The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel, originally published in 1998, follows Strobel’s nonfiction, journalistic investigation into the claims of Christianity. Strobel is both a journalist and a lawyer—he earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Yale before joining the Chicago Tribune as a legal affairs editor. But when his wife, Leslie, becomes a Christian, Strobel launches into an “all-out investigation into the facts surrounding the case for Christianity” (16). He applies what he has learned as an investigative journalist and a lawyer to determine whether “there [is] any credible evidence to back up” (18)the Bible’s assertions about the existence of God and the salvation of mankind through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
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The time of Revelation is both physical and spiritual warfare. Everyone recognizes Revelation is a highly symbolic book. *Symbolism is found -throughout- Jewish literature, especially in the -prophetic- writings, which #Revelation #is. John’s revelation is an -extension- of the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, etc. If one understands the prophets, one will have little trouble understanding Revelation. The Jewish prophets addressed Israel and their -focus was the future- of their nation. The same is -true- of Revelation. John wrote to Jews. The prophets -knew nothing- of the Church, the body of Christ. Consequently, the Church is -nowhere present- in Revelation. Revelation complements the writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc. It could well have followed Malachi in the canon. As the prophets used figures, So does john. The symbolic language of the prophets *pointed to concrete, literal truth. For example, Isaiah wrote, “all flesh is grass” (Isaiah 40.6). He did not mean flesh was fescue, zoysia, or bermuda grass. He employed the metaphor to teach that all men are mortal–a literal truth. Such is the language of Revelation. In Israel, Jesus is usually seen as gentile, Christian, and “other” But Jesus wasn’t a Christian – he wasn’t a Christ follower – he was Christ himself- The Jewish Messiah! Mary wasn’t Catholic, and John wasn’t a Baptist: They were all Jewish. While “Notzri” is the Hebrew word for “Christian”, it actually means one from Nazareth (Natzeret in Hebrew). It would be more accurate to say #Yeshua me #Natzeret – Yeshua from Nazareth. #Christ is the #Greek -word- for #Messiah, so #Jesus #Christ really means #Yeshua the #Messiah. This is not well understood in Israel, but slowly, the lights are going on as more and more people understand that Jesus Christ is not a -foreign- personality of a pagan religion, but Yeshua, Israel’s #salvation, is the Jewish Messiah from Nazareth in Israel, the one #prophesied in the Hebrew Bible—> the #Light. ☀️
The “two witnesses” and the battle for Jerusalem (30); Book of Revelation series Maranatha: moses & elijah (https://youtu.be/dmGLC1lg2Jg) Inner temple-144,000 (https://www.oneforisrael.org) The mocking of Jesus occurred several times, after his trial and before his crucifixion according to the canonical gospels of the New Testament. It is considered part of Jesus' passion. Jesus made predictions about the "Son of Man." This is a Hebrew term with five different meanings, depending on the context in which it is used: all mankind (humanity as a whole), a human being (a man, as opposed to God), a personal pronoun ("I", "myself"), a sinner (an unjust person, as opposed to a just person), and the messiah (the awaited king). Jesus predicted that the Son of Man would be handed over/betrayed to the elders, the chief priests, the scribes, and the teachers of the law. In the Second Temple period, the Sanhedrian members were called "elders," a high priest was a "chief priest," and the successors of Ezra the scribe - who became teachers of the law in those days - were called the "scribes." John 18 relate that Jesus was tried by the two chief priests at the time, Annas and Caiaphas. Jesus also predicted that the Son of Man would be crucified by the Romans/Gentiles. The Hebrew word gentile means non-Jewish people. Judaism does not allow crucifixion as a means of punishment, but Ancient Roman law did allow certain persons, such as slaves and pirates, to be crucified. According to the gospel narratives, Jesus had predicted that he would be mocked (Matthew 20:19, Mark 10:34, and Luke 18:32). The mocking of Christ took place in three stages: immediately following his trial, immediately following his condemnation by Pontius Pilate, and when he was being crucified. The New Testament narratives of Jesus being mocked are filled with irony, while the mockery focuses on Jesus' prophetic and kingly roles.
Judas Iscariot (/ˈdʒuːdəs ɪˈskæriət/; Hebrew: יהודה איש-קריות Yehūḏā ʾĪš-Qǝrīyyōṯ, "Judah, man of Kerioth"; Aramaic: ܝܗܘܕܐ ܣܟܪܝܘܛܐ; Biblical Greek: Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης; died c. 30 – c. 33 AD) was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. According to all four canonical gospels, Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane by kissing him and addressing him as "rabbi" to reveal his identity in the darkness to the crowd who had come to arrest him.[1] His name is often used synonymously with betrayal or treason. Judas's epithet "Iscariot" most likely means he came from the village of Kerioth, but this explanation is not universally accepted and many other possibilities have been suggested. The Gospel of Mark, the earliest gospel, gives no motive for Judas's betrayal, but does present Jesus predicting it at the Last Supper, an event also described in all the later gospels. The Gospel of Matthew 26:15 states that Judas committed the betrayal in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. The Gospel of Luke 22:3 and the Gospel of John 13:27 suggest that he was possessed by Satan. According to Matthew 27:1–10, after learning that Jesus was to be crucified, Judas attempted to return the money he had been paid for his betrayal to the chief priests and committed suicide by hanging. The priests used the money to buy a field to bury strangers in, which was called the "Field of Blood" because it had been bought with blood money. The Book of Acts 1:18 quotes Peter as saying that Judas used the money to buy the field himself and, he "[fell] headlong... burst asunder in the midst…." His place among the Twelve Apostles was later filled by Matthias.
