First of all to come to a good relationship with some one, one has to talk with that person and has to listen to what that person has to tell.
God talks to the people by the way of His Word, presented to mankind by the many Bible translations, so that most people can read and hear God.s Words in a language they can understand.
To talk to God or to go in conversation with Him, we simply can direct our thoughts and words to Him above. Such talking with God we also call “praying”.
Communication through prayer is the foundation of a close relationship with God. (Ps. 86:3; 1 Thess. 5:17; Rom. 12:12) When we take sufficient time to express to Jehovah our deepest thoughts and innermost feelings, we cannot help but be drawn closer to our heavenly Father, the “Hearer of prayer.” (Ps. 65:2) In addition, when we discern that Jehovah answers our prayers, our love for him grows. We come to realize ever more that
“Jehovah is near to all those calling on him.” (Ps. 145:18)
That confidence in Jehovah’s loving support will help us to cope with further tests of faith.
To build up a good relation with the Divine Creator, the Divine Master Maker Himself provided several people who should be an example for mankind to come closer to God.
The temptation of Adam and Eve
Because of the rebellion against their Maker, the first human beings where cast out of the Garden of Eden, but had their offspring also with the blemish of the consequences of their going wrong. From those two people, AdamandEve, came forth several people and several nations. They were the beginning of all nations and therefore those the Bible refers to as “one flesh”, Eve coming from the same flesh (Adam’s) and being joined together again in marital/sexual union are really inseparable. They were told to multiply in such a way that the whole world would be populated. That is part of the Plan of God.
Their act of defiance, called “The Fall” by many theologians, is a real bummer because from it comes painful childbirth, weeds in our gardens, many problems, lots of pain and, ultimately, death. Moreover, Adam and Eve’s disobedience introduce fear and alienation into humankind’s formerly perfect relationships with God and one another. As evidence of this alienation, Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, murders his brother, Abel.
Building the Ark (Noah’s Preaching Scorned), by Harry Anderson
After that horrible drama it still not went right and even went so bad that God found it more than enough, and therefore would give man a possibility to return to the right path. But they did not; and therefore God brought a great flood over the whole earth. Noah and his family where chosen to survive the deluge because Noah was
“the most righteous in his generation.”
and as such should be one of the many good examples to follow. Can you imagine what a faith in that God he could not see, he must have had, to build a giant three-decked wooden box in which he, his family, and a whole bunch of animals would have to come to live when there was going to be a massive flood that God was going to send to destroy humankind for its disobedience. For years he worked on that ark in the desert where so many passed and laughed with him, finding him a big idiot.
From the family of Noah the world of man could start again from anew. Once again God could see people not willing to follow Him but preferring to make themselves other gods and believing in them more.
Abraham Taking Isaac to Be Sacrificed – by Del Parson
In those early times of mankind, early 2nd millennium bce, we can find again a man with incredible faith in his God. Though not perfect, Avram, how he was called first, was called by God to leave his homeland in Mesopotamia to venture to an unknown Promised LandCanaan. The tales of Abraham and his wife Sarah are a roller coaster of dramatic events that repeatedly jeopardize God’s promise. The couple its faith was really tested many times. Ironically, the biggest threat to God’s promise was when God Himself commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham did not hesitate to do what God asked from him, but right before Abraham was going to deliver the fatal blow to his own child, God stopped the sacrifice. As a reward for Abraham’s faith, God fulfils His promise to make Abraham’s descendants a great nation, as Isaac’s son Jacob eventually has 12 sons, whose descendants become the nation of Israel.
In Judaism the promised offspring is understood to be the Jewish people descended from Abraham’s son, Isaac, born of his wife Sarah. Similarly, in Christianity the genealogy of Jesus is traced to Isaac, and Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. In Islam it is Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn son, born of Hagar, who is viewed as the fulfillment of God’s promise, and the Prophet Muhammad is his descendant. {Abraham Hebrew patriarch; André Parrot, Encyclopaedia Britannica}
Moses and the Burning Bushes – by Jerry Thompson
To bring over His messages Jehovah God uses human people who live according His wishes. One of them could see how people where not nicely treated and had to be brought out of the yoke of Egyptian slavery. Raised in the royal palace by Pharaoh’s daughter and her servant, the real mother of Moses, he had to flee Egypt for killing an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite slave. God knowing the heart of man, also knew very well what went on in Moses head and why that murder happened. Though no man can see God and live, Jehovah ‘appeared’ before Moses in a burning bush and told him to return to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from their slavery. Lots of faith in God was demanded from Moses, to meet every time the pharaoh bringing over the message of God, Who would bring a plague to the country. With God’s help, Moses succeeded in his mission, bringing the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where God gave him the Law, including the Ten Commandments.
Moses wrote down also the Words of God on the scrolls or manuscripts which we know today as the Pentateuch or the Torah. It are those books which bring us the history of man, but also bring us a picture how we can build up a good relation with God or how we can destroy such a relation.
