Jesus, The Perfect Sacrifice - Sabbath School Lesson 9

 Here is a video summary of this week's Sabbath School lesson,

Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice. 

For the notes in PDF form, CLICK HERE to view and download.

Bible Trivia and Fun Facts

Bible trivia and little known facts

The Bible is reportedly the best selling book ever. No doubt it has stood the test of time to be one of the most cherished literary works of all time.

Christians keep their Bibles handy and follow it as a guide. Many others enjoy it for a piece of history, or even a book to be read for pleasure.

Either way, The Bible is a remarkable book, full of many surprises.

Have you taken the time to read The Bible all the way through? It's a fun way to have devotions and see for yourself what is really in The Bible.

Even though many have said the King James Version is not exactly correct, we do have many scholars who admit the King James Version is indeed very, very close to what was originally intended.

So, are you ready for some little know facts and trivia about The Bible?

*Please note this lens refers to the Kings James Version of The Bible

Also, this is not meant as some site meant to make any scientific or religious claims. Or arguments.

A word you might not expect.

Is it really in The Bible?

Much has been said that the word, "Christmas" is not in The Bible. It's not. But how about other Christian holidays?

Did you know the word, Easter is indeed mentioned in The Bible? The word was translated for passover, but since Christians celebrate Easter now and not passover, the word Easter is mentioned.

Where is it? Acts 12:4

A Shakespeare connection?

This one may leave you wondering.

At the time King James, 1604, a new version of The Bible was commissioned. It was finished in 1611.

During this time, William Shakespeare was one of the most prolific writers. Have you read the old English style of The Bible? Very similar to some Shakespeare plays in the way the old language was spoken.

Since William Shakespeare was well known writer during this time, would it be possible that he actually translated some of The Bible?

William Shakespeare at the time of the finishing of the translation in 1611, would have been 46. If you go to Psalm 46 and count 46 words, you come to the word "shake." Count 46 words from the end of Psalm 46, you come to word "spear." Could it be he left his mark?

What is the Peanuts Connection?

We all know Linus is a character from the Charlie Brown Peanuts gang cartoons.

But did you know the name is mentioned in The Bible?

Only once, in 2 Timothy 4:19-22.

"Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen."

There are some things we can know about Linus. He obviously knew Paul and Timothy. It is speculated that he was a top leader of the Christian church in Rome, and became maybe the first Bishop.

Jonah, swallowed by a fish or a whale?

Many people are very adamant about Jonah being swallowed by a fish and not a whale. It seems every time the story is told, we over-emphasize the fish part.

The truth is, Jesus said this:

"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matthew 12:40.

So one cannot really claim that Jonah was swallowed by a fish with 100% certainty.

Whales are actually mentioned three other times in The Bible.

Genesis 1:21

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Job 7:12

Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

Ezekiel 32:2

Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

Did you know that?

The Earth is Flat?

Says who?

Much has been said about certain religious people and scientists at one time thinking the earth was flat. That somehow, when you got so far, you dropped off the edge.

But does The Bible really say anything to infer that?

No. Nothing.

In fact, it might make you surprised to hear that The Bible refers to the earth not as a flat square, but as something round. Quite remarkable to actually read this passage from Isaiah 40:22:

"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in..."

Does not that image of one on a circle, looking down from the heavens, as seeing something round? What do you think?

Misson 360 Spotlight for November 20, 2021

Is it Christian to wear a mask and follow COVID rules

 

Today, many Christians think it is their duty to fight the power, not wear a mask, go to church, and almost have a total disregard for any and all COVID rules. What's the real story? Thankfully, the Undercover Adventist is here to dissect this with logic and The Bible.

Let's start with not going to church. The argument here is that we should all demand to go to church! We have the right! We are let in at Walmart and other places, so let's riot and go to church!

First of all, believe it or not, going to church is not a necessity. You can have church in your home, as crazy as that sounds. For you and your immediate family. No law says you can't. You can zoom with others. Your church can do Facebook Live. You can record it, put it on youtube or even livestream it. There is no law that says you can't HAVE church. So go and have church. You do not need to be in some special building to have church.

How many of you live where it snows? Floods? Have you even been getting ready to go to church on a Sabbath (or Sunday) morning...only to hear that the roads are closed? What do some of you people do? Get in your cars and defy death and police directives to go to church? You would be there alone, as thankfully, the others would stay home. And we are sure that the local pastor would tell everyone in the church, STAY HOME! It's dangerous getting to church.

And you would not even think that not going to church in that situation was encroaching on your rights. Too funny. Yes, we will begin to call you people out, so beware. We can just imagine....phoning your friends in a snowstorm.....screaming that they had better get in their cars and drive to church! We can claim protection from God! Psalm 91! God will protect us as we drive in a blizzard or flood....or maybe a nice, hot California wildfire. Oh and by the way, don't evacuate either. Just tell the nice patrol officer that you trust in God. Sure, they cannot force you to do anything...but why are you giving up your human intelligence for a right o go to church when it's not safe?

