Does the Bible prohibit eating a mixture of milk and meat?

It does not. However, there are some who believe and teach that certain Scriptures prohibit such a practice. They mainly turn to Exodus 23:19, which states: “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

The identical prohibition is repeated in Exodus 34:26. We also find the following prohibition in Deuteronomy 14:21:

“You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you may give it to the alien who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

In commenting on Exodus 23:19, the Hebrew Soncino Commentary points out:

“Thou shalt not seethe a kid. In the term kid the calf and lamb are included since it denotes any young animal… The prohibition occurs three times… to signify that the eating, cooking and deriving any benefit whatever from a mixture of milk and meat are forbidden. Goats are rich in milk and it was customary among the surrounding nations to boil the young animal in its mother’s milk. The Torah considered this a gluttonous way of eating and so prohibited it. On the three festivals many animals were slaughtered; therefore the Torah took the opportunity of repeating the prohibition to express disapproval of the evil practice. The law applies not only to the meat of the kid, but to every mixture of milk and meat.”

Following this interpretation, orthodox Jews today don’t eat a mixture of milk and meat. We should realize, however, that the Scripture itself does not prohibit the consumption of meat and milk per se; it only refers to the boiling of a young goat in its MOTHER’S milk. We find, for instance, that Abraham served his three guests — the LORD and two angels — “butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ATE” (Genesis 18:8). Abraham, a man who obeyed God’s statutes, obviously did not think that there was a prohibition against eating a mixture of milk and meat, and God and His angels did not choose to “reveal” to him such a prohibition, as it did not exist.

Others have suggested that this command prohibits boiling and eating an UNWEANED kid. In this case, the Hebrew preposition would have to be translated “on” instead of “in” the mother’s milk. This interpretation is incorrect. The verbatim translation of the Hebrew is: “You shall not boil a kid in the milk of its mother.” The key is the phrase, “in the milk of ITS mother,” or, “in ITS mother’s milk,” referring to the relationship between the kid and ITS mother — not just any mother.

Some have claimed that Exodus 23:19 may refer to an incorrect practice of proper tithing. The Israelites counted animals as they went under the rod, and to remove a young goat for food would mean that incorrect tithing was taking place, that is, tithing on reduced numbers.

Most commentaries agree, however, that the command against seething or boiling a kid in its mother’s milk was given because of pagan worship practices that Israel was prohibited from adopting (Deuteronomy 12:28-32). We should note that the command in Exodus 23:19 and 34:26 is clearly given in the context of God’s annual Holy Days. The Ryrie Study Bible points out:

“Leaven was a symbol of corruption and evil (cf. Matt. 16:6). Boiling a kid in its mother’s milk was a common Canaanite ritual involving magic spells.”

The Nelson Study Bible adds, in discussing Exodus 23:19:

“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk is a command that forbade the Israelites to imitate the cruel sacrifices of their pagan neighbors.”

Regarding Deut.14:21, the commentary includes these additional statements: “Unlike the Canaanites who boiled young goats alive in the milk of their mothers as a sacrifice to fertility gods, Israel was to practice a more humane method of animal sacrifice. Israel was to be different from its neighbors — that is, holy.”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, agrees with that understanding and adds, in regard to Exodus 23:19: “The firstfruits are to be offered to God, for He gave them. The heathen practice referred to in 19b [i.e., verse 19, second sentence] was a vain attempt to increase fertility and productivity by magical arts.” The following comment was added regarding Deut. 14:21: “This unnatural custom was practiced superstitiously by the Canaanites, perhaps to promote fecundity.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary points out, on page 98, that the Israelites “must not think to receive benefit by that superstitious usage of some of the Gentiles, who, it is said, at the end of their harvest, seethed a kid in the dam’s milk, and sprinkled that milk-potage, in a magical way, upon their gardens and fields, to make them more fruitful next year.”

The same is expressed, in effect, by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible, and by Peake’s Commentary.

