Dispensationalism

What makes a person a dispensationalist?

Some have consciously or unconsciously supposed that dispensationalism is only an outline or a chart of the events of the future. Although this is true, dispensationalism is a theology made up from a system of literal interpretation. What we see on a Biblical chart should be the result of inductive exegesis including its eschatology.

What makes a person a dispensationalist?

(1). A dispensationalist keeps Israel and the church distinct.

A dispensationalist believes that throughout mans day God is pursuing two distinct purposes: one related to the earth with the earthly seed and earthly objectives involved which is Israel; while the other is related to heaven with the heavenly seed and heavenly objectives involved, which is the Church. 

(2). The distinction between Israel and the church comes out of a system of hermeneutics that is usually called literal interpretation. Therefore, the second aspect of identifying a dispensationalist is the matter of historical-grammatical hermeneutics. 

(3). The purpose of God in all His dealings with mankind is that of glorifying Himself through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is God of all.

This is the foundation for true dispensationalism without this everything else crumbles.

Sabbatarianism

Does the Bible teach the seventh-day Sabbath as a moral law meant for all people? Is Sunday the new Sabbath for Christianity? There are numerous doctrines concerning Sabbath keeping that are held by Christianity today. These views differ on how one understands the Law of the Old Testament and it's fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word  shabbath, which means to rest, sever, desist, come to an end or intermission. It is very fascinating to know that this word is never translated seventh or seventh day. In the Old Testament an individual not keeping the Sabbath was put to death (Exodus 12-18; 35:2). A man was stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36). Israel was commanded not to kindle a fire on the Sabbath (Exodus 35:3). Every seventh year was to be a sabbatical year when Israel did not plant any crops; it was the Sabbath of the land (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-55). Israel was to observe the year of jubilee. No crops were to be planted on the forty-ninth or fiftieth year in the land of Israel. The Israelites were restricted from traveling more than 3,000 to 3,600 feet on the Sabbath this is what a Sabbath day’s journey means (Acts 1:12).

When Jesus came he plucked grain on the Sabbath, thus breaking the Sabbath traditions according to the Jews of His day (Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-10). Jesus healed on the Sabbath, again making the Jews upset, who accused Him of being a Sabbath breaker (Luke 13:10-17; John 5:1-18). Jesus ate with a chief Pharisee on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1).

"For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day." (Matthew 12:8)

Not once did Jesus (The Lord of the Sabbath) indicate or tell anyone to observe a certain day for a Sabbath. If Jesus intended for us to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament, why did He not mention it along with the other requirements to the rich young ruler? (Matthew 19:16-22).

Let it be known I do not believe that God switched the sabbath or the seventh day to the first day of the week or Sunday. However I do believe that the first century believers met on the first day of the week to commemorate the resurrection and Pentecost. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9). The disciples met together on this day (John 20:19-26). Paul’s followers met on the first day of the week to hear him preach (Acts 20:7). The Corinthian church collected and set aside offerings on this day (I Cor. 16:1-2). According to the "Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia"  and "Zondervan’s Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible", the Day of Pentecost was on the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-4).

Let's look at a few of the so-called proof texts of Sabbatarianism 

Exodus 20:8-11;

(8). Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

(9). Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

(10). But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

(11). For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

According to Sabbatarianism because the sabbath-day keeping is in the ten commandments it is a moral law for all people. Therefore because the Christian church worships on Sunday they are in violation of the law of God. But what they failed to realize is that this was not Israels sabbath commandment. Go with me to Exodus the 16th chapter and verse 29.

"See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." (Ex.16:29)

According to Biblical chronology the text in the 16th chapter is about four weeks or one month before God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. So what is Exodus 20:8-11 all about?

Exodus 20:8-11;

(8). Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

We are to remember that there is a day coming that has to be kept Holy and the only way to keep the coming day (7th day of creation) Holy is to keep this day (6th or mans day) Holy. 

