnations of such practices found there do not seem to be based so much upon the supposition of fraud, as upon the abomination of the magic in itself. In the King James Bible the Hebrew words כשף (kashaph or kesheph) and קסם (qesem) and the Greek φαρμακεια (pharmakeia) are translated ‘witch’, ‘witchcraft’ or ‘witchcrafts’.
Deuteronomy 18:11-12 and Exodus 22:18 state “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live.” The word “witch” is a translation of the Hebrew kashaph, “sorcerer”. As such a closer translation would be “one who uses magic to harm others”. The Bible provides some evidence that these commandments were enforced under the Hebrew kings:
“And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray you, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto you. And the woman said unto him, Behold, you know what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”
(The Hebrew verb “Hichrit” (הכרית) translated in the King James as “cut off”, can also be translated as “kill wholesale” or “exterminate”)
The New Testament condemns the practice as an abomination, just as the Old Testament had (Galatians 5:20, compared with Revelation 21:8; 22:15; and Acts 8:9; 13:6). The word in most New Testament translations is “sorcerer”/”sorcery” rather than “witch”/”witchcraft”.
New Testament sorcerer:
Acts 8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Sorcerers in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court
Daniel 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
Daniel 2:2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
Male Prophets of Baal were sorcerers
1Kings 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
1Kings 16:32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
1Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
1Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
1Kings 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men.
1Kings 18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [it] first; for ye [are] many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire [under].
1Kings 18:26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
1Kings 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
Baal- who was he-?
1. the “god” of thunders, god of “peace,” as satan’s right hand man, god of the rain, thunder, fertility and agriculture, and the lord of Heaven. Worship involved sex rituals. Jezebel was the priestess of Baal. In one biblical incident, there were 500 male priests, and one female, named Jezebel. She was known for her deceit, destructiveness, rebellion against the God of Israel, and violence. It is this spirit of rebellion and violence that can characterize any witch – whether they are male or female.
2. also known as Molech- god of fire and child sacrifice- something practiced by witches as well.
2 Kings 23:10 (on King Josiah’s reform):
And he defiled the Tophet, which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire l’Molech.
Jeremiah 32:35:
And they built the high places of the Ba‘al, which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire l’Molech; which I did not command them, nor did it come into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
3. also known as Dagon – creator and subduer, warrior, slayer
Dagan is mentioned occasionally in early Sumerian texts but becomes prominent only in later Akkadian inscriptions as a powerful and warlike protector, sometimes equated with Enlil. In the preface to his famous law code, King Hammurabi calls himself “the subduer of the settlements along the Euphrates with the help of Dagan, his creator“. An inscription about an expedition of Naram-Sin to the Cedar Mountain relates (ANET, p. 268): “Naram-Sin slew Arman and Ibla with the ‘weapon’ of the god Dagan who aggrandizes his kingdom.”
Sorcery in Pharaoh’s court
When Moses performed certain signs in Pharaoh’s court to show God had sent him, the magicians were able to duplicate some of the signs.
Exodusd 7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
Exodusd 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Antichrist figure –past and future:
Old testament (As a man who will honour a foreign – pagan- god of forces and war):
Daniel 11:38 But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces (fortresses, strongholds, places fortified for safety, strengths, strong forces, powers): and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
Daniel 11:10 But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and [one] shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, [even] to his fortress.
Daniel 11:11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, [even] with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.
Daniel 11:24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
Daniel 11:30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that makes desolate.
New testament:
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Revelation 13:4 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?
Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months.
Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Scripture speaks against violence and strife
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Galatians 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God
1Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Timothy 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Isaiah 59:6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works [are] works of iniquity, and the act of violence [is] in their hands.
Writing about witchcraft and jezebels who operate today.
One reason for putting this together is to clarify that:
1. witchcraft exists in the bible in different forms – sorcery, magic, etc
2. its basic intent is to do harm people, and rebel against, or replace Yahweh with a false pagan god.
3. it includes not just pagan god worship, but, as iniquity, can be characterized by violence, strife, conflict, war, envyings, evil surmisings, railings (false accusations, which would lead to conflict), power plays, child sacrifice (now seen in abortion, and suicide bombings by children), and perverted or illicit sex.
4. as evil, it is demonic in origin
5. Men are witches too. In the Bible, there were more of them mentioned, as operating in groups, than there were women, who operated as individuals.
