Genesis Chapter 11

(Genesis 11:1 [KJV])
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

• Some things divide like language, geography (including terrain, oceans, rivers, etc.), culture, religion
• All of them can be easily overcome except language
• Geography-you can move alongside the other people group
• Culture-both can adopt part or all or accept the other
• Religion-both can adopt part or all or accept the other

(Genesis 11:2 [KJV])
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

• Shinar is Babylon (Daniel 1:2), hence the "Tower of Babylon"
• It is a generic name synonymous with Babylonia
• King Amraphel ruled there in chapter fourteen of Genesis

Genesis 14:1
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

Genesis 14:9
With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

Isaiah 11:11
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Daniel 1:2
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

Zechariah 5:11
And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

(Genesis 11:3 [KJV])
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

• The burning of the brick meant permanence, as unburned bricks crumble over a short amount of time with rain.
• Perhaps tar was used for mortar instead of cement.
• Certainly there are tar pits there. Wikipedia: "Tar pits in Hit, Iraq"

(Genesis 11:4 [KJV])
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

• They were given the mandate to fill the earth, first at Creation, then after the Flood, they were not told to "gather together in one spot and work together to make a name for ourselves"
• Combined, man can come up with all sorts of evil ideas People were evidently moving away from the place where they had gathered in Babylon and in order to "make a name" for themselves, they
• The same thing happened in the early Church. God asked them to bring the Gospel worldwide; they stayed at Jerusalem. He had to send a persecution to accomplish this
• Babylon, according to the ancient historian, Herodotus, covered two hundred square miles. It was surrounded by walls three hundred and fifty feet high and eighty seven feet thick. The walls were guarded by two hundred and fifty watch towers and outside the walls were protected by a deep moat.

(Genesis 1:28 [KJV])
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 9:1 [KJV])
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. (Acts 1:8 [KJV])
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

(Acts 8:1 [KJV])
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

(Genesis 11:5 [KJV])
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

• A Pre-Incarnation of Christ Himself
• The term children of men could be for two reasons: to distinguish them from children of God, or to show this was a generation at least removed from the Flood survivors
• It was both a city and a tower; most remember just the tower of Babel.
• Being a city was not enough for them; they wanted also a tower

(Genesis 11:6 [KJV])
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

• Man in the flesh is sinful enough alone, but man in the flesh being sinful combined with many, many other men is a tragedy waiting to happen
• The last time God destroyed them with a Flood; now He will extend mercy and just scatter them to the four winds
• This is an illustration of the Sovereignty of God

(Genesis 6:5 [KJV])
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

(Romans 9:15 [KJV])
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

(Exodus 33:19 [KJV])
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

(Genesis 11:7 [KJV])
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

• There is no natural explanation for the existence of all human languages, so this is it, right here.
• It is not like man to invent languages to divide up with, but rather to unite under one.
• Here is the Trinity again, saying "let us", then it is "So the LORD", the "US"

(Genesis 1:26-27 [KJV])
And God said,Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in hisown image,in the image of God created he him; male and female createdhe them.

(Genesis 11:8 [KJV])
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

• It is impossible to work together when you cannot understand each other's speech for such a large project.
• They would also have to naturally scatter into groups in order to communicate with one another

(Genesis 11:9 [KJV])
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

• This is the origin of the people groups, by isolation into nations, bringing out different characteristics such as skin color, eyes, hair, etc.
• The language only caused them to go. The isolation caused them to differentiate.

BA'BEL, n. [Heb.] Confusion; disorder.

(Genesis 11:10 [KJV])
These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

• Shem was the middle child, Japeth was the eldest, making Ham the youngest
• Genesis chapter 5 is the genealogy from Adam to Noah, this is from Shem to Terah who had Abraham, who had Lot, completing the major patriarchal list
• One thing liberal "scholars" like to do is ascribe generational "gaps" to the genealogies, which do not exist.
• This is the justify the belief in the long ages of the earth and is not gotten from the text itself
• One thing noted here after the Flood is the shortening of the lives of people, a direct result of more UV radiation, due to the collapse of the firmament at the onset of the Flood.

(Genesis 10:21 [KJV])
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

(Genesis 9:22, 24 [KJV]) And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.......
......And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

(Genesis 11:11 [KJV])
And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

• Arphaxad is included in the genealogy of Jesus, through Joseph

(Luke 3:36 [KJV])
Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

(Genesis 11:12 [KJV])
And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:

(Genesis 11:13 [KJV])
And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:14 [KJV])
And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

(Genesis 11:15 [KJV])
And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:16 [KJV])
And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:

(Genesis 11:17 [KJV])
And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:18 [KJV])
And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

(Genesis 11:19 [KJV])
And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:20 [KJV])
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

(Genesis 11:21 [KJV])
And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:22 [KJV])
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

(Genesis 11:23 [KJV])
And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:24 [KJV])
And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

(Genesis 11:25 [KJV])
And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

(Genesis 11:26 [KJV])
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

(Genesis 11:27 [KJV])
Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

(Genesis 11:28 [KJV])
And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

(Genesis 11:29 [KJV])
And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

(Genesis 11:30 [KJV])
But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

(Genesis 11:31 [KJV])
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

(Genesis 11:32 [KJV])
And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Genesis Chapter 1

