THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

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WHAT IS THE “GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”? We should let the Bible define Bible terms. Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words (to Cornelius), the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter responded, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.” That is pretty clear that the gift of the Holy Spirit was the miraculous ability to speak in tongues. Tongues were human languages that one could speak in even though he did not know the language: it was not just ecstatic nonsense utterances, which is what tongue speakers do today. In Acts 2, the apostles spoke in tongues and Jews from many countries “heard them speak in their own languages” (Acts 2:6). They said “8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?” (Acts 2:8). The case of Cornelius was an exception to the order in which believers received the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:38 the gift of the Holy Spirit is promised to those who repent and are baptized to be received after they are baptized. But in Cornelius’ case, he spoke in tongues and received the Holy Spirit before he was baptized in water (Acts 10:47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”). He received the “gift of the Holy Spirit” (the miraculous tongue speaking) before he was baptized (Acts 10:45). This exception to the normal order was for a special purpose, i.e. to show the Jewish Christians that God would accept Gentile believers in Jesus into full fellowship with Jewish Christians in the church. And it worked. The Jewish Christians were convinced that the Gentiles could be saved just like they were and could enjoy the miraculous gift of the Spirit just like they did. But the normal order of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is found in Acts 2:38.

THE CONVERSION OF THE SAMARITANS BY PHILIP IN ACTS 8 Acts 8 gives us more info. Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16 (For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,” Now connect this to Acts 10:47 where the same phrase “receive the Holy Spirit” is used, and in Acts 10:47 it is the same as the “gift of the Holy Spirit”, i.e. the miraculous ability to speak in tongues. Notice that Acts 8:16 says that they had not received the Spirit yet even though they had been baptized. So apparently, a baptized believer did not just automatically get the Spirit at the moment he is baptized. So when they the Samaritan converts receive the Spirit? When the apostles laid their hands on them. Philip could not give the Spirit or the miraculous gift of the Spirit to them b/c he was not an apostle. Only the apostles had the ability to give miraculous gifts to baptized believers when they laid their hands on them. That is also seen in Acts 19 where Paul “re-baptized” 12 men in Ephesus who had been baptized with John’s baptism after Jesus died (that baptism ended with the death of Jesus and people were commanded to be baptized in the name of Jesus after Jesus’ death). Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.” So that is the pattern all through the book of Acts. Tongue speaking was miraculous proof that those baptized were truly saved, sons of God. That was needed in the first century b/c they did not have the completed New Testament like we have today. We don’t need some miraculous proof like tongue speaking to show us that we are saved when we are baptized today. We have the Word. Mark 16:16 “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.”

WHAT ABOUT ACTS 2:38? So what about the 3,000 in Acts 2 who were baptized and received the “gift of the Holy Spirit”? What did they get? Did they get something miraculous or non miraculous? Did they received the Spirit and get the gift of the Holy Spirit immediately when they were baptized? We have already answered those questions from Acts 8,10, and 19. From Acts 8, a baptized believer did not automatically receive the Spirit at the moment he was baptized. From Acts 10, the gift of the Holy Spirit was the miraculous speaking in tongue. It is the same apostle Peter who promises the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38 who says in Acts 10 that the gift of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. So, if the “gift of the Holy Spirit” promised after baptism in Acts 2:38 was the miraculous, when did those baptized received the miraculous gift of the Spirit? From Acts 8 and Acts 19, the miraculous gift of the Spirit and tongue speaking was given only by the laying on of the apostles’ hands.That would be easily done since the apostles were doing the baptizing of the 3,000. They already have their hands laid on them as they lowered and raise them from the waters of baptism. The baptized believers would get the miraculous gift of the Spirit, the reception of the Spirit, as soon as they were raised from the water. So Acts 2:38 doesn’t explain much about receiving the gift of the Spirit, but these other passages do.

JOEL’S PROPHECY AND ACTS 2 This is a big point: The apostles spoke in tongues in Acts 2. Peter said that was the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that in the “last days” of the Jewish Age (i.e. from 30 AD to 70 AD) that the miraculous would be poured on all believers (not just restricted to certain people like kings and prophets as in the Old Testament). Peter then tells the 3,000 that they can receive the gift of the Spirit if they repent and are baptized. What do you think they would expect to receive? Don’t you think they would expect to receive the miraculous that Joel predicted, that Peter said was being poured out in the last days which is when they were living? I can’t imagine they would expect anything less than that miraculous pouring out of the Spirit of Joel, just as they had seen in the tongue speaking of the apostes. Some say that they just got a non-miraculous indwelling of the Spirit when they were baptized, but that would not fit the context of the promised miraculous from Joel 2. Nor would a non-miraculous gift of the Spirit confirm that they were truly children of God after they were baptized.

SO WHAT ABOUT TODAY? It may sound like heresy, but if the gift of the Holy Spirit and receiving the Spirit was miraculous only given by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, then we can’t get that today since there are no apostles living. Joel 2 promised the pouring out of the miraculous only for the “last days” (i.e. 30 AD to 70 AD) b/c the miraculous was needed for early church. They did not have the completed New Testament. During that 40 year transition period from the old covenant to the new covenant they needed miraculous leaders (Ephesians 4:7 apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) Their assemblies were filled with the use of miraculous gifts (1 Corinthians 14:26) for confirmation and convincing non believers. Speaking in tongues was the usual miraculous confirmation of receiving the Spirit, but then the Spirit would give many other miraculous gifts to baptized believers as they spread out in congregations (1 Corinthians 12). So they would not all be tongue speakers in the years after their baptism and initial speaking in tongues. The miraculous was not promised after the end of the last days, which ended in 70 AD. So what do we get when we are baptized today if we do not get the miraculous gift of the Spirit? We get more than some miraculous gift. We get the very presence of God dwelling in us. Once God’s plan was finalized in 70 AD, we read in Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them. God and Jesus make their abode in baptized believers (spiritually not physically). John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.” Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” If God dwells in us, then His Spirit dwells in us (spiritually not physically). So we get something better than the miraculous gift of the Spirit. We get the very presence of God dwelling in us, which would include His Spirit dwelling in us but not the miraculous gift of the Spirit dwelling in us. We don’t get anything miraculous but we don’t need that.

CONCLUSION My conclusion is that God dwells in us today. If God dwells in us, then His Spirit dwells in us, but His Spirit does not dwell in us in the same way, i.e. the miraculous, that he did in the early church in the New Testament in the last days up to 70 AD. The Spirit through the apostles has given up “all truth” (John 14:26; 16:13) so we don’t need the miraculous. We don’t need continuous miraculous revelation through “latter day prophets” or the pope. I believe that the Spirit still works in us and through us. I believe that the Spirit still speaks to us, mainly through the Word that he inspired, but also providentially. I believe that the Spirit leads us, mainly through the Word but also providentially. Many of my church teachers taught that the last days was the Messianic Age and that we are still living in the last days, but then added that we don’t have the miraculous today, which is contradictory. If we were still living in the “last days” then we should still have miraculous gifts of the Spirit today, but the last days ended in 70 AD. Look around. The Bible miracles of the New Testament are simply not being done today like they were in the New Testament. Charismatics are not really speaking in Bible tongues, i.e. unlearned human languages. Truly miraculous, instantaneous, undeniable Bible healings are not being done today.

I hope this study is accurate and true to the Word of God. Let the Bible interpret itself. Don’t let what we want the gift of the Spirit to be determine what we think it is.

DAVID KORESH, THE BRANCH DAVIDIANS, AND THE 51 DAY WACO SIEGE!

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If you are old enough, you remember getting up every day to tune in the the latest in the 51 day siege of the Mt Carmel compound where David Koresh and his followers were hold up. You also probably saw on TV the fire brake out on the compound.

