“The Rapture or the Return of Jesus Christ: Articulating My Position"

What follows is a paper written after I was asked to discuss my position regarding the Rapture or the Return of Christ. It is a bit lengthy, but I trust it will be stimulating in that my views have changed since I first took the Foundational Class on Power for Abundant Living forty years ago.

"The Rapture or the Return of Christ: Articulating My Position"

Whether referred to as “the Rapture” or “the Gathering Together,” or somewhat irreverently called “the Big Snatch,” Christ’s Return has been a passion of my heart for more than 40 years, and lately this “enduring flame” seems to be burning even more brilliantly, since I have participated in or officiated at numerous funerals during that time. Sometime ago the question was raised as to where I stood with regard to the Return (Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, or Post-Trib). I was asked if I believed that the Christ’s Return would occur before the Great Tribulation or during the Great Tribulation or after the Great Tribulation had begun. This question caused me to assess my position and motivated me to respond more fully to the question as to where I stand regarding this issue.

Without question I believe that the Return of Christ is imminent. This bright hope is one of the threads woven through my most recent collection of poetry Stone upon Stone: Psalms of Remembrance. In the title poem I build an altar of twelve stones of great significance in my life. The twelfth stone is described this way:

Final stone of hope, capstone to complete my life,

standing on tip-toe, awaiting the golden note,

blessed hope of Christ’s appearing in my lifetime.

Such a belief indicates that I would be categorized as a “Pre-Trib” believer, that is, I believe that Christ will return before The Great Tribulation period. After considerable deliberation, however, I must admit that “I am Pre-Trib with modification.” Allow me to elaborate.

In 1998 I sensed that Christ was going to return during the Feast of Pentecost, based on my reading of the Scriptures and a series of Biblical teachings by Marilyn Agee. Although I have continued to look for Christ to return with eager anticipation, I have tempered my desire to know precisely when the Rapture will take place. The poem “If the Lord tarries. . .” reveals a change in attitude following a number of times when the Return of Christ did not occur when I had thought it would.

“If the Lord tarries” and “If the Lord will”:

May these phrases ever be my preface.

With each decision may I learn to be still

And never presume to know your desire.

Though I may read your Word and apply

It diligently to my heart to do

All you ask of me, some secrets are not

Mine to know. Once more you tell me to watch,

To prepare my heart and to look above.

Whether I understand or misconstrue,

I cannot deny I have tasted of your love.

God is still faithful and His Word is true.

In my heart the hope continues to burn,

As yearn even more for Christ’s return.

Clearly “no man knows the day nor the hour”; however, following the description of the Gathering Together in Chapter 4:13-18, the Fifth Chapter of I Thessalonians begins with a reminder:

But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

For when they shall say, “Peace and safety;” then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness.

Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober.

We are also exhorted “to watch” “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”(I Thessalonians 1:10) In Luke 21:29-36, Jesus said, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

In our emphasis upon what has been characterized as a “new season”, we must remember that the Return of Christ could actually usher in the fullness of that “new season.” In my mind this is “the finish” toward which we are all striving. In his teaching series on “The Rapture of the Church”, Dr. David Jeremiah made the statement that in Bible times before the arrival of a king, ambassadors were sent to prepare the way and announce his arrival. In a similar manner we have been sent as “Ambassadors for Christ” to herald the coming of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will gather us together in Him to reign on high forevermore.

Herein lies one of the modifications of my “Pre-Trib” belief. Without question, I believe that Christ will return to gather “his bride.” But in a similar way that Eve, the first bride, was taken from the body of the “First Adam,” so the “Second Eve,” the “Bride of Christ” will be taken from the Body of Christ, the “Second Adam.”

Incidentally Eve was taken out of Adam on the evening of the last day, the 30^th, of the month of Elul. During this month the trumpet (shofar) is sounded every day to warn the people to return to God in repentance except on the last day. On that day there is silence in anticipation of the coming Feast of Trumpets which commences the following day, Rosh Hashana, which marks the New Year, both the civil year and the religious year in Jewish culture. Psalm 81:3 refers to this time:

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

When Jesus said, “No man knows the day or the hour” in Matthew 24:36, to the Western mind, this saying is said to mean no one knows when Messiah will return. To the Jewish mind, however, this phrase was an idiom referring to Rosh Hashana, meaning that Christ will return at some future Rosh Hashana. Sometimes called Yom HaKeseh, which means the Day of Hiding or the Hidden Day, Rosh Hashana is derived from the Hebrew root “kacah” which means to conceal, cover or hide.

So what I’m saying is that there will be “two raptures,” one of which is spoken of in terms of Noah, who represents a type of rapture that is mentioned in Matthew 24:37-39:

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

The extraction of the Bride, this “falling away” from the Body represents God’s judgment on the Church. As I Peter 4:17 declares, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” This judgment will be a wake-up call to the Church to repent and to change to become what God intended for her to be. In order not to be left behind when Christ returns again, the Church will correct herself and align herself to be in God’s will.

The taking away of the bride of Christ will actually stimulate great growth and development. In a similar way that pruning a tree produces more abundant fruit, so will the purging be comparable to that which Jesus spoke of in John 15:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

In a sense, those gathered from the Body of Christ could represent “a kind of firstfruits,” (James 1:18) spoken of in I Corinthians 15:20-23:

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

If part of the Body of Christ is raptured with the first appearing of Jesus Christ, what about those who remain? Is there another phase to the Rapture or will those who remain have to endure the Tribulation in its entirety? Jesus speaks of this time before his coming in terms of Lot as well as Noah. The extraction of Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah is another type of rapture, the Pre-wrath Rapture.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

Remember Lot's wife. (Luke 17:28-32)

The second part of the Return of Christ involves what has been described as the Pre-Wrath Rapture, which will occur on “The Day of God” or “The Millennial Day of the Lord.” This event is referred to in Revelation 16:14 which says, “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” There is a reference to Gog’s army of Ezekiel 38 and that the Lord will fight for Israel. This time frame is also mentioned in II Peter 3:12: “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” The Pre-Wrath Rapture precedes the Day of the Lord “in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heart, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (Revelation 8:8-10 and Zephaniah 2:3-5 speak of the asteroid that will impact the earth as a demonstration of God’s wrath on this day)

One of the most revealing parables regarding the Rapture or the Return is that of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), five of whom were wise and five of whom were foolish. Sometime ago I read a fascinating discussion of this parable in Be the Bride: Volume 3, a wonderful treatise by Daniel Rydsted on the Rapture or the Return from the perspective of individuals in the Body of Christ preparing themselves for the Return of the Bridegroom for his beloved. It was one of those life-changing works that challenged and charged the reader literally to strive to fulfill the title of the book and “Be the Bride.”

