Alan Russell Fuller's Blog, page 4
March 14, 2021
Amazon #1
The Capitol Insurrection And Religion
Amazon best sellers 3/14/2021
#1 in 90-Minute Politics & Social Sciences Short Reads
#3 in Religious Studies - Church & State
#3 in Radical Thought
Amazon best sellers 3/14/2021
#1 in 90-Minute Politics & Social Sciences Short Reads
#3 in Religious Studies - Church & State
#3 in Radical Thought
March 7, 2021
New eBook
My new book, The Capitol Insurrection And Religion will be available for free download for Kindle from 3/11 to 3/15. It is also available in paperback.
July 15, 2020
New ebook
The book of Revelation says that wisdom is needed to calculate the number of the beast. Not only that, but John also speaks as though the wisdom already existed. Philo of Alexandria wrote before John wrote the book of Revelation. He gave an interpretation of the number 666. It was similar to the first Christian interpretation given by the second-century church father Irenaeus. Both pay more attention to the place of the digits rather than the number treated as a sum. Belial/Beliar is the word in the Old Testament for those worthless, lawless ones. It can be found in the New Testament by simply comparing scripture to scripture. The connection between Belial/Beliar to an antichrist has long been known. What is new is how this name is calculated from 666.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D1M48M4/...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D1M48M4/...
June 3, 2020
February 19, 2020
Amazon review
If anybody wants to learn more about the Book of Revelation I recommend "Revelation: A Shorter Commentary," by G.K. Beale.
Revelation: A Shorter Commentary
That's what I told Mr. Fish Tech who reviewed my book at Amazon. If you check his profile you'll see that he bears a remarkable resemblance to Curly Howard.
Revelation: A Shorter Commentary
That's what I told Mr. Fish Tech who reviewed my book at Amazon. If you check his profile you'll see that he bears a remarkable resemblance to Curly Howard.
February 17, 2020
Amazon review
Got my first review at Amazon. Ouch!
From FishTech:
"The author starts out telling you to keep an open mind and the farther you go into this farce of a book the more he draws on additional fantasy to support other fantasies as facts. The only things I think I missed were the absence of witches, spiritualism, and aliens as all being gods. The author totally misses the entire meaning of the Bible completely starting in the beginning of this book with the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation was revealed to John by Jesus. It is the only book in the Bible that you don't need to reference other parts of the Bible to understand it. Everything, including the symbolism is written in this book for you to read. If you read the entire Bible you will get a better understanding of much of what's being communicated but it's not necessary. Is it easy to understand? Probably not especially if you close your mind and believe the fantasy the author tries to sell you. The last thing the author forgets to mention is that the Bible is mostly prophecy that is accurate down to the the week and years in the areas of the Bible that mention time lines. For instance, the 70 weeks as it pertains to Israel. If you want to know how to improve your life and know God then read the Bible, not garbage such as this from an author that refuses to include all the accurate prophecies that are contained within the scriptures. If you still don't want to believe me then ask God himself. Go to God and ask him to give you the answers you seek. God the Father and Jesus our Lord and Savior will not let you down. Both promise you this in the Bible. Ask them to fill you with the Holy Spirit and your life will turn around for the better and you will have everlasting life."
From FishTech:
"The author starts out telling you to keep an open mind and the farther you go into this farce of a book the more he draws on additional fantasy to support other fantasies as facts. The only things I think I missed were the absence of witches, spiritualism, and aliens as all being gods. The author totally misses the entire meaning of the Bible completely starting in the beginning of this book with the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation was revealed to John by Jesus. It is the only book in the Bible that you don't need to reference other parts of the Bible to understand it. Everything, including the symbolism is written in this book for you to read. If you read the entire Bible you will get a better understanding of much of what's being communicated but it's not necessary. Is it easy to understand? Probably not especially if you close your mind and believe the fantasy the author tries to sell you. The last thing the author forgets to mention is that the Bible is mostly prophecy that is accurate down to the the week and years in the areas of the Bible that mention time lines. For instance, the 70 weeks as it pertains to Israel. If you want to know how to improve your life and know God then read the Bible, not garbage such as this from an author that refuses to include all the accurate prophecies that are contained within the scriptures. If you still don't want to believe me then ask God himself. Go to God and ask him to give you the answers you seek. God the Father and Jesus our Lord and Savior will not let you down. Both promise you this in the Bible. Ask them to fill you with the Holy Spirit and your life will turn around for the better and you will have everlasting life."
February 5, 2020
Now Available
My book "Dark Sayings Of The Apocalypse," is now available in paperback at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
January 28, 2020
Now Available
My new ebook is now available at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
January 27, 2020
April 9, 2019
This Generation - Stack Exchange
Historical-critical scholars such as Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) believed Jesus was a failed prophet.
"...saying that no one, including himself, knew the exact time of his return, but it would be before the end of the end of the first generation of followers." wikipedia
I didn't notice a more traditional understanding of this concept in your link. It is called "the continual coming of Christ in the church." It was taught by those like Augustine (354-430), Tyconius (about 380), Origen (184-253), and though it is generally misunderstood, Justin Martyr (100-165). Augustine explained it this way.
