Posted on 01/13/2011 3:36:43 PM PST by wmfights
Jerusalem should be your favorite city! After all, it’s the city that God has chosen for Himself (1 Kings 11:13). In Psalm 87:2,3 we read, “The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.” Ancient maps put Jerusalem in the center of the world, and I think those maps are right! Jerusalem is also God’s timepiece. The final events of world history will culminate there with the glorious return of Jesus Christ to the Mount of Olives.
What about Jerusalem’s ancient past? In Genesis 22:2 the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on “Mount Moriah.” The only other passage where this name appears is 2 Chronicles 3:1 where we read, “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah...” So, evidently Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, which was the exact spot where the temple was later built in Jerusalem. When you look at the temple area today, remember this is where that dramatic event happened.
Jerusalem was a Jebusite city when Joshua came to conquer Canaan. But after David became king, he conquered the city and made it his capitol. Here briefly are five periods in Jerusalem’s fascinating history.
The First Temple Period (1000 - 586 BC)
Solomon, David’s son, built a beautiful temple in Jerusalem. We can only imagine what it looked like. Its glory was greater than anything that had ever been built in the ancient world. And we read, “It came about when the priests came from the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:10,11).
But after Solomon’s death the kingdom was split; Samaria became the capitol of the northern tribes. This city succumbed to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Thousands of captives were taken to Assyria and never heard from again.
In 586 B.C., the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, the southern kingdom. After three sieges, Solomon’s beautiful temple was totally destroyed. Many Jews were carried off to Babylon where they lived for seventy years. When the Persians later overthrew Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland. Jerusalem, however, lay in ruins.
The Second Temple Period (538 BC - 70 AD)
When the Jews returned from Babylon, a small temple was constructed where Solomon’s beautiful edifice stood. Many of the older men remembered Solomon’s temple and wept when they saw this smaller edifice. Zechariah the prophet encouraged them by asking, “For who has despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10). Incredibly, this smaller temple served the Jews for nearly five centuries.
In 19 B.C. the Roman ruler, King Herod proposed the idea of reconstructing a beautiful temple in Jerusalem. He promised the Jews that he would not tear down Zerubbabel’s temple, but build a new one over it. In effect, the building of the new one and the tearing down of the smaller one would happen simultaneously. Worship would not be interrupted. He also trained one thousand priests as masons so that no Gentiles would have to work in the sacred areas.
This beautiful structure was not yet finished when Jesus Christ was on earth. After cleansing the temple, the Jews asked that He give them a sign and Jesus answered, “`Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews therefore said. `It took forty years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:19-21). This temple had been under construction for forty-six years and was not yet completed. Though Herod was long since dead, work on the temple continued.
One day Jesus and His disciples were on the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple area. They noticed that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts. Christ explained, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down” (Luke 21:5,6). Thus Christ predicted that the second temple would be totally destroyed, and destroyed it was.
In 70 A.D. the Emperor Titus came to put down a revolt in Jerusalem, so he surrounded the city of Jerusalem and captured it. He starved the city. And when people would sneak out at night to find food or water, they were crucified until rows and rows of crosses stood outside the city walls. Jerusalem was then destroyed and the temple taken apart stone by stone. Christ’s prophecy was meticulously fulfilled.
The Gentile Era (70 AD - 1948)
Recall that Christ said, ...”And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all of the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). Let’s take a tour of this Gentile period noting seven different eras that span nineteen centuries.
1. The Roman Period (70 - 33) The Romans brought their own people to repopulate the city.
2. The Byzantine Period (330 - 638) This is the period after Constantine (See chapter on Rome).
By the way, Constantine’s mother, Helena, made a trip to the holy land and established the various traditional sites regarding the life and ministry of Christ. Even today her identification of places such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are considered by some to be authentic. Various churches and fortifications can be seen dating back to the Byzantine Period with its unique architecture.
3. The First Muslim Period (638 - 1099) Mohammed began the religion of Islam and conquered the city of Jerusalem with the sword.
Today, Jerusalem is the third most holy site for this religion after Mecca and Medina. During this era, the Dome of the Rock was built, believed to be the place where Mohammed ascended into heaven. Just think, this beautiful building was constructed 1300 years ago and is still an architectural wonder!
4. The Crusader Period (1099-1187) Pope Urban II issued a decree saying that anyone who was willing to go to the holy land to liberate it from the Muslims would (1) be forgiven all sins: and (2) if unable to go, the same benefits would extend to those who contributed financially to send a substitute. Hordes of Europeans went to Jerusalem after the initial liberation. Today, crusader churches and walls still can be found throughout the land, all of them nearly a thousand years old.
5. The Later Muslim Period (1187-1517) Once again, the Muslims dominated the land of Israel for four long centuries.
6. The Turkish Period (1517-1917) The Ottoman Turks defeated the Muslims, and Suleiman ruled from Constantinople over the eastern wing of the Roman Empire. Under his reign, the present walls of the city of Jerusalem were built, nearly four hundred years ago.
