Lobo, thank you for sharing your views on prophecy. I appreciate you taking time to explain it. Although I do not agree with your conclusions that my views are anti-Semitic I do believe your view attempts to reconcile the OT restoration promises to literal Israel and the NT promises to the Church. I believe the Revelation consolidates them in the context of the Church and the New Earth.

The 144,000 receive the seal of God during the mark of the beast crisis. They are specially protected during the seven last plagues and will be translated alive when Jesus arrives to redeem the faithful. I believe the MOB is the Catholic Sabbath (Sunday). I also believe the 144,000 are born again believers (Jew and/or Gentile) who proclaim the 3AM's during the MOB crisis.

How do you interpret these prophecies?

Lobo
Greetings. The book of Revelation chapter 6 and verse 17 asks a final question of who will be able to stand during the sixth seal. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Notice how chapter seven answers this question. Then continues on to give the next seal (7). So the question is who are the 144,000.....

Now in history the Jewish nation had about three years to repent and convert to accepting Christ. But they did not, they rejected Him as a nation, only a small number of Jewish converts were added to the church. Now during these years they were not separated from the Jewish faith, in fact they were considered another sect of members...like Pharisees.

There was this problem among the believers in the Jewish faith, it was called prejudiced. Hence we read about this with the story of the good Samaritan.

Now Peter was given a vision of all kinds of animals, some unclean and that was rather peculiar for him because he was not about to touch the unclean. Now if we understand prejudice it does not like the thought of touching something that is not like it...another word for that is unclean. He heard a voice tell him "What God has cleansed, don't call common or unclean." Peter heard this three times in total.

Now take our minds back to a time when a brother would not help their brother because of they were refered to as "Samaritan." Now there were many Gentiles that accepted the Jewish religion, but the Jews did not like them! A Jews would NEVER eat with them or go to the same church.

When our Saviour died on that cross He did away with that wall that was separating Jews and Gentiles. He taught men how to treat them the same!

About thirty miles from Joppa there lived a rich and important man named Cornelius. He was an officer in charge of 100 soldiers in the Roman army. Although he was a Gentile, Cornelius had learned about God from the Jews and worshiped Him with all his heart. He obeyed all the commandments and helped the poor.

Cornelius believed that God is the Creator of heaven and earth. He asked Him for counsel in all the duties of his life. He studied the prophecies and looked for the Messiah to come. God was watching this faithful man. One day while he was praying, an angel came to speak to him. When Cornelius saw him, he was afraid and asked, "What is it, Lord? The angel answered, "Your prayers and good deeds have come up before God. Send men to Joppa and ask for a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simmon the tanner. He will tell you what to do." Cornelius did not waste any time. As soon as the angel left, he sent two servants and one soldier to find Peter.

The vision sent to Peter was to help him over come prejudice. Christ's disciples were to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Christ wanted Peter to overcome prejudice and learn that all men are created equal. You see it is through Christ that every person in the world can be saved. Until then, the apostles had only been preaching to the Jews. But God wanted them to go to other countries and carry the good news of salvation even for those that they thought unworthy.

So Peter was going to meet with Cornelius, but he took six disciples with him as witnesses and left. As Peter knew that he would be getting into trouble going to a Gentiles house. Now as soon as Peter entered Cornelius bowed down to the ground and worshiped him because he was so honored by Peter's visit. Peter lifted him up by the hand saying "Stand up, for I am a man just like you." The house was full of family, friends and neighbors. The all came to hear the man that heaven had sent.

Now Peter was in the middle of his sermon and the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and all his family and friends. The Jews that were with Peter were SHOCKED ! Now, Gentiles were speaking in foreign languages and praising God just like they had been doing.

Peter asked "Can anyone stop these people from getting baptized?" This trip to the house of Cornelius was very special. It was the first time that anyone had preached Jesus to the Gentiles! From that day on Gentiles were no more strangers, they were brothers and sisters of the disciples.

Does that help provide a clearer understanding of how Jews and Gentiles were no longer different from each other, but equals?

We are heirs of the promise because "Of a truth I perceive God is no respector of persons: but in every nation that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." Acts 10:34,35.

The 144,000 have two well known characteristics:
They keep the commandments of God
AND
keep the faith OF Jesus.

