Mt 27:52,53 Many bodies of the saints which slept arose and 53 after Jesus' resurrection they resurrected. These are the same that Paul was talking about in 1co15:20 Them that slept. These are our twelve tribes that Eph 2:12 says once we were aliens from, but now being in Christ we are partakers of the promises and hope in our 12 tribes returning at the time of Jesus return . See acts 26:6,7,8, 12 tribes are the common wealth of Israel and the rightful owners of all the land. King Herod had all the 2 yr olds killed in all the land. Mt 2:18, Jer31:15,16,17 they will be coming back. This is one of the Mysteries... In Rev 7:1-10 the exact order is given, and in Rev 14:1-5 it tells you they were virgins, no guile in their mouths, etc 1co15:23 gives the order of the resurrection. Christ first of the Firstfruits- means 1st rank in order the firstfruits the 144,000, all the 2 yr olds killed by Herod's army Mt 2 . Then those that can't be numbered. That is those that are in Christ at his coming.
Saul was radically changed by power that was not mere men 's ability, but in the personal experience of Jesus Christ! Great fear had to grip him, and to move him to a place of desperation. This humbled Paul to recognize his total helplessness and God 's very real and awesome power! That The Lord would still choose him knowing how he chose to destroy the Church was also great motivation for Paul to serve God in deep reverent respect of this new personal revelation of Who God Is. This is The teaching that The Lord gave us to follow! Such courage is given to us, as was Paul, to stand and "give an answer for The Hope that is within us "!Paul "loved not his life to the death ", not knowing whether that day he would live or be killed. But, he KNEW Jesus lived inside of Him, "and yet I live, yet it is not I that lives, but it is Christ giving him a new real power that far exceeds any disillusion of man to control his own life and circumstances. "To live is Christ, to die is gain ". His own faith was in Christ, alone, and in The Power of The Cross. May it be so with us!
I would give much to bear witness to hear in his own words the story of Saul's acceptance to The Christ. To hear his charged words and emotional expressiveness which by all accounts drew in all in attendance there. To the point when King Agrippa while somewhat smiling says, 'Saul-you have nearly persuaded me to follow Christ.' I am set on the edge waiting to hear more; this was no vision. Listen to him and know this thing happened to him and DID change him to the purpose of The Christ. As it was then as now, the power of persuasion is great beyond measure when a person can say, 'Yes-I know The Christ, I follow Him.' Now it's more clear to me that those words spoken by Saul were not his but the words given to him by The Christ. You too can do this so go on and spread the message. He will give to you the charisma, the elegance and the persuasion to bring others to follow Him too.
To: Albert's Acts Chapter 26 comment about verse 14 on 9/11/2013, 12:31pm...
The name "Jesus" is from the Greek for the Hebrew "Jeshua"(Joshua) which means "the Lord is salvation". Matthew 1:21 says, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." John 3:17 "For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation is any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Romans 10:13 "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Jesus was not the leader of the Nazarenes, He IS the only begotten Son of God. His Kingdom is not from here and because His Kingdom is not from here, His own people did not accept Him as their King when He was here on earth.
In touching your reference to Revelation 17:2, you must read on to Revelation 17:5 which says, "And upon her forehead was a name written, 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.'" (the false religious system that is put in place after the church is raptured up into Heaven). May God teach you through His Holy Spirit and bring you to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
If Saul(Paul)heard a voice speaking to him in the Hebrew tongue then he definitely did NOT hear any one identify himself as Jesus because that is Greek and is not a translation of the name of the leader of the sect of the Nazarenes, Yahshua. Rev 13 clearly tell us that there is a name of blasphemy. Now what could it possibly be? Paul and Barnabas were mistaken at one time for Zeus and Hermes. Zeus is the original source of the name Jesus. And the "WHOLE WORLD WAS MADE DRUNK WITH THE WINE OF HER FORNICATION" Rev. 17 P.S. Yahshua in ancient Greek is pronounced E-SHU-AUH.
Can you say as Paul could say I was not disobedient to the vision? King Agrippa said almost thou has persuaded me to be a christian. How many people will be persuaded to become Christians when we too will obey the voice of God to come out of darkness to light; from the power of Satan to God. Jesus is risen, and has given us the Holy Spirit to testify to the power of Jesus Christ. I pray that we will be bold in our testimony, and that many will turn to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said that we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, but let us trust in God who raises the dead. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, so let us be a witness for him every day. So let us be ready to hear the voice from heaven to "come up hither."
The name "Jesus" is from the Greek for the Hebrew "Jeshua"(Joshua) which means "the Lord is salvation". Matthew 1:21 says, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." John 3:17 "For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation is any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Romans 10:13 "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Jesus was not the leader of the Nazarenes, He IS the only begotten Son of God. His Kingdom is not from here and because His Kingdom is not from here, His own people did not accept Him as their King when He was here on earth.
In touching your reference to Revelation 17:2, you must read on to Revelation 17:5 which says, "And upon her forehead was a name written, 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.'" (the false religious system that is put in place after the church is raptured up into Heaven). May God teach you through His Holy Spirit and bring you to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.