PloughBoy
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I understand where you are coming from. but never in my 44 plus years of biblical studies have i ever hop skip and jump form this verse to that verse and made up picture of what is to be, { I have quoted] and would never do it. not saying it is wrong, But i have always read THE Bible Like a book and never use it as determining the future, in anyway of nations, kingdoms. or time . But i have read the BIBLE as A whole from "GENESIS to REVELATION" for over 400-500 times straight through without hoping there and over there. And I see clearly how Jesus taught his DISCIPLES from The OLD TESTAMENT And the APOSTLE Taught also from The OLD TESTAMENT' God has place or ordained "The Bible" in A orderly way and to be read. AS One BOOK, and never design it to be read by verses, and verse chapters. That is man inspired-ment and not "GOD" and for a good reason. But many do not know that about "Translations".And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
a. In the sixth year, in the sixth month: Ezekiel 1:2 began a series of visions beginning with in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. This is a new time marker describing visions that happened about a year and a half later. This series of visions is in Ezekiel 8-11.
i. Ezekiel 8-11 is the record of one long vision. In the beginning of the vision Ezekiel sees the glory of the LORD at the temple in Jerusalem. By the end of the vision (chapters 10 and 11), this glory will depart.
ii. “They also supply us with a date corresponding to 17 September 592 B.C.E., therefore something more than a year after Ezekiel had received his prophetic call.” (Vawter and Hoppe)
b. I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me: This reminds us that Ezekiel had his own house, and that he was respected enough as God’s prophet to receive the elders of Judah for an audience in his home.
i. “The reason for their presence in Ezekiel’s house is not given, though 14:1–3 and 20:1 suggest that they came to him customarily to seek a word from Yahweh.” (Block)
c. The hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there: As before in Ezekiel 1:3, 3:14, and 3:22, Ezekiel felt the presence and strength of Yahweh upon him.
2. (2-4) In a vision, Ezekiel is transported to Jerusalem.
Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire—from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber. He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes to jealousy. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the plain.
a. There was a likeness, like the appearance of fire: Ezekiel saw something similar to the likeness he saw in the vision of God and His glory in the first chapter (Ezekiel 1:27). That was a representation of God in some human likeness, and we see the same here.
b. He stretched out the form of a hand: In his vision, something like a hand grabbed Ezekiel by the hair, and the Spirit carried him between heaven and earth, bringing him to Jerusalem in a vision.
i. Ezekiel had this spiritual vision of Jerusalem in the days when Jeremiah served as a prophet, in that period between the second invasion of the Babylonians and their final conquest of Jerusalem.
ii. “That he did not actually leave Babylon is clear from 11:24. He was carried back in spirit to Babylon after the visions were completed (11:22-25).” (Feinberg)
iii. In this vision Ezekiel saw four abominations at the temple. They were probably not literal in the sense that they were happening all at the same time at the temple and Ezekiel saw this in real time. God showed Ezekiel what was literally happening, in both an outward and in a spiritual sense.
· The outrageous idol, associated with the king (Ezekiel 8:5-6).
· The images and censers, associated with the city leaders (Ezekiel 8:7-13).
· The weeping over Tammuz, associated with the women (Ezekiel 8:14-15).
· The worship of the sun, associated with the priests (Ezekiel 8:16-18).
c. To…the north gate of the inner court: Specifically, Ezekiel came to the temple. As a priest, he had a special interest not only in the temple but also in all that happened there.
d. Where the seat of the image of jealousy was: In his vision, Ezekiel apparently saw an idolatrous image – the image of jealousy – standing in the inner court. This was likely right outside the temple building itself.
i. “It was called the image of jealousy because it provokes to jealousy, i.e. it was an insult both to God and to his temple and to his people.” (Taylor)
ii. Hezekiah removed idolatry from Judah (2 Kings 18:1-5), but his son Manasseh restored it and made it worse than ever, even putting an idol into the temple (2 Kings 21:1-7). Manasseh’s son Amon continued the state-sponsored idolatry of his father. King Josiah cleansed Judah of idolatry and burned the idol Manasseh had put in the temple (2 Kings 23:4-20). Now we see that the idol in the temple was back.
