How Much Do You Know About the Biblical Feast of Unleavened Bread?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

How Much Do You Know About the Biblical Feast of Unleavened Bread?



article by Gary Petty





Millions of people celebrate Easter in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus never observed Easter, but He did celebrate the biblical Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. What relevance do these days have for Christians today?







Does the ancient festival called the Feast of Unleavened Bread have any meaning for Christians today?



Source: ThinkstockFor most of us bread is an unheralded side dish in our everyday diet. In much of the Western world meals are centered around meat, pasta or casseroles, and unless we're eating a sandwich, bread is an afterthought. That wasn't true of the Middle Eastern cultures of biblical times.



In ancient Israel eating meals was a communal affair. Family and friends gathered to eat a meal while reclining on a floor mat. Each person would tear a piece of bread from a small loaf or thin round chunk and use it as a sort of spoon to scoop food from the various dishes offered at mealtime. This is why the Bible speaks of people eating a meal as "breaking bread."



During Roman times couches and a low table replaced the mats, but the meal was eaten in basically the same manner.



Bread was made from different grains including wheat, barley, millet or even beans and lentils. Loaves were prepared by mixing flour with water and kneading it in troughs or bowls. Depending on where families lived or how wealthy they were, bread was baked on hot sand or flat stones over a fire, on a griddle or in an oven made of bronze, iron or, more commonly, clay.



The leavening process—the process for making bread dough to rise—is fascinating. A leavening agent, which causes tiny gas bubbles to form, is introduced into a batch of dough to cause it to expand. This leavening agent permeates every part of the dough until the entire batch is leavened. A small amount of leavening can leaven a large amount of dough.



We commonly use purchased baking soda or yeast today, but that wasn't the case then. Since bread was made daily, the easiest way to leaven it was to save a lump of leavened dough from the previous day. This lump would be added to the dough and left to stand until the leavening process had permeated the entire batch.



Every spring ancient Israel observed the biblical festival of Passover and another over the following seven days called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Just before the Israelites were delivered from their slavery in Egypt by great miracles, they were commanded by God not to eat leavened bread during this week-long period (Exodus 13:3-10 [3] And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

[4] This day came ye out in the month Abib.

[5] And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

[6] Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

[7] Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

[8] And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

[9] And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

[10] Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.





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Do these ancient observances have any meaning for Christians today?



"Let us keep the feast"

Many say that Christians are to live by the teachings of the New Testament and pay little attention to the Hebrew Scriptures.



They forget that the only Scriptures available to the apostles and Church of the first century were what we call the Old Testament. As the apostle Paul told Timothy of these books: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17 [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.





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Paul was reminding Timothy to remember what he had been taught as a child from the Old Testament. In this context it's not difficult to understand why the early New Testament Church observed the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. God's inspired Word told them to!



Notice what Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, a predominately non-Jewish congregation: "Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:6-7 [6] Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

[7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:





See All...).



In the context of what he wrote, Paul uses leavening as a symbol of human pride and vanity. He understood the leavening process and applied it to the human condition. In 1 Corinthians 5: 2 he told the Corinthians that they were "puffed up." Remember, leavening fills dough with air bubbles to make it "puffed up." Even today, we refer to someone preoccupied with self-importance as being "full of hot air."



Now notice 1 Corinthians 5:8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.



See All... -"Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." What feast is Paul speaking of? Obviously he's talking about the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which these gentile Christians were observing (1 Corinthians 5:7-8 [7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

[8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.





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Jesus' references concerning bread

Jesus Christ used leavening as a symbol of false teachings. Notice what He said to His disciples: "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees . . . How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16:6Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.



See All..., Matthew 16:11How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?



See All...). Then they realized He meant the teachings of these groups (Matthew 16:12Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.



See All...).



We see from the words of Paul and Jesus that leavening can serve as a symbol of human pride and of false religious teachings and sins that result from human pride.



On another occasion a group of Jewish religious leaders approached Jesus and asked Him to perform a sign to prove that He was sent from God. They referred to the time God provided ancient Israel with food called manna, which God had referred to as "bread from heaven" (Exodus 16:4Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.



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Jesus explained the spiritual reality the manna foreshadowed: "Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' Then they said to Him, 'Lord, give us this bread always.' And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst'" (John 6:32-35 [32] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

[33] For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

[34] Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

[35] And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.





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Jesus made the remarkable statement that He is the "bread of life." He said that if you eat of this bread you will live forever (John 6:50-51 [50] This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

[51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.





See All..., John 6:58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.



See All...). As we saw above, the apostle Paul also linked the Passover observance with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus Christ was offered as the New Testament Passover sacrifice, and He called Himself the bread of life.



Feeding on Christ's flesh and blood?

Jesus then made the following perplexing statement: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.



"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53-56 [53] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

[54] Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

[55] For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

[56] He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.





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What did Jesus mean by these statements? Did He really intend that a person eat His body and drink His blood to receive eternal life? This statement offended many people, yet Jesus didn't attempt to explain Himself then except to say that His words were spirit and life (John 6:63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.



See All...). But He would reveal more the night before His death.



Jesus then assembled with the 12 disciples to observe the Passover meal, commonly referred to as the Last Supper. During this meal He explained more of what He meant concerning His earlier statements about eating His body and drinking His blood:



"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'" (Matthew 26:26-28 [26] And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

[27] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

[28] For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.





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Thus we must receive Jesus' sacrifice—His suffering and death in our place. We must internalize this along with Jesus' teachings and way of life as expressed through the whole of Scripture.



Which religious days should we observe?

As we have seen, the New Testament reveals that Jesus is the true Passover Lamb of God (1 Corinthians 5:7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:



See All...). So why do so few Christians actually observe the Passover and the accompanying Feast of Unleavened Bread?



Just where did the Western world get its present religious calendar? The New Testament Church didn't observe Easter. Even the name Easter comes from an ancient pagan goddess, as almost any good encyclopedia will show. The Easter bunny and colored eggs have origins in fertility rites of antiquity and have nothing to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus the Son of God.



Why is it that so many in the Christian community ignore, or have no knowledge of, the Holy Days described in the Bible, the same Holy Days observed by Jesus and the apostles and kept by the early Church?



Why have so many ignored or abandoned these scriptural festivals and replaced them with holidays whose origins lie in dark, non-biblical antiquity? Let us keep the feasts God has given us in His Word!

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What Does It Mean To "Despise Your Youth?"

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

What Does It Mean To "Despise Your Youth?"

article by J'Non Whitlark





Paul wrote to Timothy, "Let no one despise your youth." What does that mean for the young Christian today?







Source: ThinkStock/iStockphotoIs there anything more wonderful than being young, full of energy and strength, experiencing the excitement of first discoveries? “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth,” we read in Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.



See All.... What a beautiful image that is to think of: a young man or woman, enjoying life to the fullest, with nothing but optimism and excitement for the future.



It’s no wonder that youth, with its glow of vitality, is often revered as a time set aside for having fun and testing our limits before we’re tied down with the responsibilities of marriage and families of our own. But God didn’t intend for there to be disposable time in our lives, even though Satan does try his best to convince us that youth was made for wasting. Are we in God’s Church swayed by the prevailing winds of self-entitlement and self-indulgence that sweep through our culture? We need to know where we stand, because the stakes are actually quite high. Many of the choices we make at 12, 16 and 25 can have a negative or positiveimpact on us and those we love for the rest of our lives.



A Letter to Timothy—and to Us

Paul told Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.



