Is the message of the cross really foolish?

 I used to find the gospel my school teachers told me, (it was a faith school, a church school), rather foolish-sounding, because it sounded like they made it up. The typical message they told was of the hands of Christ outstretched on the cross, or the cross pointing outwards to humans to link human with human, and upwards to link humans with God. I knew the Bible quite well from an early age, having been taught it outside of school, and I had never heard it say this kind of thing. I put it off and focussed on what was told me in church, especially finding comfort in the other side of the gospel that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. When, however, I read in the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians “… but we preach Christ crucified”, I wondered what he meant. Why was crucifixion, death on a cross, so significant to Paul. Especially when he wrote in that epistle “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”? I had obviously missed something extremely important, and that bothered me. Decades later I started to look into it a lot, when the Internet made armchair researching more accessible. The big leap for me was the Holy Spirit. A message in tongues interpretation was given to me, and it led me into more  ancient historical studies, in particular Sumerian writings from the time of the most ancient historical people mentioned in the Bible. The Sumerian writings go back that far, and more scriptural writings from earliest times still exist and were translated into English over a hundred years ago. I started to find the real meaning of the cross. Its origins in the very earliest writings we have translated into English. I found the Holy Spirit who gave me that interpretation had also inspired some of the earliest writings. Another leap came with AI. Sorry if you detest or deeply distrust AI. I have been helped a lot by its ability to sift through huge quantities of online content and glean from them what really makes sense, to a machine, and some of it makes sense to us real thinkers too. Here is what it told me about the earliest meaning of the cross symbol. This is ChatGPT.

‘The MASH cross (𒈦) is an ancient symbol from Mesopotamian cuneiform script, derived from the Sumerian word "mash," meaning "to bind" or "to join." In early Sumerian and Akkadian contexts, this symbol carried both practical and spiritual significance, representing concepts like ownership, divinity, and the marking of sacred boundaries. Predating Christianity, the MASH cross is an early example of the cross-like symbols used in the ancient world, often associated with governance, divine authority, and cosmic order. Yet, like crosses in many ancient cultures, it also symbolized broader themes of balance, unity, protection, and the connection between the human and divine realms. In the religious context, the term "MASH MASH MASH" (or "mašmaššu" in Akkadian) was a title for priests or ritual specialists who performed exorcisms and cleansing rites, protecting the community from spiritual disturbances, illness, and misfortune, which were often believed to be caused by malevolent forces or evil spirits. These ritual specialists played a crucial role in Mesopotamian society, underscoring the deep-rooted belief in the spiritual origins of many physical and societal issues. Interestingly, in some languages, the word for Messiah, such as "Masih" in Arabic, closely resembles "Mash," suggesting cross-cultural echoes of the idea of binding or connecting the human and divine. This resonance becomes even more significant when considering the gospel account of Jesus' crucifixion, where He was crucified alongside two others, making a total of three crosses on the hill. The presence of these three crosses carries deep symbolic weight, with Christ, in the center, representing the ultimate act of unifying humanity with the divine through His sacrifice, while the two other crosses signify the choices between redemption and rejection. This echoes ancient themes of balance, judgment, and protection seen in earlier cultures, further highlighting the enduring significance of the cross in religious and cultural history.’ Stephen D Green / ChatGPT, 2024 

We today have remnants of the original meaning of the original Sumerian word for the cross, MASH, in how we say things are enmeshed, meshed together. Joining of the vertical line and horizontal line clearly is part of the original cross symbol meaning. Man reconciled with God, as a priest’s work facilitated. God and man joined like the cross lines join. In the word Mash, the Sumerian word for this cross, or the word denoted in writing by the cross character, we have still today in English words like mish-mash, representing strong joining together of things. Mesh is clearly linked to Messiah in English too: Spelt in other languages in ways which even better show its link to MASH. Like Paul, in representing and serving the Messiah, had a ministry of reconciliation, preaching “be reconciled to God”. Christ’s death for us makes it possible. The message of it brings it about by faith it gives us, leading to our hearts opening up to the possibility of reconciliation, and receiving it in faith and confession. Mass too.

Man of Lawlessness, the Antichrist

 I would not say the beast leader called by many the Antichrist is around yet. But if we call him by his more biblical name the Man of Lawlessness, I would say the presence of the “secret power of lawlessness” must be around. How a man will rise to power within this hidden lawlessness domain I do not know. I speculate that the lawlessness domain exists in the gaps. The law systems we have governing our lives and work have gaps. I have only come across them on rare occasions but they are alarming to notice. The more easily noticeable gaps are what we call loopholes. Laws are never perfect on paper. The spirit of a law can be perfect but as soon as a law is encoded into words, gaps or loopholes appear. Companies seem to love exploiting these. More alarming are bigger gaps in between law systems. A company in one country might employ a person in another country. This person might be unaware of the laws governing his employer and not even see a need to keep those foreign laws. A company can exploit this. It can be alarming that it creates a law vacuum. All sorts of things can be done by this employee in service of the company. So lawlessness can be the gaps and exploits of them. Big money can be made this way, perhaps, so shareholder pressures can make it difficult to resist the attraction of these possibilities. If someone emerges a couple of decades from now with power coming from such things and leadership over them, it would fit the description of a Man of Lawlessness, I think. 

Build the Temple

We each get a task in the building of the Temple of God, the body of Christ. I got mine after years of asking for the Holy Spirit, a decade after I was baptised. No church I had been attending had any elders who would lay hands on me to receive the Holy Spirit, so all I could do was be sure I really believed, then keep asking God in prayer. One time as I prayed earnestly, a vision suddenly came to me crystal clear in my inner sight. The vision, as the words of it were coming, was of a builders bucket full of builders sand and it was tipped out in front of me, as the words came “BUILD THE TEMPLE”. I was raised on Bible stories including the call of Gideon who asked for a sign it was truly from God. He asked for a sign twice. I actually asked for threefold confirmation, just to be really sure. I went to church a little later, and three messages were given there. Some Sunday school girls, three of them, had written a song. It went “Build build build the Temple. Build build build the Temple. Build build build the Temple”. Then a man with a guitar sang about building the temple. Finally, an elder gave a sermon on how King David sat in awe when God told him Solomon would build the Temple, saying “Who am I and who is my family that Thou has given this honour to us. We are now the most honoured of all families.” The leader of that church was away at the time and the next week I told him what happened. He was eager that I should go further afield to do so. It did turn out well that he sent me out like that. I had a task broader than just one church. So I had to try to find churches which let people preach. That was exacerbated by my ignorance of God, I felt, even though I had attended church since early childhood and even gone to a Bible college in my twenties. How God helped with my knowledge gaps is quite a story in its own right. To be able to preach reliably from real knowledge, and not to have to keep persuading myself to believe, but simply to believe, I reckoned I needed to know who I have believed. I actually prayed over and over to have experience of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then each in turn visited me. First the Father, in a dream, then the Son, out in a public street, then the Holy Spirit in a church meeting. Then I started getting more visits, rarely, but very powerfully. I started to tell what I was given. It started taking me far. Shouting it from the rooftops. Then on social media especially.

