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Why I Will Not Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine

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I am in the high risk category for COVID-19, but I’m not taking the coronavirus ‘vaccine’ and I suggest you don’t either.

US Vice President Pence getting his COVID-19 jab

Here are my reasons:

1. Inadequate Testing

Normal vaccines take up to 10 years to develop. Drug companies rushed this ‘vaccine’ through testing, so nobody knows what long-term effects it might have.

While the CDC downplays the mRNA risk, the fact is this is “the first-ever mRNA vaccine brought to market for human patients.” In the linked article, Israeli Doctor Tal Brosh compared it to inserting a USB drive into a computer to run a program, except in this case you’re inserting genetic programming into your body.

2. It’s Not a Vaccine; It’s Genetic Modification.

The ‘vaccine’ isn’t a vaccine, since it’s not made from the (weakened or inactive) virus.

Instead, it incorporates new mRNA technology. It modifies your genes. They call it a vaccine to make it sound less scary… like a flu shot.

No, I don’t trust Bill Gates, big pharma, and the globalist cabal enough to inject their mRNA programming into my body.

3. Nanobots

Suspicion is growing that Nano-particles in COVID vaccines are the cause of rare allergic reactions.

I’m not worried about having such an allergic reaction. But, there are two reasons why I’m very concerned about Nanobots in COVID-19 vaccines. 

  1. Nanotechnology is so new that its risks are unknown.
  2. I don’t trust that the vaccine makers didn’t add nefarious ‘Trojan Horse’ Nanobots into the vaccines, to be activated later. If you’re not familiar with Nanobot technologies, watch this 30-second Nova video, then do a Google search for Nanobot or Nanotechnology and you’ll be shocked.

4. ‘Trust Us, We’re From the Government’

“The government of any nation is only trustworthy if its leaders have integrity and morality.” As a result, during my adult lifetime I’ve never been able to trust my nation’s government.

Soon, I believe the COVID pandemic and its collateral damage will force all nations to subordinate themselves under a global government and a global, digital currency.

Globalists, led by the World Economic Forum, make no secret that their Great Reset is coming to all nations in 2021. Don’t be surprised if Nanobots injected (via vaccine) into billions of people are part of their plan.

If all this sounds paranoid to you, think about how our orderly world disintegrated during the last year. The pandemic (and other crises) destabilized the world economy, ‘locking down’ all developed nations… Then read the first and last commandments on the Georgia Guidestones and you’ll wonder if these things really are accidental, or if they’re planned.

5. Prophetic Implications?

I’m skeptical of some recent prophetic ‘teachings’ that the COVID-19 vaccine is somehow related to the ‘mark of the beast.’ But I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss it as a possibility and a potential concern.

Some people believe angelic powers revealed many modern scientific breakthroughs to men. According to the Book of Enoch, these Watchers instructed ancient, sinful mankind in various secret arts and technologies, such as weaponry, cosmetics, mirrors, sorcery, astrology, etc. So, there is precedent for this concept.

Regarding the vaccine, the concern is that the vaccines’ genetic modification capability could result in genetic pollution similar to what happened in Genesis chapter 6, when the angelic Watchers cohabited with human women and produced the nephilim race of giants. Then, to cleanse humanity’s bloodline from this genetic perversion, God destroyed all animal life on the entire planet, saving only Noah, his family, and the animals in the ark during the flood.

Conclusion

Therefore, for all these reasons, I’m won’t allow myself to be injected with the COVID-19 ‘vaccine,’ and I encourage you to follow my example.

“Be Blameless and Harmless” in the Great Tribulation | Philippians 2:15

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This morning the ‘still, small voice’ of the Holy Spirit spoke to me concerning how we will overcome our spiritual adversaries in the coming Great Tribulation. He said, “blameless and harmless,” reminding me of Philippians 2:15.

“Do all things without murmurings and questionings: that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain. Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all: and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.” (Philippians 2:14-18 ASV)

As you can see, the apostle Paul associates being ‘blameless and harmless’ with the “day of Christ,” which is coming soon. He also associates it with being offered-up as a sacrifice, which I’ll discuss below.

Blameless and Harmless

Blameless

Why must we be blameless?

Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but it’s against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

Therefore, our enemy is not evil people. It’s not the government, or liberals, the deep state, or the Chinese, etc.

Our enemy is the Devil, that ancient serpent, “The Accuser” and the evil spirits (principalities and powers) who follow him. According to Revelation 12:10b, The Accuser is even now accusing us continually before God in heaven.

But, when we are blameless, The Accuser and his evil followers will have nothing to accuse us of, and therefore they’ll have no right to remain in heaven. The blamelessness of YHWH’s witnesses (martus, martyrs) will cause our enemies to ‘lose their place‘ in heaven. Michael and his angels will then cast them out of heaven and down onto the earth.

So, there are two reasons why our blamelessness is important to complete God’s plan of salvation:

  1. Blamelessness testifies to our successful transformation from sinner to saint. It glorifies God because of His successful work of forgiveness and grace in our life. As long as we abide in carnality and sin, the Holy Spirit’s transformational work of sanctification isn’t complete.
  2. Our sacrificial offering (Psalm 110:3) must be pure, without blemish or defect.

