Colossae in Turkey

During our trip to Turkey my two friends Matthew and Tony and I visited the site of the ancient Roman city of Colossae. You can only see a few of the remaining stones of the ancient city because this city was never excavated and it was also a much smaller and less prominent city than Laodicea and the many of the other cities of Asia Minor. This is still a very important place in biblical and Christian history because the Apostle Paul started a church there and he wrote a letter to the believers who lived there which became part of the word of God. While we were there we talked about the subject of Christology, which is the subject of the deity of Christ. We explained what the bible teaches about how Jesus is fully God and yet also fully man at the same time. Colossians chapter one is an amazing Christology passage although some people misunderstand what the word firstborn means, in the bible it doesn't always mean literally the one who is born first, it often is used to describe the person who is pre-eminent or the most important, highest ranking, and highest honored, or it is used for the person who is given a double portion of his Father's inheritance since the eldest son would have this privilege. In scripture King David is called the firstborn in Psalm 89:27 even though he wasn't literally the firstborn because he had seven older brothers and he was literally the youngest son (1 Samuel 16:10-11). Ephraim is also called the firstborn son (Jeremiah 31:9), even though Manasseh was literally the firstborn and Ephraim was the younger brother (Genesis 48).
#christianity #turkey #jesusisgod

Colossians 1:15-19
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.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell

Psalm 89:27
27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Micah 5:2
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.

Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

Isaiah 11:1-10
11 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.