WHY LAW?

The Bible says Christ is the end of the LAW. What does it mean? Did He bring the LAW to an end? Did He repeal all LAWS? Is LAW still necessary today? Or should we be living LAWLESS lives. You need to understand what the Bible MEANS!

By Neville V. Stevens

New International Version used throughout unless otherwise stated.

Almost 1,900 years ago THE GENTILES HIJACKED THE WORD OF GOD and converted it to their own use. What emerged was a 'gospel' that is virtually unrecognizable. The LAWS of God were greatly diminished in importance, and in their place emerged a pseudo-sanctimony that emphasised the importance of the religious leaders. The Holy Scripture was displaced as the overall authority of human conduct, and in its place a bizarre ritualistic form of worship developed which emphasised the serendipitous use of the word 'love'. But this 'love' was not directed towards the Heavenly Father - the One whom Christ directed us to worship, but towards men - and more particularly towards those who sought to replace the Father's authority and name, and claim it for themselves.

Were the GENTILES ever given AUTHORITY to determine spiritual matters or dictate policy in regard to God's Law? THE ANSWER IS NO! THEY NEVER WERE! The Gentiles cling tenuously to a privilege that was granted them, and only on stringent conditions. Christ made it clear to whom He had come: Matt 15:24 "I was sent ONLY to the LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL." This clearly precludes the Gentiles! But what about the many scriptures that prophesy of salvation for Gentiles? CHRIST'S WORDS STILL STAND! ALL Gentiles who desire to participate in salvation must also comply with all the conditions God appointed for the WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. The Bible makes this very clear! This is what it says: Rom 11:1 "...Did God REJECT His people? BY NO MEANS!" V13 "I am TALKING to you GENTILES." V17 "If some of the BRANCHES have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been GRAFTED in among the others and now SHARE in the nourishing sap from the olive root, DO NOT BOAST over THOSE BRANCHES. If you do, consider this: You do NOT support the root, BUT THE ROOT SUPPORTS YOU."

What are the branches of this olive tree? Are they the Churches? No! This is a reference to the HOUSE OF ISRAEL in contrast to the rest of the world who are GENTILES. Notice V24 "After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were GRAFTED into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, THE NATURAL BRANCHES, be grafted into THEIR OWN OLIVE TREE!" The olive tree BELONGS TO and REPRESENTS the HOUSE OF ISRAEL.

So did God ever entrust His Words to the Gentiles? This is what the Bible says: Rom 3:1 "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? MUCH IN EVERY WAY! First of all, they have been ENTRUSTED WITH THE VERY WORDS OF GOD." Nothing anyone can say or do will diminish the intent of these words. Long after Christ's departure, Paul affirmed that the Jews (that is, the southern kingdom which also included the Levites, and some Benjamites) were ENTRUSTED with the VERY WORDS OF GOD.

Not surprisingly, most professing Christians severely downgrade the importance of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL, and some, who are descendants of the English-speaking nations, actually believe themselves to be GENTILES. The nation that has spawned more variations of Christianity than any other on earth, the U.S., is in fact of the tribe of Joseph, but more particularly, the Nation of EPHRAIM. EPHRAIM has been entrusted with authority over all the lost tribes, and EPHRAIM is also GOD'S FIRSTBORN SON (Jer 31:9). ALL THE BROTHERS, that is, the SONS of ISRAEL (Jacob) are referred to in Bible prophecy as the PEOPLE OF EPHRAIM (Jer 7:15).

There is good reason why God refers to EPHRAIM as HIS FIRSTBORN SON. The Book of Matthew records this: Matt 2:15 "...And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the PROPHET: "Out of Egypt I called My Son." And the PROPHET was HOSEA. This is what he recorded: Hos 11:1 "When ISRAEL was a child, I loved him, and OUT OF EGYPT I called My son. But the more I called ISRAEL, the further they went from Me." V3 "It was I who taught EPHRAIM to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them." So did Matthew misquote this scripture? No, he didn't! You will soon learn that the whole of the House of Israel is the physical embodiment of Christ and this is why Christ came ONLY to the LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL! The Olive Tree that Paul referred to is not only the whole House of Israel, it also represents Christ. TWO BRANCHES (Zech 4:12) will become prominent in the last days. These will represent the tribes of LEVI and JUDAH. These two representatives are also called witnesses or prophets. They also represent the MUSTARD SEED which Christ referred to. This is the very embryo of the KINGDOM OF GOD which will GROW into a giant tree that will FILL THE EARTH. They will also prepare the way for the KING OF KINGS, and the LORD OF LORDS. There is good reason why they are also called both OLIVE TREES (Zech 4:11) and OLIVE BRANCHES (V12).

Of the MUSTARD SEED, Christ said this: Mark 4:30 "Again He said, "What shall we say the KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE, or what PARABLE shall we use to describe it? It is like a MUSTARD SEED, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big BRANCHES that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." Christ also made another reference in PARABLE form to the MUSTARD SEED. This is what He said: Matt 17:19 "Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it [the demon] out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, if you have FAITH AS SMALL as a MUSTARD SEED, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU." Christ said He was telling the truth! He was not lying! Many of the frauds are now teaching that the KINGDOM OF GOD will be established ONLY when Christ returns. They believe and teach that Christ will return as AN INSIGNIFICANT MUSTARD SEED. This sort of madness borders on blasphemy, and at very least is a denial of the might and power of Christ. And they know better! They have no excuse! They are determined to twist the scriptures to conform to their own doctrine.

Christ said the KINGDOM OF GOD was established by John the Baptist whom Christ said was the Elijah to come. This is what He said: Matt 11:11 "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST until NOW, the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN has been FORCEFULLY ADVANCING, and FORCEFUL MEN lay hold of it. For all the PROPHETS and the LAW PROPHESIED UNTIL JOHN. And IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT, he is the ELIJAH who was to come. HE WHO HAS EARS, LET HIM HEAR." (As an interesting aside, a certain Gentile and his minions quote this verse to say the Law is done away. You will notice that it says the 'PROPHETS and the LAW prophesied...' Yes indeed, the LAW also PROPHESIES!)

Christ conditioned His remarks with 'IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT'. If we are willing to accept that John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come, then we must accept that the KINGDOM OF GOD began with John the Baptist. Christ also used His famous words: 'he who has ears let him hear', indicating a parable. John the Baptist was killed without fulfilling all that is prophesied for the endtime Elijah. What is more, when asked if he was the prophet Elijah, John said 'NO' (John 1:21). John recognized that he was a forerunner of that prophet; he knew that he prepared the way for Christ's FIRST coming. He denied being the prophet that precedes the GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD (Mal 4:5).

But Christ confirmed that the KINGDOM OF GOD would begin with the endtime ELIJAH and continue until 'now' or until Christ's presence was once more on the earth - that is, when He returns as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS. The FORCE that this ELIJAH will use to ESTABLISH the KINGDOM OF GOD is evident in many of the PROPHETS and the LAW. One of the Olive trees or lampstands is the endtime Elijah, and of these two witnesses or prophets the Bible says this: Rev 11:6 "These TWO MEN have POWER to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have POWER to turn waters into blood and to STRIKE THE EARTH with EVERY KIND OF PLAGUE AS OFTEN AS THEY WANT."

When the Churches of God stop listening to Gentiles, and when they cease pondering such questions as 'How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?', they might begin to understand something about the Bible.

It's a strange thing that so many professing Christians believe that God wants them to live LAWLESS lives. They think that God's LAWS were no good because no-one wanted to keep them. They insist that only when God writes the LAWS in their hearts will they have any relevance. To all you doubters of God's Word, which LAWS do you suggest God will write in your hearts? According to your reasoning, when God writes them in your hearts, you still won't need to obey them! And your stated reasons are that God's LAWS are no good! You think that God had a change of mind and 'did away' with them.

Among all the tribes of Israel, the laws of the land require obedience. And for those who don't seem to have noticed, all the laws of the land are fashioned on the principles of GOD'S LAWS. Yet they say GOD'S LAWS are no good! Try telling that to your country's legislators! Why don't they tell them to remove, for instance, the law that says murder is wrong! These free-thinking hypocrites wouldn't want that law removed, would they? They know that law protects them from being killed by a lunatic.

They become outraged when crime and lawlessness effects their lives. They make demands for justice and insist that the law protects them - but they don't agree with God's law! In a civilized society our lives are governed by law - for the benefit of all the people. If everyone obeyed the laws of the land, then all citizens could live in peace. And even though all these laws are based on the principles of God, and many parliaments and courtrooms consider the Bible the ultimate LAW BOOK, they still insist they are exempt from obedience to GOD'S LAW! Are they crazy?

Let it be irrevocably stated: except for God's CHOSEN people, that is, ALL THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL (Amos 3:1-2, Deut 7:6, 2Sam 7:23), all the other kingdoms or nations of the world belong to Satan the devil! (Matt 4:8). They are his, and he controls them. The whole world lives under the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD (Col 2:8, 20-22). And these principles are NOT GOD'S LAWS! The Apostle Paul said this: Rom 2:12 "All who sin apart from the LAW will also perish apart from the LAW, and all who sin under the LAW will be JUDGED by the LAW. For it is not those who HEAR the LAW who are righteous in GOD'S SIGHT, but it is those WHO OBEY THE LAW who will be DECLARED RIGHTEOUS." And whose law will we be judged by? Man's law or GOD'S LAW? Don't think for one moment that God would honour man's law above His own!

Paul also had something to say about the REQUIREMENTS of the LAW being written on the heart: V14 "(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do NOT HAVE THE LAW, do by NATURE things REQUIRED BY THE LAW, they are a law for themselves, even though they do NOT HAVE THE LAW, since they show that the REQUIREMENTS of the LAW ARE WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the DAY when God WILL JUDGE men's secrets THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, AS MY GOSPEL DECLARES." Yes, the 'end' or the FINAL JUDGMENT BY THE LAW will be THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. It is He that will examine men's secrets and the LAW will be applied. The FATHER, Himself, will pass the JUDGMENT! Matt 12:36 "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the DAY OF JUDGMENT for EVERY CARELESS WORD THEY HAVE SPOKEN. For by your words you will be acquitted, and BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED."

But Paul also makes the point that Gentiles, who don't have the law, are also aware of the REQUIREMENTS of the LAW because of conscience which, by the very NATURE of humanity is evident. Some might imagine that the hacking to death with machetes whole villages in black Africa is being done by ignorant savages who don't know any better. Paul does make the point of saying 'WHEN Gentiles....'. He does NOT by any means suggest that ALL Gentiles follow the NATURAL dictates of their hearts. Most people, whether Israelite or Gentile, who have reasoning minds, know that the slaughter of defenseless people, including women and children, is not according to the REQUIREMENTS of NATURAL LAW. Such conduct reflects the minds of animals - PREDATORS OR BRUTE BEASTS!

There was a time when God decided to erase humanity off the face of the earth. There was no justifiable reason to keep them alive. God hated the whole generation of them. Only Noah and his family were spared. God wiped them all out; man, woman and child. The APOSTLE PETER reveals why. It was because of the evil influence of the RULERS OF THE HEAVENLY REALM (2Pet 2:4). And those who had SINNED were locked up in gloomy dungeons to await JUDGMENT. God killed all these human beings and they are never to rise again (Isa 14:20-21). Regardless of what you have been told, the seed of Satan will never rise again - their only reward is in this life (Ps 17:14). There is no resurrection for them! But David speaks of his resurrection: Ps 17:15 "And I - in righteousness I shall see Your face when I awake, I shall be satisfied by SEEING YOUR LIKENESS" (see also Rev 22:4). But the real criminals, the RULERS OF THE HEAVENLY REALM, were locked up to await judgment. And herein lies the real purpose of judgment. God plans to JUDGE the SPIRITUAL REALM. In the meantime, those who have sinned are LOCKED AWAY IN PUNISHMENT, but still yet, they FACE THE JUDGMENT. And God makes it clear that PUNISHMENT IS NOW, and the FINAL JUDGMENT IS LATER: 2Pet 2:9 ".... the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to HOLD THE UNRIGHTEOUS for the DAY OF JUDGMENT, WHILE CONTINUING THEIR PUNISHMENT."

We'll shortly examine the strong link between the angels that sinned and the human beings that continue to sin, but first notice the very next verse: V10 "This is especially true of those who FOLLOW the CORRUPT DESIRE OF THE SINFUL NATURE and DESPISE AUTHORITY." Here is the classic verse quoted by those who would have their followers reverence them as 'authorities.' Authorities! They actually call themselves authorities! Not only are the 'authorities' spoken of here CELESTIAL BEINGS, they also have AUTHORITY TO RULE THE EARTH. And they not only rule over all humanity, they also rule over all the animals.

