The Scriptural Definition of Marriage
    
    
         
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        15 November 2001 - IMPORTANT NOTE:
        This book was written several years ago before the writer had
        a revelation of the true Names of Yahweh and Yahshua
        and that Christ is NOT an alternative name for Yahshua but simply means
        "the Anointing of the Set Apart Holy Spirit
        of Yahweh" or refers to one who is so anointed and that "God" is the
        name of a pagan deity and is a wrong translation
        of "Elohim" which means "mighty one" and that "the LORD" has nothing to
        do with the Creator but is actually a
        translation of "Baal" and that the name of the Saviour is "Yahshua"
        which means "the salvation of Yahweh" and cannot
        truly be Jesus. Also that Yahshua was hung on a tree, NOT crucified on
        a cross and that the cross has Satanic
        connotations.
        Time has not permitted editing of this document to make these
        changes but readers are urged to take note of this and to
        adjust their own usage as an act of love toward our Heavenly Father!
         
        
        THE SCRIPTURAL
        
        DEFINITION
        
        
        OF
        
        
        MARRIAGE
        
        
        What the scriptures
        
        
        really say about marriage,
        
        
        putting away ("divorce"),
        
        
        adultery and the relationships
        
        
        between men and women
        
        
        as a type
        
        
        of our relationship with
        
        
        the
        
        
        LORD JESUS CHRIST
        
         
        AN END TIME
        ISSUES PUBLICATION
        
        By
        
        James Robertson
        
        VERSION 0.99
         
        1 Timothy 4:1-3 states:
          1 Now
        the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from
        the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
         2 speaking
        lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
         3 forbidding
        to marry ..... (NKJ)
         This book provides a
        comprehensive scriptural analysis of what the Word of God really says
        about marriage, divorce, adultery and
        related subjects. It takes particular account of 1 Corinthians 6:9 and
        other scriptures which clearly indicate that adulterers will not
        inherit the kingdom of God and offers a comprehensive scriptural
        analysis of the scriptural definition of fornication, adultery,
        marriage and divorce. The book clearly shows that the act of sexual
        intercourse with a virgin IS the ACT of marriage and that the
        marriage covenant is cut in the virgin flesh (hymen) of the woman.
         In 1 Samuel 13:14, Samuel,
        speaking to Saul, declares David to be a man after The Lord's "own
        heart". In 1 Samuel 25:42-44 we
        see that subsequent to this David took two wives in addition to the
        wife that he already had. In 2 Samuel 5:13, we see that David
        took further wives. Yet in 2 Samuel 12:7-8, after God sent Nathan the
        prophet to David to rebuke David for his adultery with
        Bathsheba we see that God says that HE gave David Saul's wives. In 1
        Kings 15:5 we read that AFTER David's death, scripture
        STILL say's that David had done right in the sight of God. In fact, we
        find at least fourteen (14) instances in the books of Kings and
        Chronicles where we are told subsequent to his death that David "did
        right in the eyes of The Lord all the days of his life".
         Subsequently, about one thousand
        years after David's death, God, speaking through Paul, reported in
        Acts 13:21-23, confirms that
        David was a "man after The Lord's own heart" and from David's seed God
        raised up for Israel a Saviour (Jesus):
          22 "... 'I
        have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will
        do all My will.'
         23 "From this man's
        seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Saviour--
        Jesus-- (NKJ)
         Here we see that despite his
        approximately eleven wives and ten concubines and despite a number of
        errors of which David was
        quick to repent, God referred to David as "a man after His own heart"
        about one thousand years after David's death! Surely it is utter
        foolishness to suggest that David was an adulterer for having more than
        one wife, as some have done? This book presents a
        comprehensive analysis of scripture to demonstrate that it is indeed
        GOD'S OWN HEART that a man should have more than one
        wife! It also demonstrates that Isaiah 4:1 indeed applies to this age:
          1 And in
        that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying,
        "We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel;
        only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach." (NKJ)
         Finally, from a variety of
        secular references the book provides some clues as to how the heresy of
        enforced monogamy came into
        existence in the Christian church and why this heresy is such an
        important part of Satan's plan to prevent the return of our Lord and
        Saviour Jesus Christ.
         This is a challenging book which
        requires the reader to set aside all preconceived ideas and put THE
        WORD OF GOD FIRST.
        If
        you are truly committed to serving The Lord your God with ALL your
        heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your
        strength (Mark 12:30), this is a book you cannot afford not to read.
         
        AN
        
        END TIME ISSUES
        
        
        PUBLICATION
         
        "Hear me, O Judah
        
        and you inhabitants of Jerusalem:
        
        
        Believe in the Lord your God,
        
        
        and you shall be established;
        
        
        believe His prophets,
        
        
        and you shall prosper."....
        
        
        ...."Praise the Lord,
        
        
        For His mercy endures forever."
        
        2 Chronicles 20:20,21
         
        
        THE SCRIPTURAL
        
        DEFINITION
        
        
        OF
        
        
        MARRIAGE
        
        
        
        What the scriptures
        
        
        really say about marriage,
        
        
        putting away ("divorce"), adultery
        
        
        and the relationships
        
        
        between men and women
        
        
        as a type
        
        
        of our relationship with
        
        
        the
        
        
        LORD JESUS CHRIST
        
         
        Produced by James Robertson
        P O Box 4206, Randburg, 2125
        South Africa
        Telephone : +27 +11 791-2327
        Cellphone : +27 +83-251-6644
        Fax : +27 +11 791-5004
        Email : james@end-time-issues.org.za
        COPYRIGHT
        This book may be copied in
        part or in full for the benefit of all believers provided it is not
        copied for commercial gain. It is
        only required that authorship and contact information be supplied.
         