That God not only wants to have a relation with us when we are totally good, we can see in many other characters, who also did not have a faultless life. In David, for example, we may find a character who perpetrates one of the Bible’s most heinous crimes: he committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba, who was the wife of one of David’s most loyal soldiers, Uriah. Though to cover up the crime, David had the Hittite killed. It was after the prophet Samuel confronted David with his sin, that he came to repent. We may see that God is a forgiving One when people repent, but we should know that sometimes we shall have to bear the punishment like it was for David.
Beyond David’s royal exploits (and indiscretions), he’s credited with writing many of ancient Israel’s worship songs, which you can read in the Book of Psalms.
He was is Israel’s second and greatest king and it is out of his lineage an other prophet and king would be born and would bring salvation to the world.
Several other prophets warned people about their lifestyle and how they had to prepare for great days to come. Because many people liked worshipping multiple gods many prophets tried to have them to worship Only OneTrue God.
In order to prove to the Israelites that the ElohimHashemJehovahGod is the Only True God, the prophet Elijah gathered the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, where for the main event each deity was given a pile of wood with a bull on it. The god who could produce fire and consume the sacrifice would be called the greatest and win. Baal went first, and for half the day his prophets danced, shouted, sang, and even cut themselves in order to convince their god to answer Elijah’s challenge. When their efforts failed, Elijah prayed to Jehovah God, who immediately brought fire down from the sky to consume the sacrifice. The Israelites rededicated themselves to This Incredible God who listens to people and gives answers to people, and they killed the prophets who deceived them into worshipping Baal.
Isaiah Writes of Christ’s Birth (The Prophet Isaiah Foretells Christ’s Birth), by Harry Anderson
A later figure of importance is the man who with many of his prophecies inspired hope for eventual peace and righteousness on earth. Several of these prophecies were later understood by Christians to be predictions of Jesus, including the birth of Immanuel; the coming of the Prince of Peace, as quoted in Handel’s Messiah; and the suffering of God’s “Servant” for the sins of his people.
That prophet (Isaiah) spoke about a servant and sent one from God, the son of man, coming from the lineage or seed of king David, who can be considered as the most important prophet. It was the Nazarene JewJeshua, the ben haElohim or son of God, better known today as Jesus Christ.
He is the one who told many stories and parables so that people could come to know how to live and how to prepare themselves for the Great Day of Judgement that is going to come.
He is also the best example to follow, him being the way to God and the one showing and opening the door to the Kingdom of God.
All the above mentioned characters are only a few of the many presented in the Bible. In that Book of books we may find many men and women who can be brought forward as people of God, having done things we can learn from. Many of them were obedient to God’s commands throughout their life, some even risking their life, like Esther. Other’s their family story, like Hosea‘s, was a metaphor for God’s relationship with Israel.
In stories like the one of Jonah we can see how much better it is to listen to God. And that listening can be done by reading the most precious Book of books, the Bible.
With over 66 books of Scripture, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, covering thousands of years of history, the Bible makes mention of hundreds of people either in great detail and gives others just a passing mention. From all those spoken off we can learn, the same as we can learn by looking around us and by comparing what is written, in the Bible, about such occasions we encounter in our daily life.
When we are looking for some one for having a good or closerelationship with, we can assure you the best one to have a good relationship with is the Most High Divine CreatorGod Who made it possible for you to be here in the first place.
Having a relationship with Him is a requirement for each living soul (human being). The divine Maker of all things wants His creatures to be connected with Him and to have a loving relationship with them as a Father – son relationship, or even more or stronger.
Many people may feel very lonely in this world. Many may also feel very empty.
Emptiness in our heart is the lack of fulfilment in being a set apart or sacred being in the universe. Normally each human being is, from the beginning of times, written in the Book of Life and Death. In that book are all the names of those who shall live and die and of those who shall be able to live again after they died, but also of those who shall have to face their seconddeath after they were taken out of the dead to come before the judgement stool of the returned Jesus Christ.
In this world we are placed and have to find ways to live. We can feel very bad in it or be very happy in it. Though it must be said that there are people whatever they try to do they do not seem to find happiness nor luck or find success in what they are trying to fulfil.
You should know when you feel empty, when you feel a great big void like a very deep well or big hole, then it probably is that there is not yet that light which is available for you too.
You may think there is nothing that can fill that hole, but there really is. There is even such Supreme Being that on top of the hole can build a mountain so high that you shall be able to look down at this terrible word and wonder why you did not see it earlier or did not findHim earlier.
It is never too late to go for Him. Go and find the One Who is the Only One Who is much stronger and grater than any man on this earth or any being in the universe.
Though no man can see Him, He is the Most Powerful, the Mightiest of all. He is also the One Who can give everything you need: fulfilled hope and luck.
If you feel emptiness in your soul He is the One to look for. He is the One Who makes it possible to be found.
But to find Him one must do something.
One has to be willing to find God and therefore to open the mind and heart and let Him to come into the personal being.
One has to let Him fill the heart with the warmth and knowledge of His Word.