(I realize these topics may will generate more questions, but the answers are well beyond the scope of this short article. For the background theology behind what I hinted at here, read the free PDF booklet, The Overcomers’ Treasure Map.)

Is it Possible to be Blameless?

Some will ask “Is it possible for us to be blameless?” Many religious people say ‘nobody is perfect,’ and ‘everybody sins every day.’ But these sayings aren’t true. They’re the enemy’s lies.

Instead, concerning the possibility of attaining perfection, the apostle Paul had the attitude we should have:

“I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view.” (Philippians 3:10-15 BSB)

Be Perfect; Press On to Take Hold; Strain Toward What’s Ahead…

God’s plan of salvation makes it possible for us to attain perfection and sinlessness. It’s not only possible, but YHWH expects us to press into blamelessness, as these verses prove:

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7-8 BSB)

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed. (1 Thessalonians 2:10 BSB)

…so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13 BSB)

 …in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight. (2 Peter 3:13-14 BSB)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. (Ephesians 1:3-4 BSB)

Harmless

Speaking of Jesus, our High Priest in heaven, the Book of Hebrews states:

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens. (Hebrews 7:26 NKJV)

Harmless: Without Any Desire to Hurt or Harm

‘Harmless’ in Hebrews 7:26 comes from the Greek word akakos. As you can see below, Akakos means someone who is innocent, without any desire to hurt or harm.

Strong’s Reference

Harmlessness Isn’t Weakness

As He was dying for our sins Jesus prayed,

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

During His earthly ministry Jesus exemplified harmlessness. But that doesn’t mean He was weak in any way… The same Jesus who gently welcomed the children frequently scolded His disciples. The same Jesus who touched the leper and healed him whipped the moneychangers as He overturned their tables in the temple.

Being harmless doesn’t mean we’re always happy, smiling and positive. It means our intentions are always pure toward another person’s benefit. It means we only want other peoples’ welfare, regardless of how they hurt or wrong us.

Being harmless is how we fulfill these commands:

I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. (Proverbs 25:21)

Bless those who persecute you. Pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28)

Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people. (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

Overcomers are Blameless and Harmless

The 144,000 Overcomers

“The end-time harvest of the earth, for which God has been patiently waiting since the First Eon, is a holy people who overcome sin through His Spirit living within them. According to Revelation 14.4, the firstfruits of the coming end-time harvest will be 144,000 morally flawless disciples of the Lamb, with 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. They’ll completely fulfill all the requirements of God’s law by growing daily into the fulness of the stature of Christ.” (The Overcomers’ Treasure Map, pg 93)

The 144,000 are blameless and harmless. They’re overcomers, who overcome Satan, the world system, and their own carnal desires. The apostle John saw them on the heavenly Mount Zion with the Lamb–their resurrected Messiah. About the 144,000 John wrote,

“They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.” (Revelation 14:4-5 BSB)

Conclusion

We’re living in the end of the age. The fulfillment of end-time prophecies is imminent, including:

  • The Great Tribulation
  • The manifestation of the sons of God
  • The end of the Serpent’s reign over the earth
  • The destruction of all nations (Daniel 2:44)
  • The first resurrection of saints
  • God’s final harvest of souls
  • The Messianic kingdom for 1000 years
  • The final judgement of all mankind

How can you be on the right side of these end-time events? Be blameless and harmless, and follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

The Lord’s Prayer | How Did Jesus Pray? Line-By-Line Meaning Explained

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Jesus taught His disciples ‘the Lord’s Prayer,’ but what does each element of the prayer really means? How did Jesus pray the Lord’s Prayer?

For more than 50 years I confess that I mechanically prayed the Lord’s Prayer without really understanding it. Then, in early 2019 the Spirit of God led me to dig into the details of the Lord’s Prayer and uncover its deeper meaning. So, after hundreds of hours of Biblical research, prayer, and revelation from the Holy Spirit, here are the original 5 topical sections of the Lord’s Prayer. The remainder of this article will dig deeper into their meaning.

  1. Father, Yahovah, hallowed be Your name.
  2. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on the earth as it is in heaven.
  3. Give us this day our daily bread.
  4. Forgive us our debts as we forgive all our debtors.
  5. And bring us not into trials, but rescue us from an evil heart of unbelief.

For reference purposes, the Lord’s Prayer is found in two places: Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 1 | “Father, Yahovah, Hallowed Be Your Name”

Father

If you are a believer in Jesus, then Yahovah (YHWH) became your Father when you repented of sin and believed in Jesus. Following your sincere repentance and faith, YHWH miraculously birthed new spiritual life in your heart and you literally became His child, a new creation, a different person.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah is begotten of God.

1 John 5:1

Begotten of God

What does ‘begotten of God’ mean?

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

We don’t use the words beget, begat, or begotten very much today. As you can see below, the Greek word translated ‘begotten’ literally means to procreate a descendant and produce an offspring.

