The Elusive Kingdom of God

I used to think saying the Lord’s Prayer was ludicrous until I realized that we were still praying for God’s kingdom to come. Jesus taught his Jewish followers to pray for God’s kingdom to come and Christians today are still doing the same. Why? Because it has not yet come. Let’s see what scriptures teach us about it.

Acts 1:1-6
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through (no article the) holy spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with (no article the) holy spirit not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Until the day Jesus ascended into Heaven his followers wondered when the kingdom was going to be restored to Israel. Obviously it had not been up to that time.

In Acts 14, it is implied that the Kingdom of God is something to be “entered into:” Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. KJV
It’s the word eiserchomai, to come or go into. Here it says much tribulation is required to go into the kingdom. In the following verses the kingdom of God is something to be “inherited:” 1 Cor 6:9-10:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. KJV

1 Cor 15:50 confirms the previous scriptures:
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. KJV

Another verse implying that the kingdom is something to be inherited: Gal 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Here is the next to last usage of the koG: Col 4:11:

And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. KJV
Unto” the kingdom is the same word as “into” in the verses in 1 Cor. 6, come “into,” eis.

I think it is very clear from scripture that the kingdom of God is not something we are in, but something that is still in the future. Jesus came to bring it to Israel, but the promises to Israel are being held in abeyance. We too will share in that promise, in the Millennial Kingdom, after the Rapture of the Church.

People are Souls, They have a Heart, but are Soul-less

Most of us have likely heard the expression “Bob is an old soul or Sandy is a young soul,” right? We don’t hear people say “John ‘has’ a young soul.” We do hear them say that so and so is young at heart, though.

In the Hebrew Scriptures Strong’s defines Nephesh as a breathing creature, i.e. animal of vitality; Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon as a soul, self, life, a creature, a person, an appetite, a mind, a living being, a desire, an emotion, a passion. As you can see from the definition whatever it is, it is alive and vital.

For the sake of this teaching I am going to be using the Darby Bible since it uses the words “living soul” twelve times. The first usage is:

Gen 1:21 “And God created the great sea monsters, and every living soul that moves with which the waters swarm, after their kind, and every winged fowl after its kind. And God saw that it was good.” Most other popular versions use the word “creature or “thing” instead of soul.

What does every living soul do? They move! Whether they creep, crawl, swim or fly, they are living souls. I never really thought about worms, ants, bees or snails as being living souls, but I guess they are!

The second usage  (and so on):

Gen 1:30 “and to every animal of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth on the earth, which is a living soul, every green herb for food. And it was so”

Gen 2:7  “And Jehovah Elohim formed Man, dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and Man became a living soul.”

Gen 2:19 “And out of the ground Jehovah Elohim had formed every animal of the field and all fowl of the heavens, and brought [them] to Man, to see what he would call them; and whatever Man called each living soul, that was its name.”

Gen 9:10 “and with every living soul which is with you, fowl as well as cattle, and all the animals of the earth with you, of all that has gone out of the ark — every animal of the earth.”

Gen 9:12 “And God said, This is the sign of the covenant that I set between me and you and every living soul that is with you, for everlasting generations:’

Gen 9:15-16 “and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living soul of all flesh; and the waters shall not henceforth become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living soul of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Lev 11:10 “but all that have not fins and scales in seas and in rivers, of all that swarm in the waters, and of every living soul which is in the waters — they shall be an abomination unto you.”

Lev 11:46 “This is the law of cattle, and of fowl, and of every living soul that moveth in the waters, and of every soul (creature) that crawleth on the earth;”

1 Cor 15:45 “Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit.”

Rev 16:3 “And the second poured out his bowl on the sea; and it became blood, as of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.”

The following verses are from a Bible called The Message. Some of you OG’s may remember seeing it but it is one of the seventeen Bibles in my PC Bible Program.

1 Kings 15:29 “As soon as he was king he killed everyone in Jeroboam’s family. There wasn’t a living soul left to the name of Jeroboam; Baasha wiped them out totally,”

2 Chron 20:24 “As Judah came up over the rise, looking into the wilderness for the horde of barbarians, they looked on a killing field of dead bodies — not a living soul among them.”

Job 12:10 “Every living soul, yes, every breathing creature?”

Acts 3:22-23 “Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.’ “

At the risk of becoming exhaustive I am compelled to give you every usage I could find on the 2 words. These verse are from the good old Catholic Bible, The Douay-Rheims. The first one we have already covered but I had to include it because someone mentioned something about adding water to dust to from the body of man. The Monks already took care of that!

Gen 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth: and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

Gen 8:21 “And the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and said: I will no more curse the earth for the sake of man: for the imagination and thought of man’s heart are prone to evil from his youth: therefore I will no more destroy every living soul as I have done.”

Now for some of you younger souls, there are 400 more usages of soul in the Hebrew Scriptures. Feel free to have at ‘em. I’m just going to show a few that pop out at me.

Lev 5:1-4 “And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing…………3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man…………4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.  KJV

Deut 12:20-21 “When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. 21 ………whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. KJV

To be honest and fair, there are many verses that would incline one to believe that the soul is something distinctly independent of the person. Here is just one:

Isa 29:8 “It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. KJV

Here is what one Commentary says about it: “[It shall even be …] This is a most striking figure representing the earnest desire of the Assyrian to possess the city of Jerusalem, and his utter disappointment.

(from Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Who would have thought that?

BTW, I looked up dead soul and couldn’t find anything. But, nothing is more convincing  than looking at the 78 times soul(s) plural was used in the KJV! Then you will become further convinced that souls are living “things” that take breath, including fish, worms and bugs! You could even say, “If it shits, it’s a living soul!”

Souls Plural

Gen 46:15  These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three. KJV

Gen 46:18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls. KJV

Gen 46:22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.

Gen 46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.

