Julie Vivienne podcast

The Gift Of The Wise: Worship

The Gift Of The Wise
Matthew 2:1-2, and verses 10-11
The identity of the wise men is uncertain. Matthew only tells us that they came from the east. Many believe they came from Persia because in the Greek text they are called "magi" which comes from the Persian word "magus" and refers to a priestly caste of Zoroastrianism that was pantheistic and who were astrologers. Some scholars believe that they were sages from India, and others believe they were from Yemen as the kings of Yemen were Jewish. A recent discovery of an old document in Syriac - a dialect of Aramaic- however speaks of a religious order devoted to private prayer from a land called "Shir", who believed that GOD would be born as a human being and that His birth would be announced by an unusually bright star. Whilst their exact origin remains a mystery the Word of GOD reveals to us that they were indeed either Jewish or had a great respect and affinity for the GOD of the Jews because their gifts reveal a detailed knowledge of Jewish worship of The Most High GOD Yahweh. Gold, frankincense and myrrh were the 3 key elements of the worship of GOD in the Temple and specifically in the Holy Of Holies.
The Gospel of Matthew was written in Greek his native tongue was Aramaic. The Aramaic word for gift is "qorbana" and this comes from the Hebrew word "corban" meaning "gift" or "that which draws near or close to GOD"and could be an animal sacrifice or an incense offering. The gift or offering is given with the intent of the heart of the giver to draw nearer to the receiver. The purpose of the offering is to bring you closer to GOD Himself. The LORD Jesus used this Hebrew word in Matthew 15:6 where He rebukes the Pharisees for calling their offering a "corban" because they used their tradition of declaring their possessions as being "Corban" and therefore could not be used to give to anyone else as a loophole to avoid honouring and helping their aging parents as commanded in Exodus 20:12, even if they were in dire need, because their money and substance was "given to GOD". They used this tradition to appear devout while actually deliberately disobeying GOD'S command.
Whilst
Frankincense or myrrh was used only in the Holy of Holies and was mixed in a golden vessel and burned on a golden plate.
Exodus 30:33-37 warns that these compounds are not to be used outside of the Holy of Holies and not for anyone other than God, lest they be cut off from the people. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and burned these incenses it was said that God’s presence appeared in the midst of the vapors. The people outside the Holy of Holies would know that God’s presence was there because they would smell the incense.
All of the utensils in the Holy Of Holies were made of pure of gold.. See Exodus 30:22-25 and verses 31-32
The predominant ingredient for the Holy anointing oil was liquid myrrh.
See Exodus 30:34-35 and verses 37-38
The predominant ingredient for the inscense was pure frankincense.
Gold, frankincense and myrrh were essential ingredients for the worship of GOD in the Holy Of Holies and these were the gifts of the wise men and they reveal with clarity the motive of their hearts: worship. They therefore declared in their worship of The LORD Jesus in the body of a human child, that He was indeed GOD Himself. Exodus 30 states that these sacred ingredients were not to be used for any ordinary functions. They were holy ingredients of the worship of GOD Himself. The true gift therefore of the wise men was their worship. See Matthew 2:11
They fell down to the ground and they worshipped Him Who is GOD. They presented their gifts of holy worship in the Holy Of Holies to Him Who is GOD.
Whoever they were, these wise men had deep knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures and of the Temple worship. They gave to GOD Himself in flesh, the worship of their hearts. They gave worship of their hearts to Him and they gave their very hearts in sincerity and love. In this they were indeed wise men. Let us also give our GOD, Who became flesh in order to die in our place so that we might draw near to Him in restored fellowship, the worship and love of our hearts today and every day.
Shalom