WHO WAS DAVID KORESH AND WHAT HAPPENED AT WACO, TEXAS IN 1993? : “The Branch Davidians were a group that spit off the 7th Day Adventists in the 1950s. David Koresh took control in the late 1980s, claiming to be the final prophet before the 2nd coming of Jesus and the only one who could interpret the “Seven Seals” of the Book of Revelation. They believed they were preparing for the end of the world (Armageddon) and adhered to strict rules, including communal living on the Mt. Carmel compound in Waco, Texas. Koresh, who considered himself the “Lamb” of the Book of Revelation, preached an imminent apocalypse, arguing his followers had to fight “Babylon” (the US government). He required members to surrender all personal assets, dictated strict diets, and, despite his claims to be married to one woman, took multiple, including underage (some as young as 12), “spiritual wives. The group was investigated for stockpiling illegal weapons. Following reports of illegal weapons manufacturing, including machine guns, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) attempted to raid the Mount Carmel compound on February 28, 1993. A shootout resulted in the deaths of four agents and six Davidians. A 51-day standoff with the FBI ensued, marked by psychological warfare, including blasting loud music and screams of slaughtered animals to deprive the residents of sleep.On April 19, 1993, a fire destroyed the compound. While some survivors escaped, 76 people, including at least 26 children, died. David Koresh was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. The siege brought a lot of public scrutiiny to the tactics of the FBI.” Today, small groups of survivors and new followers still exist; a new chapel stands at the original Mount Carmel site, though the remaining members are split between those who still revere Koresh and those who believe he corrupted the original faith. Branch Davidian survivors today are scattered, with some, like Clive Doyle, maintaining faith and community in Waco, expecting Koresh’s resurrection, Kiri Jewell, a former child member survivor, has spoken out about abuse in the cult, highlighting the lasting impact on children.” (AI)

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING OF 1995 WAS CONNECTED TO THE WACO SIEGE? “The tragedy became a rallying cry for anti-government groups and was cited by Timothy McVeigh as the primary motivation for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing in which 168 souls lost, including 19 children, with several hundred more injured.. Timothy McVeigh was executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Today, small groups of survivors and new followers still exist; a new chapel stands at the original Mount Carmel site, though the remaining members are split between those who still revere Koresh and those who believe he corrupted the original faith.” (AI)

THE NEED TO TEACH FULL PRETERISM: As I continue to study and teach about cults like this and cult leaders like Koresh, I am constantly amazed at how corrupt men like Koresh could lead so many people into his heresy and their final deaths at Mt. Carmel.. You would think that all would realize how perverted this man was when he announced to all the husbands that their wives were no longer their wives, but his wives. You would think they would all leave the cult immediately, but they didn’t, which just shows the power of religious brainwashing. No doubt, most of them were probably good people who thought that Koresh was leading them into the fulfillment of the book of Revelation, the opening of the 7 seals, and the end time Armageddon Apocalypse. People seem to always get excited when they think someone is supposedly accurately tying the predictions of Revelation to current events or events about to happen in their lifetimes. This is one of the reasons I teach so much on full preterism, showing that all Bible predictions, including those of Revelation, were fulfilled by the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. According to full preterism, there are no Bible predictions of any events to be fulfilled after 70 AD. All the events predicted in Revelation were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. I just did a blog on Revelation that I hope you will read. So many good people have been led astray by false prophets who teach otherwise. I encourage you to study some of my blogs on full preterism. Full preterism doesn’t change the way we live by faith in Jesus, but it stops all the end time false prophets and false Apocalyptic predictions about the 2nd coming. It keeps people from being led astray and distracted from simple faith in Jesus and Christian living.

JIM JONES AND THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE

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Please watch this excellent 5 minute news video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zI9ub9AgF0

JIM JONES AND THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE HISTORY: That tells you much of the story of Jim Jones that started in Indianapolis, moved to California, moved to Guyana, South America, and ended up in a mass suicide of over 900 people (270 of them children) in the agricultural farm called Jonestown. As Jeff Guinn says in the video, “The saddest part is that good, decent people died who were well intentioned”. Jones started with breaking down racial barriers, helping the poor, and had a multi racial congregation. Only God knows if his heart was right to begin with, but over time he changed. “He devolved into a narcissistic, paranoid, drug addicted, and abusive dictator. Jones was a sexual predator who was unfaithful to his wife and had sexual relationships with both men and women in his congregation. He demanded that members turn over all their assets, including homes and Social Security checks, creating complete economic dependency on him. Jim Jones regarded the Bible as a “paper idol” and a tool of oppression used to manipulate people, ultimately rejecting it in favor of his own ideology. While initially utilizing religious themes, he grew to criticize the Bible, eventually promoting atheism and Marxism, claiming to be a divine figure himself. He taught that traditional religion was an “opiate” and used it to manipulate followers, later admitting in 1976 to being an atheist and agnostic. ones preached that the United States was a racist, fascist society (“Babylon”) that was destined to be destroyed. He warned of a coming genocide against black people and racial minorities, telling his followers they would be sent to concentration camps in “gas ovens”. Jim Jones believed a nuclear apocalypse destroying the U.S. was imminent, which he used to justify moving his followers to California and eventually to the Jonestown commune in Guyana. He framed this apocalyptic event as a way to escape US government oppression and to establish a socialist utopia. Jones was heavily influenced by Father M. J. Divine, a charismatic African American preacher who claimed to be God and built a multi-racial, communal, and economically independent society. Jones visited Divine in Philadelphia and adopted the concept of creating a “Promised Land” (eventually Jonestown) that would be a haven for his followers during the end times. He framed the mass suicide/murder in Jonestown as a “revolutionary suicide” against capitalist oppression” (AI)

THE GUYANA TRAGEDY MOVIE: The movie “Guyana Tragedy” is long and graphic, but tells the Jim Jones story completely, even from the time of his childhood. “Much of what is known about Jones’ early life came from his own later recollections. He described being a young hellion in his Indiana hometown: “I was considered the trash of the neighborhood.” He identified with the underdog, fighting off kids who bullied other children, rescuing stray pets, and taking home beggars. He explored every church in town — Quaker, Nazarene, Methodist, Apostolic and the Church of Christ — throwing himself into their particular rituals before becoming disillusioned and moving on to the next. (That interested me since I come from a Church of Christ background. Jim Jones most likely once attended a Church of Christ service!) As a young man, while working as a hospital orderly, Jones met Marceline Baldwin, a nursing student, and they married in 1949. In Indianapolis, he served as a student pastor in the Methodist Church in 1952 but chose to found his own church, Peoples Temple, in 1956. The Temple joined the Disciples of Christ in 1960 and Jones was ordained in 1964. A major source of Jones’ unhappiness with various mainstream churches was segregation. During the 1950s and early 1960s, segregation was widespread across the country, and many religious congregations followed the practice of keeping the races separate. Having grown up an outsider, Jones empathized with the downtrodden, the poor, the non-whites in society. In 1961 he and his wife were the first white couple in Indianapolis to adopt a black child, Peoples Temple participated directly in the social shifts of the emerging civil rights movement. As the head of the Indianapolis Human Rights Commission, Jones desegregated movie theaters, restaurants, the telephone company, hospitals and the city police department. The Temple ran a free restaurant, and homes for the elderly and mentally ill.” (from PBS American Experience article https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/jonestown-bio-jones/?scrlybrkr=f2f8117f

FALSE PROPHETS AND CULT LEADERS: What caused a man who was doing a lot of good for poor people oppressed by racism to become a dangerous, perverted cult leader? Read 2 Peter 2 as Peter talks about false prophets. Some of his description of false prophets: 2 Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words. 13 “They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions as they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children; 18 For, while speaking out arrogant words of no value they entice by fleshly desires, by indecent behavior, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption.” Power, pride, sex, money, drugs. Back to what Jeff Guinn said, “The saddest part is that good, decent people died who were well intentioned”. They were “exploited with false words. They were promised freedom by a perverse man who was himself “a slave of corruption”.

