2001.02.1.01 Seeking For God's Truth - The Key To Unity Created by James3 on 7/4/2019 8:09:18 PM Seeking For God's Truth - The Key To Unity
Following on from the recent messages on "God's Wrath for the Church" and "Who or What is the Remnant" it has become increasingly apparent that a MAJOR dimension of what Yahweh1 (The Lord) is doing in the world today, is to restore ALL TRUTH, to the Body of Christ (Yahshua2).
The appendix contains a selection of scriptures relating to truth.
Key scriptures include:
Yahshua2 (JESUS) IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
John 14:6
6 Jesus [Yahshua] said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (NKJ)
From this we see that Yahshua (Jesus) IS THE TRUTH, in other words, to reject truth is to reject Yahshua and, conversely, to Love Yahshua is to Love Truth. Yahshua is THE WAY to the Father and that way IS TRUTH because Yahshua IS THE TRUTH. Yahshua is THE LIFE and that life is TRUTH because Yahshua IS THE TRUTH.
Thus our future is intimately bound up with Yahshua and therefore it MUST BE BOUND UP WITH TRUTH.
If we LOVE Yahshua (Jesus), we MUST LOVE TRUTH!
The word "truth" is 225 aletheia- which Thayer defines as
1) objectively:
a) what is true in any matter under consideration
1) truly, in truth, according to truth
2) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly
b) what is true in things pertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth
1) in the greatest latitude
2) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention
c) the truth as taught in the Christian faith, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles (non-Jews) and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians
2) subjectively:
truth as a personal excellence:
that candor of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit
From this we see that TRUTH is a far reaching and all embracing concept which describes who God is in an extremely important way. If we do not have this appreciation for how far reaching God's definition of TRUTH is, we potentially miss a large amount of great importance.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH GIVEN TO GUIDE US INTO ALL TRUTH
John 16:13
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (NKJ)
The word translated "all" is 3956 pas- which Thayer defines as follows:
1) individually:
each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2) collectively:
some of all types
This word is totally inclusive, therefore it does not apply to selected truths, or only those truths which are palatable or known to us, it refers to all truths.
It is apparent from this scripture that reaching ALL TRUTH is a journey, for which we need a GUIDE. We do not get filled with the Holy Spirit and know all truth, we get filled with the Holy Spirit that He may LEAD US TOWARD all truth on a journey which will take our entire lives, no matter how diligent we are.
THOSE WHO DO NOT LOVE THE TRUTH WILL PERISH
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 states:
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (NKJ)
This passage clearly indicates that those who perish will perish because they did NOT receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. If we do not love the truth, we will perish. The love of truth is necessary that we may be saved. This love of truth IS the love of Yahshua, we cannot love Yahshua and not love truth!
Yahweh's WORD IS TRUTH
Psalm 119:160 states:
160 The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. (NKJ)
In John 17:17 Yahshua, Himself states:
17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (NKJ)
If the entirety of Yahweh's Word is truth, we dare not reject any portion of it because we do not understand it or it is unpalatable to us.
THE OPPOSITE OF TRUTH IS LIES AND SATAN IS THE FATHER OF ALL LIES
In John 8:44, Yahshua, Himself states:
44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (NKJ)
Satan is the father of lies, he has NO TRUTH, that is, SATAN IS ALL LIES, in other words, ALL LIES ORIGINATE WITH SATAN and, to the extent that we believe a lie, we are giving allegiance to Satan.
Accordingly, if we truly are seeking to serve Yahweh [The Lord] our God with ALL our heart, with ALL our soul, with ALL our strength and with ALL our mind, we must seek ALL TRUTH!
WE MUST ALL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
2 Corinthians 5:10-11 states:
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. (NKJ)
We must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ and will receive judgment according to what we have done in this life. That which we will receive if we have done wrong is of such magnitude that we are adjured to know THE TERROR OF THE LORD!
There is certainly a severe price to be paid for sin on the Day of Judgment and, surely, that price will be FAR MORE SEVERE for those who have had access to the Bible in numerous translations and access to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, than will be the case for those who have not had such access.
JUDGMENT BEGINS IN THE HOUSE OF GOD
1 Peter 4:17-18 states:
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (NKJ)
Clearly the CHURCH (US) WILL BE JUDGED FIRST and only afterwards, the unbelievers. Furthermore, Peter asserts that the righteous will be SCARCELY SAVED!! We must therefore ALL fear being found wanting on the day of Judgment. Accordingly, we must have a REVERENT FEAR OF Yahweh and Yahshua.
Yahshua HIMSELF COUNSELS US TO FEAR THE JUDGMENT OF Yahweh
Yahshua, Himself, counsels us in Matthew 10:28:
28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (NKJ)
We are enjoined to FEAR THE JUDGMENT OF THE FATHER, who alone, is able to consign our bodies and soul's to hell!
There are clearly some powerful reasons to LOVE TRUTH AND HATE LIES.
ALL LIARS WILL HAVE A PART IN THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH
Revelation 21:8 states:
8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (NKJ)
ALL LIARS SHALL have a part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. They will not necessarily remain there for eternity, but they shall be CLEANSED WITH FIRE FROM THEIR SIN!
There are therefore some VERY GOOD REASON's not to be found to be a liar on the day of judgment.
IF YOU BELIEVE A LIE YOU WILL STILL PERISH!
Proverbs 21:28 in the NIV states:
A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed for ever. (NIV)
This particular translation is only apparent in certain editions of the NIV but it was given to me by the Holy Spirit after I had specifically asked about the fate of people who believed lies.
1 Kings 13:11-32 confirms this. The passage is included in the appendix but, briefly, Yahweh sent a prophet to speak correction and told him not to eat or drink on the way. Another prophet came to him and told him that Yahweh had sent him to tell him to eat and drink with him and the first prophet believed him, but verse 18 records that the SECOND PROPHET WAS LYING! In verse 21 we see the Judgment of Yahweh which subsequently came to pass.