C

(Genesis 1:1 [KJV])
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

• IN the beginning-not before, because there is no "before", not after, and not "around the time"
• In THE, not the first beginning, one of the beginnings, not a beginning
• In the BEGINNING God-The Universe is not eternal, started at some point
• In the beginning GOD-First cause, no introduction needed, no explanation as to who God is, no temporal Creator, and Eternal Creator God
• CREATED verses evolved, this is Creation Ex Nihilo, from nothing
• The heaven= a plural word meaning three heavens, atmosphere, outer space and the angelic realm
• And the earth-The earth is so important to God that it is separated out from everything else in the heavens and mentioned it by name
• The narrative begins from broad to specific, right here.
• Three definite articles, which, when rejected, lead to utter confusion

(Deuteronomy 10:14 [KJV])
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. (1 Kings 8:27 [KJV])
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

(Nehemiah 9:6 [KJV])
Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

(2 Corinthians 12:2 [KJV])
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

(Genesis 1:2 [KJV])
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

• The earth was....not became. Whenever a person who rejects the literal interpretation cannot do so in English, they resort to "in the original language that means"
• The "was without form and void is used to support the various gap theories by saying it became form and void due to judgment, destruction, etc.
• Without form, as in formless, featureless
• Void as in empty
• The first thing a person does if they are doing a sculpture is get some clay that is "without form and void" of features
• No light, a ball of water (the deep), which would have no features
• Just the spirit of the LORD Jesus Christ there
• God's light shines where and when He wants it to and can be withdrawn and withheld at His desire and will
• When something hovers, it is waiting to do something, such as a bee, a bird

FORM'LESS, a. [from form.] Shapeless; without a determinate form; wanting regularity of shape.

VOID, a. [L. viduus, divido. Gr.]

1. Empty; vacant; not occupied with any visible matter; as a void space or place. 1 Ki 22.
2. Empty; without inhabitants or furniture. Gen 1.
3. Having no legal or binding force; null; not effectual to bind parties, or to convey or support a right; not sufficient to produce its effect. Thus a deed not duly signed and sealed, is void. A fraudulent contract is void, or may be rendered void.
4. My word shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please. Isa 55.
   I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place. Jer 19.
5. Free; clear; as a conscience void of offense. Acts 24.
6. Destitute; as void of learning; void of reason or common sense.
   He that is void of wisdom, despiseth his neighbor.
   Prov 11.
7. Unsupplied; vacant; unoccupied; having no incumbent.
   Divers offices that had been long void.
8. Unsubstantial; vain.
9. Lifeless idol, void and vain.

Void space, in physics, a vacuum.

1. To make void; to violate; to transgress.
   They have made void thy law. Psa 119.
2. To render useless or of no effect. Rom 4.
VOID, n. An empty space; a vacuum.
Pride, where wit falls, steps in to our defense, and fills up all the mighty void of sense. Th' illimitable void.

VOID, v.t.

1. To quit; to leave.
   Bid them come down, or void the field.
2. To emit; to send out; to evacuate; as, to void excrementitious matter; to void worms.
3. To vacate; to annul; to nullify; to render of no validity or effect.
4. It had become a practice - to void the security given for money borrowed.
5. To make or leave vacant.

VOID, v.i. To be emitted or evacuated.

(Genesis 1:3 [KJV])
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

• There is no sun, so this light is from God alone
• All God does is say/speak it into existence, and it happens, with no need to actually do.

(1 John 1:5 [KJV])
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

(Genesis 1:4 [KJV])
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. The darkness is only there to show features on something we see in the light, but darkness alone is an absence of light. It is not a particle. Light is good; darkness is not today, but here everything was good, because it was only a physical shadow, without morals

(Genesis 1:5 [KJV])
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

• This is obviously the beginning of the rotation of the earth
• The word "the" is definite and used four times here for emphasis
• Use of "evening and morning" means a literal 24 hour day like ours
• Use of "first" (ordinal number) means a literal 24 hour day
• In 1900 occurrences in Scripture, 95% of the time the word day is used and means only a 24-hour day, or of the daylight portion of our typical day.
• The rest (5%) are things like "The Day of the Lord".
• The word "DAY" plus a number word is used outside of Genesis 410 times, and 410 times it means a literal day. Period.
• The words "Evening and Morning " alone without the word "Day" is used 38 times, and 38 times it means a literal day. Period.
• The words "Evening and Morning " with the word "Day" are used 23 times, and 23 times it means a literal day. Period.
• Fifty times the words "NIGHT" with "DAY" are used and fifty times it means a literal, twenty four hour day.
• The word "day" is written into the Genesis record and the rest of the Old Testament 200 times number words like first, second. In EVERY SINGLE CASE, not one exception, it refers to a literal 24-hour day like ours today.

(Genesis 1:6 [KJV])
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

• This firmament would have served many purposes, such as increased oxygen content, atmospheric pressure, greenhouse effect to warm the earth uniformly, prevent severe winds and weather from occurring
• When it was removed, the Flood occurred

(Genesis 7:11 [KJV])
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

(Genesis 1:7 [KJV])
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

• These would later have become the Flood waters
• Waters below=oceans, waters above= canopy of reserved water

(Genesis 1:8 [KJV])
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

• This firmament was simply the major part of the first heaven, the atmosphere of the earth
• During the Flood this would have been converted into rain on the earth, and then our current cloud/weather system worldwide

(Genesis 1:9 [KJV])
And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

• Step by step God is making a place for mankind and the beasts of the earth
• Nothing is ex nihilo in the creation of the oceans, just a creation from water and earth that were pre-existing for two days now.

