The Judgment to Come
FOR IT IS TIME FOR JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH THE FAMILY OF GOD. 1 Peter 4:17
These were the words of Peter the apostle almost 2000 years ago . Most servants of God, regardless of religious affiliation, recognize that these words are more true today than they ever were. This article is addressed to followers of the Christian faith, intended to challenge our concept of who the family of God are, and what the coming judgment means for those of us who have chosen to serve God.
The Jews are waiting for the judgment, and for [the Son of] David to restore the Kingdom of Israel as the pre-eminent earthly kingdom forever. Muslims are waiting for the judgment, and for Jesus to return and establish true Islam, and Allah’s kingdom forever. Christians are waiting for the judgment, and for Jesus to return to either establish his eternal kingdom on earth, or whisk them away to some other heavenly place. All these expectations are correct, except for the expectation of an alternative heavenly place [see Psalm 37:11, 115:16, Matthew 5:5, Daniel 7:27, Revelation 11:15, 21:2] There are many variations on this theme, but note the common thread evident in these three major religions.
I know little about the expectations of other religions, but believe that most religions foster the requirements of faithfulness to Almighty God:- faith, obedience, justice, mercy, humility. So who are the servants of God?
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. [Micah 6:8]
My point is that “religious indoctrination” doesn’t feature as a requirement of God. What is required is to obey God’s laws of justice and mercy towards man, and humility towards God. For followers of Jesus, there are a number of occasions where he indicated that inheritance of eternal life is entirely due to our actions;
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. John 5:28 [similar to Matthew 16:27]
The dead were judged according to what they had done. Rev 20:12
Examine the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man [Luke 16:19-31]. Once again, it was the Rich Man’s neglect of his fellow man that condemned him to eternal torment, not his religious beliefs. Also note that according to Jesus, the message of Moses and the Prophets is the gospel of eternal life [They have Moses and the Prophets; Let them listen to them...If they don't listen... they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. Luke 16:31], so the division of the Bible into Old Testament and New Testament is misleading. God has only ever had one plan of salvation, and it’s not Judaism or Islam or Christianity – It is Israel. Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation. [Isaiah 45:17] The following prophesy describes the salvation of Israel;
There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:1
Daniel’s prophesy puts God’s judgment, and our deliverance, at the same time as the resurrection of the dead. Some Christians are confused about this, thinking that they have already been delivered from sin and death, that they will not face the judgment to come, or that Jesus has already been and gone. Although this prophesy is addressed only to the people of Israel, it is for you and everyone else as well, because at the time of judgment all mankind is descended from Israel [One of the hidden mysteries of God]. All the nations are brother Israelites, who must appear before God for eternal judgment. This next prophesy explains the nature of Jesus return, the coming of the kingdom, and the eternal judgment;
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy ones with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another… Then the King will say…
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me… I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me….
Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…. I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Matthew 25:31-46
So this is how we know Jesus has not yet returned, that we have not yet received God’s kingdom, and how we can examine our own lives to see how we measure up regarding the eternal judgment. It can only be a subjective exercise, because only God decides whether, on balance, I have “done good” or “done evil”. I know that the Christian religion has various criteria that define who is eligible for eternal life, but one by one they can be discredited as barriers between us and our Father. Here are some examples, and my counter arguments;
We must believe Jesus is Lord God;
If you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sin. [John 8:24] Here, Jesus is claiming God’s title [see Deuteronomy 32:39, Isaiah 48:12]. In other words, if you don’t believe that Jesus is Almighty God, then you will die in you sin. This is true, but misleading. It excludes no one from eternal life, because all of us are sinners right up until we die, so all of us will die in our sin. Some of us will be resurrected to an eternal kingdom, being changed to become the Sons of God.
I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no place in the family, but a Son belongs to it forever. John 8:34 [We are all still sinners, not yet Sons].
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. John 3:36
True, but misleading. Firstly, most Christians are hypocrites when they say that they “believe in the Son”, but that the Jews and Muslims, etc do not. Jesus clearly and repeatedly states that we must obey God’s laws, yet most Christians refuse to believe Jesus, preferring to believe Paul, who says that Jesus abolished the Law, with it’s commandments and regulations [see Ephesians 2:15], also declaring;
I, Paul, [not God, please notice] tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Galations 5:2 [Circumcision is a mark of adherence to God's law.]