iii. “The word ‘image’ is semel, which occurs elsewhere only in Deuteronomy 4:16 (where it is translated ‘figure’) and in 2 Chronicles 33:7,15, of a special ‘idol’ set up by King Manasseh in the Temple. Although this idol was later removed, Ezekiel’s use of the word may mean that a replica, if not the original, was put back. The word also occurs in Phoenician writings.” (Wright)
e. Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there: In his vision, Ezekiel saw the same glory of God that he saw in the plain. The glory of God was present at the temple of God in Jerusalem. There is a strong contrast between this glory and the debased idols and idolatry Ezekiel will see in the rest of this vision.
i. God’s glory filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and later the temple (1 Kings 8:11). By the end of this vision (Ezekiel 10-11) the glory of the LORD will no longer dwell in the temple.
3. (5) Ezekiel looks to the north.
Then He said to me, “Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance.
a. Lift your eyes now toward the north: If one stood facing the entrance to the temple, the north would be on the right side. We don’t know which way Ezekiel had to turn, but he was directed to face toward the north.
b. North of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance: There again, Ezekiel saw this idol in the temple court. It was called the image of jealousy because it provoked God to holy jealousy.
i. The connection of this image with the north gate (Ezekiel 8:3) was significant, connecting this image of jealousy with royalty and the king. “This was the most honourable of the three gateways because, the royal palace being on the north side of the temple, the king would have used it whenever he went in to worship.” (Taylor)
4. (6-8) Great and greater abominations.
Furthermore He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.” So He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall. Then He said to me, “Son of man, dig into the wall”; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door.
a. The great abominations that the house of Israel commits here: Ezekiel saw the image of jealousy, and God told him that it represented the great abominations of Israel.
b. To make Me go far away from My sanctuary: The idolatry was so persistent and offensive to God that it made Him determined to go far away. It was His sanctuary, belonging to God Himself, but He would leave it because of their great abominations.
c. Now turn again, you will see greater abominations: What Ezekiel saw was bad enough; God now promised to show him worse things, greater abominations.
d. Son of man, dig into the wall: To see those greater abominations, Ezekiel had to dig through a wall to see in his vision what was inside the temple itself.
i. “While we may puzzle over how he is able to dig a hole in the wall or why he does not use the existing entrance to this room, the visionary nature of this entire unit removes the necessity for realism or logical consistency.” (Block)
ii. In spiritual application, this shows that it may take some effort and energy to truly see the interior. If only an easy or surface observation is allowed, the true state of things may not be seen.
B. What Ezekiel saw behind the wall.1. (9-12) Wicked things and blind men.
And He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there.” So I went in and saw, and there—every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls. And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.’”
a. Every sort of creeping thing, the abominable beasts, and all the idols: In his vision, Ezekiel saw the inside of the temple with all sorts of unclean and idolatrous things portrayed all around on the walls. The interior of the temple was supposed to have cherubim surrounding God’s throne portrayed on the walls, and instead had filthy idols.
i. God called these wicked abominations; “the most abominable wickednesses; these are loathsome in their nature, and multiplied in number before me.” (Poole)
ii. “The consensus of interpreters is that these were the animal cults of Egypt (see Rom. 1:23). In Egypt such worship had perhaps its highest and most extensive development in ancient times.” (Feinberg)
iii. “This piece of idolatry the Jews had learned of the Egyptians, who madly worshipped oxen, asses, goats, dogs, cats, serpents, crocodiles, the bird ibis, &c.” (Trapp)
b. There stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel: In front of these foul and idolatrous images were the leaders of Israel, each with a censer giving out a thick cloud of incense. They offered priestly service and incense associated with prayers, in the midst of the idolatry and impurity.
