Wednesday, November 24, 2010

PARADISE IS NOT HEAVEN

   
“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” - Lk. 23:43.

Lots of believers are thinking that Paradise and Heaven are same words. Nevertheless, they are different words. Heaven is not the synonym of Paradise.

Paradise is a Parisian word. It means a beautiful Garden. Paradise is a temporary place where the spirits of the righteous dwell until the judgement day.

Abraham’s sprit is in Paradise, so are the spirits of the righteous {including believers} who have died so far.

The unrighteous spirits dwell faraway from Paradise. The place is called Shoel

You will not abandon me to the grave, {Hebrew: Sheol} nor will you let your Holy One see decay - Ps. 16:10.

In the old testament Shoel is used for the place. In the new testament, Hades, a Greek word, is written. Hades is equal to the word to Shoel. The old testament was written in Hebrew language. The new testament was written in Greek language. Hence the two words sound different, but they both stand for one place.

I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades - Re. 1:18.

In paradise, the spirits of the righteous are being at peace, where as in Hades, the spirits of the unrighteous are being tormented with fire.

There is a huge gap between the two parts.

In hell, [Greek: Hades] where he{the rich man} was in torment, he looked  up and saw Abraham far away*, with Lazarus by his side - Lk. 16:23.

* between us and you a great chasm has  been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us - Lk. 16:26.

The great chasm is called Tartarus. God has confined wicked Angles  there. 

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, [Greek: Tartarus] putting them into gloomy  dungeons to be held for judgment- 2Pe. 2:4.

God won’t send the wicked angles and the spirits of the unrighteous to hell unless they are judged. Until the judgement day,  the wicked angels remain in Tartarus, and spirits of the unrighteous in Hades.

Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person  was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death - Re. 20:13-14.

After the judgement day, they will be thrown into hell. It is the second death.

While Jesus was about to die on the cross, he said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Jesus committed his spirit to God, who sent it to Paradise until resurrection. This happened for the sake of fulfillment of scriptures.

You will not abandon me to the grave, {Hebrew: Sheol} nor will you let your Holy One see decay - Ps. 16:10.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, he ascended into Heaven and has sat on the right hand of the father, almighty.

Monday, November 8, 2010

God doesn't cause illness and problems because of our sins

When a believer learned that he had tuberculosis, he broke down and said, “Why God punished me like this? What have I done deserving this?”

While believers are falling ill or facing lots of problems, they are feeling that God is punishing them for their past sins. They are strongly thinking God is responsible for their problems and illness. So they lament, “Why me? There are many people out there who have committed more sins than I did. Why God punished me, and let them off?”

These are versions of believers who fall ill and face adversities. Now let us see, are personal adversities really a punishment from God?

The answer is NO. NOT AT ALL.

In fact, God isn’t responsible for our problems and illness. Faithful believers have experienced Adversity.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil - Mt. 4:1.

See, God didn’t tempt Jesus, but Satan.

The Bible reports about a man named Job. Without warning, he suddenly lost his wealth. Next, all ten of his children were killed in a windstorm. Soon thereafter, he was struck with a debilitating, loathsome disease. (Job 1:13-19; 2:7, 8) Such adversities led Job to cry out: “The hand of God has struck me down.” (Job 19:21, Today’s English Version) Evidently, like many today, Job felt that God was punishing him.

However, the Bible reveals that before Job’s trials began, God himself had described Job as “a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad.” (Job 1:8) In view of this expression of divine approval, it is clear that Job’s adversities were not a punishment from God.

The fact is the Bible is filled with accounts of upright individuals who faced personal adversities. Although he was a loyal servant of God, Joseph endured years of unjust imprisonment. (Genesis 39:10-20; 40:15) The faithful Christian Timothy suffered from “frequent cases of sickness.” (1 Timothy 5:23) Even Jesus Christ, who never did wrong, was cruelly mistreated before suffering an agonizing death. (1 Peter 2:21-24) Hence, it is a mistake to conclude that adversity must be an expression of God’s displeasure.

Satan the Devil was the cause of the chief source of our problems today when it states: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:12)

As “the ruler of this world,” Satan has influenced many to engage in evil acts that have resulted in untold misery and heartache.—John 12:31; Psalm 37:12, 14.*

Does this mean, then, that we will always be plagued with adversity?

NO.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted {by Satan} beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it - 1Co. 10:13.

Because he{Jesus} himself suffered when he was tempted{by Satan}, he is able
to help those who are being tempted - He. 2:18.

