Forum Activity for @zack-martin

Zack Martin
@zack-martin
08/18/16 01:11:24PM
70 posts

Trained By Saving Grace!




TRAINED BY SAVING GRACE!

Today I would like to share a devotion with you that will have minimum expression by me, but share straight from God's word truth that is needed to get America back on the right path!

Scripture:
Titus 2:11-15: Titus 3:1-8.
Titus 2 : 11 - For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Titus 2 : 12 - teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
Titus 2 : 13 - looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Titus 2 : 14 - who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 2 : 15 - Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Titus 3:1-8.
Titus 3 : 1 - Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
Titus 3 : 2 - to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
Titus 3 : 3 - For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
Titus 3 : 4 - But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
Titus 3 : 5 - not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Titus 3 : 6 - whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Titus 3 : 7 - that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3 : 8 - This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

I wish we could get this training back to ALL Christians, and also to people in our age now! WE DO NOT NEED ANY NEW AGE STUFF THAT WE ARE GETTING NOW! WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS RETURN TO THE OLD AGE OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH!

Forget the new age stuff! In fact, this is ruining our nation! If those running for the highest office would stop their ugly speaking about themselves and others, and concentrate on the things really needed to turn our nation BACK TO GOD, and correct the wrongs that we have created, we could find a common ground to rebuild our nation to its former greatness! When our founding fathers laid the foundation of our nation it was FOUNDED ON GOD! THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ON GOD AND NOW I CANNOT SEE GOD, IN FACT THE ABSENCE OF GOD IS GLARINGLY SEEN ESPECIALLY IN OUR LEADERSHIP! GOD HELP US!
Zack Martin
@zack-martin
07/11/16 05:24:17PM
70 posts

My Personal Testimony - Zack Martin Dr.



MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY - ZACK MARTIN!

1 Samuel 1:8 - Then Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do y weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
1 Samuel 1 : 11 - Then she made a vow and said, "O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

In this text of Scripture we see Hannah making a promise to God if He would give a male child! Long story short, Samuel was born to Hannah and Elkanah, and Hannah was true to her word giving Samuel to the Lord! I have a similar story in my own life!

In 1951 there wasn't all the modern marvels that exists today. When the time of my birth came, there was only a town doctor, Dr. Bush, available for my parents to have assist in my birth. I was a breach birth, which meant that I was turned wrong, and I had to be turned in order to be safely horned. The doctor worked many hours trying to do this so that I might have a chance to be born alive. Not only was my life at risk, but also my mother's life. As the day passed the situation drew more dire. Finally in the eve of? a new day, he got me turned enough that I could be horned. He cautioned my parents that he didn't know if I would live or die. So on March 3rd, 1951, I was born just before midnight.

After my birth, I was so bruised that when my oldest sister saw me, she burst into tears. Even after I was born, the doctor had doubts that I would live. Here is an important part of my story! I didn't learn of this until after I accepted God's call to me to become a minister for Him. My mother prayed to God for my life and promised Him that if He would allow me to live, that she would give me to Him. Like I said, I didn't know about this until after I accepted His call to be His minister at the age of 20. My mother knew that she had given me to the Lord when I was born.

So she raised me in this light, and she made sure that I knew so many things that would make me good in whatever work that God should choose for me. As a family, we always had our evening family devotion time every night before we went to bed. She would take time to explain things to me about what we may have discussed during our devotion time. We were just a poor farming family and had my mother and dad, four children, and my grandmother living in a two bedroom house. Well, that meant we had to double up. Since I was the baby (youngest) of the family, my bed was in the same room as my mother and dad's room. We shared that bedroom, so many nights mother would lie down on my bed with me, and we would discuss the Bible and stories from r Bible. At that time I didn't know why we discussed the Bible and stories from it, but she was preparing me for a life of service for Christ. When most children would have bedtime stories read to them, I would have Bible stories read to me. My brother and sisters thought that she loved me the most, but that wasn't true. She loved us all equally, but I think that because she had given me to God at birth, I became a work in progress for her, and we did become very close. But, you know, I was always a kind of daddy's boy. I loved my dad, and was always around him too. He taught me so many things. How to hunt, fish, and about work ethics. I always helped him on the farm. Because I was the youngest by several years, all of the others had graduated high school and left home to be on their own before I did, so I became daddy's biggest helper on the farm during his failing health years, and finally the realization that he couldn't continue to farm. These were also learning years that would help me in my walk with Christ.

