Who is the true God?
How has He revealed Himself to humanity?
Who is Jesus? The Holy Spirit?
When is Satan terminated?
And how does all of this relate to the Apocalypse?

 

False Gods

Most religions in the world describe their gods in terms of ancient mystical images, dead men or fantasies of invisible phantom spirits. Because we are finite creatures and live on a planet with diverse cultures and different religious backgrounds, it is difficult to find any consensus about what God is truly like.

From the distant past to the present time men have defended their beliefs with zeal. Throughout history, religious zealots enforced their convictions through conquest with the might of the sword, torture and persecution. Not too long ago Islamic terrorists flew airplanes crashing into buildings located in New York and Washington . Thousands of innocent people were killed, and the economy of the United States took a dive that also affected world trade and business. History marks a bloody trail of what humans will do to those who hold opposing beliefs. Because of these issues, modern society has eschewed belief in any god and has embraced humanistic philosophy and self-directed spirituality.

In spite of all this confusion the human heart searches for truth. Those who are looking for the purpose of life will only find it in what God revealed thousands of years ago. He left us with plenty of evidence in His Word, the Bible. Modern man can discover these truths by examining God's revelation through the design of His Creation as illustrated by Hebrew Alphabet Number System. (Romans 1:20)

GodFather

The Hebrew Alphabet Number System can broaden our understanding of how the ancient Hebrews thought about God. The first letter of the alphabet is Aleph, meaning "beginning," "head" or "eternal God." To the Hebrew mind, Aleph symbolized that everything in this universe had a beginning since it was created by the eternal God, who is the Head of all.

Aleph has a mathematical value of one (1). Numerous Bible passages refer to God as "the Ancient One." Basic mathematics teaches that we can multiply any number by one and the result will not change the original number. The one (1) is firmly established in the formula, but it is hidden in the product of the equation. This suggests that nothing can exist in the material world without the mysterious force of God embedded in it.

Conceptually we can only think of God by comparing Him with His attributes. He is eternal. God has no beginning and no end, having preexisted from eternity past. He is infinite and unapproachable light. The Creator is absolute righteousness, absolute love, absolute life, absolute holiness and unchanging. If His invisible hand on the physical universe were to withdraw, all subatomic particles would collapse and activate the destruction of the entire physical world. It would trigger a total disintegration of what we call matter.

Scientists tell us that the nearest star to earth is billions of miles away. If we could stand on that star and look back to earth, our planet would appear to be the size of a pin prick in a piece of black paper. If you looked into that pinhole with a microscope, you might see a long, sandy beach. A person on that beach would represent a single grain of sand on that beach. Poets, scholars, scientists and philosophers have tried for centuries to understand the nature of the universe, and we can only conclude what the Bible says:

"Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?" (Job 11:7 NASB)

GodSon

The second side of our triangle, the "GodSon" side of God, is a manifestation of the GodFather that communicates from the infinite realm to the physical world.

While walking along a path near our house with my children one day, I noticed an anthill. Many ants were busily forging a trail into our kitchen. I wondered if they knew we were watching them. They were so little, even my youngest child would have seemed huge to those tiny insects.

We are minuscule compared to God, yet He is always watching us. Humans have interfered with His divine plan beginning in the Garden of Eden, and we have deserved His judgment. But instead of just killing us off, God became mortal in order to make Himself known to us. His message is that the direction in which we are headed will lead to our destruction. By coming down to our level, He showed that He cares about us deeply. The Bible says:

"God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 RSV)

The One (Aleph, meaning "beginning," "head" or "eternal God") became two (Beth, meaning "house" or "duality"). God is still One, but at a particular moment in history, He changed into a structure ("house") of the time dimension in order to talk to us. The Creator of the universe became flesh and lived among us in a "house" of flesh. This great mystery is difficult for us to understand because we belong to a level of existence.

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3)

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17 NASB)

God was greatly disappointed when Satan fell from the important position he held in the heavenly government. God's integrity had been challenged by one of His created beings, which threatened the very foundation of His rulership in the universe. This event called for a new leadership in the heavens to safeguard against future rebellion. God not only had to deal with Satan, but a host of fallen angels that sided with him. They all had to be taught that going in a direction not sanctioned by God is folly. God needed to teach these fallen angels, and all future generations of man, the futility of living a philosophy of life contrary to His precepts and purpose.