There are countless facets to the Return of Christ. One of the fascinating connections centers on Moses and Elijah, both of whom appear with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration along with Peter, James and John. That appearing can be viewed as a foreshadow of the gathering together, in that the encounter involves both an individual who died, Moses, as well as one who was “caught up to heaven” while he was alive, Elijah. I am, thus, in the process of closely examining the records of the Transfiguration from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and I am attempting to connect those accounts with the Rapture of the Church.

I have by no means offered a full discussion of the Rapture or the Return of Christ and its various facets, but I have attempted to generate a discussion of some of my views on the subject. In actuality I have not even begun to scratch the surface. I am grateful to have been inspired to think more deeply about the subject and to attempt to express my views that I am still in the process of clarifying. God’s Word ever exhorts us to patiently wait for Christ’s Return, and I close on that hopeful note:

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Now the just shall live by faith. . . (Hebrews 10:35-38)

Lonnell E. Johnson

Columbus, Ohio

January 1, 2008

Ok Guys,
I am going to remove all these posts -
This is the best – my points are beyond the scope of a social networking site. As you said John no one is responding. The purpose of this type of blog is to respond – and thus to social network over the topic.

However I will leave this as the only one: It is long but forgives me - perhaps it is thought provoking and of some interests to maybe somebody out there.

The Parthian Empire was East of Jerusalem – at the time of Christ. In many ways it is called the Lost or Forgotten Empire.

In the bible there was an event called Pentecost. One of the groups in temple that heard them speak in their own tongue was the Parthians. The Parthian empire was never defeated by Rome and it was as great as Rome – covering more territory. Yet we (or I) have never been taught about this empire – and we cannot go beyond what we are taught. Our focus when we study the bible has always been westward – to Rome. These Parthians actually went back home taking the Word with them. Rome had Nero – but in Parthia there was tolerance.

Further there is much evidence that Andrew was in Armenia which was part of the Parthian Empire.
Thomas was also sent to the Parthian Empire. Matthew too – in fact a few of those chosen 12. Perhaps that is why some of them are not in the Book of Acts – because they all did not follow Paul to Rome!
Perhaps they had a sent life too – that is an apostle: One that is sent.
What about Peter? You know there is not one bit of evidence that says Peter took a boat to Rome as a minister? There is nothing in “The Word” that says he went to Rome or had any plans to go to Rome!
There is nothing in the Roman Record as well!

Why is the information below important? Well I guess the Parthian Empire just was – maybe it will be in the future too OK?

“…the picture of the world during the Roman period…put before students in ‘Histories of Rome,’ was defective, not to say false, in its omission to recognize the real position of Parthia…as a counterpoise to the power of Rome, a second figure in the picture not much inferior to the first, a rival state dividing with Rome the attention of mankind and the sovereignty of the known earth. Writers of Roman history have been too much in the habit of representing [Rome] as…a Universal Monarchy, a Power unchecked…having no other limits than those of the civilized world…the truth seems to be that…from the first to the last…there was always in the world a Second Power, civilized or semi-civilized, which in a true sense balanced Rome, acted as a counterpoise and a check…This power for nearly three centuries (B.C. 64 – A.D. 225) was Parthia.”1 (the Sixth greatest oriental monarchy – Rawlinson Introduction)

"Who was Arsaces, First King of the Parthians?"
The Parthians ("Source: "The Tribes" by Yair Davidiy) were Israelites related to the Goths and Nephtalites. The Parthian Empire began when Arsaces conquered the Persians. The following article tells us who Arsaces was.
The year is 248 BCE. The event; the Aparni tribe from the north along the Oxus River invaded the region of northern Parthia under the leadership of a man by the name of Arsaces. The result of the invasion was the establishment of the Arsacid Dynasty which would be known in our history books as the Parthian Empire.[1
The name Arsaces is Greek and was a rendering of his Old Persian name Arshak, which can also be rendered as Arsak, Asaac, or Asaak. The name Arsaces/Arshak suggests that he was of Saka/Scythian origin. This is due to the ?Sac? or ?Shak? found in his name.[ The name Sac or Shak is a rendering and form of the Hebrew name Isaac due to the constants S-K or S-C that are present in his name.
Where does the name Iran come from? It comes from the proper name Eran. The name Eran is also Hebrew, and is pronounced as ?Ay-rawn?. Eran was the head of the Eranite clan and was also the grandson of Ephraim (Numbers 26:35-36).

However, the Pahlavi meaning of the name Eran does represent the tribe of Ephraim. Take for instance that the name Eran in Pahlavi as mentioned before means ?noble? or ?warrior?. Both these descriptions are similar to the Biblical representation of the tribe of Ephraim. For the tribe of Ephraim supported the monarchy of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In addition, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel which was called Samaria was in the lands of Ephraim, and Ephraim was also the leading tribe of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.[11] Also, before we lest forget, the alternative meaning of Eran in Pahlavi is ?warrior?, and this meaning also describes the tribe of Ephraim as well. For if we turn to the book of Micah ch.5, the whole chapter shows us that the tribe of Ephraim was a great warrior tribe, but we should not forget that this is backed up by the fact that Ephraim was the leading tribe in Israel.