Yes Or No To Emmanuel.mp3

The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is well known to many people :Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).( AMP)
But, most people perhaps have never studied the context in which this prophecy was given which reveal some astounding things.
Firstly, we should note that GOD Himself is speaking here directly to one individual man through His prophet Isaiah.
This man was King Ahaz of Judah, an extremely deliberately vile and wicked man.King Ahaz was the twelfth king of the southern kingdom of Judah. Although his father, King Uzziah had served God faithfully, Ahaz did not do what was right in God’s sight. He was widely regarded as an ungodly, wicked king. And yet, despite the depravity that pervaded Ahaz’s life, God eventually spoke to King Ahaz through the prophet Isaiah, delivering one of the most important prophecies regarding the promised Messiah, the True King of Israel.King Ahaz’s life and history appear in 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings. However, as his reign overlapped with the prophet Isaiah’s ministry, he is also mentioned in several places in the book of Isaiah. Ahaz is listed as a king of Judah, not Israel, because the original nation divided into two kingdoms, each with its own king. Ahaz ruled Judah, the southern kingdom, which did not include the ten northern tribes. During Ahaz’s reign, the prophets Isaiah and Micah ministered to the southern kingdom. Ahaz’s father, King Uzziah, and the three previous kings of Judah had been faithful to the GOD of David. However, the Bible makes clear that Ahaz did not receive GOD's Divine seal of approval. In fact, the biblical authors first introduce King Ahaz as one who “did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his GOD , as his father David had done.” (2 Kings 16:2; 2 Chronicles 28:1) In fact Ahaz did as much depraved wickedness as he possibly could. Some key Scriptures concerning the life and behaviour of King Ahaz are in 2 Kings 16 and in 2 Chronicles 28 where we read of him burning his own children alive to Moloch and making sacrifices and performing pagen rites at every pagan ritual site. He seems to have been on a mission to be as depraved and committed to pagan demonic idols as he possibly he could. He was passionate for depraved evil and determined to rebel in every way against The Word Of The Living GOD.
The historical context of Isaiah chapter 7 is this :
Pekah, the king of Israel, and Rezin of Syria had allied against Assyria. When Ahaz refused to join, Israel and Syria invaded Judah and besieged Jerusalem to remove its king and replace him with a king of their own (Isaiah 7:1-6; 2 Kings 16:5).
In response, Ahaz sought help from King Tilgath-pilneser III of Assyria, offering him silver and gold from the house of the Lord (2 Kings 16:7-8; 2 Chronicles 28:16). At first, the Ahaz-Assyrian alliance successfully repelled attacks against Jerusalem. However, the Bible tells us that, inevitably, “Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him (Ahaz) and afflicted him instead of strengthening him” (2 Chronicles 28:20).
In Isaiah chapter 7 we read that GOD sent His prophet Isaiah with Isaiah's son, Shear-jashub, which means "a remnant shall return", to tell him not to be afraid that GOD would deliver His people. He then offered Ahaz, personally as an individual, to ask Him, The LORD GOD for a sign, as difficult as he chose as a visible proof that GOD would deliver them. The Hebrew word"ot" translated as sign in Isaiah 7:10 means both "sign" and "miracle". Please note that GOD was talking personally to king Ahaz. In verses 11,16 and 17 of Isaiah chapter 7,the Hebrew word for "you" is singular and directly personal.
Verse 10 starts with the word "again" since we see no response from Ahaz to GOD concerning His promise of deliverance. That in itself is astonishing. GOD had promised Ahaz deliverance but Ahaz, it would seem, completely ignored GOD's promise. Yet in His grace and mercy, GOD reached out to him a second time and gave him, personally, the opportunity to ask for any sign he chose without limitation or condition, as deep as Sheol or as high as Heaven.
The narrative clearly states it was the LORD who urged Ahaz to seek a sign.
BUT Ahaz said no. On the surface he sounded very pious, quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16 " You shall not put your LORD your GOD to the test"
How interesting that Ahaz knew the Word of GOD and quoted it as did The LORD to Satan in Matthew 4:7 and Luke 4:12.
Ahaz was giving lip service however to GOD's word. He knew what it said and did everything he could in his life to rebel against it.
Why did Ahaz refuse to seek a sign?
Because GOD in His grace and mercy was offering Ahaz the opportunity to see His great grace and majesty so that he would turn to Him and trust in Him to deliver His beloved people.
But Ahaz rejected GOD's offer because he rejected GOD Himself and did not want to submit to Him or take responsibility for his life before Him.
How many of us are exactly the same as king Ahaz? Many give lip service to GOD's existence but live their lives as if He does not. They love to see young children act out the nativity but they don't want to acknowledge that a virgin did indeed conceive and bear a son Who is called Emmanuel which means GOD is with us.
They don't want Emmanuel. They don't want GOD with them, just like king Ahaz did not want Him.
Do we as individuals say Yes or No to Emmanuel?
Selah
Shalom shalom