Because God is so powerful, He allows us to experiment, even when we are wrong. That is why false religions are often implemented and enforced by godless governments. During the early years of the 1900s, socialism and communism were considered by some to be worthwhile for the betterment of mankind, for example. Tremendous battles were fought to convince everyone that these systems would provide social justice and equality. Millions of people were sacrificed in the gulags and concentration camps of Europe. Entire families were destroyed, their property plundered.

Since the creation of the world, humanity has engaged in countless wars. People are subject to sin and failure; therefore, we are also incapable of governing ourselves without God's guidance. Since we were created with a free will to choose, we must be persuaded, educated and led into the truth. Once we accept God’s truth, we still must humble ourselves to God in opposition to the evil influence of Satan.

During His years walking the earth, Jesus Christ was the very incarnation of the GodFather. In the shroud of human flesh, the GodSon demonstrated to us how to live a life pleasing to the GodFather in the midst of Satan's domain. Jesus demonstrated absolute trust in the Father in heaven and lived a sin-free life as a member of a very critical society. In all that He thought, said and did, the GodSon exemplified loving concern for His broadly defined neighbor and was subject to the established authorities. But He did not obey those authorities where they contradicted God's laws and purpose. To prove that He was the eternal God and not just a mere man, He performed many supernatural miracles.

To restore God's honor, Jesus Christ became the means of salvation for sinful people. On the cross He made atonement for all the sins of humanity and opened the way for lost sinners to be born into God's family. These people, whom the Bible calls "saints," will replace the fallen angels that followed Satan in the ruling hierarchy of God’s Kingdom. They will occupy positions of honor in the future universe under God the Almighty. These saints, who were persecuted on earth by evil men, will have learned to love God in the midst of adversity, pain, tears and death. They have been trained by God himself to resist evil and to follow the way of righteousness.

During His life on earth, Jesus taught His followers, and they wrote down what He said. From this written record we have some knowledge about what "the other side" (the five-based dimension) is like. This information describes what hell and Hades are, and what mortals can expect after we die. Only He who has come from the other side can be a true witness of things belonging to the five-based dimension.

Many false religions have problems with what the Bible teaches because it conflicts with their man-made traditions. Satan will do anything within his power, including murder and deception, to keep men ignorant. For example, Islam teaches one God who is distant and alone. Muslims reject outright the idea that God could have a son. They have difficulty understanding that God, who is spirit, by scientific necessity could only reveal Himself in the time dimension by transforming His invisible nature and appearance into someone we can relate to on our dimensional level - someone humans could observe in order to comprehend His loving purpose for creating us.

God chose to appear in a human body. If He had become visible as an animal, we would feel superior and not accept Him as God. If He had come as a mighty angel, we would be frightened and run away. Therefore, the eternal God came in the flesh as the person known to history as Jesus Christ.

No other person on earth could have done what Jesus did. Forty prophets and holy men foretold His life and death centuries ago. He demonstrated His divine, supernatural ability by raising the dead and by telling a storm on the sea to be quiet. By His presence, Peter, a fisherman, walked on water. The disciples fed thousands of people with just a little bread and fish. Jesus healed countless incurable diseases. When he saw Jesus on the cross, a Roman commander who had witnessed hundreds of executions affirmed,

"Truly this was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:39 NASB)

By His own free will Jesus gave His earthly life into the hands of a holy God. No one could kill the originator of life. Man, under Satan's influence, controlled the events of His crucifixion, but only with His permission. Jesus proclaimed that He is the resurrection—the life giver—and no one can come to God but through Him. (John 11:25) No other religion makes that claim.

If we sincerely examine the evidence of historical fact, we will find that Jesus Christ cannot be put on the same level as sinful mortals, not even the prophets. Because we are all ignorant of the spiritual dimension, we do not even realize that we are stupid and foolish to believe in our own fabricated belief systems.

As recorded in the Old Testament, God appeared to Abraham thousands of years ago as a passing traveler. Having understood the oracles of the prophets, Abraham immediately recognized this important guest and addressed Him as "Lord." Later, God revealed Himself in a burning bush, through the ten plagues of Egypt, in a mighty storm and with a quiet whisper.

The New Testament records that God Almighty came to earth as a baby who grew up into a man. I can relate to that because it allows me to evaluate who God is without being afraid. I can study the records of Jesus' life and begin to understand what God is like. I am grateful that He revealed Himself the way He did. (I'm also glad that I have not been brainwashed by any of the numerous world religions that entangle their followers in a complex belief system reinforced with government-sanctioned murder and suicide.)

