James
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James Chapter 1 Discussion Page 9
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Have you followed Keturah's children? Perhaps some carried gifts
all the way to Christ? Could the gifts been the Faith of Abraham?
Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
Exodus 6:3
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Exodus 17:15
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
Judges 6:24
Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Psalms 83:18
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Isaiah 12:2
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Isaiah 26:4
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
This word stiffnecked is also found in Acts 7:51. It says you stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. That's not a great way to start out if you're trying to win friends! Stiffnecked? We've heard that before and all of us have actually experienced waking up some morning with a stiff neck.
But that's not what it means. In those days, they called a person a "stiffneck "person when they refused to bow. And someone would come over to them and grab them by the back of the neck and try to make them bow and they would stiffen up and refuse to bow. That's where the term stiffnecked comes from.
A "stiffnecked" person is a person who refuses to bow to the lordship of Christ.
Exodus 34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our SIN sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
2 Chronicles 30:8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but YIELD yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and SERVE serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always RESIST resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
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The spring equinox is also called the "Great Gate"
Kings were anointed on the 1st day of the 7th month (Yom Teruah)
God so loved NUMBERS that He named an entire Book by them!
Enoch lived 365 years. His son Methuselah lived 187 years and had Lamech. (There are 187 days between the spring and fall equinox).
364-187 = 177
There are 177 days between any 6 month lunar time period. There are 177 days between Passover and Tabernacles.
Lamech lived 182 years and begat Noah. There are 182 days in a year.
Lamech lived 777 years. 364 x 2 = 728 (+49 = 777) Jared lived 162 years and begat Enoch.
Sorry, I had a feeling that would happen. Hope you enjoyed it!
This year the Sabbath is on Monday.
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The "Calendar week" is days 4 thru 3 while the "Creation week" is days 1 thru 7
Sabbath days remain constant on the Enoch calendar in relation to the spring equinox; but they will rotate on the Gregorian calendar. We now have the privilege of these (Sacred) Books, look at ( Micah 6:8).
Enoch lived 365 years (and possibly .242)
The spring equinox is the great equalizer of the calendar and is the leap day that rectifies the calendar every year (day 365.242), look at (Ps. Ch. 19)
March 20, 2019 (sunrise to sunrise) was the 365th day of the solar year (the day of the spring equinox), making March 21, 2019 the first day of the first month of the New Year (and the 4th day of the week)
The 364 day Enoch solar calendar runs off the 365.242 day solar cycle
When does the day start? Look at ( Gen 1:16, 18, 19:33, 34, Ex. 10:13, 16:22-27,
We are specifically commanded to use the SUN as the sign for days, Sabbaths, months, years, Sabbaths of years, jubilees, and feasts, and for all seasons of the year.
The LUNAR cycle for the year is 354 days
The Enoch solar calendar is 364 days (+ 365th and day of spring equinox)
The moon is to be for light upon the earth at night ( Gen. 1:14, Ps. 136:9, Jer. 31:35), for seasons ( Ps. 104:19), and for a witness to the covenant of David ( Ps. 89:37).
The ONLY calendar that can reckon Daniel's 70 weeks is the Enoch calendar.
A breakdown of the Enoch calendar
1) 12 month, 30 day month, 360 days
2) + 4 intercalary days (+ 1 occasional leap day) = 365 days
3) 364 / 7 = 52
4) Four intercalary days are to be lived but not reckoned, same with the occasional leap day.
5) Intercalary day (day of remembrance) is inserted at the end of each 3 month cycle.
6) 1st day of the 1st month is ALWAYS the day AFTER the spring equinox.
7) 1st day of the 1st month ALWAYS resets to the 4th day of the week.
8) Enoch lived 365 years.
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The "course of Abia" ( Luke 1:5) is the 8th of 24 priestly courses (watches) that were followed by Aaron and his sons (priest line) as given in 1 Chronicles 24:10. This is the course Zacharias the father of John the Baptist was following.
The first day of the first month according to the Enoch calendar is ALWAYS the 4th (FOURTH) day of the week. A check for this can be found in the book of Jubilees where it states that the Festival of Shavuot is ALWAYS the 15th day of the 3rd month and is ALWAYS the FIRST day of the week. So if you count backwards to the 1st day of the 1st month it will ALWAYS be the 4th day of the week.
