Wisdom From the Bible16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17 It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (2Timothy 3:16-17) (New Living Translation)
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Interests: If only you had listened to My Laws! Then your peace would have been like a river and your right with God would have been like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:18) (New Life Version)
Expertise: For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (Colossians 1:9) (NIV)


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Friday, November 20, 2009

The Man With the Inkhorn

The Bible contains a great deal of knowledge. Most of the
knowledge is historical and many people find the old stories
to be inspiring and instructive but some of the most important
information is prophetic. Deep in many of the old accounts
from the prophets are their prophecies that have lain dormant
for many centuries. Strange events took place long ago that
will lead to even stranger events for the people of today.
Ancient prophecies are being fulfilled right before the watchful
eyes of the world, but the world does not comprehend what is
transpiring! Consider an event long ago that was recorded in
the Bible. This is what occurred long ago when Jehovah sent an
angel to deliver a message to the prophet named Ezekiel:

1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will
speak with thee. 
 2 And the Spirit entered into me when he spake
unto me, and set me upon my feet; and I heard him that spake unto
me. 
 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children
of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against
me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me even unto
this very day. 
 4 And the children are impudent and stiffhearted: I do
sent thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the
Lord Jehovah. 
 5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they
will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that
there hath been a prophet among them.
(Ezekiel 2:1-5) (American Standard Version)

Here we see that Jehovah is displeased with His people and has
dispatched His prophet to give the people fair warning. Despite
Ezekiel's efforts, the people refused to change their ways.

4 And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel,
as in the vision I had seen in the plain. 
 5 Then he said to
me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked, and
in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol
of jealousy. 
 6 And he said to me, "Son of man, do you see
what they are doing—the utterly detestable things the house
of Israel is doing here, things that will drive me far from my
sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable."
(Ezekiel 8:4-6) (NIV)

When the time came to take action against the disobedient people,
Jehovah first needed to mark the people who were innocent.

1 Then I heard him call out loudly, "Executioners, come!
And bring your deadly weapons with you."
(Ezekiel 9:1) (The Message)

The angels designated to carry out Jehovah's judgement
appeared with their weapons, but among them was one who
was armed only with an inkhorn, a marking device.

"And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate,
which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon
in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen,
with a writer's
inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood
beside the brasen altar."
(Ezekiel 9:2) (King James Version)

This one angel had a job to do before
the executions could begin:

3-4 The Glory of the God of Israel ascended from his usual
place above the cherubim-angels, moved to the threshold
of the Temple, and called to the man with the writing case
who was dressed in linen: "Go through the streets of Jerusalem
and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is in
anguish over the outrageous obscenities being done in the city."
5-6 I listened as he went on to address the executioners: "Follow
him through the city and kill. Feel sorry for no one. Show no
compassion. Kill old men and women, young men and women,
mothers and children. But don't lay a hand on anyone with the
mark.
Start at my Temple." They started with the leaders in front
of the Temple. 7-8 He told the executioners, "Desecrate the Temple.
Fill it with corpses. Then go out and continue the killing." So they
went out and struck the city. While the massacre went forward, I
was left alone. I fell on my face in prayer: "Oh, oh, God, my Master!
Are you going to kill everyone left in Israel in this pouring out of
your anger on Jerusalem?" 9-10 He said, "The guilt of Israel and
Judah is enormous.
The land is swollen with murder. The city
is bloated with injustice. They all say, 'God has forsaken the
country. He doesn't see anything we do.' Well, I do see, and
I'm not feeling sorry for any of them. They're going to pay
for what they've done."
11 Just then, the man dressed in linen
and carrying the writing case came back and reported, "I've done
what you told me."
(Ezekiel 9) (The Message)

These events were fulfilled when Jerusalem was
captured by the Babylonians in 586 BC.

From: http://www.bartleby.com/65/ez/Ezekiel.html

Ezekiel's vision was highly symbolic but nonetheless led
to a nonsymbolic event where some of his people were
killed and some survived, just as his vision foretold.
The
ones who survived were invisibly marked.

