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46 Hope of Israel Mail Bag

saying, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the And lastly: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in
ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which our image, in our likeness...” (Gen. 1:26). Who is this “us”
is to come, THE ALMIGHTY” (Revelation 1:8). “I am God was referring to if it wasn’t Jesus?
the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it” (Isaiah 44:6). Also, you mentioned in one of your articles that
“I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was the Hebrew word for God, Elohim, was pagan. Why is this
dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” (Rev. so? According to Herbert W. Armstrong this was proof
1:17-18). Jesus says, “And, behold, I come quickly; and that God was a being of more than one personage since this
my reward is with me, to give every man according as his is the plural form of El.
work shall be. I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE
BEGINNING AND THE END, the first and the last....I Je- I would greatly appreciate your trying to explain
sus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in for me these verses.
the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and
the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22:12-16). Thank you.

I am still not totally clear on this verse regarding E.H.
Wisdom. Is this talking about Jesus or some aspect of
God’s creative energy? “The LORD brought me forth as COMMENT: In I Peter 1:19-20 we read that “with the
the FIRST OF HIS WORKS, before his deeds of old;Iwas precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
APPOINTED FROM ETERNITY, from the without spot...He...was FOREORDAINED BEFORE
BEGINNING, before the world began. When there were THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, but was mani-
no oceans, I was given BIRTH, when there were no springs fest in these last times for you.” The word translated “fore-
abounding with water; before the mountains were settled ordained” is word #4267 in Strong’s Exhaustive
in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made Concordance Greek Dictionary and also in Thayer’s
the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. I was Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, and
there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked means -- “to know beforehand, i.e. Foresee:- foreknow (or-
out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he estab- dain), know (before).”
lished the clouds above and fixed securely the foundations
of the deep, when he gave the sea its boundary so the wa- Yeshua the Messiah was “foreordained” -- which
ters would not overstep his command, and when he means that YEHOVAH “knew” Yeshua even BEFORE he
marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I WAS THE came into “existence.” In other words, YEHOVAH had
CRAFTSMAN AT HIS SIDE, I was filled with delight day knowledge of Yeshua beforehand. And all of those whom
after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his YEHOVAH is calling out in these last days are ALSO fore-
whole world and delighting in mankind” (Prov. 8:22-31). ordained -- which means that YEHOVAH “knew” us even
before we came into “existence.” YEHOVAH had knowl-
And who is this mysterious Melchisedek? I recall edge of us beforehand as well. Notice Romans 8:28-30 --
Herbert W. Armstrong stating that this was Jesus in a dif- “And we know that all things work together for good to
ferent form and function. “For this Melchisedek, king of those who love God, to those who are the called according
Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abra- to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predes-
ham...first being by interpretation, King of righteousness, tined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He
and after that also king of Salem, which is, King of peace; might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover
without father, without mother, without descent, having whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He
neither beginning of days nor end of life; but made like called, these He also justified; and whom He justified,
unto the Son of God; abideth a priest forever”(Heb. these He also glorified.” The word that has been translated
7:1-3). “foreknew” in Romans 8:29 is word #4267 in Strong’s
Greek Dictionary -- the SAME WORD translated “foreor-

The Berean Voice July-August 2002