After daddy wasn't able to continue farming, my mother got a job as cook at the local hospital. Mother was always a good cook and knew people who worked there, and they knew her and how well she could cook. It happened that there was a house practically in the parking lot of the hospital available, so we rented that house. Our yard and the parking lot joined one another. I know because I cut that yard on many occasions. Anyway this began I part of my life when God would claim a servant that my mother promised Him when I was born. While living on the farm, we went to the local community Baptist Church where our farm was. We ha a pastor that my parents really liked, in fact he performed my oldest sister's wedding when she got married. His name was Bro. Marx. Anyway, after we moved into town, we found out that he was the pastor of a new mission on Lee Street there in Enterprise. So we started attending Lee Street Baptist Mission. In the beginning there it was just the education building, where everything took place. Curtained off Sunday School Rooms would be drawn back to open up a larger room where the preaching service took place. We we joined Lee Street Baptist Mission. It was constituted into a Church a couple of years later. So it became Lee Street Baptist Church, which it still is today, and that is where my membership is. I went for all of my high school years and the church grew tremendously, built a sanctuary and more educational space.

God put together quite a great youth department and it was through this experience that I was called to be a minister for God. We had 40 - 50 youth, and we developed a Friday Night Youth Activities, where we would gather at the church to have fun, and play games, but also we had a worship service time. This is where I saw my calling from God pen up. We would invite others to come to these youth activities meetings, and some Friday nights we would have 50 or so young people playing games like basketball, volleyball, and other outside games, and inside there was table tennis (ping pong), cards, and other table games. Then in the fellowship hall we would have food like pizza, hot dogs, etc., and would eat and then have a time of worship where the pastor or youth director would preach, or have a devotion from God's word. The point is, we had fun, but we also worshipped God. Every Sunday we usually had someone joining the church and being baptized because they had been saved at one of the Friday Night Youth Activity Meetings. Most of the time it would be a youth from our church that would lead others that came to our youth activities meetings into salvation. That is where I got indoctrinated into the ministry, and in 1972 I was licensed into the ministry by Lee Street Baptist Church, fulfilling a promise that was made to God in 1951 by my mother. I was 21 years old when I was licensed into the ministry. I got my formal education at Wallace Community College and then Baptist Bible Institute in Graceville, Florida (Now called The Baptist College of Florida). But my mother had schooled me in God's word all of my life because she had given me to God when I was born, if He would let me live. Guess what? It was then when I accepted His call to the ministry that I first found out about mother's promise to God! So began the fulfillment of a life long promise to God.

One of the things taught to me by my mother was her love and knowledge of music. Mother loved to sing and play the piano. I would sing lead, and she would sing harmony (alto) backing me up. We use to sit around the piano with her playing and sing hymns. So when I entered BBI, I majored in theology and minored in music, but I had a God given talent of singing. For the next 35 years I would serve God as minister of music and youth pastor. I also pastored one church for 4 years.

Because I could sing so well, I was asked to lead the music for many revivals. Sometimes when you are good at something it can go to your head. That is exactly what happened to me. I was doing so many revivals and also regular church and was traveling many miles from week to week, that I TOLD GOD, NOT ASKED GOD, that I needed a new van to travel in to all my revivals, etc. So I had to be taught a lesson in humility. You see, I went ahead and bought that new van that I wanted and TOLD GOD I NEEDED. Man, I looked at myself and said, "I'm good, look at what I did and what I can do!" BAD MISTAKE!!! One morning, very early in the morning before daylight, I was on my way to a destination of service in my new van. Even though it was in 1975, I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a two lane highway at about 4:30 in the morning before daylight. I had just passed a car and was pulling back into my lane , and there were three black cows in the middle of the road. I swerved to miss them, and I did miss two of them, but the third and biggest one, I planted in the side sliding door of that van. I turned over on the cow, and then I flipped end over end. When I flipped end over end, I was thrown from the van. I went out through the pop out windshield that vans had as a safety precaution. It worked pretty well, because I slid across the pavement on top of that windshield, saving me from being peeled to the bone by that pavement. I was knocked out, and when I came to, there was a lady standing over me praying for me. She was from the car that I had just passed, and she said that she was a Pentecostal preacher. I never saw her before that morning, and I haven't seen her since, so to me she was like an angel sent by God to me! My van was in the ditch and on all four wheels, but, the top was smashed in over the driver's seat all the way down to the top of the seat. If I hadn't been thrown from the van, the State Trooper said that I would have probably been killed. I was taken to the hospital in Troy, and spent several days there. Then I was transferred to a hospital in Phoenix City because the specialist I was to see was from the Hughston Clinic just across the river, and State line in Columbus. I was badly hurt, in fact they didn't think that I would ever walk again. I spent eight months lying flat of my back on my bed. Well, I realized that first, I wasn't suppose to have that van, and God took it away from me, and second, it wasn't me doing all that stuff in those revivals that gave me the BIG HEAD, saying, "Look what I've done! I am the best thing that God had had in a long time!" In fact it wasn't me at all, it was God using the little talent that I had to win souls for Him. NOT ME AT ALL ----- IN FACT I WAS A TINY PART OF GOD'S PLAN! And I had a long time to think about everything! But, God instilled in me not to give up, and I didn't and later I was able to walk again.

