#holyland — Public Fediverse posts

Lewis Larsson, John D. Whiting, 1917.

Source: Library of Congress

https://pdimagearchive.org/images/c2e5a7a0-b4bc-4534-bc80-b49691c93ccb

#judaism #mountains #stereographs #religion #israel #holyland #rituals #hebrew #palestine #sacrifice #bible #photography #art #publicdomain

Lewis Larsson, John D. Whiting, 1917.

Source: Library of Congress

https://pdimagearchive.org/images/c2e5a7a0-b4bc-4534-bc80-b49691c93ccb

#judaism #mountains #stereographs #religion #israel #holyland #rituals #hebrew #palestine #sacrifice #bible #photography #art #publicdomain

Lewis Larsson, John D. Whiting, 1917.

Source: Library of Congress

https://pdimagearchive.org/images/c2e5a7a0-b4bc-4534-bc80-b49691c93ccb

#judaism #mountains #stereographs #religion #israel #holyland #rituals #hebrew #palestine #sacrifice #bible #photography #art #publicdomain

Lewis Larsson, John D. Whiting, 1917.

Source: Library of Congress

https://pdimagearchive.org/images/c2e5a7a0-b4bc-4534-bc80-b49691c93ccb

#judaism #mountains #stereographs #religion #israel #holyland #rituals #hebrew #palestine #sacrifice #bible #photography #art #publicdomain

Lewis Larsson, John D. Whiting, 1917.

Source: Library of Congress

https://pdimagearchive.org/images/c2e5a7a0-b4bc-4534-bc80-b49691c93ccb

#judaism #mountains #stereographs #religion #israel #holyland #rituals #hebrew #palestine #sacrifice #bible #photography #art #publicdomain

I Love Israel: Israel Seeks More Visitors From Southeast Asia

In a serious attempt to attract more travelers from Southeast Asia, the tourism ministry of Israel enhanced the existing ties with travel agencies in the Philippines and Singapore, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface.

Israel’s Ministry of Tourism is seeking to attract more travelers from Southeast Asia by strengthening ties with travel agencies in the Philippines and Singapore, as it promotes the country’s destinations and assures visitors of safety.

The ministry recently hosted a seven-day familiarization tour for travel agents from both countries, showcasing Israel’s religious, historical, adventure and leisure attractions as part of its campaign to expand arrivals from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

The itinerary included visits to Jerusalem, Dead Sea and Tel Aviv, as well as a jeep tour through the Judean Desert and a wine tour in the Golan Heights.

Hassan Madah, international director of the Israel Ministry of Tourism in Jerusalem, said the country remains open to international visitors.

“We welcome you all. Israel is open to everyone, and travelers can be assured that our country is safe to visit,” Madah said.

He said the ministry hopes to welcome more visitors from the Philippines and Singapore, citing the country’s religious sites, historic cities, deserts and beaches as key attractions.

The ministry identified the Philippines as one of its priority markets in Asia, alongside India, China and South Korea, with growth driven largely by faith-based travel.

Singapore, meanwhile, is considered a strategic market because of its position as a regional aviation and travel hub.

The tourism ministry said it has been strengthening partnerships with Southeast Asian travel industry stakeholders through regional events, including ITB Asia in Singapore.

Despite the lack of direct flights between the Philippines and Israel, Filipino arrivals have remained steady, according to the ministry.

The Department of Tourism and the Israel Ministry of Tourism have signed a joint declaration of intent to promote two-way tourism and are engaged in discussions with airlines on improving connectivity.

Israel Ministry of Tourism Philippines Marketing Manager Anna Oraiza Aban said visa-free travel access for Philippine and Singaporean passport holders makes visits to Israel more convenient.

To all my readers, I encourage you to thank the Lord for this breakthrough of cooperation between Israel and both the Philippines and Singapore as the Jewish state seeks more visitors from Southeast Asia.  

As such, I encourage you all to pray to the Lord for this breakthrough to lead to more breakthroughs in terms of improved travel, more connections between Israel and Southeast Asia, and more opportunities for Southeast Asian people to visit the Holy Land and realize the legacy of God, Lord Jesus and the Jewish people.

At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Apocalypticism

This is the religious belief that the end of the world is imminent, even within one’s own lifetime. This belief is usually accompanied by the idea that civilization will soon come to a tumultuous end due to some sort of catastrophic global event.

Apocalypticism is 1 aspect of eschatology in certain religions, the part of theology concerned with the final events of human history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity (societal collapse, human extinction, & so on). Religious views & movements often focus on cryptic revelations about a sudden, dramatic, & cataclysmic intervention of a god in human history; the judgment of humankind; the salvation of the faithful elect; & the eventual rule of the elect with the god in a heaven &/or upon a renewed Earth.

Arising originally in Zoroastrianism, apocalypticism was developed more fully in the eschatological speculations of Judaism, Christianity, & Islam (Abrahamic religions). Religious apocalypticism often involves themes such as God’s judgment, salvation of the faithful, & the eventual establishment of a renewed world.

Apocalypticism is often combined with the belief that esoteric knowledge will likely be revealed in a major confrontation between good & evil forces, destined to change the course of history. Apocalypse can be seen as good, bad, ambiguous, or neutral. This is highly dependent on the particular religion/belief system promoting them. It’s not exclusively a religious idea.

It’s not exclusively a religious idea. There are end times/transitional scenarios based on modern science, technology, political discourse, & conspiracy theories.

Various Christian eschatological systems have developed among different Christian denominations throughout the history of Christianity. Providing different frameworks for understanding the timing & nature of apocalypse vision. While others like postmillennialism & amillennialism.

While teaching that the end of the world could come at any moment tends to focus on the present life & contend that 1 shouldn’t attempt to predict when the end will come. Though there have been exceptions, such as postmillennialist Jonathan Edwards, who estimated that the end times would occur around the year 2000.