Most people, who have any wisdom at all, know that human beings suffer penalties for wrong-doing. They know they suffer punishment for grave injustice and selfish indifference to the suffering of others. They also know there is a Rewarder for those who seek and apply the principles of God; those who show mercy and kindness and generosity to others (Heb 11:6). There is little point in being a HEARER of God's Word - you must be a DOER! (James 1:22-25). James also added this: V27 "Religion that GOD OUR FATHER accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being POLLUTED BY THE WORLD." Strangely, being POLLUTED BY THE WORLD is what so-called 'christians' do best these days! And they actually claim virtue for doing it!

In the past there were people outside of, and apart from, God's chosen people whom God targeted for a specific purpose. Christ made mention of these. In the NORTHERN REALM, He mentioned a city - Nineveh, and in the SOUTHERN REALM, He names a queen - the Queen of Sheba. This is what He says: Matt 12:41-42 "The MEN OF NINEVEH will stand up at the JUDGMENT WITH THIS GENERATION and CONDEMN it; for they REPENTED at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. The QUEEN OF THE SOUTH will rise at the JUDGMENT WITH THIS GENERATION and CONDEMN it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's WISDOM, and now one greater than Solomon is here." These verses tell us a lot about how God views the races of the world, but it's the next verse that identifies the theme of Christ's remarks: V43 "When an EVIL SPIRIT comes out of a MAN, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the HOUSE I left.' When it arrives, it finds the HOUSE unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it SEVEN OTHER SPIRITS more WICKED than itself, and they GO IN AND LIVE THERE. And the final condition of that MAN is WORSE than the FIRST. THIS IS HOW IT WILL BE WITH THIS WICKED GENERATION."

These verses raise some major questions! The theme of this chapter from V15 to V48 is about a wicked generation - the seed of Satan. Again and again, the Bible identifies this wicked seed - the evil generation. It was so prominent in the world at the time of Noah, that God destroyed the whole world except for eight people. And Noah was a teacher of righteousness, and a faithful believer of God! From earliest times, God sent teachers and prophets to instruct in God's ways and to warn. Most of them were called to duty as the need arose. But in the endtime, when things will be as they were IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, God appoints two prophets to arise, and prophesied of them thousands of years ago. The TEACHERS OF THE LAW who were APPOINTED BY GOD are LEVITES. Christ said this: Matt 13:52 "He said to them, "Therefore EVERY TEACHER OF THE LAW who has been INSTRUCTED about the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like the OWNER OF A HOUSE who brings out of his STOREROOM NEW TREASURES AS WELL AS OLD." It's hardly strange that those who refuse to obey GOD'S LAW never come up with any NEW TREASURES - nor do they retain the OLD! No, only the true TEACHER OF THE LAW has been INSTRUCTED concerning the true riches or treasures! And in case you haven't noticed, this EXCLUDES 99.9% of all Christianity, because these all refuse to TEACH God's LAW! And as long as you listen to them you will understand nothing! And the reason is they know nothing! And even when they are instructed by a TEACHER OF THE LAW concerning GOD'S KINGDOM (which includes all endtime prophecies), they cannot retain it: Matt 13:19 "When anyone HEARS THE MESSAGE about the KINGDOM and does not understand it, the EVIL ONE COMES AND SNATCHES AWAY what was SOWN IN HIS HEART." And anyone who doesn't honour God's Law cannot understand, and what is more, what they hear is actually removed from their consciousness. But the Bible also speaks of OTHER SEED sown by God. Some fell on barren rock and took root for a short while but later died: Matt 13:6 "But when the SUN CAME UP (see 2Pet 1:19-21), the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root." Christ gives a further explanation of this: V20 "What was sown on rocky places is the man who HEARS THE WORD and at once receives it with joy. But since he has NO ROOT (the root of the olive tree - Rom 11:17), HE LASTS ONLY A SHORT TIME. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, HE QUICKLY FALLS AWAY."

TEACHERS OF THE LAW are very familiar with these people. These are the 'good-time' Christians. They like to hear God's truth during the good times and drink it all in, but at the first sign of heat they turn away. Many of these people rush out to dazzle others with their new-found knowledge, but because they have not taken the time to fully understand what they are talking about, they are quickly rebuffed by others. And so they die spiritually. THEY ARE NEVER TO BE THE GOOD SEED! Of course these people don't believe this! They think that at some later time, they will again approach the Throne of Grace and be accepted - even though they have died - spiritually! It's strange that they WON'T believe Christ!

And Christ also speaks of other seed. This seed is sown among thorns: V22 "What was sown among the thorns is the man who HEARS THE WORD, but WORRIES OF THIS LIFE and the DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH choke it, making it UNFRUITFUL." God has a policy whereby any plant that is UNFRUITFUL is thrown into the fire and burnt up. And for those who think God is obligated to give them special treatment in view of past 'righteousnesses', read Matt 7:21-23. Notice what it is that makes this seed UNFRUITFUL - it's the DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH! These people are more concerned with this present life than with their duty to God. These people can never fulfil the role of the faithful described in Mal 3 and especially in regard to wealth and obedience to God. These people will listen to the Word of God until doomsday, but they only pay lip-service. There is an uncrossable threshold which they will not breach. This involves their riches (including God's tenth) and they would rather be UNFRUITFUL than to HONOUR GOD! And whether you want to believe it or not, this is the big test for those who want to receive the reward of a prophet (Matt 10:41). The love of money rather than the love of God was also used as a test by Christ (Matt 19:16-24), and notice that he said how hard it is for some to ENTER the KINGDOM OF GOD. Those who feel they are FIT FOR SERVICE in the KINGDOM OF GOD so often fail the crucial test used by Christ Himself. They baulk, not at handing over ALL their possessions, BUT AT HANDING OVER GOD'S TENTH. By their own actions, they have already foreshadowed the fate of all their possessions - in the very near future! Christ recognized that the willingness of this young man's desire to follow Him was not matched by the desire of his heart. Christ requested he give all he had to the poor and to follow Him. The rich, young man immediately turned away. If this young man refused the very ROOT (see Rev 22:16) of the OLIVE TREE, how much more would he also refuse the MUSTARD SEED and the BRANCH OF THE OLIVE TREE.

And finally, Christ mentions the good seed. Matt 13:23 "But what was sown on good soil is the man who HEARS THE WORD and UNDERSTANDS IT. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Here are those who HEAR THE WORD and UNDERSTAND it! And out of all the seed, they alone produce a crop! And those who HEAR THE WORD and FAIL to UNDERSTAND it are NOT THE GOOD SEED. This is not to say that occasionally they will have questions about certain things, but THEY MUST GRASP THE OVERALL MESSAGE and recognize it as the WORD OF GOD. At this time Christ's disciples asked Him a question: V10 "The disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The KNOWLEDGE of the SECRETS of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN has been GIVEN TO YOU; BUT NOT TO THEM. Whoever HAS will be GIVEN MORE, and he will have an ABUNDANCE. Whoever does not have, even what he has WILL BE TAKEN FROM HIM." All those who showed an interest in Christ and His message, who travelled out to hear Him speak, and who listened to His PARABLES for hours, NEVER UNDERSTOOD! And neither did Christ intend them to! He spoke in PARABLES so they WOULDN'T understand. The KNOWLEDGE of the SECRETS of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN was only given to Christ's TRUE DISCIPLES. And Christ explained why: V13 "This is WHY I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the PROPHECY of Isaiah: "You will be ever HEARING but never UNDERSTANDING; you will be ever SEEING but never PERCEIVING. For this people's HEART has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might SEE with their eyes, HEAR with their ears, UNDERSTAND with their hearts and TURN, and I WOULD HEAL THEM.""

In fact, the KNOWLEDGE OF THE SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM is reserved until the endtime.

It's an unwritten law that people who spend all their time searching the Bible for ways to disobey God never understand anything! They seize on anything that can be twisted or perverted to equate to their 'no-law' doctrine. Those who have left their first love, and have returned like dogs to their vomit, and have immersed themselves in the basest and most degenerate of human behaviour, and disguise it as righteousness, also develop the strangest demeanour. They acknowledge that it took a long time to totally sear their consciences, but once done, they emerge as 'enlightened ones'. They herald their new 'enlightenment' as a triumph - a victory AGAINST the FATHER and HIS LAWS. Such people actually believe that Christ defeated the Father at the cruxificion, seized power, and relegated everything that the Father said and did to the dustbin of obscurity. There are many scriptures that show WE MUST WORSHIP THE FATHER! He is the primary object of our worship, and everything He has said will be fulfilled exactly as He says, and everything He has promised is affirmed in Christ: 2Cor 1:20 "For no matter how many promises God [THE FATHER] has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God [THE FATHER]. Now it is God [THE FATHER] who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He [THE FATHER] ANOINTED us, SET HIS SEAL OF OWNERSHIP ON US, and put HIS SPIRIT in our hearts as a deposit, GUARANTEEING WHAT IS TO COME." Yes, we are guaranteed of WHAT IS YET TO COME - BY THE FATHER! All that the PROPHETS AND THE LAW PROPHESIED about IS YET TO COME (Matt 5:17), and this will happen, EVEN IF HEAVEN AND EARTH WERE TO PASS AWAY! And soon you will understand that GOD'S PURPOSE IS FAR GREATER THAN THE SALVATION OF HUMAN BEINGS!

There are many Gentiles and Gentile nations that see the value of a well-ordered society. And God has by no means rejected all Gentiles. Rather, He has made provision for many of them to rank among His chosen people - THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL! (Eze 47:22).

The Bible speaks of two Covenants, and it also speaks of two peoples. It also refers to a great harvest and a lesser harvest. God speaks of a harvest of human beings who will return to the promised land and will live in peace, and build houses and bear children. And these will be God's people, and yes, they will be His children - His physical, human children (Isa 65:17-25).

But God also speaks of another people - a holy nation (1Pet 2:9) - who are governed by a different Covenant and different responsibilities. The major difference being, this holy nation has a High Priest that performs all the rites of the Temple. No longer does our High Priest stand in the Sanctuary offering animal sacrifices because by His own sacrifice He has made redundant the need for further sacrifice - but for whom? For those whom He has called: Heb 9:15 "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT, that those WHO ARE CALLED may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from THE SINS COMMITTED UNDER THE FIRST COVENANT."

In relation to the population of the world, these people (WHO ARE CALLED) are relatively insignificant, but in this vast sea of humanity, they must shine like a beacon. Have they achieved this? Absolutely not! And neither can they until God opens their minds to see and understand the meaning of His great Plan. For nearly two millennia they have been required to live according to the knowledge given by God. God will judge them according to the knowledge that He gave them - provided they accepted it without question. But the understanding of prophecy was not given to them. The understanding of prophecy is reserved for God's prophets, and God makes this very clear: Amos 3:7 "Surely the Sovereign LORD will does NOTHING without REVEALING HIS PLAN to HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. The LION HAS ROARED - who will not fear? The Sovereign LORD has spoken - WHO CAN BUT PROPHESY?" ANSWER: ONLY GOD'S PROPHETS!

Which LION is this that ROARS? This is the LAMB OF GOD when He becomes the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH and begins to open the SEVEN SEALS (Rev 5:5). This speaks of the endtime when GOD REVEALS HIS PLAN to HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS, and this is also when the FORCEFUL take the KINGDOM OF GOD by FORCE. All the former prophets spoke of the mayhem and destruction that will be inflicted on all those who have desecrated God's Holy Mountain. And vengeance will be God's! Of this embryo Kingdom, God says this: Isa 54:17 "No WEAPON forged against you will prevail, and YOU WILL REFUTE EVERY TONGUE THAT ACCUSES YOU. This is the HERITAGE of the SERVANTS OF THE LORD, and this is THEIR VINDICATION FROM ME."

A reward is something that is given in return for an outstanding service. When Christ returns He will have a reward for those who have faithfully served Him, and THAT REWARD WILL BE WITH HIM (Rev 22:12). And people must earn that reward! Christ Himself earned His reward by going like a Lamb to the slaughter (Acts 8:32). So must all those who claim rights under the New Covenant be willing to emulate their Saviour.

