Prophet Muhammed:the Last Messenger In The Bible, Very inspirational and thought provoking article Options

[the_truth]

Prophet Muhammad: The Last Messenger in the Bible


The Arabic word Islam means "the submission or surrender of one’s will to the Only True God, Allah." One who submits to the Will of God is termed, in Arabic, a Muslim. Unlike Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Judaism, Islam was not named after a person, a people, or a geographic location. Christianity is named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucious, Hinduism after the Hindus, and Judaism after the land of Judea. The name Islam was chosen by Allah and is clearly mentioned in the Qur’an.

This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (5:3)


If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God), never will it be accepted of him. (3:85)

Though the Qur’an was revealed over fourteen hundred years ago, Islam is not a new religion. Rather, it is a re-expression of the true religion of God in its final form, as it was originally revealed to Adam and all subsequent Prophets (peace be upon all of them). It follows that if all of the true Prophets of God from Adam to Muhammad preached the "true religion of God", then there should be some sort of unity in their teachings. Thus we find the first commandment revealed to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), as stated in Deuteronomy 5:7 of the Old Testament: "You shall have no other gods beside Me (Allah)." Then in the Qur’an, the Last Testament:

For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet, with the command: Worship Me (Allah) and avoid false gods. (16:36)

There are countless examples in the Qur’an and the Bible that instruct the readers to worship Allah alone. However, according to Islam and even a large number of Christian scholars, the true text of the Bible, and thus the revelations given to the prophets in it, have been corrupted through the years. Only the text of the Qur’an remains in its original, unadulterated form. This is not to say that these other texts are not valuable. It is believed that there is some truth still remaining in their historical and prophetic accounts. To rely on them alone, however, is dangerous.

If the Qur’an is the final revelation to mankind, and other religious texts contain prophecies, then it is likely that these other texts contain prophecies of this final revelation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Just as the Old Testament foretells the coming of a Messiah, Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), both the Old and New Testaments foretell the coming of the last Prophet of God, Muhammad, as do texts from Parsi and Hindu scriptures. For examples from these other scriptures see Muhammad in other Scriptures

In any discussion of prophethood in the Bible, it is of extreme importance to begin with lineage. Most prophets of the Bible are descendants of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). The prophets of Jewish and Christian tradition are descendants of Abraham through his second son, Isaac. Muhammad is also a descendant of Abraham, however, through Ishmael, Abraham’s first son (peace be upon all of them). The Biblical account of the covenant established with the descendants of Abraham describes both Isaac and Ishmael as being "made into great nations," a reference to the prophets to be raised up from among their descendants. In Jewish and Christian traditions, however, the role of Ishmael and his line of descent is often minimized or disregarded.

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. (Genesis 17:20)

Many Jews and Christians believe that this “great nation” was made up of the twelve tribes of Arabia. Yet, concerning Isaac, these same Jews and Christians say that "nation" refers to prophethood. "He will be the father of twelve rulers, AND I will make him into a great nation." It is clear that Ishmael’s line of descent will give rise to a great prophet......but how great? Previously, the birth order of Ishmael and Isaac (peace be upon both of them) was emphasized to answer this very question. Deuteronomy 21:15-17 tells us the Divinely inspired Jewish laws of inheritance:

If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. He must acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

Therefore, not only is the line of Ishmael to give rise to a great nation, but the glory of this nation is to be twice that of his younger brother, Isaac. Though this line of reasoning does not even imply that Muhammad is a prophet, it does validate his line of descent as a recipient of the covenant. The next task is to cite and decipher passages from the Old and New Testaments proving that another prophet is even awaited. Once proven, it must then be proven that this awaited prophet is none other than Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Keep in mind that Christianity does not accept any prophets between the first and second coming of Jesus (peace be upon him). Yet, in the first chapter of the Book of John we read:

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." (John 1:19-25)

At this point it sounds as though the priests and Levites, the most learned men of Jerusalem, are waiting for the fulfillment of three prophesies. Later John the Baptist (peace be upon him) is questioned again:

Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" (John 1:24-25)

The Pharisees, men well versed in Scripture, also await three. Up to the end of the Holy Bible only two of these three have come, namely Prophet Jesus and Prophet Elijah (peace be upon both of them). The next logical question is, "Who is the Prophet?" Moses (peace be upon him) gives us some insight in chapter 18 of the Book of Deuteronomy:

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15)

Though obvious, it is important to note that Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) is speaking to the Jews. He tells us that Allah will raise up a prophet from among their brothers and that they must listen to him.

