The Golden Verse of the Bible

The bible tells us to love one another, be gentle and to humble ourselves to accomplish what god wants us to do in this world. Even Jesus tells us to show the other cheek if hit in one and to forgive your brother not seven times but seventy times. To do all this  just follow this golden verse. It will be as easy as it sounds. 

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The Rabbi, the Note and the Messiah - Israel Today | Israel News

This is a reprint of a cover story that first appeared in the April 2007 issue of Israel Today Magazine

A few months before he died, one of the nation’s most prominent rabbis, Yitzhak Kaduri, supposedly wrote the name of the Messiah on a small note which he requested would remain sealed until now. When the note was unsealed, it revealed what many have known for centuries: Yehoshua, or Yeshua (Jesus), is the Messiah.

With the biblical name of Jesus, the Rabbi and kabbalist described the Messiah using six words and hinting that the initial letters form the name of the Messiah. The secret note said:

Concerning the letter abbreviation of the Messiah’s name, He will lift the people and prove that his word and law are valid.
This I have signed in the month of mercy,
Yitzhak Kaduri

The Hebrew sentence (translated above in bold) with the hidden name of the Messiah reads:

Yarim Ha’Am Veyokhiakh Shedvaro Vetorato Omdim

ירים העם ויוכיח שדברו ותורתו עומדים

The initials spell the Hebrew name of Jesus יהושוע . Yehoshua and Yeshua are effectively the same name, derived from the same Hebrew root of the word “salvation” as documented in Zechariah 6:11 and Ezra 3:2. The same priest writes in Ezra, “Yeshua (ישוע) son of Yozadak” while writing in Zechariah “Yehoshua (יהושוע) son of Yohozadak.” The priest adds the holy abbreviation of God’s name, ho (הו), in the father’s name Yozadak and in the name Yeshua. 

With one of Israel’s most prominent rabbis indicating the name of the Messiah is Yeshua, it is understandable why his last wish was to wait one year after his death before revealing what he wrote. 

When the name of Yehoshua appeared in Kaduri’s message, ultra-Orthodox Jews from his Nahalat Yitzhak Yeshiva (seminary) in Jerusalem argued that their master did not leave the exact solution for decoding the Messiah’s name. 

The revelation received scant coverage in the Israeli media. Only the Hebrew websites News First Class (Nfc) and Kaduri.net mentioned the Messiah note, insisting it was authentic. The Hebrew daily Ma’ariv ran a story on the note but described it as a forgery. 

Jewish readers responded on the websites’ forums with mixed feelings: “So this means Rabbi Kaduri was a Christian?” and “The Christians are dancing and celebrating,” were among the comments.

Israel Today spoke to two of Kaduri’s followers in Jerusalem who admitted that the note was authentic, but confusing for his followers as well. “We have no idea how the Rabbi got to this name of the Messiah,” one of them said. 

Yet others completely deny any possibility that the note is authentic. 

In an interview with Israel Today, Rabbi David Kaduri, 80, the son of the late Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri, denied that his father left a note with the name Yeshua just before he died. “It’s not his writing,” he said when we showed him a copy of the note. During a night-time meeting in the Nahalat Yitzhak Yeshiva in Jerusalem, books with Kaduri’s handwriting from 80 years ago were presented to us in an attempt to prove that the Messiah note was not authentic. 

When we told Rabbi Kaduri that his father’s official website (www.kaduri.net) had mentioned the Messiah note, he was shocked. “Oh no! That’s blasphemy. The people could understand that my father pointed to him [the Messiah of the Christians].” David Kaduri confirmed, however, that in his last year his father had talked and dreamed almost exclusively about the Messiah and his coming. “My father has met the Messiah in a vision,” he said, “and told us that he would come soon.”

Kaduri’s Portrayal of the Messiah

A few months before Kaduri died at the age of 108, he surprised his followers when he told them that he met the Messiah. Kaduri gave a message in his synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, teaching how to recognize the Messiah. He also mentioned that the Messiah would appear to Israel after Ariel Sharon’s death. (The former prime minister is still in a coma after suffering a massive stroke more than a year ago.) Other rabbis predict the same, including Rabbi Haim Cohen, kabbalist Nir Ben Artzi and the wife of Rabbi Haim Kneiveskzy.