(Genesis 1:10 [KJV])
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

• This probably would not have been one land mass, unless it was broken up during the Flood, since the whole idea of continental drift is not scientific, not based upon facts and data, not provable and not even logical

(Genesis 1:11 [KJV])
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

• God lets the earth grow plants on that day from nothing to full grown plants, in a non-personal way of Creation without a "hands on approach", at His Fiat command
• This would not have been from seeds, but straight out of the soil.
• The seeds would have been in the ripened fruits, growing on mature trees and everything would then have an appearance of age, of having grown right
• "After his kind" is directly related to stasis of kinds, and refutes evolution and is still true and an unbreakable genetic law today.

(Genesis 1:12 [KJV])
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

• No plant would be inedible, nor with stingers, thorns, poison, etc.
• Further preparation for the Crown of Creation, mankind-food
• "After his kind" is again repeated

(Genesis 1:13 [KJV])
And the evening and the morning were the third day.

• Repetition three times thus far of the proof of a literal 24 hour day.

(Genesis 1:14 [KJV])
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

• This is the heavenly bodies of the sun, the moon and the stars
• The Stars were to mark time like a well set watch, which they are today
• The moon marks the month, the earth and sun relationship denote both a year and a day
• The narrative continues on in typical Hebrew style with a broad account followed by the specifics
• This can be stated as, "This is what I did, now here is how I did it."

(Genesis 1:15 [KJV])
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

• This would be, among other things, the introduction to the Creation of the sun and the moon

(Genesis 1:16 [KJV])
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

• The Sun is to us a star, but to God it is a special star, created just for the earth
• The moon is unique, not evolved or spun off out of the earth as evolutionists say

(Genesis 1:17-18 [KJV])
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

• This placement may indicate a geo-centric system
• The plants created the day before now have sunlight to grow further, propagate and produce fruit

(Genesis 1:19 [KJV])
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

• One more repetition of the "Evening and the morning" and an ordinal number, meaning it surely must be a literal 24 hour day

(Genesis 1:20 [KJV])
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

• Again a special "hands off" making of water creatures and birds, but not really. This time He says He created them (v. 21)
• This firmament again is the atmosphere

(Genesis 1:21 [KJV])
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.

• Sea Creatures and birds, created from the water
• This is not evolution as is claimed, and the word is not in the Bible, no implied in any way, except in 2 Peter 3:3-10
• Everything is "after its kind" or "after their kind"

(Genesis 1:22 [KJV])
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

• Fill is the same word as replenish after the Flood
• To multiply means more than two, which is only a duplication
• God says it is fruitful to multiply

(Genesis 1:23 [KJV])
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

• Again, fifth time repeated the locking mechanism for a six day creation, young earth

(Genesis 1:24 [KJV])
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

• This is both the wild and the domesticated animals (cattle)
• This flies in the face of those who insist that "man domesticated the animals" tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years ago.
• This also includes dinosaurs, insects and all creepy crawlies alive today

(Genesis 1:25 [KJV])
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

• After having created everything that could possibly hurt man, God calls it "good" still, indicating that these creatures were not dangerous at this time

(Genesis 1:26 [KJV])
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

• This creation is set apart in every way
• Animals are not made in God's Image
• Man is not made in the animals' image
• Man is only made in God's image-volition, intelligence, emotion, will, religion, self-awareness, love, etc.
• Man is also a tripartite being...having a body, soul and a spirit. The body lives temporarily, the soul is given by God lives forever, and the spirit is now born dead due to sin and only made alive when we accept the sacrificial death on the Cross, burial, and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ and are "born-again"

(Genesis 1:27 [KJV])
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

• Again, the Hebrew narrative tells us that Eve was also created on the sixth day, only God is not female
• The account of the creation of Eve is in chapter two, mentioned here as an account introduction only.

(Genesis 1:28 [KJV])
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

• Again, the command to multiply, and "replenish" which means to fill, interchangeably.
• Be stewards over the earth, it is yours, not belonging to the animals
• It is God's to give to whoever HE wishes

(Exodus 19:5 [KJV])
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

(Psalms 24:1 [KJV])
A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

(Psalms 50:12 [KJV])
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

(Psalms 89:11 [KJV])
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

(1 Corinthians 10:26 [KJV])
For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

(1 Corinthians 10:28 [KJV])
But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

(Genesis 1:29 [KJV])
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

• The fruit tree yielding seed is "after its kind"
• The command to eat meats was not until after the Flood, for man so everything, even dinosaurs, ate plants.
• The dinosaurs would have been among God's lawnmowers for sure!

(Genesis 1:30 [KJV])
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. The command to eat meats was not until after the Flood, for everything and even dinosaurs ate plants.

• The dinosaurs would have been among God's lawnmowers for sure!

(Genesis 1:31 [KJV])
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. No death, no sin, no pain, no suffering Everything is complete with man so everything is now declared "very good" for the first and last time Everything includes everything and excludes nothing, including the spiritual realm of angels

CONCLUSION

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1. No mention of long ages
2. No mention of anything evolving into other things
3. No private interpretation is necessary, with a straightforward reading
4. A ton of God creating things ex nihilo, supernaturally, from dust, from a rib, just by speaking the words "Let there be"-what power and glory!
5. Complete stasis, after their kind (stays that way throughout all of history until now-amazing, hunh?)
6. The word created, create, made, formed, etc. all throughout.
7. Never changes throughout the Bible
8. No death, destruction, fall before Adam.
9. Everything is perfect, "very good" in six literal twenty four hour days.
10. "Evening and morning", "first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth" literal days....

