"Hear, O Israel" - Not as Rich and Successful Men

North of Tokyo

Not as Rich and Successful Men

Men are usually afraid of their own death, no matter how much they are enjoying their lives.

Once, one notable Japanese actor who had never been supposed to be anxious about or afraid of his death got fatally ill due to cancer.  It seems that he suddenly felt fear of death in his bed in a hospital.  He had been indifferent about religion.  He did not sincerely respect Buddhist monks or shinto priests.  It could be easily imagined that he had delivered jokes about Christian priests, too.  He was really a person of the world with deep understanding of human empathy and human activities based on desire.  But when he found that he could not be cured at his late 60s, he suddenly became afraid of his death.

He was a successful actor and rich and famous.  If he had died in the hospital, many Japanese fans would have been really sorry for losing the comedian.  But, such a thought never gave consolation to him.

However, his young wife happened to a Christian.  So, he decided to get baptized in his dying bed.  Only in the last several days of his life, he lived or lay on the bed as a Christian.

Anyway, he must have been cured from his fear of death.

But if he had not been a successful actor being rich and famous, he should have felt fear of his own death earlier than his 60s.  So then, he should have been able to prepare himself for his death.  But the worldly matters must have captured his mind for decades so that he could easily avoid thinking about death.

Christ Jesus said that we should not bother about worldly maters and even life of ourselves.  It means that we should not get anxious about or afraid of death.  The essence of religion is, in deed, to liberate people from fear of death.

But, Christ Jesus said that evil men should go to the hell and only poor and pious men could be allowed to enter the Heave.  So it is natural that evil and rich people don't show respect to such religion.  However, they might come to themselves to recall what they were when they were young, poor, and compassionate to others.  And, they might come to ask salvation from the God not as rich and successful men but as poor and young men who they were long time ago. 

 
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M'r:12:29: And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
M'r: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.
M'r:12:31: And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die" - The Best Christmas Present

North of Tokyo 

The Best Christmas Present

If the God is almighty but He is indifferent with human beings or He does not care about any human being, who would pray to the God asking any help from Him?

But if the God is almighty; has power over fates of every human being; and has any concern about every human being, who would not pray to Him asking any help from Him?

If the God never cared for Jewish people, no Jewish people would show belief and respect to the God.

But if a man was in a predicament, he would most probably ask help from the God even if he is not sure about whether or not He would help him, since it is most likely that there is the God who has power to save any human being.

So, first of all, a man has to believe that there is the God, He is almighty, He could save any man, and He might hear him asking help from the God, and secondly the man has to actually ask the God to help him.

Ro:10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.   

However, it is unlikely that the God would save a man who does not completely or mostly follow the words of the God.  However, it is not clear how much one must follow the words of the God to be saved by the God.  Ideally, one must follow 100% the words of the God, but benevolent God might overlook some failures of a man in complying with the words of the God, especially, if one regrets.

In reality, there are not many reports that one was saved in any ways by the God through his or her prayers to the God; however there are some.

In this context, the fact that Christ Jesus came to this world to save poor people while they were not asking so crucially the God to send His Son to them and save them is a proof that the God cared for men or loved men.

No matter how much rich and happy one is, he or she must have something to ask from the God.  Then, all the more, poor people must have more to ask from the God.  And from the words of Christ Jesus, the God seems to love poor people more than rich and happy people.  However, it does not mean that the God would make the poor materially richer than the rich in this world.   The God does not either make the poor materially happier than the rich in this world.  Nonetheless, it is said that the God would help and save poor men who pray to the God asking help.

There must be various ways of saving a poor man in a predicament.  Ultimately, the God should save a poor man by allowing him to enter Heaven and obtain eternal life, which would make him spiritually richer and happier than any rich man in this world.

Conversely, Satan may give money to those who sell their souls to him and betray the God, making them materially rich and happy in this world.  But those bad, rich, and happy people are condemned to the hell.  So, it is no wonder that some believers of the God try to be poorer and unhappier materially than anybody in this world to show their hate to Satan and reverence to the God or Christ Jesus.