Let Him fill your heart and soul, i.e. your whole being, and you shall become richer and richer (in spirit) by the day.
What does it take to begin a relationship with God?
With people around us we may have an idea how we can start a relationship with them, but what about God?
Do we have to wait until something serious happens in our life? Many do that, but is that the right way? Do they not miss a lot because they too late became in a relationship with their God?
Is it necessary to enjoy yourself a lot or to get in trance to come closer to that god or the God?
Or should we spend more time to ourselves or to taking part in religious activities? Or is it necessary to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds?
Do we first have to become a better person, whatever that might entail, so that God will accept us?
The bible used by Abraham Lincoln for his oath of office during his first inauguration in 1861, turned to the page signed by the clerk of the Supreme Court, William Thomas Carroll, attesting that the book was used for Lincoln’s oath of office, and impressed with the seal of the Supreme Court. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We can ask a thousand questions and look for many answers. We might go looking in lots of books and places to find answers. Though we should know we do not have to go far. God has made it very clear in the Bible how we can know Him. In God His Word, the Bible, is explained what happened to mankind, how the relationship was broken and how the relationship was and can be restored.
Does that God hide or is it our pride which makes that we do not want to see and know Him?
Should we have to ask Him first a proof of His identity? do we not need some certification or a security that we do have to do with God? Do we need His sign and his reassurance first before we can come to Him? Should we not know first of all that we are speaking with the right person?
Is it in response to a power displayed, that we should start looking for a relationship with God?
In the following articles you might find why it is necessary to build a relationship with God and how you can personally begin such a relationship with God, right now…
In March 2016 we created on Weebly a website to talk about man’s relationship with God. After we had done all the placing of pages and came to the contact form and placing of a Gravatar for the replies, we were brought to WordPress where we not only could choose a Gravatar but also got an offer for a free blog. This way next to our website “Relating to God” came “Relating to God blog” into existence on March the 9th 2016.
Relating to God Weebly site Blog page on its starting day 2016 03 09
For us it was an interesting experiment, knowing that certain platforms or blog systems generate more or less visitors. As such placing the identical articles and pages on both platform could give us some good overview and get us to know what would be the best platform or system to blog.
About handiness or easiness for publishing, for sure it is WordPress that gains. When looking at the analytics from Weebly, Google and WordPress the cyphers should give us a good indication, we would say, though we had an other impression. So we shall have to see how it goes in 2017.
For 2016 the Weebly site and blog has given us 933 sessions with 1 553 views for 699 users. This is much better than what we could get on WordPress. Here on WordPress we only reached 237 views from 135 visitors for the 58 articles published. Though we must confess from our own Christadelphian and on other sites, links are mostly made to Weebly, which also generates more readers from such links in articles referring to us.
Having this blog, being it a blog, makes it as a website also containing a diary or journal on a particularsubject, it indicates also that this WordPress site shall contain online ‘personal’ reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by us, in opposition to the Weebly site where less hyperlinks shall be placed and no guest-authors shall be writing on it. Here you might find such writings by others. You can consider this blog a websitethat shall displaypostings by us but also by otherindividuals in chronologicalorderandpresenting links to comments on specificpostings as well as presenting links to other articles on the specific subjects. You also could consider this blog an Internet-based support group that want to share information about a particular topic, e.g., the way of looking for God, the way to come to, find and meet God.
This blog shall also present a journal giving you an idea of the developments of our journaling and our way to reach people, showing them the Way to God.
Here on the WordPress site or blog, it shall also be much easier for the readers to react.
A WordPress weblog with the TwentyTen theme, as rendered by Epiphany. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Some blogs may attract large followings and are monetizedthroughadvertisementsand in otherways, but we do not receive any money form advertisements, though we have also no money to pay for an advertisement free webspace. As of 2007,thereweremorethan100millionblogsworldwide and we are just a very little one in the mass presenting not a very popular subject. Though we are convinced the matter is too important to be left in silence. Our master teacher Jesus Christ also gave his followers the task to go out and preach. Therefore we want to go out in the world and let our voice be heard about the coming Kingdom of God. Any support is more than welcome.
All the previous mentioned elements makes this platform going to develop a little bit different than the website, so we are very curious how the ciphers will show up after some time. It shall be worth it to compare the analytics for the blog and the Weebly site in the following years and to see how both evolve and shall be able to generate a public.
As a web log, an online,regularlyupdatedjournal or newsletterthat is readilyaccessible to thegeneralpublic by virtue of beingposted on a website, we do hope we may receive more visitors and have more views in the following years.
It is known that manybloggersreachrelativelyfewreadersanddiscussmatters of largelypersonalinterest. We too with this blog present a very specific subject of no particular interest by the mainstream population.
On this blog there shall not be a place for political matters or businesses matters, and we would think normally on this site we shall not go into the matters of the day. For such writings we are pleased that we shall have other places to bring our opinion. As such you shall be able to find some of our writings also on the Belgian Christadelphian Ecclesia site and the Flemish Brethren site (Broeders in Christus) in English and Dutch, the “Messiah for all” site as well on other places like at the Belgian Bible students, the Biblescholars site Bijbelvorsers, on Stepping Toesand on the lifestyle magazine and readers digest From Guestwriters.