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?' Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?

The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. (John 14:8-12 NASB)

Hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament describe the second member of the Godhead, the GodSon, who stepped into this world and time dimension for a specific purpose. Jesus' disciple John starts his gospel account as follows:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. . .

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. . .

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 10-12, 14 NASB)

The Earthly Life of Jesus

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God."

And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38 NASB)

Somewhere around 1 BC, a messenger from the other side named Gabriel visited Mary, a young virgin who was betrothed to a carpenter named Joseph. After the initial greeting, the angel announced to Mary that God had appointed her to become pregnant with the Divine Seed by the Holy Spirit. The prophecy of the coming seed was first given at the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15 NASB)

Many other references to the promised Messiah are recorded throughout the Old Testament. Mary knew about these oracles of God. She agreed to be the willing handmaiden of the Lord, to become the earthly mother of God's Son.

As Jesus grew up, Mary told Him about all the prophetic utterances made before and at His birth. She described to Him the appearance of the angels who announced His birth. She also told Him about Herod, who had tried to kill Him by slaughtering hundreds of babies who were born about the same time He was. She informed Jesus about all the unusual people who attended the ceremony of His circumcision in the temple and about the three Magi scientists who had traveled a great distance to investigate the strange bright light in the sky that appeared at His birth, the star of Bethlehem.

As a child, Jesus must have questioned why He was different from other boys in the village. I imagine He learned to read and write much earlier than any of His companions. Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, must have sacrificed much to satisfy His son's hunger for the Scripture.

At twelve years of age, Jesus went to the great temple library in Jerusalem. He was so absorbed with the old documents that He did not notice His missing parents who looked for Him three days or more.

While reading some biblical scrolls, a number of learned scribes and professors in religion noticed the young boy and were curious to find out more about Him. Jesus immediately took hold of the opportunity and asked many questions of the experts in the Torah. They were eager to teach this amazing pupil, but He spoke to them in ways they had never heard before. They were shocked by the understanding of this boy who could quote so many memorized Scriptures.

When Jesus' parents finally found Him, they realized He was not interested in playing like other boys or exploring the huge city. He was searching for His identity. It seems a curtain had been drawn over Jesus' young mind at His birth that prevented Him from fully recognizing His deity. Jesus had to wait thirty years before He received direct confirmation of His identity.

Jesus was baptized by His cousin John in the river Jordan when He was thirty years old. As He came out of the water, Heaven opened, and the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove. A voice from heaven said,

"This is My beloved Son, in whom am well-pleased." (Matthew 3:17 NASB)

Jesus accepted the call from His heavenly Father. Immediately after that, God led Him into the desert, where He fasted for forty days. Toward the end of this period, Jesus was faint due to lack of nourishment. Satan approached Jesus to tempt Him. He tried the same method he had used to seduced Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: Satan questioned God's authority by asking, "Has God said . . .?"

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

And the tempter came and said to Him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:1-4 [NASB]. See also Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-4.)

Jesus did not have to prove that He was the GodSon because God had already said that He was at His baptism. However, Jesus answered Satan's temptation with "It is written..." Satan tried a second time, but was quick to change his tactics:

Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command His angels concerning You'; and 'On their hands they will bear You up, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Matthew 4:5-7 [NASB]. See also Luke 4:9-12.)

Satan realized that he could not win. He was ready to concede to Jesus all of earth, everything allocated to Him by God, if He would only recognize that he was the greatest:

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."

Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'"

Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. (Matthew 4:8-11 [NASB]. See also Luke 4:5-8)

Jesus pointed out to Satan that once God's plan had been implemented, nothing could change it.