And for such devout believers, poverty and unhappiness in this world may be the best present from the God, since they will be promised to be accepted in Heaven by the God since they are free from Satan as they are poor and unhappy.  So, for some stern Christians or followers of Christ Jesus, poverty and unhappiness must be the best Christmas present.     

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Joh:12:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
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.

"he that layeth up treasure for himself" - Belief or Proof that Christ Jesus is the God

The Tokaido Shinkansen Line, West of Tokyo

Belief or Proof that Christ Jesus is the God

It cannot be denied that the God may appear before men as one of them, since the God is almighty.

So, it is difficult to deny the belief of Christians that Christ Jesus was the God.  Christ Jesus did not say that He was not the God, although He did not claim explicitly that He was the God.  Those who believe that Christ Jesus was the God are usually called Christians.  Or at least, Jewish persons and Muslims do not have the belief that Christ Jesus was the God.

However, which is more important, the judgement on whether Christ Jesus was the God or not or the word of God?  It is possible that God requests men, above anything, to believe that Christ Jesus was the God.  However, it is also possible that God requests men, above all, to follow His words.

If a man believes that Christ Jesus was the God while following words of God, the man may please the God.  But if a man does not believe that Christ Jesus was the God while following words of God, the man may still please the God.

However, if a man believes that Christ Jesus was the God while neglecting words of God, the man probably cannot please the God.  And if a man does not believe that Christ Jesus was the God, neglecting words of God, the man probably cannot please the God.

Despite one's judgment on the identity of Christ Jesus, if the man follows words of God, the God should be probably pleased, since the God never clearly told that He was going to appear before men as Christ Jesus and nobody who did not believe that Christ Jesus was the God could enter Heaven.

In my thought, it is not wise to discuss whether Christ Jesus was the God or not.  If we have time to discuss it, we had better learn the words of the God more in addition to the teaching of Christ Jesus.

But, the questions whether Christ Jesus was God and why the God appeared as Christ Jesus if He was the God are the most important questions for the mankind in these 2000 years.  By studying these questions, Europeans and Christians seem to have well developed their intellectual capacity.  But also by negatively handling these questions, Jewish people seem to have well developed their intellectual capacity.

And, it is more drastic that the God once appeared as a simple man than that the God never appeared in the history as a man before the mankind.  Furthermore, it has never been reported that a doubtful believer of the God ever asked the God whether He was once Christ Jesus and got the answer "Yes."

In case that the God once really appeared before men as Christ Jesus (as we cannot 100% deny such a possibility, since the God is almighty), it looks better for us not to discuss whether Christ Jesus was the God, so that we would not displease the God.         

Even a quantum computer will handle this problem with both the assumptions that Christ Jesus was the God and Christ Jesus was not the God, combining both the answers and bringing forward a combined state based on the two answers.  Maybe, the will of the God or our faith makes the state converge into a fixed state.

At least, God and Christ Jesus never said that a man could not enter the Heaven unless he believed or proved that Christ Jesus was the God.

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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?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luk 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

"the first took a wife, and dying left no seed" - The Kingdom of God vs. The Hell

North of Tokyo

The Kingdom of God vs. The Hell

Why are people afraid of poverty?  It is because the society would not protect and help them if they have no money.  How can a man live in safety without money if he is not Christ Jesus?

If people around us are all kind and helpful and are ready for helping the poor, we would not be afraid of being poor.   In reality, we are in the society with many people who are cold and ready for abusing the poor.  So, without money we cannot protect ourselves.  It is natural for us to get money and assets to the degree where we can at least protect ourselves.

However, Christ Jesus never said to get money and be happy without minding others and the poor.

Conversely, it is assumed that the Kingdom of God is filled with kind, generous, and benevolent people.  Even if we lose money and get poor, there should be no reason for us to be afraid of getting poor and getting attacked by others in the Kingdom of God.

In reality, we are afraid of being poor as the society is cold.  Therefore we have to earn money as much as necessary.  But, at this point, Satan works on us.  Satan would promise us to help us earn money only if we revere him.

The cold society, cold people, and Satan are making people want money.  But, the Kingdom of God makes money useless.

Satan hates people so that he helps people earn money and get cold to one another and finally he helps people hate one another.  If everybody follows Satan, this world would surely turn to the hell.  Therefore, Christ Jesus said to hate money and love the God.

