Though Israel is a race and nation separated by God as His own people, they do not have a history of long lasting peace. There are political and religious reasons it. They were formed out of nothing from a single person, Abraham. But all of his descendants do not became Israel. The genealogical descent of Israel starts from Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. The twelve tribes of Israel are known after the sons of Jacob. Abraham started from Mesopotamia, hoping to inherit a land of Canaan that God had promised him. He came to Canaan and lived there as a stranger. His descendants went to Egypt and lived there for more than 400 years. Later they came to Canaan again, defeated the inhabitants and occupied the land. From this point in the history, the Israelites had a mixed life of peace, war and exile. And they are still fighting to safe guard their Promised Land. Israel have a history unequalled with any other race or nation.
Characteristics of the Kingdom of God
What are the characteristics of the Kingdom of God, according to Jesus Christ? This is what we are discussing in this video. The basic concept of the kingdom of God is that it is not a worldly kingdom or it is not an earthly kingdom. This is a truth confessed by our Lord Himself during the crucifixion trial. He was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor, as a political prisoner. Pilate asked Him: "Are You the King of the Jews?" (John 18: 33). There is an error in this question. Jesus was the king of the Jews as well as the King of all who believed in Him. He makes clear this truth in His answer.
John 18: 36, 37
36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not
of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so
that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from
here."
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
What happens when we die?
Death defined
Death is an experience that is relevant to all human beings. It is the most baffling experience of humans. It raises many questions and answers none. Philosophers to common man have been trying to solve the riddle, but it remains a mystery. The time and method of death are unpredictable. Science has not been successful to explain it fully. Medical science still remain a failure before it. It is the unavoidable, certain, expected and sure end of every individual.
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, death is the irreversible cessation of all vital functions especially as indicated by permanent stoppage of the heart, respiration, and brain activity. It is the end of life. Death is the cessation of the biological life. All the functions of the body will cease. At death, the body immediately begins to decay, with a subsequent disintegration back to the dust of the earth whence it came originally.
The Great Schism of 1054
Introduction
The Great Schism happened in the one and whole Christian church on 16 July 1054 AD, was the separation of the church in the Eastern Roman Empire and the church in the Western part of the Empire. It is also known as the East-West Schism of 1054. The decisive incident in the Schism was the excommunication of Michael I Cerularius, the Patriarch of Constantinople by the Roman Catholic Pope St. Leo IX. In turn Cerularius excommunicated the legates of the Pope on 20 July 1054. This incident was not the beginning of the schism, neither was it the end of it. The result of this schism was the separation of the single Christian church into two major branches: the Western Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Though the Schism was fueled by political ambition in the East, there were cultural, theological and ecclesiastical reasons behind the Schism. The Church in the Western Roman Empire and the other half in the Eastern Roman Empire was influenced by different philosophies that developed different approaches to theological and ecclesiastical doctrines. They understood the same scripture in two different level. All these led the Christian Church to the Great Schism.
Signs of the Last Days According to Jesus
Bible is a book of revelations about the restoration of the Kingdom of God. Bible contains many prophesies about future events. These prophesies are recorded in the Bible by different authors at different periods of time. These prophesies are God’s revelation about His ultimate plan for humans. The disciples of Jesus who followed Him while He was alive on this earth, believed that He was the Jewish Messiah who came to re-establish the Jewish Kingdom forever. Their perception changed only when they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. When they received more revelations from the Holy Spirit, their concept about the Jewish Messiah was replaced by a spiritual Kingdom. They suddenly understood that Jesus is the “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 - NKJV). This is a fundamental change to their concept of Jesus that happened on the Pentecost day. If this revelation was not achieved, they would not go beyond the Jewish community. But Jesus’ intention was to send them to Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. They were entrusted by our Lord with a great mission unto the end of the world.