But God says; No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary. [Ezekiel 44:9 – in context, this is in the future kingdom of God]. Meanwhile, Paul claims that he faithfully kept the laws of Moses [Acts 21:20-26 and 25:8] even going so far as to have Timothy circumcised [Acts 16:3], which proves that he was preaching one thing, but practicing another. The end result of believing Paul in preference to believing Jesus is that God’s wrath does indeed remain on us, which is why so few will survive God’s judgment against our mortal lives. Those Christians of genuine faith and good works, but who refuse to obey God’s laws, will be put to death during the coming judgment, awaiting the resurrection to enter the eternal kingdom.
So what about our eternal lives? That’s a different story, entirely in God’s hands. All mankind, both living and dead, will recognize the authority of Jesus when he returns with the Glory of the Father. All mankind will swear allegiance to God, and yet some will be put to shame. Consider these prophesies;
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him – those who cannot keep themselves alive….for he has done it. Psalm 22:27-31
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name. Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf. Psalm 66:4
When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. [These are the mortal judgments] Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9
Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God and there is no other. I myself have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me”In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.” All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exalt. Isaiah 45:22-25 [So for all those who reject prophesy against Israel, saying, “That's not talking about me.” – try rejecting this one!!!]
Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. Revelation 1:7
And why will we all mourn? Probably because we have been worshiping a false Jesus – the one you don’t have to obey, rather than the real Jesus – the one that all men must obey. [To catch a tiny glimpse of the real Jesus, see Revelation 1:12-18, Daniel 10:4-8, Ezekiel 1:24-28, and 43:1-5]
They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child…. Zechariah 12:10
In that day, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious feasts into mourning, and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day. Amos 8:9
O my people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn with bitter wailing as for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us. Jeremiah 6:26
We must be born again;
I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again…. I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. John 3:3-5
True. But for us, the reality of God’s kingdom is still in the future. None of us has been resurrected yet or “born again”, so no one has yet entered or been excluded from God’s kingdom. We have all been born once in flesh, born of Adam [mankind]. But have we been born of God? Jesus breathed on the believers and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” [John 20:22] Luke claims the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost , yet says that the tongues of fire came to rest on them. [Acts 2:1] God’s Spirit may be on us, but it is not yet in us, so none of us has yet been born of God. For most of us, that will occur at the resurrection, which should be obvious when you consider these words of Jesus;
Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. Luke 20:34 [also see Matthew 22:29 and Mark 12:24]
So the children “born again”at the resurrection are significantly different in nature than you and I in our current state. When I was young I was taught that when I confessed my sinfulness to God, and invited him into my life, the spirit of God entered me and I was “born again”. Now I realize that since I am still a degenerate sinner, the Holy Spirit of God cannot dwell within me or I would be destroyed, and God would be defiled. But God’s spirit will be poured out on us, after God’s wrath has cleansed the land and his people, and we return to the land of our forefathers. Then we will be “born of water and the Spirit”;
For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you: I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put a new spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave to your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:24-28 [the survivors]
Examine this prophesy carefully. For Christians, it is perhaps the strongest linking scripture between the gospel of Jesus, and the gospel of the prophets, which are identical and TRUE gospel, while exposing the teachings of the apostles as FALSE gospel, brought about by misunderstanding. Specifically, it can be seen that;
-The kingdom of God and the new covenant is still in our future, because ever since Ezekiel wrote these words, the people of Israel have not yet received the promised land in full. [see Ezekiel 47,48]
-The kingdom of God will be on earth, centered in the land of Israel.
-The kingdom of God belongs to the descendants of Israel.
-Being “born again” of water and spirit is still in our future, and is associated with living in the promised land, and fully obeying all of God’s laws. So the “first” covenant [the Law] will never be old or obsolete, as is claimed in Hebrews 8:13. It is an eternal covenant.
I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name….I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 39:25-29 [no question that these are the descendants of Jacob, also known as Israel]
Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” they will be called sons of the living God. The people of Judah [the Jews] and the people of Israel [everybody else] will be reunited,[see Ezekiel 37:19, Jeremiah 3:18] and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land. Hosea 1:10
O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel…. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD. Ezekiel 37:12-14 [the resurrection]
Also see: Ezekiel 11:19, Isaiah 4:4, 32:15, 44:3, 59:21, Joel 2:28, Zechariah 12:10 – Spirit poured out.
