✪ "The presence of life on Earth shows that we are in the beneficial Goldilocks position, the right distance from the sun, which is itself remarkably stable in its output of light and heat in comparison with many other stars of similar size. The earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere are also remarkable in their ability to protect life from the harmful space environment and prevent significant loss of water molecules and oxygen to space. The sun and Earth are optimally designed for life." Andrew Sibley, Superflares and the origin of life on Earth, Ref-0784, 31(1) 2017, 111-115, p. 115.
✪ "As to the purpose of things, science is silent." Ref-1414, p. 117. "For most today the universe is as impersonal as it seemed in the first century. With sophistication we explain origins by an evolution that supposedly took place by random chance, bringing life from lifeless matter. From this empty, impersonal origin we seem to move toward a meaningless end. If that end doesn’t come soon through a destructive atomic war, mindless depletion of earth’s natural resources, overpopulation, or pollution of the environment, then the end will still come in some distant age when the universe itself runs down, the stars wink out, and an endless dark descends. No wonder that within such an impersonal universe men and women increasingly turn to drugs, to hedonistic sensualism, to astrology or the occult, or to modern mystery faiths from the East, in a desperate search for meaning and for hope. For perhaps the first time in centuries, the world view of modern man closely resembles the world view of New Testament times! The revolutionary truths so familiar to the Christian are truly revolutionary again." -- Larry Richards and Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher’s Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1987), 787. "“Our posturing, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this . . . our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves." — Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future of Space (New York: Ballantine, 1997) p. 7. -- cited by Spike Psarris, Our Created Stars and Galaxies, [https://www.creationastronomy.com/videos/] "We’re just a bit of pollution. If you got rid of us . . . then the universe would be largely the same. We’re completely irrelevant." — Lawrence Krauss, cited in Richard Panek, Out There, The New York Times Magazine, March 11, 2007. -- cited by Spike Psarris, Our Created Stars and Galaxies, [https://www.creationastronomy.com/videos/] "Human existence itself is nothing but a meaningless accident, and humans are isolated in an indifferent and incomprehensible universe . . . there is no room for anything that has value for humanity, no room for consciousness, joy, sadness, or hope." — Eric J. Lerner, The Big Bang Never Happened, (New York: Vintage Books, 1992) p. 291. -- cited by Spike Psarris, Our Created Stars and Galaxies, [https://www.creationastronomy.com/videos/] "“[E]ven more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which science presents for our belief . . . that man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving. That his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroes, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave. That all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins . . . Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built." — Bertrand Russell, A Free Man’s Worship -- cited by Spike Psarris, Our Created Stars and Galaxies, [https://www.creationastronomy.com/videos/] "he more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless." — Steven Weinberg, The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe (New York: Basic Books, 1993) p. 154. -- cited by Spike Psarris, Our Created Stars and Galaxies, [https://www.creationastronomy.com/videos/]
✪ "It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages shows this is no evidence that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world." Ref-1289, pp. 186-187. "But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are not alive; it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of that misery, we, doubtless, should hear one and another reply, ‘No, I never intended to come here . . . Death outwitted me . . .’" Ref-1289, p. 188. "And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before tomorrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest, will be there in a little time! You damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly, upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living, and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned, hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy!" Ref-1289, pp. 196-197.
✪ Josephus states that three of the seven lamps were allowed to burn by day; according to tradition, however, only the center lamp was left burning all day; it was called Western Lamp because it was next to the branches on the east side. The Western Lamp is also referred to as "Ner Elohim" (the lamp of God), mentioned in 1S. 3:3, which is represented in the synagogue by the "Ner Tamid," the perpetual lamp burning before the ark. Ref-0006, p. 366.
✪ "On the first day God created light; on the fourth day the light-bearing stars: on the second day the air and the sea; on the fifth the birds of the air and the fish in the sea: on the third the land and the plants, that is, the lowest grade of earthly life; on the sixth day the animals and man, that is, the highest grade of earthly life." Ref-0197, pp. 24-25.