A very insightful explanation can also be found in The Broadman Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 412, as follows:

“The interpretation of this rather strange prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother’s milk illustrates the manner in which archeological discovery illuminated Ancient Near Eastern cultural practices… Following the discovery and interpretation of the Ras Shamra literature, dating to approximately the fourteenth century B.C., this verse quite often has been interpreted as the prohibition of the Canaanite ritual in which a kid was boiled in its mother’s milk: ‘Over the fire seven times the sacrificers cook a kid in milk… [and] mint… in butter and over the cauldron seven times fresh water… is poured.'”

The commentary adds the following statements in vol. 2, on page 244, discussing Deut. 14:21: “The prohibition on boiling a kid in its mother’s milk has long been a riddle for the interpreter. It occurs in Exodus 23:19 and 34:26 as well. Ugaritic texts have revealed a proscribed ritual of this kind related to ‘milk magic.’ This law, like the others, prohibits Israel’s participation in rites of the heathen.”

From the foregoing, we can see that the practice of boiling a kid in its mother’s milk was associated with fertility rites, magic and pagan sacrifices, apparently associated with the belief that through magic and the intervention of demonic gods, the next harvest would be bountiful. God was clear that such pagan customs were not to be followed, pointing out, instead, how He was to be worshipped. This connection can be clearly seen in Exodus 23:18-19 and 34:25-26, where God speaks of His sacrifice (in Ex. 34:25, the sacrifice is identified as the Passover Sacrifice), the bringing of the “first of the firstfruits” into the house of God, and the command against boiling of a young goat in its mother’s milk. The connection in Deuteronomy 14:21 might not be all that obvious, as the previous verses discuss the prohibition of eating unclean meat. However, the very next verse (verse 22) begins to state God’s instructions regarding tithing principles related to God’s annual Festival of the Feast of Tabernacles.

In any event, we can safely say that the Bible does not prohibit the consumption of a mixture of milk and meat, EXCEPT that we should not boil a kid in its mother’s milk, as the Scriptures clearly say. This unusual custom is still practiced in some parts of the world today. James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. 8, p. 635, relates the following in this context: “Among the Arabs flesh seethed in milk is still a common dish, yet the Hebrews were prohibited from boiling a kid in its mother’s milk.” Hastings also explains how milk, all by itself, played an important role in superstitious pagan sacrifices. On page 634, it is even stated: “In the Christian Church it [milk] was substituted for wine in the elements of the communion. This was afterwards prohibited by canon law…, but it may be surmised that it originated as one of the surviving rites of ancient pagan religion.”

“Boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk” was clearly, then, a pagan practice to worship pagan gods, and it was therefore prohibited by God. We should take the Scripture for what it says, rather than adding to its meaning by prohibiting the consumption of a mixture of milk and meat (except for the boiling and subsequently eating a young goat boiled in its mother’s milk).

Standing Watch and Member Letter

If you are a member or associated with the Church of the Eternal God and are in need of excuse forms for school or job attendance during the Spring Holy Days, please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.

In your Update #128 you explained that Enoch did not go to heaven. You also stated that no one has gone to heaven, except Jesus Christ. What about Elijah? Does not the Bible state that Elijah "went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11)?

Christ stated unequivocally that “no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man” (John 3:13, NASB Version). This includes Elijah. However, we must realize that the Bible speaks of more than just one heaven. In our Update #97, we addressed in our Q&A the fact that there are three heavens. While the first two heavens are physical and refer to the earth’s atmosphere and the space beyond our atmosphere, the third heaven is composed of spirit. That is the heaven where God lives, and to that heaven no human being has ever ascended. In Update #97, we also addressed that Elijah did not go to the third heaven, where God’s throne is, but only to the first heaven. To quote from the Update:

“We read, in 2 Kings 2:1, 11, that Elijah was taken up ‘into heaven by a whirlwind.’ We also read that the disciples understood that Elijah did not go to the third heaven, as they were concerned that ‘the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley’ (verse 16). In fact, God transported Elijah to another place here on this earth, where Elijah continued to live until his death. He wrote a letter and had it delivered to king Jehoram, AFTER he ‘went to (the first) heaven,’ as Jehoram became king right at the time of Elijah’s disappearance (2 Kings 1:17; 3:1). 2 Chronicles 21:12-15 gives us the contents of the letter, referring to the evil deeds of king Jehoram that he had committed after Elijah had been taken away and transported through the air to another place here on earth.”

