Saved by Faith, or by Works?

‘Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, STRIVE to enter in at the strait gate: for MANY, I say unto you, WILL SEEK to enter in, and shall not be able.’  (Luke 13:23-24)

Notice Jesus doesn’t just say ‘many won’t enter in’.  Instead, He says ‘many will SEEK to enter in but won’t be able’.  These are not just worldly, indifferent people–they are people who WANT to enter into Heaven.  What is the difference between those who seek to enter in but can’t, and those who strive to enter in and are able?

‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY*.’  (Matthew 7:21-23)

According to Strong’s, those who ‘work iniquity’ are those who do ‘anomia’

iniquity = anomia (G458)

1) the condition of without law

..a) because ignorant of it

..b) because of violating it

2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness

 

This passage separates between those who DO the will of the Father, and those who don’t–and further clarifies it as those who live by His law vs. those who don’t.

Now, we know that as Christians we are not bound to the Mosaic Law.  But we ARE expected to follow the Ten Commandments (and the four restrictions in Acts 15:20).

‘ . . . but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.’  (Jesus, Matt. 19:17)

According to Matt. 7:21-23, the difference between eternal life and damnation is whether or not you follow God’s Commandments.  NO, we do not OBTAIN salvation by following the Commandments, or any other thing that we might do.  There is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross.  But when we become Christians we enter into a blood covenant with God, and our part is to do His will.  If we aren’t doing His Will, then we aren’t ‘abiding’ in Him.  If we aren’t doing His will, then we are walking in the flesh.  Christianity today is misrepresented as a free bus ticket: we say a ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ and then get a free ride.  But that’s never what God intended.  His will is to have

‘ . . .  a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:’  (1 Peter 2:9)

When God made the first covenant (the ‘Old’ covenant) with the people of Israel, Moses gave the people The Law

‘And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.’  (Exodus 24:3)

Then a blood sacrifice was made, to seal the covenant.

We are heirs to a better covenant.

‘But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.’  (Jer. 31:33)

Not only does He write His law in our hearts, He gives us His Holy Spirit, to will and to perform it.  This covenant was sealed by the blood of Jesus.

In return for being redeemed from the bondage of sin and judgment, we are to yield ourselves as living sacrifices to Him.

‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’  (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.’  (Romans 12:1)

To simplify it,

‘Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’  (Matt. 22:37-40)

And how do we find the love to fulfill these two commandments?  We walk in the Spirit, and not in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is the love of God, living in us, and flowing through us. The Holy Spirit will work in our heart to desire to do, and to perform the will of God.  The Holy Spirit will not lead us into sin.  The Holy Spirit will keep us on the path.

‘Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;’  (Titus 2:12)

The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the Word of God, to change us from the inside out.

‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’  (Romans 12:2)

‘ . . . Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.’  (Ephesians 5:26-27)

How do we walk in the Spirit? We say ‘no’ to worldly lusts and ungodly temptations, thereby ‘crucifying the flesh’–because if we are walking in the flesh, we are not walking in the Spirit.  And we pray and read the Word of God . . . and then we live what we learn.

‘For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.’  (Matt. 11:30)

His yoke is easy, and His burden is light–but we must CHOOSE to walk on the narrow path.  We must STRIVE to enter in.  That striving is not a ‘work’ . . . it is our flesh and our will we strive with.  But if we say no to the flesh and yield ourselves to Him, His Spirit will lead us into all righteousness.

‘Teach me to do thy will; for thou [art] my God: thy spirit [is] good; lead me into the land of uprightness.’  (Psalm 143:10)

There is much confusion about ‘works’, but  here’s what the Bible says, in a nutshell:

‘For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.’  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

‘Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.’  (Galatians 2:16)

But

‘What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? . . . faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone . . . I will shew thee my faith by my works.’  (James 2:14, 17, 18)

‘But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.‘  (James 2:20-24)

Saving faith produces ‘works’ in keeping with that faith–and that is God’s will for us.

‘Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.’  (Titus 2:14)

‘And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works’  (Hebrews 10:24)

‘That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.’  (2 Timothy 3:17)

‘[This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.’  (Titus 3:8)

‘For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’  (Ephesians 2:10)

Who are the ‘saints’?

‘ . . . they that keep the commandments of God, AND the faith of Jesus.’  (Rev. 14:12)

There really is no contradiction at all, except in the minds of those who don’t consider the full counsel of the Word of God.

The Gift That Costs You Everything

The Once Saved Always Saved doctrine is a deception–a very dangerous one. So is the ‘seeker-friendly’ movement. Jesus said to count the cost before making a commitment. How much more, before entering into a blood covenant! (Yes, HIS blood seals the deal when you accept his gift of salvation.)

