Appeared in Shaqah Issue #71, March & April 2014
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
Colossians 2:8 |
The foundation of any life is faith. Faith is not blind belief, but exactly what the Bible tells us it is.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1 Faith, in its simplest description, is a relationship with God, and that is why it is described as the substance of what we ultimately hope to have for eternity, and the evidence that the promises of God which we have yet to see are in fact true. God is everything in life and there is nothing greater. Thus, nothing in any man's life should be greater than God.
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Exodus 20:3 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." Matthew 22:37-38 What this means is that anything taught should be taught with the intent of helping an individual personally grow closer to God, and the way to do this is to teach the Word of God.
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Romans 10:17 Understanding the Bible is best done by first understanding that originally there was no Bible. Adam and Eve did not have one. Neither did godly men such as Noah, Job, or even Abraham. These men believed what they believed and did what they did because they had direct interaction with God. They were not perfect in all their ways, but they believed God held it all in His Hand. They believed when things went wrong, it was not time to start blaming God, but seeking Him with the understanding that nothing else besides Him really mattered.
"Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him."
Job 13:14-16 This kind of faith was counted unto them in place of the perfection they lacked.
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Romans 4:1-5 This is still the only way any human is saved.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9 We are saved by the grace of God, which comes to us because we desire to know God personally (faith), and even that is not something we could have obtained on our own. We need God to be willing to have a relationship with us, in spite of our faults and failures. God is willing to grant us the gift of a relationship with Him if we are only willing to reach out and accept that gift, in spite of the fact it requires us to turn from a mindset of sin and servitude to the things of this world, which causes us to continually falter. This is called repentance!
"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."
II Peter 3:9 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Romans 6:1-2 Repentance leads to a life of continually attempting to sanctify our walk before The Lord, and thereby, gain separation from the ways of sin.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
II Corinthians 6:14-18 Being separated out for the purposes of God is holiness, which if we do not desire, we cannot ultimately see God, because we cannot serve both this world of sin and God.
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
II Corinthians 7:1 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4 This may sound like quite a process. However, the truth is, the basic dynamics of living for God are simple. Personal obedience to God's voice is, and always has been, the key to life.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
Genesis 1:27 "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:15-17 Eve listened to the voice of Satan instead of God. Adam listened to Eve instead of God, and they both ate of the fruit God told them not to take, in spite of the consequences they were told by God it would have. This was disobedience to the voice of God, pure and simple.
"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."
Genesis 3:7-8 Man did not just sin by taking on the responsibility of the knowledge of good and evil, which the fruit gave, and then fail to live perfectly by that knowledge. Knowing they had disobeyed Him, God still came directly to them. However, instead of running to God and seeking His guidance afresh and anew, they hide from God!
"And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"
Genesis 3:9-11 Sin brings destruction. Thus, after man failed to follow God's simple commandment, God had to take man from the source of his physical immortality.
"And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken."
Genesis 3:22-23 Disobeying God would continue to be a choice many people would make, over and over again. The corruption also would not stop at simply trying to hide from God after disobeying. Many people would desire to intentionally walk away from the presence of God in order to serve sin.
"And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden."
Genesis 4:16 In the beginning of man's history, this left the world with two specific groups. Those who chose to call upon the name of The Lord and those who chose to live life without God as their guide.
"And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD."
Genesis 4:25-26 Among the intentionally sinful men, corruption would continue to grow, in that those who chose to live without God also included a increasing number of people who desired not to even maintain the knowledge of God in their minds.
"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
Romans 1:24-32 Sin, by its very nature, just continues to grow and destroy like a cancer. As time passed, the people of God began to intermingle with the people who had rejected God.
"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."
Genesis 6:1-3 This intermingling practice led to the total corruption of mankind; and thus, the need to not just keep man from the Tree of Life, but end the human race altogether. It would be a total waste to allow generation after generation to live and die without God and His created purpose for their lives, or even the hope that anyone would ever find it again.
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them."
Genesis 6:5-7 However, there was one man left on the earth who still longed for God and His righteousness.
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."
