Update 70

Edwin Pope will be talking about Spiritual Growth in his sermon this Sabbath.

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

Last Sabbath, we heard a sermon about lies. It was pointed out that God cannot lie, while Satan is the author of lies. And, that man, in believing and following Satan’s deception, has brought upon himself the penalty of death.
 
We need to meditate about the fact that Satan is extremely and deceptively subtle. Most of the time, he does not confront us with blatant, bold-faced lies. Rather, they are presented to us as a mixture of truth and error.
 
When Satan approached Eve in the garden of Eden, he asked her whether God had said, correctly translated, “You shall not eat of any of the trees of the garden.” Of course, man was allowed to eat from every tree, except one. After this initial subtle approach, Satan tells Eve correctly that it is the potential of man to become God (compare Genesis 3:5). The error mixed with this true statement was Satan’s contention as to how to achieve man’s potential.
 
And so, Satan has twisted God’s truth in many different ways. It is true that the “spirit in man” goes back to God when man dies (Ecclesiastes 12:7). But the spirit in man is not a self-conscious entity that continues to “live” after man’s death. Satan, however, taught man that his “immortal soul” will go back to God, when man dies, continuing to exist on a self-conscious plane.
 
God also reveals that those who were not called in this life will be resurrected as human beings, in a second resurrection, to live again in the flesh (Revelation 20:5, 11-12; Ezekiel 37:1-14). Satan, however, proclaims a wrong teaching of a lengthy cycle of reincarnations, including new lives in the bodies of animals.
 
In Malachi 4:2, Christ is compared with the “Sun of Righteousness.” This is merely an analogy. But Satan caused unsuspecting man to actually worship the “sun,” and to later replace “sun” worship with supposed “Son” worship, while maintaining pagan concepts. That is why Christianity celebrates, allegedly in honor of the Son Jesus Christ, days like Sun-day, Christmas (the birthday of the Sun-god) or Easter (the death and subsequent resurrection of the Sun-god). [For more information about the history of the observance of Sunday, Christmas or Easter, please read or re-read our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” as well as “Europe in Prophecy: The Unfolding of End-Time Events.”] 
At the time of Christ’s First Coming, Satan had influenced the Jews to place Moses before Christ, thereby rejecting their Savior (John 1:11; 9:28; compare, too, Acts 6:11). Today, some in the Church have been pursuing the same kind of wrong idolization for Mr. Armstrong. Others reject and bad-mouth Mr. Armstrong, through whom God worked, and fall thereby into the other ditch.
 
It seems that Satan is anxious to present man with some kind of a counterfeit to God’s truth. In doing so, he often incorporates aspects of the truth and mixes them with a lot of error. Man, not firmly grounded in the truth of God, has far too often fallen for the devil’s devices.
 
Satan is still around. He is now busier than ever, knowing that he has a short time (Revelation 12:12). His foremost goal is to destroy the begotten children of God (1 Peter 5:8-9). His tactics and modus operandi have not changed that much. Today, as always, Satan presents a mixture of truth and error to God’s children, so that, if it were possible, even the elect could be deceived (compare Matthew 24:24).
 
How can we protect ourselves from Satan’s evil schemes?
 
We must be close to God, because it is only through His Spirit that we can distinguish truth from error (1 John 4:1-6). We must also embrace and love the truth. Paul tells us that in the end-time, many will fall away from the truth because they did not “receive the love of the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). In order to have the love of the truth in us, we must be convicted of it. There must be no room for doubt, when it comes to the truth.
 
Sadly, many in the Church have never reached that deep level of conviction. Rather, they have been “like children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.” (Ephesians 4:14).  Many have been those “with itching ears,” heaping up “for themselves teachers,” since they were not any longer able to “endure sound doctrine,” and in doing so, they have turned “their ears away from the truth.” (2 Timothy 4:3). They have become easy victims of Satan the devil, “having been taken captive by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26).
 
