Paradise Cafe Discussions - A Place For Bible Research And Christian Encouragement

As some of you may have noted; I'm working my way through the Hebrew Prophets right now. And in Ezekiel 16 I noticed what seems to be a reference to the New Covenant. And there, in His condemnation of Jerusalem, He mentions that she has (at least) two sisters, Samaria and Sodom.

Then Jehovah proceded to say (verses 60-62): "‘But, I will remember My Sacred Agreement (the one that I made in the days of your youth), and remake My Agreement with you through the age. Then you’ll remember the way [you should go], but for following your sisters you’ll be despised… both those who are younger and older. And I’ll give them to you so you can teach them… but not of your Sacred Agreement. My Sacred Agreement will just be with you, and then you will know that I am Jehovah."

This prophecy doesn't seem to have been fulfilled yet. So in fulfillment, who are represented by Jerusalem, Samaria, and Sodom? And in what way will the two not come under the New Covenant?

Any thoughts?:confused:

JWHVACR,

Perhaps this scripture might help.

Paul is talking about Christianity here.


Romans 9:24-29
24 namely, us, whom he called not only from among Jews but also from among nations, [what of it]? 25 It is as he says also in Ho·se´a: “Those not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved ‘beloved’; 26 and in the place where it was said to them, ‘YOU are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”27 Moreover, Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Although the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved. 28 For Jehovah will make an accounting on the earth, concluding it and cutting it short.” 29 Also, just as Isaiah had said aforetime: “Unless Jehovah of armies had left a seed to us, we should have become just like Sod´om, and we should have been made just like Go·mor´rah.”

I think that it is Christianity that might be likened to Sodom immediately before Jehovah makes his; "accounting on the earth".

When the end actually arrives I believe the only reason that Jehovah does not completely destroy everything will be because there really will be a very small remnant who see through Satan's unrighteous deception which will be perpetrated by the weeds that he has sown.

I believe the generation of Christians living immediately before the end arrives will be so corrupted that they cast out the few remaining righteous brothers from the kingdom; "the place where it was said to them, ‘YOU are not my people,"

This small remnant or "seed" will be despised; "for following your sisters you’ll be despised", and ... excluded from the kingdom.

The remnant will be hated:

Isaiah 66:5
5Hear the word of Jehovah, YOU men who are trembling at his word: “YOUR brothers that are hating YOU, that are excluding YOU by reason of my name

It is Jesus Christs kingdom which is being likened to Sodom.

When Jesus Christ does return his prophecied actions are very much the same on his very own kingdom as the judgement which occured in ancient Sodom.

Matthew 13
41 The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, 42 and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where [their] weeping and the gnashing of [their] teeth will be. 43 At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Most Christians do seem to be very complacent about their religion as the end approaches. Almost as if they are in complete denial of these prophetic scriptures.

All the more reason for Jesus Christ to say; "Let him that has ears listen."

Rather than listen, most Christians will probably do the exact opposite just as prophecied by Jesus Christ himself:

Matthew 24:39
and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.

I believe this has a great deal to do with the new covenant and how it will be undermined in a disgusting way.

It will torment Christians to find out that their temple has been corrupted, they would rather be in complete denial, not believing that such a thing could happen:

Revelation 11:7
And when they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. 8 And their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sod´om and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled. 9 And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they do not let their corpses be laid in a tomb. 10 And those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and enjoy themselves, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those (Christians) dwelling on the earth.

The Jewish religious leaders and their followers were very much tormented by the thought that they might be corrupted in the first century. (the older)

Setting a pattern for Christianity in the last days before Jesus Christs next arrival. (the younger)


In Christ

abe

Then who are Jerusalem and Samaria?

It's my thought that there are three major religious groups that all claim Jehovah (though not by name) as their God: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Judaism is the one that was responsible for the impaling of the Lord, but that's as far as I'll go on that.

JWHVACR,


Jerusalem and Samaria are both spiritual prostitutes, harlots.