INTRODUCTION
“Chronicles: Not Just a Repeat…”
Jesus was in the area of Tyre and Sidon, a coastal region in extreme northeastern Galilee (Matthew 15:21) when a Canaanite woman came to Him with a request to heal her demon-possessed daughter. For a while, Jesus did not respond to the woman’s entreaties, and she followed Him and continued to beg for mercy. Finally, the disciples, feeling that the woman was a nuisance, asked Jesus to send her away. Then Jesus said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).
We should understand Jesus’ words here not as an outright rejection of the Gentiles—moments later, He heals the woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:28)—but as a fulfillment of prophecy, a setting of priorities, and a test of the woman’s faith. In Jeremiah 50:6, God calls Israel His people and “lost sheep.” The Messiah, spoken of throughout the Old Testament, was seen as the one who would gather these “lost sheep” (Ezekiel 34:23-24; Micah 5:4-5). When Jesus presented Himself as a shepherd to Israel, He was claiming to be the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (Mark 6:34, 14:27; John 10:11-16; see also Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4; and Revelation 7:17). Jesus’ words to the Canaanite woman also show an awareness of Israel’s place in God’s plan of salvation. God revealed through Moses that the children of Israel were “a holy people to the LORD . . . chosen . . . a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6). It was through the Jews that God issued His Law, preserved His Word, and sent His Son. This is why, elsewhere, Jesus tells a Samaritan that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). In Matthew 15, when the Jewish Messiah says that He was sent to “the house of Israel,” He is simply connecting His presence with God’s purpose in Old Testament history. Christ was “born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law” (Galatians 4:4-5). Every ministry must have priorities, and Christ’s ministry was no exception. When Jesus sent His disciples to preach the good news of the kingdom, He expressly told them, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6). Jesus did not forbid their preaching to all Gentiles; He did, however, narrow their focus to the areas which should be most receptive—those who knew the Law and were expecting the Messiah. Paul, in his missionary journeys, followed the same priority of preaching to the Jews first (Romans 1:16). Finally, Jesus’ words to the Canaanite woman served as a test of her faith. She came to Jesus believing that He was the “Lord,” the “Son of David,” and the giver of mercy (Matthew 15:22). His delayed answer and seemingly exclusionary statement brought from her a further, passionate, public expression of her faith in His unlimited power (Matthew 15:27). This act of compassion and healing of a Gentile is a beautiful picture of Christ’s ministry to the whole world—the Jewish Messiah is also the Savior of all who will believe (Matthew 28:19; John 10:16; Acts 10:34-36; Revelation 5:9). During the Roman period, AD 70, the 2nd Temple was destroyed with Jerusalem. During this period Jesus was in Jerusalem; crucified 40 years before its destruction. HOPE for restoration- For Redemption of Zion- is- God would establish the throne of David forever and that Israel would one day have eternal rest, in its own land, from all its enemies. Throughout the prophets, this promised restoration is expounded upon as the Lord will "bring back the captivity of Zion" (Psalm 126:1); "restore the fortunes of Jacob" (Nahum 2:2; Isaiah 49:6); or "show favor to Zion" (Psalm 102:13). It can be clearly found in passages as Isaiah 2, Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36. This promised end-time "restoration" of Israel is explained in the New Testament, in Jesus in Matthew 19:28 and in the preaching of Peter in Acts 3:21. In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul further assures us of a future ingathering and acceptance of Israel that ends with all Israel being delivered. During his three-day ministry among the descendants of Lehi, the resurrected Savior taught many wonderful principles, practices, and truths (see 3 Nephi 11–26). While teaching on the second day, He explained how God would fulfill His promise to gather, restore, and redeem His covenant people. In doing so, He quoted extensively from the prophecies of Isaiah: “When they [the words of Isaiah] shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel. And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them” (3 Nephi 20:12–13). Christ taught Lehi’s descendants that those who carefully search and ponder the words of Isaiah will better understand God’s plans to fulfill His covenant to restore His people. Isaiah answered many important questions concerning Israel’s restoration: Why will a restoration be needed? When will the restoration occur? Who will be involved in the restoration? How will the restoration occur? And what will be the results of the restoration?
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