i. Elders “refers to the lay leaders who had risen to prominence in Jerusalem after the deportation of Jehoiachin and his officials (2 Kings 24:12-16). These were obviously important men in the city.” (Block)
ii. Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan: “Shaphan is probably to be identified with Josiah’s secretary of state (2 Kings 22:3), and Ahikam, another of Shaphan’s sons, was an influential supporter of Jeremiah (Jereremiah 26:24). Clearly Jaazaniah was the black sheep of a worthy family.” (Taylor)
c. Have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? God showed Ezekiel that the vision was about what the leaders of Israel did in the dark, and in the room of his idols. It wasn’t about what the leaders did in the temple, but the hidden place of their heart was filled with dark deeds and idolatry – yet they carried on their service as if all was right.
i. Ezekiel was probably shocked to see that all these city leaders were secret idolaters.
ii. “They had carried the idolatry of the temple into their private homes. Public and private worship was permeated with the God-dishonoring idolatry. And they were smugly complacent in it all.” (Feinberg)
iii. “While the external rites of the Temple of Jehovah were being observed, these very observances were made a cloak for the thoughts, desires, activities of the heart. This is the most hopeless stage and state of pollution.” (Morgan)
iv. “Is it quite certain that evil thoughts and imaginations have not imprinted themselves on the walls of the heart? Ah, it may be so. What seems fair and beautiful in the eye of man may be concealing terrible secrets, open only to that of God.” (Meyer)
d. The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land: They excused their sin because they did not think Yahweh saw them, either in their minds or their actions. They also excused their sin because they believed God had forsaken Israel, when in fact they had forsaken God.
i. “With this kind of rationalization they permitted themselves to do anything they desired. If God did not exist then no one need care about him. It is tragic that the same attitude exists today among so many people.” (Alexander)
ii. “What the men in this dark room are saying about Yahweh is in fact false about him, but it is true of the images before which they stand.” (Block)
2. (13-14) Women weeping for Tammuz.
And He said to me, “Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing.” So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.
a. You will see greater abominations: Ezekiel saw idolatry outside the temple and corruption among the leaders within. Yet there were greater abominations to see.
i. “We need not then perplex our reader with a long discourse, to show wherein these latter sins are greater than the former mentioned; they are all very great.” (Poole)
b. To my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz: This is the only mention of Tammuz in Ezekiel and the Old Testament. This was another example of pagan worship, and Tammuz was a deity worshipped by many in neighboring nations, often with immoral or impure rites. Ezekiel was dismayed because women were there, in the holy place reserved only for priests, and because of their immoral idolatry.
i. “It is likely that the prophet would have viewed the presence of women in the inner court as a profanation.” (Vawter and Hoppe)
ii. “The worship of Tammuz came from Babylon through the Phoenicians (Canaanites) and then the Greeks. Tammuz, mentioned nowhere else in the Scriptures, was the Babylonian Dumuzi, beloved of Ishtar, and is to be identified with the Greek Adonis.” (Feinberg)
iii. “In the seasonal mythological cycle, he died early in the fall when vegetation withered. His revival by the wailing of Ishtar was marked by the buds of spring and the fertility of the land. Such renewal was encouraged and celebrated by licentious fertility festivals.” (Alexander)
iv. “With the worship of this god in ancient times were connected the basest immoralities. With the greatest of abandon women gave themselves up tomost shameful practices.” (Feinberg)
3. (15-16) Priests worshipping the sun.
Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.” So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.
a. You will see greater abominations than these: God continually promised Ezekiel that he would see greater and greater abominations. This time, his vision would display them in the inner court of the LORD’s house.
i. “The idolatry of the seventy elders was hidden in the temple, but these men practiced their idolatry openly!” (Wiersbe)
b. About twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple…and they were worshipping the sun toward the east: These men stood where the priests would normally stand to bless the people. Yet, with the temple behind them and the altar before them (their faces toward the east), they were worshipping the sun toward the east. They didn’t worship Yahweh, even at His own temple – they worshipped the sun, as the other pagan nations did.
