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LORD OF ZION

Psalm 87:6 “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.”

All the nations represented,Egypt,Philistia,Phoenicia,BabylonandEthiopiawere great Black nations.  They made remarkable impact upon history.  All had significant input and are revered by historians today.  When one entersZion, however, it is not the ancestral heritage that recommends them; it is the Lord of Zion who counts them as His own.  It is therefore important to consider who is this Lord of Zion? Or who shall be the Lord of Zion?

In the black community today, many believe that Islam or Christianity has the answer to this question.  Because of this, we will take a look at the central figures in these religions.

Mohammed ce 570-632

On a strip called theIslandof the Arabs 80 % of which is occupied by the country ofSaudi Arabia, Mohammed, prophet of Islam was born in 570 AD in the city ofMecca.  At the time of his birth, some 500 years after the death of Jesus,Africawas a Christian continent.  The Abyssinians of Ethiopia were the major exporter of Christianity toArabiaand theMiddle East.  When the Jews or Arabs were mistreating Christians, it was the Africans who came to their rescue.  The African church, known as the Coptic orBlackChurchhad one of the earliest Bibles, now known as the Coptic Bible.  This Bible is the largest Bible in the world, and includes the so-called Apocryphal books.

About 610 AD Mohammed received the first of a series of revelations that convinced him he was chosen as God’s messenger.  He began to preach the message entrusted to him—that there is but one God, to whom all humankind must commit themselves.

According to the Muslims, during the month Ramadan, or the month of April on our calendar, God transmitted the Koran to Mohammed, which after his death was compiled and written some thirty years later in four different versions by the warring factions who fought over the inheritance he left behind.

Mohammed tried to evangelize his people but was banished because of his theology.  He returned in 632 with an army however, and a motto: “fight, until all men acknowledge there is no God but Allah.”

Meccawas eventually conquered and dedicated to the worship of Allah.  By the time of his death in 632, Mohammed had managed to organize the Arab tribe’s people into a military proselytizing force that would storm the world.

The movement sent its armies across the entireMiddle East, taking in its course,North Africa,Carthage,Palestine,Spain, and the Mediterranean cost.  Today, Islam is the dominant religion in every country ofPalestineexceptIsrael.

Islam has four infallible source of teachings the most popular being the Koran.  Muslims acknowledge this book as the actual words of God revealed to the Prophet Mohammed

The Koran asserts that its message is neither human invention nor innovation.  Muslims claims it confirms and clarifies the scripture that Jews and Christians received earlier.  It is interesting however that both Jewish and Old Testament scripture condemns books such as the Koran which seeks to get its authority from both these sacred books.  Consider the passage from the Book of Revelation 22:18-19.

 

          “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ¹⁹And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

According to the Christian scripture, if anyone adds or take away from the Bible, God will take his name from the book of life.  Now surely anyone who reads the Koran would have to admit that it both add and detracts from the Christian scripture.  This is true because the Koran is distinctly different and disagrees with most of the basic teaching of the Holy Bible.  Consider the following Old Testament words:

 

          Isaiah8:20 “to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

This again would disqualify the Koran form being inspired scripture.  The Koran does not agree with the law and testimonies of the Hebrew scripture.  Furthermore, the Old Testament scripture is built around the fact that God created a perfect man who sinned and needed redemption.  God therefore formulated a plan to reconcile man to Himself.  The plan necessitated the coming of the Son of God, born of a woman and dying a substitutionary death on man’s behalf.

The Koran on the other hand totally rejects Jesus as the Son of God, yet claiming Him to be a prophetic.  It claims itself as a revelation of God which begun with Abraham and continued throughout the Old Testaments Prophets.  Take a look at what the Christian scripture had to say about those who do not accept Jesus as the Son of God.

 

          “22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus   is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”(1 John2:22& 23)

Either Jesus is the Son of God, or he is the greatest liar that has ever lived.  On numerous occasions Jesus Himself claimed He was God, and for the Koran to say He is a good prophet, is an indictment of Jesus or the Koran.  If Jesus was just a good prophet, He would have perpetuated one of the greatest lies in the history of mankind, and how could such a liar be a prophet.  Listen to the testimony of Jesus as recorded in the book of John:

 

          John8:5656 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?  58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

Furthermore, both Old Testament and New Testament scripture attest to the divinity of the Messiah who would and did come.