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9)

(9). Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

(10). But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

This is not Israels sabbath but the sabbath of the Lord thy God the Seventh Day of creation. 

(11). For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

So as you can see the weekly Sabbath of Israel was only given to them and was a type of the Seventh Day of creation that is to come The Lords Sabbath. According to the Bible we are not bound to a weekly Sabbath. The Church of God has found its rest (Sabbath) in Christ through the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 28:9-12; Acts 2:1-4, 38). We are keeping this Day Holy so that when the Seventh Day comes we can keep it Holy just like God said.

Notes on Heaven....

                        HEAVEN

*At Death* 

Man is a trichotomy (1Thess. 5:23)

Body: Goes back to the dust (Gen. 3:19; Job 4:18-19; Eccles. 12:7; 2Cor. 5:1)

Spirit: Returns back to God (Eccles. 12:7; Zechariah 12:1)

Soul: Of the save goes to sleep until the Rapture. Of the unsaved and rightness until the 2nd resurrection. (Ps. 17:15; 30:3; Job 33:22; Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:27; 13:36).  

Since no one is in Heaven as of yet we must deal with the subject of Heaven in this perspective........ What will Heaven be like after the Rapture, Tribulation, 2nd Coming, & the Millennial Reign of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10;

(9). But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 

(10). But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

"But as it is written" = in the Old Testament (Isa. 64:4)

"The beginning of the world" = (Acts 3:21) the world began in Adam.

John 14:1-6;

(1). Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

(2). In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

(3). And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

(4). And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

(5). Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 

(6). Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Revelation 22:1-6;

(1). And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

(2). In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

(3). And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 

(4). And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 

(5). And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 

(6). And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

*The Third Heaven* (1 Thess. 4:1)

*The New Heavens and New Earth will be established during the Seventh Day of God's Creative Week and they will remain forever *

(Isa. 66:22; Rev. 22:1)

The New Heavens and New Earth (Isa.65:17; 2Pet.3:7, 10-14; Revelation 21:1-7)

At the end of the Millennium rain, the earth will have completed a time cycle of forty-two thousand years. This will be the end of the sixth day of creation. There are seven creative days in God's creative week. The Seventh Day is called, "God's day of Rest". 

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." (Genesis 2:1-3)

God will bring in the seventh day by making all things new. 

"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying." (Isaiah 65:17-19)

"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 21:5)

He will make a New Earth and New Heavens that will be filled with righteousness 

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13)

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 21:1-5)

This is God's day of rest for him and his people (Gen.2:2; Heb.4:9)

David shall be king over the New Earth this will be his reward. Because David is apart of the Church our reward will be the same as his. The Church will be in the havens ruling and reigning as kings just as David will on the New Earth. We will be kings but JESUS is the King of kings.

"And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people."(Ezekiel 37:24, 27)

"And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd." (Ezekiel 34:23)

"But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." (Jeremiah 30:9)

"I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven." (Psalms 89:20, 29)

"In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:" (Amos 9:11)

When the New Heavens and the New Earth appear we will have entered into God's heavenly kingdom in its fullness. 

"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it."  (Revelation 21:24)

Those of God's Heavenly Kingdom, the church shall reign not only on the earth (During the millennium) but when the Earth and Heavens are made New we shall reign on the other planets that will be planted with seed from the New Earth in that day. The Bible uses "world and "heavens" for planets.

"And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people." (Isaiah 51:16) 

Enoch was the seventh from Adam. (Jude14) He was the type of the seventh day of creation. At 365 years of age He was translated. So those on the New Earth when they reach 365 years of age will be translated and planted on the other planets that God will then have made habitable by His fire of purification. They will live forever there and multiply and fill those planets and we of the heavenly kingdom (Church) will rule over them even as David will rule on the New Earth. This will complete God's family 

"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:" (Ephesians 1:10)

"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7)

by Bryant A. Murphy

Pastor of Christ Temple Holiness Church of the Apostolic Faith.

The Baptism of Christ

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17). 

