Marie Woodworth-Etter

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is an interesting story about an amazing woman by an unknown author.

During the Civil War, Maria met P. H. Woodworth, who had returned home from the conflict after being discharged with a head injury. She had a whirlwind courtship with the former soldier and soon married him.  But God called Marie to preach. They took up farming, but nothing ever came of their labors. It seemed as if everything was failing.

Over the years, Maria became the mother of six children. So she tried to settle into a normal family home life while the Lord continued to call her. But Maria, exasperated in her role as a wife and mother, couldn’t answer the call. She was married to a man with no desire for ministry, she had six children to raise, and she was sickly herself. 

Then real tragedy struck their home. The Woodworths lost five of their six children to disease. Maria was able to pull herself together after this horrible episode, but her husband never recovered from the loss. She did her best to help him while raising their only daughter. Through all these situations she never grew bitter against God, nor did she harden her heart as a result of the loss.

But Maria needed answers for the nagging heartache that oppressed her because of the calamity that struck her family. Refusing to give up, she began to search the Word of God. And as she read, she saw how women were repeatedly used by God throughout the Bible. She read Joel’s prophecy predicting that the Spirit of God would be poured out upon men and women. But Maria would look to heaven and say, “Lord, I can’t preach. I don’t know what to say and I don’t have any education.” Still, she continued to read and find truth in the Word of God while she struggled with her call. She would later write, “The more I investigated, the more I found to condemn me.”

Then Maria had a great vision. Angels came into her room. They took her to the West, over prairies, lakes, forests, and rivers where she saw a long, wide field of waving golden grain. As the view unfolded she began to preach and saw the grains begin to fall like sheaves. Then Jesus told her that, “just as the grain fell, so people would fall” as she preached.  Finally Maria realized that she would never be happy until she yielded to the call.  In response to this great vision from God, she humbly answered yes to His call upon her life, and asked Him to anoint her with great power.

Many women reading this book are called of God to preach. You have had visions and unction from God’s Spirit to go and set people free. God has spoken to you in the area of divine healing, deliverance, and freedom of the Spirit. So never allow a religious spirit to silence what the Lord has spoken to you. Religion likes to suppress women and their ministries, especially young ones.

 You need to learn to obey God without question. If Maria had answered from her youth, possibly her children wouldn’t have died. I’m not saying that God killed her children. But I am saying that when we directly disobey God, our actions open the door to the works of the devil. His work is to destroy. God’s work is to bring life. So learn to obey God with boldness. Boldness brings the power of God and will leave your accusers speechless in your presence. Also find some strong women with solid ministries from whom you can learn. And allow these words of Sister Etter to stir you in your heart:

“My dear sister in Christ, as you hear these words may the Spirit of Christ come upon you, and make you willing to do the work the Lord has assigned to you. It is high time for women to let their lights shine; to bring out their talents that have been hidden away rusting; and use them for the glory of God, and do with their might what their hands find to do, trusting God for strength, who has said, ‘I will never leave you.’ Let us not plead weakness; God will use the weak things of the world to confound the wise. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. Should we not honor our high calling and do all we can to save those who sit in the valley and shadow of death?

 Did He not send Moses, Aaron— Miriam to be your leaders? Barak dared not meet the enemy unless Deborah led the van. The Lord raised up men, women, and children of His own choosing— Hannah, Hulda, Ana, Phoebe, Narcissus, Tryphena, Persis, Julia, the Marys and the sisters who co- labored with Paul. Is it less becoming for women to labor in Christ’s kingdom and vineyard now than it was then?”

 Seek the Spirit of God for yourself. If you are called, you will have to answer for it. Obey God without question. He will handle the details.

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Brother Roop teaches the Bible

Without The Logos There Is No God.

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is something that I found on the internet that I wanted to share with you.

Without the Logos (the Word), there is no God.

Psalms 138:2 ....For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy NAME. Why does God magnify his word above all his NAME?

I could rescue you from a burning house and never give you my NAME. I could give you a large sum of money (not) and never give you my NAME. Our NAME is secondary to who we are. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.  Before you ever knew who Jesus was or ever heard his NAME He died for you. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. He was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word (logos) and the Word was with God and God was the Word. (Logos) In the original translation it ends by saying God was the Word. What does this mean?

The Logos is literally:

the act of speaking, speech, reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking

what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim

Our body is Flesh. We are filled with Blood which gives us life. God’s body is Spirit. He is filled with the Word. His Word is His essence. His words are life. The Spirit of God moved and God said... Without Jesus was not anything made that was made.....

All things were made by Him by the Word of His mouth. Light was the first manifestation of God. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth. Genesis 1:1

John 1:1 predates that verse as it tells us In the beginning was the Word (logos) and the Logos was God. Then the Word, the very mind and thought of God spoke and created by the breath of His mouth Psalms 33:6

You CANNOT separate the Word of God from God. That would be akin to trying to separate our thoughts and words from ourselves. They are more than inextricably linked to us, rather they ARE us.

