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 Foreign Affairs › Re: Congolese Boxer, Roméo ‘Bololo’ Katompa Burnt Alive In South Africa by livingoracle: 4:16pm On Jul 18 |
Some South Africans are reading this thread on Nairaland. I want to address them: your actions are wicked and inhumane. Humanity has been overshadowed by hatred, leading to self-damage. Why harbour such hate? Soon, other countries might shut their borders to you. May God forgive you. 1 Like |
| Business › Re: Lets Expose This Fraudster by livingoracle: 4:30pm On Jul 14 |
PUBLIC NOTICE AND FORMAL REBUTTAL I wish to inform the general public and all Nairaland users that I am the individual being referred to in the defamatory post made by the OP. Over the past few years, several friends, family members, associates, colleagues, and acquaintances have drawn my attention to the malicious and libellous statements published against me. The said post was originally made by the OP in January 2010, and it has remained online for approximately 16 years despite the damaging and false allegations contained therein. I categorically state that I have never stolen anyone’s money, nor have I ever been placed on any security blacklist in Nigeria or elsewhere. I have made several attempts to contact Seun through his X (Twitter) handle, respectfully requesting that the post be reviewed and removed. Unfortunately, my messages and appeals have received no response. Defaming an individual’s character and reputation is a serious legal matter. This statement should serve as my formal rebuttal, a record of my objection, and notice that I will pursue all available legal remedies if the defamatory content continues to remain online. I have attached copies of the messages I sent to Seun via his X account as evidence of my attempts to resolve this matter amicably. For the avoidance of doubt, I am not a criminal, and I am not a thief. I will take the necessary legal steps to protect my name, reputation, and integrity. I urge everyone involved to treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves. I respectfully appeal to the moderator responsible for this section to kindly assist in reviewing and removing the post in question. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. God bless you. arsenally:
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| Foreign Affairs › Re: Loud Explosion In Jerusalem As Iran Fires ‘new Wave Of Missiles’ At Israel by livingoracle: 12:58pm On Mar 24 |
MON: Trump declares victory TUE: Iran destroys US F-35 fighter Jet WED: : Trump says I destroyed everything THU: Trump asks China for help FRI: Trump said Iran will vanish in the next 48 hrs SAT: Iran hits the nuclear facility of ISRAEL MON: Trump declares ceasefire....... See more 22 Likes 6 Shares |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Trump Says He Is Postponing Strikes On Iran Power Plants After ‘Productive’ Talk by livingoracle: 5:57pm On Mar 23 |
MON: Trump declares victory TUE: Iran destroys US F-35 fighter Jet WED: : Trump says I destroyed everything THU: Trump asks China for help FRI: Trump said Iran will vanish in the next 48 hrs SAT: Iran hits the nuclear facility of ISRAEL MON: Trump declares ceasefire....... See more 1 Like |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Trump Distances U.S. From Israeli Strike On Iran’s Largest Gas Hub by livingoracle: 4:35pm On Mar 19 |
Week 1: " We shall win" Week 2: “We won” Week 3: “We’re winning” Week 4: “Send help” 1 Like |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: "I Am Dead... For Coffee": Netanyahu Responds To Death Rumours In New Video by livingoracle: 2:02pm On Mar 16 |
For those who are still in doubt ‼️ There is no way someone can be served a cup of hot coffee filled right to the brim. After taking a sip, the cup was still full to the brim. Note: I never said it was AI. I only said they may have used a more detailed prompt. |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Benjamin Netanyahu Shows His Five Fingers To Debunk Death Rumours. Photos by livingoracle: 1:45pm On Mar 16 |
For those who are still in doubt ‼️ There is no way someone can be served a cup of hot coffee filled right to the brim. After taking a sip, the cup was still full to the brim. Note: I never said it was AI. I only said they may have used a more detailed prompt. 3 Likes |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Saudi Arabia Condemns Iran's Attack On UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain And Qatar by livingoracle: 4:36pm On Feb 28 |