According to this passage, the Son of God was baptized, the Spirit descended like a dove, and a voice spoke from heaven. Luke 3:22 adds the further information that “the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him.” 

To understand this scene, we must remember that God is omnipresent. Jesus is God and was God manifested in flesh while on earth (1Tim.3:16). He could not and did not sacrifice His omnipresence while on earth because that is one of God’s basic attributes, and God does not change. Of course, the physical body of Jesus was not omnipresent, but His Spirit was. Furthermore, although the fullness of God was resident in the body of Jesus, the omnipresent Spirit of Jesus could not be so confined. Thus, Jesus could be on earth and in heaven at the same time (John 3:13) and with two or three of His disciples at any time (Matthew 18:20). With the omnipresence of God in mind we can understand the baptism of Christ very easily.

The voice and the dove do not represent different persons any more than the voice of God from Sinai indicates that the mountain was a second intelligent person in the Godhead. Since the voice and the dove were symbolic manifestations of the one omnipresent God, we may ask what they represented. What was their purpose? 

*The purpose of Jesus’ baptism*

Jesus was not baptized for remission of sin as we are, because He was sinless (I Peter 2:22). The Bible says He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). He is our example and He was baptized to leave us an example to follow (I Peter 2:21). Moreover, Jesus was baptized as a means of manifesting Himself, or making Himself known, to Israel (John 1:26-27, 31). In other words, Jesus used the baptism as the starting point in His ministry. It was a public declaration of who He was and what He came to do. For example, at Christ’s baptism, John the Baptist learned who Jesus was. He did not know that Jesus really was the Messiah until the baptism, and after the baptism he was able to declare to the people that Jesus was the Son of God and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29-34).  

The Scriptures speak of Jesus as being "firstborn among many brethren" that is He was the first to set the example of the new birth. He was baptized immersed in water we should be baptized immersed in water in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He received a visible manifestation of the Holy Ghost we should receive the visible manifestation of the Holy Ghost which is speaking with other tongues.

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Rom. 8:29)

Having established the purposes of Christ’s baptism, let us see how the dove and voice furthered those purposes.  

John 1:32-34 clearly states that the dove was a sign for the benefit of John the Baptist. Since John was the forerunner of Jehovah (Isaiah 40:3), he needed to know that Jesus was really Jehovah come in flesh. God told John that the One who would  baptize with the Holy Ghost would be identified by the Spirit descending upon Him. 

"And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." (John 1:33)

Of course, John was incapable of seeing the Spirit of God anointing Christ, so God chose a dove as the visible sign of His Spirit. Thus the dove was a special sign for John to let him know that Jesus was Jehovah and the Messiah. 

The dove also was a type of anointing to signify the beginning of Christ’s ministry. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil to indicate that God had chosen them (Exodus 28:41; I  Kings 19:16). Priests in particular were both washed in water and anointed with oil (Exodus 29:4, 7). The oil symbolized God’s Spirit. The Old Testament foretold that Jesus would be similarly anointed (Psalm 2:2; 45:7; Isaiah 61:1). In fact, the Hebrew word  Messiah (Christ  in Greek) means “the Anointed One.” Jesus came to fulfill the roles of  sacrifice, prophet, priest, and king (Acts 3:20-23; Hebrews 3:1; Revelation 1:5). He also came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17-18), and to keep His own law He needed to be anointed as prophet, priest, and king. Since Jesus was God Himself and a sinless man, an anointing by a sinful human and anointing with symbolic oil was not enough. Instead, Jesus was anointed directly by the Spirit of God. Thus, at His baptism in water, Jesus was officially anointed for the beginning of His earthly ministry, not by symbolic oil but by the Spirit of God in the form of a dove. For at this time all the fullness of God it was in that body no one else at the anointing. 

