RD 101 - "The" Mystery

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By Jack Eberle

“The” Mystery is different from other mysteries which are denominated in various ways. This is in God’s great plan of the ages (Heb. 11:3). The “mystery” is not revealed until the Great Divide has occurred which was about 60 A.D. After this, Paul writes the seven mystery epistles to “the church who is His body”. They will not be understood by others. This literal truth is spiritual as opposed to earthly or sensual. The epistles of the mystery which are the last portions of inspired Word to be written are Eph., Ph’p, Col., I and II Tim., Tit., and Ph’m. Some of these were written by Paul from prison in Rome. II Tim. was the last letter written.

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RD 101 - The Lamb

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By Jack Eberle

The Lamb is the sacrificial basis upon which all claims to the throne are based. I counted 29 references in the Greek Scriptures to The Lamb. Twenty seven of these are in Revelation. Paul does not mention The Lamb. Revelation 5 is a beautiful chapter of Holy Writ. True worship is highly accented in the persons of the four living ones and the twenty-four elders. The elders have 28 golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of the saints.

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En Tois Epouranios #31

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By Michael S. Mecikalski

A careful study of the 1st Chapter of the Book of Ephesians will reveal the awesome joy that Our Dear Heavenly Father deeply has with respect to The Church Which is Christ's Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. This awesome joy of The Father is a present day rock solid reality and a joy that He will put on display or exhibit for countless ages in the future (study Eph. 1:1-2:7). After examining Eph. 3:14-21, we take note in verse 21 that the apostle Paul prays, “Unto Him (the Father, v.14) be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” . . . incredible!!! This glory that the Church of The Mystery brings to the Father through the Son is a result of fore- knowledge and predestination. We are and will be bringing glory to the Father because we choose Him! Those time and time and time again throughout the Holy Scriptures who choose Him are always blessed. Search and see. No glory can be given to the Father from His thinking creation, mankind or the angelic hosts, without choice of free will. Would you want your sons to love you because you programmed their minds to do so or because they choose to love you like a brother with the honor of a father?

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Gentiles Before Acts 28:28 #2

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By Oscar M. Baker

Acts 20:24: “but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.’ These Gentiles had such a great privilege, that is, without keeping the law or being circumcised, but by faith only – by the grace of God – they could partake of the blessings of Israel! This caused discontent among the Jews who had to keep the law, and these Gentiles could have the blessings of Israel without working for them, Acts 15:5 and elsewhere. Among these blessings, the Gentiles expected to meet the Lord in the clouds (2nd Coming of Christ). The so called Rapture was their hope. I Corinthians 15:51 and 52; I Thessalonians 4:13 – 17; Isaiah 66.

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RD 101 - The Bride

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By Jack Eberle

The term “bride” is found 5 times in the Greek Scriptures. John is the man used by the Spirit to write. To follow the Scriptures and learn the truth of His Word, we must first go to The Book of Hebrews. Hebrews, chapter 11 uses the term “faith” 23 times, plus one mention of “faithful”. This is a recap of faithful “elders”. The first elder of faith is Abel. Notice Adam and Eve are missing. Abraham, not Abram, is the fourth name in the list of the faithful.

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Gentiles Before Acts 28:28

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By Oscar M. Baker

Remember, in Acts even when the Gentiles came in, the Jew was still first. Acts 13:46; Romans 1:16. The Gentiles had an inferior position in reference to the Jew-- God’s chosen people. During the last 18 years of Acts, Gentiles were in a position to receive blessings by being “graffed” into the true olive tree as a wild olive branch. That would never have happened until Paul began to graft them in, Romans 11. Why and how this was done you find in Romans 11:17-24.

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Consider Your Ways

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By Oscar M. Baker

“Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; ‘Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.’ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; ‘CONSIDER YOUR WAYS’.” Haggai 1:5-7.

Ever have that experience? Ever feel that way? That everything that you’ve done is in frustration and in vain, and that everything that you have done has been put into a bag with holes and is gone. Ever feel that way? Come to the end of your rope? A folk, the gist of the whole thing is just this: YOU HAVE GOT TO ATTEND YOUR OWN FUNERAL!