(Enoch 72:32-34) states that there is a separation day that is to occur at the spring equinox which separates each year. It is the day after day 364 and it does NOT have a day attached to it. It is the time from the end of the 364th day until the spring equinox. The day after the 364th day is intercalated.
The Enoch calendar is a holy priestly calendar that is based on 364 days ONLY. The extra time until the equinox is used to calibrate the New Year. That time is not counted. The calendar is perfectly rectified every year.
The Enoch calendar is 364 days EXACTLY look at (Enoch 74:10, 12, 81:6, 7, 11, Jubilees 6:32, 38) The solar cycle is 365.242 days.
All ancient (and current) calendars are generally reckoned upon a twelve month 30 day cycle with 5 days added.
The SUN is the ONLY tool used to calibrate the calendar. The sun is the great sign on earth and highlights the Sabbath day and the spring equinox is the great calibration sign to mark the yearly cycle
As stated above, the calendar resets every year on the 4th day of the 1st month. The 1st day of the 1st month is always the 4th day of the week. The 4th day of the 1st month is always a Sabbath
As far as calendars go, I have been involved for the last few years with trying to follow the Enoch calendar as presented in the books of Enoch from the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS).
I will try not to get into too much information, but I find it to be very interesting.
The recurrent theme that is most striking throughout all of the DSS is the SOLAR CALENDAR!
Look at the first book of Enoch, in ch. 72, and in ch. 82 (column 27) are words concerning an ancient solar calendar.
It is stated that Enoch brought the calendar from heaven, claiming a very ancient origin to it, learning it from the angels. Enoch spent many years in heaven learning the 364 day solar priestly calendar and spent one year on earth teaching it to his son Methuselah, who taught it to his son, and so on. In the time of Abraham, Melchezadok was the one that brought the calendar back up to heaven?
The Book of Enoch describes how the Holy place has 2 dimensions, heavenly and earthly. There are 7 heavenly sanctuaries corresponding to the 1 earthly Mount Zion, one Temple, and one chariot of the cherubim. In heaven there are 7 firmaments, 7 sanctuaries, 7 temples, and 7 chariots of the cherubim.
In the Book, Angels are called Priests of Sacrifices; not sacrificing animals, but incense and liturgy. The order of the sacrificial liturgy corresponds to the order of the sacrifice in the Temple; i.e.- songs of the Sabbath liturgy. Angels are taking care of proper sacrifice for what is not being properly sacrificed on earth.
In the extra Psalms found in the DSS, it is said that David authored 364 songs for each day of the year. David authored 52 songs for each Sabbath of the year. David authored 18 songs for each of the holy days of the year.
Book of Jubilees- Noah stayed in the Ark for 364 days.
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e / f / g) Again, I agree with you that Christ came to fulfill the Law.
However, I believe that the "Law" was the blood (and certain ceremonial) "ordinances" Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:20, that His blood on the cross made acceptable "once for all" Hebrews 10:10. As Matthew 5:18 states; "till ALL be fulfilled."
ALL has not been fulfilled yet. The rest of the Law stands.
I try my best to follow the Law. However I look at Romans 3:28 and Romans 7:5-6 in this way:
What sets us apart from the Law is our ability to be forgiven (no longer through blood sacrifice by a priest on an altar) but through Jesus. Forgiveness has to do with sin. I don't need forgiveness if I have not sinned. Sin has to do with BREAKING THE LAW. Forgiveness is what leads to redemption, and EVERYONE needs forgiveness EVERYDAY. When we sin we put ourselves under the Law; I don't see how we can't.
The following of the LAW and the doing of good WORKS will lead us straight into the GRACE of God and His only Begotten.
I will send you the Enoch calendar info. on another page
Great feedback as always:
A foundational aspect which I find myself defending (as the minority position) is the debate between Law vs. Grace as well as Works vs. Grace.
I find myself in the position of believing that we are in need of the Law. We are also in need of Works. And most of all, we are in need of the Grace given to us through faith in Jesus Christ.
I will give my opinion based upon your alphabetic structure
a) I believe that we are ALL "God's "elect,"
Israel is "elect" for all the reasons you mention.