18 He said to him, "I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" (He was lying to him.)
19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
20 Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;
21 and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you,
22 'but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the LORD said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water," your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.'"
In other words, it does not matter if you BELIEVE A LIE told you by your father, your pastor or ANYONE ELSE, if you believe that lie and act on it, THAT SIN WILL BE CHARGED TO YOUR ACCOUNT on the day of Judgment unless you repent.
Accordingly, if someone teaches you that Yahshua changed a certain provision of the so-called "Old Testament" and, in fact He did not, if you believe that statement, which is a lie, then YOU will pay the price on the day of judgment.
By the same token, if there is an error in translation and you act on that error in translation YOU will pay the price on the day of judgment!
CONCLUSION
From the above scriptures it is a necessary conclusion that:
- If we love Yahshua (Jesus) we MUST LOVE ALL TRUTH.
- If we reverence and fear Yahweh, (The Lord) we MUST FEAR HIS JUDGMENTS.
- We CANNOT RELY ON OTHERS to define truth for us. We can listen and apply our minds and our prayers to discerning whether what they say is truth or not BUT ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT WE WILL STAND ALONE! Thus, we cannot hide behind our pastor, our favourite teacher or book, or any other source. We HAVE THE WORD OF GOD - THE BIBLE and we HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, the Spirit of Truth, to lead us into ALL TRUTH. The more we have had access to these resources, the more severely we will be judged.
As we have seen in previous writings from this ministry, there are STRONG REASONS to conclude that judgment is currently taking place in the Church and that GREAT TRIBULATION is coming on many as a consequence.
The sections that follow will seek to provide some additional perspectives on the matter of seeking truth.
WHEN THE CHURCH COMES INTO UNITY THE WORLD WILL SEE Yahshua
In John 17:22-23, Yahshua, Himself states:
22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJ)
One of the most important reasons why the earnest seeking for ALL TRUTH, led by the Holy Spirit, is so important, is that Yahshua, Himself, desires that we should be one as He and the Father are one. The recent article on the "remnant" gives greater insight into why this is important.
In particular, Yahshua indicates that the world will not believe until they see perfect unity in the Church.
THE BRIDE MUST BE WITHOUT SPOT OR BLEMISH
We read elsewhere that the Bridegroom will return for a bride without spot or blemish:
Ephesians 5:25-27:
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (NKJ)
2 Peter 3:11-14:
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (NKJ)
Since we look to the imminent return of our Saviour, it behooves us to seek to be without spot and blameless and without blemish. We must therefore seek HIS TRUTH in order to come to this place.
As I have prayed into this subject over a number of years and, as Yahweh has dealt with me on the issues around questions that I have repeatedly asked the Holy Spirit regarding scriptures that I did not understand, promises of scripture which did not seem to work and different opinions expressed to me by different believers, it has become increasingly apparent to me that LACK OF LOVE OF TRUTH is a vital component in the innumerable denominational barriers that exist.
As He has taken me to meet people from numerous denominations, and even from other faiths, He has revealed to me by His Holy Spirit people who know Him and love Him in diverse faiths and places. They don't necessarily know His name and they are frequently unable to believe that He could be "Jesus Christ" because of the innumerable atrocities committed through the ages in that name.
Readers may not be aware that a great German reformer is alleged to have said towards the end of his life that "the only good Jew is a dead Jew" and that this formed the basis on which people who called themselves "christian" participated in the atrocities of the Second World War! They may also not be aware of decisions of the Roman (Gentile) church in the centuries after Yahshua was crucified and rose again, in which decisions were actively taken to depart from generally accepted interpretations of scripture with regard to the day of the Sabbath, legislation of monogamy (a pagan rite), authorizing the murder of persons who did not accept Jesus Christ as Lord, etc, etc. The list of atrocities committed in the name of "Jesus Christ" is endless and appalling. Consequently, Jew, Moslem and Gentile cannot conceive that this man could possibly be the Messiah foretold in scripture.
Within the so-called "christian" church, we find innumerable denominations, many of which despise many other denominations and regard them as being total heretics and servants of Satan. Many will refuse to do business with those from certain other denominations or refuse to have them in their homes or speak ill of them whenever the name of that denomination is mentioned. In the process, they do not take account of the fact that they are sitting in judgment and will be judged accordingly.
In the process of being repeatedly confronted by the Spirit of Yahweh with regard to my own beliefs and prejudices, He has repeatedly placed me in situations where I have found myself in contact with those of denominations many of which are despised by many believers. In the process I have met men and women who LOVE GOD but who have some errors in what they believe and who, in turn, reject the errors that others have. BUT I have also found them to have TRUTHS WHICH I LACKED!
One of the GREATEST OBSTACLES TO EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM IS FALSE DOCTRINE AMONGST CHRISTIANS.
To understand why the Gospel of Jesus Christ has so little success with Jews and Moslems, all that is required it to sit with an open minded Jew or Moslem for half and hour and LISTEN to WHY THEY SAY JESUS CANNOT BE THE MESSIAH. If you have a revelation of what is being alluded to here, you will HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE that based on what they say, the Jesus Christ presented by the "christian church" cannot possibly be the Messiah!! There is no way that Yahshua instructed His followers to murder those who did not convert! There is also no way that He could have changed a whole variety of other commandments of Torah. Until the "christian" church reforms itself, loves the truth MORE than it's denominational traditions AND REPENTS, it will continue to be weak and ineffectual in evangelism to billions of people who have a deep revelation of truths which "christians" totally disregard.