In this context, homeless people are near the Kingdom of God, although they symbolize the coldness of the society.  The more you have money, the more you are far from the Kingdom of God that is opposite to the hell.


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M'r:12:20: Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
M'r:12:21: And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
M'r:12:22: And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
M'r:12:23: In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
M'r:12:24: And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
M'r: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.

"he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles" - God , Maximum Number, Normal Numbers, and the "Zero"

December, Around Tokyo

God , Maximum Number, Normal Numbers, and the "Zero"

There are various ways to analyze the theory of the Holy Trinity.

First of all, there is no denying the existence of the God.  However, all the other elements can be denied in terms of its existence.  In principle, nothing imperfect or incomplete, but the God who is complete and perfect, can exist in the holy world.

But the God may allow a possibility of denying His existence, since He is complete and perfect, which means He can be also incomplete and imperfection.  Complete perfection must include a feature of being imperfect.

So, He must allow an element that can try to make His existence denied.  And the element should be the so-called "zero" that can nullify anything.  So, the zero ("0") tried to multiply the God ("G") by itself.  Then, what resulted from the operation?

G x 0 = M

The God multiplied by zero turned to be the maximum number ("M") that is the largest number, since the God did not nullify the zero for His perfection.

Then, the zero further tried to nullify the existence of "M." 

M x 0 = N

Then, the maximum number "M" produced every number represented by "N."

It is often taught that any number divided by 0 becomes infinite.  However, this infinite has indeterminacy, which is not holy.  So, we should assume that this infinite can be replaced with "M," the number that is greater than any number if the number is infinite.

N/0 = M

For example, M + N = M.  As "M" is the largest number, if any number is added to "M,"  the result is still "M."  It means any number is virtually zero against "M."  And if the "zero" tries to nullify "M" by multiplication by itself, "M" turns to be other normal number.

Now all what the "zero" can do is just nullify any normal number.

N x 0 = 0

So, the "zero" tried to desperately divide "M" by itself, which resulted in appearance of "G," which is the God. 

 
 M/0 = G

However, the zero is no allowed to try to divide the God "G,"  since the "zero" has already exerted its allowed power against "N" and "M" while the God is the lord of the "zero," which the "zero" has to be taught.

We may think that "G" is the God; "M" is the holy ghost; and "N" is any person including holy men such as Christ Jesus who can be any prime number to be the source of all the numbers.  However, it is not recommended to regard the "zero" as Satan or any other angel.

This is a Christmas story of 2019 with players of the God (the glory to the God!), the Maximum Number, the normal numbers, and the "zero" based on the assumption that Christ Jesus likes prime numbers for my personal judgment. 

Note:
In mathematics, division by zero is division where the divisor (denominator) is zero. Such a division can be formally expressed as a/0 where a is the dividend (numerator). In ordinary arithmetic, the expression has no meaning, as there is no number which, when multiplied by 0, gives a (assuming a ≠ 0), and so division by zero is undefined.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_by_zero)


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M't:12:17: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
M't: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.
M't:12:19: He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
M't:12:20: A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

"knowing their hypocrisy" - Learn Ethical, Spiritual or Theological Laws

Around Shinjuku Station, Tokyo

Learn Ethical, Spiritual or Theological Laws

Christ Jesus did not come to this world for the purpose of teaching that the world is a globe and the earth goes around the sun or there are 100 or more scientific laws.  He did not even teach how to generate electricity or create modern medicines.  And most importantly Christ Jesus did not teach how to achieve longevity.  But He told to love the God more than people had done even if they had ever loved the God.

Christ Jesus must have thought that there was no need to teach who and what was the God, even it is thought that the God had sent Him to the human world. 

Therefore, we have to admit that every man knows that there is the God and there is nothing or nobody who is more important than the God.

It means that the God is more important than any aspect of civilization.  Therefore, we have to acknowledge that the God is more important than money.  The God is more important than success in the society.  The God is more important than happiness one can get in this world.

Consequently, the God is more important then any individual life.  However, Christ Jesus never told people to die for the God.

