The Romance of Preaching and Performance

THE ROMANCE

of

PREACHING AND PERFORMANCE

by Rick Freuh

SOURCE   Following Judah’s Lion Blog

The word performance indicates playing a part or imitating a character. It carries with it a sort of thespian quality or the display of a certain talent, both of which makes it part of the family of entertainment. You go to a concert to hear a musician demonstrate his proficiency; you attend a play to be impressed by the acting abilities of the players; you go to a sporting event to see athletes use their talents in competition; and even political debates are judged on performance and not substance. In this world performance is far more cherished than is substance. Performance is the mainstay of western culture which thrives on titillation, exhilaration, and amusement.

I Cor.1: 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Preaching is not just speaking as in presenting a research paper. It isn’t just reading a theory. It isn’t just a generic communication of facts. There is a mystery, a divine authority and power and a divine commission associated with true preaching. The preaching that is ordained of God is a process of communicating divine truth in a way that allows the Spirit to touch base in the ears and go all the way to the heart. It is a great mystery but true preaching does not rely on the personality of the man, nor his intellect, nor does it depend upon his level of academic training. Yes, there is a connection between the spiritual commitment of the preacher and the spiritual power generally afforded his preaching, however sometimes the grace of God even accomplishes His will in spite of human disobedience.

The preaching of God’s Word is the highest calling in vocation and in the Spirit. It transcends human speech which is usually an attempt to present some case of earthly design. This kind of communication called preaching is a magnificent ministry of the Spirit. Unseen and many times unnoticed, the Spirit takes His own words through fragile lips and gives them the wings of life which often find a soil with which to plant a seed which will later bring forth fruit. It is an amazing act of eternal grace. In fact only the Spirit can move in the temporal and accomplish the eternal especially within the carnal and fallen hearts of God’s worst enemies.

And after a sinner has heard the gospel and believed, he grows by feeding himself through the same Word and by the same Spirit that were used to transform him into a new creature. And he also grows and is edified through the preaching of God’s Word by someone called and anointed to proclaim and teach that Word. The spiritual gift of teaching is when someone to whom God has given that gift faithfully surrenders his own will and teaches God’s Word under the power of the same Spirit who gave him that gift. And if that vessel uses his gift in brokenness and humility then God’s Spirit can anoint His words with power far beyond his ability or oratorical prowess or even his oratorical liabilities.

Throughout church history there were always men who relied upon the strength of their personalities and would draw great crowds. Being self absorbed and desiring the adulation of people is not new to our generation. In fact it is a liability which lays dormant in all of us and sometimes quietly comes to life and tempts us. All preachers must do battle within themselves so that we are not at the mercy of whether people like or dislike us, or like our preaching or do not. We must always preach God’s Word and for God and not for people. It sounds easy, but the forces of wickedness and our own flesh are sometimes very cunning.

But seemingly in these modern times the allurement of entertainment and emotional thrills have demanded a more performance dominated method of preaching. There is nothing wrong and sinister about preaching with passion and emotion, but there is something extremely sinister when preaching becomes an art form accentuated with much humor and storytelling and a thespian-like delivery. And in this generation many so called preachers strut their stuff on television screens and in large churches and rented stadiums to the excitement of great crowds. And make no mistake, entertainment and great performances are rewarded with colossal offerings and big business among the trinket tables.

Many of these ecclesiastical thespians act out their stories with great and swelling words and with great deference to their personalities and performance abilities while paying precious little attention to the authority and purity of God’s Word. Many people will applaud intermittently during the performance, and some will even rise to their feet to show appreciation for what has become a stirring performance. Men like Joel Osteen tell a joke before he even “preaches” his redundant message. That alone should give you an indication about what he preaches and what he does not preach.

