The Bible,Ancient Text and The Spiritual World

Revelation 13:3........"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast."

This one head (A King) out of seven heads is healed of a deadly wound. I have heard some speak that this deadly wound is to the head of The King (The Antichrist). In other words they view a sword, a knife, or some other type of wound to his head as being the cause of his death. The text never reads that way at all. Of coarse he very well may have died that way, but he could have died from another type of deadly wound. It doesn't mean it had to be a wound to this Kings head......."The head is just a symbol of A King."

We know there are "Seven Heads" that are Seven Kings. Revelation 17 describes this one King who had this deadly wound as one of the seven kings (Seven Heads). This one King's death will be healed and he will ascend as the text reads........."The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit". (Revelation 17:

As scripture reads, the seven heads are also Seven Mountains just as they are Seven Kings. Mountains are used in scripture many times as symbols of Powerful Kingdoms, or Powerful Nations. Each of The Seven Kings (Seven Heads) have all had Seven Powerful Kingdoms or Powerful Nations (Seven Heads) they have ruled over. 

Revelation 17:9-11


And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.


And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.


And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

One of the Kings of the Seven Kings who once lived (That was), will die (And is not), will ascend again to live. He was one of the Seven Kings and will live once again to be numbered as The Eighth King. It also means that as he rises his Powerful Kingdom, his Powerful Nation will also rise with him.

Here are some great examples of mountains used as symbols of Kingdoms.

Daniel 2:34-35


As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.


then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.


Daniel 2:44-45


And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,


just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."

There are two different mountains spoken about in the verses. 

The Kingdom of Heaven is the first mountain. Jesus Christ is the stone removed from the Kingdom of Heaven without the work of human hands. Jesus Christ crushes the Worldly Kingdoms and establishes a New Kingdom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mcj8yH82sPU&t=2631s

This is a great question..............How were people saved in the Old Testament?

I believe from Genesis to Revelation everyone is saved by faith through the grace of God.

Well I sure hope my luck changes on this forum. I managed to get suspended from TigerDroppings over a quip about Pelosi and I took the cake causing a garden forum to shut down. I learned yet again that people would rather ignore the truth than hear it. The double standard concerning whites versus blacks in the media with the two incidents and how they were reported. Rittenhouse was vilified and the Bob Marley clone's picture wasn't shown and no mention of his race. Trump meeting with the degenerate homo's took the cake. So, yeah, I'm on a roll lately. I was surprised about the garden forum,though. What I said was fact and the surprising part was how many seemed to be offended by it. Gardening involves work and "work" is a word out of a foreign language to leftists. They'll let me back on TD after a timeout. Right and wrong seem to be reversed. I think I read that somewhere. I regret getting involved but I don't regret what I wrote. It was true.

 I went to a funeral yesterday and the preacher was a guy that I have known since he was in diapers. I don't agree with him where doctrine is concerned, but he is a good guy. He preached on HOPE. How our lives get all messed up like a Rubix cube and we try to get together and just can't do it because we just can't do it. How hope is all we have was the theme of his sermon. It really hit home for me because I am kinda' in a place of despair seeing all of the stuff going on right now. There is a war going on against the white male, as well as blacks and others who value right against wrong. The "group think " of Orwell is alive and well and ultimately the war against the white male will include all who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. The great Paradigm Shift that well heard about for years is taking place and its now out in the open. The persecution of Christians is still subtle but its now evident and the media use every opportunity to throw shade at the church world. After the service was over, I was walking to car with my wife and I understood that my hope was a little misplaced. There is no hope for America because it has begun to turn into a reprobate nation and there is no hope for a reprobate. The hope is for something better than this life and that hope can only lie in Jesus Christ.
It really pains me to see how the people of America act toward the Constitution. I won't even mention how they react to the bible. The bastard religions are to be tolerated but Christians? Nah,can't have that.
 Scarz, you answered the question of salvation in OT times. Abraham proved that faith is not by ones own actions but is a gift from God because he BELIEVED God. All those sacrifices did was to roll Gods grace forward for one year until the arrival of the Anointed One. It would shock you ( you probably already know) to see how many people actually think that the OT sacrifices were a work that allowed justification under the Law. There was no justification under the Law, yet they put themselves under the Law and at the time of Jesus that Law had been amended by the Pharisees and others that turned it into something that Jesus referred to as "your Law". The Law never saved anyone. Please allow me some slack, Researcher, if I go on a rant every now then.  I just can't tolerate things that are destroying people. I am convinced that once America abandons the Constitution, the clock starts ticking

Michael.....Sorry to hear you were banned from one of the forums you are a member of. I understand what you are going through. At some of the old forums I once was a member the Mods were always threatening to suspend or ban members. A lot of forums are nothing more than buddy ,buddy systems and if you aren't in the mix then beware of their wrath. I never got banned but they did threaten me some. It was so strange that every time I brought up the subject of hybrids, that got more negativity forced my direction than anything else.

Michael.....As you have mentioned several times in this thread as well as the first thread, the Old Testament is full of Christ (Messiah). Christ has always been there from the beginning. The only thing was he had not been born in the flesh.

No one is saved, nor have they ever been saved, by works, nor were they saved by sacrificial offerings “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). So how were they saved? BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.

In the Old Testament they looked forward to the Promise of the Deliverer who was to come, just as we today look back to the Deliverer who came.

Mike, It's just as you said on the garden forum. People don't want to hear the truth.  Don't be concerned that it was closed abruptly. It's called having  their eyes  and minds closed  to the truth.
  Thank the Lord for this forum !!     We appreciate you Researcher for the work you do running it !

bordercollie wrote:

  Thank the Lord for this forum !!     We appreciate you Researcher for the work you do running it !