Kaduri’s grandson, Rabbi Yosef Kaduri, said his grandfather spoke many times during his last days about the coming of the Messiah and redemption through the Messiah. His spiritual portrayals of the Messiah—reminiscent of New Testament accounts—were published on the websites Kaduri.net and Nfc:

“It is hard for many good people in the society to understand the person of the Messiah. The leadership and order of a Messiah of flesh and blood is hard to accept for many in the nation. As leader, the Messiah will not hold any office, but will be among the people and use the media to communicate. His reign will be pure and without personal or political desire. During his dominion, only righteousness and truth will reign.

“Will all believe in the Messiah right away? No, in the beginning some of us will believe in him and some not. It will be easier for non-religious people to follow the Messiah than for Orthodox people.

“The revelation of the Messiah will be fulfilled in two stages: First, he will actively confirm his position as Messiah without knowing himself that he is the Messiah. Then he will reveal himself to some Jews, not necessarily to wise Torah scholars. It can be even simple people. Only then he will reveal himself to the whole nation. The people will wonder and say: ‘What, that’s the Messiah?’ Many have known his name but have not believed that he is the Messiah.”

Farewell to a ‘Tsadik’

Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri was known for his photographic memory and his memorization of the Bible, the Talmud, Rashi and other Jewish writings. He knew Jewish sages and celebrities of the last century and rabbis who lived in the Holy Land and kept the faith alive before the State of Israel was born. 

Kaduri was not only highly esteemed because of his age of 108. He was charismatic and wise, and chief rabbis looked up to him as a Tsadik, a righteous man or saint. He would give advice and blessings to everyone who asked. Thousands visited him to ask for counsel or healing. His followers speak of many miracles and his students say that he predicted many disasters.

When he died, more than 200,000 people joined the funeral procession on the streets of Jerusalem to pay their respects as he was taken to his final resting place.

“When he comes, the Messiah will rescue Jerusalem from foreign religions that want to rule the city,” Kaduri once said. “They will not succeed for they will fight against one another.”

 Original Article

The Rabbi, the Note and the Messiah - Israel Today | Israel News

Christian Persecution on the Rise in India; Grim Outlook for 2012

When the disciples asked Jesus about the end of this age and coming of  the eternal kingdom he said then a lot of things that would happen at that time and one paticular thing i would like to mention is this verse

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

                                                                                                                                                        Mathews 24:9 

Now in many countries Christians are been hated  as shown in the statistics below

Below is a article for the site http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-persecution-on-the-rise-in-india-grim-outlook-for-2012-66358/ stating the grim scenario of Christianity in India. Please Pray for these Christians.

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Watchdog groups are sounding the alarm on increasing acts of violence against Christians in India at the hands of the country's Hindu community.

India is one of the regions closely monitored by human rights groups, due to many cases of religious persecution taking place in its recent history. The biggest act of violence against Christians took place in 2008, in a remote eastern region of India, during an event referred to as the "Orissa massacre," in which an estimated 100 Christians were killed and some 5,600 displaced by a mob of Hindu extremists.

Local observers see a bleak outlook for 2012, given the mood in the country, as signs of renewed enmity become more and more apparent.

On Dec.18, 2011, some 2,500 protesters rallying under the banner of the Hindu nationalist movement expressed hostile attitude towards the idea of Christians celebrating Christmas, reported Mission Network News.

Violence did reportedly breakout in Karnataka, a state near Orissa, where a group of 15 Christians were attacked during Christmas celebrations at a private house by a mob of around 300 members of a Hindu nationalist organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The Christians were brutalized, windows smashed and furniture damaged, according to Mission Network News (MNN).

Dave Stravers of a Michigan-based mission to India told the publication that police arrested all the Christians after they were beaten. They were then thrown in jail, he reportedly said, for a week while no action was taken against the attackers.

"This illustrates the justice problem," Stravers told MNN. “Someone comes to beat you up, and then the police come and arrest you and accuse you of inciting that other person to violence!”

According to statistics gathered by Christians living in Orissa, local police only registered 827 cases of more than 3,500 reports of violence that took place during the "Orissa massacre." The cases that went to court that ended with a sentence were only 68, and 412 offenders received a minimum punishment. In addition, 1,009 people were acquitted, and 304 cases are still reportedly awaiting trial.