According to Christ Jesus, the God has power to respond to request from men:
M't:7:7: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
M't:7:8: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

But the God has also absolute authority over human beings:
M't:7:17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
M't:7:18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
M't:7:19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

So, the God is benevolent to men, but He hates evil and corruption of men and can throw evil men into the hell.  The God can throw an evil man into the hell, which is the most important teaching of Christ Jesus.

But as science has developed and people have come to enjoy fruits of material civilization, people have come to less think of Heaven and the hell.  Therefore, it is no wonder that modern humans have come to less think of and love the God. 　

It is as if men decided to enjoy material life while they were alive in this world, even if they would be thrown into the hell by the God after their life.

But if one has realized that civilization was established by men, including evil men, but not by the God, he or she should not fully trust power of material civilization.  And if one believes in existence of the God, Heaven, and the hell, he or she would love the God to be allowed to enter Heaven, while human civilization cannot make anybody enter Heaven after his or her death.

In this context, what we should learn, for example, from Christ Jesus is not any scientific laws but ethical, spiritual or theological laws the God set. 

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M'r:12:14: And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
M'r:12:15: Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
M'r:12:16: And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.
M'r: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.

"For the Holy Ghost shall teach you" - Better for You to Enter Life Maimed

Mt. Fuji (3,776 m) from around Tokyo

Better for You to Enter Life Maimed

Christ Jesus said that it was better to lose one's hand or leg, if his hand or leg committed a sin, and to be allowed to enter Heaven.

A Japanese cartoonist or manga artist named Shigeru Mizuki, when he had been young and before he had been called up for service of Imperial Japanese Army in WWII, watched his palms to see lines of the palms too short.  According to palmistry, he found that his life was short.  He knew that he could not live longer and probably he should die around the age of 20.

Later he was inducted into the Imperial Army and sent to an island around Papua New Guinea.  There he lost his left arm due to an air raid.  However, soldier Mizuki could survive the war and go back to Japan.

After years of hardship in Japan in the post-WWII era, he succeed as a manga artist or cartoonist.  Mizuki was good at painting a picture at his childhood.  But it took a decade or more for Mizuki to have a hit in the world of comics.  He was not young, compared with other successful manga artists who became famous in Japan after WWII.  Besides, he had just one arm.  However, despite various handicaps, his efforts finally paid off.  He also received a decoration from the Japanese Government for his contribution to Japanese culture in 1991.  He was also awarded with some foreign prizes.

Finally he died in Tokyo in 2015 at the age of 93.  According to palmistry, he could not have lived so long, but as he lost one arm in a battle against Americans and Australians in New Britain Island in 1944, the ominous line of the palm must become void.

So, whenever reading Mizuki's comics depicting soldiers' life in New Britain Island and activities of Japanese specters, I recall the said word of Christ Jesus: "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out (Mark 9:42). (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9&version=NIV)

If the lines of our palms predict that we cannot live long, we may have still a chance to live longer and succeed like Shigeru Mizuki who succeeded in the world of Japanese manga/comics and animation like famous Osamu Tezuka who died at his age of 60 in 1989.
 

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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:
Luk 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Luk 12:13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

"This was the Lord's doing" - Riches and Pleasures against the Kingdom of the God

Tokyo

Riches and Pleasures against the Kingdom of the God

If the God exists, what business do we have with the God?  Or we may think that we have nothing to do with the God, the creator of the universe, even if such a God exists.  We should earn money and enjoy life while we are alive, since our life is 100 years at most.  This is the commonsense of people.  However, according to Christ Jesus, the most important thing in our life is hearing, understanding, and acting according to the words of the God.  However, Christ Jesus did not forcibly order people with divine authority to follow His words, but He made people think for themselves in what status they were while the God gave words to them.

Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Luk 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luk 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luk 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.     

So, with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, one cannot respond to the expectations of the God.  From the beginning, one is expected to have an honest and good heart to hear, understand, and act according to the words of God.  And most importantly, the devil might come and take away the words of the God out of men's hearts, so that the men would not be saved.

However, this way of teaching by Christ Jesus means that He knew that there were many people who would not obey the God and therefore could not be saved or who would join Satan to fight against the God.

