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Hi everyone, Session 2 on Paul's First Epistle to Timothy starts in one hour. Ta. Blessings, Ray

Hi everyone, The PDF notes for today's Session on Paul's First Epistle to Timothy are now posted at https://www.b4uc.com. Ta. Blessings, Ray

Hi everyone, Today's Session on Lamentations Chapter 2 is about to begin. Blessings, Ray Topic: U3A R09 What the Bible is About Time: Feb 11, 2021 10:45 AM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89483596077?pwd=elR1ZWl1ODcyNlFTY0xQRnZEWjhIZz09 Meeting ID: 894 8359 6077 Passcode: 339685 One tap mobile +61861193900,,89483596077#,,,,*339685# Australia +61871501149,,89483596077#,,,,*339685# Australia Dial by your location +61 8 6119 3900 Australia +61 8 7150 1149 Australia +61 2 8015 6011 Australia +61 3 7018 2005 Australia +61 7 3185 3730 Australia Meeting ID: 894 8359 6077 Passcode: 339685 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcBonSAfLs

Hi Linda, Yes, that's a good interpretation. When God finally reacted to Judah's continued (corporate) rebellion and sinning, everyone was equally exposed to the (corporate) punishments. The sweetest Temple singer was treated no differently from the off-key one who couldn't carry a tune. God's Right Hand of protection was lifted from the Nation, not just from certain individuals. Blessings, Ray On Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 03:27:06 pm AEST, Linda via groups.io <linfordlinda@...> wrote: Thank you Dear Ray and Christine for your explanations and thus my improved clarity of the context . I too, took it to mean that even the people who were obedient to God were all slain. As they were part of Gods chosen people as a Nation. Thank you again. Linda On Wed, Feb 24, 2021 at 14:14, Christine <cjmcfadyen46@...> wrote: Hi Linda, Ray et al, In this context, wouldn't 'pleasing to His eye' refer only to the fact that these were His chosen people and have nothing at all to do with physical attributes? Reading more recent translations leaves me with that same understanding. (I'm happy to be corrected if l've misunderstood anything here.) As you stated,Ray, His anger overflowed after much provocation because of their stubborn disobedience and so He withdrew His Right Hand of protection, leaving the enemy to carry out the inevitable consequence of ignored conditional promises. I suppose everyone was affected because the conditions applied to the nation as a whole and not to specific individuals. I suppose this will also be the case in End Time events. See you tomorrow, (well, as much as can be seen on a phone screen)! Happy Wednesday, everyone. PS Do you think we can attribute much importance to the punctuation when seeking precision in meaning? Perhaps it tends to be subjective in places? Would welcome any further wisdom on that On Wed, 24 Feb 2021, 8:55 am Ray via groups.io, <ray.sarlin@...> wrote: Hi Linda, As you note, context is king in Bible interpretation. Taken out of context, the phrase “He (God) has slain all who were pleasing to His eye” can seem perplexing. After all, why would God single out and kill all the beautiful people or, say, everyone using eyeshadow or rouge? It certainly doesn’t seem fair. But keep in mind that "pleasant to the eye" in this case doesn't necessarily mean physically beautiful so much as obedient to God and thus pleasing in His eye. In Lamentations Chapter 2, Jeremiah laments over Jerusalem's misery as he reflects on the terrible destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army. However, he sees the hand of God on the use of the Babylonians as the agent of God's wrath. Yes, the Babylonians savagely treated the Jews, but the reason that God allowed it to happen was that despite all prophetic warnings, including Jeremiah's own prophecies over 40 years, the people continued to rebel against God and revel in sin. Jeremiah observed that all were slain indiscriminately, including those pleasing to the eye and none were more pleasing to God's eye (in good times) than those who served Him in the Temple; even they were not spared His wrath when Nebuchadnezzar's army struck. Your question also actually hit on one of the small changes that modern Bible translations, including the NKJV in this case, make that can subtly change context. To start, compare the KJV translation, the NIV translation, and the NKJV (a mix of the two): He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire. (KJV) Like an enemy he has strung his bow; his right hand is ready. Like a foe he has slain all who were pleasing to the eye; he has poured out his wrath like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion. (NIV) Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow; With His right hand, like an adversary, He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye; On the tent of the daughter of Zion, He has poured out His fury like fire. (NKJV) Distilling the main points in dispute down: (He) slew all that were pleasant to th

