#verse ▍ ( healed by ceasing to cling. )

[limitlessscion]

@drippingheart companion post to this awful scene to make it verse canon

Everything was blank but for an overwhelming sensation that flooded the emptiness where there was once pain. He didn't know what it was, but it was debilitating. It coursed through every sense, sent phantom shivers through an unresponsive body, clamped vices around a heart without a beat, flooded a fading brain with further paralysis. Every struggling neural connection was quieted by something primal, something that was not capable of thinking and could only try to scream.

When he was six, in the aftermath of a kidnapping in which he'd killed his abductors, his guard had asked him a question he'd found absurd: were you scared?

He was scared now. In this moment Satoru Gojo understood fear and much more— it was pure undiluted terror. He was going to die. He'd been cracked open and drowned in his own blood, the muscles that drew breath torn to bloody ribbons alongside lungs, leg destroyed so that he could only crumple onto the ground with violent force. When the agony abruptly ceased with a sharp pressure in his head, the fear had only intensified; he understood his fading connection to the world.

Soon, within an instant, even those thoughts disappeared. There was only fear— fear and something drilled into him beyond instinct, more a reflex than a thought:

Fix this.

There was something purifying about that one single emotion drowning out all else, pouring itself into that desperate reflex carved into his very being; do not allow failure to sit; wield pain as nothing more than a tool to shore up the weakness that had caused it; this is nothing more than another obstacle to be overcome; Fix this. He did not think. He did not try. The final sparks of life smoldering within his skull had no capacity for such things: it only knew to act.

Faint strands of cursed energy twisted around each other, and trickles of reverse cursed energy was brought into existence. It was so faint and small in quantity that it could barely keep up with the rupturing of cell walls as acidity rose in the absence of oxygen. Neurons were reconstructed one by one, refolding proteins, putting lipids back into place, ripped connections re-established. It was slow, but it was enough to keep that tiny spark lit.

Momentum built up, the microscopic trickle of reversed curse energy joining to form to stream. A river. A finger twitched, more a spasm of muscle fibres being remade than any active motion. Pain once again flooded his senses, not the pain of being ripped apart but that of being reconstructed and pieced together with a ruthless brutality that never laced Shoko's energy even at her most furious. The fear was fading and with every inch it gave ground it was flooded by the pain, but something about that was distant. Like watching someone else's agony from afar.

He understood it then; the true nature of cursed energy, of the usage of cursed energy. It was all so simple.

He was warm, strong arms holding his fragile body tight. His face tickled with the gentle motions of hair. Apologies were sobbed into his bloody shoulder. It was comforting even as every motion sent pain, jostled and broke strands of healing that had to be re-established.

His heart started beating once more.

The flow of cursed energy was now a flood, his brain fully revived, his circulation revived as lost blood was replaced to fill repaired vessels. The air reeked of cursed energy, his own residuals growing rancid in the puddle of spilled blood and Suguru's clinging to the dried crimson stiffening his clothes. Nerves snapped back into place and suddenly he could see again, his eyes still open, and in the same instant he took a massive, shuddering breath as diaphragms contracted for the first time in....minutes? Hours? He had no idea how long it had been.

He curled up and rolled over, wheezing and hacking with little regard for the already ruined clothes between them, spitting up blood and bile and bloody chunks of the remains of organs and bones that had been caught in his digestive tract and airways as he clung to Suguru for support. When finally the vomiting and coughing stopped, he found himself on his knees, his body shaking with exertion and adrenaline. The sounds were agonizing, his motions unpleasant and the gory sight horrifying— but for Satoru it was all mechanical.

When he turned to look at his friend, his face was a serene blank. He couldn't feel anything; his body hurt but he didn't. He blinked rapidly for a moment, raising a dirty bloodied hand to rub against it without thinking.

"Hey Suguru, I think I got some of your hair stuck in my eye."

[zhartha]

@thexdragonxbecomesxme cont.

He truly, terrible, absolutely frighteningly, not used to dancing such a way; he felt lucky to have Genji as his partner, luckier to have hands situated at his waist. He felt he could fall, or the wires along his spinal column would give from the stress of using his legs; his dancing involved a lot more ... floating. 

“Genji ...”

His voice wavered, especially once dipped, hands coming to grip tightly at the others shoulders in the slight concern he would be dropped; of course, he knew Genji would never let such a thing happen. “I enjoy dancing with you, make no mistake to that.” Once straightened, he pushed himself closer to Genji’s body, the slightest shuddering of frames. “I just ... do not believe I am as skilled as you are.”

Zenyatta laughed softly, hands slipping down to rest on Genji’s waist. The wink had him quivering, facial plate warming. 

“You are exceptionally graceful, skilled ... handsome.”

[appleb0mb]

Cardenalia: Lyrics

It’s as it says! Enjoy the lyrics...or not. 

It’s kind of strange - which is exactly how it’s supposed to be. 

Just to give you a heads up: The word ‘Cardenalia’ at the moment has NO meaning whatsoever, so please don’t hurt your wonderful brain over it!

Cardenalia post here

Verse 1:

Silk laced with poison

The apple falling from the tree

The wheel of fortune

Has not be kind to me

All these hands are 

Crawling on me, crawling on me 

Time seems slow when

I am struggling, I am struggling

Desperate, I try to reach out to your hand 

What is with that smile?

Chorus:

Keep on singing, Cardenalia

Keep on singing, singing backwards

Keep on singing, Cardenalia

In my womb (THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OKAY-)

Keep on dancing, Cardenalia

Keep on dancing, dancing backwards

Keep on dancing, Cardenalia

In my womb (Kudos to you if you get the metaphorical meaning)

“I hate you”

Verse 2:

Same room, same time

My eyes are dyed with jealousy 

“Please stop” you ask me

To cease the puppetry

Now my cup is 

Running over, running over,

You beg with 

Unceasing mercy, unceasing mercy

Desperate you try and cling unto my arms saying,

“End my suffering”

Bridge:

Hate me

Kill me 

Despise me

You shatter me

Breaking 

Slowly

How could you do this to me?

Time won’t

Heal all the wounds I made in you

But let us

Live, learn, grow and love

Chorus (same tune, but different lyrics):

Let us dance, Cardenalia

Let us dance, dance together

To the ends of hope, love and despair

Let us fall, Cardenalia

Let us fall, fall together

Even if

Our hatred is our despair

--

Alright! That is the lyrics of Cardenalia! 

Sorry for not posting it earlier as soon as I released Cardenalia...it seems too long to be a part of the post though...

I am happily available for you guys to share your theories! Whether this chat post, Cardenalia’s post reblogs - gosh I really love your responses! You can also put in my inbox too!

ALSO I LOVE Y’ALL SUPPORT YOU ALL MAKE ME WEAK WITH J O Y SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE A W E S O M E 

Note: Art Process will be uploaded today, please stay tuned.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING TWSTXDAL CONTENT!!!

[fandomn00blr]

Happy Thursday! Open invitation to anyone who wants to yeet any unfinished/never-to-be-finished/cursed thing into the Void with me this week! Tag me so I can read it!

I have a confession to make: I, too, have written my fair share of angsty solavellan fic. And I’ve never shared any of it publicly. And I probably won’t/shouldn’t...except for on this very special day. There’s so much in this folder affectionately named “cursed Nesi timeline” that I really should flush down the toilet (now that Nesi is my happily clumsy chameleon! ❤️), but here’s the absolute worst of it... Context: Solas...IDK slipped?...and made Nesinril immortal in an attempt to keep the Anchor from killing her at the end of Trespasser, and then ultimately failed to do much else in the grand scheme of things, because he felt bad? Something something something...lesson about how all things must come to an end. Blah blah blah...death and decay are inevitable universal forces. Except now he has to deal with her for the rest of eternity. They have...an interesting relationship a few hundred years later...

Nesinril burst into the old study, looking irate. “Now they are calling me your bride!? How long was I asleep this time?” she demanded.

“A few decades…?” Solas shrugged, before singing the latest version of the old, mournful tune that had spread across Thedas while she slept:

“The bride of Fen’harel, she hunts The Dread Wolf through eternity His tricks have left her heart forever broken And though the world he makes for her May rise and fall forevermore Her heart for him refuses still to soften

For long ago she gave her heart To someone more deserving than The cursed wolf who still clings to his sorrows In this endless loop his pride has wrought She keeps him from his loneliness The echoes of his nightmare, banal nadas”

“At least it rhymes in Elvish...” she grumbled.

Solas chuckled. Her insistence on refusing to say certain words and phrases that he had once tried to correct her on had ceased to irritate him long ago.

“I don’t find this very funny.”

“I do not believe it is meant to be comedic. Though the world seems to have a wicked sense of humor, the story doesn’t seem to end well.”

“Well, that’s because it doesn’t end.”

“Hmmm...yes, I suppose you have a point. But you practically wrote those verses yourself.”

“I have never referred to myself as your bride!”

Solas shrugged. “Are we not stuck with each other for the rest of eternity? Have you not sworn to thwart my every endeavor?”

“That’s a fucked-up idea of marriage. But I guess I could’ve expected as much from you. I will seek out those who sing these lies and give them the correct version, with a better tune, anyway:

Sing of Nesinril of clan Lavellan Bonded forever to her Commander’s heart A Dalish rogue who stole a piece of the Dread Wolf’s power And healed the wound in the sky And united the world against false gods who sought to destroy it She has sworn to oppose the prideful Fen’harel in all that he does Like a steadfast mabari Until the end of time…

Forever fuck Fen’Harel!”

She waited as Solas quietly contemplated her song with a bemused grin. “It certainly has an interesting meter. But is ‘Fen’harel’s mabari’ really a more preferable title?”

“Oh, you would!”

[i-am-very-very-tired]

Summer in the Psalms: Psalms 6 - What to Do When You Mess Up Big Time with God

Have you ever sinned in what the world considers a “big way”? Have you ever messed up so badly that you felt ashamed? Did this shame cause you to try to hide from God? If so, you’re not alone. Join the club. Many have felt the same way.

Throughout the Bible, we read about individuals who messed up big time with God. David, the writer of Psalm 6 committed adultery and got the woman pregnant. Then, my favorite character in the Bible, tries to cover everything up by arranging for Bathsheba’s husband to be killed. Really, I can’t make this stuff up! If you haven’t read that story, you should (2 Samuel 11). It’s shocking. No matter how you feel about the Bible, you can’t say is boring.

It’s easy to see why David might feel ashamed and run from God. But he’s just one example. Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, lied about his wife not once but twice and each time gave her to another man (Genesis 20)! All this time, you thought you had trust issues in your relationships.

Truth is, we have all had mistakes, failures in judgment, sins (if you’re brave enough to call it sin) that keep us up at night. These are times in our life we so desperately wish we could do over, but we can’t. We’ve messed up big time! So, what do we do? We hide from God. That will fix it, right?

As we know from David in Psalm 6, he did just the opposite. He ran to God when he screwed up, and we should do the same thing. The world and Satan will try to convince you to run away in shame; we need to do the exact opposite and draw closer to God when things get desperate.

Why Knowing God Matters During These Times

When you are in a dark state of mind, look for the light. God is light and love. When you need to remember who God is, focus on Scripture. For example, recite and memorize 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

Assess the state of your heart by considering what love is and what it is not. As we read in 1 John 4:8, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” No matter how you have sinned, your Savior is merciful to those who believe and repent. His love covers all sins for everyone who believes. When you feel like hiding from God, this is the most important time to know Him.

Look at David. Psalm 6 is a psalm of repentance. It is his cry for help during the midnight’s despair. He could hide in shame and run from God; instead, he remembered who God is and what God does. In Psalm 6, David recalls God’s mercy, healing, deliverance, and salvation. When you feel like you have done something devastating, cling to what you know about God.

Let’s deepen our understanding by looking at this psalm in more detail.

The Tired Singer (v. 1-3)

Psalm 6 begins with David expressing the weight of the sin he carries. In the first three verses, we make three observations about David:

His health was poor.

His discipline was in doubt.

His mind was troubled.

In the opening verses, David acknowledges his sin by asking the Lord not to rebuke him in anger or to discipline him in wrath. However, David is not simply asking for a “get out of jail free” card. He is truly remorseful and sorrowful. His soul is in anguish. Yet, He runs to the Lord and asks for mercy and healing.

The Prayer of the Singer (v. 4-7)

The psalms are filled with prayers of rejoicing, thanksgiving, praise, and repentance. Psalm 6 is a prayer of repentance. As we read or listen to David’s words, we feel his brokenness. David understood the importance of prayer in all circumstances.

We will never have time for prayer; we must make time.

--Richard Foster

In verses 4-7, David continues to express his sorrow over sin, but he also makes his needs clear to God. David asks God to do the following:

Deliver me (v. 4).

Remember me (v. 5).

Hear me (v. 6).

Save me (v. 4).

Why? Because David knows God! Prayer is how we communicate with God. We read His word, and we spend time in prayer to get to know God better. Through his established relationship with God, David knows God hears and answers prayer, and David calls upon the Lord in repentance. Like David, in our brokenness, we should say, “Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love” (v. 4).

Behind every work of God,

you will always find some kneeling form.

-- Dwight L. Moody

The Restoration of the Singer (v. 8-10)

The three secrets to successful ministry are

prayer, prayer, and more prayer.

-- Billy Graham

David knows God; therefore, he knows God can restore him from his brokenness. David is truly repentant and mourning his sin. This is not simply a case of “getting caught” – David recognized that his sin separated him from his heavenly father, and David knows that he serves a God of healing.

His belief in God’s power to forgive and restore leads David to make several proclamations at the end of Psalm 6. He tells those who do evil to depart because he knows God has fulfilled the following promises:

God heard his prayer (v. 8).

God accepted his sacrifice (v. 9).

God redeemed his soul (v. 10).

When you mess up big time with God, do not let the world or Satan convince you that God does not love or forgive you. Repent of your sin and place your faith in Jesus alone for eternal life. Remember his promises and fall at his feet.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret,

but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10).”

[learnonlineacademy]

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Importance of Studying and Teaching the Qur’an

The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, “This Qur’an is the Banquet of Allah. Learn as much as you can from His banquet. This Qur’an is the Rope of Allah, and it is the clear Light and [the effective and beneficial] Healing. It is a protection for the one who clings to it and a rescue for the one who follows it. It is not crooked and so puts things straight. It does not deviate so as to be blamed. Its wonders do not cease. It does not wear out with much repetition. So recite it for Allah will reward you for the recitation of every letter....” [Also Abdullah ibn Masud said, ‘This Qur’an is the Banquet of Allah. Whoever enters it is safe.’]

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[libertariantaoist]

“Get rid of learning and problems will vanish yes and no aren’t so far apart lovely and ugly aren’t so unalike what others fear we can’t help fear too before the moon begins to wane everyone is overjoyed as if they were at the great Sacrifice or climbing a tower in spring I sit here and make no sign like an infant that doesn’t smile lost with no one to turn to while others enjoy more I alone seem deficient with a mind like that of a fool I’m so simple others look bright I alone seem dim others are certain I alone am confused ebbing like the ocean waxing without cease everyone has a goal I alone am dumb and backward for I alone choose to differ preferring still my mother’s tit”

-Lao-tzu- (Taoteching, verse 20, translation by Red Pine)

CH’ENG HSUAN-YING says, “When we give up the study of phenomena and understand the principle of noninterference, troubles come to an end and distress disappears.”

LI HSI-CHAI says, “What passes for learning in the world never ends. For every truth found, two are lost. And while what we find brings joy, losses bring sorrow – sorrow that never ends.”

CH’ENG HSUAN-YING says, “Wei [yes] indicates agreement and k’o [no] disdain.

SUNG CH’ANG-HSING says, “Even though ‘yes’ and ‘no’ come from the same source, namely the mouth, ‘yes’ is the root of beauty, and ‘no’ is the root of ugliness. Before they appear, there is nothing beautiful or ugly and nothing to fear. But once they appear, if we don’t fear one or the other, disaster and harm are unavoidable.”

LI HSI-CHAI says, “What others love, the sage also loves. What others fear, the sage fears, too. But where the sage differs is that while others don’t see anything outside their own minds, the mind of the sage wanders in the Tao.”

WANG P’ANG says, “Everything changes into its opposite. Beginning follows end without cease. But people think everything is either beautiful or ugly. How absurd! Only the sage knows that the ten thousand ages are the same, that nothing is gained or lost.”

SU CH’E says, “People all drown in what they love: the beauty of the Great Sacrifice, the happiness of climbing to a scenic viewpoint in spring. Only the sage sees into their illusory nature and remains unmoved. People chase things and forget about the Tao, while the sage clings to the Tao and ignores everything else, just as an infant only nurses at it mother’s breast.”

TS’AO TAO-CH’UNG says, “People all see external things, while sages alone nourish themselves on internal breath. Breath is the mother, and spirit is the child. The harmony of mother and child is the key to nourishing life.”

