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Jesus and Eternal Life

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Jesus and Eternal Life

Some background on the East gate (or Golden Gate) of Jerusalem.

Photos: Gates of the Old City | Jerusalem Gate | Locating the original City of David

City of David (Jerusalem) at the time of Solomon 900 B.C. Jerusalem in the 1800s

The Romans destroyed Jerusalem and completely razed it and the Temple after ending the Jewish revolts in 70 and 135 A.D. as Jesus foretold around 33 A.D. (Mat. 24) They rebuilt Jerusalem as a Roman city which they called Aelia Capitolina (the rest of Judea was renamed Palestina), leaving only part of the Temple's outer west wall and two Herodian guard towers from the original buildings. "The sealed gate on the eastern side was built approximately 640 A.D. either by the last of the Byzantine rulers [who would have rebuilt it opened at that time] or by the first of the Arab conquerors [around 810 A.D.]." Gates of the Old City

The Ottoman Turks conquered the city around 1500 A.D and completed construction of the city walls. The British entered Jerusalem in 1917 during WW I. The League of Nations and later the United Nations mandated British administration until the UN voted and approved a partition arrangement for the Jews and Arabs in the land, granting independence to Israel in 1948. Arab armies invaded from the surrounding countries and Jordan took possession of the Old City. Israel ultimately defended and extended its territory and established its sovereignty by 1950, but without the Old City which no Jews were allowed to enter.

In the 1967 Arab/Israeli 6 day war Israel defeated the attacking Jordanian army (along with all other Arab combatants) and entered East Jerusalem, taking possession for the first time since the Hasmonean (Maccabean) dynasty was ended in 63 BC by the Roman general Pompey. Israel declared Jerusalem it's eternal capital and allowed people of all faiths access. However, Israel has allowed the Muslims to maintain control over the temple mount, the eastern wall and gate, and other parts of Old Jerusalem.

Israel has since done extensive clean-up, archaeological research and restoration in much of the Old City, as well as building over decades the modern city of Jerusalem often referred to as New Jerusalem. The Old City's construction over the last 2000 years since the final Roman destruction of 132 A.D. (interspersed with long periods of neglect and decay) consists of Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader (Catholic), Turkish, Armenian, British, and Israeli construction and restoration.

From Visiting the Temple Mount, by Lambert Dolphin

"The present walls around the Old City were built from 1537 to 1541 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent after the Ottoman conquest of Israel [then called Palestine, ke]. At that time most of the ancient walls were reduced to rubble. Suleiman ordered that Jerusalem be fortified to protect its people against marauding Bedouins.

"The walls were rebuilt upon the foundations of the walls constructed during the time of the Second Temple and the later Roman expansion. For the most part, the modern gates of the city are not closely related to the walls and gates that existed in Roman times or earlier. There is some debate about the correct location of some of the ancient gates and walls. However visitors to the recently restored Jewish Quarter in the Old City can see an uncovered section of the wall built by Nehemiah at the time of the return from the Babylonian exile [around 550 B.C.].

. . .

The Golden [East] Gate

"The Golden Gate is the most important and most impressive gate in Jerusalem, and the only visible entrance to the city of Jerusalem from the East. This oldest of all the gates to the city was the only one not rebuilt by Suleiman the Magnificent in AD 1539-42. Monolithic stones in the wall just above ground have been identified as 6th Century BC masonry from the time of Nehemiah (Biblical Archaeological Review [BAR], Mar/Apr 1992, p40).

"The Golden Gate was walled up by the Arabs in the year 810. It has remained closed now for nearly 12 centuries.

. . .

"The Golden Gate has long interested many Muslims, and most Jews and Christians as the place of the Last Judgment. Historically, judgments were rendered in the gates of the city (Gen. 19:1, 23:10, for instance). Since the Messiah was to come from the East (Matthew 24:27), it was concluded that his judgment would be at the eastern gate. This is one reason for the many Muslim, Christian, and Jewish graves on the Eastern slopes of the Temple Mount, in the Kidron Valley, and on the Western slopes of the Mount of Olives

"Some Muslims place Allah's final judgment at this location also. Jews link the Messiah's arrival with this gate and Christians have for centuries associated the Golden Gate with Palm Sunday and also with the Second Advent (Luke 19:35-38).