The United States,has attacked El Salvador (1980), Libya (1981), Sinai (1982), Lebanon (1982 1983), Egypt (1983), Grenada (1983), Honduras (1983), Chad (1983), Persian Gulf (1984), Libya (1986) , Bolivia (1986), Iran (1987), Persian Gulf (1987), Kuwait (1987), Iran (1988), Honduras (1988), Panama (1988), Libya (1989), Panama (1989), Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru (1989), Philippines (1989), Panama (1989-1990), Liberia (1990), Saudi Arabia (1990), Iraq (1991), Zaire (1991), Sierra Leone (1992), Somalia (1992), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1993 to present), Macedonia (1993), Haiti (1994), Macedonia (1994), Bosnia (1995), Liberia (1996), Central African Republic (1996), Albania (1997), Congo/Gabon (1997), Sierra Leon (1997), Cambodia (1997), Iraq (1998), Guinea/Bissau (1998), Kenya/Tanzania (1998 to 1999), Afghanistan/Sudan (1998), Liberia (1998), East Timor (1999), Serbia (1999), Sierra Leon (2000), Yemen (2000), East Timor (2000), Afghanistan (2001 to present), Yemen (2002), Philippines (2002) , Cote d'Ivoire (2002), Iraq (2003 to present), Liberia (2003), Georgia/Djibouti (2003), Haiti (2004), Georgia/Djibouti/Kenya/Ethiopia/Yemen/Eritrea War on Terror (2004), Pakistan drone attacks (2004 to present), Somalia (2007), South Ossetia/Georgia (2008), Syria (2008), Yemen (2009 and 2015), Haiti (2010), Libya (2011), Syria (2011), Ukraine (2014), Iraq (2015), etc. etc. etc. etc. Now Venezuela and iran… So, who is the real danger to world peace? masterfactor: 1 Like |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Bodies Of Hostages Found In Gaza, Says Israel by livingoracle: 11:33am On Oct 15, 2023 |
You are quite uninformed... You know nothing about history. Israel doesn't have any moral to dictate to the Palestinians, Israel is 75 years old, Palestine 🇵🇸 existed long before Jesus was born. Jesus is a Palestinian-Jew. He was born in Bethlehem, Bethlehem is south of Jerusalem. South Jerusalem is and was originally Palestine. You know nothing about history. Israel 🇮🇱 is controlled by a cult group called Zionist. 45% of Isarelis don't support Zionism. Go and do a proper research on subject matter before spewing your ignore on cyber space. BTW, I'm a Christian and I Stand With Palestine 🇵🇸. Free Palestine! misreal:
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| Crime › Re: Moment Palmpay Agents Arrested Debtor At Eatery After Tracking Him (Video) by livingoracle: 7:07pm On Jun 07, 2023 |
jamesversion:Don't take this seriously, it was a prank. |
| Family › Re: Is It Right For My Wife To Serve Her Brother Food Before Me In My Own House by livingoracle: 6:31pm On Dec 24, 2021 |
Divorce the bitch! She no get respect for her hubby and she doesn't know what a husband means. Husband means MASTER, LORD. Divorce the idiot, my wife won't and can't try that nonsense. I hate nonsense. Mtcheeeeeeew � |
| Christianity Etc › Re: Prophet Joshua Iginla 34 Prophecies For 2021 by livingoracle: 6:48pm On Jan 03, 2021 |
Mobilecrewnet:Okay Hit me up on, zero eight one zero six one eight zero six one eight |
| Politics › Re: Edo Election: Salihu Lukman Urges Oshiomhole To Exercise Restraint by livingoracle: 9:14am On Aug 10, 2020 |
Just in case you forgot! What goes around comes around... TheGodlessGod: 21 Likes 3 Shares
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| Health › Re: 220 New COVID-19 Cases Reported. Total 2388. 385 discharged. 85 deaths by livingoracle: 11:17am On May 03, 2020 |
References: |
| Politics › Re: COVID-19: SERAP Asks Buhari To Use Confiscated Stolen Assets As Isolation Centre by livingoracle: 11:16am On May 03, 2020 |
Tobbydhayor90:Hello, good spirited citizens of Nigeria. My name is Frank, and am based in Lagos at the moment. I have been experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, and I have reached out to NCDC, the Governor of Lagos State (Babajide Sanwo-Olu), Lagos State Ministry ofHealth, Ministry of Information, Guardian Newspaper, NTA News Now, Channels TV, and I have also called 080097000010 (NCDC Toll Free Number), all to no available. I regret being a Nigerian, if they don't reach out to me as soon as possible, I will end up infecting hundreds of people. I must have infected a whole lot of people. The government is playing to the gallery and politicising this. I don't know anyone in the government that can assist me. What the government says on media is different from what they do. I'm calling on all good spirited Nigerians to help me broadcast ans share this information and reach put to relevant authorities before I drown souls with this monster. You can reach me on WhatsApp 08110666662 Please, HELP! |
| Politics › Re: Sowore: Akeredolu Condemns DSS, Warns Lawyers Could Be Arrested In Court by livingoracle: 8:37am On Dec 10, 2019 |
The many SINS OF SOWORE "Here are some of the many lies Told by #SOWORE to delude gullible Nigerians and manipulated their minds against then-President Jonathan using Sahara Reporters...... “That Jonathan Looted ₦32b From Bayelsa State and is the ‘Richest President In Africa’ (Published on Feb 2, 2015). “That Patience Jonathan caused the Dana Air crash because she was wasting time to land in her Presidential Jet (Published on June 4, 2012, and then deleted without apology). “That Jonathan gave out gold plated iPhones to guests at his daughter’s wedding (Published on April 13, 2014). “That Jonathan was too drunk to deliver his speech at the AU (Published on May 25, 2013). “That $49 billion was missing from the Federal Government’s treasury (Published on various dates in February 2014). “That Jonathan did not care about Chibok Girls and Rejected British Offer To Rescue Kidnapped Chibok Schoolgirls (Published on various