        CAUTION
         
         This book contains many scriptures which will almost
        certainly require you
        to reconsider most, if not all, that you have believed the Bible says
        about
        marriage, divorce, adultery, sexual conduct and related matters. In the
        process you will almost certainly have many opportunities to be
        offended
        by what is contained herein.
         If you are not
        committed to putting the written Word of
        God above all other sources of information, this book is
        probably not for you!
         If you do regard the written Word of God in it's original,
        Holy Spirit
        inspired text, as the ultimate authority for the conduct of your life,
        then read
        on.
         Remember John 1:14:
         14
        And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
        glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
        and
        truth. (NKJ)
         Jesus Christ is The Word, He is
        THE inspiration for all that is written in
        the Bible. Remember also Romans 9:32-33:
         32
        Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the
        works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it
        is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of
        offense,
        and whoever believes on Him
        will not be put to shame." (NKJ)
         Jesus Christ, "The Word" is the stumbling stone and rock of
        offense to
        those who seek truth by law (the teachings of men) and not by faith.
        And
        Jesus Christ, Himself, said in Matthew 15:6-9:
          6
        ......... Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by
        your tradition. 7 "Hypocrites!
        Well did Isaiah prophesy about you,
        saying: 8
        'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor
        Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9
        And in vain
        they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "
        (NKJ)
         In this book many teachings of the modern church which are,
        in fact,
        commandments and doctrines of men, will be exposed.
         If you fear man and place your comfort and your pride in your
        own
        knowledge above the Word of God, you may not receive what is contained
        in this book. If you fear God and you fear His judgment, consider
        carefully
        what is written in this book and seek diligently to rightly divide the
        word
        of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) remembering that 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 states:
         9
        Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well
        pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before
        the judgment seat of Christ,
        that each one may receive
        the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether
        good or bad. 11
        Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we
        persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well
        known in your consciences. (NKJ)
         
        PREFACE
         
         
        JOHN
        17
         
         1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to
        heaven, and said: "Father, the hour
        has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
        .............
         8 "For I have given to them the words which You
        have given Me; and they have
        received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and
        they have
        believed that You sent Me.
         9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but
        for those whom You have given
        Me, for they are Yours.
         10 "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and
        I am glorified in them.
         11 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are
        in the world, and I come to You.
        Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that
        they may be one as We are.
        ............
         20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for
        those who will believe in Me through
        their word;
         21 "that
        they all may be one, as You, Father, are in
        Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us,
        that the world may believe that You sent Me.
         22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given
        them, that they may be
        one just as We are one:
         23 "I in them, and You in Me; that
        they may be made perfect in one,
        and
        that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as
        You
        have loved Me.
         24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave
        Me may be with Me where I am,
        that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me
        before the foundation of the world.
         25 "O righteous Father! The world has not known
        You, but I have known You; and
        these have known that You sent Me.
         26 "And I have declared to them Your name, and will
        declare it, that the love with
        which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
        In early 1995 I became greatly concerned about the
        high level of divorce (scripturally "putting
        away") in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was particularly
        troubled by the number of
        hurting and abandoned women and I started to seek God to know the
        reason. Since then He has
        been exercising my faith and my understanding with regard to what is
        contained in His Word
        on the subject of marriage and related subjects.
        In late 1995, while visiting the church in Malawi, I
        had a powerful encounter with the Spirit of
        God in which the Spirit came upon me in a manner which I have never
        again experienced. While
        the Power of God was upon me, He spoke through me to a group of three
        other people on
        various subjects and, in the process, confirmed that the core message
        of this book was from Him
        and that those who were saying that He was condoning the divorce that
        was taking place in
        much of the church, were committing "an abomination" in His sight and
        that He would "spit
        them out". At the same time He called me to obedience even unto the
        "death of the cross". Since
        then I have been led by His Spirit into increasing revelation with
        regard to the subject of this
        book and have been in the process of writing this book over a period of
        approximately a year,
        commencing in mid 1999.
        Since 1995 I have increasingly come to realize that
        the Lord Jesus Christ has shown us in the
        passage quoted above and in many other scriptures that the body of
        Christ must become united
        and learn to walk in unity if we are to accomplish all that we have
        been called to do. I have also
        come to realize that while there is so much putting away ("divorce")
        and trauma in Christian
        marriages the church will never come to a place of real unity. As much
        as marriage is an earthly
        shadow of what awaits us in heaven when the Lord Jesus Christ returns,
        so much is Satan
        determined to destroy marriage as God ordained it.
        As you read this book you will realize that
        virtually everything that you have believed about what
        you thought the Bible says about marriage is at best highly suspect, at
        worst the most apalling
        heresy, the legacy of nearly two thousand years of pagan influence on
        the Church of the Lord
        Jesus Christ.
        It is my prayer that once you have prayerfully
        considered the scriptures in this book you will
        come to realize the magnitude of the challenge that we are facing. At
        the same time, I pray that
        you will see new hope to bring about an end to marital separation
        (putting away or "divorce")
        and fornication in The body of Christ and a new hope for Godly
        marriages which endure and
        overcome all that Satan can bring against them.
        James Robertson
         
        HOW
        TO USE THIS BOOK
         
        This book is not intended to be a formal book, it is intended
        to be, in a sense, a conversation with
        the reader.
        It is based on innumerable questions to God the Father in the
        name of His Son the Lord Jesus
        Christ. It draws on innumerable instances where He has led me into
        situations to show me the
        truth, many instances where He has led me to purchase secular and
        Christian books to answer
        my questions. He has taken me on journeys of many thousands of miles to
        validate the
        revelations that He has given me and to permit me to meet face to face
        others to whom He has
        been speaking on these subjects. It has been refined through
        persecution, abuse and false
        accusation combined with spiritual attack on almost everything there
        was in my life that was
        open to attack.
        In the process I came to a realization that I could not serve
        Him with all my heart, all my mind,
        all my soul and all my strength if I did not publish what He had shown
        me, no matter what the
        cost. In order to reach that place I had to reach a place of
        understanding the magnitude of the
        problem in terms of billions of souls burning in hell for eternity as a
        consequence of false
        teachings.
        Dear reader, in the light of my own experience, I encourage
        you to persevere to the end of this
        book and not to give up. Read further in faith trusting Yahweh God
        through His Holy Spirit to
        lead you to the truth. Be constantly in His Word and in fellowship with
        His Spirit. Be always
        alert for His leading to buy a book or tape, listen to a radio
        programme, visit a church, help or
        talk to a stranger or do anything else contrary to your routine that
        will lead you to a source of
        knowledge.
        Remember that only God knows your thoughts so don't keep
        talking about what He is showing
        you and, as far as possible, NEVER tell anyone your questions. Satan's
        cohorts (demons and
        angels) infest the atmosphere and those around you and are constantly
        listening for useful
        information to use against you. Pray silently within your heart,
        believing in Faith that He hears
        you and that He will answer your questions. If the answer rattles your
        paradigm and does not
        seem as though it could possibly be of God, ask Him in faith for
        confirmation. He loves you and
        He wants to lead you into all truth. He has great patience and He
        recognizes our difficulty in
        hearing and believing Him. If you walk in faith without doubting HE
        WILL LEAD YOU TO
        THE TRUTH YOU NEED.
        Be prepared for a challenging and exciting ride! Recognize
        that God is no respecter of persons
        and no respecter of our traditions and doctrines. Expect Him to show
        you things that you will
        have great difficulty accepting. Expect Him to require you to do things
        and deal with things
        which are sometimes VERY challenging and uncomfortable.
        If you truly want to serve HIM and you truly want to walk in
        His will and His blessings, then I
        encourage you to take up the challenge. By faith, hold onto your hat
        and enjoy the ride and His
        blessings!
        God Bless You
        James Robertson
         