It is at the two magazines Stepping Toes and From Guestwriters that we, like other bloggers shall have at timesbrokenimportantnewsstories or marshalledpublicopinions to utter on a matter of publicinterest. We do hope we may find you there as a reader of our and of the other authors as well.
At this blog you also may find writings by our Guestspeaker, who also shall present some interesting articles from the net and various guestwriters or re-blogged articles.
Article by Marcus Ampe, responsible for the Belgian Christadelphians and several websites
Last but not least you also may find articles by the responsible elder of the Belgian Christadelphians, brother Marcus Ampe. He presented the Dutch counterparts of the Weebly site and when necessary shall give some extra information or announcements.
We kindly invite you also to have a look at our About page and its following pages and see how we as a preaching organisation for you are able to help you.
We sincerely hope you might like our Aims, which should motivate you to go deeper into the matter of a godhead and the Real Only One True God and His sent one, the Messiah Jeshua or Jesus Christ, who as son of God we do hope you shall come to recognise as your Saviour and as the Way to God.
Let our writing inspire you further in the coming year and arouse you to read the Bible more intensive from 2017 onwards.
In the hope to find you reading more of our articles,we wish you all the best for 2017.
Concerning the authority of the Holy Scriptures there has bean much debate. Let us have a look on what is written about the Power of God’s Word and its authority in a well-known encyclopedia of the Bible.
The Power of God’s Word.
The Gutenberg Bible displayed by the United States Library of Congress, demonstrating printed pages as a storage medium. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Bible remains the most extensively printed, widely translated, and frequently read book in the world. Its words have been treasured in the hearts of multitudes like none other. All who have received its gifts of wisdom and promises of new life and power were at first strangers to its redemptive message, and many were hostile to its teaching and spiritual demands. In every generation its power to challenge persons of all races and lands has been demonstrated. Those who cherish the Book because it sustains future hope, brings meaning and power to the present, and correlates a misused past with the forgiving grace of God, would not long experience such inner rewards if Scripture were not known to them as the authoritative, divinely revealed truth. To the evangelical Christian, Scripture is the Word of God, given in the objective form of propositional truths through divinely inspired prophets and apostles, and the Holy Spirit is the giver of faith through that Word.
View that the Bible is the Word of God and as such should be believed and obeyed.
Image from the Book of Kells, a 1200 year old book. Category:Illuminated manuscript images (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Western civilization is in a severe “authority crisis” which is not confined solely to the realm of religious faith, nor is it specially or uniquely threatening to Bible believers. Parental authority, marital authority, political authority, academic authority, and ecclesiastical authority are all being deeply questioned. Not only particular authorities — the Scripture, the pope, political rulers, and so on — but the concept of authority itself is vigorously challenged. Today’s crisis of biblical authority thus reflects the uncertainties of civilizational consensus:
Who has the power and the right to receive and to require submission?
Revolt Against Biblical Authority.
As the sovereignCreator of all, the God of the Bible wills and has the right to be obeyed. Judge of men and nations, the self-revealed God wields unlimited authority and power. All creaturely authority and power is derived from that of God. The power God bestows is a divine trust, a stewardship. God’s creatures are morally accountable for their use or misuse of it. In fallen human society God wills civil government for the promotion of justice and order. He approves an ordering of authoritative and creative relationships in the home by stipulating certain responsibilities of husbands, wives, and children. He wills a pattern of priorities for the church as well: Jesus Christ the head, prophets and apostles through whom redemptive revelation came, and so on.
The inspired Scriptures, revealing God’s transcendent will in objective written form, are the rule of faith and conduct through which Christ exercises his divine authority in the lives of Christians.
Revolt against particular authorities has in our time widened into a revolt against all transcendent and external authority. The widespread questioning of authority is condoned and promoted in many academic circles.
Philosophers with a radically secular outlook have affirmed that God and the supernatural are mythical conceptions, that natural processes and events comprise the only ultimate reality. All existence is said to be temporal and changing, all beliefs and ideals are declared to be relative to the age and culture in which they appear. Biblical religion, therefore, like all other, is asserted to be merely a cultural phenomenon. The Bible’s claim to divine authority is dismissed by such thinkers; transcendent revelation, fixed truths, and unchanging commandments are set aside as pious fiction.
In the name of humanity’s supposed “coming of age,” radical secularism champions human autonomy and creative individuality. Human beings are lords of their own destiny and inventors of their own ideals and values, it is said. They live in a supposedly purposeless universe that has itself presumably been engendered by a cosmic accident. Therefore human beings are declared to be wholly free to impose upon nature and history whatever moral criteria they prefer. In such a view, to insist on divinely given truths and values, on transcendent principles, would be to repress self-fulfillment and retard creative personal development. Hence the radically secular view goes beyond opposing particular external authorities whose claims are considered arbitrary or immoral; radical secularism is aggressively hostile to all external authority, viewing it as intrinsically restrictive of the autonomous human spirit.