"Justice is still a huge problem for some 56,000 Christians for whom life has changed dramatically since August 2008," John Dayal, All India Christian Council's (AICC) Executive Secretary, said in a recent statement, as quoted by Spero News . "Aggressors asked them to convert to Hinduism and burn a Bible as a sign. They did not do it and chose to escape. In 400 villages the Christian presence was completely cancelled, more than 5,600 homes and about 295 churches were burned, hundreds of deaths, some women, including at least one nun, were raped."

Leading up to Christmas, more threats of attacks were made in this region, and religious leaders across the globe called for prayer for the safety of the Christian community in India (among other "dangerous" countries).

On Christmas Day 2011, an angry Hindu mob of 20 persons raided a home where several believers gathered for dinner, including a pastor, Bos News reported. The mob reportedly threatened to "kill the Christians," according to residents.

Hindu militants twice attacked evangelical Christians around the holidays in India's southern state of Karnataka, injuring several believers, including women and children, local Christians told BosNewsLife. Police were reportedly again reluctant to investigate the case, asking injured Christians what motivated them to convert to Christianity and reportedly siding with the attackers, according to witnesses.

In a separate incident on Dec. 28, about 10 suspected Hindu militants allegedly stormed the Hebron Full Gospel Assembly Church in the southwestern town of Haleyangadi, reportedly shouting threats and saying they would "not let the church continue at the place."

All India Christian Council has been pressuring the Indian government since December to pass a bill meant to curb "communal violence which has plagued this country after Independence in 1947, and bring justice to the victims." The proposed legislation is entitled the "Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence" bill, according to the organization's website. The council is also launching a nation-wide advocacy and prayer campaign in favor of the bill, AICC said on Dec. 12.

The proposed bill seeks to secure justice for victims and bring guilty parties to justice. It maintains that minorities are denied justice because of the communal behavior of a section of religious and political extremists, and the apathy or involvement of government administrators. The legislation also aims to curb hate speech and similar actions.

Hindus are an overwhelming majority in India, where Christians are a minority at 2.3 percent. Muslims constitute 13.4 percent of the population, while Sikhs make up 1.9 percent.

For additional information on Persecution check out:
www.persecution.org
Choose, “persecuted countries” and then pick the country that you are interested in serving.  Once you choose the country it gives you general information about the kind of persecution such as religious atmosphere, the government, extremist groups, and suggested actions that you could take.

www.persecution.com
On this Voice of the Martyrs website you can request prayer requests for the persecuted church around the world.  You can subscribe to a free monthly newsletter that gives you the latest updates on persecution that is happening in the world.

www.worldmap.org
A world atlas of maps on each country of the world, created by a collaborative work by Campus Crusade, DAWN, International Mission Board, and many others.

christianpersecutionindia.blogspot.in/

This is a blog dedicated to highlight the issue of Christian Persecution in India. We believe on the fundamental right of conscience and that everyone is free to choose. Even God does not tamper with free will, so why should Human Beings. The posts here in contain information about Christian Persecution in India from various sources with links and some exclusive to us. No Copyright infringement is intended. This is only for the purpose of spreading awareness of Christian persecution in India.

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Christianity Timeline

History of Christianity

 Christianity is based upon the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life is written about in the New Testament. Jesus, a Jew, was born in about 7 B.C. and assumed his public life, probably sometime after he turned 30, in Galilee. The Gospels tell of many extraordinary deeds that accompanied his ministry. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and referred to himself as the Son of Man. Jesus set forth the religious and ethical demands for participation in the kingdom of God as a change of heart and repentance for sins, love of God and neighbor, and concern for justice.

Circa A.D. 30 he was executed on a cross in Jerusalem, a brutal form of punishment for those considered a political threat to the Roman Empire.

After his death his followers came to believe in him as the Christ, the Messiah. The Gospels report his resurrection, and the risen Jesus was witnessed by many of his followers. The apostle Paul helped spread the new faith in his missionary travels. 

Historically, Christianity arose out of Judaism and claims that Jesus fulfilled many of the promises of the Hebrew Scripture (referred to by Christians as the Old Testament).