Men without honest and good hearts would join Satan.  Men with love to riches and pleasures would join Satan.  And if such men were taught the mysteries of the kingdom of God, they would try to hinder others in their efforts to come to the kingdom of God.  So, to protect people with good and honest hearts from those evil men, Christ Jesus would not let those evil men know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.   Since if those evil men knew anything about the kingdom of God, it would be easier for them to interfere with others trying to enter it.

Put simply, there are the God, the kingdom of the God, Satan and devils, people with honest and good hearts, and other who cannot enter the kingdom of the God due to their love to riches and pleasures.  And, to protect and encourage people with honest and good hearts, Christ Jesus told parables. 

Finally, we have to understand that worldly riches and pleasures are the concepts against the the kingdom of the God.

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Mar 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
Mar 12:11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mar 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

"whom he had raised from the dead" - A Short Period of Time in this Finite Universe

Tokyo Bay

A Short Period of Time in this Finite Universe

Everybody on the earth and in this universe dies someday and none can live forever except the God.

The earliest stages of the universe's existence are estimated as taking place 13.8 billion years ago, with an uncertainty of around 21 million years at the 68% confidence level.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronology_of_the_universe)

However, this age of the universe might look so short, since we can easily imagine the number more than 13.8 billion.

For example, 13.8 billion seconds are equal to almost 160,000 days or about 440 years.  And 440 years ago, it is about 1570 when the Philippines were conquered by Spain or the Battle of Lepanto took place where ”a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of European Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of the Ottoman Empire in the Gulf of Patras (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lepanto)."

It is also said that the earth was created 4.6 billion years ago.  The time of life of the earth is about one third of that of the whole universe.

Or 13.8 billion years are equivalent to less than  4.4 x 10^17 (10 raised to the power of 17) seconds or 4.4 x 10^26 nano-seconds, while light travels 1 foot per nano-second.

In other words, this world has existed for less than 10^18 seconds while we can imagine the number of 10^180000 or more, while it is assumed that the God lives forever.

Our wisdom or intelligence is restricted by this time scale of 10^18 seconds while the God lives more than 10^180000000000000000000 seconds.  Then, how much can we know about the God?  Or how can we make our voices or prayers reach the God?  If we lived 100 years and we prayed to the God all through our life, it would take just 3 X 10^9 seconds, which is just 0.00001% of the life time of universe.

So, physically or materially it is hard to expect that our voices or prayers would take the attention of the God.

However, according to the content of the teaching by Christ Jesus, the God surely listens to our prayers.  It means that there is the spiritual space above this material universe that has existed for only countable number of years or seconds.  The spiritual space and Heaven should exist forever.  It should have existed before this material universe was created and will continue to exist after the end of this material universe.

So, Christ Jesus gave a teaching, saying "what is the use for conquering the material universe and becoming the king of the whole universe (which is finite)?"  And, He said that whoever believed in Him and the God could be given eternal life."   

The choice before us is between finite lengths of time (a tiny part of 13.8 billion years) and eternity (where 13.8 billion years is nothing).  And it is the faith to believe that the God will surely hear our prayers while we live in only a short period of time in this finite universe.

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Joh:12:7: Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
Joh:12:8: For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
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.

"ye are of more value than many sparrows" - End No Earlier Than 2060

 Tokyo

End No Earlier Than 2060

Scientist Isaac Newton (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) was also a personal scholar of the Bible:

Newton spent a great deal of time trying to discover hidden messages within the Bible. After 1690, Newton wrote a number of religious tracts dealing with the literal interpretation of the Bible. In a manuscript Newton wrote in 1704 he describes his attempts to extract scientific information from the Bible. He estimated that the world would end no earlier than 2060.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_of_Isaac_Newton 

If we are not sure about whether we are cleverer than Newton, we had better listen to his prediction as to the end of the world.  However, based on his study of contents of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, and his inspiration as a Christian, he wrote that the world would not end no earlier than 2060.

If we trust his words, the world would not end no earlier than 2060, which means that we are now living in a touchy era of the human history, since we have only 40 years or so until 2060.

According to Newton, the world, namely economic, political, and cultural conditions of the world, would continue, as it is, for further 40 years or so without drastic changes.  However, it is expected that development of technology and science will be further accelerated in coming 40 years, maybe, to the extent where the human civilization will be endangered.