        
        ABOUT
        THE AUTHOR
         
        In order to assist readers to better understand the context of
        this book it is perhaps important to
        know something about the author.
        The author has BSc and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering with
        over twenty five years of post
        graduate experience. He is also a retired part time Citizen Force
        Military Commander with the
        rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Since 1989 he has been in business as an
        independent Management
        Consultant specializing in Business Information Systems Architecture
        and Business Strategy
        development and implementation. He has published widely in these fields
        and presented papers
        at numerous international conferences with particular emphasis on "The
        Real Issues in
        Information Technology : Why 70% of Corporations are dissatisfied with
        their computer
        investments". As a consequence of this work he has been listed in
        "Who's Who in Science and
        Engineering" since 1998 and in "Who's Who in the World" (one of only
        40,000 people) since
        1999.
        With this background his approach to his Christian walk and to
        the scriptures has been highly
        analytical. This followed a major intellectual struggle to recognize
        the original Holy Scriptures
        as breathed by the Spirit of God Himself. Having taken a decision to
        live by faith and to
        subjugate his intellectual incapacity to understand the scriptures with
        his own understanding, he
        has spent much time in reading the Word of God and in asking the Father
        in the name of Jesus
        to answer those questions which arose in reading the scriptures by
        faith. In this process he has
        become increasingly aware of the discrepancies between current doctrine
        and the Word of God
        and this has given rise to a series of documents which address what
        might be termed "The Real
        Issues in the Christian Walk".
        Because of his background, this document might best be
        described as a technical analysis of
        scripture and it should be read against this back drop. The author
        makes no claim to being a
        salesman or a "people person" and his writing style may therefore
        appear harsh to many readers. This is not intended, it is simply a
        reflection of a long term training and career in technical and
        engineering writing and reporting.
        In spiritual terms, the author walks in the office of Apostle
        with a specific calling regarding the
        restoration of certain lost truths of which the subject of this book is
        one.
         
        
        A
        PRAYER TO START WITH
         
        This book is intended to open up a treasure chest of topics
        for you to PRAY and SEEK GOD
        about in order to determine what is applicable to your life TODAY in
        order to redefine your
        paradigm of Christian and Godly marriage to conform to what God
        requires of us today. Different parts will apply at different times.
        Some may never apply. Some you may revisit again
        and again. Others may not be covered in this book. As you learn to
        trust God to lead you into
        the truth you need day by day, you will find that the walk becomes
        spiritually easier although it
        may become more demanding in terms of what you can see in the natural.
        Ultimately, it is all
        part of learning to be Spirit Led that you may one day justly claim to
        be a true Son of God
        (Romans 8:14).
        The following prayer is offered to assist you get started,
        trust God to lead you in prayer day by
        day. Pray it IN FAITH WITHOUT DOUBTING AND HE WILL
        ANSWER YOU:
         Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I
        thank you that you know the parts of this
        book that apply to me and that are correct for me. I thank you that, as
        I start to read, you will
        quicken to my spirit that which is immediately relevant and that you
        will conceal from me that
        which is chaff or of no relevance right now.
         I thank you that, as you open this book to me, you
        will teach me what to pray and you will give
        me utterance in my spirit in order that I may pray your will over my
        life and that which you
        have called me to do.
         I thank you that, as I bring sections, paragraphs,
        concepts and thoughts before you and lay my
        questions at your Holy throne, you will answer me.
         I ask you, in the name of Jesus, to speak to me
        through Your Word, to lead me to the passages
        that apply to me and that will answer my questions. I thank you that
        Your Word contains all
        the answers that I will ever need to live my life according to your
        will and to achieve the impact
        that you have purposed for me at this time.
         I thank you that you will speak to me through
        books, teaching tapes and videos, apostles,
        prophets, evangelists, pastors and preachers, teachers and other people
        whom you will bring
        across my path. I thank you that you will lead me wherever I need to go
        to receive the answers
        to my questions and that your Holy Spirit is with me always to lead me
        into ALL TRUTH.
         Help me Father to hear your voice clearly and close
        my eyes and ears to all that is not of you.
         OUT LOUD: "Satan, I bind you and
        your cohorts from blinding or confusing me in
        receiving anything that God has provided for me in this book. In Jesus
        Name."
         I thank you Father that your Angels are encamped
        around me to protect me and to keep the
        enemy from interfering in my studies and I ask you to cover my family
        and myself with the
        Blood of Jesus from the top of our heads to the soles of our feet.
         I thank you Father that Your Word states that as a
        born again believer, I have the Mind of
        Christ. I thank you for leading me to victory.
        
        In Jesus Name
         
        
        TABLE OF
        CONTENTS
         
        CAUTION
        i
        PREFACE iii
        HOW TO
        USE THIS BOOK
        v
        ABOUT
        THE AUTHOR
        vi
        A
        PRAYER TO START WITH vii
        TABLE
        OF CONTENTS viii
        CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS BOOK
        xviii
        1. TECHNICAL DESIGN OF THIS BOOK
        xviii
        2. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SOURCES AND
        ABBREVIATIONS xix
        	a. COMPUTER BASED REFERENCE SOURCES
        xix
        	b. PAPER BASED REFERENCE SOURCES AND
        ABBREVIATIONS xx
        3. GREEK AND HEBREW REFERENCE SOURCES
        xx
        4. YAHWEH AS THE NAME OF GOD THE FATHER
        xxi
        5. TYPOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONS xxi
         
