Gospel in brief

 Christ Jesus was crucified on a cross and died for you, to bring you to full reconciliation with God. He is alive from the dead to help us stay reconciled and to some day be the judge of everyone, both the dead and the living. Learn from him all you can and keep on doing so, for his promise of eternal life. 

West Bank settlements

 “Israel has sinned” says God, That is why the watchful eagle of war is over the house of Israel. In the nineties there had been negotiations between Israel and the PLO, Palestinian Liberation Organisation (led by Arafat). The agreement was made to halt any settling of Israelis in the West Bank while the negotiations continued. The talks started in the late eighties but formal negotiations in the early nineties. They continued until the mid nineties resulting in Oslo Accords being signed. Yet over this time the settling of Israelis in the West Bank did not stop. Israel sinned. This resulted in a major point of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for many years, and continued to be a significant obstacle to the peace process. Now war is in the air and on the ground,  “Israel has sinned” God was saying in the mid to late nineties and His word holds true today. His sign holds true that indeed the eagle is over the house of Israel. 

The greater way

 For centuries in classical times the Jews were influencing the rest of the world and even the leaders of the wider world took interest in the unique and comprehensive laws owned by the Jewish people, their Torah. Yet the feasts and practices which helped the Jews keep faithful to their great God, king above all gods, were not open to the wider world without induction into the Judaism system. The atonement sacrifices in particular were for Jews only. Then came a great Messiah to the Jews and not only to them but to all people. He gave his own body and blood as atoning sacrifice for sins and turning aside of God’s holy wrath. This was open to all who believed. It was so great a sacrifice that now even those Jewish sacrifices were outweighed by the benefits of this once for all sacrifice. He was raised from the dead and it sealed this sacrifice as acceptable to God as atonement according to God’s will. As further sealing of this new covenant, God sent the Holy Spirit of prophecy into the believers both great and lowly, old and young. Today this way is still open to all. Believe it is for you and become Jesus’ disciple and keep his words given him by God, which still are given today through ongoing workings in believers daily by the Holy Spirit, until Jesus returns. 

God’s human representative

 The good news is that God, so mighty, so scary, so right always, has a human representative, the Son of Man, and this representative can mediate for us with God. The cross dealt with the root of the problem in that mediation. Now with the resurrection of this Son of Man completing the foundations, a real reconciliation with God is possible for each of us who believes in this Son of Man and holds to his spirit-and-life teachings. The Son of Man? The Lord Jesus Christ. How do we receive his mediation benefits? By the Holy Spirit sent by God in his name. Eternal life is now a true possibility. We have each fallen short of God’s standards of what is right. But that has been dealt with when Jesus Christ died on the cross for you. Confess your true state and let the power of the Heaven teach you true principles to set you free. 

Troubled Times - Again

The British Empire, Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire all dominated people in various areas between 1920 and 1940 which gave rise to various nationalistic responses from some of those being dominated. Both the Palestinian-Israel struggle and Ukraine-Russia struggle came out of this time of domination, as did the root of bitterness which led to the Holocaust. Perhaps Britain should show more sympathy to Russia having to deal with consequences of being an Empire in the recent past. What happened in Ukraine is now happening on formerly British-ruled turf. The common factors might again lead to what happened in the 1940s: Powerful factors beyond our control, but we can be vigilant and try to avert the worst outcomes.

https://chat.openai.com/share/36d575be-7503-4ddf-a714-96af8d794a07

What the holy gospel is and what it isn’t

 The holy gospel is not about knowing facts about Jesus. That is not the gospel. It is not about agreeing with encyclopaedia articles about God. That is not the gospel. It is not about agreeing with statements of faith. It is about loving Jesus Christ, believing him to be alive from the dead. It is about joy at who he is and awe at what God the Father achieved by sending him. It is about God giving us a mediator with Himself forever, a truly bona fide one, faithful and true. It is about the Holy Spirit sustaining us with water of life from Jesus Christ the fountain, until Jesus returns. It is about knowing Jesus the Lord and not only about knowing facts about him. It is all the wondrous things he has done by God’s power and continues to do and his disciples even today do along with him. It is about the power of God demonstrated to us in ways that inspire confidence within us that facts alone cannot give us. It is about lovingly holding to his teachings. 

Good news

The Lord does wonders in the earth and heavens. The miracles he does are all given him by the Father. These are how God shows those of us that see all this that this Son of Man is made Lord over us by God. At the same time God the Father uses these miracles to show us that we too have faith and favour with God to do these same things. It is fellowship in accordance with the teachings of this Lord, who is Jesus Christ. Jesus confirms to some of us that it is indeed him who is this Lord. He shows us he is our Master who has mastery over our innermost being, temple of his God and our God, his Father and our Father. This is all forever, if we abide in him by holding to his teachings, teachings given him by the Father. The Father shows some of us that Jesus is His own dear only begotten Son. We must build up this temple, our joined-up fellowship. The seal of all of this is the gift God gives us of the Holy Spirit, the spirit who testifies of the things of Christ, that all lordship in heaven and earth is given to the Lord Jesus Christ such that his name is the authority that drives Nature. Jesus is alive, he who was once dead. We must distribute these teachings, this good news, this holy gospel. Proclaim it from rooftops. Love God with our whole voice, our internet voice included. Teach our children. Write it on posters to show on walls in our homes. Doom looms because the train hurls towards an abyss as an eagle is in the sky above our heads. We are not principled enough. It is driving us to doom. The commands of God can lead us out of this mess we are in by moral and ethical failings. Jesus can set us free if we hold to his teachings, the commands of God. Then we will live by these commands and walk with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and each other in fellowship. We must no longer lie to each other. We must restrain ourselves in any anger we feel. We must keep faithful in relationships. We must cease any stealing and work to have enough to share with needy fellow people.

I am

 Such is the fame, the name, the reputation of the Christ, foreknown and predetermined through all of time past, that when he came the atmosphere his coming generated was tangible, as if you could cut it with a knife, and this was so even before he came, especially in the run-up to his certain coming preordained by God the Father. There was actually never a time in history or in all of time past when this was not so, as angels always knew among themselves, but all the more noticeable in the centuries before he came, especially among ancient prophets and the scriptures they wrote. It continues even now, now that he is manifested to all. It will always be so. He is Jesus, the Christ, the Lord, Son of the living God. He is. He was. And he was dead and is alive forever. He says, “Truly I tell you: Before Abraham was born, I am”.

Existence of the Christ

 In the common understanding of existence, people are correct to say Jesus Christ did not exist before conception. However, when something, in this case someone, is so certain to one day exist, because God has absolutely determined this from the very beginning, then there is something very uncommon about this. It is a special kind of existence. It is actually tangible. God made it certain that there would one day in history be a Christ and it was so certain that it meant this Christ existed in a very tangible way before that day. It is so unusual that it may not happen with other things except something certain to happen in the future, by the absolute will of God, like the resurrection, the Millennium, the final judgement. These are so certain to one day happen that they affect our lives today. Christ was like that in earliest times, before the rise of civilisation. His future existence was so foregone that it meant he actually had existence back then and this inspired the prophets such as Isaiah. Daniel even felt him tangibly putting a hand on his shoulder. David could speak of him as “my lord”. The laws of Nature were even affected by his inevitable foregone existence such that trees put out leaves and buds by his authority. Angels learned his name. People are correct to refute pre-existence of Christ by common understanding of existence, but this is an uncommon unique kind of existence. Not the commonly understood existence. “Before Abraham was born, I am”, Jesus said. Peter, his disciple, later wrote how prophets of old, such as Isaiah, were guided to write about the Christ by this Spirit of Christ working in them, centuries before the Christ came in the flesh. This is how it is that Jesus could say with such effect, “I am”. 

Daily updates

 Once we believe in the man Jesus Christ and hold to his teachings and believe the message of God to us, “Christ died for you”, that Jesus is alive now from the dead, we are given a teacher, the Holy Spirit, who teaches things from Jesus himself. We need to ask for God to give us this Spirit day after day, and God does so. Then we are in touch with Jesus via this Spirit. Jesus in turn receives everything from God, the Father. So we get daily updates. This leads to eternal life and ever growing knowledge of God and His human Son, Jesus Christ. 

A matter of time and consciousness

 Science is on a trajectory towards John’s Gospel chapter 1. It might take some time getting there. In the meantime, we can trust the teachings in John’s gospel as we find them to be true when we live by them. This life is only a part of a bigger picture. The existence we have in this biological life is prelude to a further existence of consciousness after we die.  Then eventually there may be resurrection of one kind or another. We have to think of such things if we are to follow Jesus Christ. The excesses we indulge in today are woe for the conscious existence we endure later. We are not thinking in line with Lord Jesus’ teachings if we boastfully rejoice in having all our good things now in this biological life. We need to get it, that suffering comes to us in the consciousness we have after death if we ignore the poor now and live in excessive luxury despite their pleas. Ignorance of this is worldliness, and will not help us nor excuse us. Knowing it but ignoring it, this is worse still. Remember the poor and believe the teachings Jesus gave and believe who Jesus is. Believe Jesus exists even if we do not know where he is precisely. It helps. Then there is hope of resurrection to life eternal. 

The Relationship Between Natural Laws and Life's Emergence, worded by Chat GPT 3.5

 Title: "The Relationship Between Natural Laws and Life's Emergence" worded by Chat GPT 3.5

In the quest to understand the origins of life and the universe, we often ponder the intricate relationship between the laws of nature and the emergence of life. This dialogue touches on philosophical, scientific, and metaphysical perspectives.

At its core, our current scientific understanding suggests that the laws of nature have been in operation from the very early moments of the universe. These laws describe and govern the behavior of matter and energy, providing the framework within which life can emerge and evolve. From this perspective, the potential for life is intricately tied to these laws, allowing for the development of life as we know it.

While discussions about the relationship between natural laws and the emergence of life can venture into philosophical and metaphysical realms, it's vital to differentiate between scientific perspectives and philosophical viewpoints. Science seeks to explain the natural world through empirical evidence and the laws of nature, while philosophy and metaphysics explore broader questions about existence and causality.

The question of whether the potential for life is a form of existence is an intriguing philosophical concept, and it invites contemplation about the fundamental nature of reality. While this viewpoint may not align with scientific definitions of life, it underscores the complexities and depth of our inquiries into the origins of the universe and life.

In conclusion, the relationship between the laws of nature and the emergence of life remains a fascinating topic of exploration, uniting science and philosophy in our quest to comprehend the cosmos and our place within it.

Just a matter of time

 Scientifically life existed at the Big Bang or life could never exist. A law of nature must always have existed to cause life to exist, and a law cannot have existed to produce life without life itself existing: There cannot be a law of nature for something non-existent. The Big Bang did not produce this life, so it must have existed before the Big Bang. Hence plausibly intelligent design is scientifically deducible. Just a matter of time. Science is on a trajectory towards John’s Gospel chapter 1. It might take some time getting there. 

The Anubis Scales

 The USA is probably building up warship presence in the Med, as Israel finds its eagle overhead was a real portent of imminent war, sign of its failings to keep to God’s true and honest principles. 

The USA neocons need to gain approval from evangelicals and, in their view maybe, God. They might feel posturing like this in Med is enough. It sends the message they need to send. They need to show support for Israel as a geopolitical and religious statement of good faith. Whether it is actually good faith is a key question. But either way, it sends a message of support for Israel to anyone thinking of attacking Israel (and US bases). That might be as far as this apparent ‘good faith’ needs to go. No need to attack Iran. Just stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel is enough, unless Iran attacks Israel of course, in which case there would need to be a robust response.

Probably by putting everything, exaggeratedly, in support of Israel to robustly respond to anyone thinking of attacking Israel, Biden/USA might feel this could bring redemption and fulfil its only holy, worthy purpose. It elevates them. Biden can show dutiful love to God this way. It justifies or offsets the failings. They can set this on one side of their successes/failings marketing report, with failings in Ukraine on the other side of it, like a balance sheet. They can tip the Anubis scale in their favour before Biden has to face him.

A not so saintly shamrock

 The famous green shamrock of Ireland and Saint Patrick is not so saintly. Without fact checking this, the story we are taught is how Patrick taught his Irish audience about his understanding of Trinity dogma by saying the three leaves of a shamrock can be a picture of three persons of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. STOP teaching this. This is not how Jesus taught about God. He only called the Father his God. Yes, a man sent by God to judge is a kind of god, especially since the Christ, this Jesus, is Son of God more so than anyone else, the Christ and the Lord over all of the Father’s household of believers, yes. But Jesus is not God. He taught that it is the Father who is God and the Father clearly confirms this Himself, as the miracles Jesus Christ did attest. Stop teaching a three person Trinity God. Learn the teachings of Jesus, the Lord and Christ sent by God, and teach these things, to those who hear us and to our children. Teach truth. The truth of Jesus Christ sets us free from living unprincipled lives, if we believe in the true Jesus and hold to his teachings, those teachings given by God Himself, by the Father. 

What is the good news?

 What is the gospel? What is the good news?

It is the good news that all power in heaven and earth is given to Jesus, king of the Jews, lord over God’s household, the household of faith.

Jesus is the human being given all of the top jobs, a bit like a public relations personal assistant with jusr one mysterious client, the topmost king, and this client entrusts to him control of all the most important matters relating to his own family affairs, and relating to control over all of his kingdom. God Himself is this one mysterious client of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the human alive from the dead, from his obedient death on the cross, is this lord over all of the very household of God, entrusted with the most important matters of all of God’s kingdom too, given all power in heaven and earth. This is the good news. 

