#like he rises from his grave and is like ''i am fire and life incarnate i am the beast phoenix''

[not100bees]

she should kill him and erase his data from cerebro and if he tries to come back any other way she should kill him again.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Sat., Apr., 24, 2021

LAZARUS ATURDAY

by Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

“In the same way we cry to Thee, O Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord” (Troparion (hymn) sung on Lazarus Saturday).

Great is this Holy Day, brothers and sisters! Just think of it, “Conqueror of death”! There have been many conquerors in the history of humanity: many gifted doctors have conquered many sicknesses, many military leaders have conquered tremendous armies, even entire countries. There have been conquerors of space such as the inventors of automobiles, airplanes; conquerors of distance — the inventors of the telephone, telegraph, and so on. But “Conqueror of death” — the whole world does not know of anyone else but Jesus Christ. He alone. Even the so-called “unbelieving world” cannot mention another name. No one among the most prominent people would ever even attempt to make such a claim. But He is, was, and will be — our Savior and our Lord.

During His historical evangelistic life He proved this in three instances: the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, the resurrection of the son of the widow of Nain, and here in today’s Gospel, the resurrection of Lazarus.

The death of the daughter of Jairus was a recent one. She died while Christ and her father were going to her. Even Christ called it slumber; but the people “laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise! And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and He commanded to give her meat” (Lk. 8:53-55).

In the case of the son of the widow of Nain, death, seemingly stronger, came into its own: the dead man had already been laid on the funeral bier. They had carried him not only from the house, but already through the city gates. In order to touch the bier, the Lord had to stop the carriers. And only then did He say, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise! And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And He delivered him to his mother” (Lk. 7:14-15).

And now Lazarus. The victory of death here was final, one hundred percent. Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. There was weeping, but no one had any hope of an instantaneous resurrection. Even one of the dead man’s sisters said to the Lord: “I know he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Even the Lord Himself, when He “saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,” and He wept. Finally He said, “Take ye away the stone.” Here, even the sister of the dead man could not contain herself and said to Him: “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.” So the stone was removed from the tomb where the dead man was lying, and Christ cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth! And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go” (Jn. 11:17-44).

Besides physical death, there is mental death. Physical death is visible to everyone, but mental death is usually not noticeable to people. It is felt only by the dead person himself. Bishop Theophan the Recluse said much about this. Sometimes it happens that a sinful thought darts into your mind and awakens a sinful feeling, but the soul catches itself and calls to the Lord in repentance. And the Lord, as with the daughter of Jairus, will as if stretch out His hand and say, “Soul, arise!” And life will return to its joyous flow. But sometimes it happens that we do not catch ourselves in time and sin enters more deeply into our soul (like going out from the house) and the result will be full acceptance of the sin, and turmoil. But also here, by the prayers of our Mother, the Church of Christ, who cries before the Lord for her children, we can be alerted; and the Lord will tell us as He did the son of the widow of Nain: “Soul, I say unto thee, Arise!” This is salvation.

But what shall we do if sin completely enslaves our soul, as if covering it with a tombstone; and so day after day goes by and passions start to exude their sinful stench, just as with Lazarus? What should we do then? Well, then we need confession, the sacrament which Christ established after His Resurrection, when He said to His disciples, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit: Whose so ever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven” (Jn. 20:22-23). See how all this is reflected in the resurrection of Lazarus. Lazarus, on his own, could not go out from the tomb because it was blocked by a stone. He couldn’t even walk, because he was bound hand and foot with funeral bandages. And here Christ said to His disciples, “Loose him.” In application to us, this means that the Lord orders our clergy, who have received in the Sacrament of the Priesthood the gift of the Holy Spirit, to loose our sins. What joy!

And more: death is not the cause but only the result, the consequence of sin. And Christ is, first of all, the Conqueror of sin, and then along with it, the Conqueror of death. So let us triumph: “Hosanna in the highest!”