Men like T. D. Jakes is a fantastic story teller who walks all over the stage making pantomimes and using body language and facial gestures to tell his elongated stories. And all of this to an appreciative crowd who responds to his alluring and uplifting message as well as his performance itself. Many times preachers will elicit the desired response by saying things like “Oh, you aren’t hearing me” or “Don’t get quiet on my now” and other phrases which draw more audience participation. A performer desires to be acknowledged and appreciated for his performance. I have heard many a performer say, “Man, this is good preaching!” about his own preaching.

The message is Biblically unsound but the performance is overwhelming. Jesse Duplantis is little more than a stand up comedian who preaches nonsense and has made a literal fortune telling people they can be rich as well. In reality all his listeners need is a mailing list. But imagery is now carefully crafted and earthly allurements have muscled out eternal promises. And in order to deliver these fables men and women have refined wonderful performances that fill stadiums and titillate crowds. And with the atmosphere of a multi-level marketing meeting these puppet masters present their greatest performances which only serve to bring more into their deceptions.

Another way these pretenders perform is through a supposed channeling of God’s voice. “Thus sayeth the Lord” is the preamble that allows them to speak things they suggest is being spoken directly by the Spirit. And people listen in awe as if they are hearing from God verbally. Miracles are also leveraged in order to provide an atmosphere of the divine. Words of knowledge concerning many maladies are thrown out and caught by whichever unsuspecting follower thinks it applies to him. And the miracle is often activated either by some seed faith gift of money or by the performer’s own hands laid upon the person. Yes, it is your show of shows.

But true and faithful preaching must never be weighted toward anyone’s personality or their delivery. The Word of God must be the power. That does not mean we cannot raise our voices and show emotion of even tell some story which can be used to illuminate a Biblical principle. But most of us know what is a performance and what is of the Spirit. These modern preachers do not even walk a fine line, and when their messages are so unbiblical and carnal, it reveals the necessity of an entertainment laden performance.

But there are so many itching ears out there that the demand motivates the supply. And spiritual success is measured by crowds and money and personal jets and book sales. And instead of humble men of God you now have celebrities who own more than one home and attend their own book signings. And instead of feeding the sheep they fleece them. And instead of being instruments of the Spirit they are court jesters. And instead of spreading the kingdom of God they spread their own kingdom. It has become a pitiful cast of characters who have become wealthy in their own religious theatre. The romance between preaching and performance is now a marriage.

Preaching God’s Word is a sacred calling of the Spirit. It requires personal brokenness. It requires a deep searching of the heart. It requires a constant vigilance concerning motives and manipulation. To be used as a human conduit to convey God’s truth and God’s gospel is a great honor which includes grave consequences. None of us can claim perfection or even complete surrender at all times. But hopefully and prayerfully we are not performers on some stage whose desire is to stimulate the fleshly juices and thereby elicit the praises of men. God forbid.

MAJESTIC SIMPLICITY

 by Rick Frueh

MAJESTIC SIMPLICITY

II Cor.11: ² For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

³ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
⁴ For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

This new, intellectual, materialistic and esoteric Christianity is not Christianity at all. It is a modern revelation of the Tower of Babel built with the bricks of human logic, human desires, and human interests that are all held together by the mortar of demonic influences.

We live in perilous times in the natural and in the supernatural. And much of what is happening in the unseen world has been making itself known in the seen world. And these manifestations are not just occurring in the secular world or even in the religious world which does not consider itself “Christian”. There are many serious demonic incursions within the visible church that does call itself Christian. In these days of accelerated wealth and power and hedonistic lifestyles the true church has now been overrun by the tide of the profound confusion of an ever expanding litany of messages. It would take no more research than sitting in front of the television and watching “Christian” television for one day to discover all the different and insane messages.