Hosea 1:6-10 recorded a promise from Jesus that he would make the Israelites too numerous to count after he sent them into captivity. The Jewish historian Josephus confirmed that this had happened by the first century A.D. Given their huge population, it is logical that the Israelites would also have become known by the names of their sub-tribes in addition to the names of their principal tribes. Many are aware that some parts of the Bible record genealogies of the tribes of Israel, and many people regard them as the most boring parts of the Bible. However, for historical research, these sections can be invaluable. Among other things, they indicate the names of the individual clans of the tribes of Israel, and some of these names can be located in geographic and proper names in the post-exilic period.

For example, Numbers 26:35-36 records that sub-tribes (or clans) of the Israelite tribe of Ephraim were named the Bachrites, the Eranites, and the Tahanites. The old Seleucid province of Bactria, which grew up in conjunction with Parthia, bears the name of one of the sub tribes of Ephraim in a Hellenized form. An Israelite origin for Bactria is supported by the indication that the Bactrian language “…was related to Saka, or at least underwent strong influences from Saka tongues.”22 The record that the Bactrians welcomed a Scythian ruler who freed them from a Greek satrap and the further indication that the Bactrians shared a linguistic heritage with the Parthians argues that the Bactrians were also Sacae (or Saka) who had descended from the ten tribes of Israel. Henry Rawlinson, in his book Bactria, states: “there seems to be very little doubt that the population of Bactria was largely Scythian”… (and cites Justin, a classical author, who wrote)…” The Bactrian Empire was founded by the Scythians.”23

Numbers 26:36 also notes that another clan of the tribe of Ephraim descended from Eran and was known as the “Eranites.” A group of people known as the Eranians were present in the region of ancient Persia and Parthia.24 It is significant that Assyria transplanted the defenders of Samaria (an ‘Ephraimite city) into “the cities of the Medes.” Therefore, we would expect thereafter to notice some ‘Ephraimite names in the Medo-Persian region. The “Eranians” bore the exact Hebrew name of one of the clans of Ephraim in the area of Persia/Parthia. This name survives today in the modern name for the territory of ancient Persia: Iran. Indeed, the Encyclopedia Britannica, in referencing “Eran” in its Index section, simply states “Eran: see Iran.”25 The modern capital of Iran is named Teheran, also preserving the name of this ‘Ephraimite clan.

Now I am not saying that the folks over there are all descendents of Israel but at the time of Christ and the sending of the apostles there were many from the House of Israel and many Jews there as well. It is interesting that Daniel was a Judean and put over the affairs of the kingdom and his buddies that got thrown in the furnace were in charge of Babylon. There is a lot of evidence that the Judeans ruled over the 10 tribes that were scattered throughout the Parthian kingdom and then finally witnessed to by the believers. The Word moved fast just like it did with the Goths in Europe when Ulfila was sent as an apostle to the Goths who were also Scythians – part of the lost tribes. I am sorry for confusing most of you but this stuff really happened!

(Source: Andrew Gabriel Roth tells us the following in his book “Ruach Qadim”.)

In 1 Peter 5:12, the apostle writes, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends her greetings, as does my son Mark.” Contrary to Roman Catholic tradition, this statement by Peter is not some coded allusion to Rome, the city where he would later be murdered. Rather, this is a literal reference to an assembly in Babylon that Peter had helped to establish, and yet its story is almost completely unknown in the West. First, though, we need to look at two other key quotations:
“We have found this man (Paul) to be a trouble maker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.” – Acts 24:5

“…The disciples were the first called Christians in Antioch.” – Acts 11:28

What we see here are the beginnings of the original assemblies of messianic believers, both Jewish and Gentile alike. Tradition calls these foundational assemblies “Sees”, and they sprang up in large cities throughout the Roman and Persian empires beginning in the opening decades after the ascension of the Messiah. Of these, the most powerful one was the See of Jerusalem and it held sway in legal rulings that affected all of the other assemblies of the time, such as with the circumcision controversy covered in Acts 15. These assemblies were the Nazarenes, also known as “the Way” (Acts 24:12-14), and even though the apostle Paul is mentioned as being a “ringleader” by his accusers. The fact was that Paul was subservient to both Peter and the Messiah’s brother James the Just, who actually headed that contingent. All of the original disciples and other Jewish believers that were native to Israel who followed them are given the title of “Nazarenes”.

By contrast, the quote from Acts 11:28 clearly tells us that these same disciples were called “Christians” in Antioch. While this usage was somewhat of a misnomer given the fact that the people being addressed were again Jews, the term eventually stuck to the Gentiles in that city who later came to faith, and this definition was later extended to all Gentile assemblies everywhere. In any case, the “See of Antioch” would later become known as the present Syrian Orthodox Church.

However, as 1 Peter 5:13 clearly states, a third ancient body had been established in Babylon by the apostle himself, for just as Paul went west and made converts throughout the Roman Empire, so did Peter do to the east of Jerusalem. Babylon was a logical choice for Peter to go to since after Israel, it boasted the largest Jewish population in the world.

The most amazing facet to this history though is not so much that Peter founded an assembly other than Rome that is almost unknown in the West, but more an issue of when this happened. For while Romans call Peter their first pope, the fact remains that Rome is the city where Peter was murdered. By contrast the various Babylonian groups that were known collectively as khugy (huts) were established by Peter at least twenty years earlier than any Roman assembly. As a result, the first epistle that Peter wrote would have been one of the earliest Aramaic New Testament documents to be sent to this group that would soon be known as knooshta d’netzarim, or the Assembly of Nazarenes.

Other Aramaic New Testament documents followed suit, and when the See of Jerusalem eventually fell, the task of preserving these precious manuscripts fell to this same group in Babylon, who has carried on the responsibility all along the centuries and into our present time. It is this body therefore, known as “the Church of the East”, which endures as a true legacy of the original talmidim (disciples). Taken from ‘Ruach Qadim’ – Andrew Gabriel Roth –pages 30-33 – Tushiyah Press, Box 10, Mosta MST-01, Republic of Malta
Portion of an email on this subject: Feed back?
I wanted to take this opportunity though to deepen a point you made. You wrote about how 1 Peter 5:13 fit into a two-house understanding. I agree, but I also wanted you to know that the verse has another key purpose that the world does not know about and that directly relates to both of our
research projects on the Nazarenes.

