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Thread: some questions I'm struggling with

  1. #76
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    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Raybob View Post
    Jesus, right now, is sitting on the 'throne of David' as King and chief cornerstone of the 3rd temple (the church). The bible plainly tells us Jesus IS Lord. John 1 tells us that in the beginning, Jesus was with YHVH, and that all things were created by Jesus.

    Since Jesus created all things, and He IS Lord, I believe all of the old testament references to saints referring to God as "Lord", I believe they were about Jesus. Jesus IS Lord. He always was Lord, in the OT. Then in the NT, YHVH sent His only son (the Lord) to live in the flesh and die for our sins. Jesus wasn't born on this earth, He was translated from the Father to Mary's womb. Yes, unto us a child is 'born', so to speak, but He was in existence way before this world was formed.
    We both know you and I disagree on certain aspects of eschatology but we both agree that Jesus is referred to as "YHWH" . This is hard to detect in Greek because the word for "LORD" is "kurios". However in the NT Per*s*h*i*tta we see plainly that everywhere in which Jesus is referred to as "Lord" it means "YHVH".
    Here is an interesting youtube video on this fact:

    The Deity of Jesus in Aramaic

    Lord,one thing I ask...use me for your glory.

  2. #77
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    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by shepherdsword View Post
    We both know you and I disagree on certain aspects of eschatology but we both agree that Jesus is referred to as "YHWH" . This is hard to detect in Greek because the word for "LORD" is "kurios". However in the NT Per*s*h*i*tta we see plainly that everywhere in which Jesus is referred to as "Lord" it means "YHVH".
    Here is an interesting youtube video on this fact:

    The Deity of Jesus in Aramaic

    Thanks for that video. Some people just don't get it, do they?

  3. #78

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by shepherdsword View Post
    We both know you and I disagree on certain aspects of eschatology but we both agree that Jesus is referred to as "YHWH" . This is hard to detect in Greek because the word for "LORD" is "kurios". However in the NT Per*s*h*i*tta we see plainly that everywhere in which Jesus is referred to as "Lord" it means "YHVH".
    Here is an interesting youtube video on this fact:...
    Nice. Thanks. :-)

  4. #79

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by shepherdsword View Post
    We both know you and I disagree on certain aspects of eschatology but we both agree that Jesus is referred to as "YHWH" . This is hard to detect in Greek because the word for "LORD" is "kurios". However in the NT Per*s*h*i*tta we see plainly that everywhere in which Jesus is referred to as "Lord" it means "YHVH".
    Here is an interesting youtube video on this fact:...
    This is absolutely wrong and I would hardly call ytube a credible source.

    The actual word YHWH does not appear in any Hebrew bible dictionaries but there is a write up on the word here

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh

    So in effect the word YHWH is the old form of the modern word Jehovah which is recorded in the bible dictionaries as the national name for God himself. Or so claimed to be only in fairly recent times.
    H3068
    יהוה
    yehôvâh
    yeh-ho-vaw'
    From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.
    To come out and just state that the name YHWH is the name for Jesus in the old testament is a very nasty and deceiving thing to do. The Word of God was called many things but never Jehovah. That name belongs to only one deity and that is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Whom we know of today as God the Father. And even then with no reference to that name in the Hebrew script there is question to its authenticity and if it was not perhaps the name of one of the many pagan gods that existed in that region at the time belonging to some other tribe of the south.

  5. #80

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    There is something I've been in prayer about the last couple of weeks. That is the idea some have of equating the word LORD in the old test. with Jesus (the Word of God) in the new.

    Been doing a light study on the subject, and decided to look up the Word of God, and Word of the Lord. It is interesting what is found..


    Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

    1Sa 3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

    1Sa 3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

    Num 22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

    2Sa 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
    2Sa 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
    2Sa 23:4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

    1Ki 13:9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

    1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

    1Ki 22:19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
    1Ki 22:20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

    1Ch 10:13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

    2Ch 12:7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

    Psa 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
    Psa 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
    Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
    Psa 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

    Psa 33:5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
    Psa 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

    Isa 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

    Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

    Jer 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

    Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

    Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
    Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

    Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
    Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
    Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

    1Jn 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

    Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

    Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

    2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

    Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

    2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
    2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
    2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
    Here is what is the truth of the matter. There is one God above all. This God is not created, but self existent. He is the God of the Jewish nation.