The Word, which is the very mind, thoughts, voice, and mediation of God was innate in the very God of Heaven who is Spirit. God purchased the Church with his own blood Acts 20:28.  That Word and Spirit was tabernacled among us. the Ark of the covenant being a picture of God himself. The Gold representing Deity and the wood representing humanity.

Jesus is the ONLY begotten of the Father. He came forth from or emanated from Him. To wit that God was in Christ (Christ being the manifestation of God) Christ made God visible. Christ aside from God does not exist. The God of Heaven is who made Christ Christ.

Isaiah 43:11,  I even I am The Lord and beside me there is no savior.  Luke 2:11, For unto you is born this Day a Savior which is Christ The Lord.  Lastly but not finally. Without God there is no Christ. God is who makes Christ, Christ.  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:36 

Jesus is the Mighty God.  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but NOW is made manifest to his saints: Colossians 1:26.  God made man a little lower than the Angels. Christ was made lower also.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9.  God made man, God came as man. That man, our intercessor was given all power in heaven and earth. He was filled with ALL the Spirit of God.

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. John 3:34.  Without measure Jesus Christ was filled. God, all of God, not the second person in the trinity, was in Christ.

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Repentance of Abimelech

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

 Abraham and Abimelech and the Power of Repentance

Genesis 20

The mighty hand of God had come in judgment by raining sulfur on the tribal cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The people in those cities were completely given over to the worst kinds of sin and evil behavior. God had agreed not to judge the cities if ten righteous people could be found in them, and not even that was possible. Imagine what it was like to look down on the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah and see the devastation…the thick smoke rolling up into the sky, the stench of sulfur carried on the wind. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah would no longer be allowed to commit evil and violence against each other and pollute God’s world with their sin.  

Abraham moved his clan to a place called Negev and settled near the city of Gerar. Once again, as he had in Egypt, Abraham feared that men would treat him badly when they saw the beauty of his wife (see Story 21). In a world with no television or internet, with no pictures or magazines or forms of entertainment that we have become used to, the presence of a beautiful woman was a very powerful thing, and rare. Abraham was aware of her effect when she walked in a room, and how it might spark the envy of every man in it. It felt dangerous. Once again, in order to protect himself, Abraham put Sarah at risk. He explained to the people of Gerar that Sarah was his sister. Instead of being a source of envy, Abraham had turned himself into the brother that could give his beautiful sister away in marriage.  

The plan backfired, just as it had in Egypt. When the king of Gerar saw Sarah, he wanted her for his own. And why not? She was the sister of the wealthy traveler who had come to his region to live. He did not understand that he was in danger of violating another man’s wife. And so, caught in his lie, Abraham handed Sarah over.

Imagine what it was like to be Sarah at that moment. Did she feel betrayed, once again, by her cowardly husband? Afraid of what this unknown king might do to her? Insulted that her life was being treated with so little worth?

What was it like for Abraham, to give his wife over, not knowing what was going to happen to her, but so full of fear that he let it happen anyway? Abraham had spent many years refusing to give in to the corrupt customs of all the tribes around him. In his commitment to God’s covenant, he had refused to take more wives in order to have children. He had lived by faith that God would provide. But now he was putting all of that at risk. Sarah was the chosen wife of God’s covenant with Abraham, and yet he was handing her over to the arms of this new king.

It is not as if he had no other choices. What else could he have done? He could have gone somewhere else…he could have admitted his deception…he could have repented and apologized…he could have trusted God in the first place.

Even though Abraham was unfaithful, God would would show himself to be utterly faithful. The Lord would stand in resolute commitment to His covenant promises. The chaos created by humanity because of our weakness cannot thwart the strength of God in our history. 

The Lord came to King Abimelech and warned him in a dream. He said, “‘You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.’” Abimelech hadn’t touched Sarah, so he asked God, “‘Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.’” 

God replied, “‘Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die.’” Wow.  

Isn’t it interesting that God protected Abimelech from sin? Apparently, he stopped Abimelech from committing the sin in the first place, and then he came to warn him and give him a chance to take another road. Isn't it fascinating that it was because God knew Abimelech was innocent in his heart? God understands the complexities of life in a very messed up and complex human world. He sees clearly through the confusion of life around us. We don't see a harsh, legalist God here. He stakes his judgment on the condition of our hearts and the nature of our intentions.

What would Abimelech do now?

The Bible makes sure we know that the very next morning, bright and early, without hesitation, Abimelech brought together all of his officials and told them about his dream. His obedience to God was immediate. He didn't wait a few days. He didn't forget or disregard the voice of God because it came in the form of the dream. And when he told his officials, he explained in a way that made them take it seriously, too. It filled them with fear. They each had a reverence for this God who had come to their king. Their counsel led Abimelech to take action.

