Death

[murjahel]

you change them to your own private doctrines
.

that is a harsh charge,
and a false one against me...

will expect an apology
or proof...

​

 

[yeshuasavedme]

I have been giving proof, with Scriptures, all along.

Adam got cast out of Eden, down to earth, and could not enter Eden because of the Cherubim with flaming swords keepong him [and all his descendants thereafter] out, so that he and all after, could not have access to the Garden and the Tree of Life there.
But you say Eden was put in Sheol/hell below, and all the dead went to Eden at death of the body of flesh, which is totally outrageous and against all sound doctrine.
In your error, Cherubim with flaming swords were no longer necessary to guard the gate of Eden to keep Adam souls out, for all Adam souls got back to the Garden at the death of the flesh, and were living in Eden down in hell below.
That is preposterous nonsense, and is not supported by any Scriptures, anywhere.

There are many more errors of yours that I have addressed through a few recent threads, and mostly, you ignore the Scripture refutations and go on, as if no one challenges you with Scripture; and you seem to have the attitude that you do not have to reply to the refutations, because you believe that you are right, and all others are wrong.

 

[murjahel]

The death of Moses
is interesting to read about...

Jude 9
"Yet, Michael, the archangel,
when contending with the devil,
he disputed about the body of Moses,
durst not bring against him a railing accusation,
but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

When Clement of Alexandria, in his book - "Adumbrationes (Dind. vol. iii pg. 483), quoted Jude 9, he said "hic confirmat 'Assumption Moysis'" which means - "here we have confirmation, and corroboration, of the book 'The Assumption of Moses.'"

Jude actually read both
"The Assumption of Moses"
and
"The Testament of Moses",
and it is therefore assumed that by that time,
they were already in one volume.

I have translated both...
and see why Jude had so much
interest in them...

Verse 9 is from the part called
"The Assumption of Moses",
and verse 16 is a quote from
"The Testament of Moses"
(see ch. 7 vs. 7).
So, besides quoting from Enoch's
book, Jude quotes from two other of the
books of Moses....
(or one other, if they were already
one volume)

Josephus
addresses the subject of the death of Moses
in Antiquities iv.48-49:

"When Moses had spoken thus
at the end of his life,
and had foretold what would befall...
the multitude fell into tears,
insomuch that even the women,
by beating their breasts,
made manifest the deep concern
they had when he was about to die.
The children also lamented still more,
as not able to contain their grief...
The old grieved, because they knew
what a careful protector they were
to be deprived of,
and so lamented their future state;
but the young grieved, not only for that,
but also because it so happened
that they were to be left by him
before they had well tasted of his virtue...
... Moses beckoned with his hand
to those that were remote from him,
and
bade them stay behind in quiet,
while he exhorted those that were near
to him that they would not render
his departure so lamentable.
Whereupon they thought they ought they ought to grant him that favour, to let him depart according as he himself desired; so they restrained themselves, through weeping still towards one another... Now as soon as they were come to the mountain called Abarim (which is a very high mountain, situate over against Jericho, and one that affords, to such as are upon it, a prospect of the greatest part of the excellent land of Canaan)...
Now Moses lived in all one hundred and twenty years...
he died on the last month of the year... Adar,
on the first day of that month...
So the people mourned for him thirty days,
nor did any grief so deeply affect
the Hebrews as did this
upon the death of Moses..."

We too mourn when someone dies...
Moses went to paradise.... later got to
enter the promised land, on the mt of
transfiguration...
and finally went to heaven when Jesus
took the ones in paradise to heaven
after the resurrection...

The devil wanted the body of Moses,
and contended with Michael to ascertain
the site of the burial, but the site
was kept hidden, probably to keep it from
becoming a place of worship in honor of
Moses...
​

 

[murjahel]

I have been giving proof, with Scriptures, all along.

.

This person has not understood the vss
that I have shown...
it is for you readers to compare and
decide what you think,
I am not going to argue with that person,
for it would not be prudent to do so...
so... you that are interested may
compare what I share... and see what
the Scripture is saying...
I find much validation in the Bible,
and in Enoch's book too,
for what I have shown...​

 

[murjahel]

The quote and reference in Jude
to the Testament of Moses refers
to this passage in that book...