PUT YOUR FAITH IN JESUS, NOT MEN: Most false prophets and cult leaders start out with some Biblical concept, like love, and then corrupt that. Often they prey on people looking for love and community. David Berg (Children of God, free love and flirty fishing); Charles Manson (The Manson Family and the LaBiana murders); David Koresh (The Branch Davidians and the 51 day Waco siege; all the women in his cult were his wives, including the married women); Warren Jeffs (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and his multiple wives, including young girls); Marshall Applewhite (Heaven’s Gate cult, mass suicides). The list goes on, even including very popular Christian church leaders of modern day churches. Good people looking for love and family are hurt and disillusioned. Their faith in God and in the Bible is often destroyed. Bottom line, don’t put your faith in men. Put your faith in Jesus.

SOME “MELLO” MUSINGS!

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I can’t overstate the importance of understand the correct meaning of the Greek word mello in the New Testament. It appears over 100 times and it always, always means some event that is “about to happen” or “about to be at a place”. When used of time, things which were imminent and expected to occur within a short time. Always. I will give a few examples and a site that gives every single usage of the word.

Jesus prophesied his coming crucifixion, he told his disciples that the Son of Man “is about to” [Gk: μέλλει : mellei] suffer at the hands of certain men (Matt 17:12).
Jesus repeated that prophecy, saying that the Son of Man “is about to” [Gk: μέλλει : mellei] be delivered into the hands of men (Matt 17:22).  The same in Luke 9:34. Matt 20:22 – Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am [Gk: μέλλω : mello : I am about to] to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” Luke 9:31 – who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke 10:1 – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to [Gk: ἤμελλεν : emellen : was about to] go. Here is the site for more examples. https://parousiafulfilled.com/mello-about-to-happen/index.php

Why is this word so important? B/c it helps us understand the New Testament in its original context and its relevance to those it was written to. But here’s the catch. The translators of the New Testament from the Greek have no trouble correctly translating the word mello as “about to” when it is used of an event about to happen or about to be at a place except when the word is used with the imminent 2nd coming of Jesus or the judgement that was “about to come” on that first century generation of Jews. They will usually translate the word as “certainly” going to happen, etc, but not “about to happen”. That totally destroys the context of the verse! They do not translate it correctly as “about to” b/c that would go against traditional church dogma that said that Jesus’ 2nd coming is still in the future (going on 2000 years and counting). Here are some examples. The usual incorrect translations of the word will be crossed out in these verses along with the correct translation. Only translations like Young’s Literal Translation translate mello correctly as “about to”.

Matthew 16:27 – the Son of Man is going to i [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. The imminency of the 2nd coming is obvious when you read the next verse: 16:28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” This is imminent 2nd coming and not the transfiguration that would shortly happen b/c there was no judgment involved in the transfiguration but there was to be a judgement in Matthew 16:27. The only predictions Jesus made of his 2nd coming all say that he was coming back within the lifetime of those he was speaking to: Matthew 10:23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you (i.e. the apostles that he is talking to)will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 24:30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (the Greek word genea in the New Testament always means a 40 year period or the people living in a 40 year period). Matthew 26:64 Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you (at least some of those he was speaking to) will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” There are no other predictions of Jesus coming again at any time after the generation that he was speaking to. None.

Matthew 3:7 – But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to [Gk: μελλούσης : mellouses : which is about to] come? John the Baptist was predicting the judgment on the Jews that was about to come on the nation in 70 AD. The same in Luke 3:7. Acts 17:31 – because he has fixed a day on which he will i [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is about to] judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” 2 Timothy 4:1 – I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is [Gk: μέλλοντος : mellontos : is about to] to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom. Luke 21:36 – But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to i [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : are about to] take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” In Luke 21 (also Matthew 24 and Mark 13) Jesus was predicting the destruction of Jerusalem that was “about to happen” in 70 AD.

Revelation 1:19 YLT – Write the things that thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to [Gk: μέλλει : mellei : is (are) about to] iii ) come after these things.” The events predicted in Revelation were about to happen, not things to happen thousands of years later. The same in Revelation 2:10; 3:10,16; 6:11; 8:13; 12:5. The 2nd coming of Jesus was imminent when John wrote this letter, as seen from “I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:7,12,20). Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. Revelation begins and ends sayin that the events it is predicting will “shortly take place” for “the time is near” (Revelation 1:1,3; 22:6,10). To make the events predicted in Revelation to be things that haven’t even happened 2,000 years later (and counting) is to say that the predictions in Revelation failed to come to pass and that the book is false prophecy.

Hebrews 6:5 – and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to [Gk: μέλλοντος : mellontos : which is about to] come. That would be the Messianic Age about to come in its fullness in 70 AD when the Mosaic Age would end and the Law was about to “disappear” in 70 AD. Hebrews 8:13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to disappear (eggus: Near, close, at hand: a different Greek word than mello but same idea of “about to”. The book of Hebrews is all about the judgement to come on the Jews in 70 AD, trying to keep Jewish Christians from leaving faith in Christ and going back to trusting in the old covenant which would lead to them suffering the same judgment in 70 AD as the evil unbelieving Jews whom the Romans killed in the siege of the city (one million killed).

Romans 8:18,38 YLT ii – 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory about to [Gk: μέλλουσαν : mellousan : about to] be revealed in us; … 38 for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things about to be [Gk: μέλλοντα : mellonta : about to (be)]. This is an important passage b/c Romans 8:18-24 predicts that the “creation” will be released from its suffering which many interpret to be the earth being re-created to its Garden of Eden form at Jesus’ 2nd coming. But notice that 8:18 says that whatever is about to happen with the creation is “about to” happen in the time frame of those Paul is writing to. Several opinions on whether the creation being released from its slavery is referring to people (which is what I believe) or the physical creation, but either way it had to happen in the first century and not at least 2000 years later (and counting). It makes sense that he is talking about people being glorified in 70 AD when it would be shown that the Chistians, not Jews, were the true people of God. Again, the word mello in 8:18 changes the whole way we look at the fulfillment of this prediction. 1 Peter 5:1 – So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to i [Gk: μελλούσης : mellouses : which is about to] be revealed (at 70 AD) . The same idea as in Romans 8:18. In 70 AD God would show world, once for all time, that Christians are His chosen people, not the Jews. Jesus predicted that he was going to take away the kingdom from the Jews and give it to a people who would produce fruit for him Matthew 21:43 Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit.” That “people” would be Jew and Gentile Christians. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 

I’m sure that many readers aren’t very interested in the study of Greek words or eschatology, but I urge you to do a serious study of the word mello. It changes the way you interpret many doctrines concerning the 2nd coming or the judgement. But it also shows you that the predictions of the New Testament came true in the time frame of the people they were made to. Otherwise someone could say that the New Testament made many predictions that were to be fulfilled in the first century that never came true, and thus that the New Testament is full of false prophecies (which is exactly what atheists say). Keep studying



THE RAJNEESHPURAM CULT

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WHAT WAS RAJNEESHPURAM? Surely that heading caught your attention. What is Rajneeshpuram? AI: “Rajneeshpuram was a controversial, short-lived (1981–1985) intentional community in central Oregon established by followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later known as Osho). Thousands of followers, or “Sannyasins,” built a city on a remote ranch, seeking a utopian “free-love” society, but the group engaged in severe criminal activities, including the 1984 salmonella bio-terror attack. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh taught a mix of Eastern mysticism and Western psychology, focusing on meditation and sexual liberation. Followers, often seen in red or maroon clothing, viewed him as an enlightened master. Located at the Big Muddy Ranch near Antelope, Oregon, it grew into a self-sufficient city with its own police, airport, and infrastructure, peaking at around 2,000–7,000 residents. Spiritual leader Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) famously owned a collection of 93 Rolls-Royce cars in the 1980s, a symbol of his philosophy challenging the link between spirituality and poverty, with followers donating the luxury vehicles to a trust. The collection included custom-painted models and was part of his opulent lifestyle in Oregon before the commune’s collapse, with the cars later auctioned off. The group aimed to take over local government, leading to intense conflicts with residents. Leaders (notably Ma Anand Sheela) orchestrated crimes, including a massive salmonella poisoning of local restaurant salad bars to influence a local election, the largest bioterror attack in U.S. history. Following FBI investigations, immigration fraud charges, and the poisoning plot, the community collapsed, and Bhagwan was deported in 1985. The story gained renewed attention through the Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Country. the Rajneesh movement, now known as the Osho movement (Rajneesh is now known as Osho), is still active globally through the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune, India, and numerous meditation centers worldwide, focusing on Osho’s teachings on meditation, awareness, and spirituality, while downplaying controversial aspects of its past to appeal to a broader audience. Rajneesh died in 1990.”

WHAT WERE SOME OF RAJNEESH’S BELIEFS? Rajneesh’s views on marriage: “Osho did not marry because he viewed marriage as a restrictive, artificial institution based on fear, ownership, and duty, which stifles natural love and freedom, viewing it as a social trap rather than a spiritual union. He believed true love thrives in freedom and awareness, contrasting this with marriage’s legal bondage that turns love into obligation, ultimately leading to resentment and unhappiness, though he wasn’t against love itself, only the legal contract.” (AI) His belief on God: “”To me, there is no god other than life itself, and there is no temple other than existence itself. Then everything becomes a divine celebration. Osho rejected the traditional concept of a personal God but believed in “Godliness” as the totality of existence, urging people to experience this divine reality through meditation and self-realization rather than blind belief, emphasizing direct knowing over faith. He saw God as synonymous with life itself, an impersonal energy inherent in the universe, and a quality of being, not a separate entity to be worshipped.” Some of what he said is good sense: “Nobody is responsible except you. Nobody can make you angry, and nobody can make you happy. “Life begins where fear ends.” “Friendship is the purest love. It is the highest form of Love where nothing is asked for, no condition, where one simply enjoys giving.”

WHO WAS ATTRACTED TO RAJNEESHPURAM? What kind of people were attracted to Rajneeshpuam? AI: “Rajneeshpuram attracted a diverse, international, and largely affluent group of followers—predominantly educated professionals, intellectuals, and women in their 30s and 40s seeking alternative, liberated lifestyles in the 1980s. Many were upper-middle-class Westerners drawn to a blend of Eastern mysticism, capitalist enterprise, and open sexuality. Over half (54%) of the devotees were women, many of whom had successful careers but were looking for alternatives to traditional, conventional life roles.” That has always amazed me that middle-class Westerners could be attracted to a cult like this. In the West we have such a history of teaching about Jesus, giving the proof that He was the Son of God, that he died and was raised, etc. What would cause a middle-class educated person in the West to reject Christianity and follow some Indian mystic to a cult ranch in Oregon?

Not much to say about this cult other than “interesting”, “unbelievable”. I want to watch “Wild Wild Country”! But God can turn bad into good. “The former Rajneeshpuram ranch, once a 64,000-acre commune near Antelope, Oregon, is now the Washington Family Ranch, a Young Life Christian camp. Purchased by billionaire Dennis Washington in 1996 and donated to the youth ministry, the site features a summer camp for kids with a pool, water slide, and sports facilities, including the former meeting hall.” (AI) Wow!

THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST

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WHO ARE THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST? Have you ever heard of these churches? “First known as the Crossroads Movement and later the Boston Movement, the ICOC traces its roots to the late 1960s. The movement developed in the campus ministry of Chuck Lucas at the Crossroads Church of Christ in Gainesville, Fla., as that ministry began baptizing many college students. Lucas later converted McKean, who called 30 disciples to be totally committed to Christ. In 1979, McKean’s group planted the fast-growing Boston Church of Christ, which became the center of the discipling movement. In 1988, the Crossroads church disassociated itself from the movement.In the early 1990s, the ICOC formally split from the mainline Churches of Christ. The ICOC’s reported membership hit a high of 135,000 in 2002 — the same year worldwide leader Kip McKean stepped aside. Long-simmering concerns over the movement’s top-down hierarchy (i.e. everyone answering to McKean), aggressive discipling techniques and sectarianism seemed to threaten the ICOC’s future. By 2006, worldwide membership plummeted to less than 89,000 — a 34 percent decline. In the past, discipling partners sometimes exerted too much control and influence over converts. For example, controlling how they spent their time, who they date, pressure to convert others, pressure to attend Bible study groups, pressure to attend all church events, how much to give to the church, prying into your secret moral thoughts and activities, not to help you, but to get their hooks in you to stop you from leaving the church, manipulating you, using your secrets to shame you into obedience; forcing you to live with roommates instead of alone so a church member is usually around to keep an eye on you, being re-baptized b/c you didn’t make Jesus your “Lord” fully when you were first baptized even if you were baptized correctly the first time (I experienced that pressure when I was in college), pressure to cut yourself off from your family and stay around fellow members all the time instead, the music you listen to, the work and career you pursue. Some of its leaders did not consider members of mainline Churches of Christ to be Christians. I thnk one could say that the ICOC was definitely a cult! I have read of several who had to undergo counseling to overcome the stressful time they spent in the ICOC.

THE ICOC TODAY: (The Christian Chronicle, 9/1/2012). As of 2024–2025, the International Churches of Christ (ICOC) is a global movement with approximately 112,000 members across roughly 700 congregations in 148 countries. The fellowship is organized into 34–36 regional families of churches and maintains a focus on international evangelism and missions. They have acknowledged a lot of their errors from the past and seem to be doing better in their disciping methods. They are growing.

THE GREAT COMMISSION: MAKE DISCIPLES AND BAPTIZE The Church of Christ put a lot of emphasis on people being baptized by the right method (immersion), being baptized when old enough to believe, and being baptized for the remission of sins (not saved before baptism). This led to a lot of baptisms and re-baptisms of those who were not baptized “correctly”, but perhaps not enough emphasis on “making disciples” Matthew 28:19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” I was in college when the Crossroads Movement began in Gainesville, Fla. At first, it just seemed like an effort to make baptized believers become more committed disciples of Jesus. It spread to the Boston Movement and to other large cities. It spread to international cities. But many churches left the movement for reasons given in the paragraph above. There was a congregation in my city that went fully into the movement but left it many years later.

WHAT DOES MAKING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS MEAN? AI: “To disciple a believer in Jesus means engaging in an intentional, relational process of helping them follow, learn from, and become more like Jesus Christ. It involves mentoring a believer to obey Jesus’s teachings, grow in faith, and fulfill the mission of making other disciples, transforming them into a devoted follower.” The Greek word for “disciple” in Matthew 28:19 is mathéteuó: To make a disciple, to teach, to instruct: to disciple, i.e. helping someone to progressively learn the Word of God to become a matured, growing disciple (literally, “a learner,” a true Christ-follower); to train (develop) in the truths of Scripture and the lifestyle required, i.e. helping a believer learn to be a disciple of Christ in belief and practice.” (Biblehub.com) So in the Crossroads Movement, a discipling partner was assigned to a new baptized believer. That’s good. But the problem arose when the discipling partner began controlling and pressuring the would be disciple. I had a friend who had a mental and physical breakdown b/c of the pressure he was getting from his discipling partner while in college. The movement took a good thing and made it a cultish, control thing.

THE 3 ESSENTIALS OF DISCIPLESHIP IN LUKE’S GOSPEL There are many baptized believers who are not fully committed to following Jesus, being true disciples. Jesus gave 3 requirements for being a true disciple in Luke 14:25 Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’ 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to face the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and requests terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” Thus 3 essentials of discipleship in Luke’s gospel: 1) Love Jesus even if it means leaving your family (not literally hating your family). 2) Be willing to suffer for Jesus, to carry your “cross” as Jesus did his. 3) Count the costs of being a disciple and be willing to do whatever it costs you to be a disciple.