Abimelech called for Abraham and asked, “‘What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.’” 

Abimelech and his people had a high and godly view of marriage. The thought of violating the marriage covenant between Abraham and Sarah was horrifying. How could Abraham have been so quick to give his wife away?

When we look at the role Abraham plays in human history, it is stunning. Abraham was the great patriarch, the man with whom God made his mighty covenant to change the world. Later on in the Bible, Abraham would be described as the great man of faith that all believers can look back to as an example of how to live before God (See Isaiah 51:1-3, Hebrews 11:8-12, and Romans 4). He would be famous for his faith for thousands of years across three of the world's major religions. In fact, he could be said to be the first founder of all three. (He was father of Judaism, which is the parent faith of Christianity and Islam.) Yet in this story, as a normal man facing peril, he is righteously rebuked by a common tribal king for his lack of faith.

Abraham explained to Abimelech that he didn’t think Abimelech’s people feared the LORD. He said that he was afraid that they would kill him to get to Sarah. He told how he asked Sarah to show her love to him by telling everyone that he was her brother.

This was partly true. Sarah was the daughter of Abraham’s father, but they had different mothers. In those days, marriage within a family was a way of protecting and providing for their children.

Abraham was admitting that he had lacked faith. He didn’t trust that God would watch over and protect him. .

Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham. In some ways, he was more protective of Sarah than Abraham had been. Then he gave Abraham sheep and cattle, male and female slaves, and he offered Abraham his first choice of his lands. He could live wherever he wanted in Gerah.  

And for Sarah, he gave a thousand shekels of silver to Abraham for the offense of taking his wife into his harem. That was an extravagant amount of wealth. It was enough to pay a hundred laborers to work for an entire year. Sarah was well vindicated for this terrible violation of her safety and dignity.

How greatly Abraham had misjudged Abimelech, as well as God. Abimelech and his men feared the LORD and listened when God came in a dream. They responded immediately with repentant obedience and went out of their way to lavishly make things right. They are a beautiful model of what true repentance looks like.

It interesting to compare how different these people were from the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. There is a reason that these stories are put right next to each other in scripture. We are meant to compare them and look at the way God responded to each. The comparison is meant to highlight important things about what draws God's judgment or favor...it is meant to display the goodness of His ways when dealing with a wayward humanity and to teach us how we are to come to Him for right relationship.

The nation of Sodom (which was probably more like what we would consider a large village in our time) had become so corrupt that when two strangers came to visit their city, the men of the city laid siege to the home where they were staying and demanded their right to rape them. That was considered normal and acceptable. Imagine the horrors of every day life there...the violence, abuse, and toxic immorality...of such a place. What those men did not understand was that these two visitors were actually the angels of God. They had come to warn Abraham's nephew to leave the city before they brought God's fiery, cleansing judgment against a despicable culture that had plunged the entire community in utter, irreversible bondage to deeply evil beliefs and patterns of behavior.

But that story wasn't Abraham's first encounter with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, he had already saved their lives. Long before that story Abraham had already rescued the people of Sodom and Gomorrah after they had been defeated by a foreign army (see Genesis 14). Even though he had put his own life and the lives of his men at risk for them, they tried to demand that he give them the booty from the war. According to the rules of that time, the booty belonged to Abraham. The booty was considered the proper reward for risking battle and winning. It was a form of despicable ungratefulness and greed for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to try to take from the man that saved them.

The hardness of their hearts was already so complete that when God brought them a savior, they had no vision for repentance. They could have seen the higher ways of Abraham and the strength it gave him to conquer kings. They could have witnessed the honorable and godly relationship between Abraham and Melchizedek, the great priest of Salem, and been humbled by their dignity. God had intervened in their lives with his servants, and it was an opportunity for them to change. They rejected that opportunity, and ultimately, it led to their total destruction.

Abimelech and his officials did not make that mistake. When God showed up, they repented. They honored the God of Abraham, altered their behavior, and were saved from judgment.

Just as the Lord said, Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his household. Isn’t it interesting that in spite of his sin, God used Abraham to be a part of the solution? God had placed some form of curse on Abimelech's household. His wife and the women of his slave girls could not have children. God heard Abraham’s pray and the household of Abimelech was healed. In the process, God restored not only Abimelech's people, but the dignity and position of Abraham as the man of God's choosing.

The faith of Abraham had failed. When we see the heart of this godly man in the middle of his fears, it is easier to understand that he was very much a normal human. All of his great, courageous acts and steadfast, ongoing faithfulness were done by a man who also feared death and longed for peace. His failure in this story highlights the fact that in all of the other stories, Abraham was also having to make hard decisions in the quietness of his heart...he was having to choose faith instead of fear.