It was during this time in my life that I met the woman of my dreams. We began dating and then I began walking, first with crutches, and then a walking cane. We fell in love, and I asked her to marry me. She said yes! We were trying to set a date, but I was still using a cane to walk with. I told her that I would walk up on that stage on my own two feet when we were married. So on December 2nd, 1977, I walked up on that stage on my own two feet and we married the Debbie, the woman of my dreams. And, we began the real ministry that God had called me to do. We had a great time serving God together and ministering for Him. My mother told me every time that I saw her that she was praying for me everyday, and I felt those prayers. I had 35 years of service for the Lord and I enjoyed ever minute of it. It was not a bed of roses, but even in troubles and trials, and everything, God was by my side daily and I know that I was doing His will for my life. I may have had a shaky start, but God taught me that He was the one in control and my job was to spread the Gospel to the people that needed His saving grace. And, PRAISE GOD, I'M STILL DOING THAT EVEN THOUGH I AM IN A NURSING HOME. My earnest prayer is that when it comes my time to go be with Jesus in heaven, that I will be witnessing for Him with my last breath!

Most of you know about my testimony of coming here to Wesley Manor, but it was this way. My health had gotten to the point that I could no longer care for myself. I needed help bathing and dressing myself, and my sister's health was also failing. A physical therapist was at the house evaluating me, and because I couldn't do the things that I needed to do to care for myself, he asked me had I ever considered a Nursing Home? To which I abruptly answer NO! He went on to explain to me that he thought my quality of life would be so much better in a nursing home. I began to pray about it, and God instilled in me that I would be entering a new ministry. So, I asked my daughter to check into the availability of nursing homes in Dothan closes to her and my son. Wesley Manor had an immediate opening. So we began the process of qualifying me for y nursing home here. I entered Wesley Manor on August 15th, 2015. Only two weeks had gone by when I was asked to do the Sunday Morning Services on South Wing Hall where I live at 11:00 am, and then again at 12:00 noon on Martin Hall. I did and they came to me and asked me would I take the job permanently. I remembered that God had said that this would be a new ministry, and I accepted the job. Almost immediately I began to pray that God would open up an opportunity to have a worship service in the chapel for the entire Nursing Home. We did a trial run on Easter Sunday, and everything went great, so about six weeks ago we began having a full worship service in the chapel for the entire nursing home, including Assisted Living, and we are growing every Sunday! PRAISE GOD! I am sure that this is God's will for Wesley Manor, and I promise to you and the Lord to be a willing servant for Him here. Since the beginning of the service we have baptized one! Which I have been told was the first in memory for about 20 years. Praise God and I pray that it won't be the last!

I've had some difficult times to consider as of late, a little while back they had to put a stint in what is called the Widowmaker Artery that was 90% blocked. This was a difficult placement but was successfully done. Then a couple of weeks back I had two more stints placed in the left ventricle artery, and they were also difficult placements. But before they did this, my doctor decided that the risks of doing the heartcath was going really to just go in and do another one. This being because of me being alergic to the dye used in doing the heartcath, and also with me being in permenat A-fib the medicine used for the stress test would make my A-fib go into uncontrollable A-fib. Also it is believed that I could not survive by-pass surgery, so it was decided to try and use medicine to control the angina pain, but that didn't work,so it was decided to do another heartcath with the understanding that they wouldn't promise that anything could be done even when they found what was wrong! So itt with this understanding that we did the heartcath. It was found that it had two blockages in the left ventricle artery and they were also difficult placements, but they were able to successfully do the placements. So I now have 9 stints, and anymore are still VERY QUESTIONABLE! But until then I am cleared to take it slowly and do Sunday Morning Worship Service taking it very easy. I am a firm believer that God is in control so this is how I'm approaching it. This is how I approach each Sunday. I pray daily to be in God's Will in this! And I know that God will not put me in a position of harm. Thank You Lord for Your guidance and direction.

