When Jesus was on the earth he instructed his disciples to go through the entire length and breath of Israel declaring the exciting message that the kingdom of God had drawn near. Originally the apostles and other disciples were under the impression that the kingdom of God they were preaching would be a restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Likely they wrongly assumed that Jesus would [...]
Entertaining questions regarding the reliability of the Bible, man of lawlessness, self abuse, second death, resurrection and more. Download Podcast, episode #36 (Right click SAVE LINK AS)
The name of God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and consequently the God of Israel, was represented in written form by the four Hebrew consonants YHWH. Probably the first appearance in writing of the so-called Tetragrammaton took place when God carved out the two stone tablets upon which he wrote the Ten Commandments for the Israelites. There, chiseled in stone by the very finger of God, the name of God appeared eight times.
Over the course of 15 centuries as the Bible was compiled by various writers, ultimately the name of God appeared in the vellum and papyrus scrolls in nearly 7,000 places – more than any other proper name. Originally the name of God was freely spoken by the Jews and used in everyday language. Hebrews often named their offspring names that incorporated some form of the divine name. For example, the common name, John, is a shortened form of the Hebrew name, Jehohanan, which means “Jehovah has been gracious.”
Places were also named names that honored God’s name. For example, when God prevented Abraham from offering Isaac upon a makeshift altar and instead provided a ram as a substitute, a grateful Abraham named the mountain Jehovah-Jireh, which means “Jehovah will provide.” Incidentally, Jewish tradition has it that the place Abraham named Jehovah-Jireh was the site where Solomon’s temple was built almost 1,000 years later, and which became known as the place where Jehovah caused his name to reside.
This program considers a call-in question regarding whether people of the world can still be saved during the tribulation. Also, questions about Enoch and Elijah going to heaven. Why did Thomas call Jesus “my Lord and my God”? (YouTube video on same question) And more…. Download Podcast, episode #35 (Right click SAVE LINK AS)
This episode considers questions regarding why only a handful of men govern the organization. How can parents be more understanding of their gay children? And why was there no truth-bearing organization during the 1800 years from the end of the 1st century to the advent of the Watchtower Society? Download Podcast, episode #34 (Right click SAVE FILE AS)
From the latter part of the 14th chapter of Isaiah through the 19th chapter, are conveyed Jehovah’s judgments against numerous nations surrounding Israel. However, it is noteworthy that Jehovah entered into judgment with his own nation first. This is in keeping with the axiom that judgment begins with the house of God.
Although the 13th and 14th chapters relate the end of the executioners, namely Babylon and Assyria, the prophecy of Isaiah is not presented chronologically. Babylon went on to overthrow many other nations before God finally disposed of it.
So, after Jerusalem and Judah were crushed by Babylon, the tempest from out of the north, as described by Jeremiah, God next called Philistia to account: “And with famine I will put your root to death, and what remains over of you will be killed. Howl, O gate! Cry out, O city! All of you must become disheartened, O Philistia! For out of the north a smoke is coming, and there is no one getting isolated from his ranks.”
The Philistines were the implacable enemies of Israel dating back to the days of the judges, most notably Samson, whose inspired final performance before the Philistine nobles brought the house down – literally! (Perhaps prefiguring the killing of the last anointed witnesses as the trigger for the destruction of the harlot)
Immediately after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and anointed by God as the promised Messiah he was promptly led by the holy spirit into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the Devil.
But that was just the beginning. After having failed to tempt Jesus into an act of disloyalty to Jehovah the gospel writer Luke noted that the Devil concluded the temptation, only “until another convenient time.” Some time later Jesus exposed his tempter as the wicked ruler of the world, the father of the lie and the original manslayer – charging his fellow Jews as being those desirous of doing the will of the wicked one.
On the night he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told his captors that it was their hour and the authority of darkness – meaning that Jehovah had removed his protection from Christ in order to allow the wicked one to test him to the limit. If you recall, on several occasions during his ministry the murderous Jews tried to kill Jesus, but could not. On other occasions the leaders wanted to have Christ destroyed but they were in fear of those who accepted him as a man of God. But all impediments to his destruction were swept away on that fateful Passover.
Jesus forewarned Peter that Satan had also demanded to have them, the apostles, in order to sift them as wheat, and by extension, everyone who has been called into the kingdom of Christ. That would include Jehovah's Witnesses today, would it not?
Three call-in questions and a variety of e-mail questions on this program. Download Podcast #33 (Right click SAVE LINK AS)
Questions concerning the Nephilim in the Promised Land. And what may we expect during the tribulation, after the Watchtower goes down? Also, a musical rendition of the 8th Psalm. Download Podcast, episode #32 (Right click SAVE LINK AS)
Considering questions about the preservation of the Bible itself, the manner of operation of the holy spirit, question about the two witnesses of Revelation, and advice on how to deal with the discouragement many of Jehovah’s Witnesses in-the-know are experiencing. Download Podcast, episode #31 (Right click SAVE AS)