"Jews expect the Messiah to come through the Golden Gate, Muslims also expect Jesus to return to our world at the end of the age to participate in the final judgment. Christians believe it will be Jesus Christ who will conduct that final judgment. Zechariah 14:4-5 clearly states that the Messiah of Israel will return to Jerusalem from the summit of the Mount of Olives and then surely proceed into Jerusalem from the East, in the direction of the Golden Gate.

. . .

"Because of the Messianic association with the Golden Gate - which clearly symbolizes both judgment and mercy because of the Arabic names attached to the gate - adherents to all three faiths have wanted to be buried as close as possible to the Golden Gate. The assumption was that the dead in the immediate vicinity would be the first to be raised. In the Middle Ages the Jews were forbidden to bury on Mount Moriah. Instead they buried their dead opposite the gate and to the South on the Mount of Olives. This Jewish cemetery is the oldest in continuous use anywhere in the world. ...The Muslim burial area covers the eastern Temple Mount hillside up to and surrounding the Golden Gate.

"At the end of the First Temple period the eastern gate was closed (see Ezekiel XLIV, I. "Then he brought me back the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.")... [A vision recorded by Ezekiel in Babylon around 600 B.C. MCM website editor].
. . .

"The New Testament (Acts IlI 2) calls this the Beautiful Gate; it may therefore be assumed to have existed during the period of Aelia Capitolina [after the final Roman destruction in 132 A.D.]. However, its present beauty was not attained until the reign of Justinian, in honour of the Christian tradition which fixes this as the site of Jesus' entry to the Temple courtyard. The gate was probably open during the Byzantine period, and the Emperor Heraclius entered through it after taking Jerusalem in 629. After the Muslim conquest, when the Dome of the Rock and the EI-Aksa Mosque were built, it was blocked to prevent unsupervised access to the mosque area.

"...In the time of the Crusaders it was opened twice a year on Christian festivals: once in the spring, on Palm Sunday, recalling Jesus' triumphal entry to the city through this gate (St. Matthew XXI, 1-8); and once in the autumn, to commemorate the entry of the Emperor Heraclius. The gate was finally closed under Turkish rule.

"Charles Warren examined the gate in 1867-69 and found a wall descending 13 m (42 ft) below the level of the gate, the wall of the Temple Mount at this point is thus 20 m (65 ft) high. 80 m (87 yds) further north Warren found the base of the wall at a depth of 40 m (141 ft). Schick cleaned the gate in 1891. It is to be hoped that this magnificent gate will again serve its original purpose, making possible pilgrimages to the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. (Menashe Har-El, This is Jerusalem, Canaan Publishing House, PO Box 7645, Jerusalem 1977)

From "Visiting the Temple Mount" by Lambert Dolphin

From Wikipedia

"The Golden Gate is the oldest of the current gates in Jerusalem's Old City Walls. It was probably built in the 520s CE, as part of Justinian I's building program in Jerusalem, on top of the ruins of an earlier gate in the wall. An alternate theory holds that it was built in the later part of the 7th century by Byzantine artisans employed by the Umayyad khalifs.

"In Christian literature, the gate is referred as the Golden Gate, but in Arabic it is known as the Gate of Eternal Life. Jews used to pray for mercy at the gate, hence the name Sha'ar Harachamim, the Gate of Mercy.

"The gate is located in the middle of the eastern side of the Temple Mount. The portal in this position was believed to have been used for ritual purposes in biblical times.

"In Jewish tradition this is the gate through which Messiah will enter Jerusalem. It was sealed off in 1541 by Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I..."

From Wikipedia, The Golden Gate

For a brief history of Palestine/Israel and Jerusalem, see History of Jerusalem and Israel History - Foreign Domination.

You can see in the photos of the East Gate above that it is sealed shut. "According to Jewish tradition, when the Messiah comes, he will enter Jerusalem through this gate. [The reason for the Muslim burials in front of the gate appears to be for the same hope in their resurrection at Messiah's return as the Jews have who are buried by the thousands directly across the valley on the Mount of Olives. MCM Editor] (Jewish Virtual Library) However, the shutting of this gate itself was prophesied by Ezekiel around 600 B.C. -- that it would be shut "because the LORD (Jehovah or Yahweh), the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut."