The Lord said to me (Moses): "What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name, I Myself will call him to account..." (Deuteronomy 18:17-19)

The best way to analyze this passage is to pick it apart phrase by phrase. First of all, it is clear that this prophet will come "from among their brothers." THEY are Israelites. The Israelites are the descendants of Isaac. Their brothers then, are the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael. Thus, it is clear that this prophet will come from among the Arabs, as did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon all of them).

Secondly, this prophet will be like Moses. Since this prophecy is often falsely attributed to Jesus, it is best to ask, "Who is more like Moses, Jesus or Muhammad?" (peace be upon all of them) Both Moses and Muhammad were brought into this world through natural means, whereas Jesus was not. Both Moses and Muhammad married and had children, while Jesus did not. Moses and Muhammad died normal deaths, and Jesus did not. Moses and Muhammad were statesmen. Jesus was not. Throughout his adult life, Jesus was never forced to emigrate, while Moses fled to Median and Muhammad fled to Medina.

Moses and Muhammad were involved in pursuits with their enemies and experienced moral and physical victories. Jesus had no such encounter and his victories were of a moral nature. The revelations given to Moses (The Torah) and Muhammad (The Qur’an) were written down during their lifetimes. However, the New Testament, which documented the traditions and sayings of Jesus, was written down years after his death. Both Moses and Muhammad brought forth legal and spiritual teachings, whereas the teachings of Jesus were mainly spiritual. Finally, both Moses and Muhammad were first rejected and then accepted by their people. Jesus was never truly accepted by the Israelites. Thus, it is clear that Muhammad was more like Moses than Jesus was. Please note that this comparison of these three mighty prophets of God in no way implies that they are or were in any sort of competition. All of the prophets (peace be upon them all) constitute one brotherhood, as do all believers.

Allah says to Moses (peace be upon him), concerning this prophet yet to come, "I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him." Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did just that. He spoke, word for word, that which was spoken to him through the Angel Gabriel. The word Qur’an literally means "The Recitation." Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recited everything that Allah commanded him to say. This is why it is not uncommon to find verses in the Qur’an that begin with "Say O Muhammad...", "Recite...", or "Say.."

"If anyone does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name..." In the Qur’an, 113 of the 114 chapters begin with the phrase, Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem. Literally, "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful." Muhammad, then, fulfills every word of this prophecy.

Prophecies of the coming of Prophet Muhammad abound throughout the Biblical text. All of Isaiah chapter 42 stands out as an obvious reference to Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a messenger of Allah. This chapter describes him as a "light to the Gentiles." While Jesus repeatedly says, "I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (please see Matthew 15:24, 5:17-18, and 10:5-6), it is only Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon both of them) that was sent as a messenger for all of mankind (Jews and Gentiles). Isaiah 42 makes a reference to this "servant of the Lord" as coming from the land of Kedar. It is important to note that Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, a forefather of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). One of the most striking prophecies of Muhammad occurs in Isaiah 21:

An oracle concerning Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia, bring water to the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives. They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle.

This is what the Lord says to me: "Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the pomp of Kedar will come to an end. The survivors of the bowmen, the warriors of Kedar will be few." The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken. (Isaiah 21:13-17)

This prophecy takes place in Arabia, the land of Muhammad (peace be upon him). The "fugitives" in this case are the Prophet and his faithful followers (may God reward them all). They fled from Mecca, leaving when Muhammad’s house was surrounded by the Quraish, drawn swords in hand. He fled to Medina, peacefully acquired converts numbering upwards of ten thousand. Muhammad returned to fight the great Battle of Badr, in which the idolatrous Quraish, "the pomp of Kedar", suffered a crushing defeat. To this day, no Christian or Jewish Biblical scholar can generate an historic event that fits this prophecy. Yet another prophecy of Muhammad, similar to this one, occurs in Deuteronomy 33:1-2:

And this is the blessing, where with Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, the Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Se’ir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousand saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