And, RED PINE adds, “Another verse in which Lao-tzu chooses the crescent moon, while others choose the full moon. In ancient China, emperors marked the return of swallows to their capitals in spring with the Great Sacrifice to the Supreme Intermediary, while people of all ranks climbed towers or hiked into the hills to view the countryside in bloom and to celebrate the first full moon.”

                                                         –

I can identify with Lao-tzu. I suspect that many of my followers do, as well. The things we have been talking about for the last several days, now, the diagnosis of our problem, and the prescription for healing – these are way outside the mainstream of allowable opinion. Lao-tzu doesn’t just differ from everyone else, he chooses to differ from everyone else. That means he is alone. How many times does he say, “I alone”? I counted at least five times in this verse.

And, let me tell you, I am alone, too. As, I am sure, you are. Don’t worry about it. It is completely natural to be alone when you choose to think differently, to act differently. It isn’t how to win friends. To seem deficient. To be simple. To seem dim. To be confused about what all the uproar is about anyway. Everyone has a goal. I alone am dumb and backward.

This isn’t self-pity, or self-loathing, on Lao-tzu’s part. And it certainly isn’t on my own part. I have chosen to be different. And I can’t be like everyone else ever again.

Once I came to a certain realization. You know this for yourself, I am sure. I realized artificial “learning” had to go. And problems vanished. I realized yes and no weren’t so far apart. Think about that for just a moment. Just think of how much our social media is rife with arguments over yes and no. What is lovely and what is ugly? I realized just how alike they are.

Now, I am human, just like you, and even Lao-tzu. I understand fear. And, I can’t help but fear, too. But, I just can’t get all worked up over it any longer. I have a friend who I meet weekly; and we have tea, while discussing all the problems of the world. I almost always tell him, “I can’t do anything about it, so what is it to me? I am just going to live my life in such a way that I am as little affected by it as is humanly possible.”

It is simple, really. I am a fool. Not getting overjoyed, or overly anxious, about anything. Nope! I just sit here at my mother’s tit. Slurp. Slurp. Yum. This is contentment.

[love-god-forever]

The Relationship Between God’s Names and His Work of Salvation

By Xia Lin

The Old Testament records, “I, even I, am Jehovah; and beside Me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11). “Jehovah … is My name for ever, and this is My memorial to all generations” (Exodus 3:15). The New Testament also states, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Seeing all this, some brothers and sisters can’t help but feel confused: It was mentioned in the Old Testament that the name of Jehovah God would never change, but why did Jehovah become Jesus? And why does God’s name change?

In order to gain some clarity on this issue, first let us look at Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” From this verse, we see that in the beginning, God was called God and He didn’t have a name. After mankind was corrupted by Satan, they urgently needed God’s salvation, and only then did God take corresponding names according to His management work. Accordingly, God’s name changes with the age and His work.

The work in the Age of Law is the first step in God’s management plan to save mankind. In the Age of Law, God issued the laws through Moses to guide mankind’s lives on earth. And He also witnessed His name to Moses, just as He said, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: this is My name for ever, and this is My memorial to all generations” (Exodus 3:15). “I am Jehovah: And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not known to them” (Exodus 6:2–3). God promulgated commandments and laws and decrees with the name of Jehovah among the Israelites. He used these commandments and laws to constrain man from committing sins; this guided people to properly live the life of worshiping God. Those Israelites who upheld Jehovah God’s laws would live under the care and protection of God and enjoy God’s blessings; those who violated God’s laws and commandments would be stoned to death, or would be incinerated by fires.

With regard to the significance of God taking the name of Jehovah, I read the following passage in a book, “‘Jehovah’ is the name that I took during My work in Israel, and it means the God of the Israelites (God’s chosen people) who can take pity on man, curse man, and guide the life of man. It means the God who possesses great power and is full of wisdom. … The name Jehovah is a particular name for the people of Israel who lived under the law. In each age and each stage of work, My name is not baseless, but holds representative significance: Each name represents one age. ‘Jehovah’ represents the Age of Law, and is the honorific for the God worshiped by the people of Israel” (“The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’”). From these words we see that Jehovah is a name specific to the Age of Law, and is the name God took when He did the first step of His work of saving mankind. The Israelites all respected the name of Jehovah as a holy name, prayed to Jehovah God, and worshiped Jehovah God. Living under the law, they also felt the man-pitying, man-cursing disposition of God. But the name Jehovah only represents the Age of Law, and the work God did and the disposition God expressed in that Age. When the Age of Law ended and the Age of Grace came, the name of Jehovah was no longer brought up. Jehovah God once said, “Jehovah … is My name for ever, and this is My memorial to all generations,” but the “for ever” and “to all generations” mentioned here were about God’s work in that age. That is, God’s name in that age would not change until His work in that age was completed. But when God ends His work in that age and begins new work, His name also changes.