God knew about all of those hundreds of silent decisions to trust Him, and He had grace and protection for Abraham when he failed.

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William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

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Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Time Gap Principle

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Time -Gap Principle

             This is where in certain verses or between verses in Scripture there is a gap in time from a few days or even up to thousands of years.  If we have a long gap in time in Scripture it is important to understand that this is happening.  Sometimes this time gap is mentioned, but sometimes it is not mentioned.

            This principle is not to be underestimated by the Bible student, it is one demonstrated by Jesus Christ Himself in the use of Isaiah 61:1-2 in Luke 4:17-21.

             Nehemiah 2:8-9: “And a letter…And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.  Then I came to the governors beyond the river….”

             Isaiah 9:6-7: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder…. “The first part of verse six in about the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  Then time jumps more than two-thousand years to when Jesus Christ will actually rule the earth for a thousand years on the Throne of David in the New Jerusalem.  At that time the government will be upon His shoulders.

             Isaiah 61:1-2: “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God…. “Verse one and the first half of verse two, is about Jesus Christ and his ministry here on earth.  Whereas, the last part of verse two jumps ahead more than two-thousand years when Jesus shall return a second time to judge and reap vengeance on the world as He takes His saints away.  So, this comma separates a gap of more than two-thousand years.  We know this because Jesus Christ Himself proclaimed this in the beginning of His ministry as recorded by Luke in his Gospel (Luke 4:16-21).  Jesus reads this verse and a half then closes the book.  The rest of chapter sixty-one of Isaiah will be fulfilled later.

            Daniel 9:24-27: “…And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week…. “These were not weeks of days, but of weeks of years.  Of the seventy weeks of years (490 years), sixty-nine were from the seventh year of the Persian king Artaxerxes the first in 457 B.C. to the crucifixion.  The last week (7 years) has to do with the restoration of Israel.  Two-thousand years later this still has not happened.  So, in verse twenty-six just after the Messiah is “cut off” we have a gap of about two-thousand years.  We can read about this further in book of Revelation chapters ten and eleven.

            Hosea 1:4. God: commanded Jehu to judge the house of Ahab for his wickedness (2 Kings 10).  He did this, but he was much to severe and now God will judge the house of Jehu and cease the kingdom of Israel.  From the death of Jehu and the taking of Israel by the Assyrians is about forty years.  So, the last part of verse four has a forty-year gap in it.

            Luke 2:40: “And the child grew….”  This describes Jesus growing up from a baby to about twelve years old.  So we have about a twelve year time jump.

             Luke 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature….”  This time jump takes Jesus from about twelve years old to thirty years old, about eighteen years.

             Acts 1:8: “…ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. “Here God commands His disciples to preach to the whole world.  They finally do, but this transitional period lasted about ten years before the first Gentiles were saved in Acts chapter ten.

             Acts 9:6: “…go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. “Jesus tells Paul to arise and go into the city.  We must realize that Paul was not outside the walls of Damascus, but he was still three-days from the city.  There is a three-day gap in time before the story picks up and Paul is healed.

             Acts 9:23: “And after that many days were fulfilled. “Three years passed between 9:22-23.  This event is recorded in Galatians 1:15-18 and also in Second Corinthians 11:32-33.  While Luke did not record it, he did leave room for it.

             Acts 9:43: “…he tarried many days in Joppa…. “Peter did not return to Lydda, but stayed in Joppa possibly as long as one year.

             Acts 11:26: “…a whole year….” We should understand that this one verse spans one year of time.

            Acts 13-14:  This first missionary journey reads very fast but we should keep in mind it lasted about two years!

            Acts 14:28: “And there they abode long time with the disciples.”  Between missionary journeys they stayed the city of Antioch in Syria and ministered for quite some time, maybe several years.  During this delay the conference in Jerusalem in chapter fifteen takes place.

            Acts 15:36-18:22: This second missionary journey of Paul, which was much more extensive than the first one, spanned a period of three to four years.

            Acts 18:11: “…a year and six months…. “This verse is important, it tells us that Paul was in this city for a year and a half.  This was a long time just in this one city.  If we read the book of Acts to quickly it will seem as if Paul is just moving along, but he did not constantly move, but did make long stops to teach.

             Acts 18:23: “And after he had spent some time there….”  There is a gap in time when Paul rests and ministers in Antioch in Syria.  Most scholars seem to agree Paul stayed about three years in Antioch during this time.

            Acts 18:23-21:16:   This third missionary journey was Paul’s longest trip and probably lasted about four to five years.

            Acts 19:8-10: “…three months….”  Paul spent three whole months in just one synagogue preaching Christ before he was forced to leave.  “…space of two years… “In verse ten we see that Paul did not leave the city but instead preached in the school of Tyrannus daily for two more years.  Church history says that the Ephesians worked in the morning and did their resting from eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon.  Paul probably preached during this time.

