Acts 9
1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Revelation 6
9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Revelation 8
1And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake
In the book of Acts when Saul come to know Jesus, he states Saul, Saul why are you are persecuting me.
When Saul was persecuting the Church he was persecuting Christ.
It is the same with us, when non Christian persecute us, they are persecuting Jesus and that is no small thing and the judgement is going to be great for them.
To me this verse is vital!
I want to also say that there is one bride of christ, God does not have a bride and jesus does not have a bride we are all grafted into Christ through faith
Romans 11 King James Version (KJV)
11 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
I believe in Israel 100%
Romans 11:1
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
This passage also brings up the issue of once saved always saved and who is exactly is the church.
There is a book by Kevin Swanson that is called Apostates
Apostate - The Men Who Destroyed the Christian West
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apostate-Men-Destroyed-Christian-West-ebook/dp/B00CMX3PM8
The reason is that in Romans 11 is that some of the branches were cast of and beware lest you be cast of. Some of the Israelites lost there faith.
I have struggled with passages like in 2 Thessalonians where it talks about a great apostasty before the time of the antichrist as if you believe in once saved always saved you have to believe that people who are apostates where never saved in the first place. Then how can you fall away from the faith if you were never saved in the first place.
You cannot say they were false converts. I wrestle with, if you read the book apostates as most of the people that have caused most damage to this society have had christian parents and have know the christian faith and turned away from it.
I have also personal experience of seeing many turn away from the faith, are they saved, do they know christ?
The other thing I like about this passage is that it was through the jewish blindness that christians were able to see the light of the gospel and we should witness to the jews and bring them the gospel.
Ephesians 2:11-13Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Jew and Gentile, One in Messiah
11 Therefore, keep in mind that once you””Gentiles in the flesh””were called "uncircumcision” by those called "circumcision” (which is performed on flesh by hand). 12 At that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.
Revelation 21Tree of Life Version (TLV)
A New Heaven and a New Earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.[a]
2 I also saw the holy city””the New Jerusalem””coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [b] 3 I also heard a loud voice from the throne, saying,
"Behold, the dwelling of God is among men,
and He shall tabernacle among them.
They shall be His people,
and God Himself shall be among them
and be their God.[c]
4
He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes,[d]
and death shall be no more.
Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer,
for the former things have passed away.”
5 And the One seated upon the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new!” Then He said, "Write, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 Then He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will freely give from the spring of the water of life. [e] 7 The one who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. [f] 8 But for the cowardly and faithless and detestable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars””their lot is in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem
9 Then came one of the seven angels holding the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues, and he spoke with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10 Then he carried me away in the Ruach to a great and high mountain,[g] and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God””her radiance like a most precious stone, like a jasper, sparkling like crystal. 12 She had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and above the gates twelve angels. On the gates were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of Bnei-Yisrael”” 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. [h] 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve emissaries of the Lamb.
15 The angel speaking with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls. [i] 16 The city is laid out as a square””its length the same as its width. He measured the city with the rod””12,000 stadia.[j] Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall””144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. 18 The material of the city’s wall was jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone””the first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, carnelian; the seventh, yellow topaz; the eighth; beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls””each of the gates was from a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.
22 I saw no temple in her, for its Temple is Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. [k] 24 The nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. [l] 25 Its gates shall never be shut by day,[m] for there shall be no night there! 26 And they shall bring into it the glory and honor of the nations. 27 And nothing unholy[n] shall ever enter it, nor anyone doing what is detestable or false,[o] but only those written in the Book of Life.
In new Jerusalem you have the foundation being the twelve tribes of israel and the gates being the apostles uniting jew and gentile as the bride of christ.
This is where I struggle with the fact that there are two brides , one for God and one for Christ.
Hebrews 11 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
The Faithful See from Afar
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. 2 For by it the elders received commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from anything visible.
4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. Through faith he was commended as righteous[a] when God approved of his gifts. And through faith he still speaks, although he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken so as not to see death, and he was not found because God took him.[b] For before he was taken, he was commended as pleasing to God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God. For the one who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, when warned about events not yet seen, in holy fear prepared an ark for the safety of his household. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he migrated to the land of promise as if it were foreign, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob””fellow heirs of the same promise. 10 For he was waiting for the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive[c] when she was barren and past the age, since she considered the One who had made the promise to be faithful. 12 So from one””and him as good as dead””were fathered offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and as uncountable as the sand on the seashore.[d]
13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised””but they saw them and welcomed them from afar, and they confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. [e] 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If indeed they had been thinking about where they had come from, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they yearn for a better land””that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son”” 18 the one about whom it was said, "Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” [f] 19 He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead””and in a sense, he did receive him back from there.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he bowed in worship while leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the exodus of Bnei-Yisrael and gave instructions about his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was an extraordinary child and they were not afraid of the king’s decree. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 Instead he chose to suffer mistreatment along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the disgrace of Messiah[g] as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt””because he was looking ahead to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger””for he persevered as if seeing the One who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the smearing of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as if on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were circled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she welcomed the spies with shalom.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets. 33 By faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, and made foreign armies flee.
35 Women received their dead raised back to life; and others were tortured, after not accepting release, so they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging””yes, and even chains and prison.
37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were murdered with the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them! They wandered around in deserts and mountains, caves and holes in the ground. 39 And all these, though commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised”” 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that only with us would they reach perfection.
The great heroes of faith chapter is that they recieved Christ by faith in times past and that we are all Jew and Gentile. One in Messiah.
The bible says all Israel shall be saved
Romans 11:26
and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer shall come out of Zion. He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
To me this is understandable as when Jesus sees his Jewish brethren suffer, the GOd Man Yeshua who has Jewish ethnicity is zealous for his people and his church. A remenant church and a remenant jewish people who have accepted Jesus as there savior and have accepted the same gospel as Christians becoming one people, the two remnants becoming one.
When Jesus returns they will all become one in Messiah both Jews and Gentiles and the Jewish believers such as Abraham.
throughout the centurys.
There is so much persecution of Christians around the world at the moment in places like India and North Korea and literally every country around the world, place like China and the verse that I have started with is that when they are persecuting the individual believer in Christ they are persecuting him.
It is something america suffers in someway we do suffer or in the UK.
2 Peter 2
7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished:
Sometimes I become so vexed with the amount of wickedness going on in the world and know that it will be only fixed when it gets even worse before Jesus returns. Sometimes I have run out of tears ! or my heart is in so much distress about my sin and then the sin of this world.
Matthew 24:37-39King James Version (KJV)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
We know that every person has to stand before Gods judgement whether they believe in him or not.
I think it breaks my heart to see other brothers in christ going through hard times and then you can do nothing about it!