But why LAW? As the Apostle Paul said: "it is those who OBEY THE LAW who will be DECLARED RIGHTEOUS." So the LAW must be OBEYED. And anyone who does NOT obey it, will NOT be DECLARED RIGHTEOUS. So all of you who think you are righteous, yet refuse to OBEY God's LAW, are NOT RIGHTEOUS, and neither will you ever be declared so! Let's be clear about one thing: 1John 3:4 "SIN is the TRANSGRESSION of the LAW." Where there is no LAW there is no SIN. In fact, SIN is LAWLESSNESS! If Christ did away with the Law, or the Law was 'nailed to the cross' as some believe, then there is no sin! If this is so, then no-one has sinned for nearly 2,000 years. So why do counterfeit 'christians' talk about repentance? Repentance from what? According to their DECEPTIVE PHILOSOPHY there is nothing to repent of!

But what did Paul mean in reference to what was 'nailed to the cross'? His explanation begins in Col 2:8 "See to it that NO-ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE through HOLLOW AND DECEPTIVE PHILOSOPHY, which depends on HUMAN TRADITION and the BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD rather than on Christ." You don't have to dig too deep to learn of HUMAN TRADITION which Paul linked to the PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD. What was that again? Was it the PRINCIPLES OF GOD? No! It's the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD through which HUMAN TRADITION has become HOLLOW AND DECEPTIVE PHILOSOPHY! And in this regard, Paul says to see that "no-one takes you captive"

God's WAYS are different to the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD. Among the world's principles are many pagan observances. No-one bothers to examine these principles for logic, or for compatibility with God's Word. If they did, they would soon find they have nothing in common with God's instruction. At the other end of the spectrum, Paul makes this statement: Col 2:16 "THEREFORE do not let anyone JUDGE YOU by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL, a new moon celebration or a SABBATH DAY. These are a shadow of the things that [are] to come, the reality [of which] is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in FALSE HUMILITY and the WORSHIP OF ANGELS disqualify you for the prize." And who was Paul warning AGAINST? Wasn't it those most likely to JUDGE a TRUE Christian? He says it's those who delight in FALSE HUMILITY and the WORSHIP OF ANGELS! These are the ones who have traditionally JUDGED true Christians! These are the ones who speak endlessly of grace and love, yet by their actions show no love at all for God. They teach disobedience to God and entice all others to do the same. They are foremost in advocating friendship with the world, and they lavishly adopt this WORLD'S PRINCIPLES.

Paul also said this: Col 2:13 "WHEN you were DEAD IN YOUR SINS and in the uncircumcision of your SINFUL NATURE, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with it's REGULATIONS, that was AGAINST us and that stood OPPOSED to us; He took it away, NAILING IT TO THE CROSS. And having DISARMED the POWERS AND AUTHORITIES, He made a PUBLIC SPECTACLE of them, triumphing over them [in Himself] (margin)." Paul was speaking to Gentile Christians who were converted long after Christ's death and resurrection. When they were called, they were DEAD IN THEIR SINS, and they still had a SINFUL NATURE. What did Christ disarm? Was it the laws of God? Did He actually make a public spectacle of the Laws of His Father in heaven? No! He made a PUBLIC SPECTACLE of the POWERS AND AUTHORITIES, and it was these He TRIUMPHED over! Paul makes the point that we were formerly UNDER THEM!

Can we be sure? Paul emphatically states just that! V20 "Since you died to the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD, why as if you belonged to it, do you submit to its RULES?" Paul goes on to explain a little about the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD. And those whom Paul warned true Christians against, that is, those who delight in FALSE HUMILITY, are described again, as those who are aligned with the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD: V22 "These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on HUMAN COMMANDS and TEACHINGS. Such REGULATIONS indeed have an APPEARANCE OF WISDOM, with their self-imposed WORSHIP (of angels - see V18), their FALSE HUMILITY and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in RESTRAINING SENSUAL INDULGENCE." Most people know very well that the PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD make no attempt to inhibit indulgence of the basest kind. In fact, the main reason for teaching against God's Laws are so they can institute their own RULES. It's hardly surprising that so many of these 'wacko' groups eventually decide that 'love' means free sex with other members in their congregation. And among the more bizarre, they even believe that 'love' encompasses homosexual sex. Little wonder they object to God's Laws. In the absence of God's Laws they can make it seem respectable. And it's always shrouded in the APPEARANCE OF WISDOM, but NOT the WISDOM OF GOD! And their 'WISDOM' has no value in RESTAINING SEXUAL INDULGENCE'! And in this regard, they are generally slavering animals!

But why Law? Shouldn't God just trust humanity to come up with all the right answers? The historical record of human conduct is sufficient to understand why God does not! Concerning humanity, the Prophet David said this: Ps 8:4 "What is man that you are mindful of him?" Indeed, what is man! These very words evince graphic depictions of the utter depravity of the human mind. David envisioned the utter cruelty and depravity of human beings in unrestrained circumstance and wondered why God was even mindful of mankind. But he says this in V2 "From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise BECAUSE OF YOUR ENEMIES, to SILENCE THE FOE AND THE AVENGER." God has not called the mighty and powerful of this world. Instead He has called the little ones, those who are child-like in obedience and love for Him. And because of His might and great Power, God will use these little ones to 'SILENCE THE FOE AND THE AVENGER.' And neither has God organized these people into a powerful organization that is publicly visible to the world. They are a scattered people, principally from the nations of the Tribes of Israel, but also from every continent on earth. God is shielding them from the excesses of the madness of this world. He is training them for the work that He has planned for them. And this is in accordance with God's PLAN and PURPOSE.

At the appropriate time, these people will be very visible to the world. This is what God says: Jer 3:14 "Return, faithless people," declares the LORD, "for I am your Husband. I will CHOOSE one of you from every town and two from every clan and BRING YOU TO ZION. Then I will give you SHEPHERDS AFTER MY OWN HEART, who will LEAD YOU WITH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING." Out of the vast sea of humanity among the Tribes of Israel, God is only going to CHOOSE one from every town and two from every clan. And the world will then know whom God has CHOSEN. They will be brought to ZION - BY GOD! God is clearly NOT talking about a mass migration of ALL the tribes AS HE DOES ELSEWHERE IN THE BIBLE; He is speaking of a PRIOR event.

Because they are scattered, they are a hard target for the enemies of God. Satan likes his enemies to be gathered together in one place, so he can incite his evil brood against them. He has already incited his Moslem brood against Christians in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. They love to kill, loot and burn anything to do with Christianity. Lately, the Moslems have begun a practice run of killing Christians, and looting and burning Churches in Indonesia. He first set his hordes against the wealthy Chinese, and rewarded them with plunder. With the bloodlust flowing freely, he then set them upon Christianity (many of the Chinese were of Christian religion anyway). You've seen the media footage, you've been warned in the past, now you are about to see it with your own eyes.

Perhaps some of you even got a sense of satisfaction from seeing the Catholics tormented and killed because you believe it to be the hand of God. In the twisted madness of your mind you have believed the Catholic Church to be the Beast power. And on what evidence? Was it the comments of the KJV translators? Or was it Alexander Hislop's book 'The Two Babylons'? Or did it emanate from the scrambled-egg brain of Herbert Armstrong? One thing is certain! YOU DIDN'T READ IT IN THE BIBLE!

Consistently, and throughout the entire Bible, God has referred to Babylon - the city of the Euphrates River. God has clearly stated that the great harlot will set up his seat of power in this city. Can God be trusted to state what He means? Or did He deliberately set out to deceive everyone? Was God relying on the scrambled brains of morons to interpret His meaning? Did He really mean Rome or Berlin or Moscow or New York? If you think God has deliberately set out to deceive, then you are calling Him a liar? In that some of you dare to contradict what God Himself has said, you've as good as called Him a liar anyway. Be warned that you are placing yourselves in very great peril!

Some people who have never believed God, but have chosen to believe proven liars who regularly contradict themselves and change their doctrine almost weekly. These people are in for the shock of your lives.

Shortly after Jeremiah's recorded statement in Jer 3:14 concerning those whom God will gather, and following the same thread, God makes another statement. This time, about another group. He says He hears a noise like a woman in labour. It's a groaning noise like that of someone bearing her first child. This groaning reveals great distress, and God tells us why! This is what God says: Jer 4:31 "I hear a cry as of a woman in labour, a groan as of one bearing her first child - the cry of the DAUGHTER OF ZION gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, "Alas, I am fainting; MY LIFE HAS BEEN GIVEN OVER TO MURDERERS." And who is this DAUGHTER OF ZION whose life has been given over to MURDERERS?

The Bible always explains! Following the GATHERING of those whom God has CHOSEN, whom He GATHERS on the wings of an EAGLE (Rev 12:14), and whom He takes to a specially prepared place, Satan turns on another group of people; this is the DAUGHTER OF ZION. These are the OFFSPRING of the WOMAN (the Tribe of Judah) that gave BIRTH TO CHRIST (Rev 12:4-5). This DAUGHTER or OFFSPRING becomes the focus of Satan's fury. This is what God says: Rev 12:17 "Then the dragon was enraged at the WOMAN and went to make WAR against the REST of her OFFSPRING - those who OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS and have the TESTIMONY OF JESUS." This narrows the identity of this OFFSPRING considerably doesn't it? These are the ones that OBEY God's Commandments! But they also have another quality. They ALSO have the TESTIMONY OF JESUS! And readers, you should now know that the TESTIMONY OF JESUS is the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY (Rev 19:10). And the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY is only imparted to faithful, obedient servants of God. You cannot understand prophecy without the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, and you cannot receive the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY unless you are a faithful servant of God. The up-coming article on the 'TRIBES OF ISRAEL' will explain these things in greater detail.

But this OFFSPRING is the DAUGHTER OF ZION! ZION is the MOTHER, the SPIRITUAL PARENT of this OFFSPRING. This DAUGHTER OBEYS GOD'S COMMANDMENTS (just barely), but they have never had the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. But this has never stopped them from teaching their cockeyed version of prophecy from the dark recesses of their own minds. They have no fear of God, nor do they respect His words, instead, with a licentiousness borne of greed and avarice, and the desire to exercise power over the Body of Christ, they have fabricated their own 'prophecy.' They have twisted and perverted scripture to reflect their own views. And for proof, what do they provide? The opinions of other 'scholars' who happen to agree with them! You readers are required to have sufficient spiritual acumen to recognize who speaks according to God's Word and those who do not! Then you will see the difference BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED, between those who SERVE God and those who do not (Mal 3:18).

This MOTHER (the Tribe of Judah, and more properly - the SEED OF DAVID) was represented by the Blessed Virgin Mary. Concerning Mary, this is what the Bible says: Luke 1:46 "And Mary said, "My soul praises the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSED, for the Mighty One has done great things for me." Yes, we are obligated to call the mother of Jesus blessed, but notice what Christ said when these very words were later stated: Luke 11:27 "As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "BLESSED is the MOTHER WHO GAVE YOU BIRTH and nursed you." He replied, "BLESSED RATHER are those who HEAR the WORD OF GOD and OBEY it."

These words have great significance. But notice something else. Christ always honoured His mother. At one time when all the guests at a wedding in Cana had wolfed down all the wine in very short order, Mary asked her Son for a miracle: John 2:4 "Dear woman, why do you involve Me?" Jesus replied. "MY TIME HAS NOT YET COME." His mother said to the servants, "DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU." In fact, Jesus ministry had already begun (John 1:41), and Nathanael declared Him to be the Son of God and the King of Israel (V49). These things are further clarified: Matt 12:46 "While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him. Someone told Him, "YOUR MOTHER AND BROTHERS ARE STANDING OUTSIDE, WANTING TO SPEAK TO YOU." He replied, "Who is My MOTHER, and who are My BROTHERS?" POINTING TO HIS DISCIPLES, He said, "HERE ARE MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS. For whoever DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER in heaven is MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND MOTHER."

The 'WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN' doesn't include telling lies in His Name. Nor does it involve creative human reasoning in the interpretation of God's Words. Nor does anyone's salvation depend on believing the teachings of some obscure 'scholar.' It depends on BELIEVING GOD! And it requires OBEDIENCE to His Commandments.

While we must believe and obey God, and insofar as we are able, ensure that HIS WILL is done on earth as it is in heaven, in the case of a true Christian, we are responsible for our own conduct only. In reference to nations, God holds them collectively responsible for their sins or for their repentance. God visits the sins of the fathers on the children, and the sins of the leaders on the people (and He also visits the sins of the people on the leaders). God judges whole nations by the way they dispense justice. And the quality of mercy is very important. And the term 'mercy' does not suggest that the guilty should go free! Under God's Laws the guilty (once tried and convicted) are to die without mercy where the crime warrants it. This is the other part of the equation - it's called JUSTICE!