i. The number and the location of these men make it likely (though not certain) they were priests. “If they were priests perhaps the number is twenty-five because there was a representative of each of the twenty-four courses of the priests plus the high priest (cf. 1 Chron 23).” (Alexander)
ii. “These worshippers showed their contempt for God by standing in such a way that they had their backs to the Temple while they reverenced the sun (cf. 2 Kings 23:5,11), worshipping the creature rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25).” (Wright)
iii. Block on the sun cult in Israel: “According to 2 Kings 21:5 it appears to have gained royal sponsorship during the reign of Manasseh, who built altars for the entire host of heaven in the courts of the temple. From 2 Kings 23:11–12 one may also infer that the horses and chariots of the sun at the entrance of the temple that Josiah demolished had also been erected by Manasseh.”
4. (17-18) A promise of judgment upon all these abominations.
And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”
a. Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations: In his vision of the temple, Ezekiel saw a terrible variety of idolatries and abominations. The leaders and people of Jerusalem regarded it all as a trivial thing; God did not.
b. For they have filled the land with violence: These were not only religious or spiritual sins. Their rejection of Yahweh and His true worship led to a breakdown in the social order.
i. “The inhabitants of Judah were not content to provoke the Lord with their abominations. They had also filled the land with ‘violence,’ i.e., social chaos and injustice.” (Smith)
c. Indeed they put the branch to their nose: This is an unusual statement, used only here in the Old Testament. It was some obscure expression of contempt for God.
i. “The phrase ‘put the branch to their nose’ is obscure. Jewish commentators understood it to refer to some revolting and wicked rite. If it was a ritual act in an idolatrous cult, then it is grave indeed. But no such ritual act is known among Semitic peoples. Some take it to be a gesture of contempt toward God.” (Feinberg)
ii. “‘Sticking the branch to the nose’ may simply describe an insulting physical gesture, here employed euphemistically to express how Yahweh feels about the way his subjects have treated him.” (Block)
iii. Wright had another idea: “The branch held to the nose may have been in imitation of the Egyptian ankh, a symbol of life, which is shown in carvings as held to the nose, or it may have been connected with plants sacred to Tammuz or some other god.”
iv. Vawter and Hoppe argue that the text has been corrupted and should read, “A branch in My nose.” “All that the Lord is saying is that in place of the pleasing odor of honest sacrificial worship (Leviticus 1:9, etc.), what God is receiving from the Israelites comes as a stench in God’s nostrils.”
d. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity: Because of the great idolatries and sins of Jerusalem, and that the people regarded it all as a trivial thing, God’s judgment was assured, and could not be turned back.
i. “Because of this utter corruption of the people, Jehovah would proceed in judgment, in spite of all the loud crying of the people.” (Morgan)
ii. “Yahweh hereby affirms that from now on his ears are closed to all pleas for mercy…. He will not allow his heart to overrule his head.”
I guess i am designed different .because i never trusted preacher, the bible, or a church. i investigate the bible and the committees members who translating them. and where the translations phrase came from and why. For many think The Bible is the Very WORDS of GOD! And you cannot correct them!. And we do not try, for JESUS is enough. I am what you Called A "REFORMED THEOLOGIAN" old schooled, My field of studies is "THEOLOGY PROPER" the regular church members or many kind of christians, do not understands me. because many are not familiar with "Biblical TERMINOLOGY" nor have they SPENT enough Hours in "THEOLOGICAL STUDIES" i am not into "RELIGIOUS Studies". I have over a 1000 hours of just study the Word; "HOLY SPIRT" just the word. So that is why I know the term meaning when i say "Holy Spirit", i may use the word "Parakletos" or I may use the Word "The ADVOCATED" or "Pneumatic power", the field of "Pneumatology" . Many think they mean the same, {WELL why do you use the word church than "The CONGREGATION of GOD"} Or when JESUS said: Upon This ROCK I will Build MY CONGREGATION. why do you not say "CONGREGATION"? it is a english and greek word. and never been updated or change. Why the update and the Grafting in, the word "Church" into a definition that has already been establish.. "Congregation"
Bishops' Bible of 1568
And I say also vnto thee, that thou art Peter, and vpon this rocke I wyll buylde my congregation: And the gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynst it.