In Western Europe, during the year 1,000, Christian philosophers held many debates on when Jesus was actually born & the debates continue to today. This caused confusion among the common people about whether or not the apocalypse would occur at a certain time. Because both literate & illiterate people commonly accepted this idea of the apocalypse, they could only accept what they heard from religious leaders on when the disastrous event would occur.

Religious leader Abbo of Fleury believed that Jesus was born 21 years after the year 1, which was commonly accepted by close circles of his followers. Abbot Heriger of Lobbes argued that the birth of Jesus occurred not during the year 1 but rather during the 42nd year of the common era.

Many scholars came to accept that the apocalypse would occur sometime between 979 & 1042. Under the influence of the Sibylline Oracles & figures such as Otto III & Abbot Adso of Montier-en-Der, many believed that the apocalypse would soon occur.

Some historians think there were ample apocalyptic expectations at the approach of the year 1000 & again at the approach of 1000 anno passionis (1033). Other historians claim that the fear of the year 1000 is a myth & there was no widespread apocalypse sentiment.

As evidence, on December 31, 999, Pope Sylvester II granted certain privileges & guarantees to the Abbey of Fulda, without any indication that either the Pope or the abbot believed that the world was soon to end. There’s also a document from October 3, 999, in which Otto III grants future concessions to Farfa Abbey.

Another document in 999 shows 2 brothers taking a 29-year loan on lands of the abbey of San Marciano in Tortona, suggesting that even common people didn’t believe the world was ending. On the other hand, the fact that Otto III visited the tomb of Charlemagne, the emperor of the year 6,000 (Annus Mundi) on Pentecost of the year 1,000, suggests that even the man who appointed Sylvester pope had his own views on the matter.

The Crusades were filled with apocalyptic expectation & prophecy, beginning with the preaching of figures like Peter the Hermit to inspire knights, nobles, & commorers to March to the Holy Land, & take Jerusalem. Count Emicho, a leading figure of the People’s Crusade, claimed that Christ appeared & ordered him to fulfill apocalyptic prophecy by marching on Constantinople, seizing Jerusalem, triggering the Second Coming, & beginning the end times struggle against the Antichrist.

Leaders of the following Prince’s Crusade, such as Raymond of Aguilers (he was a participant & chronicler of the 1st Crusade & became the chaplain of Count Raymond IV of Toulouse, the leader of the Provençal army of crusaders), understood their conquest of Jerusalem as being a victory of Christendom over the Saracen “pagans” & as a sign of the oncoming Apocalypse & Second Coming.

Christian chronicles (like Matthew of Edessa) illustrated the Crusades in an apocalyptic framework, connecting the Frankish rule with the 4th kingdom in Daniel’s prophecy. Many other European writers emphasized the bloodlines during the massacre of Jerusalem as fulfilling the violent prophecies of Revelation.

Joachim of Fiore & other millenarian thinkers perceived the Crusades as temporary, foreseeing the voluntary conversion of the Islamic world over time.

The Fifth Monarchists/Fifth Monarchy Men were an extreme Puritan sect active for 11 years (1649-1660) during the Interregnum, following the English Civil Wars of the 17th century. They took their name from a prophecy in the Book of Daniel (which we, personally, can’t wait to get into!! Well, our founder, anyway. They adore apocalyptic prophecies! They’ll probably end up writing the whole Book of Daniel. With a TON of commentary.), that 4 ancient monarchies (Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian, & Roman) would precede the kingdom of Christ.

The Great Disappointment in the Millerite Movement was the reaction that followed Baptist preacher William Miller’s predictions that Jesus Christ would return to the Earth by 1844, which he called the Second Advent. His study of the Daniel 8 prophecy during the Second Great Awakening led him to the conclusion that Daniel’s “cleansing of the sanctuary” was cleansing of the world from sin when Christ would come, & he & many others prepared. But October 22, 1844, came & they were disappointed.

These events paved the way for the Adventists who created the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They contended that what had happened on October 22 wasn’t Jesus’ return, as Miller had thought, but the start of Jesus’ final work of atonement, the cleansing in the heavenly sanctuary, leading up to the Second Coming of Christ.

The Mormon tradition teaches that followers are living shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. The term “latter days” is used in the official names of several Mormon churches, including the Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints. LDS president Wilford Woodruff (1889-1898) preached multiple times that many then-living followers “wouldn’t taste death” before witnessing the return of Christ.

According to LDS Church teachings, the true Gospel will be taught in all parts of the world before the Second Coming. Church members believe that there’ll be increasingly severe wars, earthquakes, hurricanes, & other man-made & natural disasters before the Second Coming.

The eschatology of Jehovah’s Witnesses is central to their faith & religious beliefs. They believe that Jesus Christ has been ruling in Heaven as king since 1914. This was a date they believed was prophesied in Scripture. After that time, a period of cleansing occurred, resulting in Charles Taze Russell being his people in 1919.

They also believe the destruction of those who reject their message & thus willfully refuse to obey God will shortly take place at Armageddon, ensuring that the beginning of the new earthly society will be composed of willing subjects of that kingdom.

The Watch Tower Society has stated that its early leaders promoted “incomplete, even inaccurate concepts.” The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses says that, unlike Old Testament prophets, its interpretations of the Bible aren’t inspired or infallible.

Witness publications say that Bible prophecies can be fully understood only after their fulfillment, citing examples of biblical figures who didn’t understand the meaning of prophecies they received. Watch Tower publications often cite Proverbs 4:18, “The path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter & lighter until the day is firmly established,” to support their view that there would be an increase in knowledge during “the time of the end,” as mentioned in Daniel 12:4.

Jehovah’s Witnesses state that this increase in knowledge needs adjustments. Watch Tower publications also say that unfulfilled expectations are partly due to eagerness for God’s Kingdom & they don’t call their core beliefs into question.

For Christadelphians, Armageddon marks the “great climax of history when the nations would be gathered together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon,” & “the judgment of them would herald the setting up of the kingdom of God.”

