The Resurrection And The Life*

Back in 1966, The New York Times had a headline that read, "God is Dead...". Just this Passover and Resurrection weekend, the same newspaper ran an op-ed piece suggesting, "Lets get rid of God". We live in times when we are witnessing the end time signs prophesied in scripture, such as wars and pestilence, causing such great damage to the human race. The resurrection of Christ is not only the central truth of Christianity, but of the Bible in its entirety. Paul wrote: "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins...But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become firstfruits of them that slept." (1 Cor. 15:17, 20). Scripture holds that not only did Christ rise, but His rising causes all who believe to rise with Him. From the beginning, in Gen. 1:1, scripture has borne witness to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Genesis 1 begins with the expression, "In the beginning God...". The Hebrew word for "beginning" is Bareshiet. In the pictographic Hebrew letters used to construct this word, bareshiet means: "the Son crushed, His hand upon the cross". "God" as translated in this same verse is written as Elohim Aleph-Tav in Hebrew, or "God, the beginning and the end, the first and the last". This is how Jesus refers to Himself in the Book of Revelation (see Rev. 1:8, 17, Rev. 22:13), and also as translated into the Greek letters, Alpha and Omega. The LORD revealed His unpronounceable name to Moses as YHWH, or I AM THAT I AM (Ex. 3:13-14). Again, the pictographic letters of the Name in the ancient Hebrew would have the meaning: "Behold the hand, behold the nail". The Lord has brought back the pure language (Zeph. 3:9), Hebrew, for a reason in these end times. There are clear prophecies that specifically point us not only to Messiah, but Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. His prophesied suffering and death are identifiers to us. Psalm 22, written by David, gives the details of crucifixion, specifically Christ's crucifixion as described in the gospel accounts, many hundreds of years before crucifixion was invented as a means of execution. Isaiah 50:6, and 53:9 not only describe the purpose and details of Christ's death, but in Isa. 52, a prophecy is given regarding physical evidence of the event that would survive afterwards: "As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. So shall he sprinkle (Nazah) many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider." (Isa. 52:14-15). Paul was involved in an example of this very thing several years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, as he testified before a king (Acts 26:1-28). As the scriptures prophesy about Judah and Jerusalem being the center of turmoil, the Prophet Zehariah also wrote: "...and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." (Zech. 12:10). I am convinced that the physical evidence that people are prophesied to see is the Shroud of Turin. All of the details found on the Shroud confirm the gospel accounts of the physical injuries suffered by Jesus, as well as His condition just after death. Having personally examined the Shroud, and also having participated in the many tests that were done on the Shroud as part of the original STURP team that traveled to Turin, Italy, I am very familiar with the results and observations. While there is blood on the Shroud, there is no evidence of paint or dyes present. No brush strokes exist on the Shroud. Only the very top fibers of the threads of the linen Shroud are dehydrated and discolored, creating the image of a scourged, beaten and crucified Middle-Eastern Jewish Man between the ages of 30-35. The evidence is on the Shroud that the Man wore phylacteries on His head and arm, in accordance with Jewish practice. It was not Jewish burial custom to wrap a body like a mummy, as was done by the Egyptians, but to lay the body on a length of fabric, and then fold and lay the fabric over the head and top of the body. The position of the image on the Shroud reflects this Jewish burial custom. The pollen on the Shroud reflects plants found in Jerusalem, and from plants found where the Shroud was later known to have been transported. The image threads of the Shroud are stable both in water, and chemicals. The image on the Shroud is a negative image, and can only be seen as a positive image when a photo is taken of it. The image is a three dimensional image. Although Carbon-14 tests done afterward by a different group purported to show that the Shroud dated from the middle ages, later examination of the results by experts (Ray Rogers and others) showed that the fibers that were initially C-14 tested were cotton fibers, and not linen. It was then concluded that the fibers taken for the original testing were taken from an area of the Shroud that had been repaired later in history using cotton thread. For these reasons and more, I believe that the Shroud is genuine evidence of the resurrection, and I would be remiss not to tell others, especially in these end times. The Shroud, as someone once said, is "God's love letter in linen to all mankind". There is a link on my Facebook page (see Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr) to a Shroud presentation I conducted, and you can also find the video on You Tube (see eagleeye1015 channel). As I have said many times, the Shroud of Turin is not the basis of my faith in Jesus Christ, but it is a confirmation of the truth of the gospels, particularly the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. My prayer concerning all who see or hear this message is that you not let this day pass before searching the scriptures, and that you call out to the Lord who died for you. I pray that blind eyes are opened that all might see, in Jesus' name, AMEN. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 4/17/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

