"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

 Meiji Shinto Shrine

 In Tokyo

Open for Everybody

On December 31, 2012

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Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

"thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart"

A Japanese Shinto Shrine in Preparation for New Year Pilgrimage

The First Three Days of the Year are Very Holy in Japan

And a Big Chance for Some Business

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Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

"the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt" - Indonesia and Japan

Tokyo in December, 2012

Indonesia and Japan

In December 2004, Indonesia suffered the Great Sumatra Tsunami which took on tens of thousands of human lives in Indonesia alone, but its GDP never ceased to grow.

Figure of GDP Growth in Indonesia (with a unit of one billion rupiah)

This strong trend of growth in Indonesian economy tells that there is a strong potential of material development in Indonesia which also seems to have pulled through the social and political crisis caused by Islamic terrorists in almost the same period of time as that of the natural tragedy.

Japan also experienced a great tsunami which took away about 20,000 lives in March 2011, resulting in a slight decline in GDP.

Year     GDP in 10 billion yen
2010     511,780
2011     507,916

It is not only a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake and more than 15-meter tsunamis that plagued Japan in 2011.  A nuclear accident which occurred following the big tsunami also damaged the Japanese industrial sector.  So, it can be understood that the real GDP of Japan decreased a little in 2011.

However, the real GDP of Japan in 2012 is expected to grow a little.  The Japanese economy looks like recovering from the state of shock and awe of the great natural and nuclear disasters.

The next year is the third year after the great disasters of 2011 for Japan.  It will be an important year for Japan.  A great warning the God gave to Japan in 2011 must be understood by the Japanese people.  Its success and prosperity after 2013 must be different from that before 2011.

One example is the nuclear power generation issue.  Before 2011, the Japanese people had enjoyed affluent material life without worrying a nuclear problem, energy problems, and electricity scarcity.  But, through the great predicament of 2011 which could be comparable to the devastating tragedy of WWII, the Japanese people seem to become more cautious in developing its industry and society based on high technology.  They may even become more humble before the nature and less arrogant in handling advanced science and technology.

The Indonesian people are progressing boldly over the 2004 tragedy.  Though Japan is a more matured country, it should also advance boldly but with a higher sense and more care for the nature and danger of human technology.

http://ecodb.net/exec/trans_image.php?type=WEO&d=NGDP_R&c1=JP

Figure of GDP Growth in Japan (with a unit of one billion yen)

In addition, though Japan has never become a target of the Islamic terror, the strongest nation in Asia has come to face a real challenge from China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea after 2011.

The Islands belong to Japan in an internationally recognized manner for centuries, but as there is a great amount of natural gas and crude oil in the sea area, China claims its sovereignty over Senkakus.  And, as the leftist and liberal party DPJ had been in power forming the Cabinet in Japan from September 2009 to December 2012, China took a very aggressive stance as if testing the will of those leftist Japanese politicians to make any concession to China over this conflict.  So, Japan has been in a difficult state in terms of diplomacy and national security not only with China but also South Korea and Russia both of which have also intensified a kind of territorial dispute with Japan in these years, especially after the 2011 Great Disasters.  

However, since the conservative party LDP won the general election in this month replacing the DPJ regime, the situation will be changed.  The LDP-centric government will take more effective measures to defend Japanese interest over its territories on the border to China, South Korea, and Russia.


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Exo 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
Exo 12:30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
Exo 12:31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
Exo 12:32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

"In the way of righteousness is life"

Anti-Nuclear Energy Protesters before Industry Ministry Office, Tokyo

Anti-Nuclear Energy Protesters in Government Office District, Tokyo




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Pro 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
Pro 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
Pro 12:27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
Pro 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

"but the God of the living" - Around 2010 Rather

 Around the Imperial Palace, Tokyo

 Around the Imperial Palace and the Parliament, Tokyo

Around 2010 Rather

As I wrote before, the Second Advent of Christ Jesus has started around 2010.

Indeed, the world has greatly changed around 2010.  Nobody today believes that Europe can lead the world with its economy and culture, though the EU is still the richest region in the world even in terms of cultural and religious  heritage.  It is mainly due to the euro crisis, triggered by the Greece financial crisis.  The credibility and respect Europe can enjoy have greatly diminished.