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It seems at first to be an odd thing to say, since we don’t have control over what others might think about us. It seems at first that Timothy is a victim of age discrimination, but what Paul was saying is that Timothy should behave in such a way that no one could reasonably despise his youth. He was to act with greater maturity, with greater wisdom, actively exercising the Holy Spirit he had received through the laying on of hands. He was to be a teacher. As such, it was unacceptable for him to use his youth as a time to spend focused on seeking his own pleasures. It was unacceptable for him to be willingly ignorant of God’s expectations of him, love for him, and his job of ministering to God’s people.



Being young is not a license to act stupidly or experiment with destructive behaviors. Nor to be foolish, though Satan certainly uses popular culture to imply otherwise. All of us make bad choices and decisions—spiritually mature adults included. But often when we’re young, our spiritual inexperience and desire to be accepted by our peers makes us more vulnerable. The world around us shows youth and beauty as a license for hedonism, where nothing is to be denied. It affects us physically through the food and drink we consume to excess, financially through credit we can’t manage, sexually and emotionally in relationships focused on pleasure instead of God the Father.



Responsibility is something we learn through practice. Using youth as an excuse for poor judgment (as a way of life) or poor character is also learned through practice. Both will accumulate over time, and both are also reinforced every day by our thoughts and actions.



Although God may or may not choose to preserve us from the consequences we earn by making poor decisions, we and maybe others around us may carry mental, emotional, or physical scars for the rest of our lives.



Paul’s letter to Timothy continued: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Timothy 4:14-15 [14] Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

[15] Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.





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Like Timothy, we also are to be an example of godliness within our sphere of influence, which is at the very least our local congregations, our families andour circle of friends. What a tall order! To walk against the tide of society to be an example in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity—not easy stuff. Consider Paul’s letter to Timothy and how it applies to us today. We are to to be aware of how we speak to others and represent God with our words. We should be good examples in our actions and behavior, reflecting the love of our Father in outgoing concern for others.



And we are to be actively working with the Holy Spirit we are given at baptism and growing our faith by doing good works. And we are to be pure—which in a world such as this certainly requires God’s help (2 Timothy 2:22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.



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Is this completely overwhelming? Does it seem impossible to achieve? Well, yes, it can seem that way, especially if some bad habits have already woven themselves into the fiber of our character. But it can be done . The impossible is absolutely possible with God (Philippians 4:13). Most people in God’s Church don’t talk openly about the wretched and miserable character traits they have overcome or are still overcoming. But everyone has to overcome, and we are all in this together. The apostle Paul himself was guilty of persecuting the brethren, and played an active role in the death of several Christians. But God opened his eyes, and led him to repent and preach the gospel (Acts 7:58-59 [58] 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.

[59] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.





See All..., 1 Timothy 1:12-16 [12] And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

[13] Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

[14] And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

[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.

[16] Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.





See All..., Romans 7:24-25 [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

[25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.





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We hear great stories about miracles where God protected the life or property of Church members in some very dramatic way—and these stories are inspiring and wonderful! But we don’t as often have opportunity to celebrate the many, many stories of God miraculously saving spiritual lives. God can work amazing miracles in our hearts and minds if we will accept His help and guidance. The greatest miracle happens in the secret places of the heart (Acts 3:19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;



See All..., 26).



Family and Friendship: A Light in a Dark Place

We need each other. God didn’t tell us to assemble together with other brethren each week on a whim. Our church congregations should become like families—a support system where the members love each other despite our differences in personality. And like family, we should all be working together at our responsibilities. We should have fellowship together often, not just at church, but time spent in each others’ homes to build our relationships to the point that we can actually share the important things that we face as Christians. We need to surround ourselves with those who are excited about God’s way of life.



Our choice of friends can be especially important when we’re young, as we experience more independence from our families at school and work. Our group of friends can have a tremendous influence on us, and we them. But we always have to be conscious of the direction and weight of that influence and make decisions, however difficult, according to where we are headed and where we want to be. If wisdom comes from God (it does—Proverbs 2:6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.



See All...), then we’d better be asking very earnestly for that gift and preparing to use it to walk (or run) in the right direction. Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, but even he was completely led in a wrong direction by the company he chose to keep (1 Kings 11:1-10 [1] But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

[2] Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

[3] And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

[4] For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

[5] For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

[6] And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.

[7] Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

[8] And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

[9] And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

[10] And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.





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In the book of Daniel, we see an encouraging example of four young men who did what was right without their parents, grandparents or elders there to influence them. They had positive reinforcement only from each other as captives in pagan Babylon, but because they obeyed God without consideration for their lives, God blessed them with remarkable skills and gifts. When the king tested them, they performed ten times better than those around them (Daniel 1:17-20 [17] As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

[18] Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

[19] And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

[20] And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.





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Could God have plucked them out of Babylon? Yes, certainly, but He did not. Instead, they had to prove themselves there, surrounded by an extremely pagan society, to love God more than their own lives. He then gave them what they needed for success within the confines of their captivity. In the world—but not of it. The difference is huge, and it’s one that we also must make in our lives every day. There is no vacation from being in the world, even at Sabbath services, the Feast of Tabernacles or a Church camp. Even then, we make decisions about the company we keep and the attitudes and behaviors that ultimately make up our character.



The Wake-Up Call

Here’s some honesty for you: When it comes to youth and responsibility, I don’t think I’ve been a Timothy, or a Daniel, though I admire them very much. When I was busy being busy, I was despising my youth. Thinking back, I have often felt like an utter failure, having wasted many years of greater spiritual growth because I let the world distract me.



At some level I may have even wanted distraction because I didn’t have the guts to change—yet. I was fearful, letting my cowardice block the way between me and God. I didn’t realize the gravity that cowardice or of being guilty of lying to myself (see Revelation 21:8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.



See All...). But deep down, every second (or third or later) generation Christian knows enough to know when God will be pleased or not by our choices. That “yet” is a good indicator that we are willfully ignoring God’s Holy Spirit working with us. If we’re honest, we need to ask ourselves some tough questions.



How is our relationship with God to be impacted by partying, drinking or spending time in nightclubs, even when accompanied by Church friends? If we choose to fill our minds with justifications, excuses, or avoid the issue by filling our time with video games, TV or other entertainment, then we probably won’t have time to think about literally what we could do—right now—to express love to God with more than just an emotion.



As sometimes happens to those who profess Christianity and who are hitting the cruise control, I got a wake-up call. Though different for all of us, when we are faced with circumstances completely beyond our control, we can turn inward and bottle up our pain, we can take our frustration out on others and try to solve the unsolvable, or we can turn to God our Father, and give it and ourselves fully into His care.



When my beloved church congregation was forcibly ripped apart a couple of years ago, I was certainly fired to greater consciousness. I wouldn’t wish the circumstances on anyone, but I know many who have experienced something similar.



That pain caused results that were ultimately worth something, though, because who can truly understand what we are feeling but God? Through sleepless nights and hours of weeping, I opened my heart fully to God. I prayed through the hurt and the anger and the human need for some kind of justice where none could be found. I had lost so much, but through that pain and grief, I found something much greater: the first love (Mark 12:30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.



See All..., Romans 8:37-39 [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.





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Learning the Hard Way

I confess that before my wake-up call (see sidebar), the first love had always seemed just out of reach. I didn’t quite understand how second generation Christians could have quite the same level of passion as first. After all, we hadn’t come out of another religion or some other way of life that’s different from God’s truth.