After Satan gave up and left, angels ministered to Jesus' physical needs (for water and food) even though Jesus could have used His divine power to sustain himself. (Matthew 4:11)

Immediately following this incident, Jesus performed a miracle that showed His divine, supernatural power. He turned water into premium wine. (John 2:1-11) The Gospels describe many incredible miracles of Jesus, proving that He has the power to change nature. Here are just a few examples:

• Jesus healed a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years, then told him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." (John 5:1-15)
• Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus women and children. (John 6:1-14)
• Jesus walked on the sea. (John 6:16-21) When Jesus told Peter to come to Him, Peter walked on the water, too. (Matthew 14:22-33)
• Jesus gave sight to a man who had been born blind. (John 9:1-34)
• Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. (John 11:32-44)
• Jesus healed a great multitude. (Matthew 4:23-25)
• Jesus cleansed a leper. (Matthew 8:1-4)
• Jesus healed a Roman centurion's servant from a remote location. (Matthew 8:5-13)
• Jesus healed two demon-possessed men. (Matthew 8:28-34)
• Jesus raised a young girl from the dead. (Matthew 9:18-26)
• Jesus fed a gathering of 4,000 men, plus women and children. (Matthew 15:29-39)
• Jesus healed a severely epileptic boy who had a demon. (Matthew 17:14-21)
• Jesus cured people troubled by evil spirits. (Luke 6:17-19).
• Jesus healed a man who had dropsy. (Luke 14:14)

There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25 NASB)

As Jesus was approaching the end of His ministry on earth, He spoke in the presence of a thousand witnesses about the relationship He had always had with the Father in heaven:

[Jesus said,] "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, "An angel has spoken to Him."

Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself."

But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.

The crowd then answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"

So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light."

These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. (John 12:28-36 NASB)

The Transfiguration

Three and a half years later, on the Mount of Transfiguration, near the closure of Jesus' earthly ministry, a voice from heaven was heard again, saying, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" (Matthew 17:5 NASB)

Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

While He was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid." And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. (Matthew 17:1-8 [NASB]. See also Mark 9:2-12 and Luke 9:28-36.)

There were five eyewitnesses to this important meeting between God the Father and Jesus the Son. Two were from "the other side" (Moses and Elijah, both of whom had gone to heaven centuries ago), and three were from earth (Peter, James and John). They all watched Jesus being transformed - becoming as bright as the sun, and recognized that they were in the presence of God, who is unapproachable light.

God communicated with Jesus without speaking, and Jesus understood. He agreed to become the substitutionary Lamb and be slaughtered for the sins of humanity. A voice was heard from above the cloud that overshadowed them, and it said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" This statement proved beyond any doubt that Jesus is deity.

The Torah law of Israel required two or three witnesses to verify an occurrence. (Deuteronomy 19:15) Five witnesses saw Jesus' transfiguration, which aligns with the Hebrew Alphabet Number System (5=Heh, "the other side").

A short time later Jesus passed through the King's Gate into Jerusalem riding on a donkey with the crowds shouting triumphantly, "Hosanna, Son of David," proclaiming Him king. This public excitement caused resentment in the religious establishment. The Sanhedrin, the Supreme Council of Israel, dreaded an uprising from the people; therefore, they called an emergency session early in the morning in the house of Annas. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was an extremely powerful and wealthy person as well as being the high priest.

According to the law given by Moses, the high priest had to be a descendant of the family of Aaron. His primary function was to make atonement once a year for the sins of the whole nation and offer sacrifice to Jehovah God in the inner chamber, the "Holy of Holies," which was separated from the rest of the temple by a tall, thick curtain. According to the Torah, the high priest's job was inherited like royalty, and he was succeeded only at his death or resignation.

The people of Israel expected Jesus to use His divine power to destroy the Roman occupation force. Some records mentioned that the mother of Jesus was of priestly descent. If so, that would have opened the possibility for Jesus to become the high priest of Israel. This combination of religious and royal power, coming together in one Person, was unique in recorded history.

Caiaphas realized he had a problem on his hands. If the people could not make Jesus a king, they might try to make Him the high priest. The Romans would probably welcome a little diversion because they always played one against another to keep the upper hand. Caiaphas was well connected to Rome. He had purchased his position from the Herodian authority for a high price, and he was not about to lose it to a country preacher. No, this Jesus had to be stopped. The Sanhedrin cooked up a plan. They would discredit Jesus by finding Him guilty of some law.

Jesus was prepared to give himself into the hands of sinful men. Like the prophet Isaiah said hundreds of years before, He was led like a lamb to be slaughtered:

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:7-9 NASB)

Knowing He was about to be arrested, Jesus revealed His humanity in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus knew He would be delivered to be crucified by seasoned Roman soldiers who were experts in torture, to be crucified. So He went off to a quiet place with His disciples to pray.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.

Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me." And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."

And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.

Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!" (Matthew 26:36-46 [NASB] . See also Mark 14:32-42.)