Pagan-catholic Rome has propagated a lie over the last 2000 years that "Babylon" is a coded reference for Rome itself--however in the East they have a different understanding. They view the verse as LITERAL. Furthermore, their tradition documents that Peter founded assemblies in Babylon more than
20 years before he even set foot in Rome, and at that time he was brought there ostensibly to die.

You know well how the Nazarenes were the Jerusalem Rosh Beit Din for Messianic, and how Ya'akov Ha Tzadik presided over that assembly (Acts 15). You also know from Galatians and elsewhere that while Paul went west, Peter went east. At that time, the largest population of Jews outside of Israel was in Babylon. These Jews stayed behind--did NOT return with Ezra and Nehemiah--and they translated the Torah from Hebrew and into the Aramaic language. Today we know this translation as the Peshitta Tanakh. It is these Jews that Peter went to see, and he met with them in synagogues and in KHUGY (huts). It is from this group that Peter wrote his first letter and
sent it to their headquarters that had by then relocated to a city called Abdiabne.

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Comments

David Bailey May 13, 2010 at 3:22pm

Great poem Lonnell! You really missed your calling. You should have been a song writer...lol
Matt Miller May 13, 2010 at 6:20am

The words of Jesus during the last supper all laced with his soon leaving and the time when they would see him again:

5But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

6But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16: 5-7)

22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

25These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

Dear Lonnell,

Thanks so much for your final post on your blog.

It was as inspiring and timely to me – and as “gifted” as they come. I loved your poem and that truly was a soothing and summarizing point – one uplifting to my spirit and my soul.

So in essence thanks so much for putting that blog out there – I cannot mention enough on how much it helped me as I was allowed to release these last four weeks – some of the things I am learning I still don’t know why – neither do I know how it will end – it seems like I have been borne away in time – some days I don’t even know what day it is. Yet each day – I came to it and I saw the comfort of your face and typed and so I felt continued in his wake up call to me.

All of this started on April 14 and I have not been the same since.

A long time ago (but no so long) the greatest outpouring of the Spirit - which in so many ways your poem on Pentecost reflects began in Wales England. It was started by a young coal miner and it was youth led and youth driven; like the first Pentecost yet over and above the first Pentecost. For the Father had prepared for this one - by the foundations of apostles that went before in England - in the First Century and thus in Wales - England - the greatest outpouring of Pentecost occurred in the greatest reach and the greatest number ever recorded in the least period of time.

You mentioned love in your poem and in your post - this was the theme of the Welsh Revival - in fact it started with one young lady standing up and confessing before all - love. Love was the theme and love was the hymn.

HERE IS LOVE was the theme of this Revival and the The Theme Hymn.

My brother if anything listen to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APrUPPC8bFYrted

And this is how it started with a prayer from Florrie:

During the spring of 1904 a young Welshman named Evan Roberts was repeatedly awakened at 1:00 a.m. He met with God until 5:00 a.m. The Welsh revival followed. Churches were packed for prayer meetings. In a prayer meeting for young people, Pastor Joseph Jenkins asked for testimonies. A young girl named Florrie Evans, who had only been a believer a few days, rose and with a trembling voice said simply, "I love Jesus with all my heart." The other young people's hearts were melted. A powerful spiritual awakening that brought 100,000 people to Christ was under way.

You mentioned the regret of schisms - and theological debate - and yet this occurred in the absence of theology - who could fight it for it's overwhelming power? So the churches embraced it. It was beyond intellectual reasoning and stagnant power - it was God inspired and God prepared.

The mighty and unseen breath of the Spirit was doing in a month more than centuries of legislation could accomplish" the pastor of Saint John's-Wood Presbyterian Church declared on Sunday, January 1st, 1905 according to the London Times.The Welsh revival "had a great effect" in healing spiritual carelessness among Christians and "the growing bitterness which has accentuated our unhappy divisions", the Bishop of Bangor declared on January 2nd, 1905. He called "congregations to meet together often for united prayer."

The Times added that "the religious revival in Wales continues...with unabated zeal." Huge crowds were attending the meetings. Bible verses covered the doors down in the coalmines. "

PRESS RELEASE

One hundred years ago in Wales, the National newspapers were reporting a ‘Sensation’. A young man 26 years old who had spent most of his life as a coal miner was now leading a great Revival.

Chapels needed crowd control

Services lasted through the night

Drunkards sobered up

Debts were repaid

Enemies were reconciled

Judges wore white gloves (due to no criminal trials)

On another April 14, 1912 a man named W.T. Stead was on the ship Titanic and he was the chronicler of the Great Welsh Revival. There is a major production called Amazing Grace that started playing in England in 2005 (the 100th anniversary) of that revival.

The play Amazing Grace starts on the 14th April 1912 in the smoking room of the Titanic, the last place Stead was seen alive! The show is a culmination of 1000s of young people praying for another true revival like experienced in Wales a hundred years ago.

Yes another April 14 and I remember I was inspired to start this project on April 14 – the last night of Lincoln’s life. A young man was in prayer - age 26 and a coal miner who read his bible in the coal mine at work.

Another experience which Evan Roberts shared with those in earlier revivals was an overwhelming sense of God's presence drawing near to him. This moment of intimate communion was granted to Roberts in the spring of 1904 and can be best described in his own words.