The Lord coming from Sinai alludes to Moses and "[rising] up from Se’ir" refers to Jesus (peace be upon both of them), as the place of his birth was called Se’ir. The prophet who "shined forth from mount Paran" can be none other than Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Paran is the ancient name of the region of Arabia where the children of Ishmael settled. In Arabic, Paran is "Farran", which actually refers to Mecca and literally means "two refugees." It appears as though this took its name from Hagar and Ishmael (peace be upon them both) who went to this region as refugees when Ishmael was still young. And of course, coming with ten thousand saints, or holy men, descending upon Mecca, bearing a fiery law (the Holy Qur’an) is an unmistakable reference to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Another reference to the Prophet is given by Jesus, where Muhammad is referred to as the "Counselor" and the "Spirit of Truth".

But I tell you the truth. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. (John 16:12-14)

Since Jesus (peace be upon him) indicates that the Counselor will not come unless Jesus himself, leaves, it is virtually impossible for the Counselor to be the Holy Ghost, as some Christian scholars contend. The Holy Ghost occurs in Scripture before, during, and after Jesus’ life, so it cannot be that Jesus must leave for the Holy Ghost to arrive. It is already there. Similar to the "prophet like Moses" in Deuteronomy 18, this Counselor "will speak only what he hears." Through the Qur’an, the final revelation of Allah, and through the sunnah, Muhammad is the one to guide us "into all truth." And both the Qur’an and hadith tell us "what is yet to come." As for glorifying Jesus, Allah tells us in 3:56 that the Qur’an clears Jesus of the lies and speculation surrounding his life and his death. There are a number of remaining references to Prophet Muhammad in the Bible, one where he is even mentioned by name in the original Hebrew (Song of Songs 5:9-16)! "Cheeko mame tah kim, vechulo Mohamadim." This means "His language is most sweet, and he is Muhammad." In the English translations of the Bible, Muhammad's name is translated as "altogether lovely".

This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (5:3)


In closing I would like to make a du’a for all who read this.....

I pray that Allah Subhannahu Wa T’ala opens your hearts, keeps them open, and guides us all to the straight path. Ameen. I also pray that Allah bestows His peace and blessings upon all of the prophets mentioned, and not mentioned, in this paper. Ameen.

Any mistakes in the logic or the facts comes from me. Any truth is from Allah. All praise is due to Him. It is Him whom we worship and it is His help which we seek

[adlene]

Jazakallah Khair (Thank you and may Allah reward you for your good) and there is more ....

[tracethetree]

Another reference to the Prophet is given by Jesus, where Muhammad is referred to as the "Counselor" and the "Spirit of Truth".

But I tell you the truth. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. (John 16:12-14)

John 16:4b-15 is one consistent thought. If you want to show that this text is speaking about Muhammad and not the Holy Spirit, the whole passage should consistently point to Muhammad rather than the Holy Spirit. But how do you account for the verses you skipped over?

"8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. "
- John 16:8-11 (NIV)

The "Counselor" Jesus is sending will convict the world of guilt in three ways:

1. "in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me." Believing in Jesus is the only way to be forgiven of sin. He says here that the Counselor will show the world that they are sinful and do not believe in Jesus.

2. "in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer." Jesus was perfect and sinless; in his flesh he was the example of holiness for the disciples to follow. So when he went back to heaven, he would send the Counselor to show them how to be holy.

3. "in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned." The Counselor will show us that Satan has been condemned.


You could argue that Muhammad works for #2, as you say he revealed God's law. But #1 and #3 only make sense within the framework of Christian theology. Muhammad doesn't fulfill #1 because he never told us we needed to believe in Jesus to be forgiven of sin, and he doesn't fulfill #3 because he never (to my knowledge) claimed to reveal that Satan has been condemned. Therefore, when you take the entire passage into account, it should be clear this cannot refer to Muhammad.


If that wasn't enough, let's look at one last passage from John, and explain to me how the "Counselor" refers to Muhammad here:

"25'All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.'"
- John 14:25-26 (NIV, underlining added for emphasis)

So, why is this issue even up for debate? Jesus says here that the Counselor is the Holy Spirit. Not Muhammad. Can there be any question about this?