Are the conditions that Jehovah complained
about back then - about the same as today?
Is the land swollen with murder? Are the
cities bloated with injustice? Does anybody
care about Jehovah's laws at all? 

A few people in the world do. That is why
the "man with the inkhorn" is back!

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners
of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to
prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea
or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from
the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in
a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power
to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or
the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of
the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of
those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
(Revelation 7:1-4) (NIV)

These people are marked for the purpose of being our leaders.
There is no provision for the general public to reside in Heaven
with them. The Bible shows that these sealed individuals have
a specific function for a limited time:

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been
given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who
had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and
because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the
beast or his image and had not received his mark on
their foreheads or their hands
. They came to life and
reigned with Christ a thousand years.
(Revelation 20:4) (NIV)

What about this other mark?
Who is marked on the forehead and hands?

11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth.
He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his
behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the
first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he
performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to
come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.
14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf
of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth.
He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast
who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was
given power to give breath to the image of the first beast,
so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship
the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small
and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark
on his right hand or on his forehead
, 17 so that no one
could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name
of the beast or the number of his name. 18 This calls for
wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number
of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.
(Revelation 13:11-18) (NIV)

Who has the mark of the beast?

From the passage we see that just about everybody has the
mark of the beast. Almost everybody has to buy things in
this modern world as a normal way of life. Many people
sell things. Having the mark of the beast upon us is nearly
unavoidable, but that is not the problem!

What, then, is the problem?

19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and
their armies gathered together to make war against the
rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was
captured, and with him the false prophet who had
performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With
these signs he had deluded those who had received
the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
(Revelation 19:19-20) (NIV)

The problem is not being marked, it is worshiping the beast
while marked. We can see that military personnel have the
mark. All countries having a military require their personnel
to pledge their allegiance solely to their country and their
commanders. Their god is the military (the beast).

What is the fate of the people who have
the mark of the beast and worship it?

19-21I saw the Beast and, assembled with him, earth's kings
and their armies, ready to make war against the One on
the horse and his army. The Beast was taken, and with him,
his puppet, the False Prophet, who used signs to dazzle and
deceive those who had taken the mark of the Beast and
worshiped his image. They were thrown alive, those two,
into Lake Fire and Brimstone. The rest were killed by the
sword of the One on the horse, the sword that comes from
his mouth. All the birds held a feast on their flesh.
(Revelation 19:19-21) (The Message)

So we can conclude that being marked by "the man
with the inkhorn" is desirable but being marked by
the beast can be fatal. Those of us who are marked
by the beast cannot worship it and expect to survive
when Our Messiah returns to destroy the beast.

What is a better idea?

34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt
thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou
shalt see it. 
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright;
For there is a happy end to the man of peace. 
38 As for
transgressors, they shall be destroyed together; The end of
the wicked shall be cut off.
(Psalms 37:34,37,38) (ASV)

Bible Gateway 6


Sunday, November 15, 2009

IS THE DOOR STILL OPEN?

locked door 3  

What door?

Is The Door To Jehovah God's Compassion Still Open?

Remember Noah’s Ark?

While Noah built the ark according to Jehovah God's
specifications, doubtless - the people of the world of
his time
laughed at him and ridiculed his work
and his preaching
. When the Ark was finished and
ready the door of the Ark stood open a long time. The
people got used to seeing it stand open. It stood open
for so long that no one felt any alarm. It always seemed
that there was plenty of time, just because it stood open
for so long.

While the door stood open Noah delivered his final warning
message as the animals went aboard. He warned people of
a coming world destruction because of world-wide wickedness.
Man had filled the earth with violence. Yes, man's wickedness
was great: 

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence.
(Genesis 6:11) (NIV)

While Noah preached - the door of the Ark stood open.
Doubtless some thought that if it did rain the ark would be
a nice place to be in -- but of course they thought it would
never rain because it had never rained before. 

"...for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain
upon the earth... but there went up a mist from
the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."

(Genesis 2:5,6) (American Standard Version)

The sun shone and the sky was blue. Absolutely nobody
outside of Noah's family believed his message.  All the
while - the door to the Ark was open.

