angels – James G. Owen, Author

The Resurrection of Jesus: Is the Resurrection Real, or is it a Fable?

What does the word resurrection mean? It is the raising of the man, woman, or child from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is a person in the in the godhead (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) of the Father. God is a trichotomous God, yet he is One.

Is the resurrection real? In 1 Kings 17:17-24, I am reminded as I write this article of Elijah and the widow’s son. The widow’s son fell ill and died. The lady complained to Elijah saying she had to pay for her sin by her son’s death. I can imagine that Elijah was grieved by the complaint and learning of the boy’s death. He took the widow’s son to the bedroom and laid him there, and for three times he petitioned God the Father to raise up the boy. After the third time God permitted him to come to life, and the boy did live. Imagine the look on Elijah’s and the widow’s face. With Elijah it must have been the look of determination and of faith. With faith we can move mountains and in enacting our faith we have authority. Elijah’s authority at this time was with the Father, even though God’s Spirit raised the boy from the dead. Also, seeing is believing and the widow believed by sight, and by the word of God that came from Elijah which was truth.

“And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

1 Kings 17:24

In Ezekiel, we can read about the story of the dry bones coming together as an army to fight for the Lord. Many think this is a story of the Holocaust, and it could be, but as I have been thinking on my writings this week it could be the raising of an army to go forth to bring the gospel to every man on earth by those who believe in Jesus, the Church.

Also, the basis in the New Testament that the resurrection is not a fable, but truth lies in Jesus raising the body of Lazarus who was dead for four days. It is at this point in the degradation of the human body that it begins to have a stench. Jesus waited until this forth day to prove that the man was dead, I believe, for the people to believe. Jesus by the word of his mouth, just as in Elijah’s case, commanded Lazarus to come forth. Looking upon the sepulcher where Lazarus was laid the people watched as Lazarus came forth clothed in his grave clothes. Here, we see the Old Testament giving its account and the New Testament giving witness of the other.

On the third day after Jesus was crucified, he arose just like he told the disciples. On that same morning there is another account in the New Testament, and that is the saints in the graves of Jerusalem were resurrected and walked the streets. Imagine the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Father. In the Father there is all power and can do the impossible. Surely there were people who did not believe that Jesus was resurrected, but there were many who did because of his actions in his ministry prior to his death. Jesus, arose, folded the grave clothes as he came out of the grave with the gravestone having been rolled away by two angels. Was the sepulcher guarded? Yes, by Roman guards, but they fell asleep, being put to sleep by the angels.

“And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,”

Luke 24: 2-6

Imagine the scene as Mary Magdalene and others came to the grave and saw his grave empty and wondering who took him. They didn’t believe at this time, but there were two men at Jesus’s grave site and reminded those present of Jesus’s words. Even telling the apostles they did not believe but came to believe after being reminded, and in the days forward of Jesus coming to him before his ascension. He was seen by many over the land of Palestine before the feast of Pentecost. It was important for Jesus to die for us, and to be resurrected. It is by his death and resurrection that Satan was defeated, and those who choose life through Jesus, death can no longer sting or take hold.

Resurrection is real. Jesus’s resurrection is real and not a fable. Even today, we see a form of resurrection in the hospitals where people are given a shock to get their hearts beating and through resuscitation. Being Pentecostal, I have heard many stories of people being resurrected by the Holy Spirit in church services. We have been given the power through the Holy Spirit given to us, and the Holy Spirit came after Jesus’s death. Remember, Jesus said he would be with us always, and he is through the Holy Spirit.

Note: All scripture used was taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

The Sons of God Explained

I have read and studied for a very long time now, off and on for the past eleven years about the identification of the sons of God—the bene Elohim. Following are the results of my examen from scripture and other readings.

