Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7)
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Jesus's Warning About Competitor With Signs & Wonders.
Three years after Jesus' Ascension, Christians were waiting for Jesus's return on clouds of glory which Jesus promised every eye would see from "eastern to western sky." (Matthew 24:26-29.) Only the day or hour was unknown. At that point, Paul was breathing "murderous threats" on Christians. He was clearly a lost man. Paul then had a wilderness encounter outside Damascus with someone saying "I am Jesus whom you persecute" -- the voice implying he was the Christ. (Acts 9:1-11). However, those with Paul "saw no one." (Acts 9:7.)
What was Paul's proof he was chosen by the true Jesus? Paul in Second Corinthians 12:12 said what proved his validity: "The things that mark an apostle—signs and wonders—were done among you with great perseverance." Paul in Romans 15:19 likewise said: "Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." The Greek roots for signs and wonders were "semeion" and "teraton."
But Jesus was repeatedly concerned about the "signs and wonders" prophets, especially those claiming to have met in the "wilderness" someone coming "in my name" saying in effect 'I am Jesus' -- an imposter Jesus -- whom Jesus tells us we know is false because not everyone on earth will have seen this imposter from "eastern to western sky" coming on clouds of glory. (Matthew 7:15-23, especially verse 22; Matthew 24:11 &24, & 26-28; Revelation 1:7 "coming with clouds, and every eye will see him".)
Jesus warns again of the false prophets in Mark 13:22. They "shall show signs and wonders to seduce, if possible, even the elect."
The Greek words in each warning by Jesus about false prophets quoted above were "semeion" and "teraton" -- the same words as what Paul claimed proved his validity. Jesus said the false prophets will be "ravening wolves" in "sheep's clothing" (Matthew 7:15.) - that is "false prophets" who appear to be following the true Christ but follow a false Christ.
God Identified From What Tribe This Ravening Wolf In Sheep's Clothing Would Come From.
Did God send a prophecy to warn us about one who would claim to follow Christ but inwardly was a "ravening wolf" as Jesus called him? And did God tell us from what tribe? Indeed, God did so.
Jacob in Genesis prophesied a warning of a "ravening wolf" from the tribe of Benjamin who would come in the latter days. This was the same time "Shiloh" -- the Prince of Peace -- would come, and who would be from Judah (i.e., the Messiah). The Benjamite Wolf prophesy is in Genesis 49:27. [For full discussion of the Benjamite Wolf prophecy, see Jesus' Words Only chapter 14 and chapter 18.]
Thus, Jesus' familiar warning about a "ravening wolf" in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15) -- one who would claim to be one of Christ's sheep -- borrows language right from Genesis 49:27.
Is that a coincidence? It does not appear so for the term "ravening wolf" is only spoken about in 3 places in Scripture -- Genesis 49:27, Matthew 7:15 and last but not least Ezekiel 22:26-30. This last use depicts those who claim in visions revelation which they use to lead the people to abandon the Law, especially resting on Sabbath, and God calls them "ravening wolves." Does that sound like anyone we know in his post-'conversion' messages?
Jesus used this label to depict one who is not a true sheep but wears sheep's clothing that make him appear like a sheep. Genesis prophesied this would be a "ravening wolf" from the tribe of Benjamin. Who could this "ravening wolf" claiming to be a "sheep" from the tribe of Benjamin possibly be?
The Book Jesus's Words Only.
In line with the above, an attorney in the book Jesus Words Only argues the inspired New Testament consists of Jesus' words only. Paul's status is questioned. First, Paul never made a valid prophecy. Second, Paul must be rejected under Deuteronomy 13:5 because he taught the Law of Moses was nullified (unlike Jesus who said in Matthew 5:17-19 that it continues, and that the greatest in the kingdom would teach its principles). Lastly, Jesus most likely intended we understand Paul was the person in Revelation 2:2 whom the Ephesians put on trial and proved was a false apostle. This Ephesus trial is alluded to in Acts chapter 19 where after 3 months of Paul teaching at the Ephesus congregation, the same Ephesus assembly expelled Paul. Paul refers to his trial in Ephesus several times as well, referring to "Asia" -- the region of which Ephesus was the capital. To order through Amazon, see this link.
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