Bonnie brought her daughter, Dana, over to study with us today. Dana is 42 and looks 22. No kidding! I asked her what her secret is - and she said she doesn't do anything in particular. She mentioned oftentimes restaurants give her the kids menu. It's crazy, but true!
It's hard to believe this is our 7th session and our 9th meeting. Bonnie is such a fantastic person, and I truly enjoy our visits.
Today we continued our study of the 1st chapter in "What Does the Bible Really Teach." The story of Noah was discussed, and I was surprised to learn about the Nephilim. The Nephilim were half man half angel creatures - what I think sounds a lot like Greek Heroes (i.e. Perseus). Apparently the angels looked down and saw how beutiful the daughters of man were, and decided to have sex with them - thus creating these Nephilim (sounds a lot like Zeus, Hades and Posidon and their conquests). Some of the Nephilim were giants and most were wicked because they had the blood of demons (angels that impregnanted the daughters of man) in them. It was because of the wicked Nephilim that God decided to have a judgement day - the Flood.
Bonnie explained the rest. During the food, all the Nephilim died and the angels returned to heaven and became demons on Satan's side. Only 8 people were saved on the ark (Genesis 7:7). Noah build that ark for 63 years, and tried to get others to join him. Everyone thought they were crazy, but the flood came and Noah was right. The Witnesses know that people think they are crazy, but just as Noah did what Jehovah wanted, so did they.
I love reading Biblical passages that point to fantasic ideas of what things were. It wasn't just the Greeks that believed in these half-breed Heroes, the Christians did too. Well, at least the Jews did because this information is in the Old Testament (i.e. Tanak) Genesis 6:1-8. If you have never heard of this before, take a few minutes and read it. Very cool stuff.
The Witnesses believe that there have been other judgement days: like The Flood, and the fall of Jerusalem. These are times when Jehovah has assesed the living and the dead. However, the one at Armegedon will be the biggest and most all consuming. After Armegedon there will be the resurection of the righteous and nonrighteous (not the wicked). Yes, the Witnesses believe that non-Witnesses will be resurected during the 1000 years of peace. Of course you have to be a good person and not a wicked one. I asked about their views on my grandma and other reliatives, and their views are quite reassuring. After the 1000 years the nonrighteous need to reconcile their views or they too do not enter the new world. Some will live through Armegedon, but not all. Okay...I think that's the jist, but I'm not entirely certain.
Dana shared verses from 2 Peter today that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was in response to when the "new system" would come.
2 Peter 3: 8 - 13
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years,
and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is
not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand
slowness. He is patient with you, not
wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come
to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar;
the elements will be destroyed by fire [cleansing],
and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what
kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live
holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day
of God and speed its coming. That the day will
bring the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the
elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping his promise
we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new
earth, the home of the righteousness.
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