Ezekiel 23:3-4
And their names were O·ho´lah the older one and O·hol´i·bah her sister, and they came to be mine and began to give birth to sons and daughters. And as for their names, O·ho´lah is Sa·mar´i·a, and O·hol´i·bah is Jerusalem.


Revelation 17:1-2
17 And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: “Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

The younger one is Christianity.

Christianity will prove to be the greater harlot.

Ezekiel 23:11
“When her sister O·hol´i·bah got to see [it], then she exercised her sensual desire more ruinously than she, and her prostitution more than the fornication of her sister

The anointed "kings of the earth" (the evil slave) will commit fornication with the younger harlot. Chosen ones will be misled. They will eventually weep and gnash their teeth when they finally realise it.

Revelation 19:1-2
After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. They said: “Praise Jah, YOU people! The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, 2 because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has executed judgment upon the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged the blood of his slaves at her hand.


Revelation 18:23-24
Yes, in her (Jerusalem?) was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”


The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, 42 and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where [their] weeping and the gnashing of [their] teeth will be.

Christianity will prostitute itself.


In Christ

abe

Well, if Christendom is the younger sister, the older sister must be Judaism. And that leaves Sodom unidentified, since she is listed as the THIRD sister.

JWHVACR,

My thoughts?

Sodom is the very youngest sister.

Ezekiel 16:46
“‘And your older sister is Sa·mar´i·a herself with her dependent towns, who is dwelling on your left, and your sister younger than you, who is dwelling on your right, is Sod´om with her dependent towns.

The very youngest iteration of Christianity which holds any significance is:


The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.


It is the only significant Christian religion that do this:

Isaiah 66:5
Hear the word of Jehovah, YOU men who are trembling at his word: “YOUR brothers that are hating YOU, that are excluding YOU by reason of my name

They use God's actual name to exclude (disfellowship) brothers from their midst.


for following your sisters you’ll be despised

YOUR brothers that are hating YOU,



In Christ

abe

Maybe, but a lot of folks here would think you're paying them a complement by saying that God pays any attention to them.

JWHVACR,

Truth by consensus?

Maybe we could all just vote for what we want the truth to be.

I prefer to examine the scriptures carefully and then measure them against what is really happening in the world.

Thanks for bringing my attention to Ezekiel Ch16.

I am going to read it more carefully in several translations.



In Christ

abe

JWHVACR,

I found the book of Micah to echo some of the same sentiments in regard to Samaria and Jerusalem as the one in Ezekiel 16.


Micah 1:5
“It is because of the revolt of Jacob that there is all this, even because of the sins of the house of Israel. What is the revolt of Jacob? Is it not Sa·mar´i·a? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?

Jacob = Samaria.
Judah = Jerusalem.


Judah is already one of the 12 sons of Jacob.

Does that mean Samaria = the 11 remaining sons of Jacob?


I think these scriptures in Micah are very relevant for the end times so properly identifying these things is a very worthwhile task.


If you continue to Micah Chapter 4.

Micah 4
And I proceeded to say: “Hear, please, YOU heads of Jacob and YOU commanders of the house of Israel. Is it not YOUR business to know justice?

and read the scriptures which immediately follow in Micah Chapter 4 the similarities with the description of the 4th wild beast in Daniel Chapter 7 are amazing!

This same 4th wild beast has ten horns and so this could extrapolate to the end time wild beast in Revelation.

So could these horns actually be sons of Jacob?

Leaders of the tribes of Israel?

Kings who do not yet have the kingdom to rule?


Revelation 1:6
and he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father

to be a kingdom!

So what is; "the revolt of Jacob"?

Revelation 17:12
“And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast.


So could the Book of Micah be something that helps us understand more about what happens to the sons of Jacob in the end times?


Genesis 49:1
Later on Jacob called his sons and said: “Gather yourselves together that I may tell YOU what will happen to YOU in the final part of the days.


I think these connections are too important to overlook.



In Christ

abe