Any reader of the Bible will recognize rejection of divine authority and definitive revelation of what is right and good as an age-old phenomenon. It is not at all peculiar to the contemporary person “come of age”; it was found already in Eden. Adam and Eve revolted against the will of God in pursuit of individual preference and supposed self-interest. But their revolt was recognized to be sin, not rationalized as philosophical “gnosis” at the frontiers of evolutionary advance.
If one takes a strictly developmental view, which considers all reality contingent and changing, where is the basis for humanity’s decisively creative role in the universe? How could a purposeless cosmos cater to individual self-fulfillment?
Only the biblical alternative of the Creator-Redeemer God, who fashioned human beings for moral obedience and a high spiritual destiny, truly preserves the permanent, universal dignity of the human species. The Bible does so, however, by a demanding call for personal spiritual decision.
The Bible sets forth the superiority of humans to the animals, their high dignity (“little less than God”—Ps 8:5) because of the divine rational and moral image that all bear by reason of creation.
Print 3330 in volume 27 of the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. From page 12 of Volume 1 of “A-Z of Artists in the Bowyer Bible” by Phillip Medhurst. Photo 4 of 117. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In the context of universal human involvement in Adamic sin, the Bible utters a merciful divine call to redemptive renewal through the mediatorial person and work of Christ. Fallen humanity is invited to experience the Holy Spirit’s renewing work, to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, and to anticipate a final destiny in the eternal presence of the God of justice and justification.
Contemporary rejection of biblical tenets does not rest on any logical demonstration that the case for biblical theism is false; it turns rather on a subjective preference for alternative views of “the good life.”
The Bible is not the only significant reminder that human beings stand daily in responsible relationship to the sovereign God. He reveals his authority in the cosmos, in history, and in inner conscience, a disclosure of the living God that penetrates into the mind of every person (Rom 1:18–20; 2:12–15). Rebellious suppression of that “general divine revelation” does not wholly succeed in suspending a fearsome sense of final divine accountability (Rom 1:32).
Yet it is the Bible as “special revelation” that most clearly confronts our spiritually rebellious race with the reality and authority of God.
Title page from the Great Bible published by Grafton and Whitchurch in 1539. It depicts an enthroned Henry VIII receiving the Word of God and bestowing it upon his bishops and archbishops (top third), who in turn deliver it to the priests (middle third). Finally, the laity hear the Word and loyally recite, “Vivat Rex” and “God save the kynge” (bottom third). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In the Scriptures, the character and will of God, the meaning of human existence, the nature of the spiritual realm, and the purposes of God for humankind in all ages are stated in propositionally intelligible form that all can understand. The Bible publishes in objective form the criteria by which God judges individuals and nations, and the means of moral recovery and restoration to personal fellowship with him.
Regard for the Bible is therefore decisive for the course of Western culture and in the long run for human civilization generally. Intelligible divine revelation, the basis for belief in the sovereign authority of the Creator-Redeemer God over all human life, rests on the reliability of what Scripture says about God and his purposes. Modern naturalism impugns the authority of the Bible and assails the claim that the Bible is the Word of God written, that is, a transcendently given revelation of the mind and will of God. Attack upon scriptural authority is the storm center both in the controversy over revealed religion and in the modern conflict over civilizational values.
Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (pp. 296–298). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
God has used people to write down His Words. Those Words are collected in several scrolls or books, we call the “Bible” (from Biblia = collection of books) or the Holy Scriptures or book of books.
The books of the Judaic Scriptures or Old Testament, showing their positions in both the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible, shown with their names in Hebrew) and Christian Bibles. The Deuterocanon or Apocrypha are coloured differently from the Protocanon (the Hebrew Bible books which are considered canonical by all). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Roman Catholics add apocryphal books (from the Greek ἀπόκρυφος, apókruphos, meaning “hidden” or apokruptein ‘hide away’) to those adopted by other Christian bodies. By the Eastern Orthodox per the Synod of Jerusalem those books are called anagignoskomena. By protestants those books are also sometimes called deuterocanonical books.
The Apocrypha include the following books and parts of books: First and Second Esdras; Tobit; Judith; the Additions to Esther; Wisdom of Solomon; Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus); Baruch; the Letter of Jeremiah (in Baruch); parts of Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men; see also Bel and the Dragon and Susanna1); First and Second Maccabees; the Prayer of Manasses (see Manasseh). All are included in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions but not in the Hebrew Bible, with the exception of 2 Esdras (4 Ezra). However, they were not included in the Hebrew canon (ratified c.C.E. 100), being considered Sefarim hizonim (extraneous books).
Jewish and Christian works resembling biblical books, but not included among the Apocrypha, are collected in the Pseudepigrapha. {The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2016; The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006}
Anglican and Protestant translations of the Bible have, since the 16th century, placed books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments.