Hi Christine, Thanks for your cogent summary of my response. "Pleasing to His eye" has nothing to do with physical appearance, but rather with their faith, character, and actions. Regarding Old Testament punctuation, word selection, etc., it's not so much what it is as what the translators do with it. Inappropriately applied (as with the semi-colon in our Lam. 2:4 example) it can alter the meaning of a verse. When certain translations consistently misapply it, it can give insight into their motivation. Fortunately, examining the context can usually help determine the intended meaning of a verse or passage. Online tools like the Blue Letter Bible give everyone the ability to dig into the original Hebrew (or Greek or Aramaic). Let's hope that BigTech doesn't soon censor or take down those sites. Blessings, Ray

Shalom, everyone. Those who have done our study of the fascinating book of Esther may be interested to know that this year the Feast of Purim starts at nightfall (6 PM) this Thursday, 25 February, and runs through 6 PM on Friday, 26 February. Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid Persian Empire high official who received royal permission to kill all the Jews in the world's largest empire of the day, as recounted in the book of Esther. Purim is celebrated all around the world, with participants eating, drinking, and partying as if there may be no tomorrow, because there may not be. To observant Jews who fast the day before, the holiday is a time to read aloud the entire Megillat (scroll) of Esther on both Thursday evening and Friday during the morning service, to reflect on its meaning and the continuing threats of annihilation so as to prepare for the future, and to give gifts and food to those less well off. So ?? ????? ??? (chag Purim sameach, "Happy Purim"), everyone! And may God bless you! In the interim, I hope to see you via Zoom at 10:45 on Thursday, 25 February, to finish the perhaps not-so-delightful but ever-so-timely book of Lamentations. ??? ???? (yom nifla, "Have a wonderful day"), Ray Topic: U3A R09 What the Bible is About Time: Feb 25, 2021 10:45 AM Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89483596077?pwd=elR1ZWl1ODcyNlFTY0xQRnZEWjhIZz09 Meeting ID: 894 8359 6077 Passcode: 339685 One tap mobile +61861193900,,89483596077#,,,,*339685# Australia +61871501149,,89483596077#,,,,*339685# Australia Dial by your location +61 8 6119 3900 Australia +61 8 7150 1149 Australia +61 2 8015 6011 Australia +61 3 7018 2005 Australia +61 7 3185 3730 Australia Meeting ID: 894 8359 6077 Passcode: 339685 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcBonSAfLs

Hi everyone, The notes for today's Session on Lamentations Chapter 3 are posted at https://www.b4uc.xyz . I hope that you will ultimately find this very challenging book of Lamentations a worthwhile study and, perhaps, even a blessing in difficult times. Thanks for your participation. Blessings, Ray

G'day all, The slides for today's U3A Course R09 "What the Bible is About" Session 3 that covered Lamentations Chapter 2 are now posted on our unofficial website at https://www.b4uc.xyz As always, I would welcome any comments or questions either via this discussion group or my personal email at ray@... Thanks to all participants. I look forward to seeing you next Thursday. Blessings, Ray