✪ "On the fourth day the luminaries were made; because God, who possesses foreknowledge, knew the follies of the vain philosophers, that they were going to say, that the things which grow on the earth are produced from the heavenly bodies, so as to exclude God. In order, therefore, that the truth might be obvious, the plants and seeds were produced prior to the heavenly bodies, for what is posterior cannot produce that which is prior. And these contain the pattern and type of a great mystery. For the sun is a type of God, and the moon of man. And as the sun far surpasses the moon in power and glory, so far does God surpass man. And as the sun remains ever full, never becoming less, so does God always abide perfect, being full of all power, and understanding, and wisdom, and immortality, and all good. But the moon wanes monthly, and in a manner dies, being a type of man; then it is born again, and is crescent, for a pattern of the future resurrection." Theophilus of Antioch, Roberts, Alexander and Donaldson, James, Ante-Nicene Fathers: Volume II, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1997, ECF 1.2.3.1.2.13
✪ "The speed of light in a vacuum was accurately measured in 1879 by Albert Michelson, the first American citizen to earn a Nobel Prize. He found that it travels at about 300,000 km/sec. The “light year” is thus the distnace that light will travel (in a vacuum) in a year. The light-year works out to be 9,461 billion km, which corresponds to 63,580 AU and about 0.3 parsecs." Ref-0814, p. 40
✪ "These highly selective data-discarding techniques, fueled by Darwinian dogma, lead to the commonly claimed 98 percent similarity in DNA between human and chimp. Based on the reanalysis of DNA similarity estimates using discarded data in leading secular research publications, it is safe to conclude that genome-wide DNA similarity between human and chimpanzee is not more than 81 to 87 percent identical. These numbers are in good agreement with the range of estimates obtained by ICR’s independent research. One must keep in mind that the chimpanzee genome is larger than the human genome by at least 8 percent (based on current data). Also, many non-similar regions of DNA between the human and chimpanzee genomes cannot be accurately compared due to high levels of dissimilarity. Therefore, overall genome similarity between human and chimpanzee is most likely lower than 81 percent." Jeffrey Tomkins, Journal Reports Bias in Human-Chimp Studies, [http://www.icr.org/article/6777/] "Dr. Page now admits that “the [percentage] relationship between the human and chimp Y chromosomes has been blown to pieces.” . . . Dr. Page admitted that the Y chromosomes of chimps and humans are “horrendously different from each other.” Dr. Page’s team found that the chimp Y chromosome has only two-thirds as many distinct genes or gene families as the human Y chromosome and only 47% as many protein-coding elements as humans. Furthermore, more than 30% of the chimp Y chromosome lacks an alignable counterpart on the human Y chromosome." -- Thomas Kindell, Refuting Textbook Arguments for Evolution, slide presentation, 20180307, citing Hughes, j., and 16 others (including David Page). "Chimpanzee and human & chromosomes are remarkably divergent in structure and gene content", Nature, 28 January 2010.
✪ The genealogical records of the tribes of Israel were lost in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. If Messiah comes after 70 AD, how can his genealogy be verified? Answer: He comes prior to 70 AD. "This all begins to make sense as we consider the altar described by Ezekiel. He calls the altar ariel, “lion of God” [Eze. 43:15-16]. Who is “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5; cf. Gen. 49:9)? This is none other than Jesus Christ. The altar bears His designation because it represents His sacrifice." Ref-1383, p. 140.
✪ Rabbi Hummah ben Rabbi Hannina said, "This alludes to the Messiah the son of David who was descended from two tribes, his father from Judah and his mother from Dan, in connection with both of which ‘lion’ is written. . ." - Ref-0011, p. 22.