The Priest Martyr Antipas (92)

A disciple of the holy Apostle John the Theologian (Comm. 26 September), was bishop of the Church of Pergamum during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68).      During these times by order of the emperor, everyone who would not offer sacrifice to the idols lived under threat of either exile or execution. And then too on the island of Patmos (in the Aegean Sea) was imprisoned the holy Apostle John the Theologian – he to whom the Lord revealed the future judgements of the world and of Holy Church.

 "And to the Angel of the Pergamum Church write: thus sayeth He having the sword sharp of both edges: I do know thine deeds, and that thou dost live there, where doth be the throne of Satan, and that thou dost cleave unto My Name nor didst renounce My faith even in those days, in which My slain faithful witness Antipas was amongst ye, where Satan dwelleth" (Rev. 2: 12-13).

     By his personal example, firm faith and constant preaching about Christ, Saint Antipas began to sway the people of Pergamum from offering sacrifice to idols. The pagan priests reproached the bishop for turning the people away from their ancestral gods, and they demanded that he stop preaching about Christ and instead offer sacrifice to the idols.      Saint Antipas calmly answered, that he was not about to serve the demon-gods, which flee before him who was but a mortal man; rather, it is the Lord Almighty that he worships and would continue to worship – the Creator of all, together with His Only‑Begotten and One-in-Essence Son and Holy Spirit. The pagan priests retorted, that their gods existed from of old, whereas Christ was not from of old and was crucified under Pontius Pilate as a criminal. The saint answered, that the pagan gods were the work of human hands and that everything said about them was filled with iniquities and vices. He steadfastly confessed his faith in the Son of God, incarnated of the MostHoly Virgin.      The enraged pagan priests dragged the PriestMartyr Antipas to the temple of Artemis and threw him into a red-hot copper bullock, wherein usually they cast the sacrifices to the idols. In the red-hot furnace the priest-martyr prayed loudly to God, imploring to accept his soul and to fortify Christians in the faith. He expired to the Lord peacefully, as though asleep (+ c. 68).      Christians by night took the body of the PriestMartyr Antipas, untouched by the fire, and with reverence they buried him at Pergamum. The tomb of the priest-martyr became a font of miracles and of healings from manifold sicknesses. Particular recourse to the PriestMartyr Antipas is made during times of tooth-ache.

All translation©1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.

John 11:1-45

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 8 The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." 12 Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him. 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." 17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You. 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." 28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there." 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."35 Jesus wept.36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" 37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" 38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."45Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

Hebrews 12:28-13:8

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them-those who are mistreated-since you yourselves are in the body also. 4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" 7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

[legendary-defender-of-fandoms]

Predicting the Next Avatar

Part 1 - Nationality

Assuming that all the nonsense that went down during Harmonic Convergence (UnaVaatu ripping Raava out of Korra, then beating her out of existence, Spirit Korra pulling the reformed Raava out of UnaVaatu’s core, Korra & Raava re-fusing just as Harmonic Convergence ended, etc.) didn’t screw up the Avatar cycle, the next Avatar has to be an Earth Kingdom citizen. I really hope the Cycle is intact, because it would be kind of boring if every Avatar after Korra was a Southern Waterbender, and too confusing if they can literally be born into any Nation at random.

Part 2 - Gender

According to statistics, the chances of the Avatar being born male or female are equal. However, there appear to have been more male Avatars than female Avatars, with multiple cases of back-to-back male Avatars but no spotted cases of back-to-back female Avatars. Therefore, I believe it’s safe to predict that the Avatar after Korra will be born a male.

Part 3 - Place of Birth

I’ve noticed with the few Avatars we know about, they tend to be born in a location where they were happy in a previous life. Avatar Roku started his Avatar training in the Southern Air Temple & befriended a young student named Gyatso, and when he died his spirit was reincarnated in the Southern Air Temple as Gyatso’s ward Aang. And it’s safe to assume that Aang spent a LOT of time in the Southern Water Tribe after the Hundred Year War, bonding with Katara’s people and raising his own family, so it’s no wonder her was reincarnated in the South Pole as Korra. But for Korra, predicting the birthplace of her next reincarnation is a bit more tricky. She spent a lot of time in Republic City, which is technically located on the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom, but if she perceived it as a separate nation it may be out of the running. And even when she was in Republic City, she was technically living outside the city on Air Temple Island. The only place in the Earth Kingdom proper where Korra seemed genuinely happy & at peace was Zaofu. So, given the choice between a random borough in Republic City or Zaofu, Raava will probably gravitate towards Zaofu.