Individual or institutional malicious intentions might abuse high-technology, internet/electronic systems, AI, advanced medical science or chemistry, nuclear energy, etc.  Or more deadly weapons might be invented and used.  Science and technology will further advance and will be applied to business at a pace faster than the speed to which people can follow.

What's more, it is unknown how the global climate will change in this period.  Global warming may be further accelerated, causing great confusion or crises in the world, or global cooling may be suddenly started for a yet undiscovered reason.

Even without reviewing Newton's theory for the prediction, we can imagine various scenarios where the mankind will face a fatal crisis around 2060.  And if the history can go on without a fatal catastrophe, we cannot imagine in what status the mankind will live in the 22nd and 23rd centuries.  So, it is more likely that the end of the human world will start around 2060 and this final stage will continue to the 22nd and 23rd centuries, so that civilization of the mankind will collapse before the 30th century, although some members of the mankind might succeed in immigrating into Mars and establishing new civilization there.           

However, for any individual, his or her own death would be more important than the end of civilization in the distant future.  Even Newton must have been bothered or worried by his own death than the end of the world assumed to occur centuries later from his own era.

Christ Jesus did not say when the end of the world would come.  But he encouraged people to prepare for it, even, 2000 years ago.

M't:25:1: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
M't:25:2: And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
M't:25:3: They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
M't:25:4: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
M't:25:5: While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
M't:25:6: And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
M't:25:7: Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
M't:25:8: And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
M't:25:9: But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
M't:25:10: And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Even if this wold passed away,  Heaven would never disappear.  So, apart from a fate of the world, we have to learn the Bible, for example like Newton, and act following the teaching of the God and Christ Jesus.  Then there will be nothing to worry if the end of the world should come around 2060, 2160, or 2260.

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Lu:12:5: But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Lu:12:6: Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Lu:12:7: But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Lu:12:8: Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Lu:12:9: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

"and him they killed, and many others" - Why Christ Jesus Told Not to Become Rich

A Shinto Shrine around Tokyo

Why Christ Jesus Told Not to Become Rich

You may wonder why Christ Jesus told not to become rich, since He taught that a rich man should die and go to the hell while a poor man would be welcomed in Heaven even by Abraham.

First of all, if you became rich, there would be many poor men around you.  Being rich while being surrounded by many poor men is a sin.  You have to give money to poor people around you, if you became rich, which is the teaching of Christ Jesus.  Then, you cannot continue to be rich, since you have to give money to poor people around you and there are many poor people.  Finally, you would be poor, too, like other poor men.

Secondly, there are many people who want to be rich.  You have to compete with them, if you want to be rich.  And to win this competition, you have to resort to cool and cold measures and you will stop having love and compassion to your enemies in the competition.  You would even wish bad luck to others.  You would want others to fail and get unhappy for you to take advantage over them.  Then you will be disqualified for Heaven.

So, being rich means having no Christian love to neighbors and unlucky and poor people.  In other word, you have to sell your soul and mind to Satan to be rich.  Therefore, Christ Jesus forbade becoming rich.

In other word, Satan would promise to help you become rich, but your soul would be in the hand of Satan.  Satan would finally laugh at you falling into the hell.

However, everybody wants happiness.  And everybody thinks that money makes him or her happy, which is a trap set by Satan.  You are brainwashed by Satan, if you believe that only money can make you happy.  Indeed, Satan has set many traps to make people believe in power of money.  And this society is governed and ruled by followers of Satan, so that you cannot live in peace if you do not follow the worldly rule set by Satan.

Anyway there are no such descriptions in the Bible as follows: "If you want to be saved, earn more money" or "Jesus gave money to the poor to save them."

The power of the God is stronger than money created by men with help from Satan.


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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.

"he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard" - Because the God Created Men

Around Tokyo

Because the God Created Men

One of the main issues in the Gospels is love.

According to those Bibles, the God represents good, which means love is linked with good.

Due to God's love for men, men were created and can live.  This love by God must include good but does not include evil.  Therefore, it is natural that God and Christ Jesus request good from men.  And, it is natural that only good men are admitted into Heaven.