THE 3 PROOFS OF DISCIPLESHIP IN JOHN’S GOSPEL In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives 3 tests or proofs of true discipleship. 1) Continue studying and obeying the Words of Jesus. John 8:31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples.” 2) Love one another. John 13:34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” 3) Bear much fruit. John 15:8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” In all 3 verses, the Greek word for “disciple” is mathétés: Disciple, learner, pupil: properly, a learner; a disciple, a follower of Christ who learns the doctrines of Scripture and the lifestyle they require; someone catechized with proper instruction from the Bible with its necessary follow-through (life-applications). Μαθητής designates a learner who binds himself to a teacher in order to embrace that teacher’s worldview and way of life. (Bibehub.com)

DON’T MAKE DISCIPLING A “LEGAL SYSTEM” OF WORKS It is obvious from these verses that Jesus demands full commitment from his followers. But we must be careful not to make that a legal system. How much fruit must a Christian bear in order to be a true disciple? Jesus said that some produce 30, some 60, some 100 (Matthew 13:23). How much time must a Christian spend in the Word to be a true disciple? How much must a Christian suffer to be a true disciple? We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus’s death. We can’t make the tests and proofs of discipleship a system whereby we demand certain amounts of all these things. We can’t pressure new baptized believers into a strict, authoritarian, controlling system of doing these things. Which is what the Crossroads Movement, the Boston Movement, and the ICOC did.. We should help new believers become more like Christ in their everyday lives, but always assure them that they are saved even if they aren’t perfect disciples.

JAN HUSS AND THE MORVIANS

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WHO WAS JAN HUSS AND WHO WERE THE MORAVIANS? If I asked you what was the first Protestant church to be formed as part of the Reformation Movement, you might say the Lutheran church in Germany, since Martin Luther was the main proponent of the movement. Or maybe Reformed churches, led by reformers Zwingli and Calvin in Switzerland. These churches were formed in the 1500s. But there was a church formed in 1457 in Bohemia and Moravia (modern-day Czech Republic). It was the Moravians, or Unitas Fratrum (Unity of Brethren). Following reformer Jan Hus, they pre-date Martin Luther by 60 years and are known for their focus on missions, education, and simple, communal living. “John Hus (Jan Hus) was burned at the stake in 1415 for heresy after challenging the Roman Catholic Church by promoting biblical supremacy, criticizing clerical corruption, and advocating for reform. He taught that the Bible—not popes or councils—was the final authority, salvation was by faith alone, and Christ was the true head of the Church. He actively preached against the sale of indulgences (as did Luther 60 years later), arguing that forgiveness could not be purchased. He criticized immoral priests, simony (selling church offices), and the immense wealth/power of the church, arguing that priests should live holy lives. He supported preaching and reading the Bible in the native language of the people rather than Latin. Hus refused to recant his views at the Council of Constance, stating he would seal with his blood the truths he had taught.” (AI) As you can see, Huss stood for all the reformation teachings that we usually give credit to Luther, Tyndale, Wycliffe, and Zwingli as the first ones teaching reformation doctrines.

WHO WERE THE HUSSITES AND THE BOHEMIAN BRETHREN? “John Huss followers, known as Hussites, were a 15th-century Bohemian reform movement that emerged after Jan Hus was burned at the stake in 1415 for challenging Catholic corruption. They fought the Hussite Wars (1419–1434), defeating five papal crusades. The movement, which split into moderate (Utraquist) and radical (Taborite) factions, maintained a strong presence in Bohemia for 200 years until defeated by Catholic forces in the 1620s.” So where did the Moravians start? Known as the “Bohemian Brethren” they broke away from the mainstream Utraquist Hussites to form the Unitas Fratrum (Unity of the Brethren) in 1457. They refused to fight in the Hussite Wars and embraced a pacifist, communal lifestyle. The group was heavily influenced by the teachings of Petr Chelčický, a pacifist who criticized both the Catholic Church and the warring Hussites. They later became known as the Moravian Church after settling in Moravia and being revived in the 18th century in Herrnhut, Saxony, under Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. The Bohemian Brethren essentially sought to return to the original, non-violent, reforming, and evangelical ideals of Jan Hus, rather than the political and military goals that the, Hussite movement had adopted over time.: (AI)

WHO WAS COUNT ZINZENDORF AND WHAT WAS HERRNHUT? “Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700–1760) was a German Pietist nobleman and theologian who revived the Moravian Church, forming a community of refugees on his estate, Herrnhut, in 1722. He organized them into a pioneering, worldwide missionary movement that focused on personal devotion and sacrifice. He was influenced by Lutheran Pietism and focused on ecumenism, aiming to unite Christians. Herrnhut, founded in 1722 in Saxony by Count Zinzendorf and Moravian refugees, was a highly organized, pious, and communal “haven of faith”. It functioned as a self-sufficient, egalitarian village where daily life revolved around 24/7 prayer,, missionary zeal, and strict, orderly Christian living (the “Choir” system). It was, and remains, the center of the Moravian Church. Led by Zinzendorf and elders, the town maintained strict discipline, overseeing all aspects of life, including marriages, trade, and morals. Initiated by Count Zinzendorf in 1727, 24 men and 24 women committed to hourly,,, 24/7, round-the-clock, prayer to sustain a spiritual revival, resulting in a massive, century-long missionary movement. This. lasted 100 years and ended in 1872. Under Count Zinzendorf’s leadership, the community was driven by an intense love for Jesus (the “Lamb”) and a conviction that the gospel must reach the ends of the earth. Hearing reports of suffering from enslaved people in the West Indies prompted Johann Dober and David Nitschmann to go to St. Thomas as the first Moravian missionaries in 1732, willing to sell themselves into slavery to preach. They were part of a larger movement of “lay” people rather than ordained clergy, focusing on bringing the Gospel to marginalized groups. Despite its small size, Herrnhut sent out hundreds of missionaries worldwide, focusing on evangelism and social good. Moravian missionaries, driven by a 18th-century “worldwide missionary campaign,” established early, far-reaching outposts in the Caribbean (St. Thomas), Greenland, South America (Suriname), South Africa, and across North America. Moravians sent out more missionaries in 20 years than all other Christian churches had sent out in 200 years. They focused on converting indigenous populations and enslaved people, with significant early settlements in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.” (AI)

HOW WAS JOHN WESLEY WAS INFLUENCED BY THE MORAVIANS? “John Wesley was profoundly influenced by the Moravians, particularly in their demonstration of calm faith during a 1736 storm, which highlighted his own lack of saving faith. They introduced him to the concept of “heart religion” and direct assurance of salvation, directly influencing his Aldersgate conversion and the structural organization of the Methodist movement. On May 24, 1738, while attending a Moravian meeting on Aldersgate Street, London, where Luther’s preface to Romans was read, Wesley experienced his heart “strangely warmed” and received assurance of his salvation. Wesley adopted the Moravian model of small groups, known as “bands” or “classes,” for spiritual accountability, which became a cornerstone of Methodism. Despite this deep impact, Wesley eventually separated from the Moravians over theological differences regarding the nature of holiness and the means of grace.” (AI)

THE MORAVIAN CHURCH TODAY: “The modern Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) is a worldwide (in 40 nations), Christ-centered Protestant denomination with about 1 million members, known for its emphasis on unity, community, and mission work.The church focuses on a personal, heartfelt relationship with Jesus Christ, rather than strict, complex doctrines. While originating in Europe, the largest concentrations are now in Africa (Tanzaia and South Africa), followed by significant presence in the Caribbean, North America, and Central America. Roughly 50% to 80% of members live in Africa, particularly in Tanzania. Unique traditions, such as the “Lovefeast” (a simple service of singing and sharing food), are still commonly practiced.” (AI)

I find the history of churches to be fascinating, especially ones like the Moravians. The early. “Hussites” were persecuted and killed by the Catholic church for their “heresy”. Their heresy was nothing more than what I believe as a fundamentalist conservative Christian. I would have been persecuted and/or killed like Jan Huss if I had the courage that he did. Which makes me wonder if I would have that kind of courage? How about you?

“MOONIES” SELLING FLOWERS AT AIRPORTS!