Swaddling Sign Of Sacrifice Part 2.mp3

Swaddling, The Sign Of Sacrifice Part 2
The Lamb of GOD was wrapped in swaddling cloths just as the Passover lambs, reared, specifically for sacrifice, at Bethlehem were swaddled in cloths to protect them from becoming blemished. Bethlem was the place of preparation of lambs for the Passover sacrifices.
Bethlehem actually means “the house of bread,” Beth, or "Beit" in Hebrew means "house" . "Lechem" means "bread" From this house came the One who revealed himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
John 6 and Exodus 16 are deeply connected with the theme of Heavenly Bread. Exodus 16 describes the manna that GOD provided for His people in the wilderness and in John 6 The LORD declares that He is the True Bread from Heaven. John 6:32-51
Exodus 16:13-14 and Numbers 11:9 makes it clear that the manna that fell down to the ground from GOD was wrapped in dew. The manna and the dew fell together. In the Scriptures, dew is frequently associated with GOD's abundant blessing and favour upon His people. See Genesis 27:28 and Deuteronomy 33:13 It is also a metaphor for life and renewal. See Hosea 14:5
Conversely the absence of dew signifies judgement. See Haggai 1:10-11
In Psalm 110:3, a Messianic Psalm, dew is revealed as referring to the people of GOD's Messiah being as fresh and numerous as the morning dew because they belong to Him, the Source of eternal Life.
So, just as the Passover lambs were wrapped with cloth, the bread that came from Heaven was wrapped in dew.
Moreover, during the Passover meal, the Seder, there are 3 pieces of unleavened bread, which represent GOD The Father, GOD The Son and GOD The Holy Spirit. The middle piece of unleavened bread( matzah) is broken in half and one half is then wrapped in a cloth or napkin and later the children look for it.
Our LORD Jesus, The Messiah at the Passover meal broke the bread and said "This is my body which is given for you" Luke 22:19 When the broken bread is hidden it represents the death and burial of The LORD. When found again it speaks of His ressurection from the dead.
Our LORD Yeshuah declared
See John 6:35
As both the Passover Lamb and the Passover Bread, our LORD was wrapped, swaddled in preparation the sacrifice of Himself for you and for me.
This Christmas, and every day, we will be tempted to seek satisfaction in the temporary pleasures and perishable possessions of this world, only to be left hungering again for satisfaction of our deepest needs—for steadfast love, abiding peace, enduring joy, unshakable hope, lasting meaning, redemptive justice, abounding grace, and a glory beyond our own.
The LORD Jesus invites us instead to set our hearts and hopes on Him—the Bread of Life born in the house of bread who came down from heaven and gives life to the world, because those who come to Him will never hunger and never perish (John 6:33–51).
Shalom shalom