    H3068
    יהוה
    yehôvâh
    yeh-ho-vaw'
    From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.

    God works through His creation. It was by the Word of the LORD that all things were made, and is seen throughout the old test, and is this Word of God who was made flesh by God for the redemption back to the God above all. The Word is not the full embodiment of God, but is who He works through. All power comes from God to the Word of God who became Jesus in the new test.

    Some ask why God would work through His creation rather than just do it Himself. The answer to that is to develop companions. He made things to where mere men could relate to Him. An unseen God in relationship with a world that is seen. It was and is through His Word who He fashioned in the beginning that we are able to relate to Him, and know Him. Only through the Word of the Lord, the Word made flesh who is Jesus Christ will we know Him.

    There is no doubt of Jesus' deity. Because the LORD has worked through him, and has given him all the power of the Godhead. The word of the Lord in the OT is the word of God made flesh in the NT. That does not mean that there is not ONE above Him though. It means God works through His creation for His Will and His Purpose. The Word of God does nothing, and says nothing except what the Father (Who is God) says to do through His Spirit. The Father and the Holy Spirit are one and the same, and is by which His creation knows what His perfect will and way are. In order for this Spirit to be bestowed upon anyone seeking for reconciliation back to Him, they must come through Jesus.

  6. #81
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    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Michelle71 View Post
    There is no doubt of Jesus' deity. Because the LORD has worked through him, and has given him all the power of the Godhead. The word of the Lord in the OT is the word of God made flesh in the NT. That does not mean that there is not ONE above Him though. It means God works through His creation for His Will and His Purpose. The Word of God does nothing, and says nothing except what the Father (Who is God) says to do through His Spirit. The Father and the Holy Spirit are one and the same, and is by which His creation knows what His perfect will and way are. In order for this Spirit to be bestowed upon anyone seeking for reconciliation back to Him, they must come through Jesus.
    Amen. There is only one mediator between God and man--Jesus. He's the One who did only what He saw Papa doing. We are to walk as He walked; consequently, we are to do only what Abba is doing, and we see that via His Spirit.

    W
    Sunset remembers Eden...sunrise prophesies its return.

  7. #82

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Traveler View Post
    Michelle 71 is not promoting JW teachings.

    She is simply pointing out what the original Apostles taught as recorded in the New Testament.
    She's not answering the posts either. Hmmm....
    Last edited by LookingUp; May 9th 2012 at 08:38 PM.

  8. #83
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    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Traveler View Post
    This is absolutely wrong and I would hardly call ytube a credible source.
    Youtube isn't credible? Do you know people watch my youtube videos of amps I build, and send me up to $2000 to build them an amp. They all trust what they saw on youtube and invest their money. Youtube is not the source, it is the medium used to allow the speaker to speak. The source is the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries.

    The actual word YHWH does not appear in any Hebrew bible dictionaries but there is a write up on the word here

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh

    So in effect the word YHWH is the old form of the modern word Jehovah which is recorded in the bible dictionaries as the national name for God himself. Or so claimed to be only in fairly recent times.
    You just said, "The actual word YHWH does not appear in any Hebrew bible dictionaries", then you say, "the word YHWH is the old form of the modern word Jehovah which is recorded in the bible dictionaries". I think you should make up your mind.

    To come out and just state that the name YHWH is the name for Jesus in the old testament is a very nasty and deceiving thing to do. The Word of God was called many things but never Jehovah. That name belongs to only one deity and that is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Whom we know of today as God the Father. And even then with no reference to that name in the Hebrew script there is question to its authenticity and if it was not perhaps the name of one of the many pagan gods that existed in that region at the time belonging to some other tribe of the south.
    By your statement, you are implying that John 1:1 is not true but a lie. I don't think so.

  9. #84

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    For those who are prone to use the word "Yahweh" as The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, please read this article put together. The letters YHWH is actually something the
    Jewish Kabbalists (witchcraft) made up that is an actual pagan name they assigned to God. The real God is called I AM that I AM (Ehyeh asher Ehyeh). For your own protection and edification
    please consider this.. http://jesus-messiah.com/studies/sacred-name.html

    She's not answering the posts either. Hmmm....
    Jesus is not Yahweh. Period. I have prayerfully studied and answered everything that was asked.

