Comments on September 15th readingsTypePad2005-09-15T06:01:00ZOne Year Biblehttps://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2005/09/september_15th_/comments/atom.xml/Ramona commented on 'September 15th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d8345fd29c53ef2005-09-16T01:38:12Z2007-08-18T15:03:10ZRamonaIsaiah 19-21:17 God is in control no matter how much we bully others to get what we want; no matter...<p>Isaiah 19-21:17</p>
<p>God is in control no matter how much we bully others to get what we want; no matter how aggressive we pursuer our wants or how many people we get to join our posse to demand by intimidation, God is still in charge. And the things we hold dear, the things that make us think we are powerful, God has this funny way of sweeping them away. Egypt relied on the Nile but God created the Nile so God controls its headwaters.</p>
<p>Of the nations that Isaiah is given messages about, most will not be completely destroyed, God seems to always leave a remnant. There are always a few left how have never “bowed their knew to Baal” (1 Kings 19:8) no matter how much we may think we are the only righteous ones left.</p>
<p>Galatians 2:1-16</p>
<p>I don’t know why, but as I read verse 15-16 [We are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15-16 NET.)] the following thoughts came in my head and I wrote them down.</p>
<p>People loot and steal because they think and fear they will not get anything except by thievery. In truth they believe they are cursed and have been denied access to the God of grace and mercy so they demand and take from others the things they feel and believe they are locked out of. With a right relationship and fellowship with the God of mercy, through Jesus Christ all their needs would be met by asking, seeking and knocking. </p>
<p>Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom! <br />
(Luke 12:32 AMP)</p>
<p>Grace and peace,<br />
Ramona<br />
</p>Vance Brown commented on 'September 15th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d8345fba2353ef2005-09-15T12:39:57Z2007-08-18T14:20:19ZVance BrownISAIAH 19 21 In that day the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians. Yes, they will know the...<p>ISAIAH 19</p>
<p>21<br />
In that day the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians. Yes, they will know the LORD and will give their sacrifices and offerings to him. They will make promises to the LORD and keep them. <br />
22<br />
The LORD will strike Egypt in a way that will bring healing. For the Egyptians will turn to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them.<br />
23<br />
In that day Egypt and Assyria will be connected by a highway. The Egyptians and Assyrians will move freely between their lands, and they will worship the same God. <br />
24<br />
And Israel will be their ally. The three will be together, and Israel will be a blessing to them. <br />
25<br />
For the LORD Almighty will say, "Blessed be Egypt, my people. Blessed be Assyria, the land I have made. Blessed be Israel, my special possession!"</p>
<p>NOTE:<br />
Notice verse 25 about the Assyrians. Endeavoring to see current history in light of Biblical reality can be very enlightening and stimulating. Think of what is happening in modern day Iraq, and the war on terror. </p>
<p>The Hebrew word for “Assyria” with its related meanings are:<br />
Hebrew word: 'Ashshuwr {ash-shoor'} or 'Ashshur {ash-shoor'}</p>
<p>Outline of Biblical Usage: Asshur or Assyria = "a step"</p>
<p>1) the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians <br />
2) the people of Assyria</p>
<p>3) the nation, Assyria <br />
4) the land, Assyria or Asshur</p>
<p>I am no Hebrew expert, but it seems that the use of “a step” relates to being the second son of Shem (perhaps a step away from being the first son). </p>
<p>However, notice that those of the true Assyrian blood are part of the lineage of Shem. Who was Shem?</p>
<p>GENESIS 5:32<br />
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. </p>
<p>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.</p>
<p>The Assyrians are the indigenous people of Mesopotamia and have a history spanning over 6700 years. Today, the Assyrians are the descendants of the ancient Assyrian Empire and one of the earliest civilizations emerging in Mesopotamia. Although the Assyrian empire ended in 612 BC, history is replete with recorded details of the continuous persistence of the Assyrian people till the present time. Assyrian civilization at one time incorporated the entire Near East most notably the area of the Fertile Crescent.<br />
The heartland of Assyria lies in present day northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and northwestern Iran. The remains of the ancient capital of Assyria, Nineveh, lie next to Mosul in northern Iraq. </p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>** FROM THIS SHORT HISTORY, I HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING NEW! </p>
