What about the STAR, and the three wise men?

IS IT REALLY "A MYTH"?  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD - (Isaiah 1:18a)

We've all seen the Christmas creches depicting three wise men who came from afar to bring gifts and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews - is that merely tradition, or did it really happen?  What do you say to those who deny the historical Jesus, (though many extra, and often hostile characters affirmed His existence) and the atheist billboards popping up all over the US that claim the Christmas story is a myth?  Is there any evidence that Historical event took place or is it a myth?

According to scripture, these visitors came from the East, having seen the Star announcing the birth of the King of the Jews. 

(Matthew 2:1-2)  "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 

Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

They were described only as 'wise men.'  These wise men were astrologers because the only cause that beckoned them to go on this journey was this once in a lifetime celestial event, and they determined it to be a celestial announcement of the birth of an extraordinary person who was to be, King of the Jews. This is *reason* enough to also call them ambassadors, and as such they represented a kingdom(s), but does not necessarily mean they themselves were three kings.  

We aren't told where they began their journey or how long it took them to prepare for the trip.  We do know that east of Bethlehem there are vast stretches of desert wilderness requiring much thought and preparation for such an endeavor.  The greatest kingdom nearest them to the east was Persia, and we know that the Persians (modern day Iran) employed many astrologers, so it is *reasonable* to assume that is where their journey began or whether men from other kingdoms accompanied the wise men.  So why is the tradition of only three wise men celebrated?  Could it be that is because there are specifically three gifts mentioned?  That stands to *reason,* doesn't it?

(Matthew 2:11)  And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 

A well supplied caravan had to be assembled, accounting for a round trip of great distance. *Reason* says this could take many months, from start to finish.  Caravans carried wealth, and *reason* says that is especially so when the purpose of the journey is to visit a king.  This meant a caravan bearing great wealth in addition to the other provisions, as the record specifically states that they brought "treasures."   Treasures are something thieves and highway men would be interested in, and only three men on camels would be easy prey, so *reason* demands that the caravan carried it's own armed protection which may have included an entourage of at least a dozen or more men. 

So now you're probably wondering about the celestial event itself.  What evidence is there that could possibly be that could fit the Biblical account.  Interestingly, there are nine facts found in the book of Matthew concerning the Star of Bethlehem.  Is there any way the confluence of Matthews grouping be confirmed or denied through astronomy?  For me to write it out would be a book, and one already has been written that accounts for all nine of Matthew's statements, and a video of it has also been made.  If your interest is genuine, I would ask you to view this you tube video by the author of that book.

If you dare to watch this I think reason will tell you that this astonishing event is at least evidently reasonable...STAR

  

Thanks to all of our service members - past and present, for your dedication, honor and bravery in protecting our nation and way of life around the globe.  May God bless you this Thanksgiving Day.

"As you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this year, remember to retain the original gratefulness to God that has always been the spirit of this, the oldest of all American holidays." - David Barton

Will The Real Israel Please Stand Up!

Following the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem (AD 70) until 1948, Israel did not exist as a nation.  The Bible on the other hand was full of prophetic events said to take place in the end times centering around the nation of Israel and Jerusalem in particular, naming the twelve tribes specifically.

Before I go any further, giving my definition of 'cult' would be appropriate.  With no intention to demean other religious groups, I agree with Dr. Walter Martin’s definition which is “ ‘cult’ as a group of people gathered about a specific person or person’s mis-interpretation of the Bible.”

Revelation 7:4 - "I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000. Those who were sealed were from every tribe of Israel:"

So-called "Christian" offshoots (cults) from the mainstream could not fathom how those Bible prophecies could be literally fulfilled since Israel played such a prominent role in end-times prophecy, did not exist.  Many attempted to reconcile the prophetic scripture by laying claim to themselves being members of one of the so called, ‘ten lost tribes.’  Hence the rise of British Israelism which even today has its adherents.  ‘Spiritualizing’ those prophecies they obviously concluded that the 144,000 chosen ones, sealed from every tribe of Israel referred to spiritual “Israel”.  Cults began to spring up during the 19^th and early 20^th century, led by people, each one who claimed they were the true Israel and that God’s chosen ones came from their ranks.  The belief that the Church has replaced Israel is often referred to as “Replacement Theology.”  Jesus gave a harsh warning about this in His statement to the Church of Smyrna:  

   “I know how much you suffer and how poor you are, but you are rich. I also know the cruel things being said about you by people who claim to be Jews. But they are not really Jews. They are a group that belongs to Satan. . – Rev. 2:9 CEV

The inconvenient truth is that Israel once again became a nation on May 14, 1948  and the ancient Hebrew language also was revived - all in the land that God gave to Abraham and confirmed to both Moses and Joshua.  Since that day in 1948, Israel has become a permanently established nation in the Middle East regardless of the goal of Islamists to “drive the Jews into the sea.”

Isa 66:8  Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once?  

 That prophecy opened many eyes to the literal fulfillment of Bible prophecy in our time.  It had been hidden from man until the end times.  God had shown such things to the prophet Daniel, including the 70 year captivity they were to go through until

Israel indeed became a nation in one day!  May 14, 1948 was the day that Israel once again became a nation.  On May 15, the surrounding Islamic countries declared war on this infant nation, and Israel continues to prevail. [The fulfillment of that one prophecy, 'a nation born in a day,' validated in the minds of many believers that the biblical prophecies concerning Israel could, and should be taken literally - at face value.  Yet there are those who stubbornly cling to the belief that they are ‘spiritual’ Israel, though genetically they share no physical connection]

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Questions:

1.  Doesn't the charter of the Muslim Brotherhood advocate the destruction of the Jew?

2.  Is the Muslim Brotherhood linked to both Al Qaeda and Hamas -  both recognized as terrorist organizations?

3.  Why has President Obama held Ramadan for members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the White House (WH), and have their members make dozens of visits to the WH?