I agree 100% what you wrote bordercollie. I know I also need to thank Researcher because he does a tremendous job........"Two Thumbs Way Up!!"

I've talked to some who say we can never please God. These were members on another forum that said they were Christians. To this day I have no idea why we as believing in God, having faith in God doesn't please God. In my opinion and what I read in The Bible most certainly believing and having faith is the key in Pleasing God. All anyone needs to do is read the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 and it spells it out very clearly to me.

Hebrews 11:5-6


By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.


But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We cannot please God in an unsaved position. Works outside of the new birth are of no use to us or God and to tell a spiritually dead sinner that there is something that they can do to bring about their salvation is damnable heresy and it causes them to trust in what they did rather than what Christ did, the One that did it all.
 
"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God." (John 1:13)
"For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." (Romans 9:15-16)

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Good works come only after salvation and just as Cain tried to please God by the works of his own hands our works are rejected and the work of Christ is the only one that is acceptable to God. A dead, alienated sinner cannot please God.
Those who think that they can properly repent of their own ability and savingly believe of their own faith fall into error. They trust in their own ability and not in the saving work of Jesus Christ! Is not this true of those who boast of their past sins and their turning from them? Do they not claim that they did it themselves? Repeatedly we hear this in their popular "testimony meetings." Some are willing to share the glory and admit that they had a little help from God, but even this is wicked confidence in the flesh. And do not some religionists boast of their faith as if it was some great thing worthy of reward? Faith (confidence) in my faith or in my turning to God is not ". . . the faith of God's elect." (Titus 1:1)
Paul wrote concerning true children of God, ". . . We . . . worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3). To trust in anything done in the flesh (human nature and strength) is to have "confidence in the flesh." To trust in your prayer, your baptism, your goodness, your faith or any experience you may have had is to have confidence in the flesh and not to trust in Christ. The faith and confidence of the true believer is in Christ! Those born of God trust not in rituals, sacraments, good works, their own repentance or their faith in Christ, but rather in Christ alone!

Have you never been wounded by the Word of God so that your sins have been laid bare? Have you never been lost--that is, have you seen yourself as hopelessly lost and a Hell-deserving sinner? How can you think yourself saved if you have never been lost? Jesus said, ". . . I came not to call the righteous, butsinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). If a sinner, surely the Scriptures cited in this tract have shown that you are helpless to do anything about your terrible lost condition!
Salvation is free and comes, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us . . ." (Titus 3:5). Look to Jesus Christ, who has done all things necessary and possible, "for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

Here is one post from a member that was from Canada and is a Christian. This was my whole point in my post above.....Michael.

***************************

For the vast majority of Christianity in Canada the question is virtually non-existent. IOW (In other words), it is not prevalent within the Canadian Christian culture to talk about "pleasing God".


I am curious about this ScaRZ (and any others who might respond here) perhaps you could help answer;


1. Is this question (the concept of pleasing God) a relatively common thought on the minds of evangelicals in the USA?


2. Do you find certain denominations are more prone to contemplate and talk about it, than others denominations?

***************************

Here is how I answered his questions.


I will give my thoughts........."I can not answer for evangelicals in the USA. I think as just about anything else, it all depends on who you are talking to."

Can believers please God?....."Sure they did and still can."

There is no way I as a believer have a free pass either. I do not always please God just because I'm a believer.

Can a believer not please God?......."Take no further look than David." God was certainly not pleased with David lusting after Bathsheba and following up with having her husband Uriah killed to have her for himself.

Can a believer please God?......."Did not this same David please God many times?"

Does it please God for non-believers to become believers?........"I don't see how it can't".

Once a person becomes a believer is it that they can't please God anymore?

So if I become a believer and it pleases God, why would I never be able to please God again as a believer?......."Makes no sense to me".

Some believers can sit and bear little fruit while some bear much fruit. Does bearing fruit please God?...."I certainly believe it does."

Are we not to be "Imagers of God?

Can believers please God more than some or less than some?....."Scripture certainly appears to point in this direction." Isn't it better to take those talents and build upon them or bury them in the ground?......"Which pleases God more?"

I will look at the question in the very camp of The Father and The Son. Jesus was just as much a man as you and I.........."Except as a man he never sinned as all of us have."

Did Jesus (The Son) please The Father by going to John The Baptist and being baptized?....."Sure he did".

Matthew 3:16-17


And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:


And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.


2 Peter 1:17


For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus going to the cross pleased The Father, because it was the Father's Will. Jesus wasn't about pleasing himself or doing his will. It was all about doing the Will of The Father and pleasing The Father.

Saw this tonight if you want to check it out.  It's a thread on Trump, the antichrist.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1466212244316905474.html

Quick declaration of frustration here: Any of you guys tried to hire someone to do a job for you? Everybody wants to be paid and nobody wants to work. You can't believe anything they tell you. Don't show up, lie to you. Insane times. Now, carry on....m

michael371 wrote:

Quick declaration of frustration here: Any of you guys tried to hire someone to do a job for you? Everybody wants to be paid and nobody wants to work. You can't believe anything they tell you. Don't show up, lie to you. Insane times. Now, carry on....m

 So far I've been lucky with the ones I've gotten to do work for Dad when he was alive and for myself. It's hard to put your trust in people today that's for sure. Back in the days when my Dad was brought up a man's word and a hand shake was like signing a contract of the heart. 