Since Jesus (peace be upon him) indicates that the Counselor will not come unless Jesus himself, leaves, it is virtually impossible for the Counselor to be the Holy Ghost, as some Christian scholars contend. The Holy Ghost occurs in Scripture before, during, and after Jesus' life, so it cannot be that Jesus must leave for the Holy Ghost to arrive. It is already there.

Yes, God's spirit has been active in the world since the first chapter of Genesis. But after Christ died on the cross and rose in victory over Satan, sin, and death, the Holy Spirit was released in a new way at Pentecost (Acts 2). Now, the Holy Spirit of God actually dwells within Christians (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 1:13). So it's not that the Holy Spirit springs into existence out of nowhere. It's simply that after the work of Jesus was finished, the Holy Spirit functioned in new ways.

This post has been edited by tracethetree: Jan 29 2009, 07:12 PM

[lucygreen]

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[nicky2000]

Good Morning!

I am a Christian who believes that the Bible is the infallable word of God.

The bible does not need anyone to defend it because it speaks for it self like a roaring lion! Truely it does and I challenge you to open it up and read it! As for its corruption because it has been translated well pick up two versions and read them side by side yourself! I do not need to defend Gods word he does that perfectly well without my help!

This website shows many complete and searchable bibles side by side

Obviously not every bible is on the list.

In the Bible Jesus quotes from the Torah constantly.Jesus speaks very clearly about Isaiah and he claims to be the fufillment of this prophecy with his own lips:

Luke 4:14:21

"Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the spirit, and news about him spread through the countryside. He taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went to a synagogue, as he was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me
because he has anointed me
to preach the good news to the poor
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for
the prisoners
and recovery for the sight of the blnd
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's
favour

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them 'Today this scripture is fufilled in your hearing.'"

Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 61:1:2

Jesus says he came to fufill that prophercy. The choice of if you chose to accept him as God who he claims he is again and again through words and his actions is yours.

Link to is Mohammed like Moses?

Jesus says the counsellor is the Holy Spirit in John 14:26

Who named the Christians?

I have to go now but I will answer the other issues you speak about later and up date this message shortly.

Thank you for giving me the chance to speak to you about Jesus.

May God bless you

Nicky

This post has been edited by nicky2000: Apr 6 2012, 02:28 PM

[ashequemahmud]

Jajak Allah .Go on with this type of post.Really
inspiring--

[nicky2000]

Jajak Allah .Go on with this type of post.Really
inspiring--

Good Afternoon!

Hello back again to continue my post and to reply to the points above. The words of my last post were not mine and I take none of the credit as I believe the holy spirit works through me and uses me for his purpose which is to spread the good news. Thank you for your kind words though.

As a Christian I believe that Muslims and all the people on earth of other faiths even athiests are Gods people. He loves all of us even if we ignore him and reject him.

A message form God

The next point made is difficult simply because it is not my intention to upset anyone.
I type these words with compassion in my heart and tears in my eyes. These are NOT my words these are the words of the Holy Bible.

Galatians 1:6 (The author of this letter is Paul and it is about a first century church who are still following old testament rituals, especially circumcision. In this letter Paul is saying that faith in Christ is what matters.)

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be eternally condemned. As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted let him be eternally condemned!'

The words are not mine. I am not attempting to score points or to be nasty. You are quite right when you say the Bible is a dangerous document. It changes lives and that makes it powerful.

I think thats enough for today but I will try to address the other issues raised the best I can shortly. I am not a bible expert just a simple disciple of Jesus Christ, who reads her bible daily, prays and enjoys fellowship with other believers.

Again thank you for giving me the chance to talk to you about Christ.

May God bless you
Nicky

This post has been edited by nicky2000: Mar 19 2012, 08:32 AM

[nicky2000]

Good Afternoon!

Today I will show you some of the many verses in the bible where Jesus says and shows he is God and where he accepts the title from others. First though I want to talk about my faith.

As a Christian I feel that if my God was not believed in his own time, if he was whipped, kicked, punched and put to death by people who mocked and spat at him, then why on earth would I expect anyone to treat me any better than him? The truth is I don't.

I expect to pick up my cross and follow Jesus and by that I mean I expect to be hated and punished for my faith. Jesus talks about this in John 15:18 and 20:

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first... If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.'