Prophecy by Bob Gary

PROPHECY: THE KEY TO SCRIPTURES TODAY

by Robert Gary

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TESTIMONY

INTRODUCTION: HOW I GOT INTERESTED IN PROPHECY

We are currently living in a time spoken of by the prophets and our LORD Jesus Christ thousands of years ago. It is a unique time, a first for all of mankind, and a wrapping up of all things prophesied for mankind. It is indeed the last chapter, one second before midnight on the prophetic clock, with nearly all of the players on the stage for the opening of the book of Revelation, all at the same time. Three things can be learned from these times:

• We are truly in the last days of mans long history.
• There is no turning back the clock on it, once it starts.
• The Rapture of the Church and the Great Tribulation are very close, even at the very door.
• The Rapture is imminent, and always has been for 1,950 years.

THE SCRIPTURES

2 Peter 1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

• Context always determines meaning, immediate and all of Scripture, always. This is the most important Bible Study tool there is and rarely used today.

  Isaiah 28:10
  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

  Isaiah 28:13
  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

  • Context determines the meaning of all verses
  • There is the immediate context and the context of all of Scripture
  • There is a cultural context, archaeological context, historical context
  • Without using a context, any verse can have any meaning you want it to
  • With it, the meaning of any verse can only have one unambiguous meaning, with very, very few exceptions and NEVER with any important doctrines

• Prophecy is a very important part of Scripture for us to study, as are all parts. STUDY, not just read
  2 Timothy 2:15
  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

• This is because these prophetic Scriptures were written in the past to remind Israel of what God did for them, and now to us for the same reason

  1 Corinthians 10:11
  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

  Matthew 24:4-5
  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

WHAT IS PROPHECY?

Isaiah 46:10
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

• Prophecy is simply God foretelling the future to us
• God can do this because He is Holy, Omniscient, Eternal

  Isaiah 57:15
  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

  1 John 3:20
  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

  1 Peter 1:16
  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

  Leviticus 11:44
  For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

• Prophetic time lines from prophecy to fulfillment can go from hours to centuries, even millennia.
• Prophets of God had strict guidelines with deadly consequences for those who disobeyed, and the following verses from Deuteronomy 18 show the qualifications:

  Deuteronomy 18:18-22
  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

  Daniel 2:28-29
  But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

  Amos 3:7
  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
  2 Peter 1:21
  For no prophecy was made by an act of human will but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

• Those persons IN the Bible (including Jesus Himself) always used a literal interpretation of past events (Flood, Creation, prophecy, Israel's history) and future events
• Prophecy is always LITERALLY fulfilled, not allegorically, spiritually, not symbolically
  • Happens to that person or those exact people prophesied of
  • Happens exactly when God said, to the day
  • Happens exactly how God says it will, often in graphic detail
  • Happens in an undeniable, supernatural way, leaving the world with a choice to believe or reject

• Prophecy fulfillment authenticates the Bible as divinely inspired.
• No other religion on earth contains prophecy, and Muhammad the Prophet made no prophecies, nor does the Quran contain any
• Thousands of Scriptures have already been literally fulfilled; and we are not even close to done yet
• Some prophecies have a dual fulfillment (abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, the two Roman empires, etc.)
• Examples of fulfilled prophecy:
• Prophecies have been written and fulfilled about:
  • Israel, Jerusalem
  • Jesus Christ
  • Nations such as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome, ALL Arab nations
  • Jesus Christ
  • Peter the Apostle
  • Modern countries and continents from Russia to China to Europe
  • High Technology, transportation
  • The entire world
  • The church
• • Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman which gave the serpent a fatal blow, and whose heel was bruised for our iniquities, but rose from the dead three days later(Genesis 3:15)
  • The Flood happened 120 years after God said it would (Genesis 6-9)
  • Abraham became a great nation, as God said (Genesis 12)
  • Ishmael because a great nation, as God told Hagar his mother (Genesis 17:20)
  • Isaac was born to Sarah and Abraham, as God said (Genesis 17:21, Genesis 21:2)
  • Israel was four hundred years in Egypt
    Genesis 15:13-14
    And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

    Exodus 12:41
    And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

    NOTE: The extra thirty is from exactly when Jacob went down into Egypt, not the captivity time of four hundred years.
  • When Jesus was arrested and crucified, His disciples scattered

    Zechariah 13:7
    Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

    Mark 14:27
    And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

    Matthew 26:56
    But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

    The disciples left Jesus and only Peter was at a distance, and even he denied being with Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75)