The bottom line in the divisions that exist, whether within the Protestant denominations or between Protestant and Catholic, Jew and Christian, Moslem and Christian or even other groups, is that EACH GROUP HAS SOME TRUTH WHICH MOST OF THE OTHERS LACK and each group rejects some of the truths which most of the others have.
Thus, for example, most so-called "christian" groups accept that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He is the incarnate Son of God, that He was crucified, died and was buried and rose again on the third day. Beyond that, there is little on which there is uniform agreement and EVEN within the confines of the seemingly simple statement above, there are differences.
From that point on, the divergence becomes increasingly pronounced. A few examples may help at this point:
WATER BAPTISM BY IMMERSION
The Baptists and various other groups have a deep revelation that baptism by complete immersion in water is a vital ordinance of the faith BUT many other groups do not regard immersion in water as necessary, some regard it as an ordinance that passed away when the first apostles died. However, there is great division on this matter.
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH THE EVIDENCE OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES
Similarly, some regard the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues as a VITAL ordinance and gift of the faith. Others contend that it has passed away and that all tongues today are of the devil.
ETC
The list is endless and includes the Saturday Sabbath, the correct name of Yahweh and Yahshua, marriage doctrine, who exactly Yahshua is, supernatural healing, prophecy, the apostolic, the use of titles like "pastor", "reverend", etc, divorce, the celebration of "christmas", the ministry of deliverance, etc, etc. Interpretation of scriptures relating to "end time events" is another area of heated divergence, some preach "pre tribulation" others "post tribulation", some say it is at hand, some say it has already happened and others that it will not happen for another thousand years.
Most discussions become heated and acrimonious with each party seeking to ram their beliefs down the others throats.
The nett effect is that if two people meet and discover that both profess to believe, they will get on fine UNTIL THEY FIND SOMETHING TO DISAGREE ON. Once they find something they cannot agree on, each will defend their beliefs increasingly forcibly until a point is reached where they will become so heated they will not continue the relationship. In many cases, one or both will resort to insults and verbal abuse.
If this happens in a fellowship or assembly, a split is almost inevitable and the next thing there will be two "churches" in the same street with similar names, believing similar things but UNABLE TO AGREE on something they regard as central to their faith.
In the process, WE CARVE UP THE BODY OF CHRIST INTO SMALLER AND SMALLER GROUPS! AND, in the process we HURT our beloved Saviour!!
In simple terms, the obvious factors giving rise to these situations are:
PRIDE
People become proud of the "revelation" they have, even if that revelation is not of Yahweh, and they insist that they are correct.
LACK OF LOVE
Because people do not walk in the love spelt out in 1 Corinthians 13:4 to 8, they are easily offended and easily cut ties.
JUDGMENTALISM
These two factors give rise to a situation where people are quick to judge one another AND to condemn one another as heretics, etc.
LACK OF REVERENCE
Underlying this entire situation is a lack of revelation regarding the coming judgment and the penalties for believing lies noted above.
DEMONIC ACTIVITY
Behind all of this is massive demonic activity. Joyner, in the Final Quest reports visions in which massive demonic activity was taking place WITHIN the church. Pride and many of the other forms of behaviour that underpin division, are founded on demonic principalities and strongmen which oppress the flesh of believers. Without effective revelation AND spiritual warfare against these principalities, unity remains illusive.
THE ANSWER - LOVE Yahshua
In simple terms, if we ALL develop a love of Yahshua (Jesus) such that we desire to know ALL truth AND IF WE FEAR THE JUDGMENT SEAT such that we earnestly desire to be free of lies when we stand before the judgment seat, we will start to listen earnestly to one another if we find differences of opinion.
Furthermore, if we walk in the fullness of 1 Corinthians 13 love, (1 Corinthians 13:1‑8):
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. (NKJ)
AND, if we apply the principles of Galatians 6:1-2:
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (NKJ)
We MUST, OF NECESSITY, approach differences of interpretation of scripture WITHOUT PRIDE AND WITHOUT JUDGMENT. In particular, we need to learn to agree to disagree and THEN earnestly seek the Holy Spirit and study the Word of God for confirmation of the validity of our own and the other person's opinion. Frequently, the truth will be found between the two opinions, IF WE HAVE EARS TO HEAR!
It is vital that we all recognize that the only reason that there is so much division in the Body of Christ today is because there is SO MUCH ERROR and that, consequently, the probability is VERY HIGH that we each have considerable error.
RICK JOYNER'S VIEW OF THE "MOUNTAIN OF GOD"
In the visions reported by Rick Joyner in the book "The Final Quest", he was shown the "Mountain of God" as, essentially the Mountain of God's Truth. Different groups of believers were encamped on different ledges on the mountain, defending different truths of scripture from Satan's demonic onslaughts of lies. Many of these groups were on isolated ledges where they were hardly aware of what was going on elsewhere on "the mountain". Some had been intensely persecuted and fought viciously to defend themselves from any other believers who attempted to draw close to them.
Few, if any, had visited all the ledges (truths) on the mountain and accepted and adopted them.
The consequence of this, from Yahweh's perspective, is a rag-tag army which, for the most part, is more divided and less united than those who serve Satan.
THERE IS NOT EVEN AGREEMENT ON WHAT CONSTITUTES THE BIBLE
The Bible runs to thousands of pages and tens of thousands of verses, written by dozens of authors, describing events over thousands of years. Consequently, there are probably few, if any, people on this earth who could accurately remember AND understand every word and every verse in the Bible, EVEN IF it were a book written by men! We dare not assume that we fully comprehend the book, even taking the most simplistic view of it. Therefore, we must accept that others know parts of the book better than we do.
