You may have noticed I didn't post last week; instead, I have been reading, studying, and pondering with much prayer. In fact, I have put an additional 15 hours of study into what I am about to write, and I still feel quite inadequate to relay the progression of my study of eschatology. Above all, be reminded that I am but a sinner who has been saved by grace. I am imperfect in every way imaginable in comparison to the Almighty whose Holiness causes me to gasp. I do not speak for Him, but believe it is the responsibility of God-followers to know Him as best we can given our meek and humble stature as mere servants of the King of the Universe, and the only way to know Him more is to study His Word. The following post will take you around your knee to get to your elbow, but if you will stick to it to the end, you will be incredibly challenged:
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Most believers are living in a what I will call a spiritual cocoon. I can speak on this subject, because for 35 years, I was in that cocoon. Going to church every Sunday and Wednesday, sitting in pews that have been intentionally positioned to show respect and reverence for a knowledgeable speaker who stands behind a podium, I was naively lulled into believing each speaker had greater knowledge than I on the subject of God because of his degree and "spiritual gift". I was wrong, and perhaps you are wrong too.
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I will give one "for instance" that will hopefully give you cause for pause and consideration; however, first I need to lay some groundwork from which we all need to agree:
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Abraham was chosen by God to be the father of many nations who would ultimately become what is referred to as God's Chosen People. So, WHO are those people? If your answer is "the Jews"...you are partially correct. Actually, the Jews are descendants of the tribe of Judah, but there were eleven other tribes who were dispersed throughout the world and "lost" as Ezekiel prophesied along with the tribe of Judah. In other words, millions of men, women and children who were part of the twelve tribes of Israel were purposefully scattered throughout the world in 70 A.D. following the brutal siege of Jerusalem by the evil Titus. For survival, it was necessary for them to "blend in" to other cultures which resulted in their loss of identity over time. They married outside of their lineage, mixing with other races of people, until generation after generation began to completely forget where they came from. If you stop to think about it, most of us cannot give historical perspective on much more than our great-grandparents without significant geneological study. Thus, it should not be very difficult to understand how this happened to the Israelites (now called Jews).
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Ezekiel 36: "Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. So I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, my Holy Name was profaned when they said of the Israelites: 'These are the people of the Lord and yet they have gone out of His land.' So I had concern for My Holy Name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, "I will sanctify My great Name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord when I am hallowed in you before your eyes....for I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all countries, bringing you back into your own land." (the regathering process began, of course, in 1948 when Israel was declared to be an independent state).
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Are all who call upon the name of the God of Israel actually a part of the twelve tribes of Israel? Could you and I have a remnant from the blood of Abraham, from one of the twelve tribes of Israel, running through our veins? Might that explain our yearning to know more about the Almighty? It is quite possible and exhilarating to consider. However, let's say that idea is way too far fetched for your daily dose of faith---then consider this verse: Galatians 3:29: "If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." So Jesus followers, according to Galatians 3, are Abraham's seed just as much as the "twelve tribes of Israel", the "Hebrew People", and the "Jews" are. Doesn't that immediately draw you to begin to consider the Old Testament in a brand new way?
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By the way, while we are on the subject, I personally do not like the term "Old Testament". The Hebrew word for the Old Testament is "The Tanakh" derived from the following Torah (first five books written by Moses), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Basically, T-N-K has been put together to form the word Tanakh which, for me, holds meaning. The term "Old Testament", unfortunately, seems to denote something that is worn out and out-dated....whereas the term "New Testament" gives the erroneous impression of replacement....the "new" replacing the "old". There is no place in scripture where the Old Testament was done away with and replaced by the new, just as there is no place in scripture that replaced the lineage of Abraham with "Christians". In contrast, the Old Testament is relevant and the seed of Abraham is equally relevant.
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Now that I have layed some groundwork, I want to propose that you open your minds to consider an error being taught by many in the modern church today. Be warned, there is a spirit of religiosity that will not want you to see this truth for one reason: if you begin to open your eyes to knowledge proving what you have been taught to believe all of your life in church is NOT truth, you will become a seeker who will dig and dig and dig to know God's truth in every single aspect, no longer relying on the instruction of a pastor/teacher, because an eternal relationship with the Creator of the Universe is on the line. Having said that, fellow seekers, here goes:
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FACT: God does not change. PERIOD.