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Preview of Job #3

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By Oscar M. Baker

[Continuing the ministry of Elihu, the mediator.] Elihu deals with some of the argument that the other men have put out, and in 32:9 he says, “Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.” This man, Elihu, is coming in here and really is an answer to what Job had asked for, and so in 33:6 he says so. “Behold, I am according to thy wish in GOD’S stead…”, that is, he is the daysman, the advocate that Job was looking for (in 9:33) – someone to speak to God, to plead with God for him.

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RD 101 - The Mystery #2

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By Jack Eberle

Though much has been written on “The Mystery”, still it can be considered as one of the most neglected topics of Scriptures.

To study the topic in depth, consult the studies of C. H. Welch, E.W.Bullinger, Stuart Allen, Oscar Baker, and our own dear Joe Watkins. These men have spent their lives in the Scriptures, and have seen the truths of “The Mystery” as no others. Here, we will try just to make a few outstanding points.

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RD 101 - The Gifts

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By Jack Eberle

There is much to know about “the gifts” and they are widely misunderstood. We begin our look in I Cor. 1:5-7. God refers to them as “enrichment”. There are two categories: “utterance” and “knowledge”. Moving on to Mark 16:17-20 we note that they are for “confirming The Word”. Cf. I Cor. 1:6. The signs followed their preaching of The Word (vs.20). The eleven went forth after He appeared unto them as “they sat at meat” after He rose from the dead.

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RD 101 - Healing

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By Jack Eberle

Many are confused today about God’s healing. Some say there is no “divine” healing today. The simple answer to the question is that God can and does heal whomever He wishes according to His plan of the ages. It does not behoove we body members to question His decision today on healing as on any other matter. But what is His plan? Does He use doctors and/or healers? Once again, He can use any means any time He wishes. The Scriptures give us information of His plan for our dispensation. Did God’s plan change?

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Tape Gems - Moses

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By Oscar M. Baker

Moses was a very meek fellow, just once he let his temper get away from him. That was at the very last when the 40 years were over, and they pressed him a little too far. Of course, remember at that time he was 120 years old; what do you expect of a man 120 years old? He stood 40 years of their bad manners in the wilderness (that God had stood too) and gotten along just fine. But that last time he just let go, and of course, the Lord told him immediately that he would not get to enter the Land, and he wouldn’t get to lead Israel into the Land – someone else would get to do that!

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RD 101 - Inspiration #2

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By Jack Eberle

The men chosen by God to be the bearers of His Word were not chosen for their talents or public acceptance. Only He can speak of His reasoning in the choices.

Moses pleaded, “I am not eloquent…but I am slow of speech, and of slow tongue.” God answered him that He would be with his mouth and teach him what to say.

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Getting An Understanding - Concerning The Sleeping Ones

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By Joseph L. Watkins

We have gotten the title for these papers from Proverbs 2:6; 3:13 and 4:5-7. I have found that if we are to ever have the right understanding of the truths of God, we must, as best we can, always view His truths from His perspective of that very divine truth.

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RD 101 - What About Baptism?

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By Jack Eberle

One of the subjects which Bible scholars have questions and discussions about is baptisms. The Hebrew root word indicates some form of “washings”. We find in Job 9:31 a form of the Hebrew word translated “plunge”. Again in Deuteronomy 33:24, it speaks of “dip in oil’. The Septuagint uses baptize”. John was a Baptizer of “repentance”. Repentance means change. John speaks of his own ministry in 1:31, and the passage speaks of Jesus’ baptism in 1:29-32. Thus, we have two distinct baptisms spoken of in the same passage: Jesus’ baptism which is certainly not a baptism of repentance, and John’s baptism which was the “baptism of repentance”.

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Preview of Job #1

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By Oscar M. Baker

Over in Job 16:21, Job gives his heart's desire for a savior or a mediator. And so he says these words, "O that one (someone) might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor! or for a friend, if you want to get the Hebrew on that)." Now he's wanting somebody, as a lawyer, an advocate, a mediator to plead his case with God. Isn't that anticipating the great work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Oh how Job must have been looking down through the ages, and seeing what was necessary. And later on he sees even what is coming.

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