Jesus had to die so that I can stand before God and be clean. All the washing in the world can not make me clean enough for God or perfect enough only Gods blood can protect me. Like the lambs blood at passover in the Torah.

Exodus 12:21-23 speaks about the importance of lambs blood to protect the people from death: 'Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb.Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.'

John the Baptist is the last christian prophet before Jesus came said in John:1:29-34:

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Link to: Matthew 26:2 Jesus indicates that he is a passover lamb

I am expected to love my enemy as I love myself and I am to pray for those who persecute me.

You can tell a true follower of Christ by their fruits of the holy spirit which are 'love, joy, peace. patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control. Against such things there is no law.' Galatians 5:22:23 This is how you spot a genuine Christian! If they have the Holy Spirit in them this is what they are like!!

The symbol of my faith is an instrument of death. Like an electric chair or a gas chamber this is because jesus died for my sins and I am expected to pick up my cross and follow him and to be as reviled as he was. I expect this Jesus told me to expect it. The cross is also the sign of Christs victory over death. Following Jesus means denying myself and taking up my cross. If I want to save my life I must entrust it to Jesus.

I can't get into heaven by praying, going on pilgrimages, using prayer beads, reading my bible, being nice, going to church, sacrificing animals, by not eating certain foods, washing, converting people or basicly anything except by accepting that Jesus is who he said he is and that he died for me and my sins. " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

A true follower of Christ is someone who who clearly sees what it will cost to follow him but does it joyfully anyway because they know Jesus is worth it. I love him! I would never give him up!

The cleansing power of Christs blood which he gave willingly on the cross as a passover for the world in a pure act of love for all mankind is all that can save me. How wonderful is that? As a Christian I can say its deeply humbling to be so loved and I so do not deserve that love and forgivness but its mine. Free of charge just by accepting it. How Great is God?

For me the Bible is the word of God and I think that God protects his word and so I trust in the Bible totally. Its also a story and it is always important to read the paragraphs before and after a text or quote to get the full meaning.

In the Bible Jesus does many things to indicate who he is. It is not just in his words but in his actions he shows that he is God over and over again. He also says he is God. If you read the book with an open mind its very clear.

Jesus says: 'I and the Father are one' in John 10:30

Link to 'I and the Father are one': John 10 :30

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23)


Mark 14 chapter 60-65;

... Again the high priest asked him"Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed one?"
"I am" said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty one and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Jesus answers 'I am' many times in the bible when he is asked who he is.

This is important because in the Torah in Exodus 3 it says:

'Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I am has sent me to you.'"

The Old testament Prophet Zachariah wrote that that someone with salvation would arrive in Jerusalem/Zion on a colt:

Link to:Zechariah 9:9

Jesus fufilled this deliberately by arriving in Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey.

Link to: Mark 11

Mark 1:11:

And a voice came from Heaven 'you are my beloved son who I love and with whom I am well pleased.'

In John 20:25-29 Thomas doubts that anyone has really seen Jesus alive after his crucifixion:

But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Jesus constantly quotes the Torah and makes a new covenant with his people. He speaks about loving your enemies and doing good to those who hate us. If we are hit we must turn the other cheek and if someone takes my cloak I must not stop him from taking my tunic. I must do unto others as I would have then do to me. Paraphased from Luke 6:27:36 I am to be merciful as my Father has been merciful to me.

I eat pork because Jesus says nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean... When his disciples asked him about this he replies "Are you so Dull? Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body."

...What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean because from mans heart comes evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed malice ect. Paraphrased from Mark 7: 15:23

In John 11:26 Jesus asks "DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?" It is a question that every person must answer. Do you believe Jesus is the son of God as he clearly shows and claims to be in the bible? Have you read it? Have you tested the bible? You can check all bible passages here:

This site compares what many bibles say side by side


Pick a bible up it does not bite!!! Really I challenge everyone to read it!

Thanks for giving me the chance to talk about Jesus its been a pleasure

May God bless you

This post has been edited by nicky2000: Mar 27 2012, 01:32 PM

[nicky2000]

Good Afternoon, You are correct when you say that the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament many times before the day of Pentecost in the New Testament because he was hovering over the waters on the first day of creation in the Bible.

