The Biblical Blueprint

• “That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ” (Gal. 3:14).
• “May God give you and your descendants the blessing of Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham” (Gen. 28:4). 

Those who make confident assertions about “what the Bible says” frequently overlook the presuppositions which they bring to the biblical text. James Dunn makes the excellent point that to read the Bible intelligently we must reckon seriously with “the taken-for-granteds” of both author and addressees. Where a modern reader is unaware of (or unsympathetic to) these shared assumptions and concerns, it will be impossible to hear the text as the author intended it to be heard (and assumed it would be heard). In this case (Romans, though the principle applies to any part of the New Testament), “a major part of that context is the self-understanding of Jews and Judaism in the first century...Since most of Christian history and scholarship, regrettably, has been unsympathetic, if not downright hostile to it, a proper appreciation of Paul [or Jesus] in his interaction with that self-understanding has been virtually impossible.” [1] We should not miss the amazing point that “most of Christian history and scholarship has been downright hostile” to the Jewishness of the Bible! A new approach would seem to be in order. This magazine attempts to offer you just that.

This failure to attune ourselves to the background themes of the New Testament will account for the consummate confusion that prevails about what Christianity is. Unfortunately many who approach the Bible bring to it an inbred antipathy to the Jewishness which saturates the Christian documents. Light will come when we first recognize that Gentiles have “made a hash” of trying to understand Jesus and the Apostles because of the un-Hebraic set of assumptions we start with. The Bible condemns these as “traditions learned by heart,” yet unbiblical!

Let us instead begin with a major presupposition drawn from the Old Testament: God has been working with His people to bring about a world in which justice and peace will abound (Isa. 2:1-4). To Abraham the land (and the world, Rom. 4:13) is promised forever (Gen. 13:14-15; 15:7-8; 17:8) — though he has not yet inherited it (Acts 7:5; Heb. 11:8, 9, 13, 39). To David (2 Sam. 7:13-16) the promise of a permanent dynasty, with the Messiah ruling over Israel and the world, was assured (though this has never yet been realized). The angel declares that Mary’s son is destined to assume “the throne of his father David and rule over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:32). No promise could be more to the point than this simple summary of the national hopes of Israel, based squarely on the heritage they had received from the Hebrew Scriptures, uniting the promises to Abraham and David (Luke 1:55, 69, 73). The great promises of land and kingship (Gen. 12:1-5; 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:8; 2 Sam. 7:12-16) converge in Jesus as Messiah, King of Israel (John 1:41, 49; Luke 2:11: “Messiah lord”). The fulfillment of both strands of the promise will occur when Jesus returns to establish his Kingdom on the earth and take the meek to rule with him (Matt. 5:5; Rev. 5:10; 3:21; 2:26; 20:1-6, etc). 

Daniel 7 

In addition to these bedrock foundations of Christianity, Daniel, as a whole, and particularly his seventh chapter, supplies us with an invaluable blueprint for the New Testament story. The picture is not difficult to grasp. Hostile powers culminating in a final Antichrist will continue to persecute and wear out the saints of the Most High (Dan. 7:8, 19-21). Yet those saints will be vindicated. The time will come when the saints receive the worldwide Kingdom of God and all nations and peoples will serve and obey the saints (Dan. 7:18, 22, 27). It is against this backdrop of the divine plan in history that the New Testament drama is worked out. If we do not take account of the Messianic presuppositions of the New Testament writers, based on the covenant made with Abraham and David, we run the risk of inventing a false story, to which we add the name of Christ, but which Jesus would not have recognized as the faith.

Jesus fits into the picture quite obviously when he appears as the Son of Man, the predicted Messianic figure of Daniel 7:13, who is an individual human being representing a corporate body of saints, those destined to possess rulership of the world (Dan. 7:18, 22, 27). Rooted in the promise of Daniel 7, the entire New Testament is geared to the future triumph of the saints in a renovated earth (“the Kingdom under the whole heaven,” Dan. 7:27). Jesus sums up the promise of a glorious future when he announces the Gospel about the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:43; Matt. 4:17; 9:35; see also Acts 8:12; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31). 