✪ See fire - river of. "He who began His ministry by hungering (Mat. 4:3), ended it by thirsting (John 19:28). He who was the Rock whence Israel in the desert was refreshed (1Cor. 10:4), and He who turned the water into wine (John 2), now thirsts." Ref-0117, p. 587. "The Talmud (Sukk. 4.9) states that during the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasted one week, a procession went to the Pool of Siloam to bring water in a golden vessel to the Temple. There it was poured out as a libation of thanksgiving to God." Marion Fishchel, "History Unearthed", Ref-0066, 17:4 (2004), p. 113. "While some writers conclude that this water is figurative, it is also possible that ζωῆς πηγὰς ὐδατων refers to physical running water. In the Septuagint living water ὕδωρ ζάω) refers to water flowing from a well (Gen. 26:19), water running over a sacrificed bird (Lev. 14:5), and rivers flowing from Jerusalem to the seas (Zec. 14:8). The early church used ὕδωρ ζάω to refer to running water in which believers were baptized (Didache 7:1-2). Three Old Testament prophets spoke of literal waters that will provide physical life in the last days (Eze. 47:7-12; Joel 3:18; Zec. 14:8)." Richard Shalom Yates, "The Rewards of the Tribulation Saints" Ref-0200, Volume 163 Number 651 July-September 2006, 322:334, p. 330. "Sukkah continues by describing the unique use of water in this festival [the Feast of Tabernacles]. On the first day of the feast a procession led by priests brought water to the temple from the Pool of Siloam; trumpets were blown at the city gate as the procession entered. Each day priests circled the altar while the worshipers waved their lulabs. The Hallel (Ps. 113-118) was recited or sung on each of the eight days. The officiating priest ascended the altar ramp and, using two silver bowls, one for water, the other for wine, poured out the libation. . . . In John 7 Jesus arrives in Jerusalem during the latter part of the Festival of Booths . . . Given the time (the Feast of Tabernacles), the place (the temple), and the theme (water), such a declaration was bold and dramatic. Little wonder that in the following verses people debate whether Jesus might be the Messiah." Ref-1200, p. 161. "The water represents the old ways of Judaism; the wine, the new covenant relationship established by Christ, a relationship he would make explicit in the Last Supper when he identified the cup of wine with his blood soon to be shed." Ref-1282, p. 131 "John 7 says that Jesus taught in the temple courts while pilgrims were gathered there for the Feast of Booths. By the time of Jesus, two additional ceremonies had become part of this celebration: the lighting of the great lights and the water-drawing ceremony. In the lighting ceremony, enormous lampstands were lit in the temple in the Court of the Women and people carrying torches marched around the temple. After this ceremony, but while the torches would still have been burning, Jesus declared, “I am the light of the word” (John 8:12). In the water-drawing ceremony, a priest would carry water from the Pool of Siloam to the temple as a prayer for rain for the harvest. The Gospel of John says, “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them’ ” (John 7:37-38)." Ref-1326, p. 47. "The Court of the Women . . . was often filled with singing and dancing. One occasion when such a celebration occurred in this court was the annual water-drawing ceremony when a priest drew spring water from the Pool of Siloam and carried it to the temple to pour on the altar. This ceremony took place during the conclusion of the annual celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), and its purpose in this act was to ask God to send rain which was necessary for a successful harvest. It was on this last day of the Feast of Tabernacles that Jesus taught in the Court of the Women saying, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink” and “rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-39)." Ref-1326, p. 80. "Archaeological confirmation of a subterranean water source that has occasionally erupted on the Temple Mount in past history was given by Edward Robinson based on his discovery of the Fountain Ash-Shafa, whose waters came from a spring 80 feet below the Rock of the Dome. The same source of water is mentioned in the Mishnah (Tamed 1:1; Middot 1:6-9) and today is thought to be located not far from cistern # 30 (Shakib Ka-it-Bey) near the Western Wall." Ref-1356, p. 30n38. Questionable: Ps. 87:7 (?);
✪ See cherubim - live.