Alex Petersen

The woman of Revelation 12 is God’s Covenant Community, symbolized and personified as a woman, similar to the Bride of Chris. She is true, believing Israel who gave birth to the Messiah, and continues as the Christian Church, the messianic people across both testaments, the faithful covenant line running from the patriarchs through Christ and into the New Testament church. After the child ascends to God the Father, Satan turns his fury on her and her seed, the Christian church, true Israel (ethnic Jews and ethnic Gentiles who believe in Jesus). These aren’t two different groups, “those who obey the Commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Same people, not Jews and Christians. Christians follow God’s Moral Law, the Commandments. Unbelieving Jews do NOT obey the Commandments. They can’t even get past the first one. You can’t worship the Father while rejecting the Son. The sentence structure in Greek reflects this is the same person. Satan has no reason to attack unbelieving Jews. They already worship him, according to Jesus, and are his children. They’re already going to hell. Satan is attacking the true children of Israel in this prophecy, believers in Jesus.

@rickaren81 @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats More Christians are waking up once they actually understand what the Scripture is saying. I understand that you are holding tight to the narrow interpretation method of interpreting Scripture that was began by Darby and systemized by Scofield. Have a good day :)

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats You will NEVER convince me the church is Israel. Replacement theology is an end time satanic op that will, in part, result in the second coming. Don’t be a cut off branch.

Every day, all day long, this happens. Someone whose entire identity is built on bad doctrine and unbiblical notions makes self-assured, chest-thumping pronouncements into the universe about Israel, littering X with their heresy confetti - like this Neo-Judaizing “Messianic Rabbi” - and then I quadruple-ratio them with a few facts and Bible verses. LITTLE OLD ME. Just a guy with chickens and who happens to owns a well-worn Bible held together by duct tape. How do they respond? With well-formed arguments and biblical truths? A “Messianic Rabbi” or well credentialed Israel First influencer with honorifics in their title can form a coherent, well-worded defense of their propositions, right? But, no. They insta-block. And they insta-block because heresy cannot stand up to light of God’s Word and honest introspection. Their intellectual spokespeople - their experts with the credentials to peddle their position in the Marketplace of Ideas - are blocking politely spoken chicken farmers who happen to be able to write in complete sentences and know the Bible. The Zionist position is as intellectually bankrupt now as it was when Jesus rejected it. The Kingdom of God is not about a Jewish ethnostate and never was. The New Testament is God’s emphatic doctrinal treatise to the Jews, “It’s not about you. It’s about Jesus.”

Een kwetsbare, doof/slechthorende man helpt zijn nieuwe Soedanese buren met verhuizen. Hij verwelkomt ze, toont empathie, doet wat links al jaren predikt: “Wees gastvrij, wees lief, open je hart en je huis.” Vier dagen later ligt hij bebloed op straat. Met een mes in zijn keel. Poging tot onthoofding. Dit is suïcidale empathie in zijn puurste vorm. De goedbedoelende, naïeve westerling die gelooft dat iedereen dezelfde waarden heeft, dat iedereen dankbaar zal zijn voor zijn gastvrijheid. Dat vriendelijkheid altijd wordt beantwoord met vriendelijkheid. En dan blijkt de realiteit keihard: niet iedereen komt met dezelfde intentie. Niet elke cultuur kent dezelfde morele code. En goedheid zonder onderscheidingsvermogen is geen deugd - het is zelfmoord. Deze man is het symbool geworden van een heel continent dat weigert de realiteit onder ogen te zien: niet iedereen die je binnenlaat, komt om een beter leven op te bouwen. Sommigen brengen hun eigen conflicten, hun eigen normen en hun eigen haat gewoon mee. Zijn bloed op straat van Stephen Ogilvie is het logische gevolg van een naïef, ideologisch beleid dat al jaren wordt doorgevoerd.

