For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies

Matthew 15:18-20
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Our heart resides our innermost being where good and evil are present. Our Lord Yshua knows us well, and told us that the foul things coming from our mouth, are not just mere words. They have a presence rooted in our hearts. Knowing this, we can now examine the words coming out of our mouth and try to understand the source of the words. It is better that we examine and correct ourselves than God examining us.

And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation

Revelation 13 - Continued

The Anti-Christ beast will speak great blasphemies. These blasphemies are more than derogatory or foul language. Instead they are words directly targeted at the Almighty God. They will be words that turn glory away from God and lies about God. However, it is God who allows this to be spoken by the Beast but only for 42 months or 3.5 years. The beast will target and destroy many of God's followers on earth.

Some believe that the Anti-Christ Beast will only rule part of the world and make war with the rest. In verse 7, it clearly states that the beast will have authority over all nations and all people, clearly ruling the whole world. All who remain will worship the beast, and they are the ones who are not God's people since their names are not written in the Book of the Lamb. The saints are called to be patient, some will die as captives, others will die by the sword.

Man, your sins are forgiven you

In Matthew and Mark, it was written that Jesus began His Ministry in Galilee then called the four fisherman after that, to be His disciples. They were Simon, Andrew, James and John. If Luke's book is in chronological order, then from previous chapters we see that Peter already knew Jesus who stayed in his house and healed his mother-in-law. Then in the this chapter when Jesus went onto Peter's boat and taught, Peter knew Jesus but was not yet a disciple. Here we see Peter's faith in Jesus increasing and he obeyed Jesus by throwing the net as Jesus asked, even if Peter is the more experienced fisherman. When they brought in the enormous among of fish, Peter called Jesus Lord, perhaps beginning to have an idea that Jesus is no ordinary man. From this miracle, the four fisherman started following Jesus.

Jesus healed a leper and asked him to tell no one but the priest and to make an offering, just as the law of Moses taught. But the news was spread and many came to Jesus to be healed. In another gathering, Jesus' reputation as a healer is already widely known. A paralytic was carried by his friends to Jesus. The Pharisees were there perhaps to find fault with Jesus. Jesus healed the man by proclaiming that His sins are forgiven. This would build up the case for the Pharisees later to charge Jesus with blasphemy.

Jesus also called on a tax collector to follow Him. The tax collector was so overjoyed that he threw a feast inviting Jesus and his other tax collector friends. The Pharisees again tried to find fault in Jesus associating with dishonest people such as tax collectors. Jesus response was that it is the sinners who needed forgiveness and repentance from Him.

The Pharisees again tried to damage the credibility of Jesus and questioned why other religious groups, including John the Baptist whom they did not agree with anyway, fast often but Jesus' disciples do not fast. Jesus spoke correctly that His disciples do not fast because the person whom fasting is directed to is God, and Jesus is there with them already. In other words, Jesus is revealing Himself to be God. After that, Jesus explained to His disciples that when He is no longer with them, then they would fast. Jesus also told the parable of wine skins that new should not be mixed with old. Also that people who tasted the old wine will find it hard to give up for the new wine. Here Jesus means our old nature before Christ and new nature after knowing Christ.





Luke 5
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples

1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.[a] 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Matthew the Tax Collector

27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees[b] complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

33 Then they said to Him, “Why do[c] the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

34 And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one;[d] otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.[e] 39 And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately[f] desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”[g]

Then they shall take away the Daily Sacrifices, and place there the Abomination of Desolation

In this vision, the chapters jump back to the time of king Darius the Mede who ruled Babylon. Daniel reveals the prophecy about four more kings in Persia, then a confrontation occurs with the emerging Greek empire. Eventually the Greeks will prevail but after the strong Greek king, the Greek empire would be divided into 4 kingdoms. This has been fulfilled and the details of this prophecy matches Alexander the Great as the great leader and his kingdom was divided into four after his death.

There are prophecies of a Northern and Southern kingdom who will fight continuously with each other. Initially it mentions a daughter of the kingdom of the South joining with the kingdom of the North along with other details which is similar to the accounts of queen Cleopatra of Egypt in alliance with the Romans from the North. However, the prophecies has ongoing accounts of the rivalry between North and South and it is not clear the South could be Egypt since Egypt had not been a strong match for the Romans.

After a time the northern king will grow stronger and become blasphemous toward the people of God. He will oppress God's people and cause great suffering. He will stop the worship and sacrifices at the temple and put in place an "abomination of desolation". He will flatter those who act wickedly towards God's people.

The events of the prophecies become more likely to be the events near the End Times which is still in the future to us. As the oppression from the north intensifies, the South would gather us and put a strong stand against the North. This would cause the North to retaliate strongly and invade many southern kingdoms including the Glorious Land, which is likely to be Jerusalem. However it seems like the nations of Edom, Moab and Ammon will escape the North. He will destroy and plunder Egypt, possibly with the help of the Libyans and Egyptians. However, there will be resistance coming from the north and cause him to dig down and resist between the mountains near  the holy land and the sea and he will be defeated.

* In light of some information from more experienced people who have studied this and probably more correct, it appears that the daughter of the kingdom of the South, was not the Cleopatra of Mark Anthony's time but an earlier Cleopatra who was united with the kingdom of the North.
Some references are:
http://kenraggio.com/KRPN-Daniel-Chapter-11.html
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/bible/prophecy/daniel11.php
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ryszard01.htm



Daniel 11
1 “Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) 2 And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4 And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.

Warring Kings of North and South

5 “Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority,[a] and neither he nor his authority[b] shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. 7 But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. 8 And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes[c] and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North.

9 “Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. 10 However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife.

11 “And the king of the South shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. 13 For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.

14 “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men[d] of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall. 15 So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces[e] of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power.[f]

17 “He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones[g] with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him. 18 After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

20 “There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle. 21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 With the force[h] of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.

25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. 28 While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.

The Northern King’s Blasphemies

29 “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30 For ships from Cyprus[i] shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.

“So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 And forces[j] shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the God[k] of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

The Northern King’s Conquests

40 “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 the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 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. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 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. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.