Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Author: Mano Paul Page 1 of 171

Easter – From Entry to Empty

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On March 31, 2024

In Christian

May this poem that covers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the sayings of Jesus from the Cross, and his resurrection from the dead to give us all “eternal life” be a blessing to you and yours.

On Palm Sunday’s grace-filled morn,
Jesus rode, a king adorned,
Upon a donkey, as prophets foretold,
His triumphal entry, to hearts it would unfold.

The crowd cried “Hosanna” loud and clear,
Laid garments and palms, with a plea sincere,
Yet little they knew of the sacrifice in store,
As he rode, their destiny to restore.

And then, upon that cruel tree,
The Son of God died for you and me,
With nails and thorns, he bore our sin,
His sacrifice, our victory to win.

“Eloi, Eloi, Lama sabachthani”
“My God, my God, why forsake me?”
In agony, he asked and paid sin’s cost,
For love divine, our souls he sought.

Then Easter dawned, the grave’s dark hold,
Could not confine The One foretold,
“Jesus is not here,” with glory unchained,
“Jesus is risen,” the angels proclaimed.

For death’s defeat, our voices raise,
With grateful hearts, we sing his praise,
The risen Christ, our hope secure,
His victory, our lives forevermore ensure.

So hear the call, O wandering soul,
To come to Christ, to be made whole,
For on that cross, he died for you,
And in his resurrection, gives us life anew.

Question 1: Has Jesus “entered” your life?
i.e., Have you believed in Jesus as your King & Lord?
Question 2: Is your life no longer “empty”?
i.e., Have you believed in Jesus as your Savior?

The importance of Resurrection – In Code

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On March 31, 2024

In Christian, Easter

As I prepared to teach at the Milk 2 Meat Bible study this resurrection morn (March 31, 2024), leveraging my background and interests in programming, I generated a short snippet of code in a C# if-then construct for my techie friends.

May this be a blessing to all…
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who defeated death and the grave’s grip on man’s soul?

Les Miserables sans Messiah

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On April 9, 2023

In Christian, Easter, Good Friday

The Empty Tomb and 3 Crosses

On a eventful day, satan declared – Jesus is dead and defeated.

Three days later, God declared and demonstrated – Death is dead and defeated and Jesus is Alive.


Resurrection is the hinge on which the door of our faith pivots.

If Christ is not raised to life from death, we remain in death in our sins, and my preaching of the Gospel that snatches people from the road of darkness, destruction and death to light, liberty and life is futile.

What I believe is that Jesus the Christ (Messiah) died and Christ rose from the dead, for a God who cannot save himself from death cannot save others, and thus we remain in our sins.

Hence my faith and my preaching is NOT IN VAIN (NIV); and we are not men and women most miserable.

Points to Ponder

I beLIeVE; Do you? Are you aLIVE?

1 Cor 15:14-19
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

The message and mission from the first Easter meeting

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On April 4, 2021

In Christian, Easter, Good Friday

Jehovah-shalomAfter the resurrected Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and commissions her to go tell his brothers of his impending ascension, he appears to his disciples, behind closed doors (John 20:19). He shows his disciples his hands and his pierced side, which dispelled their fears and brought gladness to them (John 20:20). Careful scrutiny of this pericope reveals that the display of his resurrected body is sandwiched between two expressions of “Peace” (John 20:19,21).

The first word from the resurrected Lord Jesus to His disciples is “Shalom” when he said, “Peace be unto you”. In addition to its literal context of dispelling the fear of the disciples (John 20:19), from other portions of Scripture, we can surface the hidden truth that Jesus is the sole means of “True” Peace – a state of Shalom – as the world was pre-fall in its unbroken state, in the Garden of Eden when and where all was good (Genesis 1, Genesis 2). After He shows the disciples His hands and his side, Jesus again tells his disciples, “Peace be unto you” and commissions them to be his apostles, for he says unto them “as my Father had sent me, even so I send you.”