Hi Merlene and everyone, Thanks very much for your two heart-felt comments. They are much appreciated and provide much fruit for my consideration. While you're speaking for yourself, I'm sure that others share all or part of your feelings; I know that I do. Let me address my initial thoughts on both, taking on next term first. 1. I have continually expressed a HOPE that we'll be able to return to face-to-face next term. As we get further into Term 1 I'll request participant feedback as to people's preferences for Term 2. Any decision that I make will be based upon the survey findings. My personal preference is to take things a term at a time. Like you, Merlene, nothing in the various governmental approaches to this crisis from Day 1 has given me any sense of comfort or confidence that any government has effective answers for this CCP released contagion. The latest advice to wear multiple (is three better than two?) masks is simply ludicrous. It's as if this virus was deliberately engineered (by gain-of-function experiments) in a biological weapons laboratory in Wuhan to eliminate people in our age cohort. So in-person classes next term remain a hope, not a fact. 2. Regarding the Lamentations study, I will cut the six sessions to five by doubling up on Chapters 4 and 5. Also please remember that our sessions are now 15 minutes shorter than in 2020. The book of Lamentations is an important part of our Bible in that it is a history and a memorial that is a deeply theological reminder that sin causes suffering and grief, both part of the pain of living. Much of the modern church tends to skip over the hard "sin" parts to focus on congregational singing, communal prayer, and in many cases feel-good or one-verse/passage theology sermons; yet many people in each congregation are dealing with the pain of life. One purpose of a lament in the Bible (and Lamentations is the longest of these) is to model how to process personal pain, suffering, and grief through choosing to turn to God in faith, trusting in Him, and laying out our innermost feelings while asking for help. While this may not seem relevant to everyone all the time, it is probably significant for each of us at some time. Despite what may appear from Chapter 1 which documents the suffering and destruction and Chapter 2, which explains why the suffering occurred, or even from the book overall, Lamentations is not unrelievedly dark. Even in the darkest times, Lamentations clearly states in Chapter 3 that there is hope. "Because of the steadfast love of the Lord, His mercies never cease;" (Lam. 3:22). Even when Jeremiah looked upon the very real suffering of His people and the complete destruction of the city and country that he held dear, his lament elevates YHVH as a God of love and redemption and calls for the people to return to the righteous LORD. And from the literary menorah structure, we know that this message of hope from Chapter 3 is Jeremiah's central message in this five-song symphony. When reading Lamentations, it's also worth keeping in mind that Jeremiah 25:11 reads, "This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years." The author of Lamentations, Jeremiah, had spent 40 years of his working life warning Judah that the destruction would happen if they didn't turn back to God. They didn't and his prophecy in Jeremiah 25:11 came true. But both Jeremiah and Daniel (Dan. 9) both knew that God's punishment would ONLY last 70 years from the destruction of the First Temple until the completion of the Second Temple. I repeat, "Because of the steadfast love of the Lord, His mercies never cease." Thanks again for your input, Merlene. BTW, the notes for Session 2 are posted on https://www.b4uc.xyz Blessings, Ray On Friday, 5 February 2021, 12:32:46 pm AEST, Merlene <merlene@...> wrote: Hi Ray, Thank you for your detailed explanations of the poetry and structure of Lamentations. I know history is extremely important and should never be ignored, but for me personally I’m finding studying Lamentations very depre

Hi Ray, Thank you for your detailed explanations of the poetry and structure of Lamentations. I know history is extremely important and should never be ignored, but for me personally I’m finding studying Lamentations very depressing. In fact, after the first week it changed my mood for the rest of the day, and the same yesterday, only more depressed. There is enough trouble, hardship and bad things happening around us all now, especially with the Covid-19 situation, which will be with us for some considerable time yet in spite of the promised vaccines. Is there any chance you may consider shortening the time spent dwelling on the hardships and God’s punishment in Lamentations without detracting from its essential meaning then, in the future, and the present, to us. I appreciate I am only one voice in a class of up to 20 people, but as you always invite us to have our say, this is mine. God is good, I’d rather dwell on His goodness, giving thanks continually, rather than be depressed by what had to happen to the ungodly. Again, in all time frames. Also, on another matter, although you are considering face-to-face classes next term, I definitely will not attend. The threat of the Virus hasn’t changed since last year – in fact it has become worse with the new variant and the complacency of no visible cases in Queensland, notwithstanding there is evidence of it in our sewerage systems. Although I would love to meet with everyone personally, the risk is far too great FOR ME. I still avoid all public transport and venture out of my safe environment only when necessary – once again, that’s my decision, and may not apply to others, for which I respect. I hope you understand. Blessings, Merlene