People today are all about the buck and don't care who they screw over. I'm a firm believer in how you treat others can bear in return either good fruit or bad fruit for your future. You may think you have gotten away clear and everything is full of roses, but one day what was so rosy will turn to thorns.

Michael371 wrote:

Any of you guys tried to hire someone to do a job for you? Everybody wants to be paid and nobody wants to work. You can't believe anything they tell you.

My philosophy on this has always been; “If you want something done right, do it yourself!” Now that I’m older and not able to always do things myself, if I hire someone I’m a tough task master and I follow them closely with a whip in one hand and their payment in the other hand and they know up front that they don’t get paid until I approve the work is satisfactory – no ifs, and's, nor buts about it. I let ‘em know this up front in writing before any work is started. If they don’t like it they are free to turn around and walk away.
 

ScaRZ wrote:

Back in the days when my Dad was brought up a man's word and a hand shake was like signing a contract of the heart.

This is no ‘back in the day’ thing for me. I am now and will always be like your dad. My word is my contract. Having said that, in today's world there is no reason for not having a written contract and signatures of both parties, especially when dealing with people you don't know well, contractors, etc. Damn shame the world has come to that.

Well, finally the guy showed up. I just don't think a man should tell someone that he will be there and then not show up without a phone call stating that he can't be there. I have always tried to back up what I tell someone and if I could fulfill what I said, then I had the courtesy to at least call and let the person know that I could be there. Today's society is just hard for me to accept.

Listening to a guy out of Oregon ( of all places ) from a church called Athey Creek this morning. This guy is a big fat, cargo shorts wearing preacher who preaches ,I think, 8 sermons every weekend at his church. He is as good of a bible teacher as you can ask for. Don't agree with his Arminian view of salvation but I don't hold it against him. The guy just has a way of teaching that is so easy to grasp, even the complicated stuff, so do yourself a favor and give him a listen. I like him because he actually gets it and ties the OT and NT events together and explains why. Few people actually get it, that there is no difference in the OT and NT. Both periods are about Gods grace and not the falsehood of dispensationalism. God saved people by grace through faith in the OT just as in the NT. By Jesus Christ, not in Lordship salvation but in the blood sacrifice for our sins. Understanding that God is not bound by time is crucial for one to dispel much of what has been taught concerning salvation. Its hard for most folks to accept and grasp that Daniel, David, Moses, etc were saved the same way that we were. By Christ.

I wrote all of that and it wasn't even why I started this post. I am keeping up what is going on with the Southern Baptist Convention and the conflict going on within due to the attempt to invoke the "woke" culture into it. There have been a whole bunch of churches leave the SBC in the last couple of years due to an internal argument concerning allowing homo's to to be admitted into membership and the pulpit. The SBC leadership has been trying to shift them toward the left for a couple of decades, but actually, the shift leftward began with the two Billy's, Sunday and Graham.

The SBC doesn't even fulfill its original charter and statement of belief. I will be willing to bet that not one member of the SBC can tell you what the original statement of faith said. I can. The SBC statement of faith read just like I believe right now. The split away due to the issue of slavery and whether former slave owners should be able to hold elected positions. What I find really suspicious is that the original Confession of Faith seem to be hidden from history and especially from its members. I will stop this post because it appears that we are getting a storm so I might lose power. I'll pick it up after it passes through and post the link for Athey Creek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQXXh9dnqlA

Agree Mike. He 's a good  preacher and so calm also a good voice. I do enjoy his sermons.  Hopefully, everyone will give him a try . 
 Yes , the storm is threatening, but may go around us here in central MS,  but everyone in it's path be careful.

The local 1st Baptist church here in our little version of Mayberry seems to have had some issues with wokeism, it seems. Several people left it and I am still not clear as to why, though I know the folks and I do know that they are great people, one is a classmate and one flew Marine One for Ronald Reagan. Very quiet,conservative people. It is none of my business and I did not hear all of the details but I do know that these folks would not have left if it was not something that was very off. That is kinda' what prompted me to write this post. It is sad that they have forgotten their roots and are shifting to left and don't know it. Here is a quote from the original C o F but it came from the work of a Baptist Historian. I read some of his work and I actually remember studying it from American History classes 45-50 years ago. Here is a quote and this is MY confession of faith and belief, also.

We believe in the doctrine of Particular Redemption, personal Election, Effectual calling, Justification by the imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ, Pardon for sins, by his atoning blood, Believer’s baptism by immersion, the Final perseverance of the Saints, the Resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

 If you told ANY member of ANY 1st Baptist that this was the foundation of their church and association, they would look at you like you had antennas sticking out of your head. I really don't understand why more don't know their own history. The two Billy's started the sharp shifting of the doctrines of the SBC from the "somebodies to the everybodies" and that you can make a "decision" for Christ or "accept Christ" without the working of the Spirit. Christ was clear on the absolute fact that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him......Period........Now, one can THINK that they accepted or made a decision of their own volition and be a saved child of the living God, but it due to mistaken understanding of the origin of that "decision". So many people misunderstand the parable of the sower and inject a form of easy believism to make it more popular. The sower is God who has the garden. He broke up and prepared the soil (you) and sowed the seed (gospel of Christ) on the prepared soil( you) as well as on the briars, rocks and unprepared soil. The seed sprouted and grew in the prepared soil(you) and didn't in the unprepared places, although it did sprout in some but withered and died because it was not prepared and ready for planting. God is sovereign and is the author and finisher of our salvation and even our faith is from Him and Him only. I need to stop because its really dark here. Researcher, I have not got shit for Fagifornia, but you do have good weather (for now) while we down here we tote bibles and dodge tornadoes, Go figure.