dates and officially debunked by the British Government on Mar 8, 2017). “That Jonathan led a 600 man delegation to the UN (Published on September 22, 2013). “That Jonathan’s team threatened a blogger with death (Published on Apr 25, 2011). “That Jonathan was persecuting Rotimi Amaechi (Published on Oct 26, 2014). “That PDP was behind Boko Haram (published on multiple dates). “That Jonathan was a habitual drunkard (Published on Nov 22, 2013). “That Jonathan bribed pastors with ₦7 billion (Published on Feb 19, 2015). “That Jonathan shared $1.1 billion between himself, Attorney General Bello Adoke, and several cronies and ministers (Published on May 27, 2012). “That Jonathan and his cronies stole $20 billion in less than 3 years from just sales of crude oil alone (Published on July 12, 2014). “That Jonathan is Worth $120 Million Dollars! (Published on Oct 14, 2014). “That Jonathan is the sponsor of Niger Delta militants (Published on multiple dates). “That Jonathan’s dishonesty shielded the Abacha family from prosecution after reaching a corrupt deal with them (Published on May 15, 2015). “These are just a few of the many LIES ..." SatanTheDevil: |
| Politics › Re: DSS And Army: Who Commands More Fear? by livingoracle: 11:19am On Dec 09, 2019 |
LordAzubuike:Just like I envisaged, you have succeeded in making yourself the illiterate I talked about. Wasted sperm |
| Politics › Re: DSS And Army: Who Commands More Fear? by livingoracle: 10:12am On Dec 09, 2019 |
hisexcellency34:The DSS is an equivalent of the US FBI, CTU; Russian KGB. Israeli Mossad. They know what the military don't know, they are very intelligent and pragmatic. They even offer intelligence gathering to the Army, Police, EFCC, and other paramilitary forces. They monitor every calls that goes out and comes in through your phone, except you use a satellite phone, I know they still have a software for cracking nodes and transmissions if they want to. They know what the Police and Army don't know. When it comes to brutality, of course Army is a banger hence they were trained for the job. But when it comes to real time intelligence gathering and law enforcement, the DSS takes the lead. They know what you are thinking, they are criminologist and psychologist at a very high level. One illiterate idiot will sprout rubbish now. 16 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Falana Reacts As DSS Rearrests Omoyele Sowore by livingoracle: 4:50pm On Dec 06, 2019 |
Gistfresh:Sowore must pay for all the attpcotoes he committed against true democracy. He got what he asked for, he was one of the idiots who brought the tyrant to power. Now, this is his misery. "Those who shared the sword with Brutus met Ceaser's ghost at the Philippines". Buhari is not a man Sowore can joke with, he isn't a Zoologist nor a retired Customs Officer, he is a General! True democracy died in 2015, when gullible Nigerians said NO to GEJ. Welcome to the club, we die here 21 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Bayelsa Election: APC Defeats PDP In Ogbia, Jonathan’s Local Government by livingoracle: 9:18am On Nov 18, 2019 |
wristbangle:Now I know why GEJ went to Aso Rock Villa to visit with PMB. He should his state to PMB, base on logistics. Dickson bleeped up, GEJ simply taught him a lesson. Quiet people are dangerous, Lyon is secretly working for GEJ. This is the life of a mafia... I respect GEJ, he's a die hard politician embedded in academics. Base on who I be, I wanna be like GEJ when I grow up. ...you get the point now.. 1 Like 1 Share |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:18am On Nov 10, 2019 |
Conclusion What then is our reaction to these Bible truths? They are not just intended as facts to be assimilated by the mind; they should affect our whole outlook on life. Appreciating the true nature of death, we should realise that life is our time of opportunity. As Hezekiah wrote, "The grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day" (Isaiah 38:18,19). The issue is one of life and death. Upon our decision depends our eternal future: the oblivion of perpetual death or the glorious awakening to life everlasting at the return of Jesus! How urgent it is therefore that we embrace the hope of the Gospel while time remains, lest we die "having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). Thanks for reading through this piece, Jesus be praised. Hope you have been blessed? Jesus is Glorified! (c)SpiritWord Nation, 2015 |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:17am On Nov 10, 2019 |