Jesus entered Jerusalem through the East gate around 33 A.D. (long before the more recent gate was blocked by the Muslims) as he came down from the Mount of Olives and entered the temple according to our understanding of Luke 19:28-48. He would have entered through the original gate built by Nehemiah and enhanced by Herod which, along with the city, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. and again in 132 A.D. Ezekiel says concerning this gate that it "shall be shut," that "it is for the Prince" (which the Messiah is often called throughout the Old Testament and Jesus is called in the New Testament), and that he shall enter it again.

Ezekiel 44 (A vision Ezekiel recorded around 600 B.C. in Babylon)

1 Then [the LORD] brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.
2 Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.

Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem around 33 A.D. Speaking to the Jews, he said that they would not see him until they acknowledge Him as their Messiah by declaring the well known Messianic reception from Ps. 118:14-29, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD." (See Matthew 23:37-39.)

Matthew records Jesus' words to the Jews in chapt. 23,

36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Will his chosen ones in Jerusalem and from the rest of the nations acknowledge Him as their Messiah, Lord and Deliverer? See Zechariah 12, and his return to Jerusalem according to the prophet: Zechariah 14:1-11 (written approximately 500 B.C.), and according to Jesus: Matthew 24:14-31. Or All passages together.

See Jerusalem's Destiny for the prophetic scriptures regarding the destiny of Jerusalem.

For a more complete and updated version of this article, go here.

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JESUS AND ETERNAL LIFE
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I came as a Jew to believe in Jesus in June, 1974, after a long struggle not to believe or have anything to do with him or any religion. He completely changed my life, continues to change my life and has given me eternal life. It's a story in itself, which will have to be told elsewhere. What I know now is that he is everything he and the gospel writers said he was, "the son of David," "the Son of God", "the Messiah", the king of Israel and of all the nations, and the savior of all who believe in him. (Old Test: Isaiah 9:6,7; Micah 5:2 and New Test: John 8:52-59; Rev 1:4-8)

Gospel: 1. The proclamation of the redemption preached by Jesus and the Apostles, which is the central content of Christian revelation.
Messianic: 1. Of or relating to a messiah: messianic hopes.
Messiah: 1. The anticipated deliverer and king of the Jews.

Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from INSO Corporation; further reproduction and distribution in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.

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Who is Jesus?
(All scripture links open new windows!)

Jesus was a Jew (Mat. 1, 2, 27, etc.) and he is "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5-9). He said he came to Israel to give eternal life and joyful "abundant life" to the Jew first, and also to the gentile (Rom. 1:16) -- to everyone who repents (turns from your own sinful way to God) and believes in him.

He was born approximately 4 B.C. in Bethlehem, in the province of Judea. According to the gospel writers he was born of a virgin named Miriam (or Mary), of the lineage of David. According to their record, an angel appeared to her where she lived in Nazareth of Galilee telling her that God's Holy Spirit would come upon her, that she would conceive and bear a son (though, as she said, she had never known a man) and that she was to call his name Y'shua, or Jesus, meaning Savior.

At that time, Mary was betrothed to be married. (Betrothal is more serious than engagement -- considered as good as married.) Soon after the angel's appearance and message, she was found to be pregnant, though still unmarried. In that culture this was unacceptable. She was betrothed to Joseph, a "righteous man," who decided to "put her away" (divorce her) quietly, to avoid humiliating her. But an angel came to him in a dream and said to him "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Joseph then took her as his wife, but did not have relations with her until after the birth of the child.

When she was close to the time to give birth, a Roman decree went out from that all inhabitants of the Roman empire must go to their places of birth for a tax census. Jesus' mother and Joseph's birth place was Bethlehem. They made the arduous journey from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem for the census. But there was no room for them to stay in the village inn. Mary was about to give birth, so they went into an animal shed.