        CHAPTER 1  --  INTRODUCTION AND CONCEPTS
        1
        1. INTRODUCTION 1
        	a. WE ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST 2
        	b. MARRIAGE IS A TYPE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
        JESUS
        	Consider also Ephesians 5:25-33: 2
        	c. WHEN THE WORLD SEES TRUE CHRISTIAN UNITY
        THEY WILL BELIEVE THAT THE FATHER SENT
        JESUS 3
        	d. WE ARE WARNED OF DOCTRINES OF DEMONS FORBIDDING TO
        MARRY 3
        	e. WE MUST EACH PREPARE TO BE JUDGED
        4
        2. WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER THIS INTERPRETATION?
        4
        	a. MANY BELIEVERS ARE CURRENTLY TAKEN PRISONER
        BY THE ENEMY 4
        	b. IF WE LOVE GOD WE WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS
        5
        	c. GOD'S STATUTES ARE RIGHTEOUS AND WE MAY NOT
        ADD TO OR TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM
        THEM 5
        	d. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE TEACHER
        5
        	e. WE ARE TOLD TO BEWARE OF DOCTRINES OF
        DEMONS IN THE LATTER TIMES 7
        	f. THE FATE OF FALSE WITNESSES AND LIARS
        8
        	g. ADULTERY SENDS PEOPLE TO HELL
        8
        3. THE SHAME OF THE CHURCH AND EMPTY THRONES :
        PREPARE YOURSELF FOR JUDGMENT 8
        	a. THE CHURCH IS WITHOUT JUDGES AND THEREFORE
        COVERED WITH SHAME 9
        	b. THE MINISTRY AND THE MESSAGE OF THE MODERN
        CHURCH IS HARDLY RECOGNIZED BY THE
        EARLY 	APOSTLES 10
        	c. MANY THRONES IN HEAVEN ARE CURRENTLY EMPTY
        YET THEY COULD HAVE BEEN FILLED BY
        ANY 	GENERATION 11
        	d. THERE ARE MANY MORE WOMEN IN HIGH OFFICE IN
        HEAVEN THAN MEN 12
        4. A WORD OF CLARIFICATION - NOTHING IN THIS
        BOOK IS INTENDED TO UNDER- STATE THE
        DELIVERANCE PURCHASED FOR MANKIND THROUGH JESUS' SACRIFICE AT CALVARY
        12
        5. A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THOSE WHO MAY
        BE CONVICTED OF SIN BY THE TEACHINGS IN
        THIS BOOK 14
        6. A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE KEY POINTS IN THIS
        BOOK 15
        	b. ENFORCED MONOGAMY IS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO
        THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST 15
        	c. THE CHURCH HAS LOST ALL RECOGNITION OF THE
        IMPORTANCE OF VIRGINITY 16
        	d. THE CHURCH INCORRECTLY DEFINES ADULTERY AND
        CAUSES MILLIONS TO FALL 16
        7. POLYGAMY IS AN ABOMINATION IN THE SIGHT OF
        GOD 17
         
        CHAPTER 2  --  HOW DOES SCRIPTURE DEFINE THE MARRIAGE COVENANT?
        19
        8. VIRGINITY : WHAT IS MARRIAGE
        19
        	a. VIRGINITY IS A PRE-REQUISITE FOR GODLY
        MARRIAGE 20
        	b. VIRGINITY IS SACRED 21
        	c. SOME ASIDES REGARDING VIRGINITY
        21
        	d. THE CRITICAL CONCLUSIONS : SEXUAL
        INTERCOURSE WITH A VIRGIN IS MARRIAGE AND
        WOMAN WAS 	CREATED FROM THE BEGINNING TO HAVE ONLY ONE HUSBAND
        22
        	e. VIRGINITY : CAVEATS 22
        9. WHAT IS THE MARRIAGE COVENANT?
        23
        	a. COVENANT REQUIRES THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD
        23
        	b. COVENANT REQUIRES THE CLEAVING / SPLITTING
        OR CUTTING OF SOME LIVING CREATURE  23
        	c. THE MARRIAGE COVENANT IS CUT WHEN A MAN
        CLEAVES INTO HIS VIRGIN WIFE 26
        	e. THE CLOSE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE CHRISTIAN
        COVENANT AND THE MARRIAGE
        COVENANT 27
        	f. WHY DOES THE BIBLE SEEM TO GIVE SO LITTLE
        DIRECT GUIDANCE ON MARRIAGE? 29
        	g. JESUS MARRIED TO MILLIONS IF NOT BILLIONS
        29
        	h. A MAN MARRYING MORE THAN ONE WOMAN AT THE
        SAME TIME 30
        	j. THE COVENANT REQUIREMENT FOR CHRISTIAN MEN
        TO CARE FOR MORE THAN ONE WOMAN  33
        10. A KEY CONTRAST : THE FORESKIN
        34
        	a. THE FORESKIN SERVES NO USEFUL PURPOSE
        35
        	b. THE FORESKIN IS ONLY USEFUL FOR CUTTING
        COVENANT WITH GOD 35
        	c. SOME ASIDES REGARDING THE FORESKIN
        35
        	d. THE CRITICAL CONCLUSION : NOTHING IN
        CREATION PREVENTS A MAN FROM CONSUMMATING
        	MARRIAGE WITH MORE THAN ONE WOMAN 36
         