Biblehub reference

So, YHWH literally becomes every true Christian’s Father. We become members of His personal family; we share His spiritual DNA. Therefore, when we pray to the Father we’re confessing two things:

  1. He is my Father and I am His child; I have His DNA in the new spirit He quickened within me.
    • I’m no longer a mere man (1 Cor 3:3).
    • Christians are a different species from unregenerate people; they’re members of a new creation (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15).
  2. My sibling believers are those who also have God’s spiritual DNA; those who’ve had their spirits quickened within them. Therefore, God is ‘our Father.’

In Heaven

Our Father is in heaven. What does this mean? Is God’s abode a physical place, far beyond the constellations? Or is it in another dimension that exists invisibly alongside the physical space-time dimension we live in? A good argument can be made for both of these views.

But years ago, God revealed this to me—God isn’t far away (across the universe) in heaven. Just the opposite! He is closer to us than we are to ourselves. He is closer to you than the breath in your lungs.

God is constructing an eternal temple, built with ‘living stones.’ This spiritual temple is God’s dwelling place forever.

As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:4-5

So, when I pray to the Father I don’t add the words ‘in heaven,’ which makes it seem like He is somewhere far away. He is not far away. Instead, I’m prompted to intentionally quiet my natural thoughts and focus my attention toward the Holy Spirit of God who dwells in my spirit, my innermost heart.

Yahovah

Scripture tells God’s people to call on His name, extol His name, make His name known, etc.  It’s respectful and worshipful to address YHWH by His name, so when I pray I begin by personally addressing Him, saying “Father, Yahovah.”

The next line of the Lord’s Prayer is “hallowed be Thy name.” How can I pray this if I haven’t said His name?

The Father’s Name

What is the Father’s name? There are two reasons why most people don’t know it.

  1. Unfortunately, for thousands of years God’s people avoided saying the name of God, supposedly out of respect. Because of this, Bible translators even changed ‘YHWH’ to ‘LORD’ in most English Bible translations.
  2. In addition, Satan’s world system actively pressures people not to acknowledge the true God, or to pronounce God’s name. 
Call Upon His Name

But YHWH tells us to call on His name, extol His name, make His name known, etc.  For a few examples, see: Joel 2:32, 1 Chronicles 16:8, Isaiah 12:4, Psalm 105:1, Romans 10:13, and Acts 2:21.

But Don’t Speak the Names of False gods

In contrast, YHWH explicitly commands us not to speak the names of false gods…

You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.

(Exodus 23:13)

God commands us not to say the names of false gods because that would legitimize them. But over the centuries Satan has deceived God’s people by preventing them from speaking God’s name, even though YHWH encourages us to call on His name.

Pronunciation

Many people avoid pronouncing God’s name for fear of mispronouncing it, but if your heart is sincere and reverent it’s not important to pronounce God’s exactly correctly. God looks at your heart; He is not judging your pronunciation.

That said, based on compelling evidence from Jewish Hebrew scholar Nehemiah Gordon I believe the most-likely pronunciation for YHWH is “Yahovah.” Here are URLs to three videos for anyone who’d like to investigate this further, or to hear how a Hebrew scholar pronounces Yahovah.

Yahweh vs. YHVH: The Name of God – Q&A with Michael Rood & Nehemia Gordon

The Origins of Yahweh

God’s name is not Yahweh – Proof from Jewish Rabbis

Hallowed Be Your Name

To ‘hallow’ something means to treat it as holy and pure, separate from common things.

After I address YHWH saying, “Father, Yahovah,” I pray “Hallowed be Your name” to reinforce my recognition that I am entering the presence of Almighty God, the creator and sustainer of all things, and the holy Judge over every creature eternally.

In 1973 the Holy Spirit gave me a glimpse of God’s love. I experienced God’s love as so deep and powerful that I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of love. It was overwhelming. I had to ask the Spirit to reduce the experience because I felt like I the glory was too much for my flesh and it would have killed me. In the Spirit I ‘saw’ the Son in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18), surrounded by the Father’s infinite love, and I realized that that’s where I was too, since my life is now ‘in Christ.’ I flashback to this experience when I pray “hallowed be Thy name.” He is infinitely holy and pure and loving. I’ve experienced that even a glimpse of His glory is too much for us fleshly creatures.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 2 | Your Kingdom Come; Your Will Be Done. As In Heaven, So On The Earth

The Lord’s Prayer is first and foremost a kingdom prayer. In this part of the Lord’s Prayer, we’re first praying for YHWH to perfect His kingdom in heaven by throwing the Devil and his angels out, and then to extend the Messiah’s authority over all the earth, until all of heaven and every nation on earth submits to God’s throne and willingly aligns with His will.

When we pray ‘Your kingdom come Your will be done, as in heaven so on the earth” we’re engaging in spiritual warfare. We’re using our Adamic authority to exercise dominion over the earth. The goal is for all the earth to conform to God’s will, in peace, righteousness, and prosperity.

For more information about this spiritual warfare, read Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven and Spiritual Warfare for God’s End-Time Overcomers.

From the Book of Revelation we know that we won’t see God’s kingdom come onto the earth until after Armageddon. Then, Jesus will oversee YHWH’s kingdom on the earth for 1000 years. Here’s my Prediction of Life in the Next Millennium.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 3 | Give Us Today Our Daily Bread

Sometimes we forget that Jesus didn’t emerge from His mother’s womb as a fully-developed and mature man. Just like us, He grew from infancy, to childhood, adolescence, and finally manhood.