So, for children to grow and live, good and love are needed.  It must be similar to the condition where the God created men from His love to them based on His good.

Heaven means pure good while the hell means pure evil.  Put extremely, each man must choose pure good or pure evil as his/her ultimate target.  However, in the human world influenced by Satan, the better one becomes, the more he or she is attacked by Satan and its followers.  For instance, we may interpret the Gospels as stories where one extremely good man, namely Christ Jesus, was attacked and killed on the cross by followers of Satan, namely religious leaders and Roman soldiers.

Even today, none can live safely in peace if he or she honestly and strictly pursues justice, universal love, and social and individual good. People often think that circumstances may justify a lie or the end justifies the means.  So, any human society is infested by evil.  And, Satan dominates the human world.

But we must not forget that it is not Satan but the God that created this universe and men.  And we must believe that the God created this universe and men due to His love for men based on His goodwill to men.

However, it is still a mystery why the God who is perfect and all-powerful loved to create men out of good intentions.  But we may also think that Satan could find a chance to attack the God through influencing or attacking men, God's creatures, because the God created men.
   　　

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M'r:12:1: And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
M'r:12:2: And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
M'r:12:3: And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
M'r:12:4: And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
M'r:12:5: And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
M'r:12:6: Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
M'r:12:7: But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
M'r:12:8: And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
M'r: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.

"This is an evil generation: they seek a sign" - How can we request God to fulfill our wish?

Mt. Fuji from around Tokyo

How Can We Request God to Fulfill our Wish?

The Gospel by John reads as follows: Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And Christ Jesus never presented the God to His followers or showed the God to people.  However, Christ Jesus told: "Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?"

And the Old Testament reads as follows: "Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live."

However, the Bible itself is based on belief in the God.  Christ Jesus was sent by the God to this world.  Nonetheless, men cannot see the God.  So it is not rational to deny existence of the God only for the reason that we cannot see the God.

One of the most important words about the God in the Bible is as follows: "Luk 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

This is the basic reason why people pray to the God, expressing their wishes.  The God can perform miracles.  So, people often pray to the God, asking Him to make their wishes come true.  Indeed, if we admit that the God exists but think that He is indifferent about us or He never cares about us, who would pray to, revere, or love the God?

But the history shows a difficult fact.  Millions of Jewish people were killed in WWII.  They all must have prayed to the God, asking help and salvation.  But miracles did not happen.  The God did not interfere with the tragedy of Jewish people in WWII.  However, Judaism was not abolished by Jewish people after WWII.  Jewish people who survived WWII must have asked the God why He had not immediately saved them in the Holocaust.  And, it has not been publicly announced what answer they got from the God, but Jewish people has not yet abandoned their faith in the God.

It means that Jewish people must at least feel that the God is right and they have to accept the fact of the Holocaust.  For example, when the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the late 5th century, Jewish people did not start to come back to Jerusalem.  For almost 1500 years after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, no movement occurred for Jewish people to return to Jerusalem, which must have displeased the God who gave the area around Jerusalem to ancestors of Jewish people.  It must have been taken as a great blasphemy.

It may be hard to think that way, but with this assumption, we may calculate that deaths of 6 million Jewish people were corresponding to this 1500-year blasphemy in the ratio of 4000 deaths per year.  In other word, the God wanted 4000 Jewish people per year to return to Jerusalem after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.  Indeed, the God in the Old Testament is stern and severe.  Besides, the God is the lord of the mankind represented by Jewish people.  But if Jewish people had neglected the wish of the God that Jewish people should come back and live around Jerusalem as soon as possible after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, it is no wonder that the God assigned a special fate to Jewish people.

Like in the case of the Holocaust, we might not expect that the God listens to us and makes our wish come true while we are not 100% obedient to the God.

However, Christ Jesus said: Luk 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Luk 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Luk 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Luk 17:9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.  

So, if we do not observe the word of God and follow the teaching of the God 100% or so, we cannot expect the God listens to our prayers and accepts our wish to perform a miracle for making our wish come true.  The God can assign any fate to any individual because He is the lord of the mankind.  And, the God can repay or remunerate any individual, if necessary, after his/her death by accepting him or her in Heaven. 