        CHAPTER 3  --  WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY ABOUT ADULTERY? 37
        11. DEFINITION OF ADULTERY 37
        	a. ADULTERY DEFINED IN DEUTERONOMY 22
        37
        	b. ADULTERY DEFINED IN ROMANS 7
        37
        	c. ADULTERY DEFINED IN PROVERBS 6
        38
        	d. ADULTERY DEFINED IN PROVERBS 7
        38
        	e. ADULTERY DEFINED IN PROVERBS 9
        39
        	f. ADULTERY DEFINED IN NUMBERS 5
        40
        	g. ADULTERER'S BARRED FROM THE ASSEMBLY
        41
        	h. ABRAHAM AND ABIMILECH 41
        	i. SEXUAL IMMORALITY IS SIN AGAINST ONE'S OWN
        BODY 42
        	j. ADULTERY IS SIN AGAINST GOD
        43
        	k. THE CURSES OF THE LAW 44
        12. ADULTERY AFTER JESUS CAME (UNDER THE NEW
        COVENANT) 46
        	a. REVELATION 21:8 IS QUITE SPECIFIC : SEXUAL
        IMMORALITY LEADS TO A PART IN THE LAKE OF
        FIRE AND 	BRIMSTONE 47
        	b. IF JESUS RELAXED THE LAW ON ADULTERY WHY
        DID JOHN THE BAPTIST DIE? 50
        	c. CONCLUSION : A WOMAN WHO HAS SEX WITH MORE
        THAN ONE MAN WHILE THE FIRST IS ALIVE
        IS 	DEFINED AS AN ADULTERESS AND A HARLOT EXCEPT IN EXCEPTIONAL
        CIRCUMSTANCES  50
        	d. THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF "PASTORS"
        51
        	e. JUDGEMENT REVISITED 53
        	f. CRITICAL CONCLUSION : UNREPENTED ADULTERY
        WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY LEAD TO A PART
        IN THE 	LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE IF NOT ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD IN
        HELL  54
        13. IS IT TRUE THAT, ONCE CONFESSED, ADULTERY
        IS NO LONGER ADULTERY? 54
        14. GOD'S DEFINITION OF SEXUAL SIN
        55
        	a. THE OBLIGATION TO HOSPITALITY
        60
        	b. HOMOSEXUAL RAPE IS MORE SERIOUS THAN
        HETEROSEXUAL RAPE 62
        	c. THE SIN COMMITTED - RAPE AND CONSEQUENTIAL
        MURDER 62
        	d. THE RESPONSE OF THE LEVITE AND OF ISRAEL
        63
        		i. THE PENALTY FOR ADULTERY IS DEATH
        63
        		ii. THE PENALTY FOR RAPE IS DEATH
        64
        		iii. THE PENALTY FOR MURDER IS DEATH
        64
        		iv. THE PENALTY FOR HOMOSEXUALITY IS DEATH
        64
        		v. CONCLUSION : SCRIPTURE REQUIRED THE DEATH
        PENALTY FOR THE MEN OF GIBEAH 64
        	e. THE RESPONSE OF BENJAMIN 65
        	f. THE RESPONSE OF ISRAEL AND GOD TO BENJAMIN
        AND THE OUTCOME OF THE FIRST BATTLE  65
        	g. THE RESPONSE OF ISRAEL AND GOD TO THE
        OUTCOME OF THE FIRST BATTLE; THE SECOND
        BATTLE 66
        	h. THE RESPONSE OF ISRAEL AND GOD TO THE
        OUTCOME OF THE SECOND BATTLE; THE THIRD
        BATTLE 66
        	i. THE IMPORTANCE OF OATH'S AND VOWS
        67
        	j. TAKING OF WIVES 69
        	k. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CHURCH IN THE END
        OF THE AGE 69
        16. LUST AND ADULTERY OF THE HEART
        70
        	a. LUST IS COVETOUSNESS AND IS SIN
        70
        	b. LUST IN OUR SOCIETY AS THE BASIS FOR
        SELECTING MARRIAGE PARTNERS 71
        	c. LUST AS OPPOSED TO LOVE 72
        	e. LUST AND THE DRESS OF YOUNG WOMEN
        74
        17. ONE NIGHT STANDS 75
        	a. A "ONE NIGHT STAND" WITH A VIRGIN IS
        MARRIAGE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD! 76
        	b. A FATHER CAN ANNUL A CLANDESTINE UNION THE
        DAY HE HEARS OF IT 76
        	d. JUDAH AND TAMAR AS AN EXAMPLE OF A "ONE
        NIGHT STAND" 78
        	e. THE APPARENT DILEMA OF SAMSON'S NIGHT WITH
        A HARLOT 80
        18. IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT
        80
        20. THE LORD'S TRUE INTENTION : MARRIAGE IS
        DESIGNED TO WORK 82
        21. CRITICAL CONCLUSION : GOD'S DEFINITION OF
        ADULTERY ACCEPTS THAT A MAN MAY HAVE MORE
        THAN ONE WIFE BUT REQUIRES THAT A WOMAN MAY HAVE SEX WITH ONLY ONE MAN
        82
        
        
        CHAPTER 4  --  SCRIPTURAL DIVORCE 83
        22. PUTTING AWAY VERSUS DIVORCE
        83
        23. SCRIPTURAL DIVORCE 87
        24. THE WIFE OF ONE'S YOUTH CONTRASTED WITH
        THE IMMORAL WOMAN 88
        25. CASES WHERE PUTTING AWAY IS PROHIBITED
        90
        26. THE UNLOVED WIFE 91
        28. MARRIAGE TO A DIVORCED WOMAN
        93
        	a. CHALLENGES IN DETERMINING GOD'S WILL FOR
        MARRIAGE 93
        	b. FLEECES AND SEEKING TO BE LED BY THE HOLY
        SPIRIT 94
        	c. SOME SCRIPTURES ON BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT
        OF GOD 96
        29. CRITICAL CONCLUSION : GOD'S LAWS FOR
        DIVORCE NECESSITATE THAT A MAN IS PERMITTED TO
        TAKE MORE THAN ONE WIFE 97
        
        
        CHAPTER 5  --  IS MONOGAMY SCRIPTURAL? 99
        30. DOES GOD ACTIVELY PERMIT A MAN TO TAKE
        MORE THAN ONE WIFE? 99
        31. DID THE PROVISIONS NOT CHANGE UNDER THE
        "NEW TESTAMENT" 99
        	a. WHEN DID THE NEW COVENANT COME INTO EFFECT?
        99
        32. JESUS WALKED THE EARTH AS A PROPHET UNDER
        THE MOSAIC COVENANT 100
        33. JESUS FULFILLED THE LAW 101
        34. WHAT JESUS DID CHANGE 102
        35. OTHER COVENANTS 107
        36. "OLD TESTAMENT" VERSUS NEW TESTAMENT
        107
        37. WHY IS CHRISTIANITY VIEWED AS HERESY BY
        THE JEWS? 108
        38. ARE BISHOPS, DEACONS AND ELDERS RESTRICTED
        TO ONE WIFE? 109
        39. THE DISTINCTION IN SCRIPTURE BETWEEN WIFE
        AND WIVES, WOMAN AND WOMEN 112
        40. SOME OTHER "NEW TESTAMENT" SCRIPTURES
        114
        	a. REGARDING AN APOSTLE BEING ACCOMPANINED BY ONE
        OF HIS WIVES 115
        	b. BROTHERS MARRYING DECEASED BROTHER'S WIVES
        115
        	c. A MAN HAVING SEX WITH HIS FATHER'S WIFE
        (NOT HIS MOTHER) 116
        	d. A MAN MARRYING TEN VIRGINS AT ONE TIME
        116
        	e. BURNING WITH PASSION 117
        	f. MARRIAGE OF WIDOWS 117
        41. RESPONSE TO SOME OTHER OBJECTIONS
        118
        	a. "GENESIS 2:24 SAYS TWO THEREFORE IT
        DICTATES MONOGAMY" 118
        	b. ADAM AND EVE - THE IDEAL MARRIAGE
        120
        	c. DID ADAM REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE WIFE?
        120
        	d. DID MOSES REALLY HAVE ONLY ONE WIFE?
        121
        	e. YAHWEH MARRIED TO ISRAEL AND SAMARIA
        122
        	f. THE PROBLEMS OF LEAH AND RACHEL
        124
        	