It is just like that today!

The “door” was open to serve Jehovah for a long time, yet
the world of mankind thinks that there is still plenty of time
left before the "Great Day of Jehovah" will arrive. Many people
do not believe that the day has even come. But it Has!

What do the Bible’s prophets say?

"and all the kings... near and far, one after the other
- all the kingdoms on the face of the earth... You will
not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword
upon all  who live on the earth, declares Jehovah God
Almighty.' Now prophesy all these words against them
and say to them: 'The LORD JEHOVAH will roar from
on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar
mightily against the earth. He will shout... against all
who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends
of the earth, for Jehovah will bring charges against the
nations; he will bring judgment on all mankind and put the
wicked to the sword,' This is what Jehovah Almighty says:
"Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty
storm is rising from the ends of the earth." At that time those
slain by JEHOVAH will be everywhere - from one end of the
earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered up
or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground."
(Jeremiah 25:26, 29-33) (ASV)

"This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from
heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will
punish those who do not know God and do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with
everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of
the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he
comes to be glorified"
(2Thessalonians 1:7-10) (New International Version)

The world's scene is changing quickly - just as Christ foretold
it would. He described clearly what life on the earth would be
like when he was to return in Matthew chapter 24 and we are
seeing it happen - now - right before our very eyes!

3
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to
him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what
will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus
answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will
come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive
many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it
that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end
is still to come.
(Matthew 24:3-6) (NIV)

But Is The Door Still Open? 

1 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your
whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

4
Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days
and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every
living creature I have made."
(Genesis 7:1,4) (NIV)

Noah did not close the door to the ark. Jehovah closed it.  

Why?

Jehovah knew that once the rain began to pour down -
suddenly - everyone would believe, and there would
be a mad dash to join Noah on his ark. Jehovah also
knew that if Noah were able to open the ark's great
door, he would do so, in pity for the drowning people.

"And they went... into the ark... as God commanded him:
and Jehovah shut him in."
(Genesis 7:15,16) (ASV)

So too - today - The Door to Jehovah's compassion closed
- just as it did in Noah's day. And once it closed
- IT IS
CLOSED! 
And it will remain closed - until God's executioner
- His Son - is done cleansing the earth of all of the evil in it.
Predictably, when Armageddon starts - suddenly
- everyone
will believe
; not because they love Jehovah and his Son - but
because they will see the signs that Armageddon is beginning
with their own eyes:

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a
great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth
made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,
(Revelation 6:12) (NIV)

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me
was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and
True.
With justice he judges and makes war.
(Revelation 19:11) (NIV)

The "Door" Is Shut. It Is Too Late Now.

Once the owner of the house gets up and closes
the door
, you will stand outside knocking and
pleading,
'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will
answer, "I don't know you or where you come from."
(Luke 13:25) (NIV)

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels
in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! 
Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."
(Mark 13:32,33) (NIV)

A holy God has the right to judge evil people. Society on
Earth before The Flood was clearly getting unbearably
murderous. Again - life here today is also out of control.
Jehovah God is today our Ark of Safety. Jehovah's people
are sheltered from Divine Judgment.

"Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have
kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness:
it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger."
(Zephaniah 2:3) (ASV)

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call
on the name of
Jehovah
shall be delivered..."
(Joel 2:32) (ASV)

"As the Scripture says... 'Everyone who calls on the
name of the LORD will be saved.' "
(Romans 10:11,13) (NIV)

13 "but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
(Matthew 24:23) (NIV)

For the rest of the world -

Time has run out...

Bible Gateway 6


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Faith

 

The man whispered,

"Please - God, speak to me!"
and suddenly a soft breeze gently rustled the leaves.

 

Louder, the man beseeched,

"Please - God, speak to me!"
and then a meadowlark began to sing.

 

Then the man groaned,
"Please - God, speak to me!"
and then a little girl giggled nearby.

 

Then the man yelled,
"Please - God, speak to me!"
and thunder rumbled in the distance.