         

“1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

          “Phil 2:5  5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal  with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a  servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”

          “Colossians 1:15 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by  him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

          “Hebrew 1:8  8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the  earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old  as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be  changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”

Islam claims all revelations given to others before Mohammed are binding upon their people.  It asserts God will judge them from their individual books, yet it is seeking to make proselytes of both Jews and Gentiles.  Any believer of the Bible is forced to say the Koran is in direct opposition to the Bible, and contradicts it, how then can they both be Holy?

Black Muslims – Nation of Islam

Black Muslims is a widely used name for the adherents of an American Black nationalist religious movement once called “The Lost-Found Nation of Islam” and “The World Community of Islam” and now “The Nation of Islam.”

The movement began in 1930 when Wallace Fard began preaching a separatist message attracting 8,000 followers in four years before disappearing in June 1934.  It is said that Fard was a white man, and it is interesting that a white man would begin preaching that white people are devils.  This suggests that this movement was created by someone to infiltrate and discredit the black community, although the plan seems to have backfired as the Nation has grown and thrived in recent years.

The movement, now headquarters inChicago, grew under Fard’s successor Elijah Mohammed.  Elijah saw himself as the “prophet and apostle of Allah,” and called upon Black men to fight the white Devils.  Elijah is best known for His feud with Malcolm X which resulted in Malcolm death.

Malcolm X grew up with parents who were followers of Marcus Garvey, and regular attendee’s of theSeventhDayAdventistChurch.  He was converted to Islam in 1947 while imprisoned, but later broke with the movement.  This happened because he was being taught the white man was the devil, and when he took his pilgrimage toMeccahe discovered many of Islam’s followers were indeed white.  Furthermore, he was aware of the sexual exploits of Elijah Mohammed, and was not willing to be a puppet anymore.

The movement was later dissolved by Mohammed Son, who was trying to bring it back to the Muslims teaching, but a splinter group led by Louis Farrakhan, retains the earlier separatist principles and the name “Nation of Islam.”

The Muslims has monopolized the conversion of Black men.  Their strategy is to win Black men inAmerica, because therein lies the future of the Black race, a noble goal.

Unfortunately history has taught us that wherever Islam takes a stronghold, has meant the demise of that nation.  Women are treated as inferior, education is lacking and living standard is poor even thought Muslim leaders are among some of the wealthiest people in the world.

It is true that many people of African descent are thirsting for someone to tell them what the future holds and hungry to find a place of belonging and meaning for there existence in an environment hazardous to their health.  Many are finding solace in the Muslim movement, because it makes them feel good about themselves, and empowers them - something the Christian church has neglected to do through the years.

Does this mean however that we should sit back and watch the black male being grasped by the claws of Islam?  Do we have a responsibility to show that there are good reasons for members of the Black Race to accept Jesus as Lord of their lives?  Can we help Africans everywhere to understand that what is needed is not just a fulfilling life on earth, but also an eternal existence as citizens ofZion.  These are the questions the black church must ask itself, and these answers can only be found in the context I believe of the Christian movement.

Jesus Christ bce 4 - ce 27

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem Judea around BCE 4 in a world impact by Greek culture, and dominated by the Romans.  Judeahad been ruled by the Persians from the end of the Babylonian captivity in 536, then Alexander the Great, the Ptolemy’s of Egypt, the Seleucids of Syria and then the Maccabees, who were local Jewish leaders.  The Romans took over from About BCE (Before the Christian Era) 63 and continued their rule under Herod and His family until the nation ceased to exist in AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem. ^[1]

Herod murdered many members of the Maccabees family when the Romans placed him in charged and this caused him to be hated.  This hatred grew even greater because of his oppressive taxes. It was one of these taxes that forced a woman name Mary and her husband Joseph to travel toBethlehemwhere their child Jesus was born.

Mary and Joseph were the parents of Jesus and they had received a vision from God telling them they were to be the parents of the Son of God.  This was especially important to Joseph, because when he discovered Mary was pregnant and he was not the father, he was going to put her away.  The angel informed him however that this child was God’s son and that he would be the Savior of the world.

Herod’s last act just before he died in BCE 4 was to kill all the male infants (Matthew 2) in a bid to destroy Jesus, who Herod learned about from the wise men who had traveled from their distant lands of Egypt, Ethiopiaand Arabiato see the messiah. ^[2]

According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a stable, grew up in the poor community ofNazarethand began his ministry at age 27 and worked for only three and a half years before he was killed by the Romans on a cross atCalvary.