The new religion spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire. In its first two centuries, Christianity began to take shape as an organization, developing distinctive doctrine (principles), liturgy (the form of its ceremonies), and ministry. By the fourth century the Catholic church had taken root in countries stretching from Spain in the West to Persia and India in the East. Christianity was proclaimed the state religion of Rome in 380. In 1054, the Christians of the East and West decided to separate their churches because of differing beliefs and a rivalry between the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople. The resulting churches were the Eastern Orthodox Church, based in Constantinople, and the Roman Catholic Church, based in Rome. The Reformation began in 1517, which ultimately caused a schism in the Western church. Reformers wished to change certain practices within the Roman church, but also came to view the Christian faith in a distinctly new way. The major Protestant denominations (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed, and Anglican [Episcopalian]) thus came into being. Over the centuries, numerous denominations have broken with these major traditions, resulting in a wide variety of Christian expression. Through its missionary activity Christianity has spread to most parts of the globe.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Eastern Orthodoxy comprises the faith and practices stemming from ancient churches in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. It includes the Orthodox churches that are in communion with the office of the Bishop of Constantinople.

The Eastern Orthodox Church is descended from the Byzantine State Church. It is made up of many independent national churches that share the same doctrine (principles), liturgy (the form of ceremonies), general beliefs, and a hierarchy of church leaders. Orthodox churches belong to the World Council of Churches.

The Eastern Orthodox churches recognize only the canons of the seven ecumenical councils (325–787) as binding for faith, and they reject doctrines that have been added in the Western Church.

The central worship service is called the Liturgy, which is understood as representation of God's acts of salvation. Its center is the celebration of the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper. Icons (sacred pictures) have a special place in Orthodox worship. The Mother of Christ, angels, and saints are highly venerated. The Orthodox Church and the Western Catholic Church recognize the same number of sacraments.

Orthodox Churches are found in Greece, Turkey, Russia, the Balkans, and other parts of the former Soviet Union. In this century Orthodox faith has spread to western Europe and other parts of the world, particularly America.

Roman Catholicism

The Roman Catholic Church functions under the authority of the bishop of Rome, the Pope, who is the spokesperson and representative of the bishops and all other Catholics. The pope, as the head of the hierarchy of archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons, has full ecclesiastical power. The powers that others in the hierarchy possess are delegated. Roman Catholics believe their church to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, possessing all the properties of the one, true church of Christ.

The Roman Catholic faith is understood to be identical to the teachings of Christ and his apostles, which are contained in the Bible and traditional practices. The center of Roman Catholic worship is the celebration of the Mass, the Eucharist, which is the commemoration of Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. Other sacraments are baptism, confirmation, penance, matrimony, anointing of the sick (formerly known as extreme unction), and holy orders. The Virgin Mary and the other saints and their relics are highly venerated.

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian organization in the world, found in most countries. Vatican Council II (1962–65) sought to “update” the church, bringing about changes in practice and more deeply involving the laity. The immensely popular Pope John Paul II (1978–) has reached out to Catholics worldwide through his extensive travels.

Protestantism

Protestantism developed out of a movement in the 16th century that was called the Reformation. This movement tried to reform the Roman Catholic Church (that's why it was called the Reformation) and it resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches. A monk named Martin Luther was the leader of the Reformation, and the name Protestant was originally given to his followers because they protested against a decree that forbade any further church reforms. Other influential reformers included John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Knox. Protestantism rejected attempts to tie God's revelation to earthly institutions and strictly adhered to the Word of God as sole authority in matters of faith and practice (sola scriptura). The church is understood as a fellowship, and the priesthood of all believers is stressed.

The Augsburg Confession (1530) was the principal statement of Lutheran faith and practice. It became a model for other Protestant confessions of faith. Major Protestant denominations include the Lutheran, Reformed (Calvinist), Presbyterian, and Anglican (Episcopalian). Many sects and denominations have sprung from these roots, including Quakers, Baptists, Pentecostals, Congregationalists, Methodists, and nondenominational assemblies. Sects that have appeared in more modern times include Mormons, Christian Scientists, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Protestant missionary activity, particularly strong in the last century, resulted in the founding of many churches in Asia and Africa. The ecumenical movement, which originated with Protestant missions, aims at unity among Christians and churches.