Read this history of the Baptist Church. The reason that I am so on the outs with the SBC is that the Baptists and their predecessors were NEVER part of the Catholic Church but have allowed catholic practices and beliefs to infiltrate the very body of Baptist beliefs and doctrines. I was going to write a lot more but I get shaky when its this dark during the daytime

https://graceonlinelibrary.org/church-history/baptists/the-rise-demise-of-calvinism-among-southern-baptists-by-tom-nettles/

Luckily, I sent the posts before my computer went wonky,even though we didn't lose power, at least not yet. Yard is under water and we had some pretty stiff breezes but my onion seedlings didn't blow over. It was so dark that I was a bit uneasy. I know some of you deal with snow blizzards and maybe brutally hot summers and other stuff, and I know researchers deals with stupidity and insanity on a daily basis,but if you have never gone through tornado season in the south, ya'll have missed out on so much fun

michael371 wrote:

 Few people actually get it, that there is no difference in the OT and NT. Both periods are about Gods grace and not the falsehood of dispensationalism. God saved people by grace through faith in the OT just as in the NT. By Jesus Christ, not in Lordship salvation but in the blood sacrifice for our sins. Understanding that God is not bound by time is crucial for one to dispel much of what has been taught concerning salvation. Its hard for most folks to accept and grasp that Daniel, David, Moses, etc were saved the same way that we were. By Christ.

 
Very well written words Michael........."Two Thumbs Way Up!!"

I’m reposting this up here from Dove’s 08 Dec. Daily. Much respect for this man.
 
10 minutes – listen – he gets it.
 

 
https://youtu.be/SzCekJGwKdM
 

Click on the link below to get the full article from Got Questions.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-seminar.html

The crowning publication of the Jesus Seminar is a work that goes through the four biblical gospels and the gospel of Thomas and proceeds to determine what Jesus truly said and taught. It divides Jesus’ words from the gospels into categories based on how likely it is that Jesus truly said them. Words in red indicate words that Jesus most likely said. Words in pink represent words that Jesus possibly said. Words in gray indicate words that Jesus likely did not say, but are close to what He might have said. Words in black represent words that Jesus definitely did not say. It is interesting to note that in this work from the Jesus Seminar there are more words in black than in red, pink, and gray combined. Almost the entire gospel of John is in black.

The "scholars" of the Jesus Seminar do not believe in the deity of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the miracles of Christ, or the substitutionary atonement death of Christ.

Well, hells bells folks. I was involved in writing a short story on xmass, the cat jumps up and knocks my mouse off and its one of those with the "back and forward" buttons on the side and it hit right on them. Gone. No, I did not use wordpad like researcher said to do. I'll try again because its kinda' online with what Scarz posted. Yeah, I know, "stupid is as stupid does, sir!"

Its never the same to try and redo something that you had on you mind and the trane of thought just never seems to be the same on the redo attempt. I am doing this on wordpad so I have no idea what the final result will look like on the forum.
 
As I child, when xmass came around, I took notice of how the gifts seem to match the econommic conditions of the families. The " Santa knows if you have been naughty or nice" was used for this purpose, I suppose. Is it strange that SANTA is an anagram for SATAN? ya' think? I grew up doing all the xmassie things that others do but I had this feeling that something was just wrong with the whole thing, but since everybody did it, there couldn't be anything wrong about it....Could there be?.....I have a cousin who gets depressed during this time of year. She is a pretty knowledgeable person on scripture that she teaches a womans class at her SBC church. I finally got her to do a little research on the history of xmass and she knows why she got depressed. There is a whole lot wrong with xmass and that little inner voice was telling her.

No where in scripture does the bible tell anyone to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, much less on December 25th which is the high holy day for pagans:we can approximate the month of Jesus’ birth to be around the time of Tishri (mid to late September). To arrive at this date, start at the conception of John the Baptist, (June), count forward six months to arrive at Gabriel’s announcement of the conception of Jesus, (December), then count forward nine more months, the time it takes for human gestation, to reach  (September), when Jesus was born, or the time of Tishri. So, why December 25th?As the pagan practices became forgotten, most of their practices, especially festive seasons, found their way in Christianity only with different meanings and purposes. One such practice is the winter solstice celebration which, from Romans’ Saturnalia to Norsemen Yule, has strongly influenced modern Christmas.

Presently, Yule is a synonym for Christmas, and yuletide refers to the Christmas season, and it has been so for many centuries. However, Yule has traditionally been a pagan celebration. Jeremiah is very clear of the custom of having an xmass tree: Jeremiah 10
2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