It will take more than knowing about Jesus, it will take a bond that is called love which is not an emotion but the way of life (a principle).

Quoted from Cheri Fritz:

The 144,000 have two well known characteristics:
They keep the commandments of God
AND
keep the faith OF Jesus.

Unquote.

What “commandment” do they keep?

In His love

James S

Only those commandments which the Church of Christ are supposed to keep and obey - the ten moral commandments and all the applicable levitcal laws (minus the ones that dealt exclusively with the nation of Israel).

Mike I do not understand what you meant by the following:

quote:

---

and all the applicable levitcal laws

---

I understand the part about the 10 commandments which is the moral law since that is how we know what sin is, but the levitical law? I am not sure if this has to do with the clean\unclean meats etc..However I don't think anyone will lose their soul for eating pork. Can you elaborate on that.. I am going to read up on this in Leviticus (I assume it is in there), but any information you can provide as to this being applicable to Revelation 12:17 would be greatly appreciated.
God Bless,
Will

Br. Will,

Regarding meat eating, we are in the antitypical day of atonement. Now the word typical is used to reference the earthly things which we are accustomed to and call common many times. And the word antitypical is used to describe what is of God.

Now I am going to be brief and simplify the information for you because this is actually a very lengthy study, but well worth your time. So I implore you to find out for yourself as to what our Lord desires of you and to never to be ignorant of any of His truths that He has made already known to us. The following is only a quick overview:

• 1844 Christ entered the Most Holy Place
• He begins the last of His work in the Heavenly Sanctuary
• The judgment of the righteous dead in Christ begins *Note: the living righteous are "soon" to be judged...referencing words of Mrs. White
• The Sabbath light becomes unveiled and it then becomes a test for our time
• The Laodicean('justice of the people')era begins The time of probation begins for us (to have a probationary time one must also have a judgment time when they are proven righteous)
• The time of probation begins for us (to have a probationary time one must also have a judgment time when they are proven righteous)

Now when the Israelites had the Day of Atonement they were to afflict (humble themselves) their souls. They fasted on this day when the typical (earthly) high priest was in the Most Holy Place. But we are in the time when Christ is doing His antitypical work in the Most Holy Place, where Christ is our High Priest pleading for the saints...'my blood, my blood.'

During this time of the antitypical day of atonement we are humble ourselves before the Lord and be a holy priesthood. "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" 1Peter 2:9.

Now combine this with "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew16:19 makes you begin to realize that what we are doing today will be the same things that we are doing in Heaven. This is why our work on earth which God has given us is so important. In fact, Christ sent the Holy Spirit to strengthen us so that we may be good.

Will we be eating flesh foods in heaven? Will we be killing the innocent animals to enjoy a big ole' steak? No.

So how do we know that we are to humble ourselves in the manner of refusing flesh foods?

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you." Act 3:19-22

• Repent
• Convert
• Sins not only forgiven, but blotted out (blotted is better because they can never be remembered)
• Refreshing comes from the Holy Spirit...we all need the Holy Spirit or we will grieve
• Heaven must receive us with the restitution of all things - 1 : an act of restoring or a condition of being restored: as a : a restoration of something to its rightful owner b : a making good of or giving an equivalent for some injury

First are we sure that we are using the word good for it's actual meaning according to the Lord? Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness.Gen 1:10 And God called the dry [land] Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that [it was] good.Gen 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, [and] herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed [was] in itself, after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good.Gen 1:18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that [it was] good.Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good.Gen 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good. Gen 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good.

Good is without sin.

Now here is an interesting verse: Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein]."

So we need to return to the old paths and take our stand before God and man. We need the good way. We need to be humble to the point where we remember that all we will do, is with a body (temple)which is directly owned by God. Will we set out to be careless with someone's elses property when we do not even own it, I pray not. We ONLY own a choice, so praise the Lord we have such blessings that we don't even deserve during our time of probation. What a kind and just God, so patient and longsuffering with a nation of people that do not deserve the grace He is giving to us freely.
AMEN,
Sr. Cheri

I have now created a topic about unclean meat at http://www.maritime-sda-online.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=57&t=000146

Please continue this aspect of the discussion there.

Thank you.