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Facts about Christianity

Date founded:
    c. 33 AD

Place founded:
    Palestine

Founder:
    Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish carpenter

Adherents:
    2 billion

Main location:
    Europe
    North America
    South America

Major sects (denominations):
    Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant

Sacred texts:
    The Bible, comprised of the Old Testament and New Testament

Books of the Old Testament :
    Genesis
    Exodus
    Leviticus
    Numbers
    Deuteronomy
    Joshua
    Judges
    Ruth
    1st Samuel
    2nd Samuel
    1st Kings
    2nd Kings
    1st Chronicles
    2nd Chronicles
    Ezra
    Nehemiah
    Esther
    Job
    Psalms
    Proverbs
    Ecclesiastes
    Song of Songs
    Isaiah
    Jeremiah
    Lamentations
    Ezekiel
    Daniel
    Hosea
    Joel
    Amos
    Obadiah
    Jonah
    Micah
    Nahum
    Habakkuk
    Zephaniah
    Haggai
    Zechariah
    Malachi
    Tobit (*)
    Judith (*)
    1st Maccabees (*)
    2nd Maccabees (*)
    Wisdom (*)
    Sirach (*)
    Baruch (*)
        (*) Protestant bibles omit the latter seven books
  
    Tobit
    Judith
    1st Maccabees
    2nd Maccabees
    Wisdom
    Sirach
    Baruch
        These books are called deuterocanonical or the Apocrypha.

    As well as parts of Daniel.

Additionally

The Eastern Orthodox church receives all of the deuterocanonical books in addition to the following books that appear in the Old Testament:

    1-4 Esdras
    3rd Maccabees
    4th Maccabees
    Prayer of Manasseh
    Psalm 151 (in the Septuagint)

Books of the New Testament :
    Gospel of Matthew
    Gospel of Mark
    Gospel of Luke
    Gospel of John
    Acts of the Apostles
    Romans
    1 Corinthians
    2 Corinthians
    Galatians   
    Ephesians
    Philippians
    Colossians
    1 Thessalonians
    2 Thessalonians
    1 Timothy
    2 Timothy
    Titus
    Philemon   
     Hebrews
    James
    1 Peter
    2 Peter
    1 John
    2 John
    3 John
    Jude
    Revelation

The order of the books of the Bible
Old Testament

    The Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy)
    The Historical Books (Joshua-Esther)
    The Poetical Books (Job-Song of Solomon)
    The Major Prophets (Isaiah-Daniel; note that Lamentations is an appendix to the book of Jeremiah.)
    The Twelve Minor Prophets (Hosea-Malachi)

New Testament

    The Historical Books (Matthew-Acts)
    Paul’s Epistles (Romans-Philemon)
    Hebrews
    General Epistles (James-Jude)
    Revelation (Remember, it is not Revelations.)

The Three Points of the Gospel
    Christ died for our sins.
    He was buried.
    He rose again on the third day.

The Three Points of the Great Commission
    Evangelism
    Baptism
    Discipleship

Original languages:
    Aramaic, Greek, Latin

Religious professionals:
    Priest; bishop; archbishop; patriarch; pope; pastor; minister;  preacher; deacon

House of worship:
    Church, chapel, cathedral, basilica, meeting hall

Type of theism:
    Trinitarian Monotheism

Ultimate reality:
    One God (a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit)

Human nature:
    Created good but now born sinful 

Acts of the flesh
    sexual immorality
    impurity
    debauchery
    idolatry
    witchcraft
    hatred
    discord
    jealousy
    fits of rage
    selfish ambition
    dissensions
    factions and envy
    drunkenness
    orgies
                Galatians 5  19-21


Purpose of life:
    Know, love and serve God

How to live:    Have faith in the true God and Christ's resurrection, do good  works, participate in sacraments

Afterlife:
    Resurrection of body and soul,

Symbols:
    Cross,

Christian holidays:
    Advent (Nov. 30 - Dec. 24)
    Christmas (Dec. 25)
    Epiphany (Jan. 6)
    Lent (40-day period prior to Easter)
    Good Friday(last Friday before Easter)
    Easter (date varies)
    All Saint's Day (Nov. 1)

The Ten Commandments
Four commands relating to God:

    No other gods
    No images
    Do not misuse God’s name.
    Remember the Sabbath Day.

Then the authority we recognize first in life, our parents:

    Honor your parents

Then we think of five sins, from worst to least:

    Do not murder.
    Do not commit adultery.
    Do not steal.
    Do not lie.
    Do not covet.