Christians are "elect" because Scripture says so ( Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4).
b) I agree, and will add that God NEVER intended or believed Israel could fulfill the Law. The Law was given to Israel (and all who cared to follow) for proper ceremonial worship, and for guidance, and for correction.
c) I agree and will add that Jesus not only fulfilled the Law perfectly as a Jew, but also as a man.
d) While I can (partially) agree with you that Christ came to fulfill the Law (of ordinances, i.e. blood sacrifice, not the entire Law), I believe that the MAIN REASON Jesus was promised by God to all of mankind can be found all the way back in Genesis 3:15. At that particular point in time, Adam and Eve were the only two people on the planet to have partaken in sin.
God knew that Israel would backslide. That is why the Savior was promised right from the beginning of the fall of man, thousands of years before the nation of Israel ever existed.
The promise of Genesis 3:15, however, has to do with the DEATH of Jesus, and the result of His crucifixion can be found in Hebrews 2:14.
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;"
That is the PRIMARY reason Jesus was promised, and is the (partial) fulfillment of that promise of Genesis 3:15; partial because Satan is not dead yet.
Thank you and God bless.
Hope to hear from you soon.
So, I suppose that's why Paul encouraged believers not to judge one another over various matters ( Col 2:16) which are a shadow of things to come, as each one led by the Spirit does according to his belief & conviction. So, No, I don't ascribe to the 10 Commandments, but His Spirit in me I know takes me far beyond them & to all who are led of the Spirit of God.
And by the way, which calendar do you follow & how does that impact in your daily life?
Also, Col 2:14 & Eph 2:15: the Gk is 'dogmasin', meaning 'an opinion, or a public decree': a little open-ended.
May the Lord help us in the study of His Word & I appreciate your time.
g. what then is the response to those who require obedience to God's Laws (for both Jew & Gentile) & also to enjoy Christ's salvation? If we keep the Law, then we are bound to it & its demands (Js 2:10). If we belong to Christ through His Gift of Salvation, then we are bound to His Spirit Who imputes God's Laws in our hearts. Rom 8:1-5: I see the key words here (as pertaining to our discussion) as "the righteousness of the Law" (v4).
Someone has said that there were 600 Laws given for the Jews to obey. I agree that the Law is no way negated or abolished, but the whole essence of that Law, was to bring guilt & condemnation so that Israel might look to God in faith knowing that their ability to keep the Law failed before God. And now, that same Law, but no longer by the letter, is imputed into the believers' hearts enabling them to know, understand & obey them by the guidance & power of the Spirit. Will it still be the 10 Commandments for us to obey? What sayeth the Spirit of God to our hearts? Surely it will be the righteousness of the Law, that which surmounts the letter. Just as the Jew knew the Law forbad adultery, but that Law didn't stop him from what Jesus spoke of in Mt 5:28. Jesus spoke of the Law's righteousness, & this Law is in our hearts that we might be convicted of it. The Jew knew that the Sabbath was Holy with its requirements: the Spirit speaks of the blessed rest we have in Christ, one now for those who have come to Christ ( Mt 11:28,29), & the rest yet to come ( Heb 4:1-11).
Again, you've raised a number of questions worthy for thought but I will focus on the foundational aspect on which I base my belief & premise: Is the Christian commanded or obliged to keep the Law?
a. to whom was the Law given? Only to God's elect, Israel: ( Lev 26:46).
b. why was it given? For their good ( Deut 10:13); to reveal Himself to His people ( Lev 19:2, Deut 31:12,13); to set Israel apart (sanctify them) as a witness to other nations ( Lev 20:8, Deut 28:1, 9-10); and to reveal humanity's need of a Saviour ( Rom 3:20, 7:7, 8:3,4).
c. did not Jesus obey the Law? As a Jew, He fulfilled it perfectly ( Mt 5:17) & the Law will remain unchanged till it reaches its intended purpose (v 18).
d. if that is so, then why did Jesus have to come & give His life for mankind? What the Law was unable to do, only Christ could do ( Rom 8:3).
e. then what did Christ's sacrifice do to the Law? To those who still keep the Law, they have to obey it perfectly, or be guilty of all (Js 2:10). To those who are convinced that they are guilty under the law, find forgiveness by faith in Christ, apart from the Law ( Rom 3:28).
f. can a Christian then still be under (keep) the Law (putting himself under Jewish Law) & have salvation through Christ's Blood? Impossible, for the Law could only reveal one's sin which lead to death. But now all who are in Christ (Jew & Gentile) are delivered from that law of death, believing & serving God in the spirit & not according to the letter ( Rom 7:5,6).