I invite you to come and be a part of our Sunday Morning Service here, and also to bring someone with you to church! We encourage you to invite your family to come and worship with you here in our chapel. Thank you so much!
updated by @zack-martin: 11/11/17 02:50:05PM
Zack Martin
@zack-martin
11/22/14 11:31:08PM
70 posts

SEEKING YOUR PRAYERS!


General Posts - any topic

Thanks Ken, I haven't had the time or energy to do much on it lately. Do I have the same My Page as before or do I need to create a new page?

Zack Martin
@zack-martin
11/22/14 03:15:15AM
70 posts

SEEKING YOUR PRAYERS!


General Posts - any topic

I will be having surgery on the 26th of November (The Day Before Thanksgiving), 2014 at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Alabama. I have a stricture in my urinary track and also to check my prostate. My plumbing is stopped up so to speak. and I call what they will do a Rotor-Ruder job. (LOL) I hate that it is so close to Thanksgiving, but it has to be because that is the earliest they can do it.

I ask for your prayers as they do this. I am NOT a good candidate for surgery of any kind. It just seems like it's been one thing after another for this year, but I trust in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I know that He will bring me through it. Sometimes I can't help but cry, but I know God is in control. I am a little homesick for Heaven, and wonder why He leaves me here when I am ready to go and be with Him when He calls me home.

Thanks for your prayers and concerns for me. May God Bless each of You Dearly.

Rev. Zack Martin Sr.


updated by @zack-martin: 02/11/15 10:41:34AM
Zack Martin
@zack-martin
06/11/14 10:03:43PM
70 posts

"A True Master's Degree!"


Christian Teachings

The song "A True Master's Degree," is from my album entitled, "Jesus The Only Name The Saves," and I have released it to local radio stations in my area. I am hopeful this Brand-New song takes off and makes the charts of Southern and Country Gospel. Click the below link and have a listen. Your reviews are requested.

Thanks,

Rev Zack Martin Sr.

http://indiegospel.org/video/a-true-master-s-degree-1


updated by @zack-martin: 02/05/23 02:33:49PM
Zack Martin
@zack-martin
02/16/14 07:45:59PM
70 posts

PLAYING AROUND AND I BELIEVE I DID IT RIGHT, LOL.


Christian Teachings

I was just playing around with The Golden Echoes Album, "We Shall See Jesus." So I made it into a DVD. I've never done that before. I just took pictures of each of the members singing and place them in the music trying to match them to the singing.

"We Shall See Jesus," was originally recorded on a cassette tape in Raven Studios in Dothan, Alabama in 1986. I remastered it for CD in 2013. Now, here in 2014, I have made it into a DVD.

I served South Lena Baptist Church in Dothan for 11 years as Minister of Music and Youth Pastor. 8 of those years I also sang with a Southern Gospel Quartet, "The Golden Echoes," from that church. There was a lot of talent in the church, and the Quartet was entirely from the church. We were very popular in Southeast Alabama, and Southwest Georgia, and Northwest Florida.

We had live music backing us up, not soundtracks as is popular today. When we did the recording we did it just as we would a live concert with our own band. The only exception was that we had to hire a drummer for the session.

The members were (1) Tommy Danford - Bass Singer, (2) Beverly Danford (Tommy's Wife) - Tenor, (3) Irene Barron - Alto (Irene's husband, Neal, was the sound man on our concerts), (4) Zack Martin (Myself) - Lead Singer. The Band, (1) Mary Kirkland - Pianist (Mary is Irene's sister) Mary was a great pianist in her on right as you will hear listening to the recording. (2) Bass Guitar - Walt Creamer. I love how Walt would sometimes slap that bass (the song, "I Got My Foot On The Rock," is a great example of that) (3) Ray Tate - Lead Guitar. Ray was a self taught Guitarist, but was very good. (4) Meredith Johnson - Keyboard. Meredith was Tommy & Beverly's daughter (only 12 years old at that time, but did a great job on the keyboard).

We traveled so much that the church furnished us with a van to travel in. Weekends were busy times for us. Usually singing's Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday afternoons (Homecomings, etc). Then 2 services on Sundays, morning and evening (I was Minister of Music).

Below is a link to the DVD - it is about 25 minutes long, but in my opinion well worth watching. I hope you enjoy it.

Rev. Zack Martin Sr.


updated by @zack-martin: 02/19/15 07:08:54AM
Zack Martin
@zack-martin
02/18/14 12:27:32AM
70 posts

Thanks to Everyone,I love You all


General Posts - any topic

Jerry, you are so very welcome! You haven't been on Indie Gospel Artists very long, but you have won the hearts of us all. The love that God has given you and your ability to share it with us is the greatest. In just this short time of knowing you, I have found a great friend and Brother in Christ Jesus. God Bless You My Brother, and May Your Ministry Be The Best. Keep Serving The Lord, and I will be Praying For You. You are my legs that are going out witnessing for Christ where I cannot.