About this developing and maturing process the Bible says,

Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:52

Our Daily Bread is Living Bread

The Bible is the logos, the written word of God. It is static and permanent, a constant reference for anyone to read.

In contrast, the rhema is God’s spoken word. It is the voice of the living God speaking to us today, to teach us, direct us, or command us about a specific topic in our life right now.

Biblehub reference

As He grew and matured Jesus learned the logos perfectly, and He also demonstrated His total dependence on YHWH’s rhema.

See and Hear God’s Rhema

In the Gospel of John (chapter 5) Jesus revealed that He both saw and heard YHWH’s rhema in His daily life. Without this rhema, Jesus said He could do nothing.

Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.

John 5:19-21

I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 5:30

If Jesus could do nothing without the rhema direction from His Father, how much more do we need to seek the Father’s rhema in everything we do.

God wants us to ask for and depend on Him to provide whatever physical, mental, and spiritual ‘bread’ we need to accomplish His will through our lives today. 

The Bread of Life

Physical and mental bread are important, but spiritual bread gives us eternal life. The rhema of YHWH is this daily bread.

Bread of Empowerment

Our daily bread is not only to keep us alive and well, but it’s our empowerment to complete our mission of advancing God’s kingdom.

Just as we depend on God for life itself, He depends on us to bear His fruit on the earth.

For more information about ‘our daily bread’ read Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread and Christian Passover.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 4 | Forgive Us Our Debts As We Forgive All Our Debtors

True Christianity requires a supernatural transformation of our human spirit. Otherwise, it’s impossible for us to forgive our debtors as much as God requires us to.

The Lord’s Prayer (and many other Bible verses) teach that if you don’t forgive everyone of everything, then God won’t forgive you. 

According to Why “Forgive Us Our Debts As We Forgive Our Debtors?” there are three reasons why our ability to forgive is so important to God:

  1. Our ability to forgive others is evidence to God of our true repentance
  2. Our ability to forgive others is evidence to mankind of a transformed life with supernatural quality
  3. Our ability to forgive others is evidence to celestial principalities and powers of God’s victory through Christ in us.

The Lord’s Prayer, Line 5 | Bring Us Not Into Trials, But Rescue Us From An Evil Heart of Unbelief

If you’re like me you’ve prayed ‘Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil’ for a long time without understanding what Jesus meant in this part of the Lord’s Prayer. For example, the traditional words ‘Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil’ often brought these questions into my mind:

  • It always sounded to me like I needed to ask God not to lead me into circumstances where He knows I’d be weak and tempted to sin.
    • But, as a loving heavenly Father, wouldn’t it be against His nature to lead me into sinful temptation?
  • What evil was I asking God to deliver me from?
  • Some translations (NASB, KJV, YLT) say, ‘deliver us from evil’ and other translations (NIV, NLT, BSB) say, ‘deliver us from the evil one.’ What is the correct translation of this phrase?

After detailed study of this verse I believe Jesus’ original teaching conveyed this meaning: “Bring us not into trials, but rescue us from an evil heart of unbelief.” The reasons for this wording, as well as the answers to the questions above, are all explained in detail in Lead Us Not Into Temptation But Deliver Us From Evil.

Amen

Finally, when we say “amen” in the Lord’s Prayer it’s in the same context as the ancient Hebrews, who meant two things by the word ‘amen:’

  1. Whatever has been said is true and in alignment with God’s will.
  2. God made man the ruler over all the earth in Genesis 1:28. Therefore, just as God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence, may God manifest my words into reality. Let them be done on the earth.

“Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.

(1 Kings 1:36)

In Conclusion

The Lord’s Prayer is a kingdom prayer. Now that you understand how Jesus taught His disciples to pray–with the goal of advancing God’s kingdom on the earth–you can pray the Lord’s Prayer as (I believe) it’s meant to be prayed.

What Do You Think?

Did this article answer all your questions on this topic? Please leave a comment below and tell me:

  • Were you satisfied by the information in this article?
  • Or, did it leave you wanting more?

Related Questions and Answers

Q: What about the traditional end of the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Matthew, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever?”

A: Most authoritative ancient manuscripts don’t include the traditional end of the Lord’s Prayer, which is why modern translations omit it from Matthew’s gospel, except perhaps to mention it in a footnote. In Luke’s gospel there isn’t even a footnote.

The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence | Matthew 11:12 | Luke 16:16

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For decades I’ve struggled to understand what Jesus meant in Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16, where He said ‘the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,’ and I finally learned what it means. If you’ve also wondered what Jesus really meant in these verses, this article is for you.

So, what did Jesus mean when He said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force?” After detailed study, I believe a more accurate translation could say, ‘From the days of John the Baptist until now men are forcefully pressing-into the kingdom of heaven, and eager men pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it.’

For years I thought the verse “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force” meant something negative. Like me, have you pondered how the Devil could possibly use violent men to abuse the kingdom of God? Now I know that’s the exact opposite of what Jesus really meant, as I’ll prove below.

The kingdom of God suffers violence: John the Baptist

Matthew places our subject verse “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence” between some fantastic verses about John the Baptist.