G'day all, Many thanks to all who participated in the time-setting survey of the past week. Although the results were fairly close, the clear winner that emerged is the standard U3A time of 10:45-12:00. So I hope to see you all online at 10:45 this coming Thursday for Session 2. Course notes are posted on our unofficial website at Unofficial U3A Course Resources after each session. Please advise either through this group or direct to me at ray.sarlin@... if you have any questions or comments. Ta. This week will look at Chapter 1 of the book of Lamentations, the first "song" or "dirge" of Jeremiah over the ruins of Jerusalem and Judah. We'll also discuss some more aspects of Hebrew poetry for you to look for in Scripture. Blessings, Ray Ray Sarlin is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: U3A R09 What the Bible is About Time: Feb 4, 2021 10:45 AM Brisbane Feb 11, 2021 10:45 AM Feb 18, 2021 10:45 AM Feb 25, 2021 10:45 AM Mar 4, 2021 10:45 AM Mar 11, 2021 10:45 AM Mar 18, 2021 10:45 AM Mar 25, 2021 10:45 AM Apr 1, 2021 10:45 AM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Weekly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZ0pf-qtpz0qHdNnPsLzAbLQYkwbvYgXZKeh/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGhqjMpH92TsB6ARpx5Boqgb-_xmCFfgqdzki_2LzpyYC_HD-lVMKRGF-Dq Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89483596077?pwd=elR1ZWl1ODcyNlFTY0xQRnZEWjhIZz09 Meeting ID: 894 8359 6077 Passcode: 339685 One tap mobile +61861193900,,89483596077#,,,,*339685# Australia +61871501149,,89483596077#,,,,*339685# Australia Dial by your location +61 8 6119 3900 Australia +61 8 7150 1149 Australia +61 2 8015 6011 Australia +61 3 7018 2005 Australia +61 7 3185 3730 Australia Meeting ID: 894 8359 6077 Passcode: 339685 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcBonSAfLs

A new poll has been created: G'day, all. As discussed during our first class of 2021 yesterday, please advise your preference for the session time for our Thursday Zoom session this term. The options are: Option 1. Thursdays, 11:00-12:30. The class operated on this timeframe for Terms 2, 3, and 4 of 2020 during the CCP-virus lockdown. One small benefit is that 11 AM is a memorable starting time. Another was the additional 15 minutes allowed for the presentation, which often suits the content. Option 2. Thursdays, 10:45-12:00. This is the standard U3A timeslot as posted on the U3A website. This will be the probable timeslot should the class resume in-person classroom presentations in Term 2. Option 3. No preference. As always, please feel free to email me in confidence at ray.sarlin@... if you have any additional suggestions or have any concerns or comments. Thanks, Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor, R09 1. Option 1. 11:00-12:30 2. Option 2. 10:45-12:00 3. Option 3. No preference Vote Now Do not reply to this message to vote in the poll. You can vote in polls only through the group's website.

Hi Ray, Ian and Margaret 11am to 12.30 pm

Hi all, The course notes for today's session giving a background to the study of the book of Lamentations are now posted on our unofficial website at Unofficial U3A Course Resources Please advise either through this group or direct to me at ray.sarlin@... if you have any questions about the session, the course, or the notes. Ta. With most of the background out of the way, we'll turn our focus to the biblical text. Next week, Chapter 1 of the book of Lamentations, the first "song" or "dirge" of Jeremiah over the ruins of Jerusalem and Judah. Hope to see you there. Blessings, Ray