 Indeed, the world has greatly changed around 2010.  Nobody today believes that the US is the sole super-power and the leading nation in the world.  It is still the richest and the most armed country in the world, but America indicates that it has nothing more inspiring than electing an African American as the second-term president.  The only expectation for the US seems to be that it can militarily check reckless behaviors of China.  Like the Space Shuttle program that ended in 2011, the US looks like having ended its mission to prevail freedom and democracy in the world while Muslims have been fighting in Libya, Egypt, and especially Syria.

No matter how G20 countries, except the EU, the US, and Japan but including China and India, are growing in the economic domain, they cannot lead the world.  It is mostly because the modern science, technologies, and social/international systems are based on traditions and legacies of Christianity.  And the centers of this religions are still Europe and America.  Some underlying influences and merits of the religious traditions on European-race-dominant nations are still strong, with driving power in the world.      

Put simply, these 2000 years is an era when the civilization fostered in the Christian world has prevailed in the world.  Today, for instance, everybody in Africa, the Islamic world, India, China, and other Asian countries is using a cellular phone, a product made possible by the Western-origin technology. 

But, now we cannot see spiritual merit and virtue, omnipresent like a cellular phone, in the world derived from the European/American Christianity that is so effective and powerful for improvement of human spiritual life and social life.  That is why the God should directly intervene with the human world again.  For this purpose, He would most likely send His son again to the earth: the Second Coming of Christ.

As I wrote before, the Second Advent of Christ Jesus has started around 2010.  Let's review how it was calculated so.

Newton focused on  the year 800 when he calculated the year of the Second Advent, finally obtaining 2060 (= 800 + 1260).

Yet, from a global point of view, it is not 800 but 750 that should be the starting year of Newton's calculation. So, the Second Advent of Christ Jesus already started around 2010 (= 1260 + 750). 

Under the Abbasids, Islamic civilization flourished in the "Islamic Golden Age" (c. 750 CE - c. 1258 CE), with its capital at the cosmopolitan city of Baghdad.  

Although the city (Pella in Palestine where early Christians fled) was still inhabited as late as the tenth Century CE, it was the deadly earthquake of CE 747 that ended its long history as a city of major influence in the region. 

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/08/blog-post_21.html 

 720 - The second oldest exisiting imperial chronicle and myth of Japan called Nihon Shoki (Record of Japan) was compiled following an imperial order. This book has become one of major documentary resources for shintoism. 

752 - The world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha, called "Daibutsu" in Japanese, was built in Heijyo-kyo (Nara City), following an imperial order.  

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/08/having-eyes-see-ye-not.html

"(Islamic) Golden Age" (750–1258)

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/08/have-ye-your-heart-yet-hardened.html

The Battle of Talas (or Battle of Artlakh in 751 AD between the Arab Abbasid Caliphate and the Chinese Tang Dynasty, resulting in transfer of paper production technology from China to Europe.    

http://eereporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/greater-than-all.html

In a wider scope, a prologue really started in 2001 with the 9/11 Terror Attack.  It must have been the last chance for the US to take the initiative in peace of the world.  But, President Mr. W. Bush reluctantly pursued Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and launched an unnecessary war in Iraq for the sake of Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. 

Another prologue was set off, on December 26, 2004, off Sumatra Island, Indonesia, with an M9.1 earthquake and big tsunamis that attacked the Indian Ocean coast lines taking 220,000 lives.  As Indonesia is the world largest Islamic nation, this could be regraded as a grave warning to Islamic nations and Muslims.

Then, in 2008, the US triggered the world financial crisis, which has become a major underlying factor of the 2011 Euro Crisis, from Wall Street.  The subprime loan crisis symbolized the general atmosphere in the American society so much contaminated by the false American Dream.  As the situation was so bad as even GM went bankrupt, the US voters, including swing ones among European Americans, opted for Mr. Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election.

Finally, in 2010, Haiti, so close to New York and Washington DC in a global scope, suffered a great earthquake in its capital Port-au-Prince immediately taking on 50,000 lives and subsequently claiming 250,000 more lives.     

Accordingly, on March 11, 2011, an M9.0 earthquake occurred off the northeast part of Honsyu Island, Japan, or in the North Pacific Ocean 350km northeast of Tokyo.  It was accompanied by 15-meter high tsunamis one of which attacked the Fukushima Daichi nuclear generation plant where six nuclear reactor units were installed.  It resulted in major hydrogen explosions in three reactor units  and one minor explosion in one of other units.  The earthquake and the tsunamis killed about 20,000 residents but the nuclear accident forced 100,000 Fukushima citizens to evacuate their homes around Fukushima Daiichi. 

http://eereporter.blogspot.jp/2011/12/when-pharisees-heard-it.html

So, we might be seeing or hearing some signs of the holy incident now happening in the world.