That is a custom straight out of the mystery Babylon religion and was incoroporated into the Roman celebration of Saturnalia and the Germanic,nd Norse pagan rituals of Yule. Just about everything that you see today is from ancient pagan practices.
Of course, you can thank catholicism for bringing this into Christianity and the church that I grew up in had no part in any type xmass celebration. Nor does it today, but take a gander around shittube and you see xmass trees in many of the churches. It was a custom of the pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be observed on that day! Again, no where are we told to celbrate this.The Romans had their own feasts around the time of the winter solstice. They celebrated the feast of Saturn (Saturlania) on the 17th of December, and festivities continued for several days afterwards. Some traditions of this popular feast were similar to the traditions of Christmas. Shops, schools, and law courts stayed closed, and people exchanged presents – especially candles, the symbols of light.
The winter solstice completed the Wheel of the Year for the pre-Christian Nordic communities. To mark this, they created huge wreaths. In some customs, the wreath was made as big as a wheel and then set on fire and rolled down a hill to wish for the Sun’s return. In others, wreaths were made to be hung at home or given as gifts to celebrate friendship and infinite goodwill and joy. To make wreaths, people would use evergreens and adorn them with berries and corns.
Ancient Norsemen believed the winter solstice was also a time where strange beings and demons wandered the earth. As such, they would tie bells in their homes and often rung them in the morning to drive away demons. The bells also helped chase away the darkness and welcome the warmer days ahead.
Elves, too featured in the celebrations, and they became a symbol of Yule as the ancient inhabitants of Scandinavia believed the Sun lived in the land of the elves. Thus they would include elvish symbols or decorations in the celebrations to coerce them to release the Sun. They were also thought to be the bearer of gifts during the season.
Yule is also associated with certain color themes. The main ones are red, green, white, silver, and Gold. Red is a color associated with prosperity and passion. It is also the color of the Holly King, one of the deities for this period. Green represents the Waxing Oak King and symbolizes life, rebirth, and renewal. White represents the hope and purity of the new light. Silver represents the moon, while Gold represents the Sun and its light.
 Mistletoe was believed to hold sacred energy, and it represents the female element. It is the perfect plant to represent winter solstice, seeing as it is lives between heaven and earth. The druids believed the green leaves represented the fertility of the Mother Goddess while the white berries represented the seed of the Forest King or Oak king. Mistletoe was also used to ward off evil and provide healing.
he holly tree represents the male element, and it is also a symbol for the Holly King. The Vikings used it to decorate windows, fireplaces, doors, and other areas around the house. It symbolized hope, and the red berries represented its potency
 Evergreens were highly valued and held sacred since they maintained their greenery even in harsh winter. This tenacity made the ancients believe that they had power over death. They represented rebirth and renewal, and the pre-Christian Norsemen used them to keep off destruction and winter demons. Evergreens were also used to encourage the Sun’s return.
IN many modern Pagan communities, an emphasis is placed on the idea of helping those in need. It’s not uncommon to attend a Pagan event in which guests are invited to donate clothing, canned goods, toiletries, books, and even pet care products. Donations are then presented to local aid groups, food pantries, libraries, and shelters. If you’re gathering up some sort of donations, good for you! Before you drop them off, why not invoke the elements to do a formal blessing of the donated items? This can be a great way to honor your deities and your Pagan community, as well as help others recognize what an important occasion it is'
Christmas carolling is pagan?
Wassailing is a lesser-known worldwide British Christmas tradition, though it’s closely related to American favorite holiday season entertainment caroling.

Wassailing and caroling have only one minor yet important distinction – wassailing involves drinking alcohol.

Funny enough, wassailing originated in pagan times as a completely different custom. Like modern wassailers, pagan wassailers used to sing and drink, but with an entirely different purpose and rituals

People wonder why they are depressed at xmass. I could go on but its time to carry my dogs out. There obviously have wrist watches on their paws. I don't think this is as good as my first one but it is on wordpad. I see there are a bunch of typos

Michael.......Your post above on Christmas got me thinking back over 25 years ago while I was at work. I had not taken part in Christmas for several years and a guy at work ask me why I did not celebrate Christmas. I began telling him why I stopped. I won't go into all that here because I've written most of what I told him in this thread before.

I had known the guy for a few years and we would talk about The Bible. He was a member of a Church and we had some very good conversations over the years. It really shocked me the way he reacted to me laying out why I no longer took part in Christmas. This guy got so mad at me......."He yelled out at me that there was no way I could be a Christian if I did not celebrate Christmas."

He ask me the question and I told him why. That was a day I will never forget as long as I have life and the brain to remember. Each person must choose a path, we can't dictate our path for someone else. 

Never ask someone a question if you don't desire their answer. It doesn't mean you will like or agree with their response.

Isaiah 30:21........"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."

This is a great verse of scripture. The voice of the conscience helps to lead us in the right direction......"If we will only listen and then follow." Our conscience can become a weak conscience if we keep turning a deaf ear to it. I believe a human can get to a certain point that we lose our conscience......."The voice after so long of the person never following the voice of reason becomes silent to them." I see it much like pressing the mute button on the remote.

Amen. That little voice has been after me all of my life. Listening to it makes things a lot easier, but the other little voice was the problem. You know, the one telling you to not listen to the Isaiah voice

michael371 wrote:

Amen. That little voice has been after me all of my life. Listening to it makes things a lot easier, but the other little voice was the problem. You know, the one telling you to not listen to the Isaiah voice

Yes!! That other little voice that whispers in your ear leads to destruction doesn't it?

Michael if you have anything of interest to lay out, please do so. Maybe it would give me something to dive into.

I am doing this on Wordpad so maybe it won't get deleted by a cat this time.
Ezekial 27 is a chpater that is fascinating to me because I think it means something beside a judgement of Tyre. As I have stated many times concerning the OT and NT,  there is a parallel event or spiritual association with it. To y way of lloking at it, Ezekial 27 and Revelation 18 could be speaking of something like that association.
In Revelation 27, the fall of Tyre iniates a cataprophic event, a domino effect, for the entire known area of civilization. Did it happen or is it a future event? Obviously, it happened with Alexander building his causeway to the new portion of Tyre that was surrounded by water. That was a major blow to the practice the interconnection of nation and trade amongst those nation.
Now, we see the destruction of Babylon as a world power. But, does it tie in with Ezekial 27? I do think that Revelation 18 and Ezekial 27 are types and shadows of one another. In Revelation 18 we see a worldwide ecconomic power structure destroyed. Now, who is behind this structure? Is it America, London, Is-Ra-El? I think the answer is "yes." To be brief, I think Ezekial 27 is a warning to the western world and Revelation 18 is the actually fall of the internation banking cartel as well as Wall Street and the worldwide affiliates.
Interesting thought on this as being a connection, many scholars suspect that anti-christ will come from the same area as the Selucid Empire that Antiochus IV came from. He was a type and shadow of the anti-christ that slew the pig on the alter in the temple and was driven out by the Maccabean Rebellion. The area of the Selucid Empire covered.At its peak the Seleucid Empire controlled Greece,Turkey, Syria, Persia, Lebannon,Cyprus, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. So, this area is very similar to what was the area controlled by ancient Assyria, which is presumed to be the area of anti-christ since he was called "the Assyrian."
Just a quick thought to throw out here since we see the USA spiraling out of control from and ecconomic standpoint. I sure am not a prophetic but after xmass, I suspect some serious further decline in our situation. Its not an "if" its a "when" now

I also see how both come together as nothing new under the sun. What was, will one day be again. We see it over and over in scripture. The circle of life as was The Walls of Jericho......."The World crumbles and falls." We certainly see in The Bible how the Exodus will repeat as Believers and Followers of Jesus Christ will one day inherit The Promise Land of a New Heaven and a New Earth.



Here is something I posted in the old thread and will repost again.

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 I can't help but see how very much alike the city of Jericho and the World at the return of Christ are. Notice how the seven trumpets are sounded and at the final seventh trumpet will follow a great shout. Also notice the words ascend up and caught up and how they are used.


Josh:6:5: And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the TRUMPET, all the people shall SHOUT with a great SHOUT; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ASCEND UP every man straight before him. 


1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the voice of the archangel, and with the TRUMP of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 


1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord IN THE AIR: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 


Josh:6:16: And it came to pass at the SEVENTH time, when the priests blew with the TRUMPETS, Joshua said unto the people, SHOUT; for the LORD hath given you the city. 


Josh:6:20: So the people SHOUTED when the priests blew with the TRUMPETS: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the TRUMPET, and the people SHOUTED with a great SHOUT, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people WENT UP into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 



Rev 10:7But in the days of the voice of the SEVENTH angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 



Just like there will be seven Angels to blow seven trumpets there were seven priest that blew seven trumpets at Jericho. 




Rv:8:2: And I saw the SEVEN angels which stood before God; and to them were given SEVEN TRUMPETS. 

Josh:6:6: And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let SEVEN priests bear SEVEN TRUMPETS of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD 

The wall and the city falling in the days of Jericho will be the crumbling of the world and the powers of Satan being destroyed, with Christ and his followers taking the Earth back.

As we have always heard....History will repeat itself. I don't think there is any doubt that the days of Jericho will be repeated again at the coming of the Lord, with the first resurrection and the meeting in the air taking place.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

The World has become a World Economy. Think of Babylon the Great as The World and a World Economy. All those merchants that have lined their pockets with Babylon the Great wealth will be weeping as it crumbles and falls. The true fat cats that have been The Adversary's pawns and have steered the population down a dead end street of no escape will receive the torment they deserve.

Daniel 11:36........"And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done."

I was reading the verse above and thought to myself, do we really see the depth of meaning to the words "Every god". The Antichrist will exalt himself over every faith and belief system that exists or has existed "outside of his estate". 

But and that is a big but......"In his estate he will honor one god, a strange god, called the god of forces." This will be a god that his fathers never knew. I have thought for years who and what this god could be. What faith and belief system is this?


Daniel 11:38-39


But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.


Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

I believe this is something the vast majority of people never think about. This is the one god that The Antichrist will not exalt himself over, one that would be familiar to him during this time, but not one that would be familiar to his fathers of the past.

There are many puzzling passages of scripture that make a person wonder about the meaning in more than a generic way of understanding it. The KJV and bad preachers are the two main reasons for this. The Elizebethian English and preachers who just gloss over things or worse, make things up because they don't understand and are too lazy to look them up. Sometimes its as easy as going a search on DuckDuckGo to find out meanings, but in the case of this passage, I will forgive anyone who doesn't come up with a precise answer. Its a bit more complicated that it seems on the surface. I THOUGHT that I would be able to answer this relatively easy just by going on memory, but I found out in the last 15 minutes that I didn't remember actually looking into this myself, but have just relied on the "accepted" and "obvious" stuff that is passed around in teaching circles.

Since its cold as a witches ......er....its cold this morning, so I can delay going outside for a while, I am going to start from scratch on this one and maybe learn something about a subject that I THOUGHT that I already knew about. The bible is an amazing collection of books that just seem to take on a new,and different life every time a person delves into it. There is more to the 'god of forces" than meets the eye. I am going to post this and then come back and edit to add to it'

Jupiter Capitolinus is the name that I keep coming up with from prominent scholars but it doesn't fit the timeline that is connected to Mathew 24 and the "abomination of Desolation" spoken of by Daniel the Prophet because the "god of forces" had already been set up by Antiochus IV. But, if Antiochus is a type and shadow of anti-christ, then maybe have something to go on. I do believe that to be true, as well as the "gods" to mean the fallen angels that were memorialized by the various pagan pantheons. I found it surprising that there are such varying opinions on the subject of the 'god of forces" and the language around that subject. Not a huge variance, but an interesting one due to how the translators arranged the words to get there in the KJV. The Septuagint reads somewhat different than the Masoretic does, so I wonder just accurate the KJV translation actually is. I don't trust the KJV  for one reason, almost half of the translators were Roman Catholics and the head translator was a bishop by the name of Lancelot Andrews. Andrews was actually an Anglican but we all know that an Anglican is just a pissed off catholic. Does it mean there was a deliberate attempt to distort the KJV? No, it just means that there was catholic influence and an that means an immediate red flag for me.



