Judgment

More Tolerable…

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And He said unto them,
“In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”
Mark 6:10-11

Just before sending out His followers to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and heal sicknesses, cause the crippled one to walk, heal lepers He gives them these final words.

In those days if you stayed as a guest the host would wash your feet if you were welcomed in.  If they did not wash your feet that meant you were not welcome there.

So when one of His disciples came to such a home, or city, and their feet were not washed, they were to shake the dust off their feet as they were leaving that city.  That means if they gave no respect to disciples whom the Messiah had sent out, they had no respect or reverence for Him.

Jesus says that it will be more tolerable for Sodom and  Gomorrha than for that city which had rejected them.  Because such a city that refused to hear, refused hospitality to His own, rejects Him.  Sodom and Gomorrha had no witness of God’s love, grace, and mercy.  Judgment awaits any nation, province, island, and/or any government that refuses to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

If the people of the United States of America do not turn from their sins  to Jesus Christ our nation is headed for judgment, even more than we are seeing now.

The word we need to heed is, REPENT.  Turn from your sin to Jesus, the One who gave His life to pay our sin debt by dying on the cross, and was buried, and three days later He rose again, and He lives forever more.

The Lord Rebukes Cities That Reject Him

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Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not:
“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
Matthew 11:2024

The Equality of The Father and The Son

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But Jesus answered them,
“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.  Then answered Jesus and said unto them,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.  For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:  that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 5:17-24

Wicked Farmers

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This is a story Jesus told to convict the religious leadership of time, of their hypocrisy, and tell them also, that they were going to kill Him.

“Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.  And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
“When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”
They say unto him, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.”
Matthew 21:33-41

These people soon realized that Jesus was talking about them and their wicked hearts, and that He knew they, and their fathers had hated the prophets, and they hated him too.  Jesus knew what they were about to do to Him; and that is hang Him on a cross.

Judging

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“Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, ‘Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;’ and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Matthew 7:1-6

There are more people who seem to know this verse of the New Testament better than any other.  How many times have we heard someone say,  “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  Far too much of the time it is over someone teaching of something that God has called an abomination or evil.

Well as a Christian we are to expose  evil wherever we find it; not to condemn the ones  guilty of the evil, but to warn them.  We are not to condemn anyone, because they are already condemned  (John 3:17).  Jesus came into an already condemned world to save us.

Mankind has a bent toward sin.  Many do not know God; neither  do they want to  know Him.  Before we judge another person  we need to be clean ourselves, making sure that we do not have a bigger sin that  is binding  us.  It is like when two school bus drivers have driven the school’s football players to an away game,  The two drivers are sitting on one of the buses, and it is a cold night so they think they have all the windows up.  One of the drivers sitting on the other bus notices that the bus he is sitting on has a window down, and tells the driver, “You have a window down,”  only a few minutes later notices that he has a window down as well.

The apostle Paul wrote, “If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:31).

We make judgments everyday.  We cannot be judges of the hearts, and motives of others in  condemnation.

Without Jesus Christ coming to die for the sins of the world we all be condemned, and without hope eternally separated from God.  Except for the resurrection of Christ from the grave.  An  old church hymn says, “Dying He saved me, buried He carried my sins far away, rising He justified  freely forever. One day He’s coming O glorious day.”

God is so good and full of mercy and grace.  He proves by having sent His only Son, His death of the cross, in His burial, and by His resurrection from the dead.

Believe Him and call on His name and be delivered from your condemnation,  Or will you continue in your condemnation, and eternal fire?

Rejecting Jesus Christ, and His Work, and Words Has Eternal Consequences

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“But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,  ‘Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.’  But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.”
“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
“He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me.”
Luke 10:10-16

These are the words of Jesus Christ.  Every one who is in need needs Jesus.  Every one needs to receive His words, believing His words, and trusting Him for eternal salvation.  We are all sinners.  Jesus came into the world to deliver us from our condemnation.

These words were spoken by Jesus to the seventy He sent out to all Judea, telling them of their responsibility if they are rejected; and also the destination of any city, nation, or people that rejected the word of the gospel.

Jesus goes on to say “He that hears you, hears Me; “ and “He that despises you despises Me.”  He went on and added this, “He that despises Me despises Him who sent Me.”