However, it seems that only the God can measure the degree of our faith in God.  If we have just 10% or 20% of required faith, how can we request or demand God to fulfill our wish? 

Finally, we have to believe in existence of the God, learn and perform honestly the word of the God, and then we may ask the God to make our wish come true.


   

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Luk 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Luk 11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
Luk 11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

"But if ye do not forgive" - Because the God Exists

Tokyo

Because the God Exists

The most reliable proof that the God exists seems to be words of Christ Jesus.

If you deny existence of the God, you have to deny Christ Jesus.  Then, logically you have to deny Christianity.  Finally, you have to admit that Western civilization based on Christianity has a critical defect.  And it also means that billions of Christians who have died in these 2000 years believing in Heaven have been duped by Christ Jesus.

Christ Jesus said that the God had sent Him to this world.  And, if we believed in Christ Jesus and the God, we should be given eternal life.  But if there is no God, all these words of Christ Jesus is nonsense.

We have to admit that Christ Jesus is the greatest man in the human history, who built the great religion Christianity.  But if we deny existence of the God, we have to regard Christ Jesus as a liar and a swindler.  And the Bible is a book of nonsense.

But if we admit that Christ Jesus is the wisest man in the history or wiser than ourselves, how can we deny his teaching that the God exists as the father of human beings?

So we have to admit that the God exists as we have to believe in Christ Jesus.  And we have to regard the God as our farther in Heaven and the lord of human beings.  And we have to believe that the God can give us eternal life under the condition that we follow His words, even if we die physically in this world.

But, Christ Jesus did not explain why the God existed.  And, as the God exists, human beings also exist.  Yet, we cannot believe that the God exists so that human beings can exist.  One of the deepest questions in this universe must be why the God exists.

At least, we should understand that this universe does not exist and the mankind does not exist without existence of the God.  Because the God exists, everything that exists can exist.


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M'r:11:25: And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
M'r:11:26: But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
M'r:11:27: And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
M'r:11:28: And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth" - God or Satan (money)?

Around Tokyo

God or Satan (money)?

Does the God exist?  Most of people think that the God exists.  But only a few people ever saw the God, got glimpse of a shadow of Him, and heard His words.

Without the belief on existence of the God, none can believe Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.  Every serious religion depends on existence of the God.  But how can people prove the existence of the God?  Many scholars, professors, authors, theologians, philosophers, religious professionals, etc. have tried to prove the existence of the God, but none could ever present the God before people.  Even Christ Jesus did not show the God to people, although some people have believed that He Himself is the God.

It might mean that human beings have no ability to see the God.  Or human beings cannot understand the shape of the God while they are seeing the God.  Otherwise, human beings have wrong images or concepts of the God.

From the beginning, the most important reason that the God is important to human beings is that they believe that the God can save them in hardships.  Even if they think that the God might exist with almightiness but they know that the God never minds them and never helps them in predicaments, who would respect, revere or pray to the God?

Next, all the holy books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam say that the God exists.  Therefore, human beings should believe that the God exists.  Even if you deny the existence of the God, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam would continue to survive based on their belief that the God exists.  And it is apparent that you are not wiser than any present and past clever believers of these religions.  It means that one fool claims that the God must not exist while wiser Judaists, Christians, Muslims, etc. believe that the God exists.

Put simply, the God exists because Christ Jesus believed in existence of the God.  And, according to Christ Jesus, people are obliged to love the God, which means that people should not deny existence of the God.

If people believe in existence of the God, He never gives money to His believers while Satan would provide money for those who sell their souls to Satan.

However, Christ Jesus said that those who believe in the God and observe His words would be surely given eternal life.  This teaching seems very reasonable, since the God is almighty.

So, people should deny the God, follow Satan, earn money, and go to the hell, or believe in existence of the God, observe the teachings of the God, and are given eternal life.

However, human bodies should die someday; yet their souls must survive their physical deaths and could be saved, if they had faith in the God, and allowed to enter Heaven with eternal life.

The point at issue is which do you love more the God or Satan (money)?

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M't:11:25: At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
M't:11:26: Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
M't:11:27: All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.