Hi everyone, Welcome to U3A Course R09. While Term 1 will run by Zoom, my hope is that by Term 2 of 2021, vaccines and other advances will enable us to confidently resume in-person classes in the city. We take an entire book of the Bible at a time, presenting the overall context and any relevant historical, archaeological, prophetic, and other background information as we go verse-by-verse through each book. Where useful, the NKJV text is contrasted with other translations, which may lead to examining some of the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek) to enable you to determine for yourself what meanings to favour. Along the way, we may also look at the many types of "codes" in the Bible, sometimes in plain sight and sometimes carefully hidden. In fact, the course is designed to enable participants to read and understand the Bible themselves. This is not a "religious" course and does not "push" any religion, denomination, or dogma; the focus is on allowing the Bible to speak for itself which the Word of God does admirably well. Please don't get the impression from the above paragraph that this is an academically challenging course. It isn't; it's not academic at all. The Bible was written to be understood by everyone (with eyes to see and ears to hear). In fact, public education was invented so that children could learn to read the Bible for themselves. It's been my experience that when someone approaches the Bible with an open mind, the Bible opens up to them. Here's where I should mention that I'm neither priest, pastor, reverend, imam, monk, nor guru. I'm simply a "civilian" who loves this awesome one-of-a-kind book. Over the years R09 has had participants with doctorates in theology and the like, including retired clergy, who've enjoyed the course along with some who've not read the Bible at all and all sorts in between. We post all course notes (and links to any videos or other resources) on our unofficial website. We also have a discussion board for internal communications and questions that may arise from time-to-time. I currently intend to cover the book of Lamentations and the First and Second Letters to Timothy this term. Lamentations is little studied by Christians. It is largely considered to be a dark and challenging paean on the Fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonians, but when we've finished I trust that you will see that is an exquisitely crafted poetic masterpiece. For all of its legitimate focus on pain, heartbreak, sorrow, and sadness, it is interspersed with prayers and cries for restoration. Some of you may also see how timely this study is for events in the world today: for example, just this month we witnessed the USA, protector of the West, abandon representative democracy to become an oligarchy in thrall to global powerbrokers, whom the Bible prophesies will rule in the Last Days (World Government). Just as Judah abandoned God so God abandoned it to Babylon, so too the USA is now paying the price. But Lamentations is not so much depressing as it is thought-provoking, and you should gain a lot out from our study. We'll then take on Paul's definitive letters on the early Christian church, his 1st and 2nd letters to Timothy. With so many voices today calling for a return to the 1st Century Church, it should be instructive to see what the 1st Century Church really was. We've previously studied Titus and Philemon, so this will complete our study of Paul's pastoral epistles. To unenroll from this class discussion board, follow the link on the bottom of this post or send me an email. Thank you for your past participation. Zoom instructions are attached. Blessings, Ray Ray Sarlin is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: U3A R09 What the Bible is About Time: Jan 28, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:30, every week on Thursday for ten occurrences Feb 4, 2021 11:00 AM Feb 11, 2021 11:00 AM Feb 18, 2021 11:00 AM Feb 25, 2021 11:00 AM Mar 4, 2021 11:00 AM Mar 11, 2021 11:00 AM Mar 18, 2021 11:00 AM Mar 25, 2021 11:00 AM Apr 1, 2021 11:00 AM Please download and import the following i

G'day all, I trust that this email will find everyone recovered from a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year's Eve, from which you will also soon recover. The main reason for this email is to advise that my former email address which I have had for some two decades has been hacked or otherwise corrupted and is now almost unusable. My new email address may be somewhat familiar: ray@... Our schedule for Term 1, 2021 has me quite energized. We'll start off with a study of the almost completely unknown but fascinating Old Testament book of Lamentations, which has been bitter-sweet as I have been observing the swift collapse of my birth country from a democratic Republic to what may well become an elitist-run totalitarian state in thrall to Communist China by early 2021. Many of Jeremiah's laments over the fallen Jerusalem and Judah of 586 BC strike shockingly responsive chords. But we won't dwell on current politics, because God's Word has much more to say through this book. If you haven't studied the book of Lamentations, and few have, prepare yourself to pick up some exciting insights. One such is that Lamentations is a striking example of sophisticated Hebrew poetry. Following on from Lamentations, we'll examine Paul's First Epistle to Timothy and then close the term with his Second Epistle to Timothy. Paul wrote First Timothy soon after he was released from his first imprisonment at his house in Rome near the end of the book of Acts. First Timothy puts forward Paul's blueprint for an effective first-century ekklesia, which we call today a "church" or "congregation." In it, Paul answers many questions of vital importance, such as the roles of men and women within the Body of Believers. Some passages have caused many heated discussions and substantial confusion when people focus on a phrase or verse or two and ignore other parts of the passage. Paul also had strong views on leadership within the ekklesia. We'll examine what Paul really had to say, stripped of any modern sense of political correctness. The purpose of our study is merely to examine what the Bible actually has to say, not to challenge or reinforce any particular religious doctrine or dogma. When Paul wrote his Second Epistle, his situation had changed drastically. He was now formally incarcerated in chains in Rome and facing imminent execution by beheading. Many of his associates had vanished and few remained at his side. But in this dark time, as he was penning his final words, Paul's main concern was for Timothy and the success of his gospel ministry. This is a very human letter by an author very aware of life, death, and life after death. Classes start at 10:45 on 28th January 2021 via Zoom. Log-in details will be provided a week or so before the first session. In the meantime, please send any of your comments or queries via this Discussion Group or direct to me at my new email address. Thanks. You can unenroll from this Discussion Group by following a link on this email or by emailing me directly with your request. Blessings, Ray Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor R09

