EASTER 2021

Easter, Firstfruits, and the Roman Catholic Church - By Randy Nettles - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/03/26/easter-firstfruits-and-the-roman-catholic-church-by-randy-nettles/ In the book of Leviticus, the Lord spoke to Moses regarding the 7 annual Feasts of the Lord that the children of Israel were to observe when they entered the Promised Land.The 3rd Feast is known as the Feast of Firstfruits. The Lord told Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvestto the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it” (Leviticus 23:10-11). Although it’s not obvious from this passage in Leviticus, the Lord was referring to the Sabbath (Saturday) that comes after the Passover, which is the 1st Feast of the Lord.Passover always occurs on the 14th day of the first month of Nisan (Leviticus 23:5) and can fall on different days of the week. The Feast of Firstfruits is always on the first Sunday following Passover. The 2nd Feast of the Lord, Unleavened Bread, starts theday after Passover on the 15th of Nisan (Leviticus 23:6) and lasts for 7 days. Firstfruits occurs within the 7 days (Nisan 15-21) of Unleavened Bread. Manna from Heaven and the Historical Fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits Throughout the 40 years that Israel wandered in the desert, God provided supernatural food, manna (a wafer-like bread substance) to feed the growing nation. The Bible recordsthat after these 40 years, Joshua and the Hebrew people crossed over the Jordan River on the 10th day of the first month (Abib or Nisan) and kept the Passover on the 14th day of Nisan. The next day, on the 15th of Nisan, the Jews ate of the old corn of theland. The next day, the 16th day of Nisan, was the last day in which God provided the supernatural manna as food. The day following was the 17th day of Nisan, the Feast of Firstfruits, and with no more manna available, the people began to eat of the fruitof the land of Canaan that year – the firstfruits of the Promised Land (Joshua 5:10-12). This historical event for the nation and people of Israel was the prototype for the ultimate fulfillment of Firstfruits by Jesus Himself. The True Manna from Heaven and the Spiritual Fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits Jesus spoke of this manna in the 6th chapter of John, where he described it as “bread from heaven.” The subject was brought up after the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000men (not including women and children) when Jesus graciously translated 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish (total of 7 food items) into enough food to feed the huge crowd that had gathered to hear him teach. The next day, the people sought him out again, andJesus told them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Manwill give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6: 26-27). The people then asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” They believed their salvation depended on works. Jesus responded with some of the greatestwords of truth ever spoken, “This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom He has sent” (John 6:29). The people didn’t understand this truth and asked him to perform a sign (as Jews do) so they could see it and then believe in him. “Therefore theysaid to Him, What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat” (John 6:30-31). Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread ofGod is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33). The people then asked Jesus to give them this bread. Jesus then explained to them the mystery of how to acquire this bread for themselves. And Jesus said to them, “I am the breadof life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. He then explained to them the difference between the two mannas from heaven. “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am theliving bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world” (John 6:50-51). The Jews could not understand this symbolism and wonderedhow could this man give his flesh for them to eat. Jesus then taught about salvation and the resurrection for those who would believe in Him. “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raisehim up at the last day” (John 6:54). This resurrection of the dead ‘in Christ” began on the Feast of the Lord, known as Firstfruits, when Jesus and many Old Testament saints were raised from the dead. This supernatural event/sign is known as Resurrection Sunday(now called Easter). “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that died” (1 Corinthians 15:20). The second stage of the resurrection of the dead in Christ will occur at the Rapture. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of theFeast of Firstfruits. Calendars of the Past and Present Before we review dates and years for historical events of the Bible, we need to briefly look at a few calendars that have been used throughout history. The Jewish calendar was mostly a lunar/solar calendar. The calendar year always started on the first day of the first month when the crescent moon was first sighted in earlyspring. Periodically (every 2 or 3 years), a leap month of 30 days would be added so it would align with the solar calendar and the Feast days would occur in their appropriate seasons. In ancient times, this intercalary month was added by direct observationof the conditions of the weather, crops, and livestock. If these were not advanced enough to be considered “spring,” then the religious leaders would add an extra month into the calendar at the end of the year. This would accomplish the Torah’s rule that thePassover should always occur in the spring. The ancient Hebrews could look up into the sky at the moon and confirm when certain Feasts of the Lord were to occur in alignment with the seasons. For example, Passoverand the Feast of Unleavened Bread occurred during the first full moon of spring, unless an intercalary month was added, and then it would occur on the second full moon of spring. The Feast of Trumpets was celebrated during the new moon of fall, and the Feastof Tabernacles occurred during the full moon of fall. In the 12th century, the calculation of the beginning of a new calendar month by actual sightings of the crescent moon had been fully replaced by the mathematical approximation of the moment the crescentmoon begins to appear (Molad) rather than actual sightings. This calendar, with its leap years, is still in use today for religious convocations. During the time of Jesus, the three spring Feasts of the Lord were basically merged into one Feast. Nisan 14 was called Preparation Day (as mentioned in the Gospels), andNisan 15-21 was referred to as the Feast of Passover. Of course, according to the Bible, Nissan 15-21 is the 7 days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Feast of Firstfruits was merely incorporated into Passover. Even today, the Jews start their Passoveron Nisan 15. This year they say Passover begins on March 27, 2021, and ends on Sunday, April 4, 2021. The Roman calendar was one of the first calendars used throughout the Roman Empire and Middle East. It was derived from many older calendar systems, which were lunar calendarsthat followed the phases of the moon. This calendar was not very accurate and had to be revised constantly. The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC (or BCE) and replaced the Roman calendar in 46 BC. This was a solar calendar based entirely on Earth’s revolutionsaround the sun. The Julian calendar has 365 days and 12 months. The Julian calendar used a leap year every 4 years. The yearly calendar averaged 365.25 days per year. Eventually, the calendar and religious holidays like Easter were slowly getting out of syncwith the equinoxes and solstices. In Ad 525, a monk named Dionysius Exiguus of Scythia Minor introduced the A.D./Anno Domini (Latin for in the year of our Lord) system for reckoning of years, counting theyears since the birth of Christ. He set the date at A.D. 1, but was off by about 5 years, as Jesus’ birth was in either 4 BC or 5 BC. The addition of the B.C./Before Christ component came two centuries after Dionysius, by the Venerable Bede of Northumbriain AD 731. Bede was not aware of the number 0, so he used 1 BC as the year before A.D. 1. The B.C/A.D. system gained in popularity in the 9th century during the Holy Roman Empire. The Emperor Charlemagne adopted the system for dating activities and events throughoutEurope. By the 15th century, all of Western Europe had adopted the system. This dating method was an integral part of the Gregorian calendar when it was introduced in the 16th century. The Gregorian calendar replaced the Julian calendar, for it was more efficient and kept the religious holidays in sync with the equinoxes and solstices. This calendar alsohas a leap day added every fourth year but skips some pre-determined years and averages 365.2425 days per year. The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar in use today. It is also known as the Western or Christian calendar. PopeGregory XIII introduced this calendar in 1582, and it was accepted by Spain, Portugal, and Italy. It took almost 200 years before England and the colonies (later America) accepted it as their official calendar in 1752. Orthodox countries still have not adoptedour modern-day Gregorian calendar and still use the Julian calendar. The Dates for the Two Fulfillments of the Feast of Firstfruits Passover always occurs on a specific date and season. The date for this Feast is Nisan 14 on the Jewish calendar. The first full moon of spring is called the Paschal moon.Nisan 14 -16 is always the time of the full moon of spring, be it the Paschal moon or the second full moon of spring (during a leap year). According to NASA records that track the phases of the moon, the Paschal moon occurred on April 3, AD 33 on the Juliancalendar, which was Nisan 15th on the Jewish calendar. Likewise, the Paschal moon occurred on April 4, 1406 BC on the Julian calendar, which was Nisan 15 on the Jewish calendar. This is significant in the fact that these two great events in history occurredduring the Paschal full moon and not during the