In the early-morning hours the high court bound Jesus like a common criminal; then they proceeded to the high priest's fortified citadel. Caiaphas appeared dressed in his full formal attire and wearing the breastplate of twelve precious stones, which was only worn at very special functions or religious occasions. It was unusual for any court to gather before sunrise. However, the Sanhedrin realized that a large crowd would probably be drawing together that day demanding a king. They knew the Roman government would never allow it.

When they could find no evidence of misconduct, the Sanhedrin found false witnesses who were willing to testify against Jesus. But their accounts conflicted with one another. As the meeting extended into the late morning, Caiaphas realized this session was not going anywhere. In his impatience at all these petty attempts to find a guilty verdict, he got up from his seat and stood face to face with Jesus. He asked Him point blank to swear by the Almighty if He was the Messiah.

The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, "Do you not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against you?" But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" (Mark 14:60-61 NASB)

Jesus did not answer as Caiaphas expected. He simply said that He was "I AM."

And Jesus said, "I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (Mark 14:62 NASB)

Everyone present understood this to mean that Jesus was claiming to be the Creator of the universe. (Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14) The chamber exploded with loud screams, howling and shouting. The meeting degenerated into an enraged lynch mob. Caiaphas lost his composure and dignity and in the heat of the moment tore off his precious stone-studded breastplate, which represented the nation of Israel. He screamed above everyone else's voices saying, "Blasphemy! He condemned himself. We need no witnesses."

Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?"

And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers received Him with slaps in the face. (Mark 14:63-65 NASB)

The next morning the Pharisees brought Jesus into the Praetorium, a public forum, and demanded that the Roman authorities put Jesus to death. The four gospel accounts describe detailed descriptions of His trial by Pontius Pilate who then sent Jesus to King Herod. Herod returned Him since he did not find any crime that deserved capital punishment. (Luke 23:15) After Pilate examined Jesus again, he told the chief priests that he could not find any guilt in Him, nor did Herod.

The Pharisees accused Jesus of treason saying that Jesus claimed to be king. Pilate became increasingly irritated at the accusation of treason. The high priest had implied that Caesar would hear about this sedition and that Pilate would be in trouble for not dealing with it.

Pilate then decided to give the Jewish leaders a choice. He brought out Barabbas, a captured terrorist and murderer who instigated trouble in the streets of Jerusalem. He offered to release one of the prisoners: Jesus or Barabbas.

When the people stirred up by the religious establishment chose Barabbas and cried out for the crucifixion of Jesus, Pilate ordered Him to be flogged. He hoped that would assuage the masses and show that Rome meant business when dealing with accused prisoners. The flogging was brutal. Roman centurions used cruel, flesh-ripping instruments of torture.

The Roman centurion understood the order to punish this prisoner as to beat Him to death. The Romans skillfully used flesh rippers of most cruel type. The centurion realized quite late that the order was not to kill the prisoner, but by then much of the prisoner’s blood lay on the pavement. His body was shredded and marred beyond recognition.

After the scourging, Jesus was dragged outside to be displayed before a waiting crowd. Realizing that Jesus could not humanly survive the wounds inflicted on Him for very long, a Roman general cried out, "Behold the man." This apparent attempt to create a sense of compassion among the people failed because the Jewish religious leaders had already stirred up the crowd, which cursed and demanded the Romans to “Crucify Him!"

The Last Miracle of Christ

It was a miracle that Jesus could even walk out to be displayed before a waiting public. Medically, the damage done to His body as described in the records of the Bible would be beyond human possibility of even a few hours of survival and would certainly eliminate being able to walk. Jesus had suffered despicable brutality of the highest order.

However, nothing could kill the “Eternal Life-Inherent One” without His permission. Satan had tried very hard to do it and failed. The incarnate Creator of the universe had previously stated that no one would be permitted to take His life. He would lay down His life by His own free will:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father. (John 10:17-18)

The Hebrew Alphabet Number System explains how this last miracle event could be possible beyond biological belief. The Bible’s Rosetta Stone reveals how a being from the five-based system (from the other side) is superior to the seven-based system dimension (Daleth) that we live in. (See my second book, Mystery of Tammuz 17, for more on this key to understanding Bible prophecy.) Although Jesus was human and felt intense pain at each stroke of the beating, it could not kill Him because God’s plan called for death on a “tree.”