<p>Did you know:<br />
* Jesus spoke the language of the Assyrians (called Syriac or Aramaic by some scholars)?.</p>
<p>* the Assyrians have been known as Christian?</p>
<p>* that they had a passion for sharing the Lord Jesus?]</p>
<p>* Chinese Christians owe part of their spiritual heritage to Assyrian Christians? </p>
<p>I did not. Consider the following:</p>
<p>Until today, the Assyrians speak a distinct Assyrian language (called Syriac or Aramaic by some scholars), the language spoken by Jesus Christ. <br />
As a Semitic language, the Assyrian language is related to Hebrew and Arabic but predates both. </p>
<p>In addition, whereas most Arabs are Muslim, Assyrians are essentially Christian.</p>
<p>=> The Assyrians were among the first to accept Christianity in the first century AD through the Apostle St. Thomas. </p>
<p>Despite the subsequent Islamic conquest of the region in the seventh century AD, <br />
=> the Assyrian Church of the East flourished and its adherents at one time numbered in the tens of millions. </p>
<p>=> Assyrian missionary zeal was unmatched and led to the first Christian missions to China, Japan, and the Philippines. The Church of the East stele in Ian, China bears testament to a thriving Assyrian Christian Church as early as in the seventh century AD.</p>
<p>There is also a clear link between “jihad” or terrorism and these early zealous Assyrian Christians:</p>
<p>A direct consequence of Assyrian adherence to the Christian faith and their missionary enterprise has been persecution, massacres, and ethnic cleansing by various waves of non-Christian neighbors which ultimately led to a decimation of the Assyrian Christian population. </p>
<p>Most recently and tragically, Great Britain invited the Assyrians as an ally in World War One. </p>
<p>The autonomous Assyrians were drawn into the conflict following successive massacres against the civilian population by forces of the Ottoman Empire consisting of Turks and Kurds. </p>
<p>=> Although many geopolitical and economic factors were involved in provoking the attacks against the Assyrian, a jihad or holy war was declared and served as the rallying cry and vehicle for marauding Turks, Kurds, and Persians. </p>
<p>Although the Muslim holy war against the Armenians is perhaps better known, over three-fourths, or 750,000 Assyrians were also killed between 1915–1918 during the Assyrian Holocaust.</p>
<p>***<br />
I apologize if history is boring to you. However, the past is imbedded in the present, together in a continual weave. </p>
<p>I am reminded of the Iraqi Christian woman within the last 2 years who pleaded with President Bush on news portion of the THE 700 CLUB. In summary, her plea to Bush was “President Bush is our brother in Christ. Mr. President, please ensure your brothers and sisters in Christ in Iraq have their right to worship and live respected.”</p>
<p>Also, there are many Iraqi people who are coming to faith in Christ during this time. WE NEED TO PRAY FOR THEM!</p>
<p>WOW!</p>
<p>I am more motivated to pray for Iraq and for what God is doing in Iraq. </p>
<p>Finally, I read a wonderful story in a magazine called “Voice of the Martyrs”, a ministry which God started through a Romanian Jew who received Jesus as Lord. His name is Richard Wurmbrand. He is with Jesus now. This magazine highlights several true stories of persecuted Christians that Christians in the West have to obtain under cover because the governments do not approve of Christianity.</p>
<p>In this magazine article, a Muslim recounts how he trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Then, he was thrown into prison and beaten for his faith. Other Muslims in prison mocked him and asked him why he would forsake Allah. He said, “I follow Jesus because Mohammed is dead, but Jesus (Isa) is alive. I do not worship a dead God.”</p>
<p>Then the Iraqi Christian in prison assured the men that they would be free in the morning because Jesus had told him so. The Muslim men mocked him and did not believe it.</p>
<p>However, the next morning, the Muslim man was kissing the feet of the Iraqi Christian. The Lord Jesus appeared to them and said, “I am freeing you from prison.” This coincided with when the American soldiers were storming this particular prison to free the prisoners!</p>
<p>**<br />
I am not trying to “politicize” Jesus by saying that everything Americans do must always be in the will of Jesus. However, it seems clear to me that there is a spiritual reality and a spiritual battle going on behind the political scenes.</p>
<p>I am motivated to pray that my faith would be as zealous as the early Assyrian Christians! I am motivated to pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ in Iraq! May God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven!</p>
<p>Vance<br />
</p>