For example, if you see one sinner repenting from the bottom of his/her heart in your neighborhood, it must be one of the signs.  Of course, the sinner can be you.



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Mar 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Mar 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

"not able to do that thing which is least" - Growth of Society

The Parliament Bldg. since 1936, Japan

National Assembly Bldg. (the Diet), Tokyo

Growth of Society

Without Christianity, Europe today must be still a wild and cruel world like in the era of the Roman Empire.

So, Christianity had to be introduced into Europe to make Europeans civilized and cultivated.  Consequently, they learnt that there was something  more important than bloody conflicts between parties with opposite interest.  They learnt power of love over hatred.

But, the rule of the Vatican went too far and too strictly while Christian priests and bishops got corrupted due to too much power and privileges.  Godless priests preached the word of the God to innocent Europeans and other races and consolidate their power base, while they did not believe or obey teaching of Christ Jesus.

So, the modern social movement started in Europe to release citizens from the heavy yoke of the largely biased and corrupt European Christianity.  The separation of the government and the religion became a symbolic feature of the modern society in Europe.

(In this context, the Islamic world looks like still being in the Middle Age.)

But, there appeared other quasi-religion, called the communism and the socialism as well as fascism and totalitarianism.   Through the Second World War and the Cold War, however, most of states influenced by this kind of ideologies fell and disappeared.  The ideal of the socialism is what complements Christianity in the industrialized society.  But, human desire and evil motivation to control others and enjoy dictatorial rule, backed by hatred rather than love, eventually harm and damage people and the society.  Leaders of the communist party turned to be a kind of gangsters eventually.  They needed more love than they thought they had to lead the human society; and thus they have failed.  

So, the democracy of the Anglo-Saxon type came to prevail.  One remarkable example of a nation that has made the best use of this political ideal is Japan.  Though even before WWII Japan was the most industrialized country in Asia, the unique nation became the second largest and powerful economy after WWII by thoroughly introducing the American style of democracy and market economy.  Other Asian countries are now following suit, though China still looks like needing the rule by the Communist Party while adopting capitalism in its economy.

So, the US is the best leading country in this context.  It has an underlying religious influence but it has also a modern social system that can suppress an undesirable influence of religion.  Americans act and behave according to conditions of democracy and market economy more than subject to religious requirements.  Especially Democrats behave like almost faithless citizens, trying to enjoy more freedom.   They want even freedom from conditions of Christianity.  So, the Devil has come to tempt Americans into the hell by use of enchantment of material success and unlimited wealth which are often called the American Dream.  With great success of democracy and economy, Americans are still vulnerable to temptation of the Devil who is trying to take innocent American souls away from the merciful spiritual domain of the God.

Put simply it is a matter of levels of society.  It must be elevated through a religious domain and a separation of the government and the religion to a free and rationale state featuring democracy and market economy.  But it must be also oriented to the right direction.  It must, put clearly, face the Kingdom of God.  Americans must show a good example of heading for the Kingdom of God.      




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Luk 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Luk 12:26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

"He that loveth his life shall lose it" - Danka System

National Diet Bldg. (parliament), Tokyo

 Danka System

When the last samurai regime of Japan, led by the Tokugawa clan, started its administration all over Japan in the early 17th century, there was a big problem: Christianity.

The king of samurais, called the shogun, gradually started to feel a grave influence of Christianity in the Japanese society which might have led to denial of authority of the shogun.

Missionaries and priests sent by the Vatican or other Catholic organizations were then very successful in Japan as they had been engaged in propagation of the Christian faith in the Japanese society since the middle of 16th century.  They acquired many followers not only among ordinary citizens but also among high-ranking samurais and feudal lords who were expected to obey the Tokugawa shogun without reservation.  The shogun was afraid that his subjects and vassals would respect Christ or the Pope more than him.

Though trade with Spain and Portugal was very profitable for the samurai regime, they finally decided to ban Christianity, severing  connections with those Catholic countries (while keeping a trade relationship with the Netherlands, a protestant country).  So, Japan virtually closed the country from the early 17th century to the middle of the 19th century (except trade with Holland and China in a restricted port).

The Tokugawa shogun also stipulated a very stern law to forbid  people to believe and practice Christianity.   If a citizen had been found to be a Christian and would not abandon the religion, he was  surely to receive death sentence in a court ruled by samurai bureaucrats.

In order to reinforce these measures against  Christianity, the Tokugawa regime adopted a special system called the Danka system.  Every citizen in Japan was ordered to belong to a Buddhist temple.  Though there were many schools and factions of Buddhists in Japan, each family had in most cases a special connection with a certain school of Buddhism (there were a few temples in a standard village).  This connection was officially strengthened by the samurai regime.  Like a public office in a village or a town, a Buddhist temple recorded birth, marriage, death of each individual.   Actually official family registry was kept in Buddhist temples all over Japan.

In return to this official service by temples, the samurai government provided special rewards for monks, priests, and bishops in Buddhist temples.  They in fact came to possess fiefs.  Their living was protected and enhanced.  Rice and other agricultural products from these domains supported living of monks who could also exchange those products with money in the market.  They did not have to work hard and practice stern religious acts any more to acquire believers who would provide essential goods for temples.  Those Buddhist priests and bishops became members of the establishment in the samurai world.

But, this situation led to corruption and stagnancy of the Buddhist community in the Japanese society.

Though those Buddhist temples in villages and towns became a place for children to learn how to read and write as temples came to be deeply involved in daily lives of villagers and  townspeople, thus increasing a literacy rate in Japan, great academic development of the Japanese Buddhism was not observed, in general terms, during the Tokugawa samurai era from the early 17th century to the late 19th century.

So, churches and temples should not function as a public office in any country.

The danka system, also known as jidan system is a system of voluntary and long-term affiliation between Buddhist temples and households in use in Japan since the Heian period.[1] In it, households (the danka) financially support a Buddhist temple which, in exchange, provides for their spiritual needs.[1] Although its existence long predates the Edo period (1603–1868), the system is best known for its repressive use made at that time by the Tokugawa, who made the affiliation with a Buddhist temple compulsory to all citizens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danka_system



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Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

"but are as the angels" - On Christmas Eve

 Japan

 Before

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve

The more you are given, the more you are requested to give.

So, if you are lucky and talented to have great success in life, you are requested to give what you have earned to the poor till you become one of them.

If you are given good fortune by the God or the Devil, you are requested to distribute all the money you have obtained to your neighbors.

If everybody in this world follows this rule, there would be no wars, crimes, and the gap between the poor and the rich.

In other word, to the extent that people neglect this holy teaching, the society is contaminated by every kind of  evil.

But who would be the first man to start to obey this will of the God?  Who would make himself or herself poor by providing what he or she has for those who don't have, only because it is an act of  reverence for the God?

You may say that you are a believer and a Christian or a Muslim, but the God would say to you, "But you are rich, which tells you are not one of the faithful."  

So, actually, there are no such things as rich believers or rich Christians or Muslims.

It is a big tragedy and a painful situation that you are forced to be poor while you want to be rich desperately.  But, if you are poor because you obey the God, it is a blessed situation.

So, especially, if you are poor on Christmas Eve, you are blessed.

In contrast, if you are rich on Christmas Eve, you are an enemy of the God.



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Mar 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

"when the Pharisees heard it"

A Street in a Central District of Tokyo




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Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

"immediately the angel of the Lord smote him" - The Nuclear Technology

Around the Imperial Palace, Tokyo

The Nuclear Technology

Of course, it is crazy to produce electricity using nuclear technology which was first invented for creating a nuclear bomb.

It is so dangerous because it releases energy by destroying some types of atoms which constitute human cells, organs, and body.

This mechanism of destruction of atoms cannot be easily controlled though mankind developed a technology to apply the energy released in this process to generation of electricity.

The radioactive atoms that are working to release energy while destroying themselves may continue the process for days, months, years, and hundreds of thousands of years.  As this radioactive decay process continues, there is always a chance that energy released can destroy the human body, organs, and cells, harming human life.      

So, nuclear power generation must be stopped while there are many safer ways of producing electricity.

However, this nuclear technology is linked to the nuclear weapon production technology.  And, any government wants such mighty weapons.  The US, Russia, the UK, France, China, and even North Korean want to keep nuclear weapons to protect their national interest against other countries.

Therefore, this domain of nuclear energy has become politically significant not only economically.  No to be intimidated by neighboring countries, governments want to have a potential to produce nuclear weapons, so that they want to build nuclear power generation stations to foster the nuclear industry.

In other word, till the world becomes totally peaceful, the nuclear energy development will not be stopped.  

In this context, it is a great matter of regret that there are a few Japanese businesses that are still actively engaged in development of nuclear technology.  They are tied up with the American nuclear industry while aggressively selling their technology and products to the world market.

