Bible Believers' Newsletter 949
"We focus on the present Truth – what Jesus is doing now. . ."
ISSN 1442-8660Christian greetings in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; we appreciate our unity in God's unchanging Word.
Perhaps the most encouraging news this week is the release of Pastor Behnam Irani following six years of imprisonment in Iran. We continuert Study of the Book of Malachi and God's blessings therein.
This Newsletter serves those of like precious faith. Whoever will receive the truth is welcome to feed their soul from the waters of the River of Life. Everything here presented should be confirmed personally in your own Bible.
Your brother-in-Christ
Anthony Grigor-Scott
Pastor Behnam Irani
November 17, 2016 — We are rejoicing with Brother Behnam Irani and his family who have been reunited in Turkey. He arrived Friday November 17 a little after midnight. Having served six years imprisonment in Iran he is now free and living with his family in Turkey. We give thanks to God for this. For six years this family suffered and went through so many difficulties and now they are together again. We couldn't be happier for them! They both want to thank you for your love and prayers for them. God has miraculously preserved them. Full story: Present Truth Ministries
Time to Trump the Climate Hysteria
November 18, 2016 — The Clexit (Climate Exit Coalition) has pledged to assist any government or politician seeking to exit the Paris Agreement and to curb the wasteful and destructive UN/IPCC . . . Clexit could call on over 190 well-qualified climate realists from 26 countries to provide scientific, business, legal and political support and advice.
Firstly, de-fang the Paris Climate Treaty by refusing to sign it, by ignoring any deals signed by others without a supporting referendum, or by giving notice of formal withdrawal.
Secondly, de-fund the global warming industry—no tax payer funding for the UN/IPCC, no government money for climate tourism or conferences, no government grants for climate propaganda posing as “research”, no tax exemptions for green “charities” and no government subsidies for green energy.
Thirdly, de-staff all government climate bureaucracies.
And fourthly, re-educate—ensure that the climate curriculum in schools and universities is based on good science and real evidence, and not political agendas.
These four actions—de-fang, de-fund, de-staff and re-educate will cool the climate hysteria, with huge and immediate benefits for tax payers, jobs, industries and energy cost and security. It will also end the doomsday horror stories terrifying our young people. And if there is additional carbon dioxide in the air, our Earth will be greener and produce more food . . . Full story: clexit.net
Putin withdraws Russia from International Criminal Court
November 17, 2016 — Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday to withdraw Russia from the International Criminal Court, which rules on such grave charges as genocide and crimes against humanity . . .
Putin's decree, published on the Kremlin's website, comes a day after the UN General Assembly's human rights [Laodicea] committee approved a resolution condemning Russia's "temporary occupation of Crimea" and blamed Russia for rights abuses such as discrimination against some Crimean residents, such as Tatars. Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 from Ukraine following a hastily called referendum, a move that led to crippling Western sanctions. A separatist insurgency erupted in eastern Ukraine the following month, backed by Russia . . . Full story: apnews.com
Comment: The apostate (once) Christian West is incurably corrupt.
Syria: US-NATO supported Terrorists involved in Countless Atrocities
November 13, 2016 — Whereas the US, for example, carpet bombed Falluja in Iraq, the SAA, doesn't have that "luxury" since it avoids killing Syrian civilians at all costs. The terrorists control occupied territories with unspeakable barbarism. A witness to the massacre at Adra described the scene in these words:
The rebels began to attack the government centers, and attacked the police station—where all the policemen were killed after only a brief clash because of the large numbers of the attackers. The attackers then headed to the checkpoint located on the edge of the city before moving to the clinic, where they slaughtered one from the medical staff and put his head in the popular market. They then dragged his body in front of townspeople who gathered to see what was happening. Bakery workers who resisted their machinery being taken away were roasted in their own oven. Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic Front fighters went from house to house with a list of names and none of those taken away has been seen since.
When the Syrian army would try to enter Adra the Jihadists would throw women and children from the 20,000 people it captured off the top floors in front of the army."