 

Then the man screamed,
"Please - God, let me see you!"

and then the sunset glowed
magnificently with lavender and pink.

 

Then the man shouted,

"God show me a miracle!"

and then a newborn baby began to cry.

 

In final despair - the man begged,
"Touch me God, and let me know you are here."


Then God reach down from heaven and
touched the man ever so softly -


Then the man brushed the butterfly from
his arm and shuffled dejectedly away.


Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't
packaged the way that you expect it to be.

 

20 "From the time the world was created, people have
seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can
clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and
divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for
not knowing God.”

(Romans 1:20) (New Living Translation)

 

 

Jehovah God Is the Source 
of All Energy and Power

 hands of God3

What does the Bible say about God’s power?

"That energy is God's energy."
(Philippians 2:13) (Message Bible)

Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then
God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All
glory and
power
belong to him forever and ever. Amen.
(1Peter 4:11) (New Living Translation)

GOD SUPPLIES THE POWER

"... Jehovah, is become glorious in POWER..."
(Exodus 15:6) (Darby)

"... Jehovah... in thy hand there is POWERand might,
and none can withstand thee."
(2Chronicles 20:6) (Darby)

"But Jehovah... is the living God...
He hath made the earth by HIS 
POWER
..."
(Jeremiah 10:10,12) (Darby)

"But truly I am filled with POWER by the Spirit of Jehovah..."
(Micah 3:8) (Darby)

"...for with A POWERFUL HAND Jehovah brought us forth..."
(Exodus 13:16) (Darby)


"And Israel saw the GREAT POWERwhich Jehovah had wrought..."
(Exodus 14:31) (Darby)

"And Jehovah said... for this very cause have I raised thee up, to shew
thee MY
POWER
; and that my name may be declared in all the earth."
(Exodus 9:13,16) (Darby)

"Thine, Jehovah, is the greatness, and THE POWER, and the
glory, and the splendour, and the majesty; for all that is in the
heavens and on the earth is thine: thine, Jehovah, is the kingdom,
and thou art exalted as Head above all."
(1Chronicles 29:11) (Darby)

"All thy works shall praise thee, Jehovah... They shall tell of the
glory of thy kingdom, and speak of THY
POWER
."
(Psalm 145:10,11) (Darby)

"Alas, Lord Jehovah! Behold, thou hast made the heavens and
the earth by thy GREAT
POWER
. "
(Jeremiah 32:17) (American Standard Version)

"Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in POWER."
(Nahum 1:3) (Darby)

JEHOVAH HAS GIVEN POWER TO HIS SON

"And Jesus coming up spoke to them, saying, All POWER 
has been given to me in heaven and upon earth."

(Matthew 28:18) (Darby)

"The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands."
(John 3:35) (New International Version)

"His teaching amazed them because he spoke with POWER."
(Luke 4:32) (Contemporary English Version)

7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
(John 17:7) (English Standard Version)

This was prophesied even before Christ was born:

"...you are my firstborn;  My might and  the beginning of my
strength,  Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in
POWER
."
(Genesis 49:3) (New American Standard Bible)

"You, O king, are king of the earthly kings to whom
the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the POWER, the
might, and the glory."
(Daniel 2:37) (AmplifiedBible)

But to whom does the power belong?

Christ knows:

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever.
(Matthew 6:13) (King James Version)

Bible Gateway 6


Friday, November 06, 2009

The Great Day of Jehovah

More than three thousand years ago all of mankind
was destroyed except for eight people!

16 "Come out of the ark, you and your wife
and your sons and their wives."
(Genesis 8:16) (NIV)

How do we know that the story of
Noah and the ark is a true story?

 

Christ, himself talked about it to his disciples:

 

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming
of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people
were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing
about what would happen until the flood came and took them
all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
(Matthew 24:37-39) (New International Version)

 

God's Son, who is referred to frequently as the "Son of Man",
not only talked about the Great Flood as if it really happened,
he also talked about the Great Day of Jehovah as if it is going
to occur. That is because he knew it will!