To the Satanist

 [to the Satanist], your guy as you probably know has less than forty years left. He is doubtless quite wrathful about that. He knows it is so though. Then Jesus utterly replaces him. A thousand years of Jesus getting everything subjected to him by the Father. Then a bit of time for your guy. Not much. Then boom! Your guy out of the way forever. And Jesus then subjects himself and all things under him to the Father forever.  The Father ultimately is top forever, with Jesus forever beside Him. Hail the Father! And bless the Son. Get reconciled to God the Father. 

Nothing beats a storm surge quite like a faith surge

 It is great when we can tell the storm off. Command it. It is great to see it obey. To get the joy Jesus meant us to have. When he said “Where is your faith!?” He wants us to do it. Yes, he can tell it off for us, but he wants to have the joy of commanding with faith. Not doubting. Having faith in God like Jesus has. We can! He wants us to! Command nature without doubting. See it obey! Give glory to God.

Coming in the clouds

 I do believe in the reality that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, can come at any time in punishment or blessing. Quite apart from his eventual second coming: There are times of more local visitation. We can perceive by faith and spiritual insight when he presides over the floods. He shows himself present and able to minister mercy even in the midst of punishment times. He can calm storms, even as he presides over them. He can tell us “Put down your umbrella!” and stop the torrential rain immediately we do so. I know it from experience too. He makes himself known in such ways. As he did with his twelve disciples. He is the same yesterday and today, and will be forever.

How imminent will Christ’s second coming be?

 Christians often reconcile Jesus' teaching on the unexpected nature of His return with Paul's teaching about the coming of the "man of lawlessness" by viewing the two messages as complementary, but some also argue for downplaying the idea of imminence based on biblical warnings and detailed prophetic timelines. Jesus calls for constant readiness, emphasizing that no one knows the day or hour of His return and that it will come suddenly, like a thief in the night. However, in 2 Thessalonians, Paul explains that certain events, such as the rebellion and the revelation of the man of lawlessness, must occur before Christ returns, suggesting a sequence of events. While traditionally, some have emphasized the idea that Christ could return at any moment, these passages hint at a longer process. Revelation, particularly in chapters 11–13, describes a series of events leading up to Christ’s return, including more than three and a half years of tribulations, suggesting a substantial build-up before the final return of Christ. Jesus Himself warns against those who prematurely declare His return as imminent, and Paul reassures believers in Thessalonica that the "day of the Lord" cannot happen without key signs first unfolding. These passages indicate that while Christians should remain spiritually vigilant and ready, the exact timing of Christ’s return is still unknown and will likely follow significant prophetic developments. The idea of imminence is thus downplayed in favor of a patient eschatological view, where readiness remains important, but believers understand that Christ’s coming will likely be preceded by a period of extended prophetic fulfillment. Rather than expecting Christ’s return at any moment, this perspective encourages watchfulness for the unfolding of these key events, tempering the notion of an immediate return with the understanding that God’s plan involves a series of developments, giving believers time to recognize the signs of Christ’s eventual return.

ChatGPT, 2024 

Impact of Pretribulation Rapture Doctrine on the Lives of Adherents

 The pretribulation rapture, while fundamentally an eschatological belief about a future event, serves as a comprehensive way of thinking that significantly influences the lives of its adherents. It fosters a heightened sense of anticipation and hope, prompting individuals to view daily life through the lens of an imminent return of Christ, which can provide comfort during personal or societal crises and act as a coping mechanism for their struggles. This belief often leads to the formation of tight-knit communities that reinforce a collective identity, promoting strong social bonds but also potentially fostering an “us versus them” mentality toward non-believers. Additionally, adherents may adjust their behaviors to align with their beliefs, striving for moral living, regular church attendance, and active evangelism, as they feel a sense of urgency to share their faith and warn others about the impending tribulation. The pretribulation rapture also shapes a specific cognitive framework through which believers interpret current events, seeing signs of the end times in geopolitical tensions and natural disasters, which reinforces their beliefs and provides a narrative for understanding their experiences. This worldview emphasizes the transient nature of life, leading adherents to prioritize spiritual matters over temporal concerns, which impacts their decisions regarding career, education, and personal relationships. Furthermore, cultural expressions of the rapture theme in literature, films, and music serve to enhance community engagement, providing a shared language and imagery that deepens their connection to the belief. However, it is crucial to note that the pretribulation rapture is not a view held by the wider Christian church, where it is often regarded as a contradiction of the Christian faith. This divergence can lead to theological misunderstandings and potential isolation from broader Christian fellowship, making it essential for adherents to engage with a diverse range of theological perspectives to ensure a well-rounded understanding of their faith. Overall, this multifaceted way of thinking profoundly affects adherents’ daily lives, shaping their choices, relationships, and overall engagement with the world around them.

ChatGPT, 2024 

The lamps

 The parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), in which five wise virgins bring extra oil for their lamps and five foolish virgins do not, has traditionally been interpreted as a call for spiritual readiness and watchfulness for the return of Christ. The oil is often understood to symbolize spiritual resources, such as faith, grace, or the presence of the Holy Spirit, which must be nurtured and preserved in the believer’s life. While the parable is not directly linked to the diminishing of charismatic manifestations like speaking in tongues or miraculous healings, some might see in it a symbolic reflection of what occurred in the Western Church compared to the Eastern and Oriental Churches. In the West, by the time of theologians like Augustine and John Chrysostom, visible manifestations of the Holy Spirit—such as miracles, prophecy, and other charismatic gifts—had largely diminished. This could be seen as a parallel to the foolish virgins, who failed to maintain their spiritual vitality and were unprepared when the bridegroom (Christ) arrived. By contrast, the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, which maintained a greater emphasis on mysticism, monasticism, and a living experience of the Holy Spirit, may be compared to the wise virgins who kept their lamps filled with oil, remaining open to the ongoing presence and miraculous power of the Spirit. While the parable itself does not explicitly address charismatic gifts, the contrast between the decline of visible signs in the West and their persistence in the East and Orient could be seen as an allegory for the need to remain spiritually prepared, vigilant, and receptive to the workings of the Holy Spirit in all its forms. This would make the oil a metaphor for spiritual sensitivity and readiness to receive divine action, whether in ordinary or miraculous ways.