Genesis 1 says: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

The Holy Spirit empowered people for service to God right from the very start of the bible. This was often for leadership and prophecy.The links below show places in the Torah where the holy spirit is mentioned (there are probably lots more too.)

Exodus 31:3

Deuteronomy 34:9
Judges: 14:6
1 Samuel :16-13
Psalms: 51:11

Moses longed for the day the holy spirit would be poured out on all of God's people:
Link to numbers: 11:29

So yes you are right in saying that the Holy Spirit existed before Christ.

During the time of the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was almost completely confined to the nation of Israel. The complete outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the entire world of believers only happened on the day of Pentecost in the New Testament:
Jesus says in John 15: 26-27

"When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning"

Acts 2:1-4 says 'When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.'

New Christians are often taken by surprise when they are filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time. I certainly was! Truly his force shocked me and this force is what Christians are talking about when they say they 'know God' or they speak about being in the 'presence of the Living God' or even 'God told me.' I do not expect anyone to believe me! I would not have believed this before I became a born again Christian!

Real Christianity is not about theorists telling us what to think, people with degrees in divinity or doctorates arguing over scripture verses on our behalf! It's not about Bishops, priests or pastors! It is about us and God. It is about real people being with the living God right now. Speaking to him personally, being with him and obeying him directly and knowing him personally via the Holy Spirit. This is what some Christians mean when they say they hate religion! It's a real relationship, a living relationship, not a religion. The Holy Spirit is a real person! I know him! He lives in me!

Jesus came to stop all the rituals of the Pharisees and any religious activity that separates us from him! He came to to rip the curtain of the temple in half so that the people could be with God for the first time and to repent, change their lives and dare to call him Father:

Mark 15: 37-39

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"

Religion is praying set prayers at set times, going on pilgrimages, going to as ritual with no desire to be there in our hearts, the ritual sacrificing of animals, not eating certain foods, washing, making a big show of fasting instead of keeping my fasting private between me and God.

Anyone can ask the Holy Spirit to come into their life, to open their eyes to the truth and guide them, to bring them strength and wisdom. Anyone! There is no set prayer!! Once people become Christians the Holy Spirit comes! Unless you do not do as Jesus asks!!!

God says listen to him!!


Jesus saying the Holy Spirit will come

Jesus says with his own lips in Mark :16:15

"Go into al l the world and preach the good news to all creation." So Jesus came to save us all.

In my next post I will talk about the issues you raised about Abraham and why the bible says it was ok for him to abandon his wife.

May God bless you,
Nicky

This post has been edited by nicky2000: Mar 7 2012, 12:42 AM

[nicky2000]

Abraham:

Deuteronomy 21:15-17 tells us the Divinely inspired Jewish laws of inheritance:

If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. He must acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

In Genesis 21: 8-11 God overrides this rule:

The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."

The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."

Abraham simply obeyed God.

The Bible says very different things about Isaac and Ishmael from the Quran:

Link to what the bible says about Isaac being offered as a sacrifice

The choice of which faith we follow is our own! We must choose with wisdom and with great care!

This is an accurate film version of the book of Luke from the Bible. It is two hours long and for anyone who is interested in what the bible says about the life and death of Jesus Christ. Not what others tell you it says. Then you can decide what it means for yourself.

My greatest desire is for everyone to look and judge with the good brain God gave you if it is blaphamy! You decide if you think the bible is a load of old rubbish which is only fit to be burned or if like me it is your greatest treasure. It is so important to me that you at least understand what you are throwing away before you put it in the fire!

Its two hours long! It is a movie not a lecture and you can check all the references on the site I use above if you choose. Just type in the words he says if you want to and they will come up too. Right at the very end of the film is a christian prayer which you may choose to switch off.

The film is shown all over the world by missionaries to people who have never heard the good news! It's available in many world languages and is totally free. Just click the button of the language of your choice. The choice to watch it or even just read what the site says about the film is yours. I hope you do. And I pray thatGod will bring you many blessings whether you decide to look or not:

Link to the Jesus film website

May God bless you always,

Nicky



This post has been edited by nicky2000: Mar 16 2012, 06:18 PM

[nicky2000]

Good night !

This post has been edited by nicky2000: Mar 3 2012, 05:34 PM