Christ said that 'whoever does the WILL of My Father in heaven is My BROTHER and SISTER and MOTHER' (V50). In order to be a brother or sister to Christ, therefore, we must do God's will - personally! But, as Christians, we cannot enforce God's will on others! And this is where the provisions of God's will can become multi-faceted. Whereas a Christian is obligated to trust God for his healing, others are not. And while a Christian is obligated to OBEY all God's Laws, the rest of the world are not - they merely have the option!

The Law of Moses is specifically for the 12 tribes of Israel. It's the Law by which they are governed. Since the Churches of God are a spiritual nation, rather than a physical nation with power to rule, they are required to live in peace with all men. The physical nations under which Christians live are required by God to put to death all those who transgress His Laws. God has not granted Christianity rulership over the nations so they cannot enforce the Law of Moses on others, nor can they exact the penalties. In fact, it is the princes of the tribes of Israel, or their appointees, who are required to uphold the penalty of the Law - not Christianity itself. It is God Himself who will ultimately enforce these requirements. And He will bring all the penalties that He has prescribed on the Nations of Israel (Deut 28, 29:1). Christians are required to live blameless lives and to observe what is happening among the Nations of Israel - nothing more! It's God's prophets that are sent to warn, and those who are truly the disciples of God's endtime prophets will have a role to play. And their reward for service will be the reward of a prophet (Matt 10:41). And these disciples must be attached to the Branch!

Paul said prophecy was for believers. The word is believers NOT hearers. Hearing God's truth means nothing if it's not BELIEVED and OBEYED! Most Bible students know and understand that God has prepared a special place for a certain group of people. These people have been tested for obedience and are faithful to God. The Bible also clearly identifies this special place that God has prepared.

When Satan turns his attention to the DAUGHTER of ZION, those who OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, they will have heard the true TESTIMONY OF JESUS, and then, in terror, and being pursued by MURDERERS, they will believe! Having chosen not to believe in time of relative peace, they will believe in times of torment and the want of all things. Then they will be required to face the grim reality of God's truth for them. And whereas Jeremiah said of them: 'my life is given over to murderers', God Himself will give them over to these tormentors: Dan 7:25 "He (the beast) will speak against the Most High and oppress His saints and try to change set times and laws. The SAINTS WILL BE HANDED OVER TO HIM for a TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME." And God has never made a secret of this! Again and again He has warned! He also confirms it in Rev 13:6 "He (the beast) opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander His Name and His dwelling-place and those who live in heaven. He was GIVEN POWER TO MAKE WAR AGAINST THE SAINTS and to CONQUER them."

And when these things happen, your instructions are as follows: Rom 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "FOR YOUR SAKE WE FACE DEATH ALL DAY LONG; we are CONSIDERED as SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." (Just as Christ was - Acts 8:32). You have chosen to take the name of Christ (that is 'Christian') and so God considers you as SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED - JUST LIKE HIS SON! But even then, you have a choice. If you try to save your life - you will lose it! (Matt 16:25). And if you do, there will be no resurrection to eternal life. For once in your life - believe God!

Those who refute the Laws of God and the legal structure of the Bible and speak contemptuously of 'legalism' have already identified themselves as those marked for slaughter. Theirs will not be an easy transition to death. Insofar as they have treated the very Words spoken by God with contempt, they will also be treated with contempt by the enemies of God. The same measure they have used will be measured against them (Matt 7:2). But the big difference for those who refute the Laws of God is: THEY WILL NOT DIE IN FAITH! They will get what they DESERVE!

One man, who thinks he's a Christian, and who now argues strongly AGAINST observing the one day of the week that God himself made holy (Gen 2:2), has now concluded that the entire Old Testament (all 39 books) has been done away. He thinks that Christ has done away with the Works of the Father. In fact, Christ came to destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8, Heb 2:14). It's strange that this madman (who happens to be a Gentile) refutes the words of the very ONE he claims to serve. Christ Himself frequently quoted from the Old Testament (which were the ONLY scriptures at that time) and actually linked endtime prophecies to the O.T. prophets. In the case of the prophecies of Daniel, He said, 'Let the reader understand' (Matt 24:15). In rejecting the O.T. teachings and prophecies, it's clear that this man has cut himself off from understanding. Why would anyone listen to a man who, by his own admission, has no understanding.

But Christ also came to reveal the Father as the One we are to worship. And our prayers must be directed to Him (Matt 6:9). And Christ directed to us the right to call Him Father, thereby bestowing on us the status of sons, and a Father/son relationship (John 1:12, Rom 8:14). If we are the children of the Father, what possible justification could we have for rejecting His Words. Christ Himself said this: Matt 5:17 "DO NOT THINK that I have come to ABOLISH THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS; I have NOT COME TO ABOLISH THEM but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH DISAPPEAR, NOT THE SMALLEST LETTER, NOT THE LEAST STROKE OF A PEN, WILL BY ANY MEANS DISAPPEAR FROM THE LAW UNTIL EVERYTHING IS ACCOMPLISHED." Has heaven and earth disappeared? No! And neither have the Law and the Prophets been abolished! Those who continually advocate the abolition of the LAW OF GOD refuse to acknowledge the Father, and nor do they believe His Son. And who do they believe? They believe the ENEMY of God, the very one who refuses to acknowledge God. Such people worship Satan the devil, who also appears as an 'angel of light.' Paul wrote this: 2Cor 11:13 "For such men are false prophets, deceitful workmen, MASQUERADING as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for SATAN HIMSELF MASQUERADES AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. It is not surprising, then, if his servants MASQUERADE AS SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEIR END WILL BE WHAT THEIR ACTIONS DESERVE." Their end will not be pleasant - God Himself will ensure this!

Those who think they can ABOLISH the LAWS OF GOD will get exactly WHAT THEIR ACTIONS DESERVE! The die is cast and their end is sealed. Few if any of them will be granted repentance. Having tasted the heavenly gift, the glorious Word of God imparted through, and confirmed by, His Son, and having turned away and refuted it, they are now doomed (Heb 6:4-6). There will be no 'on the road to Damascus' conversion for them! Not now, not ever! There is NO GREATER BETRAYAL OF GOD than to REJECT His WORD. And most of these have REJECTED 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE!

These crazed maniacs (and this is exactly what they are) think they can institute their own form of worship and then hold God to ransom. They think they can force God to acknowledge their 'righteousness.' Christ has already answered them: Matt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who DOES the WILL OF MY FATHER who is in heaven. Many will SAY to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not PROPHESY in Your Name, and in Your Name DRIVE OUT DEMONS and PERFORM MANY MIRACLES? Then I will tell them PLAINLY, 'I NEVER KNEW YOU. Away from Me you EVILDOERS!'" If you think Christ was bluffing, then you will soon see it with your own eyes! Did you notice who Christ was calling EVILDOERS? These people actually claim to PROPHESY (from their own demented minds), they CAST OUT DEMONS (or so they claim! Even the enemies of God receive the cooperation of Beelzebub - Luke 11:19 - sometimes!), and perform many miracles (if someone survives heart surgery they claim it's a miracle), but to move a mountain or cast a tree into the ocean is impossible to them! Christ said the exact opposite in Matt 17:20. God is not deceived by these self-proclaimed 'angels of light'!

There is a big difference between those who have been held in slavery all their lives to the PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD, and those who have once been ENLIGHTENED to understand the PRINCIPLES OF GOD. God's judgment is against those who have CORRUPTED that which they FORMERLY BELIEVED and PROVED was the acceptable Word of God. The Apostle Peter spoke in terms of the 'end of all things' being near (1Pet 4:7). He was speaking of the endtime. And this is what he said in 1Pet 4:17 "For it is time for JUDGMENT TO BEGIN with the FAMILY OF GOD; and if it BEGINS with us, what will be the OUTCOME be for those who do NOT OBEY the GOSPEL OF GOD?"

Clearly, it comes down to those who OBEY God, and those who REFUSE to OBEY God. The Book of Malachi also confirms this (Mal 3:18). And for good measure, you are also commanded in this book to remember the LAW OF MOSES in the time that immediately precedes THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD (Mal 4:4). Your choice is clear!

What is so bizarre about all those who are now campaigning for the abolition of God's LAW are their objectives. They would convince you that God will be pleased if you disobey Him. If there is one central theme throughout the Bible, it is God's requirements that we HONOUR and OBEY Him. Did He ever threaten punishment against those who OBEY Him? Did Christ ever say, 'If you would enter into life DO NOT keep the Commandments.' HE SAID THE EXACT OPPOSITE. When asked 'which ones?' He identified them as the Ten Commandments of God. If the Father had been seeking disobedient children who would reject everything He commanded or spoke, what just cause would He have to punish anyone?

Those who have identified themselves as enemies of God would have you believe, that they are the 'goodies' because they treat God and His Word with contempt. And on the crazed presumption of these enemies of God, all those who obey God and believe Him will be punished and put to death. Presumably, all the things that God hates are honourable in the eyes of these people. Idol-worship, homosexuality, sexual intercourse with your best friend's wife, rape, murder, destruction and carnage are all honourable because you are opposing the Father and His LAWS. Do you think Christ will be pleased with you for treating His Father and His LAWS with contempt! This is the reasoning of madmen! And many of you have believed these contemptible beasts!

The human architect of this depraved doctrine is now dead. He got what he deserved, and so will many others in the very near future! So says Almighty God! These limp-wristed wimps who gasp in horror at such comments will soon be choking on their own vomit! The days of conciliation are over; the main event has begun.

You want to be feted and mollified with platitudes and hopeful rhetoric? Then go and talk to those who oppose God! Rejoice with them; they'll satisfy your debauched reasoning for a little while. A very little while!

But all those who love the Great God, who honour Him and obey Him and long for the establishment of His Kingdom and His Day - the one thousand year Seventh Day, who stand in awe of Him and fear Him as the Almighty God of the Universe - your day is coming soon! Don't feel humiliated or ashamed, you will soon refute every tongue that accuses you, because you have believed Him, and your VINDICATION will come from God (Isa 54:17). And the whole world will know that you are His chosen sons and daughters when you enter the world stage. Then you will be a beacon of light to the whole world. It's coming, and it's not far off.

Those who have declared their hatred of the Father and have rejected the Old Testament, and have demanded a reward from Him for treating His Laws with contempt, seize on certain scriptures to justify themselves. They ignore certain other scriptures though, such as Rev 14:11 "...There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast or his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the SAINTS who OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS and remain FAITHFUL TO JESUS." So the SAINTS are those who OBEY God's Commandments AND remain faithful to Jesus. The evil beasts who reject the Father's Commandments think they can demand salvation by their own version of faithfulness to Jesus. But let's also notice the next verse: V13 "Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: BLESSED are the dead who die IN THE LORD from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labour, FOR THEIR DEEDS WILL FOLLOW THEM." These BLESSED people, who OBEY God's Commandments and hold to the TESTIMONY OF JESUS will endure to the end and will die - and their deeds will follow them! We learn a little more about these people in Rev 20:4 "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 [OF] JESUS (Rev 19:10) AND because of the WORD OF GOD. They had not worshipped 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."

These people will go to their deaths willingly and faithfully BECAUSE of the TESTIMONY OF JESUS and also BECAUSE of GOD'S WORD. And these will be given AUTHORITY TO JUDGE. And they will also reign with Christ for a thousand years.

Notice these people were BEHEADED for their belief in Almighty God. A dear friend recently pointed out to this writer that Moslem nations love to execute with the sword. Public beheading is a gala event. It's no coincidence that these are the only people on the face of the earth that still use this method of execution.

But why Law? The answer is because God is the Great Judge. And He will judge all, both small and great, rich and poor, in fact all humanity. And God is not an unjust judge, He judges strictly according to LAW - and from the BOOK OF THE LAW - the Holy Scriptures. And ignorance of the LAW will be no excuse. God has warned everyone to remember the LAW OF MOSES, and He warns of this in the period just prior to the GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD (Mal 4:4). While there are many who say the LAWS must be forgotten and abandoned, God says the EXACT OPPOSITE! A judge must deliver verdicts according to the WRITTEN LAW, otherwise he is an unjust judge. And where there is no written law, there is no offence (1John 3:4). The purpose of remembering the Law is to ensure we refrain from sin.

God speaks of a time when He laid the landmass of the earth. He laid it according to set dimensions and in perfect form, and even stretched a measuring line across it. And affixed to this landmass was a CORNERSTONE. At this time the MORNING STARS (plural) sang TOGETHER. And all the angels shouted for joy. God was speaking to Job when He said these words: Job 38:4 "Where were you when I LAID THE EARTH'S FOUNDATION? Tell Me if you understand. Who marked off its DIMENSIONS? Surely you know! Who stretched a MEASURING LINE ACROSS IT? On what were its FOOTINGS SET, or who LAID THE CORNERSTONE - while the MORNING STARS sang TOGETHER and ALL THE ANGELS SHOUTED FOR JOY?"