I read Zech 8:1-3, 10:6-8, 12:1-3, 12:10, 14:9-10. Before we jump to determining if it is literal, symbolic, poetry and so on, Christians must rely on Holy Spirit's illumination (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-13). to come up with the correct interpretation of the Scripture. What you basically gave me is parts--- best way to study this is to read whole Zechariah book. First chapter tells us that he was a prophet during the reign of Darius. That's when His people returned from their exile. At that time, he received the word of God which is inerrant. Zechariah is one of books that John the Apostle made a number of quotes or allusion to in the book of Revelation. For now, let's look at Zechariah 12:10 as an example. The verse said, "10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.". John made the allusion to this in Revelation 1:7 which says, "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." For Zechariah 12, the prophet received the progressive revelation (Also, see Hebrews 1:1-3)that concerned about His people and the location of the worship. Progressive revelation is the theological doctrine that God reveals His truth to His people gradually and progressively over time. Following the fall in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve received revelation that they would have a redeemer in Genesis 3:15. They didn't get all details but they knew just enough and trusted in Lord and His promise to them. On the other hand, the Revelation of Jesus Christ is the book that provided the full and clear disclosure to God's people on Jesus Christ Himself, as if the curtain is pulled back completely. The point is, the prophet received the revelation from Lord that shows what He will do for His people. At that time, it was regarding clans of Judah and the location of Jerusalem. So when John, under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, alludes to this in Revelation 1:7, he is showing us how that ancient promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus and applies to all believers. The number, 7, is the symbol, to mean all or universal. It refers to all Christians. Zech 12:10 referred to crucified Redeemer which the people of God knows that it is referring the second son of Trinity. I could keep going on and make this a long post, but I am trying to keep it short as possible. It is possible that my answer may not be satisfactory to you. What's the important thing is that we need to preach crucified Jesus Christ, without Him, we have no hope for our sins.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Hey @alexpetersen_ Zechariah mentions 5 different locations in this passage. What do they symbolize?

Not really surprising that we get to this point. Yes, Bible IS the inerrant Word of God. The way text guides us will determine how we read it. Genesis 1 and 2 is a good example that calls for literal interpretation. That's why I believe in 6 literal days and that sin has entered the world through Adam. At the same time, there are plenty of Scriptural texts such as Matt 5:29 that does not call for literal interpretation. Dispensationalism calls for literal interpretations from cover to cover in Bible which was unheard of in the church history.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats You said the Bible is the inerrant Word of God but you don’t take it literally???

@rickaren81 @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Literal reading will easily show that it means future restoration of the Jewish nation but it's not what the Scripture meant actually.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Future plans.

@rickaren81 @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Yes Zechariah passages as well as Romans 11 is referring to Israel which now consists of elect Jews and Gentiles which is the church with Jesus Christ as the head.

@rickaren81 @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats It can't be interpreted to mean future plans for Israel. If you read earlier verses for context, it would mean some of the Jewish people would be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. This is what I mentioned a couple times in my replies.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Alex, I know Jew and gentile believers make up the one new man, the church. Duh. You can read this and twist into heresy if you want. I mean, I don’t think you’re dumb but…

Paul who was a Jewish apostle who wrote Galatians 3:26-29 under inspiration of Holy Spirit which is a rebuttal to the concept on "fullness of Gentile" and the "future plans for Israel" which is a typical argument to support dispensationalism. In other words, all Jewish and Gentiles believers are in Christ. They are the Church. This is the present expression of God's people. They are Abraham's seeds. You might want to read up the history of Darby and Scofield.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats What’s going take place after the fulness of the gentiles? Does God have future plans for Israel?

No, unbelieving Jews are NOT God's people. You can read what Jesus said to Pharisees. God's people are ones who are ones God foreknew and have mercy on. This has always been this way. Later on, Gentile believers have been adopted into God's family. This is true Israel. That is what Paul meant in Romans 11. Look at Galatians 3:26-29. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. This passage is also clear enough that this isn't "Israel" and "Gentile church". Rather, God's people consisted of Jews and Gentiles now.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats My point is Paul refers to unbelieving Jews (descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) as Gods own people. They’re still Gods people. Jews are still Gods people. Descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still Gods people.

I didn't have to, because while he referred to his own people, he explained that the people of God would eventually include Gentiles. The whole chapter essentially answered the question for you. It would do the violent damage to the correct interpretation if you zero on the v1 and 2 alone.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats You still haven’t answered my question. Who is Paul referring to when he says “his own people” in vv 1&2?