First, permission had to be given by the Creator. Secondly, Jesus came from the five-based dimension by birth, a supernatural occurrence. When Satan is cast out of the five-based dimension in the future, we will see that same principle at work. That fallen angel will enter the dead body of the false messiah in order to give it the appearance of resurrected life. This future event will also be a supernatural occurrence that cannot be explained by the physical laws of the earthly (Daleth, “this world in this time”) seven-based dimension.

Hours later, Jesus was nailed to the cross. The Creator of all life in the universe willingly allowed men to beat Him, torture Him, and crucify Him. No human being, nor any angel, for that matter, could kill the Son of God. He gave up His life by His own free will.

Jesus had the power to come down from the cross at any time, return to heaven and seat Himself on the throne of power. But He gave up His rights in total submission to the Father. He trusted God and in the Old Testament Scriptures, the written Word of God that predicted His bodily resurrection.

Jesus' last words before His death were shouted out in pain beyond measure,

"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"

Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:45-46 NASB)

Then, answering His own question, Jesus said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30 NASB)

Jesus' final words imply that to be forsaken by God is worse than death. His separation from God the Father was unbearable. Yet He did so willingly, using the power He had to give up His life. This fact was obvious even to a Roman soldier witnessing the crucifixion who stated, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.” (Mark 15:39)

At the moment of Jesus' death, a profound miracle occurred. Inside the temple was one large room separated by a massive curtain, which divided the space into two separate chambers. The curtain consisted of five layers of one-half-inch-thick material, beautifully embroidered on both sides and centuries old.

When Jesus died, the curtain was ripped from top to bottom by a powerful, invisible force. The secret inner room of the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, which almost no one but the high priests had seen for many centuries, was exposed to everyone. This suggests that access to God could no longer be prevented by a human religious system.

As the body of Jesus lay in the tomb, the power of death was destroyed. Three days later He rose from the grave and came forth alive. For the next forty days He appeared to a huge crowd of witnesses. The instances are too numerous to mention here, but the gospel accounts in the Bible narrate many details.

Before returning to heaven Jesus taught His disciples everything they needed to know to accomplish a new mission: to spread the news of what they had seen to all nations. Jesus then ascended to heaven, and He is now seated on the highest throne at the right hand of God the Father to intercede for us as a High Priest forever. The events of Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection followed the exact sequence predicted by many prophets centuries before by many prophets.

Jesus Christ, the High Priest

After Jesus ascended into heaven He did not leave us alone to live our lives as before. Scripture reveals that Jesus intervenes before a holy God on our behalf. When a person commits himself to Jesus Christ and asks for forgiveness, he is born into God's family. All sins are forgiven past and future. We are elevated into the status of privileged royalty—children of the eternal God.

Beginning at that moment, God starts to teach His newly born children the difference between good and evil. We still have the old nature, which continues to do sinful things. However, the Holy Spirit within us highlights what we do wrong. Our conscience is awakened; we feel pain, sorrow and misery.

When we get our hands dirty, they need cleansing, but we don't need a full bath. Because we have become new creations in Christ, we only need to cleanse what becomes dirty. That is the reason Jesus stands in Heaven before a holy God to be an intermediary for us. He is now our High Priest. Because Jesus made atonement for all our sins and forgave us, we only need cleansing from our dirty hands.

As we grow in Him, we will sin less and less. Our inner being gradually changes, and we become outwardly more gentle, loving and truthful. We begin to forgive others - even loving our enemies, just as Jesus did during His years on earth.

God's ultimate goal for us is to be holy or separate from this evil world living as children of light. Our holy "immune system" reacts against foreign invaders recognizing evil and neutralizing it. This will become the guarantee for the future New Heaven and New Earth in which God will never be dishonored, and sin will never happen.

This process is similar to loading software onto a new computer. Once we are fully programmed for our future life, the computer will be shut down and restarted so the new information can be permanently embedded. Our bodies will die, and then we will be resurrected. After that, our eternal bodies will again become visible, but this time without a sin nature.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and f ind grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4 :14-16 NASB)

Presently no high priest exists on earth, but Jesus Christ intercedes on our behalf before almighty God in Heaven as our Mediator:

The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever. (Hebrews 7:23-28 NASB)

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"

And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."

And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having [a crown with]seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." (Revelation 5:1-10 NASB) [Added for clarification.]