Coverdale Bible of 1535
And I saie to ye: Thou art Peter, & vpo this rocke wil I builde my cogregacion: and ye gates of hell shal not preuayle agaynst it.
Tyndale Bible of 1526
And I saye also vnto the yt thou arte Peter: and apon this rocke I wyll bylde my congregacion. And the gates of hell shall not prevayle ageynst it.
Cutting it short, most True christians do not know, they have eliminate with great lengths the definitions of Biblical word definitions in internet definitions, and have eliminate certain truths by design, And the etymology of biblical RELATED words, throughout the years that christians quote words from the bible and it means no way what they define it to be, in hundreds of books saying it mean this and it don't! And there is nothing you can do about it.
"THE GREAT falling away"<<<<<<<<<<Like the word "Great" here, they have do idea what that word means here. In "A Theological Sense"and it is okay.
Just read the book plain and simple, the Bible is Supposed be written in the common "GHETTO language" "Common mans" every day "sheep herders barefooted language"
That is why when someone ask me about something in depth. I tell them to forget every thing you know, every book you have read, And Pray to GOD to MOVE it from your soul, your mind, your being. And Then Start all over again from Genesis to Revelations, and forget everything your pastor, sunday school teacher, bible class and ever sermon you have ever heard. Wash you clean. "Clean the HARD drive, wipe it clean". And then every morning, in noonday, in the evening, and at night, You in "systematically" order, read your bible. With no helps, once you did it once, repeated, then repeated it again, skip not one word, if you cannot pronounce it, tell God to teach you how to pronounce it, "NOT GOOGLE" or IPHONE! You skip meals, no television, no facebooks, and if you are married you can have sex as entertainment, if not, your are now a "ENNUCH" "female or male". Day and night, until you sleep bible and travel in dreams on the Road to Jericho . You dream bible and not quotes from another man given to you. If any one is going to do patches of verses, it is going to you from your mind, and not the pages, but the BOOK.
Then after the third time, you read the "New Testament" by itself. in One month. the WHOLE BOOK 3 times, and the new testament 4 times. "Until Quail comes out of your NOSE" And then let GOD, lead you what to read and no dime store cowboys! telling you what the old testament mean. and how to put it together.
Now i am going to say this: The Devil will not like you doing this! But he loves when christians Jump over here and over there, and read "DIME STORE Cowboys" spend time in those books and will not read GOD"S BOOK IN A SYStematic order! over and over again! then people want GOD to help them! to be entertain by more "DIME STORE COWBOYS" If he loves you he will not let you be entertain by more dime store cowboys' He rather see you starve to death. go naked and bath footed. Than to let you be "POISON" to death> That is why I adamantly protest people to read their BIBLE in ORDER and do not let that Devil distract you from off the path., If you get off, You are, hopping around thinking, it is all about believing and mustard up "Vain hope" "faith" to get GOD to Act on Your behave. And he already is, " STARVING you DEATH". In Love. And many be wondering why GOD has not ANSwered Or Come to Their aid. And many run around seeking "GOD"S WILL". And it is so simple, to be True. "READ the BOOK" I didn' t say study, i said read.
"But they do not want to "WASH in THE JORDAN" where it is nasty unclean. polluted with bugs and waste water."
Now if you have read our BIBLE, you know what I am talking about. "Naaman".