We must be baptized;
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. [Mark 16:16] These are supposedly the words of Jesus when he gave the “great commission” immediately prior to his ascension. I don’t know if anyone really trusts these words. I doubt that Jesus really said these words, for the following reasons;
Mark wrote these words. Jesus didn’t write these words, or any of the words in the gospels. The gospel writers were obviously writing largely from their own memory, and sometimes misquoting Jesus, or writing inaccurate accounts of events. This is easy to prove for yourself by comparing the four gospels, and here is a good case in point, because there are four accounts of the great commission / ascension, and only Mark quotes these words, or anything even remotely like them. Read these accounts;
Mark 16:14-20 [at or near Jerusalem],
Luke 24:33-53 and Acts 1:6-12 [both by Luke – at the Mount of Olives, near Bethany and Jerusalem]
Matthew 28:16-20 [at a mountain in Galilee, probably Mt Tabor, about 100km away from Jerusalem]
John doesn’t talk about the ascension, but says Jesus appeared in Galilee to go fishing. [John 21:1]
Neither Mark or Luke were present to hear the great commission or see the ascension. According to their own accounts, only the eleven remaining apostles were present, so you’d have to prefer Matthews account as the likely one, supported by John’s observations that Jesus was last seen in Galilee. God has warned us about this very thing – we are not to trust the scribes to accurately record his words;
How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the Law of the LORD,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely? The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have? Jeremiah 8:8
If you’re worried about what God has said here, good, you should be. This should be a wake up call for God’s servants in every religion, to abandon complacency and urgently seek God. If we have built on the wrong foundation, our house will fall when the storm strikes. [see Matthew 7:24 and Luke 6:46] I now use the Law and prophets as the foundation for my doctrine; To the Law and the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. [Isaiah 8:20] And once you reject the letters of the apostles as being God’s word, everything seems so much clearer. God’s plan of salvation is astonishing.
I’m all for being baptized. Jesus was baptized, saying; “ It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” And God was “well pleased” [Matthew 3:15] So in following Jesus, we should be baptized also. I think baptism is a vow before God to follow Jesus unto death. I believe God will honor my vow, and put me to death rather than allow me to forfeit my eternal inheritance by giving myself to wickedness. The trouble is, I invented that doctrine myself – there is next to no teaching about baptism in the bible. Even if I’m right about this doctrine, it stands to reason that God recognizes other forms of commitment to him, so I don’t believe baptism gives me any eternal advantage over a servant of God who has not been baptized.
We must confess Jesus with our mouth;
The word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord Philippians 2:10
This is what Paul says, and is quite similar to what has already been discussed, but these are too definitive, and leave no room for God to arbitrate eternal justice. The first makes salvation seem irrevocable, so that we can never lose salvation once we’ve confessed and believed, no matter what we do thereafter. And the second makes no mention of the wicked being put to shame [see Isaiah 45:24] so logically, every man who ever lived will be saved, because they will all confess “Jesus Christ is Lord”
I don’t think Paul really believed that salvation is an irrevocable promise for those who confess and believe.[see Hebrews 6:4 - which says forgiveness is impossible for those who fall away – which is also incorrect, see Luke 15:11 - The prodigal son]. It is important to expose Paul’s teachings, because Christian’s believe his word is God’s word, simply because it’s in the bible. But that is a claim Paul didn’t make. He never said, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying; Thus says the Lord, “………” except on the occasion of his conversion. His words were teachings, taken from the Law and the Prophets, just like any other preacher might do, and he sometimes misinterpreted the prophesies, just as every other man is prone to do. God’s word came to the prophets, including his Son, and are infallible. Paul will be astonished when he discovers we have considered his word to be God’s word.
Consider whether the people of the following story actually believed and confessed, “Jesus is Lord”;
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter 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!” Matthew 7:21
My conclusion is that these people did believe and confess Jesus as Lord, but it didn’t profit them, because they didn’t do God’s will. Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and not do as I say? [Luke 6:46] So we are back to my original point, that our actions decide our eternal fate, not our doctrine or religion or beliefs or confession [though God judges our confession – see Acts 5:1-11 -Ananias and Sapphira]
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. [Matthew 12:36 – also see Zechariah 5:1-4 – the judgment curse against thieves and liars.]
Consider the implications of the following verses, regarding eternal judgment;
Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:31
All the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin. Mark 3:28
Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Luke 12:10
According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus made three attempts to say the same thing. Which is nonsense, of course. The truth is, at least two of them misquoted Jesus words.