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1. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 discuss clean and unclean (Hebrew word for unclean is Taref which actually means unfit for use) foods. The message was for anyone wishing to choose to follow God's way. Many of the Levitical Teachings were for that particular time period (meaning instructions for how to get along while living in portable tents in the wilderness with millions of other people and without a police force), but some of the regulations given are still pertinent today. Because the "Old Testament" is too often assumed to have been replaced by the "New Testament", important wisdom is overlooked. One of these areas, I believe strongly, is in the arena of food.
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Several years ago, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer (thankfully, today he is cancer-free). During that frightening time, Chappy and I began to seek out books that have been written about eating healthy in order to avoid diseases. One fact that continually stared us in the face centered around the danger of eating pork and shellfish. To be honest, two southern- pork-barbeque-loving individuals couldn't have been more surprised to learn that pork and shellfish have been created with digestive systems that are very different from the systems of cows and chickens. In addition, we learned that eating grouper is healthy while catfish is extremely unhealthy.
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Upon studying this information at length, our family has not consumed pork or shellfish for over seven years. Recently a friend of ours said to us: "I wouldn't give up pork for anything!" How about you? You are probably aware pigs are known for eating their own waste, garbage, and even their own piglets that die from disease....did you also know they have one of the quickest and poorest digestive systems of any animal? This is an important fact. Because the pig processes everything so quickly, the toxins are not removed and become stored in the pig's fat. So, when pigs are slaughtered under traumatized factory conditions, pigs release those toxins (and hormones) into their muscles....and those toxins are passed right along to the consumer. And shellfish, are you read for this? Shellfish, like pigs, are scavengers (or God-made garbage cans). They take out all of the pollutants from the ocean and carry them around...when tested, shellfish are found to be full of mercury, heavy metals, and industrial contaminants. So, if you are looking for a healthy body, you might want to stay away from both pork and shellfish. No matter how well you cook them, you cannot rid them of harmful toxins that have become a part of them.
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For the record, unclean foods consist of the following:
Boar, Pig, Coyote, Dog, Fox, Hyena, Jackal, Wolf, Donkey, Mule, Horse, Zebra, Cat, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Panther, Tiger, Armadillo, Bear, Beaver, Camel, Elephant, Gorilla, Groundhog, Hippopotamus, Kangaroo, Llama, Mole, Monkey, Mouse, Muskrat, Opossum, Porcupine, Rabbit, Raccoon, Rat, Rhinoceros, Skunk, Slug, Snail, Squirrel, Weasel, Worm, Albatross, Bat, Buzzard, Crane, Crow, Eagle, Flamingo, Gull, Hawk, Heron, Loon, Osprey, Ostrich, Owl, Parrot, Pelican, Penguin, Raven, Sandpiper, Stork, Swallow, Vulture, Woodpecker, Alligator, Crocodile, Lizard, Snake, Turtle, Frog, Newt, Toad, Catfish, Eel, Marlin, Shark, Squid, Sturgeon, Swordfish, Clam, Crab, Lobster, Mussel, Prawn, Oyster, Scallop, Shrimp, Jellyfish, Octopus, Dolphin, Seal, Porpoise, Walrus, Whale
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In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, God's instructs His followers to not "defile themselves" (defile = pollute) by eating any unclean thing. In other words, for a healthy body, God taught us what we should not eat. While everything the Creator makes is good, everything He makes is not necessarily good for us to eat.
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Ask yourself what the modern church teaches about this subject (if they teach the subject at all)? If you have attended church your whole life like me, you are probably already flipping through the pages of your Bible looking for Acts 10 when the sheet came down from heaven in Peter's vision. I promise you, if you will read Acts 10: 1- 35 you will find that Peter's vision was never about God's desire for Peter to eat unclean things, because God never changes. In fact, you will find that Peter was disturbed by the vision and said "No, Lord!" when God told Peter three times to "kill and eat". For most of my life, I envisioned that sheet coming down from heaven filled with sizzling bacon and fried shrimp. It was filled, however, with "all kinds" of unclean animals, beasts, creeping things and birds....including a horse, hyena, wolf, buzzard, bat, rat, and penguine mixed in with the pig and shrimp. Is it any wonder Peter said: "No, Lord!"????