10:11. Joshua, do keep the words of this book;
　
12. For from my death until His coming
shall be double 250 sevens of years.

13. And this is the whole extent of the times
until the end of that covenant.
　
14. While I shall go rest with the forefathers,
Joshua, the son of Nun,
be strong and of good courage,
for God has chosen you to minister in this covenant.
　
　
　
CHAPTER 13
　
1. After these things were said,
Moses departed a distance away from Joshua
up into the mountain, to die out of sight of any person.

2. Joshua watched, and Caleb also approached
unto Joshua to see what was about to happen.

3. Out of sight of Joshua and Caleb,
Moses laid himself down to die.

4. The Lord God commanded Michael,
the archangel, to bury the body of Moses.

5. As Michael and a host of heavenly angels
approached Moses, the devil, Satan,
confronted Michael, the archangel.

6. Satan said: 'I am the lord of matter,
and this body is rightfully mine, for this man,
Moses, has murdered an Egyptian!'

7. Michael answered the devil:
'Is that you, O deceiver, of the people?
It was you who first deceived mankind,
and instigated the serpent to tempt Eve!

8. Had you not done so,
there would be no death amidst mankind.
The Lord God has sent me to bury this body
out of sight of all, and therefore,
I am acting on His authority.

9. This man obviously belongs to his God,
and God's mercy is now being given to him.
Therefore, the Lord rebuke you,1 for seeking to extend
your will over His!'

10. As the devil fled from the rebuke in the name of the Lord,
the holy angels received the spirit of Moses
and ascended up into the clouds with the spirit,
of God's prophet, Moses.
　
　
11. Joshua and Caleb viewed the spirit of Moses
ascend up into the clouds.
They rejoiced and wept at the sight before them.

12. The archangel, Michael, then buried the body of Moses,
out of the sight of Joshua, Caleb,
the devil,and any person...


-

So....... when Jude refers to the devil
disputing about the body of Moses,
this is the passage of the book Jude was referring to...​

 

[yeshuasavedme]

-

So....... when Jude refers to the devil
disputing about the body of Moses,
this is the passage of the book Jude was referring to...​

That is not a fact, proved. Deuteronomy says God "buried Moses".

There is Moses, at the Mount of Transfiguration, in his own body, standing with Elijah, and being a witness to Christ in flesh and of His Glory.
So Moses rose in his own body again, just like Lazarus did, and I believe fully that Scripture teaches us that his death was "a living oracle" rehearsed by the prophet, Moses, about the penalty of eternal death for anyone who tries to strike/crucify the rock, "Christ", twice; after having once been saved, and then backsliding; and trying to claim that the blood of Christ did not redeem them the first time, and that they must "crucify Christ [the Rock] twice.
1Cr 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
"Take words and return to Him", it is written, and Moses was told to "speak to the Rock" for water, after they thirsted, after wandering forty years in a backslidden state. We "take words and return to Christ for Living Water" when we have backslidden, and we do not "Crucify Christ twice" -else the example is the danger of eternal death for denying the Rock's finished work, once, for all.
.

For everything that happened to Moses, and that was given as living Oracles to Israel and that happened to all Israel was for our instruction and admonitions, to learn the lessons of Faith, by.

1Cr 10:11 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.

Hsa 14:2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive [us] graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

Deu 34:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

 

[yeshuasavedme]

This person has not understood the vss
that I have shown...


​

This person is Terrie -YSM. And I understand what you are saying, but I do not find that you are in agreement with Enoch, the Tenach, Jasher, or the NT in the areas that I have made particular mention of, and I believe that you are mislead.

Moses went to Sheol, not heaven above, when he died, says the Word, for he was "gathered to his people who had died before him", who were in Sheol, not heaven above. But he is risen again, and in his own body, for there he was, standing with Elijah, witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus in His own New Man body, to the glory, and discussing with Jesus His upcoming death in Jerusalem.

Deu 32:50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:

 

[yeshuasavedme]

Paradise is an enclosed Garden, a planted orchard/ par·dās' .
Ecc 2:5 I made me gardens and orchards/par·dās', and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:
par·dās'1) park, preserve, enclosed garden, forest


The word is from Hebrew for "fruit" and "flower/smell/fragrance".