'Kingdom of heaven' and 'kingdom of God' are parallel phrases. Why then does Matthew employ the phrase 'kingdom of heaven'? Some verses from the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament illustrate its meaning: "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed" (2:44). In another chapter, Daniel writes: "The heavens do rule" (4:26). Even the great Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, was forced to acknowledge that "God doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth" and was led to "praise and extol and honour the King of heaven" (4:35-37). The kingdom of heaven is therefore descriptive of the rule of heaven and the phrase could reasonably be applied to any area where God's sovereignty is acknowledged. Thus Jesus taught a us a format to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16) We are now considering a parable It is not fact, but Jesus is using a commonly believed fallacy--that the righteous were carried to 'Abraham's bosom' to be comforted, whereas the wicked suffer in hell. One of the points he is making is that God's standards are different from man's and may be the complete opposite of human assessments. Another is that the faith that pleases God is such that it will be prepared to believe what is written in the Scriptures. If God's Word cannot convince them, nothing can: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (verse 31). Notice how the detail of the parable is completely irreconcilable with commonly held views of immortal souls in heaven and hell. The rich man and Lazarus were able to observe one another and speak to one another from their respective abodes. They were not immaterial spirits, but they possessed bodies with fingers, tongues etc. (verse 24). The parable was, then, a terrible warning to wealthy and powerful Jews, who believed that merely being born a Jew would guarantee them God's blessing. The Thief on the Cross (Luke 23:39-43) Here we have one of the most remarkable examples in the Bible of faith. This man, dying on a cross with the Lord Jesus Christ when all others had forsaken him, manifested a belief in the Gospel of the kingdom of God, accepting the resurrection of Jesus and anticipating his own resurrection in the day of Christ's coming in glory. The assurance that Jesus gave him was, "Verily I say unto thee today thou shalt be with me in paradise" (verse 43). Observe that we have not punctuated this promise. This is important, for in the original Greek text there was no punctuation as we understand it. Commas etc. are inserted in the English translation according to the sense of the language, and the placing of the comma before the word "today" in the Authorised Version is debatable. It could with equal validity be placed after the word "today", thus changing the emphasis and sense of the words: "Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." In other words, "I am telling you now that your request will be granted". In any case, to read the words as an assurance that they should both that very day be united in heaven is inconsistent with other Bible teaching. We have already referred to Psalm 16 (quoted in Acts 2), which tells us clearly that the soul of Jesus was not in heaven but in hell (grave), from where he was raised on the third day: "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (grave), neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." There are more Scriptures that we could examine in this way. The instances I have considered, however, should help us to appreciate that apparently contradictory passages have adequate explanations consistent with Bible teaching as a whole. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:16am On Nov 10, 2019 |
Resurrection If there is no resurrection of the dead, there is no hope. But the triumphant conclusion of the apostle is: "In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ" (vs 20-23). How could the apostle be more specific? Only through resurrection will life after death be achieved, and the Lord Jesus Christ is but the first of a great multitude, the first fruits of a great harvest of dead believers who will live again when Jesus returns to the earth. There we have the key to the whole situation. While the world continues as it is now, dominated by evil men pursuing their ambition for power, it is difficult for us to envisage how the meek will ever inherit the earth, but central to the purpose of God is the second coming of Jesus to overthrow the kingdom of men; to destroy all that oppose Him and to establish the kingdom of God, a divine society founded on principles of righteousness and equity over which he will reign for ever (Matthew 6:10; Revelation 11:1 5; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Daniel 2:44; Micah 4:1-5). Scripture teaching is not complicated and difficult to comprehend, but rational and logical. Judgement The Scriptures speak of two classes of people raised from the sleep of death at the last day: those who are given everlasting life, and others raised to shame and condemnation (Daniel 12:2). Some Objections Considered It would be wrong not to acknowledge that there are some passages of Scripture which many people sincerely believe establish the orthodox teaching of the immortality of the soul and the popular conception of heaven as the abode of the righteous. Here are the chief examples of passages which might seem to teach a view contradicting what we have put forward so far: "The Kingdom of Heaven" This is a phrase used only in Matthew's record of the Gospel. It is assumed by some that because it refers to heaven, the actual location of the kingdom is in