Coming Soon

These are coming soon.

One world government
Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery - but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. "Who is as great as the beast?" they exclaimed. "Who is able to fight against him?" (Revelation 13:1-4 NLT)

One world religion
Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. (Revelation 13:11-12 NLT)

One world currency
He required everyone - small and great, rich and poor, free and slave - to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. (Revelation 13:16-17 NLT)

Gog Magog And Allies

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes - many peoples are with you. (Ezekiel 38:1-6 ESV)

The leader is Gog. He is from Magog. He is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. His allies are Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer and Beth-togarmah.

You will say, "I will advance against a land of open villages; I will come against a tranquil people who are living securely, all of them living without walls and without bars or gates" - in order to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against ruins now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have been acquiring cattle and possessions and who live at the center of the world. (Ezekiel 38:11-12 CSB)

He will attack Israel to loot and to plunder.

"Thus says the Lord God: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, my wrath will be roused in my anger. For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother. With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. (Ezekiel 38:17-22 ESV)

But God will defend Israel.

So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 38:23 ESV)

And the world will know that the God of Israel is the real God.

Word Experience Knowledge Zeal

We must not only know the Word, but we must also have the experience. It is not good to know the Word without experiencing the grace of God, neither is it good just to have the experience without the knowledge of the Word.

Zeal without knowledge is bad. Knowledge without zeal is bad. We must have both knowledge and zeal.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (Romans 10:2 ESV)

Overviews Big And Small

The big overview of the Bible is this - creation, fall, redemption, restoration.
The small overview of my life is this - justification, sanctification, glorification.

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30 ESV)

Christianity And Secular Humanism Compared

Exclusivity
Christians who believe the Bible think that their religion is true and the others are false because only the God of the Bible is true;
Secular Humanists think that their religion is true and the others are false because other religons are just part of the evolutionary process and there is no supernatural forces.

Inclusivity
Christianity is inclusive in that all who believe will be saved but the salvation process and God is exclusive;
Secular Humanism is inclusive because all races, religions, genders, sexual orientations are accepted but the supernatural is excluded.

Human Condition
The Bible tells us that sin is the reason for the sad state of human condition.
Secular Humanism believes that the human condition is the result of evolution.

Salvation
In Christianity, salvation is eternal life through Jesus Christ, who proved that He is the Saviour by His resurrection.
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. (Romans 6:9 ESV)
In Secular Humanism, there is no individual salvation. You only live once (YOLO) so make the world better by contributing your life toward the goal.

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. (Colossians 2:8 CSB)

The Righteous Lack Nothing

The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. (Proverbs 10:3 ESV)

The righteous are those whom God justifies. They are always satisfied.
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10 ESV)
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. (Psalm 37:25 ESV)
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33 ESV)
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. (1 Corinthians 4:11 NIV)
I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (2 Corinthians 11:27 NIV)

Secular Humanists Thinks All Religion Are The Same

Secular humanist thinks all religions are the same. Here is a quote taken from "Humanism's faith in reason represents our best hope" by AC Grayling published on Sunday 3 March 2013.

QUOTE
Religions, despite what people think of as their personal consolations, have not served the world well. They create division and conflict, they impose unlivable moralities of denial and limitation, and they demand that we think of the world as our remotest ancestors did, thousands of years ago. The cry raised by defenders of religion is: but what would you put in its place as a view of the world by which we can live? The answer is: something far better, deeper, kinder and warmer - and far more rational - namely: humanism.
UNQUOTE

Secular humanists think religions exist for personal consolations. Actually I am not a Christian for personal consolations. I am a Christian because I think the Bible is true. If you can prove to me that the Bible is not true, I am happy to become a secular humanist.

Secular humanism is really just another religion that add to the many conflicting religions. They create new conflicts by adding their morality to the existing confusion. They imposed one-size-fits-all Western European based morality on all societies, thinking that whatever is good for Western Europe is good for the world. They insist on democracy and human rights on all societies, regardless of their religious and cultural background.

They refuse to see the fact that the Bible is different from the other religions and refuse to accept the proofs provided by the Bible.

The Bible does not impose unlivable moralities of denial and limitation.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)

Secular humanists refused to see that they doing the things that other religions do - adding to the existing conflict and confusion without authority and authentication, and thinking that they are the best hope. Don't all religions act the same?

The Problem With Secular Humanism

Problem 1 - God
Secular Humanism assumes that God does not exist. The Bible assumes that God exists. This is a problem for both. The existence or non-existence of God cannot be proven. We are too small and too brief for that.