Part 4 - Personality (aka Avatar Roasting Hour)

I’m not the first to notice this (but I lost the name of the person who originally posted the theory, but every Avatar’s personality seems to be partially based on compensating for a perceived flaw in their immediate predecessor. Let’s run through the few Avatars we know.

Avatar Yangchen, an Air Nomad, tried to remain detached from both humans and Spirits so she could impartial while resolving conflicts. But her detachment could be interpreted as being cold or unfeeling, and she probably felt lonely or tired of dealing with everyone else’s drama.

Avatar Kuruk, a Southern Waterbender, could be considered the People’s Avatar. He didn’t meddle in the affairs of others, and was just looking for a good time. But his carefree attitude led to rising tensions in the Spirit World, culminating with his fiancé being kidnapped & tortured by Koh, the Face Stealer.

Avatar Kyoshi was a Bad. Ass. Mutha. Fucker! She has the longest lifespan of any Avatar (230 years) and oversaw the longest period of peace. If there was some smart-ass warlord thinking he could take over the world, she was there in half a second ready to bitch-slap him into the planet’s core. In a lot of ways, she was kind of like Kuvira. But, like Kuvira, her determination & dedication to bringing about peace at any cost could be seen as ruthlessness or tyranny. She saved the Earth Kingdom from the reign of Chin the Conqueror, but the descendants of his forces still hate her for killing him. And if the citizens of Ba Sing Se knew she created the Dai Li, Aang & Korra would’ve been slain the moment they crossed the Outer Wall.

Avatar Roku was definitely a more merciful Avatar than Kyoshi, sparing Fire Lord Sozin despite the attempted murder & unsactioned conquest of Earth Kingdom territory. But his mercy could be seen as Avatar impotence, since he didn’t stop Sozin’s conquest so much as delay it. Hell, he didn’t even make Sozin withdraw his troops from Yu Dao, the oldest Fire Nation Colony.

Avatar Aang was able to spread peace by finding creative solutions & striking a careful balance between Kyoshi’s “comply or die” methodology and Roku’s faith in the Honor System. Thanks to his guidance, the Four Nations became connected like never before. However, he probably went to his grave regretting the 100 years of war, genocide, and chaos that ensued while he was frozen in an iceberg. He didn’t cause the war, and I doubt he could’ve stopped it if he had been around, but we all know he blamed himself for the slaughter of the Air Nomads. And some part of him may have believed that, had he accepted his role as Avatar sooner, the world could’ve been saved without putting his friends & loved ones in danger.

This brings us to Avatar Korra. From the moment she was born, Korra was ready to OWN her Avatar title, as seen here (https://youtu.be/ta7TV68ff3c). She met every challenge head-on and never backed down. But her confidence could be seen as cockiness, and her desire to be the Avatar led to a lot of unhealthy behavior. You could easily break her character arcs down into three categories of thought; “Of course I can do this, I’m the Goddamn Avatar,” “Why the Hell can’t I do this, I’m the Goddamn Avatar,” and “Who am I if I’m not the Goddamn Avatar.” On top of that, she had a hard time working with others. Heads of state, her parents, members of her own tribe, Spirits, close friends, even her Pro-Bending teammates - she’d butt heads with everyone and anyone who tried to tell her what to do because, again, she’s the Goddamn Avatar.

Given Korra’s greatest character flaws (headstrong, cocky, insecurities tied to her identity as the Avatar), we can predict that her next incarnation’s personality would try to compensate. Instead of headstrong and cocky, he may be humble & caring. He may not be eager to embrace the title of Avatar, but he’ll know who he is & know he’s more than a title or the ability to control all 4 elements. He’ll work well with others, being open to help & willing to compromise. But he won’t be a complete wet blanket - he’ll stand his ground on important issues.