In Genesis 6 we first read about the giants that came upon the earth, and that the sons of God came and took wives of the human daughters and had children with them. Who were these bene Elohim? In the Hebrew the bene Elohim refer to the angels of God. In one source it was stated that these angels came down to earth to teach men of the law of God which was not written in those days from Adam to Noah, and gave the law orally so that the people could believe in their creator and God. When these angels became enamored with the daughters of men then they left their estate—the habitation and became the fallen ones, the Nephillim. This is one probable statement of the sons of God.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Genesis 6:1-2 KJV

Another thought, which I have hold to currently is that the sons of God were angels that rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven because of Lucifer’s pride and influence on the 1/3 of angels he took with him as an army to insurrect against God. The children of the union of these sons of God with the daughters of men created the giants, which is called the seed of Satan in Genesis 3:15. These giants, the seed of Satan is one form of the enmity expressed in this scripture.

How do we know that the sons of God were angels? When we go to the book of Job we find that the angels of God along with Satan came and presented themselves in the presence of God. This is the conference between Satan and God about the testings that Job were to go through. This discourse is presented twice in the book of Job, I believe to serve as a witness and state that the sons of God are angels. Another instance in Job is at Creation the morning stars, another type of angel, and the sons of God rejoiced at the beauty of God’s creation that he created complete in six days. For these angels shouted for joy. This is scriptural proof that the sons of God were angels. So why is this important for us to know now?

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:6 KJV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38:1-7 KJV

Later, when Jesus was born and began his ministry he taught the law and salvation. That salvation was to come through him and his death, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. Here in lies where men, women, and children who believe upon Jesus as Messiah and that believing upon him brings us eternal life. When we believe upon Jesus who brought the world salvation, and ours, then we who believe in him by faith and follow him have become sons and daughters of God by adoption. With our confession of our sins we are adopted into the family of God as children because we have been separated from God by sin.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:12-25 KJV

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:24-29 KJV

Will the sons of God that came to the earth and had children return? In scripture we have seen this twice in the form of Nephillim and Rephaim. The bible says as in the days of Noah so shall it be. By this statement we would have to see, but it is highly probable. Before we conclude, what happened to the angels who married the daughters of men? Peter explains that these angels who sinned, that left their habitation were chained in hell waiting for their day of judgement. In scripture we do read that four angels that are under the rivers will be loosed. Are these four part of the number of angles who married the sons of daughters? That is question that needs more exploration.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2 Peter 2:4 KJV

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jude 1:6 KJV

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 24:37 KJV

What has happened in the days of Noah will return to this earth as described in Matthew 24. I would invite you to read this whole chapter.

In a short discourse this is who the sons of God are as explained in scripture.

Notes: This Season of Angels, Perry Stone, ppgs 109-110, Faithwords First Edition, October 2018.

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain Biblegateway.

The Promise of a Messiah

Before Creation began God had a plan. That plan was for the salvation of his new creation upon earth that is formed in his image. This creation was formed by God’s hand like a potter using clay, and his thoughts were on his creation’s future. God knew one day that mankind would fail and fall into sin, so he had a plan to provide a messiah—a savior that would be a perfect sacrifice to provide the salvation for man. This messiah had to be a man, but not born of man’s seed, but of God’s Holy Spirit. This is the promise:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Genesis 3:15 KJV

Within this one scripture we see an abundance of meaning. First, let’s take the word enmity. In the Hebrew enmity is ebah, which means hostility and hatred. In the context here, I believe that hostility is fitting because the serpent beguiled Eve and caused her to take of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil and then lead Adam into the act of sin. The future messiah will have hostility towards Satan and later his seed because of his deceitful and deadly spiritual action.

When I speak of Satan’s seed what could I possibly mean? From years of studying Genesis 6 about the Nephillim— the fallen angels, these are the angels that come to marry the human females and they have children with the daughters of men. The result of these unions are the giants of the earth. How did these fallen angels become the father of the giants? The answer is that they left their habitation (Jude 6).

In Noah’s day we refer to them as Nephillim as well, and after the flood they are referred to as the Rephaim, or Rephaites. These are the physical seed of Satan that were defeated first by the flood, and also later by Moses men and the David, the future king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 6:1-4 KJV

Examples of the Rephaim in scripture is Og of Bashan, and Goliath. Og was killed by Joshua, and Goliath killed by David. There were many who lived in the land of Israel. These are just two of the hundreds that were warred against by the Israelite’s and overcome.