Christ has warned all of us to be very careful what we allow to enter into our hearts and minds. A little bit of error is enough to poison the whole being. There cannot be a mixture of truth and error. Satan’s teachings appear sometimes to be “very close” to the truth — but they are never close enough.
 

PRESENT AND FUTUE TORTURE — A CHILLING LOOK

From the nationalpost.com, December 3, 2002, the following accounts from a report entitled “Saddam Hussein: Crimes and Human Rights Abuses,” which was released by Britain in a 23-page document:
 
“‘Fear is Saddam’s chosen method of staying in power,’ it says.”  Continuing, “To back up that claim, the report cites Saddam’s adoption of a series of decrees establishing severe penalties–amputation, branding, cutting off of ears or other forms of mutilation–for criminal offences.

“In mid-2000, Iraq approved amputation of the tongue as a new penalty for slander or abusive remarks about Saddam or his family.  The punishment has been inflicted on political dissidents and broadcast on state television as a warning to the public.

“Reports of women suffering psychological trauma after being raped in police custody are common, it says. ‘Raping female prisoners is part of the regime’s policy.’

“Iraqi officials have also recently taken to beheading women accused of prostitution.  In October, 2000, dozens of women were killed in this way, without recourse to any judicial process.

“Swordsmen, members of a special militia created by Uday Hussein, Saddam’s elder son, carried out the sentences in front of the victims’ homes and frequently in front of their families.”
 
Although this kind of brutality seldom receives the spotlight in our daily news, it is widespread among nations held in the grips of dictatorial powers.  The world’s immediate future portends an even more wide scale application of unspeakable cruelty when the predominant nations of this world are ruled by despots.  We will experience torture to such an extent as previously unknown to mankind (Matthew 24:21). In describing the soon-coming desolation of the city of Jerusalem, Zechariah 14:2 says, “The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity.”
 
Those of God’s people who will not be protected at a special place on this earth (Revelation 12:13-14), will have to go through the great tribulation of unspeakable torture. Matthew 24:9 speaks of a time in our near future when ” ‘…they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.’ ”  Added to this stark warning is the statement in Revelation 20, verse 4: “…Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the witness to Jesus and for the word of God.” Notice, too, Revelation 6:9-11, “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
 
Modern “Babylon the Great” (Revelation 17:5) has been, and is going to be, foremost responsible for the martyrdom of the saints and others. Revelation 17:6 explains, “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” We are also told that “in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24). When the city of modern Babylon, reigning over the kings of the earth (compare Revelation 17:18), has been destroyed by God, a loud voice of a great multitude will be heard, saying, “‘… true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.'”
 
Keep these things in mind and pray even more fervently that we may be accounted worthy to escape all that will surely come to pass (Luke 21:36).
 

CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER–NOW NUMBER TWO IN CHURCH HIERARCHY

 
In a little-publicized move, Pope John Paul II confirmed on November 30 the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (75) as the new Chairman of the body of (five) cardinals at the Vatican. The German Netzeitung commented, “He is now the most likely successor of John Paul II.”
 
Some disagree with this assessment, however. Insiders state that Ratzinger does not have the goal to become the next pope. He knows, according to some “experts,” that the next pope must not be even more conservative than the present one. At the same time, Ratzinger has been described in this way, “No German has influenced the Catholic Church that much since Martin Luther.”
 
Ratzinger recently commented that it might be a “nice token,” if the next pope would be an African. He also stated some time ago that he does not believe that “the Holy Spirit selects the pope — too many proofs to the contrary exist.”
 
The Netzeitung explained that Ratzinger  is now the Number Two within the Catholic hierarchy, pointing out that the particular body of cardinals advises the pope in doctrinal and other matters, and elects his successor after his death, or in case of resignation.
 
The German Cardinal Ratzinger is known for his extremely conservative stance within the Catholic Church. As we mentioned in our last Update of November 29 (under “World News Headlines”), he recently issued a paper stating that the Catholic Church is the only true church, the “mother church,” and that all the Protestant churches are daughters who left the mother in rebellion, and who need to return to, and come under the umbrella, of the mother church (Subsequently, due to sharp protests, the pope was forced to publicly distance himself somewhat from that paper).
 