26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

Acts 7:14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. KJV

Acts 27:37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. KJV

1 Peter 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. KJV

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 7:14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

Since Bob mentioned the Apocraphal and extra Canonical Books I thought it would be cool to look at a few of those as well.

Judith 7:26-27 Now therefore call them unto you, and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.  For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them, than to die for thirst: for we will be his servants, that our souls may live, and not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives nor our children to die. KJV

Judith seems to be a pretty smart lady. I’ve always said that no one is any good to God dead! Here she would rather be someone’s spoil than starve to death!

Wisdom 2:22-3:1 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls. For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity. Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his side do find it. But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. KJV

Being a soul as opposed to having one eliminates a whole bunch of things which we know are not true, like soul sleep, transmigration of the soul, or soul travel.

This Present Evil Age, Will Get What it Has Coming

As we all know the U.S. of A. is not in Scripture. Nevertheless there is no reason to believe that it will not be judged “in that day” no less than the cities that are in Scripture. For example Heshbon, the capital city of Sihon, king (president or leader) of the Amorites or Rabbah, the capital city of the Ammonites. Washington D.C. could be seen as Jerusalem, Chicago as Heshbon and Minneapolis as Rabbah. God will not be mocked no matter where evil exists. We will also see AI destroyed. What brought me to this place is the culmination of idolatry taking place in the world. Last Sunday, May 17th, 2026, a group of “all the president’s men” (all the kings horses so to speak), met in out Nation’s Capital to dedicate or rededicate, as they are calling it, our country as a Christian Nation. Sounds great on the surface and something I probably would have been 100% behind 10 years ago or maybe even 5. Since then I have come to a greater understanding of Zionism and something even newer, Christian Nationalism. When I first heard of the latter it was because our church’s Adult Spiritual Growth committee, of which I was a member, was hosting a female Pastor to speak on the dangers of it. I was the sole dissenter. I felt that as a Christian and a Nationalist, what good could come from such a presentation. Little did I know that Christian Nationalism was not what I assumed it was. I have since apologized to the leader of that group. I now see that Pastor who spoke, as a prophetess, in her own right. She was proposing things I did not want to hear. Perhaps I will do the same for you! 

First we will take in in-depth look at something God and His good angels did on one occasion dealing with evil.

Gen 18:1-22  

18 And Jehovah appeared (ra’ah, to see literally or figuratively) unto him (Abraham) by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.   

2 And he (Abraham) lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him (Jehovah). And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,   

3 and said, My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.   

4 Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 

 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart. After that ye shall pass on. Forasmuch as ye are come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. 

 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes. 

 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant. And he hasted to dress it. 

 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. (Them, they whom, the 3 men, angels) 

9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 

10 And he (Jehovah) said, I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round. And, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.  

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, (and) well stricken in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.  

12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?  

13 And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?  

14 Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.  

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not. For she was afraid. And he said, Nay. But thou didst laugh.  

16 And the (3) men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.  

17 And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do.  

18 Seeing that Abraham had surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  

19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice. To the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.  

20 And Jehovah said, Because the (outcry ) cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous.  

21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me. And if not, I will know.  (If God is “all-knowing” why would he need to go down and see what all the raucous was about)?

22 And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom. But Abraham stood yet before Jehovah.  ASV 

Then we have Abraham negotiating with God over the number of righteous men that may possibly exist in S & G. To me this is “classic!” We see in a few short verses that God needed to go “down” to see, with his own eyes, what the outcry he had heard, as all about! Then he would know. Until he did that he didn’t know , for sure. And we call Thomas, a “doubter!”  

Abraham negotiates with God from 50 righteous men, to 45, then 40, then to 30, then 20, all the way down to 10! God is a very reasonable LORD. (Who says He never changes His mind)!

Gen 18:33 

And Jehovah went his way, as soon as he had left off communing (conversing) with Abraham. And Abraham returned unto his place. 

Gen 19:1-38 

And there came two angels to Sodom at evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom; and Lot seeing them, rose to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face towards the ground; 

 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.  

3 And he urged them greatly; and they turned in to him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.  

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:  

5 And they called to Lot, and said to him, Where are the men (the two angels) who came in to thee this night? bring them out to us, that we may know them.  (for those who may not be aware, “know” means to have intercourse with).

6 And Lot went out at the door to them, and shut the door after him,  

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.  

8 Behold now, I have two daughters who have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out to you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only to these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.  (Lot offering his 2 daughters instead of the 2 men was somehow less wicked? I think not).

9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one man came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: Now will we deal worse with thee than with them. And they pressed hard upon the man, Lot, and came near to break the door.  

10 But the men (the 2 angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.  

11 And they (the 2 angels) smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.  

12 And the men (angels) said to Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:  (son in laws? Guess his daughters weren’t virgins after all).

13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them has become great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.  

14 And Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Arise, depart from this place; for the LORD will destroy this city: but he (Lot) seemed to his sons-in-law as one that mocked. (tsachaq –to laugh outright, to sport, jest or toy with, as in joking around). Where did they go? Never see them again.

15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened (uwts, press with urgency) Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters who are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. (What happened to the son-in-laws)? 

And while he lingered, (mahahh, lolligagged, delayed) the men laid hold (hazaq, to grab with firmness) upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters: the LORD being merciful to him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 

17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life: look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 

18 And Lot said to them, Oh, not so, my Lord!  (Now Lot was negotiating)! 

19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown to me in saving my life: and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil should take me, and I die: 

20 Behold now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a small one: Oh, let me escape thither! (Is it not a small one?) and my soul shall live. 

21 And he said to him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for which thou hast spoken. 

22 Haste thee, escape thither: for I cannot do any thing till thou hast come thither: therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 

23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 

24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 

25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 

26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 

27 And Abraham rose early in the morning, to the place were he stood before the LORD: 

28 And he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and towards all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 

29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt. 

