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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”
Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.
Below are links related to archived copies of this webpage.
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archive.ph/John314-16.com/Psalm_121-7–8_and_the_Other_Verses_of_Psalm_121-Print_Version.html
web.archive.org/*/John314-16.com/Psalm_121-7–8_and_the_Other_Verses_of_Psalm_121-Print_Version.html
Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.
When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:
“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Note: The heart refers to the mind.
It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:
“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”
It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”
A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:
If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.
Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.
The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:
Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:
Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.
The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:
Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.
Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:
However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.
Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.
Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.
Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”
Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.
Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.
The verses of the day for June 22nd are Psalm 121:7–8. Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Psalm 121.
Note: Unspecified in the Bible is the author of Psalm 121.
Psalm 121:1
A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains/hills. From where does my help come?
Note: The uses of a present tense in verbs in this verse and the verses that follow are references to what will occur in the future from the perspective of the psalmist. Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the future can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine future events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.
Psalm 121:2
My help comes from Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, the Maker of heavens and earth.
Note: Regarding the reference to the making of the heavens and the earth, the content of this verse calls attention to the power of God the Father. Also, God the Son is the Agent Who did the creating of all Creation. The Lord Jesus Christ is God the Son. God the Son created all of Creation before God the Son took the form of the Human Jesus Christ, and God the Father did the making through the agency of God the Son. In that regard, God the Father does the planning, and His plans are carried out by God the Son. Regarding the foregoing, when a person is in charge of a plan of action and that person supervises that planʼs execution by another person or other people, the person in charge of the plan of action can be referred to as doing that which that person is supervising. For example, King Solomon, the third king of Israel, is referred to as having built the First Temple because he supervised the building of the First Temple. Likewise, God the Father can be referred to as the Maker because as the Planner, God the Father supervised the action of creating the universe.
Below is a summary of the different usages for the word heaven.
• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens): the atmosphere of earth
• The second heaven (aka second heavens): outer space
• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven): the location of the throne room of God the Father
That there are three heavens can be deduced from the content of 2 Corinthians 12:2. In the content of 2 Corinthians 12:2, the apostle Paul references the Third Heaven. In the content of 2 Corinthians 12:4, Paul refers to the Third Heaven as Paradise.
Psalm 121:3
He does not allow your foot to slip. He Who guards/protects/keeps you does not slumber.
Note: Rather than the psalms being completely literal, the psalms involve poetic language that can be metaphorical as well as hyperbolical. In that regard, this verse involves both metaphorical and hyperbolical language in order to indicate that rather than accidents being uncontrollable matters for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father controls whether accidents happen to believers. He does that controlling through the agency of God the Son. In other words, God the Father does the planning, and His plans are carried out by God the Son. In that regard, each Member of the Trinity performs a different role. Regarding the roles of the Members of the Trinity, God the Father does the planning, God the Son executes the plan, and God the Holy Spirit reveals the plan.
Psalm 121:4
Behold, He Who guards/protects/keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
Note: God the Father protects Israel from complete destruction. In that regard, the double reference to not sleeping in this verse calls attention to God the Father constantly protecting Israel from complete destruction.
Psalm 121:5
Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One is your Guardian/Protector/Keeper. Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One is your Shade on your right hand.
Note: In this verse, God the Father being referred to as Shade is a metaphor related to protecting. In that regard, literal shade provides protection from the sun. Just as literal shade provides protection from the sun, so also God the Father provides protection for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The right-hand side is the unprotected side of someone who uses a shield on the left side of that person. In that regard, the reference to the right hand in this verse might metaphorically refer to protection that believers are unable to provide for themselves. Also, the reference to the right hand in this verse might metaphorically refer to the southward direction. In that regard, at the time that the psalms were written, the eastward direction could be referred to as the forward direction, and the southward direction could be referred to as being rightward. If the reference to the right-hand side in this verse refers to the southward direction, then the content of this verse could involve a metaphor related to the sun being in the southern direction in the sky. Regardless of whether the reference to the right-hand side in this verse involves a metaphor related to the unprotected side of a person with a shield or to the sun being in the southern direction in the sky, the content of this verse calls attention to God the Father providing protection for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 121:6
The sun does not smite you by day nor the moon by night.
Note: The reference to the sun might be a reference to the damage that can occur when someone is in the sunlight for too long, and the reference to the moon might be a reference to any damage that people fear that the moon can cause to occur to them. The references to the sun and moon could also be references by means of metonymy [meh-TAHN-uh-mee], which is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for another word or phrase with which the substituting word or phrase is closely associated. In that regard, the references to the sun and moon could be references in which the sun and moon represent adversities that can occur when the sun is up in the sky and the moon is up in the sky, respectively.
Rather than this verse indicating that the sun itself, the moon itself, anything associated with the sun being up in the sky, and anything associated with the moon being up in the sky will never harm a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, this verse is indicating that nothing occurs without God the Father permitting it. The sun, the moon, anything associated with the sun being up in the sky, and anything associated with the moon being up in the sky are all unable to deprive any believer in the Lord Jesus Christ of that believerʼs eternal life. Likewise, the sun, the moon, anything associated with the sun being up in the sky, and anything associated with the moon being up in the sky are all unable to deprive any believer in the Lord Jesus Christ of that believerʼs eternal rewards.
Psalm 121:7
Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One guards/protects/keeps you from all evil/calamity/harm/trouble. He guards/protects/keeps your soul/life.
Note: As mentioned in the notes for verse 3, rather than the psalms being completely literal, the psalms involve poetic language that can be metaphorical as well as hyperbolical. In that regard, verse 7 involves hyperbolical language in order to indicate that rather than evil/calamity/harm/trouble being uncontrollable forces, God the Father controls evil/calamity/harm/trouble. He does that controlling through the agency of God the Son. In other words, God the Father does the planning, and His plans are carried out by God the Son.
Psalm 121:8
Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One guards/protects/keeps your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.
Note: The phrase your going out and your coming in refers to all of the time.
Sincerely,
John