At the end of the Age of Law, because mankind was corrupted by Satan ever more deeply, gradually man couldn’t adhere to the laws and there were no longer enough sin offerings. If this had continued, then mankind would all have died under the laws, and God’s creation of mankind would have been meaningless. In order to save us humans who lived in sin, God ended the Age of Law, initiated the Age of Grace, and did the work of redeeming mankind in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then, what is the significance of the name Jesus? This book says, “‘Jesus’ is Emmanuel, and it means the sin offering that is full of love, full of compassion, and redeems man. He did the work of the Age of Grace, and represents the Age of Grace, and can only represent one part of the management plan. … Which is to say, the name of Jesus came from the Age of Grace, and existed because of the work of redemption in the Age of Grace. The name of Jesus existed to allow the people of the Age of Grace to be reborn and saved, and is a particular name for the redemption of the whole of mankind. And so the name Jesus represents the work of redemption, and denotes the Age of Grace. … ‘Jesus’ represents the Age of Grace, and is the name of the God of all those who were redeemed during the Age of Grace” (“The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’”). In the Age of Grace, God did the work of redemption of the crucifixion under the name of Jesus. Also, He expressed His disposition of lovingkindness and mercy. Moreover, He healed the sick and cast out demons, and taught people to be tolerant and patient in all things and to forgive the transgressions of others. As long as we pray to the Lord Jesus’ name and confess and repent our sins to Him, our sins can then be absolved, we can enjoy the bounteous blessings and grace brought by Him, and His love for us, and we will feel very peaceful. The name of the Lord Jesus exists because of the work of redemption, and represents the compassionate and loving disposition expressed by God in the Age of Grace. So, it only represents the redemption in the Age of Grace, and is specific to the Age of Grace.

From these two stages of God’s work we realize that God’s name in the Age of Law is Jehovah, and His name in the Age of Grace is Jesus. These two names exist all because of God’s work of saving man. In different ages, God’s names are not the same. Furthermore, God’s name in each age has different significance, and represents the work He performs in that age and the disposition He expresses in that age. The book also says, “In every age in which God personally does His own work, He uses a name that befits the age in order to encapsulate the work that He intends to do. He uses this particular name, one that possesses temporal significance, to represent His disposition in that age. This is God using the language of mankind to express His own disposition.” “Although They were called by two different names, it was the same Spirit that accomplished both stages of work, and the work that was done was continuous. As the name was different, and the content of the work was different, the age was different. When Jehovah came, that was the age of Jehovah, and when Jesus came, that was the age of Jesus. And so, with each coming, God is called by one name, He represents one age, and He opens up a new path; and on each new path, He assumes a new name, which shows that God is always new and never old, and that His work never ceases to progress in a forward direction. History is always moving forward, and the work of God is always moving forward. For His six-thousand-year management plan to reach its end, it must keep progressing in a forward direction. Each day He must do new work, each year He must do new work; He must open up new paths, must launch new eras, begin new and greater work, and along with these, bring new names and new work” (“The Vision of God’s Work (3)”). As we can see, a single name of God only represents one age, one stage of work, and one part of God’s disposition. When an old age ends and a new age starts, God’s work will change and His name will also change.

We all know that now we are in the late period of the last days. The Lord Jesus prophesied, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). “He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). The words of the Lord Jesus tell us clearly that in the last days He will return to express the truth and to perform the judgment work beginning with the house of God. And He will fulfill the prophecies in the Bible of separating the wheat and tares, sheep and goats, and the good and evil servants, and will reward good and punish evil to conclude the entire old age. So, will God change His name when He returns in the last days? It’s prophesied in Revelation: “Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write on him My new name” (Revelation 3:12). “I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). From these prophecies we see that God’s new name will appear in the last days, and that God has personally witnessed that His new name is the Almighty. It’s just as two passages of words say in the book, “In each age, God does new work and is called by a new name; how could He do the same work in different ages? How could He cling to the old? The name of Jesus was taken for the sake of the work of redemption, so would He still be called by the same name when He returns in the last days? Would He still be doing the work of redemption? Why is it that Jehovah and Jesus are one, yet They are called by different names in different ages? Is it not because the ages of Their work are different? Could a single name represent God in His entirety? This being so, God must be called by a different name in a different age, and must use the name to change the age and to represent the age. For no one name can fully represent God Himself, and each name is able only to represent the temporal aspect of God’s disposition in a given age; all it needs to do is to represent His work” (“The Vision of God’s Work (3)”). “ And so, when the final age—the age of the last days—arrives, My name shall change again. I shall not be called Jehovah, or Jesus, much less the Messiah, but shall be called the powerful Almighty God Himself, and under this name I shall bring the entire age to an end ” (“The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’”).

God’s changing His names in different ages manifests His almightiness, wisdom, wondrousness and unfathomableness. God says, “The day will arrive when God is not called Jehovah, Jesus, or Messiah—He will simply be the Creator. At that time, all the names that He has taken on earth shall come to an end, for His work on earth will have come to an end, after which His names shall be no more. When all things come under the dominion of the Creator, what need has He of a highly appropriate yet incomplete name? Are you still seeking after God’s name now? Do you still dare to say that God is only called Jehovah? Do you still dare to say that God can only be called Jesus?” (“The Vision of God’s Work (3)”) After fully completing His work of salvation of mankind on earth, God will no longer take any name to represent Him, because any one name cannot possibly represent His entirety. God is full of authority and power. God is the Creator of all things, and God is God. Only these are the most suitable ways to call God.

[lifeonaleaf]