Zack Martin
@zack-martin
02/08/14 02:49:45AM
70 posts

Bookings


General Posts - any topic

I am disabled and don't do a lot of concerts, but the ones that I do are usually word of mouth, being recommended by someone who knows me. I also have a website where I have a contact form for booking. Most of my ministry is through my CD's, and my writings here on the Internet.

God Bless You In Your Ministry.

Rev Zack Martin Sr.

Zack Martin
@zack-martin
01/07/14 06:21:58AM
70 posts

A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, ALSO A NEW JERUSALEM!


Christian Teachings

A New Heaven and a New Earth!

Also A New Jerusalem.

Rev 21:1

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

[A new heaven and a new earth] The ancient Jews believed that God would renew the heavens and the earth at the end of seven thousand years. The general supposition they founded on Isa 65:17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. NIV

[There was no more sea.] The sea no more appeared than did the first heaven and earth. All was made new; and probably the new sea occupied a different position and was differently distributed, from that of the old sea.

However, with respect to these subjects as they stand in this most figurative book, I must express myself in the words of Calmet: Vouloir dire quels seront ce nouveau ciel, et cette nouvelle terre, quels seront leurs ornamens et leur qualit'e, c'est 'a mon avis la plus grande de toutes les presomptions. En general, ces manieres de parler marquent de tres grands changemens dans l'univers. "To pretend to say what is meant by this new heaven and new earth, and what are their ornaments and qualities, is in my opinion the greatest of all presumptions. In general these figures of speech point out great alternations in the universe."

Rev 21:2

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

[And I John] The writer of this book; whether the evangelist and apostle, or John the Ephesian presbyter, has been long doubted in the church.

[New Jerusalem] This doubtless means the Christian church in a state of great prosperity and purity; but some think eternal blessedness is intended.

[Coming down from God] It is a maxim of the ancient Jews that both the tabernacle, and the temple, and Jerusalem itself, came down from heaven. Rab. Jeremias said, "The holy blessed God shall renew the world, and build Jerusalem, and shall cause it to descend from heaven." Their opinion is, that there is a spiritual temple, a spiritual tabernacle, and a spiritual Jerusalem; and that none of these can be destroyed, because they subsist in their spiritual representatives.

Rev 21:3

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

[The tabernacle of God is with men] God, in the most special manner, dwells among his followers, diffusing his light and life everywhere.

Rev 21:4

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

[There shall be no more death] Because there shall be a general resurrection. And this is the inference which Paul makes from his doctrine of a general resurrection, 1 Cor 15:26, where he says, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." But death cannot be destroyed by there being simply no further death; death can only be destroyed and annihilated by a general resurrection; if there be no general resurrection, it is most evident that death will still retain his empire. Therefore, the fact that there shall be no more death assures the fact that there shall be a general resurrection, and this also is a proof that, after the resurrection, there shall be no more death.

Rev 21:5

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

[Behold, I make all things new.] As the creation of the world at the beginning was the work of God alone, so this new creation.

[These words are true and faithful.] Truth refers to the promise of these changes; faithfulness, to the fulfilment of these promises.

Rev 21:6

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

[It is done.] All is determined, and shall be fulfilled in due time. The great drama is finished, and what was intended is now completed; referring to the period alluded to by the angel.

[I am Alpha and Omega] See the note at Rev 1:8.

[The fountain of the water of life] See the note at John 4:10,14; 7:37, etc.

The rabbis consider the fountain of the world to come as one of the particular blessings of a future state. In Sanhedrin, Aboth R. Nathan, c. 31, it is said, "He will show them the excellency of the fountain of the future world, that they may accurately see and consider, and say, Woe to us! what good have we lost! and our race is cut off from the face of the earth?

Rev 21:7

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

[Inherit all things] Here he had no inheritance; there he shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, and be with God and Christ, and have every possible degree of blessedness.

Rev 21:8

But 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.

[But the fearful] Deilois Those who, for fear of losing life or their property, either refused to receive the Christian religion, though convinced of its truth and importance; or, having received it, in times of persecution fell away, not being willing to risk their lives.

[And unbelieving] Those who resist against full evidence. And sinners, kai hamartoolois, is added here by about 30 excellent MSS., and is found in the Syriac, Arabic, some of the Slavonic, and in Andreas and Arethas. On this evidence Griesbach has admitted it into the text.