Those books are given to mankind so that he can come to see what the Divine Creator wants from him and what the Plans are. In all those writings man can find God’s revelation of what all people need to know about their origins, rebellion against God, sinful nature, salvation, spiritual development, and destiny.
The idea of a collection of holy writings developed early in Hebrew-Christian thought. Daniel in the 6th century B.C. E. spoke of a prophetic writing as “the books” (Daniel 9:2). The writer of 1 Maccabees (2nd century B.C.E.) referred to the Tanakh or Old Testament as “the holy books” (12:9).
Master teacherrabbi Jeshua, in the present world better known as Jesus Christ used the scrolls to show people the way to God. He alluded to the Tanakh as “the scriptures” (Matthew 21:42), and Paul spoke of them as “the holy scriptures” (Romans 1:2).
Matthew 21:42 (RNKJV): Yahushua saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is יהוה’s {Jehovah’s) doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Romans 1:1-3 (RNKJV): Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant of Yahushua the Messiah, called to be an apostle, separated unto the glad tidings of יהוה, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Yahushua the Messiah our Saviour, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Several Christians talk about the Bible and then think only of the New Testament, but they should know that the New testament cannot be without the previous Old Testament. Because rabbi Jeshua constantly refers to the Judaic Scripturesfollowers of Christ should also have to know the Pre-Messianic Scriptures or the Old Testament. Actually “testament” is the translation of a Greek word that might better be rendered “covenant.” It denotes an arrangement made by God for the spiritual guidance and benefit of human beings. Through the ages many covenants were agreed between God and man. As such we can find an Edenic, Mosaic, Abrahamic, Old and New Covenants. The covenant is unalterable: humankind may accept it or reject it but cannot change it. “Covenant” is a common Old Testament word; of several covenants described in the Old Testament, the most prominent was the Law given to Moses, often referred to as Mosaic Law. While Israel was chafing and failing under the Mosaic covenant, God promised them a “new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31).
Jeremiah 31:31 (RNKJV)
Behold, the days come, saith יהוה, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
The term “new covenant” appears several times in the New Testament. Jesus used it when he instituted the Lord’s Supper; by it he sought to call attention to the new basis of communion with God he intended to establish by his death (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25).
Luke 22:20 (RNKJV): Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
1 Corinthians 11:25 (RNKJV)
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
The apostle Paul also spoke of that new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6, 14; Hebrews 8:8; 9:11–15).
2 Corinthians 3:6 (RNKJV):Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Corinthians 3:14 (RNKJV)
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in the Messiah.
By the offering of Jesus, giving his body for the sins of allpeople, and God accepting his ransomoffering, for those who will come in Christ the veil shall be taken away whilst the Jews still face the Old or Παλαιος (ancient) in contrast to καινος (fresh, verse 6) arrangement. The detailed description of Gods new method of dealing with people (on the basis of the finished work of Christ at the stake) is the subject of the 27 books of the New Testament.
From the older works we come to hear how God got on with and arranged matters for people in anticipation of the coming of this Messiah (Hebrew equivalent of “Christ,” meaning “anointedone”). His promise made in the Garden of Eden (long before Abraham was born) presenting a solution against the curse of death, is certainly the major theme of the 39 books of the Pre-Messianic books or Old Testament, though they also deal with much more than that.
Latin church writers used testamentum to translate “covenant,” and from them the use passed into English; so old and new covenants became Old Testament and New Testament.
At least the first half of the Old Testament follows a logical and easily understood arrangement. In Genesis through Esther the history of Israel from Abraham to the restoration under Persian auspices appears largely in chronological order. Then follows a group of poetic books and the Major (not meaning important, but meaning the books that are relatively long) and Minor Prophets (meaning the books that are relatively short), known as the Shnem Asar, i.e. ‘The Twelve’.
The Second Writings, variously called the Netzarim or Nazarene Writings, the Messianic Writings, Kethuvim Bet, the New Covenant, haBrit haHadasha or the New Testament, also follows a generally logical arrangement. It begins with the presentation of the personal views from Jeshua his chosen disciples. As personal representatives those chosen ones describe the birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in four Gospels.
In that first part of the New Testament we witness already how Jesus trained his disciples to carry on his work after his ascension. How they carried on is further shown in the Book of Acts. It details the founding of the church and its spread through Mediterranean lands.
In the latter part of the Messianic writings the spotlight focuses on Saul of Tarsus better known as the apostle Paul and his church-planting activities. In the Paulineletters or epistles Paul addresses the churches he founded or young ministers he tried to encourage. Following the Pauline Epistles comes a group commonly called the General or PastoralEpistles.
The last book, Revelation of John, also called Book of Revelation (Lat., revelare, ‘to unveil’) or Apocalypse of John or Vision of John, is an apocalyptic work, using the epistolary, the apocalyptic, and the prophetic genre. It is perhaps, by its extensive use of visions, symbols, and allegory, including figures such as the Whore of Babylon and the Beast, culminating in the Second Coming of Jesus, the most difficult book of the collection. It is itself also a collection of separate units composed by unknown authors who lived during the last quarter of the 1st century, though it purports to have been written by an individual named John — who calls himself “the servant” of Jesus — at Patmos, in the Aegean Sea. The text includes no indication that John of Patmos and John the Apostle are the same person. It begins with John, on the island of Patmos in the Aegean, addressing a letter to the “Seven Churches of Asia“.