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DID YOU EVER SEE MOONIES AND HARE KRISHNA SELLING FLOWERS AT AIRPORTS? If you are old enough, you might remember in the 70’s and 80’s seeing people selling flowers at airports as you walked through the terminals. They were most likely either Moonies or Hare Krishna followers! They were using their 1st amendment rights to free speech and religious freedom and tax exempt status of their churches and the airports legally tried to ban the practice but could not. The courts ruled that airports were “public domain” and that the groups could continue the practice. AI: “The Unification Church organized teams to work in airports, sometimes working 17-hour days to meet high quotas for selling flowers or candy. Members used high-pressure tactics, often putting flowers directly into the hands of travelers and asking for money, which generated significant complaints from the public.” Finally, in 1992 the Supreme Court ruled that airports were not public domain and that the airports could ban the practice, but that the groups could pass out their literature in airports but that declined soon after that.

WHAT IS THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT: AI: “The Hare Krishna movement, formally known as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is a monotheistic Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu organization founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It focuses on devotion to Krishna, the Supreme God, through the daily, public chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. Devotees adhere to a strict lifestyle, including vegetarianism and the prohibition of intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex. Founded during the 1960s counterculture, the movement became known for its members’ public chanting, dancing, and distribution of literature in cities worldwide. Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism, worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu (one of the 3 main gods of Hinduism along with Brahma and Sciva) and often revered as the Supreme Being. Known for his compassion, love, and role in establishing righteousness (dharma), he is a central figure in the Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, and Puranas. He is celebrated as a playful child, a divine lover, and a wise guide. He is ften depicted with blue/dark skin, playing a flute, or as a child stealing butter. The Kare Krishna movement is still active. It operates hundreds of temples and centers worldwide, with significant activity in India and among Indian diaspora, including Indian immigrants i nthe U.S.” Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, so no need to discuss this movement unless you are a Unitarian Universalist or a Bahaist and you think that someone can believed in any of he world religions.

GEORGE HARRISON AND HARE KRISHNA: George Harrison mentioned “Hare Krishna” in his 1970 solo hit song “My Sweet Lord“. The song features the Hare Krishna mantra in the chorus, as Harrison aimed to blend “hallelujah” with the mantra. “Mm, mm, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
Oh, oh my sweet Lord (Krishna Krishna)
Ooh, ooh, ooh (Hare Hare). “Hare” means “Hare” refers to the divine energy or potency of God, asking God’s energy and God (Krishna/Rama) to engage the chanter in loving devotional service, cleansing the heart and awakening spiritual consciousness,” In the song he also mentions Hare Rama (the 8th incarnation of Vishnu and Krishna is the 8th incarnation of Vishnu), Gurur Brahma (the creator god), Gurur Vishnu (the preserver god who had 9 incarnations including Rama and Krishna), and several other Hindu mantras. AI: “George Harrison became a devoted follower of both Hare Krishna and Hinduism, specifically practicing the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism, commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON). From the late 1960s, he adopted Hindu principles, including vegetarianism, meditation, and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, remaining a committed practitioner until his death in 2001.In the final year of his life, it was reported that Harrison also expressed a deep interest in Christianity and the Gnostic gospels, often signing his letters with both a Hindu symbol and a Christian cross. Upon his death, his family followed his wishes, and he was cremated according to Hindu rituals, with his ashes scattered in the Ganges River in India.” He could have been such a great spokesman for Jesus if he had followed Jesus instead of the mythical gods and incarnations of Hinduism.  

WHO ARE THE MOONIES: AI: “”Moonies” is a widely used, often pejorative, nickname for members of the Unification Church (officially the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), a new religious movement founded in South Korea in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon. New members were often told to hand over all their possessions and money to the church. In his book The Divine Principle (1952), which is the basic scripture of the church, Moon wrote that at the age of 16 he had a vision of Jesus Christ in which he was told to carry out Christ’s unfinished task. Moon believed that God chose him to save mankind from Satanism, and he regarded communists as Satan’s representatives in the world. (Brittanica) The group is known for its messianic doctrines, mass wedding ceremonies, and intense, sometimes controversial, fundraising and recruitment efforts. North Korean founder Sun Myung Moon was considered the Messiah, with doctrine focusing on establishing a perfected family and, by extension, a “heaven on earth”. He was arrested in North Korea but fled to South Korea where he founded the Unification Church. In 1973 he and his wife moved the operation to New York where he founded The Washington Times. That year he was also convicted of tax evasion, sentenced to 18 months in prison, and fined $25,000 and he went to prison in 1984. (Brittanica) The group combines Christian, Confucian, and other traditional beliefs. Known for being labelled as a cult, the group has faced accusations of “brainwashing” members into donating large sums of money in the 1970s and 80s. The group came under severe scrutiny in Japan following the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as the suspect claimed his mother was bankrupted by the church. The church is well-known for organizing large-scale, international mass weddings where couples were often matched by Moon himself. On November 29, 1997, the Unification Church, often referred to as “Moonies,” held a massive “Blessing ceremony” at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., where approximately 30,000 couples (including thousands present and others via satellite) pledged or repledged their marriage vows. Approximately 28,000 of 30,000 total couples were reportedly present for the ceremony.” I watched a video of such a mass wedding ceremony and many couples had just met their mates a few days before the ceremony. One bride didn’t remember her new husband’s name after the ceremony. When Moon died in 2012, his wife took over leadership of the church, referring to herself as “God’s Only Begotten Daughter”. AI: “Her leadership led to a severe power struggle with her children, particularly her son Hyung-jin “Sean” Moon, who broke away to form a splinter group in Pennsylvania known for using AR-15 rifles in services.” AI: “His church that held a ceremony where members brought and held AR-15 rifles is the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary (often known simply as Sanctuary Church) in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania. Led by Reverend Hyung Jin “Sean” Moon (the son of the late Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church), the ceremony took place on February 28, 2018, and involved worshippers wearing crowns—some made of bullets—and holding their AR-15 rifles during a marriage blessing ceremony.”She was arrested in September 2025 on charges of corruption, embezzlement, and bribery in South Korea. She was indicted and as of late 2025 she is awaiting trial.”

WHO WOULD JOIN CULTS LIKE THE MOONIES? My question is, “How could so many people become followers of some self proclaimed Messiah like Sun Myung Moon and even turn over their bank accounts to his church? I saw this in AI and it made sense: “Followers of Sun Myung Moon, often referred to as Unificationists or “Moonies,” typically share a desire for profound spiritual meaning, community, and a sense of purpose in fixing a troubled world. They are often characterized as idealists looking for answers, who are drawn to the Unification Church’s blend of Eastern philosophy, Christian theology, and promises of a “sinless” world. Followers often feel a deep sense of human suffering and are searching for a way to create a more loving and just world. Followers place a, central emphasis on traditional family, participating in mass weddings aimed at creating a new, sinless lineage.” Those are noble goals, actually. It is just a shame that they have chosen Sun Myung Moon as their Messiah instead of Jesus. Following Jesus can provide what they are looking for. The church that Jesus died for can provide the community that they are looking for. Following Jesus can provide spiritual meaning and purpose in life. More importantly, only Jesus can provide eternal ife. Moon might even have created many committed marriages and families, but he could not provide eternal ife. There is little evidence of any Moonies converting to Christianity. Such is the power of brainwashing. I did read of a lady who was seaerching for life’s answers. She had not found the answers in any of the organized religions, even Christianity. She attended a Moonies’ meeting and started getting pressure from the group to join the Moonies and turn her bank accounts over to the church. They hounded her to join and told her that the destiiny of her soul and of the souls of her ancestors depended on her joining. She did join for 6 months, but fortunately, she had some Christian friends who invited her to a Christian fellowship where she accepted Jesus as her Savior. She wrote aa book Why I Left the Moonies Paperback: How One Former Member of The Unification Church Found Freedom in Christ by Beth Axton which would be great reading. The article was found on https://www.womanalive.co.uk/ so you might want to check that site out for many other great articles helping women.

A lot of research into cults like this from AI to share with you. I wish I new the actual articles where the AI info was taken from so I could give credit and do further reading. I saw suggestions on how to do that. Usually when I google AI there will be many sites on the topics that can be used to verify the info from AI, and I do that a lot.

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CAN WE UNDERSTAND THE BOOK OF REVELATION?