I was so wrong. It’s there for all whomGod calls, if we aren’t too busy with the cares of this life to seek God in earnest. Timothy was a second generation believer, also. He learned about God’s way of life from his mother and grandmother (1 Timothy 1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:



See All...). As a young man, he answered the same call that you are perhaps being offered even now (Acts 2:38-40 [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

[39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

[40] And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.





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The second part of Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.



See All... is this: “Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.” We are held accountable for the choices we make as a young man or woman, whether wise or foolish.



Some people tend to learn from the mistakes of others and receive good teaching early on, like Timothy and Daniel and his friends did. But some of us seem to need to learn by bitter experience and much planting of our faces in the dirt. But either way, the point is to learn something .



If I could go back and say something to a younger me, it would be: “Tell God every secret of your heart. Honesty with yourself means honesty with God. And that is the beginning of everything wonderful in your life. Everything is clearer after inviting His light to shine in.”



Be a Timothy, or a Daniel, if you can. But if it’s too late for that, then be like the prodigal son, or King David, who after making huge mistakes turned to God for forgiveness instead of justifying them further! (See Luke 15:10-19 [10] Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

[11] And he said, A certain man had two sons:

[12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

[13] And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

[14] And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

[15] And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

[16] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

[17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

[18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

[19] And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.





See All...; 2 Samuel 12).



Just don’t despise your own valuable youth by wasting it on so many things that can lead you away from what you know is right.



If you haven’t already, learn to appreciate this as a time when you can learn how to communicate openly with God and learn to put your trust in Him throughout your life (Psalm 71:5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.



See All...). He loves you more than you can even comprehend, and wants very much to hear what you have to say! (1 John 4:19We love him, because he first loved us.



See All...).



At the start of this article, I asked a question: Is there anything more wonderful than being young? Well, yes, there is. Much more wonderful is to be young and pouring that energy, strength, and love of life into the most important relationship we can ever have, with our Father in heaven. It is the most blessed choice we can possibly make.

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Constantine's Impact on Christianity

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Constantine's Impact on Christianity

article by Good News Editor





Constantine's reign as Roman emperor (A.D. 306-337) dramatically changed the direction of Christianity, though in ways far different from those portrayed in The Da Vinci Code.



Constantine's reign as Roman emperor (A.D. 306-337) dramatically changed the direction of Christianity, though in ways far different from those portrayed in The Da Vinci Code. This grew out of his strategy for unifying his empire by creating a "catholic"—meaning universal —church that would blend elements from many religions into one.



While Constantine supposedly converted to Christianity in 312, he wasn't baptized until on his deathbed 25 years later. In the intervening years he had his wife and eldest son murdered, and from all appearances he continued as a worshipper of the sun god. Long after his supposed conversion he had coins minted with a portrait of himself on one side and a depiction of his "companion, the unconquered Sol [sun]" on the other.



The "Christianity" Constantine endorsed was already considerably different from that practiced by Jesus Christ and the apostles. The emperor accelerated the change by his own hatred of Jews and religious practices he considered Jewish.



For example, at the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325), church authorities essentially replaced the biblical Passover with Easter, a popular holiday rooted in ancient springtime fertility celebrations. Endorsing this change, Constantine announced: "It appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast [Easter] we should follow the practice of the Jews, who have impiously defiled their hands with enormous sin, and are, therefore, deservedly afflicted with blindness of soul . . . Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd" (Eusebius, Life of Constantine 3, 18-19, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 1979, second series, Vol. 1, pp. 524-525).



Constantine's affection for sun worship had earlier led him to endorse Sunday, the first day of the week and a day dedicated to honoring the sun, as a weekly day of rest in the Roman empire . This created considerable hardship on those Jews and true Christians who continued to keep the biblical Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. (A century later the Council of Laodicea would essentially outlaw Sabbath-keeping and Christian observance of the biblical Holy Days.)



British historian Paul Johnson summarizes how Constantine's approach of merging religious practices produced a corrupted Christianity that meshed paganism with biblical elements: "Thus the followers of Isis adored a madonna nursing her holy child; the cult of Attis and Cybele celebrated a day of blood and fasting, followed by the Hilaria resurrection-feast . . . the elitist Mithraics, many of whom were senior army officers, ate a sacred meal ...



"Many Christians did not make a clear distinction between this sun-cult [Mithraism] and their own. They . . . held their services on Sunday, knelt towards the East and had their nativity-feast on 25 December, the birthday of the sun at the winter solstice ...



"How could the Christian Church, apparently quite willingly, accommodate this weird megalomaniac [Constantine] in its theocratic system? Was there a conscious bargain? Which side benefited most from this unseemly marriage between Church and State? ... Did the empire surrender to Christianity, or did Christianity prostitute itself to the empire?" ( A History of Christianity, 1976, pp. 67-69).



When we consider the vast differences between the mainstream Christianity of today and the original Christianity of Jesus Christ and the apostles, we can trace much of that change to Constantine and the religious system he put in power. GN

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The Great Hallel and Songs of Ascents

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Great Hallel and Songs of Ascents


Psalms 120–137 form the next collection of psalms—in some Jewish traditions called the Great

Hallel (or “Praise”), distinct from the “Egyptian Hallel” (Psalms 113–118). It should be noted, however,

that the distinction of “Great Hallel” is sometimes applied to only Psalm 136 and in other sources to

Psalms 120–136 (though the desire for Jerusalem while in a foreign land in Psalm 137 fits with other

psalms of this section).

The first part of this grouping is a smaller collection of 15 psalms (120–134), each called in its

superscript title “A Song of Ascents” or “A Song of degrees” (KJV). The meaning of this terminology is a

matter of debate. The Hebrew word translated “ascents” or “degrees” here literally means “goings up.”

Some think this designates a higher musical key or lofty thinking or praise. Yet the same Hebrew word

elsewhere in Scripture designates “steps,” as the word could also be translated, as well as the “degrees” of

a sundial. Some have noted in this regard the use of the definite article in the original Hebrew: shir HAma’aloth,

“song of THE ascents,” “song of THE degrees” or “song of THE steps.”

Most see the meaning as “the ascents,” considering this to refer to “goings up” to the mountain of the

Lord—Jerusalem and its Temple Mount (compare 122:4). It is thought that pilgrims sang these hymns as

they traveled to Jerusalem, the city of highest elevation in the Holy Land, to observe the annual festivals.

(Even today, Jewish immigration to the state of Israel is known as aliyah, “ascent.”) For this reason, the

collection is sometimes designated as the “Pilgrim Songs.” Indeed, there is a thematic progression in

these psalms of leaving the present evil world to join in worship at God’s temple in Zion.

The Mishnah, the Jewish Oral Law, maintains that the psalm titles refer to the steps of the temple

(Middoth 2.5), relating the tradition of these psalms being performed by Levites in the second temple

complex on 15 semicircular steps leading up from an area known as the Court of the Women (as this was

as far as women could go) to the gateway to the court of the Israelites (immediately preceding the

sacrificial area). It is interesting to note particularly the tradition of these songs being played and sung by

Levites during nighttime celebration through the Feast of Tabernacles—as Psalm 134 explicitly mentions

such nighttime temple worship (compare Isaiah 30:29).

Some propose a combination of these two explanations. It could be that these songs were intended

both for pilgrim journey and for performance at the pilgrim feasts—or perhaps they were first used one

way and then for both. It is easy to see how these songs portraying deliverance from this world and

coming to worship in God’s house would fit pilgrimage as well as “reenacted pilgrimage” at the temple

steps—or how festival songs at the temple would become the traveling songs sung on the way to

observing the festivals.