Bible's solution
The Bible never attempt to prove the existence of God. But the Bible make strenuous effort to prove the authenticity and veracity of the Word of God. In fact, this is the area where Christianity really shines. Christianity is an auditable religion! Other religions were started by one founder who had an idea or a vision (unprovable) or visited by an unseen angel (unseen, therefore nobody know). Buddha, like the secular humanist, offer a solution that does not need God and we have no proof if nirvana is really a solution because nobody ever come back after death to say that nirvana is real. Islam claim that the Koran is the word of God but offer meaningless proofs.

Secular Humanism non-solution
Secular humanism assumes that God does not exist and then proceed to use that as a basis for all their beliefs.

Problem 2 - Reason for Being
Why are we here? If there is no life after death, why should I do good? Why can't I be a Hedonist? Let us face this - if God does not exist and our existence is only temporal, then we all can do evil. This is reasonable and logical. In the first place, why is there good and evil? Evolution is about survival of the fittest, not the noblest. Why should I accept the humanist definition of "goodness"? Why can't I create my own standard and call evil good and good evil? Why must I accept some moral authority which have no basis other than being from another human or from some Western European culture?

How Religions Got Started - The Secular Humanist Viewpoint

Secular humanist believed that religion got invented because men appeared to be evolutionarily predisposed to religion or religious like behaviour. Below are quotes from this article, "The Human Brain Evolved to Believe in Gods - The Crux":

QUOTE
Leading scholars propose a two-phase hypothesis (here, here): First, our ancestors evolved certain mental abilities, useful for survival and reproduction, which predisposed them to religious beliefs. Then, from the multitude of beliefs that emerged, particular religions spread and persisted because their deities and rituals promoted cooperation among practitioners.
...
Evolved features of our brains, such as Theory of Mind and over-imitation, likely caused the emergence of religions in human societies. It doesn’t take supernatural beings to explain why so many people believe in them - just natural evolutionary processes.
UNQUOTE

As such, to secular humanists, all religions are equal. There is no special revelation in any of them. And science has been able to prove that many of the religious practices are mere superstitions. Because of this, secular humanists refused to give Christianity as special preference. They said if we were to look at the 6 days creation seriously, then we also have to look at the Hindu view that the world is supported by four elephants on a big turtle seriously.

Personal Morality versus Structural Morality

Morality is present at two levels, personal and structural.

A person's moral behaviour is how he behaves. Structural morality usually belongs to a religious, philosophical or cultural system. The system will dictate what is right or wrong. A wrong moral structure is far more devastating that an immoral individual.

So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. (1 Kings 12:28-30 ESV)

Jeroboam was a founder of a kingdom and a dynasty. Personally, he was a capable man. He was not a cruel dictator like what some modern dictators were and he must have been popular. When he proposed the tweaks to the religious practices of Israel, it was accepted by the people.

He made the following changes:
He switched the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:29);
He instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in imitation of the annual Festival of Tabernacles in Judah (1 Kings 12:32).

This was a structural change and it affected the entire country. Henceforth, Jeroboam became known as "Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin". It led to the early demise of the northern kingdom.

Humanism's Faith in Reason represents Our Best Hope

Below is taken from the guardian article, "Humanism's faith in reason represents our best hope" by AC Grayling published on Sunday 3 March 2013.

QUOTE
Religions, despite what people think of as their personal consolations, have not served the world well. They create division and conflict, they impose unlivable moralities of denial and limitation, and they demand that we think of the world as our remotest ancestors did, thousands of years ago. The cry raised by defenders of religion is: but what would you put in its place as a view of the world by which we can live? The answer is: something far better, deeper, kinder and warmer - and far more rational - namely: humanism.

Humanism is a non-religious ethical outlook based on an interest in human affairs at the human scale. It is not a doctrine or a set of rules; it is a starting point, its founding idea being that ethics must be based on the facts of human experience. For some, the result of thinking for themselves about ethics might be close to a conventional moral outlook; for others, the result might be less conventional. Either way, there are just two constraints: that one's choices must not be aimed at harming others, and that one must be able to make a solid case for one's outlook if challenged by others.

One great flaw in religion-based moralities is that they are not thought through and chosen on the basis of individual responsibility, but are imposed from outside in a one-size-fits-all way. As a result, religious morality too often cuts across the grain of human nature, distorting it and crushing its natural impulses, not least as regards sex - always an inflated subject of interest for religious moralists, who throughout history have been frightened of it and bent on limiting it as strictly as possible.