Week 67:Christ is the Light of the World

We had another beautiful week. We taught Jeff again. He has a few struggles but desires to change.  He smokes 5 sticks a day and mapped out a way for him to gradually get rid of his smoking. His baptism will probably happen sometime in May, but hopefully sooner! He has such a great desire to get baptized, serve a mission, and get rid of his smoking. He came to Church again on Sunday and stayed for all 3 hours. He's the best. After Church on Sunday, we had Rowena's baptism. On Saturday morning, we dropped by Rowena's to visit with her about how she felt and to fill our her baptism & confirmation record. While we talked with Rowena, she kept saying, "I don't want to depend on you. I know that missionaries come and go. I'm doing this baptism for myself. I felt that it's true. I don't want to be plastik and go back to being who I was before, drinking and hiding things. Then when missionaries come, to say, 'Quick, hide! They're here! Put that away!' I want to do this for me. I pray that the Lord will guide me and teach me. At first I only wanted this for my boys, but I don't know how it happened...I suddenly wanted it for myself too." She was teary-eyed while expressing her feelings and my heart felt so warm. Before her baptism, she came to the Church dressed in a white shirt and white skirt ♥ We didn't even tell her to. I don't know how to adequately express what that means to me, but it means so much and makes me happy. Rowena's step-uncle, Tatay Anoche, baptized her. When she came up out of the water, she threw her arms around Tatay and had the biggest smile on her face. She could not have looked more beautiful or more happy. When she bore her testimony, she really thanked us. It was humbling. She said, "You are a blessing to me. I just pray that you continue to meet families like mine and that you don't give up on them. You've changed my family and you are such a blessing to me. I never entertained any other missionaries for the past 20 years, you two were the first...I will continue to be here, even after you both leave." Rowena is wonderful. Nothing replaces the joy of true missionary work. A small thing happened a few weeks ago, but it left a large impression on my mind that made me reflect on it again and again. A few weeks ago my companion and I walked home in the dark. We had forgotten our flashlight and were relying on the occasional passing trike to give us light. Our main source of light came from the moon and stars. Though the night was beautiful, I saw all of the limitations or remaining in the darkness without stronger light. Walking home on a once-familiar path but now made unknown by shadows and darkness. While walking, my mind was taken in deep reflection and has not ceased replaying that memory in my head since then. In the darkness, the question came to my mind, if the only light we ever had was from the moon and the stars, how dark would our world be? How much would we see and understand about the world around us? We live in two worlds simultaneously: the world around us (physical) and the world within us (spiritual). Both experience light and darkness. Light is dimmed in two ways: suddenly or gradually. Most often in both of our worlds, the presence of light is as subtle as a sunrise or sunset, barely noticeable until the light has vanished entirely. As we walked home that night, I realized the weaker the light, the stronger my confusion, the more easily I could be deceived or misled, the less details I saw in the path or the trees or my own self, the lack of color of everything becoming gray, my vision was blinded, everything turned into its shadow, and my eyes began to adjust to and accept the darkness. My mind recalled the account of the Nephits before the Savior came. When the Savior died, the earth fell apart around them. It is described in chapter 8 of 3 Nephi with these adjectives: great storm great and terrible tempest terrible thunder shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder sink into the depths drowned great and terrible destruction tempest, whirlwinds, thunderings, lightnings, and exceedingly great quaking of the whole earth broken up broken fragments smooth places became rough sunk, burned, shaken, fallen, slain places were left desolate damaged deformed some were carried away in the whirlwind Then everything became dark, as told in verses 19-24: "And it came to pass that when the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the storm, and the tempest, and the quakings of the earth did cease...there was darkness upon the face of the land. And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness; And there could be no light, because of the darkness, neither candles, neither torches; neither could there be fire kindled with their fine and exceedingly dry wood, so that there could not be any light at all; And there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land. And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them. And in one place they were heard to cry, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day" A world without Christ falls apart. Not only a physical world can experience this kind of darkness. but He does not leave us in the darkness. Suddenly the voice of Christ is heard among the destruction, "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God" (3 Nephi 9:13-15,18) In both of our worlds, the Sun is our greatest source of light. Christ is the Light of the World, the Son of God whose brightness exceeds "the brightness of the sun" (JSH 1:16). On this earth, we will pass through "a dark and dreary waste" (1 Nephi 8:7-8) and "mist of darkness" (1 Nephi 8:23-24). But we have the promise of the words of God, His gospel, to "lighten our minds with its rays" (Hymn 19) to know how to judge our course. To each man is given the Light of Christ (Moroni 7:13-19). However, this promise of light in darkness is only sure according to our commitment to cling to the Savior (1 Nephi 15:24-25). Christ is the light of all. "He is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also He is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through Him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon His throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things" (D&C 88:7-13). But we are the ones who must answer Samuel the Lamanite's question, "How long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?" (Helaman 13:29). How do we diminish our light? Sin. It's interesting how the only difference between "sun" and "sin" is the letter I. Sin is selfish and separates us from God--the Light of the World (2 Nephi 26:23 & Helaman 6:30).   How do we access the Light? Prayer. Like the experience of Lehi and Nephi in prison and all the people are overcome with darkness. The Lamanites asked, "What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?...You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ...and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you. And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed. And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire" (Helaman 5:40-43). Also we need to continue in our conversion to God. "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day" (D&C 50:24). President Eyring said, "We know from our own experience and from observing others that having a few great moments of spiritual power [or spiritual light] will not be enough...conversion will not be a single moment of something that will last for just one season of life but will be a continuing process. Life can become brighter until the perfect day, when we will see the Savior and find that we have become like Him." "Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise ye could not abound" (D&C 88:50). When we are enlightened, then what do we do? Emulate the Savior. "Be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven...Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen Me do" (3 Nephi 12:14,16; 3 Nephi 18:24).   Sometimes sunshine isn't enough to scatter the darkness. Christ is the only light who surpasses all darkness, a light that never goes out. "The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended" (Isaiah 60:19-20). There is sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright than glows in any earthly sky, for Jesus is my light. I love being a missionary and know that this is all true--all of the gospel is true. Christ lives and can become the Light of our world if we let Him in. Mahal na mahal ko po kayo! xo Sister Murray

[faithfulnews]

The Rebellion and Restoration of Israel

By Dan & Brenda Cathcart

The video version of this teaching is at: https://youtu.be/s61lkuLX4dc

The Scripture reading is: Isaiah 1:1-27

The last few weeks we have been focusing and studying the life and prophecies of Jeremiah. Jeremiah lived in Judea and Jerusalem at the time of king Josiah and later through the destruction of Jerusalem, the first temple and the subsequent exile of most of the inhabitants of Judea to Babylon. This week Shabbat falls on the ninth day of the month of Av, the very day that Jewish history records that both the first and second Temples were destroyed.