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I think so. Of course that means that I am going to tell you what I think the book is about and when it was written so as to clear up all confusion about the book! I know that means that I think I have the book figured out, but bear with me as I try to condense a summary as briefly as possible. Please look up all the verses that I cite. 4 basic points:

WHEN WOULD THE EVENTS PREDICTED IN THE BOOK HAPPEN? Revelation was the prediction of events that “must soon take place” for “the time is near” (1:1-3; 22:6,10). Many interpreters say that “soon” can be in God’s time frame and could be thousands of years. But notice that the letter was written to the 7 churches in Asia, telling them they needed to “read, heed, and keep” the words in the book (1:3) b/c the predictions applied directly to their imminent future. The Greek word mello (μέλλω), meaning “about to,” “going to,” or “ready to,” appears in Revelation 2:10 and Revelation 3:10. In Rev. 2:10, it signifies the imminent suffering of the church in Smyrna, while in Rev. 3:10, it refers to the “hour of trial” that is “about to” come upon the whole world. The phrase “I am coming quickly” is used several times to stress the need for immediate action by those reading the prophetcy. The phrase is used in 22:7,12,20 right after repeating the warning that the predictions in the book are going to happen “soon” for “the time is near”. These time statements “soon” and “near” obviously are in the time frame of the 1st century Christians in the 7 churches and not in God’s time frame. This same logic applies when Jesus said “the kingdom is at hand” (Mark 1:15). He was talking about the establishment of His spiritual kingdom, the church: “at hand” in the time frame of those he was speaking to and not God’s time frame that could be thousands of years. He did establish that spiritual kingdom, the church, within that generation. If that isn’t clear, Jesus also said, “Matthew 16:28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Jesus predicted 4 times in the synoptic gospels that His 2nd coming would be within the lifetime of those he was speaking to (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 24:30-34; 26:64). If He did not come within that generation as he predicted then he is a false prophet, which is what the atheists and unbelieving Jews say about him. But He did come within that generation in judgment on the Jews in 70 AD, so that just proves that He was “The Prophet”. There are no other predictions of another “coming” in the synoptics that was not to be within that generation. In Matthew 24, Jesus predicted the end of the Jewish Age (Matthew 24:14), the abomination of desolation of the temple as predicted by Daniel 9, 11, and 12 (Matthew 24:15), a tribulation of suffering of the Jewish people such as had never happened before (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1-2), and the coming of the Son of Man “immediately” after the tribulation (Matthew 24:30) with stars falling from the sky. He then said, “34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). The Greek word for generation is genea, which in the New Testament always refers to a 40 year period or the people living in a 40 year period. Of course, that means that the stars falling is figurative language and not literally stars falling from the sky. Such figurative apocalyptic language was used regularly in the Od Testament of judgments of nations like Babylon, and is not meant to be taken literally. Since Matthew 24 and Revelation are both predicting the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, some have said that Matthew 24 is a mini-Revelation.

WHEN WAS THE BOOK WRITTEN? Revelation was written before 70 AD while Nero was emperor (17:9-10). At the time of writing, 5 kings (rulers or emperors of Rome) had “fallen” (were dead). Those 5 were Julius Caesar, then Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, The 1st century Jewish historian Josephus considered Julius Caesar to be the first ruler of Rome b/c he states that Augustus was the 2nd and Tiberius was the 3rd. Modern historians might not want to start with Julius, but it is obvious who was considered the 1st ruler when the book was written. Also the Gentile historian Seutonius in his Lives of the 12 Caesars starts with Julius as the first. So “5 have fallen, one is”. The emperor ruling at the time the book was written was the 6th ruler, Nero (54-68 AD). Thus the book was written before Nero died in 68 AD. Those who date the book as 96 AD rely exclusively on a single comment by the church father Irenaeus in the late 2nd century, saying that either the prophecy of Revelation was seen or even possibly that John was seen in the reign of Domitian (81-96 AD). But Revelation 17:9-10 gives us internal dating of the book that is far more valuable than a comment by an uninspired church father, especially one who said that Jesus died at the age of 50 which is what Irenaeus said. Irenaeus said that John was exiled to the aisle of Patmos by Domitian but other sources say that he was exiled in the reign of Nero. The “Muratorian Fragment,” dating back to 170-190 A.D., states that this work of John was written during the reign of Nero. The “Syriac version” of the New Testament, which dates back to the second century A.D., states that Revelation was written during the reign of Nero making a date of 64-68 A.D. The “Aramaic Peshitta” version has a remark that places its date prior to 70 A.D. The title page of Revelation states this work of John was written right after the reign of Nero.The “Monarchian Prologues,” that dates back to 250-350 A.D., claims that Paul also wrote to seven churches following the pattern of John’s Book writing to the 7 churches of Asia, thus placing the book even before some of the other Pauline epistles. That’s a lot of external evidence that says that the book was written during the reign of Nero, not Domitian.
 Also, some tradition says that John lived to the age of 100 and died a peaceful death, but that contradicts what Jesus predicted in Mark 10:35-40 that the brothers James and John would die a martyr’s death. James was martyred in Acts 12. Papias (60-120 AD) said that John died at the hands of the Jews just as Jesus predicted. Papias doesn’t say when that happened, but it could only have happened before 70 AD. After 70 AD and by the year 100 AD, the Jews would not have had the ability to martyr anyone. The conclusion is that John died before 70 AD, so he must have written Revelation (and his gospel and letters) before 70 AD. That explains why we don’t have any inspired writings from John talking about the fulfillment of the predictions of Revelation as an event that had already happened. That would have been nice, and surely John would have written something discussing the destruction of the temple at some point after 70 AD if he had lived to the year 100 AD. But he couldn’t b/c he died before 70 AD. BTW the temple was still standing when Revelation was written (11:2) so that is another argument that shows that the letter was written before 70 AD.

WHAT IS THE MAIN EVENT PREDICTED IN THE BOOK? Revelation is about the judgment of the harlot Jerusalem (17:1,5,15,16; 19:2) which would happen when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD, killing one million Jews. We know this harlot was Jerusalem b/c “this woman (harlot) you (John) saw is the great city” (17:18). The “great city” is identified as the city “where the Lord (Jesus) was crucified (11:8) which of course is Jerusalem. Many interpreters have tried to make Rome to be the “great city” but 11:8 clearly states that the great city is Jerusalem. The harlot has the name “Babylon” written on her forehead (17:5) so the harlot and the great city and Babylon all refer to the same thing, i.e. Jerusalem. The harlot is riding on a beast with 10 horns (17:3). That beast, arising out of the sea, was introduced in 13:1-2) and was like a leopard, bear, and lion. This imagery is the same as in Daniel 7:1-8 where Daniel is predicting the 4 empires to come: Babylon (lion), Medo-Persia (bear), Greece, (leopard), and Rome (the iron beast, Daniel 2:40; 7:7). So the beast in Revelation 13:1-2 and chapter 17 is Rome. The sea beast Rome would “will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. (17:16).” That is clearly a prediction that Rome will destroy the city of Jerusalem soon after the book was written. That happened in 70 AD when Titus sieged the city for 5 months and then destroyed the city and the temple in 70 AD. This was the judgment of the harlot Jerusalem (17:1). Revelation 18 is about the destruction of “Babylon, the great city” (18:10,21) which again is Jerusalem, the harlot. Again, many interpreters have tried to make Babylon to be Rome, but it is clearly identified as Jerusalem. Why was Jerusalem called a “harlot or prostitute” in Revelation? B/c she was the wife or bride of God in the Old Testament (Isaiah 54:5,6; Jeremiah 3:14; Ezekiel 16:8) and she for most of her history had become an “adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!” (Ezekiel 16:32). She had worshipped and served the pagan gods of other nations (Baal, Asherah, Molech, Chemosh, Dagon, Tammuz, the “queen of heaven” Astarte or Ishtar). This is called spiritual adultery or harlotry by the prophets (Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Ezekiel 16:14-15); Hosea 9:1). Revelation 17:2 calls it “sexual immorality” of the wife of God turned harlot, Jerusalem. God sent the Romans to destroy his harlot wife Jerusalem in 70 AD. It was God who 17:17 has put it in their hearts (the Romans) to execute His purpose by having a common purpose (i.e. Rome’s purpose to put down the Jewish rebellion called the Wars of the Jews and God’s purpose to destroy his adulterous wife giving God and the Romans a “common purpose”), and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.” The nations (Rome) would trample the holy city Jerusalem for 42 months (11:2) which is the length of the Wars of the Jews (66-70 AD) in killing over one million Jews. Rome was given “authority by God to act (on His behalf) for forty-two months” (13:5) to put down the Jewish rebellion and destroy the city and temple.The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD is the main topic of Revelation.