What is Edenics
To note the modular structure of 2-letter roots, see, for instance, that PR/Pey-Resh + RK/Resh-Het combine to make up the PeRaKH or flower. The PR sub-root is found in PeRi or PeRoT , fruit, singular or plural (source of words like FRuiT, aPRIcot, PeaR, BeRRy, etc.). In botany we know that every fruit is a flower first. The second sub-root within the term for flower is RK. RayaKH means smell, fragrance, and is the source of English ReeK (once a positive smell). There is no better system in the universe to indicate a flower than by combing the botanical fruit element with that of fragrance. In other terms, PR +RK = PeRaKH (flower).

All language is Hebrew.Edenic in its roots, confounded/mingled, at Babel. http://www.provingthetowerofbabel.com/files/fpened.swf

The Garden of Eden is "eastward in Eden", and Enoch saw it and smelled it. Eden is a mountain that is not of the earth, but is of the heavenly stretched out realm of this earth [Scripture for that is abundant, but too long for here, now], and it is also the same "Mount Zion of the heavenlies". There are seven such mountains that we cannot see today, but they are there, in the heavenly realm of this same earth, and Adam was placed in the same Eden, in the Paradise/orchard of God's planting.

Enoch 24:
The Mountain of the Lord of Glory
24 And from thence I went to another place of the earth, and he showed me a mountain range of fire which burnt day and night.
2And I went beyond it and saw seven magnificent mountains all differing each from the other, and the stones thereof were magnificent and beautiful, magnificent as a whole, of glorious appearance and fair exterior: three towards the east, one founded on the other, and three towards the south, one upon the other, and deep rough ravines, no one of which joined with any other.
3And the seventh mountain was in the midst of these, and it excelled them in height, resembling the seat of a throne: and fragrant trees encircled the throne.
4And amongst them was a tree such as I had never yet smelt, neither was any amongst them nor were others like it: it had a fragrance beyond all fragrance, and its leaves and blooms and wood wither not for ever: and its fruit is beautiful, and its fruit resembles the dates of a palm. 5Then I said: "How beautiful is this tree, and fragrant, and its leaves are fair, and its blooms very delightful in appearance."
6Then answered Michael, one of the holy and honoured angels who was with me, and was their leader.
25 And he said unto me: "Enoch, why dost thou ask me regarding the fragrance of the tree, and why dost thou wish to learn the truth?"
2Then I answered him saying: "I wish to know about everything, but especially about this tree."

The Tree of Life
3And he answered saying: "This high mountain which thou hast seen, whose summit is like the throne of God, is His throne, where the Holy Great One, the Lord of Glory, the Eternal King, will sit, when He shall come down to visit the earth with goodness.
4And as for this fragrant tree no mortal is permitted to touch it till the great judgement, when He shall take vengeance on all and bring everything to its consummation for ever.
5It shall then be given to the righteous and holy. Its fruit shall be for food to the elect: it shall be transplanted to the holy place, to the temple of the Lord, the Eternal King.
6"Then shall they rejoice with joy and be glad,
And into the holy place shall they enter;
And its fragrance shall be in their bones,
And they shall live a long life on earth,
Such as thy fathers lived:
And in their days shall no sorrow or plague
Or torment or calamity touch them."
7Then blessed I the God of Glory, the Eternal King, who hath prepared such things for the righteous, and hath created them and promised to give to them.

Enoch 32:
The Garden of Righteousness
32 And after these fragrant odours, as I looked towards the north over the mountains I saw seven mountains full of choice nard and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper.
2And thence I went over the summits of all these mountains, far towards the east of the earth, and passed above the Erythraean sea and went far from it, and passed over the angel Zotiel.



3And I came to the Garden of Righteousness, and saw beyond those trees many large trees growing there and of goodly fragrance, large, very beautiful and glorious, and the tree of wisdom whereof they eat and know great wisdom.

4That tree is in height like the fir, and its leaves are like those of the Carob tree: and its fruit is like the clusters of the vine, very beautiful: and the fragrance of the tree penetrates afar.
5Then I said: "How beautiful is the tree, and how attractive is its look!"
6Then Raphael the holy angel, who was with me, answered me and said: "This is the tree of wisdom, of which thy father old in years and thy aged mother, who were before thee, have eaten, and they learnt wisdom and their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they were driven out of the garden."