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 2:9)

The voice came from heaven for the benefit of the people. John 12:28-30 records a similar incident in which a voice came from heaven and confirmed the deity of Jesus to the people. Jesus said it came not for  His benefit but for the people’s sake. The voice was God’s way of formally introducing Jesus to Israel as the Son of God. Many people were present at the baptism of Jesus and many were being baptized (Luke 3:21), so the Spirit singled out the man Jesus and identified Him to all as the Son of God by a miraculous voice from heaven. This was much more effective and convincing than an announcement coming from Jesus as a man. In fact, it appears that this miraculous manifestation effectively accomplished Jesus’ purpose at His baptism. The baptism of Jesus does not teach us that God is three persons but only reveals the omnipresence of God and the humanity of the Son of God. When God speaks to four different people on four different continents at the same time, we do not think of four persons of God but of God’s omnipresence. God did not intend for the baptism to reveal to the monotheistic Jewish onlookers a radically new revelation of a plurality in the Godhead, and there is no indication that the Jews interpreted it as such. Even many modern scholars do not see the baptism of Christ as an indication of a trinity but as a reference to “the authoritative anointing of Jesus as the Messiah.”

The Voice from Heaven 

Three times in the life of Jesus a voice came from heaven: at His baptism, at His transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9), and after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (John 12:20-33). We  have just explained that a voice does not indicate a distinct person in the Godhead but only another manifestation of the omnipresent Spirit of God. In each of the three cases, the voice was not for the benefit of Jesus but for the benefit of others, and it came for a specific purpose. As we have discussed, the voice at Christ’s baptism was part of the inauguration of His earthly ministry.  It was for the people’s sake, just as the dove was for John’s sake. The voice introduced Jesus as the Son of God: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The voice at the Transfiguration unquestionably was for the benefit of the onlooking disciples, for the message was, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5). The third manifestation of the voice occurred when a group of Greeks (apparently Gentile proselytes) came to see Jesus. Jesus explained that the voice was not for Him but for the people (John 12:30).

It is important to note that this was a voice "from" heaven not a voice "in" heaven. That voice spoke out of the body of the Christ and said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased it is important also notes that God was announcing that he was pleased to dwell in that body! The Father was IN the Son (2Cor. 5:19; John 14:11; Col. 1:19)

The Sign Of His Coming And Of The End Of The World

(As taught by Bishop R.P. Paddock)

Before this time the Bible was not divided into chapter and verse. These divisions were added for our convenience however they were not always made at the appropriate places. Chapters 24 and 25 of the Gospel according to Matthew should be one chapter. Because of this there are some difficulties in understanding these two chapters.

First of all the Bible is not written in direct order and you do not read the Bible like you read a novel.

Isaiah 28:13;
"But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken."


Until you get all the little bits together you do not have the truth of God's Word. The Bible is the Truth only when it is rightly divided and it takes the baptism of the Holy Ghost the leading of the Spirit of God to get all of those precepts together, all of those lines together so that you will understand.

Now as you go back to Matthew 24 you will find that Jesus had been with his Disciples in the Temple.


The questions the disciples asked:

Matthew 24:3;

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

The disciples asked three questions,

(1). When shall these things be?

(2). What shall be the sign of thy coming,

(3). And of the end of the world.

But Jesus answered four because the coming of The Lord is in two parts, the Rapture (when Jesus comes for His Church before the tribulation) and the Second coming (when Jesus comes with His Church). But he did not answer them in direct order. As you read Matthew chapters 24 and 25 you will find the answers to these questions but unless you have the leading of the Holy Ghost you'll put the right answer to the wrong question.


Question number three (3). "And of the end of the world"
(4-14)

Question number one (1). When shall these things be?
The destruction of the Temple. (15-22) also Mark 13:14

Question number two (2). And what shall be the sign of thy coming,

number two (a). Rapture (23-28;36-44; Isa. 40:28-31)
number two (b). Second Coming (29-35)



The Church Age (45-51)


Matthew Chapter 25 Question number two (A) (1-13)
The Church Age (14-18)
The Great White Throne Judgment (19-46)

A parable is a story that is told to make a point. What you should get from the parable is the point. Now the point of this parable is when the bridegroom comes those that are ready will go in with him and the door will be shut. Now the Bible was not written in the English language The Old Testament was mainly written in the Hebrew and New Testament in the Greek but one that was in latin. The Bible was translated to the English language but the command of King James of England, he had 50 of the best translators of that day.