The Bible was written by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. It is therefore far more complex and intricate and deeper than any book that could be written by man. The Jews refer to the SEVENTY FACETS OF THE TORAH'S JEWELLED WORDS. This increases the difficulty for any single human being to fully comprehend all that is written in the Bible AND fully apply it, to the realms of the IMPOSSIBLE. We dare not ever believe we fully understand the Bible. There will ALWAYS be someone who has more in depth knowledge and experience of certain passages of scripture than we do.
Yahweh is omnipotent (more powerful than all the rest of creation), omniscient (knows ALL things) and omnipresent (present everywhere). Therefore, what He has disclosed about the things of God in the Bible is immensely complex and far beyond the capacity of the human mind to fully comprehend and grasp. We dare not believe we truly know and understand God - we may hope to have a revelation and experience of Him in some dimension which is within the limitations of our intellect and ability to comprehend. Therefore, there will always be others who know something we do not.
The current English translations of the New Testament are just that, translations. They are based on the work of men and those men have almost all worked from a Greek translation from Aramaic and Hebrew, they are therefore "second generation" translations and therefore even more prone to error.
Furthermore, there are at least two major sets of Greek manuscripts which differ from one another on well in excess of one thousand verses! In addition, there are Aramaic manuscripts, allegedly of greater age, which do not fully agree with ANY of the Greek manuscripts!
In addition, there are differences of opinion between Protestant, Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Church of the East on what constitutes the so-called "Canon of Scripture". There are a variety of other "books" of the Bible which some recognize and others reject. Our modern New Testament contains only those books on which ALL can agree.
Furthermore, there are some who believe that the fact that there are 66 books in the current English translations, where 6 is the number of man, remembering that 666 is the 'Number of the Beast', referred to in Revelation, indicates that man has tampered with the Bible and there are books missing!
In ADDITION, there are literally dozens of English translations, some based on different source manuscripts, some translated by individuals, supposedly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, others translated by committees working over decades in some cases and NONE of these translations agree fully. Some include verses others omit, others disagree on the correct translation of words and phrases. Some attribute these differences to differences in transcription of Greek or Aramaic source documents, others blame deliberate sabotage by other denominations!
The NETT EFFECT is that there are major denominational differences in some cases based primarily on DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS from the Greek Translation!
Consequently, we do NOT HAVE A DEFINITIVE BIBLE to work from.
Over and above this, some groups claim direct prophetic revelation from God in terms of how they interpret certain passages of scripture and further claim modern prophetic guidance which has given rise to further documents which are regarded as having the same or similar standing as the 'canon of scripture'.
The bottom line is that we have immense potential for difference and strife and little foundation for unity!
Yet, as we have seen, UNITY IS A REQUIREMENT OF Yahweh (The Lord)!
CONCLUSION : THE ANSWER
In simple terms, the answer to this division, to bring unity to the Body of Christ (Yahshua) would seem to include the following:
- Fear God and His Judgments.
- Love God and LOVE HIS COMMANDMENTS and seek to keep them.
- LOVE PROFOUNDLY both friends, enemies AND fellow believers.
- Recognize our human frailties and weaknesses. In particular, recognize that it is impossible for any human being to have all truth AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE CALLED TO OPERATE AS A BODY!!
- Seek to be completely delivered of pride and to be cloaked in humility. Pray to the Father to humble you and to utterly destroy ALL pride in you.
- Love your neighbour as yourself and, if you perceive him to be in error, pray for him and seek to share the truth you think you have in love and compassion.
- Constantly read the Word of God FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION perhaps at least once or even twice a year would be a good minimum.
- Constantly pray and ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT to teach you and to answer your questions regarding scriptures you don't understand or aspects which you cannot agree on with a brother or sister believer.
CALL NO MAN TEACHER. Matthew 23:8-10 states:
8 "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
9 "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10 "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. (NKJ)
Judge not that you are not judged. Matthew 7:1-3 states:
1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? (NKJ)
- Pray for those you believe are in error, AFTER YOU HAVE PRAYED FOR YOURSELF IN CASE YOU ARE IN ERROR! "Father, I ask you to show me where ever I am in error in this matter and I ask you to show ....... wherever he / she is in error in this matter." Expect God to answer you but also expect the answers to come through people and sources you have difficulty accepting.
In considering the subject of this document, it is perhaps important to recognize that there are different categories of truth. It seems to me that, if we recognize this, we will find that, in many cases, the areas on which different believers do not agree are actually not really important. In fact, it is possible that it will not require too much for 80% of believers to agree on the 20% of doctrine which REALLY IS IMPORTANT and agree to disagree on the 80% of issues that are not that important:
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH - MESSIAH HAS COME
THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH OF THE FAITH must be that the Messiah came to earth as a man, was crucified, died and was buried and rose again on the third day to purchase salvation.
If we limit ourselves to this statement, the only basis of contention with other monotheistic believers and particularly Jews and Moslems is whether the Messiah has already come or not and, if He has come, whether the man that most "Christians" know as "Jesus" the "Christ" was the Messiah. However, since this man was a Jew and not a Greek, he was probably most likely called "Yahshua" (some say Yeshua, some have other spellings) the "Messiah". It is likely to be a lot more difficult for a Jew of Moslem to believe in a man with a Greek name than in one with a Hebrew or Aramaic name.
Insofar as those who call themselves "christian" for the most part agree that there will be a "second coming" of the man we know as "Jesus Christ" (or Yahshua Messiah), it perhaps becomes less important to prove to Jews and Moslems that He has already come once, than to agree with them that He is coming! Once that point of agreement is reached, one can then discuss what He is going to do when He comes and, thereafter, hope to demonstrate that many of those things have already taken place. We MUST seek points of agreement and contact and THEN BUILD BRIDGES USING THE GOSPEL OF PEACE AND THE TRUTHS WE SHARE. We will NEVER get anywhere by condemning Jews and Moslems because they don't believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah!