Enoch 61
10And He will summon all the host of the heavens, and all the holy ones above, and the host of God, the Cherubin, Seraphin and Ophannin, and all the angels of power, and all the angels of principalities, 11and the Elect One, and the other powers on the earth and over the water. On that day shall raise one voice, and bless and glorify and exalt in the spirit of faith, and in the spirit of wisdom, and in the spirit of patience, and in the spirit of mercy, and in the spirit of judgement and of peace, and in the spirit of goodness, and shall all say with one voice: “Blessed is He, and may the name of the Lord of Spirits be blessed for ever and ever.” 12All who sleep not above in heaven shall bless Him:
All the holy ones who are in heaven shall bless Him.
And all the elect who dwell in the garden of life:

The Four Quarters of the Earth
77 And the first quarter is called the east, because it is the first: and the second, the south, because the Most High will descend there, yea, there in quite a special sense will He who is blessed for ever descend. 2And the west quarter is named the diminished, because there all the luminaries of the heaven wane and go down.



3And the fourth quarter, named the north, is divided into three parts: the first of them is for the dwelling of men: and the second contains seas of water, and the abysses and forests and rivers, and darkness and clouds; and the third part contains the garden of righteousness.
I saw seven high mountains, higher than all the mountains which are on the earth: and thence comes forth hoar-frost, and days, seasons, and years pass away.

This Psalm praises Mount Zion of the heavenly "quarters of the north, as seen by Enoch, above. Earth below cannot see it now, but they saw it before the flood, and that is why the Cherubim with flaming swords were placed at the gates to it, so that Adamkind could not get back -and they tried to do so at the Babel rebellion, to go "up some other way" and enter into heaven, which cannot be done but through Jesus.

Since the rebellion of Babel it cannot be seen unless God "opens the eyes for one to see", but it will be seen again, in the Millennial reign, I believe, for there are Scriptures that lead me to believe that.

Psa 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, [is] mount Zion, [on] the sides/quarters [inmost recesses] of the north, the city of the great King.

 

[yeshuasavedme]

Murjahel, God's Garden has always been "Paradise", a place of delightful fragrances and fruits. It was never transferred to hell below earth, and is the place where the sons of God rule from, over earth. Adam got cast out of there, down to the earth, when he fell and lost access to the Garden of God.
The way back is through the blood of the Atonement's cleansing and removal of our sins, and the adoption/regeneration of Spirit into Christ's Living Spirit, and the adoption/regeneration of body into the New Man image, body of flesh.

Eden's Garden was not in hell below when the prophet wrote this:
Isa 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

 

[murjahel]

That is not a fact, proved. Deuteronomy says God "buried Moses".

God judged Israel too,
and used Babylon to do it...
so God can bury Moses, and have
Michael to do it...

we need a course of hermeneutics
available...
besides the part on figures of speech,
it is necessary to show that there
is no disagreement in truth...
but manner of expressing truth does
not change fact....

the sun does not circumvent the
earth, just because it talks of the sun
'rising'...
it is what is seen...
not the actual manner of doing so...
no disagreement there either...

I would recommend a course in hermeneutics
in order to better understand the Scriptures..

am not going to argue with
semantics, figures of speech, etc...

​

 

[murjahel]

Murjahel, God's Garden has always been "Paradise", a place of delightful fragrances and fruits. It was never transferred to hell below earth, and is the place where the sons of God rule from, over earth. Adam got cast out of there, down to the earth, when he fell and lost access to the Garden of God.
The way back is through the blood of the Atonement's cleansing and removal of our sins, and the adoption/regeneration of Spirit into Christ's Living Spirit, and the adoption/regeneration of body into the New Man image, body of flesh.

Eden's Garden was not in hell below when the prophet wrote this:
Isa 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

ditto my last answer....
there is no disharmony in the Scriptures,
only some who think they see some...
the Bible's truth is constant...
only poor hermeneutics
make it seem for there to be

​

 

[murjahel]

Paradise is an enclosed Garden, a planted orchard/ par·dās' .
Ecc 2:5 I made me gardens and orchards/par·dās', and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits:
par·dās'1) park, preserve, enclosed garden, forest

the Bible and Enoch agree on the garden...
and I am not here to argue...
if you disagree, please do what you choose,
am not going to argue with you...