Swaddling Cloths The Sign Of Sacrifice Part 1.mp3

Swaddling: The Sign Of Sacrifice Part 1
See Luke 2:4-12
Notice that the sign specifically for the shepherds was that this babe, the Messiah/Christ the Lord, born in The City of David, Bethlehem Ephrathah would be wrapped in swaddling clothes. Far more than the, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" that we sing about in Christmas carols, Bethlehem is a real place with significant Biblical history and theological importance in Scripture. We will see in this 2 part study how The LORD Jesus revealed Himself as, both The Lamb of GOD and the Bread of Life.
The 1st mention of Bethlehem in Scripture is Genesis 35:19-21
Rachel the wife of Jacob was buried there. The Hebrew name Rachel means "ewe" ( female sheep) and can also refer to a lamb.This passage also tells us that Rachel was buried at Migdal Eder—a Hebrew term translated as “tower of the flock.” According to Jewish history, it was at Migdal Eder in Bethlehem that unblemished firstborn male lambs were born, wrapped in cloths, and brought to Jerusalem as Passover sacrifices in the temple—an extraordinary foreshadowing of the Lamb of God to come.
Later in Scripture,the prophet Micah announced that to the “tower of the flock” ( Hebrew "Migal Eder" ) would come a king (Micah 4:8)—the one true King Jesus Messiah , who was first introduced to the world by John the Baptist as “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The LORD Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wrapped in cloths, and eventually brought to Jerusalem during Passover, where he “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins” (Heb. 10:12)—just like those unblemished male lambs wrapped in cloths and brought to Jerusalem for sacrifice from Migdal Eder in Bethlehem by the shepherds of that region. These shepherds reared and cared for special lambs raised specifically to be sacrificed at Passover. These were to be perfect one year old unblemished lambs. See Exodus 12:5
The shepherds swaddled the lambs just like human babies were swaddled to protect them. Messiah was, born in the very town known known for providing the Passover lambs.Thus, to these specific shepherds with a specific task, the sign of the swaddling cloths on the Promised One was of great significance.
Now, on the one hand, wrapping a new born baby in cloths was common Jewish practice. See Ezekiel 16:4 and verse 9, but the angel declared to these shepherds that the Saviour being wrapped in swaddling cloths was to them a sign. The LORD was revealing Himself to these shepherds as The Lamb of GOD, The Passover Lamb of GOD Himself.
John The Baptist recognised The LORD Jesus both in John 1:29 and in Luke 1:44. Even as, a 6 month old babe in the womb of Elizabeth, John recognised that in another womb nearby was, the fullness of The Godhead in a physical human body (See Colossians 1:19 and 2:9)even though at that time, in physical form The LORD Jesus was what in medical or scientific terms is called a zygote being tiny in physical form.
We will continue this study in Part 2.
Shalom shalom

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 3.mp3

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 3
The LORD Jesus Christ, unlike any other humam being who ever existed was born without a human father. It is confessed in the Apostles’ Creed (“conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”) and the Nicene Creed (“he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary”). Yet the assertion goes even further back.Aristides (d. AD 134) attests that Christians in his day affirmed that Jesus “from a Hebrew virgin assumed and clothed himself with flesh” (Apology §2), and Irenaeus (d. 130) states, “The Church . . . has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith . . . [including] the birth from a virgin” (Against Heresies 1.10).
Nearly forty times, Matthew uses an active Greek verb (egennēsen) for how one male “begat” another male in the family tree (Matthew 1:2–16).
But for The LORD Jesus, he abruptly breaks the pattern.The Holy Spirit is showing us something very important. Unlike before, he does not say that Joseph “begat” Jesus but the Scripture says in verse 16 "and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom ( Mary) was born Jesus who is called Christ"
The Scripture makes it clear to us that The LORD Jesus was, born of Mary but NOT begotten of Joseph.
See also Matthew 1:18-25
Mary and Joseph had no sexual relations until after the birth of Christ Jesus. Matthew quotes from Isaiah 7:14
The name "Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Yeshuah" meaning "Yahweh saves" - salvation.
The New Testament clearly teaches that The LORD Jesus was “born of woman” (Galatians 4:4) and “born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7).The LORD Jesus is a second and greater Adam (Romans 5:14, 19), and that He is “the man Christ Jesus” who mediates between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). The Eternity WORD “became flesh” (John 1:14), andc“has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:2), “was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16), and “partook” of “flesh and blood” (Hebrews 2:14).
The virgin birth reminds us that the bedrock of our Christian faith is the miraculous breaking into creation of The Triune GOD- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The virgin birth cannot be explained away. Either the Holy Spirit conceived The Father's incarnate Son in the womb of the virgin Mary or we do not have a Saviour. In order to be our Saviour, The LORD Jesus had to be both fully GOD and fully human so that He could bear the punishment for the sin of man and to redeem man from the Law of Sin and Death.
In Luke 1:43,Elizabeth greets Mary as "the mother of my Lord" Elizabeth perceived by the Holy Spirit Who was within Mary's womb as did her own 6 month babe in the womb, John the Baptist, who jumped for JOY in recognition of Who was in the womb of Mary. Womb to womb, Jumping John recognised The LORD, the Almighty GOD, even though physically a tiny zygote in Mary's womb, was fully Present as GOD Himself.
See Colossians 2:9 and 1:15-20
In His Divine Nature, The LORD Jesus Christ is fully GOD. In His human nature He is fully man.
In Hebrews 1:8 the Deity of Christ is exalted.
In Hebrews 4:15 we read that Christ our High Priest has been tempted in every way that we are but did not sin.
Hebrews 4:16 therefore welcomes us to go to The Throne of Grace, with confidence in our High Priest to receive mercy and grace from our Saviour Who is both fully Divine and fully human.
See again Galatians 2:20 He loved me and gave Himself for me.
Selah
Shalom shalom