30 And Lot went up from Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, (where the angels told him to go in the first place)_and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he, and his two daughters. No son-in-laws. 

31 And the first-born said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man on the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth: 

32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 

33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 

34 And it came to pass on the morrow that the first born said to the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father; let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 

35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 

37 And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites to this day. 

38 And the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon to this day. These were his 2 inbred sons. Webster 

5 cities were slated to be destroyed, Sodom, Gommorah, Admah, Zeboim and Zoar. 

All the previous happened. All the following will. Put yourself there. 

Isa 10:20-27 

And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, (somehow Christians believe this is us) To the Mighty God. 22 For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, A remnant of them will return; The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness. 23 For the Lord God of hosts Will make a determined end In the midst of all the land.   

24 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O My people, who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian. He shall strike you with a rod and lift up his staff against you, in the manner of Egypt. 25 For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.” 26 And the Lord of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; as His rod was on the sea, so will He lift it up in the manner of Egypt.   

27 It shall come to pass in that day 

That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, 

And his yoke from your neck, 

And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.  

NKJV 

Isa 10:33-11:5 

Behold, the Lord, The Lord of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled. 34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.  

11:1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse (Jesus Christ), And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 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 His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of his ears; 4 But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, And faithfulness the belt of his waist.  

NKJV 

Isa 13:1-14:2 

The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.  

2 “Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise your voice to them; Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. 3 I have commanded My sanctified (qadash, holy) ones (this is us); I have also called My mighty (gibbor, angelic) ones for My anger — Those who rejoice in My exaltation.”  

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The Lord of hosts musters The army for battle. 5 They come from a far country, From the end of heaven — The Lord and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land.  

6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, 8 And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames.  

9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.  

11 “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the Lord of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger. 14 It shall be as the hunted gazelle, And as a sheep that no man takes up; Every man will turn to his own people, And everyone will flee to his own land. 15 Everyone who is found will be thrust through, And everyone who is captured will fall by the sword. 16 Their children also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; Their houses will be plundered And their wives ravished. (This is similar to what Netanyahu and the IDF are doing today to Gaza and Lebanon)! 

17 “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. 18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert will lie there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches will dwell there, And wild goats will caper there. 22 The hyenas will howl in their citadels, And jackals in their pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, And her days will not be prolonged.”  

Mercy on Jacob 

14 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors.  

NKJV 

Jer 46:27-47:7  

27 But fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.  

28 Fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.  

47 The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines (Palestine), before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.  

2 Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and all that is therein, the city and them that dwell therein; and the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail. 

3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ones, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers look not back to their children for feebleness of hands;  

4 because of the day that cometh to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remaineth: for Jehovah will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.  

5 Baldness is come upon Gaza (even today); Ashkelon is brought to nought, the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?  

6 O thou sword of Jehovah, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard; rest, and be still.  

7 How canst thou be quiet, seeing Jehovah hath given thee a charge? Against Ashkelon, and against the sea-shore, there hath he appointed it.  ASV 

Read chapter 48 on your own 

Jer 49:1-11  

49 Of the children of Ammon (a grandson of Lot, through Ben-ammi. East of the JR). Thus, saith Jehovah: Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof?  

2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah (Capital city of the Ammonmites) of the children of Ammon; and it shall become a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel possess them that did possess him, saith Jehovah.  

3 Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; (The end of AI) cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.  

4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, (saying), Who shall come unto me?  

5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, from all that are round about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth, and there shall be none to gather together the fugitives.  

6 But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith Jehovah. 

7 Of Edom (descendants of Esau. S. of the Dead Sea). Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?  

8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau (the elder twin brother of Jacob) upon him, the time that I shall visit him.  

9 If grape-gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, would they not destroy till they had enough?  

10 But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is destroyed, and his brethren, and his neighbors; and he is not.  

11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me

ASV 

Zeph 1:1-2:11  

ZEPHANIAH 

1 The word of Jehovah that came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. 

I will utterly take away everything from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah: 

3 I will take away man and beast; I will take away the fowl of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked, and I will cut off mankind from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah. 

4 And I will stretch forth my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the Chemarims with the priests; (kamar, idolatrous ascetic priests, as if shrunk with self0maceration) 

5 and them that bow down to the host of the heavens upon the housetops; and them that bow down to Jehovah, that swear by [him], and swear by Malcham (Molech, child sacrifices); 

6 and them that turn back from after Jehovah, and that do not seek Jehovah, nor inquire for him. 

7 Be silent at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath hallowed his guests. 

8 And it shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. 

9 And in that day will I punish all those that leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit. 

10 And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate, and a howling from the second [quarter], and a great crashing from the hills. 

11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh (a valley in greater Jerusalem); for all the people of Canaan are cut down, all they that are laden with silver are cut off. 

12 And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil. (settled = qapha’, to shrink as in thicken; their lees = shemer, something preserved, like the settlings of wine; apathetic drunkards). 

13 And their wealth shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation; and they shall build houses, and not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and not drink the wine thereof. 

14 The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly. The voice of the day of Jehovah: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 

15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness, 

16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fenced cities and against the high battlements. 

17 And I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men; for they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung: 

18 their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of Jehovah’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for a full end, yea, a sudden [end], shall he make of all them that dwell in the land. 

2 Collect yourselves and gather together, O nation without shame, 

2 before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass away as chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah’s anger come upon you. 

Seek Jehovah, all ye meek of the land, who have performed his ordinance; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger. 

4 For Gazah shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon shall be a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up. 

5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites (Kerethiy = executioners)! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines (Palestine): I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant; 

6 and the sea-coast shall be cave-dwellings for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for Jehovah their God shall visit them, and turn again their captivity. 