6. The term “jezebel” to denote either a male or female witch, even though the named personality Jezebel herself was female. Remember she was associated with 500 men witches, or “prophets” of Baal, the god of fertility, war, peace, child sacrifice, fire, etc. So there were more male than female witches in just this one story.
While the term has come to indicate an unchaste, rebellious woman, the actual Hebrew translates אִיזֶבֶל as “Baal exalts.” The last 2 letters, reading right to left, בֶל is translated Bel, or Baal. Obviously, more men than women were involved with Baal. Jezebel just happened to be queen.
Because of the social status of men, their role as witches (male jezebels) can be more powerful than women. They can rule entire nations, and cause wars and persecutions. Women are usually weaker rulers.
The ultimate male witch (male jezebel) will be personified in the coming antichrist figure, who comes against the saints, and comes to destroy Israel, plunging the entire world into war. The antichrist will come as a male jezebel of war and conquest.
If God rested on the seventh day, were there then only six days of creation? Six, or seven, days in which something was actually created? Answer: seven. As The Bible account describes, there were seven days of creation - along with the physical creation during the six working days (known to the English-speaking world today as Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday), by resting on the seventh day, and making it holy, God created the Sabbath Day on the seventh day of creation.
The Creation of The Sabbath Day
"And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which he had done. So God blessed [i.e. an act of doing something] the seventh day and hallowed [i.e. He made it holy, an act of creating something] it, because on it God rested from all His work which He had done in creation." (Genesis 2:2-3 RSV)
The Fourth Commandment: Don't Forget The Sabbath Day of Creation
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to The Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11 RSV) (see The Ten Commandments)
Jesus Christ, The Greatest "Christian" Of All, Didn't Forget
"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and He went to the synagogue, as His custom was, on the Sabbath day. And He stood up to read; and there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and 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 poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of The Lord." And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke well of Him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth" (Luke 4:16-22 RSV)
The Apostle Paul, Who Wrote Much Of The Christian New Testament, Didn't Forget
"As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And when the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. (Acts 13:42-44 RSV)
After The Return Of Jesus Christ, No One Will Forget
"For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says The Lord; so shall your descendants and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh [i.e. all nations, everyone] shall come to worship before me, says The Lord." (Isaiah 66:22-23 RSV)
"And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, The Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain." (Zechariah 14:17 RSV)
"But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of The Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of The Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of The Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Micah 4:1-3 RSV) (see The Return Of Jesus Christ)
"On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. And Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because The Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. And The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up." (Exodus 19:16-20 RSV)
The formal receiving of The Ten Commandments is one of the most well-known events of Bible History. But did The Ten Commandments originate at Mount Sinai? No, they did not. All were recognized long before.
The First Commandment
"I am The Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:2-3 RSV)
* Adam And Eve were commanded by God to obey Him. He made plain to them right in the Garden of Eden that He was their God, their Creator. But they chose to believe and obey satan. And satan is yet "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). For their violation of The First Commandment, among other things, they were cast out.
* Long before Sinai, violating the First Commandment was sin:
"Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods." (Joshua 24:2 RSV)
The Second Commandment
"You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I The Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6 RSV)
* Long before Sinai, God told Jacob to get rid of the idols, so Jacob collected them and buried them under a tree:
"God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there; and make there an altar to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau." So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; then let us arise and go up to Bethel, that I may make there an altar to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem." (Genesis 35:2-4 RSV)
The Third Commandment
"You shall not take the name of The Lord your God in vain; for The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain." (Exodus 20:7 RSV)
* Long before Sinai, profaning The Name of God was sin:
"and so profane the name of your God ... for all of these abominations the men of the land did, who were before you, so that the land became defiled." (Leviticus 18:21,27 RSV)
The Fourth Commandment
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to The Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11 RSV) (see Remember The Sabbath Day and Sun Worship)
* The Sabbath originated at The Seven Days Of Creation, long before Sinai:
"And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation." (Genesis 2:2-3 RSV)
* Before the formal giving of The Ten Commandments, the people were commanded to observe the Sabbath by not gathering Manna:
"Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none." (Exodus 16:26 RSV)
The Fifth Commandment
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you." (Exodus 20:12 RSV)
* Long before Sinai, Noah's son sinned by dishonoring his parent:
"When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan." (Genesis 9:24-25 RSV)
The Sixth Commandment
"You shall not kill." (Exodus 20:13 RSV)
* The first murder of course occurred all the way back in the Garden of Eden:
"And The Lord said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand." (Genesis 4:10-11 RSV) (see Cain and Abel)
The Seventh Commandment
"You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14 RSV)
* Long before Sinai, Joseph refused to sin by committing adultery with Potiphar's wife:
"But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Lo, having me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand; he is not greater in this house than I am; nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:8-9 RSV)
The Eighth Commandment
"You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:15 RSV)
* The first recorded theft, and the penalty for that sin, occurred right in the Garden of Eden:
"Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" (Genesis 3:11 RSV)
The Ninth Commandment
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour." (Exodus 20:16 RSV)
* The ultimate liar, satan, was also right in the Garden of Eden:
"And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die." (Genesis 3:2-4 RSV)
* "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44 RSV)
The Tenth Commandment
"You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbour's." (Exodus 20:17 RSV)
* Coveting was a sin that began very early, right in the Garden of Eden:
"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit." (Genesis 3:6 RSV)
God made Himself known by a number of Names, most or all of which are directly or indirectly descriptive of Who and/or What He is. Among them is "I am the first, and I am the last," "first" and "last" being translations of the Hebrew words (pronounced) ree-shown which means first or beginning, and ack-ar-own meaning last, or what is to come. The term is of course stated to accommodate the limits of human understanding - God has no beginning or end. In the New Testament the term is repeated as "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last," "Alpha and Omega" being the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet."I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens"
The Lord repeatedly used "I The Lord, the first, and the last" in describing Himself:
"Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I The Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He." (Isaiah 41:4 KJV)
"Thus saith The Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer The Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6 KJV)
"Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am He; I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens" (Isaiah 48:12-13 KJV)
In the New Testament, the term is recorded being used by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, after His resurrection and ascension, "I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore." Also included in these verses is a description of how The Messiah appears now:
"I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto The Seven Churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea."
"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."
"And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Revelation 1:11-18 KJV)
The Messiah again uses the term "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last," also referring to His return:
"And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with me, to give every man according as his work [see Works Means Obedience] shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."
"Blessed are they that do His Commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." [see Living Waters]
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things which are written in this book.
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Revelation 22:12-21 KJV)
Fact Finder: What are the other Names by which God made Himself known during Bible History?
Christians can only be saved by the grace of God, through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There is nothing that we can ever possibly do to save ourselves. We don't have the power to do it, and no amount of "law keeping," or "righteous acts," or "Levitical rituals," or "works" can possibly make God owe it to us. We can't earn salvation.
But, does that mean that God's Commandments were "nailed to the cross," and that we are now somehow lawless? Are we free to worship false gods, or bow down to idols, or blaspheme God's name, or ignore His Sabbath Day, or abuse our parents, or commit murder, or run wild in adultery, stealing, lies and coveting? Of course not.
Our salvation is made possible by grace, but whether or not we will be saved depends upon our repentance and obedience to God. God isn't going to grant His gift of eternal life to those who do not obey Him. The unrepentant lawless are going to find themselves in the lake of fire with the wicked and lawless Satan.
Are God's Ten Commandments now abolished? What does the New Testament have to say about it? What does The Saviour Himself have to say about it?
In the Saviour's own Words
"Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass [Note: heaven and earth are still here], one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19 KJV)
"And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but One, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments. He saith unto Him, Which? [Note: Jesus then went on to clearly identify that by "Commandments," He meant the Ten Commandments] Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 19:16-19 KJV)
"If ye love Me, keep My Commandments. And I will pray The Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even The Spirit of Truth;" (John 14:15-17 KJV)
Plain language from your Holy Bible
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with The Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His Commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." (1 John 2:1-6 KJV)
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His Commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His Commandments: and His Commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is Truth." (1 John 5:1-6 KJV)
Satan does not want you to obey God
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the Commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Revelation 12:17 KJV)
"If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 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. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." (Revelation 14:9-13 KJV)
The Reward Of The Obedient
"And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." (Revelation 22:12-15)
Fact Finder: Did James say that "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also"?
James 2:26
Mount Nebo is located in Moab, east of the Jordan River, which today is in the Kingdom of Jordan. It rises more than 1,200 meters / 4,000 feet over the nearby Dead Sea, and from it a great amount of Israel can be seen on a clear day. The magnificent view would have made the scene all that more bittersweet - a tear or two very possibly ran down that.gif "The Wilderness Journey")
"King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it."
robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace."
.jpg "Alpha and Omega - the First and the Last")