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 3.mp3

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 3
The LORD Jesus Christ, unlike any other humam being who ever existed was born without a human father. It is confessed in the Apostles’ Creed (“conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary”) and the Nicene Creed (“he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary”). Yet the assertion goes even further back.Aristides (d. AD 134) attests that Christians in his day affirmed that Jesus “from a Hebrew virgin assumed and clothed himself with flesh” (Apology §2), and Irenaeus (d. 130) states, “The Church . . . has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith . . . [including] the birth from a virgin” (Against Heresies 1.10).
Nearly forty times, Matthew uses an active Greek verb (egennēsen) for how one male “begat” another male in the family tree (Matthew 1:2–16).
But for The LORD Jesus, he abruptly breaks the pattern.The Holy Spirit is showing us something very important. Unlike before, he does not say that Joseph “begat” Jesus but the Scripture says in verse 16 "and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom ( Mary) was born Jesus who is called Christ"
The Scripture makes it clear to us that The LORD Jesus was, born of Mary but NOT begotten of Joseph.
See also Matthew 1:18-25
Mary and Joseph had no sexual relations until after the birth of Christ Jesus. Matthew quotes from Isaiah 7:14
The name "Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Yeshuah" meaning "Yahweh saves" - salvation.
The New Testament clearly teaches that The LORD Jesus was “born of woman” (Galatians 4:4) and “born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7).The LORD Jesus is a second and greater Adam (Romans 5:14, 19), and that He is “the man Christ Jesus” who mediates between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). The Eternity WORD “became flesh” (John 1:14), andc“has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:2), “was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16), and “partook” of “flesh and blood” (Hebrews 2:14).
The virgin birth reminds us that the bedrock of our Christian faith is the miraculous breaking into creation of The Triune GOD- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The virgin birth cannot be explained away. Either the Holy Spirit conceived The Father's incarnate Son in the womb of the virgin Mary or we do not have a Saviour. In order to be our Saviour, The LORD Jesus had to be both fully GOD and fully human so that He could bear the punishment for the sin of man and to redeem man from the Law of Sin and Death.
In Luke 1:43,Elizabeth greets Mary as "the mother of my Lord" Elizabeth perceived by the Holy Spirit Who was within Mary's womb as did her own 6 month babe in the womb, John the Baptist, who jumped for JOY in recognition of Who was in the womb of Mary. Womb to womb, Jumping John recognised The LORD, the Almighty GOD, even though physically a tiny zygote in Mary's womb, was fully Present as GOD Himself.
See Colossians 2:9 and 1:15-20
In His Divine Nature, The LORD Jesus Christ is fully GOD. In His human nature He is fully man.
In Hebrews 1:8 the Deity of Christ is exalted.
In Hebrews 4:15 we read that Christ our High Priest has been tempted in every way that we are but did not sin.
Hebrews 4:16 therefore welcomes us to go to The Throne of Grace, with confidence in our High Priest to receive mercy and grace from our Saviour Who is both fully Divine and fully human.
See again Galatians 2:20 He loved me and gave Himself for me.
Selah
Shalom shalom