8 I have heard the reproach of Moab (inbred son of Lot, from his oldest daughter), and the revilings of the children of Ammon (from the inbred son of Lot’s younger daughter), wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 

9 Therefore, [as] I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them. 

10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts. 

11 Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and all the isles of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place. 

Darby 

Closing Scripture: 

Zech 7:8-14  

8 And the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus hath Jehovah of hosts spoken, saying, Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother; and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the sojourner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart. (This is one of the last exhortations to Israel 400 some years before the birth of Jesus the Messiah).

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets:  

therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts. And it is come to pass that, as he cried, and they would not hear, so they shall cry, and I will not hear, said Jehovah of hostsbut I will scatter them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they have not known. Thus the land was desolate after them, so that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate. ASV 

They remain scattered to this day. Those who have gone back, before their appointed time are trespassing in that land and are shedding innocent blood all around them. These are known as Zionists and Christians who wholeheartedly and unconditionally support them share in that bloodshed. These are called Christian Zionists. Christian Nationalists are similar because they want to United States to be governed according to Noahide Laws: 

“The Noahide Laws (or Seven Laws of Noah) are a set of universal moral imperatives in Judaism, traditionally understood as binding on all of humanity through the covenant with Noah.  According to the Talmud, these laws were given to Adam and subsequently to Noah, serving as the minimal ethical framework for a civilized society. Non-Jews who observe these laws are regarded as Righteous Gentiles and are assured a place in the World to Come.” The Talmud is void of any biblical authority.

It is God’s Will that all men be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth. It will be much better for all unbelievers to make Jesus Lord and believe that God, his Father, raised him from the dead, according to Romans 10:9,10. Otherwise, you will face God’s wrath.

God bless you. Choose wisely.

Who will be Saved during the Tribulation, The Day of the LORD

Christians are “rescued” from the wrath to come, therefore are raptured before the tribulation period begins. When does it begin? One would assume it begins when the Age of Grace, as you have noted, ends. When does it end? Not too many know or understand. I can only go by what I read.

When you read the Apocalypse of John, don’t read “church” for the word ekklesia. Ekklesia should never have been translated as such. It should always be translated as assembly or congregation. Church always makes one think “Christian” when it is not in the Apocalypse. Church is a German word and closest thing to it in the Bible is a transliteration (tranny for short) of kuriakos, which means belonging to the Lord. One of the main things to understand is that the Assembly of God, made up of the saved, was part of the Secret that God kept hidden from all the Hebrew Prophets including Jesus, until God revealed it to the ascended Christ, who revealed to Paul and the other Christian Prophets. This Secret was even hidden from us because the translators chose to tranny musterion into mystery, rather than translate it! The Secret is not a mystery. A mystery, to be a mystery, can never be understood, but when a Secret is revealed, it can be known.

Rev. 10:7 says: “but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery (Secret) of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets. ASV

Whoever is saved up to that point will be raptured to heaven. How long does it take to get to that point? I don’t know. What I do know is that whoever gets saved after the rapture will have to endure, remain faithful, through the tribulation to the end of it or the end of their lives, which ever comes first. Matthew 24 records what happens during this time, but I will show one verse.

Matt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. KJV

You have to remember there were no Christians in Matthew, only Jews and Gentiles. The Assembly of God did not yet exist, because The Secret had not been revealed. Another word you mention is “saints.” Saints are “holy ones.” Holy Ones are also angels. We are saints as well because we are saved. Can you be a holy one without being a Christian? Of course you can. Was David saved? Abraham? Ezekiel? Yes to all, but not like we are. They won’t go to Heaven, because they won’t be resurrected until after Jesus returns with us for the Campaign of Har-Mo’ed.

Now notice this, right after the Secret of God ends in Rev. 10:7 that a 42 month period starts, 3.5 years or 1,260 days:

Rev 11:2-3 And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, (3.5 years), clothed in sackcloth. ASV

What do you suppose they were prophesying about? What is most prophesying about? Better yet, “to whom” were they prophesying? Jews and Gentiles, because the saved “Christians” were all gone! To really grasp this, you have to comprehend that since the Hebrew Prophets knew nothing about “Christianity,” their thinking would go from the end of John to the Apocalypse of John. Prophesy concerning Israel was held in abeyance, temporarily halted, from the ascension of Jesus until after the rapture. There are no prophesies being fulfilled to day, because the Hebrew Prophets didn’t know about today!

These 2 Witnesses are prophesying about the man from Galilee. It will probably go something like this:

Acts 2:22-36 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

They won’t become Christians, but if they believe and endure to the end, they will be saved, for the Millennial Kingdom.

Selah

The Most High God, On His Throne, Acc. to Daniel 7

In the King James Version of the Bible, “the Lord Jesus or the Lord Jesus Christ” is mentioned 58 times. In the American Standard Version it is only mentioned 50 times. Darby, 53 times and in the Douay-Rheims, 50 times. According to the D-R & the ASV, the first usage is Mark 16:19. The KJV & Darby, Luke 24:3. According to the NA-27 Text, the D-R and the ASV are correct. “Jesus” is in the text.

What I want to look at is the word “lord.” Much to my surprise in 22 places the word is not preceded by the article “the.” This means that “lord” should not be capitalized. In every place in the Hebrew Scriptures the article “the” is connected to the word it is used with, like “the LORD God, the LORD of hosts or the Lord God.” This draws a stark contrast with the lord Jesus (Christ) and the LORD God.

For those of you who may not be aware, LORD in all capital letters is always translated Jehovah (Yahweh) = “the existing one.” It is the proper name of the One, True God. There is also the word “Lord,” in lower case letters, which is the word Adonay. Adonay is translated as lord, master or owner.