In Conclusion

Given all the information we have for past Avatars, I feel confident in predicting the next Avatar will be a boy Earthbender born in Zaofu. He will be compassionate, a team player, and will fight for the people instead of for his own glory. He won’t initially embrace his Avatar title, but he will do whatever it takes to maintain peace & balance in the world.

In other words, the next Avatar is Hunk.

[pastorcowboy]

Resurrection (A new Beginning)

Matthew series: Resurrection

Matthew 28 (A new beginning)

In Matthew 27, we have a small mention of an earthquake and a curtain being torn in two. You would think that would have been a pretty big deal. It also says for three hours darkness covered the land. That seemed like a pretty big deal too. History is an odd thing. We have so little information on the culture of the Romans. Archeology plays such a big part of discovering the past. In reality we know very little about history. From the Titanic to Hitler we have very little understanding of what happened in the end. How did the Titanic really sink? Did Hitler die?

Books have been written explaining both the Titanic and Hitler. We have the events but we also have a mystery. Why is their nothing written on the earthquake and darkness? There is so little written on the death of Jesus too. Some 1st century scholars have touched on the death of Jesus and the life of Rome. It seems some epic historical events got little coverage at the time. In Matthew 28, we have another earthquake. We also have another historical event. Jesus rose from the dead. Part of chapter 28 is the authorities rescuing the event from history. Guards are payed off. Rumors are circulated. What really happed to Jesus, Hitler and the Titanic? History seems ignorant of the real story.

I bring up Hitler and the Titanic because we know the story. We have heard the rumors. Jesus death and resurrection are a story over 2000 years later. History has not been kind to it. Was Jesus God? Did he rise from the dead? Was he even real? How do we prove the Titanic did indeed hit an iceberg? Eye witness accounts. What I find interesting is the earthquake. The whole earth shook when Jesus died and it shook when he rose from the dead. Your thoughts on resurrection?

Matthew 27:51 “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split “

Matthew 28:2 “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it”

Exodus 19:18 “Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.”

The tale of the Mary’s. Did you notice that the women came to the tomb first? Jesus had repeated over and over that he would rise in three days. Even Mary Magdalen said that we would be resurrected after the death of her brother. She knew. They all knew. Yet, who believed? The women did. The other Gospels mention more women. Actually, there are more details in the other Gospels. Why did Matthew mention so little? Who is the other Mary? It does not seem to be Jesus mother. It could be Mary the mother of the Zebedee brothers. She was present at the cross.

The guards probably thought they had the stupidest job. Guard a tomb. Do you know how many tombs there are in that area? Thousands and thousands. This is not a plush grave yard. It’s a carved-out hole in the wall of sand stone. The stone cave was probably not that big. Who owned the wall? It’s said in chapter 27 that Joseph of Arimathea donated his own new tomb.

Finally, we have the Sadducees. It’s fascinating. This is a group of Bible scholars. They were political and law writers. They did not believe in resurrection. You could notice that they disappear after Matthew 22. Jesus, from that point forward, talks about rising from the dead. The religious rulers that came to Pilate asking to guard the tomb were the chief priest and Pharisees. They did believe in resurrection. Ironically, they also wanted Jesus to stay dead. This whole chapter has a theme of belief. What do you really believe?

Matthew 27:62 “The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.”

Matthew 28:13 “telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ "

Acts 7:52 “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him."

The poor guards. Like I said, they had a dumb job. Who guards the dead? They stood at the foot of the cross, watching men die. Let’s say just for fun that they were there at the cross. It says the centurion witnessed the whole thing and said “surely this was God’s son.” Fast forward to the tomb. There is another earthquake and angels appear. It says the guards shook and became like dead men. Imagine the rocks being split and the dead rising from nearby graves. You might faint too.

It’s interesting that Judas was given money from the religious to give up Jesus. The guards are given money by the religious to be quiet. Jesus said he could call on angels to save himself but he refused. Angels appear and roll away the stone. For the most part the disciples are nowhere to be found. The women are at the cross and the grave. The one person having the most trouble with attitude and Jesus was Mary Magdalene. Yet, she is found near Jesus the whole time through his death. I think she may have believed more than all of them.