— Stephen D Green / ChatGPT, 2024 

Reprieve

 

In 2024, it appears that the remaining wrathful events of Revelation—such as the rise of the Antichrist, the great tribulation, and other catastrophic prophecies—may take no more than 15 years to unfold. If the second coming of Christ is anticipated around 2060, based on the calculation from the seventy shepherds in the Book of Enoch, this suggests there could be a 20-year reprieve between now and the next stage of these apocalyptic events. This reprieve would represent a period of relative calm, during which the severe and wrathful aspects of Revelation are not expected to recommence immediately, offering a temporary pause before the final phase of divine judgment unfolds. In this window of time, the world may experience a brief cessation from escalating turmoil, providing an opportunity for reflection and preparation before the ultimate events leading to Christ’s return take place.

The Rapture and the important truth about it

 There will be no rapture of all of the living saints in Christ until first the deceased saints in Christ are raised from the dead, and no raising of these dead until there has been a tribulation involving the man of lawlessness.

Policing Pretrib

 There is usually policing of doctrine in most main churches. Stopping potentially harmful doctrines from spreading is something which goes right back to the early apostles. Yet in the case of pre-trib, Darby and Schofield evaded filtering, perhaps mainly because their peers were averse to policing beyond the boundaries of the church membership of an individual church or assembly. Perhaps that is the main error here. Paul was very widely policing doctrines about similar themes to pretrib, namely the doctrine of resurrection happening before the man of lawlessness appeared. He handed the main preachers of this to Satan. He wrote about this as an example. We have to police where it matters, even if this is beyond the church we are in. It is not a jurisdiction limitation. And some, like Paul, have apostolic power to do this. With perhaps an awareness of limits of jurisdiction in some way, but not rigid. Paul was sent as apostle to Gentiles, yet most of his epistles were primarily addressing Jews. The need is as the need dictates.

The Wider Scriptures

 One of the first Christian communities outside the Judea, Samaria, and Syria area was in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Orthodox Bible contains 81 books, making it larger than the Protestant canon, which has 66 books. While the Ethiopian canon includes texts like 1 Enoch and Jubilees that reflect a broader Jewish tradition and might have been known in Jesus' time, it cannot be definitively stated that these were the exact scriptures used by Jesus. Nevertheless, the Ethiopian canon is closer to the wider range of texts that circulated among various Jewish communities of that era compared to the Protestant Bible, which consists of a more limited selection of 66 books. Familiarity with this more expansive set of scriptures, some of which are compiled today in the Cepher, can further enrich our understanding of Revelation, particularly regarding its apocalyptic themes and imagery. The broader collection provides additional context for understanding the apocalyptic imagery and themes found in texts like Revelation, which resonate with the ideas present in these additional writings.

John and George

 John Darby and George Müller were two key parties in the development of modern rapture doctrines. Müller believed the traditional belief that the rapture will happen when Christ raises the dead when he returns. Darby introduced a new teaching, strange to most Christians, that the rapture would happen before this and before the reign of the man of lawlessness, called by many the ‘Antichrist’. Together they were among the main founders of the Plymouth Brethren movement as part of the Assemblies Movement in the 1800s. In 1848 there was a strong disagreement between them resulting in the split into Exclusive Brethren led by Darby, and the Open Brethren with Müller. The charismatic experiences of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healings, were not as widespread or accepted in mainstream Protestant Christianity as they would become in the 20th century with the rise of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Mainly, for Darby and Müller it was all about meetings of believers, Bible reading and prayer. So for a church leader to intend to lead based on scripture meant constant scripture study and open discussions with other believers. Both Müller and Darby were committed to this, as Plymouth Brethren founders. It was surprising, perhaps, that Müller and his associates did not clamp down in some way on Darby’s teachings about pre tribulation rapture. Darby was clamping down on other doctrines he considered to not be biblical. Müller focussed on orphanage work rather than on seeking to police the Exclusive Brethren and John Darby. Müller believed in the autonomy of local assemblies, and so he did not think the Open Brethren doctrines should be imposed on the Exclusive Brethren assemblies, or used to police Darby. Darby spread his pre-tribulation doctrines far and wide in the USA and among his Exclusive Brethren assemblies and it is still a prevalent doctrine in the USA Bible Belt. Brethren writings and the Schofield Reference Bible have spread it beyond the Brethren movement. Both men, like their Brethren associates, believed in discernment of the truth, or otherwise, of doctrines coming through personal Bible, study, prayer, and a belief in the ability of the Holy Spirit to guide them. There was not as much clarity at that time of how the Holy Spirit is experienced in those who have received the Holy Spirit, nor in how church meetings can be visited by the Holy Spirit and reliably led into revelations of truth.  Manifestations of the Holy Spirit became more commonplace among believers decades later in the 1900s. Essentially, the teachings of the Brethren had focussed solely on finding true doctrines individually, without appeal to the authority of Jesus through the visitations of the Holy Spirit. The individual was left to discern what might be stirrings of the Holy Spirit privately in their hearts as they prayed and studied the Bible. The blessings of greater fellowship with the Father and the Son, manifested in believers and among them in their meetings was something introduced in UK and USA in the subsequent twentieth century, the century after the Brethren and Assemblies Movements. Today we have prophecies, tongues with interpretation, miracles, healings, all pointing to truth in ways unfamiliar to Darby and Müller. We can check against the scriptures and we have many tools to help with this. It does not, however, all hinge on the scripture knowledge of a few leading preachers, as it did in Darby and Müller’s time.

