Category: Jacob Named Israel

What Is Jacob’s Trouble in End-Time Prophecy?

8/17/2022

What did Jeremiah mean “the time of Jacob’s trouble”? How does this unequaled time of trouble for Israel’s descendants relate to the end-time Great Tribulation?

Under the inspiration of God, the ancient prophet Jeremiah spoke of “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).

Many have asked what this trouble for Jacob’s descendants is and when it occurs. For an explanation showing that the descendants of Jacob are primarily the English-speaking nations and other nations of northwestern Europe in our modern world, see our articles “12 Tribes of Israel Today: Who Are They?” and another about “Who Are the United States and Britain in Prophecy?”

This prophecy of unprecedented difficulty for Jacob’s descendants will be fulfilled just before the second coming of Jesus Christ. The reason for God’s punishment is found in His instructions to their ancestors millennia ago.

The reason for God’s punishment on Jacob’s descendantsRecognizing the ancient Israelites’ hostility toward Him and His commands, God told Moses:

“Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.

“Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’

“And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18).

Repeating what God had revealed to him, Moses told the people: “For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands” (verse 29).

Sin is the cause of Jacob’s troubleOur loving God hates sin because of its destructive effects. His laws are for our good, so when we break those laws, we bring bad consequences on ourselves and those around us. Sin causes pain and suffering and cuts us off from God.

God’s desire is for the curses we bring on ourselves to turn us back to Him in repentance. Jacob’s trouble is intended to wake-up the end-time descendants of Jacob and motivate them to repent.

Study more about the cause and effect relationship of sin and suffering in our article “Why Is Our Modern World Under Ancient Curses?”

Multiple punishments culminating in the time of Jacob’s troubleGod punished Israel in the eighth century B.C. when its citizens were taken captive by the Assyrians. Judah was punished in the sixth century B.C. at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and the nation of Babylon.

Disobedience to God’s commandments will once again bring about the downfall of the descendants of the ancient Israelites prior to Christ’s return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God.

While all the nations of Israel will experience the tribulation of “Jacob’s trouble,” Genesis 48:16reveals that Jacob explicitly placed his name on Ephraim and Manasseh. Hence their descendants (primarily the United States and Great Britain—along with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) will bear the brunt of this difficult time.

“Time of trouble such as never was”Daniel spoke of this latter fulfillment, saying, “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:1-2).

How Jacob’s trouble relates to the end-time Great TribulationIn addition to the troubles coming to Jacob’s descendants, Jesus also spoke of an unprecedented time of difficulty that would threaten all nations just before His return.

Describing this period of time, Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

Essentially, the time of Jacob’s trouble corresponds to the same time period called the Great Tribulation. World conditions will be worse than any time in history, and humanity will be on the brink of self-destruction.

This Great Tribulation leads up to the time called the Day of the Lord. To learn more about the dire conditions that will exist in the world just before Christ’s return, read our article “What Is the Day of the Lord?”

Deliverance from the time of Jacob’s troubleEven though Jacob’s descendants will face severe punishment in “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” they will eventually repent and be restored.Even though the descendants of Jacob—including the English-speaking peoples of today—are going to face severe punishment for their disobedience to God, He promises: “‘I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it’” (Jeremiah 30:3).

Describing this time of restoration, God continues: “‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds; foreigners shall no more enslave them. But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

“‘Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the LORD, ‘nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you,’ says the LORD, ‘to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished’” (verses 8-11).

Even though Jacob’s descendants will face severe punishment in “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” they will eventually repent and be restored. For more on this, see “America in Prophecy.”

For assistance in fulfilling Christ’s command to “watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36),

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_and_Esau

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Holy Spirit fell upon those who could hear him...

8/1/2022

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''While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message" (Acts 10:44).

When we read verbs like "fell upon" to describe the Spirit's activities, we all too easily think about the Spirit of God in terms of a non-personal force or power. Surely such unbiblical thoughts must grieve the Spirit of God! Were it not for the Spirit of God personally speaking to God's people, the gospel would have never left Jerusalem. It was the Spirit who told Philip to go to the Ethiopian eunuch (8:29).