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11:11-15

John was the greatest man who ever lived – Until God’s kingdom came to earth

Jesus praised John the Baptist, saying John was the greatest man that ever lived in the 4000 years since Adam. Think about it…John the Baptist was greater than Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and all the prophets!

And yet, beginning with the proclamation of God’s kingdom coming onto the earth, Jesus said every person in the Kingdom of heaven–even the weakest and most humble of them–are greater than John and all the ancient patriarchs. How can this be?

The kingdom of God is a new humanity

Members of God’s kingdom are greater because they’re no longer ‘mere men;’ they are reborn–they’re a new creation. Members of God’s kingdom are begotten-again of God’s Spirit. They are ‘born again’ as a new kind of human. They literally become a child of Almighty God. Here are 3 verses attesting to this fact:

for you have been begotten again, not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:23

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, except anyone be begotten from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

1 Corinthians 3:3

Luke’s version of our main subject verse agrees.

The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Luke 16:16

John’s ministry marked a turning point in the evolution of God’s plan for mankind. Until John and Jesus began proclaiming that God’s kingdom had arrived on the earth, the law and the prophets were the highest form of God’s revelation to man. But then, John and Jesus proclaimed that God’s kingdom had come, eclipsing the law and the prophets as the highest manifestation of God’s revelation to mankind.

With reference to the kingdom of God, what is John the Baptist’s significance? John’s role was to announce the coming King, Israel’s Messiah, the royal Son of David, and to smooth the way for this King’s arrival. His primary message was,

Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Matthew 3:2

The kingdom of God suffers violence: Elijah

Jesus said John the Baptist fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah the prophet would come before the Day of the Lord.

Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

Malachi 4:5-6

Jesus came in history, but He is also coming again in our future. In the same way, many believe there will be a double fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy. That is, John fulfilled the prophecy 2000 years ago, but Elijah will also come again in the end time as one of the Two Witnesses in Revelation chapter 11.

And so now, in the 21st century, when Jewish and Messianic Christian families celebrate the annual Passover dinner, they always set a place at the table for Elijah in anticipation of his promised return.

The proclamation of God’s kingdom signaled the turning point in God’s plan for mankind

Why is the proclamation of the kingdom of God the turning point in mankind’s history? How is the world different before and after this event?

For about 4000 years, from Adam until Jesus, not even one person lived a sinless life. All had sinned and therefore all were under the power of the lord of this world system, the Devil.

the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

1 John 5:19

But then, Jesus lived a sinless life as defined by God through the Hebrew Bible, also know as ‘the law and the prophets.’ Even before His death on the cross, as a sinless man He claimed the right to exercise dominion over creation, according to God’s blessing to our first ancestors in Genesis chapter one:

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

Jesus displaced the Devil as Lord of mankind

Therefore, when John and Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God, they proclaimed (to both men and angels) that Jesus displaced the Devil as the lord of this world. Jesus restored mankind’s original authority over creation. God finally had a man who could begin the restoration of God’s intent for creation–that all creatures would live in obedience and fellowship with their Creator.

The good news of the kingdom of God

The good news of the kingdom of God is that, through Jesus, the Devil’s authority has been overpowered. Jesus authenticated His kingdom message by binding the Devil and plundering the Devil’s kingdom during His earthly ministry. He healed people, walked on water, raised the dead, cast-out demons…

Jesus said,

If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Matthew 12:28-29

What is the kingdom of God?

So, through faith in Jesus we can now enter the kingdom of God, but what is this kingdom?

Answering the question “What is the kingdom of God” would become a whole book in itself. So for now, here’s a brief summary definition.

Definition of the kingdom of God

Today, the kingdom of God includes all people reconciled to God through faith in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice; people who honor His authority in their daily lives. It also includes spirits (angels, etc.) who are not in rebellion against God.

At the end of this age, God will institute the Millennial Reign of Jesus over all nations.

For sinners, the initial door into God’s kingdom is repentance. The path from there is discipleship, in cooperation with God’s Holy Spirit. This cooperation continues until we’re complete and mature, with the character and righteousness of Jesus.

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence? This doesn’t make sense.

Forcefully pressing into the kingdom

How can the kingdom of heaven suffer violence? It just doesn’t make sense. One big problem is that it contradicts Jesus’ victory and current position at the right hand of God. For example, this verse says that after His victory on the cross Jesus openly humiliated all of His spiritual enemies.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:15

The ‘Gates of Hades’ shall not withstand the Ekklesia’s advance

God’s kingdom is not under violent attack. No! We’re not on the defensive.

On the contrary, the disciples of Messiah Jesus are advancing the kingdom of God against the enemy. Jesus said their gates shall not withstand our advance.

The historical ‘Gates of Hades’

What are these enemy’s gates that shall not withstand our advance?

Caesarea Philippi was the ‘home’ of the pagan god Pan on Mount Hermon. It’s in the far Northern part of Israel, bordering Syria. This is ‘the gates of Hades,’ where pagans offered human sacrifices by throwing them into a huge, deep cave.