When it comes to the word Lord or lord in the Christian Scriptures it is the Greek word kurios. Here is the full meaning according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:

NT:2962 kurios, kuriou, ho

he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding; master, lord

a. used universally, of the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner Matt 20:8
b. kurios is a title of honor, expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants salute their master, Matt 13:27; 25:20,22; Luke 13:8; 14:22, etc.;
c. this title is given:
a. to God, the ruler of the universe Matt 1:22
b. to the Messiah; and that:
aa. to the Messiah regarded universally: Luke 1:43
bb. to Jesus as the Messiah, Acts 10:36
d. of Christ
(from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Jesus Christ is our lord, our master, our savior and even our brother. But what he is not is our king or our God. When you look up “the king Jesus,” there are no matches. Or look up the Lord Jesus God (instead of Christ or Messiah). No matches. Just look up “king,” in the N/T. You will find Jesus as the king of the Jews, the future king of Israel. You will find God called “the King eternal” in 1 Timothy 1:17. Then in Rev. 15:3 we see God called king of the holy ones. And finally in Rev. 14, which is still in the future, we see Jesus being called “Lord of lords and King of kings.”

In summary, Jesus is not the Christian’s king and never will be. He came into existence to be the Jews Messiah, and eventually their King. But, they rejected him as their Messiah and therefore his kingdom has been held in abeyance ever since. Now, his kingdom will not be set up until after the time of Jacob’s Trouble or that which is called “the Day of the LORD.” That “day” will not culminate until after the Battle of Har-Mo’ed (in Hebrew) or Har-Mageddon (in Greek). Then Jesus will set up his kingdom on earth where he will finally be King of the Jews, not king of Christians!

Dan 7:14
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
ASV

The Most High God, On His Throne, Acc. to Daniel 7

In the King James Version of the Bible, “the Lord Jesus or the Lord Jesus Christ” is mentioned 58 times. In the American Standard Version it is only mentioned 50 times. Darby, 53 times and in the Douay-Rheims, 50 times. According to the D-R & the ASV, the first usage is Mark 16:19. The KJV & Darby, Luke 24:3. According to the NA-27 Text, the D-R and the ASV are correct. “Jesus” is in the text.

What I want to look at is the word “lord.” Much to my surprise in 22 places the word is not preceded by the article “the.” This means that “lord” should not be capitalized. In every place in the Hebrew Scriptures the article “the” is connected to the word it is used with, like “the LORD God, the LORD of hosts or the Lord God.” This draws a stark contrast with the lord Jesus (Christ) and the LORD God.

For those of you who may not be aware, LORD in all capital letters is always translated Jehovah (Yahweh) = “the existing one.” It is the proper name of the One, True God. There is also the word “Lord,” in lower case letters, which is the word Adonay. Adonay is translated as lord, master or owner.

When it comes to the word Lord or lord in the Christian Scriptures it is the Greek word kurios. Here is the full meaning according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:

NT:2962 kurios, kuriou, ho

he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding; master, lord

a. used universally, of the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner Matt 20:8
b. kurios is a title of honor, expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants salute their master, Matt 13:27; 25:20,22; Luke 13:8; 14:22, etc.;
c. this title is given:
a. to God, the ruler of the universe Matt 1:22
b. to the Messiah; and that:
aa. to the Messiah regarded universally: Luke 1:43
bb. to Jesus as the Messiah, Acts 10:36
d. of Christ
(from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Jesus Christ is our lord, our master, our savior and even our brother. But what he is not is our king or our God. When you look up “the king Jesus,” there are no matches. Or look up the Lord Jesus God (instead of Christ or Messiah). No matches. Just look up “king,” in the N/T. You will find Jesus as the king of the Jews, the future king of Israel. You will find God called “the King eternal” in 1 Timothy 1:17. Then in Rev. 15:3 we see God called king of the holy ones. And finally in Rev. 14, which is still in the future, we see Jesus being called “Lord of lords and King of kings.”

In summary, Jesus is not the Christian’s king and never will be. He came into existence to be the Jews Messiah, and eventually their King. But, they rejected him as their Messiah and therefore his kingdom has been held in abeyance ever since. Now, his kingdom will not be set up until after the time of Jacob’s Trouble or that which is called “the Day of the LORD.” That “day” will not culminate until after the Battle of Har-Mo’ed (in Hebrew) or Har-Mageddon (in Greek). Then Jesus will set up his kingdom on earth where he will finally be King of the Jews, not king of Christians!

Dan 7:14
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
ASV

The Abominations of Jerusalem by Ezekiel

Lam 5:22 Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi

In light of the fact that Israel seems to be wanting to take over the world with the help of the U.S. (by whatever means necessary), I thought these words, from this Hebrew Prophet, would be appropriate at this time.

Ezek 16
Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations;
3 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh to Jerusalem: Your birth and your birth is of the land of the Canaanite; the Amorite was your father, and your mother was a Hittite.
4 As for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not cut, neither were you washed in water to cleanse you; you weren’t salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you, to have compassion on you; but you were cast out in the open field, for that your person was abhorred, in the day that you were born.


6 When I passed by you, and saw you weltering in your blood, I said to you, Though you are in your blood, live; yes, I said to you, Though you are in your blood, live.
7 I caused you to multiply as that which grows in the field, and you increased and grew great, and you attained to excellent ornament; your breasts were fashioned, and your hair was grown; yet you were naked and bare.
8 Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Yahweh, and you became mine.
9 Then washed I you with water; yes, I thoroughly washed away your blood from you, and I anointed you with oil.
10 I clothed you also with embroidered work, and shod you with sealskin, and I girded you about with fine linen, and covered you with silk.
11 I decked you with ornaments, and I put bracelets on your hands, and a chain on your neck.
12 I put a ring on your nose, and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.
13 Thus was you decked with gold and silver; and your clothing was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered work; you ate fine flour, and honey, and oil; and you were exceeding beautiful, and you did prosper to royal estate.
14 Your renown went forth among the nations for your beauty; for it was perfect, through my majesty which I had put on you, says the Lord Yahweh.