After this, Christadelphians believe that Jesus will return to the earth in person to set up the kingdom of God in fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham & David. This includes the belief that the coming kingdom will be the restoration of God’s First Kingdom of Israel, which was David & Solomon. For Christadelphians, this is the focal point of the Gospel taught by Jesus & the apostles.

Realized eschatology is a Christian eschatology theory popularized by J.A.T Robinson, Joachim Jeremias, Ethelbert Stauffer, & C.H. Dodd that holds the eschatological passages in the New Testament do not refer to the future. But instead refers to the ministry of Jesus & his lasting legacy.

Eschatology is therefore not the end of the world, but its rebirth instituted by Jesus & continued by his disciples, a historical (rather than transhistorical) phenomenon. Those holding this view generally dismiss end-times theories, believing them to be irrelevant. They hold that what Jesus said & did, & told his disciples to do likewise, are of greater significance than any Messianic expectations.

David Meade is the pen name of an American end-times conspiracy theories & book author who has yet to disclose his real name. He’s best known for making numerous predictions, which have passed, regarding the end times, including that a hidden planet named Nibiru (a.k.a. Planet X) would destroy the Earth.

Meade predicted that planet Nibiru would collide with Earth on September 23, 2017, destroying it. After his prediction failed, he revised the apocalypse to October, where he stated that the 7-year tribulation would possibly start, followed by a millennium of peace.

In 2008, Meade again made several predictions for that year. For example, North Korea would become a superpower in March 2018, & that Nibiru would destroy the Earth in spring. But didn’t predict the exact date this time. After March 2018 passed, he moved the apocalypse to April 23, 2018, in which he also predicted the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, & Virgo would signal the Rapture, & that Nibiru would destroy the Earth that day.

However, before that date, he said that reports that he predicted at the end of April 23 were “fake news.” But that the Rapture – but not the end of the world – would take place on an unspecified date between May & December 2018.

UFO religions (think Heaven’s Gate, but without the unaliving) sometimes feature an anticipated end-time scenario in which extraterrestrial beings will bring about a radical change on Earth &/or “lift” the religious believers to a higher plane of existence.

Some followers of UFO religions believe that the arrival or rediscovery of alien civilizations, technologies, & spirituality will enable human beings to overcome current ecological, spiritual, political, & social problems on planet Earth.

Issues such as hatred, war, bigotry, poverty, & so on are said to be resolvable through the use of superior alien technology & spiritual abilities. Such belief systems are also described as millennial in their outlook.

The Zoroastrian eschatological ideas are only alluded to in the surviving texts of the Avesta, in particular in the 9th-century text Bundahishn. The accompanying story, as it shows up in the Bundahishn, says: At the end of the “3rd time” (the 1st being the age of creation, the 2nd of mixture, & the 3rd of separation), there will be a great battle between the forces of good (yazata) & those of evil (daeva), in which the good will triumph.

On Earth, the Saoshyant will bring about a resurrection of the dead in the bodies they had before they died. This is followed by a Last Judgment through an ordeal. The yazata Airyaman & Atar will melt in the hills & mountains, & the molten metal will then flow across the earth like a river.

But for the righteous (ashavan), it will seem to be a river of warm milk, while the wicked will be burned. The river will then flow down to Hell, where it will annihilate Angra Mainyu & the last vestiges of wickedness in the universe. The narrative continues with a projection of Ahura Mazda & the 6 Amesha Spentas solemnizing a final act of worship (Yasna), & the preparation of parahaoma from “white haoma.” The righteous will partake of the parahaoma, which will confer immortality upon them.

Therefore, humankind will become like the Amesha Spentas, living without food, without hunger or thirst, without weapons or possibility of bodily injury. The material substance of the bodies will be sol ight as to cast no shadow. All humanity will speak a single purpose & goal, joining with the divine for a perpetual exaltation of God’s glory.

Although Frashokereti is a restoration of the time of creation, there’s no return to the uniqueness of the primordial plant, animal, & human. While in the beginning there was 1 plant, 1 animal, & 1 human, the variety that had since been issued would remain forever.

Similarly, the host of divinities brought into existence by Ahura Mazda continue to have distinct existences, “& there is no prophecy of their reabsorption into the Godhead.”

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Apocalypticism

This is the religious belief that the end of the world is imminent, even within one’s own lifetime. This belief is usually accompanied by the idea that civilization will soon come to a tumultuous end due to some sort of catastrophic global event.

Apocalypticism is 1 aspect of eschatology in certain religions, the part of theology concerned with the final events of human history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity (societal collapse, human extinction, & so on). Religious views & movements often focus on cryptic revelations about a sudden, dramatic, & cataclysmic intervention of a god in human history; the judgment of humankind; the salvation of the faithful elect; & the eventual rule of the elect with the god in a heaven &/or upon a renewed Earth.

Arising originally in Zoroastrianism, apocalypticism was developed more fully in the eschatological speculations of Judaism, Christianity, & Islam (Abrahamic religions). Religious apocalypticism often involves themes such as God’s judgment, salvation of the faithful, & the eventual establishment of a renewed world.

Apocalypticism is often combined with the belief that esoteric knowledge will likely be revealed in a major confrontation between good & evil forces, destined to change the course of history. Apocalypse can be seen as good, bad, ambiguous, or neutral. This is highly dependent on the particular religion/belief system promoting them. It’s not exclusively a religious idea.

It’s not exclusively a religious idea. There are end times/transitional scenarios based on modern science, technology, political discourse, & conspiracy theories.

Various Christian eschatological systems have developed among different Christian denominations throughout the history of Christianity. Providing different frameworks for understanding the timing & nature of apocalypse vision. While others like postmillennialism & amillennialism.