Tell the Jehovah’s Witnesses that JESUS is God!

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are Arian or Unitarian in their beliefs deny that Jesus Christ is God. In fact, they deny that Jesus Christ possessed any deity, insisting that He was God’s first created, but in no way God. Yet it is a simple matter to prove the absolute deity of our Lord Jesus Christ by using their own translation of the Bible.

We will use the "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures" (Jehovah’s Witnesses bible) to show that Jesus Christ is God. 

Job 19:26, 27 we read the following: “And after my skin, [which] they have skinned off,—this! Yet reduced in my flesh I shall behold God, Whom even I shall behold for myself, And [whom] my very eyes will certainly see, but not some stranger.” 

Linking the above verse with their translation of I John 3:1-2, we find, “See what sort of love the Father has given us, so that we should be called children of God; and such we are. That is why the world does not have a knowledge of us, because it has not come to know him. Beloved ones, now we are children of God, but as yet it has not been made manifest what we shall be. We do know that whenever he is made manifest we shall be like him, because we shall see him just as he is.” 

There is a perfect linking of the two passages. Both Job and John were talking about God the Father. However, we are told that this God is going to appear, and that mankind will be able to behold Him. Who is coming back? 

Acts 1:11 tells us that Jesus is the One who is returning. Who are we going to behold? John 4:24 tells us that God is a Spirit. How can we behold a Spirit?

And to make the case even more airtight, we read in Zechariah 12:10 that they will look to the One whom they pierced. Can there be any mystery as to who this could be? It seems quite evident that Job, John, and Zechariah were all looking for the same One to return, Jesus Christ. 

Going to Zechariah 14:3-5 we read, “And Jehovah will certainly go forth and war against those nations as in the day of his warring, in the day of fight. And his feet will actually stand in that day upon the mountain of the olive trees, which is in front of Jerusalem. . . . And Jehovah my God will certainly come, all the holy ones being with him.” 

According to this translation, it is Jehovah that is returning. But, in going once more to Acts 1:11, we find that Jesus Christ is returning to the Mount of Olives, the exact place that Zechariah gives as the point of return for Jehovah. The conclusion to be drawn from this comparison is quite evident. 

This point is only strengthened by quoting Titus 2:13: “While we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus.” From Revelation 22:6-7 we read, “‘These words are faithful and true; yes, Jehovah the God of the inspired expressions of the prophets sent his angel forth to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And look! I am coming quickly.’” Going to verse 12 of the same chapter, we find, “‘Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me.’” We now link the two above verses with verse 16 of the same chapter which says, “‘I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you people of these things for the congregations.’” Finally, in verse 20 we read, “‘Yes; I am coming quickly.’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” 

Once again, from the words of an Jehovah's Witnesses translation of the Bible, we have positive confirmation that JESUS is God!

Quoting from the first two chapters of Revelation. In Revelation 1:7 we read the following: “Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him.” 

Then in the next verse we read, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says Jehovah God, ‘the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.’” So, we see from verse 7 that Jesus is returning, and from verse 8 that Jehovah God is returning. Is there a chance that they are the same? 

We see a close comparison of these verses found in Revelation with that of Zechariah 14:5. In Zechariah we read, “And Jehovah my God will certainly come, all the holy ones being with him.” But, in going to II Thessalonians 1:7, we find the following: “The Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels.” In Revelation 1:17-18 we read, “And when I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand upon me and said: ‘Do not be fearful. I am the First and the Last, and the living one; and I became dead, but, look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” And in Revelation 2:8 it says, “‘And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: These are the things that he says, “the First and the Last,” who became dead and came to life [again].’” 