As this shows, humanism is a response to Socrates's invitation to live the chosen life, rather than a life prescribed by doctrines inherited from the traditions, especially the religious traditions, of whatever community one happens to be born into. Religious moralities assume that there is one great truth and one right way to live for everyone. Another great flaw with religious morality is that it says if you do not obey, you will be punished. The threat of punishment is not a logically adequate ground for moral behaviour, even if it is prudent to avoid punishment by behaving as ordered. Unless one's moral outlook comes from being thought-out and chosen for oneself, it is at best an imitation of morality, at worst a subversion of it.

The foundation of a humanist ethic is that it has to start from our best understanding of human nature and the human condition. The "human condition" is somewhat easier to describe than "human nature", that complex thing which literature, psychology, philosophy and individual experience all struggle to understand. Whereas a study of history and a thoughtful reading of literature together offer abundant insights into the human condition, the sheer diversity in human nature makes the task of understanding it a work that could demand whole lifetimes as we seek to make sense of ourselves and others, especially the others we care about.

But the effort to understand human nature is itself constitutive of what makes a good and worthwhile life. It is easy to prove this: consider the opposite, namely, a life lived in carelessness and indifference towards the question of who we are and how we can best relate to others. What a waste that would be. In attempting to understand humanity we can expect to find that what motivates people is, too often, not very admirable and sometimes downright appalling. But this is not the majority story. In every village, town and city in the world, every minute of each day, there are millions of acts of ordinary co-operation, courtesy and kindness, and they constitute the majority of human interactions.

An important assumption that humanism makes is that people are, or at least can be, self-creating and self-determining. But, in many cases, the burden of history and society makes self-creation impossible. This certainly happens when people are trapped in a religious tradition which tells them what to think and how to behave, and refuses to allow them freedom.

But the effort to be a free-minded individual in pursuit of worthwhile goals suited to one's individuality is surely central to the very idea of the good: it is what gives us our best chance to be fully human, and at the same time – in the spirit of shared humanity – to develop our affections in our communities, to promote the values of kindness and tolerance, and to celebrate the enjoyment of all the things that make life beautiful and satisfying.

Because humanism draws on 2,500 years of non-religious ethical thinking since Socrates, it is a deep, rich tradition of insight, wisdom and inspiration, and it is this without any supernaturalistic beliefs involved. That means that it offers the possibility of truly global ethics that everyone could live by. Consider a utopia in which people, having been liberated from religion at last, can agree to base their ethics on a generous view of human nature and needs.
UNQUOTE

Secular Humanism

The following were taken from BBC - Religions - Atheism: Humanism:

QUOTE
Humanists believe that human experience and rational thinking provide the only source of both knowledge and a moral code to live by.
They reject the idea of knowledge 'revealed' to human beings by gods, or in special books.
…
Humanist ideas
Most humanists would agree with the ideas below:

1. There are no supernatural beings.
2. The material universe is the only thing that exists.
3. Science provides the only reliable source of knowledge about this universe.
4. We only live this life - there is no after-life, and no such thing as reincarnation.
5. Human beings can live ethical and fulfilling lives without religious beliefs.
6. Human beings derive their moral code from the lessons of history, personal experience, and thought.

UNQUOTE

Secular humanism views man is the measure of all things (Protagoras). It sees moral values as relative, varying from person to person. It rejects absolutes. It is inclusive. It rejects exclusivity.

"Absolute truth belongs only to one class of humans - the class of absolute fools." Ashley Montagu  (1905 – 1999)

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1 NIV)
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. (Psalm 53:1 NIV)
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25 ESV)

Three Marks Of Existence - A Biblical Perspective

Today is Vesak day. I wish all my Buddhist friends a happy Vesak day and also look at one basic doctrine of Buddhism from a Biblical perspective.

Tilakkhaṇa (Pali) or trilakṣmaṇa (Sanskrit), translated as the three marks/signs/characteristics, of all existence and beings is a basic doctrine of Buddhism. The three marks of existence are impermanence (anicca), dissatisfaction or suffering (dukkha), and non-self, no-self or no "I AM" (anattā). According to Buddha, a full understanding of these three can bring an end to suffering.

What Buddha said is true. The Bible actually explained the three marks of existence more fully and therefore complete salvation is found in the Bible.

How did all existence acquired the three marks? The answer is actually found in the big overview of the Bible - creation, fall, redemption, restoration.