Hi Merlene, I'm not sure that you asked a question, but your comments were so interesting that I thought that I would respond anyway.? The Bible is silent on many aspects of the 40 days prior to Ascension, and yet it also provides many details about that period. For example, He was in His post-resurrection body, the same body believers will one day get (Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:48-49; 1 Jn 3:2). As such, He appeared in bodily form as a man but his body was not constrained by time or space (our four-dimensional constraints) but was able to appear (Lk 24:36) and disappear (Lk 24:31), even passing through closed doors (Jn 20:19,26). Yet He ate and drank (Lk 24:42-43; Jn 21:12-15). His glorified body had the scars in His hands and side that He died with (Jn 20:20,27; Lk 24:39-40). Jesus was extremely active during the forty days. He used the forty days to give the disciples final teaching and instruction now that they were aware of His purpose and mission. Jesus also used the time to correct some misunderstandings (Acts 1:6, 7-8; Mark 16:15-16). It would have been like post-doctoral studies. The forty days also bore witness to Christ’s bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-14). At least ten separate appearances (Acts 1:3-4; Mark 16:9-18) are recorded in Scripture where He walked and talked and went about His ministry being seen in His restored body by thousands. He continued to preach and heal. John 32:25 states: "Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." As to where Jesus resided or other activities outside his noted appearances, the Bible is silent and so shall I be.? By the way, the number 40 is very significant. It appears 159 times in 146 verses in the Bible. To Rabbis, the number 40 represents cleansing, transition, or change; the concept of renewal or a new beginning. Forty has the power to lift a spiritual state. For example: · Jesus’ ministry commenced with 40 days in the Wilderness and ended with the 40 days before Ascension. Both periods represented significant transitions in Jesus' ministry. · The world was submerged during 40 days and 40 nights of rain in Noah’s Flood. · After arrival as Egyptian slaves, Moses went up Mount Sinai for 40 days and brought down the tablets that transformed them into God’s nation. · They spent 40 years in the Wilderness transitioning from Egypt to the Nation of Israel. · Jonah gave Ninevah 40 days to repent. They did. By coincidence, Strong’s Concordance term G40 is ?γιο? (hagios), which means “the most holy thing”. The word is also used to mean “a saint.” An you know what the Rabbis say about "coincidence"! Blessings, Ray