Will you call on Him for salvation and deliverance from your condemnation?

Judgment For the Believer

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Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:  (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:6-10

The Christian, the believer, the follower of Jesus Christ is confident knowing that while are alive in this body flesh we are absent from the Lord.  Yet we desire to be absent from this body of flesh and to be present with the Lord.

For that reason we work for His glory that we might be accepted of Him, not for salvation,  but our sanctification.

One day every born again child of God will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ and we will each and every one of us give an accounting of what we did with what He has given us.  This not a judgment that determines our eternal destination – Heaven or Hell – it rather a place of celebration some what like when an Olympic champion receives a medal before the crowd.  There will be none of us grandstanding, saying “Look at my crown(s).”  There will be an accounting of what we did or did  not do that produced fruit that is eternal, or that perishes.

Would you like to become a Believer and follower of Jesus Christ  today?  Believe this.  Jesus Christ came into this world to save lost sinners which is all of humanity.  He saves all who believe on Him, and none who do not believe.  Jesus died on that old cross, He was buried and He rose again.  If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Romans 10:9-10).

The Judge Of Unbelievers

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Jesus cried and said,
“He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me.  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness.  And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.”
John 12:44-50

Those who believe in Jesus for salvation, have believed His words, the things He has said and taught.  Those words are true.

Jesus said that He did not come into the world to judge the unbelieving of this world, but He came to save the world.  Which He did by laying down His own life for us.

In the judgment of the last days those who did not believe will face the judgment of the words Jesus spoke, and by the whole of the word of God.

For those who believe are trusting Him, His commandment is everlasting life.  He has paid our debt for sin, by His own death on the cross, being buried, and His resurrection from the grave and death.

If you have not yet believed Him, call out to Him today for salvation, believing every word He has spoken.  He will hear you and He will save.

The judge of unbelievers is the words Jesus has spoken.

Remember the Covenant

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If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against Me, and that also they have walked contrary unto Me; and that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:  then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.  The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised My judgments, and because their soul abhorred My statutes.  And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.  But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 26:40-45

In reading chapter 26 of the book of Leviticus we see God’s word telling His people that He will be their Guide, Provider, Protector,  God and Savior.

The LORD also tell them that there is judgment against their iniquities.  God does and always will  remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God desires to be your God, who is the LORD.  It is only through faith in God’s only begotten Son that can be any cleansing, or forgiveness of sin.  Jesus is His name, and Christ is His Title.

Called To Know God Is The LORD

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And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say, ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD;’ Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.   And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.  In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from Me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.”
Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, ‘Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.’  He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.  So will I stretch out My hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 6:1-14

These are possibly the people of Israel who were first taken captive to Babylon. Ezekiel, a priest, is called by God, the LORD to be His prophet to those captives. He tells them what the LORD is saying. It is grim, but there is light for them as well.

Why does the LORD God have such wrath against those whom He often calls His people? They had fallen into a life of luxury, ease, and full of  themselves, and loved their things and worshiped foreign idols. They had turned their backs on God, rejecting His continued warnings. In there sin they are not a vibrant witness for Him. He is holy, righteous and just; and He sees the greater harm that sin is doing to His people.

I believe it was Charles H. Spurgeon said, “God never allows His children to sin successfully.” That is certainly so of all Israel. It is also true of the follower, disciple of Jesus Christ. There is great chastisement for the child of God who turns their back on God.

There is a phrase all through the Bible. It seems that Ezekiel uses it far more than all the other books combined. That phrase is “You (or They) shall know that I am the LORD.” It is used four times in these fourteen verses. Why does He use this phrase so many times? I have one answer to that question, and that is because the LORD God wants the world to know that He is the LORD God.

He has made that possible by sending His Son Jesus Christ to pay the blood sacrifice on the cross, His burial, and resurrection. When you receive Him through faith you will know that He is the LORD, and you will desire to sin no more, because you have received the Spirit of Christ Jesus, and now your hearts desires have changed.

God is calling you to receive Him today by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

 

Abiding In Devouring Fire

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The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Isaiah 33:14-16

Here are some of my thoughts on the above verses.