heaven. Thus, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3) and, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (18:3) are taken to prove that the righteous enjoy their inheritance in heaven. If we are serious about Bible study, however, we should not jump to conclusions too easily and we should examine more carefully the phrase "kingdom of heaven" as used in Matthew and establish precisely what it means. I select just two passages which, we suggest, illustrate clearly that the kingdom of heaven is not actually located in heaven, but - in harmony with general Bible teaching - here on earth. Matthew 13 contains a number of parables that Jesus used to illustrate his message. Most are prefaced with the words "the kingdom of heaven is like unto" yet some of the things that Jesus said are extremely difficult to reconcile with the thought of the soul transported to heaven at death. For instance, in the parable of the tares, "The field is the world . . . the harvest is the end of the world . . . As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend . . . Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (verses 24-30,36-43). Can there really be "things that offend" in a kingdom in heaven? After a meeting with a rich young man, who could not bring himself to sell his possessions and follow him, Jesus said, "that a rich man can hardly (i.e. with difficulty) enter into the kingdom of heaven . . . It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:23-24). |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:13am On Nov 10, 2019 |
The final punishment of the wicked is therefore annihilation, perpetual death, cut off from the land of the living for ever. This is fitting and appropriate in the light of our understanding of Bible teaching concerning life and death, "for the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The Reward of the Righteous But what of the reward of the righteous? We have seen that their eternal inheritance is the earth - an earth perfected and purged of all evil. We have, however, also learned that all men by nature are subject to death and that in death they have no conscious being. If Scriptural teaching is to be consistent, then there is only one possible way for the righteous to receive their reward: they must be made to live again by resurrection from the dead. The last Old Testament passage quoted in connection with the destiny of the wicked (Isaiah 26:1 4) spoke of their death as eternal: "They shall not rise." In the same chapter, however, the prophet contrasts the fate of these with the reward of the righteous: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead" (v. 19). How is this to be achieved? The salvation that God offers necessitated Jesus' resurrection from the dead; and this has made it possible for all faithful men to be raised from the dead as he was. So Jesus could say, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25); and on another occasion, "For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his (the Son of man's, i.e. Jesus') voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28,29). In his first Letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul deals at length with the resurrection of the dead, showing that it is at the very heart of the Saint hope. His challenge to some who doubted this doctrine was: "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain . . . Ye are yet in your sins . . . they also which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (15:12-18). |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:13am On Nov 10, 2019 |
Tartarus Before leaving the subject of "hell", a brief word is appropriate about one instance of the word "tartarus" in the New Testament: "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (tartarus)" (2 Peter 2:4). In Greek mythology the word referred to a subterranean cavern, a nether-world into which the wicked were cast. The use of this word can in no way confuse the clear teaching of Scripture as already stated. Its use arises out of the peculiar circumstances connected with the event to which Peter refers. There is some uncertainty as to the precise reference to "the angels that sinned": some have seen in these words a references to Korah, Dathan and Abiram, who, when they spoke against Moses and rebelled against God, suffered a unique punishment when 'the ground clave asunder . . . the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up . . . They went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished" (Numbers 16:31-33), This event would certainly provide an adequate explanation for the use of the word tartarus by Peter on this one occasion. The Destiny of the unrighteous So far as the unrighteous are concerned, we have already established that they cannot possibly exist after death, suffering eternal torment and misery. The following passages are a selection from many: "The wicked shall perish . . . they shall consume away" (Psalm 37:20). "He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish" (Psalm 49:19,20). "The wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it" (Proverbs 2:22). "They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish" (Isaiah 26:14). "They shall be punished with everlasting destruction" (2 Thessalonians 1:9). |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:12am On Nov 10, 2019 |
