Were folks born again before the Cross?
John 3:1
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Jhn 3:2
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jhn 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:4
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jhn 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jhn 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Jhn 3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.Jhn 3:8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Jhn 3:9
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jhn 3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Here we can see Jesus' surprise that Nicodemus didn't understand the concept of being "born again" -
before the Cross.John 17:5
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.2Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,Revelation 13:8
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.1 Peter 1:19
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.Gen 3:22
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:Matthew 13:35
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.John 17:24
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.Hebrews 9:26
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Revelation 11:3:
And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
1948 - 1260 = 688 .... the Dome of the Rock. http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=543.0The Bible defines the two witnesses as the Jewish and Christian church. These were religiously exiled from the Holy Land by Islam, and sent into the world, marked symbolically, specifically, and repeatedly above, by the Dome of the Rock - the abomination of desolation. Employing the scriptural adjacency rule of hermeneutics we learn:
Revelation 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.Romans 11:24
For if thou [the Gentiles] wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree [the Jews]: how much more shall these [the Jews], which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Blessedly, when we look to those of the "former age" and "enquire of their fathers" we find confirmation for this view, just as we did with the day = year understanding of the language of prophecy.
Matthew Henry: "
Some think these two witnesses are Enoch and Elias, who are to return to the earth for a time: others, the church of the believing Jews and that of the Gentiles ... "
Isaac Newton: "
... God gives power to his two Witnesses, and they prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth. They are called the two Olive-trees, with relation to the two Olive-trees, which in Zechary's vision, chap. 4 stand on either side of the golden candlestick to supply the lamps with oil: and Olive-trees, according to the Apostle Paul, represent Churches, Rom. 11. .... They are also called the two candlesticks; which in this Prophecy signify Churches, the seven Churches of Asia being represented by seven candlesticks...." - Observations Upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John
Jamieson Faucett and Brown "
... I think the twofold Church, Jewish and Gentile, may be meant by the two candlesticks represented by the two witnesses ... "
Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee [Abram] a great nation [Israel], and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.Every Middle East so-called peace deal is nothing more than a sell-out of the Jews to those who have vowed to kill them and drive them into the sea.
The God of Islam condones lying, or Taquyya, in the way of Allah, even allowing denying that one is a Muslim. The end justifies the means.
It is a much different matter for Christians. Matthew 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
More on Taquyya. It is ironic to note, that if a Muslim were to render an opinion on Taquyya, his opinion could not be depended upon, because he may well be lying in the way of Allah. Better to get the opinion of a saved Muslim, or MBB (Muslim born believer). One that was Muslim much of their life and have now come to know the way and truth and life and love of God.
God is truth. So it's all about truth, whether in the Church, or in Islam that lays false claims to the Abrahamic faith. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-14
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