The Spirit was the one who assured Peter he sent the three Gentile men from Caesarea (10:19; 11:12). And it was the Spirit who spoke to praying believers to set Paul and Barnabas apart to preach the gospel to the nations (Acts 13:2–4). The gift of Holy Spirit, dear friends, is not a "thing" we receive.

The gift of the Spirit is a divine person who comes to live inside us, to speak with us, and who is eternally one with the Father and the Son. He who has ears to hear, therefore, let him listen! "

The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost" (Rev 22:17).

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The Search for Universal Peace

6/30/2022

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People everywhere search for peace. They sing songs about it and travel on pilgrimages to find it. They even wage war to protect it. Many wealthy, famous, and powerful people would trade everything for just one moment of peace. What they often find, however, is the world’s false peace which is different from the peace offered by Jesus: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) The peace offered by the world is an empty promise and can only bring temporary comfort. God’s peace is a permanent peace offered by the only One who can be trusted to keep his Word and heal our sin.

The world’s peace is fleeting and changes with circumstances. During times of prosperity, nations experience temporary peace. But when economies struggle, countries find themselves on the brink of civil war as well as war with their neighbors. The peace of the world is a precarious thing. Conflict erupts when people are hungry; peace disappears when circumstances turn ugly: Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths. (Micah 3:5)

The world’s peace is built on the weak foundation of compromise. In the Old Testament, God warned the Israelites that if they inter-married for political reasons, they would face the temptation to compromise their love for the one true God and end up serving false gods. This compromise, though it would create a temporary absence of conflict, would ultimately lead to destruction: Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land that you are going to enter; otherwise, they will become a snare among you. (Exodus 34:12, NIV) Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever. (Ezra 9:12)

The world’s peace ignores the root of the problem. When asked, “What’s wrong with the world today?” many will point to volatile stock markets, corrupt governments, disappearing rainforests, poor diets, lack of healthcare, broken families, overcrowded schools, and more. The world tries to fix these problems by doing good: feeding children, building wells, regulating markets, conserving wildlife, funding charter schools, and thereby achieving a type of peace. The world’s peace tries to fix the symptoms of sin but fails to see how the root of the problem is the sin-disease itself, something that can only be healed by Christ—not by money, regulation, or reform. Dealing with the symptoms of sin but failing to diagnose the sin itself is not new. In the Old Testament, the false prophets treated sin “lightly” and proclaimed the problem “solved” when it wasn’t: They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:14). Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash. (Ezekiel 13:10) In contrast to the world’s promise of peace, God’s peace is permanent and firmly grounded in his Word. He doesn’t ignore our sin—he heals it, making his peace a different kind of peace from what we find in the world.

God’s peace is permanent and secure. When circumstances are free of conflict, we enjoy momentary peace. But when we face difficult relationships, health problems, and financial crisis, the momentary quiet is disrupted and chaos rules the day. Our God offers peace in the midst of chaos. His peace doesn’t change with the circumstances; it is secure in spite of the circumstances. “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

God’s peace is built on the sure foundation of his Word. Young or old, male or female, we’ve all experienced the pain of a broken promise. No matter how much our families, friends, and coworkers love us, at some point, someone will disappoint us. And despite our best intentions, we are likely to disappoint someone else by saying one thing and doing another. God’s Word, however, can be trusted. He never contradicts himself or acts in a way that is out of character. He will never disappoint. Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:165) You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

God’s peace is ours because Jesus heals our root of sin. All religions other than true Christianity have one thing in common: They try to achieve peace with God by doing works and following rules. Christianity is different. In Christ, we are offered peace with God because we who “once were far off” (Ephesians 2:13) have been reconciled to God through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus’ sacrifice addresses the root of the problem that the world ignores. By his sacrifice, he bridged the gap that sin inserted between us and God. He took the punishment for our sin and, in exchange, he gives us peace with God. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. (Ephesians 2:14) And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. (Isaiah 32:17) While we experience eternal peace through reconciliation with God in Christ, we also receive the gift of his Holy Spirit. Because of him, we enjoy the blessing of peace in our daily lives--even when we find ourselves in the midst of turmoil.