For the purpose of our enquiry I shall take just one passage: the explanation given in this instance applies equally to all the others. I have selected the words from Mark 9 (parallel to Matthew 18:8,9) because this is undoubtedly the most explicit and comprehensive example of the Lord's teaching about Gehenna: "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (verses 43,44, see also 45-49). From a superficial reading one might feel a certain repugnance about eternal fires and never-dying worms. Happily neither of these ideas is involved in a true understanding of the passage. The word Gehenna comes from the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom, which was in fact a geographical location. It means the Valley of Hinnom, sometimes referred to as Tophet. It was a valley on the edge of the (then) city of Jerusalem and from the earliest times it was a place of ill repute - associated with idolatrous worship and abhorred by the Jews because of horrific practices associated with false worship: see, for example, Jeremiah 7:31-33. In the days of Josiah the valley was cleansed and its evil practices forbidden (2 Kings 23:10). Its infamy, however, lived on and it became a place for Jews to burn the refuse of the city; later they used it to dispose of the carcases of animals and unburied criminals after execution. For this purpose and to avoid the stench of putrefaction, fires were kept burning there continually and it became synonymous with death and condemnation. The reference to fires that are never quenched now begins to be seen more clearly: they are used to express the nature of divine judgement. The judgements of God are certain and inexorable. This indeed is what is suggested by, "Their worm dieth not" - nothing can prevent or interfere with the declared judgement of God upon those who turn their backs on Him. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:05am On Nov 10, 2019 |
The Earth is Man's Inheritance Heaven is not for man: his habitation both now and any future existence is the earth: "The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace . . . For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth . . . The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein for ever" (Psalm 37:11,22,29). The Lord Jesus was referring to this Psalm when he said, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). He taught his disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (6:10) And John had a vision of the redeemed (those delivered from sin and death), who sing: "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood . . . and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9,10). The earth, then, is man's habitation and also his promised eternal abiding place. We shall leave for a moment the question of how this inheritance on earth is granted, because first of all we must clear up some common misunderstandings about "hell". Hell is the Grave There are three main words in the Authorised Version which have been rendered "hell". In the Old Testament it is the Hebrew word sheol; in the Greek of the New Testament there are two words, hades and gehenna. The word sheol was commonly used to indicate the abode of the dead below the earth. It is better rendered by "the grave" or "the pit". In the Authorised Version sheol has been translated "grave" and "hell" on 31 occasions each, and "pit" on three occasions. Sheol is therefore the grave, the common place of the dead where men's bodies are subject to decay. The grave is the place where the dead "know not anything . . . their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished . . there is no knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave" (Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10). "Like sheep they are laid in the grave (sheol); death shall feed on them . and their beauty shall consume in the grave (sheol)" (Psalm 49:14). There are no exceptions: death and the grave give to men an equality they can never find in life, for: "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and the great are there; and the servant is free from his master" (Job 3:17-19). In the New Testament the word hades is the equivalent of the Hebrew sheol. In the Septuagint - a translation of the Old Testament into Greek, compiled approximately two hundred and fifty years before the birth of Jesus - this word is used almost without exception to represent sheol. In Peter's speech on the Day of Pentecost he quotes from Psalm 16 to prove the resurrection of Jesus and the Greek text of Acts uses the word hades: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither suffer thine Holy One to see corruption" (Acts 2:27). "Hell Fire" The third word translated "hell" is gehenna, a term always associated with fire and with one exception only found in the Gospels. The relevant passages in Matthew's record of the Gospel are as follows: 5:22,29,30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33. It is worth observing that there are thus only about half a dozen different references to "hell fire" in the Bible. Of course, even if there were only one, it would still need to be given careful consideration to determine its meaning. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:05am On Nov 10, 2019 |
In the face of such clear teaching about death, so easy to understand, what need is there for further explanation? There can be no continuing existence after death either in heaven or hell. The Bible speaks to us simply and logically and leads us inevitably to this conclusion. This does not mean of course that there is no reward for the righteous or indeed no punishment reserved for the wicked. But whatever these might be, because of the harmony that exists throughout the Bible, such reward or punishment must be consistent with the facts that we have already established. A consideration of what the Scriptures say concerning heaven leads us smoothly onwards in our developing understanding of what the Bible teaches about these vital questions of life and death. Heaven-God's Dwelling Place Heaven is God's abiding place. Of course, in making such a statement we must not limit the power and transcendence of God, whom Scripture teaches to be everywhere present by his Spirit. The Psalmist, meditating upon this omnipresence of God, wrote: "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day" (Psalm 139:7-12). When Solomon built his temple - a house for God to dwell in - he too recognised this truth: "Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded" (1 Kings 8:27). But though God's Spirit fills all space, this truth is compatible with the fact that the Scriptures speak of a "dwelling place". On that same occasion, Solomon besought God for Israel: "When they shall pray towards this place . . . then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest forgive" (1 Kings 8:30,39,43). "Our father which art in heaven" The wise man wrote: "God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few" (Ecclesiastes 5:2); and Jesus taught his disciples a format to pray: "Our father which art in heaven" (Matthew 6:9). This concept of God's heavenly habitation is summed up in the following passages: ". . . who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see" (1 Timothy 6:16); "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men" (Psalm 115:16). Man has no access into God's presence in heaven via death; but the Lord Jesus, God's only begotten Son, after his resurrection "was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19). This again is the logical conclusion to which the Scriptures have led us: "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man" (John 3:13). |
| Christianity Etc › Re: The Greaat Controversy by livingoracle(op): 9:01am On Nov 10, 2019 |
The Death State The question remains, however: What does death involve? In the early chapters of Genesis, we read not only of the creation of man but also of his 'fall' - of the entrance of sin and death into the world. The Lord God commanded the man: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:16,17). Disobedience to God's commandment would bring death. What death involved is made clear when God judged Adam for his sin: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19). There was, in effect, to be a reversal of the process of creation. Then God formed man from the dust and breathed into his lifeless body the breath of life, so that he became a living, breathing creature. So, in death, God withdraws that life-giving energy (spirit) of which He alone is the source (see Job 34:14,15; Psalm 36:9); and the body corrupts and disperses into dust (Ecclesiastes 12:7). "Dust to dust" It may seem self-evident to say it, but before he was brought into being by the creative power of God, Adam did not exist. If death is the reversal of the creative process then the result must be a cessation of being and the disintegration of the living, breathing creature, whether he be man or animal, for so far as their natural constitution is concerned there is no difference between them: "For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence over a beast . . . All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again" (Ecclesiastes 3:19,20). The Psalmist writes: "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best is altogether vanity O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more" (Psalm 39:4,5,13). So there is no conscious existence in death: no part of man lives on, either in heaven or hell. There is no extension of being-not even for the righteous. King Hezekiah, a faithful servant of God, wrote: "For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee . . . the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day" (Isaiah 38:18,19). And the wise man summarises the position: "For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything . . . Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished . . . Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest" (Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10). |