Matthew 27:56 “Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

Matthew 28: “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.”

Read Matthew 27 again. Read Matthew 28. There is so much more being played out between the death and resurrection of Jesus. Two sides of the cross. Check out 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

1.       Let’s talk about Galilee. Jesus was Born in Bethlehem but moved to Nazareth. I always pictured those places in the same place. They are not that close. They are about 70 miles apart. Remember that’s on foot in those days. Jesus told the disciples while in galilee that he would die and rise again. Jesus told the women after his resurrection to tell the disciples to go to galilee like he told them. Told them what? All that he taught them from that place. They knew things we don’t read in scripture.

Jesus sent the disciples to a mountain in Galilee to wait for him. What mountain? Oh, there is a ton of speculation on this one. I have always thought that the sermon on the Mountain was at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Tradition places it on Mt. Eremos in Galilee. That would fit a place to send the disciples because galilee was Jesus stomping grounds. (caution) however, Jesus baptism is right near the Dead sea. It’s not that far from Jerusalem, Bethlehem or the Mount of Olives. Placing Jesus in a certain place because it fits is just speculation. We should avoid that.

I feel one of the reasons Jesus sent the disciples back to Galilee is for safety. Remember the religious rulers were hunting believers down and that is how we are introduced to Paul in Acts. Many roads in this area were not that friendly. It’s possible the disciples were afraid to leave for home. Remember that Joseph of Arimathea donated his tomb. That is near Jerusalem too. Plus, the women had to run and tell the disciples that Jesus was missing in the tomb. They did not run 70 miles. What this means to me is that we need to just read it. Putting this mountain here and those disciples there is all rabbit trails that take our eyes off the real story of Jesus resurrection.

Matthew 28:8 “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.”

John 20:19 “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!””

2.       I just think there is something to the angels being clothed in white. I think there is something about the title Angel of the Lord. Some people call many of these incidences in the Old Testament, to be what they call, the pre-incarnate Jesus. Basically, Jesus in a different form other than his heavenly or earthy body. I am not so sure. In the New Testament, Jesus appears to many. Not once is he called the Angel of the Lord. Of the many appearances of this heavenly creature, there is sometimes a bright light, white clothes, or nothing descriptive at all. Often, they say something like “fear not.” Angels were said to look terrifying.

Matthew goes out of his way to mention them in white. Why? I feel it’s a staple or calling card. In the transfiguration, Jesus is turned to bright white. Read Daniel 7 and we see the Ancient of days clothed in white. In Revelation we have Jesus sitting on the great white throne of judgment. White is the good guy. White is holy and clean. I feel white is also a signature of heaven. There will be transparent pearl gates and gold streets. Plus, in heaven, there is no sun because the Glory of the Lord will shine. Moses met God and became too bright to look at. Brightness, light, and white are a sign of God’s presence.

Here is my last thought on this. Moses had to wear a veil to hide the light. There was a curtain hiding the inner chamber to God in the temple. When Jesus died the curtain was torn in two. We now see angels in bright white. A glimpse of heaven? A sign that heaven is here. Matthew begins making a case for the savior. The Jews knew that one day they would be taken to heaven. Matthew is finishing his Gospel by picturing heaven in the real world. We are free of death. Free to shine the light on a hill.

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Judges 8:16 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Daniel 7:9 “As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.”

3.       Why Sunday? The common Jewish week was from Sunday to Saturday. The Sabbath day went from Friday at 6pm till Saturday at 6 pm. Even when I was in Egypt recently, they do most of their day at night. They eat, gather, and rest. Muslims worship Friday. Jews Worship Saturday. Christians worship Sunday. The reason is simple. The religious rulers had Jesus crucified Friday at the end of the Pentecost week. Nobody worked from 6 pm on. It was a good time to get it done. The crowds were going home. It says in Matthew 28 that after the Sabbath the first day was dawning. Sunday!