        CHAPTER 6  --  SOME OTHER SCRIPTURES ON MARRIAGE ISSUES 126
        42. THE VIRTUOUS WIFE 126
        43. THE ONE FLESH BOND 127
        	a. A MAN CAN BE "ONE FLESH" WITH MORE THAN ONE
        WOMAN 127
        	b. THE ONE FLESH BOND SUPPORTS AN ORDERLY
        HIERARCHY OF GOVERNANCE BETWEEN CHRIST
        AND THE 	CHURCH 128
        	c. THE HUSBAND AS HEAD OF THE WIFE
        128
        	d. THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNGODLY OR UNFULFILLED
        ONE FLESH BONDS 129
        	e. WHY THE ONE FLESH BOND DOES NOT REQUIRE
        LOVE OR LUST TO BE FORMED 131
        	f. THE ONE FLESH BOND CREATS A SPIRITUAL
        UNDERPINNING FOR THE HUSBAND 131
        	g. ONE FLESH IN MARRIAGE CORRESPONDS TO ONE
        BODY IN CHRIST 132
        44. SOUL TIES 134
        45. THE BLOOD LINE 134
        46. MARRIAGE TO EMPLOYEES 135
        47. A WIFE IS A GOOD THING 136
        48. ROTTENNESS IN THE BONES AND CONTENTION
        136
        49. RIGHTEOUS ANGER OF A BETRAYED HUSBAND
        137
        50. VIRGIN DAUGHTERS 139
        51. THE HUSBAND PROVIDES A "COVERING" TO HIS
        WIFE 140
        52. FINANCIAL LACK RESULTING FROM A DIVIDED
        HOUSE 149
        53. ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE WIFE FOR THE HUSBAND
        150
        54. THE LOVE BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIVES (AN
        EXTENSION OF EPHESIANS 5:33) 151
        	a. A WIFE SHOULD REVERENCE HER HUSBAND
        151
        	b. THE DESIRE OF A WIFE SHOULD BE FOR HER
        HUSBAND 152
        	c. SPOUSES SHOULD NOT WITHOLD FROM ONE ANOTHER
        SEXUALLY 153
        	d. A WIFE SHOULD BE UNINHIBITED IN HER
        RELATIONSHIP WITH HER HUSBAND 153
        	e. A WIFE SHOULD BE SKILLED AND TAKE THE
        INITIATIVE IN LOVE MAKING 154
        	f. THE HUSBAND MUST SEEK TO BECOME LIKE JESUS
        157
        55. THE IMPLICATIONS OF ISAIAH 4:1
        157
        56. HUSBAND'S AS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF
        FELLOWSHIP FOR THEIR WIVES 159
        	a. ACCEPTABLE WORKING HOURS 159
        	b. HUSBAND'S WHO ARE REGULARLY AWAY FROM HOME
        162
        57. BETROTHAL 167
        58. DURATION OF BETROTHAL 172
        59. MARRIAGE FEASTS 173
        60. CONSUMATION OF MARRIAGE 176
        62. SOME CONTROVERSIAL QUESTIONS
        178
        	a. DIVISION OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN WIVES
        179
        	b. MASTURBATION 179
        	c. OTHER HUSBAND - WIFE SEXUAL CONTACT
        180
        	d. SEXUAL CONTACT BETWEEN WIVES
        181
        63. THE SCRIPTURAL AGE OF WOMEN AT MARRIAGE
        183
        64. THE SCRIPTURAL AGE OF MEN AT MARRIAGE
        185
        65. A MENSTRUATING WOMAN IS IMPURE
        186
        66. THE UNLOVED WIFE 187
         
        CHAPTER 7  --  THE TRADITION OF THE ELDERS AND OTHER HERESIES
        189
        67. THE TRADITION OF THE ELDERS
        189
        68. FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE EVIDENCE OF
        VIRGINITY 193
        69. ECUMENICAL MARRIAGE 194
        70. WEDDING RINGS 198
        71. MARRIAGE COUNSELLING AND THE PERFECT
        PARTNER 199
         
        CHAPTER 8  --  CONSEQUENCES OF THE HERESY OF MONOGAMY AND RELATED FALSE DOCTRINES 200
        72. TOUCHING GOD'S ANOINTED AND DOING HIS
        PROPHETS HARM 200
        73. A STUMBLING BLOCK FOR THE JEWS
        201
        74. A STUMBLING BLOCK FOR MOSLEMS
        202
        75. A STUMBLING BLOCK TO BUSINESS EXECUTIVES,
        GOVERNMENT LEADERS, LEADING SPORTSMEN AND
        THE MAN IN THE STREET 202
        76. SERIAL POLYGAMY - CHURCH SANCTIONED
        ADULTERY 204
        77. PORNOGRAPHY - A WESTERN "CHRISTIAN" EVIL?
        204
        78. MY BEST FRIEND STOLE MY HUSBAND / BOYFRIEND
        205
        79. TEENAGE NYMPHETTES 205
        80. WHERE HAVE ALL THE VIRGINS GONE?
        206
         
        CHAPTER 9  --  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 215
        82. SUMMARY OF THE IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS OF
        THE HERESY OF MONOGAMY 215
        83. CONCLUSION 216
        THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION
        218
        PRAYERS FOR SALVATION,
        219
        BIBLIOGRAPHY
        220
        ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMS
        221
        APPROACH TO INTERPRETATION
        222
        RELATED INTERNET ADDRESSES
        223
        
        
        APPENDIX A
        VIRGINITY
        VARIOUS SCRIPTURE REFERENCES 224
         
        APPENDIX B
        
        SCRIPTURAL LOVE DEFINED
        FROM VINES EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY 228
         
        APPENDIX C
        
        THE FORESKIN AND CIRCUMCISION
        VARIOUS REFERENCES 230
         
        
        APPENDIX D
        
        VARIOUS SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
        TO MORE THAN ONE WIFE 233
         
        APPENDIX E
        
        ALL SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
        INCLUDING THE GREEK WORD
        3391 "MIA" ONE / FIRST / ETC 245
         