It is true that the Fukuhsima Daiichi nuclear accident was set off by an M9.0 earthquake, subsequent 16-meter high tsunamis, and poor risk management of the then Kan Cabinet.  If you build a nuclear power plant in a location with a little possibility of a big earthquake, floods, or tsunamis and your government has an emergency system where experts take a main part in handling an emergency situation, you might get rid of a big nuclear accident.  But, the nuclear technology itself is not a safe one inherently.  You must at least know that you are producing electricity through a very dangerous technology which can be as dangerous as a nuclear bomb.        



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Act 12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
Act 12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
Act 12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Act 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

"And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him"

Around Tokyo






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Gen 12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
Gen 12:18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Gen 12:19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
Gen 12:20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

"He shall not strive, nor cry"

Around Tokyo...




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Mat 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
Mat 12:19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
Mat 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

"what was become of Peter"

A Tokyo River




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Act 12:17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
Act 12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
Act 12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

"Render to Caesar the things"

Trains Entering Tokyo Station






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Mar 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

"he spake a parable unto them"

Tokyo Tower, Japan





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Luk 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

"the Holy Ghost shall teach you" - Parliament Quotas

The Tokyo Railroad Station

Parliament Quotas

The Lower House of the Japanese National Assembly, called the Diet, has a fixed number of 480, while the Upper House of the Diet has 242 seats.

The Upper House was formerly the House of Lords which was abolished after WWII with the noble class gone, too.

The prime minister can dissolve the Lower House at his will at any time, since the Lower House has an advantage to elect the prime minister over the Upper House.  The term of the Lower House is four years, though it is dissolved in less than three years on average.

The Upper-House members serve it for six years, but every three years half of them are elected newly.

As Japan has a big financial problem, many critics, journalists, and Media guys discuss that the specified number of seats of both the Houses must be decreased drastically.

However, the ratio of national lawmakers in Japan over the Japanese population is not so large as that in other countries, especially European countries.　（This ratio of the US is smaller.）　

When cutting costs for democracy, it is important not to reduce the number of representatives of people, but salaries and  remuneration of lawmakers should be reduced drastically.

Instead of decreasing the number of the Lower House members, for example, from 480 to 240, rewards for lawmakers should be halved in Japan and any other countries.



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Luk 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

"no thought how or what thing ye shall answer"

Autumn Leaves around Tokyo




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Luk 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

"they might put Lazarus also to death" - Tokyo Inland Earthquake

Tokyo Bay

Tokyo Inland Earthquake

Salmons do not run up rivers from Tokyo Bay, surrounded by the Kanto region, since it is just below the southern limit of  salmons' inhabitation.

The Tone River, the largest river in Japan, that flows 30 km or more north of Tokyo into the Pacific Ocean is however one of the most southern rivers in Japan where salmon run.

The Tone River once flew into Tokyo Bay, but the Tokugawa samurai regime changed its course so that it did not flood around the samurai regime capital Edo, presently called Tokyo.

http://www.water.go.jp/honsya/honsya/english/jwa_ta/map1.html

The region between the Tone River (in north) and the Ara-kawa River (in south) includes the central part of Tokyo City and the Great Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

 And, one of the biggest concerns of Tokyo citizens and the Japanese Government is that an inland earthquake might occur someday in the big basins of the two major rivers in this Kanto region to sacrifice thousands of people.



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Joh 12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
Joh 12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
Joh 12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

"he went into their synagogue" - A Yankee on a Goodwill Mission

A Famous Gate of the Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo

A Yankee on a Goodwill Mission

Curtis Granderson, an outfielder of the New York Yankees, visited Japan.

He came as a kind of envoy to express sympathy for the 2011-tsunami hit people in Japan.

Mr. Granderson taught yesterday how to better make a hit and better catch a ball to baseball-loving children in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Pref.

 On December 11, he is scheduled to visit Okinawa.