The MORNING STAR is the SUN - the BRINGER OF LIGHT. You will notice that God speaks of MORNING STARS (plural) indicating there was MORE THAN ONE. IN FACT THERE WERE TWO! In another place, God speaks of ONE of these: Isa 14:12 "How you have FALLEN from heaven, O MORNING STAR, SON OF THE DAWN! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!" Most Christians are aware that Gentile Christianity and the seed of Satan have always worshipped the SUN. In doing this, they are worshipping the one whom God CAST OUT IN DISGRACE.

Some Sabbath-keepers may claim vindication from this. They would argue that supplanting the Sabbath as the day to worship on, with the 'day of the sun' (Sunday) is a central issue of doctrine - which they firmly resist. AND THEY ARE RIGHT! But it's not the ONLY issue! The central issue is which day God made holy. Because this is the day that identifies God's people - FOREVER! (Ex 31:16-17). Satan knows that those who have rejected God's Holy Seventh Day are still in the long night. The DAY STAR or MORNING STAR hasn't yet DAWNED for them. They are still blinded by the DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.

There are now a few people on whom the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS has arisen: Mal 4:2 "But for you who revere My NAME, the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will rise with healing in its wings." These people are further described in Mal 3:16. And so there are no misunderstandings, Christ has said this: Rev 22:16 "I, JESUS, have sent My angel to give you this TESTIMONY for the churches. I am the ROOT AND OFFSPRING OF DAVID, and the bright MORNING STAR."

Concerning the Sabbath Day and those who profane it, there is soon to come a time when the rebellious will neither worship God on this day nor on the day of the sun. Satan already knows which groups have rebelled against God and joined his camp, he has in mind to enforce another day - the day of his seed - Friday! This Moslem 'holy' day is the day on which you will worship him or die. In this circumstance, God's instructions to you are to choose death rather than to dishonour God!

Those who have rebelled against God, whether they have knowledged it or not, will pay the ultimate penalty. Only those who have believed God will survive. And to those few people who have proven themselves to believe God and to obey Him, hold fast to the faith. When the FINAL DISCLOSURES are made, you will need to be thoroughly familiar with all that God has said. And you must not waver!

You've heard all the dinky explanations from those who revile God's Law, enticing you to believe that God wants us to live lawless lives. God knows how to deal with such evildoers, and the FINAL DISCLOSURES will have them choking with fear. And whether you want to believe it or not, when God releases His FINAL DISCLOSURES, Satan will know for the FIRST TIME, the TRUE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE. This will trigger a massive rebellion against God and Satan will declare war - against God! And Satan will be defeated and cast to earth with all his demonic hordes (Rev 12:7-11). IF YOU THINK OTHERWISE, THEN YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD NOTHING!

God put on notice long ago His intention of revealing all these things. And through the pen of the Apostle Paul He said this: Eph 3:9 "And to make plain to everyone the ADMINISTRATION OF THIS MYSTERY, which for AGES PAST was kept HIDDEN in God, who created all things. His INTENT was that now, through the CHURCH, the manifold WISDOM OF GOD should be made known to the RULERS AND AUTHORITIES IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS, according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Peter made it clear that even the angels would like to know these things, but God has not made it known to them. The prophets made it known that Christ would make two separate appearances on earth. The first as a LAMB, and the second as a LION (Rev 5:5-6). And the ADMINISTRATION of these things was only granted to the Apostles and Prophets. It takes the combined efforts of the KJV and the NIV to fully understand these things, since neither of them got it right, but this is what Peter said (NIV): 1Pet 1:12 "It was revealed to them (the prophets - V10) that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. EVEN ANGELS LONG TO LOOK INTO THESE THINGS." The angels long to look into them - but can't. This understanding is granted only to those on whom the FULFILMENT OF THE AGE has come: 1Cor 10:11 "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as WARNINGS for us, ON WHOM THE FULFILMENT OF THE AGES HAS COME." (see also Ps 22:27-28).

For this reason the Apostle Paul said he only prophesied IN PART: 1Cor 13:9 "For we KNOW IN PART and we PROPHESY IN PART, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." He also said this: 1Cor 2:6 "We do, however, speak a MESSAGE OF WISDOM among the MATURE, but NOT the WISDOM OF THIS AGE or of the RULERS OF THIS AGE, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of GOD'S SECRET WISDOM, a WISDOM that has been HIDDEN and that God destined for our glory before time began. NONE OF THE RULERS OF THIS AGE UNDERSTOOD IT, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." If the rulers of the heavenly realms had understood the whole purpose of GOD'S PLAN they would have understood the absolute stupidity of their strategy in murdering Christ. They believed that by killing Him they had destroyed Him forever. But Christ appeared to them: 1Pet 3:18 "...He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit, through which also He went and preached to the SPIRITS IN PRISON who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the DAYS OF NOAH when the ark was being built." And He triumphed over them: Col 2:15 "And having DISARMED THE POWERS AND AUTHORITIES, He made a PUBLIC SPECTACLE of them, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM in [Himself]."

And just so there is no confusion over who the powers and authorities are, Paul said this: Eph 6:12 "For our STRUGGLE is NOT against FLESH AND BLOOD, but against the RULERS, against the AUTHORITIES, against the POWERS OF THIS DARK WORLD and against the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS." When we see those who vehemently refute the LAWS OF GOD, and who conjure up their own interpretations of prophecy with absolutely no Bible evidence, we know we are not dealing with flesh and blood, but with SPIRITUAL FORCES OF THE HEAVENLY REALM. Some believe that as long as they are teaching what everyone else is teaching, they are blameless. Well they are not! Christ describes them as evildoers (Matt 7:22-23). And those who truly love the Great God will see them for what they are, and will view them with the same contempt expressed by Christ!

For nearly two thousand years, the Churches of God had only A THIN VENEER OF TRUTH - just enough to make them identifiable as God's people. These Churches retained God's identifying sign - the Sabbath! In order that prophecy be fulfilled, they have never understood the Wisdom of God - the true TESTIMONY OF JESUS (Rev 19:10). This was reserved for those on whom the FULFILMENT OF THE AGES WOULD COME. And again, in order that prophecy would be fulfilled, God planned long ago, and from ages past, that He would reveal these things to His prophets. And the spiritual forces of the heavenly realm, and all those who follow their edicts and perversion, will not understand it - until God chooses to reveal it through His prophets!

And don't think for one moment that any of the Churches that have existed down through the ages will 'carry the ball' in the endtime. They won't! And nor will any of the modern-day offshoots even though they keep God's identifying sign. God has passed the mantle to two prophets whose commission is to deliver the true Gospel to the world; and not just to the world, but to the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF THE HEAVENLY REALM. This knowledge will trigger a furious enslaught from Satan the devil (Rev 12:7). God will be expecting him, because God will pick the very moment to activate his fury.

In the last few weeks (Nov, 1998), a bun-fight has developed among the rulers in the Global Church of God. In the simplest terms it's a battle for who controls the bank accounts of the organization. As an aside, it's interesting to note that some of these have self-righteously proclaimed a 'fast' in order to get a favourable outcome - for them! And in so doing, they have fulfilled prophecy! It's amazing to see these people lead with their chins. God has something to say in Isaiah 58 concerning these people. The chapter is too long to include here, but notice that it starts with an instruction to His prophets: Isa 58:1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise you voice like a trumpet. Declare to My people their rebellion and to the House of Jacob their sins." Then God deals with their feigned fasting and identifies it for what it is. V3 "...Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers." They greedily seek the workers money so they can do what they like with it. And God further describes their fasting: V4 "Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife, and striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high." God then speaks of the type of fasting that pleases Him, and concludes with this reward for faithful obedience: V8 "Then your LIGHT will BREAK FORTH like the DAWN, and your HEALING will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard." So God is holding out the Olive Branch to them. Will they obey or won't they? And if they do, God says this: V10 "...then your LIGHT will rise in the DARKNESS, and your NIGHT will become like the NOONDAY." V12 "Your people will REBUILD the ANCIENT RUINS and will raise up the AGE-OLD FOUNDATIONS; you will be CALLED REPAIRER OF BROKEN WALLS, RESTORER OF STREETS WITH DWELLINGS." But not under their present administration!

It's no secret that God intends to gather His 'treasured possession' and bring them to Jerusalem to BUILD THE TEMPLE (Zech 6:15) under the direction of God's prophets. No matter how you view it, none of the leaders of the Churches have ever understood the purpose God has for His faithful endtime people to BUILD THE TEMPLE! In God's eyes, nothing else is more important! These people would have you believe that your salvation depends on their own internal power-struggles. They are leading you to certain death!

And God adds one more proviso in V13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath...." And let it be positively stated: Anyone who doesn't keep God's Sabbath holy WILL NOT BE THERE! You will not help to build the Temple and neither will you repair the dwellings of God's Holy City.

And those of you who are titillated by the greedy power-struggle of those whose only desire is to gain control of the bank accounts, and are trying to decide who to follow - beware! The moment you see someone fasting to force God's hand to promote their own self-interest, and who billow their righteousness like a spinaker, you should know that something is wrong! Warning bells should be ringing in your brain.

You know that none of these Churches have ever believed that God's endtime prophets would build the TEMPLE in Jerusalem. You know they have never taught that a special group of people would be selected by God to accompany them and to help build the TEMPLE. You know they have spiritualized away all that God has to say on the matter. For the most part, they have ordered you to cling to them, on the presumption they would lead you to salvation. Don't believe them! YOU MUST BELIEVE GOD!

And neither is anyone suggesting you pack your bags and get on the next plane. You would be wasting your time. This is what God says: Zech 6:15 "Those WHO ARE FAR AWAY will come and help BUILD THE TEMPLE of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This WILL HAPPEN if you DILIGENTLY OBEY the LORD your God." And it says DILIGENTLY OBEY - NOT DILIGENTLY REBEL! And this alone rules out many people.

God has a lot to say about the Holy Land in the endtime. The focus of the whole world will be on the very land that God promised to Abraham. The final result will be glorious just as Isaiah prophesied: Isa 2:2 "In the last days the mountain of the LORD'S TEMPLE will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will TEACH US HIS WAYS, so that we may WALK IN HIS PATHS." The LAW will go out from Zion, the WORD of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." There's no escaping it! The LAW OF GOD will go out from Zion - even AFTER peace is enforced upon the earth. And this is the good news! The bad news is all the horror that will precede these glorious events.

In the interim, many prophecies must be fulfilled. Not the least of which is the prophecy found in the Book of Matthew and spoken by Christ: Matt 24:21 "For then there will be GREAT DISTRESS, UNEQUALLED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW - and WILL NEVER BE EQUALLED AGAIN. If those days [were] not cut short, NO-ONE WOULD SURVIVE, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."

And even so, there will be few men left alive! Isaiah recorded this: Isa 24:5 "The earth is defiled by its people; they have DISOBEYED THE LAWS, VIOLATED THE STATUTES AND BROKEN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT. Therefore a CURSE CONSUMES THE EARTH; its people must bear their GUILT. Therefore the earth's inhabitants are burned up, AND VERY FEW ARE LEFT." Little wonder that those who despise God and His LAWS, STATUTES and the EVERLASTING COVENANT, also reject the Old Covenant and 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. These sanctimonious, 'holier than thou' frauds are also mentioned in Isa 8:20 "To the LAW and the TESTIMONY! If they DON'T SPEAK ACCORDING TO THIS WORD, they have NO LIGHT OF DAWN (see 2Pet 1:19-20). Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and looking upward, WILL CURSE THEIR KING AND THEIR GOD. Then they will look towards the earth and see only DISTRESS and DARKNESS and FEARFUL GLOOM, and they will be THRUST INTO UTTER DARKNESS (see Matt 25:29-30)."

The Bible is a LAW BOOK! It must be searched to determine the intend of the Legislator - which is God! For over 1,900 years no-one had the 'LIGHT OF DAWN', that is, the LIGHT of the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (Mal 4:2, Luke 1:78, 2Pet 1:19). Not only did the PROPHETS prophesy of all the final endtime events, but so did the LAW (Matt 11:13). The Churches never have! What the Churches have 'prophesied' is generated from their own minds. It's almost an obscenity that these people take the name of Christ (Christian) and yet fail to emulate Him. Christ is our COUNSELLOR or LAWYER or ADVOCATE. And as the GOOD COUNSELLOR that He is, He continually intercedes for us with the Father. You should know all the relevant scriptures concerning this; the fact that you've never believed them is not the fault of the Scriptures.