        
        APPENDIX F
        
        TEXT FROM VINE'S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY
        REGARDING THE WORDS FOR
        WIFE / WIVES / WOMAN / WOMEN 248
         
        
        APPENDIX G
        
        SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
        INCLUDING THE GREEK WORD
        1135 "GUNE" WIFE / WIVES / WOMAN / WOMEN 250
         
        
        APPENDIX H
        
        ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
        REPORTING JESUS REPLY TO THE SADDUCEES
        REGARDING LEVIRATE MARRIAGE 254
         
        APPENDIX I
        
        PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION TO
        THE HOLY BIBLE
        FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT
        GEORGE M. LAMSA'S TRANSLATION
        FROM THE ARAMAIC OF THE PHESHITTA
        HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS 255
         
        
        APPENDIX J
        
        ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
        TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD "ANER"
        TO DESCRIBE A MAN OR HUSBAND 266
         
        
        APPENDIX K
        
        SCRIPTURES RELATING TO "PUT AWAY"
        TRANSLATED AS "DIVORCE" 268
         
        
        APPENDIX L
        
        SCRIPTURES CONTAINING THE GREEK WORD "PORNEIA"
        (FORNICATION) 273
         
        
        APPENDIX M
        
        PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS:
        CHRISTIANITY'S BLOOD-STAINED RECORD 276
         
        APPENDIX N
        
        SCRIPTURES RELATING TO ADULTERY,
        FORNICATION, HARLOTRY AND RELATED SINS 277
         
        
        APPENDIX O
        
        GRANT ON "THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE" 278
         
        APPENDIX P
        
        A JEWISH BENEDICTION 279
         
        
        APPENDIX Q
        
        WOW! SO THAT'S HOW JESUS LOVES ME! 280
         
        
        APPENDIX R
        
        EXTRACTS FROM "THE FINAL QUEST" BY RICK JOYNER
        288
        R1 THE FINAL QUEST : PAGE 118 : A MEETING WITH
        JESUS CHRIST BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF
        CHRIST 288
        R2 THE FINAL QUEST : PAGE 119 : THE LORD
        JESUS' TEARS FOR ALL WHO ARE LOST 288
        R3 THE FINAL QUEST : PAGE 128 : THE SHAME OF
        THE CHURCH BECAUSE THERE IS NO JUSTICE 289
        R4 THE FINAL QUEST : PAGE 135 : INTERVIEW WITH
        THE APOSTLE PAUL 290
         
        APPENDIX S
        
        THE CURSE OF THE LAW 292
         
        APPENDIX T
        
        EXTRACT FROM "WHEN THE VOW BREAKS" 298
         
        APPENDIX U
        
        EXTRACT FROM "THE CALL"
        BELIEVERS IN SPIRITUAL PRISON CAMPS 299
         
        APPENDIX V
        
        EXTRACT FROM "AFTER POLYGAMY WAS MADE A SIN
        THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN POLYGAMY"
        by JOHN CAIRNCROSS 300
         
        APPENDIX W
        
        EXTRACT FROM "CURIOUS CUSTOMS OF SEX AND MARRIAGE"
        BY GEORGE RYLEY SCOTT 318
         
        APPENDIX X
        
        EXTRACT FROM "STRANGE CUSTOMS OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE"
        BY WILLIAM J FIELDING 322
         
        
        APPENDIX Y
        
        EXTRACT FROM "SEX, LIFE AND FAITH
        A MODERN PHILOSOPHY OF SEX"
        by ROM LANDAU 327
         
        APPENDIX Z
        
        EXTRACT FROM "THE CHRISTIAN CENTURIES"
        by FRANCES GUMLEY AND BRIAN REDHEAD 330
         
        APPENDIX AA
        
        EXTRACT FROM "LOVE IN THE SOUTH SEAS"
        by BENGT DANIELSSON 
         331
         
        TABLE OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
        338
        INDEX OF KEY WORDS
        339
         
        CONVENTIONS
        USED IN THIS BOOK
         
        The book has been written as a technical scriptural reference
        work, accordingly the style may in places appear
        terse. It is intended to provide a reasonably comprehensive collection
        of scriptures on the subjects discussed
        and to permit the scriptures to interpret themselves as far as possible
        with minimum commentary.
        In this book the following conventions have been adopted:
        1. TECHNICAL DESIGN OF THIS BOOK
         The following documentation techniques have been applied in
        this book:
         a. Comprehensive scripture quotation have been provided for
        every reference in order to ensure that the
        scriptures speak as far as possible without my intervention and in
        order to spare readers the
        inconvenience of looking up the scriptures themselves.
         b. Verses of scripture before and after the verses of
        interest are quoted in order to provide the full
        context of the scriptures cited and avoid quoting scriptures out of
        context. It will be seen that in many
        cases these contextual scriptures provide interesting juxtopositions or
        reinforce just how seriously
        God views the matter under discussion.
         c. As far as possible I have also sought to quote related
        scriptures rather than simply using words which
        occur in scripture and assuming that readers are familiar with them.
         d. A wide variety of appendices are included to provide more
        comprehensive lists of supporting
        scriptures, more detailed commentary on the meaning of certain words
        and extracts from other books
        and commentaries which are important in supporting certain assertions
        made in the body of the text.
         e. Extensive use is made of numbered section and sub-section
        headings are included in order to ensure
        that the table of contents provides a reasonably comprehensive tool for
        locating specific concepts.
         f. Extensive use is made of cross references within the body
        of the text to reference related discussions
        within the book.
         g. A comprehensive "Table of Scripture References" is
        provided at page 338 listing all scripture
        references used in the book.
         h. A comprehensive "Index of Key Words" is provided at page
        339 to assist readers to locate particular
        thoughts and principles.
         i. Prayers for salvation, repentance, deliverance and for
        spirit led guidance are provided at page 219 in
        order to assist readers who may find themselves convicted of sin or
        faced with particular spiritual
        challenges as a consequence of the teachings in this book.
         j. A list of Internet addresses for Web sites which discuss
        issues related to the main subjects of this
        book are provided at page 223.
        2. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
         a. COMPUTER BASED REFERENCE SOURCES
         In preparing this book extensive use has been made of the "PC
        Study Bible for Windows" version
        2.1G, October 1997, produced by Biblesoft, 22014 7th Avenue South,
        Seattle, WA 98198, USA. Telephone ++ (206) 824-0547, Copyright
        1988-1997 by James Gilbertson.
         This computer based reference work includes the following
        translations and reference works which
        have been referred to in this book:
         i. KJV - The King James Version
         ii. NAS - The New American Standard Version
         The Bible text designated (NAS)
        is from the New American Standard Bible.
        Copyright ©
        1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, by The Lockman
        Foundation. Used by
        permission. All rights reserved.
         iii. NAU - The New American Standard Version
        Update
         The Bible text designated (NAU)
        is from the New American Standard Bible Update.
        Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
        by The Lockman
        Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
         iv. NIV - The New International Version
         Quotations designated (NIV) are
        from The Holy Bible: New International Version ®. NIV
        ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
        Society. Used by permission of
        Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
         