Hi Ian, Thanks for your interesting questions. None of your questions cover "obvious points" and each is worthy of a fuller answer than I can give, but I'll try. 1. How many years after the resurrection of Jesus did John have his indescribable vision of Jesus on Patmos? John recorded his vision about AD 95, during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitian. Domitian had decreed that he be worshipped as “Lord and God,” and refusal to obey his edict led to severe persecution. Tradition says that Domitian sent John to exile at a Roman penal colony on the Isle of Patmos. When 44-year-old Domitian was assassinated in AD 96 by his chamberlain Parthenius and other court officials, John was released from exile and returned to Ephesus. I've visited Patmos and the Agean Sea is the dominant sight from anywhere on the largish u-shaped island, so it's not surprising that the word "sea" occurs twenty-six times in Revelation. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday 6 April 32 AD, 173,880 days after Artaxerxes Longimanus gave his commandment to restore and re-build Jerusalem (14 March 445 BC). Jesus died on the Cross at 3 pm on 9 April (Passover Preparation Day, Passover was the next day on 10 April), rose three days and three nights later on 12 April (after 6 p.m. on the Feast of Firstfruits, the day after the Sabbath), and the tomb was found empty at dawn on Sunday 13 April. He ministered on earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven. The believers received the gifts of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost which falls on the 50th day after Passover, which occurred on 30 May that year. Sorry for the digressions, but it would appear that (~95-32) ~63 years had transpired between the Resurrection and the penning of the book of Revelation. 2. How many years after the resurrection of Jesus were the failings and bad behaviour identified in the seven churches? While all seven cities were in existence with their noted strengths and weaknesses when John received the letter in about AD 95, I would suggest that they didn't happen overnight and probably had been happening some years before and continued some years afterwards. The direct answer to your question, however, would be ~95-32 = ~63 years. 3. Did an Angel provide the letters to John or to the churches? "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants" (Rev. 1:1a) - God the Father revealed the future to Jesus Christ, so that Jesus would convey it to all believers. "And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John." (Rev. 1:1b) According to Revelation 1:1–2, the Father gave the revelation to the Son, and the Son shared it with the apostle, using “His angel” as an intermediary messenger or envoy. But don't confuse this as an absent Jesus Christ having an angelic courier bring John a completed scroll (or email). John experienced the Revelation of Christ through all of his senses and later wrote it down (or dictated it). The angel certainly conveyed a part (Rev. 1:1, 17:1; 19:9–10) but so too did Christ Himself (Rev. 1:10-20 and Chapters 2 and 3). Sometimes an elder did (Rev. 7:13). Sometimes a “voice from heaven” told John what to say and do (Rev. 10:4). Most often, John "in the Spirit" simply witnessed it himself. So the book came from Jesus to John by all of these various inspired means of communication. The key point is that John "in the Spirit" truly experienced all the things that he would later write down as the book of Revelation. The word "signified" (Rev. 1:1) confirms this; it means “to show by a sign.” The same word is translated in Revelation as sign (Rev. 15:1), wonder (Rev. 12:1, 3), and miracle (Rev. 19:20). So John is noting that the message was miraculously transmitted to him by Jesus. John's gospel uses the same word (σημα?νω, sēmaínō) to describe the other miracles of Jesus Christ. The last part of the answer to your third question is that John was directed to share Christ's revelation with all believers ("who bore witness to the word of God", Rev 1:2). This fulfils God's initial intent in Rev. 1:1 for the message to be shared wit

Hi Ray and All, Thank you Ray for the latest postings on your Website. More spiritual food to digest. On another topic, but still within the ambit of this course, there is a Spotlight series on Kanopy that is well worth watching. I discovered Kanopy through another U3A course. Although I don’t spend time watching videos, etc. this one caught my eye: JESUS: His Life. “Explores the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens: the people in his life who were closest to Him.” There are about three commentators from different religions and from what I’ve heard so far, none are biased. The series seem to be Bible based, albeit seen through the “fictitious” eyes of people close to him. It is a series – 6 in all, I think. I’ve watched the first four – Joseph’s perspective, then John the Baptist, Mary (mother of Jesus) and Caiaphas. To me, all were quite thought-provoking. I don’t think many of us have thought about Jesus from his human point of view as opposed to the Son of God aspect. The Bible is pitched towards an account of events, rather than the effects of the event on an individual during Jesus’ time. Very interesting and insightful. It gave me a new appreciation of the God/human perspective. For those of you are may not be familiar with Kanopy – it is a FREE resource, available through the Brisbane City Council Library, or your local Library. You need to be a member of the Library, log-in, and create an separate account in Kanopy. It took me a couple of tries before succeeding. Maybe start with Google search: kanopy.com and follow the prompts. That works! If you can find the time to watch an episode or two, I’d be interested in your comments. Blessings, Merlene

G'day, all. All slides used this year in R09: What the Bible is About are now posted on our unofficial class website at Unofficial U3A Course Resources . Unofficial U3A Course Resources Thanks again for your participation. Blessings, Ray Ray Sarlin U3A Tutor R09