AND we will never get anywhere while we reject principles of Torah which are inviolate and claim that the man Jesus Christ totally discarded things which Yahweh said would never change.
KEY BELIEF : SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY GOD
In resolving differences, the key belief must surely be that the Bible IS the Word of God.
Yahshua said in John 10:35 "... (and the Scripture cannot be broken)," (NKJ)
2 Timothy 3:14-17 states:
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NKJ)
One of the key areas of difference is that both Jew and Moslem alike have an unshakeable conviction of the sacredness of the Five Books of Moses, the Psalms and the Proverbs AND regard all the books of the Old Testament as given by God. Many Protestant "christians" seem to regard these books as obsolete or discretionary. This makes resolution of differences very difficult indeed. Many other "christians" subscribe to doctrines in terms of which Jesus changed large portions of the Torah and made them obsolete. BUT, generally, they cannot cite explicit scripture to back this up and closer investigation, tends to reveal the source is from the teachings of men and not Scripture.
Where one person regards the Bible in it's original text as inspired by God, sacred and infallible and another regards it as "just another book", resolving this difference becomes the key stumbling block to resolving ANY OTHER DISAGREEMENT.
If someone cannot accept the Bible as given by God because THEY don't understand it or agree with it, they have reduced God to the level of their understanding AND since the Bible repeatedly refers back to itself, particularly in the context of prophecy fulfilled regarding Messiah, unwillingness to accept scripture as the final authority creates great difficulty.
In simple terms, if there is a difference of opinion and that difference results from one party regarding scripture (NOT a particular translation or source document but that which was originally given by God) as infallible and the other does not, there is not much that can be achieved until this difference has been resolved.
The essential bottom line to this argument seems to be that, if the Bible is NOT what it claims to be, then it contains enough warnings about lying, etc that the entire book must then be rejected on the basis of IT'S OWN guidelines. Someone who is unable to accept the level of intellectual integrity necessary to agree that either scripture IS what it claims for itself or it is worthless and then seeks to selectively use scripture to support a particular position, does not leave much basis for resolution of differences. Apart from anything else, at that level of difference, the requirement to Love God and Love Truth is not well established. So we see that the Love of God AND Love of Truth are vital cornerstones in resolving differences and bringing unity.
This difference can perhaps only be resolved by prayer leading to divine intervention as the person who does not accept scripture must, of necessity, be ranked as being close to an unbeliever. They may have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, but they will require supernatural assurance of the validity of the Bible before they will be able to be persuaded of anything from the Bible.
In contrast, if both parties AGREE that the Bible IS the Inspired Word of God, both should be ALARMED if they cannot agree on it's interpretation. Thus, for the balance of this discourse, it is taken as a given that we are dealing with two parties who claim to believe the Bible IS Inspired by God.
This, in turn, gives rise to a wide variety of issues where there is still not agreement within the Body of Christ (Body of Messiah), but, nevertheless, the foundation for resolution of differences is theoretically present.
On this level, it is perhaps important to recognize that there are an enormous number of believers, including Jews and Moslems who ALL AGREE that the Five Books of Moses (The Torah) are Inspired by God, almost as many agree that Psalms and Proverbs are inspired by God. However, MANY regard the other books of the Jewish Bible (the Old Testament), in other words the prophets, historical accounts, etc as being subject to GREATER POTENTIAL ERROR than the Five Books of Moses, Psalms and Proverbs. This includes all devout Jews and Moslems. They will thus always turn to Moses (Torah), Psalms and Proverbs as the definitive scriptures and, in principle, this would seem to be a sound principle as the remaining books of the Old Testament are generally supportive and build on Torah and should not be looked upon as adding to or changing Torah, except in terms of aiding interpretation and application by way of examples and prophetic statements.
Many of these same people, regard the books of the "christian New Testament" in the same category as the books of the prophets, etc and, in all probability, it seems to me that this is also how God sees them.
Yahshua, Himself said in Matthew 5:17-19:
17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.
18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (NKJ)
In this passage, Yahshua indicates that He fulfils both the Torah AND the Prophets and that not one jot or tittle will pass away from Torah? till all is fulfilled. From this, it seems to me that one can conclude that Yahshua perhaps accorded higher status to the Law (Torah) than to the prophets, since the commandments are in the Torah. So we can conclude that perhaps all books of the Bible carry equal status with God but that possibly there is a basis to accord higher status to the Five Books of Moses (Torah) and Psalms and Proverbs noting that there are occasional inconsistencies within the other books. There are certain accounts within Kings and Chronicles where numbers, etc do not appear to agree, in the same way that there appear to be minor inconsistencies between the four Gospels, Acts and the Epistles. I say, "appear" because I continue to find seemingly rational explanations where additional information is brought to bear.
But, based on this brief discussion, I would like to suggest, based on personal experience, that in many cases there will enough information in the Five Books of Moses and Psalms and Proverbs to resolve most differences of opinion on matters which relate to judgment.
CRITICAL TRUTHS RELATING TO JUDGMENT
The Critical Truths, which must be dealt with, relate to the coming judgment and the penalty that is associated with judgment. In this regard, Revelation 21:8 provides a concise summary of the penalty for being found wanting on the Day of Judgment - a "part" in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone which is the Second Death, as set out above. Exactly what the "part" is, is rather less important than the fact that we are told THERE WILL BE A PART!
To better understand the basis of this judgment, we must surely turn to the TEN COMMANDMENTS in Exodus 20:1-23 as discussed in detail in the message on "The Wrath of God for the Church" which addressed the point that the church was "breaking all ten of the commandments". To summarize:
1 'You shall have no other gods before Me
2 'You shall not make for yourself any carved image
3 'You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain,
4 'Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,
5 'Honour your father and your mother,
6 'You shall not murder.
7 'You shall not commit adultery.