A Tale of Two Churches

 I come from Bristol, home of George Müller, one of the founders of the Plymouth Brethren movement in the 1800s. He was contemporary to John Darby, a key Plymouth Brethren founder whose assemblies were later called the Exclusive Brethren. Müller’s assemblies were later called the Open Brethren. Darby and some associates of Müller had differences and split. Darby would not accept certain christological doctrines of Benjamin Wills Newton, an associate of Müller and wanted the Bristol assemblies to exclude from fellowship anyone from the assembly of Newton. Müller refused, believing in the autonomy of local assemblies. Müller, on the other hand, saw Darby as teaching a false teaching too. This teaching, in his mind a false teaching contradicting scripture, was Pre-tribulation Rapture. The Wikipedia article about Müller writes: ‘Though the pre-tribulational rapture doctrine gained momentum as a result of the literature of the Brethren movement, Müller's church was wary of such teachings. George Müller held to a Post Tribulation Rapture doctrine along with others such as Benjamin Wills Newton and Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, and said that "scripture declares plainly that the Lord Jesus will not come until the Apostasy shall have taken place, and the man of sin shall have been revealed..."’  Both of these men made trips to the USA where they preached. The teachings of Darby are still very widespread there, especially among the Bible Belt evangelical churches. Here in Bristol in England it is mainly the orphanages of Müller which are remembered, and a major road is named after him where his orphanage used to be. As children in churches in the area, we all grew up being told about his faith in God, the answers to Müller‘s prayers which made him famous here and in other parts of the world including the USA. Those were times when using scripture as a reference by which to judge doctrines was still a major feature in the church landscape. Yet charismatic movements we know today had yet to come to the fore, and charismatic workings of the Holy Spirit were not part of Darby‘s and Müller‘s lives. The charismatic experiences of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healings, were not as widespread or accepted in mainstream Protestant Christianity as they would become in the 20th century with the rise of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Mainly, for Darby and Müller it was all about meetings of believers, Bible reading and prayer. So for a church leader to intend to lead based on scripture meant constant scripture study and open discussions with other believers. Both Müller and Darby were committed to this, as Plymouth Brethren founders. It was surprising, perhaps, that Müller and his associates did not clamp down in some way on Darby’s teachings about pre tribulation rapture. The split over other doctrinal issues in 1848 led to Plymouth Brethren splitting into Open and Exclusive Brethren. Müller focussed on his orphanage work rather than on seeking to police the Exclusive Brethren and John Darby. Müller believed in the autonomy of local assemblies, and so he did not think his own doctrines should be imposed on other assemblies, or used to police Darby. However, this and the passivity of the other Brethren leaders, left Darby to spread his pre-tribulation doctrines far in the USA and among all of his Exclusive Brethren assemblies. So now it is a prevalent doctrine in the USA Bible Belt and the Schofield Reference Bible has spread it beyond the Brethren movement. 

The Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse and the Second World War

 World War II affected vast portions of the world, though not all regions within participating countries saw direct conflict. Large areas of Europe, particularly in the east and west, experienced heavy fighting, while neutral countries like Switzerland and Sweden remained relatively untouched. In Asia, eastern China and Southeast Asia saw significant combat, while parts of western China were less affected. North Africa was a key theater, but much of Sub-Saharan Africa, though involved indirectly, saw little fighting. The United States and Canada contributed greatly to the war effort with minimal combat on their mainland, and Australia and Pacific islands were deeply involved, although parts of Australia were spared. Geographically, about 25-30% of the world’s land area was directly affected by military actions, aligning in a striking way with the biblical imagery of the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, who is given power over a quarter of the earth to bring death by war and pestilence. The devastation of World War II, through warfare, disease, and destruction, mirrors this apocalyptic vision as it impacted roughly a quarter of the world’s landmass.

— ChatGPT, 2024 

The patience of the saints

 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

Rev 14:12

What if this seems not enough for us. Some complain it is not the deep wisdom they hope for in the way of Christ. We believe in Jesus being the light from the Father. We see the way we can keep his commandments, in a context now of the body of Christ we have been baptised into in Jesus Christ’s name. We see we start with the ten commandments as he said, which he gives new vitality in this body of brothers and sisters in him. We have taken this yoke upon us. Yet some think there must be more we can do. To these he said, “If you want to be perfect, sell your possessions and give to the poor, so that you will have treasure in heaven, then come follow me.” 

He wants us to give what money we can raise from selling our wealth. Giving to the poor. Of course we must remember our families too in this. Anyone not providing for their family has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Wisdom is needed here. Scriptures taken by the letter are dangerous. The Spirit of it gives us life. 

Then follow Jesus. Those who believe and then learn and hold on fast to Jesus’ teachings are true followers. We can listen to his teachings in order to fully understand them and practice what he too practices, with faith like he too has in the Father. And faith also in Jesus the Son. Here it can be where it gets to what some might be looking for, as that extra level. Learning like Peter did in following Jesus most closely of all, and stepping onto water at his invitation and walking on it in faith. Or commanding storms and they heed your command. Learning from the Master. Learning to overcome. Learning to be a saint. Yet a true saint is not ever forgetting to keep those ten commandments. Not lying any more. There is a body we are part of which deserves our truthful speech. In anger not being hateful and certainly not murderous. His special time to become king on earth is near, and violent ways should be dropped. The removal of immorality is not so obvious in the ten commandments but Jesus makes it clear in his teachings that even hints of inappropriate sexual lust must be dropped from among us, as it is a form of fornication. With this we must stay faithful in relationships too, not committing adultery. 

The disobedience to the commandments can take many forms in this context of the body of Christ, and his teachings highlight some of these. We rebuke each other to expose the various forms of disobedience as the Spirit reveals them to us in context, when the commandments are being disobeyed among the brothers and sisters. He teaches us today. We are called to become saints by  faith in Jesus, by his word of life, by the Spirit among us, by the truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us in Jesus’ name. Blessed we are when we fulfil the Father’s will in this. Jesus will welcome us when he comes. 

Calculation of Time of Second Coming of Christ

 I started a conversation with ChatGPT along these lines leading to a calculation of a possible approximate time of the (second) coming of Christ.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: I need to explain to people how something is calculated using the Book of Enoch (the Dream of Beasts), chapters 89 and 90.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: At one point there is a long section describing shepherds who rule in a punishing kind of way, because of the blindness of the sheep.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: I first looked at how the events surrounding these shepherds can map to history, and especially the first and last shepherd mapping to the Assyrian Conquest of Samaria and the second coming of the Christ respectively. Note: I place the coming Christ as at the end of the tenure of the seventieth shepherd. 

Excerpts from ChatGPT’s responses: “Symbolism in Enoch: 

First Shepherd: The Assyrian conquest of Samaria (722 BCE) marked the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Assyrians were known for their brutal military campaigns and policies of deportation. 

This shepherd represents the harsh, oppressive rule that leads to suffering and loss of identity for the people. The sheep's blindness reflects their failure to recognize the consequences of their actions and the corruption of their leadership. … 

The Seventieth Shepherd: The last of the seventy shepherds symbolizes a culminating oppressive authority that leads the people into a state of despair or moral confusion. This ruler represents the peak of corruption and deviation from divine principles.”