So why do we not think it dangerous to go to church during COVID...or at least wear a mask?

Speaking of masks.......church members seem to dismiss wearing masks in church. Somehow they claim, again, that The Bible emphatically says that Christians are protected! So they refuse to wear a mask.

Where is the Christian love? The mask does not necessarily protect you only, but it protects others. You can pass along diseases without even knowing it.

But let's go deeper. Many, if not all, of these people speak out of both sides of their mouths. They would not dare refuse to do anything required of them in other instances. They are nothing more than people who give Christianity a bad name. How? Read on if you dare.

Masks required by an employer. These silly people, who refuse a mask at church, fall in line with their employer and wear a mask. Why? Because they would be fired. Even though these same people trust in God fully, they obviously do not trust God at work. We dare them to tell their employer the same thing they tell church folks: I believe in God and He will protect me, so I am NOT wearing one at work. Would they do that? Um....no. They don't fully trust in God or they would be unmasking at work. These people have more respect for their employer than they do their fellow church members. Think about that.

Oh I should be allowed to not wear a mask and just get sick. Besides, a mask does nothing to stop COVID.

Seatbelts. Do you wear a seatbelts? Why? Don't you trust in God to keep you safe while driving? Oh but the law requires me to wear one and I don't want a ticket. TOO FUNNY! Where is your trust in God? You should be first and foremost a person to disregard these rule! Or maybe you don't trust God enough...you only want to demand your rights with a mask and COVID!

So, the leaders of states are making rules and laws to keep you safe from COVID. You fully comply with all other rules....but somehow COVID rules are un-Christian.

You people are acting as un-Christian as you can. The Bible does not, in any way, shape, or form, tell you to throw your intelligence out the window. If the law says wear a seatbelt, you wear one. If the law says wear a helmet, you wear one. Many cities and states make bicycle helmets mandatory for children under a certain age. Would you be so stupid as to send your child out on a bike...no helmet.....because you claim some non-existent promise in The Bible? Of course not.

Stop tossing your intelligence out the window. You don't stop taking normal precautions just because you are a Christian. Wearing a mask and not gathering at church are now just normal precautions.

Wake up and smell the COVID.

There are 10 Commandments, Not Just One.

In much Adventist literature and commentary, one would think that there is only one commandment. The Fourth. We seem to ignore the rest, which is too funny. We chide other denominations of ignoring the fourth, while we ourselves never once mention the fifth.

Here's a challenge: Can you even recite, right now without looking, the seventh commandment? Probably not. But oh do you have that fourth one down and loaded for action!

We keep talking about keeping the Commandments....when in reality, we don't give lip service to any one of them except the fourth.

You think the other ones don't matter?

Are you telling....no, not telling...PREACHING to your kids to obey you? Honor you? When is the last time you heard a sermon on honoring your fathers and mothers? Never. In fact, we look the other way at society belittling parents. We have movies, TV, the internet, just telling kids to disobey their parents. And we don't say a word.

And that seventh one? Committing adultery. Again, society glorifies that. Encourages it! Right now the Adventist church allows women to be in a polygamist relationship in many countries. Yeah....the very church that chides people over and over about "keeping" all the commandments!

And gay marriage or relationships. Notice what the tenth one says? Don't covet your neighbor's wife. We talk a good talk about how creation exudes the fourth commandment....but look the other way in many cases about a man and woman. Not man and man. Or woman and woman. And have you noticed something quite peculiar about the mark of the beast? No buying or selling? Ironic that people are having businesses closed down because of their views on gay marriage. The whole Adventist church is in danger of being confronted with their views on gays and the lifestyle. That many laws proposed would make it hard for a church to actually adhere to a public opposition of the gay lifestyle.

But then, many of you approve of the church accepting it. Strange thought as we brow-beat people over the head with the fourth commandment, but are not really keeping all of the commandments.

We have really just gone overboard on The Sabbath. We make people take an oath to keep it. At the same time, we never make them take an oath to promise to honor their father and mother. We don't seem to care about that.

And oh boy do we have idols. From people to possessions. We let them overtake our lives and time. We can't wait to buy a new car. The latest computer. That big screen TV.

And maybe some of you don't know that God gave more commands than just 10. But we don't care about any command except keeping The Sabbath.

Sure. Make sure you mention this as you are standing before the throne. That you kept The Sabbath! That you made sure you had everything done on preparation day. That you made sure you were in church. This seems the basis for your salvation, so do it right. Be proud of that Sabbath keeping! It is the only thing some people tell others about. Jesus told us to go out and preach The Sabbath!

You don't think any others are important? Perhaps you overlooked Jesus calling out the pharisees and other church leaders for dishonoring their mothers and fathers.

Matthew 15

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Jesus thought that commandment was quite important. Too bad we don't. We allow a continuing downfall of the family unit. And we can't but help getting back to the gay lifestyle thing. This commandment talks about mothers and fathers. Not obeying you father and father....keep that in mind as you triumphantly proclaim The Sabbath without any regard for any other commandment.

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