‘For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.’ (2 Peter 2:20-21)

You are not doing anyone a favor by soft selling them the gospel. A person needs to know what they are getting into, before they commit to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

‘When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.’ (Deut. 23:21)

‘If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.’ (Num. 30:2)

‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for [he hath] no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better [is it] that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5)

God is not a ‘friend with benefits’. Becoming a Christian is a COVENANT . . . like marriage. Today’s ‘Christianity’ is more like ‘shacking up’ with God.

‘And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.’ (Luke 14:25-33)

(Jesus wasn’t interested in having a large number of half-hearted followers . . . He wanted followers that were FULLY COMMITTED, however few that might be.  This is quite the reverse of the seeker-friendly paradigm of modern ‘Christianity’.)

It’s true that it costs you nothing but faith to enter this covenant–Jesus paid for the wedding–but staying married to Him will cost you your life. Are you putting a stumbling block in front of others by promising them a one-sided gospel, where all they have to do is receive?

A Verse That Stumbles?

I’ll admit, as the Lord revealed to me that His name is Jehovah, there was ONE verse that stumbled me.  So I sought the Lord in prayer, for understanding.  This is what He revealed to me.

(First, we must remember that although the KJV translates YHVH (Yehovah) as sometimes Jehovah, and other times LORD or GOD, if we were reading the Hebrew text, it would say Yehovah (Jehovah) in ALL of these places.  When a person, or angel, or God Himself said ‘Jehovah, GOD, or LORD’, the Hebrew listener would have heard ‘Yehovah’.  In order to remind us of that, I’m going to insert the Hebrew name in parentheses after the translated name, in the verses that follow).

Here is the problem verse:

‘And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.’  (Exodus 6:3)

Because it appears to contradict by this verse:

‘And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of the LORD (Yehovah) it shall be seen.’  (Genesis 22:14)

How could Abraham have named a place after Jehovah/God if he did not know His name was Jehovah (Yehovah)?  This type of ‘knowing’ must not be what was meant.  Is there another type of knowing?  Yes.  There is a knowing by revelation . . . by EXPERIENCE.

God uses many variations of His name to express different aspects of His character.  All of these names are fulfilled in the relationship of Jesus Christ to man.  They foreshadowed and pointed the way to what Jesus Christ would do.  We do not know EXACTLY what the meaning of ‘Jehovah’ is.  But the Bible gives us a few clues:

• The Hebrew Word ‘hovah’ HVH means: ruin, disaster.

The name Je hovah (Ye hovah) ends with this.  But what could the Je/Ye part of His name mean?  I believe the answer is to be found in the very same passage as the verse that stumbled me . . .

‘And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them . . .

. . . And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD (Yehovah), and I will BRING YOU OUT from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will RID YOU OUT OF their BONDAGE, and I will REDEEM you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD (Yehovah) your God (Elohiym), which BRINGETH YOU OUT from under the burdens of the Egyptians.’  (Ex 6:3-7)

So, here we have it:

I am Jehovah . . . I will bring you out . . . rid you of bondage . . . and redeem you.  I am Jehovah which brings you out of bondage.

This is how God defines His name.  Bring out of, rid of, redeem from . . .what word encompasses all these definitions?  Deliver.

I am Jehovah . . . I will deliver you . . . deliver you . . . and deliver you.  I am Jehovah which delivers you.

And indeed, this ties back to the verse that was apparently a contradiction:

‘And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of the LORD (Yehovah) it shall be seen.’  (Genesis 22:14)

What happened there that caused Abraham to build an altar called Jehovahjireh?

‘And they came to the place which God (Elohiym) had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

And the angel of the LORD (Yehovah) called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God (Elohiym), seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind [him] a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of the LORD (Yehovah) it shall be seen.’  (Gen. 22:9-14)

Jehovahjireh . . . In the mount of the Lord, IT SHALL BE SEEN.  Je (deliverance from) hovah (ruin) shall be seen.

And this passage is a perfect illustration and confirmation of how God delivers!  Here on mount Moriah He delivered Isaac from ruin and destruction, while providing a foreshadowing of how Jesus would deliver US from ETERNAL ruin and destruction.  Some even say that Mount Moriah was the same mount where Jesus was crucified.  If this is true, it provides another motive for obscuring the name of God: to remove any connection between deliverance and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Back to the original verse and its meaning:

‘And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.’  (Exodus 6:3)

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew (EXPERIENCED) God as ‘El Shaddai’ (which the concordance defines as: Almighty; most powerful).  But they had not known Him as their deliverer.  This verse was spoken to Moses just before He delivered them from Egypt.  They would now know (EXPERIENCE) firsthand, His deliverance.