Creation
God is the ultimate "I AM" (Exodus 3:14). He created all things and owns of all things. His creation was good. There is neither anicca nor dukkha. Creation is good and permanent.

Fall
Then Adam wanted to be like God. He wanted to be like "I AM", the one who owns the universe. He ate the fruit of knowledge of good and evil to achieve this aim. In doing so, he sinned. With sin came death (Romans 5:12) and all creation has acquired the characteristics of anicca and dukkha. Now sinful men are cut off from the true "I AM" and behave as little "I AM" and became full of self and are no longer anattā. They seek for the things of the world, which are both anicca and dukkha, to satisfy themselves because they are cut off from things eternal.

Redemption
The ultimate "I AM" now make provision for salvation by sending His Son to die for the sin of the world. For those who believe, he achieved anattā, for it is no longer he who lives, but he lives by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20). And he does all things for the glory of the true "I AM" (1 Corinthians 10:31). While anicca and dukkha continues while we are in the flesh (1 Peter 5:10, 2 Corinthians 4:17, John 16:33), but this suffering/dukkha (which is temporary/anicca) is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Restoration
In due time, "I AM" will destroy the present creation and replace it with one without anicca and dukkha (Revelation 21:1).

Three Marks Of Existence - Questions Unanswered

Tilakkhaṇa (Pali) or trilakṣmaṇa (Sanskrit) or 三相 (Chinese), translated as the three marks of all existence, is a basic doctrine of Buddhism. The three marks of existence are impermanence (anicca), dissatisfaction or suffering (dukkha), and no-self (anattā). According to Buddha, a full understanding of these three can bring an end to suffering.

What caused the universe to have this three marks of existence? Buddha did not answer this question. Instead, he gave the parable of the poisonous arrow to explain that it is not necessary to know the answer because the answer is irrelevant to the solution.

Because Buddha refuse to answer the question on what cause the universe to have this three mark of existence, we have to make the following assumption for Buddha's solution to work is:

1. The current universe which we live in where all things are impermanent (anicca) and all beings are suffering (dukkha) has always been like that, unchanging, and permanent;
2. The current universe has no beginning, or even if it has a beginning, this first cause does not interfere with the current universe, allowing it to remain unchanging and permanent.

The Bible tells us that the universe has a beginning and an end. The Bible also tells us that the universe has a creator God who has already laid out His plans for His creation. Finally, the Bible answered the question that Buddha refused to answer. How does the universe acquire this three marks of existence? Dukkha and anicca came about when Adam sinned. The universe has always been anattā, but men can no longer recognize it.

Thus if the Bible is true, Buddhism is false. If Buddhism is true, the Bible is false. The Bible and Buddhism cannot be both true.

Salvation Possible Only When Look Away From Self (Anattā अनत्ता)

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22 KJV)

Quoted below is Charles Spurgeon's personal testimony of his conversion. Notice how Spurgeon was instructed to look away from SELF to LOOK unto the SAVIOUR, the one who is ETERNAL and UNCHANGING. There is nothing Charles Spurgeon could do to save himself. He had to look away from self (अनत्ता anattā). Only God can save. Look and be saved. It is that simple.

QUOTE

I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair until now, had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm one Sunday morning, while I was going to a certain place of worship. I turned down a side street, and came to a little Primitive Methodist Church. In that chapel there may have been a dozen or fifteen people. I had heard of the Primitive Methodists, how they sang so loudly that they made people’s heads ache; but that did not matter to me. I wanted to know how I might be saved....

The minister did not come that morning; he was snowed up, I suppose. At last a very thin-looking man, a shoemaker, or tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach. Now it is well that preachers be instructed, but this man was really stupid. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had little else to say. The text was—"LOOK UNTO ME, AND BE YE SAVED, ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH" (Isa. 45:22)

He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. There was, I thought, a glimmer of hope for me in that text.

The preacher began thus: "This is a very simple text indeed. It says ‘Look.’ Now lookin’ don’t take a deal of pain. It aint liftin’ your foot or your finger; it is just ‘Look.’ Well, a man needn’t go to College to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man needn’t be worth a thousand a year to look. Anyone can look; even a child can look.

"But then the text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Ay!" he said in broad Essex, "many on ye are lookin’ to yourselves, but it’s no use lookin’ there. You’ll never find any comfort in yourselves. Some say look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Some on ye say ‘We must wait for the Spirit’s workin.’ You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. The text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ "

Then the good man followed up his text in this way: "Look unto Me; I am sweatin’ great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hangin’ on the cross. Look unto Me, I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me; I am sitting at the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! look unto Me!"