Nasr also discussed the lies propagated by imperialists, and believed by multitudes. He says that for the first three weeks of the so-called "revolution," police and security personnel were ordered to not carry guns. It was during this time that 15 of Nasr's friends were killed by so-called "peaceful protestors".
This report is corroborated by peace activist Janice Kortright who writes:
The media lies about Syria . . . have been absolute . . . I think media heads should face trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity for the one-sided false narrative they've been spreading since the Syrian War began. Even earlier . . . throughout the entire "Arab Spring" orchestrated by the west using "jihadists" (paid mercenaries, criminals and brain-washed radicals) to create a "New Middle East" dedicated to western dominance and control over natural resources.
This soldier, whom we interviewed in Damascus, is a personal hero and friend. A friend to whom I've entrusted my life and would again any time anywhere. He was one of the soldiers in Daraa in March 2011 (where and when the violence in Syria began). This is his account and matches several others' first hand accounts of events there.
The life of a Syrian soldier is so hard. A terrorist paid by the US or Saudi or Qatar makes about $300 or $400 a month. A Syrian soldier receives 1/10th of that. They fight an enemy that is often inhuman. I know of one soldier who was cut to pieces while his terrorist captors had his father on the phone listening to the torturous death of his son.
FALSE: The Syrian war began when President Assad brutally put down peaceful protests.
TRUE: The Syrian War was planned in earnest by the US since 2005. The Syrian soldiers and police were not even allowed to carry weapons until the "peaceful protesters" had slaughtered several hundreds of police and soldiers.
Kortright interviewed a Syrian soldier who described the soldiers' (unarmed) and fatal encounters with the initial, externally-orchestrated uprisings, in these words:
Soldier: I don't know, we didn't see them face to face. My best friend was shot, so I felt anger and sadness. I felt anger because we were ambushed in this way and all we had was batons, we couldn't defend ourselves. We had to run, they were shooting us like birds. And the demonstrators blocked all the entrances leading to us, so no ambulances was able to reach us whatsoever, at that point. I carried my best friend and what matters for us now is to protect him and protect ourselves until we get to safety. While we were running, we were seeing our friends the civil police, how they were being killed in front of us, or shot at.
Similarly, investigative reporter Rick Sterling debunks the propaganda that "Assad kills his own people" in his description of the initial, violent protests:
"In reality, there was a violent faction from the start. In the first protests in Deraa, seven police were killed. Two weeks later there was a massacre of 60 security forces in Deraa."
These same "peaceful protestors" were the spearhead of the Western-orchestrated "regime change" operations, wherein the Muslim Brotherhood and foreign operatives played central roles. The "Arab Spring" was a foreign intelligence operation from the beginning.
Recent estimates suggest that terrorists from about 100 countries are currently infesting Syria. This, coupled with the legal interventions of the "Axis of resistance," and the illegal war crimes of NATO and its allies, means that the dirty war on Syria is increasingly a world war . . . Full story: globalresearch.ca
Sanhedrin asks Putin and Trump to build Third Temple in Jerusalem
November 10, 2016 — The Nascent Sanhedrin is calling on Russian President Vladmir Putin and US president-elect Donald Trump to join forces and fulfill their Biblically-mandated (?) roles by rebuilding the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem . . . the election of Trump, who has promised to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, coupled with Putin's expressed desire for the Temple to be rebuilt, prompted the Jewish court to send a letter offering the two the opportunity to act as modern-day Cyrus figures: non-Jewish kings who recognize the importance of Israel and the Temple.
Cyrus the Great, King of Persia in the sixth century BC, announced in the first year of his reign that he was prompted by God to make a decree that the Temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt. [This flattery and his daughter, Ivanka's conversion to Pharisaism is matched by Mr. Trump's chutspah: "Let me tell you," he declared during a speech in Milwaukee last March, "Ivanka Trump is the new Esther]".
Cyrus sent the Jews under his rule back to Israel with a considerable sum of money [$$$$$$] with which to rebuild the Temple. The Sanhedrin plans to call on the two world leaders to take up this ancient Biblical decree and support [$$$$$$] the Jewish people in their holy mission . . .
The Sanhedrin's letter notes that Trump's upset victory was due to his support of Jerusalem, and reminds Trump of his campaign promise to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, effectively recognizing the city as the capital of Israel. The Jerusalem Embassy Act, passed in Congress in 1995, initiated the moving of the embassy, but has been vetoed since every American president since. The Sanhedrin calls on Trump to withhold the veto after he takes office . . .
Last month, the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) passed two resolutions denying any connection between the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people, ceding to Islam a religious monopoly on many of Judaism's holiest sites. Full story: breakingisraelnews.com
Comment: The Temple will be rebuilt and United States and Russia may well team up under Rome to rebuild the Temple after Israel is utterly defeated, disarmed, abandoned by most of her non-Semitic self-styled Jews, reoccupied by genuine Israelites in Jacob's lineage, after the US mainland is invaded and a Satan-incarnate Pope is ruling one world government from Jerusalem, a corpus separatum between the State of Palestine and the State of Israel as per UN Resolution 181 of November 29, 1947. The partnership between the USA (refinanced by Vatican gold) and Russia (re-colonised and Judaeo-communised) will fail in the second half of Daniel's Seventieth Week when the Pope forces Rome's mark of the beast and Europe switches alleigence to Russia. This will see the nuclear anihilation of Vatican City State and the United States of America followed by Armageddon and the consummation.
These and other Scriptural realities have been overlooked by nowtheendbegins.com. The end-time began on about March 8, 1963 when Christ fulfilled Revelatuion 4, 5, and 10:1-4.
Century after Balfour Declaration: UK should face Uncomfortable Home Truths
November 6, 2016 — This month marks the ninety-ninth anniversary of the Balfour Declaration and the beginning in earnest of preparations for next year's centenary . . .
“His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”
. . . in contrast to Israel's insistence today that Zionism merely equates to "Jewish self-determination," the creation of a "Jewish state" in Palestine directly contradicted the principle of self-determination . . . At the time of Balfour's letter, Jews constituted approximately 10 percent of Palestine's population (at the time of the first Zionist Congress in 1897, that figure was 4 percent). Even by 1947, Palestinian Arabs were the easy majority—two-thirds of the population . . . “if the crude arithmetical conception of democracy were to be applied now or at some early stage in the future to Palestinian conditions, the majority that would rule would be the Arab majority . . . the Zionist dream ran counter to the principles of democracy” . . . Full story: middleeasteye.net
Comment: Britain's Prime Minister Lord Salisbury (Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil) retired in 1902 and was succeeded by his nephew, Arthur James Balfour. Such an ardent Zionist, when he lost the Prime Ministership, rather than retiring gracefully, Balfour continued in politics as Minister for Foreign Affairs. A demotion, yes, but Arthur James was continuing his work for a 'greater cause,' and when he finally did retire, he and his nieces and nephews continued their work for 'Zionism.' So from 1902 when his Foreign Secretary Joseph Chamberlain's offer of Uganda was rejected by Theodor Herzl, Balfour was at the required post to ensure Rothschild's moves to obtain Palestine were covered (Arthur James Balfour was a Zionist).
Yale Professor lets Students skip Test in Wake of Trump Victory
November 10, 2016 "I am getting many heartfelt notes from students who are in shock over the election returns," the professor wrote in an email to his students, according to Yale Daily News Managing Editor Jon Victor tweeted.
"The ones I find most upsetting are those who fear, rightly or wrongly, for their own families. These students are requesting that the exam be postponed. On the other hand, I am sure that many students have sacrificed to prepare for the test . . . Therefore, I am making the exam optional."
[These students are intellectually unqualified to study, having ignored Killary's record of global bloodshed and destruction, treason and criminality- Ed].
The professor told the class he would "calculate each student's grade both with and without the exam.
The decision irked many social media users, who were quick to blast the students on Wednesday. "And we wonder why they feel entitled and want everything paid for. What a joke," wrote one Twitter user. "Oh, how our hearts should bleed for these poor, shattered little snowflake-children" . . . Full story: fellowshipoftheminds.com
Comment: I have been reading up on the soon-coming invasion of the United States, and with Judaized commo educators and wimpish students the US is defeated already. These students are emotive puppets of the Jew George Soros, incapable of thought and analysis and absent self-discipline. Simultaneous 'spontaneous' protests were organized in 25 cities.
Malachi 3:13 – 4:4
Let us review and explain Malachi 3:10 – 12. In plain language God is the Logos, and like you and me He is only as good as His Word. His instruction to believers is "make a punctual and full payment into the storehouse of all tithes that there may be provision for the daily sacrifices, and the maintenance of My ministers—then priests and Levites—now the fivefold ministry under the New Testament. Make this an experiment to test My faithfulness to My Word of promise and see if I don't open the windows of heaven for you. There is now a dearth and a scarcity of produce; trade is slow, but prove Me now and see whether your plenty is not in proportion to the free-will whereby you bring in your tithes and heave offerings; and whether I will not immediately send you showers of blessing, whereby trade improves and the earth brings forth in great abundance".
If you are unsure of God, put His Word to the test. If you honour your Word and it seems He has neglected to honour His Word, might it be that you are serving the traditions of men that make the Word of God of no effect (Matthew 15:1-9)?
To "open the windows of heaven" is a metaphor expressing God's showering down plenty, while "shutting up heaven" denotes scarcity (Deuteronomy 11:17). The Lord will pour out a blessing until you say, "It is sufficient"; and your acquaintances will see by your situation that you are blessed and a happy people; your home, business or country will be recognized as blessed because of your obedience, and this will bring Him honour.
Malachi 3:13 – 18, "Your hard words [of doubt in opposition to the conversation of the godly have been injurious, void of all reverence and duty, and blasphemous], constraining Me to prove Myself to you that I am 'the God of judgment' [you doubters sought in Malachi 2:17. As in verse 3:8] you say in your hearts, "What have we spoken against You?"
[What you have secretly said in your hearts I will declare openly]: You have said, "It is vain to serve God:" and "What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? We now deem the arrogant blessed; evil-doers not only prosper; but when they put God to the test they escape [judgment owing to His longsuffering love]."
The wicked prosper but their carnal minds see no benefit in obedience and fail to recognize material rewards are temporal and they will ultimately suffer loss. When we tithe we are not giving of our increase but returning His due of the increase He has provided us. Psalm 50:10, "Every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." If we do not have sufficient trust and faith to give God what is His property we cannot have faith for Him to provide the ninety percent for our needs. This is presumptuous sin (Psalm 19:13; II Peter 2:10).
"You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed [defrauded, cheated] God in tithes and offerings," and the election is off! Christ is marrying a W_O_R_D Bride and Malachi 3:8-9 is His Word.
"[But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20) and] those who feared the Lord conversed with one another [in love]: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a Book of Remembrance [called the Lamb's Book of Life] was written before Him for those who feared the Lord, and thought upon His Name. [Herein is their reward—the promise of God's Word—unseen and therefore unrecognized by those without faith (II Corinthians 5:7)]. They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, My peculiar treasure on the Day of the Lord (Exodus 19:5; Ephesians 1:14; II Thessalonians 2:14; Titus 2:14; I Peter 2:9; Malachi 4:3); and I will spare them [when I pour out My wrath], as a man spares his own son who serves him in filial obedience. Then once more you will return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him".
Psalm 103:11-13, "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who reverence Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us; like as a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord tenderly sympathizes with those who revere Him".
A prophet is a sign of oncoming judgment as witnessed by Noah, Moses, Jonah, Elijah, Daniel, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Paul and Brother Branham. Speaking to natural Israel under the Old Covenant which foreshadowed spiritual Israel under the New Covenant, Amos (3:1-8) cited five natural types to confirm that "the God of Judgment" cannot pour out His wrath on the great and dreadful Day of the Lord without first revealing His secret counsel to His servants the prophets to warn claimants to His Covenant and show them the way of righteousness whereby they may repent of their iniquity, seek pardon, peace and grace and escape the wrath that is to come by faith in Him who died and rose again.
Malachi 4:1-6 warns of the Day of the Lord and of the spirit of Elijah that will anoint two prophets, one before the close of the dispensation of Law and one before the close of the dispensation of grace. John the Baptist was the Elijah of Malachi 3:1 who introduced Christ's first Coming. Three years after his death and more that 2,000 years before "the great and dreadful Day of the Lord" his ministry "turned the heart of the apostolic fathers to those who would be born-again as God's children," not His servant nation, Israel (John 8:35). William Branham (1909 – 1965) was the Elijah of Malachi 4:6b whose ministry restored the heart of God's children back to "the faith once delivered to our apostolic fathers (Jude 1:3) before He smites the earth with a curse [in the consummation turning it to nuclear cinders]".
Malachi 4:1-3, "For, behold, the Day of the Lord is coming, burning like a furnace [as foretold in Malachi 3:2], when all the arrogant happy murmurers, heathens and all evildoers will be stubble: and the day that comes will burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root or branch [to recover]" (Isaiah 5:24; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Obadiah 1:18; Matthew 3:12). False Christian tares, thorns and briers will be cast into the fire with all sin and corruption (Matthew 13:40-42). As it was in the days of Sodom this is the manner whereby earth will purify itself for the millennium; earth's crust shall fracture and fresh lava will overflow and dissolve the old world.
No true believer is any stronger and spiritually healthy and alive than his knowledge of and adherence to the pure Word of God, as seen by multitudes of examples in the Old Testament. And as it was in the days of Malachi, many, even of those who have served God, were borderline believers: they recognized the prophet and his ministry, learned quotations from his Message, but never took them to God's Holy Bible to ensure they personally were rooted and grounded in the Absolute. Today the last Pentecostal saints are passing while we remain. Doubts without faith have darkened trust and the whispers of their own hearts were reinforced by the mutterings of websites like believethesign or seekyethetruth, "turning away their ears from the Truth unto fables." Now as "scoffers walking after their own lusts, they ask, Where is the promise of His Coming [though they once knew He has come and is present]? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (II Timothy 3:4; II Peter 3:3-4).
Brother Branham said, "And we know that the time is near at hand. We see the world in a quivering, shaking condition, knowing that the atoms will soon be burning, and the heavens will be on fire—as the apostle Peter said—and "will burn with fervent heat" (Psalm 50:3; Isaiah 66:15-16; Daniel 7:9-10). The atoms of the earth will catch fire soon. There'll be a relay, and there'll be not even dust left of the people".
"And then what, Lord? Maybe five hundred years from now an old tombstone, blow over yonder in the howling winds, the burning blistering sun, when it lays near the sun for its purification before the millennium, maybe the name of some of the people here will be written on that. Where will their wandering soul be?" (Conferences with God, #61-0410).
Malachi 4:2, But for you [in My Book of Remembrance who believe its promises, rejoice in expectation of its blessings, tremble at its threatenings, walk humbly with God] and revere My Name, the Sun of righteousness [Christ whose Light clothed the primitive Church (Revelation 12:1; Psalm 84:11; Isaiah 60:1-3, 19-20; Luke 1:78-79; Revelation 19:17) shall arise [not destroying like the fire, but] with healing in its beams [restoring natural life to this purified planet]; and you will go forth leaping with joy like calves let out from the stall to pasture"—a simile describing the glorified righteous returning to the earth with Christ.
Malachi 4:3, "And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of hosts." In this life the arrogant evildoers often prosper and are happy; they tempt God and are even delivered (Malachi 3:15). But at this point in the Day of the Lord "He who exalted himself shall be abased, and he who humbled himself shall be exalted." The elect will go forth [to Hinnom, a type of Gehenna], and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against the Lord, for their worm will not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh (Isaiah 66:24; 26:5-6; 63:2-3).