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures therefore admits that Jesus is the First and the Last. It would be interesting to discover how many firsts and how many lasts the Jehovah’s Witnesses would lead us to believe exist. Their very own translation says in Isaiah 48:11, 12, “‘And to no one else shall I give my own glory.... I am the first. Moreover, I am the last.’” If Jesus is not Jehovah, then it must be explained to us how He can possibly be the first and the last. How can a created being be the first.

Questions to Ask Jehovah's Witnesses

(1). Why doesn't the Watchtower [WT] translate "ego eimi" as "I am", 133 out of 134 New Testament occurrences, except where it proves Christ is God in John 8:58? Here they translate "ego eimi" as "I have been". Why?

(2). Why does the WT translate the New Testament word for Lord (ie. "Kurios") as Jehovah, except where it proves Christ is God? For example, "Jesus Christ is Lord" in Philippians 2:11 and "Jesus is Lord" in 1 Corinthians 12:3.

(3). Can you say that Jesus Christ is Lord? (see 1 Corinthians 12:3).

(4). Why does the WT add "other" four times in Colossians 1:16, 17 and in Philippians 2:9 to deny Christ's deity, when "other" is not in any New Testament manuscripts? Is it right to add words to the Bible which change Bible doctrines?

(5). Why does the WT change "worship" in Hebrews 1:8 in the 1961 NWT edition, to "do obeisance" in the 1971 NWT edition, to deny Christ the worship as God?

(6). Do you give worshipful honor to the Son as God, just as you give honor to the Father as God? (JW: No). Then you are not honoring the Father (John 5:23).

(7).  Whose name were you baptized in? (see Matthew 28:19; Acts2:38).

(8). Do you agree that Deuteronomy 18:21-22 teaches that a true prophet of God gives prophecies coming true 100% of the time, and a false prophet gives prophecies that don't come true.

The Eleven Different Appearances of JESUS

Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead is one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the gospel.

If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1 Cor. 15:14). The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on this as an historical fact. On the day of Pentecost, Peter argued the necessity of Christ's resurrection from the prediction in Psalm 16 (Acts 2:24-28). In his own discourses, also, our Lord clearly prophecied his resurrection (Matt. 20:19; Mark 9:9; 14:28; Luke 18:33; John 2:19-22).

The Gospel writers give accounts of the facts connected with that event, and the apostles, also, in their public teaching insist upon it.

How many times did Jesus appear after his death and resurrection? We don't know but the Scriptures records eleven different appearances.

1. To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone. This is recorded at length only by John (20:11-18), and alluded to by Mark (16:9-11).

2. To certain women, “the other Mary,” Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulchre. Matthew (28:1-10) alone gives an account of this. (Compare Mark 16:1-8, and Luke 24:1-11.)

3. To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection. (See Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5.)

4. To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, recorded fully only by Luke (24:13-35. Compare Mark 16:12,13).

5. To the ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and others “with them,” at Jerusalem on the evening of the resurrection day. One of the evangelists gives an account of this appearance, John (20:19-24).

6. To the disciples again (Thomas being present) at Jerusalem (Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:33-40; John 20:26-28. See also 1 Cor. 15:5).

7. To the disciples when fishing at the Sea of Galilee. Of this appearance also John (21:1-23) alone gives an account.

8. To the eleven, and above 500 brethren at once, at an appointed place in Galilee (1 Cor. 15:6; compare Matt. 28:16-20).

9. To James, but under what circumstances we are not informed (1 Cor. 15:7).

10. To the apostles immediately before the ascension. They accompanied him from Jerusalem to Mount Olivet, and there they saw him ascend “till a cloud received him out of their sight” (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:4-10).

11. In addition to the above, mention might be made of Christ's manifestation of himself to Paul at Damascus, who speaks of it as an appearance of the risen Savior (Acts 9:3-9, 17; 1 Cor. 15:8; 9:1).

It is implied in the words of Luke (Acts 1:3) that there may have been other appearances of which we have no record......