World peace is a beautiful ideal, but one that will be realized only when Jesus returns (Revelation 21:4). Until that time, peace throughout the world will never occur. Jesus said that until the day of His coming, there will be “wars and rumors of wars” and that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6-7). There has never been a time in the history of the world that somewhere, someone wasn’t fighting with someone else. Whether it was a world war involving dozens of nations or a local skirmish involving tribes or clans, men have always been at war with one another.

Promoting world peace even though we know human beings, no matter how hard they try, will never be able to bring it about, is not biblical. While giving to charity, promoting tolerance and sharing are certainly appropriate for Christians, we should do so in the name of Jesus, understanding that He alone will be the bringer of world peace. Until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10), there can be no true and lasting peace. Until that time, Christians are to “make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

As Christians we should promote peace instead of conflict, remembering that by our own actions, complete peace will never be achieved because of the fallen state of man. Our faith remains in God and Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Until He comes to renew the world and bring true peace, world peace will remain little more than a dream. Our most important task is to convince others of their need for the Savior, who is the only One who can bring about peace between individuals and God. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). This, then, is the way we promote world peace—by bringing to the world the message of peace with God: be reconciled to God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Does "Israel" have layered meaning?

The man Israel was initially named Jacob. He was a twin, one of two sons of Isaac and Rebecca, and a grandson of Abraham. When he was born second, he was clutching the heel of his older brother, Esau. He was named Jacob because Jacob sounds similar to aqeb, the Hebrew word for “heel.” The root of the word is also the same root as the word for “follow,” which makes sense as Jacob followed Esau in birth. The root is also the same root for “to supplant” and carries the idea of deceiving or usurping.

Jacob lived up to his name, as he did attempt to supplant his older brother who had significant rights and blessings as the firstborn. He purchased Esau’s birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29–34). Jacob also impersonated Esau so that his blind father, Isaac, would give the blessing intended for Esau to him (Genesis 27). Esau swore to kill Jacob (Genesis 27:41). Jacob also seemed to deal deceptively with his father-in-law, who had also dealt deceptively with him on several occasions (see Genesis 29–30).

Jacob finally left his father-in-law, taking with him all of his flocks, herds, wives, and children, and he headed back toward the land of Abraham and Isaac, but he feared Esau’s reaction. Indeed, he heard that Esau was headed toward him with 400 armed men. The night before he anticipated meeting Esau, Jacob put his entourage across a stream for safety while he spent the night by himself, presumably so that, if Esau came upon him at night, only he would be killed but the rest of his family would be spared.

In the middle of the night, a mysterious person came into Jacob’s camp, and they wrestled. The mysterious person is first called a man (Genesis 32:24). Another mention this incident says that Jacob wrestled with “an angel” (Hosea 12:4). After the incident, Jacob says, “I saw God face to face” (Genesis 32:30). In Hebrew, the word translated “God” can refer to Yahweh but can also refer to an angel as a “divine being.” The exact identification of this person is not as important as the interaction between him and Jacob.

Jacob and this person wrestled all night long. What initiated the fight and a dozen other questions are simply not addressed. As they wrestled, the mysterious individual could not overcome Jacob, so he touched Jacob on the hip, which seems to have injured his joint. Then the mysterious person asked Jacob to let him go, but Jacob said he would not unless he blessed him:

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28–29).

The Hebrew word for “struggle” has the root consonants SYR, and Israel has the root consonants YSR with the suffix -el, which means “God”. The words’ similarity creates a play on words. Jacob “the deceiver” had been named “one who struggles with God.”