" One Friday night last spring, when praying by my bedside before retiring, I was taken up to a great expanse - without time and space. It was communion with God. Before this I had a far-off God. I was frightened that night, but never since. So great was my shivering that I rocked the bed, and my brother, being awakened, took hold of me thinking I was ill. After that experience I was awakened every night a little after one O'clock. This was most strange, for through the years I slept like a rock, and no disturbance in my room would awaken me. From that hour I was taken up into the divine fellowship for about four hours. What it was I cannot tell you, except that it was divine. About five o'clock I was again allowed to sleep on till about nine. At this time I was again taken up into the same experience as in the earlier hours of the morning until about twelve or one o'clock... This went on for about three months"

Roberts spent 13 years praying for a revival and then spent 7 hours a day previous to the revival in prayer and in scripture study.

God used young Evan Roberts to spark the new fires of revival. He was not the human leader of the revival, however. In fact, no one human leader directed it. Evan was extremely conscious of divine leadership during the momentous events of the Welsh revival. He said, "This movement is not of me, it is of God. I would not dare direct it...It is the Spirit alone which is leading us" (Ellis, Living Echoes, Delyn Press).

So the great Welsh Revival in less than a year brought 150,000 converted with the full Pentecost outpouring. There were articles from newspapers brother Lonnell – my goodness.

How came this strange uplift of the earnestness a whole community? Who can say? The wind bloweth where it listeth. Some tell You one thing, some another. All agree that it began some few months ago in Cardiganshire, eddied hither and thither spreading like fire from valley to valley, until as one observer said to me, “Wherever it came from, or however it began, all South Wales today is in a flame.”

WT Stead; The “Daily Chronicle” on December 13th, 1904, gives a trained observer’s view of the Welsh Revival.

http://www.revival-library.org/catalogues/1904ff/steadcoming.html

Please Lonnell – with all my heart look at my links above and below and it gives an eye witness account of the greatest outpouring of the holy spirit since the day of Pentecost.

b]God Draws Near[/b]

over the world. It was Pentecost in all of its fullness – with angels like the books of Acts and manifestations like the book of Acts.

Evan Roberts 1878-1951 - An Overview of the Welsh Revival of 1904/1905 The REVIVAL of 1904-1905 resulted in over 150,000 people converted and added to churches and chapels in Wales. Lives were TRANSFORMED! Lifestyles were CHANGED! Homes and families were HEALED! Churches were packed and on FIRE with fervor and zeal!

This my brother is an article by an unknown student who witnessed a very rare exchange of questions and answers with one of the young leaders of this revival. I was particularly blessed with some of the points he made and the question and answer time. I know you will get some wisdom from this as well.

http://www.welshrevival.org/misc/bala/title.htm
All this happened when young people began to experience the reality of God’s divine power, and teams of young people, such as the one led by the most noted of the revivalist, EVAN ROBERTS and his revival party, traveled the country revolutionizing the churches.

This is an article on the effects world wide of the Welsh Revival - written by a college Professor who studied the revival. The article was written in 1974 - and it was that year The Way was moving in the most genuine way. The article talks about up to 5000 people in multiple locations across England manifesting holy spirit.

http://www.welshrevival.org/newspapers/1974.12wm.htm

100 YEARS LATER ... COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN?

Here is love, vast as the ocean, loving kindness as the flood,

When the Prince of Life my ransom shed for me His precious blood,

Who His love will not remember, who can cease to sing His praise?

He shall never be forgotten through Heaven's everlasting days.

On the mount of crucifixion fountains opened deep and wide

Through the floodgates of God's mercy flowed the vast and gracious tide,

Grace and love like mighty rivers poured incessant from above

Heaven's peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world in love..

Love Matt
Stanley Reahard May 12, 2010 at 3:58pm

I love that poem, Lonnell. Haven't kept up on this blog but it looks as though it got a bit heated. Too bad. I for one, have no idea when the Lord is coming back but I sure am glad it's nearer every day and I plan to be waiting with baited breath! Love, love, SR
Paddy Heron May 12, 2010 at 1:22pm

Very nice poem Lonnell. It captured some of the spirit of the Epistles.

Bless, Paddy Heron
Lonnell Johnson May 12, 2010 at 7:32am

Hey Everybody,
It’s been quite a while since I made a comment on my what has become a most controversial blog. Lately I have been teaching two classes in addition to working a fulltime job as well as trying to publish regularly on my Examiner.com page. As a result, I have not followed the rolling commentary which seems to have been generated, largely from Matt, but I have noted the comments from John, and I would like to respond.
Let me first all say that I started the blog after reading a commentary by Nancy Chappell regarding the folded napkin in the empty tomb, a sign that the host at a table would be returning. This reference brought to mind the return of Christ and a paper that I had written in which I had modified my position regarding the “gathering together.” I thought of the blogs that I write as similar to the classrooms where I teach. In the syllabus to one of my composition and literature classes that I have taught in the past I used the following definition by of teaching by Dr. Parker Palmer: “Teaching: To create a space where the community of truth is practiced.” The application of that concept is what I desire to take place in the classrooms where I teach:

One of the primary objectives of this course is to establish the classroom as a "safe haven" where fruitful, meaningful dialogue and exchange of ideas take place. We strive to provide a place where ideas may be challenged and minds may be changed or positions affirmed, but where ideas, views, and responses are listened to with respect and where courtesy is always maintained.

Certainly this was my heart regarding the comments that I made on The Way Corps website. I most definitely did not want the discussion to turn into a quagmire of controversy and polemical doctrinal debate.

In light of John’s recommendation, I will close the blog. In making final remarks, I would like to share the lyrics to a contemporary Christian song, originally recorded by the Winans, who ask three questions and respond with three one-word answers:

The question is “Will I ever leave you?”: the answer is “No, no, no.” The question is “Will I do your will?”: the answer is “Yes, yes, yes.”

The question is “When will Jesus return?: the answer is “Soon, soon, soon.”

Here is a YouTube 1984 recording of the Winans singing “The Question Is:
”

The response to the last question “When will Jesus return?” is the basis for this blog. Just how soon becomes another question. The Scriptures tell us “now is our salvation nearer than we first believed.”