@Trinitarians - Stop

 Trinitarians, like all who call themselves Christians, clerics, brothers and sisters, are going to have to stop teaching falsehoods. God is patient but that only goes so far. Some people even teach that Jesus was unaware he was God the Son. He only knew, they say, he was Son of God. It took the Trinitarians, they say, to figure out the full Trinity thing later. (See what Wikipedia says about Trinitarianism.) There are Trinitarians who actually say that. @Trinitarians: To you all, with full authority I say, STOP. (Find out for yourselves what full authority means - the Lord - Jesus - is alive and able to enforce that authority.) Does it sound loyal to Jesus to tell everyone he is God, but true loyalty is to do what he commands and teach only truth about him, in accordance with what he himself actually taught, that there is One God for him and that is the Father, his God and his Father.

The Enduring Influence of Jesus' Teachings on Shaping Society (by Chat GPT 3.5)

 In the annals of history, few figures have left a legacy as profound as Jesus Christ. His teachings, which form the cornerstone of Christianity, have resonated through the centuries, shaping the moral and ethical framework of Western civilization and influencing cultural narratives, values, and social justice movements.

But what about those who continue to adhere to his teachings today? Can they, too, impact the world in significant ways, akin to historical movements like the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation?

Absolutely.

1. A Moral Compass for Society When individuals embrace the teachings of Jesus, they carry forward values of love, forgiveness, and compassion. By embodying these principles, they contribute to the moral and ethical fabric of society. Their actions and choices inspire others to follow suit, forging a more compassionate and just world.

2. Cultural Narratives and Values Art, literature, music, and philosophy have all been profoundly influenced by the life and message of Jesus. Contemporary adherents of his teachings continue to create cultural expressions that emphasize kindness and empathy, further cementing these values into our cultural narratives.

3. A Force for Social Justice Advocacy for social justice and humanitarian causes has long been a part of the Christian tradition. Those who live by Jesus' teachings often become actively involved in addressing issues like poverty, inequality, and injustice. Their collective efforts can indeed move the needle toward a more equitable society.

4. Shaping the Future Historical movements, such as the Protestant Reformation, were propelled by individuals who sought to reform the church in line with their interpretation of Jesus' teachings. Likewise, modern adherents can impact the course of events by advocating for change in religious, political, or social institutions.

In a world that faces complex challenges, the influence of those who follow Jesus' teachings remains pivotal. While the specific impact of each individual or group may vary, the potential for their collective efforts to continue shaping moral and ethical foundations, cultural narratives, values, and social justice initiatives is profound.

In a time when empathy, compassion, and social justice are more critical than ever, the teachings of Jesus continue to provide a timeless source of guidance. The choice to adhere to these teachings and actively live them out is a choice to be a force for positive change in the world, just as it has been throughout history.

Let us draw inspiration from the enduring legacy of Jesus' teachings, recognizing that each one of us, through our actions and choices, can play a part in shaping a more compassionate and just future for all.

If they only knew

 If people really knew Jesus Christ they would know he wants those things he taught at first to be taught still. He taught there is one God and that this one true God is the Father, his own God, his own Father.

Abysmal events

In the Book of Enoch there are seventy shepherd angels placed over events affecting the righteous and the people of Israel by the Lord God. The last twelve of these seventy successive shepherds are found wanting by the excessive deaths they allow. The beginning of the seventy periods of shepherd influence appear to be the Assyrian conquests around 740 BC. Assuming a forty year period for each shepherd would mean the last forty year period begins around 2020 AD and lasts until 2060 AD. That is a total of 2800 years. The last twelve shepherds would have started 1580 or thereabouts. The time of the first of these ended around 1620 AD. Those forty years were times marked by religious conflicts and persecution in various parts of the world. That forty year period includes the European Wars of Religion, where Catholics and Protestants often persecuted each other. Additionally, events like the Spanish Inquisition and witch hunts also occurred during this time. The last period would have started around 2020, ending around 2060 AD. We are at the start of it. It is already looking bleak in terms of religious persecutions, racial hatred against Russians, and quite possibly a new rise of hatred against Israel and Jews, all echoing the sentiments leading up to the 1940s. The Book of Enoch tells how these last twelve angels overseeing the forty year periods will be thrown into a lake of fire at the coming of ‘the Lord of the sheep’. Biblical writings call an angel leading final Apocalyptic events, an angel of the abyss, Abaddon, Apollyon. We might be seeing right now the start of what the last shepherd will do before their abysmal end. 

The Book of Enoch and the Notion of Divine Shepherds

 Exploring Theological Concepts in Ancient Texts: The Book of Enoch and the Notion of Divine Shepherds

Worded by Chat GPT 3.5

In the realm of religious and philosophical texts, the ancient Book of Enoch holds a special place. This fascinating text, attributed to the biblical figure Enoch, introduces us to a unique concept - that of seventy shepherd angels who oversee events affecting the righteous and the people of Israel on behalf of the Lord God.

The Book of Enoch, dated to centuries before the Common Era, provides a rich tapestry of ideas and beliefs. One intriguing aspect is the notion that, as time progresses, the last twelve of these seventy successive shepherds are found wanting due to the excessive deaths they allow. But does this equate to the dualistic concept of a Demiurge power, which is not wholly good and contrasts with the highest power, the Lord God?

It's essential to tread carefully when interpreting ancient texts. The concept of the seventy shepherds in the Book of Enoch doesn't explicitly introduce a dualistic framework akin to Gnostic beliefs, where a less benevolent creator (the Demiurge) stands in contrast to a higher, more benevolent deity.

However, this raises the broader point that religious and philosophical texts often invite multiple interpretations. The Book of Enoch is no exception. The seventy shepherds can be seen as agents of divine authority, guiding events in the world. The critique of the last twelve shepherds might be more about accountability and divine justice than a strict duality of good and evil powers.

The concept of a Demiurge, typically associated with certain Gnostic beliefs, has its own complex history. In Gnosticism, the Demiurge is often seen as an inferior, sometimes malevolent creator responsible for the material world, contrasting with a higher, transcendent God.

The parallel between the Book of Enoch and Gnostic dualism is fascinating. However, these are distinct theological frameworks, each with its own historical and philosophical underpinnings.

Interpreting ancient texts is akin to solving a multifaceted puzzle. It requires understanding the historical, cultural, and religious context in which the texts were written. Moreover, different scholars and religious traditions may provide varying perspectives on their meanings.

In our quest to understand the intricate world of theology and ancient texts, it's crucial to approach these subjects with intellectual humility and a willingness to explore diverse viewpoints. The Book of Enoch serves as a reminder of the richness and complexity of human thought and belief, offering a window into the theological musings of our ancestors.