The incident between Jacob and the angel is a demonstration of grace. Jacob certainly did not deserve the blessing that he received. God had simply chosen to bless him, even in the womb, before he had done anything (Genesis 25:23, cf. Romans 9:11–13). Likewise, it was only by grace that Jacob could wrestle with the “man” and prevail, as the mysterious individual certainly had power to overcome and to harm Jacob. He let Jacob “win.” On Jacob’s part, perhaps this was the first time he had ever come to realize he was in over his head. Esau was closing in, and he felt helpless. Jacob asked for a blessing from this person, which put him in a place of humility so that he might receive grace and blessing.

The nation of Israel is named after Israel the patriarch. Unfortunately, the people of Israel seemed to also be in a constant struggle with God. Although He graciously took them unto Himself as His chosen people, they repeatedly turned their backs on Him. As a result, in Jeremiah 31:33–34, God promised a new covenant with Israel that would guarantee their obedience:

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”

Israelites who come to God through faith in Christ enter the New Covenant and no longer have to struggle with God. By the grace of God, Gentiles who receive the Messiah of Israel are also included in the New Covenant. In Christ, Jews and Gentiles no longer have to struggle with God or with each other.

In Christ, the struggle is solved, and we have peace, as explained in Ephesians 2:11–22:

“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

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God's law, and Man's Law

2/17/2022

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR2HF6t1DGtYs9mxlMxpita16nMlLXiGpVZxn3QNalBfnrpP4O104pB37xo&v=Vt9K6kmpx44&feature=youtu.be

Jordan Peterson on the Bible

So what is lawful? “Gods law? or Mans?”

The curious who SOUGHT Jesus had their whole WORLD turned UPSIDE DOWN. In parable after parable in the first ten chapters of Mark, Jesus “CHALLENGED their thinking” and traditions as he MINISTERED. Now he’s changing up what he’s done EVEN MORE by -RIDING into JERUSALEM- in PEACE as “KING,” and causing a SCENE clearing out the treachery in the temple courts. To begin these “LAST few days” of his life in Jerusalem, Jesus SPEAKS publicly with authority, on a -few important topics- “amazing ALL who listen.” The first story is about a vineyard and the tenants. It’s a retelling of Isaiah 5, the same imagery: God the Father, Israel the tenants, the prophets rejected or killed. Jesus was “abandoned” and rejected by his people. And when he quotes Psalm 118 for the punchline, his adversary know of what he’s accusing them. So when they were “mocking” jesus, they were really mocking GOD. They thought they were “contending man” but were “contending god.”

Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The STONE that the builders rejected has become the CORNERSTONE; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” Mark 12:10-11. Our JOURNEY with Jesus with the DISCIPLE Mark has piqued curiosity. Why did Mark pick these CERTAIN stories about Jesus? What about the -order- he put them in? What about the symbolism from the Hebrew scripture (OT)? Many chose not to follow, or “unfollow” jesus, but great Treasures of Hebrew symbolism can be found here:) https://instagram.com/anewlightcreatives?r=name tag

Jesus makes states that he is the cornerstone from Psalm 118. The stone is a familiar image for God (Deut. 32:4, Psalm 18:31, Isaiah 17:10, 26:4, 20:29) and particularly how it points to the Messiah (Isaiah 28:16, Daniel 2:34-35,45, Acts 4:11, Eph 2:20). Jesus made it clear to the Jewish leaders (the builders) they had rejected him, and he became to “them a stone of stumbling” (Isaiah 8:14). The “cornerstone is laid first” at the “head corner” and “governs every other corner” and “every ANGLE” in the entire building and thus determines the “place every other stone is to be laid.” Through his death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus became the “chief cornerstone of the SPIRITUAL TEMPLE,” the church. As ACTS 2:36 says: “God has made Him BOTH Lord and Christ.” There is salvation in no one else. It is “GODS DOING,” and it is marvelous!!

We can SEEK him, there are still more points of history and etymology of -THE WORD- and idea of the cornerstone. Jesus is the chief cornerstone, ingrafting all humanity into ONE SPIRIT, one life in him, who is, the TREE of LIFE. Our God resurrected life from death, ressurecting eternal life in us- in unity as one human race and one human family. We are saved by Grace through Faith in him, because he forgave us for our sins by replacing our sins in his place through sacraficing himself on the cross. Sins past, present, and future. This was only achieved through his unconditional Love, GRACE, and unconditional forgiveness that he offers his children- asking we do the same in RETURN. This is his renewed COVENANT.

