Jesus – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

Day 23 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

John 15. Jesus continued his instructions to the disciples. There are many memorable quotes from this chapter: “I am the true vine, I am the vine, you are the branches, apart from me you can do nothing, as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you, love each other as I have loved you, greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends, this is my command: Love each other” and “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”

In Genesis 45 Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and all rejoiced. It contains the phrase “But God” and shows clearly that God was in control all the time.

In Genesis 46 Jacob joined Joseph’s brothers in going to resettle in Egypt, and is a retelling of the names of all that went, sixty-six in total – not counting women and children.

Genesis 47 tells of how Jacob and his descendants settled in Goshen, about the continuing famine, and how Joseph, controlling the food supply enslaved the people. All power corrupts, and so even Joseph failed in comparison to Jesus, who came to set people free.

Day 14 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

In John 10:1-21 Jesus told he is the good shepherd and all what that means.

After Sarah’s death, in Genesis 25 Abraham married his concubine Ketorah, who had already borne him six children. Before his death he sent them all away with ample gifts and provisions but his inheritance he gave to Isaac. Isaac and Ishmael buried Abraham, and then Ishmael’s genealogy was written down. Finally is told the story of Jacob and Esau, and how Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew and some bread.

Genesis 26 tells of Isaac and Rebekah, how Isaac too said Rebekah was his sister, like father, like son. In spite of that lie God protected them, and the rest of the chapter deals with the eternal Mideast dispute: Water rights.

Day 2 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Today’s reading of the Bible begins with John 1: 19-51. John the Baptist testified about the Messiah: “Make straight the way for the Lord”. When he met Jesus he referred him as “The Lamb of God” that “takes away the sin of the world”, and “this is the Son of God”. Jesus called his first disciples, Andrew and Peter, Philip and Nathaniel.

Genesis 2 tells of how God created woman out of man, showing that creation was not complete without man and woman as a unit. This must be taken spiritually, since in Genesis 1 he already created man in His own image, male and female. God’s design is one man, one woman, one lifetime. This would still be the case if we let God chose our mate. If we had followed God’s intent, many sicknesses would not exist, especially sexually transmitted diseases. “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 18:22

Ramadan year 1442 has begun, but not in Iran, a Limerick.

In Mecca, but not Teheran

begun the new month Ramadan

the new moon must be seen

in Iran, they must spy

the new moon with their eye

they follow the strictest Quran.

Ramadan, year 1442 begun at sunset April 12 in Saudi Arabia and in 45 other Islamic countries. Iran has to wait another day, since they still hold on to the old way that the new moon has to be seen by the naked eye before a new moon can be proclaimed. Iran is alone in adopting April 13 at sunset as the beginning of Ramadan.

The Sunni nations and the Shia nation really do hate each other, so much so that some Arab nations would rather make peace with Israel than to cooperate with Iran. Former President Trump actually got three Nobel Peace Prize nominations for arranging these peace deals. The hate for president Trump is still so intense that the Biden administration would rather return to the old Iran deal than work towards Mideast peace.

Islam follow a strictly lunar calendar where each 12 month year is either 364 or 365 days. Their time of beginning was the year their Prophet Muhammed died, and so they are now in year 1442 after Muhammad. The Jews are in year 5781 after creation, and they have a lunisolar calendar, where they add a leap month five year of every 19 to sync. up with the solar year. The rest of the world have a solar year, and Christianity and other religions follow the solar calendar, the start of the year may vary.

To get a glimpse of the differences of the three monotheistic faiths, let us go through the last days of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad and see what a message they delivered to us.

Moses had delivered his people out of Egypt and was now, at the ripe old age of 120 years ready to enter the promised land. But because of Moses disobedience God (YHWH) had told him that he was not allowed to enter into the promised land. He was however permitted to see it. So Moses recited his song and the blessings on the tribes of Israel (Found in chapters 32 and 33 of Deuteronomy) ending with:

Deuteronomy 33:28-29 (King James Version) Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

After that Moses went up Mount Nebo and saw the promised land Deuteronomy 34:4 (King James Version) And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.

After that Moses died and to this day no one knows the place he was buried. The Bible goes on to record: Deuteronomy 34:10-12 (King James Version) And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

This indicates there never was another prophet like Moses. But Moses promised another prophet was to come after him. This is found in Deuteronomy 18:14-18 (New International Version, ©2010) 14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” 17 The LORD said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.

We have two candidates: Jesus and Muhammad.

What about Jesus? Was Jesus a prophet?

The first reaction is: Of course, he was a prophet. Look at all he did and predicted. But that totally misses the point. Was He a prophet? Or was he more than a Prophet?

In the Old Testament of the Bible there is an old book called Job. We do not know much about him except he was before Moses and has a reputation of being “patient as Job”, refusing to turn from God when a series of misfortunes happened to him. He was looking forward to a redeemer: Job 19:25-26 (King James Version) For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Was Jesus that redeemer? What does “redemption” mean? Christian belief is that the reason Jesus came to earth was to redeem mankind back to God. Because of sin man is incapable to do it himself, so God had to do it. For this reason Jesus came as God incarnate to die on a cross for our sins. According to prophesies given by Isaiah about 800 B.C. in chapter 53 Jesus rejection and crucifixion was described. The earliest preserved copy of Isaiah dates back to second century B.C. so the prophecy is secure. These are Jesus last words on the cross. They confirm it was Jesus that died on the cross and not someone else.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). The word of divine forgiveness.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46.) Jesus became sin for us.