WHAT IS THE MAIN THEME OF THE BOOK? Revelation is the “avenging of the blood of the “saints, apostles, and prophets” (18:20,24; 19:2) The harlot was “drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus” (17:6). Those were the martyrs under the altar in 6:9-11 who died for their faith and cried out for God to avenge their blood. They were those who “because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death” (12:11). The history of Jerusalem and Israel was filled with the killing of God’s prophets that he sent to rebuke them for their harlotry. Jesus had said that generation of Jews living when he spoke were the “sons of those who killed the prophets (in the past history of Israel) and that the cup of God’s wrath against the Jews was “full”, i.e. no more time given the nation before destroying it in 70 AD (Matthew 23:29-36). The judgment of Jerusalem would come upon “that generation” living when Jesus spoke. The destruction of the temple would be within that generation (Matthew 24:1-2,34). Over one million Jews were killed by the Romans to avenge the blood of the saints, apostles, and prophets. The unbelieving Jews were the ones who killed the Jewish Christians (the “saints”) right up till the wars of the Jews started in 66 AD. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16) says that the unbelieving Jews had persecuted the Jewish Christians, killed Jesus and the prophets, and drove the apostles out. Paul said that generation of evil Jews would “reach the limit of their sins. But wrath has come upon them fully” (which refers to their judgment in 70 AD). That’s the cup full of God’s wrath against the Jews that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 23.

I hope this is all a correct interpretation of the book of Revelation.

PLEASE TRY THIS PRAISE EXPERIENCE WITH ME!

On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

I want you to try a little experiment with me. First, look at the 3 images below. They are the “Adoration” (praise) part of my daily prayers (the rest being “C” confession, “T” thanksgiving, and “S” supplication: ACTS, easy to remember. Look at those 3 images for a few seconds and read the praise going on in heaven of the one of the throne, then of the Lamb standing but as if slain, and then of both the one on the throne and the Lamb standing by the throne.

After you have meditated on that for a while, close your eyes, lift up your hands to heaven, picture a door opening up for you to see all this praise in heaven (Rev 4:1 a door opened for John to see the throne visions of chapter 4 and 5), and then feel what it would be like if you could see the throne, the shining jasper stone on the throne, the emerald rainbow, the smaller 24 thrones with 24 elders on them, the lightning and thunder, the 7 lamps before the throne (the Spirit of God), the sea of glass before the throne, the 4 weird but awesome living creatures around the throne (each with 4 faces: lion, calf, eagle, man). Those creatures are crying out 24/7, day and night, praising the one on the throne saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” The 24 elders bow and worship the one on the throne, saying 11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

All that was Revelation 4. Pause now, close your eyes, and let spiritual eyes see all this in heaven and feel the emotion. The Hebrews letter said: 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Did you digest that? It says that we can enter the holy place (actually the Most Holy Place where God dwells in heaven) into the very presence of God and that is what I am trying to get us to visualize now. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.” We are approaching the throne of God and grace with confidence.

After you have done all that with the throne scene of Revelation 4, keep your eyes closed and mentally picture the 2nd image below of Revelation 5. Same throne scene, but look more closely. The one on the throne (the jasper stone) has a scroll in His right hand. Can you picture that? Can you see the scroll with 7 seals? Can you hear the angel asking “Who is worthy to open the scroll (which contains all the predictions that are going to happen soon in Revelation). Can you hear one of the 24 elders say, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah has overcome (death) and is able to open the scroll.” Then you see a Lamb standing as if slaughtered so there is blood around His neck from being killed, but He is standing so He is no longer dead (the resurrected Lamb of God). The Lamb takes the scroll from the one on the throne. Are your eyes closed off and on as you read this and picture it in heaven? Are you trying this experiment? Can you see the Lamb walking over and taking the scroll?

Then the 4 creatures and 24 elders fall before the Lamb with harps and incense (the prayers of the saints) and they start singing a new song, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation. 10 You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

Maybe the song they were singing in praise of the Lamb was like the Hillsong song Worthy is the Lamb. If you want to pause and sing along with the elders and creatures, here is the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9qXEiXxQl0&list=RDp9qXEiXxQl0&start_radio=1

Keeping your eyes closed, picture millions of angels joining the elders and 4 creatures to praise the Lamb standing by the throne, saying “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.” That is the 2nd image below.

Now one last image, the 3rd one below. Eyes closed, can you feel the excitement as every creature and created thing under heaven and in the seas join in to praise, not only of the Lamb, but both the one on the throne and the Lamb, saying “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.” Can your mind imagine animals, trees, mountains, stars, rivers, the clouds, the planets, flowers, fish, whales, insects, your dog, your cat, all animals that God created, as they all pause from their daily instinctive rituals to praise the one on the throne (the Father) and the Lamb (the Son). Can you imagine hearing that praise? Can you picture them singing? The 4 creatures hear all these animals praising and have one word to add, “Amen” (“Yes, I agree” or “I believe this to be true”.) The 24 elders fall down and worship both the one on the throne and the Lamb.

I had never heard this song. Let all creatures praise him: You might like it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYQdE5Uemyk&list=RDoYQdE5Uemyk&start_radio=1 or the tabernacle choir singing a traditonal oldie all creatures of our God and king https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAXv8mGM4cQ&list=RDnAXv8mGM4cQ&start_radio=1

The door into heaven is still open for your last glance at the throne. Your heart should be beating faster as these scenes unfold as you look through that door into the Most Holy Place in heaven into the very presence of God and you see the Lamb all the things in Revelation 4 and 5. I have tried to do these mental images while writing this, which is hard going back and forth to type, but I personally feel something that I don’t always feel when I quickly scroll through the 3 images below in my “A” adoration part of my daily prayer. I feel like I have maybe actually gone into God’s presence boldly and heard and seen all that is going on 24/7 around throne of God. My worship time is more meaningful today I want to open that door into heaven more often.

Now, one more image. Keep your eyes closed and picture yourself being around the throne one day after you die! Revelation 7 pictures the multitude of saints in white robes who had been martyred by the Jews and Romans in the first century. Picture them and yourself “standing before the throne and before the Lamb”. Can you see yourself there one day? You and the multitude are all crying out with a loud voice “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (7:10). Then you hear all the millions of angels fall and worship, saying “Amen, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Picture yourself there. Maybe picture your family there with you. And you friends. And those you have converted along the way.

Next can you mentally hear one of the 24 elders ask you a rhetorical question, 13 Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “My lord, you know.” He then replies And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 16 They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

That’s amazing. The red blood of the Lamb can make their robes white! Cleansed from sin, the new clothes of the righteousness of Christ given or imputed to us making us new creatures. Often passages in the New Testament are used to portray what eternal life in heaven is like when those passages are really talking about spiritual life, peace, joy, no tears, etc. of the church on earth. But Revelation gives a picture of martyrs in heaven, so we know this is a picture of eternal life in heven and what is like for those martyrs, and what it will be like for every person, including you and me, in heaven, wherever that is, when we die!

Here is your last image, that of the multitude in white robes around the throne. Picture yourself as one of the people in the picture.


1. ADORATION (You can add your own praise and worship)

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Rev 4:11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” 

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5:12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.” 

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13 And I heard every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all the things in them, saying “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.”14 And the four living creatures were saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Please leave a comment if this experiment created a more meaningful worship experience for you.