"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
- Einstein
Encouraging scriptures for the day
by Kosonen 543 Replies latest jw friends
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Kosonen
We might all encounter sufferings
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have, but without sin.
Genesis 2:18 Then Jehovah God said: “It is not good for the man to continue to be alone. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.” 19 Now Jehovah God had been forming from the ground every wild animal of the field and every flying creature of the heavens, and he began bringing them to the man to see what he would call each one; and whatever the man would call each living creature, that became its name. 20 So the man named all the domestic animals and the flying creatures of the heavens and every wild animal of the field, but for man there was no helper as a complement of him.
Job 1:8 And Jehovah said to Satan: “Have you taken note of my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth. He is an upright man of integrity, fearing God and shunning what is bad.” 9 At that Satan answered Jehovah: “Is it for nothing that Job has feared God? 10 Have you not put up a protective hedge around him and his house and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock has spread out in the land. 11 But, for a change, stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your very face.”
Genesis 6:5 Consequently, Jehovah saw that man’s wickedness was great on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time. 6 Jehovah regretted that he had made men on the earth, and his heart was saddened.
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Queequeg
We create our own unhappiness. The purpose of suffering is to help us understand we are the ones who cause it.
- Willie Nelson
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Kosonen
Some events that have some correlations with some verses in the Revelation book
Revelation 8:5 …. And there were thunders and voices and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Could it refer to the Haiti earthquake in 2010, January 12?
https://www.britannica.com/list/6-deadliest-earthquakes
Revelation 8:7 The first one blew his trumpet. And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green vegetation was burned up.
Could this refer to the volcanic eruption that happened on Iceland 20 Mars - 23 june 2010?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_eruptions_of_Eyjafjallaj%C3%B6kull
Revelation 8:8 The second angel blew his trumpet. And something like a great mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea. And a third of the sea became blood; 9 and a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were wrecked.
Could this refer to the oil rig that caught fire and fell into the sea in the Mexican gulf in 2010, April 20 - September 19?
The oil floated like congealed blood on the water and covered vast areas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill
Can you guess what the next event could refer to?
Revelation 8:10 … And a great star burning like a lamp fell from heaven,
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Queequeg
“But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.
“And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will”.(Mormon 1:6, 7) -
EasyPrompt
@Kosonen, the plagues in Revelation symbolize God's judgments on the hypocritical institutions. They are not physical earthquakes or volcanoes or oil spills. The context and the rest of the Bible make that clear.
@Queequeg, Willie Nelson is cool. "Love's the greatest healer." (He says a lot through his music, too, without even saying any words...)
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LV101
Wow - EasyPrompt - have never listened to Willie's music other than couple hits. I like 'Crazy' written by Willie. Heard one day it was the #1 song played worldwide on juke boxes -- something like that. The first singer he asked turned him down and Patsy Cline was his 2nd pick -- can't imagine anyone singing it other than Patsy Cline.
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Kosonen
My dear sister EasyPrompt, how could I became convinced that the plagues are not tied to remarkable events?
It's amazing that the next thing in the Revelation prophesies about a great star burning like a lamp, that fall down from heaven. And it is remarkable that it happened after the massive oil spill in the Mexican Gulf. It was the Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013, February 15.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk_meteor
Revelation 8:10 … And a great star burning like a lamp fell from heaven,
Next Daily text:
Let's help each other to grow to maturity
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, 12 with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, to build up the body of the Christ, 13 until we all attain to the oneness of the faith and of the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to being a full-grown man, attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore, now that we have moved beyond the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, …
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child. 14 But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained to distinguish both right and wrong.
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PetrW
@Kosonen
Revelation 8:7 The first one blew his trumpet. And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green vegetation was burned up.
The conclusion of the text, "all the green grass will be burned", shows that this is a symbolic description. It is not a physical fire, but neither is it literal green vegetation. If such a thing were to happen, then history might not continue at all. A fire that destroyed all green vegetation on Earth would destroy life on Earth. That physical fulfillment is not even the literary goal of Revelation is suggested by the fact that "green vegetation" reappears in Rev. 9:4.
I think it is necessary to ask first whether the text of the prophecy, will have a literal fulfillment. But if that literal fulfillment would prevent further events, then it is appropriate to consider the symbolic meaning. The decision as to what is literal and what is symbolic is, in my opinion, based on God's desire to save people, or more accurately: the entire plot of Revelation (until the coming of Christ with his 1000 year reign) is a description of how, through the "plagues" of God, punishment falls on sinners, with the goal of them repenting and turning to God and surviving. At the same time, Satan and his world will be activated and will want people to worship only him and he and his people, will murder others. God will not murder the righteous with the sinner, but He wants the sinner, too, to repent and be saved. It is only after all possibilities have been exhausted, at the point that the righteous dies without his death causing the sinners to repent (see Saul/Paul), that God will reveal himself as the sovereign Ruler...
My point, very briefly, is that in my opinion, Revelation will have some physical/material manifestation on Earth, but Revelation deals with roles, functions, and relationships between symbols (e.g. the beast and the woman) because it is a universal prediction of the end - which may have already come true in the 5th or 13th century. But it may not be fulfilled until the 23rd century.
In my opinion, it is more useful to be concerned with "uncovering" the parables/symbols in Revelation, in their interrelationships or roles, than to immediately look for an entity, a government or organization behind each symbol. The history of interpreting Revelation shows that this is not the way, or more accurately, it is a dead end.
Example: to discuss over Revelation that a symbol represents the UN, and it is intended to destroy religion, means that the one who interprets it that way must have information about the coming end, despite the claim that no one knows the hour and day. Either there is humility and an admission of not knowing, or there is pride, because of the supposed knowledge...
I am not saying that Revelation cannot be commented on, on the contrary! But it wants first to reveal the symbols, their roles (sometimes they have two or more), their function and their relationships: the green vegetation of Rev 8:7 will probably be different from that of Rev 9:4. If I can find the meaning of the symbol for Rev 8:7 (here grass, as those "rich" in the knowledge of God, but who are like chaff), then the symbol in Rev 9:4 speaks of "grass" as the little ones that are yet to grow in God's field, yet to bear fruit. These are the little ones....
I won't go into who specifically and which church will be the grass to burn or deserve protection in the 23rd century. Nor am I looking for that, even for my 21st century... JWs negative example of theology, is a pretty big warning 😊✌️
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Kosonen
Love Jehovah God and his name 🥰 😍
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name…
Malachi 3:16 At that time those who fear Jehovah spoke with one another, each one with his companion, and Jehovah kept paying attention and listening. And a book of remembrance was written before him for those fearing Jehovah and for those meditating on his name.
Zechariah 14:9 And Jehovah will be King over all the earth. In that day Jehovah will be one, and his name one.
Matthew 6:9 “You must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.