 

“From that time on Jesus commenced preaching and saying: ’Repent,
YOU people, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’”
(Matthew 4:17) (NIV)

 

Why would our Savior consider the Kingdom Message
to be so important nearly two thousand years ago?

 

The idea was that his followers would spread the message,
acquire more followers and then the whole world would
know about Jehovah’s intentions.

Why did the work take so long?

The world population has steadily increased to over six
billion people now. The number of people who are spreading
the Kingdom Message number only about seven million. It 
took time to inform the people of the world in every country
and give them all a fair chance to hear and understand.

7 "But always, first of all, I warn you through my servants the
prophets. I, the Sovereign LORD, have now done this."
(Amos 3:7) (New Living Translation)

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some
understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting
anyone to perish
, but everyone to come to repentance.”
(2Peter 3:9) (NIV)

 

"Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.  They all have
the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask
for them. For "Anyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will
be saved." But how can they call on him to save them unless
they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they
have never heard about him? And how can they hear about
him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and
tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean
when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring
good news!" But NOT everyone welcomes the Good News, 
for Isaiah the prophet said, "Jehovah, who has believed our
message?" Yet faith comes from listening to this message of
good news.“
(Romans 10:12-17) (New World Translation)  -Watchtower.org

What is happening now that the Kingdom Message
has been preached throughout the entire world?

21 For that will be a time of greater horror than anything
the world has ever seen or will ever see again. 22 In fact,
unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human
race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake
of God's chosen ones.”
(Matthew 24:21-22) (NLT)

 

Are we near Jehovah's Day now?

 

Yes! The world is in great turmoil with:

·
        Wars
·
        Diseases
·
        Earthquakes

·        Crime
·
        Injustice
·
        Terrorism
·
        Famine and drought
·
        Poverty
·        Flooding

 

These are indeed the signs that we are in the Great Day of Jehovah.
There is still some goodness and optimism somewhere in the
world now but the problems will get worse and worse with no
let-up. This is the time for all to hear this message and consider
the source. The Bible is Jehovah’s words and His prophecies
never go unfulfilled
. People may believe that the Bible is an
ancient book with no relevance in today’s world, but that would
be a grave error.

 

What kinds of people ignore the Kingdom Message?

 

Primarily, the people who love the world the way it is now.
In spite of the world’s problems, there are a lot of things to
enjoy in the world. People can be ensnared by:

  • Wealth and prosperity
  • Seeking pleasure
  • False teachings
  • Lack of faith
  • Apathy
  • Addictions
  • Ambitions

The Apostle John had this advice for the wise:

 

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For
everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust
of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes
not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its
desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives
forever.”
(1John 2:15-17) (NIV)

 

Jehovah patiently waited for His work to be finished by
His servants. Everyone in the world heard the Kingdom
Message and made their choice:  to ignore the message
or join the effort to spread the message. There was no
middle ground. People are either  part of the solution or
part of the problem. People who are part of the solution
will have nothing to worry about as The End approaches: 


10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you,
the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will
suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of
death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who
overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”
(Rev 2:10-11) (NIV)

 

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not
be afraid; for Jehovah, even Jehovah, is my strength
and song; and he is become my salvation.”
(Isaiah 12:2) (American Standard Version)

 

The people who are the problem will be very afraid:

 

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall
from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 ”At
that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and
all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of
Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they
will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the
heavens to the other.”
(Matthew 24:29-31) (NIV)


When the people who rejected the Kingdom Message
realize their error, it will be too late:

 

18 There were flashes of lightning, roars of thunder, and the
worst earthquake in all history. 20 Every island ran away, and
the mountains disappeared. 21 Hailstones, weighing about a
hundred pounds each, fell from the sky on people. Finally,
the people cursed God, because the hail was so terrible.”
(Rev 16:18,20-21) (Contemporary English Version)