"--whether to that coming of the Saviour which continually occurs in His Church, that is, in His members, in which comes little by little, and piece by piece, since the whole Church is His body, or to the destruction of the earthly Jerusalem." St. Augustine of Hippo: The City of God Book XX, ch 5
Earlier Origen talked about "this generation."
Origen: The uninstructed refer the words to the destruction of Jerusalem, and suppose them to have been said of that generation which saw Christ’s death, that it should not pass away before the city should be destroyed. But I doubt that they would succeed in thus expounding every word from that, “one stone shall not be left upon another,” to that, “it is even at the door;” in some perhaps they would succeed, in others not altogether. Origen: Yet shall the generation of the Church survive the whole of this world, that it may inherit the world to come, yet it shall not pass away until all these things have come to pass. But when all these shall have been fulfilled, then not the earth only but the heavens also shall pass away; that is, not only the men whose life is earthly, and who are therefore called the earth, but also they whose conversation is in heaven, and who are therefore called the heaven; these “shall pass away” to things to come, that they may come to better things. But the words spoken by the Saviour shall not pass away, because they effect and shall ever effect their purpose; but the perfect and they that admit no further improvement, passing through what they are, come to that which they are not; and this is that, “My words shall not pass away.” And perhaps the words of Moses and the Prophets have passed away because all that they prophesied has been fulfilled; but the words of Christ are always complete, daily fulfilling and to be fulfilled in the saints. Or perhaps we ought not to say that the words of Moses and the Prophets are once for all fulfilled; seeing they also are the words of the Son of God, and are fulfilled continually. Catena Aurea
Referred to as chiliasm, Justin Martyr referred to a thousand years in Jerusalem and compared it to both the carnal and spiritual life of Adam.
I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, [as] the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare. (Dialogue with Trypho, ch LXXX) For as Adam was told that in the day he ate of the tree he would die, we know that he did not complete a thousand years. (Dialogue with Trypho, ch LXXXI)
The concept of spiritual life is best compared to New Jerusalem rather than the earthly Jerusalem.
(Heb 4:3) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Heb 4:4) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. (Heb 12:22) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Heb 12:23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Heb 12:24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
This can be understood as the spiritual light in our hearts.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
So the coming Jesus sometimes referred to was present in His generation.
https://christianity.stackexchange.co...
"...saying that no one, including himself, knew the exact time of his return, but it would be before the end of the end of the first generation of followers." wikipedia
I didn't notice a more traditional understanding of this concept in your link. It is called "the continual coming of Christ in the church." It was taught by those like Augustine (354-430), Tyconius (about 380), Origen (184-253), and though it is generally misunderstood, Justin Martyr (100-165). Augustine explained it this way.
"--whether to that coming of the Saviour which continually occurs in His Church, that is, in His members, in which comes little by little, and piece by piece, since the whole Church is His body, or to the destruction of the earthly Jerusalem." St. Augustine of Hippo: The City of God Book XX, ch 5
Earlier Origen talked about "this generation."
Origen: The uninstructed refer the words to the destruction of Jerusalem, and suppose them to have been said of that generation which saw Christ’s death, that it should not pass away before the city should be destroyed. But I doubt that they would succeed in thus expounding every word from that, “one stone shall not be left upon another,” to that, “it is even at the door;” in some perhaps they would succeed, in others not altogether. Origen: Yet shall the generation of the Church survive the whole of this world, that it may inherit the world to come, yet it shall not pass away until all these things have come to pass. But when all these shall have been fulfilled, then not the earth only but the heavens also shall pass away; that is, not only the men whose life is earthly, and who are therefore called the earth, but also they whose conversation is in heaven, and who are therefore called the heaven; these “shall pass away” to things to come, that they may come to better things. But the words spoken by the Saviour shall not pass away, because they effect and shall ever effect their purpose; but the perfect and they that admit no further improvement, passing through what they are, come to that which they are not; and this is that, “My words shall not pass away.” And perhaps the words of Moses and the Prophets have passed away because all that they prophesied has been fulfilled; but the words of Christ are always complete, daily fulfilling and to be fulfilled in the saints. Or perhaps we ought not to say that the words of Moses and the Prophets are once for all fulfilled; seeing they also are the words of the Son of God, and are fulfilled continually. Catena Aurea
Referred to as chiliasm, Justin Martyr referred to a thousand years in Jerusalem and compared it to both the carnal and spiritual life of Adam.
I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, [as] the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare. (Dialogue with Trypho, ch LXXX) For as Adam was told that in the day he ate of the tree he would die, we know that he did not complete a thousand years. (Dialogue with Trypho, ch LXXXI)
The concept of spiritual life is best compared to New Jerusalem rather than the earthly Jerusalem.
(Heb 4:3) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Heb 4:4) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. (Heb 12:22) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Heb 12:23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Heb 12:24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
This can be understood as the spiritual light in our hearts.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
So the coming Jesus sometimes referred to was present in His generation.
https://christianity.stackexchange.co...