We may also look in a prophetic sense to the future millennial temple described at the end of the

book of Ezekiel. Seven steps will lead up to the gates of the outer court (40:22, 26) and eight steps will

lead from the outer court up to the gates of the inner court (verses 31, 34, 37)—so that a total of 15 steps

will bring one from outside the temple complex to the area of sacrificial worship before the temple.

Then again, some believe the word in the psalm titles should be understood as “degrees,” seeing the

degrees as referring to the only other degrees mentioned in Scripture—those on the sundial of Ahaz.

Recall that Judah’s King Hezekiah prayed that the shadow would go back on the sundial 10 degrees as a

sign that God would heal him and extend his life 15 years (see 2 Kings 20:1-11; Isaiah 38:1-8). Of the 15

psalms in question, only five are attributed—four to David and one to Solomon. That leaves 10 without

attribution. Hezekiah is known to have written psalms, having declared, “We will sing my songs with

stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of the LORD” (Isaiah 38:20). Yet his name

appears nowhere in the psalm titles within the book of Psalms. Some have speculated that Hezekiah

composed the 10 unattributed “songs of the degrees” in honor of the sundial shadow going back 10

degrees and grouped them with five psalms of his ancestors, David and Solomon, producing a set of 15 in

honor of his life’s extension of 15 years.

The Good News Bible Reading Program February 2006

3

This is an interesting idea, but Psalm 126 appears to have been composed after the Jewish exile to

Babylon. It is, however, possible that the psalm was written earlier as prophetic of future return from

captivity, perhaps modeled on Isaiah’s prophecies. And it is plausible that the psalm could have been

written earlier and modified in the postexilic period. In any case, there is nothing that precludes Hezekiah

from having written the other unattributed psalms in this collection. His own circumstance was one of

emerging from personal trial to blessing and fellowship with God and His people—consistent with the

overall theme of these psalms. Consider also that Hezekiah restored the nation’s temple worship after a

period of apostasy, so it would be fitting for him to have put together a set of psalms intended for festival

pilgrimage and worship. Still, this remains a matter of conjecture.

Of course, even if this was the originally intended meaning of “songs of the degrees,” we can see

how they could later have come to be looked upon as “songs of the steps” and “songs of the ascents”—for

not only does the Hebrew allow for these particular meanings, but the themes and wording of a number of

the psalms clearly associate them with worship in Jerusalem.

Besides taking note of the overall themes of these 15 psalms, it is interesting to consider how the

themes are structured within the collection. As one source explains: “There are five groups consisting of

three psalms each. The first of each group has Distress for its subject; the second has Trust in Jehovah;

while the third has Blessing and peace in Zion” (E.W. Bullinger, The Companion Bible, Appendix 67).

As we read through these psalms, which we will refer to as the songs of ascents for the sake of

convention and consistency, we should not restrict their meaning to festival worship. We should also

apply them to our everyday lives as well as to our lifelong Christian journey. In the latter vein, we should

realize that the festivals themselves lay out God’s plan for the redemption and salvation of humanity. In

that sense, we should see going up to the feasts, as pictured in these psalms, as representative not merely

of regular worship but also, in an ultimate sense, of being saved out of this wicked world and going to

dwell with God in His family for eternity to come.

The Bible, the Truth, and The History Channel

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Bible, the Truth, and The History Channel

Be like the Bereans and examine the scriptures every day to see if what was said was true. (Acts 17:11)



Source: Photos.comAs a child, I would read books and watch movies describing a Utopian society. I was fascinated by their depiction of a future lifestyle of ease and prosperity. Although the world we live in is certainly not perfect or Utopian, it does offer us the convenience of push-button operation for activities that used to require hard work and a strong body. We no longer have to trek down to the river for a bucket of water, wash our clothing at the river's edge with a rock, or ride a horse into town.



Along with the conveniences of this society we are now able to gain knowledge through the internet, viewing our television, and listening to the radio. Do we believe what we read on the internet, see on television, or hear on the radio, without checking the facts?



On March 3, 2013, the History Channel began a series titled "The Bible," with a two hour special. My husband and I were excited about watching this show and sat down in front of our television. One of the first things shown was Noah on the Ark, as he calmed the fears of what appeared to be a representation of his family. Among many other issues with this scene was the poor construction of the Ark. It was leaking water from above and through a hole which had been ripped in its side. I hoped this was a small issue and the producers of the series would stick to their claims of accuracy. As the show continued I found my hopes for accuracy were dashed.



One of the most disappointing aspects was not the inaccuracy of the show as much as the way it was received by those who watched it. Having its own Facebook page allowed people the opportunity to comment on the show and give their thoughts on it. While there were a few who felt as I did, the majority of people left positive reviews and comments. Many felt as if the show had accurately portrayed the Bible as they knew it. It makes me wonder how many people actually read their Bible. Did you watch the show? Did you think it offered a true depiction of the people and events described within its pages? Did you open your Bible and check the facts?



The only way to truly know what is in your Bible is to read it. Studying your Bible will help you discover more about God and develop a closer relationship with Him. You will begin to understand what He finds important and how you can live in a way that is pleasing to Him.



Do you know how to study your Bible?  Here is a link to a free Bible study course .  These Bible study guides are designed to help you learn the truth as you journey through God's Word.  They will help you learn how to study the word of God and how to develop the ability to know what is really in the pages of your own Bible.  Knowing what your Bible really says will give you an advantage when others try to tell you what they think it says.








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The Coming King of the South

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Coming King of the South

Bible prophecy keenly describes impending Middle East turmoil that will provoke an ominous, end time global crisis.

This is the Danube River running through Budapest, Hungary. Along its banks in the year 1526 the armies of the Ottoman Empire advanced in an attack upon central Europe. Their goal was conquest of lands for Islam.

It was not the first, nor the last attempt by a Middle Eastern power to push into these lands. Bible prophecy tells us there will be another in the future. Can we see how this may be developing through the current events in Europe and the Middle East? I think we can.



Join us on Beyond Today in Budapest as we look at "The Coming King of the South."



I recently traveled to Europe for a combined personal and business purpose. In Lisbon I heard news that the Eiffel Tower had been closed for a bomb threat. Now that gave me a bit of concern, as we were headed for Paris for a few days before traveling home. We were on the last leg of a two-week trip to Europe and looking forward to spending a few days in France's capital city, seeing some of its world famous sights.



A few days earlier, French police responded to a bomb threat by closing the symbol of the city. On the same day, a public transportation hub was closed when an unattended package was sighted.



At the same time the United States government issued a warning for Americans traveling to Europe to be vigilant. Intelligent forces had determined that al Qaeda was planning attacks on European cities similar to those done against Mumbai, India in November 2008. Hotels frequented by Westerners were invaded, and it took three days to repel the attackers.



While this warning contained nothing specific, it nonetheless gave me and my party a bit of concern and raised our level of what you might call situational awareness, a bit higher. While traveling in Paris and the environs the next few days, I did observe security personnel in the tourist locations, and I did keep a sharper eye out for anything suspicious.



Now why am I telling you this? Because terrorism is a worldwide concern and Europe is especially vulnerable. Also, Bible prophecy shows us a coming clash between two powers called the king of the North and the king of the South. Today we would interpret this as a clash between a power from the Middle East and from Europe.



Let me explain this a little bit more.