Even the most myopic of Bible students could not help but notice that the articles written by those who reject the Word of God in favour of their own doctrine write the most appalling and meaningless dribble. Their pathetic articles don't reflect the intend of the Great Legislator. Because they have rejected the TESTIMONY of their COUNSELLOR, neither do they have the SPIRIT OF THE COUNSELLOR (Rev 19:10). The pathetic apologists who write their silly, childish articles will be judged, not only for their every action, but also for their every word! The words of these pathetic beasts spew from their mouths like vomit! And they would have you believe they have the Wisdom of God! What a laugh!

God makes a clear distinction between the righteous and the wicked (Mal 3:18), and those who are righteous are required to recognize those who SERVE GOD! The whole book of Malachi identifies the endtime prophet; the one God has sent - His messenger - to conclude and fulfil all the prophecies leading up to the return of Christ.

All the articles now posted at Zion Ministries are rudimentary, they contain all the rudimentary elements of the Bible that any devoted Bible student should have known. The fact that you never understood any of it, is because you have always refused to BELIEVE God. What didn't conform to your brand of righteousness was rejected. You sought to influence God to comply with your standards.

Then we have the others who write articles on 'prophecy' and who titilate their readers with every sort of delusion from their own minds. They want you to believe them to be prophets. In the near future, when all TRUE PROPHECY is laid bare, you will probably reject it because you have failed to recognize the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. You will be shocked senseless, but it will be too late. Your instructions will be found in Rom 8:36. The Churches of God in Ephraim are receiving their last wake-up call. Christ said He had other sheep who are not of this sheep pen (John 10:16). Christ affirmed that He would also gather these. He also said the reason the Father loves Him is because He lays down His life (V17).

People use all sorts of excuses for disobedience. Foremost in the Churches of God is the illusion that many are 'hurt' because of the conduct of Herbert Armstrong and have justified their swing to the other end of the pendalum because of him. Were these people also blind in the right eye? Apparently they were! Were their arms also withered and weak that they couldn't raise them in protest? No! They sat in the congregation and believed everything and never raised a protest! Oddly enough they weren't even 'hurt' until a certain Gentile came along called Joe Tkach who began to teach his brand of doctrine. He died of course and his son expanded the Gentile philosophy to include many other worldly teachings that are not taught in the Bible. The Tkach philosophy can be summed up by his words (when he was caught in a fancy restaurant eating lobster) 'I'm a Gentile, I don't have to obey the laws, I can do as I like' - or words to that effect. This is the sort of man the 'crazies' follow!

Those who have judged God by the standards of Herbert Armstrong are guilty of the most appalling blasphemy and will be so judged. If you think God failed you because He allowed Herbert Armstrong to teach some things that were not Biblical in origin, or because he became a worthless shepherd, then you will answer to God. Your obligation has always been to God to BELIEVE Him, HONOUR Him, and OBEY Him! With obedience to God comes the Wisdom of God, and transversely, with disobedience all knowledge is taken away. If you see a dearth of knowledge in the articles written by these cretins, why do you believe them? How will you ever understand anything if you don't exercise Godly wisdom?

Don't you realize that the PROPHECIES of the LAW (those recorded by Moses) are about to descend on you? Read all of Deut 28 and Deut 29:1. Concerning EPHRAIM (U.S.), the nation that embodies all the brothers (Jer 7:15, the children of Israel), God has this to say: Hos 13:12 "The GUILT OF EPHRAIM is STORED UP, HIS SINS ARE KEPT ON RECORD."

Yes, it's true! God has allowed the sins of Ephraim to be stored up to await the promised punishment. They will pay the full price for their sins. These sins have been building up for hundreds of years. God had a very great purpose in allowing them to prosper and to strike fear into the hearts of all nations. WHEN EPHRAIM SPEAKS, MEN TREMBLE (Hos 13:1). But not for much longer!

There are some very specific prophecies concerning Ephraim. All of them give exact details of the final destruction of this nation. More importantly, they are also told why. When the might and power of Ephraim is brought low, men will no longer tremble when he speaks. Yet, it should always be remembered that God has a great love for Ephraim, but Ephraim has never served God faithfully. Notice what the prophets recorded: Hos 5:1 "Hear this, you PRIESTS! Pay attention, you ISRAELITES! Listen, O ROYAL HOUSE! THIS JUDGMENT IS AGAINST YOU. You have been a snare at MIZPAH, a net spread out on TABOR. The REBELS are deep in slaughter. I will discipline all of them. I know all about EPHRAIM; ISRAEL is not hidden from Me. EPHRAIM, you have now turned to prostitution; ISRAEL is corrupt."

The name MIZPAH is mentioned here. What does it mean? Just a word of clarification before answering this.

Frequently, the Bible speaks of incidents that seem relatively insignificant. Most people consider it to be fill or padding for the story being related. But the Bible is a LAW BOOK that must be searched to determine the intent of the Legislator, and that Legislator is God. Throughout its pages, God has designed His LAW BOOK in such a way as to clarify every word He has spoken. It is not open to private interpretation.

Many people have come and gone who have claimed to be teachers of God's Word. And what do they teach? The very PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD which the Bible condemns! They build a scenario based on their own view that seems to 'fit' with certain scriptures. The halcyon days of the false prophets were during the second world war. They weaved their web of intrigue and claimed that Hitler was the prophesied beast. The fact that Hitler didn't fulfil any of the Biblical requirements of the beast didn't faze them. Their net of intrigue grew ever wider, and they made some of the most outrageous claims imaginable, yet fifty years later, it is patently obvious they were wrong! These pathetic frauds even promoted the belief that Hitler wasn't really dead, and that he would arise again. The same evil spirit still pervades the minds of these evildoers today.

And now, through the same evil spirit, they continue to manipulate current event scenarios to match with certain Bible prophecies. They still quote all the same scriptures to prove that America, or Britain, or China, or Russia, or Japan, or Germany is the prophesied beast. Their forebears also taught that the League of Nations was the beast; but only changed their minds when Hitler arrived on the scene. Today some of them teach that the United Nations is the beast power. Their twisted, demented minds offer nothing from the Bible to support their beliefs. The sense of deja vu is evident in their twisted reasoning. What formerly was proven false, is exactly what they teach today, howbeit, with slight variations of name and circumstance.

Some of them, fearful of being proven wrong, go to extraordinary lengths to claim all are the beast. They claim Germany is the beast, then they suggest the United Nations and the New World Order are also the beast. But it doesn't stop there. These same people also claim the U.S. is the beast, and also the Catholic Church. And their caveat also includes China and Russia. But Japan also causes them concern, so they also weave Japan into the equation. Every nation, organization or city that might possibly prove (in their own minds) to be the beast is included. They are determined not to be proven wrong. No matter what power arises, they will have all bets covered. Interestly enough, you only have to read their former teachings to learn what monumental hypocrites these people are! All their 'prophecies' have failed, they constantly contradict their own teachings, and they have no qualms at all. Their consciences are seared. They don't fear and quake before the Almighty God, but they treat Him with absolute contempt.

The humorous side of all this is, they all claim to be prophets who are 'searching' for truth.

So why did God mention the word MIZPAH here in Hos 5:1? The name was first used by Jacob in Gen 31:44 "Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us." So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. LABAN called it JEGAR SAHADUTHA, and JACOB called it GALEED. Laban said, "This heap is a WITNESS between you and me today." That is why it was called GALEED. It was ALSO called MIZPAH, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other...." V52 "Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. This HEAP IS A WITNESS, and this PILLAR IS A WITNESS, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to harm me. May the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." Just a word of clarification: the title 'God of Nahor' should be transcribed 'god of Nahor.' Nahor was a pagan, and so was Laban. It should also be noted that Laban named the place of the covenant 'JEGAR SAHADUTHA' which in the ARAMAIC language of the BABYLONIANS, means 'WITNESS HEAP.'

This was no ordinary covenant established only on verbal assurances. It was a monumental covenant set in stones. This pagan, Laban, set out to kill Jacob, but was warned by Almighty God (Gen 31:29) whom he recognized as the God of Jacob's fathers, Abraham and Isaac. This man was a dyed-in-the-wool pagan, but he still recognized the Great God as the One to be obeyed - even though he never honoured Him. Well this man Laban died, and the covenant was never tested at that time. And neither was it tested by Jacob. What is more, it is not mentioned again UNTIL the prophet Hosea recorded God's Words.

Jacob lived in his household for twenty years, before moving to establish his own household some distance away for a further seven to ten years. During this time, Laban changed the agreement (covenant) with Jacob ten times in order to cheat him. But everything he did turned against him. The final covenant was set with stones and Laban left.

That seemed to be the end of the matter. We hear no more of this covenant, nor of Laban. It appears to have passed into history. But God revives it with a reference in a passage of scripture relating to the endtime (Hos 5:1). The area referred to is in the territory of Gilead, east of the Jordan River. The site of this ancient witness pillar is RAMOTH GILEAD.

But you will also notice a reference to MOUNT TABOR in the same verse. MOUNT TABOR is west of the Jordan River and is a prominent feature overlooking the VALLEY OF JEZREEL in the former territory of GALILEE. These two sites, one on the east of the Jordan River, and the other on the west, just happen to be the sites of some amazing endtime prophecies that will be fulfilled in our day. Details of these things will be given in future articles and at the appropriate time. And God makes this point: Hos 5:9 "Among the TRIBES OF ISRAEL I proclaim that WHICH IS CERTAIN."

Most Bible students don't need to concern themselves with the infinitely detailed prophesied events for the endtime - YET! They need to FIRST begin to understand what the Bible is all about! The Apostle John made it very plain. This is what he recorded: 1John 3:8 "He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The REASON THE SON OF GOD APPEARED was to DESTROY THE DEVIL'S WORK." The Apostle Paul also spoke of this: Heb 2:14 "Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humility so that by His death HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM WHO HOLDS THE POWER OF DEATH - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were HELD IN SLAVERY by their fear of death."

Has the devil's WORK been destroyed? The scripture also says that 'He might destroy HIM who holds the power of death - that is, the devil...." Has the devil been destroyed? It's obvious the answer to both questions is no! Paul makes the REASONS very clear in Heb 2:11 "For surely it is NOT THE ANGELS He helps, but ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANTS. For this REASON He had to be made like His BROTHERS in every way, in order that He might become a MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST IN SERVICE TO GOD, and that He might make ATONEMENT FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE." This is yet another verse showing that Christians, who must emulate Christ, must be like His BROTHERS in every way. And His BROTHERS are the Tribe of Judah, the Jewish people today. And the thing that most typifies the Jewish people today is their love for Jerusalem - the Holy City of God. In this regard, they are streets ahead of mainstream Christianity today.

You may not have noticed, but the seed of Satan the devil hates Jerusalem! In the past, they have taken every opportunity to desecrate and destroy it. They worship the city of Mecca. But this has not stopped them from wanting to control the Holy City of God. Ultimately, the seed of Satan will control the world for the express purpose of controlling Jerusalem and wresting it from the Tribe of Judah. And again, in case you haven't noticed, it's the CITY OF JERUSALEM that the RETURNING CHRIST WILL FIGHT FOR! And in the sight of the Holy City, Christ will destroy all those who have opposed it.

Some of you may say that you want more evidence on these things before you accept them. You refuse to believe God and His Word, choosing to retain your own views. In the past, you've willingly believed the Catholic Church is in some way involved with the prophesied beast power - with no Bible evidence whatsoever! You've willingly built whole scenarios of prophecy based on your own culpable and questionable self-delusion, BUT YOU REFUSE TO BELIEVE GOD AND HIS WORD! If the Word of God was nailed to your forehead you still wouldn't believe it!

Under the principles of Rule of Law and its implied rules of evidence, all that you have believed as Bible prophecy is ranked as zero because it is not based on the ultimate LAW BOOK. Most of you are not troubled by this at all! What is more, what God has to say is not evidence to you either. In terms of the stated objectives of God, all that He has written in His LAW BOOK, you require evidence of the first rank. You want to see the 'smoking gun.' And only then will you believe God and His Word. Well, there's some good news for you. You will certainly see the 'smoking gun'!

Even the blindest of observers cannot help but notice that a central theme runs through the entire Bible concerning the HOLY LAND and the CITY OF GOD. Even though many cities and nations are mentioned, everything to do with endtime prophecy centers on GOD'S HOLY CITY. Insofar as the ancient city of Babylon has been variously described as Rome, New York, and a whole plethora of other cities, by the false prophets, it's not surprising that some Churches have called themselves 'spiritual Jerusalem' in order to show their contempt for God's actual Holy City Jerusalem.