Three languages were used for the Holy Scriptures: Hebrew with a few isolated passages inAramaic in the latter books of the Old Testament and mainly Greek for the Messianic writings which are therefore also often called Greek Scriptures or Greek Writings.
The first books, or the Pentateuch, were written by Moses by about 1400 B.C.E. (provided one accepts the early date proposed for the exodus). If the last of 12 Old Testament books that bear the names of the Minor Prophets was written by Malachi (a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “my messenger”, before 400 B.C.E.), composition took place during a thousand years of time. All the writers (some 30 in number) were Jews: prophets, judges, kings, and other leaders in Israel.
If James was the first to write a New Testament book before the middle of the 1st century and if John was the last (composing Revelation about C.E. 95), the New Testament was written during a 50-year period in the latter half of the 1st century. All the writers (probably nine) were Jews, with the exception of Luke (writer of Luke and Acts of the apostles), and they came from a variety of walks of life: fishermen, doctor, tax collector, and religious leaders.
In spite of great diversity of authorship in the Hebrew Writings or Old Testament and the Greek Writings or New Testament, and composition spanning over 1,500 years, there is remarkable unity in the total thrust. Christians believe that God must have been superintending the production of a divine-human book that would properly present His message to humankind.
We believe the library of books from those people God chose Himself to write down His messages bring not only the history of mankind but also a divine revelation.
The Old Testament starts with the beginning of the universe and describes man and woman in the first paradise on the old earth or old world; the New Testament concludes with a vision of the new heaven and new earth or new world.
The Old Testament sees humankind as fallen from a sinless condition and separated from God; the creatures themselves having chosen to go against God’s Wishes and damaging their relationship with God. The Hebrew Writings then focus on how God offered mankind a solution for their act of rebellion. Throughout the 39 books of the Old Testament there is regularly spoken of a coming Redeemer who will rescue men and women from the pit of condemnation.
In the New Testament is revealed how those Words spoken by God in the garden of Eden become a reality and as such all those words from God ‘become flesh’. From the beginning all things came into being by the Word of God and after long waiting the world could find that now there came a new opportunity to have life. That life was the light of mankind which shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it. The books after the major and minor prophets give us the words of the send one from God, the prophet whom God declared to be His only begotten beloved son.
John 1:1-5 (Ref.B.): John 1
1 In [the] beginning+ the Word*+ was, and the Word was with God,*+ and the Word was a god.*+ 2 This one was in [the] beginning+ with God.+ 3 All things came into existence through him,+ and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.
What has come into existence 4 by means of him was life,+ and the life was the light+ of men.* 5 And the light is shining in the darkness,+ but the darkness has not overpowered it. (Ref.B)
In most of the Old Testament the spotlight focuses on a sacrificial system in which the blood of animals provided a temporary handling of the sin problem; in the New Testament, Christ appeared as the one who came to put an end to all ritualsacrifice — to be himself the supreme sacrifice.
In the New Testament Jesus refers often to what was told in the Old Testament. He gives more information and helps people to understand those previous writings better. His actions and his words should people come to realise that Jeshua, Jesus Christ, is that in numerous predictions foretold coming Messiah who would save his people. In the New Testament scores of passages detail how those prophecies from the Tanakh were minutely fulfilled in the person of Jeshua, Jesus Christ: the “son of Abraham” and the “son of David”.
Matthew 1:1 (RNKJV)
The book of the generation of Yahushua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
As Augustine said more than 1,500 years ago,
“The New is in the Old contained; the Old is in the New explained.”
A representation of the relation among complexity classes, which are subsets of each other. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On this site only English articles are presented, but for most of them a translation in Dutch shall be provided and shared between the triptych concerning the “Looking and Finding God”.
This is a map of the new field of sociology and complexity science (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In “Argumenten tegen Bijbelse scheppingsverhaal ontzenuwd” (Arguments against biblical creation story refuted) we look at the creation and how certain people their ideas are contradicted and how we should better look at other Biblical texts (taking the whole 66 books their sayings into account) before we jump to conclusions. None of the texts may be separated from the other.
Romans 15:4 (RNKJV)
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:11 (RNKJV)
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
2 Timothy 3:16 (RNKJV)
All scripture is given by inspiration of יהוה, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:17 (RNKJV)
That the man of יהוה may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
When you want to go on a search for truth and for God you may doubt if you would have enough time and if you could arrange it with your school-, home- or professional work. In “Werken, studeren en zoeken samen mogelijk” (Work, study and search together possible) we show our readers that it is possible to have your worldly duties not suffering under your spiritual duties. Going on a quest to find the truth, looking for the reasons of our being, has not to intervene with our normal daily duties. You can do both together, searching for God and searching for a normal life. It even helps to look for God in getting a more successful life.