             1 Peter 1:10-11: “…searching what, or what manner of time… “The prophets of old did not understand that the Messiah would humble Himself on the cross to provide God’s grace we enjoy today.  They did not understand there would be a gap of more than two-thousand years until fulfillment.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

www.hospiceministryvolunteer.blogspot.com

www.atseminary.com

website

Three-Fold Principle

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Three-Fold Principle

             This is one way that God sets forth truth and highlights certain points of His Truth in a Three-Fold manner.  A misunderstanding of this principle has led to the false doctrine of a trinity of God’s nature.  This principle is actually, instead, an example of the fullness of God’s Word.

            Salvation:  We are saved from sin in a three-fold manner. This was all accomplished at Calvary by Jesus Christ.

            1.  The penalty of sin.  Are past has been justified by the Blood of Christ. The penalty of sin no longer applies to the Christian because Jesus Christ has laid all of our sin upon Himself, “He was wounded for our transgressions.”  God knows that we can never get right with God on our own; the Law of Moses has proven his for all to see.  So He provided the Cross!  We are saved from the wrath of God (John 3:36; Romans 1:8; 3:23).

             2. The power of sin.  We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the present dispensation (Acts 2).  God knows that we are too weak to walk with Him. The Holy Spirit can keep us free from the bondage of sin that we were once confined (Romans 7:15).

            3.  The presence of sin.  In the future we will be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  God knows that our sin-nature body is not acceptable to Him.  Are immortal bodies in Glory will not be in the presence of sin that we currently live (Romans 6:23).

            The Three-Fold Work of Jesus Christ:  God shows man the work of Jesus Christ consistently in a three-fold way.

        1.  Titus 2:11-13: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation…Teaching us…Looking for…”.  In Titus 2:11-13 we have a snap shot of the three-fold work of Jesus Christ. We can see the Cross which is in the past. Jesus is still today teaching us to walk righteously.  We also have the hope of His return.

              2 Corinthians 1:10:  Who delivered us…doth deliver…he will yet deliver….”  In 2 Corinthians. 1:10 we have the same message but compacted into only one verse.  “Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver. “

            3.  1 Thessalonians 1:3:  Remembering…hope in our Lord…in the sight of God…. “In 1 Thessalonians 1:3 it is also compacted in only one verse. “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”

             Jesus’ Resurrection:  In order to prepare us for the coming Resurrection, Jesus raises three different people from the dead during His ministry.  This is to show His followers that resurrection from the dead is indeed possible.

             1.  Widows son- Luke 7:11-17.

            2.  Ruler’s daughter- Matthew 9:18-25.

            3.  Lazarus- John 11.

            The Great Supper- Luke 14:16-24:  In a Three-Fold manner this refers to the successive ministries connected with the invitations to “the great supper.”

            1. “A certain man” sends “his servant” to those who had been previously “bidden.”  This was Peter’s first ministry (Acts 2-7).

            2.  The “master of the house” sends him again to “the streets and lanes of the city.”  This is Peter’s second ministry (Acts 10-12).

            3.  Then “the lord” send out another servant to “the highways and hedges,” This is Paul’s ministry to the great Gentile world (Acts 13-28).

       Scripture Highlighting:  It has always been a custom among man, even in American society, that if we want to emphasize something, we simply repeat it.  And most commonly we repeat it three times.  This is how the ancients emphasized anything they wanted to bring to attention.  Today’s English language we have punctuation to make our words stand out.  Ancient Hebrew and Greek did not have punctuation, so the repeated a word, words, or a sentence to stress its importance.  This literary technique should not be used in numerology or proving the existence of a trinity in the Godhead.  It was never intended for that.  Here are some examples of the use of this technique.

             1.  Isaiah 6:3. “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts:  the whole earth is full of his glory.”

             2.  Revelation 1:8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

            3.  Revelation 4:8. “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within:  and they rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

            4.  Revelation 22:11. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still:  and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still:  and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still:  and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

            5. Revelation 22:13. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

            God has had three relationships to man:  God has dealt with mankind in three different ways.  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  This is not to be confused with a trinity, which was an invention that occurred over the centuries.  God has dealt with man in three separate relationships in order to do His will.  There is only one God, but He has related to us in three different forms.