  • All of Psalm 22 was fulfilled at the crucifixion
  • All of Isaiah 53 was fulfilled at the crucifixion
  • Judas fulfilled prophecy about Jesus
  • The Romans fulfilled prophecy about Jesus
  • The Pharisees fulfilled prophecy about Jesus
  • In Daniel 5, the Handwriting on the Wall said that Belshazzar was to die that night, in heavily fortified Babylon. It happened as it was stated and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom. It was done by diverting the Euphrates River and allowing the army to go under the wall (the only possible way in) while the entire city, including the king, were drunk and feasting. Was a cake walk.
  • Daniel Chapter 9:24-27 was fulfilled mathematically perfectly
  Daniel 9, Micah 5:2,
• The fulfillment today is observable history and we are eyewitnesses
• IN our lifetime alone, the fulfillment of so many prophecies at once means we must be close:
  • Israel in the land again (Isaiah 11:11-12, Isaiah 66:8, Isaiah 43:5,Ezekiel 20:34, Ezekiel 37, Hosea 3:5, Jeremiah 32:44, et al)
  • Return of the Hebrew language (Zephaniah 3:9))
  • The return to the shekel for money after 2,000 years(Ezekiel 45:12-16)
  • The Temple Restoration (Daniel 9:24-27)
  • The apostasy (2 Peter 3:3-4)
  • Technological advances for the anti-Christ's kingdom (Revelation 13:16-18
  • Fast paced lives, world travel (Daniel 12:4)
  • One Worldism-Religion/Economy/Government(Revelation 13:8, 16-19)
  • The level of spiritual blindness and wickedness is growing faster each day (Daniel 12:10)
  • Rise of Europe and Ancient Roman Empire (Revelation 17-18)
  • Rise of Islam/Chrislam/beheadings
  • Russia (the Scythians, now called Magog) aligning with the Muslim nations (Ezekiel 38-39)
  • China with a 200 million man standing army
  • Plagues/earthquakes/droughts/weird weather/pestilences
  • This is all simultaneous with Israel being in the land, under threat constantly from her enemies
  • INTENSE persecution of Christians worldwide, growing in intensity daily, including crucifixions, beheadings, etc.
  • False teachers, false prophets abound worldwide (Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13)
  • Rapture date setters and rapture nay sayers (2 Peter 3:3-4)

Pre-tribulation rapture of the Church

Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

This is three separate events, "these things" (destruction of the temple at Jerusalem), "the sign of thy coming" (Rapture), "and of the end of the world"

2nd Thessalonians- 2:7 "until he be taken out of the way".
This verse from Second Thessalonians reads:
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth[ will let], until he be taken out of the way"

The "he" is widely agreed to be (and literally must be) the Holy Spirit Himself who is letting, or restraining iniquity that is ready to be unleashed on a Christ rejecting, sin infested world!
When you survey the world scene, and observe what's happening in regards to spiritual deception, moral decay,and just out right wickedness that has covered the entire planet like a blanket, it's difficult to believe that things can get any worse!
But increase they will, as I will try to show through this article, if it's The Lord' will!
In Matthew 24, Jesus lays out for us the "signs" that would unfold as we approach His Second Coming. He said these "signs" would increase like "Birth Pangs", increasing in frequency and intensity. He begins by telling us to beware of spiritual deception, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilences etc. All of these things will increase exponentially as His return draws near!
We are definitely living in the "Times of the signs"!
The events taking place on the world scene, from the unrest in the middle east, to the constant threats of nuclear weapons being unleashed on the planet, all point to this being the last days. You have what seems to be every end-time sign that the Lord Jesus said would signal His return now in place! Iran who has, on several occasions, openly called for the total destruction of the Nation of Israel, without any protest from the United Nations, or any other country for that matter! It really boggles the mind as to why the nations of the earth have such a hatred for the Nation of Israel, Unless you view it through the lens of Bible Prophecy, it is impossible to grasp the situation, which is totally spiritual!
If Satan had his way, he would totally wipe Israel off of the map, But Almighty God says in His word that will never happen!

Jeremiah 31:35-36 says:
"Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, [and] the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts [is] his name(KJV) v. 36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, [then] the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever."

Regardless of the plans of Satan, he can do nothing until The Lord removes The Restrainer, who is the Holy Spirit, and us " The Blood Bought Bride of The Lord Jesus Christ" by way of the Rapture!

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:" -2nd Thessalonians-2:8.

There is coming a day, very very soon I believe,

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first, Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." -1 Thessalonians. 4:16-18

Maranatha!!

There is simply no support at all in the context of Scripture for the Church not to be raptured before the actual seven year tribulation. It is not the M.O. that God used in the past for major judgments This is not to say persecution of the church here in America is not coming, but that is not the same as judgment of the earth.

Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

• The analogy of the Rapture is a parallel to the ancient Jewish wedding
  • Groom goes to prepare a house
  • Surprise return to snatch his bride for the wedding; no one has any warning, always imminent, all wedding goers and bride must always be ready
  • Wedding feast
• Enoch was raptured
• God always removes His innocent people from the area of widespread judgment
• Phillip was raptured (moved instantly to the Ethiopian Eunuch and away again
• Noah is an example
• The church is not under God's judgment and wrath
• The Word "Rapture" is not in Scripture; neither is the word "Trinity" or the word "Christianity"
• We must, by biblical definition, be in the last days
• The nation of Israel is to be our primary barometer, coupled with all other current events
• Israel is the fig tree (Jeremiah 23, Hosea 9:10, Joel 1:7, Mark 13, etc.)
• There is more spoken of the last seven years during the Great Tribulation than about any other time in history.
• The focus is on Israel from Revelation 4-22
• Israel is not the church
• Jesus has a physical and spiritual, glorified body
• We will be like Him
• The thief coming in the night
• No one knows the day or the hour, and cannot even calculate it
• The Second Coming is foretold on the tribulation time-line
• The Holy Spirit will be removed
• We are to be comforted by the awaiting for the Rapture............there is no comfort waiting to go through the Tribulation
• It is called our "blessed hope"
• We are caught up in the clouds
• The Church at Philadelphia will not go through the Tribulation
• We are in the time of the Church of Laodicea, but we are not to be that church

VERSES:

Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

John 14:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Revelation Chapter 4

Revelation Chapter 4

(Revelation 4:1 [KJV])
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

• This is the writing and seeing of "the things which shall be hereafter" (in Revelation 1:19)
• The transition from earth up to Heaven, which will go back and forth

(Revelation 1:19 [KJV])
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

(Revelation 4:2-3 [KJV])
And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

• In our flesh we do not get to see Heaven
• Few in the Bible have gotten to see the Glory of God's Throne
• Even the enemy had God's stone types and colors
• This is the pattern God had Moses make on earth, of the Throne in Heaven 
• This means that Moses got to see the Throne in some way, on the mount.