He said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27). The word of love.

“I thirst!” (John 19:28) The word of humanness.

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) The word of promise.

“It is finished!” (John 19:30). The word of redemption.

“Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46). The word of death.

Many people stop there, as if these were Jesus’ last words. But death was not the end of Jesus. On the third day Jesus rose again and gave instructions to his faithful for forty days.

Jesus last recorded words were: “It is not for you to know times or seasons (of his return) that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”After that Jesus was taken up to heaven.

The last person in the trio was Muhammad. He had received messages from the angel Gabriel, very complimentary about the Jewish people, the people of the Book, but while in Mecca he was not accepted as a Prophet so he moved on to Medina where he was accepted by some followers.

They asked the Jews whether he was the Prophet Moses spoke of, but the Jews said, No, not at all, he is an imposter and not the Prophet.

That changed things and the angel Gabriel told him to change the direction of their prayers from Jerusalem to Mecca, since they are in opposite direction of each other if you are in Medina. This forced people to disclose their true adherence.

From that moment on Gabriel changed his instructions to Muhammad and the feud was on. Muhammad and his team started to attack Jewish villages and force them into subservience. After a raid on a Jewish village a young Jewish girl poisoned Mohammed’s food. He never saw it coming (what a Prophet!), nor did the angel Gabriel warn him, so he ate it. He never recovered from it and died two years later.

Muhammad’s last recorded words before he died was: Volume 2, Book 23, Number 414: Narrated ‘Urwa: Aisha said, “The Prophet in his fatal illness said,‘Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians because they took the graves of their Prophets as places for praying.”‘ Aisha added, “Had it not been for that the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have been made prominent but I am afraid it might be taken (as a) place for praying.

So Muhammad chose to curse Christians and Jews and join with his fellow martyrs.

You can judge for yourself which message to believe, which message is peaceful, and which message is the true message from God.

I have decided to follow Jesus. He is the risen Savior, his tomb is empty. All the others are dead, And I am glad I live in the year of our Lord 2021 and not 1442

August 14, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

Today we read the second chapter of The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians and two chapters of Isaiah.

August 14: Philippians 2, Isaiah 14, Isaiah 15 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Philippians 2. The Apostle Paul urged the believers to imitate the humility of Christ. Verses 7-11 are in the form of a hymn and shows how Jesus, even though he always is God, emptied himself and became obedient to the cross, even unto death. Look at that! They should work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Yes, salvation is past tense (for by grace have you been saved), present tense (work out your own salvation) and future tense (you will be saved). God is independent of time (He existed before time and space and created both). Paul ended the chapter talking about Timothy and Epaphroditus.

Isaiah 14 speaks of the return of Israel to their own land, the fall of Babylon and the haughtiness of Lucifer. It ends with prophecies about Assyria and the Philistines.

Isaiah 15 is a prophecy against Moab.

March 23, read through the Bible in a year.

Continuing with Luke and Lent today there are three chapters, enjoy!

March 23: Luke 2, Deuteronomy 24, Deuteronomy 25 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Luke 2 is so well known that even the Peanuts tell of the Birth of Jesus and the Shepherds and the Angels. It goes on to tell of Jesus in the Temple, Simeon’s and Anna’s testimonies and Jesus at age 12 in the Temple. Read it and marvel.

Deuteronomy 24 tells of Divorce Laws, Remarry Limitations, Leprosy, Lending Laws, Pay Workmen and Leave Gleanings.

Deuteronomy 25 tells of the Marriage Duty of a Surviving Brother, weigh with Honest Measures. Totally unrelated, destroy the Amalekites.

The Christmas Gospel, according to the prophet Isaias and the times we live in.

From the Dead sea scroll, found in a cave near the Dead Sea in 1947 was a complete and nearly undamaged scroll of the Book of Isaiah. It was copied from earlier manuscripts no later than 140 B.C, probably much earlier. This proves that it is a true prophecy of events yet to take place.

Starting at Isaiah 8:11

A good description of the times we are living in. Most people live in darkness!

Continuing with Isaiah, Chapter 9.

The Galilee of the Gentiles!

In verse 2 is the beginning of the Gospel of Isaiah.

The Veggie Tales has a hilarious recounting of how Gideon defeated the Midians, not always biblically correct, but good for children. The correct account is found in Judges 6 and 7.

Child: Shows the humanity of Christ

Son, shows the deity of Christ

It also shows the unity of God, Father, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, three aspects of God, three in one, the triune God, the Trinity.

Jeremiah 9:10 has been quoted by politicians as a message of resilience and hope. This message was scribbled by President Obama in 2012 on a building near Ground Zero. Other Politicians have quoted Jeremiah 9:10. John Edwards quoted it directly on the third anniversary of 9/11, not realizing that the message is not one of hope, but of utter arrogance.

These are the times we are living in, and the Gospel (good news) has come! Rejoice! Pray for a revival among God’s people, and an awakening among all people!