October, 2007Archive for

The word “apocalypsis” is the Greek name of the book of Revelation, from which we get our word apocalypse. Because the word is associated with the prophecies about the end of our age, many assume the word means “doom” or “destruction.”

But it does not. The word literally means “revelation” — a spiritual process where the Spirit opens our mind by dreams, direct contact, by meditation, visions, by whatever the Spirit finds best, to help us understand things we otherwise might not grasp. John the Apostle wrote:

The anointing, which you have received from Him, stays in you. And you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as the same anointing does teach you concerning all, and is true, and is not falsehood, and even as it has taught you, you stay in Him. And now, little children, stay in Him, so that when He appears, we might have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
From I John 2

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This Bible study series contains some very strong words for a special group of people symbolized by the Seven Lamps belonging to the one lampstand. Some translators of the Book of Revelation used “lampstand” or “candlestick” instead of “lamp” when translating this passage.

But a lamp in Greek is a vessel into which oil is poured, and it has a wick that brings the oil to the spout to burn and give light. It is not a candlestick, nor is the lamp the lampstand on which the lamps are placed.

Although some made a career of studying the Greek New Testament, it does have weaknesses, which most often show up in the translations. The use of the word candlestick or lampstand instead of lamp is one case. Greek is not a theological language, it is philosophical and forms a context for Western thought.

But these two chapters of Revelation can only be understood within the context of the Scriptures and Hebraic thought. Here is what I mean: The Law and the Prophets tell about the gold lampstand with its seven gold lamps:

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Jeff Benner, founder, researcher, and author of the Ancient Hebrew Research Center tells how to learn Hebrew so that you can understand the context of the Scripture writers, not the translators. This amazing study is a must for anyone interested in not only learning Hebrew, but also how to really understand what was written from the point of view and context of writers, like Moses, and the Prophets.

During the interview Jeff also tells about helpful books he has available from the Ancient-Hebrew website and from other booksellers. This is one podcast you should not miss.

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Direct download (23.0M): Ancient Hebrew MP3

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The last or seventh assembly of people has been called out to receive spiritual knowledge and to receive the promises for overcoming their dangerous situation. All of the messages to the seven assemblies are not only age transcending but also “end time” or, more exactly for our time: the end of the seventh age. These called-out people have existed in every generation from the time of Adam!

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The time is at hand during which all who are among the called-out ones must act quickly to change any of their unprofitable works into works of righteousness. This Bible study shows that this last assembly could apply to millions of people or to only thousands. These are the people of Laodicea.

Even though these are names of congregations found cities in Asia Minor during the time John was told to write down the words of the Book of Revelation, means little to us. The words spoken to each are far more important than any meaning applied to a name, except “Philadelphia ” (a love for the brothers), which seems to fit the works of the “loners.”

In the prior post in this Bible study series I referred to the “congregation of Satan” who said they were “Jews” but lied. The most fitting application of that turned out to be the followers of Herbert W. Armstrong who out of necessity created the Worldwide Church of God. It appears as though their intentions may have been “pure” in their own eyes, but their, works, particularly of the ministry, showed otherwise.

Does this group belong to any of the assemblies of Revelation chapters two and three?

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The last two assemblies or groups of called-out people are probably the most well-known and the least understood. In the previous posts on the promises to overcomers, I wrote how all the problems that threatened the people were spiritual and caused by religions.

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In this Bible study we will see those who remained unaffected by religion and those who created their own. Remember all groups or assemblies of people written about in chapters two and three of the Book of Revelation consist of people who had received the call. But again, “Many are called.”

Why someone would want to create their own religion is not a big mystery. The biggest reason is because they don’t want to have anything to do with the religions that afflicted the other groups. Their eyes may have been opened to the problems of the other groups. But instead of moving into truth, they adopted traditions and practices from sources unknown to the other groups or assemblies, and made those their own. To quote the SNL Church Lady, “How convenient!”

Looking around to see how others “worship” and adopting their ways has been and still is the biggest step to creating a nation doomed to spiritual failure. The Unites States and all of Western civilization are nations that have done that.

The most difficult task is to become humble as a person and as a nation and learn the truth by obtaining the spiritual connection with Elah [God] and Eyahuwah the One called LORD in the scriptures. In other words, returning to the righteousness of our fathers, from Adam, through Enoch Noah and his sons, the fathers of all who live today, and through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, if you can call them your fathers. Then you will learn the truth; your life will be changed; your future will be assured; and you will fear nothing. This is true for individuals. It is true for nations.

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After listening to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speak to the audience at Columbia, it became apparent that there was a “phenomena” at work in the minds of all who spoke that day. This is a mystery, because we are not aware of how this works even in our minds. I call this contextual thinking — and it affects our spiritual life!

When we are born, our minds are like a blank canvas. Rarely do we remember the first year or two of our lives. It is like a long drawn out process of awakening. But from the very beginning the context thought processes into which we are born begin to affect our mind and our accumulation of thoughts. Some may think this is another term for environment, but it is not limited to that. Environment is a factor, but there is more to thinking in context than we “think.”

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