It's true that the New Jerusalem is the ultimate goal for all those who love God. Those who reject the Holy City Jerusalem - the City where Christ walked and talked; and the City He wept over (Luke 13:34) - do so on the basis of Heb 12:22-28. These verses are a central platform of doctrine, but in no way do they abrogate the importance of the present City of Jerusalem. The culmination of all prophecy will see the descent of the New Jerusalem, and through all the horror of what is yet to come, we should set our sights on this glorious event. And this is the intent of Paul's comments. And just so this is clearly understood, this is what is written: Heb 12:22 "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, the CITY OF THE LIVING GOD. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the Church of the Firstborn, whose NAMES are WRITTEN in heaven. You have come to God, the JUDGE OF ALL MEN, to the SPIRITS OF RIGHTEOUS MEN MADE PERFECT, to Jesus the Mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." We know this speaks of a future event because God has told us so (Rev 21:2). But we have come to the realization that this is our ultimate goal. Here Paul speaks of righteous men made perfect. And who was he speaking of? Notice: Heb 11:13 "All these people were still living in faith when they DIED. They DID NOT RECEIVE the things promised; but only saw them and welcomed them from a distance." V16 "Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for HE HAS PREPARED A CITY FOR THEM."

All the faithful men and women mentioned in Hebrews 11 have not yet received the things promised them, and neither has anyone else on earth - yet! They died in faith and are still awaiting those promises. And they willingly died as martyrs: Heb 11:35 "...Others were tortured and REFUSED TO BE RELEASED, so that they might gain a better resurrection." Yes, these people actually REFUSED to be released, and this is what is called FAITH (Heb 11:1). And Paul issues this warning: V25 "See to it that you do not REFUSE Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they REFUSED Him who WARNED them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who WARNS us from heaven?" If we refuse or deny the teachings of Christ while He was on earth, how much worse will it be when He speaks from heaven? Again, Paul makes it clear. He speaks of events that will shake the earth and its inhabitants to pieces. V26 "At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, "ONCE MORE I will shake NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVENS." The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken - that is, created things - so that what cannot be shaken will remain."

Paul was speaking of a future time that was spoken of by the prophets. So which prophet was speaking of this time in this regard? And from where did Paul quote this verse? Here it is: Hag 2:6 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more SHAKE the HEAVENS and the EARTH, the SEA and the DRY LAND. I will shake ALL NATIONS and the DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS (see also Mal 3:1) will come, and I will fill this House with glory." Here Paul affirms that the Book of Haggai concerns prophecy for our time. In fact, it deals with the ministry of the two endtime prophets, and contains a great deal of detail for the immediate future. Some of it is in parable form.

Is God really going to shake the HEAVENS, the EARTH, the SEA, the DRY LAND and ALL NATIONS? YOU HAD BETTER BELIEVE IT! None of your dinky theories about tectonic plates and the other madness extruded from the minds of lunatics. 'Scientists' today believe they have all the answers. Believe them at your peril! If you want to align yourself with the 'scientific intelligentsia' who delude you into believing they understand the earth, then do so, but be aware that God is about to make fools of them all! If you believe God then you should also have the intelligence to burn holes through their theories.

It's a strange thing that so many people who pretend to believe God, cannot believe God's only explanation for the state of the earth. They can't believe that AFTER Christ returns He will RESTORE EVERYTHING (Acts 3:21) before presenting the World Kingdom to the Father (1Cor 15:24). They think Christ is going to present a shattered wreck to our Heavenly Father. These people think 'tectonic plate theory' explains everything. They acknowledge that the continents were once all joined together, but apparently conclude that because of faulty workmanship by God they have continued to break up and drift for millions of years. Yet God speaks of a massive rebellion that destroyed the earth and erased all life. Christ even said He was there when this rebel was violently cast to earth (Luke 10:18). But this rebel's rebels won't believe God! These people are totally unconcerned with truth!

And finally Paul concludes the theme in Heb 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, FOR OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE." Not quite the concept envisaged by those who think God will accept them just as they are, is it? Those who labour so hard to expunge God's Law from the face of the earth in order to be 'saved by grace' are at a disadvantage. Billions of people have gone before them who never kept God's Law or obeyed Him. These are surely preeminent over those WHO ONCE OBEYED GOD and have now TURNED AWAY TO A FALSE GOSPEL and total DISOBEDIENCE. Their false gospel has nullified the whole content of the Bible. According to their concepts, everything recorded in the Bible was all for nothing! Presumably, God is a CONSUMING FIRE against those who LOVE, HONOUR and OBEY Him! These 'wicked' people who, like Abraham, keep God's Commandments, Statutes and Laws, are 'wicked' because they BELIEVED God when He states, literally hundreds of times, that He must be OBEYED. If your child contemptuously spat in your face, would you rush out and buy him a new bicycle as a reward? This, apparently, is the reasoning of their demented minds.

But insofar as these people DARE to TEACH such nonsense, their fate is already sealed. All are required to serve God in Spirit and in Truth, and God says His Word is truth! His Word also includes the 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE that the 'grace only' advocates reject! And these are the very scriptures that Christ and all the Apostles taught and quoted from.

There are many references to Christ in the 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE these people reject; all the former prophets spoke of Him. Notice what Isaiah recorded: Isa 50:4 "The Sovereign LORD has given me an INSTRUCTED TONGUE, to know the WORD that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being TAUGHT. The Sovereign LORD has OPENED MY EARS, and I have not been rebellious; I HAVE NOT DRAWN BACK." Yes, Jesus Christ did fulfil these words. He spoke ONLY the Words of the Father in all matters of doctrine (John 14:10). But these Words in Isaiah also speak of another. And years afterwards, the Apostle Paul again spoke of this, with particular reference to NOT DRAWING BACK. He was drawing on Scripture when he said this:

Heb 10:38 "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But MY RIGHTEOUS ONE will LIVE BY FAITH. And IF HE SHRINKS BACK, I will not be pleased with him. But we are not of those who SHRINK BACK and are DESTROYED, but of those who BELIEVE and are SAVED."

The man who Paul referred to is the one who will arise in the endtime. He was quoting from Habakkuk. God is speaking, notice what He says:

Hab 2:2 "Then the LORD replied, "Write down the REVELATION and make it plain on tablets so that a HERALD can run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; IT SPEAKS OF THE END and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; IT WILL CERTAINLY COME AND WILL NOT DELAY. See, he [the leader of the land of wickedness] is puffed up; his desires are not upright - but THE RIGHTEOUS [ONE] WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH - indeed wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the GRAVE and like DEATH (see Rev 6:8) is never satisfied, he GATHERS TO HIMSELF ALL THE NATIONS and TAKES CAPTIVE ALL THE PEOPLES."

We now stand on the threshold of these horrific events. Christ spoke of them (Matt 15:21), the Apostle John recorded them in the Book of Revelation. This beast is to take CAPTIVE ALL PEOPLES and GATHER ALL NATIONS FOR HIMSELF. The object of this whole exercise is to control God's Holy Mountain. In the death throes of this power struggle, many attempts will be made to transgress the borders that God has set. And in the final attempt, all the armies of the world will amass against the Holy City, and the final outcome will be sure!

If you think you have understood the Bible, be aware that most of you have understood nothing! Most of you have no idea of what lies ahead and why! And never can you understand until you decide to be a PART OF GOD'S WORK and support it. You know yourselves that much of what you learn and prove from your own Bibles quickly fades away. You grasp nothing and most of what you do grasp fades the following day. Your enthusiasm is up and down like a yo-yo. In the past you have believed appalling rubbish that has no substance from the Bible. But because it gave you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, you accepted it as doctrine. We are now entering THE MOST CALAMITOUS TIME IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND, a time that will see few men left on the face of the earth: Isa 24:5 "The earth is defiled by its people; they have DISOBEYED THE LAWS, VIOLATED THE STATUTES and BROKEN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT. Therefore the EARTH'S INHABITANTS ARE BURNED UP, AND VERY FEW ARE LEFT." Has this happened yet? Well the Apostle Peter said it was yet future! (See 2Pet 3:10-13). Did you notice WHY this will happen - YET IN THE FUTURE? Notice the words 'DISOBEYED THE LAWS, VIOLATED THE STATUTES AND BROKEN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT'. You could say that if the EVERLASTING COVENANT (the one referred to here) is done away, then God has no basis for doing what He has stated! But the Apostle Peter's comments don't reflect any reversal by God. Years after Christ's departure he affirmed that it would still happen. But many are convinced this doesn't apply to them! They have believed the beasts that rule over them because, in their eyes, they appear as angels of light - so virtuous and filled with 'love' - love of themselves! Believe it!

They will prove yourselves willing to go to their deaths - as the Son of God did - or they will die and go to the lake of fire. None of their 'righteousnesses' will be remembered! Unless they start BELIEVING God and OBEYING Him!

Reverting again to the previously quoted verses from Isaiah, and as evidence that Isaiah was prophesying of Christ, note the next verse: Isa 50:6 "I offered my back to those who BEAT me, my cheeks to those who PULLED OUT MY BEARD. I did not hide my face from MOCKING AND SPITTING. Because the LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore I HAVE SET MY FACE LIKE FLINT, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who VINDICATES me is near. Who then will BRING CHARGES AGAINST ME? LET US FACE EACH OTHER! WHO IS MY ACCUSER? LET HIM CONFRONT ME! It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out LIKE A GARMENT, the MOTHS WILL EAT THEM UP."

Note that the Godly GARMENTS cannot be attacked by MOTHS. God's GARMENTS are ARMOUR (Eph 6:13). Notice also that these verses also reflect the beating and humiliation inflicted on Christ. Then we see a complete change of character and emphasis. Here we see a defiant challenge and this one SETS HIS FACE LIKE FLINT to reflect the characteristics given him by God: Eze 3:7 "But the HOUSE OF ISRAEL is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to Me, for the whole HOUSE OF ISRAEL is hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as hardened as they are. I will make YOUR FOREHEAD like the HARDEST STONE, HARDER THAN FLINT. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house."

The Lamb of God has come and gone, having fulfilled what was required of Him. His next appearance is as a LION - OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (Rev 5:5). When Satan's lion arises he will have a worthy and invincible adversary. Christ Himself said that He was a prophet just like Moses (Deut 18:15). God also spoke of another prophet just like Moses who would arise after Christ's first appearance. This will be fulfilled by another prophet, and God makes it plain that His Work will be conducted by two men who are indeed prophets - and who have devastating power to destroy whole nations (Rev 11:6) - just like Moses!

But Isaiah also prophesies against a group of people AMONG the Tribes of Israel in the next verse: Isa 50:10 "Who AMONG you fears the LORD and OBEYS the WORD of His SERVANT? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his [the SERVANT'S] God." This is yet another clear warning that the lives of many people will depend on the SERVANT of God. Speaking in the same theme, and in the very next verse, God focuses on part of this group who don't OBEY the WORDS of His SERVANT - WHICH ARE THE WORDS OF GOD: V11 "But now, ALL YOU WHO LIGHT FIRES and provide yourselves with FLAMING TORCHES, go, walk in the LIGHT OF YOUR FIRES and of ALL THE TORCHES YOU HAVE SET ABLAZE. This is what you shall receive from My hand: YOU WILL LIE DOWN IN TORMENT."

It's very appropriate that hate mail on the Internet is called FLAME MAIL. And that which is directed to the SERVANT of God carries a heavy penalty. No-one will escape! In fact, this verse speaks of something far more radical. Didn't Christ say that He came to bring a sword? What these verses describe is mob-rule. Many would like to believe that flame-mail is as bad as it will get. Unfortunately, this is not the case! Christ spoke of brothers hating one another - especially when they think Christ has delayed His coming. In the holocaust that will surround them, and the death and suffering that will accompany it, evil brothers will set upon those who remain faithful to God. They will not only use flaming torches to burn down their houses, they will also kill and betray them and deliver them to the tormentors. But those who do this will wish they had never been born!

Christ had this to say: Matt 10:21 "Brother will BETRAY brother to DEATH, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to DEATH. ALL MEN WILL HATE YOU BECAUSE OF ME, but he who stands firm to the END will be saved." This plainly speaks of events triggered against those who are obedient to the Testimony of Jesus. But Christ also said this: Luke 12:49 "I have come to bring FIRE (see Matt 3:11) on the earth, and HOW I WISH IT WERE ALREADY KINDLED. But I have a BAPTISM to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed. Do you think I have come to bring PEACE on earth? NO, I tell you, but division."