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Mat 12:9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
Mat 12:10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
Mat 12:11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Mat 12:12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

"and unleavened bread" - Alexander the Great and Christianity

Tokyo and Tokyo Bay

Alexander the Great and Christianity

One interesting argument about Alexander the Great and his influence on Christianity is as follows:

In conclusion, the influence of the mighty Macedonian monarch, Alexander the Great, upon the Christianity that came about nearly three hundred years after his death is extremely palpable. By conquering more territory than any one person had before, utilizing the concept of Hellenization and spreading his Greek heritage to those conquered territories, introducing the concept of a divine savior king, and by contributing to the advancement of many of the Greek philosophies which found their way into the New Testament, he did much to shape the foundation of a religion that he would not live long enough to practice. Though Eugene Borza gives him the appellation of "world figure", somehow this does not seem enough (Borza 2). Given that this great military ruler, conqueror and killer of millions can be attributed with much of the basis for a religion whose core message is steeped in peace, perhaps a better sobriquet for Alexander would be "an icon of irony". 

http://voices.yahoo.com/alexander-great-his-life-influence-christianity-5832200.html

So, 300 years before Christ Jesus was born, Alexander traveled literally from Greece to Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Iran, Afghanistan, and as far as the border to India.

So, we may think that Christ Jesus also traveled from Nazareth to Greece and Rome, or to Egypt or otherwise to Babylon if not as far as to India.

Anyway, it is very mysterious that until He started His holy mission, He had not performed any great miracles in His home town where He is supposed to have been living as a young carpenter.

Christ Jesus must have worked great wonders somewhere in those areas without witnesses of Israelites before He started His holy mission when He is believed to have grown up to be about 35 years old, provided that He was born in 4 BC and died in AD 33.

Finally, Christ Jesus never mentioned Alexander the Great even in His parable.


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Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof

"And there was war in heaven" - Review of Japanese Earthquakes

Government Office Quarter, Tokyo

Review of Japanese Earthquakes

Today an M7.3 earthquake occurred in Japan.

Specifically it was set off at a location in the North Pacific Ocean about 100 km east of the epicenter of the M9.0 Earthquake of  March 11, 2011.  No casualties and big damage have been reported.

So, let's review how big earthquakes with a magnitude of M5.0 or more which occurred between March 9 and March 20, 2011 and two M7.0 class earthquakes that were set off on April 7 and 11.

Today's M7.3 earthquake happened around the epicenter of the M7.5 earthquake having been set off at 15:25 on March 11, 2011.

The zone full of earthquakes off Honsyu Island, where Tokyo City and Tokyo Bay are situated, is along the border of two continental plates:

To make sure, the plate Tokyo is on is called the North American Plate.

So, there are four big continental plates converge around Tokyo and Mt. Fuji, facing Sagami Trench.  Hence, Tokyo and Mt. Fuji are so unique and special.

Note that the distance between Mt. Fuji and Tokyo is about 100 km or 62 miles.

So, finally, let's confirm where an M7.3 earthquake occurred today , specifically, at 17:18 on December 7 (Japan Time).

Note that Japan is almost as large as California.


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Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

"when Herod would have brought him forth" - Syria and the World

Tokyo, Japan

Syria and the World

Something terrible would surely happen in the world in near future.

It is mostly because people have enjoyed their lives too much while Syrians are being killed.

While many people in Syria were feeling their lives were in danger, most of citizens in the world were enjoying the 2012 London Olympics.

For example, while the War on Terror was going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, some Muslims were enjoying economic success in Dubai.  And then the 2008 Financial Crisis was set off in New York to eventually hit Dubai.

In 2000, the White House exhibited some deplorable obscene incident to the world.  It symbolized the recent trend of degraded public morals in the US.   And then the 2001 9/11 Terror was set off in New York and Washington DC.

From Libya and Egypt to Syria turmoil in the Islamic society has expanded with some hope of improvement of the Islamic world, but it looks like coming into a dead end.

Behind the Assad regime in  Syria, there are dangerous supportive powers of Iran, Russia, and China.  It might imply that a future decisive war might occur between NATO and those military-dependent countries.  

We had better take precautions against possible expansion of the situation in Syria where Abraham once traveled 4000 years ago.



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Act 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Act 12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
Act 12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
Act 12:8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Act 12:9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

"And again he sent another" - The Holy Stars

A Central District in Tokyo Metropolis, Tokyo

The Holy Stars

Probably 4 BC must be the year very important for the birth of Christ Jesus, though He must have been born on December 25, 5 BC.

The search for the Stars of the Magi as nonperiodic astronomical occurrences such as comets and nova, has turned many to the extensive ancient records of the Chinese astronomers. In the Ho Pen Yoke catalogue is found a hui star that was sighted in the lunar month falling in March/April of 5 BCE, and it was visible for seventy days.5 Also recorded during this period is Haley's comet in 12 BCE, a comet in 10 BCE, and a comet or nova on April 24 of 4 BCE; the following entry is a comet in 13 CE.6 Of interest in this search are the appearances in 5 and 4 BCE.
The "star" of 5 BCE appeared sometime during the Chinese lunar month from March 10 to April 7. The middle of that month was about March 25. This is a prime candidate for the first Star of the Magi, which coincided with the conception of Jesus.