When he had . . . . managed to spin out about ten minutes or so, he was at the end of his tether. Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger.

Just fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my heart, he said, "Young man, you look very miserable." Well, I did, but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made from the pulpit on my personal appearance before. However, it was a good blow, struck right home. He continued, "And you will always be miserable—miserable in life and miserable in death—if you don’t obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved." Then lifting up his hands, he shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, "Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothing to do but look and live!"

I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said—I did not take much notice of it—I was so possessed with that one thought . . . . I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, "Look!" what a charming word it seemed to me. Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away.

There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, "Trust Christ, and you shall be saved." Yet it was, no doubt, all wisely ordered, and now I can say—

"E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die. . ."

That happy day when I found the Saviour, and learned to cling to His dear feet, was a day never to be forgotten by me . . . . I listened to the Word of God and that precious text led me to the cross of Christ. I can testify that the joy of that day was utterly indescribable. I could have leaped, I could have danced; there was no expression, however fanatical, which would have been out of keeping with the joy of that hour. Many days of Christian experience have passed since then, but there has never been one which has had the full exhilaration, the sparkling delight which that first day had.

I thought I could have sprung from the seat in which I sat, and have called out with the wildest of those Methodist brethren . . . "I am forgiven! I am forgiven! A monument of grace! A sinner saved by blood!"

My spirit saw its chains broken to pieces, I felt that I was an emancipated soul, an heir of heaven, a forgiven one, accepted in Jesus Christ, plucked out of the miry clay and out of the horrible pit, with my feet set upon a rock and my goings established . . . .

Between half-past ten o’clock, when I entered that chapel, and half-past twelve o’clock, when I was back again at home, what a change had taken place in me! Simply by looking to Jesus I had been delivered from despair, and I was brought into such a joyous state of mind that, when they saw me at home, they said to me, "Something wonderful has happened to you," and I was eager to tell them all about it. Oh! there was joy in the household that day, when all heard that the eldest son had found the Saviour and knew himself to be forgiven.

(Taken from Iain Murray, ed., The Early Years (London: Banner of Truth, 1962), p. 87-90).

UNQUOTE

Anatta - No-self or Not-self

What is anatta? Below is a quotation from "No-self or Not-self?"

QUOTE
So, instead of answering "no" to the question of whether or not there is a self - interconnected or separate, eternal or not - the Buddha felt that the question was misguided to begin with. Why? No matter how you define the line between "self" and "other," the notion of self involves an element of self-identification and clinging, and thus suffering and stress. This holds as much for an interconnected self, which recognizes no "other," as it does for a separate self. If one identifies with all of nature, one is pained by every felled tree. It also holds for an entirely "other" universe, in which the sense of alienation and futility would become so debilitating as to make the quest for happiness - one's own or that of others - impossible. For these reasons, the Buddha advised paying no attention to such questions as "Do I exist?" or "Don't I exist?" for however you answer them, they lead to suffering and stress.
To avoid the suffering implicit in questions of "self" and "other," he offered an alternative way of dividing up experience: the four Noble Truths of stress, its cause, its cessation, and the path to its cessation. Rather than viewing these truths as pertaining to self or other, he said, one should recognize them simply for what they are, in and of themselves, as they are directly experienced, and then perform the duty appropriate to each. Stress should be comprehended, its cause abandoned, its cessation realized, and the path to its cessation developed. These duties form the context in which the anatta doctrine is best understood. If you develop the path of virtue, concentration, and discernment to a state of calm well-being and use that calm state to look at experience in terms of the Noble Truths, the questions that occur to the mind are not "Is there a self? What is my self?" but rather "Am I suffering stress because I'm holding onto this particular phenomenon? Is it really me, myself, or mine? If it's stressful but not really me or mine, why hold on?" These last questions merit straightforward answers, as they then help you to comprehend stress and to chip away at the attachment and clinging - the residual sense of self-identification - that cause it, until ultimately all traces of self-identification are gone and all that's left is limitless freedom.
In this sense, the anatta teaching is not a doctrine of no-self, but a not-self strategy for shedding suffering by letting go of its cause, leading to the highest, undying happiness. At that point, questions of self, no-self, and not-self fall aside. Once there's the experience of such total freedom, where would there be any concern about what's experiencing it, or whether or not it's a self?
UNQUOTE