While teaching that the end of the world could come at any moment tends to focus on the present life & contend that 1 shouldn’t attempt to predict when the end will come. Though there have been exceptions, such as postmillennialist Jonathan Edwards, who estimated that the end times would occur around the year 2000.

In Western Europe, during the year 1,000, Christian philosophers held many debates on when Jesus was actually born & the debates continue to today. This caused confusion among the common people about whether or not the apocalypse would occur at a certain time. Because both literate & illiterate people commonly accepted this idea of the apocalypse, they could only accept what they heard from religious leaders on when the disastrous event would occur.

Religious leader Abbo of Fleury believed that Jesus was born 21 years after the year 1, which was commonly accepted by close circles of his followers. Abbot Heriger of Lobbes argued that the birth of Jesus occurred not during the year 1 but rather during the 42nd year of the common era.

Many scholars came to accept that the apocalypse would occur sometime between 979 & 1042. Under the influence of the Sibylline Oracles & figures such as Otto III & Abbot Adso of Montier-en-Der, many believed that the apocalypse would soon occur.

Some historians think there were ample apocalyptic expectations at the approach of the year 1000 & again at the approach of 1000 anno passionis (1033). Other historians claim that the fear of the year 1000 is a myth & there was no widespread apocalypse sentiment.

As evidence, on December 31, 999, Pope Sylvester II granted certain privileges & guarantees to the Abbey of Fulda, without any indication that either the Pope or the abbot believed that the world was soon to end. There’s also a document from October 3, 999, in which Otto III grants future concessions to Farfa Abbey.

Another document in 999 shows 2 brothers taking a 29-year loan on lands of the abbey of San Marciano in Tortona, suggesting that even common people didn’t believe the world was ending. On the other hand, the fact that Otto III visited the tomb of Charlemagne, the emperor of the year 6,000 (Annus Mundi) on Pentecost of the year 1,000, suggests that even the man who appointed Sylvester pope had his own views on the matter.

The Crusades were filled with apocalyptic expectation & prophecy, beginning with the preaching of figures like Peter the Hermit to inspire knights, nobles, & commorers to March to the Holy Land, & take Jerusalem. Count Emicho, a leading figure of the People’s Crusade, claimed that Christ appeared & ordered him to fulfill apocalyptic prophecy by marching on Constantinople, seizing Jerusalem, triggering the Second Coming, & beginning the end times struggle against the Antichrist.

Leaders of the following Prince’s Crusade, such as Raymond of Aguilers (he was a participant & chronicler of the 1st Crusade & became the chaplain of Count Raymond IV of Toulouse, the leader of the Provençal army of crusaders), understood their conquest of Jerusalem as being a victory of Christendom over the Saracen “pagans” & as a sign of the oncoming Apocalypse & Second Coming.

Christian chronicles (like Matthew of Edessa) illustrated the Crusades in an apocalyptic framework, connecting the Frankish rule with the 4th kingdom in Daniel’s prophecy. Many other European writers emphasized the bloodlines during the massacre of Jerusalem as fulfilling the violent prophecies of Revelation.

Joachim of Fiore & other millenarian thinkers perceived the Crusades as temporary, foreseeing the voluntary conversion of the Islamic world over time.

The Fifth Monarchists/Fifth Monarchy Men were an extreme Puritan sect active for 11 years (1649-1660) during the Interregnum, following the English Civil Wars of the 17th century. They took their name from a prophecy in the Book of Daniel (which we, personally, can’t wait to get into!! Well, our founder, anyway. They adore apocalyptic prophecies! They’ll probably end up writing the whole Book of Daniel. With a TON of commentary.), that 4 ancient monarchies (Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian, & Roman) would precede the kingdom of Christ.

The Great Disappointment in the Millerite Movement was the reaction that followed Baptist preacher William Miller’s predictions that Jesus Christ would return to the Earth by 1844, which he called the Second Advent. His study of the Daniel 8 prophecy during the Second Great Awakening led him to the conclusion that Daniel’s “cleansing of the sanctuary” was cleansing of the world from sin when Christ would come, & he & many others prepared. But October 22, 1844, came & they were disappointed.

These events paved the way for the Adventists who created the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They contended that what had happened on October 22 wasn’t Jesus’ return, as Miller had thought, but the start of Jesus’ final work of atonement, the cleansing in the heavenly sanctuary, leading up to the Second Coming of Christ.

The Mormon tradition teaches that followers are living shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. The term “latter days” is used in the official names of several Mormon churches, including the Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints. LDS president Wilford Woodruff (1889-1898) preached multiple times that many then-living followers “wouldn’t taste death” before witnessing the return of Christ.

According to LDS Church teachings, the true Gospel will be taught in all parts of the world before the Second Coming. Church members believe that there’ll be increasingly severe wars, earthquakes, hurricanes, & other man-made & natural disasters before the Second Coming.

The eschatology of Jehovah’s Witnesses is central to their faith & religious beliefs. They believe that Jesus Christ has been ruling in Heaven as king since 1914. This was a date they believed was prophesied in Scripture. After that time, a period of cleansing occurred, resulting in Charles Taze Russell being his people in 1919.

They also believe the destruction of those who reject their message & thus willfully refuse to obey God will shortly take place at Armageddon, ensuring that the beginning of the new earthly society will be composed of willing subjects of that kingdom.

The Watch Tower Society has stated that its early leaders promoted “incomplete, even inaccurate concepts.” The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses says that, unlike Old Testament prophets, its interpretations of the Bible aren’t inspired or infallible.

Witness publications say that Bible prophecies can be fully understood only after their fulfillment, citing examples of biblical figures who didn’t understand the meaning of prophecies they received. Watch Tower publications often cite Proverbs 4:18, “The path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter & lighter until the day is firmly established,” to support their view that there would be an increase in knowledge during “the time of the end,” as mentioned in Daniel 12:4.

Jehovah’s Witnesses state that this increase in knowledge needs adjustments. Watch Tower publications also say that unfulfilled expectations are partly due to eagerness for God’s Kingdom & they don’t call their core beliefs into question.