‘For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:  For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.’  (Romans 11:25-27)

 

Please note: this author does NOT in any way acknowledge, support, or condone the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Why Call Him Jehovah?

For those of you who are confused about this ‘correct name of God’ stuff, and have doubts about whether God’s name is Jehovah, because of lies put forth by deceivers . . . this should confirm, once and for all, that His name IS Jehovah . . .

Surely there exists concrete archeological evidence of the different kings whose names began with ‘Jeho’ and had meanings such as ‘Jehovah is exalted’.

Or Joseph . . . is there any question that one of the sons of Jacob/Israel was named Joseph?
What is his name in Hebrew? Yĕhowceph
Translation: ‘Jehovah has added’.

Jonathan, son of King Saul:
Hebrew: Yĕhownathan
Translation: ‘Jehovah has given’.

Jehoiakim, the third from the last king of Judah:
Hebrew: Yĕhowyaqiym
Translation: ‘Jehovah raises up’

ETC. These are just a few of the names in the Bible based on a reference to God. They confirm, at least, that the first four letters of God’s name (in Hebrew) are ‘Yeho’ (YH) . . . in English, ‘Jeho’.

This ‘Sacred Names’ stuff is NOT a movement within Christianity. It is an infiltration OF Christianity BY witchcraft.

Here are a couple of very recent, good videos on this subject.  This heresy is spreading rapidly and we need to know how to correctly respond.

Part 1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=64Obvv12jjw

Part 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1NjEEitHvg

Please note: this author does NOT in any way acknowledge, support, or condone the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Who In The World Are You Talking About?

God’s name is not ‘Yahweh’!  You are being led astray!!

‘And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of the LORD [Yehovah] it shall be seen.’  (Genesis 22:14)

‘And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.’  (Exodus 6:3)

‘Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD [Yehovah], and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.’  (Judges 6:24)

‘That [men] may know that thou, whose name alone [is] JEHOVAH, [art] the most high over all the earth.’  (Psalms 83:18)

‘Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation.’  (Isaiah 12:2)

‘Trust ye in the LORD [Yehovah] for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH [is] everlasting strength’  (Isaiah 26:4)

‘[It was] round about eighteen thousand [measures]: and the name of the city from [that] day [shall be], The LORD [is] there [Yehovah shammah] (Ezekiel 48:35)

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Every place in your KJV Bible that you see LORD, or GOD, (in all caps) it is the Hebrew name Yehovah, which in English is pronounced ‘Jehovah’.  You will find this name 6,519 times in your Bible!  A variation (Yehovih) is found 305 times.

(Strong’s = H3068)  Yehovah

Jehovah = “the existing One”

1) the proper name of the one true God

 

(Strong’s = H3069)  Yehovih

1) Jehovah – used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’

 

(Strong’s = H3070)  Yĕhovah yireh

Jehovah-jireh = “Jehovah sees”

1) symbolic name given by Abraham to Mount Moriah in commemoration of the interposition of the angel of Jehovah who prevented the sacrifice of Isaac and provided a substitute

 

(Strong’s = H3071)  Yĕhovah nicciy

Jehovah-nissi = “Jehovah is my banner”

1) the name given by Moses to the altar which he built in commemoration of the discomfiture of the Amalekites

 

(Strong’s = H3072)  Yĕhovah tsidqenuw

Jehovah is our righteousness

1) a sacred name symbolically applied to Jerusalem and the Messiah

 

(Strongs = H3073)  Yĕhavah shalowm

Jehovah-shalom = “Jehovah is peace”

1) the name of a sacred altar built by Gideon in Ophrah

 

(Strongs = H3074)  Yĕhovah shammah

Jehovah-shammah = “Jehovah is there”

1) a symbolic name for Jerusalem

 

The next 19 words in Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (H3075-H3093) are all names of people that are inclusive of God’s name (such as: Joseph = “Jehovah has added”)

 

‘Yahweh’ is not in your Bible once. Don’t believe me?  Check it out for yourself.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/lexiconc.cfm?Criteria=God&st=any

http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/lexiconc.cfm?Criteria=Lord&st=any

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I strongly suspect ‘Yahweh’ is just another name for the moon God that was worshiped in the land of Canaan (and now goes by the name ‘Allah’ among the Muslims).  Lucifer has MANY names.  Even one he wants Christians to call him: Yahweh.

Lucifer is all about precision in form and ritual (think witch’s potions, incantations, specific dates and times, etc.).  Jehovah wants men to call on Him in spirit and in truth.  He can discern our hearts.  He knows when we are calling out to Him, even if we WERE to get His name wrong.  Don’t get caught up in the false, fear-based, ‘sacred names’ movement.