We know, then, from Scripture, that Elijah did not go to the third heaven, where God’s throne is. We also know that he was transferred, supernaturally, to another place here on earth. There are several Biblically recorded incidents where human beings were supernaturally transferred by God to another place here on earth (compare, for example, Philip’s transfer to another place here on earth, in Acts 8:39-40).

However, we also know from Scripture that Elijah died after this incident, as it is appointed to man once to die (Hebrews 9:27). We also read that God inspired Moses to write that “the days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off…” (Psalm 90:10). In rare circumstances, man can reach an age of 100 or perhaps even 110 years — however, there is no one we know of who reached the age of 150 since the time of Moses. Those who believe that Elijah is still alive today believe, however, that God kept him alive for over 2,500 years — a concept nowhere taught in Scripture.

Some say that Elijah was alive at the time of Christ; that he has returned or will return as the one who prepares the way for Christ’s Second Coming; or that he is one of the two witnesses still to appear. However, there is no Biblical evidence supporting any such claim.

Some believe that Elijah was alive at the time of Christ, as he appeared, in a glorified state, to three of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, together with the glorified Moses and Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-10; Luke 9:28-36). We explain this account in detail on pages 14 and 15 of our booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.” In that booklet, we show that the whole experience was a VISION — the disciples were given a foretaste of the kingdom of God in power. They saw, in a VISION, the time when Christ, Moses and Elijah would be powerful God beings in the Kingdom of God. Elijah and Moses are not glorified yet, as Hebrews 11:39-40 explains.They will receive the promise of eternal life and glory in the kingdom of God at the time of Christ’s return — not before then.

Some believe that Elijah was alive at the time of Christ, in the person of John the Baptist. Although Christ said that John the Baptist was the Elijah to come (Matthew 17:12-13), other Scriptures explain that John had come in the spirit and the power of Elijah (Luke 1:17) — not that he was the reincarnated Elijah, or that Elijah had never died and that he appeared now as John the Baptist (Note, too, that John was BORN as a little baby to Zacharias and Elizabeth).

To quote from the Worldwide Church of God’s booklet, “Where are Enoch and Elijah?”, copyright 1957, 1973:

“Luke said that John was ‘in the spirit and power of Elijah,’ NOT that he was literally Elijah. That Elijah had died centuries before. But John the Baptist was empowered by the same spirit which had guided the Elijah of old to point Israel’s eyes to the true God, and for much the same purpose.”

Some believe that Elijah is still alive and that he will return, perhaps as one of the two witnesses, just prior to Christ’s Second Coming. They point at Malachi 4:5-6, stating that “I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” We also read that Christ said that in addition to John the Baptist, another Elijah “is coming first and will restore all things” (Matthew 17:11).

These Scriptures do not say that God would send, just prior to Christ’s Second Coming, the literal ancient Elijah. Rather, Christ announced that God would send someone “in the spirit and the power of Elijah,” to fulfill that prophecy.

We have long understood that the Elijah commission is given to the end-time Church of God. Mr. Armstrong, the late human leader of the Church of God, fulfilled his part of the Elijah commission, but the commission is ongoing and did not stop, when Mr. Armstrong died. The restoration of all things has not occurred yet, and it will not have been accomplished at the time of Christ’s return. It is Christ, as Acts 3:21 points out, who will restore all things, but it is His Church who will help Him fulfill this task, throughout the Millennium and beyond (Revelation 3:21; Romans 8:18-21). In any event, the Bible does not teach that the ancient literal Elijah will appear, prior to Christ’s return, to restore all things.

It is correct, however, that the two witnesses will apparently have similar powers as Moses and Elijah had (Revelation 11:3-6). This does not say, however, that the literal Moses and the literal Elijah will appear as the two witnesses; rather, the two witnesses will receive the same kind of POWER from God that God had given to ancient Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10-12) and Elijah. Note that it is reported in Scripture that Moses died; that God buried him; and that his grave is unknown (Deuteronomy 34:5-6). Again, Hebrews 11:39-40 teaches that Moses will be resurrected from the dead, at the time of Christ’s Second Coming — and not before then. This means that he cannot be one of the two witnesses. The same is obviously true, then, for Elijah — he, too, died, and awaits his resurrection from the dead. He is not one of the two witnesses, either.