(Ezekiel 1:26-28 [KJV])
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

(Ezekiel 10:1 [KJV])
Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.


(Ezekiel 28:13 [KJV])
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

(Exodus 25:9 [KJV])
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

(Exodus 25:40 [KJV])
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

PAUL
(Hebrews 8:5 [KJV])
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

STEPHEN
(Acts 7:44 [KJV])
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

(Revelation 4:4 [KJV])
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

• Who they are is a lot of speculation as to who they are
• Twenty four elders of God, out of the Church?
•  
• White is for Christ's Righteousness
• The Gold is for ruling, and the judgment for rewards, etc.

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
(Exodus 25:25 [KJV])
And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.


(Revelation 4:5 [KJV])
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

• These lamps represent the Holy Spirit, perfectly represented by the perfect number seven
• Lightning and thunder precede storms, and one is coming, called Judgment Day
• Where do they come from?  These "proceeded from"
• The Menorah was in the Old Testament

(Exodus 25:37 [KJV])
And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

(Revelation 4:6 [KJV])
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

• This sea represents 
• There is not any reson to think that these beasts are angles, but rather just real beasts

(Revelation 4:7 [KJV])
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

• This is the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

(Ezekiel 1:10 [KJV])
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
(Ezekiel 10:14 [KJV])
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.(Revelation 4:8-9 [KJV])
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

• These are unique creatures, not found on earth, obviously
•  They never sleep, and see everything, and fly
• Only the Great I AM can be called this-the God of past, present, future.

(Revelation 4:10 [KJV])
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

• None of us deserves to get any crowns as sinners, but it is by grace we get salvation, then rewards
• All Good things, all Good deeds ultimately are from God as the Holy Spirit leads us to do them and not our flesh
• Therefore, they crown can return to God, as they are His to begin with

(Revelation 4:11 [KJV])
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

• No one else is the Creator of everything, which is why it is vital to believe in Genesis literally
• The Glory of God is revealed in His creation, not in man's craftiness
• THis is why man has no excuse but to believe
• All technology we have has been done before, copied from the Creator

(Psalms 19:1 [KJV])
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
 
(Psalms 97:6 [KJV])
The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

(Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 [KJV])
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
(Romans 1:20 [KJV])
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:

Acts Chapter 9

Philippians 3:5-8
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Nearly every other time in Acts Paul speaks publicly, he retells his salvation story (Acts 22, Acts 26:12, 1 Corinthians 15:8, Galatians 1:16)

Acts 9:1
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

• Because the disciples in chapter 8 were scattered abroad, to hunt and kill your prey, you have to then go to them
• Slaughter means it was not just Stephen who was martyred
• It takes a lot of hate to breathe out threatenings and slaughter
• This is an extermination mission
• Probably the greatest personal enemy in the flesh in history

Acts 8:1
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Acts 9:2
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

• Men or women.....all die.
• This is written permission to kill Christians

THE WAY

Acts 2:28
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Acts 16:17
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

Acts 18:25-26
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. .

Acts 24:14
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

Romans 3:17
And the way of peace have they not known:

2 Kings 5:12
Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

Acts 9:3
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

• The disciples had scattered to the point to where one had to "journey" top get to them; to Damascus Syria at this point in time
• Damascus is considered and known to be the longest inhabited city in the world.
• Supernatural light, "round about him", a light "from heaven"

Acts 9:4
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

• The only appropriate response to seeing Jesus Christ as He is is falling to ones knees in fear and adoration
• The light threw him to the ground.......the voice means it was personal to him

Acts 9:5
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

• A brilliant graduate of seminary, even a genius, school of Gamaliel, University of Tarshish.............does not know who he is trying to kill (who the Christians actually represent)
• Even so, Saul calls Him LORD, just not yet HIS LORD
• This proves again that all of the education in the world does not provide wisdom
• It is very hard to continue to hate and persecute Christians, exhausting, tiring work, because it is killing his conscience
• Paul spoke the most about having a clear conscience (2 times in Acts, in his epistles 24 times)
• He now knows who Jesus is-personally. Jesus is H*I*S LORD
• This shows that, when you persecute Christians, it is Jesus who you hate and persecute, because the Church is His Body

John 15:18
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Romans 12:5
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Ephesians 4:12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Acts 23:1
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Romans 9:1
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Acts 9:6
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

• This is not educational enlightenment........this is instant conviction and eye opening of the Holy Spirit
• Paul here does not start speaking in tongues.