“...Ye shall not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword upon all
the inhabitants of the earth, saith Jehovah of hosts. And as for you,
you will prophesy to them all these words, and you must say to them,
‘From on high Jehovah himself will roar, and from his holy dwelling
he will give forth his voice. Without fail he will roar upon his abiding
place. A shout like those treading [the winepress] he will sing out
against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise will certainly come clear
to the farthest part of the earth for Jehovah hath a controversy with the
nations; he will enter into judgment  with all flesh: as for the wicked, he
will give them to the sword, saith Jehovah...
And the slain of Jehovah
shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the
other end of the earth:
they shall not be lamented, neither gathered,
nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground.”
(Jeremiah 25:29-33) (ASV)

 

There are those who will say something like: “I can’t believe
that a God of love would do such a thing to nice people like
us!” Jehovah's prophets predicted this long ago.

17 You make God tired with all your talk. "How do we tire him
out?" you ask.
By saying, "God loves sinners and sin alike. God
loves all." And also by saying, "Judgment? God's too nice to judge."
(Malachi 2:17) (Message Bible)


He is a God of love to those who listen and obey Him.
We must not forget that He is a God of Judgment as well:

“but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will
give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with
the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.”
(Isaiah 11:4) (NIV)

And who is going to lead this battle?

29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 "It will be just like
this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
(Luke 17:29-30) (NIV)

What is that? God's Son will be the leader of the destruction?

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was
a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With
justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing
fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written
on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in
a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white
horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his
mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.
"He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress
of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on
his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
(Revelation 19:11-16) (NIV)

The aftermath of Jehovah's Day and Armageddon will, according
to prophesy, be a paradise on earth just as it was when Adam
and Eve roamed the Garden of Eden:

6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with
the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little
child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young
will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The
infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put
his hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge
of the Lord Jehovah as the waters cover the sea.”
(Isaiah 11:6-9) (ASV)


This is Jehovah’s promise that when our world is taken away
from the hopelessly corrupt clutches of mankind it will indeed
be a paradise that will never be corrupted again by the ambitions
of human political elements, petty thieves, bullies, liars, or anyone
else who would spoil a worldly paradise for the rest of eternity:

“For evil-doers shall be cut off; But those that wait for Jehovah,
they shall inherit the earth. For just a little while longer, and the
wicked ones shall be no more: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider
his place, and he shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace... The
righteous shall inherit the earth, And dwell therein for ever... Wait
for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee
to inherit
the earth
; When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.”
(Psalm 37:9-11, 29, 34) (ASV)

This is the encouraging message for Jehovah's people. The world, as
it exists now, is only temporary. All of the world’s problems will be
taken care of soon. There is no need to agonize over how to solve the
problems; the most important thing that we can do is accept the
prophecies and spread the good news. Jehovah will take over from
there and all of our problems will then be over.

Bible Gateway 6


Sunday, November 01, 2009

Building Our Own Home
home 3     

Many people today are fortunate enough to own their
homes, but other people are not this fortunate and must
rent a place to live. Some people do not even have a home
at all!

Is this what God wanted for us? What does the Bible say?

"They will certainly build houses and have occupancy;
and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.
They will not build and someone else have occupancy;
they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the
days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of
their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full.  They will
not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance;
because they are the offspring made up of the blessed ones of
Jehovah, and their descendants with them."
(Isaiah 65:21-23) (American Standard Version)

"And I will provide a place for my people... and will plant
them so that
they can have a home of their own ."
(2Samuel 7:10) (New International Version)

"...good people are rewarded here on this earth..."
(Proverbs 11:31) (Contemporary English Version)

"And I will provide a place for my people... and will plant
them so that they can have a home of their own and
no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress
them anymore...
I will also give you rest from all your enemies."

(2Samuel 7:10,11) (NIV)

Imagine such a beautiful promise from God for the future
of mankind, under the Blessings of Christ's Kingdom. With
the housing conditions of many troubled areas on the earth,
what a blessing it will be for everyone to have their own home! 

Then imagine - enjoying our new home - without ever
getting sick, never growing old, and never dying. 
The
blessings of the coming Kingdom are endless.

What does the Bible say of these wonderful promises
from God - for a restored paradise on earth - under the
rulership of Jehovah's Son?