Realize that the Jewish custom was to sacrifice a lamb for the sabbath Pentecost meal. They prepared everything before Friday at 6pm. Jesus is the last sacrifice. Ironic, coincidental, convenient? Many things God does is symbolic like a rainbow. Holiness is white. The ark was a seat of judgment like the great white throne. Jesus said “it is finished.” His time, day, week, ministry, sacrifice, and intention for creation was done. This first Sunday after, everything changed.

It’s the first day. In the beginning God created. On the first day Jesus rose from the dead. It’s a new beginning. The Sabbath was over. Ironically Jesus was criticized over and over for breaking the sabbath. Yet, after his resurrection we find him cooking fish while the disciples worked. When he raised Lazarus from the dead, he told them to feed him. The symbolism in Matthews Gospel is amazing.

Matthew 28:7 “Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.””

John 20:30 “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.”

4.       Revelation 9 is a doozy. It describes a portion of the judgments of God on humankind. Read it and then realize in verses 20-21 they refused to repent. Ask yourself “what would it take to believe in God?” Matthew 28:17 is a doozy too. Three years with Jesus. All the words, miracles, and time spent with Jesus and they still did not get it. What would it take?

Jesus died. He is gone for three days. What are you doing after three days when someone has died? You move on. The disciples are back in Galilee. How long had it been? It was more than three days since the cross. It says in Acts 1 that Jesus appeared for 40 days. It’s Moses like. It’s symbolic and significant. The number 40 is Jewish. However long, Matthew points out that seeing Jesus after his death had doubters still. What would it take to believe?

The ending of Matthew is a doozy too. It’s called the great commission. There is more than that. Jesus mentions the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost clearly. There are still doubters on that. He mentions the end of the age. That means the end of times and there are still doubters. I feel that Matthew is ending his Gospel with a warning. Some will still doubt. Is it so hard to believe? Even after all the prophesies, miracles, and resurrection from the dead? It all pointed to the Christ as Jesus yet still some doubted.

Matthew 28:17 “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted”

Revelation 9:20-21 “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”

What it means?

I can’t end this study properly. Matthew is so much more than I said it was. All I know is that I see prophesy. I see the teaching of Jesus. The Bible has pointed to this place. The resurrection. I am haunted by people taking the Bible verses out of context. Matthew has themes and an intentional point to make. Over and over he points out belief and doubt. That’s why he wrote a case for the Christ. He believes it was Jesus.

               If you notice, Matthew does not expand the death and resurrection like the other Gospels do. He is to the point. It’s almost cold. Yet Matthew is only telling us what the prophesy said. He would be born, die, and raised from the dead. He is not glorifying heaven. He is not glorifying the man named Jesus. He is not glorifying the disciples, church, or Christianity. Matthew is pointing out that the radiant Christ of God is king over church, death, and creation.

               Matthew wrote this Gospel to glorify the Christ. He said he came from God. He was anointed by God. Matthew then has Jesus as the victor of death and sin standing before his disciples. Verse 18 repeats that Jesus has all the authority in heaven and on earth. The kingdom is here and Jesus is the king. Then the king gives only one command “go and tell.” Moses last speech is really big. Jesus (the new Moses) needed only one verse “go and tell.” Matthew got it right because Christianity did go forth and changed the world. Many were saved by the Christ Jesus. It was a reckless plan. Yet, the prophets predicted it. God orchestrated it. He promised it in a covenant with Abraham and David. God took ownership of getting it done. So here we are, now, it’s up to you. What will you do with the Christianity Matthew wrote about?

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

[almighty-god-saved-me-blog]

The significance of God taking the name Almighty God in the Age of Kingdom

Bible Verses for Reference:

“You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name” (Isa 62:2).

“Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write on him my new name” (Rev 3:12).

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev 1:8).

“Saying, We give you thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which are, and were, and are to come; because you have taken to you your great power, and have reigned” (Rev 11:17).

“Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, you King of saints” (Rev 15:3).