Redemption and RESTORATION is not possible by human strength alone, it is by the GRACE of GOD. There is no security in anything else but abandonment to God, no matter what storm is swirling about. So, when we hear the expression “The stone that the builder’s rejected has become the cornerstone,” and that it was “Jesus Himself who was rejected and set aside” – and thus gave us the grace of the death and resurrection - we too can realize that in the struggles and mysteries of our life, God is doing something new and something great. He uses human adversity and suffering for greater purpose, that point to him, calling us to seek him. We wants to RESTORE, and only he can. God uses suffering to bring us closer to him. Sometimes we dont understand the things we do, but god fully understands. His word reveals truth, his word points us in his direction, his spirit SPEAKS through us.

Psalm 34 is the 34th book of psalms: “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 33. In Latin, it is known as "Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore". Psalm 34 is attributed to David. The Psalm's subtitle, A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed, derives from when David was living with the Philistines, but the account of this event in 1 Samuel 21 refers to the king as Achish, not Abimelech. The psalm is an acrostic poem in the Hebrew Alphabet, one of a series of songs of thanksgiving. It is the first Psalm which describes angels as guardians of the righteous.

Psalm 34;

34 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

The phrase the law and the prophets refers to the entire Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. Jesus spoke of “the law and the prophets” multiple times, such as when He listed the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:40). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pointed to His absolute perfection, saying, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17)

On the Emmaus Road, Jesus taught two disciples “everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets” (Luke 24:27, CEV). Clearly, all Scripture, indicated by “the law and the prophets,” pointed to Jesus. The same passage also contains a three-fold division of the Old Testament: “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (verse 44), but the two-fold division of “the law and the prophets” was also customary (Matthew 7:12; Acts 13:15; 24:14; Romans 3:21).

The books of the law, properly speaking, would comprise the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets, in the two-fold division, would include the rest of the Old Testament. Although it may seem strange that poetic books such as Job or Proverbs would be included in the “prophets” category, it was common for the Jews to see any writer of Scripture as a prophet. Further, many of the psalms are -clear- “messianic prophecies.” It is believed that the forked cross represents a tree, or more precisely, the “Tree of Knowledge,” which brought sin into the world. However sin was defeated by the suffering of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. Jerusalem was still being rebuilt following the destruction caused by Titus in 70 AD. Emperor Hadrian had built during the 130s a temple to Venus over the supposed site of Jesus' tomb near Calvary, and renamed the city Aelia Capitolina.

Hebrew bible (ot) Isaiah 53:

53 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 🙈

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. 🌳

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance(F) that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,(L)
stricken by him, and afflicted.(M)

5 But he was pierced(N) for our transgressions,(O)
he was crushed(P) for our iniquities;
the punishment(Q) that brought us peace(R) was on him, and by his wounds(S) we are healed.(T)

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(U)
each of us has turned to our own way;(V)
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity(W) of us all.

7 He was oppressed(X) and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;(Y)
he was led like a lamb(Z) to the slaughter,(AA)
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression[a] and judgment(AB) he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;(AC)
for the transgression(AD) of my people he was punished.[b]

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,(AE)
and with the rich(AF) in his death,
though he had done no violence,(AG)
nor was any deceit in his mouth.(AH)

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will(AI) to crush(AJ) him and cause him to suffer,(AK)
and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin,(AL)
he will see his offspring(AM) and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper(AN) in his hand.

11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light(AP) of life[d] and be satisfied[e]; ☀️ by his knowledge 🍎my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.(AW)
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

When Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, he referred to the whole of Hebrew Scripture in its two-fold division: “We have -found- the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45, NET). Philip was right that all of Scripture has a common theme: the Messiah, the Son of God, who is Jesus.