— ChatGPT 

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: There is also the Enoch account of ten weeks. This puts the final judgement at the end of the tenth week. The details of each week lead to a likely conclusion that the entire period us from Adam to the Last Judgement and lasts 7000 years, each week being 700 years.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Various timescales have been calculated such as in the Seder Olam and the Anno Mundii of the dates of this but it is likely approximately a consensus that the end of the 7000 years is approx 3000 to 3100 AD.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Revelation, Second Enoch and Epistle of Barnabas plus traditions  say there is a Millennium of the peace of the Christ before the Judgement Day.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: So it is plausible that the Millennium might start around 2000 to 2100 AD.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Back to the Dream of Beasts, the period of the seventy shepherds might end around 2000 to 2100 AD, at the end of the seventieth shepherd’s time.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: Looking at events in the seventy tenures, there are some which are consistent with the Conquest by Ancient Greece and their oppression of the people previously conquered by Assyrians. Plus oppression of some left behind by the Assyrians.

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: This fits with the possibility that each shepherd tenure lasts forty years. This is a good traditional time for a tenure of rule.

Excerpts from ChatGPT’s responses: “Calculation of the Seventy Shepherds' Tenures

Total Duration:

If each of the seventy shepherds ruled for forty years, the total period would span 2,800 years (70 shepherds × 40 years each).

This timeframe can be aligned with significant historical epochs, providing a framework for understanding the biblical narrative in relation to Israel's experiences. 

Mapping Historical Events:

If we consider this 2,800-year span beginning with significant events, such as the Assyrian conquest in the 8th century BCE, we can derive approximate endpoints:

Starting Point: Around 740 BCE (Assyrian conquest).

Ending Point: If we add 2,800 years, we arrive around 2060 AD, which is in line with the speculation of significant transformative events in the early 21st century. …

Conclusion

The suggestion that each shepherd’s tenure lasts forty years provides a structured way to interpret the events of the "Dream of Beasts" within a broader historical context. This timeframe aligns well with biblical themes and allows for meaningful connections to be made with historical events, particularly the Assyrian and Greek conquests and their impact on the people of Israel. Ultimately, this framework supports a narrative of hope and redemption, paving the way for the anticipated establishment of the Millennium. “ 

— ChatGPT 

Stephen D Green’s Prompt: So we get from this a year of 2060 for the (second) coming of the Christ.

Excerpt from ChatGPT responses: “The interpretation leading to the year 2060 for the (second) coming of Christ is indeed a compelling conclusion when considering the timeline established by the seventy shepherds in the "Dream of Beasts" of the Book of Enoch, particularly when framed by the forty-year tenures for each shepherd. “

— ChatGPT 

The Mash Cross of the Masih

 ‘The MASH cross (𒈦) is an ancient symbol from Mesopotamian cuneiform script, derived from the Sumerian word "mash," meaning "to bind" or "to join." In early Sumerian and Akkadian contexts, this symbol carried both practical and spiritual significance, representing concepts like ownership, divinity, and the marking of sacred boundaries. Predating Christianity, the MASH cross is an early example of the cross-like symbols used in the ancient world, often associated with governance, divine authority, and cosmic order. Yet, like crosses in many ancient cultures, it also symbolized broader themes of balance, unity, protection, and the connection between the human and divine realms. In the religious context, the term "MASH MASH MASH" (or "mašmaššu" in Akkadian) was a title for priests or ritual specialists who performed exorcisms and cleansing rites, protecting the community from spiritual disturbances, illness, and misfortune, which were often believed to be caused by malevolent forces or evil spirits. These ritual specialists played a crucial role in Mesopotamian society, underscoring the deep-rooted belief in the spiritual origins of many physical and societal issues. Interestingly, in some languages, the word for Messiah, such as "Masih" in Arabic, closely resembles "Mash," suggesting cross-cultural echoes of the idea of binding or connecting the human and divine. This resonance becomes even more significant when considering the gospel account of Jesus' crucifixion, where He was crucified alongside two others, making a total of three crosses on the hill. The presence of these three crosses carries deep symbolic weight, with Christ, in the center, representing the ultimate act of unifying humanity with the divine through His sacrifice, while the two other crosses signify the choices between redemption and rejection. This echoes ancient themes of balance, judgment, and protection seen in earlier cultures, further highlighting the enduring significance of the cross in religious and cultural history.’

Stephen D Green / ChatGPT, 2024 

The Bible Conundrum

 Bible writers never knew about a Bible one day existing, and eventually being canonised and put into print by the Puritans, so they could never say what importance to place on such a book. When at last people knew a Bible had become a real concept, by then there was nobody writing scriptures for inclusion in it by them of any relevant guidance. So they could not include anything in the Bible of any Bible authority about the Bible. So there can never be any biblical teaching about the Bible and how much importance to give it in comparison to other writings such as those comprising the other scrolls among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the Book of Enoch. Nothing in the Bible exists to tell us whether, say, to add the Book of Enoch to the Bible. Nothing in the Bible exists to tell us whether, say, to add the Apocrypha books to the Bible. Nothing in the Bible exists to tell us whether, say, to regard some books as Apocrypha. Nothing in the Bible exists to tell us whether it is better to be rooted and grounded in love, or whether people should be rooted and grounded in the Bible. It simply cannot say. The Bible does not mention the Bible nor can it do so, so it has nothing to say about the Bible which it did not know. When it was discovered centuries ago that there were churches in previously inaccessible parts of the world whose Bibles had extra books in them, there was no biblical teaching about whether to expand the West’s Puritan or Catholic Bibles to include those extra books. When the Council of Trent decided to add extra books to the Catholic Bible, there was no biblical teaching about whether to expand the Puritan’s Bible to include those extra books. It was all left to the Puritans to decide. 

A city on a hill?