Peter, one of Jesus' apostles, wrote about what he saw:

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased"—and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. (2Peter 1:16-18 NASB)

All the disciples except John lost their lives as martyrs, and God honored their commitment by engraving their names on the foundation of the City of God:

And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." (Revelation 4:9-11 NASB)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the grand theme of the universe. Without it, nothing makes sense. A person's life would have no purpose. The logic of our existence would disappear, and we would be reduced to meaningless objects, existing for a season and then disappearing without a reason.

If Jesus came to earth today, He would be executed again for the same reasons. Just like the Sanhedrin, our world governments willfully deny the authority of the "I AM" and hence they would follow the same path. They would say, "We do not want this man to rule over us."

At the end of the Apocalypse, the world will again face Jesus Christ. This time, however, He will come to rule with supreme power. People will again play out their assigned roles according to the Word of God. God will do exactly what He said He would.

America is already in the process of erasing any reference to God in public arenas, including schools and libraries. Many leaders are even determined to change the Constitution, which reminds us that the founding fathers used the Bible as their guide to establish laws to govern a nation under God.

The Bronze Serpent

An interesting story in the Old Testament illustrates what God planned thousands of years ago. Israel was traveling in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. In this story the wilderness is a symbol of our present world system. A serpent (representing Satan) forced humanity to make a decision:

Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey. The people spoke against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food."

The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and you; intercede with the Lord, that He may remove the serpents from us." And Moses interceded for the people.

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live." (Numbers 21:4-8 NASB)

The people of Israel were dissatisfied with God. Moses had led them out of Egyptian slavery and bondage. They then traveled through the desert for about forty years to prepare them to enter the Promised Land. It is called that because God had pledged the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants as an inheritance. In the desert God fed them, clothed them and met all their needs. However, they were unhappy and were tired of the same old diet of manna. They spurned God for providing the miraculous food from heaven every day. They wanted the savory meat they had enjoyed in Egypt where their parents were slaves of an oppressive government.

God was not pleased with their rebellion. He sent poisonous snakes into the camp that killed indiscriminately. Moses was blamed by the Israelites for every problem in their lives, including this one. But when the people realized they had offended God, they cried for mercy. God instructed them to make a bronze serpent and place it high on a pole. Whoever looked upon the sculpture of the serpent was healed.

Many of the discontented people refused to accept God's provision. They thought this was an unscientific method to cure poisonous snakebites. There was no historical precedence to indicate that it would work, and it seemed like just a mystical trick.

Humanity's skepticism always questions the methods God lays out for us. Satan disputes God's provision to save us from the poison of sin. This natural human attitude causes us to believe that any proposal God outlines is unnecessary and cannot be trusted because it is contrary to our scientific education. The devil convinces us that it is illogical and against common sense.

The parallel to this story is the death of Jesus Christ, lifted up on a pole. By His crucifixion He became the means by which we can all receive salvation. The poison of our sin will lead to eternal death, but God commands us to look upon the cross, where the Son He provided paid the price for our sin to make us whole. The poison will no longer have any effect on us if we have faith that He has cured the problem:

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:14-16 NASB)

Because we cannot scientifically prove the power of God, many people deny that the resurrection ever happened, or they dispute that Jesus Christ lived on earth and died for our sins. God allows us the liberty to doubt, but the facts remain facts. No other religion in the world teaches a cure for man's sinful nature or forgiveness of trespasses against a holy God. No other religion conveys a story where an eternal God paid the price for sin.

Our natural temperament dislikes the notion that somebody would offer something for free. We might be persuaded to try hard to earn our way into heaven by so-called good deeds. Religious activities and elaborate rituals are commonly performed to bribe some god or spirit for some favor. Some choose to go through tortuous denials of food or painful exercise. Others may even strap explosives on themselves to blow themselves up, killing themselves and others for a lie. The good news is that God offers salvation free, without any price other than the one He paid through His Son.

When my parents gave me a gift, I did not dishonor them by giving them money to pay for it. Jesus offered the gift of eternal life. His blood sacrifice was acceptable to God. Without a blood sacrifice there is no forgiveness of sin. The curtain of the temple was torn by God to indicate that it is no longer necessary to sacrifice a lamb (which for centuries foreshadowed the coming of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ) to make atonement for sin. God is fully satisfied.