[The abominable] Ebdelugmenois Those who are polluted with unnatural lust.

[And murderers] Phoneusin Those who take away the life of man for any cause but the murder of another, and those who hate a brother in their heart.

[And whoremongers] Pornois Adulterers, fornicators, whores, prostitutes, and rakes of every description.

[Sorcerers] Pharmakois Persons who, by drugs, philtres, fumigations, etc., pretend to produce supernatural effects, chiefly by spiritual agency.

[Idolaters] Eidoololatrais Those who offer any kind of worship or religious reverence to anything but God. All image worshippers are idolaters in every sense of the word.

[And all liars] Kai pasin tois pseudesin Every one who speaks contrary to the truth when he knows the truth, and even he who speaks the truth with the intention to deceive; i.e. to persuade a person that a thing is different from what it really is, by telling only a part of the truth, or suppressing some circumstance which would have led the hearer to a different and to the true conclusion. All these shall have their portion, to meros, their share, what belongs to them, their right, in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. This is the second death, from which there is no recovery.

Rev 21:9

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

[The bride, the Lamb's wife] The pure and holy Christian church.

Rev 21:10

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

[To a great and high mountain] That, being above this city, he might see every street and lane of it.

[The holy Jerusalem] See the note at Rev 21:2.

Rev 21:11

Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

[Having the glory of God] Instead of the sun and moon, it has the splendonr of God to enlighten it.

[Unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.] Among precious stones there are some even of the same species more valuable than others: for their value is in proportion to their being free from flaws, and of a good water, i.e. a uniform and brilliant transparency. A crystal is perfectly clear, the oriental jasper is a beautiful sea-green. The stone that is here described is represented as a perfectly transparent jasper, being as unclouded as the brightest crystal, and consequently the most precious of its species. Nothing can be finer than this description: the light of this city is ever intense, equal, and splendid; but it is tinged with this green hue, in order to make it agreeable to the sight. Nothing is so friendly to the eye as blue or green; all other colours fatigue, and, if very intense, injure the eye. These are the colours of the earth and sky, on which the eye of man is to be constantly fixed. To these colours the structure of the eye is adapted; and the general appearance of the earth and the sky is adapted to this structure.

Rev 21:12

And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

[Had a wall great and high] An almighty defense.

[Twelve gates] A gate for every tribe of Israel, in the vicinity of which gate that tribe dwelt; so that in coming in and going out they did not mix with each other. This description of the city is partly taken from Ezek 48:30-35.

In Synopsis Sohar, p. 115, n. 27, it is said: "In the palace of the world to come there are twelve gates, each of which is inscribed with one of the twelve tribes, as that of Reuben, of Simeon, etc.: he, therefore, who is of the tribe of Reuben is received into none of the twelve gates but his own; and so of the rest."

Rev 21:13

On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

[On the east three gates] The city is here represented as standing to the four cardinal points of heaven, and presenting one side to each of these points.

Rev 21:15

And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

[Had a golden reed] Several excellent MSS. add metron, a measure; he had a measuring rod made of gold. This account of measuring the city seems to be copied, with variations, from Ezek 40:3, etc.

Rev 21:16

And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

[The city lieth foursquare] Each side was equal, consequently the length and breadth were equal; and its height is here said to be equal to its length. It is hard to say how this should be understood. It cannot mean the height of the buildings, nor of the walls, for neither houses nor walls could be twelve thousand furlongs in height; some think this means the distance from the plain country to the place where the city stood. But what need is there of attempting to determine such measures in such a visionary representation? The quadrangular form intimates its perfection and stability, for the square figure was a figure of perfection among the Greeks; aneer tetragoonos, the square or cubical man, was, with them, a man of unsullied integrity, perfect in all things.

Rev 21:17

And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

[The wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits] This is twelve, the number of the apostles, multiplied by itself: for twelve times twelve make one hundred and forty-four.

[The measure of a man, that is, of the angel.] The cubit, so called from cubitus, the elbow, is the measure from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, and is generally reckoned at one foot and a half, or eighteen inches; though it appears, from some measurements at the pyramids of Egypt, that the cubit was, at least in some cases, twenty-one inches.

By the cubit of a man we may here understand the ordinary cubit, and that this was the angel's cubit who appeared in the form of a man. Or suppose we understand the height of the man as being here intended, and that this was the length of the measuring rod. Now allowing this height and rod to be six feet, and that this was intended to have some kind of symbolical reference to the twelve tribes, mentioned verse 12, represented by the twelve gates; and to the twelve apostles, represented by the twelve thresholds or foundations; then twenty-four, the number of the tribes and apostles, multiplied by six, make precisely the number one hundred and forty-four.