I have thought of this problem and came to the same conclusion of not holding to self because self is pride. But if not self, then what? The Bible gives the true answer.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 ESV)
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Revelation 4:11 NIV)

No Soul

Here is an explanation of non-self अनत्ता (anattā), अनात्मन् (anātman), 無我 (wúwǒ) from "Fundamentals of Buddhism: 3 Universal Characteristics":

QUOTE
Sometimes, this teaching of not-self is an occasion for confusion because often we wonder how one can deny the self. After all, we do say "I am speaking" or "I am walking," or "I am called so and so", or "I am the father or the son of such and such a person." So how can we deny the reality of that "I"? In order to clarify this, I think it is important to remember that the Buddhist rejection of the "I" is not a rejection of this convenient designation, the name "I". Rather, it is a rejection of the idea that this name "I" stands for a substantial, permanent and changeless reality. When the Buddha said that the five factors of personal experience were not the self, and that the self was not to be found within them He meant that on analysis, this name "I" did not correspond to any essence or entity.

The Buddha has used the example of the chariot and the forest to explain the relation between the term "I" and the components of personal experience. The Buddha has explained that the term "chariot" is simply a convenient name for a collection of parts that is assembled in a particular way. The wheels are not the chariot. Neither is the axle, and neither is the carriage, and so forth. Similarly, an individual tree is not a forest. Neither is a number of individual trees a forest. There is no forest apart from the individual trees. The term forest is just a convenient name for an assembly of individual trees. This is the thrust of the Buddha’s rejection of the self. The Buddha’s rejection is a rejection of the belief in a real, independent, permanent entity that is represented by the term "I". Such a permanent entity would have to be independent, would have to be sovereign in the way that a king is master of those around him. It would have to be permanent, immutable and impervious to change, and such a permanent entity, such a self is nowhere to be found.
UNQUOTE

But unfortunately for Buddha, there is a real, independent, permanent entity who is self-existent. He is God. And His name is exactly what Buddha expect of such an entity. His name is "I AM".

God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you." (Exodus 3:14 CSB)

Three Marks Of Existence

Impermanence
अनिच्चा (anicca), अनित्य (anitya), 無常 (wúcháng)
Nothing is permanent, everything change and vanish.
In the Bible, God is permanent and never change.
But you remain the same, and your years will never end. (Psalm 102:27 NIV)

Dissatisfaction
दुक्ख; (dukkha), दुःख; (duḥkha), 苦 (kǔ)
Dissatisfaction, or suffering, or sin arises because of impermanence.
In the Bible, sin came into this world by the disobedience of one man and with sin come suffering and death. But the Bible does not end with this bad news. There is the good news (Gospel) that in Christ, all shall be made alive.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22 KJV)

Not-self
अनत्ता (anattā), अनात्मन् (anātman), 無我 (wúwǒ)
The doctrine of "non-self", no "I AM" concept. "I am" is a mark of conceit which must be destroyed to end all dukkha.
In the Bible, God is the ultimate I AM, the self-existence one.
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14 NIV)

Buddha left us a teaching but we must find our own path.
Jesus said He is the way and there is no other.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV)

Impermanence And Two Solutions

Impermanence is an observable fact. It is obvious that things change and are impermanent. They do not last.

Observations from the Bible:
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! (Psalm 39:5-6 ESV)
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. (Psalm 103:15-16 ESV)

But the Bible often contrast the impermanence of creation with the permanence of God.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8 ESV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35 ESV)

Observations from Buddhist scripture:
生者皆歸死，容顏盡變衰，強力病所侵，無能免斯者；
假使妙高山，劫盡皆散壞。大海深無底，亦復有枯竭；
大地及日月，時至皆歸盡。未曾有一事，不被無常吞。
《佛說無常經》

Impermanence - अनिच्चा (anicca), अनित्य (anitya), 無常 (wúcháng) - a very important Buddhist concept.

Solution to impermanence
The Buddhist solution
Buddha said that attachment to impermanent things caused suffering. The solution is to detach from impermanent things.
The Buddha's last words (Mahāparinibbāna Sutta 大般涅槃經):
Handa dani bhikkhave amantayami vo: Vayadhamma sankhara appamadena sampadetha.
"Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation."
"Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"
「諸比丘，現在我勸告汝等：諸因緣法含固有毀壞。大家應自精勤，證取道果！」

The Christian solution
Attachment to impermanent things cause suffering. The solution is to detach from impermanent things and attach to the eternal God.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17 NIV)
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3 KJV)
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8 KJV)

Remember, you are saved by who you believe, not what you do.