According to Jesus, every sin of man will be forgiven, so the backslider of Hebrews 6:4 is definitely welcome to return to God’s grace, provided he didn’t blaspheme the Holy Spirit.[also see Ezekiel 18]
The implication of Hebrews 6:4-7 and chapters 8,9,10 is that we are under a new order [Heb 9:10] ever since Jesus death and resurrection. This doctrine is immediately acceptable to Christians, who have no desire to obey the minutiae of God’s Law, have no wish to align with the Jews, and think Jesus death must have changed something. But Jesus died to redeem all mankind, from every age. I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. [John 14:6] So your reconciliation to God is by the blood of Jesus, and so is Adam’s, and Noah, and Abraham, and Job, and David, and every other man who ever lived or has yet to live. And in spite of the fact that King David is only reconciled to God by the blood of Jesus, God required him to obey all the Laws of Moses, just as Jesus requires you to obey the Laws of Moses. [see Matthew 5:19] So nothing has changed, there is no new order, and adherents of the book of Hebrews have believed a complicated lie that can’t stand up to the simplest scrutiny.
According to Jesus, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit irrevocably determines our eternal fate. He didn’t explain how to do this, and I certainly don’t know. If we assume that it is possible for anyone to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, then no amount of correct doctrine or belief or confession will ever reconcile that blasphemer back to God. In my opinion, this one eternal judgment blows apart every religious formula for eternal salvation. For example; Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever believes and is baptized and blasphemes was saved – but will be punished for eternity.
Who is my brother and sister and mother?
Have I presented enough arguments to persuade you that categorizing the family of God along religious lines is unreliable? We should already know that God does not judge as we do. It must be obvious that others can read the very same words that you have, and come up with thousands of different conclusions. So is it you, and your band of believers? Are you the only ones to whom God has given understanding? Forget it. We are all walking in darkness until Jesus returns, and the new day dawns;
Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before the darkness overtakes you. John 12:35 [ 2000yrs of darkness.]
But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. Deuteronomy 29:4 [Nothing has changed since Moses said these words.]
The woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:25 [But the explanations await Jesus return.]
Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. John 16:22 [Because then we will all know God.]
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, in the same way that water fills up all the oceans. Habakkuk 2:14 [This is the new dawn we are waiting for, the kingdom of God.]
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah after that time.” declares the LORD. —– [After we return to Israel [Jer 31:23], receive the promised rest [Jer 31:2], and David our king [Jer 30:9]. ——- “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,” because THEY WILL ALL KNOW ME, from the least to the greatest,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 31:33 [The new covenant – still in our future.]
Then I asked, “But why did the man come from the midst of the sea?” And he said, “Just as you cannot seek or know the things hidden in the deep sea, even so, no one on earth can see my Son, or those with him, until that day dawns.” 2 Esdras 13:25-52 [None of us know the true Jesus yet.]
No one knows the Son except the Father. [Jesus] Matthew 11:27
So true knowledge of God remains in our future, and no one has been given an inside track to God, which is why I’m asking you, dear reader, to reexamine your definition of who your brother is. I come from a Christian, Protestant, Baptist background. My indoctrination made me suspicious of Catholics, who pray to dead people, Penticostals, who manifest demonic possession, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormon’s, Jews, Muslims, and every other group who don’t confess that Jesus is Almighty God. Thank goodness I’m not judge over mankind. Most of them would be eternal toast, based on little more than an accident of birthplace and religious upbringing. Most of them are more righteous than me. Now I know better, and am content to leave eternal judgment to God.
Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. [Jesus] Matthew 12:49
Now I know that all mankind are descended from Israel, and we all qualify for God’s promises on that basis alone, although many will forfeit their inheritance in the pursuit of wickedness. Now I know my brothers are all those who act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God, whatever their religion, because they are the ones “doing the will of my Father in Heaven.” You can find Jesus support for this doctrine in the parable of the good Samaritan. [Luke 10:25-37]
This expanded concept of God’s family might make a difference to our plight during God’s judgment against us, as it will be a time of “brother against brother.” Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh; together they will turn against Judah. [Isaiah 9:21] It looks like Judah is going to be struck first, and judgment against the other tribes follows. So if we show mercy to Judah [the Jews], we can expect mercy from God when it comes our turn to be punished for our sins. I doubt if I could present a cohesive argument from prophesy to support the “Judah first” doctrine, but you could ask God about it, and there is no good in standing by when any of mankind is oppressed in any case. Here are some prophesies you might find relevant regarding brotherhood;
These characteristics identify your brothers in the family of God, none them exclusive to any one religion;
Blessed are the [humble], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. [see Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 57:19]
Blessed are the [humble] for they will inherit the earth. [see Psalm 37]
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. [see Revelation 7:10]
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. [see Psalm 11:7,17:15]
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God. [see Isaiah 32:1,2, Luke 22:29]
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [see Revelation 6:9, 12:11, 14:13, Psalm 116:14,15] Matthew 5:3-10
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:9
How good it is when brothers live in unity!…. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133
Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, and Judah’s enemies will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile towards Ephraim. Isaiah 11:13 [In my opinion, this speaks of God's resolution of the Middle East, Jewish / Muslim conflict.]