Celebration in the Midst of Darkness

If I understand Bible prophecy right, there is a fantastic event coming, even in the midst of the darkest hour the world has ever, or will ever, endure.  No, it’s not the Rapture . . . it will happen before that.  It is an event that no one talks about, that I believe has been hidden from our understanding–hidden in plain sight, for all the prophets talk of it.  That event is the revealing of the identities of those who are descended from the ‘missing’ ten tribes of Israel.

‘Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people, [there] it shall be said unto them, [Ye are] the sons of the living God.  Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great [shall be] the day of Jezreel.‘  (Hosea 1:10-11)

Long ago, God divorced the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom, also known as ‘Israel’ (the Southern Kingdom was known as Judah–today’s ‘Jews’).  The prophecies of Hosea tell of the day when God forgives Israel and brings her back to Himself.

‘For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and [without] teraphim:  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.’  (Hosea 3:4-5)

Prior to that day (and on the horizon now) is the day that the eyes of the Jews will be opened:

‘And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.’  (Zech. 12:9-10)

‘In that day’ is referring to the time of the Psalms 83 war, when the enemies of the modern day nation of ‘Israel’ will make war against her and take her land.  Although they will at first prevail against her, God is going to somehow, supernaturally, intervene and turn things around.

‘Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah [and] against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.‘  (Zech. 12:2-4)

‘But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.‘  (Hosea 1:7)

Then ‘Israel’ will actually have her borders enlarged!

‘In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, [even] in Jerusalem.’  (Zech. 12:6)

All this is in preparation for the day of ‘Jezreel’.  This will be an event of momentous importance–so much so that God named a place in the Promised Land, in anticipation of that future day . . .a day that many of us will live to see, and some may even be a part of!

‘Jezreel’ means ‘God sows’.  What does God sow?

‘ . . . and they shall hear Jezreel.  And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to [them which were] not my people, Thou [art] my people; and they shall say, [Thou art] my God.’  (Hosea 2:22-23)

First Israel, where she lives now, will be punished, purged, and cleansed.  Then the remnant will be returned to the Promised Land.  ‘Jezreel’ will be a day of great rejoicing!  It is the day of forgiveness and restoration . . . of the remarriage of Israel to Jehovah God!!

‘And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.’  (Hosea 2:19-20)

‘For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all  countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.‘ (Ezek. 36:24-28)

I believe this complete, reunited Israel is the ‘woman’ spoken of in Revelation 12:6 and 14 . . .

‘And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days. . . And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.’

”Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. . .

 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and [with] the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.’* (Hosea 2:14-16, 18) 

*Compare this to Ezekiel 34:25 and 28 . . .

‘And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods . . . And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make [them] afraid.’

Read the following passages for context, to confirm that they’re related and that this understanding is correct: Hosea 1-3, Ezekiel 34 (and 36-37), and Jeremiah 23:1-8.  They all foretell this grand event! I’ve only hit the highlights of what’s contained in these passages.

Let us stop living in fear of what The Antichrist is going to try to do to us, and know that God has a wonderful plan in store!  Even in a time of gross darkness, there will be light and rejoicing, provision and protection for His children.

‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.’ (Psalm 23:4-5)

‘And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.’  (Rev. 12:14-16)

Let us live with abandon, and put our faith completely in Him.

‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.‘  (Rev. 12:11)

‘If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’  (Daniel 3:17-18)

Faith is the oil for your lamp.  If you hope to be one of the ‘wise virgins’, you must build your faith NOW, by reading His Word.

‘So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’  (Romans 10:17)

I cannot impart my faith to you–not now, not later.  Only the Holy Spirit can fill you with faith, and that comes by prayer and reading His Word.  Don’t neglect these things now, while you still have time.

It is also through the Word that we are taught how to walk in righteousness, and our minds are cleansed and renewed.  You cannot walk in the Spirit without prayer and reading your Bible.  If you are not walking in the Spirit, then you are walking in the flesh.  When you walk in the flesh, you don’t grow spiritually or bear spiritual fruit.  You are also choosing a very dangerous path–especially in these days of great deception.

You must walk IN THE SPIRIT for the promise of ‘no condemnation’ to apply to you:

‘[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’  (Romans 8:1)

If we hope to be part of the remnant, then we must ‘walk worthy’ NOW.

‘For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. . . ‘  (2 Chronicles 16:9)

‘Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.’  (Luke 21:36)

The exodus from Israel was a foreshadowing of what is soon to happen.  There is a great and exciting event on the horizon!  Let the hope of this day encourage you through the trials, testings, and persecution that are to come.  Never give up hope.

‘Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;  But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.’  (Jeremiah 23:5-8)

(What I’ve learned and shared with you today is further confirmation, for me, of what I wrote some time ago: Worthy to Escape