In Daniel chapter 11, it contains the longest prophecy in the Bible. It covers time from the period of Alexander the Great and the Greek Empire through the Roman period, down to our present day and into the years immediately ahead of us.



The first 35 verses of Daniel 11 are an accurate, detailed account of what would befall the people of Judah caught up in a conflict between the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt to the south, the king of the South, and the Seleucids of Syria to the north called the king of the North. The area that is covered by the king of the South also covers Egypt and related countries in North Africa.



Verse 36 continues the story line. Since verse 40 clearly advances the story to the time of the end, it may be that verses 36 to 39 apply to the whole history of the kingdom of the North from the time of the Maccabees and the beginnings of the New Testament Church, continuing up to the time of the end just as verse 35 appears to extend from ancient times all the way to the time of the end.



And who was the king of the North during this period? In 65 B.C., Seleucid Syria was swallowed up by the Roman Empire. Thus that Empire then became the kingdom of the North. Verses 36 to 38 appear to describe the actions of the Roman emperors and their successors, leading all the way up to the final leader of the end time.



Why the time gap in Daniel's prophecy between the ancient world and the world of today--a period of at least 2,000 years with only sparse details of events in between? Well the answer is simple: For almost 2,000 years there was no Jewish nation in the Middle East. The restoration of the Jewish state in 1948 has made the kings of the North and the South relevant again to impacting the Jewish people in the Holy Land.



We can now understand more clearly why the struggle between the kings of the North and the South resumes again at the time of the end there in Daniel 11:40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.



See All....



The verse continues to describe how "the king of the South shall attack him"--speaking of the king of the North--"and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships"--all which are symbols of military action--"and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them and pass through."



Clearly, at the time of the end another round of great turmoil will engulf the Middle East, only this time it will be far worse than anything ever seen before.



And again, the fulfillment of this prophecy would not have been possible until after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the division of those Arab territories that were a part of that into the various nations of the Middle East today.



Who might these terms refer to in our time--the time of the end? It's doubtful that they could once again apply only to Syria and to Egypt, as they are now brother Arab and Islamic nations. Also, while relatively strong by regional standards, neither currently has the military might to fulfill this prophecy.



As already noted, Rome swallowed up Syria and became the kingdom of the North thereafter. But did not Rome fall in ancient times? Well it did, but the Roman system has continued through the centuries and is today being revived as part of one final appearance before the return of Jesus Christ.



Part of the key to understanding this passage is to realize that the center of the prophecy is the Holy Land and Jerusalem, the historic land given to the children of Israel. The kings referred to are the powerful leaders who will come from regions to the north and south and vie for control of that area, trampling all over Judah in the process.



A century ago, no one could have understood many of the prophecies relating to this part of the world because the Ottoman Empire ruled over the places now occupied by the chief adversaries in the Mideast conflict. This fact helps us understand God's words to Daniel at the time of his prophetic book, where He said: "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end" (Daniel 12:9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.



See All...). It would have been impossible for Daniel, living in the sixth century B.C., to have understood the astounding changes that would lead up to today's complex Middle East situation.



Just as the modern states of Israel, Egypt, Iraq and Syria did not exist a century ago, so at this time the final kings of the North and South have not emerged as yet. But the Bible does help us understand what to expect.



Historically, armies of both the North and the South have pushed back and forth at one another. In 732 A.D., Islamic armies advanced in what is modern France and were stopped by the Christian armies led by Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charlemagne. This effectively stopped Arab expansion into northern Europe, but it did not stop there.



In the twelfth century, Christian armies moved out of Europe during the Crusades with the intent of liberating the Holy Land from the Muslim control. This chapter of history is filled with many stories of intrigue and drama. Europe was successful only for a short time before being repulsed by the Muslims.



Once again, in the early sixteenth century, the armies of the Ottoman Empire swept up through Hungary, sacking Budapest and moved on Vienna in Austria. In 1529, the armies of the Holy Roman Empire successfully defended Europe and prevented Muslim domination. Another Ottoman attack in the 17th century was defeated, again at Vienna. Since then no Arab army has made any further attack.



Now, this story of the king of the South and the king of the North fits into a far larger picture. The Middle East is the focal point of so much Bible prophecy. Beginning with Abraham and his family, you can trace the development of families and tribes that make up the modern nations of the Middle East. Understanding the origins of the people and the culture helps one to understand the nature of the conflicts that impact the modern world today.



Our booklet, The Middle East in Bible Prophecy, explains this subject in a carefully laid out presentation. You can call right now toll free at 1-888-886-8632. Or go you can go online to BeyondToday.tv to order this booklet. There's no charge, it's free. We give it to you as a service.



And if you're on the social networks, go behind the scenes by joining us on Beyond Today Facebook page or by following us on Twitter. Go online. Leave us a comment or ask us a question. We might use it in a future program.



Now let's fast forward to today. What conditions could create another push or attack from the region of the king of the South? Well let's look at two.



First consider that more than half the world's proven supply of oil comes from the Middle East countries. The flow of oil from these nations is the lifeblood of our global economy. Sever these supply lines and regions like Europe will grind to a halt. Europe imports more than 60 percent of its oil from the Middle East. They need energy to sustain economic development and the high standard of living to which people are accustomed here.



The fear of war in the Middle East or political or religious upheaval is a constant concern that these energy supplies can be disrupted. The countries of the European Union carefully cultivate relations with the Gulf oil states to insure access to oil.



Now let's look at the matter of immigration, another possibility.



Recent events have highlighted a second possible cause for an attack or disruption leading to a reaction by the king of the North.



Muslim immigration to Europe over the past 40 years has resulted in large segments of the population that have not assimilated into Western culture. This has created a backlash that is growing and could lead to larger problems and leads me back to my earlier point about terrorism in Europe and its possible implications.



You see, there are possible threats to France, and Europe and other nations here. Tensions in major European countries like Holland, France and Germany highlight the problem of large Muslim population that does not mix with Western culture.



The French government has recently placed a ban on clothing worn by Muslim females. The ban pertains to the burqa , a full-body covering that includes a mesh over the face, and the niqab , a full-face veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes. French courts have upheld the law, supported by the French public by a margin of four to one. Women will be fined if they break the law when it goes into effect. Many suspect that this law could provoke unrest, even an attack by Muslims or a terrorist group. France has about 3.5 million Muslims, or about six percent of their population.



Stratfor, an American based intelligence service, recently assessed the threat to Europe and the United States and concluded that further attacks are inevitable with the loss of innocent life. Their report stated, "The United States and Europe are going to be attacked by(the) jihadist terrorists from time to time, and innocent people are going to be killed, perhaps in the thousands again. There is a deeply embedded element within a small segment of the Islamic world that is prepared to conduct terror attacks, and this element will occasionally be successful."



The report concludes that, "...the United States and the West in general cannot focus all of its power on solving a problem that is beyond its power to solve. The long war against terrorism will not be the only war fought in the coming years. The threat of jihadism must be put in perspective and the effort aligned with what is effective. The world is a dangerous place, as they say, and jihadism is only one of the dangers." ("Terrorism, Vigilance and the Limits of War on Terror")



That's the end of the Stratfor quote.



This threat to Europe from radical Islam is not to be ignored. When, not if it happens, it will trigger a reaction from key nations that could set in motion what is sometimes called unintended consequences.



France is not the only nation with large Muslim populations that have not integrated into European culture.



Recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a speech addressing the problem of multiculturalism in Germany. Germany has had decades of immigration from Muslim countries. Contrary to expectations they did not blend into German culture. Some politicians are calling for policies that would force immigrants to assimilate into German culture.



Chancellor Merkel's comments were outspoken and highlighted what many feel. She said, "This is a country that brought guest workers to Germany in the 1960s…and for a while, we kidded ourselves into believing that they wouldn't stay and would leave. Naturally, the notion that we would become ‘multicultural,' that we would live next to one another and be happy about one another, failed." (Merkel Enters Immigration Fray, Wall Street Journal, October 18, 2010).



Quite a quote. You see the fear in Germany, as with other European countries, is the decline of the native birthrate and the rise of the immigrant birthrate. If the trend continues, in a few years immigrants, primarily Muslim immigrants, will outnumber native populations and dominate culture and politics. With 80 million population, Germany is Europe's largest nation, but it has a very low birth rate. Immigration and the growing Islamization of Germany is a serious issue of discussion.



The prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation tell of another global superpower to arise at the end of this age. We find further details of this end-time power in Revelation 17. Just as Daniel saw various beasts that represented the dominant powers to come, so the apostle John saw a vision of another beast that would dominate the world at the very time of the end.



The 10 horns referred to here, as an angel explained to John, represent 10 rulers who receive power for one hour--symbolic of a short time--with a single ruler who is also called "the beast" (Revelation 17:12-13 [12] And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

[13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.





See All...). Notice the time setting of these events: "These will make war with the Lamb"--who is the returning Jesus Christ--"and the Lamb will overcome them…"(verse 14). This prophecy, then, is for the future, and leads right into the return of Jesus Christ to this earth.



But these are not the only significant end-time players. A religious leader, symbolized as having two horns like a lamb but who speaks like a dragon, (Revelation 13:11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.



See All...) will also play a very prominent role in this end-time union of nations. Jesus Christ is the true Lamb of God (John 1:29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.



See All..., 36; Revelation 5:8-9 [8] And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

[9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;





See All...; 19:7-9), so this religious leader apparently will claim to be Christian. But he is in reality of Satan, "the dragon who…deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.



See All...).



The beast referred to in Revelation 17 is a continuation of the four beasts of Daniel 7, as we saw earlier. Daniel, while in captivity in Babylon, recorded a vision of four great beasts (verse 3), gentile empires that would dominate the Middle East and have a major impact on the people of God. The empires were in chronological order, the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire.



Attempts to revive the Roman Empire are to succeed dramatically at the time of the end. At that time a successor empire is prophesied to restore the European unity that Rome first achieved more than 2,000 years ago. This empire is to lead right into Christ's return and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth (verses 9-14).



Since the fourth beast described in Daniel 7 exists at the time of Christ's return, and the same is true of the beast, John saw in Revelation 17, both then, both prophecies, speak of an end-time resurrection of the Roman Empire. This is the other key to understanding the prophecy: The kingdoms of the North and South concern successive powers. Rome took over Syria and Rome did indeed fall. But the Roman Empire has been revived in numerous forms over the centuries. And one final revival remains.



This final resurrection of the Roman Empire, like the original Empire, will be centered in Europe. It appears that it can be seen today in its embryonic form in the European Union. That's not to say that all current EU nations will be part of that final configuration, but those that choose to participate will combine to form a powerful military force that will involve itself in the Middle East.



This end-time king of the North spoken of in Daniel 11, then, appears to be the final ruler of the end-time, European-centered superpower, the same one called the beast in Revelation 17. It will retaliate when attacked by the king of the South and roll into the Middle East and center its attention on the land of Israel.



Notice what it says: "At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels."



Mentioned here are prominent nations like Egypt and Libya. Whatever the cause of this attack, the shut off of oil or an attack of terrorism, it will provoke a response that will seek to impose a solution on this troubled world region.



Egypt has been a sleeper nation since it negotiated a peace settlement with the State of Israel years ago. Other nations like Iraq and Iran have occupied center stage. Yet, this prophecy indicates Egypt will play some greater role that draws the attention of the king of the North.



Other regions mentioned in this prophecy correspond to the modern nations of Jordan and the State of Israel. When other prophecies are brought into this unfolding drama, we see the world will be aroused to action on an unprecedented scale. Daniel 12:1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.



See All... describes a time of world trouble unlike any previous age.



Armies will mass and move on Jerusalem in a climactic battle long foretold in the book of Revelation. We can read about it in Revelation 16. But before doing that let me pause and ask: What does this all mean to you?



There is much more for you to explore and our free magazine, The Good News fills that need. Each issue covers topics on prophecy, Christian living and biblical teaching. If you like what you see on Beyond Today , you will want to read The Good News .



We have a free subscription waiting for you when you call our toll free number: 1-888-886-8632. That's 1-888-886-8632. Or you can go online at BeyondToday.tv to order as well. The call is free and so is the magazine. We'll never charge you a subscription. You can't beat the offer.



While online you can follow us on Facebook and on Twitter. Leave us a comment or a question. We'd love to hear from you!



Now, let's go back to why this is important to you. You may be interested in Bible prophecy, but you still have a life to live with all of its challenges and opportunities. How does all this relate to you personally? What should you take from this for your daily life?



This is the part of Bible prophecy you need to understand. World events are moving to the conclusion of the age. Spiritual deception will cause many to not understand what is happening.



God wants you to understand the times you live in and where we are in His plan of salvation and the purpose.



Let's notice what is said in Revelation 16:



"Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, (and) out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."



"Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."



Spiritual deception is one of the signs of the end of the age. At the highest level, leaders and their nations will be moved to a great conflict in Israel. Diplomats will be unable to prevent the rapidly escalating crisis. No doubt there will be noble goals and motives stated as the reasons for these actions. People will be deceived into thinking they are preserving the global order, not realizing they are pawns in a greater spiritual struggle--one that has gone on for centuries.



The words of Christ in verse 16 are critical. He says to "watch…keep your garments." In biblical language garments mean righteous character. It means living a godly life in a world that makes that very difficult. We are to maintain a high level of spiritual discernment and righteous living. This will be the key to avoiding the spiritual deception of the age and understanding what is occurring.



To watch means to understand the times. It means to understand how to live in a world cut off from the knowledge of God. Your challenge, like mine, is to listen to what Christ tells us and live with an expectant hope of His salvation.



Bible prophecy describes a world headed towards a time of great tribulation. This verse we just read from Revelation speaks of the biblical battle of the great day of God almighty. Armies mass in the place of Megiddo in Israel and from this reference we take the term, Armageddon--commonly understood to be an age-ending battle.



What is important for you to take from this scripture is Christ's teaching to us to watch and be moved to action in our lives. Avoiding the deception that engulfs the world--a subject for another Beyond Today program--but that is a very critical issue for all of us.



Watching means several things. Christ wants to watch, us to watch, as we learn the lessons from the past. As you study Bible prophecy, you learn from nations and leaders of the past and how they related to God and His people. You see that God has a hand in history. This is often called the unseen hand in history and it opens new dimensions of understanding. Great empires and nations have come and gone through the centuries and many played key roles in God's unfolding plan for humanity. Seeing history through the dimension of prophecy makes the whole subject come alive.



To watch also means to understand current events and why the world is changing as it is. We're seeing shifts among global powers. Europe continues on its path toward greater unification and a larger role in world affairs. China is becoming a major player with great ambition among the nations. Its size and its needs are impacting daily life around the world. The nations of the Middle East are critical to the future stability and the world order. Religious fervor, massive energy supplies and the potential of nuclear armed nations in the region are a potent mix for problems. At the same time we see a shifting of power from the United States to these other regions. This too was prophesied in the Bible.