Relevant Words of God:

During the last days, His name is Almighty God—the Almighty, who uses His power to guide man, conquer man, and gain man, and in the end, bring the age to its close. In every age, at every stage of His work, God’s disposition is evident.

from “The Vision of God’s Work (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since Almighty God—the King of the kingdom—has been witnessed, the scope of God’s management has unfolded entirely throughout the whole universe. Not only has God’s appearance been witnessed in China, but the name of Almighty God has been witnessed in all nations and all lands. They are all calling out this holy name, seeking to fellowship with God by any means possible, grasping the will of Almighty God and serving in coordination in the church. The Holy Spirit works in this wondrous way.

from “The Eighth Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

And so, when the final age—the age of the last days—arrives, My name shall change again. I shall not be called Jehovah, or Jesus, much less the Messiah, but shall be called the powerful Almighty God Himself, and under this name I shall bring the entire age to an end. I was once known as Jehovah. I was also called the Messiah, and people once called Me Jesus the Savior because they loved and respected Me. But today I am not the Jehovah or Jesus that people knew in times past—I am the God who has returned in the last days, the God who shall bring the age to an end. I am the God Himself that rises up at the ends of the earth, replete with My entire disposition, and full of authority, honor and glory. People have never engaged with Me, have never known Me, and have always been ignorant of My disposition. From the creation of the world until today, not one person has seen Me. This is the God who appears to man during the last days but is hidden among man. He resides among man, true and real, like the burning sun and the flaming fire, filled with power and brimming with authority. There is not a single person or thing that shall not be judged by My words, and not a single person or thing that shall not be purified through the burning of fire. Eventually, all nations shall be blessed because of My words, and also smashed to pieces because of My words. In this way, all people during the last days shall see that I am the Savior returned, I am the Almighty God that conquers all of mankind, and I was once the sin offering for man, but in the last days I also become the flames of the sun that burn all things, as well as the Sun of righteousness that reveals all things. Such is My work of the last days. I took this name and am possessed of this disposition so that all people may see that I am a righteous God, and am the burning sun, and the flaming fire. It is so that all may worship Me, the only true God, and so that they may see My true face: I am not only the God of the Israelites, and am not just the Redeemer—I am the God of all creatures throughout heavens and earth and seas.

from “The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’”

in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In His final work of concluding the age, God’s disposition is one of chastisement and judgment, in which He reveals all that is unrighteous, in order to publicly judge all peoples, and to perfect those who love Him with a sincere heart. Only a disposition such as this can bring the age to an end. The last days have already arrived. All things in creation will be classed according to their kind, and divided into different categories based on their nature. This is the moment when God reveals humanity’s outcome and their destination. If people do not undergo chastisement and judgment, then there will be no way of exposing their disobedience and unrighteousness. Only through chastisement and judgment can the outcome of all creation be revealed. Man only shows his true colors when he is chastised and judged. Evil shall be put with evil, good with good, and all humanity shall be classified according to their kind. Through chastisement and judgment, the outcome of all creation will be revealed, so that the evil may be punished and the good rewarded, and all people become subject to the dominion of God. All this work must be achieved through righteous chastisement and judgment. Because man’s corruption has reached its peak and his disobedience become exceedingly severe, only God’s righteous disposition, one that is principally compounded of chastisement and judgment and is revealed during the last days, can fully transform and complete man. Only this disposition can expose evil and thus severely punish all the unrighteous. Therefore, a disposition such as this is imbued with temporal significance, and the revelation and exhibition of His disposition is made manifest for the sake of the work of each new age. It is not that God reveals His disposition arbitrarily and without significance. Supposing that, in revealing the outcome of man during the last days, God were still to bestow upon man infinite compassion and love and continue to be loving toward him, not subjecting man to righteous judgment but rather showing him tolerance, patience, and forgiveness, and pardoning man no matter how grave his sins, without any jot of righteous judgment: then when would all of God’s management ever be brought to a close? When would a disposition such as this be able to lead people into mankind’s appropriate destination? Take, for example, a judge who is always loving, a judge with a kindly face and a gentle heart. He loves people irrespective of the crimes they may have committed, and he is loving to and forbearing with them whoever they may be. In that case, when will he ever be able to reach a just verdict? During the last days, only righteous judgment can classify man according to their kind and bring man into a new realm. In this way, the entire age is brought to an end through God’s righteous disposition of judgment and chastisement.