7. The British Period (1917 - 1948) The British asked the United Nations to resolve the conflict surrounding the city and the land was given to the Jews in 1948. Jerusalem was divided up into four sectors - Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian. But in the war of 1967, the city fell to Israeli hands and the territory all the way to the Jordan River (known as the West Bank) became a part of the Israeli State. Many people believe that this ended the domination of the Gentiles which Christ spoke about. Recall that He said, “Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). This explains why some people think that Christ’s return may be near.
Jerusalem In The Future
The fourth period is still future. The battle of Armageddon will spill over to Jerusalem. Zechariah writes, “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city” (Zechariah 14:2). This then marks the great sorrow that will yet come to the city of Jerusalem as all the nations of the earth turn against the Jews.
After Armageddon, Jerusalem will experience exaltation. “Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem...” (14:3,4). Christ will come and defend His people; the Jews living at that time will look upon their Redeemer and recognize Him to be the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Then Jerusalem will enter what is know as the Millennial Kingdom, “...the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war” (Isaiah 2:3,4). After Judgment comes blessing.
The New Jerusalem
The fifth major era is when the earthly Jerusalem gives way to the New Jerusalem that comes from God out of heaven. This heavenly city is not so much an extension of the old, as it is a new substitute for all that has ever been known here on earth. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:1,2).
Later we read, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal clear jasper (vv. 10,11).
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city” (22:14).
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
WERE MARY HERSELF POSTING ON FR
I BELIEVE HER DENOUNCIATIONS OF SUCH
WOULD BE MUCH MORE FIERCE THAN MINE!
= = =
Hear, hear.
BTW,
with someone like John The Baptist . . . say 200% full of Grace . . . well beyond Mary as Christ indicated . . .
where & how does a mortal contain all that Grace?
Maybe it was layers thick on each of the camel’s hairs of his clothing.
Naw. That would just be his clothing.
THX THX.
What blasphemy!!!!
>> What blasphemy!!!!<<
Looks like it to me too. That is from Dignity and Duties of the Priest that was written by St. Alphonsus De Liguori [1696-1787] who was canonized a Saint in 1839 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX on July 7th, 1871.
Hebrews 9:24-28 24For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 10:10-14 10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Wrong again, bucko.
The initial forgiveness is through repentance and confession.
1 John 1:9
Interesting. The *heresy* then appears to be that someone thinks that the priest's personal faithfulness is relevant to his role as a priest?
The priest could be a sodomite or pedophile and the Donatists are the heretics for not being willing to accept this?
The Catholic church is quick to label any criticism of it as *heretical*.
How convenient.......
And no surprise. What a neat system for protecting corrupt and immoral clergy. It just can't be beat for its creativeness.
Obviously, personal holiness and living the Beatitudes is not a prerequisite for becoming or being a priest. That's only for the unwashed.
Probably like this to start with......
1 Corinthians 5:1- 1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 12 "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. 13 "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." 17But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
And here Paul is just referring to adultery, with another adult. I can't imagine his reaction if it involved CHILDREN by the leadership in the church.
I think that's assuming a lot and giving him more credit than is due.
I don't recognize that kind of inexperience on FR in his posting style.
I was initially wondering if we were dealing with a retread.
Then I realized there’s far tooooo much
uhhhh . . . lack of awareness . . .
for that category.
I can see why the CC doesn’t like written records of things.
It denies the plain written word of Scripture and the plain written word of historical fact.
I always crack up when some Catholic trots out the *It doesn’t mean what is says, it means what we say it says* line. That’s been used plenty of times before still, nobody is buying it.
I dunno. It’s profitable to play dumb. People give you the benefit of the doubt and you can get away with more that way.
INDEED.
True. True.
“It is error to believe that, if the Pope were a reprobate and an evil man and consequently a member of the devil, he has no power over the faithful.” Council of Constance, Condemnation of Errors, against Wycliffe, Session VIII, and Hus: Session XV; DNZ:621, 617, 588)
“Even if the Pope were Satan incarnate, we ought not to raise up our heads against him, but calmly lie down to rest on his bosom.” St. Catherine of Siena, SCS, p. 201-202, p. 222, (quoted in Apostolic Digest, by sedevacantist Michael Malone, Book 5: “The Book of Obedience”, Chapter 1: “There is No Salvation Without Personal Submission to the Pope”)
“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat...Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. “ (1 Corinthians 5:11,13)
“They misunderstood the grace received from the sacrament comes from God and is not dependent on the faithfulness of the priest.”
The prophets railed against an ex opera operato materialistic worship; a dead externalism in religious practice and mechanical routine in religious thought.
Isaiah 1:11-14, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.”
Amos 5:21-24, “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”
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