When I do get them to read their bibles over and over again!! They say; OH __IT, i didn't know that! I did not know GOD was Like that! they make UTURNS QUICK! I did it in about 2or 3 weeks after being saved. I did a quick uturn ! I was like others, the lord is blessing all the time. after reading my Bible about 2 twice straight through. OH No, God Is not Blessing all the TIME! He (JESUS) is the God of the OLD TESTAMENT too, He Told ISRAEL i am going to make you eat your own BABIES then You are Going know I am GOD! He did it, Jesus said in the OLD testament, I am going make you eat your "POOP" and drink your "P" and you are going to know I am GOD! because I am going to tell you before I do it! All these denominations talking about the Old testament is Different from the New. He is killing in the new too! Women, kids, men, and animals! "Immutable"
And you be wonder how come they don t know this, Many times i would check by Bible to see, are we reading the same book! and i ask them have you read the whole book? they say yes, then I would hear a voice say; they LYING. And i would shake my head, they read their bibles, i would say to my self. It would happen again, i ask the same question, have you read your whole bible? they say; yes. i would hear a voice say "they LYING" And i would shake my head again. that cannot be true, They have been in the church 10 -to 20 years. Sunday school teacher, they been Pastoring, Then one day I hear a "PASTOR" wife she been teaching Sunday School and Bible classes for 15 years and never read the WHOLE BIBLE! And SHE DIDN"T SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT! and nobody else in the class!
No wonder they do not understand me, what i am saying when I preach to them.
I can tell y'all stories all year and the nest year too, And especially about those books many be reading, That thousands be reading the same "Horse manure" and my sisters and brother be lapping it up like "Gideon's soldiers by the pond.
Now do not get me wrong I am not against the readers but Those who wrote this stuff for profit or in other words influence by "SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES" THE ones who read these books are the victims, And i am on their side but they do not know it, but most of the time, they treat me as the enemy. But so did they "JESUS". How can i be mad?
Luke 6:25-27
…"Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers treated the false prophets in the same way. But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,"…
PS. I though every christian knew the whole Bible by heart when I got saved at work, in 1977
And by end of 1997 i was going to know mines too! By heart every "WORD" I did not need a "concordance" The "NSRB" copyright 1967. i did not need a Concordance, And i kept asking GOD to Give me A "Photographic Memory" I was naming it and claiming it!
Every word i read, so i did not skip a word! I was a mess, One year And I did not trust nobody and let them, know it too, and quote Scripture to back it up, Sideways, backwards, upside down and right side up, and biblical stories in the Bible to back it up and turn to the pages. I was "Quick Draw McGRAW" Old testament and the NEW", until i went to bible college, those teenage tore me up! kids fresh OUT of high school, "THE REFORMED FAITH"! Going to the "MISSIONARY" fields, in the jungles, war torn countries, In the AMAZON, Peru, AND Africa, South AMERICA other countries, teen women getting rape, And still "converting' those who Tortured them. You talking about loving your enemies ,they took it to another level! {CALVINIST} Someplaces they did not know the language and learn it there in the jungle. And set up Missionary Grass huts!
And when they took breaks and come back home, And they would tell what took place and give testimonies, everybody start crying. As a Black man< I had not never heard nothing like that in "Christianity" only on "T V". in Black white in The 1950's, "STANLEY and LIVINGSTON" Staring "SPENCER TRACY"
They where the Real "Mc COYS"! Young! and white! They were, the bugs, the tigers, the snakes and rats! and Jungle fever and "TSETSE FLIES, Tribe wars with "MACHETES and AK-47's " You talk about A "WITNESS" I got The real "DEFINiTIONS" and real "Hermeneutics" "Biblically Sound" And My "Methodology & Hermeneutics" professor was a "PLYMOUTH BRETHREN. One color suit and tie, and I think the same thick sole shoes. I think they worn them until they wore them out and then Brought new ones same suit every day! But they know that BOOK! And he said, you might fell my class but you will know how to "Interpreted HOLY SCRIPTURE" and You will know what "HOLY SCRIPTURE"is, You might Fell But you are going to KNOW! And it was only 3 black people in the class! And we looked at one another> Me and one, got to be good friends he end up Pastoring a fairly large church, with a little 0ver 2 million dollars in their saving. account. Down the street from where i lived at that time. "Things were never easy" adventurous, painful, hard, ruff, heart broken, The "Via Dolorosa".
The song writer wrote, "One day we will sing I wonder how I got over"
. Old gospel song , “ my soul looks back and I wonder how I got over"
"and have not been for the Lord who was on my side"
Plough, another "Short Story"