The name Jesus was very common among the Jews and expressed their faith in God’s promise to bring salvation through his Son.  Mary and Joseph however name their son Jesus because the Angel Gabriel appeared to them prior to his birth and informed them that this should be the child’s name because he would save His people from their sins.(Matthew1:21)

The name Christ on the other hand was not a personal name, but a Title used to identify him Jesus as the Messiah. The early Christians saw Christ:

 

“As the One in whom the Messianic promises and prophecies of the OT met their fulfillment. To those who believed in Him as sent of God He was the Christ, that is, the Messiah, the One “anointed” by God to be the Savior of the world. When used together, as in Mt 1:18; 16:20; Mk 1:1, the 2 names Jesus and Christ constitute a confession of faith that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, is indeed the Christ, the Messiah (Mt 1:1; Acts 2:38).^[3]

In three and a half years of ministry, Jesus, cleansed lepers, raised the dead, turned water into wine, controlled nature, fed thousands with five loaves and two fishes, forgave sins, paid his taxes from money taken from a fishes mouth, open the eyes of the blind, unstopped the years of the deaf and even walked on water.  For all his troubles, he was hounded constantly by the Jewish authorities, falsely accused, crucified on a cross and was laid to rest in a borrowed tomb, before He resurrected Himself and went to heaven one Sunday morning.  Many modern Christians now use the resurrection as the reason to celebrate the first day Sabbath in opposition to the Seventh Day Sabbath Jesus and his disciples observed and the Bible commands.

PROOF OF JESUS’ LORDSHIP.

 

LUKE 24:25 “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:  LUKE 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?  LUKE 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

This experience taken from the New Testament scripture gives the bases upon which Blacks today can accept Jesus.  It was a few days after His resurrection when Jesus, unknowingly to his disciples, accompanied them as they traveled on the road to Emmaus.  As they walked together, they talked about the happenings of the past few days, and sighed at their hope that Jesus was the one who was to redeemIsrael.  Christ them chided them for not knowing the scriptures.  He informed them things went exactly as God through His prophets said it would.  Then, beginning at Moses and the prophets, He revealed to them the things concerning Himself.

Just three days before He had been crucified, yet Christ did not want to establish their faith on something they had seen, but upon the testimony of the word of God.  Instead of showing them the nail marks in His hands and feet, instead of showing the wounds in His side, and His scarred mark forehead, He reviewed the prophetic forecasts of the coming of the Messiah, and revealed the predictions of the Old Testament prophets.

Thus their faith was established not upon the evidence of their senses but upon the certainty of God’s word.  With confidence they went out to proclaim the Christ of prophecy.  They declared that hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophets told of His coming.  Thus they claimed Christ was the fulfillment of prophecy, the very embodiment of the Godhead, the Son of God made flesh.  This indeed was the testimony of Philip.

 

          JOHN1:45 “Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus ofNazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Speaking of the mighty preacher ofEphesus, an African born in Alexandria Doctor Luke writes:

 

          Acts  18:28” For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”

Jesus Himself proved His claim to divinity on the basis of His fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy.

His Birth

 

          Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

Out of the thousands of places the Messiah could be born, the Prophet Micah points out the exact location.  The holy family lived inNazareth, and had no intention of moving toBethlehem.  Just a week before Jesus was born, a decree came that all men should return home to be taxed.  This forced Christ’s parents to move to God’s designated spot for the birth of their Son.  Thus Christ the child of Prophecy was born in the town ofBethlehem.  Let us note some of the other prophecies which prove beyond a shadow of a doubt the Divinity of Jesus.

 

          ISAIAH7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

GENESIS 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, untilShilohcome; and unto him shall the gathering of the People be.”

BETRAYED BY FRIENDS

          PSALM 55:12 “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him” 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.  14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.”

Price of Betrayal

 

          ZECHARIAH11:12 “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.”

NO BROKEN BONES:

 

Psalm 34:20 “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.”

RESURRECTION:

 

          Mat 28:1  “ In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.  Mat 28:2   And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.  Mat 28:3   His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:  Mat 28:4   And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.  Mat 28:5   And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  Mat 28:6   He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place    where the Lord lay.  Mat 28:7   And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the    dead; and, behold, he goeth before you intoGalilee; there shall ye see    him: lo, I have told you.

          Mat 28:8   And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great    joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.  Mat 28:9   And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them,    saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped.”

Jesus is now in heaven sitting at the right hand of the Father.  He demonstrated his ability to raise us from the dead, by raising Himself.  He has promised that one day he will return to earth to rescue us and take us toZion, a city which will be built by God Himself.  Indeed to trust any other than Jesus would be to put our citizenship in jeopardy.  Won’t you accept Jesus today, so you too can be numbered among, the citizens ofZion?