        1.  Father.  Jesus is Yahweh.  Many Old Testament statements by or about Yahweh (Jehovah)are specifically fulfilled in Jesus (Isaiah 40:3,5; 45:23; 52:6; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 11:12; 12:10; John 8:58; Philippians 2:9-11).[1]

            2.  Son.  Jesus Christ is the one God incarnate.  “In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily “(Colossians 2:9).  “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19).  Jesus accepted Thomas’s confession of Him as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28-29).  And many other Scriptural passages reveal the identity of Jesus as God.  (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 35:4-6 with Matthew 11:1-6; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Acts 20:28; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:2; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:20).[2]

             3.  Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is literally the Spirit that was in Jesus Christ.  “The Lord is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17, NKJV). (See also John 14:17-18; 16:7.)  The New Testament ascribes the following works both to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit:  moving the prophet of old, resurrection of Christ’s body, work as the Paraclete, giving of words to believers in time of persecution, intercession, sanctification, and indwelling of believers.[3]

            Three heavenly places:  God has created three separate places.  Heaven, Hell and the Earth.  All three will change according to the age, but there will always be three.

            1.  Heaven.  All parts of the Spirit realm occupied by the Angelic and the redeemed.

            2.  Hell.  All parts of the Spirit realm occupied by Satan and demons and wicked men.

            3.  Earth.  The physical world in which we live in today that we can touch, feel and see.

            The Three-Fold “opening” that Jesus Christ gave to two disciples on the road to Emmaus: 

1.        They experienced open eyes. “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him...”  (Luke 24:31).

2.       They heard the open Scriptures.  “...and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24: 32).

3.       They had opened their understanding. “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,” (Luke 24:45).

Jesus warns Peter of his three denial's:  Jesus Christ at the Last Supper warns Peter that he will deny him three times before the rooster crows.  “And he said, I tell thee Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.  (Luke 22:34).  This was fulfilled in verse fifty! 

Peter's rejection of unclean animals:  The Apostle Peter had received a vision of unclean animals on a large sheet that descended from heaven.  Peter heard a voice that said to kill and eat.  Peter rejected this commandment three times.

            “But Peter said, not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”  (Acts 10: 14).

            “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”  (Acts 10:15).

            “This was done thrice:  and the vessel was received up again into heaven.”  (Acts 10: 16).

             Three ethnic divisions: The Bible is a book about three different groups of people that make up the world.  The Jews, Gentiles, and the Church.  We must always know to whom God is addressing while studying Scripture.

1.  Jew.  Jewish people descendants of Abraham.

2.  Gentile.  All non-Jews who are not part of the Church.

3.  Church.  Jew and Gentile believers in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, forming one unified body.

             The Revelation given to John:  In order to understand the end of times and the book of Revelation we need to understand and keep in mind the Three-fold Principle.  Here are some examples.

             David’s Son:  Jesus Christ, David’s Son, was to have a three-fold role.

            1.  Priest.  He was not to be a priest like the Levites, but instead after the order of Melchizedek.  David was not a priest, nor could he ever be one since he was of the tribe of Judah.  Jesus Christ would be a priest, but a different kind of one, an eternal priest.

            2.  King.  Jesus Christ is King of King and Lord of Lords.

            3.  God.  Jesus Christ was and is God wrapped in flesh who has redeemed all of mankind.

            The Three Applications of the Seven Letters:  Jesus Christ told the Apostle John to write letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.  These letters have a threefold application.

            1.  They apply to the actual churches they were addressed to.

            2.  They apply to churches in general.

            3.  They have a prophetic history of the entire Church age.  The Church age will last two-thousand years, from the time of Christ’s crucifixion to the rapture of the Church.

            The Three Roles of Jesus in Revelation:  In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ will play three different roles.

            1.  King.  John seen Jesus Christ in heaven sitting on the throne as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We read this in Revelation 4:2. Here God is showing us that He is ruler of the universe and is in control of all that is happening.

            2.  Lamb.  In Revelation 5 we see Him as the Lamb slain for the sins of mankind.  His purposes the Lamb was to open the seals revealing God’s judgment on the world.  As King sitting on the throne, or as the Lion of Judah, He cannot do this, but as the Lamb of God, slain and sacrificed as our “Passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7), He both can and does.

             3.  Lion.  As the Lion of Judah Jesus plays the role of judge.  A defender of His Jewish and Christian children.  A destroyer of the wicked, and the eternal judge of Satan and all of mankind.

            The Kingdom of the Son:  The coming Kingdom of Jesus Christ will be set up in a three-fold way.

            1.  Decent.  The Kingdom will begin by the descent of the Lord from heaven to the mount of Olives, splitting it in half.

            2.  Judgment.  Jesus Christ will come the second time as judge, and He shall judge the whole world.

            3.  Rule.  Jesus Christ will rule the entire world from New Jerusalem.

            The Kingdom:  The Kingdom of God here on earth will have a three-fold aspect.

            1.  The second coming of Jesus Christ will mark the beginning of His Kingdom on this earth. Psalms 96:9-10; 98:9.

            2.  He will rule over the nation of Israel, the Jews, God’s chosen people.  Psalm 78:8-11.

            3.  Jesus Christ will have rule over the entire world.  Psalm 78:8-11.

            Distress:  In the days of Jesus, it was customary for Jews to pray the same prayer three times.  A good example of this is found in Matthew 26:36-44 where Jesus was in distress and prayed three times, “O my Father, if this cup….”