I am going to c&p some stuff that may shed some light on this passage, although it still must fir the scriptural timeline of a future event as Christ mentioned in Matt: 24.


Next to mammon, the god that is most adored in this world is the "god of force" - this Mauzzim that Antiochus so faithfully served. In illustration of the fact that seems here to be implied, that he would introduce such a god as would be a fit representative of this purpose of his life, it may be remarked that, when in Rome, where Antiochus spent his early years, he had learned to worship the Jupiter of the Capitol, and that he endeavored to introduce the worship of that foreign god into Syria. Of this fact there can be no doubt. It was one of the characteristics of Antiochus that he imitated the manners and customs of the Romans to a ridiculous extent (Diod. Sic. Frag, xxvi. 65); and it was a fact that he sent rich gifts to Rome in honor of the Jupiter worshipped there (Livy, lxii. 6), and that he purposed to erect a magnificent temple in honor of Jupiter Capitolinus in Antioch - Livy, xli. 20.
This temple, however, was not completed. It will be remembered, also, that he caused an altar to Jupiter to be erected over the altar of burnt-sacrifice in Jerusalem. It should be added, that they who apply this to Anti-christ, or the Pope, refer it to idol or image worship. Elliott (Apocalypse, iv. 153) supposes that it relates to the homage paid to the saints and martyrs under the Papacy, and says that an appellation answering to the word Mahuzzim was actually given to the departed martyrs and saints under the Papal apostasy. Thus he remarks: "As to what is said of the willful king's honoring the god Mahuzzim (a god whom his fathers knew not) in place of his ancestors' god, and the true God, it seems to me to have been well and consistently explained, by a reference to those saints, and their relics and images, which the apostasy from its first development regarded and worshipped as the Mahuzzim, or fortresses of the places where they were deposited." - Apoc. iv. 157. But all this appears forced and unnatural; and if it be not supposed that it was designed to refer to Antichrist or the Papacy, no application of the language can be found so obvious and appropriate as that which supposes that it refers to Antiochus, and to his reliance on force rather than on justice and right.
And a god whom his fathers knew not - This foreign god, Jupiter, whom he had learned to worship at Rome.
Shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones ... - That is, he shall lavish these things on building a temple for him, or on his image. This accords with the account which Livy gives (xli. 20) of the temple which he commenced at Antioch in honor of Jupiter. Livy says that, although in his conduct he was profligate, and although in many things it was supposed that he was deranged - "Quidam hand dubie insanire aiebunt" - yet that in two respects he was distinguished for having a noble mind - for his worship of the gods, and for his favor toward cities in adorning them: "In duabus tamen magnis honestisque rebus vere regius erat animus, in urbium donis, et deorum cultu." He then adds, in words that are all the commentary which we need on the passage before us: "Magnificentiae vero in deos vel Jovis Olympii ternplum Athenis, unum in terris inchoatum pro magnitudine dei, potest testis esse. Sed et Delon aris insignibus statuarumque copia exornavit; et Antiochiae Joyis capitolini magnificum templum, non laqueatum auro tantum, sed parietibus totis lamina inauratum, et alia multa in aliis locis pollicita, quia perbreve tempus regni ejus fuit, non perfecited."
And pleasant things - Margin, "things desired." That is, with ornaments, or statuary, or perhaps pictures. Compare the notes at Isaiah 2:16. e meant that the temple should be beautified and adorned in the highest degree. This temple, Livy says, he did not live to finish.

Now, think outside the box, Scarz. Constantine legalized Christianity, but he also managed to incorporate the Roman form of paganism into it with the offspring being what we know as Roman Catholicism. Could the future man of sin actually be a pope who moves the Vatican to Jerusalem? Just as Constantine did with his establishing a capital in Istanbul and re-naming it ?

More c&p stuff but interesting stuff:
He shall honour the god of forces; Mauzzim, of strengths or strong holds. The Phoenicians worshipped Mars the God of wars, which Antiochus did worship; but we are come to the Romans; and though many have conjectured several senses of this Mynem translated god of forces, yet none comes nearer than Mr. Mede, who interprets it of demons, or tutelar gods, which the Romans should worship with Christ, supposing them to be angels or saints. This is not to be thought a novel opinion, for many of the fathers say that this Mauzzim is the idol that antichrist should worship. So the meaning is, that in Christ’s seat, or place, the temple, they should worship saints and angels with Christ, as the preposition imports, together with Christ; which it is notorious they do. That which, made this place obscure was, that men generally took this strange god for an idol, which indeed the Jews call the Gentiles’ gods, and so doth the Old Testament often, because foreign to the true God, which was their God; but the true God was foreign and strange to the Romans, because their gods were idols. Therefore the philosophers called Christ Xenon daimonion, a strange god. This god they should

honour with gold, and silver, and precious stones. The Vulgate translates Mauzzim, protector, and we know too well how the Romanists adorn the churches and shrines of these their patrons and tutelar saints, Psalm 27:1 28:8 31:3. And the fathers sometimes fatally hit upon this expression at the first setting and honouring of martyrs, calling them strong holds, and strong towers of defence; but the Council Of Constantinople called them the devil’s strong holds; thus they called their images also.