She soon gave birth to a baby boy. This was the son spoken of by the angel as foretold in Micah (around 500 B.C.). She wrapped him in swadling cloths, laid him in a feeding trough for animals, and named him Jesus ("Savior") as the angel had commanded her. This began the life (though he said years later that he had existed from before the beginning) of one who would redeem the world and rule the nations, and who would, as he said, save all who would believe in him. (See Old Test: Isaiah 9:6,7; Micah 5:2 and New Test: Mat 1:18-2:6; John 8:51-59) For the entire story see Luke 1,2.

After several years the family returned to Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus grew up in Nazareth. About 25 years later, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he was "driven into the wilderness [of Judea] to be tempted by Satan". After 40 days in the wilderness, he returned in the power of the Holy Spirit and began preaching to Israel a message of repentance and the way into the kingdom of heaven, salvation, and eternal life, which he said was now at hand. He had come to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel," "to seek and to save those who are lost." There were three years of intensive teaching to his disciples and to Israel about God the Father and himself, the coming kingdom, and eternal life. He taught huge crowds all over Israel with signs and miracles never seen before. He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised some from the dead, warned and comforted multitudes, and rebuked the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and their cold hearts toward God and his people. He spoke in great detail of things to come, about his coming "with the clouds in great power and glory," and the ultimate reign of his kingdom on earth.

He spoke a lot about and demonstrated God's love for us and the way to eternal life; that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." To his followers, "I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you." "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you...," and "What will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" "This is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (See Luke 16:19-31, Mark 8:34-38, John 6:27-40, John 16:19-28.)

He repeatedly referred to himself as the Son of Man, the Son of God, and as Yahweh Adonai, Jehovah God. The religious leaders often attempted to put him to death on the basis of these claims "... for blasphemy, because you being a man, make yourself God." Many worshiped him, beginning with certain shepherds at his birth and later "king-maker" nobles (wise men) from Parthia to the East.

John begins his gospel by saying, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... All things were made [created] by him, and without him was nothing made that was made." "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.... And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." After his crucifixion and resurrection, Thomas would not believe that Jesus was resurrected unless he could put his fingers in his wounds and see him with his own eyes. When Thomas saw him, he fell at his feet and cried out, "My Lord and my God!"

In the words of the religious leaders (who hated him), "Look, the world has gone after him." (John 12:19) He entered Jerusalem on a donkey among the crowds of the Israelites and Diaspora streaming in for the Passover, who were praising and worshiping him, laying palm branches in his path.

A few days later, he was betrayed to the religious leaders by one of his disciples, Judas, for "thirty shekels of silver". Judas led them to where Jesus could be found at night away from the crowds. Joined by some of the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers, Judas identified him in the dim torch light by giving them the agreed sign, kissing Jesus on the cheek. Jesus had known from the beginning of his coming betrayal and who would betray him. "Judas, are you betraying the son of man with a kiss?"

They immediately arrested him. Brought before the Sanhedrin (the highest Jewish court), they accused him of and tried him for blasphemy, and sentenced him to death, all according to what was foretold in the writings of the Old Testament prophets over 500 years earlier. Judas threw the money in the Temple, as foretold by Zechariah, and hanged himself. The Jewish "court" delivered Jesus over to the Roman Procurator (governor) of Judea, Pontius Pilate.

Pilate declared Jesus innocent, but the Jewish leaders stired up the crowds to demand his crucifixion. Pilate yielded to their demands. Jesus was scourged and beaten beyond recognition, stripped naked, and crucified outside of the city for six hours.

He then "cried out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!'" and then "gave up the spirit." He was buried in a cave made into a tomb that belonged to a wealthy follower, also as foretold by the Old Testament prophets, David, Isaiah, Zechariah, and others. (See Luke 22-23 for the story.)

After three days, two of the women returned to the tomb which was sealed with a two-ton cover-stone. They stood there wondering how they would finish the burial anointing.

"And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, [telling them]. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." Mat. 28:1-10

He then appeared to the other disciples (who were terrified when they saw him) in the house where they were in hiding. He ate and drank with them, taught them, and rebuked some of them for their unbelief, telling Thomas to put his hands in his wounds, and "be not unbelieving, but believing." (See Mat 28:61-66; Luke 24)

After forty days of communing with and teaching his disciples, at one time appearing to over 500 of them at once, he met with them, told them that they would soon receive "power from on high", and that he was going to "ascend to my Father and your Father," from where he would send them "the baptism of the Holy Spirit."