Is There Mandatory Fasting In The Bible?

It's Ramadan! The Muslims are fasting. What does the Bible say about fasting? Here is a quote taken from "What Does the Bible Say About Fasting? | Truth Or Tradition?"

QUOTE
The Day of Atonement was a day for people to "afflict your souls" (Lev. 16:29, 31 KJV), which other versions translate as "deny yourselves" (NIV), or "humble your souls" (NASB). The Hebrew word that the KJV translates "afflict" in Leviticus 16:29 and 31 means to "humble, overpower, subdue, oppress, or weaken," depending on the context. The same Hebrew phrase occurs in the context of a woman making a vow to afflict her soul, which could be any vow she made that involved self-denial (Num. 30:13). Although over time the Day of Atonement became a day of fasting, God never specifically said people were to go without eating. Instead, people were to deny themselves, which different people would do in different ways.
UNQUOTE

Additional information on וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם in "leviticus - What does it means to "afflict your souls" as in Lev. 16? - Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange" quoted below:

QUOTE
The Hebrew text וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם (alternatively תְּעַנּוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם) literally says "and ye shall afflict your souls," and it appears in two separate sections in Leviticus as well as once in Numbers. This text has always been understood to mean afflict your body through fasting. That being said, there is also a spiritual component to Yom Kippur in additional to the physical fast itself. A fairly substantial amount of data from Tanach supports this assertion. A good example is Isaiah 58:3 which reads:
לָמָּה צַּמְנוּ וְלֹא רָאִיתָ עִנִּינוּ נַפְשֵׁנוּ וְלֹא תֵדָע הֵן בְּיוֹם צֹמְכֶם תִּמְצְאוּ חֵפֶץ וְכָל עַצְּבֵיכֶם תִּנְגֹּשׂוּ:
Why have we fasted but You (G-d) have not seen; we have afflicted our souls but You do not know? Behold, on the day of your fast you pursue business, and [from] all your debtors you exact [payment].
In this example, the verb צמנ (fast) is clearly being equated with ענה (afflict).
Furthermore, the Hebrew word נֶפֶשׁ, in addition to meaning "soul," also has a physical meaning related to the human body. Psalms 107:9 is a good example of this:
כִּי הִשְׂבִּיעַ נֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹקֵקָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה מִלֵּא טוֹב:
For He (G-d) has sated a longing soul, and filled a hungry soul with good.
Above we can see that the dual spiritual/physical meanings of נֶפֶשׁ are being used in the very same verse. So afflicting your soul on Yom Kippur means physically fasting, and being spiritually affected by that fast as well.
Here is an excellent article which discusses this topic in more detail.
UNQUOTE

וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם
"The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny (וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם) yourselves, and present a food offering to the LORD. (Leviticus 23:27 NIV)
"This is to be a permanent statute for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month you are to practice self-denial (וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם) and do no work, both the native and the alien who resides among you. (Leviticus 16:29 CSB)
It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict (וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם) yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath." (Leviticus 23:32 ESV)

No One Is More Inclusive Than The God Of The Bible

The God of the Bible is an inclusive God. Look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. It says that not only the homosexuals are going to hell, the heterosexual sinners, such as fornicators and adulterers, are also going to hell. Not only sex offenders are going to hell. Drunkards are also going to hell. Same for idolaters and the rest on the list. But if this is not inclusive enough, the Bible says "for all have sinned (Romans 3:23)". So all are going to hell. All. Now you cannot be more inclusive than that.

So is there any way out? Yes! There is a way out. God has offered "salvation to all people (Titus 2:11)". This offer is to all, not to some exclusive people with special privileges. And "whosoever believeth in him should not perish (John 3:16)". Whosoever accepts this offer shall not perish. Whosoever - fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, idolaters, thieves, robbers, murderers (1 Corinthians 6:11). Very inclusive.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23 CSB)

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11 NIV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV)

How Do I Know I Have Eternal Life

How do I know I have eternal life?
1. Because Jesus said so. Jesus said I will live because He lives.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26 KJV)

2. But that is not enough. So many people said so many things. How do I know what Jesus said is true? Because Jesus said so before it happened.
As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed. (Matthew 17:22-23 ESV)
I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. (John 13:19 CSB)
And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. (John 14:29 ESV)