First of all, sinners in all places around the world should be afraid of the fire of God, and especially religious hypocrites who say one thing, and live another.

Second, the question is asked, “Who shall dwell [abide] with everlasting burnings? This reminded me of the question asked in Psalm 15.  Verse one asks the question, “LORD, Who shall abide in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Your holy hill?” Verses 2 – 5 gives us the answer. (You will need to look that up for you.) The answer there is similar to the one given here. So what is this fire that we can dwell with?

The fire that sinners fear, as do the hypocrites, is the great love of God. In His fire of love, fire cleanses, it makes us holy, it consumes, it purifies. In  the first Epistle of the Apostle John God tells us, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Alexander MacLaren said, ”

“The fire of God is the fire of love as well as the fire of purity; a fire that blesses and quickens, as well as a fire that destroys and consumes.”

Third, in short those who are righteous in Christ Jesus, who hate all evil, does not enjoy hearing news of bloodshed, or of seeing any kind of evil. These can endure the fire, abide in the fire of God. Are you in the fire today.

May we abide in the fire of God by the grace of our God, and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Respect To The Holy One Of Israel

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At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

Isaiah 17:7-8

This morning for my daily reading of the Scriptures I read Isaiah 13 through 20. These chapters are God’s word to surrounding nations of Israel who have been cruel to the people of God, His word to His people as well.

The verses I share today is fitting for any time, and any where.

“At that day…” A phrase used quite frequently in Isaiah’s prophecy is speaking of a day appointed by God Himself. It is a time, a day, which He knows, and the prophet has an knowledge that it could be soon. It is a day that will surly come. Every thing that God says; and every thing that He does has purpose.

“…A man shall look to his Maker…” This is a great thing to think that the LORD is giving this nation, along with Israel a chance, a choice of blessing or judgment. Before one can look to his Maker he must realize that he has a Maker, and that Maker is GOD; and GOD can do things in a person’s life to get him or her to recognize his Maker. What good does it do to recognize your Maker?

“…His eyes shall have respect for the Holy One of Israel…” In the Proverbs God tells us much about the “fear of the LORD,”  and that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,” and that  “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.” I do not know how many hunters, rifle men and women read this but here is an illustration I use to illustrate for the fear of the LORD:

I have a twelve gauge single shot, breech load, shotgun. I am not fearful of it as long as I am on the right end of that gun; but if someone else is holding it on me, pointed at me, then I am going to be fearful of what I might get. As long as I am on the right end, I am respectful of what that gun can do, and realize the danger of abuse or misuse of that shot gun.

If I am on the right side with God, I revere Him, and I am in awe of Him, because I know that He loves me, and I love Him. However, if I  get on the wrong side of God, then I am going to be very afraid of what lies down the road of my future. So by the grace of God I am trusting Him for His great salvation, and His power to keep me in His hands.

“…The work of his hands…” The man who recognizes the Holy One of Israel will no longer brag about what he has done; what he has built with his own hands. He will trust in the LORD, and be in awe of Him with great reverence, because of who He is.

Who is this Holy One of Israel? He is the Messiah. He is the Christ of God. He is Jesus. He died on the cross for our sins, was buried carrying our sins away, casting them as far away as the east is from the west; and to prove that all He said, and that the work of salvation was done, He rose from the tomb, and lives forever more.

 

Gideon’s Sons

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And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: and all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Judges 9:53, 56-57

In order to know what is going on with these verses you will need to read all of  chapter nine of the book of Judges.

Abimelech is one of the 70 or so of Gideon’s sons. Gideon is also known as Jerubbaal. Abimelech has a desire to be king even though his father has said the he, nor his sons would rule Israel (Judges 8:23). He kills all the other sons of Jerubbaal, except one who is named Jotham.

In chapter nine is parable spoken by Jotham warning Abimelech and Israel his evil leadership, of his life’s end. The parable is about trees searching for a tree to rule over them; they go to the olive tree, the fig tree, and are rejected. They are rejected by all the trees until they get to a bramble bush who accepts the invitation.

In our text above we see Abimelech being killed by a woman who has thrown a mill stone down on his head, then he cries out to another man to finish him with a sword, because he did not want it said, “Abimelech was killed by a woman.”

It was an evil thing that Abimelech had done in the murder of 70 of his own brothers, and out of a lust for power. The main message here is that God watches over His people, and carries out His word, and the curse of Jotham was fulfilled.

God’s word stands sure. It should be the Christians confidence, our encouragement, and draw our strength from God in the reading, study, and personal application of the word of God in our lives. The books of the Old Testament – the Law, the History, the Wisdom books, the Major Prophets, and the Minor Prophets are the word of God. The books of the New Testament – The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts, the Epistles of Paul, and all the rest through the Revelation are the words of the Lord. We must learn them, hear them, and do them. Especially as we see the day of the LORD drawing nearer.

The written word of God shows us who Jesus is. He was before Abraham, Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I Am” (John 8:58). So Jesus Himself is declaring that He is God. He is also our Lord and Savior who died on the cross for our sins, becoming sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). When He died, He was buried, and three days later He rose again, and walked out of the cold ugly tomb. Through Him there is Life, and Life Eternal with Him.

Glory On The House

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Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Exodus 40:34-38

Moses had led the people of Israel at this point for about one year. Life in the wilderness was tough, rough, dry, and a learning experience for Moses and the people.

They had received the LORD’S Ten Commandments, and Moses had broken the stone tablets which the LORD had cut out and written with His own hand; and Moses had gone back to the top of Sinai, and cut the stone out at the LORD’S instruction, and then he was instructed to cut out the Ten Commandments, as the LORD gave them.

They had spent time, given offerings of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, blue, purple, and scarlet and linen, and other things for the building of a portable tabernacle in the wilderness.

The above verses tell us what happened after the tabernacle was finished, and at God’s instruction set up.

Moses cannot even enter it because the glory of GOD is on the house. He is well pleased with it.

What does all of this mean for a Christian in today’s world? It is for our learning, even our sanctification, and strengthening of our faith assuring us that God will do what He says He will do.

Everything about the tabernacle in the wilderness is a shadow, a type, a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice of His own blood for the redemption of all who will come to Him.

There is a problem though, in that, the way into the presence of the LORD is guarded by a veil. The veil was between the table, and  the lampstand (the Menorah), incense altar and the Ark of the covenant, and mercy seat which set on top.

In many years there was a temple built which was destroyed in Jerusalem, and rebuilt, and in the time of Jesus when He died on the cross we are told that the veil of the temple was torn apart from top to bottom according to Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, and Luke 23:45. Thus telling us that Jesus is the way into the presence and glory of God, and the promise of eternal life with Him.

Jesus’s death fulfilled all the law concerning atonement, redemption, and sanctification. In His burial He carried all our sins away and when He rose from the dead He defeated sin, death, and Hell.

Now what will you do with Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God, God the Living Son?

God Sees the Wickedness of Mankind

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And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.”
Genesis 6:5-7

The verse which follows the one’s above tells us that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” God in His loving kindness, mercy, and grace saved Noah and his family from the devastation of the flood.

God still sees the wickedness of human kind, and He has a way of escape. It is through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

You can begin the New Year 2025 with a new heart and mind by turning from your sinful life, and turning to Jesus Christ. Call on Him and He will hear you.

…Do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow…

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Thus saith the LORD; “Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates.’ ” Thus saith the LORD; “Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,” saith the LORD, “that this house shall become a desolation.”
Jeremiah 22:1-5

God’s Warning Of Judgment On His People

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O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.  I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.  The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.  Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! For the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.  Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
Jeremiah 6:1-5

Tested By Fire

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Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Seek Good, Not Evil

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Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.  Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
Amos 5:14-15

The Price Of Despising God And His Word

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And Nathan said to David, “Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,
“I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.”
2 Samuel 12:7-10

Fear the LORD, and Serve Him

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Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
1 Samuel 12:23-25

Do Not Defile The Land

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Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.  Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.  And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
Numbers 35:30-34

Judgment Was Given Unto Them

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And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4-6

Weep Not For Me

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And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.  But Jesus turning unto them said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.’ Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us;’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
Luke 23:27-31

The LORD Their God Shall Visit Them

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Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.  Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.  For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.  And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.  And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
Zephaniah 2:1-7