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 2.mp3

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 2
The word 'incarnation' literally means 'enfleshment' or 'embodiment in flesh'. GOD Himself took on flesh. In order to save and redeem us from The Fall of Adam in Eden, GOD Himself was conceived by The Holy Spirit into the womb of a woman- Mary, ( Luke 1:35) and so was both fully GOD and fully human without inheriting the fallen likeness of Adam.
See Genesis 5:1-3 and 1 Corinthians 15:22
Man is made in the image of GOD ( Genesis 1:26-28)
Like GOD we are eternal spirits ( John 4:24)
We are triune beings of spirit soul and body
See 1 Thessalonians 5:23
We have the capability of intimate relationship with GOD. This was lost in The Fall and it was to restore our relationship with Himself that He came in human form to bear the punishment, the consequence of sin upon Himself and deliver us from the law of Sin And Death.
Jumping John the Baptist jumped within the womb of Elizabeth because he recognised Who was in the womb of Mary. Although physically in the womb of Mary only a few days and being what is referred to as a zygote, The Almighty GOD was fully present within the womb of Mary.
See Colossians 2:9 All of GOD lives fully in Christ. For in Him all the fullness of deity dwells in a human body, bodily, embodied, enfleshed.
In Luke 1:41-44 we read that
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and knew that Jumping John within her womb and lept for JOY - a specific emotional reaction from baby John.
The Scriptures again and again show us that the child within the womb is fully human. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from within the womb. See Luke 1:15
GOD only fills human beings with the Holy Spirit - not angels nor animals nor any other creature. John the Baptist in the womb was fully human, spirit soul and body.
We are looking at the topic of the incarnation of Christ through the lens of Galatians 2:20
Christ clothed Himself in flesh, from zygote to embryo etc in the womb to a child and to ac full adult man.
The Incarnation is the preparation for the nerve endings of His body to feel the pain of the huge Roman nails of crucifiction. The Incarnation is the preparation of a human brow for cruel sharp thorns to be pushed into. He needed a physical back to be ripped to shreds by the Roman whips. He needed physical feet for the Roman nails and spikes. He needed a side for a sword to be plunged into. He needed cheeks for Judas to kiss. He needed a physical face for the soldiers to spit on......
The Incarnation within the womb of Mary is personal because it was the preparation for The Eternal Word of GOD to die for me, and for you, personally.
Dwell again on Galatians 2:20
The beginning of human life is a magnificent thing. It is the work of GOD.
Psalm 139 :13
Our inward parts - spirit and soul, and physical body, are woven and knitted together as a human being by GOD, Elohim our Creator Himself.
Selah
Shalom shalom

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 1.mp3

The Wonder Of The Incarnation Part 1
The word 'incarnation' literally means 'enfleshment' or 'embodiment in flesh'. GOD Himself took on flesh.
But why?
Firstly, let us look at this through the lens of a, Scriptures not usually associated with this topic :. Galatians 2:20
NB the words "who loved me and gave Himself for me"
We each need to make the incarnation of The Almighty GOD personal to us as individuals. Circle in your Bible the word "me". Bearing this in mind, see John 1:1-4 and verse 14 ( See the Amplified translation)
Until The Fall of Adam in Eden, God and man, Adam and Eve, had enjoyed intimate face to face fellowship with Elohim their Creator. But when Adam fell, he and Eve instantly died spiritually.
In order to save His beloved man kind, GOD had to become fully human as well as being fully GOD. All the physical offspring of Adam inherit his fallen nature.
See Genesis 5:1-3 and 1 Corinthians 15:22
In the day of the creation of man, GOD made us in His own image
See Genesis 1:26-28
Like GOD we are eternal spirits
See John 4:24
We are triune beings
See I Thessalonians 5:23
This is why human beings are NOT animals. We are first and foremost spirit and unlike animals or angels, we have the capability to fellowship in an intimate relationship with GOD Himself. This is what Messiah came to restore.
GOD Himself, GOD the Son, the Word of GOD entered into the womb of a virgin young woman named Mary, thus not inheriting the likeness of fallen Adam yet being born of a woman in physical form.
NB Genesis 5:3
This was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14
The Hebrew word for "conceive" is "harah" and it shows up all over the Bible.
Furthermore, the Scriptures emphasize the 3 stages of conception, pregnancy and birth.
Eg Hosea 9:11
A human being is fully human from the moment of conception. Our LORD Jesus incarnate, developed for 9 months in the womb of Mary before being born.
See Luke 1:26-45
John The Baptist, 6 months in the womb of Elizabeth, recognised The Living GOD in the womb of Mary and jumped inside Elizabeth 's womb! There was a strong reaction!
Yet, in His physical form, The LORD Jesus would have been at the stage known as a zygote, being just a few days old in the womb of Mary. Yet the fullness of GOD Himself, His Divine attributes, Presence and Power was within that zygote.
See Colossians 1:19 and 2:9
Jumping John the Baptist recognised His Creator, womb to womb and responded to Him.
Let us be absolutely sure therefore in our conviction, that a human being is fully human at the moment of conception in the womb.
Selah
Shalom shalom