 America’s founding did not all come after its Revolution. The Puritans believed they had a special covenant with God, and that by building a godly society based on biblical principles, they could create a moral example for the rest of the world to follow. it was called the City on a Hill after they founded an early colony intended to be like this, using the metaphor of Jesus from his saying about a city on a hill being visible to all. The Puritans believed in trying to use their King James Bible as a basis for all their leading principles in order to achieve a purity devoid of merely human-rooted laws, traditions, practices, and values. Much later Puritan-rooted church leaders such as John Darby tried to apply such principles to churches. He too wanted church laws to be based on the Puritan rules, and Puritan King James Bible, rather than metrly human laws. Now the real problems are these. Did this actually work?  Is it even biblical? It seems it did not work. Even the laws of this origin are still human. In the case of Darby, they are even more contrived than normal human laws, being baeed on his rather contrived Dispensationalism ideas. Also it is not acceptable to other churches. Likewise Puritan principles have not been seen by other countries, and religions, and even other Reformed denominations, as entirely pure and divine. This leads into the answer to the second question, was it biblical? The limited source of the King James Bible without ardent scholarship, critical thinking, and Christian tradition, means that lots of knowledge and practice gaps existed which had to be filled with prevalent ideas of the Reformation being published via printing presses, such as Calvinism. In some cases such ideas were rather weird, outlier concepts invented by poorly educated but Reformed farm folk, such as ideas about witchcraft and spirits. Yet most of all, was the idea of this secular application of a City on a Hill ideology even biblical? There is nothing in the Bible, the King James Bible, to suggest a culture should be based as much as possible entirely on a select set of scriptures. Jesus did not show favour on the Pharisees who were working towards such an ideal. Certainly it is not a command of God, nor a teaching of Jesus. Really the Puritans or later Darby would be hard pressed to prove it from scripture alone. This makes it rather paradoxical. After the Revolution it seems to have all been played down somewhat, as alternative ideologies and principles were balanced with it. Yet the influence remains strong in American society, culture, denominations and education. Is it still a paradox? Is it now a paradox which is being spread around the world? A city on a hill, but what kind of city really? What part does it play in end times? 

A proper grounding

 The USA founding Christians insisted on every doctrine being biblical, but what if this insistence was not itself biblical?  

The USA founders insisted on every doctrine being biblical. Did the Bible say that any nation should base everything on the Bible?

Should our lives and doctrines be rooted and grounded in the Bible or rooted and grounded in love?

By love I mean the following. If someone I love asks me for bread, I do not give them a stone. For their part, they do not do a course studying bread in case one day they get a stone from me. They know I love them and they trust me. 

The saints know they are loved like this. They are adopted as God’s children. They know the Father loves them like this. The will of the Father is that they be rooted and grounded in love. That they have the power to know His love. They do not need to become experts in the scriptures just to check He does not deceive them or give them something harmful when they ask for good. Their first and foremost knowledge and expertise is in how to know His love and how to love like that. 

Unique Selling Propositions

 Paul the Apostle taught that after he left, wolves would come and corrupt churches, not sparing the flocks, and that one thing wolves do is pervert things in order to draw people away from other churches to them. I think this seems to have happened in all churches and denominations. Even the main churches are teachings things which are not sound and are not biblical. I think the founders or early leaders were many of them wolves who changed the truth just to get a Unique Selling Proposition so they could poach followers from other groups. I think almost all churches now have this built in. Even when leaders come along and want to restart a new group to try to fix these problems, really they cannot resist doing what predecessors did and adding some kind of distinctive doctrine, unbiblical or unsound or both, just to help draw initial followers away from other groups. Just proclaiming truth, it seems, is never enough if you are young or worldly and want to make a name in church building. Like Jesus said of his own time, all who came before were thieves and robbers. What is the answer? Just be aware, you might be misled, even by those you trust to preach truth to you. Even the great preachers tend to twist a doctrine or two to get themselves a name and sell books. Sad but true. 

Christ’s law

 2 Corinthians 9:21 “I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law” 

— Apostle Paul

Christ’s law? The ten commandments in a context of the body of Christ whose members must love one another. All under the provision for sins of Christ having been sacrificed on the cross and rising from the dead to forever be Great High Priest over the household of God. With the Temple being the body of Christ, this household of God. 

Note: Actually Jesus has given other commands too. Paul summed one up as saying there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality among the church. This would reflect the Lord’s teaching that even lustful thoughts can be such. There are other commands too about giving alms, selling possessions, watching unto prayer, being ready to serve, communication, and so on. 

The command to persevere

 If you were taught in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus, do not be put off it something obscures it, or someone cuts in front of you. Persevere.

Were you taught these things?

Maybe you were taught to remember and preach the cross of Christ, his sacrifice of his own body and blood for your sins. Maybe you know how important is his resurrection. Maybe you are enthusiastic to learn things you have been told about him coming again soon. But did your teachers not know the other teachings of Christ too when they taught you these things: His teachings about the commandments of God, about morality, about selling your possessions and giving to the poor, about how to follow him and be led into all truth? Were you taught all this in accordance  with the truth that is in Jesus?

Obedience to the Commandments

 Genuine Christians obey the commands of God which in Christ are still like the ten commandments, including these commandments plus a new command to love one another and to live by truth, but in a new context of the body of Christ. They live according to the truth of this new reality for them, once they know the truth and have learned to obey. They obey out of their love for the Father and the Son and they enjoy fellowship with Father and Son and brothers and sisters as a result. They do not lie to brothers and sisters who are baptised into the body of Christ because they are the same body with them. Why lie to your own? They do not aggravate or vent anger sinfully on those in one body with them. They are faithful to them, not committing adultery. They let Christ be lord of the sabbath and decide for them how to keep it. They do not steal any longer, now they are in Christ, but replace stealing with hard work so they can provide for needs. They keep themselves from idols, because they have turned from idols to serve the living God. They regard the Father as the one true God, as Jesus taught, because it is the Father to whom everyone, including Jesus, and everything will be subject forever after the Millennium when Jesus hands everything over to Him, so He the Father alone is all in all. They obey the command in Christ to honour father and mother in the Lord, especially while children obeying their parents, knowing it is the first command with a promise. Those who do not do all this are haters of God and of His Christ and are cursed. This is how to live in obedience to the Lord, living by faith in his teachings. Those who live in disobedience are still under the control of Satan, Satan’s children, are not born again, and can be used by Satan to do evil. Jesus and his apostles taught these things. 

The grim eagle overhead

Looking at the letters from Lord Jesus Christ at the beginning of the Book of Revelation and the Lord’s grievances with churches. There are grievances today too. The sign of this sin is the eagle soaring overhead, often seen as dark and grim. Eagles, with their keen eyesight, symbolize impending war, judgment, and destruction. They attack swiftly from above, watching everything—every movement, every action on the ground.

For the past two and a half decades, this sign has been present, especially over Israel's closest allies: the UK and the USA. The UK, the most heavily monitored country in the world with its vast network of cameras, and the USA, close behind in mass surveillance. Why this level of scrutiny? It stems from sin: the sins of the churches, of politicians, of the wealthy. But most of all, from the abuse of trust in caring for the younger generation.