Acts 9:7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

• In the same accounting of this event by Paul himself in chapter 22, Paul says it differently, which critics and unbelievers call a contradiction
• Hearing *******A******* voice, not *******THE******* voice of the LORD (big distinction)
• It is like hearing a muffled voice on the other side of a wall......you cannot testify of what or who you heard ,just that it was a voice.
• Anyone can hear "A" voice, even psychotics and devil-possessed people, but only those of Jesus hear HIS voice.
• In Exodus 20, Moses heard God speak; Israel heard thunder and "the noise of a trumpet" and saw lightning
• In Daniel 10:7, only Daniel saw the vision; not those with him
• In John 12:28-29, some heard an angel, some heard thunder, some heard the Father speak to Jesus
• Saul did not need to be witnessed to via a man; that had already happened to him with the stoning of Stephen. Hence the signs and wonders breaking him

Exodus 20:18
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Daniel 10:7
And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

John 12:28-29
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

Acts 22:9
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

John 10:27-30
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Acts 9:8
And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

• His "eyes were opened".........so he was temporarily blinded, without doubt
• He was blinded by the light
• His spiritual eyes were opened to the light; his physical eyes were closed to the light
• In other words, the heavens (spirit) were opened and the earth (flesh) was shut out, as when we walk with the LORD
• The human element was not present HERE at all-it was earlier in Stephen's stoning, Saul being the witness to it, and it is unique
• Spirit of God, Word of God, man of God (Stephen, just earlier)
• This is a unique time in history, unrepeatable. Saul saw what Stephen saw when he was stoned by Saul, just later on
• Saul already KNEW the Old Testament very well, and would have known the verses about the Messiah, the Suffering Messiah, the Returning Messiah, etc.

SAUL'S PERSONAL WITNESS BY A MAN: THE STONING OF STEPHEN

Acts 7:56-60
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

PAUL'S CONVERSION RETOLD

Acts 22:6-10
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

Acts 26:12-18
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Galatians 1:16-19
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Ephesians 3:1-3
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

1 Corinthians 9:1
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

2 Corinthians 12:2-4
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Acts 9:9
And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

• He did not get excited about being saved; he was totally confused, at sea, thus far
• This was perhaps by design, because his personality is so excitable?

Acts 9:10
And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

• God calls people personally, by name
• A similar thing happened to others in the Bible, like Abraham, Jacob, Samuel

Genesis 22:1
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

Genesis 31:11
And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

1 Samuel 3:4
That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

Acts 22:12
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

Acts 9:11
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

• Tourists and tourist/travel web sites still tell of and show pictures of Straight Street in Damascus, and most if not all other roads are twisted, cornered, etc.

Acts 9:12
And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

• This dream was given so that God could tell Ananias about it, to allay his fears
• This was needed due to Paul's reputation as a chief persecutor

Acts 9:13
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

• "Are we talking the same Saul here, LORD?"
• Evidently the word had traveled to Damascus how Saul was persecuting the church

Acts 9:14
And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

• His coming to Damascus was also known, and his authority, his letters
• How did Ananias know, when Saul had not yet even arrived?

Acts 9:15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

• Paul is generally referred to as "the apostle to the Gentiles", but he also preached to the Jews
• Paul went before Felix the governor and Agrippa
• Paul was heavily trained in the Jewish faith.......and preached mainly to the Gentiles.
• He did not use that training much, in either case. Just the part about the Messiah
• This is why, later, he "counted them but dung".

Philippians 3:8
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Romans 15:16
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

VES'SEL, n. [L. vas, vasis. This word is probably the English vat.]

1. A cask or utensil proper for holding liquors and other things, as a tun, a pipe, a puncheon, a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a dish, _c.
2. In anatomy, any tube or canal, in which the blood and other humors are contained, secreted or circulated, as the arteries, veins, lymphatics, spermatics, _c.
3. In the physiology of plants, a canal or tube of very small bore, in which the sap is contained and conveyed; also, a bag or utricle, filled with pulp, and serving as a reservoir for sap; also, a spiral canal, usually of a larger bore, for receiving and distributing air.
4. Any building used in navigation, which carries masts and sails, from the largest ship of war down to a fishing sloop. In general however, vessel is used for the smaller ships, brigs, sloops, schooners, luggers, scows, _c.
5. Something containing.
6. Vessels of wrath, in Scripture, are such persons as are to receive the full effects of God's wrath and indignation, as a punishment for their sins.
7. Vessels of mercy, are persons who are to receive the effects of God's mercy, or future happiness and glory.
8. Chosen vessels, ministers of the gospel, as appointed to bear the glad news of salvation to others; called also earthen vessels, on account of their weakness and frailty. VES'SEL, v.t. To put into a vessel. [Not in use.]

Acts 9:16
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

• Paul will suffer.........be persecuted, great things
• Jesus does not say what great things he will DO, but must SUFFER
• He is suffering for the NAME of Jesus Christ

Acts 9:17
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

• Through faith, Ananias went his way......like Abraham
• Ananias accepts Saul as his brother in Christ, meaning Ananias knew he was saved
• Neither Ananias nor Saul speak in tongues here
• Saul was not told to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, just to be filled (controlled by) by the Holy Ghost
• Saul was previously saved when he saw Christ, not here.

1 Corinthians 15:8
And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Acts 9:18
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

• Spiritually seeing, now also again physically seeing
• Ananias gets to baptize Saul
• No sense wasting time. Baptism, preaching the Gospel

Acts 9:19
And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

• He was building the Damascus Church
• As a Messianic Jew, Saul could bring a certain perspective to the Gentiles from the Old Testament

PAUL'S DIRECT REVELATIONS OF THE GOSPEL

Galatians 1:15-24
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.