The Amazing Prophetic Significance Of Hanukkah Part 3

Part 3 of The Amazing Prophetic Significance Of Hanukkah. This festival very much speaks to us as Christian believers in these days, right at the end of the church age, before the rapture of the church and the set time of the Great Tribulation.
The events of Hanukkah happened less than 200 years before the incarnation, birth and earthly ministry of our LORD, Messiah Jesus / Yeshuah. Now we see the stage being set for the coming of the Anti Christ of whom Antiochus IV, in 175 to 164 BC, was the forerunner. He made the ownership and preaching of GOD's Word illegal and the keeping of the commands of The LORD illegal. The owning of a Bible and teaching GOD's word has been illegal for many years in North Korea with severe persecution for possession. In Saudi Arabia distributing Bibles and evangelism is also illegal. Other countries with severe persecution for Christian evangelism and teaching GOD's Word include Afghanistan, North West Pakistan, Libya, Maldives, Yemen, Somalia, Uzbekistan and of course Iran. In China there is not a complete ban but there is tight state control in the churches with government spies and the non controlled state churches meet in secret. In all these nations the churches have to meet in secret and know that their faith can cost them both their freedom and indeed their life. The Antichrist spirit is becoming more obvious and prevalent however throughout the world.
Antiochus IV declared himself to be god manifested by giving himself the name "Epiphanes" and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem by sacrificing on the altar a pig to the Greek god Zeus and set up a statue of himself to worshipped. He stopped all the Temple sacrifices for sin. Many Jews at that time assimilated into the new world order he set up. They compromised in order to avoid persecution. Even in the priesthood there were those who assimilated their stance and beliefs with the one world religion of Antiochus IV, the worship of him and pagan deities with the pursuit of sensual pleasures rather than pursuing the Living GOD. This sounds familiar does it not? The leadership of the Church of England in Great Britain has become apostate. It's leaders profane GOD's Word and persecute their own clergy and members who choose to believe GOD's Word the Bible, calling them extremists. Within the last 2 years, praying silently in your head has become a criminal offence, as has silently holding a piece of paper offering conversation if wanted. Street evangelists have been arrested and accused of "hate speech" for reading the Bible. Many Christians have lost their jobs for their Biblical convictions. Persecution is here. Many church religious leaders live by preference and not by Biblical conviction. Their god is not Christ Whom they claim to follow, but is the spirit of Antichrist....
But a remnant of the priests and ordinary men and women in the time of Antiochus IV refused to assimilate or to compromise their faith in The One True GOD. They were known as, The Maccabees lead by Judas Maccabeus known as "The Hammer of GOD" They continued to keep and preach GOD's Word and many of them were tortured and executed in barbaric cruel ways. These are the people given honour in Hebrews 11:35-38.
Until the time of the Reformation the books of 1st and 2nd Maccabees were cannonised Scripture in all Bibles. Now these books remain in only some Bible translations. Whether or not you believe they should or shouldn't be cannonised Scripture, they are historical documents.
2 Maccabees chapter 10:
"Now Maccabeus and his followers, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city; they tore down the altars that had been built in the public square by the foreigners and also destroyed the sacred precincts. They purified the sanctuary and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they offered incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence. When they had done this, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations. It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which was Chislev. They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the Festival of Booths/ Tabernacles remembering how not long before, during the Festival of Booths/ Tabernacles they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals. Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also palm fronds, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. They decreed by public edict, ratified by vote, that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year."
For the main part, the church in Britain has become assimilated into the Antichrist culture and has stood passively by and allowed Antichrist laws to be passed, and Antichrist governments to be voted into power. As the Maccabees did, the remnant, the true Body of Christ must shine forth the Word of Truth in this world.
See Matthew 5:14-16
We cannot be assimilated into the Antichrist world system.
Our schools and universities have become places not of education but of Antichrist indoctrination. The mainstream media has become the oracle, the medium of demonic influence in our culture.
We however, the true Body of Christ must burn brightly with the oil of The Holy Spirit in these days of darkness. Let us be inspired again by the testimony of the Maccabees and may the Menorah of our own hearts be always burning with love for our Precious Saviour, The LORD Yeshuah / Jesus.
"You are the light of the world" Matthew 5:14
Selah
Happy Hanukkah!
Shalom shalom