            God’s Calling:  God revealed to Jeremiah that God called him in a three-fold manner in Jeremiah 1:5. “…I knew thee…I sanctified thee…I ordained thee….”

             God revealed through the apostle Paul that God calls us in a three-fold manner in Galatians 1:15-16.  “…who separated me…and called me…that I might preach Him….”

             Christian Life:  Paul seems to say in Philippians 3:10-11 that there is a three-fold aspect to the Christian life.  “That I may know Him…fellowship of His sufferings…attain unto the resurrection….”  First, the learning of Christ and His Word soon after salvation.  Second, enduring persecution that always follows a public conversion.  Third, a hope of resurrection to heaven after death.

[1] David K. Bernard.  The Oneness view of Jesus Christ.  Word Aflame Press, Hazelwood, MO.  P. 13.

[2] Ibid. p. 12.

[3] Ibid. ps. 13-14.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

www.hospiceministryvolunteer.blogspot.com

www.atseminary.com

website

Second For The First Principle

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Second for the First Principle

            In this principle God sets aside the first and establishes the second.  It is sometimes called the Election Principle.  This is a continuing example that all sacrifice to God is set aside for the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.  This is strictly by revelation of God Himself for the continuing of God’s Purpose (Romans 9:10-12).  There are many examples of this principle throughout Scripture.  First among man does not mean first among God.

            Cain was set aside for Abel:  God set aside the offering of Cain for the offering of the second, which was Abel’s.  When Cain murdered his brother Abel, God set aside Cain‘s family, who was first, and established Abel‘s family, who was second.

            Ham was set aside for Japheth and Shem:  Ham disqualified himself by his sinful behavior on his father Noah, and was set aside for his two brothers.

            The World was set aside for Noah’s family:  The world had grown wicked so they were set aside for Noah’s family to begin again with mankind.

             Ishmael was set aside for Isaac:  Ishmael was rebellious and married Canaanite women, whereas Isaac returned to his homeland to marry a woman chosen by God.

             Esau was set aside for Jacob:  A blind Isaac crossed his hands (Cross) and set aside Esau and blessed Jacob.  The first was set aside for the second.  Esau was a man of idolatry and corruption, God could not allow that to prosper.  (Genesis 48:8-19).

             Reuben was set aside for Judah: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the legislator's pen from his descendants; to him nations shall submit, until the coming of Shiloh.”  When to other brothers plotted to kill Joseph, Judah convinced them to save his life.

            Calvary:  God set aside all former sacrifices for the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross.  Mankind’s relationship to God before Calvary was set aside for a new relationship that is better and more intimate.

            Salvation:  God has set aside the Law of Moses for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  “Except a man be born again,” The first birth is set aside for the second.  The old man is to be set aside for the new man.  Our old condition is to be set aside for a new condition.  Mt. Sinai is set aside for Calvary.

Heaven and Earth:  Today’s world is filled with sin, but God will set it aside and create a new heaven and earth. (2 Peter 3:13).

 Jerusalem:  The Jerusalem of today will be set aside for a future new Jerusalem.  The old city that is filled with sin and strife will be replaced with a holy city where peace in God will reign.

The Old Testament is set aside for the New Testament:  The Old Testament tells us where man has come from and is filled with types and prophecy of the New Testament.  But our spiritual life is established by the New Testament today.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

www.hospiceministryvolunteer.blogspot.com

www.atseminary.com

Repetition Principle

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Repetition Principle

            This is where God continually repeats certain words or phrases in order to gain our attention or to emphasis something.  At these times the Bible student should listen carefully.

        “Cursed”:  There are twelve curses found in Deuteronomy 27:15-26, and again seven times in Deuteronomy 28:15-19.  The first are the curses on disobedience and the later are the curses of disobedience.

            1.  Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image...

            2.  Cursed be he that sitteth light by his father or mother...

            3.  Cursed be he that removeth his neighbor's landmark...

            4.  Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way...

            5.  Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow...

            6.  Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife...

            7.  Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beasts...

            8.  Cursed be he that lieth with his sister...

            9.  Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law...

            10.  Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor secretly...

            11.  Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person...

            12.  Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them...

           

  There are six blessings in Deuteronomy 28:2-6.  These blessings are immediately after the above curses.

1.      “Blessed shalt thou be in the city...”

2.      “...and blessed shalt thou be in the field.”

3.      “Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body...”

4.      “Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.”

5.      “Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in...”

6.      “...and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” 

            “The Lord shall:” The statement of “The Lord shall” is repeated six times in Deuteronomy 28:7-13 and again nine times in Deuteronomy 28:20-36.  The first series are the blessings of obedience.  The second are the consequences of disobedience.

1.      “The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten...”

2.      “The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses...”