15 But you did trust in your beauty, and played the prostitute because of your renown, and poured out your prostitution on everyone who passed by; his it was.
16 You took of your garments, and made for yourselves high places decked with various colors, and played the prostitute on them: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
17 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and played the prostitute with them;
18 and you took your embroidered garments, and covered them, and did set my oil and my incense before them.
19 My bread also which I gave you, fine flour, and oil, and honey, with which I fed you, you did even set it before them for a sweet savor; and thus it was, says the Lord Yahweh.


20 Moreover you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to me, and these have you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your prostitution a small matter,
21 that you have slain my children, and delivered them up, in causing them to pass through the fire to them?
22 In all your abominations and your prostitution you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and was weltering in your blood.
23 It is happen after all your wickedness, (woe, woe to you! says the Lord Yahweh),
24 that you have built to you a vaulted place, and have made you a lofty place in every street.
25 You have built your lofty place at the head of every way, and have made your beauty an abomination, and have opened your feet to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your prostitution.
26 You have also committed sexual immorality with the Egyptians, your neighbors, great of flesh; and have multiplied your prostitution, to provoke me to anger.


27 See therefore, I have stretched out my hand over you, and have diminished your ordinary food, and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines (Palestine), who are ashamed of your lewd way.
28 You have played the prostitute also with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; yes, you have played the prostitute with them, and yet you weren’t satisfied.
29 You have moreover multiplied your prostitution to the land of merchants, to Chaldea; and yet you weren’t satisfied with this.
30 How weak is your heart, says the Lord Yahweh, seeing you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute;
31 in that you build your vaulted place at the head of every way, and make your lofty place in every street, and have not been as a prostitute, in that you scorn pay.


32 A wife who commits adultery! who takes strangers instead of her husband!
33 They give gifts to all prostitutes; but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them, that they may come to you on every side for your prostitution.
34 You are different from other women in your prostitution, in that none follows you to play the prostitute; and whereas you give hire, and no hire is given to you, therefore you are different.
35 Therefore, prostitute, hear the word of Yahweh:
36 Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children, that you gave to them;
37 therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those who you have loved, with all those who you have hated; I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.
38 I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.
39 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your vaulted place, and break down your lofty places; and they shall strip you of your clothes, and take your beautiful jewels; and they shall leave you naked and bare.
40 They shall also bring up a company against you, and they shall stone you with stones, and thrust you through with their swords.
41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you shall also give no hire any more.


42 So will I cause my wrath toward you to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from you, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.
43 Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have raged against me in all these things; therefore, behold, I also will bring your way on your head, says the Lord Yahweh: and you shall not commit this lewdness with all your abominations.
44 Behold, everyone who uses proverbs shall use this proverb against you, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.
46 Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells at your left hand, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, who dwells at your right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
47 Yet have you not walked in their ways, nor done after their abominations; but, as if that were a very little thing, you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.
48 As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you have done, you and your daughters.
49 Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
50 They were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
51 Neither has Samaria committed half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all your abominations which you have done.


52 You also, bear you your own shame, in that you have given judgment for your sisters; through your sins that you have committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous that you: yes, be also confounded, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.
53 I will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of your captives in the midst of them;
54 that you may bear your own shame, and may be ashamed because of all that you have done, in that you are a comfort to them.
55 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate; and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate; and you and your daughters shall return to your former estate.
56 For your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride,
57 before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all who are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, who do despite to you round about.
58 You have borne your lewdness and your abominations, says Yahweh.
59 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.


60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant.
61 Then shall you remember your ways, and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your elder sisters and your younger; and I will give them to you for daughters, but not by your covenant.
62 I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; (When? After the Rapture and the Battle of Har-Mo’ed).
63 that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done, says the Lord Yahweh.
WEB

Sons of God

Following up on last night’s teaching:  

(10/27/25, https://www.youtube.com/@doctrineandpractice7337) and the clarification I sought on becoming angels, I decided to look up “sons of God.” The KJV lists 6 usages in the CS, (Christian Scriptures). Upon looking at them, four were 5043 and two were 5207, teknon and huios, respectively. Since “inquiring minds” want to know, I decided to look “sons of God” in Darby in the CS and there are only 4; 2 of the same and 2 different ones. The 2 same are Ro 8:14,19. The 2 different ones are Mt 5:9 and Lk 20:36. 

Then I looked up huios in the Englishman’s and it coincided with the 4 usages of SoG in Darby. I found the Luke usage particularly interesting. 

Luke 20:34-36 And Jesus said to them, The sons of this world marry and are given in marriage, but they who are counted worthy to have part in that world, and the resurrection from among [the] dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for neither can they die any more, for they are equal to angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 

Darby 

This verse is the “clincher:” 

Luke 20:36 

36 for neither can they die any more, for they are equal to angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  Darby 

In there we have the word “counted worthy.”  Are we not already counted worthy in Christ? 

“…they who shall be accounted worthy, NT:2661 

kataxioo (kat-ax-ee-o’-o); from NT:2596 and NT:515; to deem entirely deserving: 

This word is only used 3X, here, Acts 5:41 and 2Thess. 1:5 

Acts 5:40-42 

40 And they listened to his advice; and having called the apostles, they beat them and enjoined them not to speak in the name of Jesus and dismissed them. 

41 They therefore went their way from [the] presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonoured for the name. 

42 And every day, in the temple and in the houses, they ceased not teaching and announcing the glad tidings that Jesus [was] the Christ. Darby 

2 Thess 1:4-7 

4 so that we ourselves make our boast in you in the assemblies of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining; 

5 a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer; 

6 if at least [it is a] righteous thing with God to render tribulation to those that trouble you, 

7 and to you that are troubled repose with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with [the] angels of his power, Darby 

IN VERSE 5 ABOVE “should be” kinda stuck in my craw! Here it is in the NAU 

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. (2Th 1:5 NAU) 

Whether it is will be, may be or should be, it is still the same single word, kataxioo, which means to deem entirely deserving or judge worthy. I think there is no doubt we will sons of God, equal to angels. 