I will share briefly my understanding of each one.
1) I believe the bible speaks of more than one book of life. I believe there is a book of life that everyone who has been born into this world is recorded into. And then I believe that there is the Lamb's book of life that everyone who has been born again by the Spirit of God is recorded into. As far as who makes the entries, I don't think that God actually has pen and paper writing down all the names of those who received Him. He already knows those who belong to Him. The other book of life may have been some register that recorded a person's name when they were born. We still have that today.
2) I look at the story of the rich man and Lazarus and I see that there were two compartments, Abraham's Bosom, and Hades. I believe that Abraham's Bosom was paradise. Right now, I believe there is only one side left, and that's Hades. I believe Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth and released those who were in Abraham's Bosom and took them with Him. This is also my understanding of why Christ told the thief on the cross that today you will be with me in paradise. How individuals were assigned was determined by whether a person belonged to God or not at the point of death.
3) The Great White Throne Judgment is a judgment that only non-believers, those who reject Christ, will have to face. Believers will also be judged, but we stand before the Bema seat of Christ. Our judgment is not for salvation or damnation, but for reward/s. That which is of Christ, we will receive a reward for. That which is not of Christ will burn in the fire, but we ourselves will be saved.
4) The lake of fire was created for the devil and his angels. Satan will eventually be cast into the lake of fire, along with all his angels. Non-believers, those who have rejected Christ will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment, and they too will be cast into the lake of fire.
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As Paul states in Hebrews 4:11: "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, AS GOD DID FROM HIS."
When did God rest? The 7th day.
When did Jesus rest? The 7th day.
When did the Apostles rest AFTER CHRIST DIED? The 7th day.
Was Peter wrong for observing the health laws laid out by God in the book of Leviticus well AFTER Christ had died? Why was he following these laws if ALL had been fulfilled in Christ ( Acts 10:12)?
God explained what is clean and unclean. Did Christ make all unclean food clean again? Answer: No. But I am not going to judge a new Christian (in meat) for eating a ham sandwich; however I will politely and gently point him to Leviticus 11.
"ALL" has not been fulfilled, therefore the LAW still exists. ( Matthew 5:18).
The student of God's word needs to be clear as to what "ORDINANCES" ( Ephesians 215, Colossians 2:14) have been taken out of the way (such as blood sacrifice) and what LAWS (7th day, health) are still in effect.
To answer your questions:
All believers look to take one day off a week, per order of God. I don't think anyone is condemned for trying to understand it as clearly as possible. As I said over and over, I am not the judge and ignorance is not a sin.
Could the 7th day vs. the 1st day be, as you state, "a possible divider of those that are granted eternal life from those that are rejected," I would reply that the ONLY thing that will not be forgiven you in the flesh is if you reject the Holy Spirit from speaking through you if and when the time comes.
On a side note Chris, I appreciate your feedback and I am amazed at your ability to respond to various people at the same time. These comments and replies take me forever to generate.
I interpret Colossians 2:16 differently than you do. I believe this verse concerns those that are weaker in faith and in understanding of Scripture are not to be condemned or judged by those that are stronger in faith.
I completely disagree with your belief that Paul is telling us that "the believer is free to do a number of things, including appointing his worship day." Do you tell people that they do not need to understand or follow the OT because it has been replaced? Dangerous stuff there!
Did Christ come to obliterate the Law, (our schoolmaster)? Absolutely not! How do you justify your condemnation of O.T. law?
Do you think that you are not under the 10 Commandments? You are under the law if you break the law. And that is every one every day. Last I checked, only Jesus didn't break any laws, ever?
Concerning the Sabbath, we are plainly told that Christ became our Sabbath and our rest is EVERY DAY, not just one day per week ( Hebrews 4:1-11). That is what I believe! ( 1 Corinthians 5:7). And that is why I don't care when you or anyone else observes the day of rest within a week. As I have repeatedly stated, I'm not the judge!
I would think that people who value understanding Scripture as clearly as possible (as you seem to) would want to use all available resources for this. If you want to rest on a Friday or a Sunday because it is EASIER and convenient and that is what everyone else is doing, that is your choice.