Finish Article HERE

Herescope – HOMO NEPHILUS

http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/05/homo-nephilus_6651.html

HOMO NEPHILUS

Extraterrestrials, Noah’s Flood, Pseudo-Humans, 

Pseudo-Science, Nephilim and Space Alien DNA

Part 1: The Rise of Endtime Occultism

[God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

(Acts 17:26)

In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:

 (Col. 1:14-16)

Prophecy in the News magazine cover, April 2013

People often ask why we spend so much time in the discussion of bizarre topics, like UFOs and hybrid giants. They wonder why prophecy studies give any time at all to weird subjects like mystery lights in the sky, aerial trumpets and explosions, “alien implants” and “the nephilim.” They wonder why some opt for prophetic sensationalism, rather than focusing on the Gospel, or maturing the saints with the Word of God through traditional Bible study.[1]
~Gary Stearman, “The Dark Side of Bible Prophecy”

 

Many evangelicals now believe that God sent Noah’s Flood to stop the Nephilim corruption of human DNA. From the plain truth of Scripture it is very evident that the “wickedness of man” was very great on the face of the earth before the Flood:

Finish Article HERE 

The Difference between Islam and Christianity

By Rich Monson

Over 380,000 Christians were martyred simply for their faith worldwide every year at this point. That average was 10 yrs ago, it has gone up since then, and the more Islam spreads so will those numbers. Pray for the persecuted church in Sudan, Arabia, Iran, India, and prepare for what will come upon us here.

A great read from a well researched view and heart-wrenching is, “Their Blood Cries Out.” By Paul Marshall. Reads like a well done documentary mixed with a modern Foxes book of the martyrs. And for those confused regarding Islam, its teachings and true adherents, thinking they are a people of peace, go here http://thereligionofpeace.com/

But remember we are called to love our enemies, and called to be willing to lay our lives down for them, not take theirs as they do.

Our sword is here.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;” (1 Peter 2:21-23)

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “AND DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEIR THREATS, NOR BE TROUBLED.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; “
(1 Peter 3:14-15)

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.”
(Proverbs 25:21-22)

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
(Romans 12:14)

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. Therefore “IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
(Romans 12:18-21)

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “IF THE RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, WHERE WILL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:12-19)

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

An Invasion of Error: A Review of Bill Johnson—When Heaven Invades Earth

Posting this article is the result of alarm from watching Jesus Culture videos from Bill Johnson’s Redding Bethel Church.

The teens exhibited the kyiras that develop from oppression and spoke of listening to Todd Bentley….

I like what David Cloud has said about the attitude of youth today…”Traditional Christianity is described as too focused on being right, too much into Bible studies and apologetics materials. Instead, the young evangelicals are lusting after ‘a renewed encounter with a God’ that goes beyond doctrinal definitions. This, of course, is a perfect definition of mysticism. It refers to experiencing God beyond the boundaries of Scripture. “

Please Read:

By Bob DeWaay

[Note: The February episode of Echo Zoe Radio, featuring guest Bob DeWaay, was based on this article.]

Bill Johnson of Redding, California has become a popular teacher in one of the latest iterations of the Signs and Wonders movement. His book, When Heaven Invades Earth, reveals his underlying theology.

Johnson believes that there will be a great end-time revival that will be initiated by an “Elijah generation”[1] (a concept from the heretical Latter Rain movement) that shall transcend all other generations of Christians in regard to their ability to do great works of power. Johnson claims the following about himself and associates: “We will carry the Elijah anointing in preparing for the return of the Lord in the same way that John the Baptist carried the Elijah anointing and prepared the people for the coming of the Lord” (Johnson: 184)[2].

Supposedly these elitists will set off a great revival of signs and wonders greater than those of Jesus. This miracle explosion, they expect, will cause a great revival before the return of Christ. Johnson states, “I live for the revival that is unfolding and believe it will surpass all previous moves combined, bringing more than one billion souls into the Kingdom” (Johnson: 23).

The basic premise is that God always wants to do abundant and remarkable miracles but is kept from doing so by the fear and unbelief of the church. God awaits the arrival of specially anointed and enlightened Christians who will make it possible for Him to bring at long last an invasion of heaven to earth before the return of Christ. That is the point of Johnson’s title. His subtitle is A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles. Accordingly, with the right information, zeal, desire, piety, faith and anointing, any Christian can “make the supernatural natural” (Johnson: 133).