Two Greatest Commandments
    1. Love God with your heart, soul and mind.
    2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Four Last Things
    1. second coming
    2. judgment
    3. heaven
    4. hell

Qualities of Love
    Love is patient
    love is kind
    It does not envy
    It does not boast
    It is not proud
    It does not dishonor others
    It is not self-seeking
    It is not easily angered
    It keeps no record of wrongs
    Love does not delight in evil
    but rejoices with the truth
    It always protects,
    always trusts,
    always hopes,
    always perseveres.
    Love never fails.
                1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

fruit of the Spirit
    love
    joy,
    peace,
    forbearance,
    kindness,
    goodness,
    faithfulness,
    gentleness
    self-control
                Galatians 5:22-23

Wisdom
    pure
    peace-loving,
    considerate,
    submissive,
    full of mercy and good fruit,
    impartial and sincere
                James 3: 13-17

The Seven Deadly Sins
    1. pride
    2. greed
    3. lust
    4. envy
    5. gluttony
    6. anger
    7. sloth

Seven Ecumenical Councils
    1. Council of Nicea (325 AD)
    2. Council of Constantinople (381)
    3. Council of Ephesus (431)
    4. Council of Chalcedon (451)
    5. Second Council of Constantinople (553)
    6. Third Council of Constantinople (681)
    7. Second Council of Nicea (787)

Twelve Apostles
    1. James, son of Zebedee
    2. John, son of Zebedee
    3. Philip
    4. Bartholomew
    5. Thomas
    6. Andrew (Peter's brother)
    7. Simon Peter
    8. Matthew the tax collector
    9. James, son of Alphaeus
    10. Simon the Zealot
    11. Judas Iscariot
    12. Thaddaeus

Fourteen Stations of the Cross
    1. Jesus is condemned to death
    2. The cross is laid upon him
    3. Jesus' first fall
    4. Jesus meets Mary
    5. Simon of Cyrene bears the cross
    6. Veronica wipes Jesus' face
    7. Jesus' second fall
    8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
    9. Jesus' third fall
    10. Jesus is stripped of his garments
    11. Jesus is crucified
    12. Jesus dies
    13. Jesus' body is taken down
    14. Jesus's body is laid in the tomb

An average of 171,000 Christians worldwide are martyred for their faith per year.

"Do not be afraid" appears 365 times in the Bible. Hmm, same amount of days in a year!

The Bible contains about 773, 692 words! It would take you approximately 70 hours to read the whole Bible out loud.

Number of times "God" is mentioned: 3,358
Number of times "Lord" is mentioned: 7,736

Christians were first called christian in Antioch
                                                                       -Acts 11:26

Christianity is the world's largest religion.






Sources
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/fastfacts.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_list_of_New_Testament_canon_in_order#ref1
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/List_of_books_of_the_Old_Testament#ref2
http://sharperiron.org/article/basic-facts-every-christian-should-know

The Nine Choirs of Angels

Seraphim

These are the highest order or choir of angels. They are the angels who are attendants or guardians before God's throne. They praise God, calling, "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts". the only Bible reference is Isaiah 6:1-7. One of them touched Isaiah's lips with a live coal from the altar, cleansing him from sin. Seraphim have six wings, two cover their faces, two cover their feet, and two are for flying.

Cherubim

Cherubim rank after the seraphim and are the second highest in the nine hierarchies or choirs of angels. The Old Testament does not reveal any evidence that the Jews considered them as intercessors or helpers of God. They were closely linked in God's glory. They are manlike in appearance and double-winged and were guardians of God's glory. They symbolized then, God's power and mobility. In the New Testament, they are alluded to as celestial attendants in the Apocalypse (Rv 4-6). Catholic tradition describes them as angels who have an intimate knowledge of God and continually praise Him.

Thrones

Thrones are the Angels of pure Humility, Peace and Submisssion. They reside in the area of the cosmos where material form begins to take shape. The lower Choir of Angels need the Thrones to access God.

Dominions

Dominions are Angels of Leadership. They regulate the duties of the angels, making known the commands of God.

