...................................................................LET US LEARN TOGETHER WHAT IS GOOD. Job 34:4b(NIV)................................................................Some people see the Bible as a long and boring book filled with incidents and events from the lives of ancient people who probably never existed. The biblical stories are seen as fables. Notably, Romans 15:4 reveals: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.(KJV) In this blog, many of the situations and conversations found in the divinely inspired Scriptures of the Holy Bible have been placed in categories that correspond to expressive sayings and phrases. Reference information, background information and links connecting the people and places are given to help you find a place to begin reading the Bible for yourself.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Zigzagging to Keep Life Lasting

From a letter written by the apostle Paul
to believers in Galatia:

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?-Galatians 2:9-14***The Lord God gave 99-year-old Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) the covenant of circumcision. Abraham and the males in his household were immediately circumcised. Moreover, Abraham circumcised 13-year-old Ishmael, the son born to Abraham and Hagar, the maidservant of Abraham's wife Sarah (Sarai). Isaac was born to 100-year-old Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah. On the 8th day after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised Isaac. When Isaac was 40 years old, he was married to Rebekah, Abraham and Sarah's grandniece. Fraternal twin sons Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) were born to 60-year-old Isaac and Rebekah. When Jacob was living in Padan-aram, Haran, in northern Mesopotamia, he was married to Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Rebekah's brother Laban the Syrian (Aramean). Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and daughter Dinah were born to Jacob and Leah. Dan and Naphtali were born to Jacob and Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant. Gad and Asher were born to Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant. Joseph and Benjamin were born to Jacob and Rachel. Each of the sons was circumcised on the 8th day after being born. In Shechem, Canaan, the sons used the act of circumcision in their plan against Shechem and the males in Shechem's city after Shechem raped Dinah. Over 1,800 years after 130-year-old Jacob journeyed with his family and possessions from Canaan to Egypt, the country wherein Joseph was second-in-command, John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, were born. John the Baptist was born into the tribe of Levi to Zechariah (Zacharias) the priest and his wife Elizabeth (Elisabeth). Jesus the Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Elizabeth's relative Mary, a virgin, and Jesus was born into the tribe of Judah to Mary and her husband Joseph when Mary was a virgin. On the 8th day after John the Baptist was born, he was circumcised, and on the 8th day after Jesus the Christ was born, Jesus was circumcised. Approximately 30 years after John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ were born, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Jesus having prayed, the heavens tearing open, the Holy Spirit descended as a dove and lit upon Jesus. The Lord God in heaven audibly acknowledged his Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert wilderness. Jesus fasted 40 days and nights and was tempted. Afterwards, Jesus was tended to by angels, and Jesus went to the area near John the Baptist, and John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus to be the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world, and testified that Jesus is the Son of God. In Galilee, Jesus told specific Israelite men, including Simon Peter, to follow him, and Jesus began to preach, teach and perform miracles among the Israelites, the treasured and chosen people of the Lord God, After being criticized for healing someone on the Sabbath day, Jesus revealed a message about the law of circumcision. Less than 3 1/2 years after Jesus was baptized, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, the disciple and apostle, and Jesus was arrested, crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, seen by over 500 people, including Simon Peter (Cephas), and returned to heaven. Sometime thereafter, the apostle Paul (Saul), and James, and Barnabas, and the church leaders discussed the issue of circumcision and Gentiles, people not born into the Israelite tribes. Sometime before their discussion, the Lord gave Simon Peter a revelation that the message of Christ Jesus was open to all mankind. The leaders concluded that Gentile believers should adhere to 4 specific behaviors, without circumcision being a requirement. In anticipation of possible reactions from fellow Israelite believers, Paul circumcised Timothy (Timotheus) before taking Timothy with him on a journey to teach the good news of Jesus the Christ. During another journey, Paul discovered that Simon Peter's contradictory behavior in associating with those who were not circumcised was causing others to err.-Genesis 11:26-35:29, 1 Chronicles 1:1-34, 2:1-17, 3:1-24, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Galatians

Click the link below to read another post in this category:

http://biblecategorizer.blogspot.com/2018/01/zigzagging-to-keep-life-lasting.html