The Amazing Prophetic Significance Of Hanukkah Part 2

Part 2 of The Prophetic Significance Of Hanukkah.
"Hanukkah" means "dedication" and this 9th Hebrew Feast was, established in remembrance of the re- dedication of The Temple of GOD and its altar in Jerusalem to the worship of The LORD after it had been desecrated by a forerunner of the Anti Christ, the Selucid leader Antiochus IV who called himself "Epiphanes" meaning "god manifested" and rose to power across the Middle East and all of the then known world establishing the Selucid Empire. Many succumbed to his one world government that he set in place over his domain and his one world religion of the worship of pagan deities such as Zeus as well as the worship of himself. He put a huge statue of himself in The Temple and declared himself to be "God manifested" . He sacrificed a pig to Zeus upon the Temple altar of burnt offering. The historical accounts of this are in secular history books and in the books 1st and 2nd Maccabees.
The Maccabees, (seen as canonised Scripture until the Reformation, but still retained in some Bible translations). The horrifically persecuted remnant of believers under the cruel reign of Antiochus IV, in 175-164 BC, are remembered in Hebrews 11:34-38. They were a group of priests and ordinary men and women who continued to worship The Living GOD and put the military generals and armies of Antiochus IV to flight, by their faith in GOD Who fought on their behalf with great signs and wonders. They took back The Temple of Jerusalem which had been defiled by Antiochus IV and is referred to as "the abomination of desolation"
See Daniel 9:27, 11:31 and 12:21,
1st Maccabees 1:54 The LORD Jesus speaks of this in
Matthew 24:15 and makes it clear that Antiochus IV, cruel as he was, was actually merely the forerunner of another yet to take his place on the world stage....
Antiochus IV was a man of lawlessness.
He ordered the Jews to profane the Sabbath, and to profane the Hebrew festivals and Holy Days. He orderd them to set up idols and to eat animals seen as unclean under the Law of Moses. They were forbidden to circumcise their sons and commanded to forget the Word of GOD.
The Maccabees however, by a miracle of GOD, took back The Temple, cleansed it and re- dedicated it to GOD. They re lit the Menorah, the 7 branched candlestick, and GOD miraculously caused the one and only small jar of sealed holy oil they retrieved to burn for 8 days instead of the usual one day. Thus, for Hanukkah, which means Dedication, they then used a special Menorah with 9 candle branches, 4 on the left, 4 on the right, and the middle 9th candle is called The Servant Branch which is used to light the others. The terms "Servant" and "Branch" are used throughout the Old Testament as references to The Messiah..
Messiah The Servant-
See the 4 Servant Songs of Isaiah in Isaiah 42:1-9, 49:1-7, 50:4-7, and 52:13-53:12
Messiah The Branch-
Isaiah 4:2 and 11:1
Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15
Messiah both Servant and Branch -
Zechariah 3:8
The LORD Jesus told us several times that He did not come to be served, but to serve ( See Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45 Luke 19:10) In Luke 22:27 He decares "I am among you as one who serves" and in Mark 10:45 He declares that He came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a, ransom for many. ( Mark 10:45)
In Philippians 2:7 we read that The, LORD Jesus Christ made Himself nothing and took the form of a, servant, being born in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself and was, obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ( In the Roman empire, crucifixion was specifically designed as, a brutal, agonising and profoundly humiliating form of capital punishment reserved for the lowest classes of society such as, slaves, non Roman citizens, enemies of the state and "humiliores" - those on the lowest social strata.)
The Servant Branch on the Hannukah Menorah is used to light the other candles.
The LORD Jesus Messiah is The Light Of The World ( John 8:12 and 9:5) and we are now called the light of the world , as He lights us with His flame, to shine for Him in this dark world. (See Matthew 5:14-16 and Philippians 2:15). We who are born again of His Spirit are now Temples of The Living GOD and commanded to shine forth His light in us in all the world wherever we are.
( 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 2 Corinthians 6:16). Let us cleanse our lives and rededicate ourselves to the true worship of Him with all of our lives and maintain His light of life within from the oil of The Holy Spirit. Christ Himself is our High Priest. ( Hebrews 4:14-16) and He has given to us The Holy Spirit to ignite and maintain within us His Light and Life. We are, like Him, called not to be served but to serve and to be His light in this dark world.
Shalom shalom