Pre-birth of the Savior Jesus, the prophets of God prophesied of the Christ, the Prince of Peace who is to come (Isaiah 9:6). At his birth, the angelic choir sang, “Peace on earth” (Luke 2:13-14). During His earthly pilgrimage, Jesus declared, that He will leave with and give to His disciples – peace (John 14:27). After his resurrection, his first word is peace (Shalom) as he commissions them (John 20:19-21) to be the ambassadors of his redemptive and reconciling peace (2 Corinthians 5:20-21) – a peace that only he can give, unlike what the world gives – a peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

The message of Easter is “Peace”; peace on earth made possible because of the acceptable death and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10-14) which appeased the wrath of a just and Holy God (Romans 3:21-26), against all unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). The mission from Easter is to go into the world as commissioned by the resurrected Lord (John 20:21); to tell others that the chastisement of our peace was upon Jesus Christ, who was pierced on his side for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5-8), and proclaim that Jesus is the Prince of Peace and only in him can anyone find true peace which is to be reconciled with God i.e., peace with the One and Only just, Holy God of peace (Hebrews 13:20).

Points to ponder:
Is there anything that is robbing you of peace today? What are you afraid of? What are you anxious about? What are you ashamed of? Turn to Jesus and believe in him, who comes with the greeting “Shalom (peace) be unto you.” When Jesus is in your midst, as he was with his disciples (John 20:19), fear is turned to gladness. Anxiety and worries wane for whoever comes to Jesus, despite their weariness and heavy laden life will find rest (peace amidst the storms of life) (Matthew 11:28-29). And if you have the peace of God because you have believed in Jesus, as I have, are we heeding the words of our resurrected Lord Jesus who has sent us to proclaim this gospel of peace – peace on earth and goodwill unto all mankind, to the glory of God the Father, the God of peace in heaven above?

John 20:19-21 (KJV)
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

A new birth – Benjamin from Benoni

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On March 24, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Ben-oni to Benjamin

Genesis 35:16-20 gives the account of Jacob’s journey from Bethel to Bethlehem, the birth of Benjamin, the death of Rachel at the birth of her new son, and her burial. Although this account enlists the death of Rachel (Jacob’s wife), this is also an account of birth – a new son of Israel. Rachel in her travail and labor names the newborn son Benoni, meaning son of my trouble (or sorrow) but his father names him Benjamin, meaning son of my right hand (or son of authority). The new son is born in Ephrath which is also called Bethlehem. Ephrath (or Ephrathah or Ephratah) means fruitful and Bethlehem means House of Bread.

While literally, the naming by Rachel can be attributed to the travails of her labor and hence the naming of her son, Benoni, it is noteworthy that his father renames him as Benjamin.

Some see this renaming to be symbolic of Christ Jesus’ birth. Jesus came into the world to be the suffering servant of God, a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), to whom God gave the Name above all names (Philippians 2:9-11) and all authority in heaven and on earth and (Matthew 28:18). Jesus is the Son of Authority at the right hand of God (Hebrews 8:1). The King of kings and the Lord of lords will come as the Son of Israel (Revelation 12:5) as the Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16), through Isaac and Israel, and is the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4). Bethlehem is not known for being the place where Israel’s favorite wife (Genesis 29:18), Rachel died, but it is known for the birth of the Son of God who came into the world to defeat the devil who had the power of death (Hebrews 2:14) once and for all (Hebrews 10:10).

Also noteworthy is the fact that from the line of Benjamin, comes Saul, the first king of Israel choosing (1 Samuel 9:1), and the Saul who became Paul (Philippians 3:5).

Points to ponder:
Everyone who believes in Jesus, the Son of authority, is born again (John 3:3-8), i.e., has a new birth (2 Corinthians 5:17) and has overcome death (John 11:25). When one is born again, they are changed from the old antagonist Saul to the new Apostle Paul who can be fruitful, in the world, when the Holy Spirit of God produces His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) in their lives. Do you have new birth? Are you born again? In other words, do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Benoni who is the Benjamin of God?

Genesis 35:16-20
16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.
19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.