  10. #85

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by cantcme2 View Post
    hey everyone, i posted this in the apologetic page but i think its the wrong place for it. i am Christian but there are some issues/questions that have kind of bothering me. if you could help me with the answers that would be great, sorry if it rambles a bit:

    1.do people who never get the chance to know Christ go to hell? the doctrine i have always heard is that only those who believe in Jesus go to heaven. if that is true, what about, for example, the tribal people in Africa who live and die never hearing about Jesus? i started thinking about this because i was talking with people about the whole subject of 'predestination', and it made me think that people who live in those areas are, in a sense, predestined to go to hell since they are born never having a chance to know Christ. if they do go to hell, why would God create some people who literally have no other option than hell? seems unfair

    2. is hell really eternal torture? i know its 'torment', but i always viewed it as mental tornment knowing that you ruined your chance for eternal life with God. the images of people in hell being tortured i have a hard time believing - it seems out of God's character to allow us to go there. i know the whole "we send ourselves there" argument, but it still seems out of His character

    3. would humans have sinned without satan's temptation in the garden? the reason i ask is the doctrine i was always told is that satan was thrown out of heaven to earth. why did God send satan to where we, his prized creation, were living? if He didnt want us to sin why send satan to where we were? or is satans 'purpose' to provide an alternative to God, similar to the book of Job?

    4. i overall struggle with the concept of the trinity. reading through the old testament God clearly says over and over that there is one God and i struggle with the three persons in one God aspect, mainly because it seems so different from anything described in the OT. i sometime think the trinity is God's manifestation in different 'realms' (father - spiritual realm, son - physical realm, holy spirit - inside humans). is there a better way to think of it?

    5. i find that often 'the water canopy'/flood is used as an answer for alot of scientific challenges against the bible. the water canopy is the pre-flood atmosphere in genesis 1:6. some examples: carbon dating isnt accurate because the water canopy/pre-flood atmosphere ages things different, skeletons of pre-evolution men (cavemen) are just the remains of the pre-flood people who lives hundreds of years, etc. are these just lazy reasons or actual explainations to these questions? thanks

    Hi cantcme2,

    Question #1: :You ask. Will people go to hell even if they never hear of Christ?

    Answer: I think Romans 10:18 answers this. But note first verse 14. Paul, having Christ in view (vs. 9) asks: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Thus Paul seems to be saying that persons cannot believe unless they they have heard of Christ.

    However, in verse 18 Paul qualifies this statement by quoting from Psalm 19. Says Paul: “But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.” Thus Paul states that creation itself is a sufficient witness of God’s power and nature, such that a man may know and trust God apart from actually hearing the name of Christ. Now I hasten to add that no man is saved apart from Christ. But I think Romans 10:18 is stating that a man has enough revelation of God’s character from nature to entrust his soul to Him. In effect, the man realizes that his own sin and the sins of others create selfishness, resulting in societal chaos. Yet when he sees creation, he realizes that only a patient and orderly God could be behind it. Yet the God of creation has not destroyed him for his trespasses. And so he trusts to the mercy of God.

    Also, it appears that Abraham first believed God apart from knowing about the work of Christ. For although Christ said that Abraham rejoiced to see his (Christ’s) day, it does not appear that when Abraham believed God’s statement about how his descendents would be as the starts of heaven, on which basis of faith God declared him righteous, that Abraham at that point knew about Christ. That would come later.

    And so, the old adage that God would send the tribesman in deepest Africa to hell despite his never having heard of Christ, is not true. Everyone is accountable for having seen God sufficiently in creation, and everyone has the possibility of being saved.

    By the way, you mentioned “predestination”. In the Bible this word always refers to the future inheritance or full conformity of the believer to the Son. It does not refer to God picking some people for hell and some for heaven.


    Question #2: You ask, Doesn’t the idea of eternal hell seem out of character for God?

    Answer: I think the short answer is No. But let me explain.

    I don’t think anyone, Christians included, can really empathize with what it is like for God to constantly sustain the form of man, and yet be rejected by him. How would you feel about providing someone life, breath, and strength, even while knowing such a person will rape or murder? This thought so repels some Christians that many take one of two positions. They either believe that somehow all the catastrophic sins by humans end up redounding to God’s glory, nonetheless (Calvinism), or else deny God’s certain foreknowledge of future events (open theism). I don’t believe either of these positions are biblical.