#Theology #AncientTexts #ReligiousInterpretation #BookOfEnoch #Gnosticism

Science and the Occult - by Chat GPT 3.5

By Chat GPT 3.5:

The link between modern science and the occult is complex and has evolved over time. Here are some key points to consider:

• Historical Connection: Modern science and the occult share historical roots, with early scientists often being involved in alchemy and mystical practices. Figures like Isaac Newton and Johannes Kepler were known to explore occult ideas.
• Divergent Philosophies: Science relies on empirical evidence and the scientific method, while the occult often involves mystical or esoteric beliefs that are not subject to empirical validation. These differing philosophies can create a divide between the two.
• Parallels in Exploration: Some areas of the occult, such as astrology, have inspired scientific curiosity. Astrology's historical influence on astronomy is an example of this interplay.
• Pseudoscience and Fraud: The occult has sometimes been associated with pseudoscientific practices and fraud. This can create skepticism in the scientific community.
• Psychology and Parapsychology: The study of human consciousness and psychic phenomena can be seen as a bridge between science and the occult. While some aspects of parapsychology remain controversial, they are studied scientifically.
• Boundary Exploration: Some scientists and researchers are interested in exploring the boundaries between science and the occult, such as investigating the placebo effect and mind-body connections.
• Ethical Considerations: Ethical issues can arise when science intersects with the occult, such as in studies involving spiritual practices, mind-altering substances, or human experimentation.
• Popular Interest: The occult continues to be of interest to the public, and this fascination can influence how science is perceived and received by society.
• Cultural and Personal Beliefs: Individual scientists may have personal beliefs or interests in the occult, but these are typically kept separate from their professional work.

Overall, the link between modern science and the occult is marked by a complex interplay of history, philosophy, and societal factors, and it varies greatly depending on the specific disciplines and individuals involved.

Science and God

 Eternal life persuasion and faith comes by God’s word persuading you, and God’s power convincing you. Yet many crave to have a scientific reasoning as well or instead. Science might get there eventually. There is a proposal currently to add a new law to the scientifically acknowledged laws of Nature. The way evolution of life seems to ever produce more and more complex living things over the ages, this warrants examination as to the existence of a law of Nature to make this happen. Yet for there to be a law now we must assume the law existed as soon as the universe was coming into existence. No law of Nature just starts to exist long after the Big Bang happened. It all gets intertwined as the universe unfolds from the beginning. So then scientists could well ask whether a law can exist concerning something which does not yet exist. The answer might well be that no, for the law to exist, the things about which the law is concerned these must also exist. So a law of Nature about evolution of life must mean life itself exists whenever this law exists. This might cause scientists to deduce that life existed at the time of the Big Bang. This life might even have existed before the Big Bang since nothing about the Big Bang suggests that it produced life. This life could well have been God and the spirit of the Christ, the Word. The law would then go some way to explaining what the beginning of the Gospel of John is saying: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and what God was, the Word was. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness to the light so that all men through him might believe. He was not the light but he came to bear witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. But to as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become the children of God.”

Did you receive the Holy Spirit since you believed?

 If you believe in Jesus Christ and hold to his teachings, do you remember specific events given by God where there was something not normal that happened miraculously so you could be absolutely sure you just received the Holy Spirit? Once he comes there is a frequent upwelling but that first time and then subsequent times there are distinct visitations. For me it was after praying more and more earnestly for years after a friend asked me questions like this. My prayers reached a peak of earnestness and suddenly came a vision of a builders’ bucket tipping out in front of me and words like subtitles said BUILD THE TEMPLE. I asked for threefold confirmation this was God giving me the Holy Spirit. I went to a special service either that day or the next maybe. Three sunday school girls had written a song together and they sang it. It went “Build, build, build the temple”. A church man played a guitar singing about building the temple. Then an elderly member preached a sermon about King David sitting in shock before God having been told his son would build the temple and he exclaimed in gratitude to God, “Is this an honour you bestow on many that you grant them to build your temple?!” Many months maybe years later I was taken to a church by my lay preaching supervisor who assured me I would witness speaking in tongues. I was awe struck as we went. The leader in the church got up and spoke amazingly eloquent and astonishing words in some unearthly language and it inspired these words in my head as I heard the words in tongues: Consider the trees, they put forth buds and leaves. They do so by the power/authority of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then the leader said some more which inspired words in my head about orbits of planets. Then he actually said in English these very same words. I asked him later about it and he could not remember that it happened. He must have been in some spiritual state. 

A service to God?

 The two witnesses in Revelation whose bodies will lie dead on the streets of the city where their Lord was crucified, killed by the Beast, the people there will think killing them was a service to God. In fact many believers are being killed in that part of the world today by people who think they are serving God by killing them.

The God for us

 Moses, who was Moses? This one man changed the course of civilisation and founded the world we live in today by leading a people called Israelites into having a law system beyond any law the world had ever known. He was a mediator. He mediated between his people and this Almighty being which had just brought about their Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from this Being, God. Then came the day when it all unravelled. They rebelled so badly that God said to Moses, “Let me destroy them and start again with you, making a new people from your own offspring.” No, said Moses, please don’t. So we have Israel today, to a great extent biologically descended from Abraham who was the famous believer in God long before Moses. Abraham was biological ancestor to the Israelite people of Moses and even to the Jews today. Abraham had believed in God and God promised to produce a nation from his offspring which would bless the world. Then many centuries later came a new man from whom God would start again. Everyone failed to be the believers worthy of being people of God, on the whole, though some proved to be true to the ways of Abraham and Moses. One man lives up to it all and does not fail. Jesus Christ became the new man from whom God could start again. Yet God did not merely destroy the other people. They continued but with salt to preserve them from utter corruption, the preserving salt of the people of Jesus Christ, not biological descendants this time but disciples joined to Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit within them. God is starting again. We can step back and look at Jesus as the one who is not blind about God, who really knows God and had lived obedient to God unto death and been raised again to live forever. Now as we encounter Jesus by believing in him and following his teachings we find awareness of the one true God who sent him. We pray to this God out of the knowledge of God and awareness of His wisdom, power and love for us that Jesus produces in us. God becomes the God for us. 

How has Israel sinned?

By engaging in peace talks with Palestinians since the 1980s, Israel got itself a reputation for democracy and decency on the world stage and benefitted in its trade, but its democracy led to it violating the agreements from which it benefitted. It changed leaders and these leaders did not all keep its agreements. Democracy in the West and even in Russia can be a matter of posturing when in reality the changes of leadership which sometimes can be frequent (Russia excepted) can mean the posturing is only that. Trade benefits can therefore be on a basis of reputation based on agreements that probably cannot be fulfilled. Israel has maybe been most obviously guilty of it but is not the only one. Now the eagle is overhead against all of us. 

Israel's Complex Journey Through Peace Agreements: Balancing Commitments and Challenges, by Chat GPT 3.5

 Israel's Complex Journey Through Peace Agreements: Balancing Commitments and Challenges, by Chat GPT 3.5

Starting in 1988, Israel initiated a series of agreements with the Palestinians. These negotiations and accords were vital for upholding Israel's international standing and credibility. They were viewed as a means to mitigate conflict and effectively manage the situation on the ground. Furthermore, reducing trade barriers and resolving conflicts held economic advantages for Israel. Some within Israel believed that engaging in peace talks and making agreements with the Palestinians aligned with their long-term strategic goals, including the preservation of a Jewish and democratic state and addressing demographic challenges.