         v. NKJ - The New King James Version
         The Bible text designated (NKJ)
        is from The New King James Version,
        copyright © 1982,
        Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
         vi. RSV - The Revised Standard Version
         The Bible text designated (RSV)
        is from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible,
        copyright
        © 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the
        National Council of the
        Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
         vii. TLB - The Living Bible
         The Bible text desingated (TLB)
        is from The Living Bible, copyright ©
        1971. Used by
        permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton IL 60189. All
        rights reserved.
         viii. Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's
        Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
        Copyright © 1994 Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.
        All
        rights reserved.
         ix. VINE'S - Vine's Expository Dictionary of
        Biblical Words. Copyright © 1985 by Thomas
        Nelson Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
         x. The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and
        Brown Driver and Briggs' Hebrew Lexicon. Copyright ©
        1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the
        Institute
        for Creation Research. Used by permission. First published in Canada by
        Online Bible.
         b. PAPER BASED REFERENCE SOURCES AND
        ABBREVIATIONS
         In addition, the following paper based translations and
        reference sources are referred to:
         i. TLT - The Living Torah
         The Living Torah, a modern
        Jewish translation by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, published by
        Maznaim Publishing Corporation, New York and Jerusalem.
         ii. LAM - Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern
        Text : George M Lamsa's Translation from
        the Aramaic of the Peshita
         Published by Harper Collins. 
        3. GREEK AND HEBREW REFERENCE SOURCES
         The Old Testament scriptures referred to in this book are all
        translated from the Hebrew. The New
        Testament scriptures, with exception with certain scriptures from
        George Lamsa's translation from the
        Aramaic are all translated from the Greek texts.
         Section 36, page 107 and Appendix I, page 255 provide more
        detail on the Lamsa translation from the
        Aramaic. However, since the vast majority of reference material is
        based on the New Testament
        translations from the Greek, these are the translations primarily used.
         In interpreting various passages of scripture it has been
        necessary to return to the source languages in order
        to confirm or adjust the translation in order to return to the original
        meaning of the scriptures.
         For those readers not familiar with these resources the
        following may be helpful:
         a. STRONG'S NUMBERS
         Every word in the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New
        Testament has been catalogued by Strong
        and allocated a unique reference number. This number is extensively
        used in Biblical analysis to link
        English translations back to the original Hebrew, to link all
        scriptures where the same word occurs
        and as a uniform means of referencing between different works. The
        Strong's numbers are associated
        with the King James Version.
         These numbers are also used in the Interlinear Bible.
         Accordingly, whereever reference is made in the text to a
        "Strong's number", this is the significance.
         b. STRONG'S DEFINITION
         Strong also produced a dictionary which is cited to define
        the meaning of words throughtout this
        book. Accordingly the reference "Strong's Definition" indicates a
        definition drawn from Strong's
        Dictionary.
         c. THAYER'S DEFINITION
         Thayer's Dictionary performs a similar function to Strong's
        and references take the same form.
         d. BROWN-DRIVER-BRIGGS DEFINITION
         Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary performs a similar function to
        Strong's and references take the same
        form.
         e. VINE'S DEFINITION
         Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words performs a
        similar function to Strong's and references
        take the same form. Vine's definitions are more detailed and are
        therefore used to a lesser extent than
        the other reference works.
        4. YAHWEH AS THE NAME OF GOD THE FATHER
         The word "Yahweh1" is used in this
        document to reflect the fact that the correct translation of the Hebrew
        word generally translated "The Lord" in the King James Version and many
        others is, in fact, "Yahweh". Yahweh is the proper name for our God and
        occurs 6,828 times in the Old Testament. Vines states:
          "LORD 
         The divine name YHWH
        appears only in the Bible. Its precise meaning is much debated. God
        chose it as His personal name by which He related specifically to His
        chosen or covenant
        people." (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical
        Words, (Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson
        Publishers)
         By
        way of analogy, my proper name is "James" and I have the designation of
        "husband" to my wife, it would not be indicative
        of a meaningful marriage relationship if my wife were to constantly
        refer to me as "husband" rather than "James". In the same
        way, it is not indicative of a meaningful relationship with our God to
        refer to Him as "Lord" rather than "Yahweh" when He
        has given us His name to use and uses it throughout scripture.
        
        For more information refer to the book "The Sacred Name" published by
        Qadesh La Yahweh Press, available on the internet
        at:
        
        
        http://www.yahweh.org/publications/pdf1/sacrednm.pdf
        
         
        
        Accordingly, the name "Yahweh" is used throughout this book
        interchangeably with "God" and "God the Father" as a more
        technically accurate translation of the name of our God to English.
        5.
        TYPOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONS
        
        The book as a whole is written in Times Roman 12 point font. The
        following typographic conventions are used:
         a.
        NORMAL TIMES ROMAN 12 POINT
        
        Normal Times Roman text such as this is used for the writings of the
        author.
         b.
        ITALIC TIMES ROMAN 12 POINT
         Italic
        Times Roman text such as this is used for quotations from scripture,
        irrespective of translation.
         c.
        ARIEL 12 POINT TEXT
         Ariel 12 point text in is used for text quoted verbatim from
        other sources such as Strong's,
        Vine's, etc.
         d. ARIEL
        12 POINT ITALIC TEXT
         Ariel 12 point text in Italic's is used for
        quotations or emphasis in text quoted verbatim from
        other sources.
         e.
        BOLD TEXT
         Bold
        text such as this is used for emphasis of the writings of the author or
        selected passages of
        scripture.
         f. BOLD
        AND LARGE TEXT
         Bold
        and large text such as this is used for the writings of the author or
        selected passages of scripture which are central to the thinking of
        this book. The intention, which may not have been fully achieved in the
        present version,
        is to enable readers to scan the book reading only the large bold text
        and
        obtain the heart of the message.
        
        Very large and extra
        large
        text are used to emphasise points which
        are regarded as absolutely critical.