Pentagram with one point up (de Guaita) Includes form of the “Pentagrammaton” (i.e. an incorrect attempt to derive a version of the Hebrew name of Jesus by adding the letter shin ש in the middle of the Tetragrammaton divine name yod-he-waw-he יהוה ). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On this site and our counterparts (in English and Dutch) we love to show that though there may be many ways to get somewhere, there is a road pattern presented to us, to easily find the right and shortest way to follow to go through a small gate and to make the right connection. > “Wegpatroon volgen om verbindingen aan te gaan” (Road pattern to follow to get links)
We do have to be conscious that there are roadblocks. In this world there are many things which stand in the way to come to a good relationship with the OneUnseenWho is behind everything. Materialism is the killer which has here eyes on each of us. In “Materie en tijdelijkheid” (Matter and temporal) we look at those things which surround us and attract a lot of people. The majority in this world is convinced that richness of wealthymaterialistic things shall bring them unfinished luck, joy and good friendship with others. In their conceitedness they lounge away from real luck, deceived by commercialism and media who lure us in all sorts, but the wrong adventures.
We all have to face the restricted lifespan of everything. “Het levende, het verderfelijke en het gestorvene” (The living, the pernicious and that what died) looks at all those things which surround us and which would like to gather, but should know about them, that we can not take them with us in our grave to another life.
We must know that there shall come a time when there shall be looked at the people who behaved themselves well, the good ones and the bad ones of this earth. “Goeden, slechten en het zichtbare en onzichtbare” (Good, bad and the visible and invisible) brings a sort of warning that we should take in mind what will be important in later days.
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Nederlandstaligen zulen voor een groot deel de Engelse teksten, die op deze en de Weebly site worden gebracht, ook in meerdere hoofdstukken verdeeld vinden onder de drie onderdelen van de triptiek.
Hierbocen wordt even een overzicht verschaft van wat de aanvang van “Op zoek naar God” in het Nederlands te bieden heeft.
In het volgende hoofdstuk kijken wij naar de begin inhoud van het tweede luik van de triptiek om God te zoeken en te vinden.
Some people do find it ridiculous to hear others saying to “relate to God”. There are those who say there does not exist a god and others who say God is so Divine it is impossible for man to have a relationship with Him. Others say it is only the son of God who is related to God because he is the incarnation of God himself, God having coming to earth. For them God became personified. Some two thousand years ago, according to them, there took place an act of embodying in flesh. Those believers who call themselves also Christians are convinced that Christ Jesus is an incarnate yatsar or formof God. For them he is the manifestation of God and the visible embodiment of the Most High. They think it was God who took an the form of a slave.
At this site we shall show that God may be manifested in Christ Jesus but that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the son of God and that nowhere in the Holy Scriptures is written he would be the “god the son” (a big difference).
Genesis 1:1 (RNKJV)
Genesis 1
1 In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:26-27 (RNKJV)
26 And Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So Elohim created man in his own image, in the image of Elohim created he him; male and female created he them.
Psalms 100:3 (RNKJV)
Know ye that יהוה he is Elohim: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Isaiah 64:8 (RNKJV)
But now, O יהוה, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Colossians 1:15 (RNKJV)
15 Who is the image of the invisible Elohim, the firstborn of every creature:
When a Maker would make something in His image, do you not think He would like to relate to it.?
First of all it is something He created. He made it Himself. He also liked what He made. After He created something every time we are told He looked at it and saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:31 (RNKJV)
31 And Elohim saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Also later when Jesus was born and had done everything according God’s Will, God was pleased with that creation.
Colossians 1:19-20 (RNKJV)
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
We are also told that the heavens were sanctified with what the Elohim Hashem Jehovah had done.
Psalms 19:1 (RNKJV)
The heavens declare the glory of El; and the firmameint sheweth his handywork.
Psalms 104:24 (RNKJV)
O יהוה, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Psalms 104:31 (RNKJV)
The glory of יהוה shall endure for ever: יהוה shall rejoice in his works.
Ephesians 3:21 (RNKJV)
Unto him be glory in the assembly by the Messiah Yahushua throughout all ages, world without end. amein.
When God’s glory has to stay for ever it means also when He has to heave pleasure in His works, and others should glorify His works, than it means that there must be a relationship with that what He created.
Throughout history we also can see how God kept contact with those who came after Adam and Eve. Although they had doubted God’s right to have dominion over man, God was forgiving and loving His creatures, wanting them to give an other chance. Those who were willing to come to Him He was willing to receive.
At this and our sibling website we want to show the world that God wants to connect with the living creatures. We also want to show how we can be involved in God’s demand for an ally.
By going through the coming articles you might come to see how you can have a bearing on the creation and can empathize with the Divine Creator and other living creatures.
That God not only wants to have a relation with us when we are totally good, we can see in many other characters, who also did not have a faultless life. In 
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