"The gentile church and Jewish Israel." -- Paul never made the distinction between both. Rather, he made the distinction what theologians call visible and invisible church. The invisible church was mostly consisted of Jewish believers that are saved by grace before the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After His resurrection, it is expanded to both Jewish and Gentile believers. Paul used the illustration with olive tree, especially branches, along with grafted ones, as well as the same nourishing root. It would be incorrect to interpret this as "Gentile church" and "Jewish Israel". How would you even reconcile this in later epistles that Christians / church are referred to the people of God?

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats I’ve read Romans 11 many times and it is pretty easy to understand that Paul makes a clear distinction between the gentile church and Jewish Israel. That’s why is asked you the question you didn’t answer.

@rickaren81 @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Yes, I included Romans 11 for a reason. Look at whole chapter carefully, especially the concept behind God's people that includes both Jews and Gentiles. Don't limit yourself to a few verses that support your particular worldview.

@alexpetersen_ @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats Let’s look at Roman’s 11. Who is Paul referring to when he says “his own people” twice?

@rickaren81 @_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats If you look at multiple passages in both OT and NT, then your interpretation regarding Zechariah 12 will change because the word of God is inerrant and infallible. Look at Gen 17:4-5, Romans 4, Eph 2:11-22, Romans 11, Galatians 3:7-9. There are many more to be honest.

@_WhiskeyPriest @LostMyHats You tell me.

More reasons to make your own bread with organic ingredients.

I want to note that Bayer owns Monsanto which sells glyphosate products. They have been sued so many times and they are still pushing lawmakers to give them immunity. Why should we trust them?

Calling Jesus “Yeshua” is next-level Judaizing, using a Hebraized version of His name because not even Jesus is Hebrew enough for them. Because His name isn’t “Yeshua.” It’s Ἰησοῦς (Matthew 1:21). When specific words or phrases were important, Matthew records them in the native tongue. He does this in 5:22, 6:24, 27:23, and 27:46. But when citing the name of Jesus, he gives the Greek - Ἰησοῦς, not the Hebrew, Yeshua. In fact, Matthew is citing the Greek Septuagint in 1:23, only two verses later for “Emmanuel,” also. In other words, had the angel named Him Yeshua, Matthew would have said so. Jesus’ name is the most important word imaginable (Phil 2:9-10, Acts 4:12). If it was Hebrew, he’d have used it. If the Holy Ghost inspired the Scriptures in Greek, then the name Ἰησοῦς is not a mistranslation or downgrade; it’s the canonical, God-breathed form of the name. Greek was chosen deliberately, and every New Testament writer, including the formerly Jewish ones, used that same Greek name. Jesus’ mother’s name was Greek. His brothers’ names were Greek. Half the disciples’ names were Greek. It’s silly to think that Jesus had a Hebrew name long after people stopped speaking it. If the angel called Hm Ἰησοῦς, the Scriptures call Him Ἰησοῦς, the Apostles referred to Him as Ἰησοῦς, why are you insisting on the Hebrew? Jesus quoted the Greek Septuagint - not the Hebrew Bible - roughly 60 times. People trying to be more Hebrew than Jesus need to chill with that nonsense. Palestine was not a very Hebrew-speaking environment. It was a linguistic crossroads, with Greek, Aramaic, and Latin all in daily use. The average Jew under Roman rule knew Greek; most were fluent. Coins, inscriptions, and government decrees were written in Greek. Even the synagogue readings came from the Septuagint. Had someone yelled out, “Yeshua” in a crowd, Jesus wouldn’t have looked around. That wasn’t his name. He would have assumed they spoke to someone else. His name isn’t Yeshua, and never was. What Judaizers often don’t understand is that Hebrew, as the Israelis speak it, is “re-invented” and contrived, and they probably wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation with anyone in the Bible. The Hebrew spoken today is not the same language used by David or Jesus. In fact, Hebrew ceased being a spoken, living language nearly 2,000 years ago and had to be painstakingly reconstructed in the 19th and 20th centuries, largely by just making it up. After the Babylonian exile (6th century BC), Jews largely shifted to Aramaic. By the time of Christ, Aramaic was the daily language of Judea; Hebrew survived only as a liturgical tongue used by priests and scribes (like Latin in medieval Europe). Jesus and the apostles spoke Aramaic and Greek, not conversational Hebrew. From there, Hebrew completely disappeared as a spoken language. For the next 1,500 years, Jews used Yiddish, Ladino, Arabic, or other regional tongues, reading Hebrew only in prayers or scripture recitation (with no idea how it was actually to be pronounced). When Zionists in the late 1800s sought to create a Jewish national identity, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda essentially mede up a new “Hebrew” by inventing new words, importing grammar from European languages, and standardizing pronunciation artificially (mostly following Sephardic language models rather than any ancient sound system). Linguists universally recognize that Modern Hebrew is an engineered language, not an unbroken descendant of Biblical Hebrew. Its vowels are Europeanized (because Jews in Israel are almost all Europeans), and its syntax borrows heavily from Russian, German, and Yiddish. Scholars call it “Israeli Hebrew,” meaning “not actually Hebrew.” Thus, if David or Jesus heard modern Hebrew spoken in Tel Aviv, they would almost certainly not understand it. It would sound as foreign to them as Gaelic does to an Englishman; vaguely recognizable but completely changed in rhythm, sound, and structure. Stop Judaizing.