This "star" was described as a hui-hsing or "sweeping star" or "broom star." This comet or nova was visible for seventy days and was reported in the constellation Aquila. It arose about four to five hours before the sun and was visible in the late night sky toward the east. Bright, long lasting comets tend to be close to the sun and earth, which makes them appear to move rapidly against the background of stars. This was not reported in the Chinese annals, suggesting the "star" was not a comet. A nova rapidly comes to maximum brightness and then falls off over a time to invisibility; it may reappear some years later. Although not certain, the "star" was probably a nova. This nova is suggested as the first observation of the Magi who, "saw His star in the east." (Matt. 2:2)

The "star" of 4 BCE was reported only for April 24. It was described as a po-hsing or "sparkling star." This was a nova, or possibly a supernova, which appeared in the constellation Capricornus. This constellation is next to Aquila and would have appeared very close to the same location as the nova of 5 BCE. It also arose about four to five hours before the sun. If a supernova, it would have continued to be visible into the daylight. A supernova will leave a pulsar remnant. The binary pulsar PSR1913+16b has been identified as this pulsar, although with a low probability because of the density of pulsars in that area.7

The supernova of April 24, 4 BCE is suggested as the Star of Bethlehem. It has been calculated that if an observer looked from the Old South Gate leading from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which is 20o west of south, that just before sunrise on that day, this star would have appeared 70o above the horizon, directly over Bethlehem. This would be a very possible time of departure from Jerusalem for the Magi. As a supernova in approximately the same location, which is unexpected, it might have seemed to the Magi to be a reappearance of the nova of 5 BCE. The timing of just over a year between the novas might account for Herod's selection of two years for the age of the children to be killed.

It is not known how any Magi would make an astrological interpretation of the first seventy-day nova. The interpretation may have been found according to their established astrological procedures, or given in a dream by God, just as He later warned them not to return to Herod. The April 24, 4 BCE nova would then be the Star over Bethlehem. Here may be a bona fide contender for the Star of Bethlehem.

A possible objection to this interpretation is that by the time the Magi arrived in Bethlehem the nova or supernova would have moved out of position and may have been washed out by daylight. However, when the Magi "saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." (Matt. 2:10) The initial sighting from the Old South Gate may have become frozen in their minds, standing still, leading them rapidly by their highly charged emotions. An open inquiry in Bethlehem would have then located the child, especially since God brought them there.

The two novas of 5 BCE and 4 BCE fit the two departures to Nazareth. The first nova began in March of 5 BCE, and lasted for seventy days. The middle of that lunar month, about March 25, coincides with the traditional date for the Annunciation, or the conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. This would be more than a coincidence. This would then place the birth of Jesus in December of 5 BCE, possibly on the traditional date of December 25. Jesus was then presented at the Temple forty-one days later, or February 2, 4 BCE. Joseph, Mary and Jesus departed for Nazareth at that time. After Jesus was born, "his parents used to go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover." (Luke 2:41) If "every year" is to be interpreted literally, then Joseph and Mary must have gone to the following Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, April 11 to April 18, 4 BCE. They apparently then spent time in nearby Bethlehem, probably with friends made a few months earlier when Jesus was born. On April 24 there appeared the supernova, the Star of Bethlehem. The Magi presented their gifts to Jesus that day. Then followed the flight into Egypt and the massacre of the innocents. Their stay in Egypt ended about six months later with the death of Herod on November 27, 4 BCE. On the way home they bypassed Jerusalem on this second return to Nazareth.

It should be noted that there was no "Christmas Star" associated with the birth of Jesus. The first Star was at His conception, and the second Star when He was about four months old. 

http://doig.net/NTC08.htm

So, finally the answer was given by the ancient Chinese cultural heritage which was then imported by Japan later.


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Mar 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
Mar 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
Mar 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's.
Mar 12:8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
Mar 12:9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

"Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him" - Holy Eclipse

Prime Minister Office, Tokyo, Japan

Holy Eclipse

It looks like very true that Christ Jesus faced the last time of His human life on the earth in AD 33.