I was not trying to get into a "solar calendar argument," but your dismissive comments concerning the DSS, and your idea that days are "unimportant for worship" and that we "NEED" to abide by the current (Pope Gregory) calendar sounds to me like someone that is "in the world" and has closed his mind off to any new understanding? Are you fearful to find out something that might be different from your understanding?
2) describe paradise, and how individuals are assigned to each side.
3) describe "the great white throne judgement".
4) describe "the lake of fire", and who will face that punishment.
i thank you...
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (v. 17a) This would better be translated, "Every generous giving and every perfect gift is from above." James' interest here is to show that God is good. Therefore, the gifts sent to us by God are good rather than evil. As noted above, he has already stated that God "tempts no one" (v. 13)."coming down from the Father of lights" (v. 17b). The phrase, "Father of lights," takes us back to the creation, where "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" ( Genesis 1:3) and God creating the great lights of the heavens ( Genesis 1:14-18).Light and darkness are used in both Old and New Testaments as metaphors for a series of opposites: good and evil, order and chaos, security and danger, joy and sorrow, truth and untruth, life and death, salvation and condemnation. ( Isaiah 5:20; John 3:19-21; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:17-18).In the conflict between light and darkness, light always wins. Darkness can never dispel light. Light always dispels darkness.
"with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow".
I think that you will agree that there are many things in the Word that are either not fully explained or require us to make inferences to try & bring together: especially on eschatology, to which there are numerous divergent opinions, many of them well supported. So, my issue is not whether a believer chooses to keep Saturday as their day of rest & worship, to the exclusion of any other day; my concern is to the ramifications of that belief, i.e. if a Saturday (Sabbath) is not recognized, then what is the result to the believer & before God?
Col 2:16: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days". So, it seems clear that 'in Christ', the believer is free to do a number of things, including appointing his worship day & this should not be a cause for judgement or division. "All are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ". When in ministry in Pakistan, believers there were compelled to have Friday as their day of worship, simply because of the Muslim holy day & generally people worked for six days in the week. This felt strange at first, but it was after all a day set aside to worship the true God & an opportunity to minister. We could have refused to do so, saying that only the Sabbath or a Sunday is holy & to be observed. So I ask, what then are the implications to those who don't keep the Sabbath, just as I have mentioned to those who insist on it ( Gal 3:10-12)? Is it just another sin that is to be repented of, or a divider of those who are granted eternal life & those who are rejected?
I can't get into the 'solar calendar' argument: in the light of my understanding, the actual days are unimportant for worship & it would only lead to a strange observance of days given the calendars we now need to abide with.
I appreciate your comments and thoughts on this matter.
The many different views and ideas that come from this type of discussion are valuable to the overall understanding of Scripture.
I will leave you with this concerning the Seventh Day vs. the First Day.
I will hold to my understanding that if God or Jesus wanted us to change His day of rest, They would have made it abundantly clear. Correct interpretation of Scripture will justify a position. Any application to other thoughts or ideas may be welcome, but it cannot alter the interpretation. Inference is not the best way to justify a position. I have to remind myself of this all the time.
If Christ foretold us ALL THINGS ( Mark 13:23), why did He not clearly explain this changing of the 7th day to us as everything else we needed to know was.
Acts 18:4 can be used as an example that after Christ died, and rose from the dead, Paul was continually teaching in the synagogues on every Sabbath day, to both Greeks and Jews.
I believe that there is no particular day in which you worship more than any other day. That is a 7 day a week plan.
I believe that one day out of seven (the 7th day) the body should rest (as per instruction by our heavenly Father).
According to our current (Gregorian) 365 day calendar, the days slide (so to speak). For instance, your birthday might be on a Monday this year, but will slide to Tuesday (or possibly Wednesday) the following year.
So then, technically, this year's Sunday was last year's Saturday.
Is it Sunday because we are told so?
Among the findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls was the book of Enoch.
The book of Enoch contains the priestly Solar Calendar (ch. 72, 82). It is a 364 day calendar based on 52 seven day weeks.
It is a perfect solar priestly calendar used by the Israelites for thousands of years. This amazing calendar resets every year.
The DSS are a wealth of (seemingly untapped) information for Biblical students.