Caesarea Philippi exhibit – the ‘Gates of Hades’

Jesus intentionally chose this pagan spiritual stronghold at Caesarea Philippi to ‘poke the Devil in the eye.’ This is where He proclaimed:

I will build my ekklesia (called-out ones) and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against her.

Matthew 16:18

What Jesus really meant in Matthew 11:12 | the kingdom of heaven suffers violence

In the beginning of this article I said we should understand Matthew 11:12 as saying:

“men are forcefully pressing-into the kingdom of heaven, and eager men pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it.”

Let’s dissect this sentence to learn why this is the correct meaning, and how the common translations are not only misleading, but harmful.

As you can see in the example below, the Greek word biazatai is ‘suffers violence’ in many translations. However, in Luke 16:16 biazatai is ‘forcing his way into’ or ‘pressing into.’ This is the correct meaning instead of ‘suffers violence.’

https://biblehub.com/greek/biazetai_971.htm

‘Violent men take it by force’

The root for biazatai “suffer violence” is biazo. In the example below you can see this term is positive in the only two places where the Bible uses this word: Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16.

https://biblehub.com/greek/971.htm

Eager men pursue the kingdom of God

‘Violent men’ is the Greek word biastes, which (as you can see below) means ‘one who is eager in pursuit’ or ‘positive assertiveness… of the believer living in faith.’

So, according to the ‘word studies’ at the bottom of the snapshot below, it’s reasonable to replace “the violent man taking the kingdom of God by force” with “an eager Christian believer who is positively ‘fired up’ to pursue the kingdom of God.”

This is a much-different (and much better) understanding than I had when I looked at it from a negative perspective–i.e., violent men abusing the kingdom.

https://biblehub.com/greek/973.htm

‘The kingdom of God suffers violence’ means we must seize it!

‘Harpazousin’ the kingdom of God

The final Greek word to shine light on the meaning of Matthew 11:12 is harpazousin, a variant of the root word harpazo.

Bible students will instantly recognize harpazo as the same Greek word the Bible uses for the ‘rapture‘ or catching-away of the saints.

As you can see below, harpazo means to seize or snatch-up using an open, public display of force. In combination with the words we’ve already discussed above, the context of harpazo in Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16 means to decisively grab onto, hold, and eagerly claim the kingdom of God.

https://biblehub.com/greek/726.htm

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

The kingdom of God suffers violence — Conclusions

1. Based on the information presented above, here’s how we should read Matthew 11:12 and Luke 16:16:

From the days of John the Baptist until now men are forcefully pressing-into (biazetai) the kingdom of heaven, and eager men (biastai) pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it (harpazousin).

2. ‘The kingdom of heaven suffers violence’ is a bad translation. It presents a negative, defensive perspective, as if the Devil’s forces assailed God’s kingdom. The opposite is true.

3. The correct interpretation teaches us that we cannot enter God’s kingdom passively. We must actively eagerly press into it, pursue it, grab onto it, and claim it with both hands.

What Do You Think?

Did this article answer all your questions on this topic? Please leave a comment below and tell me:

  • Did the information in this article satisfy you?
  • Or, did it leave you wanting more?

Related Questions

Q: Almost all Bible translations present Matthew 11:12 from a negative perspective, as if the kingdom of heaven is being attacked by violent men. How can they all be wrong?

A: You’re correct in saying that almost all translations use the negative perspective of Mt 11:12. Some exceptions are God’s Word Translation and the Jubilee Bible 2000. I explained my rationale for the positive perspective of Mt 11:12 in the article above. Snapshots show the Greek word meanings. A positive interpretation fits much better into the overall context of the Bible as a whole.

Q: How can I press-into the kingdom of heaven, pursue it, grab hold of it, and forcefully claim it?

A: Here’s a short answer:

  1. Repent of your sins and receive forgiveness through faith in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice for your sins. Receive new life from God as a result. (Romans chapters 1-6)
  2. Walk in discipleship, which means daily obedience to and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8)
  3. Be proactive to study and meditate on the kingdom of God. Today’s ministers (almost universally) neglect God’s kingdom in their teaching.
  4. Serve and fellowship with fellow disciples of Jesus.

When is the Next Year of Jubilee? | The 70th Jubilee | Leviticus 25:10

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70th Year of Jubilee Begins on 9/13/2024

When is the next Biblical Jubilee year… the 70th Jubilee? This article presents compelling archaeological and prophetic evidence suggesting the 70th Jubilee year will start on the ‘Day of Atonement’ in September 2024.

Yom Kippur, 9/13/2024

This day will initiate the anniversary of the 70th Year of Jubilee since Joshua led Israel to enter the promised land in 1406 BC. On this day Jesus will begin the fulfillment of our Year of Jubilee–our release from bondage in this world.

What is the Year of Jubilee?

According to Leviticus 25:8, the Biblical Year of Jubilee happens after every 49-year cycle. It starts on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement–the holiest day on God’s calendar, when the High Priest enters God’s presence to ‘cover’ the sins of the whole nation.

The Ancient Hebrew Jubilee Year

Jubilee first appears in the book of Leviticus. God said a Jubilee year was to be celebrated after every 49 years. During this 50th Jubilee year, all debts were erased; everyone and everything in Israel was to be restored to their original clans and families.