BURIAL BOX OF JAMES, BROTHER OF JESUS, FOUND?

Biblical Archeology Review reported that “an inscription has been found on an ancient bone box, called an ossuary, that reads, ‘James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.’… The Aramaic words etched on the box’s side show a cursive form of writing used only from about 10 to 70 AD… The ossuary has been dated to approximately 63 AD… The new find is also significant in that it corroborates the existence of Joseph, Jesus’ father, and James, Jesus’ brother and a leader of the early Christian church in Jerusalem. The family relationships contained on the new find helped experts ascertain that the inscription very likely refers to the Biblical James, brother of Jesus (see, for example, Matthew 13:55-56 and Galatians 1:18-19). Although all three names were common in ancient times, the statistical probability of their appearing in that combination is extremely slim. In addition, the mention of a brother is unusual — indicating that this Jesus must have been a well-known figure. Laboratory tests performed by the Geological Survey of Israel confirm that the box’s limestone comes from the Jerusalem area.”
 
Of course, as Der Spiegel Online reported, there have already been voices questioning the authenticity of the find. The implications would be too severe, otherwise. Bild Online pointed out that this “archeological sensation” would present the “first and earliest proof for the existence of Jesus outside the Bible.” It would also prove that Jesus had brothers and sisters — which is taught by the Bible and most Protestant churches, but which is rejected by the Catholic church, so as to uphold their teaching that Mary remained a virgin throughout her life.
 

The specific term, “Ancient of Days,” is used in Daniel 7:9, 13, and 22. As with the term “Yahweh” (see the Q&A in our Update of November 29), it seems to be referring to both the Father and Jesus Christ.

In Daniel 7:9-14, we read that “thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated…And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion…”

This passage identifies the Ancient of Days as the Father, and the “One like the Son of Man” as Jesus Christ, appearing before the Father in heaven after His resurrection. However, Daniel 7:21-22, when speaking of the “Ancient of Days,” seems to be talking about the returning Christ:

“…and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days CAME, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, under #6268, defines the word for “Ancient,” “at-teek,” also as “venerable.” The concept of being “ancient of days,” or “venerable,” applies both to the Father and to the Son. Note that Christ is described, in His glorified outward appearance, in the same way as the Father (Compare Daniel 7:9 with Revelation 1:14). Christ said that he who has seen the Son has seen the Father (John 12:45;14:9; compare Colossians 1:15). They are both God; They look alike;They have both lived since eternity; and They will both live forever. Truly, then, the expression “Ancient of Days” would accurately describe what the Father and the Son are.

We read in Psalm 90:1-2,4, “LORD (“Yahweh”), You have been our dwelling place in all generations, Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God… For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is passed, And like a watch in the night.”

In 2 Peter 3:8, this last passage is quoted, as follows, “But, behold, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Peter goes on to explain, in verse 9, that the “Lord is not slack concerning His promise [to return to this earth], as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us [especially referring to us Church members], not willing that any [of us] should perish but that all [called by God into His church] should come to repentance.”

Peter applies the term “Lord” in his second letter to Jesus Christ (compare 2 Peter 1:8, 11,14, 16; 2:20; 3:18). In quoting from Psalm 90, he identifies the “LORD” (“Yahweh”) in that passage with Jesus Christ as well. Christ is described in Psalm 90 as God, existing “from everlasting to everlasting.” Paul describes Christ, in Hebrews 13:8, as “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Christ identifies Himself in Revelation 1:8 as “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End… who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” This same description (“…Who was and is and is to come”) is applied, in Revelation 4:8, to the Father.

God is a Family, totally united in purpose and goal, truly “one.” God consists presently of two Beings, the Father and the Son. They are both God, “venerable,” worthy of worship. They are both called “Yahweh,” existing and having existed for all eternity, and they are apparently also both referred to as “Ancient of Days.”