A drink offering and oil poured thereon

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On March 22, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Jacob pours a drink offering and oil on the pillar of stone at Bethel

Jacob pours a drink offering and oil on the pillar of stone at Bethel

In response to God’s command to and covenant reaffirmation with Jacob, Jacob with reverence sets up a pillar of stone in that place where God had met and communed with him, and poured a drink offering on it, and poured oil upon it. Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel (Genesis 35:13-15).

As a reformed man with the name Israel, Jacob responds with reverence and worships God by setting up a pillar of stone, just as he had done before when he had the dream of angels ascending and descending the ladder between heaven and earth. Even in his first encounter with God, he had poured on the pillar of stone a drink offering and oil upon it and called the name Bethel (Genesis 28:10-19).

In other words, the altar, the drink offering and consecration by oil, and the naming of the place are all repeated. The first time it was by Jacob, the deceiver on his way away from the land that God had promised his fathers, and the second time it was by Jacob the reformed and renamed man as Israel, on his way back into the promised land that God has covenanted to give to his father Issac and grandfather Abraham.

Points to ponder:
Jesus is the stone pillar (a rock) who can be relied upon (Psalm 118:22-23, Daniel 2:34-35, 1 Corinthians 10:3). He is the ladder between God and man (John 1:51), upon whose command, ministering angels (Hebrews 1:14) ascend and descend to carry out God’s work amongst his people. Oil was used to anoint kings (1 Samuel 16:13) and metaphorically, the pouring of oil on top of the pillar of stone is indicative of the kingship of the anointed (the Christ or Messiah). Upon Jesus was the anointing of the Holy Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 61:1, Acts 10:38) and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

A drink offering is symbolic of a life of utmost dedication and devotion (2 Samuel 23:16) and service (Philippians 2:17) to the Lord. Jesus’ life was poured out as a drink offering for our salvation and in response, we must pour out our life in dedication, devotion, and service to Him.

Have you responded with reverence and do you worship God by consecrating your life by setting Christ the Pillar, the Rock, in your heart? Have you been anointed by the Holy Spirit who is given to everyone who believes in Jesus? Do you worship God by recognizing Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and consecrate your life to Him (as Israel did)!
And if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, is your life and mine poured out as a drink offering on Him and for Him?

Genesis 35:13-15 (KJV)
13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

Command to and Covenant with…

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On March 18, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 35:11-12God blesses Jacob, renames him as Israel and upon revealing Himself as God Almighty, God gives the command to Jacob to be fruitful and multiply and promises him that nations and kings shall come from his loins (Genesis 35:11). God then promises to give to Jacob and to his seed after him, the land and seed that he had given to Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 35:12). After God had spoken with him, God ascended from where he was (Genesis 35:13).

The command that God gives to Jacob is the same that he had given to man, since the creation of Adam (the man) (Genesis 1:27-28), and with Noah, after the flood (Genesis 9:1). The covenant that God reaffirms with Jacob is the same that God had made with his fathers – Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and Isaac (Genesis 26:3-4). It is after the blessing and reaffirmation of His covenant, God ascends from where he was.

Points to ponder:
At creation and after the flood, the command to be fruitful and to multiply meant that man is to propagate and fill the earth, representing God (in whose image man was created – Genesis 1:27) to all of creation, so that creation would recognize God as God Almighty and ascribe to Him, the worship and glory that is due unto Him. God’s reaffirmation of the same covenant with Jacob and to subsequent generations, as he did with the generations before him, not only demonstrates God’s faithfulness generation after generation but also his steadfast unchanging character, for in God there is no variableness (James 1:17).

Those of us who have believed in Jesus are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God’s command to us is to be fruitful and to multiply; fruitful by producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) in our lives and multiply meaning that we ought to be sharing the gospel of Jesus’ love, grace, and mercy to all of creation so that those who are not in God’s kingdom will see him as Almighty God and believe in Jesus and be added into God’s kingdom. Repeated addition is multiplication. 

God does not change and is faithful generation after generation. Are you and I faithful in being fruitful and in multiplying God’s kingdom?

Genesis 35:11-13 (KJV)
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

God is El Shaddai

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On March 17, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, I AM, Through the Bible

Juxtaposing Jacob’s renaming, the second time, in Bethel (Genesis 35:10), God reveals a name by which Jacob is to know him by. God identifies himself as God Almighty which in Hebrew is El Shaddai (Genesis 35:11).

When Jacob wrestled with God, God asked him his name and Jacob, who had used his brother Esau’s name to lie and deceive his earthly father, had to confess and admit that he was Jacob (Genesis 32:27-28). Then Jacob asked for God’s name but did not receive an answer (Genesis 32:29). Now, God does not ask for Jacob’s name (again) and instead renames him (again). And what is more noteworthy is that though unsolicited, God reveals to Jacob that He shall be known to him as God Almighty i.e., El Shaddai. It is the same name by which God had identified Himself to Abraham (Genesis 17:1). Israel was to experience the almighty omnipotent essence of God. Later God would make a mention of this to Moses, when he will reveal to Moses, of his essence of just being, not just as being God Almighty, but All-all-things (i.e., All sufficient one) as he will reveal his name as the Great I AM (Yahweh) (Exodus 6:2-3).

Points to ponder:
The word Shaddai appears forty-eight times in the King James Version of the Bible as illustrated. Twice it is rendered as Almighty God, five times as God Almighty, and forty-one times as just Almighty. The word Shaddai always renders as Almighty and we need to be reminded of God as Almighty in our walk as Christians (after a name change reflecting we belong to Christ); God will mention to Moses that He is the Great I AM (Yahweh which when rendered under the constraints of linguistics as the All Sufficient One) and for one to recognize that He is Yahweh, they must also recognize him as God Almighty (El Shaddai).

Eventually, everything centers around Jesus Christ who said that all power in heaven and on earth is given to Him (Matthew 28:18). The fullness of God dwells in Him (Colossians 2:9). Jesus and God the Father (Yahweh) are one in essence (John 10:30). Jesus is God Almighty. Jesus is El Shaddai. Have you identified Jesus as the El Shaddai in your life? In Christ, you and I can experience the almighty omnipotent essence of God! Do you believe in him? Jesus alone is Almighty and All Sufficient for you!

Genesis 35:9-15 (KJV)
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

Renaming of Jacob – the Second time

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On March 15, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Jacob came out of Padanaram, in the land of Shechem (Genesis 33:18), and arrived at Bethel, God reappeared to him (Genesis 9:15) and blessed him. After blessing him, what God does first is He renames Jacob and tells him that he shall no longer be called Jacob, but he will be called Israel. Did you know that this is the second time God is renaming Jacob? The first time was when Jacob encountered and wrestled with God (Genesis 32:28) before he had met his brother Esau and reconciled.

Some observations that are noteworthy include:
1. When Jacob wrestled with God, he clung to God and refused to let go, pleading to be blessed (Genesis 32:26). Here without any plea, God takes the initiative to bless Jacob. Jacob’s act of obedience to move out of his house in Shechem, in a land that he ought not to have remained (Genesis 33:17), to a place that he recognized was the House of God (Bethel means The Beth (house) of El (God – Elohim)), resulted in blessings (Genesis 35:9). Obedience to the Lord is a reflection of one’s love for God (John 14:15) and when our faith is expressed in action, we are blessed to be a blessing.
2. The renaming of Jacob a second time is a reminder for Jacob to change his ways. Note even after God had told him that he would be called Israel and Jacob had had a name change, his heart had not changed. Even after his brother had reconciled with him, Jacob continued to deceive him by lying to him and telling him that he will follow Esau to where Esau was going, but instead, he went to Padanaram in Shechem and made for himself a house and booths for his cattle (Succoths) (Genesis 33:12-17) that brought a lot of trouble, involving rape, deception, murder, and dishonor to him and his family (Genesis 34). He continued to be a deceiver (supplanter) as his name meant, which was evident from his continued lying. God had to remind him that he was no longer to be called Jacob but that his life must reflect the character of Israel (who struggled with God) instead of continuing to deceive others and himself (James 1:22).