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:7-8 NASB)

Looking into the distant future, God knew all along that man would be no match against the vilest and most powerful being ever created, so He made a special provision to give man another chance for eternal life. In AD 33 at the middle of the seventh (Zayin) age, Jesus Christ paid the price God's holiness demanded. On the cross He suffered the consequences of Adam's sin to make atonement for you, me and all persons.

At that moment in the time dimension, Jesus relinquished all rights as Creator, His prerogative to rule as a king and the power to demand anything He wanted. Just to show how much God loves us, He willingly subjected Himself to the life-death cycle of nature that He had created.

During the last three years of His earthly life, Jesus taught twelve men things about heaven and the plan of God. This became the gospel and the teachings of Christianity. He revealed the mystery of God's eternal purpose, which had been hidden from men for thousands of years. Paul and the other apostles wrote this message down so that 2,000 years later we could study what Jesus said.

We are still living in the seventh (Zayin) age. This period will end when the Apocalypse begins. Many are now convinced that the world's political and economical systems are nearly bankrupt. The problems on earth are out of control and cannot be corrected. The cuckoo clock's bird—the prophesied Apocalypse—is about to announce its presence.

GodSpirit

The third side of the triangle represents the GodSpirit - a powerful, mysterious force. When God formed Adam, He breathed spirit (Ruach) into him, and man became a living soul. The Spirit is invisible. We cannot see, touch or smell it, but it is there.

When a person becomes reconciled to God during his/her journey on earth, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in that person and starts a program of reconstruction. That individual becomes a new creation in Jesus Christ. Christians often describe faith experience as being saved or born again.

Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:21-24 NASB)

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, so no one will have an excuse on the last day. He educates us in good and evil, leaving an imprint in our consciousness. He controls the affairs of nations and imparts spiritual wisdom to those who are reconciled to God. He oversees God's plan for humanity according to the Father's divine purpose. His presence and power are seen in supernatural miracles in healing of sicknesses of the body and mind. He trains and perfects the elect for their future destiny. He programs the saved man to recognize evil:

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?

Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. (1Corinthians 2:10-14 NASB)

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit started 2,000 years ago, shortly after Jesus was taken up into heaven:

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God."

And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" (Acts 2:1-12 NASB)

In the last days, during the Apocalypse, the Holy Spirit will again be poured out on the earth:

It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:28-32 NASB)

Satan ’s influence on this World

Some people don't believe in a devil. Most of these people do not believe in God either. But without such doctrines, they have a difficult time explaining the presence of evil in this world. Scientifically, they cannot even adequately explain life, which is abundantly around us, or determine where it came from. No laboratory test could ever prove their assumptions.

The Bible tells us that the devil is real. According to the Bible, those who do not believe what is written in the Scriptures reveal that their minds have been darkened and they have been deceived into believing a lie. Because of their unbelief, they have already been judged; hence, their names are not recorded in the Book of Life.

The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2Corinthians 4:4 NASB)

Satan enslaves individuals by causing depression, drug addiction, sicknesses and other conditions that keep us from fully enjoying the life God has given us. His aim is global conflict, wars, massive destruction, ethnic cleansing and anything else that will prevent people from being forgiven of their sins and being reconciled to a loving God.

Having been totally blinded by the devil, many brilliant scientists deny God's existence. They must consequently come up with theories like evolution, which is a pack of cleverly disguised lies that cannot stand up to scientific proof. It comes from the old theory Satan originally proposed, but now it reappears in a warmed-up version of what has been around for a long time.

Satan's Demise

The Scriptures indicate five stages of Satan's judgment and doom:

1. He was cast out of his original position in heaven, removed from the holy mount of God. (Ezekiel 28:16)

2. Judgment was announced in the Garden of Eden against his domain. Genesis 3:15 predicted his head would be crushed, which happened in AD 33 when Jesus died and rose again. By the crucifixion Satan also lost his power in heaven. (John 19:30)

3. He will be hurled from heaven and his domain will end on earth. (Revelation 12:13)

4. He will be confined under the earth, in the Abyss, for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:2-3)

5. He will be cast into the lake of fire—his final termination. (Revelation 20:10)

The prophet Isaiah described Satan's defeat:

All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. But you are cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. (Isaiah 14:4-20)

Satan's final end is described in Revelation 20:10:

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Other scriptures provide additional insights into this extraordinary, powerful being known as Satan. Here is a partial list:

 

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