3. And Jesus proved what He said to be true by His resurrection.
After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 NIV)
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:5 ESV)

4. Finally, the eye witness testimony.
For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16 NIV)
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NIV)

Life And Death - Two Perceptions

What we see:
natural birth -> natural life -> natural death
"Well, what is next, I do not know. Nobody has ever come back." - Lee Kuan Yew on 2010-09-01 in an interview with Seth Mydans

The Bible tell us there are 2 paths - life and death:
Life - natural birth -> natural life -> new birth (John 3:3,3:5) -> new life (John 11:25-26) -> natural death -> first resurrection -> judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10)
Death - natural birth -> natural life -> natural death -> second resurrection -> great white throne judgement -> second death (Revelation 21:8)
He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. (Luke 24:38-43 NIV)
Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27 BSB)
After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 NIV)

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:5 ESV)

Two

2 births
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 KJV)
2 lives
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)
2 deaths
But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars - their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8 CSB)
2 resurrections
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6 ESV)
2 judgements
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV)
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:11-12 ESV)
2 paths
natural birth -> natural life -> new birth -> new life -> natural death -> first resurrection -> judgment seat of Christ
natural birth -> natural life -> natural death -> second resurrection -> great white throne judgement -> second death

Hosea's Children

Jezreel - God sows or scatter
Then the LORD said to him: Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will bring the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. (Hosea 1:4 CSB)

Lo-ruhamah - no mercy
She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter, and the LORD said to him: Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel. I will certainly take them away. (Hosea 1:6 CSB)

Lo-ammi - not my people
Then the LORD said: Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9 CSB)

Restoration
On that day I will respond - this is the Lord's declaration. I will respond to the sky, and it will respond to the earth. The earth will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. I will sow her in the land for myself, and I will have compassion on Lo-ruhamah; I will say to Lo-ammi: You are my people, and he will say, "You are my God." (Hosea 2:21-23 CSB)

God will scatter Ephraim, the northern kingdom of Israel. He will not have mercy because they are not His people. But in due time, on that day, God will reap what He had scatter, and He will have mercy on Ephraim and call them my people.

All Israel Will Be Saved On That Day

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." (Romans 11:25-27 ESV)

All Israel will be saved when the fullness of the Gentiles (πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν) has come in. When will that happen?

Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.
And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one. (Zechariah 14:1-9 ESV)

When Jesus comes again and lands on Mount Olives.

On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the Lord of hosts, their God.'
"On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.
"And the Lord will give salvation to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not surpass that of Judah. On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:3-10 ESV)

Gradual Restoration Of Israel Prophesied

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." (Romans 11:25-27 NIV)

All Israel will be saved when the fullness of the Gentiles (πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν) has come in. When will that happen?

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15 NIV)

When the last trumpet is blown!

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.'" (Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV)

Meanwhile, Israel is being gradually restored and start to move to the land promised by God.

"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. (Matthew 24:32 NIV)

Food Miracles

And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:20-21 ESV)

And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 15:37-38 ESV)

But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? (Matthew 16:8-10 ESV)

And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. (Exodus 16:17-18 ESV)

When I looked at the two food miracles, manna in the Old Testament and feeding of 5000 and 4000 in the New Testament, I noticed that Jesus provided more than enough whereas God through Moses gave the exact amount.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 ESV)

The Main Theme of the Bible - 2

This is the big overview of the Bible - creation, fall, redemption, restoration.

Creation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NASB, NLT, NIV)

Fall
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 HCSB)

Redemption
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6 ESV)
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

Restoration
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (Revelation 21:1 ESV)

There are many who asked, "If God exist, why are there so much evil in the world?"
The usual conclusions we get are:

1. God wanted to stop suffering but could not. He is not omnipotent.
2. God can stop suffering but will not. He is a sadist.
3. God does not exist. He is just some imagination by men to ease their sufferings.

But the truth which was told by the Bible, the true word of God, is that God had already provided redemption and restoration. It takes time but it will happen eventually.

Read the Bible. In it we were told how the world came into being (creation), how sin came into the world (fall), how God provided the remedy (redemption) and at the end of ages, how God will destroy this current world and recreate a new world (restoration).

The Bible had already told us the end from the beginning. We know that Jesus has already conquered sin and death. The evil in the world today will eventually pass. Complete victory will come. Do you believe?

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:20-26 ESV)

Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:26 CSB)
I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. (John 13:19 ESV)