Finally I would like to share an experience I had in while riding from International Headquarters to the Fine Arts Fellowship at Emporia on board Ambassador One. I recall sitting at a desk or an area for eating or writing and working on a poem which I completed while "in flight" on November 14, 1980. There is a picture on David Bailey’s webpage of the participants at the Fine Arts Fellowship. Oddly enough, the poem is written in celebration of Pentecost which by no means occurs in November. “The Song of Pentecost” was completed and later published in Ears Near to the Lips of God in 1984 and revised and republished in Stone upon Stone: Psalms of Remembrance in 2005 from which the following is taken:

The Song of Pentecost
Acts 2:1-4

Those with ears to hear seek your song of grace.
With no song to soothe the soul, all is lost.
Your melody makes life a quiet place
When the heart sings the song of Pentecost.

There in Eden’s garden fell the first frost
Where stillborn silence chilled the human race.
The purest harmony with God was lost.
Those with ears to hear seek your song of grace.

Voices of patriarchs could not replace
The inner melody from God. At most
Their sound was an echo, only a trace.
With no song to soothe the soul, all is lost.

With the sign of blood upon the doorpost
Moses led Israel toward the promised place.
The lyrics of the Law were their guidepost.
Your melody makes life a quiet place.

Man hears life’s sublime music in the grace
By Jesus Christ, who died and rose to post
A higher law that death cannot erase
When the heart sings the song of Pentecost.

Sound of rushing mighty wind: the signpost,
The prelude to the promised song of grace.
With the outpouring of the Holy Ghost,
The song of Pentecost can now embrace
Those with ears to hear.

In light of the celebration of the “Birthday of the Church” on May 23, Pentecost Sunday 2010, I rejoice and tune my ears to hear “The Song of Pentecost.” On that joyful note of anticipation, I close this blog.
John Richeson May 10, 2010 at 5:39pm

Matt - You said

"I am going to remove all these posts -
This is the best – my points are beyond the scope of a social networking site. As you said John no one is responding. The purpose of this type of blog is to respond – and thus to social network over the topic.

However I will leave this as the only one: It is long but forgives me - perhaps it is thought provoking and of some interests to maybe somebody out there."

Matt - are you ok? Please call me if you want to continue posting on this Way Corps site. You were allowed to be on this site having never been in the Way Corps with the understanding that you are a "Guest Visitor". , remember? I for one have no idea what you are talking about. I suspect I am not the only one. And Lonnell, perhaps you could consider closing this blog to further posts.

John
Cell phone (813) 404-9795
Matt Miller May 8, 2010 at 10:54am

Jesus Christ before he was crucified received this letter from a king in Parthia who tried to rescue him from the Jews:
IAbgar Ouchama to Jesus, the Good Physician Who has appeared in the country of Jerusalem, greeting:
"I have heard of Thee, and of Thy healing; that Thou dost not use medicines or roots, but by Thy word openest (the eyes) of the blind, makest the lame to walk, cleansest the lepers, makest the deaf to hear; how by Thy word (also) Thou healest (sick) spirits and those who are tormented with lunatic demons, and how, again, Thou raisest the dead to life. And, learning the wonders that Thou doest, it was borne in upon me that (of two things, one): either Thou hast come down from heaven, or else Thou art the Son of God, who bringest all these things to pass. Wherefore I write to Thee, and pray that thou wilt come to me, who adore Thee, and heal all the ill that I suffer, according to the faith I have in Thee. I also learn that the Jews murmur against Thee, and persecute Thee, that they seek to crucify Thee, and to destroy Thee. I possess but one small city, but it is beautiful, and large enough for us two to live in peace."

The Doctrina then continues:

When Jesus had received the letter, in the house of the high priest of the Jews, He said to Hannan†, the secretary, "Go thou, and say to thy master, who hath sent thee to Me: 'Happy art thou who hast believed in Me, not having seen Me, for it is written of Me that those who shall see Me shall not believe in Me, and that those who shall not see Me shall believe in Me. As to that which thou hast written, that I should come to thee, (behold) all that for which I was sent here below is finished, and I ascend again to My Father who sent Me, and when I shall have ascended to Him I will send thee one of My disciples, who shall heal all thy sufferings, and shall give (thee) health again, and shall convert all who are with thee unto life eternal. And thy city shall be blessed forever, and the enemy shall never overcome it.'"
(†According to Eusebius, Jesus himself wrote the letter; nothing is mentioned of his having dictated it to Hannan.)

So Thomas soon after the Day of Pentecost sent the apostle Thaddeus to Edessa (one of the seventy in the gospels) and thus started the great move of God’s word in the First Century Parthian Empire. King Abgar of Edessa was baptized and became the first Christian king.

Are you really the one of the disciples of the blessed Jesus whom He promised to send and can you heal me from my illness?. And Thaddeus answered him - The desire of your heart will come true if you come to believe in Jesus Christ Son of God. And Abgar told him then - I came to believe in Him and the Father of His. That is why I wished to come with my army and uproot the Jews who crussified him but was stopped by roman authorities.

After those words Thaddeus begun blessing him and his town and putting his hand on him cured him and the victim of gout Abdia, the ruler of the town respectful in the kings house. Also he cured all those needed and illed in town. And everyone came to believe and Abgar was baptized as well as all the town. They closed the doors to cathedrals of the idols and shut their images standing on an altar with reed. Although no one obliged anyone to accept the faith, the toll of the believers grew with every passing day.

Robert Eisenman, James the Brother of Jesus 1997 (Viking Penguin), especially ch. 24 "Judas the brother of Jesus" and the section "Thaddeus, Judas Thomas and the conversion of the Osrhoeans", pp 189ff.

We all have different ideas about the first century church movement but it was much more interesting than we all might know. Perhaps our paradigm of what is interesting – or what is meaningful – of what is true can also be limited. Limited when the Word we have is a perfect word – but I hate to say it – not complete because of so much that was destroyed –

I will also like to talk about how they moved the word from Edessa – through poems and hymns.
They even had competitions! There is a poem I would like to talk about that I have that is considered perfect.

Matt Miller
Matt Miller May 6, 2010 at 1:51pm

Sorry I said Jesus from Hosea but I meant God - said
Matt Miller May 6, 2010 at 1:43pm

Ok Guys,
I am going to remove all these posts -
This is the best – my points are beyond the scope of a social networking site. As you said John no one is responding. The purpose of this type of blog is to respond – and thus to social network over the topic.

However I will leave this as the only one: It is long but forgives me - perhaps it is thought provoking and of some interests to maybe somebody out there.

The Parthian Empire was East of Jerusalem – at the time of Christ. In many ways it is called the Lost or Forgotten Empire.

In the bible there was an event called Pentecost. One of the groups in temple that heard them speak in their own tongue was the Parthians. The Parthian empire was never defeated by Rome and it was as great as Rome – covering more territory. Yet we (or I) have never been taught about this empire – and we cannot go beyond what we are taught. Our focus when we study the bible has always been westward – to Rome. These Parthians actually went back home taking the Word with them. Rome had Nero – but in Parthia there was tolerance.

Further there is much evidence that Andrew was in Armenia which was part of the Parthian Empire.
Thomas was also sent to the Parthian Empire. Matthew too – in fact a few of those chosen 12. Perhaps that is why some of them are not in the Book of Acts – because they all did not follow Paul to Rome!
Perhaps they had a sent life too – that is an apostle: One that is sent.
What about Peter? You know there is not one bit of evidence that says Peter took a boat to Rome as a minister? There is nothing in “The Word” that says he went to Rome or had any plans to go to Rome!
There is nothing in the Roman Record as well!

Why is the information below important? Well I guess the Parthian Empire just was – maybe it will be in the future too OK?

“…the picture of the world during the Roman period…put before students in ‘Histories of Rome,’ was defective, not to say false, in its omission to recognize the real position of Parthia…as a counterpoise to the power of Rome, a second figure in the picture not much inferior to the first, a rival state dividing with Rome the attention of mankind and the sovereignty of the known earth. Writers of Roman history have been too much in the habit of representing [Rome] as…a Universal Monarchy, a Power unchecked…having no other limits than those of the civilized world…the truth seems to be that…from the first to the last…there was always in the world a Second Power, civilized or semi-civilized, which in a true sense balanced Rome, acted as a counterpoise and a check…This power for nearly three centuries (B.C. 64 – A.D. 225) was Parthia.”1 (the Sixth greatest oriental monarchy – Rawlinson Introduction)

"Who was Arsaces, First King of the Parthians?"
The Parthians ("Source: "The Tribes" by Yair Davidiy) were Israelites related to the Goths and Nephtalites. The Parthian Empire began when Arsaces conquered the Persians. The following article tells us who Arsaces was.
The year is 248 BCE. The event; the Aparni tribe from the north along the Oxus River invaded the region of northern Parthia under the leadership of a man by the name of Arsaces. The result of the invasion was the establishment of the Arsacid Dynasty which would be known in our history books as the Parthian Empire.[1
The name Arsaces is Greek and was a rendering of his Old Persian name Arshak, which can also be rendered as Arsak, Asaac, or Asaak. The name Arsaces/Arshak suggests that he was of Saka/Scythian origin. This is due to the ?Sac? or ?Shak? found in his name.[ The name Sac or Shak is a rendering and form of the Hebrew name Isaac due to the constants S-K or S-C that are present in his name.
Where does the name Iran come from? It comes from the proper name Eran. The name Eran is also Hebrew, and is pronounced as ?Ay-rawn?. Eran was the head of the Eranite clan and was also the grandson of Ephraim (Numbers 26:35-36).

However, the Pahlavi meaning of the name Eran does represent the tribe of Ephraim. Take for instance that the name Eran in Pahlavi as mentioned before means ?noble? or ?warrior?. Both these descriptions are similar to the Biblical representation of the tribe of Ephraim. For the tribe of Ephraim supported the monarchy of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In addition, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel which was called Samaria was in the lands of Ephraim, and Ephraim was also the leading tribe of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.[11] Also, before we lest forget, the alternative meaning of Eran in Pahlavi is ?warrior?, and this meaning also describes the tribe of Ephraim as well. For if we turn to the book of Micah ch.5, the whole chapter shows us that the tribe of Ephraim was a great warrior tribe, but we should not forget that this is backed up by the fact that Ephraim was the leading tribe in Israel.

Hosea 1:6-10 recorded a promise from Jesus that he would make the Israelites too numerous to count after he sent them into captivity. The Jewish historian Josephus confirmed that this had happened by the first century A.D. Given their huge population, it is logical that the Israelites would also have become known by the names of their sub-tribes in addition to the names of their principal tribes. Many are aware that some parts of the Bible record genealogies of the tribes of Israel, and many people regard them as the most boring parts of the Bible. However, for historical research, these sections can be invaluable. Among other things, they indicate the names of the individual clans of the tribes of Israel, and some of these names can be located in geographic and proper names in the post-exilic period.

For example, Numbers 26:35-36 records that sub-tribes (or clans) of the Israelite tribe of Ephraim were named the Bachrites, the Eranites, and the Tahanites. The old Seleucid province of Bactria, which grew up in conjunction with Parthia, bears the name of one of the sub tribes of Ephraim in a Hellenized form. An Israelite origin for Bactria is supported by the indication that the Bactrian language “…was related to Saka, or at least underwent strong influences from Saka tongues.”22 The record that the Bactrians welcomed a Scythian ruler who freed them from a Greek satrap and the further indication that the Bactrians shared a linguistic heritage with the Parthians argues that the Bactrians were also Sacae (or Saka) who had descended from the ten tribes of Israel. Henry Rawlinson, in his book Bactria, states: “there seems to be very little doubt that the population of Bactria was largely Scythian”… (and cites Justin, a classical author, who wrote)…” The Bactrian Empire was founded by the Scythians.”23

Numbers 26:36 also notes that another clan of the tribe of Ephraim descended from Eran and was known as the “Eranites.” A group of people known as the Eranians were present in the region of ancient Persia and Parthia.24 It is significant that Assyria transplanted the defenders of Samaria (an ‘Ephraimite city) into “the cities of the Medes.” Therefore, we would expect thereafter to notice some ‘Ephraimite names in the Medo-Persian region. The “Eranians” bore the exact Hebrew name of one of the clans of Ephraim in the area of Persia/Parthia. This name survives today in the modern name for the territory of ancient Persia: Iran. Indeed, the Encyclopedia Britannica, in referencing “Eran” in its Index section, simply states “Eran: see Iran.”25 The modern capital of Iran is named Teheran, also preserving the name of this ‘Ephraimite clan.

Now I am not saying that the folks over there are all descendents of Israel but at the time of Christ and the sending of the apostles there were many from the House of Israel and many Jews there as well. It is interesting that Daniel was a Judean and put over the affairs of the kingdom and his buddies that got thrown in the furnace were in charge of Babylon. There is a lot of evidence that the Judeans ruled over the 10 tribes that were scattered throughout the Parthian kingdom and then finally witnessed to by the believers. The Word moved fast just like it did with the Goths in Europe when Ulfila was sent as an apostle to the Goths who were also Scythians – part of the lost tribes. I am sorry for confusing most of you but this stuff really happened!

(Source: Andrew Gabriel Roth tells us the following in his book “Ruach Qadim”.)

In 1 Peter 5:12, the apostle writes, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends her greetings, as does my son Mark.” Contrary to Roman Catholic tradition, this statement by Peter is not some coded allusion to Rome, the city where he would later be murdered. Rather, this is a literal reference to an assembly in Babylon that Peter had helped to establish, and yet its story is almost completely unknown in the West. First, though, we need to look at two other key quotations:
“We have found this man (Paul) to be a trouble maker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.” – Acts 24:5

“…The disciples were the first called Christians in Antioch.” – Acts 11:28

What we see here are the beginnings of the original assemblies of messianic believers, both Jewish and Gentile alike. Tradition calls these foundational assemblies “Sees”, and they sprang up in large cities throughout the Roman and Persian empires beginning in the opening decades after the ascension of the Messiah. Of these, the most powerful one was the See of Jerusalem and it held sway in legal rulings that affected all of the other assemblies of the time, such as with the circumcision controversy covered in Acts 15. These assemblies were the Nazarenes, also known as “the Way” (Acts 24:12-14), and even though the apostle Paul is mentioned as being a “ringleader” by his accusers. The fact was that Paul was subservient to both Peter and the Messiah’s brother James the Just, who actually headed that contingent. All of the original disciples and other Jewish believers that were native to Israel who followed them are given the title of “Nazarenes”.

By contrast, the quote from Acts 11:28 clearly tells us that these same disciples were called “Christians” in Antioch. While this usage was somewhat of a misnomer given the fact that the people being addressed were again Jews, the term eventually stuck to the Gentiles in that city who later came to faith, and this definition was later extended to all Gentile assemblies everywhere. In any case, the “See of Antioch” would later become known as the present Syrian Orthodox Church.

However, as 1 Peter 5:13 clearly states, a third ancient body had been established in Babylon by the apostle himself, for just as Paul went west and made converts throughout the Roman Empire, so did Peter do to the east of Jerusalem. Babylon was a logical choice for Peter to go to since after Israel, it boasted the largest Jewish population in the world.

The most amazing facet to this history though is not so much that Peter founded an assembly other than Rome that is almost unknown in the West, but more an issue of when this happened. For while Romans call Peter their first pope, the fact remains that Rome is the city where Peter was murdered. By contrast the various Babylonian groups that were known collectively as khugy (huts) were established by Peter at least twenty years earlier than any Roman assembly. As a result, the first epistle that Peter wrote would have been one of the earliest Aramaic New Testament documents to be sent to this group that would soon be known as knooshta d’netzarim, or the Assembly of Nazarenes.

Other Aramaic New Testament documents followed suit, and when the See of Jerusalem eventually fell, the task of preserving these precious manuscripts fell to this same group in Babylon, who has carried on the responsibility all along the centuries and into our present time. It is this body therefore, known as “the Church of the East”, which endures as a true legacy of the original talmidim (disciples). Taken from ‘Ruach Qadim’ – Andrew Gabriel Roth –pages 30-33 – Tushiyah Press, Box 10, Mosta MST-01, Republic of Malta
Portion of an email on this subject: Feed back?
I wanted to take this opportunity though to deepen a point you made. You wrote about how 1 Peter 5:13 fit into a two-house understanding. I agree, but I also wanted you to know that the verse has another key purpose that the world does not know about and that directly relates to both of our
research projects on the Nazarenes.

Pagan-catholic Rome has propagated a lie over the last 2000 years that "Babylon" is a coded reference for Rome itself--however in the East they have a different understanding. They view the verse as LITERAL. Furthermore, their tradition documents that Peter founded assemblies in Babylon more than
20 years before he even set foot in Rome, and at that time he was brought there ostensibly to die.

You know well how the Nazarenes were the Jerusalem Rosh Beit Din for Messianic, and how Ya'akov Ha Tzadik presided over that assembly (Acts 15). You also know from Galatians and elsewhere that while Paul went west, Peter went east. At that time, the largest population of Jews outside of Israel was in Babylon. These Jews stayed behind--did NOT return with Ezra and Nehemiah--and they translated the Torah from Hebrew and into the Aramaic language. Today we know this translation as the Peshitta Tanakh. It is these Jews that Peter went to see, and he met with them in synagogues and in KHUGY (huts). It is from this group that Peter wrote his first letter and
sent it to their headquarters that had by then relocated to a city called Abdiabne.
John Richeson May 6, 2010 at 1:40pm

Love ya bro, Matt. I am sure it is some really cool stuff. But I believe you could articulate it in a few simplified dynamic posts couldn't ya? That might that help those of us who are less scholarly that you and make some of us hard heads listen more. Just trying to help. I mean it.

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