    My own view is that God values the ability of choice more than how the choice will be used. After all, God has had plenty of time to observe that most men are on the broad way to destruction. Yet He hasn’t seen fit to simply stop giving people the ability of choice. Moreover, God’s foreknowledge of that choice does not make him culpable in a man’s sins. The Bible says that God has made man upright, but he [man] has sought out many devices.”

    The reason I believe hell is eternal for the unbeliever is because, ironically, the unbeliever will always use the choice God gives him, to reject Him. Perhaps in general you object to the idea of hell. Perhaps you think it would be more merciful for God to annihilate such a person rather than put him to suffering. But, again, God values the ability he gives man, more than how that ability will be used. You see, if God simply annihilated the unbeliever, the charge could be brought against God that He was never really committed to that person to begin with, and so did away with him when He was displeased.

    Keep in mind, too, that though a man is in hell he has not lost his free will. He still has the ability to believe the truth. Yet he is punished on a moment by moment basis according to the foreknowledge of God, which knows that the man will disbelieve.

    In short, none of us has, like God, committed himself to the ongoing welfare of men. God continues to provide men the ability and opportunity to repent. I don't believe any will repent, but the opportunity is there. And so we really cannot stand in judgment against God. We must trust that His judgment is correct, while granting that in this life our feelings about God may sometimes betray us. However, an Old Testament example can help our feelings a bit. For mark the example of Samuel on this side of the veil of tears, whom God told to stop mourning for Saul, since God had rejected him; and see how Samuel responds so differently when he was called up from the dead. The overzealous empathy for Saul is now gone. And so Samuel asks Saul why he has bothered him [Samuel], since God Himself is not answering. Apparently, after Samuel died he seems to have gotten God’s perspective on the matter of mourning, in a way that escaped him while he was here on earth.


    Question #3: You ask if humans would have sinned apart from the influence of Satan. Also, you wonder why God would allow Satan to come to earth, since it boded ill.

    Answer: Only God knows whether Adam and Eve or other humans would have sinned apart from Satan’s influence. His influence was sufficient enough to lead one third of the angels into rebellion. I personally think he used the same basic tactic on the angels which he did on our first parents. I think he challenged the angels about God’s goodness. In effect, I imagine Satan said: “Yea, has God given you positions of power for nought? Does he not expect your worship? But refuse to worship Him now, and find out whether He really loves you unconditionally!” That is Satan's specialty--always questioning God's motive (we see this tactic in Job). I think that is why the demonic world was astonished when Christ rose from the dead. They didn't think he was that kind of selfless being, to willingly undergo the crucifixion. And now, I suppose, they either tell themselves Christ was never dead to begin with, or make some other excuse not to believe.

    At any rate, I don’t know if we have enough information from the Bible to know why Satan was allowed to come to earth. However, Satan's statement in Matthew might possibly be a clue. For he tells Jesus that if he will worship him, he will grant him all the kingdoms of the earth. Jesus rebukes Satan, but without challenging Satan’s claim per se about being steward (so to speak) of the world’s kingdoms. Perhaps the earth was placed in Satan’s charge before Satan fell, and God never removed this responsibility of stewardship from Satan. I'm not certain, though. I’m sorry I can’t provide a better answer here.


    Question #4: You ask, Is the idea of God as a trinity really biblical?

    Answer: I lean toward an unorthodox and a view opposite yours, namely, that God is really a corporate one, in which there is and always has been three co-eternal and co-equal Gods from all eternity. I’m aware of the trinitarian view and the many verses in which Elohim, which literally means Gods/gods (plural), is combined with the singular verb ("is") in the O.T., and also how Elohim is referred to by the pronouns “he”, “I”, and “me”. And, of course, there are verses in the New Testament in which e.g., the disciples were told to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name (singular) of the Father , and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. So I don’t want to press this idea too far. However, if we accept the old adage that the Old Testament is revealed in the New, and the New Testament hidden in the Old, it seems to me that the distinctiveness of the Persons of the Godhead is emphasized at least as much as their Oneness in the N.T., if not more.