This sin reaches the highest levels—a disregard for the lives of innocent children worldwide, especially those who believe in Jesus and strive to follow His teachings. Their cities are bombed, their cries ignored—and this is heard in heaven. In response, heaven allows the rise of surveillance: cameras, monitored devices, spy planes, RFID tags, and technologies yet unknown. The eagle overhead is a symbol of our sinful times. Churches, as the vanguard of faith, are not exempt. Judgment begins with the household of God.

We must take responsibility for spiritually addressing serious wrongdoing within our church communities. If we police ourselves diligently, the need for external oversight from the government may diminish, though we remain bound by law to report what is required. The separation of church and state can only be upheld if we rigorously and effectively govern our own congregations. But this has not happened. Sins have been hidden, children endangered, and in the end, the "eagle" sees all. To our shame, the world steps in, shutting down churches and issuing prison sentences.

"Stop sinning," said our Lord Jesus, "or something worse may happen to you." His warning was not given lightly. Wars are breaking out everywhere. "Israel has sinned," says the Lord. The eagle is the sign. (See Hosea 8 and Joshua 7. )

A message to the baptised believer

 Have you been baptised? As a baptist maybe? Or Pentecostal or other believer baptising church? Baptised into the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not denomination teachings. Not a legalistic system. Not a framework. If you were baptised like I was, you were baptised into the teachings of the Lord who is Jesus Christ. It is like you have come into the restaurant of Jesus’ own food. He is chef. He picks the meals and cooks them. His reputation is the reputation of the restaurant: His establishment with his name above the door. Well come in. Sit down. Here is a menu. In baptism you have sat down and ordered from his menu. Now let me show you the food you have ordered. Here it is. You have the main meat. You have veg. You have rice. 

The meat you have is the tough teaching that he is coming soon. Not imminent necessarily. Soon. First there is tough-to-eat, hard-to-stomach real meat, that before he comes there will be grief, there will be immense suffering and in it there will be his prayers and prayers of all his saints, for your protection. But through these trials many of us will endure some very tough times. Perhaps the luckiest ones will be those who do not live long enough to see the dire things: Things maybe decades away. Even so, we nonetheless have to prepare the next generation to endure it: Not easy. We will get our glory from how we cope with it. 

Next the veg and rice. These are easier to eat. Not as meaty and strength-providing, but a welcome supplement to the meat. Here we have the revelations of the character of the Father and the relationship of the Son, and all kinds of other wonders of knowing the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is interacting with us here and now. We are not left parentless like orphans. We have a Comforter. This is milk-food. You can learn what God is like from the miracles He gives us as we believe. It can start early after baptism. Even before you eat meat. You can start on the rice and vegetables. In all of this we owe it to Jesus to hold fast to his teachings, and to what the Holy Spirit gives in his name, and what those sent by Jesus provide for us. 

We signed up to this baptism and we must continue in this to the end. Then we stay in fellowship with Father and Son, and with each-other. Thanks be to God. In Lord Jesus Christ’s name. 

Are you building on sand?

 Are you on a sinking ship, a Puritanical legalistic contrivance that keeps making fatal errors that will end up in disaster and fragmented cults? They are called denominations. They are the endless doctrinal frameworks frequently adjusted for their erroneous predictions of the coming of Jesus and the time of rapture, or to cater for splits from distinctive alternatives to such predictions, claiming to be biblical. Building on sand. The storm is coming. No need to tell me about how to build on sand. You have the scriptures. You need to believe more in Jesus. You need to believe he is the light, to the extent that you hold to his teachings for your need of light. The scriptures tell you this. No need for me to tell you, except as an independent witness of their veracity. 

Independent Testimonies

 The non-Trinitarian perspective best fits the Torah requirement for two independent testimonies, as it views Jesus and the Father as distinct beings, each providing independent testimony. Jesus testifies about himself, while the Father’s testimony is evidenced through the miracles Jesus performs. This allows for the two testimonies to be evaluated separately, meeting the legal standard for independence as outlined in Mosaic Law, which requires witnesses that can corroborate or contradict one another. In contrast, the Trinitarian perspective complicates this requirement by emphasizing a shared divine essence between Jesus and the Father, blurring the lines of independence needed for valid testimony. (ChatGPT)

Beware the yeast of the Puritan lawyers

 It is ironic that John Darby’s dispensationalism, which was intended to provide a clear and biblically grounded framework for understanding Scripture and church governance, is often perceived by many Christians as a man-made invention and a legalistic framework. Darby’s original intention was to return to what he viewed as a more authentic, New Testament form of Christianity that emphasized the authority of Scripture over human traditions and institutional practices. He sought to create a theological system that clarified God’s dealings with humanity across different historical epochs and established distinct roles for the Church and Israel. In doing so, he aimed to provide believers with a structured understanding of biblical prophecy and church life, which he believed had been obscured by centuries of ecclesiastical tradition.

However, the very structure and systematization that Darby championed have led to accusations of legalism and artificiality. Many critics argue that dispensationalism, with its rigid divisions of history and literal interpretations of prophetic texts, imposes a framework that can appear contrived and overly prescriptive. This perception is particularly pronounced among Christians who embrace more historical or traditional interpretations of Scripture, viewing dispensationalism as a departure from the historical Christian faith. For these groups, the framework seems to prioritize a specific eschatological timeline and a set of doctrinal beliefs over the broader, more inclusive narrative of the Christian faith, which can come across as a form of legalism that undermines the grace and freedom found in Christ.

The irony deepens when considering that dispensationalism was born out of a desire for purity and authenticity in faith. The movement aimed to provide believers with a clear understanding of God’s plan, yet it has often resulted in divisions within the Body of Christ. Many denominations and congregations have formed around dispensationalist teachings, sometimes at the expense of unity among Christians. This fracturing reflects a tendency to prioritize doctrinal distinctiveness over the essential tenets of the faith, which can lead to a perception of legalism rather than the intended liberation that comes from a genuine relationship with God.

Furthermore, the legalistic connotations often attributed to dispensationalism can overshadow its theological contributions. While the movement provides a framework for understanding the biblical narrative, it has also been critiqued for fostering an attitude of exclusivity that can alienate those outside the dispensationalist perspective. This can be seen as ironic, given that Darby and his followers initially sought to create a space for believers to engage with Scripture on a deeper level, free from the constraints of tradition. Instead, the legacy of dispensationalism has sometimes resulted in a new form of boundary-making that mirrors the very legalism its proponents sought to escape.