It's always interesting to read some of the scriptures that the enemies of God ignore. Their rejection of 39 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE leaves them POWERLESS to understand anything. They simply lack the POWER of God. But not so the endtime prophets! They will have devastating POWER, not only to teach as TEACHERS OF THE LAW, but to destroy whole nations - and AS OFTEN AS THEY WANT (Rev 11:4-6).

Isa 49:7 "This is what the LORD says - the Redeemer of Israel - to him who was DESPISED and ABHORRED by the nation, to the SERVANT of rulers; "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see you and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." This is what the LORD says: "IN THE TIME OF MY FAVOUR I will ANSWER YOU, and IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I will help you; I will KEEP YOU and will make YOU to be a COVENANT for the people, to RESTORE THE LAND and to REASSIGN ITS DESOLATE INHERITANCES, to say to the CAPTIVES, 'COME OUT,' and to those in DARKNESS, 'BE FREE!'"

We are made a little lower than the angels - that is, just marginally lower - in as much as we are flesh and blood. But we have the same mind as angels. And like the angels, we have freedom of choice. While some angels chose to be faithful to God, one-third of them did not! This third became fascinated with ENDLESS CRUELTY, and like their LEADER became as GREEDY AS THE GRAVE. They also reasoned that as long as God's eyes were not directly on them, He would fail to see. In fact, two of Satan's lieutenants have been named by God as DEATH and the GRAVE [HELL]. God names people (and angels) to reflect what they are.

Most of you should be well aware that demons can possess animals and humans. You should also be aware that demons can be ordered to the ABYSS (Luke 8:31). And although it is suggested in previous articles, you may not yet understand that God can also order them into the body of an animal (Luke 8:32). Just as Christ served His time as an ordinary human, so Satan has also served his time as a serpent animal.

God did not create Satan as a dragon, but as a beautiful creature full of wisdom and exceptional in appearance. He was a masterstroke of creation, but numerous times he is described as a distinct dragon-like beast - the very epitome of ugliness. What, by his own choosing, he desired to be, that he also became. And each time he was reduced to a beast, he retained the mind of that beastly creature. And the LIGHT of that once glorious creature faded, and now he has NO LIGHT in him. For those who have any understanding at all, you will know that the LIGHT that God gives is wisdom and knowledge (and more than that). Satan will never return to his former glory - and this is one of the main principles of the Bible. Everything hinges on this great lesson.

Most people have no trouble believing that Christ appeared as a real man - yet He was the Son of God. He appeared in a form that was a little lower than the angels. And even after the resurrection, and after He had sat down on the Father's throne, He again appeared to the Apostles over a 40-day period. Yet, on all of these occasions, He appeared as a man. They touched Him and ate with Him. On one occasion, Christ asked for something to eat because He was hungry. As a human being, He experienced the pangs of hunger. The Apostles gave Him some fried fish. But His human form was different. Some didn't actually recognize Him in His resurrected form. Not to draw too long a bow on this, it seems that Christ chose a different appearance to His former form. Yet they recognized Him - eventually!

These writings have a lot of emphasised words in the quoted scriptures. Generally, these are POINTERS to other parts of the Bible, to MARKERS that will expand your knowledge of the subject matter. It is not possible in every case to digress to expand on them in an article, otherwise the article would become hopelessly disjointed and at variance with the theme. This happens anyway to some extent, because the Bible is a veritable STOREHOUSE of knowledge. It's expected that those who have a sincere desire to serve God and to reverence His Word, will pursue these things and expand and fill their database of knowledge. If you make no effort to do this, then the very knowledge you have gained will quickly be taken away. It cannot be emphasised enough: the Words that God has entrusted to you should be your whole life (Deut 6:6-8, Deut 32:47). Every time you fail to acknowledge God's truth and fail to act on it, you are degraded a little more. You are now being judged by your actions and by your words. When you know to do right and you fail to do it, this in the eyes of God is sin! James 4:14 "Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." V17 "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do AND DOESN'T DO IT, SINS." God is not interested in those who only hear His Word, He is interested in those who do it, who love it - AND OBEY!

There are those among you who ignore the whole theme of the Bible and focus on certain verses that can be twisted to support their disobedience. They believe that after nearly 6,000 years of human suffering, God has abandoned His intentions, admitted His 'mistakes' and has now cowered to the 'wisdom' of these slavering beasts who insist that disobedience to God's Law is the way to salvation.

In former days, the ten Tribes of Israel, collectively called EPHRAIM, were sent away as a GOAT laden with sins. They were driven from the GOAT that God retained and chose - the southern Tribe of Judah. Now in these last days, God refers to EPHRAIM as a beautiful HEIFER. This HEIFER will be slaughtered and burnt outside the Holy City and its ashes will bring healing to the nations. God describes not a white heifer but a RED HEIFER. And God makes it very plain where the might of their armies will be defeated! Soon they will be told - when their armies are comfortably settled in the area with all their might and power - the very might and power given them by God! And just as God gave it to them, He will also take it away. At that time, let no-one say it was a lucky guess - it has been recorded in the Bible for thousands of years. The problem is you have been listening to liars, what is more, you have believed them! Why don't you believe God?

In this matter God has a lot to say. Christ is NOT described as a HEIFER, nor as a BULL or a GOAT. HE IS DESCRIBED AS A LAMB! Wake up to yourselves you blasphemous beasts out there! God Himself describes this HEIFER! And this HEIFER is EPHRAIM! Soon an article will appear explaining the meaning of the animal sacrifices. Be sure to read it!

And so you will know that God long ago planned this, notice what He said to Abraham after He had promised him the promised land: Gen 15:8 "But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I shall gain possession of it?" So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a HEIFER, a GOAT, and a RAM, each three years old, along with a DOVE and a YOUNG PIGEON." Abram brought all these things to Him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other, the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away." God then told Abraham that his descendants will serve as slaves for 400 years. V17 "When the SUN HAD SET and DARKNESS HAD FALLEN, a SMOKING FIRE POT with a BLAZING TORCH appeared and passed BETWEEN THE PIECES." God gave no further information to Abraham concerning these things, but simply told him he would go to his grave in peace at a very great age. What does it all mean? Why don't you ask your 'spiritual' mentor to give his interpretation? There are plenty of them out there who feel qualified to offer their best guess. Many of them have already offered their fruitloop theories and without the slightest qualm or conscience - and certainly without any Bible support! BUT SOON YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH!

Some people reject the Old Testament because they think it has been superceded by the New Testament. They seem to forget that much of the writings of the Apostles referred in great depth to the Old Testament - and long after Christ departed. What then, is the point of quoting a redundant book that no longer has relevance. But say these subversives, 'I still quote the Old Testament' even though according to their own doctrine it's been 'done away'. Why on earth would they do that?

It must worry them no end to realize that none of the Book of Revelation would be explainable EXCEPT by reference to the prophets. And Christ Himself put us on notice that only the ENDTIME READERS of the BOOK OF DANIEL would understand prophecy. They have emasculated themselves and exhibit feminine characteristics - quite the opposite of the powerfully-built carpenter who was ALL MAN! You need to start listening to the very Words of God and BELIEVING Him! Sexual indulgence (Col 2:23) has been largely responsible for the corruption of the House of Israel in these latter years. God calls it the DOCTRINE OF BALAAM. To entice God's people to sexual corruption, as did Balaam against God's people Israel, is the ploy of Satan the devil. The disgraceful sexual conduct of some has almost made common adultery seem respectable (except of course, when it involves a nation's president). DISGRACEFUL HYPOCRITES!

Isa 2:2-4 "IN THE LAST DAYS the MOUNTAIN of the LORD's TEMPLE will be established AS CHIEF AMONG THE MOUNTAINS; it will be RAISED ABOVE THE HILLS (Zech 14:4, 10), and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the MOUNTAIN of the LORD, to the HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB. He will TEACH US HIS WAYS, so that we may WALK IN HIS PATHS." The LAW will go out from ZION, the WORD of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." Be aware, that before this happens, war will continue to the end (Dan 9:26). So those who think the Law has been done away are in for a big shock! In those days, the LAW WILL GO OUT FROM ZION, and those who seek the LORD will need to LEARN HIS WAYS!

And when they see the destruction of the earth that God will inflict, they will be more than willing to surrender to obedience to God. This is what God says: Isa 24:3 "The earth will be COMPLETELY LAID WASTE and totally plundered. THE LORD HAS SPOKEN THIS WORD. The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have DISOBEYED the LAWS, violated the STATUTES and BROKEN the EVERLASTING COVENANT. Therefore a curse CONSUMES the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore EARTH'S INHABITANTS ARE BURNED UP (2Pet 3:10-11), and VERY FEW ARE LEFT."

Oh dear! What about the cakewalk into God's Kingdom that most Christians are expecting? Well, have they OBEYED GOD'S LAWS and HIS STATUTES and KEPT THE EVERLASTING COVENANT? THEY KNOW THEY HAVE NOT!

Don't they read the Bible? Now hear what God has to say concerning the earth and its inhabitants. Isa 24:19 "....The FLOODGATES OF THE HEAVENS ARE OPENED, the FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH SHAKE. The EARTH IS BROKEN UP, the EARTH IS SPLIT ASUNDER, the EARTH IS THOROUGHLY SHAKEN. The EARTH REELS LIKE A DRUNKARD, it SWAYS LIKE A HUT IN THE WIND; so heavy upon it is the GUILT OF ITS REBELLION that it falls never to rise again." Why don't all you silly, would-be prophets go back to sleep. You'll be awakened soon enough to face what you deserve! These verses describes massive continental destruction when cities will be totally levelled, and mountains will be brought tumbling down, with some being hurled into the sea. It will remain like this until Christ Himself returns to restore it: Acts 3:21 "He must REMAIN in heaven UNTIL the TIME COMES FOR GOD TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, as He promised long ago THROUGH HIS HOLY PROPHETS." Yes, God did promise the holy prophets that all would be restored to what it was in the beginning - just as it was when all the angels sang with joy - the original perfect creation - not the remake at the time of Adam. Most of you probably don't even know what this refers to, because you have understood nothing! And how could you? Most of you spend your lives arguing AGAINST God's LAWS, STATUTES and the EVERLASTING COVENANT!

And why do you do this? Because you don't have the right Spirit. Those who fight against God are the offspring of Satan - and Satan is the architect of this subversion, and God will punish him and his generals accordingly. It's recorded in the very next verse in Isaiah: Isa 24:21 "IN THAT DAY the LORD will PUNISH the POWERS IN THE HEAVENS ABOVE and the KINGS ON THE EARTH BELOW. They will be HERDED TOGETHER like PRISONERS bound in a DUNGEON; they will be SHUT UP IN PRISON and be PUNISHED AFTER MANY DAYS. The moon will be abashed, the SUN ASHAMED; for the LORD Almighty will REIGN ON MOUNT ZION and in JERUSALEM, and before its elders, gloriously."

ABRAHAM - FATHER OF MANY

God sets Abraham as an example to us all. All that God has promised is through Abraham. Isa 51:1 "Listen to me, YOU WHO PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS and who SEEK the LORD. Look to the ROCK FROM WHICH YOU WERE CUT and to the QUARRY from which you were HEWN; look to ABRAHAM, YOUR FATHER, AND TO SARAH, who GAVE YOU BIRTH. When I called him he was but ONE, and I BLESSED HIM AND MADE HIM MANY." This is the ROCK from which we were cut, the MAN who gave us birth. This is also the rock or man WHO KEPT GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, STATUTES AND LAWS: Gen 26:3 "...For to you (Isaac) and your descendants I will give all these lands and confirm THE OATH I SWORE TO YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham OBEYED Me, and kept My REQUIREMENTS, My [COMMANDMENTS], My DECREES and My LAWS."

The LAW OF THE TEMPLE is also a schoolmaster for all those who believe God. Just as God SACRIFICED Pharoah's hordes to the fish of the sea, on the third day after the Israelites left Egypt - and just as He promised, so will He sacrifice all those who oppose Him to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field: Eze 39:17 "Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: 'Assemble and come together from all around to the SACRIFICE I am preparing for you, the great SACRIFICE on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were RAMS and LAMBS, GOATS and BULLS - all of them fattened animals from Bashan. At the SACRIFICE I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood until you are drunk. At MY TABLE you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,' declares the Sovereign LORD."

The LAWS OF GOD are far more than a means to instruct those who believe Him, they also prophesy of future events. Those who fail to understand these things will never understand prophecy; and what is more, they will never serve God faithfully as His servants! Those who choose to believe those who have no understanding of the Bible will soon face the most horrific events ever experienced on earth. Believe God! Christ spoke of these days (Luke 17:22, Matt 24:21). You must also believe Christ!

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