Thats enough for one morning but it was a very interesting looksee. Again, one should never look at anything in the OT without consulting the Septuagint version

Michael......There are so many different thoughts on this subject of Daniel. I have studied this for years and most of the interpretations have never totally hit home for me. 

Could "Islam" be the faith and belief system....."The god of forces and the strange god." Think about the landmass that was written about in Daniel where the Kingdoms that would come and go......."The Great Image." 

Islam never came into play until around 610 AD. 

I know I believe The Antichrist will arise from this area that was once a part of Alexander the Great's Empire.

This is a subject I really love digging into.

Scarz, I am sorta' leaning to Islam being what we read about in Rev. 9 and I'll look at that later. Right now I am reading some stuff on the 11th chapter of Daniel that, so far at least, reflect my understanding of that passage. Its rare that I find anything that or anybody that I agree with 100% but so far, so good

http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Daniel11

I got a new PC up and running this morning with Windows 11. I'm going to need to learn everything about the operating system.

ScaRZ wrote:

I got a new PC up and running this morning with Windows 11. I'm going to need to learn everything about the operating system.

Scarz, Like Researcher, I still run Windows 7 because I like it, but my computer is old and its got slow and quirky like myself. I bought my wife a new computer with Windows 10 which I had avoided like the plague because all of the bugs that it had. But, I have to say, that Windows 10 is pretty damn efficient,fast and trouble-free. I use Firefox in here and I downloaded it for her and I like it. I have a secret. I get cable-satellite tv for free. I just use wifi/hmdi cable to the tv,along with a wireless mouse/keyboard and I watch any football/basketball/baseball game that I want. I watch a movie every once in a while, and my wife likes Hallmark, Discovery,etc type stuff. A good popup blocker and McAfee antivirus program protect me but I have had zero issues with malware or viruses. If Windows 11 is better than 10, I don't know if we could stand it. Windows 10 automatically set up email accounts, transferred stuff from this computer to hers without any tech support at all. Its got me thinking that I may need a need computer for myself and put this one in the bedroom since each tv needs to be a smart tv or be hooked up to a computer. You can use a phone, but we don't use a cell phone,(long story that involves the fibbies).

I don't use any microsoft browsers because Bill Gates is an evil man, but use Firefox and Brave. Brave is great because it has built-in popup blockers and it catches any PUPS that are trying to get to you

A few things have changed in Windows 11 from Windows 10, but I'm learning. I just get in and start clicking around. I like getting in and turning a lot of the junk off that I don't need and uninstalling some of the Apps that I will never use. They all have worthless bloat that needs removing.

This photo could have gone into any of a dozen threads on this forum but I think it fits in this one particularly well. We are witnessing and fighting a spiritual battle. I have no further comment on it since it speaks loudly enough for itself.

Chatter is up about the Anunnaki  if this indicates anything to you -

I've been watching some Joel Richardson videos and some of his teachings on Islam as the fourth kingdom over Rome is very interesting. Take some time to watch these short videos when you have some free time. 
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End Time Talks 7: Is the Fourth Kingdom of Daniel 2 Rome or Islam?





End Time Talks 8: Daniel 2: History or Future?

I always wonder about Islam and Revelation 9. There are a lot of stuff that makes one wonder about it. I do expect Catholicism and Islam to join forces in some manner. Or, did Rome create Islam?

I guess my favorite book of the bible has to be the book of Genesis. The entire gospel is taught in Genesis and the time of the end is choreographed in types and shadows. All of the mysteries of God are alluded to but the modern church teachings rarely comment on it. Of course the NT makes it much clearer and the book of Revelation reveals the working of Christ and who He really is. It really kinda' hurts me that so many people do not "get it" concerning the OT, and particularly the book of Genesis. Its all in there.

 How many understand that the Ark is a type and shadow of Christ? I am sure many do but I am also sure that many do not because I know some. The building of the Ark was to be done in a precise manner, the gather of all the creatures, the shutting of the door without a handle was a foretelling of the gospel. Its all about The Lord Jesus Christ.

Ya'll know what? So few people really grasp the obvious with the NT misrepresentations and misunderstandings. Look for it in the OT, but look with your spiritual eyes, and hear with your spiritual ears, not with the eyes and ears of the flesh. You guys get it, but so many in the modern era have an understanding so shallow that the gospel to them is just a mishmash of poor doctrine and false history, along with biblical nursery rhymes.

So few people understand that God is not bound by time. To God, in His surroundings, time does not exist like it does with us. The past is now, the future is now. Its hard to grasp, down right impossible, that infinity to God is like a millisecond to us.

Lol, I don't know if Moses wrote Genesis or not, but I think that I read that he did and its generally accepted he did. Whoever did write it had a direct revelation to Christ and the understanding of salvation by Christ alone.

Hows Windows 11 going Scarz? I'm trying to cut firewood and clean the garden of the brush. I have a long way to go because I have to haul the wood with a Gorilla cart up a hill because I can't get down there with my truck. The winter down here has been like March much more than November or December. I have not stopped wearing shorts yet. That will end after tomorrow with yet another tornado threat, so ya'll pray for Bordercollie and us down here because we are supposed to go from 78* to 28* in a 24 hour period or thereabouts.

michael371 wrote:

Hows Windows 11 going Scarz? 

So far I really like it. I just took my time and did a good cleanup of items I thought needed to be changed, as well as those that needed to be deleted. A lot of the Apps I will never use and I disabled or deleted them. A great amount of them startup and remain running in the background and all that does is slow down your computer. Of coarse I needed to do some tweaking in the security settings also. Microsoft most certainly doesn't need to know every move I make.