I am going on with what I am showing...
not going to argue...​

 

[murjahel]

The quote and reference in Jude
to the Testament of Moses refers
to this passage in that book...​

10:11. Joshua, do keep the words of this book;
　
12. For from my death until His coming
shall be double 250 sevens of years.​

13. And this is the whole extent of the times
until the end of that covenant.
　
14. While I shall go rest with the forefathers,
Joshua, the son of Nun,
be strong and of good courage,
for God has chosen you to minister in this covenant.
　
　
　
CHAPTER 13
　
1. After these things were said,
Moses departed a distance away from Joshua
up into the mountain, to die out of sight of any person.​

2. Joshua watched, and Caleb also approached
unto Joshua to see what was about to happen.​

3. Out of sight of Joshua and Caleb,
Moses laid himself down to die.​

4. The Lord God commanded Michael,
the archangel, to bury the body of Moses.​

5. As Michael and a host of heavenly angels
approached Moses, the devil, Satan,
confronted Michael, the archangel.​

6. Satan said: 'I am the lord of matter,
and this body is rightfully mine, for this man,
Moses, has murdered an Egyptian!'​

7. Michael answered the devil:
'Is that you, O deceiver, of the people?
It was you who first deceived mankind,
and instigated the serpent to tempt Eve!​

8. Had you not done so,
there would be no death amidst mankind.
The Lord God has sent me to bury this body
out of sight of all, and therefore,
I am acting on His authority. ​

9. This man obviously belongs to his God,
and God's mercy is now being given to him.
Therefore, the Lord rebuke you,1 for seeking to extend
your will over His!'​

10. As the devil fled from the rebuke in the name of the Lord,
the holy angels received the spirit of Moses
and ascended up into the clouds with the spirit,
of God's prophet, Moses.
　
　
11. Joshua and Caleb viewed the spirit of Moses
ascend up into the clouds.
They rejoiced and wept at the sight before them.​

12. The archangel, Michael, then buried the body of Moses,
out of the sight of Joshua, Caleb,
the devil,and any person...​

-​

So....... when Jude refers to the devil
disputing about the body of Moses,
this is the passage of the book Jude was referring to...​

some may want to challenge
that the Bible says that 'God'
buried Moses...

the Bible also says 'God'
judged Israel...
and yet, God used Babylon to do it..
He raised up that power, allowed
them to bring the judgment,
and the Temple did not fall
from hailstones... it was the Babylonian
army...
yet, God was the One judging them....

God buried Moses, by having Michael,
His faithful angel servant do it...

Hermeneutics is a study of
how to interpret the Bible..
we could find tons of 'discrepancies'
if we do not interpret the Bible
the way we interpret our own words...

for instance...
I could say the 'sun will set tonight,
a little after 6 pm"

some could find fault with that,
by saying ... no, the earth goes around
the sun, the earth turns and it only seems
to set, actually, it is the rotation of the
earth...

well, I did not lie in my statement,
it is a figure of speech...
and refers to how we see it,
not to its cause...

the same in understanding the Bible...
and in a course on hermeneutics this
could be taught, of how we understand
the Bible...

the Bible says that Herod was a fox,
but I don't take that as a contradiction,
nor as proof he had four legs...

Jesus said the pharisees were
serpents and vipers, but their
legs did not fall off in that instance,
and they did not crawl away to a snake
hole...
no... we understand by hermeneutics
what Jesus meant...
it figuratively, illustratively described
something to us...

Michael did not choose to bury Moses'
body, he was following the orders
of his Boss, and his Boss
takes full credit for it...
LOL​

 

[yeshuasavedme]

I would recommend a course in hermeneutics
in order to better understand the Scriptures..


​

What you are giving is a "course in Murjaheutics -and it does not compute with Scripture.

Moses went to Sheol, not heaven above, when he died, says the Word, for he was "gathered to his people who had died before him", who were in Sheol, not heaven above. But he is risen again, and in his own body, for there he was, standing with Elijah, witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus in His own New Man body, to the glory, and discussing with Jesus His upcoming death in Jerusalem.