    For example, note that Christ said he did not come on his own, but the One [Father] who sent him is true…” This means that Christ was reluctant to come but came anyway, in obedience to the will of the Father and to the benefit of us humans. Note here that it would be nonsensical to say that one could send himself. Anyway, Christ's obedience points to his selflessness. But not only of Christ's, but also of the Father's. For John tells us that the Father GAVE his only begotten Son for the sins of the world. We forget how painful this must have been for the Father to give up his Son. And note further that the motive of the Father in sending the Son was to glorify the Son. And the Son’s motive was to glorify the Father. And we are also told by Jesus that when the Spirit would come, He would not speak of Himself, but of what he heard (i.e., of the Father and of the Son). And so, none of the three Persons have a motive to glorify Himself as a Person. When I point this out to unbelievers, I have noticed that it always gives them pause. It seems they have never considered God's selflessness. Of course, Elohim does insist on his ideals, and so is self-oriented in this sense. But as Persons, they do not seek to glorify themselves.

    Note, here, that Calvinists tell a different story. To them it’s all about God glorifying Himself as the Creator, blah, blah, blah. The Calvinistic description is of a totally egotistical and self-interested, narcissistic God. For this reason it seems to me that if God really were One being, then to that extent He could be charged with selfishness. That just doesn’t sit well with me; nor do I think there's biblical support for the Calvinist view. I also don’t think typical Trinitarians have so firm a footing on the issue as they think. Although this idea of the Godhead consisting of Three beings isn't an issue I might press, I would urge translations of the Bible that would faithfully render quid pro quo the words Elowaw/God (singular) and Elohim/Gods (plural). "In the beginning Gods is creating the heavens and the earth." That's actually what Genesis 1:1 says.

    I think we have done great disservice in issuing translations that diminish the fact that Christ is God. Imagine if Elohim were translated hundreds of times as "Gods" instead of "God" in the O.T. By the time one reached the N.T. he would certainly be more open to the idea that Christ could be God. And so, I say, let commentator opinions about "Elohim" representing "majesty" remain in the margins, and render in translation the Scriptures as they should be. Unfortunately, we translate the Old Testament as if we think God didn't know any better when he used the word "Elohim" hundereds (thousands?) of times.


    Question #5: You ask, Are creationist explanations just lazy?

    Answer: Some, at least, are not. For example, I think of the work of Jack Cuozzo (sp?), the New Jersey orthodontist who was granted the rare privilege of handling the Neanderthal skulls in the famous French Museum that houses them. When putting the jawbone together in proper occlusion with the skull, an act Cuozzo did automatically as an orthodontist, he found to his astonishment that the skull didn’t appear at all like the museum replication on the half-man/half-ape on display in the public Museum. Taking careful measurements of the skull, Cuozzo ultimately concluded that evolutionary explanations were faulty. For Cuozzo consulted with his son (or son-in-law) at MIT, who found that, like all us humans today, whose skulls grow outward and longer with age, that the Neanderthal skulls matched the ages of patriarchs like Job, if one assumed the same rate of growth as today. In other words, if people today would live 250, 300, and 400 years old, and assuming their skulls continued to grow in the same proportion as today, their skulls would look like the Neanderthal skulls that Cuozzo examined. And so Cuozzo reasonably concludes that these skulls in the French Museum belonged to persons living between the Noahic and Abrahamic eras, when the ages in years were often in the lower to mid-hundreds.

    I first heard of Cuozzo’s work on James Kennedy’s radio program. I didn’t realize that he was a close friend of a man who shortly afterward happened to be my Sunday School teacher (talk about coincidence). My teacher, now in his early 80s, used to go on archaeological digs with Cuozzo. He (my teacher) is a retired dentist. Earlier in his life, he had been a dental missionary to Africa for 15 years, and had taught dental courses at Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. So he was no hack. On one particular dig with Cuozzo they discovered an ear bone fragment which my teacher believed might be part of a known female Neanderthal skeleton. He requested from the British museums a cast of the partial ear bone, and, when it arrived, he found that his bone piece fit perfectly with the ear bone piece of the female Neanderthal. Remarkably, the newly discovered fragment of ear bone showed that a surgical tool had been used to open a hole in the bone to relieve pressure on the brain. This was a practice in some ancient cultures (like Egyptian). But, of course, evolutionists do not believe Neanderthals used tools. Anyway, my teacher was excited and sent his bone to a man at the British museum for verification. Without denying that the bone fit perfectly the man cut the bone fragment in half and promptly declared it was a stone. “Of course, it was stone,” my teacher points out; “it was petrified!” You see, evolutionists will simply not grant any evidence that conflicts with their theory. And so, the real evidence in this case showed that "Neanderthal" man actually used tools. And this harmonized with Cuozzo's theory that "Neanderthals" were actually persons who lived about 4,000 to 4,500 years ago.