Isaac Newton was one of the first astronomers to estimate the date of the crucifixion and suggested Friday, April 23, 34 AD/CE.[68][105] In 1990 astronomer Bradley E. Schaefer computed the date as Friday, April 3, 33 AD/CE.[106] In 1991, John Pratt stated that Newton's method was sound, but included a minor error at the end. Pratt suggested the year 33 AD/CE as the answer.[68] Using the completely different approach of a lunar eclipse model, Humphreys and Waddington arrived at the conclusion that Friday, April 3, 33 AD/CE was the date of the crucifixion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Jesus

So, one thing sure is that the process of His Coming Again to this world must be completed in 2033.



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Joh 12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
Joh 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

"shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" - The Crown

Tokyo Sky-Tree Tower, Tokyo

The Crown

The imminent possible reason that Christ Jesus must have been born about 2000 years ago is that He had to succeed  the crown from the dying king of Israel at the time.

Herod (Hebrew: הוֹרְדוֹס‎, Hordos, Greek: Ἡρῴδης, Hērōdēs), also known as Herod the Great (born 73 or 74 BCE, died 4 BCE in Jericho[1]), was a Roman client king ofJudea.[2][3][4] His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis."
...

39–37 BCE– War against Antigonus. After the conquest of Jerusalem and victory over Antigonus, Mark Antony executes Antigonus. 

36 BCE– Herod makes his 17-year-old brother-in-law, Aristobulus III, high priest, fearing that the Jews would appoint Aristobulus III "King of the Jews" in his place. 

35 BCE– Aristobulus III is drowned at a party, on Herod's orders. 

31 BCE– Israel suffers a devastating earthquake. Octavian defeats Mark Antony, so Herod switches allegiance to Octavian, later known as Augustus. 

4 BCE– Young disciples smashed the golden eagle over the main entrance of the Temple of Jerusalem after the Pharisee teachers claimed it was an idolatrous Roman symbol. Herod arrested them, brought them to court, and sentenced them. Augustus approved the death penalty for Antipater. Herod then executed his son, and again changed his will: Archelaus (from the marriage with Malthace) would rule as ethnarch over the tetrachy of Judea, while Antipas (by Malthace) and Philip (from the fifth marriage with Cleopatra of Jerusalem) would rule as tetrarchs over Galilee and Peraea (Transjordan), also over Gaulanitis (Golan),Trachonitis (Hebrew: Argob), Batanaea (now Ard-el-Bathanyeh) and Panias. Salome I was also given a small toparchy in the Gaza region. As Augustus did not confirm his will, no one received the title of King; however, the three sons were granted rule of the stated territories.
...
Some of Herod's other achievements include the development of water supplies for Jerusalem, building fortresses such as Masada andHerodium, and founding new cities such as Caesarea Maritima and the enclosures of Cave of the Patriarchs and Mamre in Hebron. He andCleopatra owned a monopoly over the extraction of asphalt from the Dead Sea, which was used in ship building. He leased copper mines on Cyprus from the Roman emperor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great

In its Nativity account, the Gospel of Matthew associates the birth of Jesus with the reign of Herod the Great, who is generally believed to have died around 4 BC/BCE.[28][74] Matthew 2:1 states that: "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king" and Luke 1:5 mentions the reign of Herod shortly before the birth of Jesus.[28] Luke's gospel also describes the birth as taking place during the first census, which is generally believed to have occurred in 6 AD/CE.[75] Most scholars generally assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC/BCE.[76] Other scholars assume that Jesus was born sometime between 7 and 2 BC/BCE.[77]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Jesus

So, immediately after  the death of king of Israel Herod, new King Jesus was borne, which tells that there was no interruption in the royal succession.

And, probably it must be because that it must have been Christ Jesus who put an end to this royal succession of Judaists or Israelites.  Or otherwise, Christ Jesus must still keep the tile of the king of Israel.

The acronym INRI (Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum) represents the Latin inscription which in English reads as "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" and John 19:20 states that this was written in three languages: Hebrew, Latin and Greek during the crucifixion of Jesus. The Greek version reads ΙΝΒΙ, representing Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ Bασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.[4] 

In the New testament, the "King of the Jews” title is used only by the gentiles, namely by the Magi, Pontius Pilate and the Roman soldiers. In contrast, the Jewish leaders use the designation "King of Israel".[2] The phrase has also been translated King of the Judeans (see Ioudaioi).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INRI

But why must he still keep the tile of the king of Israel?

It is because He is going to come back to this world and Israel, again, as the Second Coming.



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Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

"Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites"

Statue of the Buddha in Kamakura, Japan





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Luk 11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.