To quote, in conclusion, from the above-mentioned booklet, “Where are Enoch and Elijah?”: “Elijah is dead in the dust of the earth awaiting the resurrection of the just. Elijah, some years after being removed in the whirlwind, went to the grave, but will rise again to live forevermore!”

The Spirit of Unity

On Saturday, February 14, 2004, Dave Harris will be presenting the sermon, titled, “The Spirit of Unity.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time (which is 2:30 p.m. Central Time). Just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”

What is Satan's Fate? Will he live forever, or will he cease to exist?

Much has been speculated as to the nature of Satan’s ultimate fate. From all the available Scriptures, we can safely say that Satan will not repent, nor will he cease to exist.

To begin with, we want to quote from pages 51 and 52 of our free booklet, “ Angels, Demons and the Spirit World“:

“The angels who sinned are presently in chains of darkness, to be reserved for future judgment (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). They are living today in a state of darkness. They are spiritually imprisoned by their own perversions. Sin has enslaved them. Before God frees us from sin, we, too, are slaves of sin. The same is true for Satan and his demons. They are not literally imprisoned and jailed at a certain place. Rather, they are roaming to and fro on this earth. Satan is compared to a roaring lion, walking about, to see whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8).

“Demons are waiting for their judgment. Demons asked Christ whether He had come to ‘torment’ them ‘before the time’ (Matthew 8:29). Luke 8:31 adds that they begged Christ not to command them ‘to go out into the abyss.’ At this point in time, they are not yet in that ‘abyss.’ Satan is not in it either; rather, he will be placed in it at the beginning of the Millennium (Revelation 20:1-3, 7 — the word ‘abyss’ is translated there as ‘bottomless pit.’).

“What is the ‘abyss’? The word is used in Romans 10:7, where we read, ‘Who will descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).’

“In Romans 10, the ‘abyss’ is used as an analogy in association with the dead who are buried. It is also used as an analogy in Luke 8 and in Revelation 20. When Satan and his demons will be placed in the ‘abyss’ at the beginning of the Millennium, they will be as good as dead — unable to influence and deceive the nations any longer during that time period (compare Revelation 20:3). The fact that they won’t be able to destroy others will give them spiritual torment — that is why they asked Christ whether He had come to torment them before ‘the time.’

“Satan’s spiritual torment, and that of his angels, will continue. After a time period called the Great White Throne Judgment, Satan and his demons will be cast into the lake of fire, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41). Their torment will be spiritual, as they will see all of their evil works destroyed by fire (compare 2 Peter 3:10-13), and their influence on others will be gone forever. Their final fate might be revealed in Jude 13, referring to ‘wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.’ Compare too, 2 Peter 2:17.

“God knows what is in store for them, and so do they.”

In addition to this quote from our booklet, please note the following excerpts from an old letter of the Worldwide Church of God, setting forth the long-held understanding of the Church on this subject:

“Satan and his demons are spirit beings, created with inherent immortality (see Luke 20:36). They cannot die. Paul wrote that Jesus Christ would ‘destroy’ the devil through His sacrifice (Heb. 2:14). Paul, however, was not saying that Christ will kill Satan or completely blot him out of existence. According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, the word ‘destroy’ can also mean ‘neutralize’ or ‘make subject to a crushing defeat.’ The original Greek word, ‘katargeo,’ translated as ‘destroy’ in this verse, means ‘to render inactive’ or idle.’ Notice 1 John 3:8: ‘For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the WORKS of the devil.’…

“The Bible gives us only a clue as to the nature of Satan’s punishment [after the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment]. Jude describes some as being ‘wandering stars [stars are symbols of angels], to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever’ (verse 13). Apparently, God will banish Satan and his demons from the universe. They will never again associate with or influence the glorified inhabitants of God’s realm.”

Some claim that Satan and his demons will have to die, since they sinned, and — so the argument goes — Romans 6:23 and Ezekiel 18:4 teach that the wages of sin is death, and that the soul that sins shall die. However, these and similar Scriptures apply to human beings — not to Satan and his angels. When man sinned, he incurred the death penalty. Christ died for man so that man does not have to die eternally. Romans 6:23 teaches that the wages of sin is death (for man), but that the gift of God is eternal life (for man). That is, when man repents and accepts Christ’s sacrifice, he can be spared from death. This cannot refer to spirit beings, as they ALREADY have eternal life. The wages for their sin cannot be death, and God’s gift to them, if they were to repent, would not be eternal life (since they already have it). When the Bible says that there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood (compare Hebrews 9:22), then this applies strictly to human beings, who have and who are flesh and blood.

There are several Biblical indications and hints as to what the penalty for Satan and his demons will be (compare, for example, 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 13). In the final analysis, however, we are not expressly told the specific final destination and fate of Satan and his unrepentant demons — except as to say that God has decreed that they, as spirit beings, will not die.

Some, who understand that Satan and his demons are spirit beings that cannot die, claim that God will change Satan into a man, and that He will kill Satan, once he is flesh and blood. We must understand, however, that this speculation is nowhere taught in Scripture. We read that only Jesus Christ, a Spirit being, gave up His divinity and became a human being, through the power of the Holy Spirit of God the Father. We read that Christ became the “ONLY-begotten” (John 1:14) — He was and will always be the only being who was Spirit and became flesh. (Please read, for an in-depth study of this question, our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?“) Nowhere does the Bible suggest that other spirit beings could or will become flesh in the future.

Some point at a passage in Ezekiel 28:18-19, claiming that Satan will be devoured by fire and turn to ashes. However, the context shows that God is not talking about Satan in that passage. Ezekiel 28 is first talking about a man — the “prince of Tyre” (Ezekiel 28:2), then about Satan, the “king of Tyre” (Ezekiel 28:12), who is influencing the man, and then again about Satan’s human instrument, the “prince of Tyre.” Ezekiel 28:18-29 describes the fate of the human prince of Tyre — not of Satan the devil. (For more information on this subject, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”)

Satan was created as a spirit being. Based on the Biblical revelation, God has decreed that spirit beings will not die. Please note that Lucifer, when he became Satan, was, at that time, “destroyed… from the midst of the fiery stones” (Ezekiel 28:16). He was cast out of heaven (compare Luke 10:18) — experiencing “crushing defeat.” But, he was not destroyed in the sense of being killed — as he continued to live as Satan, the adversary of God. From all the Biblical evidence revealed to us, Satan will continue to live, as a spirit being, for all eternity.

Many church organizations refer to Enoch as proof that people go to heaven to be with God. You teach that no one, except Jesus Christ, has entered heaven. How, then, is one to understand what actually happened to Enoch?

Indeed most of “orthodox Christianity” teaches the fallacious concept that humans either go to hell or to heaven upon their death. Many falsely teach, in addition, that they go to a temporary place called limbo or purgatory, when they die. However, the Bible very clearly teaches an altogether different occurrence. In answering the question about Enoch, we must first consider some fundamental Biblical teachings about death as it now relates to mankind.

Hebrews 9:27 states: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…” Ecclesiastes 3:20 confirms that everyone dies: “All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.” Psalm 89:48 concurs: “What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?” Paul also shows that all men die: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Jesus Christ also died, and He was without sin (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5). Furthermore, only Jesus has entered heaven, having been resurrected by the Father (Compare Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 8:1). Jesus said of Himself: ” ‘No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man’ ” (John 3:13 NASB Version). Martin Luther, correctly understanding the Biblical teaching on this matter, even translated John 3:13 as follows: “No one ascends into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, that is, the Son of Man” (copyright 1938). This is further explained by Paul in Ephesians 4:8-10.

Peter gave this testimony concerning David: “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29). And, less there be any confusion, Peter very precisely showed that David was not in heaven: “‘For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool'” (Acts 2:34-35). This is a prophecy that God the Father would place Jesus Christ at His own right hand for a period of time that would then be consummated with the resurrections (Compare 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 20 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

For more information regarding the question of what happens to man when he dies, please read our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

With these statements about Who has and who has not ascended into heaven, let us now examine what the Bible says concerning Enoch. Genesis 5:24 is one of the misunderstood Scriptures concerning Enoch: “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” This verse is then quoted in Hebrew 11, verse 5.

One must ask, “Do these statements made about Enoch somehow contradict the rest of Scripture, or did God make an exception in Enoch’s case?” The answer is NO on both counts!

When we read the context of Genesis 5, we find the line of Adam through Seth and the particular children who were the ones who were faithful to God. In this lineage we find the mention of Enoch, who, as verse 22 shows, was faithful to God (Compare Jude:14): “After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.” However, Enoch had already been alive for sixty-five years so that his total lifespan was 365 years — shorter by far than either his ancestors or his offspring. Also, note that these key individuals in this lineage had other sons and daughters, as well.

Exactly what the world was like before the flood came, we have only been given a few indications in the Bible. When, Noah, the great grandson of Enoch, was born, Noah’s father, Lamech, said of him: “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed” (Genesis 5:29). Also, in Genesis 6:5, we read this statement about the tragic circumstances of mankind: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Noah did not just escape the flood and save himself and his family.

Noah also “walked with God” as did his ancestors, because he is called “… a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly” (2 Peter 2:5).

Understanding that Enoch’s generation was also in rebellion to God and His laws, shows the challenge that Enoch faced. Hebrews 11:5 lists Enoch among those who were truly faithful to God: “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Now consider verse 13 of Hebrews 11: “These ALL [including Enoch, see again verse 5] DIED in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” This verse conclusively proves that Enoch, one of these faithful, died along with the others.

Genesis 5:23 also conclusively states: “ALL THE DAYS of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.” This same phrase, “all the days,” is used throughout this chapter about generations of people who died.

In speaking of Enoch, the Bible records that he “walked with God” (Genesis 5:24), and “he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Because of this and because of the rebellious society in which Enoch lived, God “took” him away, so that he “should not see death” (Hebrews 11:5, Authorized Version). God “translated” or transported him to another place on earth, in order to spare him from the second death. John 8:51 confirms that if we keep God’s word, we shall “never see death” — the second death, that is, as it is appointed to men once to die the first death (Hebrews 9:27). We do know for certain, based on the Biblical teaching and evidence, that Enoch did die at a relatively young age for his day and that he did not ascend to heaven!

Paul also said in Hebrews 11:5 that Enoch was “not found.” This does not mean that he lived on forever. Moses died, and God buried him at a secret place, and he was not found, and “no one knows his grave to this day” (Deuteronomy 34:6).

We need to both consider and believe the clear statements of Scripture. Like David and many other people who have faithfully served God, Enoch awaits the hope of the resurrection to righteousness (compare Hebrews 11:39-40), and a time in which he will indeed not see death — the second death of eternal destruction.

The Royal Family

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I don’t know what your sources for news are, but the royal family is coming to town soon and the media, for the most part, has failed to report it. This has resulted in only a very limited number hearing about the visit. Considering who this dynasty is and where they stand on the vital issues, this is really a shame.

As with most leaders they are promising what most want to hear. This really isn’t different from a lot of dignitaries out there. The difference is that this royal family is going to follow through on the plans previously laid out. How can they accomplish this when so many before them have failed? It’s because I am talking about the family of God. Christ will be returning to Earth with all power and authority (Rev 19:19-21), and He will see to it that His way is taught and observed throughout the entire world (Rom 14:11).

The great news is that They won’t be doing this alone. Right now in this present world, ruling families are quite small and exclusive. One has to be born into this group or marry into it. Interestingly enough this is the same way that we can become a part of the God family (John 3:5; Rev 19:7-9).

Right now the family of God consists of only 2 members – God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. The good news is that they are looking to add members very soon (For more information about this subject, read our booklet “God is a Family”). It will consist of those who heed His calling (John 6:44) and live according to His way of life (Mat 19:17).

What a wonderful prospect it will be, to be a part of this royal family…ruling together and ushering in an era of unparalleled peace and prosperity. NOW is the time to make the most of this valuable opportunity…if we would like to live forever and reign as kings and priests (Rev 5:10).

Could you explain the extent of the power that Christ gave in Matthew 16:19, to "bind and loose"?

Let us read, first, the passage referred to above, in context. Christ said to Peter, beginning in Matthew 16:18: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The word “Peter,” i.e., “petros” in Greek, means “a little stone.” The “rock,” on which Christ would build His church, is “petra” in Greek, meaning a solid rock. Christ was not saying here that Christ would build the church on “Peter,” but on THE ROCK — Christ Himself. It is CHRIST who is identified as “THE ROCK” in passages such as 1 Corinthians 10:4. Peter, as well as the other apostles, in addition to the prophets, are part of the foundation, but Christ is the CHIEF cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The Church is built on Christ, who is the LIVING Head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15). That is why the “gates of Hades” or “Death” cannot overcome or defeat it. Christ, as the LIVING Head of the Church — as the foundation of the Church — has overcome death, having the “key of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). Paul explains that no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is laid, which is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Unger’s Bible Handbook agrees, as follows: “”Thou art Peter [petros, a stone] and upon this rock [petra, great ledge of rock] I will build my church (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-6, where the apostle made it clear he was never to be thought of as ‘the rock’).”

The Broadman Bible commentary points out:

“In the Greek text, two forms appear in ‘you are Peter’ [Petros], and ‘on this rock’ [petra]… The masculine form, Petros [and]… the feminine form, petra… If [Peter] is the rock, it is strange that the impersonal ‘this rock’ follows the personal ‘you are.’… Although Peter and all the apostles (Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14) were in some sense the foundation upon which the church was built, the New Testament never allows this in an absolute sense. Jesus Himself is ‘the rock’ upon which the church is built… there could be a church without Peter, none without Christ. Peter is neither the head nor the foundation of the church. Jesus founded it; it stands or falls with him; and he is yet its living Lord and head.”

It is important to understand this background, if we want to understand correctly the “power to bind and loose.” We are told in Matthew 16:19, that Christ gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Our recent Q&A in Update # 121 on the “key of David” explained the meaning of the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” We pointed out that “the context shows that He was revealing to Peter and the other disciples the KNOWLEDGE as to how to enter the Kingdom of God…”

In Matthew 16:19, Christ continues to say that whatever “thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Authorized Version). So, Christ addresses Peter in this passage, as the word “thou,” a singular word, shows.

However, in Matthew 18:18, Christ does not only speak to Peter, when He says: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever YE shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever YE shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Authorized Version).” While the word “thou” (in Matthew 16:19) refers to just one person, the word “ye” (in Matthew 18:18) refers to more than one person. In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ had just explained the proper procedure regarding an unrepentant brother or sister. If he or she does not hear “the church,” that is, the ministry, “let him be unto THEE as an heathen man and a publican.” It is the church, through its ministry, which will make the decision to disassociate from such a person. Such a decision involves, of course, a judgment whether or not the person is repentant and whether or not the sins of the person are forgiven. And so, we read in John 20:22-23 (Authorized Version): “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive YE the Holy [Spirit]: Whose soever sins YE remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins YE retain, they are retained.”

The ministry has been given the authority from God, to “bind and loose,” and to “remit” and “retain” sin. It is critical that we understand correctly the scope of this authority.

When returning to Matthew 16:19, we find, in the New King James Bible, the following annotation in the margin: “Or, ‘will have been bound… will have been loosed.'”

The Ryrie Study Bible explains: “Lit., ‘shall have been bound… shall have been loosed.’ Heaven, not the apostles, initiates all binding and loosing, while the apostles announce these things. In John 20:22-23 sins are in view; here, things (i.e., practices). An example of the apostles’ binding practices on people is found in Acts 15:20.”