Did you know that the Israeli Defense Forces use Rabbis to sanction their war crimes, including the rape of Gentile Civilians? True story. In the IDF, rabbis aren't like the U.S. Army's chaplains, who give last rites and help soldiers work through their personal struggles. The IDF's rabbis set policy according to their own form of Sharia Law, known as Halakha, and their rulings take precedent over Israel's official military policy. And the IDF's "Chief Military Rabbi" - an official title - actually gave the thumbs up for raping gentile women (as long as they were attractive). Rabbi Eyal Karim was answering questions online when he was asked if Jewish law permitted Israeli soldiers to rape women during wartime. His written answer said that "although intercourse with a female gentile is very grave, it was permitted during wartime out of consideration for the soldiers' difficulties," and that it was permissible to "breach the walls of modesty and satisfy the evil inclination by lying with attractive gentile women against their will." That's a quote. He was not disciplined. He was not removed from service. He continued his military career for fourteen years. In July 2016, the IDF appointed him as Chief Military Rabbi, the highest religious position in the Israeli armed forces, with the rank of Brigadier General. Americans have a hard time grasping why the IDF commits so many human rights abuses compared to Western nations like the U.S. But that's because, as Americans, we are subjected to mass censorship and constantly bombarded with Israeli propaganda, so much so that we have a hard time accessing legitimate news. You need to understand you've been lied to about the existence of a "shared religious values" and "Judeo-Christian ethics. That's not a thing. The IDF operates under Halakha, a Rabbinic legal philosophy more akin to Islamic Sharia than to English Common Law traditions founded on Christian ethics. The Chief Military Rabbi holds the formal title of Ra'av Tzvaí Rashi, and his office issues binding halachic rulings on questions that intersect Jewish law and military operations. This is not an advisory role. The Military Rabbinate is a full corps of the IDF, meaning it sits within the formal command structure with its own chain of authority, budget, personnel, and operational mandate. Notions like the "Imago Dei," Augustinian Just War theory, or English Common Law, founded on Christian principles such as natural rights endowed to all men by their creator, are all foreign to the Israeli mindset. That's why minimizing civilian deaths, avoiding destruction of civilian infrastructure, or reducing human suffering are all things Western nations, despite doing it imperfectly, are factored into our rules of engagement and written into our military policies. When our soldiers violate them, they are punished. But Halakha rejects all these concepts, which is why the IDF racks up genocide-level civilian death stats and has rape stats in its numerous warzones equal or even greater than those of most terrorist organizations. When five IDF soldiers were charged with sodomizing a Palestinian recently, they were met with parades honoring them, Netanyahu called them "heroes," their charges were dropped, and the Israeli prosecutor who released the surveillance video to whistleblow on the cover-up was arrested instead. Israel and the United States do not share a common religious heritage. Christianity is rooted in the Old Testament, and theirs is rooted in Pharisaic traditions (according to Jesus in Mark 7:8-9). The product of that distorted religion is on display in the Israeli civilian death count, their rape stats, and how they treat women and children in Gaza. The only difference between Israeli war ethics and those of Hamas or Hezbollah is that only theirs is supported by evangelicals in the United States.

@deaflibertarian You didn't miss out on anything after not being accepted by Gallaudet back then.

Universities don't always accept everyone's application. I get that. The only one to reject me was Gallaudet University. Literally, it's the only liberal arts university in the world for the deaf. Talk about rejection.