Rev 21:18

And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

[The building of the wall of it was of jasper] The oriental jasper is exceedingly hard, and almost indestructible. Pillars made of this stone have lasted some thousands of years, and appear to have suffered scarcely anything from the tooth of time.

[Pure gold, like unto clear glass.] Does not this imply that the walls were made of some beautifully bright yellow stone, very highly polished. This decription has been most injudiciously applied to heaven; and in some public discourses, for the comfort and edification of the pious, we hear of heaven with its golden walls, golden pavements, gates of pearl, etc., not considering that nothing of this description was ever intended to be literally understood; and that gold and jewels can have no place in the spiritual and eternal world. But do not such descriptions as these tend to keep up a fondness for gold and ornaments? In symbols they are proper; but construed into realities, they are very improper.

The ancient Jews teach that "when Jerusalem and the temple shall be built, they will be all of precious stones, and pearls, and sapphire, and with every species of jewels."-Sepher Rasiel Haggadol, fol. 24, 1.

The same authors divide paradise into seven parts or houses; the third they describe thus: "The third house is built of gold and pure silver, and all kinds of jewels and pearls. It is very spacious, and in it all kinds of the good things, either in heaven or earth, are to be found. All kinds of precious things, perfumes, and spiritual virtues, are there planted. In the midst of it is the tree of life, the height of which is 500 years; (i.e. it is equal in height to the journey which a man might perform in 500 years); and under it dwell Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, and all that came out of Egypt, and died in the wilderness. Over these Moses and Aaron preside, and teach them the law," etc.-Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 13, 4. In the same tract, fol. 182, 1, we find these words: "Know that we have a tradition, that when the Messiah, with the collected captivity, shall come to the land of Israel, in that day the dead in Israel shall rise again; and in that day the fiery walls of the city of Jerusalem shall descend from heaven, and in that day the temple shall be builded of jewels and pearls."

Rev 21:19

And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

[The foundations of the wall] Does not this mean the foundations or thresholds of the gates? The gates represented the twelve tribes, verse 12; and these foundations or thresholds, the twelve apostles, verse 14. There was no entrance into the city but through those gates, and none through the gates but over these thresholds. The whole of the Mosaic dispensation was the preparation of the Gospel system: without it the Gospel would have no original; without the Gospel, it would have no reference nor proper object. Every part of the Gospel necessarily supposes the law and the prophets. They are the gates, it is the threshold; without the Gospel no person could enter through those gates. The doctrine of Christ crucified, preached by the apostles, gives a solid foundation to stand on; and we have an entrance into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb 10:19, etc. And in reference to this we are said to be built on the FOUNDATION of the APOSTLES and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, Eph 2:20.

[The first foundation was jasper] A stone very hard, some species of which are of a sea-green colour; but it is generally a bright reddish brown.

[The second, sapphire] This is a stone of a fine blue colour, next in hardness to the diamond.

[The third, a chalcedony] A genus of the semi-pellucid gems, of which there are four species:

1. A bluish-white one; this is the most common sort.

2. The dull, milky-veined one; this is of little worth.

3. The brownish-black one; the least beautiful of all.

4. The yellow and red; the most beautiful, since it is the most valuable of all. Hitherto this has been found only in the East Indies.

[The fourth, an emerald] This is of a bright green colour without any mixture, and is one of the most beautiful of all the gems. The true oriental emerald is very scarce, and said to be found only in the kingdom of Cambay.

Rev 21:20

The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

[The fifth, sardonyx] The onyx is an accidental variety of the agate kind; it is of a dark horny colour, in which is a plate of a bluish-white, and sometimes of red. When on one or both sides of the white there happens to lie also a plate of a reddish colour, the jewelers call the stone a sardonyx.

[The sixth, sardius] The sardius, sardel, or sardine stone, is a precious stone of a blood-red colour.

[The seventh, chrysolite] The gold stone. It is of a dusky green with a cast of yellow. It is a species of the topaz.

[The eighth beryl] This is a pellucid gem of a bluish green colour.

[The ninth, a topaz] A pale dead green, with a mixture of yellow. It is considered by the mineralogists as a variety of the sapphire.

[The tenth, a chrysoprasus] A variety of the chrysolite, called by some the yellowish green and cloudy topaz. It differs from the chrysolite only in having a bluish hue.

[The eleventh, a jacinth] A precious stone of a dead red colour, with a mixture of yellow. It is the same as the hyacenet or cinnamon stone.