In this article I will show from Johnson’s book that he has departed from orthodox Christian teaching in many serious ways. He teaches the heretical kenosis doctrine about Christ. He denies the Reformation principle of sola scriptura. He embraces pietism, elitism, subjectivism, fideism, dominion theology, and many other errors. I will claim that his supposed end-time revival is actually end-time apostasy.

How to Introduce Heresy

Finish article HERE 

The Nephilim – According to Plain Scripture

I really only started entertaining these teachings about three years ago, but…

What I discovered was that the sites, authors and even pastors who promote these teachings discredit the Word of God by introducing gnostic writings.

Those who are bored with the joy, peace, wisdom, commandments, conviction of sin, faith building and cross-bearing instruction found in daily Bible reading and prayer, will indeed find the speculations and myths compelling.

Please read:

The NEPHILIM

from Herescope

According to Plain Scripture

By Pastor Anton Bosch

The Hebrew word Nephilim is translated “giants” in the Old Testament. It only appears twice in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33. A whole series of doctrines have been built around this word, in spite of the fact that the word only appears rarely. These doctrines on the Nephilim are based on Genesis 6:1-4. (It must be noted that most speculators lean very heavily on extra-biblical writings for most of their information.) The theories can basically be summed up as follows:

Demons/ angels (sons of God) had illicit relationships with women (the daughters of men) and these perverted relations produced genetically mutated beings known as nephilim (giants). God then imprisoned some of the angels who did this and in order to purify the bloodline of man God brought on the Flood. Through genetic engineering these Nephilim will be resurrected, one of which will be the Antichrist[1]. To these people, the Nephilim are also tied up with so-called extra-terrestrial forms of life.

Since these theories are gaining ground and a number of books have been published based on this hypothesis, it is necessary to examine Genesis 6 again and see what exactly it teaches. We will discover that the proponents of these theories break every principle of hermeneutics. Here is the text:

“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.” (Genesis 6:1-4)

Sons of God

The first problem revolves around who in the passage are the “sons of God.” Some make the connection with Job 1:6; 2:1. “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6). It is obvious, and not contested, that the “sons of God” in Job were angels. But does that mean that this term in Genesis 6:2 also refers to angels?

First, the normal meaning of “sons of God” is “believers.” “But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). Job 1:6 (a poetic book) is the only place where angels are called “sons of God.” It is logical and reasonable therefore that the normal meaning be attached to the term here, rather than the exception, as found in Job, unless there were something in the text that made a connection between Genesis 6 and Job 1 — which is absent.

Full Article HERE 

http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-nephilim.html

Also READ

http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/04/101-questions-about-nephilim.html

Principles for Living to God’s Glory: Edification

There are so many false teachings out there. Then again some are interesting and may have some prophetic value, but all things need to be tested.

by John MacArthur

How do we make decisions about issues and activities that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture? How do we develop criteria to make those kinds of decisions in a way that honors God and benefits us, causes the Body of Christ to grow, and makes the gospel believable and attractive to the unconverted?

When it comes to matters of Christian liberty and gray area decisions, it’s not about what we can get away with while causing minimum damage. We’re not looking for high-risk Christian living—to see how close we can get to the fire and not get burned. There are too many people who use their freedom to live on the edge yet hope to avoid disaster. That’s misguided thinking.

Finish HERE 

What Exalts A Nation

Excerpts from “The Minor Prophets – Volume 1

If My People

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

This sets forth a course of action that is the precise opposite of that found in the text of Obadiah. In Obadiah a nation is found to be exalting itself in pride, and God says that the nation will be brought down.

There are four things God’s people must do.

First we must humble ourselves. …We must begin with humility, which means that we must begin with the confession that we are not adequate for the problems that confront us and we must seek help from God. ..Repentance must begin with the household of God, as the Bible tells us.