In Malachi 4:4 God admonished the Israelites: "remember the Law of Moses My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments" because you will have no more prophets for four hundred years. Then "My messenger John the Baptist will prepare the way before Me—your Messiah and KINSMAN Redeemer manifest in virgin-born flesh" (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; I Timothy 3:16). Until that time you are to follow the institution and obey the statutes and judgments delivered to Moses.
Speaking through Moses the Lord God said, "I will raise up a Prophet from among the Israelites, like you, and I will put My Words in His mouth; and He will speak to them all that I shall command Him (John 8:26). And whoever refuses to hearken to My Words which He speaks in My Name shall be utterly destroyed from among the people" (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Acts 3:22-23).
"The written Law was an external shadow of good things to come"—the blessing of Abraham under the New Covenant is the internal reality of God's will which is His Word engraved in your heart by faith "and man will no longer teach his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest" (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Hebrews 8:11). The Body or real substance that cast the shadow of the blessings typified by the Law is Christ the Word in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5-13; 10:1-5). So until John introduced the Body which cast the shadow the Israelites must hold fast to the shadow revealed by Moses and the audible Voice of the Lord from Mount Horeb (Exodus 9:19). In other words, "The secret things [which cast the shadow] belong to the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed [or foreshadowed in the statutes and judgments of the Law] belong to us and to our children forever so that we may do all the Words of this Law" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Like you and me, Israel was to "walk by faith not by sight" in all of the Light then revealed and watch as God unfolds more Light (II Peter 1:12; I John 1:7), thus avoiding presumptuous sin (Psalm 19:13; Deuteronomy 18:20; II Peter 2:10).
Galatians 3:11-27, "It is evident that no man is justified by the Law before God; for, "The just shall live by faith." And the Law does not rest on faith but makes "works" the conditional ground of justification, and the man who does these things shall live by them"—for without "doing the works" the Law is of no use to men (Romans 2:13, 17, 23; 10:5).
"Christ has redeemed Israelites and proselytes from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" that through Jesus Christ the blessing of Abraham might come upon us Gentiles; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith".
"In terms of human relationships, Brethren, no one annuls or adds to a man's will once it has been ratified (Revelation 22:18-19). Now the promises were made to Abraham and his seed. The will or testament did not say, "And to His seeds," referring to many; but as of One, "And to Your Seed," which is Christ. And this is the point: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, cannot invalidate a Covenant previously ratified by God, so as to annul the promise. For if the inheritance is by the Law, then it is no longer by promise: but God has given it to Abraham by a promise".
"Why then was the Law given? It was a temporary enactment intervening between the promise but only until its fulfilment in Christ. It was added because of transgressions, to make Israelites more fully conscious of their sins by recognizing them as transgressions of the Law, so as to make them long for the promised Seed and Saviour to whom the promise was made (Romans 4:15; Galatians 3:23-24); it was given to the hand of Moses, a mediator (Deuteronomy 5:5; Acts 7:38), and promulgated by angels" (Acts 7:53; Hebrews 2:2). Of course before the Law there was no transgression and sin was not imputed to men (Romans 5:13). Therefore "the Law of sin and death was a curse" because no man can keep the Law which would condemn and imprison men for sin but could not justify and release them from sin (Romans 5:20-21; 7:13).
"Angels are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). Speaking of the new birth of the elect Brother Branham said, "Then after you recognize the very Word of God was Eagle Food, then you left the other thing. You've then been formed into the living image of the living God. You heard from your theophany. "If this earthly body is dissolved, we have one waiting" (Who is this Melchisedec? p. 17:88; II Corinthians 5:1). The angels or messengers of Deuteronomy 33:2-3, Psalm 68:17 and Acts 7:38 were the theophanies of saints, prophets, and our Lord Jesus Himself. The angels of Acts 7:53 and Hebrews 2:2-3 are prophets who in person or by their writings in Scripture promulgated the Law which God gave to Moses personally, as He personally gave the promise to Abram, and as the virgin-born Jesus He communicated the Gospel personally to His disciples who were the messengers or angels of Acts 1:12-26 who witnessed Jesus Messiah from His anointing after baptism to His resurrection.