The New American Standard Bible translates Matthew 16:19, as follows: “…and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Similarly the New Testament by Charles Williams: “… and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary points out:

“‘Shall be bound’ (estai dedemenon) and ‘shall be loosed’ (estai lelumenon) may not be precise translations of the Greek tenses behind them. In each case the Greek tense is a periphrastic form of the future perfect passive. Possibly they should be rendered ‘shall have been bound’ and ‘shall have been loosed,’ although many grammarians would call this pedantic. If the force of the future perfect tense holds here, the meaning would be somewhat altered. This would suggest not that the action on earth would be ratified in heaven but that it is anticipated in heaven. In other words, earth follows heaven, not the reverse.”

Regarding John 20:23, the Ryrie Study Bible states: “Since only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7), the disciples and the Church are here given the authority to declare what God does when a man either accepts or rejects His Son.” We might also add that Christ had announced to them that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and discernment, and enables especially the ministry, when used correctly, to ascertain whether a person is repentant or not.

Although Christ was talking, at that time, to Peter and the other apostles, it is clear that His statements were not just limited to them. Christ stated in Matthew 28:20 that the early apostles were to teach all the disciples “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world [or better: end of this age or civilization].” Christ included with His statement the church throughout the ages, until the very time of His return. Therefore, He did not restrict the authority to “bind and loose” just to His apostles of the very first century.

The Nelson Study Bible comments on Matthew 16:19 and on Matthew 18:18: “In rabbinical literature, binding and loosing refers to what was permitted or not permitted. So this passage may refer to judgments that Peter [and the other apostles] would make about what would be permitted or forbidden in the church… As in [Matthew] 16:19, the tenses [in Matthew 18:18] imply that what is loosed or bound on earth will have been determined already in heaven. In other words, this is a promise of divine direction…”

Jamiesson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible, states regarding Matthew 18:18: “Here, what had been granted but a short time before to Peter only… is plainly extended to all the Twelve; so that… it means nothing peculiar to Peter, far less to his pretended successors at Rome. It has to do with admission and rejection from the membership of the Church.”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, agrees and adds the following remarks: “The promise does not of course mean that God will be bound by anything that Peter says (cf. Gal. 2:11), but that things done according to the will of Christ will have binding validity…. Judicial rulings, like the promulgation of rules of conduct, are binding.”

Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible elaborates: “The authority given to Peter is given equally to the others (see [Matthew]18:18)… God is not bound by whatever Peter may say. But anything done by the disciple in accordance with Christ’s will is to have permanent validity.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary, commenting on Matthew 18:18, explains the meaning and scope of “binding and loosing,” as follows:

“The authority to bind and loose, given to Peter in [Matthew] 16:19, is here extended to the whole church [that is, its ministry]. In [Matthew] 16:19 it seems to relate primarily to instruction, what conduct is permitted and what not [We might insert here that this would include conduct that is not clearly defined in Scripture. The Church is not permitted, however, to do away with any of God’s commandments, judgments or statutes, compare Matthew 5:17-19; James 2:10; Mark 7:6-13. Likewise, the Church is not to add prohibitions regarding conduct that the Bible permits, compare Revelation 22:18; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6]. Here [in Matthew 18:18] it relates primarily to church discipline. The periphrastic future perfect passive tense is used for bind and loose as in [Matthew] 16:19… Agreement between heaven and church is pictured. This, of course, presupposes that in undertaking the discipline of a member the church has been governed by the motive and spirit prescribed.”

In summary, Christ empowered the leadership of the Church, throughout the Church’s history and existence, to discern God’s Will regarding binding Church decisions as to what God permits and prohibits, based on His law, and who is to be excommunicated and reinstated, based on the Church leadership’s discernment of the person’s repentance and God’s forgiveness. This is not to say that Church decisions are to be considered infallible. God does not bind in heaven a Church decision which is against His Will and His Law. We are told that all of us have to GROW in the KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST (2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:13). Therefore, when God, through the power and wisdom of His Holy Spirit, clearly reveals to the Church leadership that a wrong decision was made in the past, perhaps by not fully submitting to, or understanding the Will of God, such a wrong decision must be corrected immediately.

Repentance and Forgiveness

On Saturday, January 24, 2004, Edwin Pope will be presenting the sermon, titled, “Repentance and Forgiveness – What does God require?”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”

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