Participating in peace negotiations allowed Israel to position itself as a committed partner for peace, positively impacting its global image. However, Israel's political landscape frequently experienced shifts, and it can be argued that the essence of these agreements was compromised by continued settlement activities in the West Bank and incidents of violence towards the Palestinians.

The Israeli-Palestinian Challenge: Adherence to Agreements, by Chat GPT 3.5

 The Israeli-Palestinian Challenge: Adherence to Agreements, by Chat GPT 3.5 

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an enduring and intricate issue, marked by a series of agreements over the years. While these agreements aimed at resolving the conflict, the question of Israel's commitment to them remains contentious.

Key agreements like the Oslo Accords of 1993, the Hebron Protocol of 1997, and the Road Map for Peace in 2003 were designed to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, their implementation has been inconsistent.

Critics argue that Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank has violated the spirit of these agreements, impacting the two-state solution. Periodic violence outbreaks have also disrupted the peace process, highlighting its fragility.

The ongoing challenge of Israeli-Palestinian agreements underscores the complexity of the conflict. Different interpretations exist, and changes in leadership have led to policy shifts. Achieving a lasting resolution will require renewed commitment, dialogue, and compromises.

The fire flames fanned

 There seems to me to be great similarity between Arab states’ historical rejection of the State of Israel and West nations’ and Ukraine’s rejection of Donbas as a Russian territory. The first step in the forming of the State of Israel had been a joint plan put together by USSR, UK and USA together with their allies which they got approved in the UN for a two-state solution in what was then called Palestine at the end of the WW2 time of rule by UK. Arab states of course rejected it, because it was imposed on them. so it ended up being a single state solution, the State of Israel. Gradually the Palestinians came to accept the idea of a two state solution, whereby they get a state of Palestine, and this agreement started to be formalised between Israel and the PLO in 1988. Yet Israel went back on it, backtracking because it posed a threat to their security needs. Further attempts have only got us to where we are today, these ferocious attacks and counterattacks. Israel does indeed seem to have fallen short of principles of good ethics. The eagle flies overhead. Deals, accords, were made and broken. Afraid of losing security, Israel faces the most insecure situation imaginable. So does Gaza. So does the region. The Collective West and Russia only impose solutions favouring Israel over Palestinians. Yet Israel backs off from seeking a fairer situation for Palestine for fear of losing what it ends up losing anyway, as a direct result. Then this attempt to build its Temple is setting fire to the situation. God must have an answer. 

Show some principles

Probably if Israel started to show some principles, start to have good principles in how it manages people living nearby, these attacks would not happen in this way.  Palestinian state or not, it needs to be a result of application of sound principles, continuing over time, not an Oslo Accord, nor a Middle East equivalent of Minsk 2. It needs to be a change of attitude of Israel towards all who live trustingly near by. A good samaritan stance. Otherwise that eagle overhead will just keep on circling, more and more like a vulture as the bodies pile up. Call that a prophecy if you will. 

Gaza 2023

 Understanding it from prophecy, the backlash in antisemitism after this 2023 levelling of Gaza is likely to be the worst in history. Israel might have twenty years of peace (before its Armageddon) but I predict the diaspora will not. An angel is over this.

The human Jesus

Because the Son is the human mediator with God, he has to be able to stand before God without any mediator himself. That is why it was so important that he have no sin. He has to be, himself, seen as worthy by God. He had to be sinless unto death. He had to live a completely human life without sinning and by obedience and suffering become the one human who can forever directly deal with God with no mediator himself. There is no need for God to feel wrath towards him. With Moses there was a time when God was enraged against him suddenly and his wife had to help by circumcising her husband’s son quickly or God would have killed him. The Son has no such mediation or intercession. Because he is human, we need not have terror with the Son as we would have to have if dealing directly with God. We can understand his teachings and rebukes as human to human, knowing he is capable of compassion and empathy. Yet God speaks to him and he in turn, through the Holy Spirit agency, can speak to us, minister to us, help us. He knows obedient death and now is risen and alive forever to be our mediator with God the Father, our Father and his Father, if we are truly his disciples, believing in him and holding to his teachings. He offered his own blood and body on the cross to turn away God’s wrath, so that we can receive the Holy Spirit and be saved from our sins. This is why the Son’s name is Jesus (Saviour), the Christ who saves his people from their sins. He died for you. Now hope can grow within us when we realise that he is risen from the dead and alive to this very day. God put all His investment in him and shows He finds his Son worthy by having raised him from the dead. We can hope more and more as we realise all this becoming persuaded of it, that Jesus Christ still now and forever righteously mediates between us and God. Christ died for you.  

Beware the yeast of the scribes

 We ought to be wary of deriving our gospel from professional writers, philosophers, lawyers. The earliest believers had a gospel preached orally, rarely written. Product differentiation makes writers exaggerate and write hypocritically to sell their writings and increase their profitable influence. Scriptures are an exception. The best evidence of the earliest gospel preached orally is what was written under inspiration and by those who met Jesus Christ and were designated by him personally for their ministry. What came after the gospel went mainstream is not a reliable indication of it. The mainstream oral tradition was possibly picked up by people who had reasons to make their own special version of it. Product differentiation and their reputation as writers, philosophers, thinkers, lawyers. Beware the yeast of the scribes.

Principled or not

 We in this day and age are not well familiar, not so well as our predecessors, with biblical terms. Fine, but maybe risky. It is said in the good book, “Sin is lawlessness”. That is one biblical term: “sin”. What is lawlessness, though? I had no idea really what scripture might mean by it. Until a lawyer online explained that in old times when kings and other rulers judged as an individual, they wrote themselves out what criteria to use when judging. Only they perhaps saw it but that did not matter too much. In England it was called common law. Now it occurs to me, if you have your criteria like that, perhaps some principles you live by and perhaps, if for example you are a parent with children or responsible for supervising, you might judge by these principles, and you can even perhaps write them down for yourself to refer to, or even pass on like a company does with its employee code, this means you are principled. If you never deep down have much awareness of genuine principles, you are unprincipled and some might find you difficult if, say, you are supervising them. So when we hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, that he died for you, we can get a glimmer of genuine principles and find it worth adhering to them. We become principled. Really this is the crux of ceasing to be an unprincipled sinner, lawless. It is a step towards eternal life, becoming more worthy of the resurrection by Christ Jesus when he soon returns.

War in Israel 2023: Where it is leading

 Revelation 11. It is all there. Temple completed in future. Beast of combined Iran and Iraq and Macedonia acting with impunity in Jerusalem. Events are clearly leading up to it. “Israel has sinned, says God, and the sign is the eagle over the house”

War in Israel 2023

 For someone believing in karma or God, there is clear justice at play. The Jewish leaders in Ukraine were killing civilians in Donbas. Now civilian Jews are being killed in Israel. For someone who believes God is the God and Judge over Jews and Israel there ought to be no problem linking these two things. Obviously there is probably no other link. So for the worldlier thinkers the link would seem a foolish one to make. God had said, “Israel has sinned. The eagle overhead is the sign.”

The Gospel today and the original Gospel

 "Antichrist" meaning "contradictory to Christ" or "opposite to Christ”, signifies a spirit that opposes the teachings, principles, and authority of Jesus Christ. Consider the history leading to the current state of Christianity teachings. It started with teachings of Jesus Christ and prophetic sayings of John the Baptist backed up by written prophecies of scriptures such as those of Isaiah and Daniel, plus the popular scriptures we find among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Then the apostles of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit among the early believing disciples started to expand on the sayings of Jesus preserved among them and the prophecies of the believers passed into oral and written traditions of the early church communities. It was all, at this early stage, revered as light in the darkness. This is what was adhered to as discipleship. This is how fellowship with God the Almighty, the Father, was maintained and fellowship with His Son and with the apostles sent to lead this combined church. Errors arose and were countered by the apostles, especially by the main council of the first apostles who gave diktats on what would be taught among the churches, spreading out into the world. At some point, as written documents show us, the emphasis moved away from these teachings, towards a new kind of teaching called orthodoxy as new elders and councils, centuries later, started to look for a way to pin down a corpus of beliefs into a coherent set of theological doctrines agreed by consensus. The authority became less about the sayings of Jesus Christ and more about philosophies and dogmas agreed by the writers and elders who sat in the seats of authority of the earlier apostles. Around this time some writers, leaders, were starting to notice that the Holy Spirit no longer came upon those on whom the leaders laid hands in their church ceremonies. Coincidence? Or had the connection, the fellowship, with Christ Jesus and the Father been lost? We need to understand that this fellowship comes from persuasion that Jesus is the Mediator for believers with God, and adherence to the teachings of God given through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Then as we return to these, keeping faithful to them, we can be freed from our ethical decline. We can be free from the demise of dying in our sins. We can find the gift of eternal life, that promise Jesus originally came to bestow from God. He died for you. He rose again and now forever lives for those who follow him and have fellowship with God through him. Then God will give us miracles among us and the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

How you can find God

 You can find God just in His words of spirit. I first found Him in those when taught them before I could read. Keeping them and keeping faithful to them, you can find Him in His active Spirit, the Holy Spirit. That was when I was in late teens and early twenties. This active power turned me away from habitual lying. It came especially on hearing “Christ died for you”. Keeping the words of spirit you can go on to find God and His Son themselves. This was when I was in my thirties. Then He gave me a task to do. Meeting Him face to face, I want to have done that task fully. 

Nordstream

Clear why Nordstream was attacked. Putin would have been saving tens of thousands of lives if they had been turned on. That is a problem for the ambitions of the West. It foils the narrative that Putin is a modern evil dictator. They rather let those tens of thousands die than let Putin be their saviour. 

What is in a name?

 All these people who think the spelling of the name Jesus is what is meant by his ‘name’, no. A name is the reputation you live up to. That is what it means to believe in the name of Jesus. His name is faithful and true. His name is deliverance. These are his reputation which he always lives up to. Believe in this and you will please God. Invoke the way Jesus Christ lives up to his reputation for being always faithful, being always true and being the great deliverer sent by God. Then you will be saved. Hold to his teachings for their truth, their faithfulness to the teachings he received from God his father, their constant truthfulness and faithfulness over the centuries of time and their ability to save us from our inner tendencies to sin and damn ourselves by our actions, then you will be holding to his name in faith, in persuasion that this name can save you. This all leads to eternal life and resurrection by him who died and now lives forever. 

With Sukkot over it us time to invest in a brighter future

 With Sukkot over and the year ahead in which to gain a greater yield on the harvest, will Jews and Israel now help to oppose the kind of thinking which was foremost in causing the Holocaust and will Israel and the faithful Jews try to bring a better understanding to the fore in the leadership of USA and Canada and UK? Time to share the harvest by investing in better understanding of the past to fortify the West against its internal enemies who want it to go back to hating and killing? Invest some of the harvest in the future. Turn the West against the ideology which might again cause a Holocaust. Help to rid the West of its propaganda lies. Educate the West to filter out that ideology from among its leaders. It might be too late, but an investment might greatly improve the future against another Holocaust.

Phase four of the Holocaust beginning

 We are probably entering a fourth phase of the Holocaust right now.

Phase 1: Nazis conducted a mass genocide in Eastern Europe largely unknown to the West, on a huge scale of killings of Jews and Soviets led by Nazis, carried out by Eastern Europeans in 1942 then 1943.

Phase 2: Nazis found a way to mass exterminate Jews in Western Europe under the noses of the West using gas chambers in 1943 until the end of the war in 1945.

Phase 3: “ The widespread killings of Poles by Nazis primarily occurred during World War II, but there were instances of violence and persecution after 1945 as well. While organized mass killings had largely ceased, there were isolated incidents of violence against Poles, including anti-partisan operations and reprisals. Additionally, the post-war period saw the displacement and mistreatment of many Poles by various occupying forces and shifting political dynamics. It's essential to remember that the aftermath of World War II was a complex and tumultuous time in Europe.” — Chat GPT 3

Phase 4: Surviving Nazis educated their neighbours to hate Russians and Jews and other groups seen as foreign, among Ukrainians in Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora in UK and Canada. This is now becoming publicly known and no longer hidden as the war in Ukraine triggered a zealous revival of anti-Russian ideology and sentiments throughout the West, especially in countries where the Ukrainian diaspora settled and among their children and grandchildren. This might spread beyond Russophobia to Antisemitism as the roots of the ideology are laid bare and emboldened.

We are being tested - each of us

 I had a weird dream the other night and realised what it was about the moment I woke up. A man invited me to eat in his home and he showed me people there who had terrible pocks on their legs. Cowpox, he said. Then meal time came and he showed me what was on the menu. Two legs of these people lined all along with these pocks. He forced me to eat some of the legs stewed up. Then I woke up and realised the pun. Horrid how people let themselves be treated like that. In reality baby cells rather than meat.

Canada in shame

 https://chat.openai.com/share/51e6a2c7-1643-4287-8515-c34458ee33d1 

Question: “What would happen if the PM of Canada and all of the Canadian parliament gave a standing ovation to a former Waffen SS officer because he fought in WW2 against Russians and the Soviets?” 

Chat GPT 3: “Such a scenario is highly unlikely and would likely generate significant controversy and international backlash. Celebrating a former Waffen SS officer, who was part of an organization associated with Nazi war crimes and atrocities, would be seen as deeply insensitive and offensive. It could damage Canada's international relations, lead to widespread condemnation, and result in calls for resignations or political repercussions for those involved. It's essential to remember the historical context and the significance of such actions.”