Virtues

Virtues are known as the Spirits of Motion and control the elements. They are sometimes referred to as "the shining ones." They govern all nature. They have control over seasons, stars, moon; even the sun is subject to their command. They are also in charge of miracles and provide courage, grace, and valor.>

Powers

Powers are Warrior Angels against evil defending the cosmos and humans. They are known as potentates. They fight against evil spirits who attempt to wreak chaos through human beings. The chief is said to be either Samael or Camael, both angels of darkness.

Archangels

Archangels are generally taken to mean "chief or leading angel" ( Jude 9; 1 Thes 4:16), they are the most frequently mentioned throughout the Bible. They may be of this or other hierarchies as St. Michael Archangel, who is a princely Seraph. The Archangels have a unique role as God's messenger to the people at critical times in history and salvation (Tb 12:6, 15; Jn 5:4; Rv 12:7-9) as in The Annunciation and Apocalypse. A feast day celebrating the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is celebrated throughout the Church Sep 29. A special part of the Byzantine Liturgy invokes the "Cherubic Hymn" which celebrates these archangels and the guardian angels particularly.

Of special significance is St. Michael as he has been invoked as patron and protector by the Church from the time of the Apostles. The Eastern Rite and many others place him over all the angels, as Prince of the Seraphim. He is described as the "chief of princes" and as the leader of the forces of heaven in their triumph over Satan and his followers. The angel Gabriel first appeared in the Old Testament in the prophesies of Daniel, he announced the prophecy of 70 weeks (Dn 9:21-27). He appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of St. John the Baptist (Lk 1:11). It was also Gabriel which proclaimed the Annunciation of Mary to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour. (Lk 1:26) The angel Raphael first appeared in the book of Tobit (Tobias)Tb 3:25, 5:5-28, 6-12). He announces "I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the throne of God." (Tb 12:15)

According to Jewish tradition (but not the Bible!) the seven archangels are:

• Michael
• Gabriel
• Rapheal
• Uriel
• Raguel
• Saraqael
• Remiel

Principalities

In the New Testament Principalities refers to one type of spiritual (metaphysical) being which are now quite hostile to God and human beings. (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15) Along with the principalities are the powers (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 1 Pt 3:22; 2 Thes 1:7); and cosmological powers (1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; Col 2:15);Dominions (Eph 1:21; Col 1:16) and thrones (Col1:16). The clarity of the New Testament witness helps see that these beings were created through Christ and for Him (Col 1:16). Given their hostility to God and humans due to sin, Christ's ultimate rule over them (ibid) expresses the reign of the Lord over all in the cosmos. This is the Lordship of Christ, which reveals God's tremendous salvation in conquering sin and death at the cross, and now takes place in the Church. (Eph 3:10)

Angels

These angels are closest to the material world and human begins. They deliver the prayers to God and God's answers and other messages to humans. Angels have the capacity to access any and all other Angels at any time. They are the most caring and social to assist those who ask for help.

Original Article

The First Christian Group - The Nazarenes

After Jesus ascended to heaven, many of his followers stayed in Jerusalem and gathered into a closely-knit group that became known as the Nazarenes. According to Acts 1:13-16, the group initially had about 120 members, including Jesus' mother Mary and all of his brothers. The two main leaders were Simon Peter and the oldest brother of Jesus, who was called James the Just. During an early meeting a man named Matthias was chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot in the inner circle of the twelve primary disciples.

The Nazarenes were the original core group from which Christianity grew and spread. But initially they still considered themselves to be Jews. They prayed in the temple at Jerusalem, and they followed most of the traditional Jewish religious practices. Other people in the city regarded them as a new Jewish sect.

But the Nazarenes differed from other Jewish sects in a fundamental way, for they believed that Jesus was the Messiah. They boldly took this message into the streets of Jerusalem and soon began to attract many new converts. They also spread the message to friends and relatives who lived in other places, and within a few years small groups of believers were established in several other cities.

At first most of the new converts were other Jews, many of whom were already interested in the prophesies about the Messiah. But then the apostle Paul began to convert many non-Jews (Gentiles). This led to a controversy when some Nazarenes from Jerusalem visited a community of new believers in Antioch and told some Gentile converts there that they would have to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul strongly disagreed with this, and he made a special trip to Jerusalem to try to resolve the issue.

When he reached Jerusalem, a meeting was held to discuss the matter. Although some of the Nazarenes argued against Paul, Peter apparently took his side. After a lengthy debate, the final decision was that Gentile converts didn't have to be circumcised, but would still have to obey the Jewish laws relating to idolatry, sexual morality, and diet. This important meeting, sometimes called the Council of Jerusalem, is described in Acts 15:1-29.