But what is meant by the enmity of the seed of Satan and the seed of Eve? A messiah was promised by God to come for the salvation of man. Through his ministry of being a shepherd first he will defeat Satan by dying on a cross by the spillage of his blood, thus becoming the sacrifice, the lamb provided by God that has the DNA of man, and also the DNA of God. God had to send his son to redeem man by his blood. For the blood of man cannot redeem itself because man’s blood is defiled by sin. This is the meaning of the bruising of the head and the bruising of the heel. Jesus was on that cross that eventful day during Passover in which he bruised the head of Satan, actually fractured the head of Satan, and in return Satan bruising Jesus’s heel. Jesus is the embodiment of God and is very powerful being his Son who has always been with God. Satan is God’s creation that sinned by the act of pride, and is not powerful as God, but weak. Satan’s actions of the sin of pride brought death to him and his armies, and also brought death to man when he deceived mankind. This is the enmity that is between God and Satan, and it will all be brought to an end , and soon.

Today, we see the actions of people who do not know God, and the actions of people who do know God. The interaction between these two groups causes enmity because the evil in men’s heart does not agree with the godliness of those who have the Spirit of God within. We have the messiah today to bring us out of sin (enmity) if we accept him, and confess that Jesus is Lord.

Notes

www,messie2.fr, enmity H0342

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rephaite

biblehub.com/topical/r/rephaim.htm

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, Biblegateway.

The December Chanukah

It is called the feast of the dedication in the New Testament in the book of John. Chanukah is about the celebration of the victory of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and its leader Antiochus IV Epiphanes. A seven year revolt because the Jewish people refused to worship the Greek pagan gods. It is also called the Feast of Lights.

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
John 10:22-23 KJV

The December Chanukah is a time that is honored by nine lights on the Chanukah menorah. Each light being lit for each of the 9 days celebrated. This is the celebration of the Jewish people. However, how can Chanukah relate to the Christians who believe the Light of the World is the Messiah Jesus? Jesus came to the world for all people of all ethnic groups, that is Jew and Gentile to bring salvation to all. He brought light into the world when he was born, as the angels sang of his birth, and the stars declared. The message of his birth written in the stars and the shepherds watching could read this part of the gospel story. Jesus brought light into the world by turning water into wine and began his ministry, and continued to bring light and hope to all the people of Israel, and to the Gentiles as well. He brought the light in teaching of the law, healing the sick, lame, deaf, and the blind. He also delivered people from darkness and brought them into the light by casting demons out of them. He brought light into the families when their loved ones died and he raised them from the dead. He brings us light because he has authority over all, even death.

Light into the world can be viewed as victory over death, and Jesus brought us this victory by being the final sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice in that he never sinned, was a man but was not born of man’s seed. He was born of the Holy Ghost, and his father is the God of Israel. Only God can deliver man because mankind has been defiled by sin. Jesus declared that he is the Light of the World, by beginning the phrase I AM. The two words I AM in Hebrew is yah and that is one of the many names for God—the God of Israel, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God of all of us who believe in his son Jesus.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

Christians and Messianic Jews celebrate Jesus’s birth at this time of year and honor him as the light. The Chanukah menorah has nine lights. The number nine has a biblical significance in gematria. That is, the nine fruits of the Spirit, and the completeness of the Lord. God laid his plan out in the Old Testament by establishing the law so that all of mankind, and the Hebrews would know how to live moral lives in righteousness, govern themselves, and also how to worship the Lord through sacrifices, psalms, dancing, and praise. The burnt offerings of the animals, and the grains were just a covering, especially the blood that was presented before God. To finalize God’s plan of salvation he had to send his son Jesus to be the sacrifice for mankind, and undefiled sacrifice. His character can be seen in the fruits of the spirit in which the nine candles can represent, and these fruits Jesus displays to man in his time on earth, and in our current eras. For Jesus is the December Chanukah.