8 'You shall not steal.
9 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
10 'You shall not covet your neighbour's wife; and you shall not desire your neighbour's house, his field, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour's.'
We then read in verse 22 "These words Yahweh spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me."
As noted in the message on the Wrath of God, these commandments were given PERSONALLY by Yahweh AND were written in STONE, they have never been changed and they never will change.
There should be very little difficulty amongst believers, including Jews and Moslems, and, in fact, many other faiths, as to the validity of these commandments.
What exactly they mean and how to apply them is, again, a different matter and not within the intended scope of this document.
ORDINANCES OF THE FAITH
Within the Body of those who believe in Yahshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) there are a number of ordinances and sacraments, etc which start to become contentious. To list a few:
- Water baptism by immersion.
- The symbolism or otherwise of the "communion elements".
- Tithes and offerings.
- Sunday "Christian Sabbath".
- The "gifts of the Spirit", tongues, etc.
- Prophecy.
- "Christmas Day".
- etc, etc, etc there is an enormous list.
My intention here is not to raise contention, but to demonstrate points. In essence, there is a verse which indicates that salvation requires both confession of Jesus Christ as Lord AND baptism and there are numerous accounts of instances where salvation and baptism went hand in hand BUT there are those who argue that water baptism IS NOT ESSENTIAL for salvation. This has, over the years, given rise to major contention AND division. People have been thrown out of churches for being water baptised.
In the context of this discourse, this demonstrates several principles which seem important:
- Given the number of examples of water baptism by immersion in the New Testament, why would anyone want to object to it? This comes down to "if I love the truth and Jesus was baptised and many others were baptized, surely, as an act of Love towards Jesus I would WANT to bebaptized?
- On the other hand, IS DISAGREEMENT ON THIS POINT SUFFICIENT TO SEVER TIES AND REJECT ONE ANOTHER?
There does not seem to be scripture to warrant such rejection.
The point with many such issues is simply, if we cannot agree, let us agree to disagree and both pray for revelation for both of us!
RESPONSIBILITIES OF WATCHMENT
Recognize that in this matter, as in every matter of disagreement, Ezekial 33 and 3 give an important principle. Ezekial 33:7-9 states:
7 "So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.
8 "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
9 "Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. (NKJ)
In simple terms, if Yahweh has revealed a particular truth to one, that person is responsible for sharing that truth with others. Once they have shared the truth, they are free of further responsibility. In other words, if one has a truth, share it with whomever The Lord leads. PROVIDED one shares it in a loving fashion without pride or other offensive behaviour, one has discharged ones duty. Whether they accept or reject the truth one has given them is NOT ONES RESPONSIBILITY. We are NOT required to FORCE them to believe. They will be judged accordingly on the Day of Judgment but that is their responsibility, NOT yours.
Accordingly, once one has entered into a reasonable discussion and sought to address objections, etc to the best of one's ability, there is no point in further discussion AND there is generally NO REASON to sever ties with them, certainly in the area of the ordinances of the faith. One might choose not to attend meetings where they practice conduct which one truly believes to be contrary to scripture, but it does not mean that one should sever all ties with them - NOTE this refers to matters such as those cited above, NOT flagrant and clearly recognizable sin such as flagrant fornication, etc. However, most of the Body of Christ is divided over matters such as, 'is baptism by immersion absolutely critical, or not'.
Note also that were there are differences, it is frequently possible to choose to discuss certain things at times where people who do not agree are not present and such people should extend the courtesy of simply withdrawing from the discussion where something they do not agree with is discussed. However, IF all parties are truly seeking truth, this should NOT be necessary. We should be willing to listen to others who claim to have a revelation discussing their revelation because, as we listen, we may discover what it is that troubles us OR we may get the answer to a question we had not yet thought of asking and that answer may be all that is necessary for us to accept an important truth.
IF WE NEVER TALK TO PEOPLE WE DON'T AGREE WITH, HOW WILL WE EVER RESOLVE OUR DIFFERENCES? All that will happen is that both parties will continue to believe they are correct and, at best, one party will be correct BUT both parties could be materially in error!
USEFUL AND IMPORTANT GIFTS
There is much in scripture regarding the blessings of the faith, such as the gift of tongues, prophecy, healing, etc.
Again, this is a source of great division.
The same principle applies. If two people can agree that Jesus Christ is Lord, then surely they do not need to sever relations on issues like tongues, etc.
The reality is, that for those who have a revelation and personal experience of these gifts and blessings, they ARE very important and, for those who do not, they can be very disconcerting, particularly when they have witnessed them abused or misused or even where they have witnessed demonic counterfeits.
The reality is that scripture clearly warns about counterfeit miracles, etc in the last days and there ARE many demonic counterfeits around. If someone HAS experienced or witnessed some of these demonic counterfeits, they will have great difficulty accepting the reality of the true gifts. Likewise, someone who has been greatly blessed by the genuine gifts and never seen the demonic counterfeits operating, will have great difficulty in understanding the other persons point of view.
If we apply the principles of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and particularly, "believe the best of all men", we should have less difficulty with this. Again, even if we cannot agree, we should be able to agree to disagree IF both parties avoid using abusive and judgmental language.
A simple statement to the effect that "My current experience and understanding cause me to have great reservations about this ..... (subject). I will pray about it and I ask you to give me the space not to accept what you say at this time. If you truly believe that what you have told me is correct, then I ask that you pray for me that the eyes of my understanding will be opened to this" is far more in line with Jesus' teachings than some harsh judgmental statement to the effect that the other party is clearly serving Satan and is beyond redemption. Apart from anything else, at that point, even if the party expressing that opinion was in right standing before God in terms of his beliefs up to then, he then moves immediately into serious sin by judging, condemning and cursing a brother or sister in Christ and, could move rapidly into a situation of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the sin for which Yahshua said there is NO REPENTANCE. Thus, if we fear God and love the Saviour, we should not resort to this form of conduct!