second full moon of spring. Jesus was resurrected from the dead on Sunday, Nisan 17, AD 33 on the Jewish calendar (April 5th on the Julian Calendar) during the Feast of Firstfruits. If the Gregoriancalendar had been in effect at this time, the date would have been April 3, AD 33. Joshua and the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Firstfruits on Nisan 17, 1406 BC on the Jewish calendar when they finally entered the Promised Land. If the Julian Calendarhad been in use at that time, the date would have been April 4, 1406 BC. Likewise, the date would have been March 22, 1406 BC on the Gregorian calendar. The History of the Anniversary of Resurrection Sunday and/or Easter After the death of Jesus, early Christian followers celebrated the Resurrection on the same date as the Jewish Passover, which fell around Nisan 14 in March or April. Someothers instead preferred to hold the festival on a Sunday since that was the day of the week Jesus’ tomb was found empty. “The date of the Resurrection became a major controversy in the early church. The first discussion of when to observe the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection occurred inAD 150 when Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of the apostle John, visited the bishop of Rome. Christians of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey} wanted the Lord’s Supper on the same day as the Jewish Passover, with Easter being celebrated two days later,regardless of the day of the week. On the other hand, the Roman church believed that Easter should always fall on Sunday. Twenty years later, the same argument broke out in Laodicea. The controversy came to a head throughout the Christian world between AD190 and 194 and was the subject of discussion at many synods. In AD 325, the Roman emperor Constantine, who was a new convert to Christianity (supposedly), organized a meeting of Christian leaders called the Council of Nicea to resolveimportant disputes regarding Christ. One important decision (and a rare correct one) was about the status of Christ. The council recognized Jesus as “fully human and fully divine.” The other important issue to be resolved at the council was to set the datefor the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection. The Eastern bishops of Asia Minor favored the date should be as Leviticus described the Passover and F.O.F. since many of them were of Jewish origin, and since the Gospels had placed Resurrection Morning a few daysafter Passover” {1} “The Western bishops of Rome, being mostly Gentile, favored a date closer to the beginning of spring because there were already a number of pagan festivals held during thattime, and a religious holiday would fit right in. Perhaps this is when the Western church began referring to Resurrection Morning as Easter Sunday, after the Babylonian fertility goddess Ishtar. The Feast of Ishtar was always celebrated at the beginning ofspring and involved eggs and rabbits and other signs of fertility. Even today, you can see how elements of the two have been merged together. Eventually (due in part to their view that since the Jews had rejected Christ, Jewish traditions shouldn’t be used in selecting the date for Easter), the Western Church(Roman Catholic Church) settled on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or just after the vernal (spring) equinox. If the Paschal full moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is celebrated on the following Sunday. Soon Easter Sunday became disconnectedfrom Passover by as much as several weeks. The adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1752 (by England and the American colonies) did nothing to correct this disconnect, and since the Easter or Orthodox Church stuckwith the earlier Julian calendar, we now have two dates for Easter in most years” {2} The Apostasy of the Roman Catholic Church There have been many articles and books regarding the apostasy and sacrilegious beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, including Terry James and other writers for RaptureReady, so I will not spend too much time on this subject. Dave Hunt wrote an excellent book on this topic called The Woman Rides the Beast, in which he recounts the false teachings of the Catholic Church including Purgatory, worship of Mary, the Pope beingthe head of the church and has the authority of Christ, priests being called Father, the belief that the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation, forgiveness of sins and salvation is by faith plus works, and others. Although these are very serious errors of doctrine and are not taught in the Bible, I believe some of the worst errors are in the dates that the Church leaders assignedfor the life and death of Jesus Christ. Here are some of the most egregious ones, in my opinion: •As I mentioned earlier, Dionysius Exiguus of Scythia Minor introduced the A.D. (Anno Domini) system, counting the years since the birth of Christ.He set the date at A.D.1 but was off by about 5 years, as Jesus’ birth was in 5 BC. If this system of reckoning years is off by 5 years, that