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Reverend Jim Comments

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Reverend Jim

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  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Celebrating Christmas Is Futile"

    Paul required Christian Jews to stop rituals that violated the 'new covenant. They were allowed to continue with the other un-Christian 'pagan' traditions of Judaism.
    The Sabbath has been a controversy forever. It's more of a Judaic custom than a NT teaching. New Testament believers are not under the Old Testament Law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:24-25; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 11, 13; Hebrews 7:12). Jesus resurrected on the first day of the week, and Pentecost likely occurred on Sunday. It has no bearing on a person's salvation. As long as we all honor a day of rest we are doing the right thing. Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them... 1 Cor. 16:1-2 Now about the collection for God's people...On the FIRST day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income... Saturday doesn't need to be the Sabbath any more than we need to adhere to any other part of Judaic law like food restrictions etc. The same with Christmas. Celebrating it is not a return to paganism. What I dislike about Christianity is that everyone complains about how and what everyone else is doing.

  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Celebrating Christmas Is Futile"

    You posted the article and I'm just allowing readers to see the other side of the story. My issue with attributing Christmas and Easter to paganism is the divisiveness and 'bad publicity' it portrays to unbelievers. That's one of the main problems with Christianity today. Everybody likes to believe they have have the truth and then attribute the beliefs of others they disagree with to the evil one. When unbelievers see one group of Christians celebrate the resurrection or the birth of Christ, and then they see others demonize them for it does absolutely nothing for the cause of Christ. There's no hard evidence that Eastre was ever a pagan goddess. There's no documented evidence of shrines, altars, or the worship of Eastre, and celebrating Christ birth in no way implies a return to paganism. The sinful traditions associated with Saturnalia were discarded. Some of the un-sinful ones were carried over in 4C AD and that doesn't turn Christmas into paganism. We simply celebrate the birth of Christ that's a matter of 'conscience.'
    "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."

  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Europe Matters: Ancient Roots"
    I may not have answered the question well in response to, "Where do you think that final battle (with whomever) will take place?" Zechariah is another book of neglected prophecy. Here is where I derived the ideas of my last response. Ch. 14 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal. Azal means a "place reserved." The LORD returns on the Mount of Olives and begins the big battle in Megiddo to prevent the slaughter of remaining Jews who have fled.
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Israel’s Victorious Six-Day War: Foundation for Fulfilling Prophecy"

    All we read and know about end-time prophecy must be in accord, and there must be scriptural evidence and support that harmonizes with them. If Rome, Europe, or the USA are found in prophecy there must be supporting scriptures to validate it, but there isn't. Not one verse of prophecy supports such a connection. The descendents of Japeth likely populated Europe and I don't see an end-time connection, progenitive or not, to support any Western country anywhere. I haven't read "The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy," but it likely refers to Abraham and Joseph's descendants or maybe about how "Israel" refers to the United States or Britain. Sorry, but I don't accept that teaching. The southern kingdom of "Judah" may at time refer to Israel today, and Israel typically implies the nations and descendents of Israel or even Christians, and that in no way implies the EU or USA. Some people teach that "Gomer" is Germany and Meshech is Moscow and Tubal is Tobolsk. Every nation mentioned in Ez. 38-39 is found in Turkey today and maybe some of the 'stan' countries to the north and east. Psalm 83's nations are all Islamic. You'd be hard pressed to show me otherwise.

  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Celebrating Christmas Is Futile"

    There are so many things we do associated with paganism that if we avoided them all we may just as well not live. In Acts 21 Paul told Jewish converts not to participate in certain Jewish traditions. Those converts accused Paul of calling for an apostasy/abandonment of them. Paul wasn't telling them to abandon ALL the Jewish traditions and festivities but only the ones of blood sacrifice etc. that would be against the new covenant. Would not some of those Jewish/Judaic customs be pagan in origin or against Christianity?

    Christmas is a time to spend with family and friends. Some celebrate it without associating it with Christ birth. NOBODY I know connects it with Satan, and nobody I know celebrates it with pagan gods. The definition of pagan has a multitude of meanings. That's why I say you can attribute just about anything to paganism.
    If you feel it's a sin to celebrate Christmas, then don't. I feel it's not a sin as we in my church honor Jesus Christ and no one else.
    Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
    Another example is if you feel convicted eating lobster or pork then it is a sin for you, but may not be for me.

  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Europe Matters: The Lethal Union of Church and State"
    Why would Rome resort back to persecuting people? They've realized the error of their ways and no longer do it, and have no reason to DO it anymore. The Protestants have dirt on them too. In the 16th century the Protestant's had an inquisition of their own. The Protestants murdered people who rejected the Trinity and those who practiced infant baptism. Look at John Calvin. Look at the burning of women they called witches. In his latter years, Luther incited mobs of people to murder peasants...as many as 100,000 of them! He said, "‘It was I, Martin Luther, who slew all the peasants in the insurrection, for I commanded them to be slaughtered. All their blood is upon my shoulders. But I cast it on our Lord God who commanded me to speak in this way.’[Martin Luther, Werke, Erlangen edition, vol. 59, p. 284]" Listen to the words spoken in 2 Baruch 48: 37 in relevance to Muslim terrorist and Islam. "Envy shall rise in those who had no though of themselves, and passion shall rise in him who was peaceful. Many shall be stirred up in anger to injure many, and they shall rouse up all men in order to shed blood, and in the end they will all perish together."
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Europe Matters: The Lethal Union of Church and State"
    As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. (Psalm 125:2) ​These mountains are Mount Zion (southwest, 2558 ft.), Mount Gareb (west, 2518 ft.), Mount Scopus (north.) 2724 ft.) Mount of Olives (east, 2641 ft.) Mount of Offense (southeast, 2411 ft.) Mount of Evil Counsel (south, 2548 ft.) and at the center, Mount Moriah (the temple mount, 2556 ft.) THE TEMPLE MOUNT/Dome of the Rock. This is the Islam's third holiest site and the location they want as the headquarters of their worldwide Islamic Caliphate. Revelation 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. The woman represents Islam and its jihadist sects. She 'sits upon' or "OCCUPIES" the beast meaning Islam IS the dominate religion of this Northern Shia, Iranian Caliphate, i.e. the more powerful king of the north. (Rev 17) The king of the South is the Saudi/N. Africa/Arabian Peninsula Sunni Caliphate. (Rev. 13) Iran the Northern beast/Caliphate burns the harlot/Southern Caliph/Mecca. God has personally deemed Jerusalem His own, and upon it now stands an abomination called, "The Dome of the Rock."
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Living in Modern Babylon"
    Hi Skip, I don't think these things up without using every bible resource book I can. I haven't read books by others like Shoebat or Rosenberg. They've arrived at the same conclusion as I have. I do have a strict hermeneutic that I stick to, and I'm not afraid to think out of the box. The opioid, abortion, or murder rate in the USA or elsewhere isn't as relevant as the big question, "WHAT IS THE RELIGION OF THE BEAST." Once we get that right, everything else falls into place much easier. People are bent on understanding the beasts of Revelation 13, 17, Daniel 7, etc. They neglect the books of Habakkuk, Isaiah, Nahum, Jeremiah, etc. People are bent on Daniel's 70th week, a new world order, a global dictator, a one world government and religion, etc. NONE of that will ever come to pass. You say my beliefs are strong. So my challenge to you is, "show me the evidence of Rome and the EU in end-time prophecy? Where is it? Rome isn't killing and beheading people today, On this day in 2014 in Idlib, Syria Dozens of Syrians were beheaded by the Islamic State. Just hours ago, At least five people were killed and 15 more wounded by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan.
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Living in Modern Babylon"
    I don't associate Babylon with any world system other than the religion of Islam and the oil rich Arab world. There's no reason to presume this is any kind of world system. Fallen, Fallen is Babylon...it falls twice. Ancient Babylon and ISLAM. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. The kings of the earth have committed fornication with the harlot by allowing her to prosletyze her religion all for the sake of her OIL. Merchants getting rich by world leaders buying her oil. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast. The wilderness is the desert. Rome, the EU, ot the entire world doesn't reside in a desert. Mecca and Medina do. Rev 17:15 he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Islam has reached far into many countries. Rev. 17:16-18 & Rev 18:8 may be the destruction of Mecca and Medina. (or possibly Iran) by a nuclear weapon. I cannot agree that Babylon is any type of world system. It's a united Arab world.
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Living in Modern Babylon"
    The harlot is used interchangeably with a city.  The "kings of the earth," isn't a reference to ALL the kings on the planet but the 10 mentioned in Revelation 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings.  This is a unified Mid East Islamic Caliphate of sorts.  The Dome of the Rock is at the geographically center of Jerusalem's seven MOUNTAINS.  THIS IS THE ONLY PIECE OF GROUND GOD HAS CLAIMED AS HIS OWN IN THE BIBLE.  SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?  The harlot represents the large false religion of ISLAM, and worldwide terrorism. 'Sitteth' means "to occupy or have a fixed abode."   This indicates that Islam is the dominate religion that 'OCCUPIES' this 10/7 empire which is an Islamic Caliphate headquartered and operated from the Dome of the Rock.  Babylon the Great, AKA a large false religion, must “sit on” or occupy seven mountains, (East Jerusalem) and I believe those mountains are the seven mountains that surround Jerusalem.  "The Dome of the Rock" complex is an anti-christ monument that "sits upon" the site of the ruins of two Jewish Temples today called the Temple Mount, AKA "Mount Moriah" which is at the geographical center of Jerusalem's seven mountains. Possibilities.
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Is ISIS the King of the South?"
    Hab. 1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.   For, lo, I raise up the Chaldean's, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. "They shall come all for violence: (Terrorism) their faces shall sup up as the east wind, (Islam worship) and they shall gather the captivity as the sand." The east wind is always associated with evil destructive wind."  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772) said, That wind, and especially the east wind, signifies nothing else than the dispersion of falsities and evils.  Sup up means to do so as a horde or an assembly.
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Is ISIS the King of the South?"
    "by reason of breakings they PURIFY THEMSELVES." "Jihad is the Arabic word for "struggle" or "effort". In the context of the Holy Qur'an, jihad is a struggle or effort to strive "in the path of God" (22:78). Scholar James Turner Johnson says it this way: "the concept of jihad…fundamentally denotes striving or effort expended by the individual Muslim to walk in the path of God" (Johnson 19; Feldman 232-233). JIHAD IS THE EFFORT TO PURIFY ONESELF FROM WITHIN, TO PURIFY ONESELF OF SELFISH APPETITES--the intention behind the action is important to the action itself. If this is the root meaning of jihad, when and how did it come to mean "holy war" or a "war to kill the infidels"? To answer that, we need to look at jihad in the Qur'an and the term's historical development." Strong’s says the leviathan is, “figuratively, the constellation of the dragon; also as a symbol of Babylon: leviathan, mourning.” Psalms 74:14  Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. The wilderness is the desert.  The heads of the Leviathan could be Mecca and Medina, or the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam.  I could say much more but.......
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Is ISIS the King of the South?"
    ISIS/ISIL is the Leviathan of Isaiah 27, Ps. 74:14, Ps. 104:26, and Job 41.   There are 'two' leviathans that get punished. We know the serpent is the dragon and his names are Satan and Lucifer. Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. Job 41:25 "When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves". The mighty are afraid because jihadist hide among the general population. They aren't coming at you with brigades of people and military equipment. They are spread across the world. "by reason of breakings they purify themselves." The word ‘breakings’ no doubt implies terrorism.  It means to break and ruin, and comes from a word meaning "to break, wreck, and to rend violence."  ISIS is the most brutal terrorist group on the planet. They calls themselves "the leviathan that has been awakened?" Job 41 begins by implying that man is nearly powerless at taking it out, and that there's little to nothing we can do to deter or stop it, and something that only God will accomplish.
  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Celebrating Christmas Is Futile"

    Hi Skip, I want you to know I appreciate the UCG very much. You post my replies where others typically back out, especially on trinity debates. Like you, I'm non-trinitarian and people on blogs or other sites usually delete my replies.
    I think as long as we honor the Sabbath, whether Saturday or Sunday, that's what counts, and Colossians 2:16 seems supports that.
    Celebrating Christmas is a tradition and season I and many others enjoy. We know it's likely Christ wasn't born in December, but to me that doesn't matter. I celebrate it because Christ WAS born regardless of when. When my grand children's birthdays fall on a weekday we celebrate it on the weekends. Neither do we celebrate Christmas the way it was by the Saturnalia cults. Those things are long gone. We can attribute pagan origins to just about anything. Eating certain foods, dressing certain ways, reading certain types of books, dancing, festivals, movies, etc. There's no end to it. When the people at my church celebrate Christmas, we are not looking at the past. I will forever celebrate Christmas. If you feel it's a sin for you to celebrate it, don't. I feel it's not a sin for me to celebrate it.

  • Reverend Jim
    Reverend Jim in "Why Celebrating Christmas Is Futile"

    Your Sabbath is Saturday, mine is Sunday and that's fine. The sabbath was not established at creation. The word is first found in Exodus. The word 'rest' in Genesis simply means to keep as a day of rest. Two examples is in Leviticus where the word 'rest' is used WITH the word 'Sabbath'. 7673 & 7676.
    ....shall ye celebrate H7673 your sabbath. H7676
    then shall the land H776 keep a sabbath H7676 unto the LORD.
    William Baldwin, where you likely got your information from, distinguishes the two Sabbaths. He said in his last paragrah, "This is all with respect to the "2nd use" of the Sabbath. That is with the Sabbath as it signifies a covenant between God and his people. With regard to the 1st use, the moral, the Sabbath is given to us to allow us to rest our bodies physically. So please feel free to take a nap, but not during your exercise of the 2nd use (i.e. in church). "
    God established a day of rest. It doesn't matter what day we celebrate the Sabbath. But to associate Sabbath keeping with murder etc. is very inappropriate.
    Colossians 2:16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath.