{...}Jerusalem in the Prophetic Texts is a story about our salvation. The Narrative of the Daughter of Zion throughout Biblical Prophecy, and how she’s besieged due to sin. It takes on individual and societal metaphors.

But, in the Eschatological framework of the Old Testament, you notice that Israel and Judah are besieged, and taken to Babylon, right? And then the Jews are restored in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah? Well, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are our conversion to the Holy City.

Before we’re saved, we’re besieged by Sin, and depending on how bad it is, determines what level of punishment we receive. As, we all receive correction from the LORD. But, when we accept Christ, we’re restored to the Heavenly Kingdom, and receive the Kingdom as a reward. And in this life, we need to rebuild our walls, through the Spirit’s guidance.

I wouldn’t really say we ought to view God romantically, but there’s definitely a romance involving salvation. If you need to desire Heaven in that way, it’s not a sin.

The KJV is probably the one translation I would trust, in English, to get everything right. It has no omissions, footnotes, or even circumlocutions. It has the right word, based on a deep study of the text. In every circumstance where a Modern Bible retranslates a verse, the KJV had it right, and it actually preserves the older meaning.

Not to mention, if one can reach proficiency at understanding the KJV, the world of literature opens up to that person. By reading KJV English, you can read Spencer, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Keats, Longfellow... the entire corpus of English Literature opens up to them, and a wealth of knowledge becomes accessible.

One of the strange things about English right now, is it's destroying its own language by making word order its simplest form, which leaves people with an inability to access works of literature, in their original wordings. Which means, much of the nuance of a text is lost in translation into Modern English, whereas in the King James Version, you get a Word for Word translation in the nuances of the original language.

And where you may find a modern scholar skeptical of a word, where they'll replace it with another, the KJV is based on older manuscripts that are no longer extant. The KJV is actually more trustworthy than modern Jewish Bibles, it's more trustworthy than any other translation--short of the Geneva Bible or Tindale--and it doesn't destroy the syntax or meaning, but preserves them. 

The obvious fact is, many of our modern translations, use more current manuscripts from extant Jewish and Greek. Back when the KJV was translated, they had earlier manuscripts of both Greek and Hebrew to work with, making the translation far more faithful to the original tongue. Many political reasons have caused the Jewish People to retranslate their bible, and basically destroy the nuance, and the exceedingly clear passages of Christ, for on every occasion where Christ would shine through, Jewish Bibles, and now Christian Bibles, have obscured it from the original language, where it was clear.

The KJV is a superior translation, to any other Bible out on the market. The fact is, if one can read the KJV, they can read any literature in English. The KJV is, also, a very accurate translation, based on older and more accurate manuscripts (Ones without political designs, like the Masoretic Text or Codex Leningrad). And the KJV was the only Bible to date, in the English Tongue, written to make peace. All other Bibles were written with political or profit motives... the KJV was authorized to be apolitical, and be a chief translation, with only itself to bear. It had no political motives, it had no reason for existing, other than to unite English Speakers, and it had no profit motive, as nobody was going to make money from the book.

For this reason, I elevate the King James Version above all other Bible Translations, and would promote it as the chief Translation of the Faith in English.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/275162



http://dssenglishbible.com/psalms%2022.htm



https://zmin.org/hebrew-letter-meanings#%3A~%3Atext%3DThe%20origin%20of%20the%20Hebrew%2Cbeth%20did%20mean%20%E2%80%9Chouse%E2%80%9D.



https://heritagesciencejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40494-023-00920-9



https://jbqnew.jewishbible.org/assets/Uploads/454/jbq_454_FriedmanAmenhotepzz.pdf

There's actually a long standing tradition in the church--from the time of Augustine--that the "Days" in Genesis weren't literal days. And if you follow the Biblical account of Genesis 1, it does resemble, perfectly, the order Evolution would have occurred. Just saying... you don't have to stop believing in God because of evolution. That's a cop out argument, and is weak sauce. It just means you didn't want to believe in the first place.

Oh boy... Greeks used to speculate on Evolution. It's a concept as far back as 500 bc, in Pre-Ionian Philosophy.

But, I mean, the idea that the universe is self sufficient is an idea even older than that. Just about every known era of philosophy in history, dealt with it at some level. I do believe, philosophers like Aristotle and Plato had refuted the idea of the Universe's self Autonomy a long time ago. As did Aquinas and Augustine. As did Pythagoras, even before Aristotle or Plato. Pythagoras saw God in the figures of Geometry, that there was a coherent sense in the universe, that could only be sufficed by a designer. Like it will blow your mind, but Set Theory and Geometry are perfectly aligned. The same logic which defines sets, can be defined in length, width and breadth in Geometry. That's some pretty interesting stuff, there... that it can happen like that. It's never been refuted, and can't be. You can even expand that concept to Chemistry, Physics and just about everything that can be described. The sense that the same logic can be used to describe anything, shows a design to the universe. Like, the principles of Addition, Subtraction, Division and Multiplication can be used to describe all that exists, if ordered in the right manner. That's what blows my mind. The Rational. And then the empirical is the number. The rational exists through the numbers and how they relate to one another. Reason is like a predicate, and empiricism like a subject or object. I digress.

A. W. Tozer - A dull introduction, brought to a weighty and fascinated smile.

G. K. Chesterton - A straight A student.

C. S. Lewis - God's simplifier and fantasy maker.

Jay Vernon McGee - A fiery, always on point preacher with love in his brimstone.

R. C. Sproul -  A child with his favorite toy--being his whiteboard.

Bishop Robert Baron -  Philosopher, in error only through his optimism.

Paul Washer - A man who puts it right.

Charles Spurgeon - A poet preacher.

Bruce Gore - A master historian.

Matthew Henry - Right about everything, except what he says with regard to Daniel.

Martin Luther - A foolish man, but wise in grace.

Athanasius - Theologically perfect, even when I don't want him to be.

Barnabas - Really knows his Old Testament.

Ignatius - Almost wrote scripture.

Clement - The preacher of humility.

Polycarp - He died just how he preached, in a miraculous flash of light.

Augustine - A man who knew it all.

Aquinas - Spent his whole life proving God exists, and realized he didn't need to.

John Bunyan - The Perfect Calvinist.

Bobby Hill - "Pick up that rock."

Mike Winger - A solid preacher.

1. That the church as an institution is the most beautiful thing of human nature; men join together, and play their part in communal activity, and organize themselves to do great things.
2. That the church is a place where humans come, and do their human activities, and form together to make music, cook and deal out bread to the homeless, and do things in corporeal form, all organized as humans do.
3. That the church is not a place for spreading false causes, or political causes. The church is an institution for the spreading of the Gospel, the Good News preached by the Apostolic Faith and Christ Himself.
4. That the church is not a pulpit for one's own activism. It is not a place to preach on current affaires, or spread doctrines of demons regarding the days we live in, and their passing fads.
5. That the church must remain conservative in all that it does, preaching the Morality of Christ in all of its intricacies.
6. That women can be sub-deacons, and Sunday School Teachers, or lead the Worship Procession, but cannot hold authority over men.
7. That the LGBTQ is not permitted to be practiced by church members, but is rather to be shunned from worship, but understood said things happen outside of the church, which are not our domain.
8. That all fornication and adultery, is to be shunned from worship, and yet understood such things happen outside of church.
9. That the church body must not form rules, which exclude members for various purposes, or create a division in the church based on past history: As the church is a place for the molding and perfecting of the soul in truth.
10. That ignorance of the scripture is a damnable heresy, and that the clergy themselves must know the 66 partitions of the Standard Holy Bible, and might even know said partitions of the 70 Books of the Apocrypha.
11. That it is blasphemy, to assume the church body is sinning, by rebuking a criminal, or a misbehaving member of the congregation, as our job as a church body is to edify fellow members in the faith, and not embolden them in their sins.
12. That the traffic of merchandise must be kept separate from the institution of the church.
13. That Christian Books are non sequitur, and need not be taught from the pulpit.
14. That the congregation is not to be taught "Self Help" but rather given the means to be righteous.
15. That a diligent search of the scriptures should be made for all truths of Church Clemency. That we are to forgive those who have fallen, so long as they have remediated that part of their life.
16. That in no way shape or form, are the principles of psychology to be taught in Church. Psychology is Damnable, and forces one to shun those who are fallen, so that they receive no grace, as it emboldens those who are equally imperiled of hell to be bold in their sins.
17. That the congregation is to hide one another's secrets, and not publish them to the world. A Congregation is a place where sinners come to repent; so long as a member of the church is in right conduct, his past sins are to be hidden from view, like they never were.
18. That pastors must be good standing with their community, and not have criminal records, or if they do, to have no suspicions toward them whatsoever.
19. That a pastor's children must be believing, and in the Orthodoxy of the Faith... if not, said pastor must step down from office. So the world does not scorn the Pastor's children.
20. That the church's job is to deal out meat to the starving, and moral character to those who congregate as a spiritual meat, and heavenly food.
21. That the foundation of Christ must be laid before any other. For, so many churches lack even the slightest knowledge of Who Christ is.
22. That those members called "Apostles" are those whom the world rejects, and not a title to be taken in name only... if one be called "Apostle" they must be forsaken by the world and its system.
23. That if one be called "Prophet" they must be in due diligence to hear their words, to see if their interpretation be right.
24. Do not despise a Prophet, but a prophet does not preach of good fortune.
25. That only some attain the right to be called "Prophet" and such a one as this bears fruits and marks in their life, of extraordinary gifts of insight into the nature of scripture, beyond that of a Pastor's.
26. That if one be called a "Pastor" they must obey the entire faith, and not parts of it.
27. That if one be called a "Pastor", they must attain to orthodoxy, and suffice to the Traditional Apostolic Faith, in all of its moral truths.
28. That a pastor ought not commit moral treason, by teaching any doctrine contrary to the tenets of the faith.
29. That if one belies their beliefs as genuine, but are proven to be false, they are to be shunned until they make a remedy.
30. That church services are not to be a ravel or filled with ecstasies. They are to be sober, and orderly, and not like a base congregation of sinners.
31. That the gift of "Tongues" is not babbling profusely, but is demonstrated by speaking a language you have never heard or learned.
32. That the gift of prophecy is not idly telling one another their fortune--as a diviner--but is rather to warn the world of coming judgment, and said office is rare.
33. That every dream does not come from the LORD, and when a dream is mentioned to a Pastor or Elder, said dream must be checked against scripture, but taken seriously if the one who says it, has proved themselves as a Prophet or Apostle.
34. That if one is to be called a "Teacher" they must instill in the little ones the foundations of the faith, and they must know what they speak.
35. That a man, before being called to teach, must demonstrate knowledge of the Bible and what it means.
36. That evidence is to be found for the faith, and said evidence is weighty, and must be taught from the pulpit.
37. That pastors must have knowledge of their congregations, and let them participate in service through prayer, song and exultation of the LORD.
38. That no manner of uncleanliness should be had, in a church service. All members of the congregation must be washed, clothed modestly---or with their heavenly apparel---and wear respectful clothes.
39. That no member of the congregation can have an odor, unsavory to the LORD, and join in worship.
40. That if a poor member of the church comes, and cannot be clean---for she is poor---to take her to your houses, and wash her, and provide for her a holy garment.
41. That if a member of the congregation shows themselves to be righteous, to give them a place to stay and eat, so long as they do work apportioned for the LORD.
42. That the office of a Prophet is one who speaks truths, and not one who speaks flattery.
43. That if one shelters a prophet, they are to watch said prophet, and make sure they do not err.
44. That no Prophet will ask for a wage, but will be satisfied by the blessings of the congregation, which they give.
45. That an Apostle will travel for three days at a congregation, and no more. Welcome said Apostles into your homes, and know they are holy.
46. If an Apostle proclaims a duty over you, to pay them, or give them their sustenance, such is not an Apostle.
47, That if a Prophet proclaims a duty over you, to pay them or give them their sustenance, such is not a Prophet.
48. That fathers and mothers are to take care of their children, and not abort them, or throw them out on the streets. For they are your kin, and it is your duty to provide for them what you can.
49. That abortion is a grievous sin, and is not to be done by anyone in the Congregation.
50. That the congregation is to be knitted with love, and not envy, strife or bitterness.
51. That the congregation is to be beholden to charitable acts, and give their portion to the poor, and also not to shun members of the congregation who display moral character.
52. That no new doctrine is to be taught, except it be revealed through the Holy Scriptures for its appointed season.
53. That Homosexuality, Transgenderism, or Sodomy and Catamy are not allowed by congregants, though said behaviors might be lawful, or even encouraged.
54. That members of the congregation, who are married, withhold not their bodies from their spouse.
55. That members of the congregation, who are married, treat their spouses with due respect and love; not as authoritarian, but as fellow creatures of the Cross.
56. That all covetousness for positions be neutralized, and the greater one, who has knowledge and esteem, be promoted over the one who seeks the office for gain.
57. That the office of pastor is not a career, but rather a necessity for leadership. For very few men are capable of understanding scripture on their own, and need wise counselors to interpret it for them.
58. That scriptural interpretations follow the hierarchy of Apostle (one proven to be), then Prophet (one proven to be) and then Pastor (One proven to be), and then Teacher (one proven to be). And that no false interpretation be given.
59. We as congregants are to be Bareans.
60. That sexual immorality not be found among you.
61. Nor course language or filthy gesting.
62. That the church is to be respected, and the building respected, and not to be a disorganized mess, but rather orderly in all things.
63. That faith triumphs over judgment, and faith in the good character of our congregants as a witness, until guilt is established.
64. That the congregation is not to be distrustful of one another, or follow vain patterns of abuse, associated with the World and its worldly distrust.
65. That the church is to be open, and free to all who come and wish to be well. There is not to be suspicion aroused on account of members, if they show themselves to be virtuous.
66. If a member of the congregation shows any lack of discipline, and sin, if it is sin leading to death, they are to be expelled from the congregation.
67. That sexual intercourse not be made in the church building, even by married members. For it is a holy place, and is not to be made unclean.
68. That the fruits of the Spirit be upon all congregants, and their innocence like a child's.
69. That congregants have no respect of person, and that they rebuke unlawfulness in all degrees, if discovered.
70. That congregants rebuke and exhort one another in all things, and make sure the Law of God is followed in every respect.
71. That the faithful go out into the world, and preach the Gospel as Evangelists.
72. That a rich man is not to be given preference over a poor man.
73. The church shalt not publish the Tithes and Offerings, for this angers the LORD.
74. That if the church does a good service, or good deed, it keeps silent, and secret, and does not publish it.
75. A pastor is worth his wages, and a prophet and apostle too. The congregation ought to support said people with gifts.
76. There is not to be any distrust sown among the congregants, by means of gossip, or talk about people's past sins. They are to be cleansed by the Altar, and if there is no cleansing, why have the Altar?
77. That communion is to be done orderly, and there are not to be meals during church services, so there is no drunkenness or gluttony.
78. That the church ought to facilitate meals to the poor, and support them, for this world is fickle and burdensome, and not all men are gifted with a cheerful countenance.
79. That those who can work, ought to do so. And those who cannot, ought to find occupation which builds up the body of Christ, whether by knitting blankets, or making meals, or doing good deeds.
80. That a woman is not to have authority, and neither is a gay congregant (unless said Gay congregant is celibate and proven himself to be worthy).
81. That the church body is not to get tattoos. And it is not to be published that such a thing is lawful. It is not. We ought to look pure, and undefiled, and unstained by the world.
82. That costly jewelry is not to be worn, nor costly apparel. Rather, wholesome apparel, when in the church body, is to be worn, so as not to shame the poor.
83. That the Jewish Feasts are not to be mandatory, nor are the feasts to be taught, except what they mean. There shall be no aspect of Judaism taught from the Pulpit--that priesthood is abolished in Christ's blood.
84. That it should be taught to all congregants, the Bible and all its nuances. Including Old and New Testament. And Preachers, Prophets and Apostles ought to have familiarization with the Apocrypha, to help guide their congregations into right interpretations.
85. That scripture is not a matter of private interpretation, and if one does not know, they are to go to an authority. If a congregant, to a teacher, if a teacher, to a pastor, if a pastor, to a prophet, if a prophet, to an apostle. And if an Apostle, to the LORD.
86. That the laying on of hands be done orderly, and not disorderly.
87. That no showy miracle be done in the church, as they are most often made to deceive.
88. That no magic be performed, or illusions, or tricks in order to get the congregation to believe falsely; for if belief is established on false miracles, so will their faith be false.
89. That a church is to keep a record of miracles. And to be diligent in proving a miracle was not. So if it be a miracle, they will rejoice, if no other thing can be said.
90. That those who perform miracles, and have the Spirit, are to be noted, and their doctrine listened to closely.
91. That if there be any healing, gift of tongue, prophecy, or teaching, it be made manifest by skepticism first, until the deed is made manifest that no other explanation can be had.
92. That the church is not to falsely proclaim miracles, but every miracle is to be investigated by church authorities.
93. That if one be a "Deacon" they do their deeds with due diligence, as they make the church orderly.
94. That if one be an "Elder" they minister as church officials.
95. That no man or woman be established a position in the church, until they establish that they have right doctrine.

I’d first like to say, the Bible is 100% true. Based on the evidence, and everything else, and based on the ethics it describes. But, the question is whether we need the Bible, necessarily to know what’s right or wrong. And that’s what I’m dealing with in this. Not whether the Bible is true. Because the Bible is perfectly true.

But, the most solid foundation for morality, is the ethics of Logos. The Bible describes that ethics. But so does Confucius, Mo Tsu, Lao Tsu, Socrates, Maimonides, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras… the list goes on.

It’s not the Bible we need to be moral. We already have morality wired into us. It’s in our genetic make up.

But, Secular Ethics—such as Peter Singer—can be wrong. For instance, Peter Singer wants infanticide to be an option up to thirty days after birth. Secular ethics also says that transitioning a child at the age of 5 is not only acceptable, but it’s immoral to oppose such a thing.

Do you understand? Humans are wired to value life, property and God. But, secular ethics not only makes you stop valuing life, it makes you think property is an evil thing, and it makes you blasphemous toward God. As, it says “God’s a moral monster.” While they do the same thing. “Why is it okay for God to have Israel slaughter babies in war?” While they turn around, and try to make it okay to inject Babies with Pentobarbital, or even healthy adults who simply have mental issues.

You see how the roles reversed? It makes God justified, that they hypocritically do the same things. They get mad at God for flooding the world, or detailing the realities of war, while they form legal methods of performing murder on innocent victims.

So, I don’t think the Bible is necessary for a foundation of Morality. I think morality is founded on the Natural Law which governs human nature, and causes flourishing within us. But, for sure, the Bible is a record of that Morality, from the first establishment of Law, to the framework of Christ and the Prophets.

The Bible is very much a history of Morality, from the earliest burgeons of law, to the Universal Ethics found by Christ. Which, the Old Covenant Morality was justified. You infringe on someone else, you do deserve a death penalty. But, that’s what Jesus saves us from. Not so we may continue on sinning, but so we can have a pure conscience, and do good, even though we may have been greatly evil in the past.

No. You don’t follow everything in the Bible.

So, theologically speaking, the Old Testament is the Old Covenant. It’s what used to save you—so to speak. And it’s what’s going to be used to damn you.

So, when Jesus came, the Law changed with His resurrection. It says that in Hebrews that with a change of Priesthood comes a change of law. So, everyone is under the jurisdiction of the Judaic Law. Everyone. Every nation, tribe and people. So, like a Don from Oxford said, if you are enticed to follow a foreign God, you have to kill the person who enticed you. Or, if you work on Sunday, you have to be put to death. Or, you’re a homosexual, you have to be put to death. Jesus even makes it stricter, if you look after a woman, and lust after her, or call your brother “Worthless” you deserve to die, as well.

So, 100% of Paul’s letters, are trying to convince Christians not to follow the Old Testament law. Why? Well, do you remember those guys who just leaned on the Ark and they died? For seemingly no reason? That’s the severity of the Law in the Old Testament. It warrants a death sentence for even touching it, let alone trying to follow it. Because, humanity errs, and is never going to be perfect. So, they fall into the trap of the Law—which condemns every sin.

So, how are we to have life? Well, we have life by forfeiting our sin, including our judgment, and allowing Christ to fill us with His Spirit. We sever ourselves from the Old Covenant, which commands every Nation under the sun, including Israel, to be destroyed. And we are made to follow the New Covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah. That the Law will be written on our hearts.

And the Law is written on our hearts. There’s a natural pattern that people follow, and everyone knows right from wrong at infancy. And they fall away from that, and that’s what ultimately leads to their damnation. Is they’re caught in their sins. So, that sin is what leads to damnation, and that sin is judged by the Old Testament law.

Which, the only one who ever followed the Old Testament law perfectly, that was Jesus. He followed it perfectly, never erring, and the curse of the Law, found in Deuteronomy, was punctured into His hands and feet. He became our curse. So we wouldn’t be cursed by the Law, and could be set free, to follow after Jesus’ yoke. Which is light. Which is a one time sin offering, for all of our sin. And the only thing we have to do, is believe He is Who He says He is, and repent. We don’t even have to follow the Torah anymore.

So what is the Old Testament used for? It’s God’s commandments, which He will use to judge the world. All those sins that require a death sentence, all those verses about horrible things armies do to cities, that’s the judgment that comes down from God. You can read the Prophecies in the Old Testament, that they testify to those things, and speak of the prophetic discipline which God will impose on the disobedient. Which, a lot of those prophecies are scary. So, you don't want to be found erring. Air on the side of caution, and fear God, and follow His Law that Jesus spoke. As, we’re to follow the New Covenant, and the Law given by Christ and His apostles and saints.

So, the Old Testament is a Casebook for God’s judgment, and punishment for the wicked. It’s what guilty sinners need, and written in the book itself, is redemption fro God’s people. That through belief in the LORD, you’ll be redeemed through the Law even, by faith alone. And that’s actually a huge part of the Prophecies in scripture, is the redemption of God’s people through Faith alone.