All Adversity Soon to End

God will bring an end to all adversity very soon. (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 1:3; 21:3, 4) In the meantime, he shows that he really cares for us by providing “instruction” and “comfort from the Scriptures” so that we can cope with trials now as we look forward to that wonderful future just ahead. (Romans 15:4; 1 Peter 5:7) At that time, those who are upright in God’s eyes will enjoy unending life in a new world, free from every form of adversity.—Psalm 37:29, 37.

Well, there are a few believers who think in a different way:

They say, “Maybe my parents committed sin against God. So God punished me.”

This is not right. We’re not in the Old Testament times; we’re in New Testament times. God doesn’t punish children because of parents’ sins, nor does he punish us for our sins. So erase the thought in your mind.

ONE MORE THING: We should not, however, be quick to blame the Devil for every adversity we experience. As a result of inherited sin and imperfection, we are prone to make unwise decisions that can cause us problems - Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12. 

For example, imagine a man who by choice neither eats properly nor gets sufficient rest. If this eventually leads to serious health problems, should he blame the Devil? No, the man has merely reaped the bitter consequences of his own poor judgment. (Galatians 6:7) In such an instance, it is just as a Bible proverb puts it: “A man’s own folly wrecks his life.”—Proverbs 19:3.

God set us free. We shouldn’t use the freedom to wreck our life with bad habits.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Typological interpretations

Actually, this subject is thoroughly taught to the Bible training students, because this typological interpretation of scriptures is highly essential. There are many typological interpretations, but the most important typology is regarding covenants. The details of the typology are posted here to enhance your spiritual wisdom. 

The High priest


“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so that they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honour - Ex. 28:1-2.

In new covenant Jesus Christ is our high priest. For this reason we ask God everything through Jesus Christ.

The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man- He. 8:1-2.

He{Jesus Christ} became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: `You are a priest forever.’“ [Psalm 110:4] Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them- He. 7:21- 25.


The Tabernacle and The ark of the covenant of the LORD
A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.- He. 9:2-5(For more details about the ark of Lord read - Ex. 25:10- 20.)


       
New covenant proceedings

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
Then I said, `Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.’ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin  offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He  sets aside the first to establish the second- He. 10:5- 9.

Jesus took bread, gave thanks and  broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of new covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them- Mk. 14:22-24.


The Table Of Shewbread
Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times- Ex. 25:30.

New covenant

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty- Jn. 6:35.

The Lamp stand
Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms.  One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair — six branches in all - Ex. 25:31-35.

New covenant 
Through him{Jesus Christ} all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men- Jn. 1:3-4.

I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth - Ac. 13:47.

The Certain

Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place- Ex. 26:33.

New covenant

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water - He. 10:19-22.

The Bronze Basin or Laver
They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting - Ex. 38:8.

New covenant

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all  sin - 1Jn. 1:7.

The Altar of incense

 “Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so that incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come” - Ex. 30:7-8.

New covenant

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself - He. 7:27.

The curtain for the entrance

The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen — the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high, with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver - Ex. 38:18-19.

New covenant 

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved - Jn. 10:9.




Offerings:

The Burnt offering

If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD - Le. 1:3.

New covenant

Through him {Jesus Christ} everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses - Ac. 13:39.

He said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them. ” Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second - He. 10:8-9.

The Grain offering

If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of fine flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of fine flour and oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the LORD; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons - Le. 2:5-10.

New covenant

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world - Jn. 6:51

The Fellowship offering

“‘If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering,  and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect. He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides - Le. 3:1-2.

New covenant

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful - 1Co. 1:9

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God - Ro. 5:1-2.

The guilt offering and the burnt offering

“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him, or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do — when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering. And as a penalty he must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, his guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty.” - Le. 6:3-7.

New covenant

Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood . Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name- He. 13:15.



Feasts:


The Passover


“These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:  The LORD’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month - Le. 23:4.

New covenant

For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed 1Co. 5:7. 

Feast of  Unleavened Bread


On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD’s Feast of  Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the LORD by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work - Le. 23:6-8.
New covenant

Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth - 1Co. 5:8.

First grain of harvest

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.  He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt  offering to the LORD a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil — an offering made to the LORD by fire, a pleasing aroma — and its drink offering  of a quarter of a hin  of wine. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until  the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever  you live -Le. 23:10-14.

New covenant  

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the  dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him - 1Co. 15:20-23.


Feast of trumpets


“Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire - Le. 23:24-25.

New covenant

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air - 1Th. 4:16-17.

Day of Atonement


“The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves,  and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.  Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people - Le. 23:26-29.

New covenant

They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings — external regulations applying until the time of the new order. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation - He. 9:10-11.


Feast of tabernacles

“Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present offerings made to the LORD by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work - Le. 23:34-36.

God made Israelites do this in remembrance of redemption.

New covenant . 

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes- 1Co. 11:25-26.