    Finally, re: the canopy theory, I wouldn’t shut the door on it. For the Bible does expressly state that there was space between the waters which were above and below. Also, keep in mind that other dating methods based on uniformitarianism have turned out less friendly to evolutionary theory, and so are discarded by evolutionists. Hence the appeal to carbon-14, which has its own if sometimes less frequent problems.

    Also, although Barry Setterfield's work on a decaying light speed and the red-shift is often ridiculed, I think it explains why the universe has appeared to be expanding, while, in fact, is has been shrinking. This would seem to accord with a future event predicted in the bible, about the heavens being rolled up like a scroll.
    Last edited by Daniel Gracely; May 10th 2012 at 01:18 PM.

  11. #86

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Michelle71 View Post
    For those who are prone to use the word "Yahweh" as The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, please read this article put together. The letters YHWH is actually something the
    Jewish Kabbalists (witchcraft) made up that is an actual pagan name they assigned to God. The real God is called I AM that I AM (Ehyeh asher Ehyeh). For your own protection and edification
    please consider this.. http://jesus-messiah.com/studies/sacred-name.html



    Jesus is not Yahweh. Period. I have prayerfully studied and answered everything that was asked.
    You may have prayerfully studied, but many questions have gone unanswered. But that's okay, I'm about done putting in effort with you and asking appropriate questions and having them ignored. For the record, it is not possible to prove with Scripture that Jesus was created before the beginning of creation. One must read into the text things that aren't there in order to come up with that interpretation. It doesn't matter how many verses you string together and point to and say, "Aha, Jesus was created by Yahweh in the beginning...", if one verse doesn't prove it, all of them together can't prove it either.

  12. #87

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by LookingUp View Post
    You may have prayerfully studied, but many questions have gone unanswered. But that's okay, I'm about done putting in effort with you and asking appropriate questions and having them ignored. For the record, it is not possible to prove with Scripture that Jesus was created before the beginning of creation. One must read into the text things that aren't there in order to come up with that interpretation. It doesn't matter how many verses you string together and point to and say, "Aha, Jesus was created by Yahweh in the beginning...", if one verse doesn't prove it, all of them together can't prove it either.
    Well, go ahead and ignore all the scriptures "strung together" and hold to one or two out of context if you will. Yahweh didn't create Jesus, because that word is a fallacy and is actually the name of a Canaanite diety.
    My God is above this Yahweh entity. And He used the Word of God fashioned before the foundation of the world. The Word of God became flesh as Jesus Christ. It is in Him that I place my trust for redemption back to
    the True God.

    No worries though. It was a great experience getting deeper into the Word.

  13. #88

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Michelle71 View Post
    Well, go ahead and ignore all the scriptures "strung together" and hold to one or two out of context if you will.
    You misunderstand. There is not one Scripture that proves that God created Jesus as His first creature, so stringing anything together won't work.

    Yahweh didn't create Jesus,
    So you agree that Yahweh didn't create Jesus?

  14. #89

    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Michelle71 View Post
    My God is above this Yahweh entity.
    Just curious, when you stand before Jesus, will you say, "Take me to the Father, take me to the top, why should I stand before you?" Do you think Jesus would respond, "Don't you know me, Michelle, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Take me to the Father'? (see John 14:9)

    And He used the Word of God fashioned before the foundation of the world.
    Here you go again, making a claim that you can't back up. Just where does Scripture say that God created the "word of God"? God had to "fashion" His word? God opens His mouth and there's His word. It's His word that "fashions" things.

  15. #90
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    Re: some questions I'm struggling with

    Quote Originally Posted by Michelle71 View Post
    ... The Word of God became flesh as Jesus Christ...
    Oh Oh.. Looks like someone is ADDING words to the bible.

    And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
    (Joh 1:14)

    There is clearly no "OF GOD" added to this text, or any other translation of this text. That's not a good thing to do.

    For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
    (Rev 22:18)

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