Fake News Has Real Consequences-Pt. 2

The continuation of an article by Dr. Kenneth Stevenson (See previous post):



 

In my opinion there is a "fake news" account that has been recycled for nearly 2000 years which has eternal consequences. When Yeshua rose from the dead, there were numerous eye witnesses. According to the Apostle Paul, (originally the chief persecutor of the faith)more than 500 on one occasion. However a contingent of the guards assigned to the tomb were paid a "large" sum of money to spread "the lie" that the disciples stole the body. Like Matthew stated "to this day that story is still being told". In 1965, author Hugh Schonfeld published the same "fake news" yet again, and it was even made into a film in 1976.(Mt. 28:11-15; 1 Cor. 15:6)
The fact remains that the central truth of Christianity is the Resurrection. Again citing the Apostle Paul, in 1 Cor. 15:12-56 we find the a detailed defense of the resurrection from one trained in the "truth" of the Scriptures. In two separate additional passages Paul cites his faith and training as a Pharisee in connection with the resurrection of Yeshua. First in Acts 23:6-8, where he makes it plain that the "hope of the resurrection" was a central belief. Later writing to the Church at Philipi (Phil. 3:5-11) Paul first establishes his spiritual lineage as a Pharisee and then goes on to equate that to "dung" as compared with knowing Christ and the "power of His resurrection", so that he might "attain unto the resurrection of the dead".
So we see clearly from the author of 60% of the New Testament the centrality of the resurrection to Christianity. Which brings me to my own experiences in connection to the resurrection itself. In 1977, I was tasked with editing the papers of a number of scientists and prelates about the Shroud of Turin. Later that year along with a select group of the scientists we journeyed to Turin to present a platform of testing on the Shroud. Working heavily in our favor: using space technology we had produced scientific evidence that the image on the Shroud contained three-dimensional information from a 1933 photographic image ! That completely unique characteristic intrigued many around the globe about the unusual relic. One year later the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) became the first scientific group to conduct hands on intensive testing in an effort to determine what caused the image on the Shroud. The nearly six twenty-four hour days of testing took three years of analysis, collation and peer-review in order to produce the following incredible statement: "We can conclude for now that the shroud image is that of a real human form of a scourged, crucified man. It is not the product of an artist. The bloodstains are composed of hemoglobin and also give a positive test for serum albumin. The image is an ongoing mystery and until further chemical studies are made, perhaps by this group of scientists or perhaps by some scientists in the future, the problem remains unsolved."
Enter the harbingers of "fake news". As the spokesman for STURP, I had been virtually accosted in Turin by an individual connected with the Carbon dating field, decrying the fact that a C-14 test was not being done. His take: it therefore MUST be a forgery. When the STURP report was released the hue and cry for C-14 testing reached a fever pitch. Finally, under the auspices of the British Museum the C-14 dating was done. Sadly the "fake news" cry heard round the world was that that Shroud was a "fake". Forgetting the unparalleled work and conclusions of STURP, the shroud was dismissed out of hand. The real world consequences of the C-14 report cannot be overstated. While the Shroud is not nor ever should be an article of faith, it does provide empirical evidence of the death, burial and even points to the resurrection of Yeshua. To say the Shroud was medieval was one thing. To overturn the multiple positive results of the most sophisticated testing ever developed based on one test alone was quite another. Most importantly to offer not one scintilla of evidence of how such an image which defies reproduction to this day might have been "created" was a bridge too far. Sadly, would be "shroud creators" with the C-14 data in hand proposed bogus theories for shroud formation: theories that were already ruled out by the STURP results !"Fake News!!!"
However, as details came out about the testing, the conclusions of the three labs came into serious question especially among STURP. First and perhaps most importantly, it was not a double blind study. The labs knew which was the Shroud sample and which was the control. They also knew that date range of the control sample. Moreover the C-14 protocols suggested by the STURP scientists and other C-14 experts were all violated. Finally, the very bold declaration that the Shroud was a forgery rather than simply not old enough to connect to Yeshua clearly displays the bias of the testers. In short, they were determined to label the Shroud a "fake" beforehand. Unfortunately the "fake news" ruled the day. My own attempt to clarify the issue was "The Shroud and the Controversy", published by Thomas Nelson. The first consequence of the C-14 "fake news" report was an excellent book which presented "both sides" of the issue fairly, but was "orphaned" by its publisher.
What is potentially the worst consequence is that some latter day "Doubting Thomas" will lose his or her chance to put their hands in the wounds and believe. Before STURP became an organization there were simply four faculty members at the United States Air Force Academy discussing GOD. Three of us were believers the fourth an agnostic. When asked why the agnostic said, "GOD gave me a "scientific" mind, why wouldn't HE reveal HIMSELF to me through science. The Shroud of Turin was brought up and he then said IF it were tested and showed evidence then perhaps he would believe. We four were at the very foundation of what would become STURP. The agnostic today is a believer! However, like the late Bishop John A.T. Robinson, former agnostic himself opined, "...perhaps like the Apostle John (we) have to count ourselves as among those who saw and believed..."* Since the resurrection of Yeshua is indeed the central "truth" of Christianity, the eternal consequences of unbelief are in a word staggering !!
But what is the "truth", the "whole truth" about the Shroud of Turin. First of all thanks to the initial research of Joe Marino and the late Sue Benford, it has been established that the section of the Shroud used in the dating process, was woven with cotton in a technique known as "invisible reweaving". Subsequent tests revealed that the date results were from cotton fibers, rather than the linen of the original Shroud. This was first confirmed by STURP's lead chemist, the late Dr. Ray Rogers thru a peer-reviewed report. His results were repeated by his fellow researcher Robert Villarreal again with appropriate peer review. Most recently thanks to the British equivalent of our own "Freedom of Information Act", French researcher Tristan Casabianca, using the raw data from the British Museum, again confirmed the medieval dates were from cotton fibers and NOT the linen fibers of the Shroud itself. "Fake News" disclosed !! So we are back to the results of Science, which indeed have an incredible story to tell.
STURP's incredibly well conducted and documented test results confirmed a number of significant facts about the Shroud image: First and foremost, the image on the Shroud is clearly that of a crucified man whose suffering and death are identical to that of Yeshua of Nazareth. Secondly there are at least seventeen specific characteristics of the image. Several are unique in and of themselves. Taken together however they make a virtually iron-clad case for authenticity:

1. Superficial (Image is found on only the top most curved surface of fibers)
2. Photographically Negative
3. Encoded with Three-dimensional data
4. Comprised of degraded/dehydrated cellulose fibers (similar to those found of a scorch)
5. Non-directional (not done by human application, which would leave stroke impressions)
6. Autopsy level detail
7. Thermally stable
8. Chemically stable
9. Water stable
10. Infrared positive (Image is negative, except in the infrared zone where it is positive)
11. Sepia toned
12. Bloodstains prevent image formation – bloodstains were there first
13. Blood is human
14. Color spectrum similar to a scorch
15. NEVER successfully duplicated
16. No pigment, powders or dyes found
17. Scripturally accurate

With these demonstrated factual characteristics, STURP scientists were able to test and REFUTE every image formation process offered by Shroud opponents. Nevertheless these "fake news" reports are consistently recycled and marched out in a vain attempt to suppress "the truth".
So let me close with a Scripture and a challenge:

First the Scripture. 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that "ANY" should perish, but that "ALL" should come to repentance." (emphasis added)

I believe that GOD indeed left evidence for the "doubting Thomas" of our age. An age that for the very first time has the scientific tools necessary to properly analyze such an enigma. I challenge all who are open-minded, and especially those who don't believe to put aside any and all "fake news" reports on the Shroud, though they come from pundits, prelates and long-held traditions. Examine ALL the "facts" and determine "the truth" for yourself. If I am correct, your eternity hangs in the balance.

Http://bit.ly/Nazah (read the reviews)

Dr. Stevenson's Contact Information:

Dr. Kenneth Stevenson
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX  76705

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

https://everlastingcovenant.sermon.net/main/main/21320220
 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:
  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/