To watch also means to keep focused on the hope of the coming Kingdom of God. The conflict prophesied in the Bible, ends with the return of Jesus Christ to save all life from destruction. The world will not end in a nuclear winter. There is coming a better world with a better ruler.



This is the only hope this world has. It is the hope that should guide our daily lives and impact every decision we make. Christ said to pray Thy Kingdom come. Today we are to live by the teachings of the coming Kingdom. When we focus on God and His coming rule, we can avoid the global spiritual deception foretold in the Bible.



This is why a correct understanding of these events is so critical to you. It's why on Beyond Today we speak of what Bible prophecy has to say about today's world. Along with other biblical subjects, we provide a mix of what is important for you live a successful Godly life. It's what God wants you to understand.



Before closing today, let me again offer you a free subscription to the one publication that continues this discussion we are having. The Good News magazine is our way to give you additional information on all the topics we cover on Beyond Today . Articles on Bible prophecy, Christian living, marriage and personal development are featured regularly.



You can call: 1-888-886-8632 to request your free copy. That's 1-888-886-8632. Or go online to BeyondToday.tv to read or to request, the subscription is waiting for you there. There is no cost and it's a free publication given as a service.



The Middle East continues to produce events that impact our world. Energy from the region fuels the global economy. Religious fundamentalism creates tension in the region and in Europe. Bible prophecy shows us the Middle East will be the center of world attention in the years ahead.



While it is the region that has given rise to major world religions, it has also seen its share of conflict through the centuries. Bible prophecy shows one significant incident lies in the future. It will trigger the crisis at the close of the age.



Watch the Middle East. Watch Jerusalem. And watch for the coming of the Kingdom of God to bring a lasting peace to this world. This is your sure hope for the future.



For Beyond Today from Budapest, I'm Darris McNeely. Thanks for watching.

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Divorce Revolution Spawns the Cohabitation Generation

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Divorce Revolution Spawns the Cohabitation Generation






article by Cecil Maranville





Hoping to avoid the difficulties they saw in their parents' marriages, many young adults are skipping marriage in favor of living together outside of marriage. But does this solve problems or create new ones?



There was an outside chance 30 years ago that a youngster might know a child from a home broken by divorce. Nowadays there is an outside chance that a youngster might know a child from a home not broken by divorce. Children living at home with their married biological parents are increasingly oddities.



Are these statements hyperbole? Maybe. Maybe not. A quiet but phenomenal change has swept through Western civilization. It's so quiet few seem to know about it. Fewer still seem to think it matters.



Over the course of the last few decades, societal norms have evolved from viewing divorce as a stigma to seeing it as normal, natural and often necessary and desirable. Sociologists call this change in attitude the divorce revolution.



The children of the divorce revolution don't buy the cavalier philosophy that divorce is normal. They are taking steps that will—they think—help them avoid the pain and other costs associated with broken marriages. In short, the divorce revolution has spawned the cohabitation generation.



Unmarried cohabitation, or living together, is the status of couples who are not married to each other, but are sexual partners sharing a household. God reveals that sexual relations outside of marriage are harmful and damaging: "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body" (1 Corinthians 6:18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.



See All..., emphasis added throughout).



Why? What does God know that people lately have been discovering the hard way?



Far from insignificant, the trend toward living together is nothing short of revolutionary. In the United States about 11 percent of couples lived together before marriage between 1965 and 1974; 44 percent cohabited before marriage between 1980 and 1990; more than 50 percent of couples marrying today lived together before marriage. Almost 60 percent of American high-school seniors agreed or mostly agreed with the survey statement that cohabiting is usually a good way to prepare for marriage.



In 1970 the number of people living together without marriage was 523,000. Today the number exceeds four million. According to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the rate of people cohabiting has increased by some 700 percent since 1970 and number of couples with children in the home increased almost 550 percent from 1970 to 1994. Marriage statistics are equally shocking. The U.S. marriage rate has dropped 43 percent over the past four decades to its lowest point ever.



Why young people choose to live together

Why has the rate of marriages dropped? What has caused this revolution? In large part, it's a result of the divorce revolution, aided by a general loosening of attitudes toward morality. Having witnessed and experienced firsthand the negative results of divorce, today's youth want to avoid them. According to a Rutgers University study, "For today's young adults, the first generation to come of age during the divorce revolution, living together seems like a good way to achieve some of the benefits of marriage and avoid the risk of divorce ... According to surveys, most young people say it is a good idea to live with a person before marrying" (David Popenoe and Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, "Should We Live Together? What young Adults Need to Know About Cohabitation Before Marriage: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Research," The National Marriage Project: The Next Generation Series).



They believe that cohabiting couples who eventually marry will have stronger marriages for their having lived together first. Cohabitation, they reason, enables them to get to know each other much better than people who enter into marriage without first living together. Then, if things don't work out, the relationship can be broken without the hassle of either legal procedures or religious permission.



They assume many divorces will be avoided by starting relationships with a trial period of living together. Cohabiting, they believe, will provide opportunity for the unmarried man or woman to experiment enough that he or she will find the ideal match before eventually entering into marriage.



That's not to say that all young adults have the same reasons for cohabiting. Some live together with no intention of marrying. Others live together briefly before marrying each other. Still others see cohabiting with various partners as preparation for marriage with someone—eventually.



Other reasons are often cited. It is claimed that cohabitation provides economic benefits. Marin Clarkberg, assistant professor of sociology at Cornell University, addressed cohabitation in the March issue of the scholarly journal Social Forces (Vol. 77, No. 3). Expressing the popular view, she wrote: "For those unsure about their economic prospects, living together and pooling resources in the short run may be a smarter strategy than simply living on one's own while waiting to mature into marriage material" ("Money, Jobs Decide Who Cohabits or Marries," Cornell University, 1999, www.newswise.com ).



Young adults perceive the idea that living together is a more progressive, realistic approach to today's world than old, repressive, Victorian attitudes toward intimacy.



The feminist movement, with its theme of reversing male dominance of the American family, encourages cohabitation instead of traditional marriage roles. The modern approach, it is argued, allows a woman more control, more freedom and less subjection to men.



Included in the report were the results of a survey of a group of young adults about their views of living together and marriage. All were single, from New Jersey and 20-something.



"[Most] of them thought marriage should occur [only after] there are children, and children should come after a house is bought and a couple has a good annual income—around $75,000 in the women's views ... [The] young people saw ... cohabitation as a good way to test compatibility, detect character strengths and weaknesses, and arrange certain household economies ... Women preferred short-term cohabitation, saying they could determine the man's suitability for marriage in a few months. In contrast, many of the man said they could cohabit indefinitely" (Cheryl Wetzstein, "Cohabitation No Formula for Future Bliss in Marriage," The Washington Times, March 30, 1999).



What do the results show?

In spite of such a vast increase in numbers of couples cohabiting without benefit of marriage, and in spite of the many reasons offered for their behavior, evidence is sorely lacking that cohabitation makes any positive contribution to marriage whatsoever.