How to forfeit your eternal inheritance;
Having examined how we might receive our eternal inheritance, it’s also worth considering how we might irrevocably forfeit our inheritance. In all the bible, there are only three men who we know for certain have irrevocably done this. They are the Rich man [Luke 16:19-31], the human persona of the beast, and the false prophet [Revelation 19:20, 20:10]. Here are some of the characteristics of the beast, and those who follow him, that God finds especially hateful;
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: proud eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness that pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. Proverbs 6:10
We might also consider how men might blaspheme the Holy Spirit, which Jesus says is an eternal and unforgivable sin. The blasphemies of the following prophesies seem to be eternally fatal. Maybe one of these is what Jesus was talking about – or all of them;
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. Isaiah 8:21
Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. Revelation 16:10
If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he too will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. Revelation 14:9
And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind. Isaiah 66:24
To curse God and go into utter darkness seems eternally fatal, and to curse God and refuse to repent seems eternally fatal. If this is what Jesus was talking about, then the common denominator is a refusal to receive God’s rebuke and repent, probably because of pride;
I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it. Amos 6:8 [Meaning Babylon – city of eternal destruction. The smoke from her goes up for ever. Rev 19:3]
The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: I will never forget anything they have done. Amos 8:7
The way Revelation 14:9 reads, anyone who receives the “mark” is doomed to eternal torment, with no chance of forgiveness or escape. So this must be a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, since, according to Jesus, every other kind of sin and blasphemy is forgivable.
The “rebels” of Isaiah 66:24 are probably those of the “boastful” [Daniel 7], “blasphemous” [Rev 13:5] end time beast kingdom...when rebels have become completely wicked… [Dan 8:23]
So, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the spirit of arrogance, pride, stubbornness and rebellion, and THAT is the mark of the beast on your right hand and forehead.. Or maybe it’s something else. Here are some more prophesies resembling the mark of wickedness for you to ponder;
[The idolater] feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” Isaiah 44:20
The tents of the marauders are undisturbed, and those who provoke God are secure – those who carry their God in their hands. Job 12:6 [Also see Malachi 3:15 – evildoers prosper]
Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, and whose right hands are deceitful. Psalm 144:11
On the other hand, the mark of God on our right hand and forehead is to obey God’s Laws and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 6:9, 12:17, 14:12
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts….. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 6:4-8 and 11:18
This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. Exodus 13:9
Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm without fear…. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become the dawn. You will be secure… you will look about you and take your rest in safety. [in God's kingdom] Job 11:13
I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Revelation 14:12
What did Jesus say about our obligation to the Law of Moses?