Genesis 6:8 Noah and his family would be the only humans to survive the worldwide flood which God sent to destroy all flesh. The world would begin again with just eight people, and the animals which were spared.
"And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
Genesis 8:18-22 After the flood it would be very difficult for those who served God to ever again find separation from those who did not desire the things of God, and evil men would again attempt to blot out the knowledge of The One True God Who created us all. To accomplish this, man would eventually decide to build a tower, which would be the focus of their false religion and the "achievements" of humanism in general.
"And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."
Genesis 11:1-4 Now God had said He would not continue to destroy His creation in order to guide man into the right path. However, God would not allow all mankind to be so easily corrupted once again.
"And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."
Genesis 11:5-9 With the confounding of the languages, no one group would be able to corrupt all future generations with their desire to blot out God's name from the earth. Through the centuries man has attempted time and time again to overcome what God did at the Tower of Babel and rebuild, in some form, the ideas which were started there. Man would see a certain amount of success within specific societies and in the building of empires, but there would always be other societies outside these entities which would let the individual know the specific false ideas around them were not the only way to live.
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
II Corinthians 6:17-18 Even after all this, the dynamics of living for God were and are still simple. The same truth of seek and obey God to find life is unchanged, in spite of the fact sin has impoverished this physical life and made it harder and harder. However, as time moved forward from the tower, sin made it greatly beneficial for us to have a perspective on all this which has come before and how we were created.
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."
Romans 1:20-23 Because we need a perspective within the growing world of varied culture and sin, after the tower, God would choose a specific family in order to build a nation unto Himself. This nation would be given instructions for how to live their day by day lives, and build a society focused on the truth, instead of the lies of man. They would literally receive written instruction from God Himself, and they would be preserved by God so that no matter how much man might come together to follow the lies of men, no matter how much the world may attempt to brainwash all people into believing a false life is the only life, there would always be this chosen nation. This nation would ensure the things of God would never be completely lost nor forgotten.
"What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."
Romans 3:1-2 This chosen nation would come from a man whom God would make the father of many nations. His name was Abram.
"And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."
Genesis 17:3-5 The chosen son of Abraham for the specific lineage which would build God's chosen nation would be Isaac.
"And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham."
Genesis 17:18-22 Isaac would have two sons, but only one would serve God. His name was Jacob.
"And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Romans 9:10-13 Just as many before him, Jacob was not a perfect man; but unlike his older brother, Jacob sought to have God in his life. Because he did, God would change Jacob's name to Israel, and the chosen nation would come through him!
"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."
Genesis 32:26-28 Israel's descendants would be led into Egypt where they would be prepared as a nation. So they would not simply become or want to become Egyptian, God would allow them to be separated and eventually even used as slaves in Egypt. However, God's people would eventually leave Egypt by the mighty hand of God, and with the wealth of the Egyptian nation they had been used to build.
"And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians."
Exodus 3:20-22 Before taking them on to the promised land in which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had lived, God would give them His Laws in order to guide their lives. In the same manner as God had asked all humans from the very beginning, the key to all this would be their obedience to God's Words.
"And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us."
Deuteronomy 6:22-25 The children of Israel would carry the things of God throughout the generations to come. They too would face many hardships due to sin, and eventually come to be known by the name of only one tribe - Judah; thus, the Jews. However, the blessing God promised Abraham remains upon them to this day, and a blessing unto all the world they still are!
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
Genesis 12:1-3 We should see this blessing has come in three main ways. First, there would be the giving of God's Word. Second, would be the example, the living prophecy, and everything else the nation of Israel would mean as a people in this world. The third would be a man born to a virgin and her carpenter husband who were part of this nation. This man would be The Messiah, The Consolation of Israel, and The Saviour of the whole world!
"And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."
Luke 2:25-32 The Messiah's name is Yashua in Hebrew, we know Him as Jesus in English. However, the Gospel of John simply calls Him "The Word," Who became flesh and dwelt among us!
"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
John 1:10-14 The Messiah would come from humble beginnings, but He would show His power and great understanding.
"But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me."