means our current year of AD 2021 should really be AD 2026. That is quite a mistake when you think about all the datesgiven to specific events throughout the history of civilization. •The Catholic Church chose December 25th as the date Jesus was born. There were different reasons for this, but none of them were good ones. The Churchnow claims this might not be the actual date of his birth, but everyone still uses it. We know, according to Luke 2:8-20, there were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock at night, when angels appeared unto them and proclaimed thebirth of the Messiah. The shepherds would not have been outside at night with their sheep during late December as it would be the wrong season for that to occur. Late December gets very cold in Israel. •However, it is possible that December 25th could have been when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and 9 months later born on the Feast of Tabernacles(Tishri 15-21). “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The Greek word for “dwelt” is tabernacled. The Catholic Church believed Jesus was crucified in AD 30. Some believe it was AD 32. Either way, both years are wrong. The correct year for Jesus’ death was AD 33. Forevidence, see In the Midst, Part IV: Return of the King :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready •The Catholic Church has always taught that Jesus was crucified on a Friday (Good Friday). How can you get 3 days and 3 nights from Friday to ResurrectionSunday? The math does not add up; it never has. Jesus was crucified on a Thursday. For proof, see: Solving the Three Day Three Night Mystery – Grace thru faith •Jesus was a Jew that observed the Feasts of the Lord and the statutes and commandments of God. He was crucified on the Feast of Passover, placedin the tomb before the Feast of Unleavened Bread began, and stayed there for three of those days. He was raised from the dead on the day of the Feast of Firstfruits. The Roman Catholic Church named resurrection day Easter, after Pagan gods. I believe it shouldbe called Firstfruits or Resurrection Day. Since Jesus was a Jew that observed (and fulfilled) the Law of Moses and fulfilled these 3 spring Feasts of the Lord by his death and resurrection, their anniversaries should be observed as the Bible declares. Instead,the Church makes Easter a strictly lunar holiday and not a Biblical one. The Church has mandated that Easter will be observed on the first Sunday following the Paschal moon after the vernal equinox. •However, if the Paschal moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is delayed a week, as it does this year in 2021. Easter should be observed on the date ofFirstfruits as determined by Leviticus 23:10, on the day after the Sabbath (Saturday) after Passover (Nisan 14) on the Jewish calendar. This rule should apply whether or not Passover occurs on the first or the second full moon of spring. Easter is Firstfruits,and Jesus is the Firstfruits. The last 7 days of Jesus’ life is called Holy Week. Holy Week should be in chronological order. Palm Sunday should come first (as it occurred 4 days before Passover), followed by Passover (Jesus’s crucifixion, now called GoodFriday by the Church), and last, but certainly not least, the Feast of Firstfruits (now called Easter by the Church). To show you how messed up the dating method has become for Holy week, take a look at the schedule for 2021. The Jewish Passover (now celebrated by the Jews on Nisan 15 insteadof Nisan 14) begins on Saturday, March 27th at sunset. Palm Sunday is observed by the Church the next day on Sunday, March 28th. March 28th is also the date for the 100% Paschal moon. Good Friday (should be called Good Thursday) comes on April 2nd. Eastercomes on Sunday, April 4th, and is also the date for the end of the Jews’ seven days of Passover. The moon will be at third quarter (half-moon) stage on this date. This year Passover occurs after Palm Sunday. How weird is that? Some years Passover and Easteractually occur a month apart. Of course, in the year of Jesus’ crucifixion, there were only 3 days between the two events. There should never be more than 7 days between them. According to the Bible, the Passover should take place on Nisan 14. This year Nisan 14 will be on Friday, March 26, 2021. The first day after the Sabbath/Saturday is Sunday,March 28, 2021. This should be the actual date for Easter, in my opinion. Instead, we will be celebrating Easter a week later than we should. This means Biblical Pentecost (7 weeks or 49 days after the Feast of Firstfruits) will come a week later than it shouldas well. Of course, the Jews have done away with this dating method and celebrate Pentecost/Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) on Sivan 6th. Why we, as Christians, don’t celebrate and observe Pentecost, the birth of the true church, I’ll never understand; but that isan article for another time. Regardless, have a happy “Easter” and remember to celebrate the ultimate victory the Lord Jesus Christ had over death, the devil, and the grave on Resurrection Sunday. AsChristians, you