That is very “Amazing news!!” God is -real- and personal, and hes searching for all people he doesnt have a relationship with, and Hes asking for you to -search for him- back! The “good news” is hes not “confined or defined” by religion, belief, culture, identity, race, etc, as there are no -man made restrictions- or boundaries in God! I know it sounds odd- how god -‘reveals himself,’ but he just does, and when he does its just -‘known.’ Thats why for the past 2,000 years people keep proclaiming the ‘same -discovery.’ Part of the reason why i refused to -accept- it for so long was because -i know- theres thousands of years of history and persecution -keeping the distance. And that is a huge -barrier to ‘Cross. His disciples are called to ‘testify- to the -truth- and -witness- of the messiah,’ and we are called to -share- that good news! “Amazing news!”

But the god of israel is the god of jacob, and jacob was given the name israel after “wrestling with god.” (etymologized as "contends-with-God"). In the Genesis narrative, Jacob spent the night alone on a riverside during his journey back to Canaan. He encounters a "man" who proceeds to wrestle with him until daybreak. In the end, Jacob is given the name "Israel" and blessed, while the "man" refuses to give his own name. Jacob then names the -place- where they -wrestled- Penuel (פְּנוּאֵל "face of God" or "facing God"- The account contains several plays on Hebrew names—Peniel (or Penuel), Israel—as well as similarity to the root of Jacob's name (which sounds like the Hebrew for "heel") and its compound. The limping of Jacob (Yaʿaqob ), may mirror the name of the river, Jabbok (Yabbok יַבֹּק , river), and Nahmanides (Deut. 2:10 of Jeshurun) gives the etymology for the name Jacob. The Hebrew text states that it is a "man" (אִישׁ, LXX ἄνθρωπος, Vulgate vir) with whom Jacob wrestles, but later this —“man" is identified with “God”—- (Elohim) by Jacob. Much of history points to the symbolism behind why israels name was given.

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Wrestles with God

2/12/2022

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John 7:38; “rivers of #living water will flow from within them.” The pineal(penuel,peniel) gland is located between our temples- (called *3rd eye). While the eyes perceive the physical world, the third eye sees the #true world—a #unified whole with an unyielding #connection to God. Pineal is a place of #meeting with God. Jacobs encounter with God at Peniel is very significant because it brought about a divine *shift in his life, thus, Peniel is a place of *divine shift. One of the oldest *visual depictions of Jacobs wrestling is in the illustrated manuscript the Vienna Genesis. Many #artists have #depicted the scene, considering it as a #paradigm of artistic #creation. In sculpture Jacob Wrestling with the Angel is the subject of a 1940 sculpture by Sir Jacob Epstein on display at the Tate Britain. Jacob wrestling with the angel is described in Genesis (32:22–32; Hosea 12:3–5). The "angel" in question is referred to as "man" (אִישׁ) and "God" in Genesis, while Hosea references an "angel" (מַלְאָךְ).[1] The account includes the renaming of Jacob as Israel (etymologized as "contends-with-God"). In the Genesis narrative, Jacob spent the night alone on a riverside during his journey back to Canaan. He encounters a "man" who proceeds to wrestle with him until daybreak. In the end, Jacob is given the name "#Israel" and #blessed, while the "man" refuses to give his own name. Jacob then names the -place- where they -wrestled- Penuel (פְּנוּאֵל "face of God" or "facing God"- The account contains several plays on Hebrew names—Peniel (or Penuel), Israel—as well as similarity to the #root of Jacob's name (which sounds like the Hebrew for "heel") and its compound. The limping of Jacob (Yaʿaqob ), may mirror the name of the #river, Jabbok (Yabbok יַבֹּק , sounds like "crooked" river), and Nahmanides (Deut. 2:10 of Jeshurun) gives the etymology "one who walks crookedly" for the name Jacob. The Hebrew text states that it is a "man" (אִישׁ, LXX ἄνθρωπος, Vulgate vir) with whom Jacob *wrestles, but later this —“man" is #identified with #God—- (Elohim) by Jacob. In #symbolism, pineal represents the true #temple of god- which dwells #within us when we open our *eyes to him. 🙏

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