God told Moses to start the 49-year Jubilee cycle “when you enter the land that I am giving to you.” Also, “the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD..” (Leviticus 25:2)

There’s no record of Israel ever celebrating the Year of Jubilee by complying with all its requirements to forgive debts, free slaves, etc.

Jubilee in the New Covenant

Enter Our Promised Land

Just as Israel was to celebrate Jubilee after entering their promised land under Joshua, we have a spiritual promised land to enter. What better time to enter our promised land than on the 70th Jubilee anniversary?

In the New Covenant, the Year of Jubilee represents entering our promised land, when God glorifies His overcomers.

This restoration includes: complete deliverance from our sinful nature, glorification, immortality, and our eternal, heavenly inheritance in God’s kingdom.

Return to Your Property and Your Clan

consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be your Jubilee, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan.

Leviticus 25:10
My Belief about Property and Clan
Return to His Property

What property are we to return to?

I believe our spirits pre-existed in the eon before Adam, but we fell into sin before God destroyed the earth, making it without form and void. God is redeeming us during this eon. The rewards we earn as a disciple during this life will cause us to exceed our previous state of glory and joy in YHWH’s presence. This is what I believe “return to his property” means in Leviticus 25:10, when Jubilee is fulfilled. For more details about God’s Plan across the eons, read my free book Overcomers’ Treasure Map.

Return to His Clan – Spiritual Israel

What clan are we to return to? When gentiles are grafted into Israel we are grafted into one of Israel’s ‘lost’ 10 tribes, in spiritual Israel. Within each tribe of spiritual Israel are families, or ‘mishpachah,’ which is translated ‘clans’ in Leviticus 25:10 above.

In spiritual Israel your tribe and clan ancestry isn’t lost to YHWH. When Jubilee is fulfilled, we will each reunite with our ancient clan within one of the 12 tribes of spiritual Israel.

During the Year of Jubilee the Land Itself Will Observe a Sabbath

when you enter the land that I am giving to you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD.

Leviticus 25:2

When YHWH fulfills Jubilee, the earth itself will enter into Sabbath rest.

All of creation eagerly awaits the manifestation of the (144,000) sons of God. When Jubilee Year comes, creation will be delivered from the bondage of decay into glorious freedom:

The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8:19-21

Not only will the overcomers return to their ancient property and clan, but YHWH will return creation to its original state in the Jubilee Year. During the Millennial Reign of Messiah the earth will be like the Garden of Eden, prosperous and peaceful.

God’s ‘Appointed Times’ Reveal God’s Plan and Sequence of Events

In Leviticus chapter 23 God established 7 ‘appointed times’ for His people. These appointed times symbolically portray God’s plan of redemption and deliverance. They also reveal how God will re-establish His kingdom on the earth.

God’s Appointed Times

  1. Passover
  2. Unleavened Bread
  3. Firstfruits
  4. Pentecost
  5. Trumpets
  6. Atonement
  7. Tabernacles

Jesus fulfilled the first 4 (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost) on the exact days and times while the Jews were celebrating them.

Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect God will fulfill the remaining 3 (Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles) exactly on their annual anniversaries in our future.

The Biblical 49-Year Jubilee Cycle

Starting the year Israel entered the ‘promised land,’ the Jubilee-year cycle occurs every 49 years, beginning on the Day of Atonement.

Here are the details from Leviticus 25:

Shmitah Years – Sabbath Every 7th Year

When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD…For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyard and gather its crops. But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD…The land must have a year of complete rest.

Leviticus 25:2,3,5

Jubilee Year – Every 49 Years (7 Shmitah periods)

And you shall count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to forty-nine years. Then you are to sound the trumpet far and wide on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the Day of Atonement. You shall sound it throughout your land. So you are to consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be your Jubilee, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan.

Leviticus 25:8-10

The 50th Year in the 49-Year Jubilee Cycle

The Jubilee-Year cycle repeats every 49 years (7 shmitahs), but the actual Year of Jubilee is the 50th year. That is, the 50th year is the same as (it overlaps) the first year in the next 49-year cycle. Here’s a diagram to illustrate this overlap:

http://endtimepilgrim.org/70wks12.htm

So, in this diagram, both year #1 and year #50 are Jubilee years.

Here’s another example: Every week has 7 days. According to the Bible, Sunday is the first day and Saturday is the seventh day. The next Sunday would be the eighth day, but it’s also the first day of the next week.

If this 49 versus 50 concept is still confusing, watch this video for a good explanation.

When is the next Year of Jubilee?

Do a Google search on this topic and you’ll see there’s a lot of ignorance, disagreement, and confusion about this question. It’s a mystery.

According to Leviticus chapter 25, the Biblical Jubilee year cycle started when Israel entered the Promised Land.

Then the LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD.”

Leviticus 25:1

I discovered a BibleArchaeology.org article which convincingly proves that Joshua led Israel to enter the Promised Land in 1406BC. A search on their website will provide many references to 1406BC. Here is one of them:

“The commencement of the conquest can be dated exactly. With the exodus datable to 1446 BC, the conquest automatically is dated to 1406 BC, because for “40 years the sons of Israel walked in the wilderness” before entering Canaan (Josh 5:6). Since the crossing of the Jordan River transpired on the 10th day of the first month, a date of 28 April 1406 BC is fixed as the day in which the Israelites crossed into Canaan (Josh 4:19).”