(The following is Robert B. Wassung’s addition):  

Next, there are a couple (OK, five) in the Hebrew Scriptures that back up the idea that “sons of God” were angelic (and will be angelic). The two (2) in Genesis 6 where we can see quite obviously that they came to the planet of their own volition (reading 2 Peter 2:4 (ye olde “angels that sinned”) and Jude 6 (“angels that did not keep their own principality”)). They were angelic beings, these “sons”. This is backed up by the LXX rendering of the Hebrew “sons of God” in Job 1:6 and 2:1 with “angels of God”. So, also, that other verse in Job 38:7 where the LXX also changes “sons of God” to “angels of God”. The Septuagint is sometimes paraphrastic and sometimes as a different substrate. Either way you see what they saw…”sons of God” were angelic. 

One other thing that finally made sense after all these years of wrong teaching was that believing Israel will also, in the resurrection, be “sons of God” and “are equal to the angels” as Fred has shown. They also get new bodies in the resurrection to the earth (first resurrection). They won’t die because they already died once (Revelation 20:6). Second death has no authority over them. 

This should not be used to try to prove that angels cannot die, just that these who were resurrected cannot die again. We know angels die (Psalm 82, those in Genesis 6 who became men and died after 120 years). The Dragon will die and get sent to Sheol (Isaiah 14 and Revelation 20). Some are in Sheol until the “judgment of the great day”. If you’re in Sheol, whether humans sleeping or Rephaim walking around…you’re dead. But when all of us believers will be “born again”/”born from above”/ “born of God” we will make Creation happy since it’s been waiting a while to “see” them. 

The idea that I mentioned (casually) that Christians replace the “sons of God” who initially had dominion over the nations, is built up from these references Fred has given and a few other logical thoughts (we’re going to be “fellow-kings with him” and Jesus (and us) will have “put down all rule and all authority and power. (1 Cor. 15:24). We always say that once we are in heaven via the Rapture, we’ll come back with him (1 Thessalonians 3:13) and “all the holy ones”. 

I just found an interesting podcast (part way through it…) with a guy named David Burnett:  

Replacing the Sons of God & New Celestial Bodies According to the Apostle Paul ft. David Burnett 

In it he proposes that the list of earthly and heavenly creatures in 1 Corinthians 15:39-42 follows the same order of creatures as enumerated in the context of Deuteronomy 4:15-19. There Moses has said that the celestial beings (son, moon and stars…the heavenly host) that can be worshipped…should not be worshipped, duh. But the interesting thing there (and elsewhere in Deuteronomy) is that these celestial beings were “those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven” (Deut. 4:19 NAU). This bespeaks the idea that at Babel, God decided he was done with the “nations” and gave their governance to his “sons” (cf. – Deuteronomy 32:8 (read with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the LXX) with the Babel context). Of course, we know He wanted (and built) Israel from two people. 

Anyway, there’s probably more stuff that shows that we Christians, as fellow-kings with Jesus are taking over their tasks in the Eschaton. 

Why ‘Church’ Should Be Replaced by ‘Assembly’

When a friend of mine first introduced the idea of Jesus building his Church in heaven and not on the earth, and then highlighted that the church here should be called the Church of God according to the Christian Scriptures, it motivated me to look for that scripture that we all know so well, ”the Lord added to the Church daily….” 

Here we have it in the beloved KJV that most of us grew up on:  

Acts 2:47 

Praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. KJV 

If Jesus’s Church is in Heaven, how could he be adding to it daily here on earth? (This deserves a pause for answers). Could the answer be just a matter of Translation? Let’s see what two other translations say: 

Acts 2:47 

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. NASU 

Acts 2:47 

 praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added [to the assembly] daily those that were to be saved. 

Darby 

Now that we have found a conflict between the 3 translations, what do we do? If we have a Greek Interlinear, we go look to see what it says. It says <church> 846 auto, the same, as in all the people. So, ekklesia, which we all have been taught means church, does not exist in Acts 2:47. (The sideways carrot marks < > generally indicated that what is between them is not in the texts, as is the case here). This comes as quite a surprise to me. 

To me this posed quite a quandary! Where do I go from here? Another formerly held belief shattered to smitherenes! So what’s left to do, look up ekklesia. Here is what it means according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: 

“a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place; an assembly.” (See side column for further definition). What we don’t see, is the word ”church,” as any part of the definition. What we do see, predominantly, is ”Assembly.” 

Etymology of the word Church 

“The etymology of the word “church” is a complex and multifaceted topic. Based on the provided search results, here is a summary of the key findings: Greek origins: 

The English word “church” is ultimately derived from the Greek adjective “kuriakos” (κυριακός), meaning “of (or belonging to) the Lord”. 

This adjective is found only twice in the Christian Scriptures, in 1 Corinthians 11:20 and Revelation 1:10, referring to the Lord’s supper and the Lord’s day, respectively.” 

1 Cor 11:20 

Therefore, when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 

The Lord’s is the word kuriakos (koo-ree-ak-os’) NT:2960; from NT:2962, kurios; belonging to the Lord (Jehovah or Jesus): 

Rev 1:10-11 

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, NASU 

Now we will look at Young’s Literal Translation of a few verses containing ekklesia: 

Matt 16:18 

‘And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it; 

Acts 5:11 

11 and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things. 

Eph 1:22-23 

22 and all things He did put under his feet, and did give him — head over all things to the assembly

23 which is his body, the fulness of Him who is filling the all in all, 

Not in one verse, of 114 scriptures, where ekklesia is used, does the YLT translate it Church! 