[The twelfth, an amethyst] A gem generally of a purple or violet colour, composed of a strong blue and deen red.

These stones are nearly the same with those on the breastplate of the high priest, Ex 28:17, etc., and probably were intended to express the meaning of the Hebrew words there used. See the notes at the above passages, where these gems are particularly explained.

Rev 21:21

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

[The twelve gates were twelve pearls] This must be merely figurative, for it is out of all the order of nature to produce a pearl large enough to make a gate to such an immense city. But John may refer to some relations of this nature among his countrymen, who talk much of most prodigious pearls. I shall give an example: "When Rabbi Juchanan (John) once taught that God would provide jewels and pearls, thirty cubits every way, ten of which should exceed in height twenty cubits, and would place them in the gates of Jerusalem, according to what is said Isa 54:12, I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, one of his disciples ridiculed him, saying, Where can such be found, since at present there is none so large as a pigeon's egg? Afterward, being at sea in a ship, he saw the ministering angels cutting gems and pearls; and he asked them for what purpose they were preparing those. They answered, to place them in the gates of Jerusalem. On his return he found Rabbi Juchanan teaching as usual; to whom he said, Explain, master, what I have seen. He answered, Thou knave, unless thou hadst seen, thou wouldst not have believed; wilt thou not receive the saying of the wise men? At that moment he fixed his eyes upon him, and he was reduced into a heap of bones."-Baba bathra, fol. 77, 1, and Sanhedrim, fol. 100, 1, page 393. Edit. Cocceii. See Schoettgen.

Rev 21:22

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

[I saw no temple] There was no need of a temple where God and the Lamb were manifestly present.

Rev 21:23

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

[No need of the sun] This is also one of the traditions of the ancient Jews, that "in the world to come the Israelites shall have no need of the sun by day, nor the moon by night."-Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 7, 3. God's light shines in this city, and in the Lamb that light is concentrated, and from him everywhere diffused.

Rev 21:24

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

[The nations of them which are saved] This is an illusion to the promise that the Gentiles should bring their riches, glory, and excellence, to the temple at Jerusalem, after it should be rebuilt. See Rev 21:26.

Rev 21:25

And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

[The gates of it shall not be shut at all] The Christian church shall ever stand open to receive sinners of all sorts, degrees, and nations.

[There shall be no night there.] No more idolatry, no intellectual darkness; the Scriptures shall be everywhere read, the pure word everywhere preached, and the Spirit of God shall shine and work in every heart.

Rev 21:26

And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

[The glory and honour of the nations into it.] Still alluding to the declarations of the prophets, (see the passages in the margin, verse 24, etc.), that the Gentiles would be led to contribute to the riches and glory of the temple by their gifts, etc.

Rev 21:27

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

[There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth] See Isa 35:8; 52:1. Neither an impure person-he who turns the grace of God into lasciviousness, nor a liar-he that holds and propagates false doctrines.

[But they which are written] The acknowledged persevering members of the true church of Christ shall enter into heaven, and only those who are saved from their sins shall have a place in the church militant.

All Christians are bound by their baptism to renounce the Devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; to keep God's holy word and commandments; and to walk in the same all the days of their life. This is the generation of them that seek thy face, O God of Jacob! Reader, art thou of this number? Or art thou expecting an eternal glory while living in sin? If so, thou wilt be fearfully disappointed. Presuming on the mercy of God is as ruinous as despairing of his grace. Where God gives power both to will and to do, the individual should work out his salvation with fear and trembling.

Conclusion: So at the end of the world when Jesus comes back to be our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we will find ourselves as the Bride of Christ, serving Him and Worshiping Him in a NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH IN A NEW JERUSALEM. Thank God for our New King that takes away the sin from the world, all the evil and wicked people, and the OLD EARTH, REPLACING IT WITH A NEW EARTH, HEAVEN, AND JERUSALEM.

I pray everyone is ready for this time to come. May God Bless Each of You.

Rev. Zack Martin Sr.


updated by @zack-martin: 02/13/15 04:15:37AM
Zack Martin
@zack-martin
12/15/13 09:31:07PM
70 posts

ANTICHRIST!


Christian Teachings

I have worked on this for several weeks (researching & such), finished it and posted it as a blog yesterday. I think it is pretty accurate, I even posted a bibliography page with it so you can follow up on it if you want to. All you have to do to see it is click the below link.

http://indiegospel.org/profiles/blogs/antichrist?xg_source=activity

Rev. Zack Martin Sr.


updated by @zack-martin: 02/14/15 01:40:55PM
  2