For Christadelphians, Armageddon marks the “great climax of history when the nations would be gathered together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon,” & “the judgment of them would herald the setting up of the kingdom of God.”

After this, Christadelphians believe that Jesus will return to the earth in person to set up the kingdom of God in fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham & David. This includes the belief that the coming kingdom will be the restoration of God’s First Kingdom of Israel, which was David & Solomon. For Christadelphians, this is the focal point of the Gospel taught by Jesus & the apostles.

Realized eschatology is a Christian eschatology theory popularized by J.A.T Robinson, Joachim Jeremias, Ethelbert Stauffer, & C.H. Dodd that holds the eschatological passages in the New Testament do not refer to the future. But instead refers to the ministry of Jesus & his lasting legacy.

Eschatology is therefore not the end of the world, but its rebirth instituted by Jesus & continued by his disciples, a historical (rather than transhistorical) phenomenon. Those holding this view generally dismiss end-times theories, believing them to be irrelevant. They hold that what Jesus said & did, & told his disciples to do likewise, are of greater significance than any Messianic expectations.

David Meade is the pen name of an American end-times conspiracy theories & book author who has yet to disclose his real name. He’s best known for making numerous predictions, which have passed, regarding the end times, including that a hidden planet named Nibiru (a.k.a. Planet X) would destroy the Earth.

Meade predicted that planet Nibiru would collide with Earth on September 23, 2017, destroying it. After his prediction failed, he revised the apocalypse to October, where he stated that the 7-year tribulation would possibly start, followed by a millennium of peace.

In 2008, Meade again made several predictions for that year. For example, North Korea would become a superpower in March 2018, & that Nibiru would destroy the Earth in spring. But didn’t predict the exact date this time. After March 2018 passed, he moved the apocalypse to April 23, 2018, in which he also predicted the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, & Virgo would signal the Rapture, & that Nibiru would destroy the Earth that day.

However, before that date, he said that reports that he predicted at the end of April 23 were “fake news.” But that the Rapture – but not the end of the world – would take place on an unspecified date between May & December 2018.

UFO religions (think Heaven’s Gate, but without the unaliving) sometimes feature an anticipated end-time scenario in which extraterrestrial beings will bring about a radical change on Earth &/or “lift” the religious believers to a higher plane of existence.

Some followers of UFO religions believe that the arrival or rediscovery of alien civilizations, technologies, & spirituality will enable human beings to overcome current ecological, spiritual, political, & social problems on planet Earth.

Issues such as hatred, war, bigotry, poverty, & so on are said to be resolvable through the use of superior alien technology & spiritual abilities. Such belief systems are also described as millennial in their outlook.

The Zoroastrian eschatological ideas are only alluded to in the surviving texts of the Avesta, in particular in the 9th-century text Bundahishn. The accompanying story, as it shows up in the Bundahishn, says: At the end of the “3rd time” (the 1st being the age of creation, the 2nd of mixture, & the 3rd of separation), there will be a great battle between the forces of good (yazata) & those of evil (daeva), in which the good will triumph.

On Earth, the Saoshyant will bring about a resurrection of the dead in the bodies they had before they died. This is followed by a Last Judgment through an ordeal. The yazata Airyaman & Atar will melt in the hills & mountains, & the molten metal will then flow across the earth like a river.

But for the righteous (ashavan), it will seem to be a river of warm milk, while the wicked will be burned. The river will then flow down to Hell, where it will annihilate Angra Mainyu & the last vestiges of wickedness in the universe. The narrative continues with a projection of Ahura Mazda & the 6 Amesha Spentas solemnizing a final act of worship (Yasna), & the preparation of parahaoma from “white haoma.” The righteous will partake of the parahaoma, which will confer immortality upon them.

Therefore, humankind will become like the Amesha Spentas, living without food, without hunger or thirst, without weapons or possibility of bodily injury. The material substance of the bodies will be sol ight as to cast no shadow. All humanity will speak a single purpose & goal, joining with the divine for a perpetual exaltation of God’s glory.

Although Frashokereti is a restoration of the time of creation, there’s no return to the uniqueness of the primordial plant, animal, & human. While in the beginning there was 1 plant, 1 animal, & 1 human, the variety that had since been issued would remain forever.

Similarly, the host of divinities brought into existence by Ahura Mazda continue to have distinct existences, “& there is no prophecy of their reabsorption into the Godhead.”

Make a one-time donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a monthly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a yearly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

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I Love Israel: Israel And Philippines Deepen Technology Ties

Israel and the Philippines have agreed to deepen ties with each other on the field of technology which will open new paths of investment and partnerships between Filipino and Israeli companies, according to a news report by The Daily Tribune.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Daily Tribune. Some parts in boldface.

The Philippines and Israel are expanding cooperation in technology, with Israeli firms seeking partnerships with Philippine companies in areas ranging from network management and cybersecurity to connectivity and aerospace software.

The push was highlighted during the Israel Mobile Delegation to the Philippines’ business-to-business forum held Tuesday in Bonifacio Global City, where Israeli industry leaders met with local stakeholders to explore partnerships and advance digital connectivity and network resilience.

The forum, themed “Harnessing Innovation for Network Resilience,” featured five Israeli companies: Amdocs, Cato Networks, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., Spacecom and Symmetrium.

The initiative aims to connect Filipino and Israeli firms based on market demand while providing a framework to strengthen business cooperation between the two countries.

“We see a great interest from the Philippine system in Israel, which emerges in many fields,” said Ofek Venecianer, economic counselor at the Israeli Embassy.

“It’s not just coming from Israel. It’s going from agriculture, cybersecurity to mobile. This event is specifically for mobile. [I] can say that the Philippine companies understand the unique value of the Israeli companies. It’s very advanced,” she added.

Venecianer said Israeli companies view the Philippines as a promising market for expansion.