APPLICATION OF SCRIPTURE
Many of the disputes arise with regard to form, ritual, process, exact interpretation of scripture, etc. The same comments as before apply. If there are two scriptures, seemingly relating to the same matter, which appear to contradict one another, then, surely, there is either a dimension that is not understood, OR there is a translation or manuscript error behind one or other verses.
Again, agreeing to disagree and handing the matter over to the Spirit of God to resolve, is the appropriate answer. There is no need for severing of relations.
INTERPRETATION OF BIBLE PROPHECY
An aspect which has been contentious since the time of Yahshua Messiah and is in the process of becoming HIGHLY contentious today, is the subject of interpretation of Bible prophecy.
For example, there are a LARGE number of high profile individuals who have interpreted scripture to indicate that the church would be "raptured" (that is, taken from the earth) in a very spectacular and visible fashion, some time between mid-1996 and January 2001. On the face of it, they were WRONG. BUT, there are indications that something DID happen during that period but it was NOT what they were expecting and it DID NOT take place in the way they were expecting.
To the extent they were mistaken, they need to repent. I was certainly mistaken in some of what I wrote and, to those who have read what I had to write with regard to Y2K and certain other aspects, I repent insofar as what I wrote contained a degree of error in terms of what did and did not happen.
The reality with regard to the fulfilment of prophecy, is that full revelation of prophecy BEFORE it is fulfilled, has seldom, if ever, been given to the church or to Israel. It is only on looking back that we can clearly see what the prophets foresaw. We are not given prophecy to build dramatic epic movies on, we are given prophecy to guide our hearts to discern what the Spirit is doing. Accordingly, if two people disagree on the interpretation of Bible prophecy, particularly when it relates to what and when, recognizing that Yahweh and Yahshua repeatedly speak in parables, there really is no basis for a falling out. If both parties walk in love and gentleness and recognize their potential to be at least partly wrong, they should have no difficulty in agreeing to disagree.
EACH BELIEVERS JOURNEY IS UNIQUE
Each of us come to the "Mountain of God", salvation, by our own unique road with it's own unique combination of knowledge and experience. Recognizing this, Yahweh charts a course for our growth "in Christ" (in Yahshua) which is tailored to the INDIVIDUAL!
By the same token, we EACH HAVE A DISTINCT AND UNIQUE CALLING! We are each being prepared for a specific destiny, each will rule a different city or counsel a different ruler on different matters in the life to come. In the present life, each will perform a specific function in the Body of Yahshua. Accordingly, each of us must be equipped with a unique set of scriptural and spiritual knowledge and experience in order to effect our calling.
Consequently, EACH OF US HAVE A DISTINCT SET OF TRUTHS. We may have much incommon with many other believers but in any group of believers we will have areas where our knowledge and experience is, OF NECESSITY, different. If we keep overlooking our points of common ground and keep harping on our points of difference, we will NEVER bring the body into unity.
If a woman has come to salvation after years of prostitution, she will have much in the way of knowledge and experience AND CALLING that will differ from a chaste woman who married as a virgin and has lived faithfully with her husband for thirty years. It will not be difficult for the chaste woman to find aspects of the ex-prostitutes life which are not in line with her own. Even if her own life is a model of Christian virtue in that area, the fact that Yahweh has not yet reformed the ex-prostitute in that area does NOT entitle the other woman to condemn her. Yahweh may leave aspects of that womans life alone for years as He seeks to heal her from the spiritual carnage of her former life, spiritual and psychological wounds which the second woman will not be able to comprehend. This example may be extreme enough and obvious enough that most of us would not fall into the trap. However, the principles apply in far more areas and far less obvious areas, than these.
EXTREME VIEWS
Another area where division is often encountered relates to extreme experiences. For example, in the case of the two women mentioned in the previous paragraph. The ex-prostitute, after years of terrible abuse may have a deeply rooted opinion that ALL men are out to take advantage of her, no man can be trusted and she may HATE all men. The chaste woman, who has lived all her life in a secure home where her husband has cherished her and loved her as Christ loves the church, and grew up in a family where her father was the same, may not be able to comprehend that ANY man could behave that way. They will have great difficulty communicating and the chaste woman will have great difficulty ministering to the ex-prostitute.
The potential for angry disputing over scriptures relating to a wife submitting to her husband in EVERYTHING between these two women will be enormous with the ex-prostitute having immense difficulty comprehending how any woman could even consider doing such a thing. She might also express herself using harsh and judgmental language, because that is the way she has lived all her life. If both parties do not have a love of the truth which exceeds the ability of their paradigms to bring division, their ability to communicate effectively will be extremely limited.
In a similar vein, the Charismatic gifts can flow in a beautiful and edifying fashion but there are also severe demonic manifestations and counterfeit gifts flowing through proud and immature people which will turn many people off the true gift. UNLESS we are prepared to accept that if there is scripture to support something, there MUST BE A GODLY solution and if the current manifestation causes people to question whether it could be God, there may WELL BE ADJUSTMENT REQUIRED, division is inevitable.
In conclusion, I hope that I have, at least to a limited extent, challenged you to recognize the importance of seeking unity, of seeking truths that others lack and, in so doing, drawing closer to God and further from Satan.
In closing, I MUST STRESS, Satan's objective is MAXIMUM DIVISION, a house divided against itself CANNOT STAND and, currently, the house of Yahshua Messiah is TERRIBLY DIVIDED and Satan is dominating the world more than at any time in history. Only through unity, in marriage, in congregations and in the body as a whole, can Satan's hold on the earth be broken.