might even want to celebrate both dates, as Jesus’ resurrection is of double importance to us. Jesus’ victory over death is our victory as well if we simply do the work of God and believe on Him whom He has sent. Jesus brought to pass the sayingthat is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). “That through death He [Jesus] might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Amen, even so, Come (again) Lord Jesus. Randy Nettles -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Necessity of the Cross Colossians 2:13-15 What does the cross mean to you? Many people in the world today view it as a symbol of Christianity, but stop and think about what it represented in Christ's day. Nobody wore a miniature cross around the neck or displayed one in a place of worship. The crosswas a torturous means of execution, and the mere thought of it was repulsive. Yet believers throughout the ages have chosen this as the sign of their faith. In fact, to remove the cross from our teaching and theology would leave nothing but an empty, powerless religion. The subjects of death, blood, and sacrifice have become unpopular in many churches because they're unpleasant and uncomfortable topics.We'd prefer to hear about the love of God, not the suffering of Jesus. But let me ask you this: How could anyone be saved if Christ had not been crucified? Some people think all you have to do to receive God's forgiveness is ask Him for it. But a sinner's request can never be the basis for His forgiveness. He would cease tobe holy and just if no penalty was imposed for sin. According to Scripture, there can be no forgiveness without the shedding of blood (Heb.9:22). Christ had to bear the punishment for our sin in order for God to grant us forgiveness. Every time you see a cross, remember what it really was--an instrument of execution. Then thank Jesus that He was willing to be crucified so the Father could forgive you of sin. Though the scene of your redemption was horrendous, Christ turned the cross into a place of great triumph. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- TheFather of Spirits �Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we notmuch rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?� (Hebrews12:9) Human parents transmit physical characteristics to their offspring, but our spiritual attributes come from God, for He is �the Father of spirits.� Paul recognized that all men are �the offspring of God� (Acts17:29) and that each man is still �the image and glory of God� (1Corinthians 11:7). Thus, our spirit/soul nature, as distinct from our body of physical/mental flesh, has come from God, who created it and united it with our body, evidently at the moment of physical conception in the womb. It is obvious that the �image of God,� man�s spirit/soulnature, could not be transmitted genetically via the �genetic code� and the DNA molecules, for these are simply complex chemicals programmed to transmit only the physical and mental attributes of the ancestors to the children. Nevertheless, the spirit/soulattributes of each person also seem to be associated inseparably with the body from conception onward, continuing so until separated again at death, when the spirit goes �to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord� (2Corinthians 5:8), leaving the body behind. In the meantime, however, the �image of God� in man is marred by its incorporation in man�s �sinful flesh,� for �the body is dead because of sin� (Romans8:3, 10). By this union of flesh and spirit, man inherits Adam�s fallen nature as well as his mortal body, and both are in need of salvation. Christ �gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity� (Titus2:14). Therefore, we, like Paul, can pray that our �whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ� (1Thessalonians 5:23). HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hallelujah!What A Savior! - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/04/01/hallelujah-what-a-savior-by-dennis-huebshman/ Isaiah 53:2-12 puts the reason for our Savior�s coming to this earth in perspective. Normally, you would think a Lord of Lords and King of Kings would arrive with all pompand circumstance that would be fit for such a title. (any emphasis mine) (Verses ESV) (2) �For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty thatwe should desire Him. (3) He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.� Would you not agree that so far, this isn�t what we would expect of the Savior of the World? It gets worse as the verses continue. Also, this was written between 600 � 700years before Jesus arrived here. (4) �Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken; smitten by God, and afflicted.� His own Father allowed wrath to be placed on His Son because of all of our sins. Think this thought with me � �Because of My Sins!� (5) �But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.(6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.� Can you see now the relevance and significance of Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23? Every last one of us has sinned, and without the sacrifice Jesus gave willingly for us (John10:18), we would be hopelessly lost. (7) �He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so Heopened not His mouth [Luke 23:9]. (8) By oppression and judgment, He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgressions of My People?� The religious leaders of His day did not accept Him as Messiah, even though He was the only person ever to fulfill all the prophecies written about Him. They expected thatthe arrival of the Christ would happen with all splendor and glory, and they would be �rewarded� for their so-called �faithful service.� Instead, this Man continuously accused and berated them for all the wrong they were doing. (9) �And they made His grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death; although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth.� In spite of their efforts, Jesus loved them all for their eternal souls, even though He didn�t �like� them for all the wrong they were doing. As for Joseph of Arimathea�stomb, He only needed it for a weekend. (10) �Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong Hisdays; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. (11) Out of the anguish of His soul, He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities.� Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46; �My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?� It is believed that at this point, every sin of this world, past, present and future, was laidon Jesus. At that instant, the Father would have had to look away briefly and be separated from His Son for the first time ever. After this, our Savior said, �It Is Finished,� which signified He had completed, in full, the task of being the perfect sacrificefor us all. His death reached back to the righteous from the creation to the Cross, and from the Cross forward to the end of His Millennial Reign (John 19:30). (12) �Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He poured out His soul to death, and was numbered withthe transgressors; yet, He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.� Phillip P. Bliss wrote a song that was released around 1895 called �Hallelujah! What A Savior!� (1) �Man of Sorrows!� what a name, for the Son of God who came; ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah! What a Savior! (2) Bearing shame and scoffing rude; in my place condemned He stood; sealed my pardon with His blood; Hallelujah! What a Savior! (3) Guilty, vile and helpless we; spotless Lamb of God was He; �Full Atonement,� can it be? Hallelujah! What a Savior! (4) Lifted up was He to die; �It Is Finished� was His cry; now in Heaven exalted high. Hallelujah! What a Savior! (5) When He comes, our Glorious King; all His ransomed, Home to bring; then anew His song we�ll sing! Hallelujah! What a Savior! Jesus� blood was shed by the only �human� that lived a sinless life. Yet, for a moment, He bore all the sins of this world. Can you possibly imagine having every evil deedof this world go through your mind in full detail all at once? You may say that is impossible, but remember He is God, and His abilities are far superior to any human that ever lived. That would have to be the part that Jesus dreaded the most, not the crucifixionitself. Once completed, His human side died, and His God side again took full control. Imagine the cheering from all the Heavenly Host when the Father raised His Son from a mortal�s grave to take His rightful place on His throne at the Right Hand of God. Thiswas the absolute proof that sin and death had been conquered once and for all. John 14:6 became a solid covenant; �I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.� No other sacrifice could ever do. All has been done by Jesus, and to even think we could do something to earn or buy our Salvation insults the whole Trinity. God will accept all who will receive and accept His Son. After what Jesus had to endure, God really has no other righteous choice. At the same time, is it any wonder thatanyone who does not receive Jesus before they die will have committed an unforgivable sin? After the antichrist, false prophet and Satan receive their sentences in hell, all the �unforgiven� of all ages will go through the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation20:11-15. There will be no forgiveness there; no pardons; and grace and mercy will be absent. For all who have not received and accepted Jesus as their Savior yet, this does not have to be your fate. Today, right now, before it�s too late, call on Jesus to forgiveyour sins and to come into your heart and be your Savior forever. He will send the Holy Spirit to dwell in you until you are removed from earth, either by death or by the Rapture. Just have faith and believe His death was for your sins, and there is no otherway you can be saved. It�s totally your choice as God will force no one, and no one can make it for you. It will be the most important decision you will ever make in your lifetime. Come, Lord Jesus! huebshman46@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM