For
"average Joe's" from an "average Joe"
Expiration date bulletin: Check your Bible [the Word of Yahweh--
--this is HIS HEBREW
NAME]--for an expiration date. If there is a time when the
Scriptures will have outlived their usefulness, then it should say: expiration
date-- 1 day past eternity. If after careful searching you conclude there is not
one, couldn't that BE an indication that the Scriptures, the Word of Yahweh
Our Creator and the commands contained within it, are still in effect; still in
force; still useful and will remain forever?
So what's the point? Exactly this: Everything else in our American society
today seems to have one of one kind or another: an expiration date. We have
fallen victim to our own invention coined as "the American
dream"--that our children would have it better than we had it growing up.
It's BEEN
a reality of American life since our inception in 1776. Like, "watch what
you pray for". So, what's wrong with that? Well, you've heard that saying
"he ain't half the man his daddy was".
IT'S A REALITY! I know for a fact that I'm
not half the man my dad was. He wasn't half the man his daddy was. His daddy
wasn't half the man his daddy was on back--so on and so on. Cut to the chase?
The very things that made our fathers, and their fathers before them the
men that they were, shaped their character, and made them great men to be looked
up to and respected were the HARDSHIPS
that they endured. Our generation doesn't know what hardship is--not EVEN the faintest clue.
The end result: a total lack of character: It's getting worse with each new
generation.
As a child I used to watch old TV
programs--The Three Stooges--The Little Rascals--Shirley Temple. There was a
song, a catchy song, I remember hearing called, "Let me Entertain
you", written by Stephen Sonheim. It goes like this: "Let me entertain
you. Let me make you smile. Let me do a few tricks, some old, and some new
tricks. I'm very versatile. (2nd verse started like this) And if you’re real
good, I'll make you feel good. I want your spirits to climb. So let me entertain
you, and we'll have a real good time, yes sir. We'll have a real good time"
The end. Catchy huh! (I'll bet satan thought it was catchy too--I'd also bet
that he and his cohorts sing it to themselves every day--right here in America--sorta
like "whistle while you work"--you KNOW they’ve gotta be
singin’ that one too!)
"Let me entertain you" It is
the marketing scheme of our times. It has become the driving force behind our
economic system: Capitalism. We are bored so easily, that no matter how many new
toys or trinkets; bass boats; cars; SUV's; 4WD pickups; video games; reality
shows; new movie releases; new music CD releases; drunken nights on the town;
wild sexual escapades; divorces and marriages; new jobs; or new careers that we
indulge ourselves in...There still comes a time when something that WAS useful, meaningful,
important, or essential to our lives BECOMES TRIVIAL; taking a backseat to the NEW; the FLASHY; the HOT; the "that's so
cool"; or maybe just plain ole' MORE ENTERTAINING. They are phased out by new
technology; new ideas; the latest craze; something faster; handier; prettier,
sexier; more attractive; more appealing. Like a hit song on the radio, they take
a dive from being at the top of the charts--radically and fanatically accepted
in our lives--"Oh look, baby's so proud of his new toy"--to a sudden
crash to the bottom of the charts--being discarded overnight--becoming
unpopular; unacceptable; "old hat". It's a crazy if you DON'T entertain me you AIN'T my friend world in
which we live...HERE, In America.
To demonstrate the ongoing trend, we have
the invention of the Bic pen and the Bic lighter.
They knew what Americans wanted and shaped their marketing around it-- a
stated fact: that we ARE the "Bic throw
away" generation. We have cast aside our values; our morals; our
principles. In the process, while we've been so busy entertaining ourselves we
have forgotten who at least we THOUGHT we were, when that flag was first raised--the Stars and
Stripes. We have regressed into a nation of people who hold nothing dear;
nothing sacred; and because of that we POSSES NOTHING of any TRUE value. The one
prevailing truth in our society is that ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING is for sale,
including our bodies, our hearts, and our minds.
Have you heard the term OCD? It's a term
used to diagnose a mental condition. While Psychiatrists and Psychologists
strive to cope with a growing epidemic of mental illness in the good 'ole U. S.
of A., they fail to see how hopeless their attempts are. Why? Because, quite
simply...
MENTAL ILLNESS...? WE ALL HAVE IT. ALL OF US--AS A NATION!
We are EXCESSIVELY,
COMPULSIVELY pushing capitalism upon the world in the name of
freedom to FEED
our lust and our need for MORE and MORE. While ignoring the overwhelming evidence RIGHT HERE
in our own society, that like so many of the drugs we manufacture to treat
diseases and illnesses, there is a SIDE EFFECT--a force that is NOW DRIVING Capitalism...SLOWLY killing us...DESTROYING
our nation... Eating away, like a cancer at the very fabric, heart, and essence
of our society.
There was a time when people of other
nations looked up to us, respected us, and envied us as a safe haven for truth
and freedom. Compared to the other nations of the world at that time, we were a
bright and shining light. We are NOW a nation most hated and despised; and much
like a spoiled, arrogant child, we parade our antics and our attitude-- proud of
our shameful behavior. We are an, uncouth; undisciplined people...And ALL THE WORLD KNOWS IT.
So, where did we go wrong? What changed?
So WHERE DID we go wrong? Folks, we STARTED OUT
wrong! What I am trying to say is this: REBELLION...REBELLION...REBELLION!
To fully understand what WE HAVE BECOME, and WHY WE ARE steadily spiraling down,
down, down, to an apparent and obvious disintegration of our nation, we MUST FACE A TRUTH
that most Americans do not want to hear...Would probably become violently angry
if indeed they heard it. Even your staunchest "church" goers will
cringe and deny the truth of the roots, and foundation of our nation. I KNOW...I've tried talking
to them. Our nation was founded upon REBELLION. From the BEGINNING,
while our founding fathers believed themselves to be bible believing men
fighting for our freedom, there was a dark cloud hanging over our land. REBELLION!
Romans 13:1-2 KJV--"Let every
soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but
from Yahweh. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power,
resisteth
the ordinance of Yahweh: and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation".
We STARTED OUT under a curse...The curse of
disobedience to Yahweh
Our Creator--from the “git go”...“Damnation”.
Please note the following historical fact:
In the land of Yisra'el after the death of king Solomon, there was a
rebellion resulting in the formation of the House of Yisra'el separate from the
tribes of Yahudah (Judah, Benjamin, and Lewi (Levi). They BEGAN
in rebellion and they CONTINUED in rebellion until they were a nation NO MORE, and were scattered
among the nations of the earth. There is a land of Yisra'el today, but those
tribes ARE NOT THERE--at
least not yet. Are we any better than they? Are we smarter? Do we know
some secret “spell” or “incantation” that WILL INSURE
the same thing will not happen to us?
What is rebellion? According to Scripture...
I Sam 15:23 KJV--"For rebellion is as
the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh,
he hath also rejected thee from being king."
Simply put--in "Average Joe's"
terms--rebellion is the REFUSAL to ACCEPT the authority of those in power over you. The
REFUSAL TO OBEY
their commands. The conclusive decision that no matter what it takes to remove
their authority from over you and over your life, THAT IS INDEED
what you WILL DO.
That's what a revolution IS: A REBELLION. The American revolution WAS A REBELLION.
It is not and never has been something grand and glorious. Men fight and
kill each other to be free from authority and then set up new governments and
start the cycle all over again.
Who is it that we are really rebelling
against? What authority are we really trying to get rid of? Our founding
fathers, while PROFESSING TO BELIEVE the Scriptures, did exactly as it IS our sinful nature to do.
They, as many STILL DO
today, practiced the doctrine of "Pick and Choose". Whereby you PICK what you BELIEVE and what you don't BELIEVE, and you CHOOSE what you WILL OBEY and
what you WILL NOT OBEY.
This IS REBELLION
of the HEART.
It is the sinful nature’s way of usurping the authority of Yahweh
Our Creator and our Messiah Yahshua,
this IS HIS HEBREW
NAME...Effectively twisting the Scriptures to WHAT IS acceptable TO US at the time, and
making the commands--Torah (Law)-- of the Scriptures "relevant"...A
common euphemism used by today's humanistic thinking to simply state that there IS NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
The truth is therefore “relevant”...The definition of what IS truth changing like a
chameleon at our each and every whim, to each applicable situation, and to suite
our own personal taste, fancy and desire. It makes US god over Our Creator, Yahweh! Who else was it that wanted to do that? Could
his name be lucifer?
The mindset--infectious mental
illness--that is plaguing our society in America today, began at the very
beginning. We started off wrong. It shouldn't surprise us that things have
gotten worse. We WERE BORN of rebellion. We as a nation have never confessed it;
nor asked forgiveness for it. We are in ignorant bliss of the cold hard fact
that, as far as the glorious beginnings of our nation go, WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO.
Our forefathers, who followed their fleshly minds, blindly rejected the
authority of those over them, and ultimately the authority of Yahweh and His Messiah Yahshua.
In the old days if you had a rebellious child...You beat that rebellion out of
him...AND THAT
for his own good. BEFORE
you read this you could say you didn't KNOW THE TRUTH; had never really thought
about it before. But now, YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO Yahweh Our
Creator--YOU KNOW.
What will you do? Close the eyes and ears of your heart and blindly blunder
along AS IF
it's no big deal and Yahweh
has forgotten. I wouldn't bet on it. I wouldn't bet the future of this great
nation on it. But, that's exactly what WE ARE doing. Every great nation or empire
throughout history that has failed to obey Our Creator Yahweh
has gone through this SAME CYCLE that we are going through...When lawlessness and
immorality became rampant in the land, THE NATION as a result of its weakened
condition FELL!
How could our forefathers have been so
blind? Simple…When you DISAVOW one part of the Word of Yahweh, IGNORING HIS COMMANDS
by practicing the doctrine of "Pick and Choose", IT SPIRITUALLY BLINDS YOU
to other parts of His Word. It brings you under His curse. It--“the curse”--
traveled here like a tick upon the backs of our forefathers, ever growing and
sucking the life's blood out of our nation. This TICK is an ERROR in our understanding
of the Scriptures. The result was WE WERE TAUGHT, and CAME TO BELIEVE,
and TEACH OTHERS,
that "jesus did away with the law...“jesus fulfilled the law".
This is the error with which satan has
misled us all.
This IS the curse that BLINDED US
to Romans 13:1-2. The Torah (law) of Our Creator Yahweh DID NOT END
with the introduction of the New Covenant (New Testament). IF WE ARE BELIEVERS
in Messiah Yahshua,
then the TORAH (Law) IS BEING WRITTEN UPON OUR HEARTS...
Jeremiah 31:31-33--"Behold,
the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of
Israel, and with the house of Judah (Yahudah). Not according to the
covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand
to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I
was an husband unto them, saith Yahweh."
“For this is the covenant I
shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, declares (Yahweh) יהוה: I shall put My Torah
in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim,
and they shall be My people.
What is this error?
It is a twisted, perverted attempt to define "TO FULFILL".
The text at Matthew 5:17-19 KJV says...
"Think
not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you,
Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled." (Now pay close attention to this next verse--put it in context with what He
just said in verses 17 & 18) "Whosoever
therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but WHOSOEVER SHALL DO AND
TEACH THEM, THE SAME SHALL BE CALLED GREAT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." (CAPS are mine)
Now, compare the verse above with this
rather obscure and neglected verse of Scripture...
Luk 16:17--“And
it is easier for the heaven and the earth to
pass away
than for one tittle of
the Torah to fall."
To “fulfill” DOES NOT MEAN END.
It means TO COMPLETE--
SUPPLY THAT which IS LACKING. What was lacking? (1.) The TORAH
(law) BEING WRITTEN
UPON THE HEARTS OF MEN. (2.) A means TO TRULY REMOVE SIN.
So what is the difference between the Old covenant and the New covenant? ANSWER: (1.) The TORAH
BEING WRITTEN UPON THE HEARTS OF MEN.
(2.) A CHANGE OF
PRIESTHOOD. Yahshua
(Messiah) became our high priest. It's THE SAME CONTRACT, only amended and that FOR OUR BENEFIT.
To put it in an "average Joes" language...For all practical purposes
the NEW PART
of the new covenant MEANS "new, and improved"...New because IT HAS BEEN IMPROVED... BUT ONLY
if we walk in His commands--Torah (Law).
Revelation 22:11-14--"He who does wrong, let him do more
wrong; he who is filthy, let him be more filthy; he who is righteous, let him be
more righteous; he who is set-apart, let him be more set-apart. And see, I am coming
speedily; and My reward is with Me, to give each according to his work.
I am the 'Aleph and the 'Taw, the Beginning and the End, The First and the Last.
BLESSED ARE THOSE
DOING HIS COMMANDS, so
that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through
the gates into the city." (CAPS are mine)
Aren't we saved by grace; and that
through faith? Yes, WE ARE saved by unmerited favor (grace), and that through emuna
(faith). Emuna means TRUST--GROUNDED--OBEDIENCE
(faith). A simple way to look at this and understand it is: BECAUSE WE TRUST—THEREFORE—OBEY.
We are CALLED TO BE the spotless Bride of
the Messiah Yahshua. It is ETERNALLY IMPORTANT
that we LEARN
that the Bride of Messiah MUST TRUST her Husband in all that He asks or commands and DEMONSTRATE
that very trust THROUGH OBEDIENCE and faithfulness.
But, I thought Yahshua
Messiah only commanded us to love Our Creator Yahweh and to love each other? Yes,
that IS
TRUE. When He said this He
was referring to the two "great commandments"
that the religious leaders of Yisra'el had slyly asked him about attempting to
ensnare him. (Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18)
He was teaching TORAH (Law)
Folks! Every time that Yahshua
Messiah, Shaul (Paul), Kepha (Peter), Yahcanon (John), or Ya'acob (James) made
statements in the New Covenant (New Testament) Scriptures, where they are
quoting Old Covenant (Old Testament) Scriptures, THEY ARE QUOTING THE TORAH (Law) or THE PROPHETS...OR THE PSALMS…EVERY TIME!
Let's look at the text in Matthew 22:36-40 KJV...
"Master,
which is the great commandment in the law? Yahshua said unto him, Thou shalt
love Yahweh thy Elohim 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 neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
So, what does "hang" mean?
What's this “love” stuff?
It means, that the true INTENT, SPIRIT,
and PURPOSE
of the Torah (Law),
in its completeness, is contained in these two "great commandments".
The Ten commandments given to Mosheh (Moses) is the outline from which
all the Torah was expanded and expounded upon by Yahweh Our
Creator in the Scriptures. The prevailing message given to us in the Scriptures,
from the front cover to the back cover, is LOVE...Yahweh's LOVE FOR US. The problem IS THIS: We don't really have
a clue in our society today what love, LOVE in its purest form, really IS.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7--"Love is
patient, is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not puffed up,
does not behave indecently, does not seek its own, is not provoked, reckons not
the evil, does not rejoice over the unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth,
it covers all, believes all, expects all, endures all."
This is the kind of love we are to have
for Yahweh and our fellow man.
This is the love spoken of in the great
commandments. It SHOULD CAUSE US
to joyously jump at any and every opportunity to please Yahweh.
ANYTHING HE ASKS...IF WE LOVE HIM...WE WILL DO,
because IT IS A JOY TO
PLEASE HIM. Unless of course we have a better offer. Maybe, a
creator (god) that doesn't require or desire ANYTHING FROM US.
Let me share with you a very true statement: "Religion,
that costs nothing, DOES NOTHING"! In this universe we
live in IF
is a very big word: Yahshua
Messiah said...
Joh 15:14--"You are my friends IF
you do whatever I command you" (CAPS are mine)
By the same token, if we love
our neighbor as our self then we will have THEIR--not our--best interests at
heart. We will ask ourselves the question: "How will this AFFECT them? How will they FEEL about this? Is this
what's BEST
for them? How will this AFFECT their relationship with Yahweh? Is this the WAY that I would want to be
treated? How would Yahweh
Our Creator have me to TREAT them? Will this PLEASE HIM”? Shaul (Paul) has this to
say about love:
Romans 13:8-10--"Owe no one any matter except to love
one another, for he who loves another has filled the Torah. For this, "You shall not commit
adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not
covet, and if there is any other command, it is summed up in this word," You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. Love does not evil to a neighbor. Therefore love is the
completion of the Torah."
The short of it: Love ENABLES US AND EMPOWERS US
to keep and obey ALL
Ten Commandments--the Torah--of Yahweh.
NOW YOU KNOW THIS TRUTH AS WELL. YOU
ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO
Yahweh
for what you do with this knowledge.
The rebellion--mental disease-- ruling
and ruining the thinking of our nation is like a runaway train folks! AND WE'RE ON IT!
A train racing ever faster and faster out of control and headed for sure
and certain destruction.There IS NOTHING
special about us just because we're Americans...THAT IS OUR ARROGANCE PARADING ITSELF, MAKING
OUR REBELLIOUS NATURE PLAIN FOR ALL TO SEE...Like we are
different than all the other nations who have fallen before us...WE WILL FALL...It IS A CERTAINTY!
So what's the "entertainment" for? Why do we crave it so much? IT'S TO KEEP US OCCUPIED
while the train speeds along, drawing us ever and ever closer to the end of the
track...A DEAD END!
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 KJV--"And
for this cause Yahweh shall send them strong
delusion; that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
I believe, with all my heart that, WE AS A NATION ARE BEING WARNED...But
we are not listening, just as Yisra'el was warned BUT DID NOT LISTEN!...
Isaiah 6:9-11 KJV--"And he said, Go, and tell this people,
Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make
the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Yahweh, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be
wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly
desolate."
I believe that Yahweh
Our Creator is speaking--SCREAMING! at the top of His lungs so to speak--a clear message
of warning to all of us as believers living in this nation. Yet many of us are
merely "entertained" by what we hear...
Ezek 33:31-33--“And
they come to you as people do, and they sit before you as My people,
and they
hear your words, but they do not do them. For with their mouth they
show much love – their hearts pursue their greedy gain.
"And see, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a
pleasant voice and playing well on an instrument. And they
hear your words, but they do not do them. And when it comes--see, it
shall come--then they shall know that a prophet has been in their midst."
Let's ask ourselves a few questions about the
present state of our nation in the world today. Let's ask ourselves:
WHAT NATION:
Consumes the largest
quantities of the earth's natural resources?
Produces the largest
quantities of environmental pollutants?
Speaks the loudest voice
in world affairs but less than 6% of its population?
Has its motives looked
upon suspiciously by the world at large?
Is one of the most
unpopular--hated--in the world today?
Pushes capitalism in the
name of freedom calling it democracy?
Is known for interfering
with or helping to overthrow other governments?
Uses the threat of
military action to achieve its goals?
Has proven to the world
that it will wage war to maintain peace?
Has waged approx. 15
wars--1 every 15 years--in it's 231 year history?
Was the first and only nation to use nuclear weapons against another nation in a
war?
Has thereby proven
unquestionably that it will use nuclear weapons?
Lives in fear of being
the target of a nuclear attack itself?
Has stated openly that
the pre-emptive strike is a viable option?
By the pre-emptive
strike option gives its enemies good reason for a sneak attack?
By its track record among the nations of the world, might be considered a threat
to world peace?
Could very well have its
allies turn their backs if it is attacked?
The rest of the world
could get along just fine without?
ANSWER: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
So, what do we do? REPENT! We as a nation, and
most especially those of US WHO CLAIM TO BE BELIEVERS and FOLLOWERS
of the Messiah MUST
REPENT! We must confess our
rebellious past and beginning, and the rebellious nature that has come down to US from our founding fathers.
We must ask forgiveness for our sins of rebellion. As individuals--as a nation!
We must walk as the Messiah Yahshua himself walked: in the commandments
Torah (law) of His Father Yahweh, Our Creator.
1 John 1:4-6 KJV--"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of Yahweh perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him. He that saith he
abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."
We MUST EMBRACE
the fullness of the New Covenant. We MUST EMBRACE the TORAH (Law) of Yahweh.
LISTEN UP! PLEASE! ASK YOURSELF! What WAS IT that made Yahshua
(Messiah) the perfect sacrifice for our sins--that MADE THE SPOTLESS LAMB OF
Our Creator Yahweh
SPOTLESS? He KEPT the Torah
of His Father. He WALKED IT as well as TALKED IT! He LIVED IT as an EXAMPLE FOR US TO FOLLOW.
When He criticized the religious leaders of Yisra'el, IT WAS FOR PERVERTING
the Torah of His Father Yahweh
by adding to it or subtracting from it with their MAN MADE DOCTRINES.
Deuteronomy 12:32 KJV--"What thing soever I command you,
observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it."
Matthew 15:9 KJV--"But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men".
We are commanded to spread the "Good
News"! So here it is...
Matthew 4:17 KJV--"Repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
He's coming sooner than you think folks! We better be ready!
WE WILL ALL STAND ACCOUNTABLE TO Yahweh FOR
WHAT WE HAVE DONE ON THIS EARTH--GOOD OR BAD--OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE! HIS
REWARD IS WITH HIM. HE WILL NOT SPARE!
Author, Lew White, shares this in his
book, Fossilized Customs: "Go through your bible and UNDERLINE SABBATH every
time that you see it in the New Testament (New Covenant). Then, prayerfully,
read and study what is taking place when the word is mentioned."
You will find that the word Sabbath is mentionded 56 times in the New
Testament (New Covenant). The phrase
"first day of the week is mentioned 8 times.
The word “sun-day” is mentioned 0, as in zero, times.
How many lawyers would dare to take a case to court and argue that the
Torah (Law) has been “ended” based upon evidence as flimsy as this?
Now, let me suggest that you try studying by cross referencing Scriptures you read in the New Covenant back to the Old Covenant by topic and teaching. Most of our nice leather bound Bibles have "footnotes" attached to many verses of Scripture. You will find that many of the words of our Messiah, as well as Shaul (Paul), Peter (Kepha), James (Ya'acob), John (Yahuacanon), Luke, and Mark, can be cross referenced right back to either the Torah (Law) or the Prophets. Mark yourself a T or an L for Torah or Law, and a P for Prophets beside every Scripture you find that you can cross reference back to the Old Covenant. If you do your homework, seriously looking to see if I am telling you the truth, then soon much of the back half of your bible will be filled with T's, L's, or P's. IT'S SIMPLE!: The Old Covenant, is the giving of the Torah and the Prophets. The New Covenant is the continued teaching and application of the Torah, and, the Prophets. Pray for understanding.
Luke 22:45KJV--"Then opened he their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures."
We truly want to thank you for the opportunity to
entertain you with this treatise. We hope and pray that the end result will be
more than entertainment, however. We hope that it has and will stir you to act
upon the REPENTANCE encouraged and to begin seeking the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN with
all of your heart.
Is heaven the reward of the saved as is
taught in the churches today, or is the earth the great reward? Read this
article to find out.
By Jim H. Thompson
John the Baptist came preaching
saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” Mat. 3:2. Yahshua our
Savior began to preach and say, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand,” Mat. 4:17.
The Greek can mean, “The Royal Majesty of the kingdom has approached,
Who was Yahshua of Nazareth. (The Greek Diaglott)
Yahshua went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching
the gospel of the kingdom,… (v. 23). Yahshua sent the disciples out to preach,
“And as you go, Preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Mat. 10:7.
He taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven,” Mat. 6:10-13.
What is all this talk about a coming kingdom? It must be a very important
part of the New Covenant message as you can see much emphasis being placed on it
by Yahshua Himself, and His commandment to the disciples to preach it as well.
Do you hear the message of the coming kingdom being preached today? Do
you wonder why? It is sad to say, but the modern message of the last hundred
years has been about the believers leaving rather than the kingdom coming. It is
still the main message of the New Covenant gospel!
Yes, Yahshua is coming back as He promised in Acts 1:11 as King of kings
to set up His kingdom here on earth. (1 Tim. 6:15; Mat. 5:5) Yahshua is bringing
back with Him this glorious kingdom of the heaven. (2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 11:15) We
must learn to put into operation the laws of this kingdom today if we expect to
be a part of it when it comes.
SEEK FIRST
Yahshua taught His disciples in the sermon on the mount telling them,
“But seek first the kingdom of Yahweh and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added to you,” Mat.
6:33. If we are to seek first of all His kingdom, then we should surely study
and make sure we know and understand what it is so we can know how to seek it,
and tell others about it as well.
Yahshua speaks of many coming from the east and the west to sit down with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Mat. 8:11) This would be
after the resurrection, and the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom from heaven is
set up here on earth. This is indeed a real kingdom! The redeemed in Yahshua
will have glorified bodies, while there will be millions with natural flesh and
blood bodies. The coming kingdom is the theme of the whole Bible, both the Old
and New Testaments make this clear.
Matthew 9:35, once again tells us that Yahshua’s message was the gospel
(good news) of the coming kingdom of Yahweh. Yahshua will be its king and
prince. A king needs a kingdom to rule over.
DID
YOU KNOW?
Did you know our Father, and Savior Yahshua, and heaven (His kingdom) is
coming down to earth? (Isa. 2:2-4; Mic. 4:1-3; Eze. 37:24-28; Rev. 21:2-4)
Did you know the throne of our Savior will be set up in Jerusalem at His
return? (Jer. 3:16-17)
Did you know of all the places in the universe to dwell and reign, the
heavenly Father has chosen Zion in Jerusalem as His favorite dwelling place? (Psa.
132:13-14; Zech. 2:10-12)
Did you know that man was never promised heaven as His eternal home?
Did you know the disciples and all the believers have been promised to
reign with our Savior right here on earth? (Mat. 19:28, 5:5)
Did you know your own Bible makes all these questions very clear, and
that you can read it and understand it for yourself?
I intend to answer and make these questions clear in this article.
THE
KINGDOM IS NOT THE CHURCH
When we preach the kingdom message, we build the church (assembly). Still
the kingdom of heaven is not the church (assembly). The kingdom of heaven is the
government of Yahweh, which encompasses the whole universe.
In the resurrection, we become a part of this eternal kingdom. If we, by
faith and repentance, have received Yahshua as our Savior and King, we have a
guarantee of our inheritance in the now, in the Holy Spirit. (See Eph. 1:13-14,
4:30; Ro. 8:19)
THE EARTHLY KINGDOM OF DAVID
The kingdom of King David was a forerunner, an example, of this coming
eternal kingdom from heaven. King David had it in his heart to build a house for
Yahweh, a temple, a place to put the Ark of the Covenant, the earthly throne of
the Creator of the universe. (2 Sam. 7:2-5, 11-13)
King David was not allowed to build the house or temple of Yahweh because
he was a man of war who had shed blood.
David’s son Solomon would build the house of Yahweh. Nevertheless,
Yahweh saw his heart and made a promise to David. (2 Sam. 7:11). Also, Yahweh
told David that He would make him a house, a promise to establish his kingdom (a
dynasty) forever. (2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16) Verse 16 says, “And your house and your
kingdom shall be established forever before you (Me). Your throne shall be
established forever.”
Here we have a prophetical promise. Yahshua, the greater David, would
continue this kingdom forever. Through David’s son Solomon, David’s house
would be established. Out of the tribe of Judah would come the greater David,
Yahshua our Savior, Who will sit on the throne of His father David forever.
The Prophet Isaiah has this to say, “For unto us a child is born, unto
us a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder. And His name
will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty El, Everlasting Father, Prince of
peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Upon
the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with
judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever,” Isa. 9:6-7.
This prophecy reveals to us that the Messiah will come and continue His
father David’s throne forever. The Angel Gabriel speaks to Mary in harmony
with this prophecy, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the
Highest; and Yahweh the Mighty One will give Him the throne of His father David:
and He will reign over the house of Jacob (David’s dynasty, tribes of Israel)
forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end,” Lk. 1:32-33.
This speaks of the Messiah when He returns back to this earth, and sets
up His eternal kingdom, which will take place at the first resurrection. (Dan.
2:44, 7:27; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 11:15)
The Prophet Ezekiel prophecies of the Greater David (Eze. 37:24-28). He
will be the Great Shepherd, “….My servant David shall be their prince
forever. (v. 25, last part) This is the coming kingdom where Yahshua, the
Greater David, will be King and Prince forever. “I will set My sanctuary in
their midst forevermore,” (v. 26) Sanctuary here means holy place, holy
temple, probably the temple of Rev. 14:15-17, 15:5-8, 16:1, 17.
“My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their Mighty
One, and they shall be My people,” Eze. 37:27. Here, tabernacle means
Yahweh’s dwelling place in the midst of His people.
Revelation 21:3 is in agreement with the Prophet Ezekiel, “And I heard
a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold the tabernacle of Yahweh is with men,
and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Yahweh Himself
will be with them and be their Mighty One.”
The holy city also comes down from heaven, “…Come, I will show you
the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great
and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from Yahweh,” Rev. 21:9 (last part)-10.
As you can see, everything important is coming down from heaven. Why
would anyone want to go up to heaven?
THE THRONE OF YAHWEH
The Prophet Jeremiah had this to say about the throne of Yahweh, “At
that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of Yahweh, and all nations shall
be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh , to Jerusalem,” Jer. 3:17.
Isaiah and Micah both address this same period of time in Isaiah 2:2-4
and Micah 4:1-3. Yahweh our Creator loves this earth and his people. In Psalms
132 Yahweh declares, “For Yahweh has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His
habitation: this is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have
desired it,” vv. 13-14. My what an insight into the mind of our Father, and
His desire to be with His people.
Zechariah is inspired to cry, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion!
For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst, says Yahweh. In that
day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst,” Zech.
2:10-11.
YAHWEH’S LOVE FOR THE LAND AND PEOPLE
Zechariah continues, “And Yahweh will take possession of Judah as His
inheritance in the Holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem,” v. 12. What
great love we see here of a loving Father opening His heart and His desires to
us.
Zechariah also writes, “Thus says Yahweh: I will return to Zion, and
dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth,
the mountain of Yahweh of hosts, the holy mountain,” 8:3.
In Zechariah 14:1-5, Yahshua is keeping His promise made to His disciples
in Acts 1:11, that He would surely return just as He said He would.
In verse 4 Yahweh in Yahshua returns back to this earth. His feet will
stand on the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. This is in the very near future.
Verse 5 tells us, “Thus Yahweh (Yahshua) My Mighty One will come, and all the
saints with Him. This is the end of the age, the first resurrection. Yahshua
returns and sets up His kingdom, His purpose from the beginning. The
tribulation, the wrath of Yahweh is all behind us at this time.
LIVINGS WATERS FLOW FROM JERSUALEM
When Yahshua returns and sets up His kingdom, living waters shall flow
from Jerusalem. Half of them will flow toward the eastern sea, and half of them
toward the western sea. (Zech. 14:8) Then in verse 9 we read, “And Yahweh (Yahshua)
shall be king over all the earth. In that day it shall be – Yahweh is one, and
His name one.” We find the same time period that Ezekiel speaks of in Eze.
47:1-12. In verse 1, we see water flowing from under the threshold of the
temple. In verse 7 trees are along the side of the river of water. In verse 8
when the waters reach the sea (Dead Sea) its waters are healed.
Verse 12 describes the bank of the river, on this side and that will grow
all kinds of trees used for food. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit
will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from
the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine. This
is the throne of our Father and Savior set up here on this earth. WHAT A DAY
THAT WILL BE!!!!