As we finish out the remainder of the year leading up to The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah, we will be reading exclusively from the prophet Isaiah.  The opening chapter of the book of Isaiah is a kind of preface or table of contents to the rest of the book. Isaiah introduces us to himself and outlines the overarching themes of his dissertation.

Isaiah 1:1-2 NKJV 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;

It all sounds so familiar. Although Isaiah lived some one hundred and thirty years prior to Jeremiah, the pattern is the same; rebellion against God, judgment, and restoration. On this ninth day of Av, the saddest day in history, there is still the hope of restoration.

In this Haftarah we are dealing with a very short passage of scripture, but it contains vitally important information about the state of Jerusalem and Judah. The entire scope of the book of Isaiah is about Judah’s rebellion and restoration and is summarized in this short reading. In it we will see the nature, the judgment, the remnant, and the cure of their rebellion along with their restoration.

Over the last several months and especially the last few weeks while studying the prophecies of Jeremiah, I have been amazed at how often the people of Israel and Judah, primarily the leadership, had repeated the pattern of sin against God and the amount of trouble it caused them. You would think they would learn!

Isaiah uses the term “rebel” or “rebellion” throughout his writings.  The Hebrew word is “paw-shah”, number 6586 in the Strong’s concordance meaning to break away, trespass, apostatize, or revolt. Israel, or in Isaiah’s situation, primarily Judah, was in a near constant state of rebellion.

In verse two Isaiah announces their rebellion to all of the heavens and earth. In verse three Isaiah indicates that even the ox and donkey know who their master is.

Isaiah 1:3 NKJV 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider."

It might not be a good idea to open your argument by insulting the intelligence of your audience, but that is what Isaiah did by comparing them to oxen and donkeys. In calling on the witnesses of heaven and earth, Isaiah is reminding them of the covenant God made with them referring to some of the last words from God to the Children of Israel at the plain of Moab.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NKJV 19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 "that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

Isaiah then launches into a listing of the specific rebellions that Judah did beginning with forsaking the LORD.

Isaiah 1:4 NKJV 4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.

Israel was intended to be called a holy nation, set apart for God among all the nations of the earth to be priests to the nations and an example. Isaiah now calls them a “sinful nation.” They have abandoned and turned away from God and have become like the other nations around them. The Hebrew verbs used by Isaiah make for a particularly strong rebuke against Israel. They have literally “turned away backwards” in their heart, actions and words.

The concept of the holiness or separateness of God is a driving theme throughout the book of Isaiah. The prophet refers to God by the title “The Holy One of Israel” no less than thirty-nine times. By invoking this title, Isaiah is undoubtedly reminding Israel of the nature of God and their unique relationship to the creator of heaven and earth!

In verse seven, Isaiah changes the tone of his oratory from a metaphorical presentation to a present tense. He speaks as if the physical judgment that is coming as a result of their rebellion has already happened or is happening as he is writing.

Isaiah 1:7 NKJV 7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

The next type of rebellion that Isaiah speaks of is their practice of an empty religion.

Isaiah 1:11-12 NKJV 11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?

God was not telling them to abolish the sacrificial system, but that they were abusing the system God put in place and had created an empty religious ritual from it. Perhaps their thoughts were if one sin offering was a good thing then ten was certainly better!  They were also just going through the motions of celebrating the new moons and the appointed festivals as if they were merely the right thing to do in their culture without giving consideration as to what their purpose was.

Isaiah 1:13-14 NKJV 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.

These empty religious practices were going on for quite some time before Isaiah entered the picture. Many celebrations of the Feasts of the LORD are mentioned throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles, but by the time of Isaiah, they were practicing the appointed times in their own way, changing the very character, nature, and purpose of God’s Feast days and filling them with empty ritual.

In addition to the physical judgment because of their rebellion, they will experience a spiritual separation from God because of their empty religious practices.

Isaiah 1:15 NKJV 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

Isaiah goes on to point out their lack of justice toward each other and the most vulnerable in their society.

Isaiah 1:16-17 NKJV 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

The rulers and leaders of Judah and Jerusalem had become degenerate and corrupt.

Isaiah 1:21-23 NKJV 21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

We see some terrible consequences for their rebellion against the Holy One of Israel! We see the consequences of this rebellion throughout the book of Isaiah, but we also see the promise of healing. Chapter fifty-three, for example, in particular speaks volumes of the healing power of the Messiah and how He will minister to His people.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NKJV 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

The Hebrew word translated as “stripes” in fifty-three five is number 2250, khab-boo-raw, from the root word number 2266, khaw-bar meaning to couple together, to have fellowship with. Any healing from their rebellion can only be accomplished by entering into fellowship with Messiah, a personal relationship, not empty religious practices.

Back in chapter one verses eight and nine, Isaiah introduces us to the concept of a remnant.

Isaiah 1:8-9 NKJV 8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9 Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.

The image of the shelter in the vineyard and the watchman’s hut are like small islands of refuge in a sea of desolation and destruction. Sodom and Gomorrah did not have any righteous remnant left within them once Lot and his family were removed.  In chapter’s thirty-six through thirty-nine, Isaiah relates the story of the siege of Sennacharib during the reign of king Hezekiah where all of Judah was overrun and only Jerusalem remained. If it was not for the grace of God, Jerusalem would have been lost as well.

The existence of a remnant does not mean that God would not execute judgment on them for their unfaithfulness to the covenant. In verse ten, Isaiah addresses a warning to the remnant as if they were Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:10 NKJV 10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:

The concept of a faithful remnant is seen throughout Isaiah. And we see that this remnant is a righteous remnant that owes its salvation and existence solely to the grace of God! We also see that this remnant is the preserved true believers and covenant keepers from Israel.