3.      “The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself...”

4.      “And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods...”

5.      “The Lord shall open unto thee is good treasure...”

6.      “And the Lord shall make thee the head and not the tail...” 

            “Cursed:” Again, in 28:16-19, we have a series six of “cursed” statements.  This is the second round after twelve that we had in 27:16-26.  These are the curses of disobedience.

1.      “Cursed shalt thou be in the city...”

2.      “...and cursed shalt thou be in the field.”

3.      “Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.”

4.      “Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body...”

5.      “Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in...

6.      “...and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.”

            “The Lord shall:” In Deuteronomy 28: 20-68 we have a series of twelve “The Lord shall.”

1.      “The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke...”

2.      “The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee...”

3.      “The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew...”

4.      “The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust...”

5.      “The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies...”

6.      “The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst be healed.”

7.      “The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart.”

8.      “The Lord shall smite thee in the knees and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.”

9.      “The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known...”

10.  “The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far...”

11.  “The Lord shall scatter thee among all people...”

12.  “The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again...”

            “Thou shalt:” The phrase “thou shall” is repeated thirteen times in Deuteronomy 28:30-41.

1.      Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her...”

2.      “...thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein...”

3.      thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.”

4.      “...thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed always.”

5.      “...thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.”

6.      “...thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword...”

7.      “Thou shalt carry much seed into the field, and shalt gather but little in...”

8.      “Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine...”

9.      “Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them...”

10.  “...and thou shalt come down very low.”

11.  “He shall lead lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him...”

12.  “...he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.”

13.  “...thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body...”

            “Blessed:” There are twenty-two beatitudes in the book of Psalms.

            1. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  (Psalm 1:1).”

            2. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalm 32:1).”

            3. “Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit, there is no guile (Psalm 32:2).”

       4. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance (Psalm 33:12).”

            5. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him (Psalm 34:8).”

            6. “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respected not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies (Psalm 40: 4).”

            7. “Blessed is he that considereth the poor:  the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble (Psalm 41:1).”

            8. “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting.  Amen and amen (Psalm 41:13).”

          9. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation (Psalm 68:19).”

            10. “Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things (Psalm 72:18).”

            11. “And blessed be his glorious name for ever:  and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen and Amen (Psalm 72:19).”

       12. “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:  they will be still praising thee (Psalm 84:4).”

            13. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them (Psalm 84:5).”

            14. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:  they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance (Psalm 89:15).”

            15. “Blessed is the man whom thou chasteneth, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; (Psalm 94:12).”

            16. “Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times (Psalm 106:3).”

            17.  Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting… (Psalm 106:48).

       18. “Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore (Psalm 113:2).”

            19. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD (Psalm 119:1).”

            20. “Blessed are they that keep is testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart (Psalm 119:2).”

            21. “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways (Psalm 128:1).”

            22. “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight (Psalm 144:1).”          “Vanity:” This word is used thirty-six times in the book of Ecclesiastes.

            “Vanity and vexation of spirit:” This phrase is used seven times in the book of Ecclesiastes.

             The Six Woe’s:  The six woes found in Isaiah 5:8-32 speak on the judgment on Israel for its wickedness.

             1.  Selfish greed- v. 8-10: “Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there is no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!”

            2.  Drunken conduct- v. 11-17: “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them….”

3.  Mockery at God’s power to judge their sin- v. 18-19: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope….”

4.  Distortion of God’s moral standards- v. 20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

            5. Arrogance and pride- v. 21: “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eye’s and prudent in their own sight!”

6.  Perversion of justice- v. 22-23: “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

             “Verily, verily:” This phrase is used seven times by John in his Gospel; 5:24, 25; 6:26,32, 47, 53; 8:34.

             “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches:” This phrase is repeated six times in Revelation 2 and 3.  Four times in the second chapter; 2:7, 11,17,29 and twice in chapter three; 3:6, 13.

            “Fulfilled:” This word is used frequently in the book of Matthew.

            “Kingdom:” This word is used fifty times in the book of Matthew.

            “Kingdom of Heaven:” This phrase is used thirty times in the book of Matthew.

            “Salvation:” This word is used twenty-eight times in the book of Isaiah.

            “Return:” This is used forty-seven times in the book of Jeremiah.

             “They shall know that I am God:” This phrase is used seventy times in the book of Ezekiel.

            “Son of man:” This phrase is used ninety times in the book of Ezekiel.

            “The word of the LORD came to me:” This phrase is used forty-nine times in the book f Ezekiel.

            “Glory of Israel” or “The glory of the LORD:” This phrase is used eleven times in the first eleven chapters of the book of Ezekiel.

            “I shall be sanctified through you:” This phrase is used six times in the book of Ezekiel.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

www.hospiceministryvolunteer.blogspot.com

www.atseminary.com

website