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?… “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” [Jesus] Matthew 19:16, Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18
“Let [Lazarus] warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets; Let them listen to them… If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” [Jesus] Luke 16:31
Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? [Jesus] Matthew 15:3 [also Mark 7:8]
Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill, and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the Law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should practice the latter, without neglecting the former. [Jesus] Matthew 23:23 [also Luke 11:42]
Go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matt 28:19 The work of God is this: to believe the one he has sent. [Jesus] John 6:29
Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them… until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter… will by any means disappear from the Law… Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,… [Jesus] Matthew 5:17
When I point out these words of Jesus to fellow Christians, they cannot hear. All they hear is that Jesus fulfilled the Law, but refuse to hear their own obligation to obey God’s Laws. Paul says that we are under grace, not Law [Galations 3:25], that Jesus abolished the Law [Ephesians 2:15], and that the Law – the covenant God made with Israel through Moses – is old and obsolete [Hebrews 8:13]. All these claims directly contradict the words of Jesus that I have just pointed out. These are the lies that Christians are happy to believe, rather than the truth that Jesus spoke. The problem is not the errors that Paul and the other apostles made, or even that these errors have been included in the bible. The problem is our rebellious nature;
Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people. Ezekiel 12:2
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. Ezekiel 3:7
Whoever will listen, let him listen, and whoever will refuse, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 3:27
Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong… let him who does right continue to do right… Revelation 22:11
So what about yourself? Do you prefer to adhere to the Christian religion – which is founded largely on the teachings of men, and is about to be destroyed forever by God, along with every other religion? Or would you rather follow Jesus Christ – who fulfilled the requirements of the law, and has asked you to fulfill them also? It’s no use telling yourself that obedience to the law is beyond our capacity to achieve. Moses said it is not too difficult. The bible states that Zechariah and Elizabeth achieved obedience. Jesus himself said that if we love him we will obey his commands;
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. Deuteronomy 30:11
If you love me, you will obey what I command…. [Jesus] John 14:15
And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. Deuteronomy 6:25 [“righteousness” is probably a false translation here – try “uprightness”]
Both of them [Zechariah and Elizabeth] were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. Luke 1:6
This is how Zechariah and Elizabeth, you, and I, can be found upright in the sight of God. By faithfully observing all God’s laws blamelessly. The Christian religion upholds many of God’s laws, but ignores others, considering some of them to be obsolete – on what basis, no one knows. But none of the laws God gave to Israel will ever be obsolete. The following prophesy depicts the return of Jesus Christ, and the continuance of God’s law into the coming kingdom of God;
[The LORD] came with myriads of his holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob. Deuteronomy 33:2
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: “They will all be taught by God.” [Jesus] John 6:44 [also see Isaiah 54:13]
I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. [Psalm 119:44] This means the Law of Moses – listen;
For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
Surely the day is coming, it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them all on fire….. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in it’s wings…. Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. Malachi 4:1-4
So if you revere the Name of the LORD, why would you think the law has been abolished, or made obsolete? Will you stand before Almighty God and say, “But Paul the apostle said you have abolished the law, and all my friends say so too!!” Some of the laws Christians ignore, such as circumcision, and observing God’s Sabbath carry the death sentence. [Sabbath = Saturday, the seventh weekday – Luke 23:56, Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1] At the judgment, supposing you continue in faith and good works within the Christian religion, selectively obeying God’s laws as you have been, you may receive your eternal inheritance, but you must be put to death. God will not permit you to live to see the kingdom of God unless you fully obey the teachings of Jesus;
I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, they will never see death. [Jesus] John 8:51
I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. [Jesus] John 11:25
But I will leave within you the meek and the humble, who trust in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths… The LORD, the King of Israel is with you; never again will you fear any harm. Zephaniah 3:12-15 [The end time survivors.]
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144000 [a remnant of 12000 from each of 12 tribes of Israel – Revelation 7:1-8] who had his name and his Fathers name written on their foreheads…. those who had been redeemed from the earth [as opposed to those redeemed from death / Sheol, where the rest of us will go – temporarily.]. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure [see Ezekiel 13:17-23 – women]. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. Revelation 14:1-5 [The end time survivors.]
The odds of being among these people are slim [about 1 in 45000]. They are the survivors of earths inhabitants who live to enter the kingdom of God, and they are blessed by God [see Daniel 12:12]. If you want to be in this group, then start following Jesus, by keeping the Law, as he did. Those who are slain trusting God are blessed by God as well [see Revelation 14:13], but according to God these deaths are unnecessary if only we would fully obey him [see Ezekiel 18:32 – Repent and live!]. The prophecies say that few will be saved from death.
[see Isaiah 13:12, 24:6, Jeremiah 25:33]. The following words of Jesus describe the lack of faithfulness on earth in the last days, and the link between faithlessness and failure to obey God’s law;
When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? [Jesus] Luke 18:8
At that time many will turn away from the faith…. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…. [Jesus] Matthew 24:10
If you love me, you will obey what I command.… Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me…. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching…. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching…. I do exactly what my Father has commanded me….If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…. You are my friends if you do what I command. [Jesus] John 14:15 to 15:14
Objections to God’s Laws;
Since I began my efforts to turn my fellow Christians back to obedience to all of God’s laws, which is where Christianity started, if you care to look, I have heard many excuses for ignoring God’s word. They are baseless.