“Since Israel is a small country, all the Israeli companies know that they need to scale up,” she said.

“When you look for countries where they can scale up, the Philippines is definitely a good fit for the Israeli market. Israeli companies are very much looking forward to it.”

Resiliency – A key focus of the forum was network resilience, an area where Israel sees opportunities to contribute to the Philippine telecommunications sector.

“In the end of the day, resiliency is like a state of mind,” Venecianer said. “It can be a different strategy, tackle different challenges.”

She said Israel’s experience in emergency response and critical infrastructure management could help strengthen the resilience of the Philippines’ mobile ecosystem, adding that cybersecurity remains one of Israel’s leading sectors.

Matching the need – Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh said future cooperation will be guided by the specific needs of the Philippines.

“When it comes to the sectors, at the end of the day, it’s just matching the need,” she said.

“And the need when it comes to resiliency, especially at this time of the year, it’s crucial.”

Kursh said opportunities for collaboration exist across agriculture, health, education, cybersecurity and other sectors, with innovation and technology serving as key enablers.

“President Marcos himself is very loud and clear in his prioritizing generally—he says two words. It’s innovation and technology. We have to weave innovation and technology to each one of those sectors in order to flourish,” she said.

To all my readers, I encourage you to pray to the Lord for technology-related breakthroughs between Israel and the Philippines so that both nations will prosper, innovate and create new jobs for those who badly need them. The Philippines itself is having a disappointing time this year with weakening economic growth, rapid inflation, and the recent embarrassment that happened at the United Nations (UN). Even though the current officials of the government cannot realize the truth, the Philippines really needs Israel as a long-term partner.

At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Love Israel: Israel Unveils New Learning Center In The Philippines

Israel’s newest contribution to education in the Philippines has been realized as it unveiled its newest learning center in the City of Manila with the presence of Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface.

THE Embassy of Israel in the Philippines on Wednesday unveiled its first learning resource center in Manila addressing digital literacy in public schools.

In a briefing after the inauguration of the Learning Resource Center in Jacinto Zamora Elementary School in Pandacan, Manila, Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh said Tel Aviv is looking forward to lending its technological advantages on education and cybersecurity in the Philippines.

“We have the best cutting-edge technologies when it comes to education and to cybersecurity. So I think that this is a partnership that we are doing together and we are touching the younger generation,” Ms. Kursh told reporters.

Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara told reporters that the government and Israel have yet to discuss further education cooperation but expressed openness to more partnerships.

“In the field of technology, innovation, digital technology, we have a lot to learn from Israel,” Mr. Angara said, also noting that the country now has agricultural scholars in Israel. “We might discuss the [proposed partnerships] with Israel because most of them are usually between the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education.”

The embassy on June 3 unveiled the Israel-funded digital literacy center, which provided computer desktops, educational materials, and coding software, in celebration of Israel’s 78th Independence Day.

To all my readers, I encourage you to pray to the Lord for further collaboration between Israel and the Philippines so that the quality of education and cybersecurity in the country will improve. Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines is having difficulty competing with its neighbors on economics, tourism, education, cybersecurity and other important matters. Filipinos today might not realize it yet but it is clear that having Israel as a partner is essential.

At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Love Israel: Israel And The Philippines To Explore Partnership On AI And Critical Minerals As Free Trade Talks Begin

As free trade talks between the Philippines and Israel have started, the two nations intend to collaborate with each other on artificial intelligence (AI) and critical mineral processing, according to a news report by GMA News.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of GMA News. Some parts in boldface.

The Philippines and Israel are working to strengthen collaboration in critical mineral processing and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the two countries’ broader efforts to deepen economic and technological cooperation.

In a public briefing, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh said Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque and Israel Minister of Economy Nir Barkat began talks of a free trade agreement.

“They declared together that starting negotiating on having a free trade agreement. So this ecosystem with the overall strategic plan of having a free trade agreement and specific MOUs (memorandum of understanding) when it comes to minerals and other AI solutions and alongside cybersecurity,” Kursh said.

She did not further elaborate on the details, as negotiations are still ongoing, but assured that updates would be provided in June.

Kursh also said minerals like nickel and bronze could be beneficial in the construction of the 4,000-acre industrial hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) that the Philippines and the United States plan to build.

“These are critical minerals that can be used [in the Pax Silica initiative],” the ambassador said.

“AI and other solutions are not just buzzwords. They are real opportunities that we have to seize and we have to seize them together,” she added.

The LEC is expected to be the first of its kind, serving as a new model for AI-native investment hubs under the Pax Silica initiative, a US-led effort to build a network of allied supply chains for critical technologies and minerals.

The fact sheet cited the Philippines’ significant reserves of nickel, copper, chromite, and cobalt, vital to global supply chains.

To all my readers, I encourage you to pray to the Lord for further collaboration between Israel and the Philippines so that people of both nations can benefit greatly with one another economically. AI solutions and critical mineral processing have great potential that the two nations can benefit from.

At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Love Israel: Further Israel-Philippines Cybersecurity Partnerships And Agreements Confirmed

Cybersecurity in the Philippines will be enhanced as further cybersecurity partnerships and agreements between Israel and the Philippines are underway, according to a news report by GMA News.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of GMA News. Some parts in boldface.

Israel is seeking to expand its cybersecurity presence in the Philippines, saying the latter is one of the most “attacked” countries in Southeast Asia.

“One of the sectors that we identified there as very relevant and important for relationships was definitely the cybersecurity sector. I think that the cybersecurity sector, when we talk about the Israel-Philippine relationship, enjoys both the demand from the Philippine side, because we are well known for very advanced, proven cybersecurity solutions,” Israeli Economic Counsellor Ofek Venecianer said at an event in Bonifacio Global City on Thursday.

She said further cybersecurity partnerships and agreements are now underway between Israel and the Philippines with the shared goal of improving the Philippines’ cybersecurity.