"Blessed and happy, are the meek and mild,
for they shall inherit the earth."
(Matthew 5:5) (Amplified Bible)

"But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall
delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
(Psalm 37:11) (AMP)

A NEW EARTH - SOON!

"But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth,
where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to that!"
(2Peter 3:13) (CEV)

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former
things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind."
(Isaiah 65:17) (NIV)

"THEN I saw a new heaven and a new earth... Then I heard
a mighty voice from the throne... saying, See! The abode of
God is with men, and He will live among them; and they
shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them
and be their God. God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be
anguish nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions
and the former order of things have passed away."
(Revelation 21:1,3,4) (AMP)

 A Time of Healing and Cure

"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears
of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man
leap as a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall sing..."
(Isaiah 35:5,6 ) (ASV)

"And no resident will say, "I am sick"; The people
who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity."
(Isaiah 33:24 ) (New American Standard Bible)

"...because Jehovah loveth you… he will also bless the
fruit of thy body… Thou shalt be blessed above all peoples:
there shall not be male or female barren among you… 
And Jehovah will take away from thee all sickness."
(Deut 7:8,14,15) (ASV)

"I will put none of the diseases upon thee…  
for I am Jehovah that healeth thee."
(Exodus 15:26) (ASV)

"And Jehovah will take away from thee all sickness."
(Deut 7:15) (ASV)

"Then his flesh is renewed like a child's;
it is restored as in the days of his youth"
(Job 33:25) (NIV)

"Jesus will rule the earth... His Kingdom will be worldwide...
There will be peace... There will be a healing of infirmities
and a freedom from disease"
- Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, pg. 656-658;
     J. Barton Payne

Animals and Mankind at Peace

"I will answer their prayers before they finish praying. Wolves
and lambs will graze together; lions and oxen will feed on straw.
Snakes will eat only dirt! They won't bite or harm anyone."
(Isaiah 65:24-25) (CEV)

"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie
down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the
yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie
down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox."
(Isaiah 11:6,7) (NIV)

"At the same time I'll make a peace treaty
between you and wild animals and birds..."
(Hosea 2:18) (Message Bible)

No more Fear or Terror

"Every man will sit under his own vine and under his
own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid,"
(Micah 4:4) (NIV)

"...and they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid."
(Ezekiel 34:28) (ASV)

"He will make wars cease to the ends of the earth..."
(Psalm 46:9) (NIV)

God's Original Plans Have Not Changed

And many secular sources are aware of this:

"In recent years many Christians have begun to realize
a long forgotten truth : God wants us to have dominion
over the earth, just as He originally commanded Adam
and Eve. By His atonement, Jesus Christ has restored
us to Adam's lost position, guaranteeing that God's
original plan will be fulfilled."
-Paradise Restored:
A Biblical Theology of Dominion;
by David Chilton; Pg. 342
Dominion Press, Tyler, Texas 75711

"...the  restoration  of Eden is an essential aspect of
the salvation that Christ provides. The Old Testament 
foretold the coming of the Christ and the blessings he
would bring. The Paradise Theme runs throughout the
whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation."
- PARADISE RESTORED
A Biblical Theology of Dominion; Chapter 3;
by David Chilton ; (1951-1997) M.Div., Ph.D.,
Dominion Press; Tyler, Texas
© 1st 1985 & 6th 1999

"there will emerge a new humanity on a new earth that is
equivalent to a  restored  paradise... a "blest age" in the
future when, in a violent spasm... humanity shall 'burst
his fetters', and 'Earth shall once again be a Paradise'."
-The Norton Anthology of English Literature
 The Romantic Period
 Apocalyptic Expectations - An Overview

"The future theocratic kingdom of God will be
an earthly kingdom involving the administration
of God's rule over everything on this present earth.
...the future theocratic kingdom will involve the
administration of God's rule by His future
representative... Jesus Christ, over this same
earthly province."
--Why Future Events?
Part 12;;by Dr. Renald Showers
Ankerberg Theological Research Institute

And that will happen very soon!

Bible Gateway 6



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