Second we are instructed to pray. It seems strange that those who are God’s people must be encouraged, for prayer is work, and as a result, we often let this precious privilege slip from us. To pray means to spend time with God. It means searching our hearts before him.

Third, we are to seek God’s face. What does this mean? … In the context it is far more likely that the verse is speaking of seeking God’s will for us personally. It means looking to see the way his face is pointed and that on which his eyes are set.

Finally we are to turn from our wicked ways to serve him. It is significant that this comes last. If it came first, if we were first told to turn from our wicked ways, undoubtedly the vast majority (even of God’s people) would reply in genuine surprise, “What wicked ways? We are not wicked; we are actually pillars of righteousness in our communities.” However, after having humbled ourselves and having prayed and sought God’s will for our lives, the situation is entirely different. Now we are able to measure unrighteousness and faltering service by his plan for us, and in that light we see what sin is and turn from it.

This is what exalts a nation–the response to God of those who know God. As a result, they humble themselves, pray, seek his face, and turn from their wickedness.

How many responsive and obedient believers must do this? There are times when the voice of a thousand is required for only one to be heard. At other times, as now, the voice of one can count as a thousand. God told Abraham that he would spare the corrupt cities of Sodom and Gomorrah if only ten righteous persons could be found there. Would he not spare our land if even a portion of those many millions who consider themselves Christians would call on him? If we would do that practically–humbling ourselves, praying, seeking God’s will, turning from specific sin–God would doubtless answer from heaven with such blessing that we would experience a genuine healing in our land. Unlike Edom, which God promised to bring down, God would exalt our nation as a channel of blessing for other peoples.

James Montgomery Boice

The Minor Prophets

Obadiah Pages 241-242

Is the Shroud of Turin really Jesus’ burial shroud?

http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/shroudofturinqa.htm

Q. Is the Shroud of Turin really Jesus’ burial shroud? 

A. The Shroud of Turin is a 14.3 × 3.7 ft (4.4 × 1.1 m) linen cloth bearing what appears to be the image of a man. The popes of the Roman Catholic Church accept as authentic the claim that the shroud is the cloth wrapped around Jesus Christ at His burial, and that the image was formed at His miraculous resurrection.

The scientific debate over the authenticity and age of the shroud, and the origin or cause of the image, has spanned centuries and continues today. But scientific analysis is not needed to answer the question of whether the shroud is really the cloth in which Jesus was buried.

Biblical Evidence

There is clear biblical evidence that will tell us whether the Shroud of Turin is genuinely Jesus’ burial cloth. Let’s examine it.

After Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea requested and received permission from Pilate to take Jesus’ body and bury it. Nicodemus assisted him. Then, as we read in Matthew 27:59-60, “Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.”

The word “wrapped” here is from the Greek entulissō. “Linen cloth” is from the Greek word sindōn, which means “fine linen.” The Apostolic Bible Polyglot, which is a literal translation, renders this verse, “And having taken the body, Joseph swathed it with pure fine linen.”

The parallel account in Mark 15:46 reads, “He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.” “Linen cloth” is the same Greek word as is used in Matthew’s account. “Wound him,” however, is a different word. It is eneileō. It means to “roll in” or “encoil.” Thayer‘s says, “to roll in, wind up.”

Luke 23:53 says this: “He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.” “Wrapped” is the same word Matthew uses, entulissō. “Linen cloth” is again sindōn.

John tells us this: “Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds. So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury” (John 19:39-40).

“Bound” in this verse comes from the Greek word deō. It means to “bind, fasten, or tie up.” “Linen cloths” this time is from the Greek word othonion. Specifically, it is othoniois, which is the plural. It means “strips of linen bandages.” In other words, Joseph and Nicodemus wound Jesus and the spices in tightly bound strips of clean, fine linen bandages.

What Peter and John Saw

After Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene and the other women reported the empty tomb to the apostles. Luke tells their reaction: “These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened” (Luke 24:11-12). “Strips of linen” is again from the plural form of othonion.