“I think this is a great momentum that we’re trying, of course, to leverage and bring to the table more players from the Philippines side and from the Israeli side as well,” she added.

Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh said there was a need to improve the country’s knowledge, technologies, and capabilities due to technology’s high involvement in the war.

“Cybersecurity is a huge and grave threat because it can impact us easily… It is something that is relevant to this war and we can learn from it and we can exchange best practices to utilize. We can be either defensive or offensive,” she said.

“Cybersecurity is the next war. It’s the war today… I don’t want cyber security or any other innovative tool to be against someone. I want it to be for something. So, we have to find ways to think together and to prepare for not the next future, but the future is now to see how we protect our citizens, both from ballistic missiles and from hackers that want to make harm for us and for the next generation of us,” she added.

In February, the Philippine government said that it had already been making significant moves to further strengthen the country’s cyber landscape through partnerships with other countries like Japan and Canada.

In December, a group of cybersecurity professionals also made a call to the government to bolster the country’s cybersecurity framework.

They noted there were “long overdue” reforms needed to address vulnerabilities caused by “years of underinvestment, lack of coordination, and misplaced priorities.”

In a message to GMA News Online, the Department of Information and Technology (DICT) said that they continue working on strengthening the Philippines’ cybersecurity, which includes cooperation with countries like Israel.

“DICT and CICC continue to partner with the Israeli Government through their embassy to find better and more advanced tools and methods to combat cyber threats. Most specially after the Middle East crisis. No less than the President directed [the] DICT to ensure that the country has a strong cyber defense posture,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda.

To all my readers, I encourage you to pray to the Lord for even closer ties between Israel and the Philippines so that people of both nations can benefit greatly with one another. Israel is a world-leader in technology and cybersecurity, and the Philippines can achieve a lot of greatness with the Israelis as the strategic partner. Without enhanced cybersecurity, the Philippines will be vulnerable to hackers, thieves, scammers and terrorists from around the world.

At the same time, I encourage you all to realize the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

MESSAGE OF VENGEANCE UNEARTHED ON ANCIENT WEAPON

A 2000-year-old sling bullet found in the Holy Land has a Greek message "Learn your lesson", showing ancient psychological warfare.

#AncientHistory, #Archaeology, #HolyLand, #Warfare, #Artifacts

https://newsletter.tf/ancient-sling-bullet-holy-land-learn-lesson/

A 2000-year-old sling bullet found in the Holy Land has a message in Greek. This is like ancient internet 'snark' for enemies.

#AncientHistory, #Archaeology, #HolyLand, #Warfare, #Artifacts
https://newsletter.tf/ancient-sling-bullet-holy-land-learn-lesson/

A message for Mike Huckabee and his militarist colleagues, from Muhammad Sharif Odeh, chief representative of the #Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the #HolyLand. In #Hebrew with English subtitles. #Palestine #Gaza #MiddleEast #Politics #USPol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-7gGZYfNY4

The Holy Land inspired three bestselling books that have more devoted fans than Harry Potter.
Visit the only place that's a more popular backdrop for blockbuster books than Hogwarts.
#art #bethlehem #desert #egypt #film #frogs #holyland #israel #jaffa #jerusalem #jordan #map #masada #mediterranean #middleeast #palestine #security #sights #telaviv #tour
https://www.crosbyreport.com/travel/the-holy-land-inspired-three-bestselling-books-that-have-more-devoted-fans-than-harry-potter/?fsp_sid=176

A quotation from Robert Ingersoll

   “And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thy hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. But the women and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself, and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies which the Lord thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of these people which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth”
   Is it possible for man to conceive of anything more perfectly infamous? Can you believe that such directions were given by any being except an infinite fiend? Remember that the army receiving these instructions was one of invasion. Peace was offered upon condition that the people submitting should be the slaves of the invader; but if any should have the courage to defend their homes, to fight for the love of wife and child, then the sword was to spare none — not even the prattling, dimpled babe.

Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) American lawyer, agnostic, orator
Lecture (1872-01-29), “The Gods,” Fairbury Hall, Fairbury, Illinois

More info about this quote: wist.info/ingersoll-robert-gre…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #robertingersoll #robertgreeningersoll #slaughter #atrocity #Bible #destruction #God #infamy #invasion #OldTestament #war #warcrimes #holyland

Researchers Used A 1,500-Year-Old Map To Find A Lost City - Excavators Determined Tharais Was A Religious Hub Of The Byzantine Empire
--
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a64978262/tharais-byzantine-lost-city/ <-- shared technical article
--
https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4243913 <-- shared paper
--
“ • Researchers recently found one of the many lost Holy Land cities in Jordan.
• The team used maps and field surveys to identify the site.
• Experts believe the lost city Tharais wasn’t just an agricultural village—it may have also been a spiritual hub…”
#map #mapping #ancientmap #ancienthistory #Tharais #HolyLand #Jordan #surveys #MadabaMosaicMap #geography #AncientRome #RomanEmpire #city #archaeology #Byzantine #urban #settlement #Karak #excavation #MiddleEast #desert

On #GoodFriday my Lenten devotional #TheDisciplesWay from #ForwardMovement encourages attending worship services rather than providing a verse of Scripture to reflect on. This seems like an excellent opportunity to remind (or inform) everyone that funds collected today as part of the #Episcopal Church’s #GoodFridayOffering benefit the #Anglican Province of #Jerusalem & the #MiddleEast You can learn more about this historic partnership, now in it’s 103rd year! or make a donation online at: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/good-friday-offering/

“No matter how we understand the causes of violence in the #HolyLand we can surely agree that we must support our fellow Anglicans in alleviating the devastating #humanitariancrisis now unfolding in #Gaza ,” [Presiding Bishop Sean] Rowe said [in a recent statement regarding last week’s missile attack on the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem]

I was at the Southern Steps in Jerusalem

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 10th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel). To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this twisted world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!