There are too many excuses to list them all here, and my arguments against these excuses will be useless if you straight out refuse to obey God’s law. Instead, here are a few examples, so that if you are genuinely concerned about the issue – obedience to God’s law – you can see how to go about challenging your own doctrine. The start point is to genuinely fear God’s judgments and to “tremble at his word.”
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [Jesus] Matthew 10:28
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who; after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. [Jesus] Luke 12:4
The most offensive excuse I’ve heard, is that returning to God’s law would be an abomination, a rejection of the grace of God and the work of Jesus at Calvary. This is nonsense. It is obvious that when we obey God’s laws against idolatry, murder, theft, adultery, lying, and covetousness, we are not rejecting God’s grace by doing so. So in what way is adhering to the lesser laws, such as not wearing a tattoo, or not wearing clothes woven from two kinds of fabric, a rejection of God’s grace? Who decided which laws are worthy and which are not? There is an underlying disrespect of God’s law at work. Don’t expect God to be impressed by our moralization against his commands. You and I are not more righteous than God, that we should despise any of his laws;
All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations – a people who continually provoke me to my very face…. who say, “Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!” Such people are smoke in my nostrils…. Isaiah 65:2-5
Animal Sacrifice;
One item of the Law that Christians reject is animal sacrifice, reasoning that Jesus sacrifice on the cross put an end to any further need for animal sacrifice. But the blood of animals was never needed for reconciliation;
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me... Psalm 40:6
No one comes to the Father except through me. [Jesus] John 14:6
So the blood of animals was always useless for reconciling mankind to God. Only Jesus blood can ever do this. Yet, for whatever reason, God required animal sacrifice by law, and will require animal sacrifice again in the coming Kingdom. When Jesus returns and explains all things, including the purpose of animal sacrifice, we will offer sacrifice gladly. Here is a progression of prophesy – from despising sacrifice, to gladly offering it;
You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense. You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses. Isaiah 43:23
Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. Psalm 50:22
It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of the sanctuary was brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. Daniel 8:11
These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and sprinkling blood upon the alter when it is built: You are to give a young bull as a sin offering…. On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect… you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock…. For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect… from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. [the daily sacrifice] Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 43:18-27
Note:- The words within Ezekiel 43 that identify these offerings as righteous practice in the future kingdom are; “this is where I will live among the Israelites forever” [43:7], and “All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy.” [43:12], which has never been the case in the past, but will be in our future.
I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:12
Forbidden food;
Objections to God’s laws restricting consumption of certain foods are groundless for similar reasons. Jesus said that nothing we eat can make us unclean, so Christians happily believe Mark when he [not Jesus] says;
In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.” Mark 7:19 [also read Matthew 15:10-20 – unclean food]
What Mark said is false. Matthew makes no mention of Jesus revoking God’s laws about unclean food, and Jesus himself specifically said he had not come to abolish the Law, so we should believe him.
Jesus spoke the truth, of course. No kind of food makes a man unclean when he eats it. But then, that has always been the truth, for ever and ever and all time. Yet Almighty God, already knowing this truth, still thought it was a good idea to give us laws on what we can and can’t eat. [Leviticus 11] If you decide, in your wisdom, that Almighty God made a mistake forbidding us certain foods, and therefore you feel justified in ignoring this requirement, because, after all, it makes no sense, you are smoke in God’s nostrils. [Isaiah 65:2-5]
The death sentence;
So if we are to obey all God’s laws, we must put certain kinds of sinners to death, as he commanded – right? No, not at this time. There are examples in the writings of Moses where the death sentence was carried out, but on every occasion, God issued the judgment himself;
It is mine to avenge, I will repay. Deuteronomy 32:35
God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day. Psalm 7:11
The LORD is righteous…. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice…. Zephaniah 3:5
During my life I have broken God’s laws of circumcision, Sabbath keeping, and giving false testimony, all of which are punishable by death. Therefore I am not qualified to execute the death sentence on anyone. Even if I had not broken these laws, I have the example of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all God’s laws completely, but didn’t have to kill anyone to do it. If anyone was entitled to execute the death sentence it was Jesus.
In the future, during the judgment to come, Jesus will indeed put all evildoers to death, and if he should ask you for help swinging the sword of vengeance, then you must help. [see Judges 5:23] In the meantime, understand that the death sentence is a valid and current law of God. So point an imaginary loaded gun at your own head whenever you consider breaking God’s law, and pull the imaginary trigger if you do break God’s law.
The judgment to come;
What are your expectations of the judgment to come? Do you think you will escape God’s justice? If you pay too much attention to Paul’s teaching, you might well believe so;
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1
This is nonsense. Don’t put your trust in this teaching. “The Spirit of life” is Almighty God. “The Law of the Spirit of life” is the laws and decrees he gave to Moses at Mount Horeb for all Israel. If you obey these laws you will live. If you disobey or ignore these laws you will die. [see Ezekiel 18];
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are disobedient, and if you are drawn away to to bow down to other gods [our false religions] and worship them, I declare to you today that you will certainly be destroyed. Deuteronomy 30:15-18
God’s judgment against the Saints;
So if you are a Christian, and believe you will escape God’s wrath because all your sins are covered over by the blood of Jesus so that God can’t see them – think again. Jesus said over and over that we must obey the Law of Moses, but we have preferred to listen to Paul [the teachings of men] rather than obey Jesus. We are all about to be destroyed for our failure to obey God’s laws. The following sequence of prophesy tell this story;
Woe to them that sin, and keep not my commandments! says the LORD. I will not spare them: go your way, you children, from the power, defile not my sanctuary. For the LORD knows all them that sin against him, and therefore delivers them unto death and destruction. For now are the plagues come upon the whole earth, and you shall remain in them, for God shall not deliver you. 2 Esdras 15:24
These people come near me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. Isaiah 29:13,14
The earth is defiled by it’s people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; it’s people must bear their guilt. Therefore earths inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. Isaiah 24:5
Note:- this is a covenant God only ever made with Israel – see Psalm 147:19 – yet all of mankind will be judged by it, because we are all descended from Israel.
By warfare and exile you contend with her – with his fierce blast he drives her out, as on a day the east wind blows. By this then will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruitage of the removal of his sin. Isaiah 27:8
So the destruction of mankind is not a useless exercise – it will remove our sin and pave the way for the resurrection and God’s eternal kingdom. It would be an unnecessary exercise if only we would obey God’s commandments as Jesus instructed, but we are Israelites – steeped in rebellion. [see Ezekiel 2 and 3]
The forlorn hope;
The doctrine called “pre-tribulation rapture” tells of how faithful Christians will be caught up to God in heaven, before God pours out his wrath on the rest of mankind – all those who have failed to believe in Jesus. After our failure to obey Jesus commands, I consider this to be one of the most shameful of Christian doctrines, not least because I once happily believed this myself. But mostly, because there is absolutely no support for this doctrine from prophesy, or even from the teachings of the apostles. The whole doctrine is an invention, that we have believed simply by the power of suggestion, and because we don’t accept that God finds fault with us.
The primary scripture used to support this doctrine is Matthew 24:36-41 [also see Luke 17:26-37]. The idea is that the righteous are “taken” to heaven. But actually, it is the wicked who are taken by death;
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man…… the day Noah entered the Ark… the flood came and took them all away….. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Matthew 24:37-41
This is the best support the doctrine has. It is like a house of cards that will fall over when the first wind blows. There are numerous references in prophesy about the destruction of the saints. Here are the more obvious;
I will draw my sword from it’s scabbard and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. Then all people will know that I the LORD have drawn my sword from it’s scabbard;it will not return again….. Every heart will melt and every hand go limp, every spirit will become faint and every knee become as weak as water. It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 21:3-7
[The beast] was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. Revelation 13:7
[The boastful king] will speak against the Most High and oppress the saints… The saints will be handed over to him…. Daniel 7:25
He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. Daniel 8:24
In fierce anger he has cut off every horn of Israel. He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy. Lamentations 2:3
Then the LORD said to me: Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! And if they ask you, “Where shall we go?” Tell them,“This is what the LORD says: Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.” Jeremiah 15:1
If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints Revelation 13:10
Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. [Jesus] Matthew 24:9 [also see Mark 13:12,13, Luke 21:12-18]
They will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king. Hosea 8:10
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. Revelation 6:9
The righteous perish… the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. Isaiah 57:1
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Revelation 14:13
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
When the power of the holy people has finally been broken, all these things will be completed. Dan 12:7
Help LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men…. “I will now arise,” says the LORD. Psalm 12:1-5
The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. He will say: “Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in… [our false religions] See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life… Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and his people. Deuteronomy 32:36-43
Amen