Are Christian's Terrorist's Too?

Are Christians Terrorists Too?

Does the KKK or the "Lords Resistance Army" (LRA) qualify as a Christian organization?  Is there any validity to the secularists claim that "Christians are terrorists too?"  Has "Christian Fundamentalist" now become synonymous with 'Right Wing Extremist"? 

There are those groups who attempt to justify their prejudices and violence they perpetrate on others by claiming a connection to Christianity with no resemblance to Christ or His teachings whatsoever.  Some years ago I happened to be listening to a call in radio interview in which a California legislator made the statement that she saw little difference between Islamic extremism and Christian fundamentalism exhibited by the "Oklahoma bomber" (Timothy McVeigh).  I was so incensed at the accusation I tried to call into the program, but was unsuccessful.  How many millions of listeners accepted the legislators comment as Gospel one can only guess, but it was never brought into question for the remainder of the program.  You see, Timothy McVeigh was not and did not claim to be a Christian.  When asked, he said "Science is my religion."  Those are the exact words you could expect to hear from many secularists, atheists and agnostics, but certainly NOT CHRISTIANS! 

 The online encyclopedia Wickipedia has an article (with information supplied by readers) posted, entitled "Christian Terrorism."  As you read down, it inserts this caveat (for good reason):  "An editor has expressed a concern that this section lends undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, controversies or matters relative to the article subject as a whole. Please help to create a more balanced presentation. Discuss and resolve this issue before removing this message. (July 2011)"
 "For good reason," yet how many people religiously use that resource as settled fact?  In naming names, it makes certain specious claims that are easily challenged, such as the reference to Anders Breivik, the so-called "Christian Crusader" who went on a killing rampage in Norway in July of 2011.  So was he really a Christian Crusader?  Noted Rabbi Brad Hirschfield rejected that contention, as did many others.   

I know that there have been times in History when misled Christians have done evils in the name of Christ, and one example that has been repeated time and time-again are the infamous Salem witch hunts...  So how many thousands of witches have been killed?  Not thousands?  Hundreds?  Not to minimize the severity and horror of those who were condemned, but all of the so called "witches" couldn't fill all the seats on a bus.  Compare that to the death toll in buses, planes, restaurants, night clubs, and traffic stops that are sponsored at the behest of 'Allah.'

Or as conservative radio host Michael Medved said, "

“On a recent CNN appearance, I confronted the obscenely foolish liberal argument that insists that contemporary Christian terrorism represents even more of a threat than Islamic terrorism—citing the shameful slaying of a handful of abortion doctors as proof.”

“First, the incidents of murder in the anti-abortion cause brought fewer than a dozen deaths in the last three decades, while victims of Islamo-Nazi terror—most of them Muslims, by the way—can be counted in the tens of thousands. Secondly, no nation or prominent church group promote or applaud violence in the name of Jesus, but many nations support leading voices in Islam who endorse violence in the name of Allah. Radical Islam stands alone among contemporary religious sects in suggesting that the slaughter of innocent women and children in suicide attacks will bring glory to Allah.” 

In the highly politically charged atmosphere in the US today, it is more common that 'liberals,' and not conservatives (religious and otherwise) are the perpetrators of violence on their fellow man despite the false accusations in the mainstream media.  With regard to conservatives and in particular evangelicals, the leftist media and liberals in general seem to share their hatred for them.  Yes, you heard right. The left will castigate conservatives, and attempt to silence them.  Recently the Administration was found to have targeted Tea Party conservatives by the IRS.  The media is in bed with the administration and provides cover for it by the absence of reporting, or by a false narrative.  An example of this is the absence or under reporting of the persecution of Christians world wide.  Another example is providing their own narrative which is often silent or incorrect on certain facts in order to validate that agenda.

   

God The Only Creator

God Is the Only Creator

By no means a complete list but just a short compilation from the Bible showing that God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is the creator. 

Exodus 20:11

¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Job 38:

¹Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, ²Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? ³Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

⁴Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. ⁵Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? ⁶Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; ⁷When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? ⁸Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? ⁹When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, ¹⁰And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, ¹¹And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

¹²Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; ¹³That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? ¹⁴It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. ¹⁵And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. ¹⁶Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? ¹⁷Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? ¹⁸Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. ¹⁹Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, ²⁰That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? ²¹Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? ²²Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, ²³Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? ²⁴By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

²⁵Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; ²⁶To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; ²⁷To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? ²⁸Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? ²⁹Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? ³⁰The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. ³¹Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? ³²Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? ³³Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? ³⁴Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? ³⁵Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? ³⁶Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? ³⁷Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven, ³⁸When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? ³⁹Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions, ⁴⁰When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? ⁴¹Who provideth for the raven his food when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Psalm 95:5, 6.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

Psalm 104:30 

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

Psalm 121:2

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 148:5

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Isaiah 43:10

Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. ¹¹I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Isaiah 44:24

Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isaiah 45:12

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

Isaiah 45:23 

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Isaiah 40:21, 22

Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? ²²It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Isaiah 40:25, 26  

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. ²⁶Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Jeremiah 33:2

Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; ³Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Mark 13:19

For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

John 1:1-4, 10

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

Acts 4:24

And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: ²⁵Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? ²⁶The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

Acts 14:15

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.