In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when our pilgrimage tour group visited the Southern Steps (also referred to as the Southern Stairs and Rabbi Stairs) located at the lower part of the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Thanks to our dedicated local tourist guide, our tour group had a meaningful visit there and we spent several minutes observing the place. Our time at the steps concluded with a bible teaching led by New Life Philippines Pastor Edwin Tugano. In my personal experience, I felt something from the Lord there as I realized the biblical relevance of the holy site as well as insight regarding what the place was like thousands of years ago.

The site is very significant as it is the place that served as one of the main entrances from the south to the Temple Mount during the time of Lord Jesus. In fact, people coming from the City of David going north to the Temple Mount used the Southern Steps very long ago. Also, the Southern Steps became a useful place where rabbis and their disciples gathered for faith lessons and this explains why the said steps are also called the Rabbi Stairs. Physically, the steps were hundreds of feet wide which provided abundant space for congregating and teaching.

As many centuries had passed since Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven, there were physical changes that happened at the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount and this is evident as visitors today cannot access the mentioned sacred site above (where the Jewish temples used to be) using the Southern Steps. This is because there is noticeable expansion of the Southern Wall blocking the steps’ upward access to the Temple Mount. I myself had touched that wall and noticed how its stone quality and colors differed from the rest of the Southern Wall.

Regardless, the step themselves – composed of the original stones from Jesus’ time (those steps with the rougher stones) plus newer ones (added to fill the gaps) leading to the Southern Wall – are still there and climbing them required methodical walking. The Southern Steps today are widely visited by faithful Christians from around the world as it is a holy site and it is very likely that Lord Jesus Himself climbed the steps going to the Temple Mount. There is no doubt that Lord Jesus and His disciples also gathered at the steps for teachings. The holy site should remind you about the significance of Lord Jesus’ presence in Jerusalem.  

In my experience there at the Southern Steps with my tour companions, I felt the holiness of the place and that became more evident as I opened the Holy Bible during the bible teaching led by our pastor right there. During our time there, I noticed another pilgrimage tour group was present with us several feet away.  

Did Pentecost happen at the Southern Steps?

By reading the biblical reference of Pentecost and connecting it with my observations of the holy site, I can say that the Southern Steps is a possible place where Pentecost may have happened. I can even say that it is a more suitable place –  where about three thousand Jews got baptized after the apostle Peter preached the good news – than the Upper Room (itself a popular location in many paintings and artworks dramatizing Pentecost).

Take a close look at the biblical record of Pentecost below…

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”

Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.

And on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

And they shall prophesy.

I will show wonders in heaven above

And signs in the earth beneath:

Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.’

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him:

‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,

For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.

Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;

Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Hades,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You have made known to me the ways of life;

You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Acts 2:1-41 (NKJV)

Take note that verse 2 of Chapter 2 in the Book of Acts specifically mentioned “house” which is not limited to houses. In fact, in the Old Testament of the Bible, the Jewish temple is referred to as the house – as in the house of the Lord. The place of worship of the Lord!

Still within biblical context, “house” – as seen in verse 36 with “house of Israel” – also symbolizes family and lineage in the Holy Bible. “House of Israel” refers to the entire nation descended from Abraham through Jacob and Isaac and that includes the Jewish people (descendants) who were present in Jerusalem during Pentecost. For relevance of the house of Israel, read 2 Kings 7:1-16 in the Holy Bible – God’s words for King David passed through the prophet Nathan.

As it was an essential form of access into the Temple Mount, the Southern Steps also served as a natural place of gathering, spacious enough to accommodate thousands of Jews. As mentioned earlier, these wide and spacious holy stairs are a more suitable place than the Upper Room for Pentecost to happen.

Also take note that verse 41 of Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts mentions that there were around three thousand Jews who got baptized and helped the church of Lord Jesus grow a lot on the day of Pentecost itself (for relevance, read John 3:3 in the Holy Bible). This also means that there were between fifteen thousand to thirty thousand people in Jerusalem who witnessed Pentecost happen. Having been at the Southern Steps myself, I can easily visualize the whole place – from the steps themselves and the space between them and the City of David in the south, plus the whole stretch of the Southern Wall – being filled with lots of people on that very day. Having attended the bible teaching led by our pastor who stood at the steps facing us south, I can visualize the apostle Peter preaching to thousands of Jewish people there long ago.

There is absolutely no way that the 3,000 people who received Christ and got baptized would fit inside the Upper Room at the time of Pentecost. When the apostle Peter preached, he was not surrounded by only a tiny group of people but by a huge crowd who listened. The other apostles were with Peter back then. This should remind you that the artists responsible for the paintings and artworks portraying Pentecost happening inside the Upper Room or within an indoor place with walls and a roof did not fully understand the biblical record of Pentecost. In other words, those artists got it wrong and the Bible proves they are wrong. This should remind you to maintain faith in God’s Word, not in man-made artworks.

Once again, the Southern Steps is a possible site of Pentecost. It may not be definitive but it definitely is more suitable than the Upper Room for congregating and preaching in front of thousands. The other possible places where Pentecost may have happened include the Royal Stoa (which was intact at the Southern Wall covering its length and was located high above the Southern Steps) and at the Jewish Temple itself.

While the exact location of Pentecost remains unresolved, I encourage you all to always keep faith in the Lord and His Word knowing that Pentecost truly happened as it was an anointed by the Lord to happen. Location is one thing, but the Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit are always essential to our faith in Lord Jesus.

Conclusion

I can say that me and my pilgrimage tour group companions were blessed by the Lord during our time at the Southern Steps. Simply thinking about Lord Jesus teaching His followers at the steps is uplifting  There clearly is a lot to learn and discover by being at the holy site and having the Bible for reference. I thank Lord Jesus for blessing us, for our pastors and our local tour guide, and for the anointed experience at the Southern Steps. I definitely will revisit those steps when I return to Israel.

Israel is a great and holy place to visit! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come!

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