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight."

And from Luke (Acts of the Apostles),

And when [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld [him], he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, 'Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.'" (Acts 1:1-11)

Luke, a physician who interviewed the disciples and other eye witnesses of Jesus' life and resurrection wrote to Theophilus about 63 AD,

"The former treatise [the gospel of Luke] have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, 'ye have heard of me.'
'For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.'
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, 'Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?'
And he said unto them, 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.'
'But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.'
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, 'Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.'" (Acts 1:1-11)

The disciples along with about 120 others gathered at a house in Jerusalem to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had commanded them. Ten days later, the sound of a powerful wind came as Jesus Christ poured out the Holy Spirit on them from heaven. Flames appeared over them and they began speaking and preaching about the glory of God which could be heard clearly in all languages as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Crowds gathered from all over Jerusalem to find out what was happening and were astounded to see and hear this.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. Acts 2

You can read the entire story and message in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts.

Jesus now reigns from heaven over the whole earth and all the nations in glory and light that no one in human flesh can look upon and live. John, the apostle, wrote in approximately 95 A.D. (about 35 years after the crucifixion) of Jesus appearing to him...

I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,
saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;
and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.
His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.
His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,
and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades..... Rev. 1

He said he would come again a second time, this time with tremendous power and glory to consumate his rule.

"For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
"Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ [Messiah],' or 'There He is,' do not believe him.
"For false Christs [messiahs] and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
"Behold, I have told you in advance.
"So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them.
"For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
"Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

"But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
"And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.
"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." NASB [Note that the words "sky" and "heaven" are the same word in the Greek text.]

(See Old Test: Zech 12;14:1-11 and New Test: Matthew 24)

And from Luke (Acts of the Apostles),

And when [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld [him], he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, 'Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.'" (Acts 1:1-11)

When he returns, he will descend from heaven in his glory with his "holy ones" -- angels and those who belong to Jesus -- "as lightning flashes from East to West," in the midst of the most terrible war and destruction the world has ever seen or will ever see again. He will destroy his enemies, take his place in Jerusalem as King and Ruler of the nations, and bring peace on earth. There will be peace between the Arab and Jew and a highway between Egypt, Assyria (Syria and Jordan) and Israel, and people from all nations will come to worship him. (Is. 19:16-25 and Zech 12,14 & Mat. 24)

How to Come to Saving Faith in Christ

God is able to give you eternal life. He made atonement for you by sending his Son to earth and to the cross to save you -- God in his love for you gave his Son in your place to pay the price and satisfy his wrath against you for your sins by pouring his wrath out upon his Son in your place. He did this in order to save you and give you eternal life in Him. There was no other way God could be satisfied for the offence of our sin and sins against him -- We must either accept the payment of Jesus on our behalf or pay the price ourselves in what the Bible calls the lake of fire, "prepared for the devil and his angels". God sent his son Jesus to save us and give us eternal life and a Father/son relationship with himself! "As many as received him, to them he gave the right (or authority) to become children of God, to those who believe in his name", Jn 1:12

Jesus' invitation comes in several ways -- "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand," "Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me...," "Be saved from this perverse/wicked [going the opposite way] generation". And many others.

Eternal life is knowing and being with God -- the one, true and living God -- forever -- here and in heaven. Salvation and eternal life begins the day that God gives you the gift of faith and repentence to truly believe into and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior -- God's Son crucified for you, dead and buried for three days and then raised by the love and power of God from the dead. "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." (Rom. 10:9,10) Believe Jesus, believe in Jesus, believe what Jesus says. Jesus believes and fulfills EVERYTHING he says.

You must continue to grow and deepen in your new life as you read his Word, obey and follow him, and learn to triumphantly overcome the many tests and trials. It culminates when he takes you home to be with him until he returns here in great power and glory as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" (very different from his first coming) with all his holy ones who have believed in and followed him.

To begin, you have to recognize that you have sinned against God, broken his Law, his commandments -- in your deeds -- your thoughts -- in your heart from birth. That God's wrath is on all sinners/law-breakers. This means now and for eternity.