The New Testament describes the career of the “chief saint” (“holy one”), the Messiah, who gathers around himself a circle of disciple-friends. Together they announce the coming Kingdom in the face of acute opposition mostly from established religion. But other rulers are no more friendly. Existing systems of government do not wish to yield to the government of the Messiah and his followers. The theme of suffering in view of future glory pervades and permeates the New Testament: “Through much tribulation we are destined to enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). “If we suffer with him we will also become kings with him” (2 Tim. 2:12). The saints, according to the plan laid out in Daniel 7, must expect persecution, even to death (“some are martyred,” Luke 21:16). “The horn [antichrist] wages war with the saints and overpowers them” (Dan. 7:21). The book of Revelation is the fitting summary of the Messianic story, culminating in the establishment of Messiah’s Kingdom on the earth (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21; 5:10, 20:4, etc.).

Suffering prior to triumph at Christ’s return is reflected in the experience of Jesus and the leaders of the early Church. They are prepared to bear ignominy and shame at the hands of hostile authorities in view of the glorious prospect of being vindicated when the Messiah returns to rule: “Don’t you know that the saints are going to manage the world?” is the encouraging cry of Paul as he urges the troops forward. “And if the world is to come under your jurisdiction...” (1 Cor. 6:2, Moffat). “But the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9). This is the awful penalty which awaits the disciple who fails the test. “The inhabited earth of the future has been subjected to the saints” is the clear message of Heb. 2:5. That is what the Gospel is about (Heb. 2:2-4). On no account should the saints miss out on their destiny (Heb. 2:1). They are now to conduct themselves in a manner fitting their invitation to kingship, or as Paul puts it, “walk worthy of the God who is calling you into His own Kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12).

Throughout the gospels there are glimpses of the sparkling, brilliant future assured to the disciples. “When the world is reborn,” says Jesus, “when the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you who have followed me in my trials will also sit on thrones to rule over the [restored] tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28). “Just as my Father has covenanted a Kingdom for me, so I covenant a Kingdom to you so that you may eat and drink at my table and sit on thrones to rule the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:29-30). James and John, sons of Zebedee and cousins of Jesus, recognize the nature of the Kingdom as a real government, when they hope for chief places in the Kingdom (Mark 10:35-40; Matt. 20:20-23). Jesus does not discourage their faith in the Kingdom nor rebuke them for misunderstanding the future reign and the reality of responsibility in it! He only warns them (again with Dan. 7 in mind) that these offices will be won at the cost of service and a bitter cup of suffering.

In Revelation the drama reaches its climax. The power of Antichrist-Beast is at full strength. Yet the lamb has purchased the saints from all the nations (not just the Jews) and has formed them into a band of royal priests (following the covenant promise made originally in Ex. 19:6). “They will reign as kings on the earth” (Rev. 5:10). The same exhilarating theme reappears in Revelation 20:1-6. Even death at the hands of Antichrist cannot hinder the blessed rule of the saints.

They come alive again in resurrection after being beheaded and “begin to rule with Christ for a thousand years,” while the rest of the dead, all those who were not Christians, remain in their graves (Rev. 20:5) to await the second resurrection (Rev. 20:12). 

The theme of royalty and of meteoric rise to fame and immortality at the first resurrection drives the New Testament and accounts for its irrepressible excitement. Such fervor has been dampened by the most unfortunate substitution of disembodiment in heaven at death as the Christian prospect (playing harps on clouds!). If that is what Christians may expect, there is no hope for the earth, no prospect of the nations ever beating their swords into farm implements (Isa. 2:1-4) and no hope of reigning with Christ in the new society of the coming Kingdom.

It is not surprising that Jesus concentrates his entire Gospel Message in the theme of the Kingdom of God. It was his mission to announce the Kingdom (Luke 4:43). Paul likewise sums up his whole ministry as a “proclamation of the Kingdom” (Acts 20:25). The Message has not changed. But Gentile philosophies and ideologies have continued to obscure the Davidic Messianic faith of Jesus and the early Church. Nevertheless the call of the Gospel of the Kingdom still goes out, summoning whoever wills to prepare for the privilege of ruling with Jesus in the Kingdom. “The sufferings of the present time [foreseen in the program laid out in Dan. 7] are not worthy to be compared” with the glory of the Kingdom to be “revealed in us.” A saint in the Bible is one appointed to rule with Messiah — an awesome destiny laid out in Daniel 7 as the culmination of all the Old Testament promises.

Try re-reading the New Testament with this royal motif and narrative in mind and see how it comes to life. God is one single individual (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29-34; John 17:3). Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (Matt. 16:16; Luke 1:35). The Gospel is about the Kingdom of God and Jesus (Acts 8:12; Luke 4:43; Acts 19:8; 28:23, 31). Christians are invited to reign with Messiah in the coming Kingdom. They are destined to inherit the land and the world (Matt. 5:5; 1 Thess. 2:12; Rom. 4:13). Converts were baptized in water when they received this knowledge of these basic building blocks of the Faith (Acts 8:12). This information will help to prevent us bringing our own imagined but false preconceptions to the study of Scripture.

 [1] Commentary on Romans 9-16, Word Books, 1988, p. xv, emphasis added.

The above article was taken from:The Biblical Blueprint

Resurrection Check: Are You Clear about the Christian Goal?

Resurrection in the Bible refers to the coming back to life of a person who has died. I am referring to the literal resurrection here. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God (Luke 1:35) and Messiah was put to death by hostile unbelieving Jews and Romans. God, the Creator, restored him to life three days later, early on a Sunday morning. Proof of this is from witnesses “who ate and drank with him after he came back from death” (Acts 10:41).
A believer’s great objective is to be resurrected from death when Jesus returns to the earth.
1 Corinthians 15:23, part of Paul’s impassioned sermon against some “believers” who astonishingly were losing faith in resurrection, says: “Christ the firstfruits [was resurrected], then those who belong to Christ will be resurrected at his Second Coming” (Parousia). This will be the “resurrection of the just” (Luke 16:16). It was predicted as the awakening from the sleep of death of those now sleeping in the dust of the earth (Dan. 12:2).
The resurrection of the faithful of all the ages will happen at the 7th or last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52). “The time will come for the rewarding of the dead” (Rev 11:15-18).
This is the same marvelous event as the coming to life of “those who had been beheaded…They came to life and began to reign as kings with the Messiah for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4). That will be the time when the Devil who is currently deceiving the whole world (Rev. 12:9; 1 John 5:19) will be imprisoned “so that he can deceive the world no longer” (Rev. 20:3). Never ever lose sight of the Christian objective! Never ever substitute for it a vague non-biblical transportation to heaven at death!
Why do you want to “go to heaven” when Jesus, who is coming back to the earth, won’t be there?!
This would be as nonsensical as thinking that in a soccer match the objective is to kick the ball as high as you can in the air, rather than into the goal in front of you.

The above article was taken from:Resurrection Check

Jesus was a MAN attested/approved by God

Jesus was a MAN attested/approved by God (YaHWeH) with mighty works and wonders and signs that God (YaHWeH) DID through him
and not ‘The gods are come down’

NOVEMBER 19, 2016/SILASZA

During a visit to the Vatican in 2016, the Audio tour #25 had this phrase:

Jesus Christ who works miracles to confirm his divinity

Often Jesus’ extraordinary miracles is seen as sign of his divinity by trinitarians.

Response:

Jesus himself said:

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

According to Jesus, any other human who believes can not only do the miracles he did, but he can do even greater miracles. So Jesus does not encourage the Trinitarians' argument for his divinity based on his miracles.

In fact, according to Peter, Jesus miracles showed him that Jesus was a MAN who was attested by God (YaHWeh) and not that Jesus was divine:

Act 2:22  “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—

Act 2:23  this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Act 2:24  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

The explanation is very simple:

1. There is only one God – Adam, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, Stephen and Paul were not trinitarians. All these men prayed to their God – YahweH.
2. God did great miracles though Moses, God did miracles through prophets like Elijah and Elisha and he also did miracles through the Jesus the Jew and and also through Paul and other apostles.
3. In verse 24, Peter bears witness that God raised the dead man Jesus
4. The Key point is that Jesus was ‘THE MAN’ who was the approved man of God. Jesus on account of his obedience and worship is chosen as the ‘IDEAL’ man and example for mankind. Therefore God did mighty miracles through Jesus.
5. Like Joseph was the Approved brother, so also the greater Joseph is mankind’s approved man.
6. Jesus was able to do these miracles because God had poured his spirit on Jesus just as God had poured out his spirit on the prophets.

When Jesus performed the miracles, he gave the glory to his Father, but when trinitarians explain the miracles they take away glory from the Father

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, (John 10:25 ESV)

Joh 5:36  But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

None of the prophets or Jesus boasted or self glorified themselves – For they all gave glory to God. ...

So according to Jesus the miracles he did proved that the Father was with him. When Jesus or any human does these miracles it proves that God is with that person. The miracles proved that God had send Jesus, not that Jesus was God. If the miracles of Jesus proves Jesus’ divinity, then Moses should also be divine. Can a man split the Red Sea or kill the first born of Egypt? God did those miracles through Moses.

Can a man split the Red Sea? – Moses was God who came down from heaven?

Jesus, Elijah and Elisha did the miracles they did by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus was able to do the miracles because he was given the spirit without measure and through that anointing of the spirit, Jesus could do exceptional miracles:

Isa 11:2  And the Spirit of YAHWEH shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YAHWEH.

Isa 42:1  Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord YAHWEH is upon me; because YAHWEH hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Jesus gives the glory to the Father, but can trinitarians do likewise?

Can you trust Jesus’ words?

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself.” (John 5:19)

 “I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me; I speak these things and he that sent me is with me, the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself.” (John 8:28-29; 5:19)

Clearly trinitarian preachers are preaching LIES. They claim the son has power to do things himself, but Jesus claims otherwise. Jesus was a UNITARIAN and not trinitarian. Trinitarians have changed the gospel message and have changed truth to lies.

An argument made for the omniscience of the human Jesus is from:

Joh 1:48  Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Joh 1:49  Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Hence a trinitarian may conclude that Jesus was divine because Jesus knew who was under the fig tree without even being at that place.

Firstly, Jesus himself claimed he is NOT all knowing:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36 KJV)

Secondly, let us consider the miracles of Elisha v/s Jesus:

2Ki 5:25  He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”

2Ki 5:26  But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants?

2Ki 5:27  Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.

From the above passage we note

• Elisha had powers to be “ omniscient” (Jesus may have had more omniscient powers)
• Elisha had the power to heal but also cause Leprosy on Gehazi.

Though Elisha raised people from the dead he also eventually died like Jesus! No doubt Jesus was more powerful but both Jesus and Elisha shared a common destination – death (Jesus for three days only).

Since no one believes Elisha is divine because he did astonishing miracles (that only God can do) it is commonly understand that Elisha got his powers from God. So also it is easy to understand that Jesus also got his powers from HIS God.

Thirdly, witnessing the miracle, Nathaniel gave a Unitarian expression of faith:

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

not

“Rabbi, you are truly a member of the triune God!”

The logic of trinitarians are as naive as the citizens of Lystra:

Act 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
Act 14:9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Act 14:10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

Act 14:11  And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

Barnabas they called Zeus

Act 14:12  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

Act 14:13  And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

This is exactly the trinitarian theology, their thinking is as ignorant citizens of Lystra.

• “The gods are come down” – Trinitarians claim Jesus came from heaven as a human
• “the people saw what Paul had done” – As the citizens of Lystra declared Paul God, so also by the same ignorant logic and misreading few passages from scriptures the trinitarians have declared Jesus as being part of Godhead!

If Paul had not corrected the people, the Lystraians would be still praying to Paul.

Performing a miracle is an easy task for anyone possessing God’s power and faith. How much power God gives a person, is directly proportional to the miracles he or she can do.

The difficult part is for the one doing the miracles – weather to take credit for it not or give credit to God. Jesus, John and Paul, the prophets, Moses and all gave glory & credit to the Father!

The focus of Jesus and the disciples was not do do a miracles every day of the week! Miracles was not used as a means to show off power. They were used in a very controlled manner to give glorify the One true God.

To conclude and to repeat Peter’s testimony on the miracles of Jesus:

Ye Trinitarian, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth,                                  a MAN APPROVED OF GOD among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.

...

Follow Jesus, follow also Paul, because Paul is an example of following in Jesus’ steps. For Paul also did great miracles because he also had God’s approval

1Co 4:16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

The goal of our existence is to gain attestation from God. When Jesus  returns to Judge let us be found as one who imitated Jesus Christ, for the one who imitates Jesus has the Father’s approval on his head.

Do you see similarity between Jesus’ words and Paul’s? Jesus also appealed to the people to trust his words because they were received from God, just like Paul appeals to the Corinthians:

1Co 4:17  That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

Let us then consider Jesus our “Supreme Example” – The perfect or “Ideal Human” in the sight of God. Jesus is our template! ... God is by the life and example of Jesus able to show the world how one aught to govern their lives. Adam is an example of failure, but the Man Jesus is an example of Victory!

The above article was taken from: 60 of 100