​​ 

​​ 

Much like we have eliminated Old Testament and New Testament from our vocabulary, I think it is time to eliminate “Church” as well! If as close as we can come to it, is a transliteration of kuriakos, we have a pretty weak case for using it at all. 

I am of the opinion that what exists in the Hebrew Scriptures should set the precedence for the Christian Scriptures. For example, Church doesn’t exist in the Hebrew Scriptures any more than resurrection does. But what does exist is qahal — OT:6951 an assembly, a company, a congregation, a convocation  

a) an assembly for evil counsel, for war or invasion, for religious purposes Ex. 12:6 

b) a company (used of returning exiles) Ez. 38:15 

c) a congregation as an organized body Joel 2:16 

(from The Online Bible Thayer’s Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.) 

Deut 31:30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete: NASU 

Judg 20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. KJV 

Qahal is used 123 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, coming close to the 114 of ekklesia

Other usages of Assembly in the Hebrew Scriptures: 

5712, edah, 149 times 

6116, atsarah, 11 times 

5475, cowd, 21 times Job 15:8, 29:4 the secret of God; Ps. 89:7 the assembly of the saints! 

4186, mowshab, 44 times 

4150, mowed/moed, 223 times Is. 41:13 Mount of Assembly 

When it comes to the phrase, “Church of God,” it is used 8 times in the Christian Scriptures. All 8 of these verses use the word ekklesia, which we now know does not mean “church!” 6 words in the Hebrew Scriptures are translated “assembly” many times in their 571 usages; never church. Therefore, in my humble opinion, Assembly should replace the word church everywhere it is used in the Christian Scriptures, just like the Young’s Literal Translation has! Since we no longer say the word mystery for musterion, neither should we say the word church, for ekklesia.  

Identifying the False Prophet; the Predecessor of the Antichrist

One of the keys to understanding who is what in the book of Revelation being able to see the different Greek words from which our English words are translated.  Beast for example is translated from either zoon or therion:

NT:2226 zoon (dzo’-on); neuter of a derivative of NT:2198; a live thing, i.e. an animal: KJV – beast. NT:2198  zao (dzah’-o); a primary verb; to live (literally or figuratively).

NT:2342 therion (thay-ree’-on); diminutive from the same as NT:2339; a dangerous animal: KJV – (venomous, wild) beast. NT:2339 thera (thay’-rah); from ther (a wild animal, as game); hunting, i.e. (figuratively) destruction: KJV – trap.

Zoon is used 7 times and therion is used 37 times in Revelation. Here we can see that therion is not just any living animal, but a wild, dangerous and destructive one as well.

 Rev 13:11-17 describes this Beast from the Earth

11 Then I saw another beast (therion) coming up out of the earth; and he had (havingtwo horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast (therion) in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast (therion), whose fatal wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast (therion), telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast (therion) who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast (therion), so that the image of the beast (therion) would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast (therion) to be killed. 16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast (therion) or the number of his name.  NASU

Rev 16:13
And I saw (coming) out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs: ASV

He is mentioned again in Rev 19:20

 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. KJV

And, finally after the Millennial Kingdom:

Rev 20:10
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. NASB

Now let us look at 12 attributes of this 2nd therion beast:

  • Comes from the earth as opposed to the 1st beast who comes from the sea;
  • Has 2 horns
  • Speaks eloquently “as a”(figure of speech simile) dragon- NT:1404 drakoondrakontosho a great serpent, a fabulous animal
  • Exercises all the authority (exousia, physical and mental power, influence, rights, governance) of the 1st beast
  • Makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast
  • Causes great signs (miracles and wonders),
  • Makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men
  • Deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs
  • Tells, commands, those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast
  • And it was given to him (autos, he, she or it), to give breath (pneuma, spirit) to the image (eikoon, likeness, figure) of the beast
  • Causes as many as do not worship the image of the beast (therion) to be killed
  • Causes all, to be given a mark (charagma, an etching, stamp or sculpted figure) on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast (therion) or the number of his name

The Comforter has Come, the Comforter has Come, or has It/He?

To get an understanding of who or what the Comforter/Helper is let’s look at everything the scriptures say about it:

John 14:15-21, 25-26

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he (it) may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be (in the future) in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 
20 At that day* (the day of the LORD) ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he/it shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Whatsoever he said to them)!
KJV
    * The first usage of “that day” in the “New Testament” is Matt 7:22

 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? KJV

    * the 2nd usage is Matt 24:36

 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. KJV

See also Mt 26:29, Mk 13:32, Lk 6:23, 17:31, Jn 16:23,26.

John 16:7-15

 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send it to you. 8 “And when it comes will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 “But when it, the spirit of truth, comes, it will guide you into all the truth; for it will not speak on its own initiative, but whatever it hears, it will speak; and it will disclose to you what is to come. 14 “It shall glorify me; for it shall take of mine, and shall disclose it to you. 15 “All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said, that it takes of mine, and will disclose it to you.

FSW

John 15:26-27

 “When the helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, it will bear witness of me, 27 and you will bear witness also, because you have been with me from the beginning.  FSW

Here are most of the things that this thing is going to do when it comes:

  1. It shall teach you all things(not some)
  2. It shall bring all things to your remembrance, whatever Jesus has said to you.
  3. It will reprove the world of sin.
  4. It will reprove the world of righteousness
  5. It will reprove the world of judgment
  6. It will guide you into all truth (not some)
  7. It will show you things to come.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but the spirit I received when I made Jesus my Lord and spoke in tongues hasn’t done allof these things! In light of the fact that Jesus did not know about the Secret, which God kept hidden from all the Hebrew prophets, this Comforter was designed to do the above things for Jesus’s Flock until he returned.

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