In fact, the evidence runs strongly to the contrary, that cohabitation is detrimental. Researchers have found that living together before marriage increases the risk of divorce after marriage. "Research conducted at Yale and Columbia University and published in American Sociological Review found, 'the overall association between premarital cohabitation and subsequent marital stability is striking. The dissolution [divorce] rates of women who cohabit premaritally with their future spouse are, on average, nearly 80 percent higher than the rates of those who do not' " (Neil Bennett, "Commitment and the Modern Union: Assessing the Link Between Premarital Cohabitation and Subsequent Marital Stability," American Sociological Review 53, p. 127-138).David Popenoe and Barbara Dafoe Whitehead of the Rutgers University study concluded that "virtually all research on the topic has determined that the chances of divorce ending a marriage preceded by cohabitation are significantly greater than for a marriage not preceded by cohabitation. A 1992 study of 3,300 cases, for example, based on the 1987 National Survey of Families and Households, found that in their marriages prior [cohabitants] 'are estimated to have a hazard of dissolution [divorce] that is about 46 percent higher than for [noncohabitants].'"



Other researchers have come to similar conclusions, that those who live together before marriage are 50 to 100 percent more likely to divorce than those who wait until marriage.



Researchers have also found that living together outside of marriage increases the risk of domestic violence for women and the risk of physical and sexual abuse for children. "One study in Great Britain ... found that, compared to children living with married biological parents, children living with cohabiting but unmarried biological parents are 20 times more likely to be subject to child abuse, and those living with a mother and a cohabiting boyfriend who is not the father face an increased risk of 33 times" (Popenoe and Whitehead).



A similar pattern was found in another American study. The Family Violence Research Program at the University of New Hampshirefound that 'cohabitants "are much more violent than marrieds." More specifically, the rate of violence among cohabiting couples was twice as high as for marrieds and the rate for "severe" violence was found to be nearly five times greater (Kersti Yllo and Murray Straus, "Interpersonal Violence Among Married and Cohabiting Couples," Family Relations 30, pp. 339-347, emphasis added).



People who live together are much more likely to enter unsuccessful cohabiting relationships again. They become serial cohabitants. Leaving one relationship apparently makes it easier to leave another—rather than providing the stability many say they seek.



Fully three quarters the number of children born to cohabiting parents will see their parents split up before they reach age 16, whereas only about a third of the children born to married parents face a similar trauma.



Chances that cohabiting mothers will marry their children's fathers are declining. The most recent statistics show that it will happen in only 44 percent of cases.



Economic relationships of cohabitants are often tenuous. Depression in cohabiting couples runs more than three times the rate among married couples. Overall, unmarried couples have lower levels of happiness and well-being than married couples.



So, rather than providing the benefits of marriage without the problems, cohabitation delivers the opposite: the difficulties of poor marriage relationships without many of the benefits of good ones.



Religion ineffective in reversing the trend

In the United States of 30 years ago, people who lived together unmarried were said to be "living in sin," but American society is rapidly distancing itself from that religious perspective. Many young people associate getting married before living together with values of a past, out-of-date generation—values that are not for the current generation. They prefer not to worry about having to discuss their relationship with a clergyman either at the beginning or dissolution of their union.



"Underlying all of these trends is the broad cultural shift from a more religious society where marriage was considered the bedrock of civilization and people were imbued with a strong sense of social conformity and tradition, to a more secular society focused on individual autonomy and self-invention. This cultural rejection of traditional institutional and moral authority, evident in all of the advanced, Western societies, often has had 'freedom of choice' as its theme and the acceptance of 'alternative lifestyles' as its message" (Popenoe and Whitehead).



Men have long misappropriated religion as authority to suppress and abuse women. Seizing advantage from reactions to those wrongs, the feminist movement has influenced religious thought and practices to be more accepting of cohabitation. The feminist angle is that living together is a more positive arrangement for women. (As noted above, research shows that just the opposite is true: The incidence of abuse increases.)



Religion ought to take the lead in teaching and encouraging the practice of balanced, biblically based roles for husbands and wives to reverse further erosion of marriage. Instead, some religions rush to take a more popular, acceptable and politically correct stance, attempting to respond to and accommodate social trends. They have begun to offer "commitment ceremonies" as an alternative to weddings.



Those who read and believe the Bible know it is God's will that relationships between single men and women progress to marriage without living together first. "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from unchastity; that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God; that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you. For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 [3] For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

[4] That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

[5] Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

[6] That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

[7] For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.





See All..., Revised Standard Version).



Are most religions teaching God's point of view on this crucial issue and leading people in ways that will benefit them the most?



"... Few religions prohibit cohabitation or even actively attempt to discourage it, so the religious barrier may be quite weak ... As the practice of cohabitation in America becomes increasingly common, popular distinctions between cohabitation and marriage are fading. In short, the legal, social and religious barriers to cohabitation are weak and likely to get weaker. Unless there is an unexpected turnaround, America and the other Anglo countries, plus the rest of northern Europe, do appear to be headed in the direction of Scandinavia" (Popenoe and Whitehead).



Scandinavia, principally Sweden and Denmark, lead the world in cohabiting couples—along with the lowest marriage rate and one of the highest divorce rates.



What does the future hold?

Popenoe and Whitehead wrote: "We recognize the larger social and cultural trends that make cohabiting relationships attractive to many young adults today. Unmarried cohabitation is not likely to go away."



That translates into more abuse of women and children, more depression, more unhappiness and more divorce. To address issues such as health care, financial contracts and child custody, new legislation will be written to accommodate these marriage-without-getting-married relationships.



Family law in many states already takes it into consideration but will likely have to accommodate new legislation to deal with the complexities brought on by the modern kind of cohabitation. Current cohabitation practices don't necessarily fall within the framework of existing law, which is geared toward marriage, not the avoidance of it. Presently 11 states and the District of Columbia recognize common-law marriages. The family-law statutes of six states and the District of Columbia include cohabitation in their definition of a common-law marriage. But that is, of course, looking at cohabitation as proof of intent to be married, not as proof that the couple doesn't intend to marry.



Cohabiting is often done supposedly to avoid the very problems it brings.



"Unlike divorce or unwed childbearing, the trend toward cohabitation has inspired virtually no public comment or criticism," says the Popenoe-Whitehead report. That in itself is a sad commentary on our civilization.



But The Good News isn't afraid to comment: Living together unmarried isn't a way to right the wrongs of the divorce revolution, but another wrong in itself. It is sin—sin that has been dressed up in acceptable-sounding words, perhaps, but sin. When people sin, they pay a price, their children pay a price, and their entire nation pays a price—a terrible price.



Christ's words resound with wisdom and warning: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery [ porneia, meaning immorality, including fornication and unmarried cohabitation].' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart'" (Matthew 5:27-28 [27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

[28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.





See All...). Knowing the damage that sexual sins inflict on mankind, Jesus commands to avoid it at all costs.



Whether a man and woman should live together unmarried must not be decided by economics, convenience, societal trends or personal preferences—not by human opinion in any form. Marriage is a divine institution, ordained of God. He alone makes the rules. He knows what works and what doesn't. Research increasingly confirms that rejecting His way brings only sorrow and heartache, as many are learning the hard way..



God meant marriage for learning to love with loyalty and tenderness. It involves commitment, self-sacrifice and a willingness to share. At its deepest level, marriage pictures the loving relationship between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32 [22] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

[23] For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

[24] Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

[25] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

[26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

[27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

[28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

[30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

[31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

[32] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.





See All...). It pictures faithfulness, commitment and permanence. Living together detracts from this biblical legacy. God is the author of the marriage institution. GN



The Popenoe-Whitehead report can be read in its entirety at http://www.smartmarriages.com/cohabit.html  .

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