JOHN SPEAKS OF THIS TIME
In Rev. 22:1-5, We see a pure river of water of life clear as crystal,
proceeding from the throne of Yahweh and of the lamb (v. 2). In the middle of
the street, and on either side of the river is the tree of life, which bears
twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the
tree are for the healing of the nations (v. 3). And there shall be no more
curse, but the throne of Yahweh and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants
shall serve Him.
The water heals everything it touches. Remember the throne of Yahweh
comes down in Rev. 21:1-4. Here we see the water flowing from the throne of
Yahweh. The tree of life will be there as well.
Adam and Eve ate from the wrong tree. Here in the new earth, we see the
tree of life once again.
This coming kingdom Yahshua talked about so much is spoken of by the
Prophet Daniel, “And in the days of these kings the Mighty One of Heaven will
set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be
left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand forever,” 2:44.
When the gentile kingdoms have run their course (in the days of these
kings) at the end of the time of the gentiles, Yahweh will set up the kingdom of
heaven. “Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the
silver, and the gold, the Mighty One has made known to the king what will come
to pass after this,” Dan. 2:45.
THE TIME OF THE GENTILES
The gentile kingdoms started with Babylon (here in Daniel’s time,
approximately 600 B.C.E) and will end at the return of our Savior. The stone cut
from the mountain without hands is the return of Yahshua and His people of the
kingdom of heaven. The overcomer of Rev. 2:26-27 will be ruling with Yahshua
here on earth, “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him
I will give power over the nations. (These are the gentile nation Daniel spoke
of). He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessels shall they
be broken to pieces.”
This is the destruction of the gentile kingdoms by the kingdom of Yahweh
spoken of in Daniel 2:35. The stone destroys the image and becomes a great
mountain and fills the whole earth. “Then the kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people,
the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey Him,” Dan. 7:27. This takes place at the return
of our Savior.
“I charge you therefore before Yahweh and the Master Yahshua the
Messiah, Who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His
kingdom,” 2 Tim. 4:1. It is clear
here that this is speaking of the second coming of Yahshua.
“Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Father and
His Messiah, and He shall reign forever and ever,” Rev. 11:15. This is the end
of the world (age), when Yahshua’s kingdom is set up here on the Earth.
The disciples asked our Savior in Acts 1:6-7, Are you going to restore
the kingdom to Israel? His reply was, It is not for you to know the time or the
season. It was a valid question, but it was no concern for them. Many years
later at a council meeting at Jerusalem the subject comes up again among the
Disciples. (Acts 15:14-17) The Apostle James tells how Simon Peter has declared
how Yahweh at the first visited the gentiles to take out of them a people for
His name (v. 14). This is speaking of the time Peter went and preached to the
gentiles, and that door is open still today. (Acts 10:1-48)
Acts 15:16 says, “After this (taking out of the gentiles a
people for His name) I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David
which had fallen down.” This will fulfill the promise to David in 2 Sam. 7:16.
Your house and kingdom and throne shall be established forever. This is also a
prophecy spoken of by the Prophet Amos in 9:11. All of these Scriptures refer to
the coming of Yahshua and His kingdom.
When the church age is over (taken out of the gentiles a people for His
name) the kingdom will go back to Israel, the kingdom of the greater David.
THE DELIVERER OUT OF ZION
At the time of the rebuilding of the tabernacle of David, when the
fullness of the gentiles has come in, come to pass (Ro. 11:26), the Prophet Joel
declares, Yahweh will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem. (Joel
3:16) This is the return of the Savior.
From the Hebrew Scriptures this deliverer means a kinsman redeemer, one
nearest of blood kin, family. (Isa. 59:20) Yahshua was born of a woman, entered
the human family and became our blood brother, One Who is related to us by blood
(Gal. 4:4-5).
THE KINGDOM IN OUR HEARTS?
Luke 17:21 tells us the kingdom is within you, does it not? No, the Greek
word here is “entos” which
would better be translated as “In the midst of.” Was Yahshua telling those
critical, unbelieving Pharisees they had His kingdom in their hearts? No, the Diaglott Greek reads, Yahweh Royal Majesty is among you. The royal
representative of the kingdom (Yahshua) stood in their midst and they did not
know Him.
LEARN WAR NO MORE
This coming kingdom will bring about world wide peace where war and
strife will be no more. A time when “They shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Isa. 2:2-4). For Yahweh
will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem (Isa. 2:3).
A time when the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie
down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion shall feed together, and a
little child shall lead them. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.
A time when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the
waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:6-9).
We pray Holy Father to hasten the day when your kingdom will come. But until then we may live the life that is pleasing to you and may we lift up our voices together and pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
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