The apostle Paul also speaks of a remnant of those who were faithful and believed God’s word, at one point, quoting Isaiah.

Romans 9:27-29 NKJV 27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. 28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth." 29 And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."

So far in the opening chapter of Isaiah, we have read about the nature, judgment, and remnant of Judah’s rebellion. But there is more, there is hope! There is a cure for their iniquity and rebellion should they choose to accept it. Part of the cure we already read, but it deserves repeating. Isaiah presents the cure in verses sixteen through twenty.

Isaiah 1:16-20 NKJV 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword"; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah tells Israel of the path to spiritual and ritual purity.  Their sickness can be cured, and they can be counted as the remnant. The first step is that they must wash themselves from the stain of their sin. The second step is they must do good. Doing good is the outward sign of true repentance. Living a life reflecting God’s righteous acts is a characteristic of repentance.

In verse seventeen, Isaiah tells them that they must learn to do good. Learning involves the study of the ways of God through His word. The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is God’s instruction in righteous living. The apostle Paul spoke of this to Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Just learning God’s word on an intellectual level is not good enough.  The people Isaiah and the other prophets address were primarily the leaders, priests, and kings. They had come to know the words, the forms, and the rituals, but little else beyond that. Their religious practices had little substance. If the leadership is practicing an empty religion, how can they properly teach the people the ways of the LORD?

Isaiah puts some emphasis behind his words when he says that doing good means physically practicing justice for the vulnerable and less fortunate of their society.

In verse eighteen of our Haftarah, Isaiah indicates that the stain of their sin can be washed away, and the curse removed. Their sin is a crimson stain that can be made white again.  This is exactly what John referred to in Revelation

Revelation 1:5 NKJV 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

In verses nineteen and twenty, Isaiah reminds Israel of the benefits of repentance and returning to covenant faithfulness. Isaiah restates the conditions recorded in Deuteronomy. The wording that Isaiah chooses emphasizes that obedience will bring blessings and disobedience, disaster.  But the important thing to remember is that nowhere, in Isiah’s prophecies or anywhere else is there ever a dissolution of the covenant God made with the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai!

At the close of the Haftarah reading, Isaiah finishes with stating the things that God alone will do. He gives a hint to the Messianic Age yet to come!

Isaiah 1:24-27 NKJV 24 Therefore the Lord says, The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city." 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness.

Ultimately all these things will only happen in their fullness when Messiah returns to rule from the throne of David in Jerusalem. God declares that He will redeem Jerusalem with justice and put an end to all His enemies. At the same time God’s judgment will fall on the unfaithful and unrepentant.

What we see in this opening chapter of Isaiah is a hint at the central, overarching theme of his entire book: the coming of Messiah and His atonement for His people! What is clear from Isaiah is that God alone is the only one able to redeem Israel. The righteousness of Messiah Yeshua and His atoning blood is the only path to the ultimate salvation of Israel. And it is that salvation through Messiah, which is open to all who call upon the LORD God of Israel!

Study Questions:

1. Discuss the connection of this teaching to the Torah Portion Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22.

2. Isaiah describes the leadership of Judah and Jerusalem as being apostates practicing a dead or empty religion. Describe the problem they had with their religious practices. Discuss how they fell into this state and how we too can be trapped in empty ritual. Share personal experience if you wish.

3. What is the remnant described by Isaiah? How does this remnant affect the rest of the nation?

4. What are the possible ways to understand verse 1:18?  What is your interpretation and why?

5. What is the difference between the ways God judges the ungodly nations and the way he judges His own people?

6. What new insight did you gain from this teaching? How do you respond to this new insight? How will you realign your life based on this new understanding?

© 2019 Moed Ministries International. All rights reserved.

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[zhartha]

@gamfcowboy cont.

His laughter was soft and sweet, forever a weak man to Jesse’s quick witted tongue, and with nary a complaint he’d completely turn to face the bedding; he mimicked a content sigh, wiggling at the weight on his ass. It would be a lie to say Zenyatta wasn’t curious, hearing the clunk of bottles against one another, and he fought his instinct to turn back around.

“I am one who advocates for adventure, but I must ask what you intend to do to me.” Muffled against the sheets, Zenyatta flickered his optics off, letting the rest of his sense paint a picture of Jesse McCree and his intentions. 

“What have I done to deserve .... I assume a massage?”

[zhartha]

”-- Hello, my friend.”

The young omnic overlooked the other; he was adorned in new garments, gifts of the day, there had been an insistence that Zenyatta wear such clothes out. He loved them. 

“Are you feeling well ... you look sickly, my friend.” // @breakiitdown petal love

[zhartha]

“They don't know what they're missing--- Let's end your time to lay low.” 

@sootsouls

[zhartha]

”Aah, you are Genji’s elder brother. He has told me much about you ... just as he has kept a greater number of secrets about you.”

Dressed in garb from his students travels, the weather a THREAT to his systems, and a promise had been made on the journey to be safe. Zenyatta offered a hand in greeting, mala a slow rotation around his neck. 

“I come to you with open arms, Mr. Shimada ... there must be countless doubts that plague you.” // @dompteur-dragon sc

[zhartha]

@gildedgoldwords cont.

”But it is a view to be shared, your own discrepancies should not find itself a factor of prohibition.” He settles down well enough, hands resting comfortably in his lap, fingers twitching ever slightly, but no attempts to snatch the page had been made; his optics flicker to Mondatta, studying him with an aired caution. “I have many friends, a few were quite willing to share.”

[zhartha]

@gildedgoldwords cont.

 [ TXT: Mondatta ] I was not under the impression my life should be dedicated towards impressing you, my brother. [ TXT: Mondatta ] Perhaps you see with prejudice.