During these early years the converts in other cities regarded the Nazarenes in Jerusalem as the final authority for deciding important issues. This was mainly due to the presence of Peter, James the Just, and other original believers. They were granted a special status because they had known Jesus personally.

But Peter eventually left Jerusalem. And mostly because of Paul's activities, the number of converts in other cities grew rapidly. For these reasons, the Nazarenes began to lose their influence. As the years passed, their continued adherence to the old Jewish religious practices left them increasingly out of touch with newer believers, many of whom came from outside Judaism.

In 66 AD a fierce war broke out in Palestine between the Roman army and a group of Jewish rebels. The casualties were enormous, especially among civilians, but most of the Nazarenes were able to save themselves by abandoning their homes and fleeing from Jerusalem. According to the church historian Eusebius, many of them fled to a place called Pella east of the Jordan River. But although most of them escaped, they had suffered a terrible blow.

By then Christianity had begun to separate from Judaism, and the Nazarenes quickly lost any remaining influence they might have had. There is evidence that many of them never accepted Paul as a true apostle and didn't approve of some of the practices in the churches he established. Perhaps partly for this reason, they gradually became isolated from the main Christian movement, and had little effect on the subsequent history of the church.

The Nazarene Way of Life

During their years in Jerusalem, the Nazarenes sometimes called themselves followers of "The Way". By this, they apparently meant their way of life. According to Acts 4:32-33:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything that they had. 

In addition to their insistence on sharing, the Nazarenes put a high value on devoutness, non-violence, and a very simple lifestyle. All of these ideas could have come directly from the teachings of Jesus. Many scholars have pointed out that the Nazarenes' lifestyle was similar to that of the Essenes. But theories about possible connections between the two groups are difficult to prove.

The origin of the name "Nazarenes" is uncertain. Because Jesus himself was sometimes called "the Nazarene", one frequent suggestion is that the name was derived from "Nazareth". But this can't be proven, and there are reasons to doubt it. Some of the uncertainty stems from the fact that ancient writers spelled the name in several different ways, including "Nazirenes", "Nazaraeans", and "Nazoreans".

Persecution of the Nazarenes

Even in the early days, when the Nazarenes were still a small group, they were already being persecuted by the local Jerusalem authorities. The stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is starkly described in Acts 7:54-60. The threat of further executions caused others in the group to temporarily go into hiding. It was during this period that Paul (then known as Saul) got involved in the persecutions, although it isn't clear how big a role he played.

Later, during another flareup of persecution, James the son of Zebedee was put to death with a sword. Peter would have probably also been executed, but an angel came during the night and helped him escape from jail. Apparently he avoided further trouble until his later years, but finally, according to church tradition, was killed in Rome. James the Just also managed to survive the early persecutions, but was eventually killed in 62 AD.

The Fate of the Nazarenes

After they fled from Jerusalem, the Nazarenes gradually became isolated from the main Christian movement. Despite this isolation, they still managed to survive for several centuries as an independent sect. Their survival was mentioned by several later writers, including Saint Jerome, who reported that he visited a community of them in the Syrian desert in about 380 AD.

Many scholars think that another group of them survived under the name Ebionites. These Ebionites recognized Jesus as the Messiah but considered him to be of normal human parentage. They adhered to the old Jewish laws, had their own gospel, and disapproved of the teachings of Paul. For these reasons, the fourth-century Bishop Epiphanius declared them to be heretics.

There aren't any reliable reports of what finally happened to either the Nazarenes or the Ebionites. Quite possibly both groups completely died out soon after the fourth century. However, a few scholars think that small communities may have survived for a longer period in remote areas. There has also been speculation that some late survivors were progenitors of medieval heretical groups such as the Cathars. But unless new information is uncovered, the final fate of the Nazarenes will remain a mystery.

Note: According to legend, a modern group of Christians known as the Nazarenes of Malabar (India) was founded by the disciple Thomas in 52 AD, and thus could be an offshoot of the original Nazarenes of Jerusalem. Another modern group, the Nazarenes of Mount Carmel, claims to be a "modern resurrection" of the ancient Nazarenes.

Original Article