Points to ponder:
When we believe (have faith) in Jesus Christ and place our trust in him, moving out of our old lifestyle to come to a place in our life where God is worshipped and reigns, it is important to recognize that being called Christians and not living as Christians can be dangerous, disastrous and bring dishonor to God. Do you and I need to be reminded of who we are, if God was to appear to us now? Would he find us still living a Jacob – deceptive lives – or will he find us worthy of ones who struggle to live as sons and daughters of God? Will you and I have to be renamed?

Now if you have never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, this is your time to believe and accept him to be your God and he will give you a new name – a name that signifies that you belong to him – a Christ-one or Christian.

Genesis 35:9-15 (KJV)
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

Reappearance, Renaming and Revelation

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On March 10, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Jacob came out of Padanaram, in the land of Shechem (Genesis 33:18), and arrived at Bethel, God reappeared to him and blessed him. After blessing him, what God does first is He renames Jacob and tells him that he shall no longer be called Jacob, but he will be called Israel. Note, this is the second time God is renaming Jacob; the first time was when Jacob encountered and wrestled with God (Genesis 32:28). Juxtaposing Jacob’s renaming, God reveals a name by which Jacob is to know him by. God identifies himself as El Shaddai (God Almighty).

Some observations that are noteworthy include:
1. When Jacob wrestled with God, he clung to God and refused to let go, pleading to be blessed (Genesis 32:26). Here without any plea, God takes the initiative to bless Jacob. Jacob’s act of obedience to move out of his house, from a land that he ought not to have remained (Genesis 33:17), to a place that he recognized was the House of God (for he called it Bethel) resulted in blessings (Genesis 35:9). In Hebrew, beth means house, and El is used for God – Elohim.
2. The renaming of Jacob, a second time, I believe is a reminder for Jacob to change his life, his ways. Note, even after God had told him that he would be called Israel (Genesis 32:28), Jacob’s lifestyle had not changed. Jacob was given a name change, but he did not have a heart change. Even after his brother had reconciled with him, Jacob continued to deceive him by lying to him and telling him that he will follow Esau to where Esau was going, but instead, he went to Padanaram in Shechem and made for himself a house and booths (tents which in Hebrew is Succoth) for his cattle (Genesis 33:12-17), deceiving his brother again and disobeying God, putting himself and his family in danger. He continued to live up to his old name, Jacob, which meant deceiver (supplanter), as was evident from his lies to his brother. God had to remind him that he was no longer to be called Jacob but henceforth known as Israel, meaning that he will have to change his ways and live as one who struggles with God (which is what Israel means) and cling on, refusing to let go, to enjoy God’s blessings.
3. When Jacob wrestled with God, Jacob asked for God’s name but did not receive an answer. Instead, he was asked what his name was and Jacob had to confess and admit that he was Jacob, Until then he had to live with his brother’s name that he had used to deceive his earthly father. Here God, the heavenly father (Matthew 18:14), does not ask for Jacob’s name but instead renames him (again). Following that, though unsolicited, God reveals to Jacob that he shall be known to Israel as El Shaddai, meaning God Almighty. Israel was to experience the Almighty (omnipotent) essence of God. Later God would make a mention of this to Moses, when he will reveal to Moses, of his essence of being, not just as being Almighty, but All-all-things as he will reveal his name as the Great I AM (Yahweh) (Exodus 6:2-3).

Points to Ponder:
God reappears to us time and again, through his word, as the Spirit of God illuminates the Scripture unto us and blesses us when we walk according to His commands and ways. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are a new creation and bear (represent) the name of God. We ought not to walk in our old ways, deceiving others and deceiving ourselves (James 1:22). As we walk about in God’s ways, we will get to experience the Omnipotent God – God Almighty – the El Shaddai – in our lives.

Has God appeared to you? In other words, have you encountered Jesus, in whom the fullness of God dwells (Colossians 2:9), and have you believed in Him? If not, do not delay and put your life and the life of your loved ones in danger, for now (today) is the appointed time for you to encounter God (2 Corinthians 6:2). Believe and be blessed as God appears to you in his word and is revealed in Jesus Christ to make you new and give you a new name – as son or daughter of God.

Genesis 35:9-15 (KJV)
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

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