Hebrews 2:2-9 "If the Old Testament promulgated by angels [messengers, prophets] was steadfast [being THUS SAITH THE LORD (Galatians 1:8-9)], and every transgression and disobedience [to the Word] received a just recompense of reward. How shall we escape, if we neglect the great salvation of the Gospel which at the first began to be spoken by our Lord Jesus Himself [who is more than a [prophet (Hebrews 1:1-14)], and was confirmed [personally] by the angels [New Testament saints, apostles and prophets] who heard him; God also bearing [them] witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will (Mark 16:15-20; Luke 1:2; I John 1:1-5)?
"For God did not subject the "last days" or Messianic age of redemption and completion which succeeded the Mosaic age to Old Testament angels. But one [angel, the prophet David], testified in Psalm 8:4-6, saying, "What is man, that You are mindful of him? Or Jesus Christ the Son of man whom you honour so highly? You made Him a little lower than the angels; You crowned Him with glory and honour, and set Him over the works of Your hands: You have put all things in subjection under His feet. For in subjecting all things under Him, You left nothing that is not subject to Him. At present we see not all things are subjected to Him. But we see Him who was made a little lower than the angels—Jesus, because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God He should taste death for every man" [that we might inherit all things] . . .
As Spirit or theophany God could not die or even bleed so He had to be made lower than the Angels in order to fulfil the part of our KINSMAN Redeemer, taste death and overcome the grave. "He must reign, till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (I Corinthians 15:25-26).
Acts 2:32-36, "This Jesus has God raised up, and [although you Jews will not admit to it] we all are witnesses of this. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and receiving of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He has poured forth what you both see and hear. For [the angel] David is not ascended into the heavens [under the blood of bulls and goats]: but he said himself, The Lord [Yahweh] said to my Lord [Messiah], Sit on My right hand, until I make your enemies your judgment seat. [Now, after the Blood of Christ was shed and the heavenly sanctuary cleansed of the accumulated sins of all the Old Testament saints, they could resurrect in glorified bodies, and ascend typing Revelation 15:8]. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ." So is Jesus a third person of the trinity, or is He the entire trinity? He is the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Hebrews, Chapter Two, p. 53:116-154, 176, 200).
After His resurrection Jesus said, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth, go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone of Adam's race" (Matthew 28:19-20). God and man have united in a NEW CREATION: the Logos made flesh was crucified and is raised for our justification. "God will be with us even in us forevermore." The throne and resting place of the Spirit, once in heaven, is now in the heart of His Son Christ Jesus and in His seed (Isaiah 53:10). This is the mystery of God's will purposed in Himself (Ephesians 1:5-9).
Hebrews 2:16, "God did not lay hold on the nature of angels to help them" as they do not need redemption, and dominion belongs to men (Genesis 1:28). So in order to undertake the work of human redemption it was necessary for Him to become "the promised Seed [singular] of Abraham" in whom "all nations of Adam's race will be blessed" (Genesis 22:18) when they see God in Jesus Christ fulfil the part of Adam's KINSMAN Redeemer. For every believer baptized into Christ is Abraham's Seed and an heir according to the promise (Hebrews 2:9, 12; Psalm 22:22-31).
In Galatians 3:19 we learned that the Law was delivered to Israel in the hand of a mediator, the prophet Moses, and promulgated or enforced by prophets and judges: wise men and women. The Law was a contract involving two parties: God and Israel. As a contract the Law was conditional and if the conditions are not observed the whole contract is broken. Since Israel dishonoured their contract they forfeited the blessings annexed thereto and the curse of the penalty prevailed.
Galatians 3:20, "Now mediation involves at least two parties. A mediator is not a mediator of one party, but God stands alone as the sovereign Giver of the promise to Abraham face to face." God's promise to Abraham is pure unconditional grace. He gave the promise, and He will honour His promise despite the mistakes and failings of His elect. "For His gifts of grace and His calling are unconditional and irrevocable" (Romans 11:29).