from “The Vision of God’s Work (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God becomes flesh this time, His work is to express His disposition, primarily through chastisement and judgment. Using this as the foundation, He brings more truth to man, shows more ways of practice, and so achieves His objective of conquering man and saving man from his corrupt disposition. This is what lies behind the work of God in the Age of Kingdom.

from Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the last days, Christ uses a variety of truths to teach man, expose the essence of man, and dissect his words and deeds. These words comprise various truths, such as man’s duty, how man should obey God, how man should be loyal to God, how man ought to live out the normal humanity, as well as the wisdom and the disposition of God, and so on. These words are all directed at the essence of man and his corrupt disposition. In particular, those words that expose how man spurns God are spoken in regard to how man is an embodiment of Satan and an enemy force against God. In undertaking His work of judgment, God does not simply make clear the nature of man with just a few words; He exposes, deals with, and prunes it over the long term. These methods of exposure, dealing, and pruning cannot be substituted with ordinary words, but with the truth that man does not possess at all. Only methods of this kind are deemed judgment; only through judgment of this kind can man be subdued and thoroughly convinced into submission to God, and moreover gain true knowledge of God. What the work of judgment brings about is man’s understanding of the true face of God and the truth about his own rebelliousness. The work of judgment allows man to gain much understanding of the will of God, of the purpose of God’s work, and of the mysteries that are incomprehensible to him. It also allows man to recognize and know his corrupt substance and the roots of his corruption, as well as to discover the ugliness of man. These effects are all brought about by the work of judgment, for the substance of this work is actually the work of opening up the truth, the way, and the life of God to all those who have faith in Him. This work is the work of judgment done by God.

from “Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth”

in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During the Age of Kingdom, God incarnate speaks words to conquer all those who believe in Him. This is “the Word appearing in the flesh”; God has come during the last days to do this work, which is to say, He has come to accomplish the actual significance of the Word appearing in the flesh. He only speaks words, and rarely is there the advent of facts. This is the very substance of the Word appearing in the flesh, and when God incarnate speaks His words, this is the appearance of the Word in the flesh, and is the Word coming into the flesh. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh.” This (the work of the appearance of the Word in the flesh) is the work that God will accomplish in the last days, and is the final chapter of His entire management plan, and so God has to come to earth and manifest His words in the flesh.

from “All Is Achieved by the Word of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the Age of Kingdom, God uses the word to usher in a new age, to change the means of His work, and to do the work for the entire age. This is the principle by which God works in the Age of Word. He became flesh to speak from different perspectives, enabling man to truly see God, who is the Word appearing in the flesh, and His wisdom and wonder. Such work is done to better achieve the goals of conquering man, perfecting man, and eliminating man. This is the true meaning of using the word to work in the Age of Word.

from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word”

in The Word Appears in the Flesh

His initial work was carried out in Judea, within the scope of Israel; in Gentile nations He did not do any era-launching work whatsoever. The final stage of His work is not only carried out among the people of Gentile nations; even more so, it is carried out among those cursed people. This one point is the evidence most capable of humiliating Satan; thus, God “becomes” the God of all creation in the universe and becomes the Lord of all things, the object of worship for everything with life.

from “God Is the Lord of All Creation” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In this final era, I will have My name magnified among the Gentile nations, cause My deeds to be seen by the Gentiles, that they may call Me the Almighty on account of My deeds, and make it so that My words may soon come to pass. I will make all people know that I am not only the God of the Israelites, but also the God of all the nations of the Gentiles, even those that I have cursed. I will let all people see that I am the God of all creation. This is My greatest work, the purpose of My work plan for the last days, and the only work to be fulfilled in the last days.

from “The Work of Spreading the Gospel Is Also the Work of Saving Man”

in The Word Appears in the Flesh

From: The significance of God taking the name Almighty God in the Age of Kingdom