In the days ahead, God willing, I hope to share with you some of the truths which Yahweh has been revealing to me in recent years, many of which are not widely known or understood and many of which are preserved by individual groupings that are not always widely regarded as hearing from God.
I pray that this will assist you in your quest to overcome to the end and to be found a faithful servant on that day. A wise and not a foolish virgin, a sheep and not a goat, wheat and not tares a good and not a worthless steward, etc. That you may rule and reign with Christ on a throne for eternity and not find yourself cast into outer darkness with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
May Yahweh bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you.
In the name of Yahshua Messiah of Nazareth, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Amen.
Proverbs 30:5-6 states:
5 Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (NKJ)
Isa 59:14-21
14 Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
15 So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay.
19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.
20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," says the LORD.
21 "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore." (NKJ)
1 Kings 13:11-32
11 Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.
12 And their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah.
13 Then he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it,
14 and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am."
15 Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread."
16 And he said, "I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place.
17 "For I have been told by the word of the LORD, 'You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.'"
18 He said to him, "I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" (He was lying to him.)
19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
20 Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;
21 and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you,
22 'but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the LORD said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water," your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.'"
23 So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back.
24 When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse.
25 And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse. Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
26 Now when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, "It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to him."
27 And he spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled it.
28 Then he went and found his corpse thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse nor torn the donkey.
29 And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him.
30 Then he laid the corpse in his own tomb; and they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!"
31 So it was, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, "When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.
32 "For the saying which he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass." (NKJ)
Matthew 22:16
16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. (NKJ)
Mark 12:14
14 When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? (NKJ)
Luke 20:21
21 Then they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: (NKJ)
John 1:14
14 And the Word became 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. (NKJ)
John 1:17
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (NKJ)
John 3:20-21
20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." (NKJ)
John 4:23-24
23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (NKJ)
John 8:32
32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (NKJ)
John 8:40-51
40 "But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
41 "You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father-- God."
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 "Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
45 "But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
46 "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
47 "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."
48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
50 "And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
51 "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." (NKJ)
John 14:6-7
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (NKJ)
John 14:16-17
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (NKJ)
John 15:24-27
24 "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
25 "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
27 "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (NKJ)
John 16:1-15
1 "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
2 "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
3 "And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.
4 "But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 "But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'
6 "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 "of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
11 "of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (NKJ)
John 17:1-26
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
2 "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.
3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
4 "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
5 "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7 "Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.
8 "For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
10 "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
12 "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25 "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.
26 "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (NKJ)
John 17:17
17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (NKJ)
John 17:19
19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (NKJ)
John 18:37-38
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all. (NKJ)
Acts 26:25
25 But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. (NKJ)
Romans 1:17-19
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (NKJ)
Romans 2:2
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. (NKJ)
Romans 2:1-16
1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds":
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-- indignation and wrath,
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. (NKJ)
Romans 15:8
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, (NKJ)
1 Corinthians 5:8
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (NKJ)
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (NKJ)
2 Corinthians 4:1-3
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, (NKJ)
2 Corinthians 6:4-10
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. (NKJ)
2 Corinthians 13:7-8
7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. (NKJ)
Ephesians 1:13
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (NKJ)
Ephesians 4:25
25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. (NKJ)
Ephesians 5:8-11
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. (NKJ)
Ephesians 6:14
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (NKJ)
2 Thessalonians 2:9-14
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJ)
1 Timothy 2:3-6
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, (NKJ)
1 Timothy 3:14-15
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (NKJ)
1 Timothy 6:3-5
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,
4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. (NKJ)
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (NKJ)
2 Timothy 3:6-7
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (NKJ)
2 Timothy 4:3-5
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (NKJ)
Titus 1:14
14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. (NKJ)
Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (NKJ)
James 1:17-19
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; (NKJ)
James 3:13-18
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (NKJ)
James 5:19-20
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (NKJ)
1 Peter 1:22
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (NKJ)
2 Peter 2:1-6
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; (NKJ)
1 John 1:1-10
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--
2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (NKJ)
1 John 2:3-4
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (NKJ)
1 John 2:20-22
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. (NKJ)
1 John 3:18-19
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. (NKJ)
1 John 4:6-8
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (NKJ)
1 John 5:6
6 This is He who came by water and blood-- Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. (NKJ)
2 John 1:1-4
1 THE ELDER, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,
2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. (NKJ)
3 John 1:1-4
1 THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (NKJ)
3 John 1:8
8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. (NKJ)
Psalm 119:30
30 I have chosen the way of truth; your judgments I have laid before me. (NKJ)
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth. (NKJ)
Psalm 119:151
151 You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are truth. (NKJ)
Psalm 119:160
160 The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. (NKJ)
Psalm 145:18
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. (NKJ)
Proverbs 8:7
7 For my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. (NKJ)
Proverbs 12:17
17 He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit. (NKJ)
Proverbs 14:22
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. (NKJ)
Proverbs 23:23
23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding. (NKJ)
Proverbs 29:14
14 The king who judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever. (NKJ)
Brown-Driver-Brigg's definition of
571 'emeth- (translated "truth" in Proverbs 29:14 above)
as a feminine noun:
1) firmness, faithfulness, truth
a) sureness, reliability
b) stability, continuance
c) faithfulness, reliableness
d) truth
1) as spoken
2) used of testimony and judgment
3) used of divine instruction
4) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge
5) true doctrine
as an adverb:
2) in truth, truly
Zechariah 8:19
19 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.' (NKJ)
Ezekial 18:8-9
8 If he has not exacted usury nor taken any increase, but has withdrawn his hand from iniquity and executed true judgment between man and man;
9 If he has walked in My statutes and kept My judgments faithfully-- he is just; he shall surely live!" Says the Lord GOD. (NKJ)
Daniel 8:12-15
12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?"
14 And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed."
15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. (NKJ)
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