Romans 11:28-32, "By rejecting the Gospel and their indignation at its being preached to the Gentiles, the Israelites [having breached their contract through opposition to the divine will] are regarded as enemies of God, excluded from the kingdom and family of God for your benefit and blessing".
Romans 11:11, 15, "Did they stumble that they should fall? God forbid: but through their false step salvation is come to us Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy [as Moses prophesied in (Deuteronomy 32:21; Romans 10:19)—for emulation is a legitimate stimulus to what is good] . . . For if the temporary rejection of the Israel nation means the reconciliation of the [Gentile] world, what will the acceptance and rebirth of the nation of 144,000 elect Israelites be, but life from the dead?"
Continuing Romans 11:28, "But as touching the election of Abraham and his seed, they are beloved [even in their state of exclusion from the Kingdom and family of God] because of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob"; [hence God's provision of grace to righteous non-elect Israelite martyes under the Fifth Seal (Matthew 24:9-13; Revelation 6:9-11)]. "For His gifts of grace and His calling are unconditional and irrevocable".
"Just as you, while strangers to Christ, were once disobedient and rebellious towards God but now have obtained mercy through their disobedience and breach of contract; so these Israelites have now been disobedient that through the mercy shown to you they also may obtain mercy [as in Galatians 3:22]. [True grace seeks not to confine God's favour. Those who find mercy themselves should endeavour that through their mercy others also may obtain mercy]. For God's purpose was to shut up ALL men by their obstinate opposition to the divine will, causing them to miss the mark (II Corinthians 3:15-16) so that after the experience first of a humbled, condemned state without hope, all the elect of Adam's race may experience His mercy [undeserved favour] in Christ by grace through faith despite their proven guilt".
Galatians 3:21-24, "[Because it is inferior to the promise] is the Law contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had been given which could impart life, righteousness [justification and eternal bliss] would be by the Law." But Moses' Law was utterly incapable of giving salvation; because it was independent of the promise of grace and offered neither pardon of sin on repentance or invisible marriage union with the Spirit whereby we overcome the worldly nature of our ten senses. "Consequently the Scripture [where the Law is written] has shut up all unto a violation of the divine Law in thought or deed (Romans 11:32; Galatians 3:22), that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, Israelites were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed."
"Wherefore the Law was their schoolmaster until Christ came, that they might be justified by faith. But since faith has come, they are no longer under a schoolmaster, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Israelite nor Gentile, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise".
Two thousand years ago Israel rejected the prophet of Malachi 3:1 and his Message for the traditions of the Babylonian Talmud. Thus spiritually blinded by their own choosing they brutally slaughtered Messiah and "to this day when the Old Testament is read, the same vail remains unlifted, because only through faith in Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a vail lies over their hearts; but whenever one turns to the Lord, the vail is removed".
How late is the hour? Whereas God concluded the Law in Israel's apostasy, on about March 8, 1968 He fulfilled Revelation 4, 5 and 10:1-4, terminating the Laodicean Church Age in unbelief, Christ's Mediation for ignorance of the fullness of the Word and redemption. This breach of faith can only be crossed by obedience to a clear revelation of "the Voice of the seventh angel" which will continue shouting his Message until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. But the world church system rejected this Prophet of Malachi 4:6b for the traditions of men and are "crucifying unto themselves the Son of God afresh" (Hebrews 6:6).
The vail of spiritual blindness has been over the denominational Churches since Christ's unseen second or (Gk.) 'parousia' Coming in 1963 (Revelation 16:13-16). Soon the last Trump will sound and Los Angeles will sink beneath the sea marking the close of the Gentile dispensation and signalling the first resurrection. nl949.htm
Pass it on . . . please send this article to someone you know
Brother Grigor-Scott is a non-denominational minister who has ministered full-time since 1981, primarily to other ministers and their congregations overseas. He pastors Bible Believers' tiny congregation, and is available to teach in your church.
Bible Believers' Church
Gunnedah NSW
Australia 2380e-mail Bible Believers URL Bible Believers' Website
PowerPoint presentation The Second Coming of Christ
Subscribe click Unsubscribe click