Notes: All scripture used is from the King James Version Public Domain Biblegateway.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maccabean_Revolt

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

Biblical Mathematics: Keys to Scripture Numerics, Evangelist Ed. F. Vallowe, page 88.

The Mighty Power of God

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is all powerful. His power is shown in the trichotomy, that is in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. God is ever sitting on his throne continuously creating. We know he is creating because we see new galaxies, new stars, and planets by the telescopes we have in space, and those powerful telescopes on mountains throughout the world. The Father is in control of everything, the Master of all, omniscient, and omnipotent.

God is in the business of answering the prayers of man who need salvation, deliverance, and healing. His power is great because he is the creator of everything, which is the universe, man, angels, earth, the planets and everything we know, and don’t know. His power is evident, and is invisible. He has the power over life and death, meaning he can create life, sustain, and have power over death through resurrection, and the power to save from death of those who believe in him. He has all power to destroy his enemies, which is Lucifer, who other name is Helel, Satan’s army, and those of men who are rebellious. God is all powerful, his power is infinite.

When man studies the invisible things that we witness and discover through physics, we cannot help to see the mighty power of God. All creation witnesses of him. The invisible things which are made from nothing are the building blocks of the physical and biological creations we see around us and beyond us. As we discover the invisible elements, we find that these invisible elements are composed of elements more minute than what we see through the analysis of physics. Knowing all of this is the reason I stand in awe of God because he is intelligent, wonderful, and beautiful! It makes me want to know more about him, to discover all that he is, and to have the hopes of seeing him and his third heaven. How beautiful it must be!

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Romans 1:20

His power reaches us from his throne, and his authority is in Jesus who worked among men, teaching, and then providing redemption through his sacrifice so that we could have eternal life. His Son Jesus conquered death through his death on the cross and resurrection, and this made available to us the Holy Ghost to be with man working the ministry of Jesus through us by giving us all power and authority to minister to people as Jesus did. This would be the authority to minister, teach, cast out demons, healing by the laying on of hands, and defeating our enemies through the name of Jesus.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

There is no other God but Yahweh, Jesus, and his Spirit. He is in trinity, but he is One. His way is the only way to eternal life beyond the life we have on earth. Discover his power by the reading of God’s word—the Bible. If you do, he will show you wonderful and mighty things.

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Psalm 150: 1

God’s Infinite Love

God’s love is infinite. His love is measureless and boundless, like the stars in space, and his love is directed to mankind because he has made special provision for us because we were created innocent, and not having seen the third heaven in which he resides, and where his eternal temple and courtroom are located. The special provision was existence at the thought of man, earth, and the universe because God knew that man would fall into sin having been given a free will. The angels were given a free will and one third of them rebelled and had to be cast out of heaven.

How great is God’s love? His love can be measured, but is demonstrated by his Son Jesus who died on the cross. This was to bring back the creation into line after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. I know God’s love is great because he has forgiven me of many mistakes and stupid things I have done in my life. His love can be described as grace and mercy because his patience is long with us. None of us deserve to be loved because of the sin state we were born in relating backward to the first sin of Eve and Adam, but God chose to love every one of us, even those we consider the worst of the worst in history.

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3

God’s love is perfect. His love is not tainted with sin because there is no sin with him. Sin taints, defiles, and destroys everything. The love we are to express with each other gets tainted with emotions like fear and hate, while originally we were to created to love one another, yet God has to command and remind of to love one another in his word. God’s love drives out all fear when his love comes into our heart’s and life because God’s love is light and fear is darkness, and darkness has to flee when light comes into its presence.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18

If we do have fear in our hearts then our hearts are not perfect in love, and we do not know the father because we have not asked for his forgiveness to walk in his love. So, to know what love really is, and to understand God’s infinite love we need to create a relationship with him, to come to him, and lay all of our sins at his feet. When we do he will produce a light within you that others will recognize, and that light that shines in the darkness you walk through here on earth is the light of God and his infinite love.

Notes: All scripture used is from the King James Version Public Domain Biblegateway