John 5:36 When the time was right, the ultimate witness of the power of God would be shown by Him. First, He would offer Himself as the ruler the world so desperately needed.
"And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
Luke 19:37-40 The Messiah knew the world would not accept Him and take the opportunity He was offering.
"And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."
Luke 19:41-44 The world believed they could defeat Him, but the only reason they had any ability to kill Him was because He was offering His life to and for this world, not forcing Himself on them.
"When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin."
John 19:8-11 Ultimately, Jesus would not allow this world to take His very life, He would give it freely to them.
"And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."
Matthew 27:35-54 Jesus gave His life to show us all the truth that in obedience to God's ways there is life and no death.
"In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death."
Proverbs 12:28 Jesus proved by giving His life that God has the power over death, hell, and the grave. Nothing is larger than God, and even in total defeat He is victorious. Jesus would be put in a grave on Friday evening, but He would not stay there. By the time the sun began to rise on the first day of the week, He was already gone!
"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 sepulchre. 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. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you."
Matthew 28:1-7 If God can raise to life after suffering death Himself, He certainly has the power to raise us up as He wills!
"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God."
Romans 6:5-10 Jesus would not stay on this earth, but would return to The Father for a very specific purpose.
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
John 14:1-3 Before He left, He also promised we would not be left alone. Jesus would pray The Father send us The Comforter, and His job would be to once again bring us to, and keep us in, that basic dynamic of obedience to God's Word.
"Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
John 14:22-26 Jesus would ascend and The Holy Ghost would come.
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:1-4 Time would continue to move forward, and evil men would continue to degrade; while those who serve The Lord would endure and maintain the message for all those who might still be saved.
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."
II Timothy 4:1-5 Just as the sinful world hated Christ, so shall they continue to hate all those who live for Him.
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Matthew 5:10-12 Because God continually maintains His ways among men, the world will grow in its determination as a whole, that the destruction of Jerusalem, God's chosen nation, and all those who serve The Lord is the key to having what they ultimately want. When this comes to full measure, Yashua will return to defend Jerusalem and God's people as a whole.
"Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south."
Zechariah 14:1-4 At this same time, Yashua will gather unto Himself all those who are alive and remain that are serving God, as well as resurrect from the dead all those who have served God.
"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
I Thessalonians 4:15-18 Yashua will establish a kingdom here over all the earth for a time.
"And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one."
Zechariah 14:9 "And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:8-10 For the first thousand years of that kingdom, the devil, who from the beginning of man's existence has been the greatest advocate of man's sin, will be locked away in the bottomless pit.
"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."
Revelation 20:1-3 At the end of that thousand years the devil will be released, and he will go out in one final attempt to again organize all those who will not serve The Lord and bring them against God and His kingdom.
"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea."
Revelation 20:7-8 This attempt will ultimately fail.
"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
Revelation 20:9-10 At the end of these things, God will have done everything possible to save this world as a whole, and bring all men into His plan, without violating the free will He gave man from creation. Just as He said at the time of the flood of Noah's day, His Spirit will not continue to "strive" with man forever. Thus, God will bring the cycle of events in this world to a close, and bring every human who has ever lived, before His throne for judgment.
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
Revelation 20:11-12 This is where God will truly and eternally separate those who desire righteousness from those who do not.
"And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."
Matthew 25:32-33 For those who desire God and His righteousness, there will finally be ultimate holiness. They will be separated from all unrighteousness and all its destructive forces, in a place where God's presence resides directly with them for all of eternity.
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Revelation 21:1-4 For those who have rejected or simply never cared to receive the relationship God is offering all men, there will be ultimate separation from God; which is something they never truly experienced here.
"When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."
Luke 13:25-27 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15 The foundation of any life is faith. Faith, in its simplest description, is a relationship with God. God is willing to grant us the gift of a relationship with Him if we are only willing to reach out and accept that gift, in spite of the fact it requires us to turn from a mindset of sin and servitude to the things of this world, which causes us to continually falter. This is called repentance! Simply put, it is ultimately impossible to have both this world of sin and God. Thus, in the end, the question each individual must answer is this - what do YOU want? Learn more about the Word of God »
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