To be saved, you come to God an unworthy sinner with no hope of saving yourself. As one whom God has chosen to save because of his covenant love for you. You can't change anything about yourself or become acceptable to God in any way. It's your sinful, corrupted heart that God is dealing with. Only he can save you and change that. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways..."

It is completely by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8,9).

No one else can save you or give you the gift of eternal life either. No church or religion can give it to you. No prophet, priest, rabbi, or psychologist can save you or give you eternal life. But God, the father chose to love you. He gave his own son, Jesus Christ, as the only acceptable sacrifice for you, paid for and made the atonement for you with the blood of his son and raised him from the dead. He did this to save you from this perverse generation (most of whom hate him) and from his wrath, to give you a new life in his kingdom of heaven, to reconcile you to himself, heal you, and give you the gift of the Holy Spirit. (See Ps 2:12; Prv 30:1-4; Is 9:6,7; Is 53:1-5; Is. 64:6,7 Matthew 11:28-30;Jn 3:14-16;11:25,26.) You receive all of this by the gift of faith alone in Jesus Christ who is God the Son in human flesh, by the atoning sacrifice he became for you in your place on the cross.

Here are some steps and teaching you can follow to gain assurance of eternal life and begin growing in the faith of Jesus:

The Glory of the Gospel (by Dr. Mary Craig)

You Can Have A Miracle (by David Wilkerson)

How to be saved

Who is Jesus?

Who is God and Who are You?

What Jesus Said About Eternal Life

A Prayer of Salvation: A sample prayer to God you can follow to receive Jesus Christ and his gift of eternal life.

Memory's Gate: The testimony of a little girl who was murdered at age 14, regarding her faith and assurance of heaven. Her mother wrote the poem... Remembering Barbie Feighner

Why I am doing this

Printable version

What do you think of Jesus?

Copyright © 1999 k.ellis

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The following websites are some of my favorite relating to the things concerning Jesus and eternal life. I have come to find that true fulfillment is in Jesus Christ (or Y'shua ha Mashiah). There are many religions, but only one risen Son of God (Ben Elohim) who gives eternal life.

There many good websites that talk about the Savior. These are a good start, until I can get around to organizing others that should be added. I don't necessarily agree with everything on all of these sites. I do believe that the most important truths about God and Jesus Christ are well presented.

The Sites to See
(All links open new windows!)

What if a Man...?

Who is Jesus?

Isaiah 53; Micah 5:2-4; Prov. 30:1-4: What the Old Testament prophets said around 700 BC (plus a proverb).

Jesus Project: 55 Olt Testament prophecies (1400 BC to 400 BC) about Jesus Christ.

The Glory of the Gospel: Message given by Dr. Mary Craig in Jerusalem

Jews for Jesus: Why believe? . . . How to Believe . . . Jews who believe . . . Full Articles Index

Memory's Gate: The testimony of a little girl who was murdered at age 14, regarding her faith and assurance of heaven. The poem was written by her mother.

SeekGod.org: I highly recommend visiting this site when you have time to dig. There's a lot to see here.

True Christian Faith: This one covers a lot of territory. If you have serious questions (whether you're a believer or not) and you are looking for answers, this place will be a great help. (Note: The author's view that salvation can be lost is not accurate. One who is truly born of God cannot be lost. One who has the appearance of salvation, but falls away was never truly saved. Mat. 7:21-23; Jn. 6:37-40; Jn 10:27-29; Jn 17:11,12; 2Pet. 2:20-22; 1Jn. 2:18,19 and others. I suspect we might ultimately agree on this question if looked at in depth.)

Institute for Creation Research: What is the scientific evidence for the creation account in Genesis? What is the scientific evidence for the theory of evolution? Start here to see what creation oriented biologists, physicists, paleontologists, archeologists, geologists, and other scientists are discovering through continuing research.

Creation Research Society: Peer reviewed journals and articles on the issue of creation vs. evolution.

Center for Scientific Creation: "Compelling evidence for creation and the flood." Comprehensive research presented by a former evolutionist.

Reasons.org: "Whether you are looking for scientific support for your faith or answers to questions about God and science, Reasons To Believe exists for you."

AnswersInGenesis.org: The thousands of articles and media programs on this site answer questions about creation/evolution, dinosaurs, and much more.

A word about creation vs. evolution websites: There are well done and convincing sources and websites on both sides of this issue. Creation scientists make mistakes and have sometimes been unwilling to admit them. Evolutionary scientists have come to numerous false conclusions over time and have at times clung for years to disproven theories. They are all human, and have their faults.

Since the purpose of this section is to present the truths and evidence for those truths revealed in the old and new testament scriptures, I have only listed creation oriented websites. As a former unquestioning evolutionist, I am convinced that the theory of evolution is hopelessly flawed and erroneous, and that the account in Genesis is the true account given by Moses of creation and our redemption in the style and manner of the Hebrew/Egyptian culture and mindset. I believe that current scientific research bears out the veracity of this account.

Keep in mind that the entire Christian faith hangs upon the reality of Jesus Christ, who he is, what he did, and his physical resurrection from the dead. If this account is fabricated (either by Christ or the authors), if the resurrection did not happen, then everything else regarding the faith can and should be thrown out. However, if the accounts of Jesus are true, and the resurrection did happen, then so is God's assurance of our own resurrection and eternal life, as well as the account of creation in Genesis. The scriptures in Paul's words make this very argument. (1 Cor. 15) The fact that there is overwhelming scientific evidence for creation is icing on the cake, though it should be expected if God created the universe. (Paul is more emphatic Rom 1:19,20)

True, saving faith in Jesus Christ must, in the end, come to just that -- faith -- even after all the evidence is examined. Evidence alone cannot give you faith (though it can lead you to it) -- only God can. For Paul's statement about evidence in creation, see Rom. 1:16-23. For the resurrection account, see John 19 -21; Luke 23-24; Acts 1; 1 Cor.15:1-18.

The gospel account of God's son, who himself is God (the son), dying on a cross and rising from the dead is utter foolishness to human ears. That is the way God has chosen to accomplish salvation and eternal life, so that none of us will be saved by our intelligence or wisdom, but by childlike faith in God and his atoning sacrifice of his son on our behalf. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Cor. 1:21) Jesus, who himself is Wisdom, and had knowledge beyond any, said, "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." See the statements of this in: Mark 10:13-16;1 Cor. 1:17 - 2:14.

Koinonia House Interactive: Bible, science, prophetic, multimedia . . .

Lambert Dolphin's Resource Files: God and the laws of physics - A physicist's search

ChristianAnswers.net: Questions, answers and lots of other good stuff

Really Walking Sober: How a hopeless alcoholic was set free

The Problem With America's Roots

Mary Craig Ministries - Prophetic Page: Messages for America, Israel and the nations

Mary Craig Ministries - Healing, Deliverance & Eternal Life

The Gospel According to Luke: The story of Jesus according to a contemporary. (Luke was a physician at the time of Jesus).

ICLNET - Christian Literature on the Internet: Links to online Christian literature and resources.

ICLNET - Early Church Documents: Early Christian documents online.

Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Christian Classics online.

Biblehub.com: Easy-to-use Bible study tools, resources and reference works. The best, most comprehensive Bible study site overall on the Internet (except for specialty sites).

StudyLight.org: More tools right at your fingertips with your search results.

Bible Gateway: An excellent bible research tool with multiple versions and languages. This is the one used extensively throughout this website.

Who is God and Who are You?

Eternal Life According to Jesus

Advanced favorites: Some of my "advanced" favorite links are listed here, on Mary Craig Ministries' website, including free Bible software.

Jerusalem's Destiny: The history and destiny of Israel and Jerusalem according to the Bible.

Faith of Our Fathers: The history, background and faith of our founding fathers and of the United States of America.

Awesome Worship Songs

Jesus' words concerning "the end of the age" and a "new heaven and new earth"...

From Jesus Christ (according to Matthew) (Mat. 24,25; Acts 1)

From John (The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John) Rev. 20-22
See also Ezekiel 38,38 (550 BC) (Note that "Rosh," "Meshech," and "Tubal" in these passages are thought by many bible scholars to refer to the tribes that now make up Russia.), and Zechariah 12-14 (500 BC)

To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever!

Worship and song given at the throne of Jesus Christ (the Lamb) Click here for the whole passage...

The Bible starting in Genesis or go to the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, etc.

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