John gives us an additional, important detail:

Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!” Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
John 20:2-10

“Linen cloths” is once again from the plural form of othonion—”strips of linen bandages.” Peter and John saw these strips of linen bandages lying but without the body in them. But they saw something else. They saw “the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself” (verse 7). “Cloth” in this verse is soudarion. It means a “handkerchief” or “sweatcloth.” It was lying separate from the strips of linen bandages, it was “rolled up” (entulissō) “in a place by itself.”

What John’s account shows us is that, apart from Jesus’ torso being bound with strips of linen cloth somewhat like a mummy, Jesus’ head was wrapped in a separate handkerchief.

Conclusion

The Shroud of Turin is a one-piece sheet of linen. The image of the body and head is within that one cloth. This does not at all agree with the biblical account of the way Jesus was buried. As we have just seen, Jesus’ torso was wound with strips of clean, fine, linen bandages, and His head was wrapped with a separate cloth or napkin.

This evidence from the Word of God proves the Shroud of Turin to not be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. It also proves the pope to be fallible, and exposes him as someone who rejects the Word of God. As for what the Shroud of Turin really is, we can let the scientists debate about that.

Peter Ditzel

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Ditzel. Permissions Statement. Unless otherwise noted, Bible references are from the World English Bible (WEB).

The Zohar Speaks – The Original Video Transcript

The Zohar Speaks ( the original video) Spoken by Jonathan Cahn, author of “The Harbinger.”

I am posting this transcription because of confusion created by the SECOND video of the same name.

*****

“I found it in the mystical writings, Jewish writing of the Zohar..

The Rabbis are writing of the redemption of the world, with Messiah coming. They speak of life from the dead, they speak of the resurrection , the resurrection of the world. The resurrection of the dead and redemption of the world. And they speak, they say it all will come, the power of all this miracle of all…this will come from a sacred thing, a sacred place and this place, this thing where the mercy of God is stored, all the mercy of God pours out from this place and that is where all the resurrection will come, all the blessings come from this place, this thing.

What is it? Very strange. They call it the Gulgalta, this holy mystical thing. From the Gulgalta comes redemption of the world …from the Gulgalta comes life from the dead. From the Gulgalta is all…is mercy of God poured out to the world, the forgiveness of God is given from Gulgalta. Salvation comes from Golgatha.

What is Gulgalta.? In aramaic it is simply the word for Golgatha. (clapping)

The Rabbis are saying that all the mercy of God comes from Golgatha.

This is amazing.

From Golgatha the place that he died.. Calgary means the place of the skull. They got it all confused…it’s an incredible mystical thing, the holy spirit of God got in there, it just got in there..they speak about a skull and they ..and all the mercy of God is linked to a skull, It doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t make any sense at all from all this comes, drips salvation..resurrection. For all the forgiveness of God on it you have to go to Golgatha.

Why on earth would the rabbis, put it in there. it makes no sense at all except that God just slipped it in.

The rabbis are saying ‘From Gulgalta is all the mercy of God you could ever need…. From Gulgalta the forgiveness of donai is poured out to the world. From Gulgalta comes the redemption of the universe.”.. This is from Rabba Zohar 1, 28b.

In the Gulgalta sit thousands of myriads of worlds. And from the Gulgalta drips dew and the dew fills the world and the dead will awakenin the world to come as the dew comes forth. The dew is the lights of the Ancient One. The light of the Ancient One comes from Gulgalta and asit touches the dead come to life. From Gulgalta is the light of God bringing life from the dead…” Whoa. (4:31)
The death of Messiah, all point us in time and space…The prophet Daniel zeroes in on the time mathematically..70 times 7. The Rabbis in the Bood of Mode sp? unwittingly give the name of it. Gulgalta. Moses zeroed in on the place. And now the very hill, the very place here in, the rabbinical writings of the Zohar, unwittingly give the name of it, Gulgalta, the center of everything.

Listen to the rabbis.