BibleArchaeology link

Jubilee Year Starting in 2024?

Based on this 1406BC start date and a 49-year Jubilee cycle, the next Jubilee Year will start on Yom Kippur in the year 2024. It will be the 70th Jubilee.

Here are my calculations:

2024AD + 1406BC = 3430 years.

3430/49=70

The pattern and dates fit exactly, just as they would if they match God’s plan.

In his 1260d.com website, Dean Coombs provides detailed corroboration that the 70th Year of Jubilee will start in September 2024.

2017 and the 50-Year Cycle

In the 20th century important events happened for the Jews and the nation of Israel. Events occurred in 1917 and 1967, 50-years apart, making people wonder if something big would also happen for Israel in 2017… 50 years after 1967 and 100 years after 1917.

I enjoyed Israel’s 70th birthday in May 2018 in Jerusalem with Dr Michael Heiser and Derek & Sharon Gilbert of Skywatch TV. As you can see in my iPhone video below, Israelis filled the streets, celebrating with overflowing joy on the day the American Embassy moved there from Tel Aviv. Being there was an awesome experience!

https://standinfaith.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Jerusalem-VideoVga.mp4

Recognizing Israel’s Capital and Moving the US Embassy

On December 6, 2017 President Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and announced plans to move the US Embassy. But, other than the Revelation 12 Sign in the heavens, I can’t find any other ‘big’ events that happened regarding Israel in 2017… at least not on the same level as the 1917 Balfour Declaration or the 1967 Six-Day War.

The 50-Year Cycle

People naturally associate this 50-year 2017/1967/2017 cycle with Leviticus 25:11, which says, “You shall have the fiftieth year as a Jubilee.” They assume that since every fiftieth year is a Jubilee, therefore 1917 and 1967 must have been Jubilee years because God did good things for Israel on these events which were fifty years apart.

Not a Jubilee Cycle

As I’ll explain below, I do recognize this important 50-year cycle. But I don’t believe it’s the Jubilee-Year cycle.

For a compelling presentation why 49 is correct for Jubilee Year calculations instead of 50, see Jubilee Year Cycle (49 or 50?)

The 50-Year Cycle – Since Creation

The 50-year cycle started at creation, approximately 3983 BC, not in 1406 BC when the Jubilee cycle started.

So, what does the 50-year cycle symbolize? The apostle Peter wrote,

Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

2 Peter 3:8

Therefore six days represent 6000 years. Also, 6 days reminds us of the 6 days of creation before God rested on the 7th day.

Most Bible teachers believe this means mankind will have 6000 years before the ‘7th-day’ millennial reign of Christ begins. 6000 is evenly divisible by 50, resulting in 120. 6000/50 = 120

The number 120 will immediately remind Bible readers of what God said in Genesis 6:3… After 200 angels mated with human women, producing ‘nephilim’ giants (for more about this see the Book of Enoch chapter 6), God said:

My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.

Genesis 6:3

The Perfect Resolution of the 49-Year and 50-Year Cycles

Let’s connect the dots…

50-Year Cycle

The 50-year cycle begins with the Biblical creation in Genesis, ending (after 6000 years) on its 120th anniversary in 2017.

After 6000 years, the 120th anniversary of the 50-year 1917/1967/2017 cycle coincides with the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week in September 2017.

49-Year Cycle

In contrast, the Bible reckons the 49-year Jubilee cycle from when Israel entered the promised land in 1406 BC, ending on its 70th anniversary in 2024.

The 70th anniversary of the 49-year Jubilee cycle coincides with the end of Daniel’s 70th week in September 2024.

Coincidence?

The 120th and 70th anniversaries of the two cycles are symbolically significant in themselves. But for them to frame the beginning and end of the 2017-2024 period is too auspicious to ignore or discount. I cannot believe this is coincidental.

When Does Daniel’s 70th Week Start?

What event initiates Daniel’s 70th week?

Daniel 9:27 famously states, “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week“. But, who is the “he” who makes this firm covenant? And what is this ‘covenant with the many’ for one week?

  • The common view is “he” refers to the Antichrist, who will make a ‘covenant with many’ for 7 years.
  • A common assumption is the ‘covenant with many’ is a 7-year peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel.
  • But, others believe “he” refers to Jesus, who confirmed the New Covenant in His own blood, poured out for many. (Matthew 26:28, also Mark 14:24)

With so many unknowns I’m not confident we can know who “he” is, or what the ‘covenant with many’ is. As a result, we may not recognize the event that starts Daniel’s 70th week.

Conclusion – the 70th Year of Jubilee

A Bright Future

We are certainly living at the end of the age, and the birth pangs announcing the end of the age are increasing for everyone on earth. The good news is that God will defeat all His enemies and God’s people have nothing to worry about.

When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

Luke 21:28

There is nothing man can do to us if we are in Christ.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-39

Finally, my advice is to be watchful. Abide in God’s Spirit continuously, listening and obeying His voice. Strive to make yourself ready for the Lord’s imminent appearing.