In essence, the irony lies in the contrast between the original intentions of Darby’s dispensationalism and the way it has been received and interpreted within the broader Christian community. What was meant to be a return to biblical clarity and purity has, for many, become associated with a rigid, man-made system that can feel restrictive and exclusive. This dissonance illustrates the complexities of theological development and the challenges inherent in creating frameworks that aim to clarify divine truth while navigating the diverse beliefs and practices of the Christian faith. Ultimately, the perception of dispensationalism as a legalistic framework highlights the ongoing struggle within Christianity to balance doctrinal precision with the call to unity, grace, and inclusivity in the Body of Christ.

ChatGPT, 2024 

Sayings for our times and scriptures for our times

 These sayings here were genuinely given by the Holy Spirit to a church I attended in the nineteen nineties.

“Consider the trees, they put forth buds and leaves. 

They do so by the power of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Consider the planets, they orbit their stars. 

They do so by the power of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

First the Holy Spirit gave these words but in an indirect way. The words were given to one man, speaking at a microphone, live, in a different language, a beautiful language, clearly heavenly.  Then the Holy Spirit gave power through these words to two people. One was someone full of the Holy Spirit listening in the congregation. Every word empowered this person’s mind, each word powerfully inspiring an English equivalent for that word, resulting in the sayings written here. This person was completely new to the church and did not feel comfortable with speaking them out loud. There were lots of people at the service and he did not know them and he was a stranger to them. The other person receiving the power of the Holy Spirit was the original speaker. He was given the English equivalent of what he had said in that heavenly language. He was at the microphone and he spoke out loud the words in English. He did this after the stranger in the meeting had already received from the Holy Spirit inspiration those exact same words in English. So actually the stranger was one who knew most confidently that this was truly the Holy Spirit giving the words first in heavenly language then in English. That stranger was me. Look at those words. They are a fresh revelation from heaven. They are not found at all in the KJV Bible, but there are very strikingly similar sayings in another scripture book found in the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, quoted once verbatim in the New Testament, and often alluded to in the Gospels and abundantly in the Book of Revelation. This scripture is called the Book of Enoch. So really the Holy Spirit is highlighting the Book of Enoch when giving these sayings to the church. The Book of Enoch opens with the following words:

“The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed.”

Surely they are for people today, in these end times.

Trinitarian or Not - let ChatGPT decide

 Jesus was legally accused of testifying about himself with no corroborating testimony. His legal defence, according to Mosaic Law, Torah, was that the Father also testified about him, by the works the Father gave him to do, plus his own testimony was valid because he sought not to please himself but to please the Father who sent him, so he was accountable in what he said, so this made two testimonies, as required by the Law, the Torah. What does this mean about his own theological framework viewpoint?  

Response from ChatGPT after several prompts:

In terms of strictly adhering to the legal requirement under Mosaic Law for two independent testimonies, the non-Trinitarian perspective seems to fit better. The Law stipulated that the testimonies of two witnesses must be independent, meaning they should be distinct and capable of either corroborating or contradicting one another. The purpose of this law was to ensure objectivity and prevent self-serving or biased claims.

The non-Trinitarian viewpoint maintains that Jesus and the Father are fully distinct beings. Jesus, as a human prophet or Messiah, offers his testimony about his identity and mission. The Father's testimony, provided through the miracles and works performed by Jesus, serves as independent confirmation of Jesus' role. These two testimonies, though in agreement, are separate and can be evaluated individually, meeting the legal standard for independent corroboration. Since Jesus and the Father are seen as entirely separate entities, this model clearly satisfies the requirement for two witnesses, each with its own independent validity.

In contrast, the Trinitarian perspective faces more difficulty in fitting this legal requirement. While it emphasizes that Jesus and the Father are distinct persons within the Trinity, it also maintains that they share the same divine essence. This raises a theological issue in the context of Mosaic Law because the requirement for independence suggests that the two testimonies should be capable of corroborating or not corroborating each other. Under the Trinitarian view, where Jesus and the Father are of one divine nature, the idea of true independence is complicated, as their testimonies would not conflict by nature of their shared divinity. This blurs the line of independent testimony, making it harder to satisfy the strict requirement of the Law in a legalistic sense.

Therefore, if one focuses purely on the legal requirement for two independent testimonies that can either corroborate or not corroborate, the non-Trinitarian perspective offers a clearer and more straightforward fulfillment of that law. It allows for genuine independence between Jesus' testimony and the Father's testimony, which fits more comfortably with the legal standards outlined in the Torah.

ChatGPT 

https://chatgpt.com/share/66fc7d38-2788-8003-af0d-d9be23fc412f 

Shunning and the Lamp-stands

 Looking at the letters of Christ at the start of the Book of Revelation, even these recognised churches, these churches recognised in heaven as lamp-stands, they were close to being objects of wrath with the world, if certain steps were not taken. Some of the churches had to take urgent, significant actions or their lamp-stands would be removed and they would be back in the world, just like the world, not churches recognised by heaven as lamp-stands any more. Wrath is coming. On a major scale, unprecedented, later on, but even before then, there can be judgments, wrath against groups, churches, nations, continents. Being in the safety of a true lamp-stand church, confers protection from the evil by the intercessions of Christ. Being outside of this protection, means wrath impacting individuals, families, former lamp-stand churches, like anyone else in the world. The actions required as commanded by Christ to avoid removal of recognised lamp-stand status did mean stopping the toleration of false teachers, in the particular cases of these churches written to in Revelation, and in more general cases, could mean shunning of those who both spread false teachings but also establish evil behaviour. Today we have cases of prominent teachers of warmongering and vouching for wide-scale violence, in some cases, toleration of extreme drug and people trafficking, in other cases, and toleration of other extreme forms of evil human activity and policies. We in our churches have a duty to shun such people. If we do not, we could find ourselves out in the cold. The eagle overhead is the sign. 

People who want to build God’s Temple, to build the glorious body of Christ, need to keep blood off their hands. King David wanted to build the Temple for God’s name, but was not permitted because his hands had shed too much blood. Solomon did the building instead, and ruled in relative peace. Peace is a backdrop for building up the church. A true Temple unto God. The true Temple of Christ’s Body is a testament to peace given by God in which it can be built. King David had not transgressed commands of God in his warring but it disqualified him from this privileged work. He was nevertheless overwhelmed with joy that his son would do it. God had blessed his family above all other families in giving this work to Solomon. God was treating Solomon as a true son.