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Next scripture says Peter sat upon the roof (where he had been praying prior to the vision) to think about the vision, wondering what the vision meant. Since he had to "wonder what the vision meant", the vision obviously wasn't clear for him and he certainly did not believe the vision meant for him to start sizzling bats and rats during his regular morning routine. It was then, when in his most bewildered state, he heard the spirit speak to him and tell him three men were seeking him. (isn't it fascinating that he had the vision of the sheet coming down three times in a row before the spirit spoke to him about the three men who were coming to visit him?).
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Peter normally wouldn't have gone with a non-Jew (who was thought to be unclean), but given the vision he had about the sheet, Peter went with the three men to visit Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. What Peter couldn't have imagined was how devout Cornelius was in seeking God through prayer and how giving he was to those in need. Remember, at that time Jews did not mix with non-Jews because they were often persecuted and sometimes murdered by those who were not a part of their faith. The vision of the sheet full of all kinds of unclean animals was God's unique way of drawing an unforgettable picture for Peter. It taught him that God considers ALL men, women, and children who choose to follow His Way to be clean and fit for the Kingdom.
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Why is this important?
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Once you open your eyes to accept that some of your church beliefs are not necessarily "God's Way" but merely "tradition", you will begin to study scripture with a more open mind. With open minds and hearts, we can all grow as believers. Consider this "Old Testament" (Tanakh) passage of scripture for a moment, with an open mind and with the knowledge that you are "the seed of Abraham" who serves a God who never changes:
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Leviticus 23 regarding the seven Feasts of the Lord says they are to be lasting ordinances (decrees) for the generations to come, wherever we live. Let that sink in. God set up celebration times for us way back in Leviticus, times for our families to gather to meet with Him regularly, and then decreed that we have a good time celebrating throughout all generations! What an awesome God we serve.
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Passover will be celebrated on April 18th by many Jews and followers of Jesus around the globe. AND, the Passover celebration is growing like wild fire in the Christian community. Why? I believe, again, prophecy is being fulfilled. Zachariah prophecied in the end times believers would go back to their "spiritual roots", and I see this as part of the "gathering" process. A miracle ushering in the end of time with seven biblical "Holy-Day"celebrations that will crescendo by way of the Feast of Trumpets when the trumpets announce the return of the Father for His children!
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Followers of Jesus are finding symbols in all of the feasts. And in celebrating the seven feasts, they are finding their faith becomes more tangible and real. For instance:
1. Passover : liberation from slavery : liberation from sin
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread : intentional removal of "yeast" which is a biblical symbol of sin
3. Feast of Firstfruits: Jesus became the firstfruit ("But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 15:20)
4. Shavuot : commemoration of the giving of the law : the disciples received the Holy Spirit on this day (Pentecost) : reminds us that God's law is now written within our hearts.
5. Feast of Trumpets: the gathering of Israel together (remembering God's sparing of Isaac) : reminds us that God will return at the sound of the trumpet to spare us for eternity's sake. Many believe the Lord will return on this special day!
6. Day of Atonement: the day the Priests would make atonement for himself and for the people of Israel : reminds us that we have direct link to God because of the supreme sacrifice of Jesus....a scapegoat is no longer needed.
7. Feast of Tabernacles: commemorating the time the Hebrew people lived in the wilderness following the Exodus : it is believed that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a beautiful portrayal of His leaving glory to "tabernacle" among us : reminds us to be joyful about the sacrifice that was made, and that our earthly bodies are temporary abodes....the Kingdom to come is an everlasting Kingdom!
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Whew, this has been a long blog post. And I am certain you are wondering how this is going to tie back in to the original theme of eschatology. Basically, if I can help you accept the fact that some of the things you have been taught in church have been based on man's tradition instead of God's Word, you might be open to consider the church might not be raptured prior to the tribulation. And the rapture is what we will discuss next week....at length. Bringing ourselves to consider that Christians may not be raptured has many ramifications, because most church pews are filled with folks who do not worry about end time events since they have read the LaHaye/Jenkins books about being raptured prior to the tribulation. Lulled to sleep in their "cocoons", too many have placed their bets on a prayer they recited as children to "repent of their sins and accept Jesus into their hearts"....since that time, they await the rapture that will save them from a tribulation to come....even though no scripture explicitly states their entrance into heaven rests on a simple prayer and no scripture explicitly states a rapture will occur. Believers need to wake up from slumber and take world changing events much more seriously. Why does what we eat matter? Because it matters to God. Why does keeping the feasts matter? Because they matter to God. The End Times are drawing nearer and Eternity is at stake!
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"Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to Him." John 14:21
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