Now is the time

 It is the time now for every person to follow Jesus. Not just non-Jewish but Jewish too, not just Jew and Christian but from any background, creed, religion. This is time to forgive, to sort things out with others who have wronged us, to sort things out with those we have wronged, to work things out, to find truth, to seek and to find and to work things out. Because God has made a new covenant which is for every person who finds it, which makes everything like this worth it, which makes finding the truth worth it. There will be many who will trip us up when we all meet together in this new covenant but it is worth it, we just need to step over those stumbling blocks again and again. We need to overcome the hurdles because this covenant is worth the trouble. There will always be trouble, but it should not put us off. God is making it all worth finding Him. Whoever we are. Whatever our creed or religion. God has provided teachings about all this. A way is provided. A means to find forgiveness from Him when we forgive each other and work things out with each other. There is forgiveness on offer, and also a cleansing, by a sacrifice for sin, by the sacrificial death of God’s own dear Son for each of us, whoever we are, whatever we did in the past. It is a way to be clean of ethical failings. The cross paid for it. Christ Jesus dying for you put a way ahead open for you. Let us each find it and find cleansing with this new covenant God has made. There is a gospel message for each of us to hear. Believing it, we can be changed, so we stop our failing in major ways that bring us down and make us subject to a deserved punishment of death. It is now possible to find a man who can keep us from such death. The man who God in His covenant has provided to lead us away from such a deserved death and free us from the causes of such punishment into a life of hope and eternal mercy and eternal life from God. This man is mediator between God and us all. This Christ Jesus is alive from the dead having died for you and me. He made God’s standards of right living in all situations of life and death and now serves forever as go-between to lead each of us into a right way of living that pleases God, and goes on pleasing Him, so it is possible to live under this new covenant. It is now possible to find a right path in life that is in fellowship with God. His holy Spirit can teach it to each of us if we believe. The gospel message of Christ dying for you, when you believe it, opens up the way for God to give you this spirit to influence you into ceasing from your lies and your uncontrolled rage and your unfaithfulness in relationships the like and guide you into a fellowship with others who believe, while God does miracles among you all, as you tell the truth to each other, forgive each other, find forgiveness, stop hating each other and love each other, and this Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth. You will all be a temple of living people, built together into one people. Now is the time. God has opened it all up to you by His new covenant by the blood of Jesus the Christ, His Son. It is worth finding this covenant and living the life. Jew, non-Jew, whatever your religion, there is this life to be found. 

Science 2.0

 It is a dream to think we can modernise Science, but if we did, where would we start? My own dream, quite literally, is to take it back to basics, starting again. Find what is truly good about Science and reboot it all based on that. Yet keeping it in mind, vital to our civilisation’s survival, that this is all about human beings and humans are naturally quite corrupt, with tendencies to perpetuate what is bad from our past, and this is not something we can stop globally, at least, not this side of kingdom-come. I personally would go back to the best scientific things we learn from our ancient past, from writings from ancient times we call holy writ, from one of the most revered of our ancestors, known to Babylonians as Utnapistim, or Ziusudra, and in English versions of ancient scriptures called Noah. The mysterious book of Genesis is mysterious in that much of it mirrors other ancient writings such as the 2200 BC Epic of Gilgamesh. They recount about Noah in very similar events told in a similar sequence, perhaps indicating they had a common source, among various sources, perhaps Noah himself. Genesis tells, in its Flood account, of a series of empirical experiments conducted by Noah which folk history has preserved almost universally in the symbol for peace of a dove with an olive branch in its beak. Noah needed to know whether flood waters had subsided sufficiently to leave the Ark and venture again onto the land that had been covered in very deep flood water.  So he conducted a series of tests. Noah first sent out a raven from the Ark to see if it could find dry land. He sent out a bird, a raven, from the Ark. The raven, being a scavenger bird, did not return to the Ark and likely found a place to perch. It would have found plenty of carcasses to feed from. After the raven, Noah sent out a dove to see if it could find dry ground. The dove returned to the Ark because it found no place to rest, indicating that the waters had not yet receded. It would not have eaten flesh but needed vegetation so its return showed there was not vegetation available yet. After waiting for some time, Noah sent out the dove a second time. This time, the dove returned with an olive leaf in its beak, indicating that it had found an olive tree growing, which suggested that the waters were receding, and there was dry land. These were empirical experiments. He accepted the results as indicative of what he needed to know. He assimilated increased knowledge from them and they were repeatable tests. He interpreted their results intelligently. He persisted in the tests until they indicated what he needed, that he could leave the Ark.   Later he recorded it or related it so it made its way into records from which civilisation could learn how to run good tests. Perhaps it is the oldest scientific study on record. Civilisation clearly learned from it, as we see in use of the dove symbol with olive branch in its mouth. Do we need to call it Science? Not necessarily. He must have recorded what he did, what happened and what he deduced, much as we are taught in elementary empirical science today to record a Test, an Observation and an Inference. So we should keep this as good practice which has provided civilisation with best practice lessons ever since. Let us go back to this. But calling it Science is unnecessary. Today we might say “I did this. And this happened.” Let us learn from Noah and Genesis in the Good Book that this is simply how to be an intelligent human being and to serve our civilisation well. God will be pleased too if we do these things. 

The Father in Jesus and Jesus in the Father

 Jesus and the Father are so intertwined. Extremely close. But remember he said he and a disciple can be similarly close and intertwined. Jesus only exists because of the Father, on many levels, in many ways. The Father is fully invested in Jesus, more than in any other person, any other being. The Father is happy for you to see His Son, Jesus, and take that as seeing Himself. He lets Himself be fully represented by Jesus and makes Jesus a true representation of Himself by keeping Jesus righteous utterly in line with His own righteousness and fully tested as being so, even unto death, in all situations of life and death. When He says He is well pleased with Jesus He really means that in every way. So He is fully OK with Jesus being a full representation of Himself. And Jesus is that way because of the Father. It is from time immemorial that the Father has willed this and spoken it into being so. 

What is the gospel?

 Really and truly the gospel is all Jesus Christ, the person he is, the ongoing work he does to mediate for us all, for every human being, with God the Father, the things recorded that he did long ago, especially to purify his own from sins by dying on a cross, his resurrection a few days later, but also the things he still does today, and will do in the near future. His character, faithful and true. His teachings which he practices too. His extremely close relationship with God the Father. His uniquely beloved cherished and supremely important standing with the Father, resoundingly set before us all by the Father with the Father’s words “This is my beloved Son”. It is about being brought close to the Father by all of this. It is about Jesus Christ being Savour who can save a believing follower of himself from the dangers of falling - falling into deadly sin. It is about becoming a saved person freed from committing deadly sins, living a life worthy of living forever, raised from the dead if dying, or made immortal at his coming again if still alive by then. It is the promise of all of this if we believe he is the one, the human mediator between us and God, and if we hold to his teachings. The promise of not dying in our sins. The promise of becoming holy like he is holy. The promise of life in fellowship with God which is never ever over, with eternal fellowship to come.

O heavenly dove

 "Surely, no one can obstruct their baptism with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we did."

These words marked a pivotal moment in the emergence of Christianity, as it was the first occasion when Jewish followers of Jesus bore witness to the Holy Spirit being poured out upon Gentiles. The Holy Spirit, represented as a dove, had entered the hearts of a non-Jewish family, leading them to spontaneously prophesy in languages they had never learned. This was the visible expression of the Holy Spirit's inner presence within them as they listened to Peter proclaim the truth about Jesus Christ. Sent by God the Father in Jesus' name, the Holy Spirit flowed like a wellspring within them, causing them to speak mysteries of God in unfamiliar tongues, akin to the experiences of Peter and other Jewish followers.

This constitutes the essence of it all. Jesus Christ's ministry commenced years earlier, with the Holy Spirit descending upon him as a gentle dove during his baptism. Following Jesus' resurrection and return to God, the Holy Spirit was granted to those who believed in his teachings and name. This same Spirit resided within these disciples, empowering them to offer praise to God in unknown languages and, on occasion, translate those foreign or angelic words into their native tongue for comprehension. In this way, they could glean insights into the mysteries of God's wonders.

Now, Peter bore witness to this overflow of the Spirit extending to non-Jews as well. These individuals were filled with the presence of the dove-like Spirit, sent from heaven to guide them. This Spirit would encourage honest and open communication, temper anger, foster faithfulness in relationships, and lead them into all truth. The subsequent step for them was water baptism in the name of Jesus. As Jesus teaches those who believe, "Pray, 'Our Father: ... Give us this day our daily bread... for how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask of Him.'"

Well reworded by Chat GPT

 https://chat.openai.com/share/fa8b0139-07d8-4d33-b0f3-b5af1595d0c8 

Like a dove

 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptised with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” These words marked the birth of Christianity. This was the first time that Jewish believers following Jesus Christ witnessed the Holy Spirit being poured out on Gentiles. The dove-like Holy Spirit had entered the members of a Gentile, non-Jewish, family and they had all spoken in tongues. The speaking in tongues had been the visible outward evidence of an inner process going on in these people when they heard Peter preach the truth he knew about Jesus Christ. The people were being visited inwardly by this Holy Spirit from God who comes in Jesus’ name. It was like a well of water within them welling up into the uttering of words of mystery of God in languages they had never learned, similar to what had happened to Peter and the Jewish followers of Jesus. This is what it is all about. The ministry of Jesus Christ had started years before all this with a spirit visible in the form of a gentle dove descending from God upon him at his baptism. When Jesus left after rising from the dead and returned to God it was so that this Holy Spirit could be given in his place, to followers of his teachings who believed in him and his name. The same spirit had then entered the inner being of these disciples. It caused them to praise God in languages they had never learned and do other things such as turn those words of foreign or angelic languages back into their native tongue so they could be understood and get the benefit of the mystery worshipful meaning. Now Peter was witnessing this overflow to non-Jews too. These people were filled with the presence within them of this heaven-sent dove-like spirit to lead them. The spirit would lead them to speak truthfully to each other, to control anger, to stay faithful in relationships, and lead them into all truth. Now it remained for them to be baptised into this new way. They were baptised in water in Jesus’ name.

Stark warning about medicine

 The book of Revelation in its ancient form of writing called Koine Greek has a verse in chapter 21 which ought to be closely examined in relation today’s world as a very stark warning but with good understanding of what it meant when it was written. (https://biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/21-8.htm )

In the Koine Greek it reads:

τοῖς δὲ δειλοῖς καὶ ⸀ἀπίστοις καὶ ἐβδελυγμένοις καὶ φονεῦσι καὶ πόρνοις καὶ φαρμάκοις καὶ εἰδωλολάτραις καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ψευδέσιν τὸ μέρος αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ τῇ καιομένῃ πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ, ὅ ἐστιν ὁ θάνατος ὁδεύτερος.

Translation to English by Google Translate (which detects the language as Greek and does an impressive job of translating it):

“ but to the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and harlots, and druggists, and idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake of burning fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

We need to understand the word translated as “druggists”. I highlighted it in the original: φαρμάκοις

If we render it in English letters it is pharmakois. This is the word used today in modern words terms as pharmacist, pharmacology, Big Pharma. What did it mean at the time of the Book of Revelation? I put some questions to Chat GPT to try to delve into its original meaning at the time, the time of ancient classical Rome. I then asked it to form a prompt that would frame the question well and this prompt was the question it gave me to ask (  https://chat.openai.com/share/ee27508f-77e3-48c8-b3a4-55d914765d52 ): “Compare and contrast the roles and practices of ancient Roman physicians ('medicus') and Greek physicians ('iatros'), including their methods of treatment, use of medicinal substances, and the influence of pharmacists ('φαρμάκοις') on their healthcare systems. Highlight any overlaps and key differences in their approaches to medicine and patient care.” On asking this question, here below is its response:

Chat GPT:

“Ancient Roman physicians ('medicus') and Greek physicians ('iatros') both played essential roles in healthcare, but their practices and approaches to medicine exhibited some key differences:

Education and Training:

Roman Medicus: 

Roman physicians often had diverse backgrounds and could include both freeborn citizens and slaves. Their education was less standardized compared to the Greeks, and they learned through apprenticeships or personal experience.

Greek Iatros: 

Greek physicians, in contrast, had a more structured education. They attended medical schools, such as the one in Kos founded by Hippocrates, where they were trained in anatomy, diagnosis, and treatment.

Treatment Methods:

Roman Medicus: 

Roman physicians focused on practical, often surgical treatments. They employed techniques like bloodletting, wound care, and setting broken bones. Their approach was more interventionist.

Greek Iatros: 

Greek physicians emphasized the holistic approach to healthcare. They believed in the balance of bodily humors, and treatment often involved dietary changes, herbal remedies, and a focus on maintaining balance and harmony within the body.

Use of Medicinal Substances:

Roman Medicus: 

Romans used a wide range of medicinal substances, including herbs, minerals, and animal products. They were known for their elaborate pharmacopoeias.

Greek Iatros: 

Greek physicians also used medicinal substances but were more cautious and systematic in their approach. The writings of Hippocrates, for example, discussed the use of herbs and the importance of observing the patient's symptoms before prescribing treatments.

Influence of Pharmacists ('φαρμάκοις'):

Roman Medicus: 

Roman physicians often worked closely with pharmacists ('pharmacopolae'), who prepared and dispensed medicines based on the physician's instructions. The role of pharmacists was significant in the Roman healthcare system.

Greek Iatros: 

Greek physicians had a more direct role in preparing medicines and often made their own remedies or closely supervised their preparation.

Overlaps:

Both Roman and Greek physicians recognized the importance of patient observation and maintaining records of symptoms and treatments.Both systems incorporated a combination of empirical knowledge and theoretical principles.

In summary, while there were overlaps in the roles of Roman and Greek physicians, their approaches to medicine and patient care differed in terms of education, treatment methods, the use of medicinal substances, and the role of pharmacists. Roman medicine leaned towards practical interventions, while Greek medicine emphasized holistic approaches and balance within the body. These distinctions reflect the broader cultural and historical contexts of the Roman and Greek civilizations.”