• Called before he was in the womb, or he attributes God with his first birth
• Apostle to the Gentiles
• Conferred not with man, apostles, disciples
• Went to the wilderness, desert for direct revelation from Jesus Christ
• Returned to Damascus
• After three years, meets with Peter

Acts 9:20
And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

• This would have not gone too well with the leadership
• "Son of God" is a title of deity

Luke 22:70-71
Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

John 10:30-36
I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

John 19:7
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Acts 9:21
But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

• They knew what he was and what Saul did
• They knew why Saul came
• This was not the first time, nor the second, apparently

Acts 9:22
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

• This increase was in his ability to expound on the Old Testament using the Scriptures
• Using the sword correctly yields such

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

CONFOUNDED, pp.

1. Mixed or blended in disorder; perplexed; abashed; dismayed; put to shame and silence; astonished.
2. Enormous; as a confounded tory. [Vulgar.]

Acts 9:23
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

• This wanting to kill him would result from them being confounded!
• They could not answer him using their Scriptures
• This is a classic case of "if you can't stand the message kill the messenger"

Acts 9:24
But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

• This is religious fervor at its highest
• Wanting so desperately to kill an innocent man who was part of your side previously

Acts 9:25
Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

• It was not his time to die yet. Not even close
• They persecuted Paul in Acts 13, tried to stone him in Acts 14, Acts 17, Acts 19, and here in verse 29 also (the Greeks)

2 Corinthians 11:22-28
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

THE BASKET LOWERING, RETOLD

2 Corinthians 11:32-33 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Acts 9:26
And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

• His reputation had traveled this far, but it was so strong as a persecutor, it was too hard to accept that he was now a convert.
• Perhaps they thought he was not trying to join them, but rather infiltrate them

Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

• Sometimes it takes a trusted person to unite others of the same group with a person who is not trusted.

Acts 9:28
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

• This shows how accepted he really was-fellowship

Acts 9:29
And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

• He disputed. Argued. Debated truth with them. They believed in evolutionism for their origins.
• In return, when one cannot succeed in defeating truth..... just kill the messenger.
• Uncompromising boldness, combined with truth, will draw blood then as now.

Acts 9:30
Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

• They were used of God because Paul's time was not yet up.
• Paul is about to preach in his own hometown

Acts 9:31
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

• The lion has been turned into a lamb, so there is a rest
• The spiritual aspect is the fear of the LORD and comfort of the Holy Ghost
• The phrase "the fear of the LORD" is used 30 times in Scripture, 14 in PRoverbs, often associated with wisdom and knowledge of the LORD

Acts 9:32-33
And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.

• Focus switch

Acts 9:34
And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

• Peter did not say "I make you whole"
• Peter did not say, "Be healed! Now give me some money"
• Peter did not ask to be worshipped, have his feet or ring kissed, nor draw attention to himself in any way
• Peter did not even lay hands on him, and neither Peter, nor Aeneas, nor anyone else spoke in tongues before, during or after

Acts 9:35
And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

• This place was simply prepared to receive the Gospel
• Contrast this with Jesus when He could do no miracles because of a lack of faith

Matthew 13:58
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Acts 9:36
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

• Joppa is today called Jaffa or Tel Aviv, the largest metropolitan area to day in Israel
• Also known as Japho, Joppe, el-Qal'a, Tel Aviv, 'Yafa, Yafa el-'Atiqa, Yafo
• The name means "beauty", for the sunshine reflected off of the houses
• It is one of the oldest fishing ports in the world
• It was used by Huram king of Tyre as a port to bring Solomon the items to build and furnish the temple
• This was repeated in the rebuilding, with Ezra, with the people of Tyre getting cedars from Lebanon
• Jonah went there to flee from the LORD
• During most times, especially during Turkish rule, it was THE main way to enter Israel

2 Chronicles 2:16
And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

Ezra 3:7
They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

Jonah 1:3
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Acts 9:37
And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

• This was similar to 1 Kings 17:17-22 with Elijah, John 16 with Lazarus
• It may be that some people die in the body, but their soul does not leave the earth (it just leaves their body, only to return) to Heaven, as they have no stories like Paul did of seeing heaven
• In other words, Paul saw Heaven without dying (ie. as some visions of Ezekiel), while they died without seeing Heaven

2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

1 Kings 17:17-22
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

John 11:38-44
Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

2 Corinthians 12:1-3
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

Acts 9:38
And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

• This is very similar to the Gospel account of Jairus's daughter

Luke 8:49-56
While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Acts 9:39
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

• Not sure what the purpose of showing Peter her wares, but perhaps emotions overtook them, being all widows

Acts 9:40
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

• Apparently their unbelief would be a problem.
• The pattern is first prayer, followed by action or a word. He had spent time with Jesus, again

Luke 22:56
But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 9:41
And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

• Imagine the excitement!
• Jesus took Jairus's daughter by the hand, had her arise by His Word and either took her to show everyone that she was again alive also, or she walked out on her own. HE then commanded they feed her (Matthew 5, Luke 8)

Acts 9:42
And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

• This is a resurrection, and Jesus is the Resurrection and the life, as He said to Mary and Martha, about Lazarus

John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Acts 9:43
And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

• To be a tanner was like being a fisherman............not well liked, not very popular; it was a "dirty job".