Deu 32:50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:

 

[yeshuasavedme]

for instance...
I could say the 'sun will set tonight,
a little after 6 pm"


​

And you would be correct biblically; and best to always be correct, biblically, than to follow unbelievers who have taken the part of the serpent and who have said, specifically, about the revealed Truth of the Word of God that the sun goes around the earth on its course/path in the heavens;

Quote the opposer: "yea, hath God really really, really, truly said that the sun goeth around the earth in its course in the heavens"? -"well Pshaw! -I'll show you what He really, really wanted to say to you but did not believe you would be able to understand until you developed the mental alertness to 'really' know His deep truths: 'the earth goeth around the sun, tilts, and revolves while it goeth' "!
-See how easy it is to deny the Truth of the Word by accepting the inventions of confusion and every evil work against all that which the Word of Truth reveals?

 

[murjahel]

Imagine praying to die,
and being told that you will die,
but not for around 4000 years... ​

talk about waiting for an answer
for a long, long time...
LOL​

TRANSLATION OF ELIJAH​

At one time Elijah had prayed to die.
Yet, he still hasn't died. ​

God told Elijah in advance
that he was to be translated.​

He, and the sons of the prophets,
knew about his rapture.
Think of the glory that must have filled Elijah's
soul as he walked that final walk
to the place God said to go to be raptured.​

There was a reason for Elijah to be raptured,
his work was to be completed
at a much later date,
and God wanted to take him to heaven
to await that day. ​

Elijah still has 3 1/2 years of ministry left.
We, of this day, await a rapture also.
We don't know the day, nor hour,
but are excitedly awaiting our rapture.​

Elijah had an advantage over us, he knew the day,
and hour.
++++++++++++++++​

MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION​

Elijah, in his human body,
came back with Moses, in his temporary spirit body,
to talk with Jesus, in His transfigured body,
about the events about to take place in Jerusalem
(Luke 9:29-31).​

We think how blessed were the three disciples
who accompanied Jesus up to the top of mount Hermon to view this.
Yet, remember how great an honor it was for Elijah
to be summoned to this great discussion.
+
+++++++++​

- A FINAL TASK​

Elijah will soon return to this earth to personally
confront the Antichrist and the False Prophet.​

The church will have been removed,
and the 144,000 missionary Jews
of the tribulation
will be raptured after their ministry
in the first part of the tribulation.​

About that time Elijah will return with Enoch,
and challenge the Antichrist,
cause plagues, minister,
and prepare the people of the final days
of the tribulation for the return of Jesus.​

He will finally be killed,
and lay dead in the street for several days. ​

Then as the enemies of God party
about his dead body,
he will be resurrected and raptured.
(Zechariah 4:2-3, Rev. 11:3-12, Malachi 4:5-6)​

 

[yeshuasavedme]

Up where Elijah is, time is not measured in 24 hour days, but in thousand year days.

 

[murjahel]

Peter died as a martyr,
according to tradition,
in Rome about 67 A.D.
when he was about 75 years old.

His death had been predicted by the Lord
in John 21:18-19, II Peter 1:14.​

One story in the traditions of the church
tell that during the persecutions
of Christians by Nero,
Peter fled from Rome to avoid death.
As he hurried along the Appian Way,
about two miles from Rome,
he met Jesus walking toward Rome. ​

According to this story,
this startled Peter,
for he knew Jesus had ascended to heaven,
and yet, here Peter finds his Lord
walking toward Rome... ​

Peter asked:
"Lord, where are you going?" ​

Jesus answered:
"I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time."​

Peter was shaken,
and immediately returned to Rome,
kept his head erect,
and witnessed bravely for Jesus.
He did not want to change again back
into that fearful disciple
he had once been
when the maid pointed her finger at him
in accusation...
He wanted to stand firm in faith,
willing to even die with and for his Lord Jesus. ​

Soon, Nero had him arrested and put on trial.
Tradition says that he was hung upon a cross
with his head downward. ​

Peter had requested that they crucify
him in this way,
if he had to be crucified.
He did not feel worthy to die
in the same manner
as was his Lord. ​

Thus, even in death,
he was a witness of the greatness of Jesus Christ.
How marvelously Peter had changed
from denial when a maid pointed her finger,
fearing a crucifixion,
into a saint who was unwilling
to die in as comfortable a way
as the Lord...
dying upon a cross, upside down.​

The love of Peter,
for his the Lord Jesus,
is very evident throughout the gospels... ​

This Peter had left all to follow Jesus.
He said to his Lord at the last supper,
"Thou shalt never wash my feet..."
He drew his sword to defend his Lord... ​

The love for Jesus was the one unchanging thing
in Peter's life.
Because he had such love for Jesus,
he allowed the Lord to work on his life,
and bring about changes in his character and personality. ​

 

[murjahel]

Heretics, sinners... have
a different kind of death...
of course, their destination after
death is different, but also their manner
and mode of dying
is different...​

According to writings of the early church,
Simon Magus and Peter debated
at least three times...​

Simon Magus tried to preach that there
were two gods...
Simon Magus denied the deity of Christ Jesus,
and said that Jesus was only a Jewish prophet... ​

Simon Magus preached that people could live
as immoral as they wished,
and as long as they had an acceptance of him,
they were saved from eternal destruction...​

He claimed that the God of the Old Testament
was imperfect... ​

Peter followed Simon Magus
and countered his sorceries and false teachings
with the truth and the miracles of God. ​

There first confrontation was at Antioch,​

another at Laodicea,​

and the final one at Rome... ​

Simon died in Rome,
after challenging the people
to accept his teachings
as superior to those of Peter...
Simon claimed he would ascend
to heaven before them,
and through demonic powers
began to rise in the air... ​

He flew about Rome for some time,
but as Peter prayed to Jesus,​

Simon Magus suddenly fell to the ground and died.​

Simon Magus had told his followers
that if he ever died,
he was to be buried,
and in three days,
he would arise from the grave...​

They waited fruitlessly...
for he did not arise!​

 

[murjahel]

According to
"MARTYRDOM OF ST. JAMES",
(Budge II, 304-308),
James preached to the twelve tribes
scattered abroad...
He persuaded them to give
offerings to the church,
and not to Herod...​

He was not fearful of the persecution to come...
He was not seeking fame,
but seeking to do the Lord's will...
He already had been assured
of the Lord of a martyrdom...
and
he did not fear such a death... ​

"THE ACTS OF ST. JAMES IN INDIA"
(Budge II 295-303),
Christ appeared to James and Peter
while on a missionary trip to India...
Christ appeared to them in the form of a young man.
A blind man was healed...
Peter and James were imprisoned
but released miraculously...
Many people were saved. ​

An old legend about James...
tells of a person who lied at the trial
given to James by Herod...​

Undaunted by the false witness,
James kept forcibly resisting
with great oration against Herod
for his part in the crucifixion
of the true Messiah, Jesus...​

James did not faint, fear,
or desire to flee the challenge against him...
He admitted that he loved, served,
and worshiped Jesus
as the risen, ascended Messiah... ​

The lying witness was so overwhelmed
by the zeal and courage of James,
that
he suddenly confessed himself
to be a Christian...​

Herod had him carried off with James
to be put to death... ​

On the way to their deaths,
the man begged James for forgiveness...​

James forgave him, and gave him a kiss.​

James and his last convert died together... ​

James was the first martyr among the apostles. ​

James was killed by Herod Agrippa I in 44 A.D.
(Acts 12:1-2). ​

Shortly before Herod's own death,
James was killed...​

The vehemence and fanaticism
of James' personality
made him to be feared and hated by the Jews...​

James knew he would become a martyr,
he knew he was to soon drink of the same
"cup" of the Lord, and he did not fight it...
for he knew it meant a throne,
a crown,
and nearness to his beloved Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ...​

He zealously preached,
he faced threats and imprisonment... ​

He was so ambitious for the heavenly gain...
that he did not seek fame amidst the apostles...​

He was willing to take the lesser place amidst them...
seeking the higher place in Jesus' estimation.​

Today, in the Christian world,
many seek worldly wealth, fame,
and eminence amidst people... ​

The Lord seeks to change their zeal for earthly gain...
to zeal
for heavenly blessings,
acceptance from our Lord,
and a throne in heaven
from which we can gaze upon His glory
as we worship Him...​