Major Prophets

The Eastern Gate

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Thus saith the Lord GOD; “The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.  And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.  Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the Sabbaths and in the New Moons.”
Ezekiel 46:1-3

Ezekiel has received a vison from the LORD of the redeemed of the house of Israel/Judah in a right  relationship and fellowship with Him.  That day has not come.

It will come when the Messiah Jesus Christ comes down to earth, and after destroying all the enemies of Israel/Judah’s enemies, He will also return the earth to its pre-fall condition.  There is so much more to this.  The time this is speaking of is called the Millennium (1000) when Jesus Christ in His resurrection body rules the world from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

Christ Jesus fulfilled all the Law.  He is the  essence of the Law.  Believing in Him, trusting Him alone is our only means of salvation.

Honor The LORD’S Holy Name

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Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ” Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before Me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.  Wherefore I poured My fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: and I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.  And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned My holy name, when they said to them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.’ But I had pity for Mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.  And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.’ ”
Ezekiel 36:16-23

Knowing how to honor GOD’S holy name is not hard.  Do the opposite of the evil things which the people of Israel/Judah did.

For example they reached a point in their lives that they did not need God anymore.  Many were living comfortable lives, wealth and ease of life.  We ought always remember the LORD and honor His name.

Here is the way we honor His holy name:

  1.  Fear God; and you will fear nothing else;
  2.  Give Him thanks, praise, and worship all through each day beginning when you are getting out of bed in the morning;
  3.  Read, study, hear and do the  word of God, not living a hypocrites life;
  4.  Always remember you are always a witness for the LORD’S goodness, love, mercy and grace, and that others are watching you.

To know God’s grace through the cross of Jesus Christ is the first way of honoring the name of the LORD.

Knowing The Promise Keeping GOD

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And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.  Thus saith the Lord GOD; “When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob.  And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.”
Ezekiel 28:24-28

When men and false gods make promises they often forget them, failing to keep them, because something happened to prevent it, or perhaps never intended to keep the promise in the first place.  The promises of men and women fail.

The promises of the  LORD God never fail.  Notice the LORD’S promises of to the people in captivity (Israel in Babylon).  The promise is that the Lord GOD will bring them back, and they will have the security for the LORD.

Knowing the LORD God is believing he keeps His promises.  We do realize too, that includes the ones for judgment as well as the ones for good.  One of the promises He has gave Israel/Judah is the promise of the Messiah who will see to it that they are dwelling in the city of Jerusalem is perfect security. That Messiah is Jesus Christ or Jesus Messiah of GOD.  He is the LORD who made the heavens and the earth from nothing.  He  even made the materials men make into false deities.

He is the Lord GOD who sent His Son, the Messiah, to die for the sins of all Adam’s kind (humanity), so that we might believe in Him and be saved.  He conquered sin and death, by his horrible death on a wooden cross, He was buried, and then rose up from the grave alive.  Because He lives forever we can by the grace of God also live forever with Him.  All who come to Him, He in no wise will put him out.

Do you want real security which gives you peace with God and people? Do you want peace with your financial condition? Do you want peace for your marriage and home?  Then you need to know the Promise keeping GOD, and that is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Call on His  name.  He will hear you, and He will give you peace.

 

 

 

 

The Lord GOD Says,

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Therefore say, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.  Therefore say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.  And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.   And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:  that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.  But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads,” saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 11:16-21

The Lord GOD says  what He is going to do with His people Israel when the time of their captivity is over.  He also tells us what will happen to people who walk for their own “truth” which is lie, and they will receive the recompense of the Lord GOD.

Israel will return to the land the LORD has promised to Abraham in the beginning of the nation of this people.  They put away all the “detestable things” all the abominations within the land.  God will also give them a new heart; He will  turn their heart of stone (hard heart) to a heart of flesh (moldable) so that they might see their sins and iniquities as God does.  Then He will be their God, and they will be His people.

Those who walk after those detestable things, if their heart seeks evil rather than God’s love, mercy and grace, then, they can only look for a reckoning from the LORD.  It will not be pleasant, and it will be eternal.

Getting a new heart requires God’s work alone.  It is certainly possible for the hard hearted to change his own heart, from a stone heart to a heart of flesh.  How can a murderer, child molester, a thief, a rapist, and adulterer get a soft heart?  There is only one way and that is through the One who is the way, and His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Do you desire to have a new heart, a heart for God, His word, His Spirit and be holy before the Lord GOD?  Jesus died so that we might come to God, and have eternal life.  He died on the cross, He was buried, and then, He rose again.  In repentance confess Jesus Christ as Lord, and believe that God has raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.

Warn the Wicked and the Righteous

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And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.  When I say unto the wicked, ‘Thou shalt surely die;’ and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
Ezekiel 3:16-21

Who are the “Wicked”?  The wicked are those people who have rejected God’s love, mercy, and grace and have chosen to go their own way snubbing their nose at God.

Who are the “Righteous”?  The righteous are those who believe in God, believe His word.  In their daily lives they endeavor to do what is right, and to shun what is wrong. The righteous can be those who they have done no wrong, yet they claim something that can come only from God’s grace

The child of God who has been clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ; we have no righteousness of our own.

Ezekiel is told by GOD that he is a Watchman for the wicked, and the righteous.  The watchman is to sound the alarm of an approaching enemy.  When the watchman is on duty he is responsible for every individual for that city, home, or nation.

As the pastor of a small country church I have a responsibility of warning the man or woman who has turned their backs on God, gone their own way, and ignoring the One who loves them, and snubbing the LORD God.

As a pastor to the congregation I also have the responsibility of warning those in the church of their sins, and the consequences of their transgressions.

Remember that Jesus became sin for us,  He was put to death on the cross taking the full fury of God’s wrath in our behalf.  The great thing about His death, is that He was buried taking our sins away, and was victorious in His atonement for us, because in His resurrection He proved every word He speaks in His word is  true.  In His death He gave us (those who called on His name) His Righteousness.  We are not  perfect or without sin, but we have been forgiven all our sins – past, present, and future sins are forgiven.

Every Christian, any follower of Jesus Christ, has a responsibility to warn the wicked, and the righteous.  It must be done in love, mercy, and grace and not condemnation.  Should we fail to warn the wicked and/or the righteous, and they do not turn from their sin to God; then we will be guilty of their blood.

Perpetual Covenant

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The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
“Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.’  For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.
“In those days, and in that time,” saith the LORD, “the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, ‘Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.’
“My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.  All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, ‘We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’ ”
Jeremiah 50:1-7

Israel and Judah are once again joined together as one people.   Israel is back in the Land of God’s promise to them.  The only covenant that will work for them is the covenant made with their Messiah – the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many Messianic Jews,  They are Jewish people who worship Jesus Christ as their Messiah.

Jesus did not come to earth to only call Israel to repentance, faith, and salvation;  He also came to the whole world.  He came because “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.”

Jesus Christ is our forever covenant.  Through Him, and through Him alone is there eternal salvation – salvation from sin and is bondage; salvation from death, and He makes us alive.  This is an everlasting life.

They Would Not Hear

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“For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; ‘As mMne anger and My fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall My fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.’  “The LORD hath said concerning you, ‘O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt:’ know certainly that I have admonished you this day.  For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying,” ‘Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.’   “And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which He hath sent me unto you.  Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.”
Jeremiah 42:18-22

These were a remnant of the people of Judah, that were left in Jerusalem to keep it for the Babylon.  They were the poor that that did not go into captivity, but could have had freedom.  They knew all of God’s words spoken by the prophet had come to  pass just as they had been spoken.

The prophet accepted their request for prayer “to seek the will of the LORD,” probably expecting that they,  had already been instructed to stay in Jerusalem, and nearby towns, and cities.  It seems they had made up their minds even before asking Jeremiah to pray to find the will of God.

If you follow up by reading the 43rd and 44th chapter you will find out more of what happens.  Jeremiah prays for ten days, gets an answer from God; and God says, “Stay in this land.”  The tell Jeremiah is lying, and that God did not say, “Stay in Jerusalem.”

Christian, have you ever went to God trying to get approval for doing something you wanted to that you knew, within your heart that it was out of His will; for one example consider a Christian business man that wants to take on a partner, but the person he has in mind is not a Christian.  So he prays to seek God’s will, then he is searches in the Scriptures and finds the verse that says, “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,” but he goes ahead with his plan any way.  Then, he starts having all kinds of trouble with fraud, and other crimes, and he wonders, “Why God allowed it to happen.,”

When God says to not do something, then, it is up to us to not do that thing.  When God has given us His word to do something, then, it is good to do that thing, and it will be quite a blessing and rewarding.

May we as Christians hear and do the word, and the will of God.  There are somethings we should not need to ask what God’s will is.  We need not ask if it is His will for us to pray, to read and study and apply His word in our lives.  Do not in pretense ask for prayer when you have already made up your own mind.  The end result will be  a disaster.

Believe what God says, and do it.

 

 

A King Who Would Not Hear the Word of the LORD

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Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, “I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.”  Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, “If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? And if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?” So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, “As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.”  Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah,
“Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: but if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.”  And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”  But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.  But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me: and, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, ‘Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.’  So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.”
Jeremiah 38:14-23

The word  of God should be heard, believed, and practiced in and on any day that we live.  Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings, and Governors need  to hear and take heed to the word of the LORD, so that they can learn  they are to be servants of the people, and do good to and for the people.

Zedekiah called Jeremiah asking counsel of what he was to do.  The prophet told him to go out to the king of Babylon, and surrender to him.  Had Zedekiah obeyed the LORD the king of Babylon would leave him alive, as well as his family and he would not destroy Jerusalem

Zedekiah does not hear and heed the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, and the word of God comes to pass just as He has spoken.  O, how we the people of God need to take heed to the word of the LORD.  The word of the LORD is good for living all of life; with it’s troubles and trials.

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God is the Living Word of God, and God His Father, says to us “Hear Him” (Matthew 17:5) and the Father also says, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” You cannot get it any clearer than that.  If God says He is well pleased by His Son we need to ask “Why?” and that is because the Father knew that He was the only perfect Propitiate  for the sins of Adam  kind.  Jesus had no sin, and became sin in our place and took all the wrath of God on Himself on the cross, dying for our sins, being buried; carrying our sins away, and then on the third day He rose from that grave alive.

Today, there  is a Man in heaven, seated at the right hand of God, and He is our Mediator with the Father (1 Timothy 2:5).

Repenting of your sins turn to Jesus believing Him, putting all your trust in Him.  He will hear you when you call on His name.

…Return To The Land…

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The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, “Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.  For, lo, the days come,’ saith the LORD, “that I will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah,” saith the LORD: “and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’ ”
Jeremiah 30:1-3

You can believe,  you can trust,  you can be confident that the LORD will fulfill all His word.  There will not be one single word He has spoken that fails to come to pass

Because of their rebellious and evil against the LORD, they had been scattered over the face of the earth, into Babylon and other nations.  They would not believe God concerning their exile, according to Jeremiah’s prophecy received from the LORD Himself.

Since the word of the LORD God are sure to come to pass, the negatives and the positives, then we need to take heed to them all.  GOD said of His Son Jesus, “This is My Son, Hear HIm.”

Jesus spoke, and tell us that if we know the Father we would know the Son; and if we know the Son, we know the Father.  He also tells us “If you have seen me you have seen My Father”  (John 14:9-10).  So if Jesus tells us “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” then it will be very beneficial, and miraculous for us to believe Him, then lives completely to Him.

There are many promises/prophecies of GOD that have yet to come to pass.  They will come to pass, just as He has told us, and what a joy, what wonder it will cause in the hearts of those who love Him as we see them come to pass.

Judgment and Justice

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“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; that saith, ‘I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows;’ and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.  Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?  He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know Me?” saith the LORD.  “But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.”
Jeremiah 22:13-17

Part of the reason for God’s  wrath on Judah and Israel is that they were dividing the people by showing favor to one over another.  Someone with wealth could pay a price (a bribe) and be found “Innocent  of a crime.  Another thing the courts were stacked in favor of the wealthy over the poor.

Let us consider a possible situation –   a man,  a man with a wife and children, rent a spot from a wealthy land owner, the poor man and family have a crisis come into their home which causes them to fail to pay their debt(s).  They have a landlord who is tight with his wealth, and because of the poor man’s debt to him, the land owner takes to man to court, and sues him, sues the poor man, or makes a bond slave of him.  He has come came into the court trusting that there could be a merciful judgment.  Instead there is no mercy because the judge has received some money under the table.  Or the judge renders a verdict in favor of the landowner,

That is not justice.  Justice is to do the right thing. It is judgment, but a  false and evil, rule of corruption.  The Lord GOD, hates this kind of thing among His people.

Our God loves the poor, and He will not long tolerate His people hoarding money and ignoring those whom He loves.  I am not espousing any kind of organization, nor am I starting a new ministry, but I am as simply as I know how, that God cares for the poor, and He will not ignore or forget the ones who come to aid the poor.

Who are the poorest of the poor?  The man or woman without Jesus Christ is a very poor individual  – the poorest of the poor.  The poor person, who has Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their lives, has all that they need.

Jesus was raised in a poor family.  They were rich though. with love, mercy and grace.  He came from the glory and splendor of Heaven a very wealthy place, to become poor that we who believe Him, and become rich in Him.

Do You Desire To Have Peace With GOD?

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Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit; “Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.  And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.  And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘The LORD liveth;’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of My people.  But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 12:14-17

No one person, group, or nation can have peace with the LORD, unless and until they believe His word and obey His law.

What about mercy?  What about grace?

Reading the history of Israel/Judah they were disobedient to the LORD, again and again.  Yet, He had mercy on them and would free them from bondage to their enemies.  Sending the back to their land the LORD has given them.  What have they deserved?  To be forsaken by God, and leave them in bondage to their enemy.  What do they receive from God?  Grace.

The ones who will believe what God says about His Son Jesus, believing His who counsel of the word will at least have desire to live a life surrendered to the LORD as our Master.  If you do not desire to live a surrendered life to Him,  then you are apart from Him.

The LORD Hates Hypocrisy…

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sI will also stretch out Mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; and them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for Him.
Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid His guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.  In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.
Zephaniah 1:4-9

The LORD hates hypocrisy as it shows in the above verses.  He hates it, especially among His own people.

You can see that they were worshiping idols made by men, false gods, which are inspired by demons (Leviticus 17:7;  Deuteronomy 32:17; 2 Chronicles 11:15; and Psalm 106:37) for example.  You could also read Psalms 115 and 135 to see what the value and worth is of any idol.  It can do nothing for you, but keep you in the darkness of evil.

Judah was worshiping the heavenlies – the stars, sun and moon and other idols; and at the same time worship the LORD,  The worshiping of idols, and then in pretense worshiping the LORD on the Sabbath is hypocrisy.

You might say to me, “No one worships idols in our country,” but we do.  Power, prestige, money (a big bank accounts), science, government, etc..  I hope you get the point.

May we who are Christians come the conclusion that only GOD is to be worshiped, honored and feared (I do not want to offend Him in any way).  I want to live for Him; and the only way I can do that is through the gift of grace through Jesus Christ who paid my sin debt on the cross, was buried – carrying my sins away, leaving them there in the grave, then, He came out of that grave alive.  Because He did that for me, He alone deserves my allegiance completely; not partial, but wholly.

When Truth Fails

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And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.  Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment.  And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him.  For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head; and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompence to His enemies; to the islands He will repay recompence.  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.  And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 59:14-20

Judgment is not what a lot of people think it is.  If you go to court charged with a crime nobody really wants judgment.  They need mercy.  Judgment is receiving what one deserves.

Truth is a precious item.  It is very much needed in every age, every millennium, every century, decade, year and every day.  Truth is truth.  It is not whatever you think it is.  I do not  have my truth, and you do not have your own truth.  Truth is what God says is truth.  Jesus Christ Himself said, “I am … the Truth…” (John 14:6)  The truth is much needed in the twenty first century.  With shouts of death, and damnation to one another we need help, and our only help is Jesus Christ

Jesus gives us a new heart and mind.  We have His heart and mind.  When we give ourselves to Him, spending time with Him in His word, and in prayer we grow to be more like Him.  Some of us just got started.  Some of us are headed in the right direction.  We will never be complete until Jesus comes to take us Home to be with Him forever.

Do you know the Christ of Heaven?  His name is Jesus. He gave his life for you and me dying on that old cross.  He was buried.  He rose again.  Turning from your sin, call on His name and be saved today.

When truth fails the LORD puts on Righteousness as righteousness.  He sent His Son Jesus to make us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21).

One GOD of the Whole Earth

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Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.  For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.  In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
Isaiah 54:4-10

God is speaking here of being kind and merciful to His people.  His mercy and kindness.  He shows that He will do what He says He will.  Using the promise He made with Noah that he would never destroy the earth again with a flood.

Neither will His peace be removed.

The wrath which God  gave rebellious Israel/Judah was not permanent, and was for the good of their eternal destiny.

So is it with the people of God today who are called Christians.  We are disciplined by God for our good, and God’s glory and because we are His children.  It is good for us to remember that He is loving, merciful, kind and gracious.

There is only one true God, and His name is Jehovah/YHWH Elohym, and His Son’s name is Jesus, and Jesus lives in His people by the Person of the Holy Spirit.  He is love.

For Redemption Recipients Only

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The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.   It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, fear not:” behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.   No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:  and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1-10

I hope you will be one of the recipients of God’s redemption available only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Let favor be shown to the wicked…

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Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee; the desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee.   With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early: for when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.   Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
Isaiah 26:7-10

The LORD’S judgments are in all the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness.   If favor is shown to the wicked, if they are not judged, then they cannot and will not learn righteousness.  The righteousness of GOD through the Lord Jesus Christ is given to all who will confess Jesus as Lord, and who believe that He has risen from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Who are the wicked?  The wicked are those who believe in God, but refuse to bow to Him in surrender of their lives.  It is all those who have no heart for God, neither to hear anything from God or about Him.

It used to be myself and the whole of Adam’s race (the human race).  However, I have received the free gift of grace which was given to me by Christ Jesus who became sin for me, taking the whole wrath of God the Father on Himself, and dying, and after three days He rose again.  That I might become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21),  This gift is available to all will believe Him and call on His wonderful name.  Call on Him now, and He will hear you, and give you His righteousness, and eternal life.

Who Can Stop the Purposes of GOD?

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The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, “Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: that I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.  This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Isaiah 14:24-27

The short answer is; nothing, neither anyone, can prevent the words and purposes of the LORD of hosts.

Why do people of Adam’s race keep trying to subvert the plans and purposes of GOD?  Such a foolish endeavor.  When will we learn that God’s word is Truth, the only truth, and that every man and woman are liars when compared to God’s truth.

Jesus Christ said of Himself, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me”  (John 14:6).  When an individual believes that there is God, and they refuse to believe God’s word, concerning His Son Jesus, then that is evil.

All of God’s word is true.  God’s word is inerrant, it is God breathed, and inspired by God.  His word and His purposes will not and cannot fail.

Believe the word of God and trust His Son Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

The LORD Is Salvation

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Just wanted to let you know why I am jumping around seemingly without purpose in these words that I share.  I am reading a Chronological Bible and reading it through by the end of the year, and reading three daily readings most of the time.  If you have ever read the Bible chronologically then, you will know what I am saying.

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. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:2-3

The LORD is my salvation.  I hope and pray that you who read this have experienced the joy of knowing Jesus and the heavenly Father.  If you know the Son, you know the Father.  If you know the Father, you know the Son.

At The Mercy Of Lions

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Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee.”  And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.  And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?”  Then said Daniel unto the king, “O king, live for ever. My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”  Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
Daniel 6:16-23

Daniel had found himself in a pit of trouble. It was big furry, with big teeth and a big roar. How did he get here? It was not because he wanted to be in this pit full of hungry growling beasts of the field. It was because he had prayed, and he had continued to pray to God, even after a King Darius had written and sealed an edict that forbade any one under his rule to pray to anyone except him for thirty days.

King Darius loved Daniel. He had been deceived by some advisers who actually were jealous and envious of Daniel, even hating him so much they wanted him dead. They must have kept an eye on him, because they caught him in his daily time of prayer, praying despite the king’s edict.

The king had Daniel put in the pit with these hungry lions, and even says to him, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” The king could not go back and remove the edict, so he spent the night fasting, and no sleep. He yearned for Daniel to be alive as he hurried to to the den of lions. I would not be surprised to know; if it could be known; that Daniel slept all night in peace.

What did the king find when he arrived at the den? He found Daniel alive and well, without a single scratch or injury of any kind.

Lions show no mercy. There are many times in Scripture that “lions”is used referring to mighty, and wicked rulers of nations, but not here. These lions were the big, furry beast that roar loudly, and have big claws in their feet. The only reason these hungry beast did not kill and eat Daniel is that God had mercy, closed the mouths  of these lions, and thusly was merciful to him.

What can we learn from Daniel’s time with the lions? First of all, we can learn to be faithful; even though he knew of the edict, he continued praying to the One God whom he faithfully served. Secondly, we can learn that God is the Sovereign of the universe, He is creator, and in control of all things, even the mouths of hungry lions.

Just as his three friends – Hanniah, Mishsael, and Azariah had been delivered from Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, so also is Daniel delivered. Only God can do such.

I pray that when I am faced with making such decisions in tough situations I will have the strength, and the faith to stand for the Lord, as did his three friends, and Daniel.

The thing that must be known is that these stories are more than just stories, they are not just historical record, they are God’s truth, and He shows us how we ought to live. The first thing we need to do is to believe God, and His word. If we believe His word, we will believe the words of His Son Jesus Christ. The following are the words of Jesus, believe Him,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.  He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:16-20

Believe Him, and all your sins are forgiven, and you receive eternal life.

 

The Glory of the LORD’S House

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Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: and, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His glory.  And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.  And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.  So the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.  And I heard Him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.  And He said unto me, “Son of man, the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and My holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.  In their setting of their threshold by My thresholds, and their post by My posts, and the wall between Me and them, they have even defiled My holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in Mine anger.  Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from Me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever. Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.  And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”
Ezekiel 43:1-12

 

Israel Will Dwell Safely In Their Land

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Thus saith the Lord GOD; “When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.”
Ezekiel 28:25-26

It is God’s word. He has spoken and it will be done.

The LORD God’s Judgment Has Purpose

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For thus saith the Lord GOD; “How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.  And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it,” saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 14:21-23

How can I say that? That is basically what the word of God says above. He does withhold judgment from His people. In Hebrews 12:8 it is written, “But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakes, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

The LORD always has a purpose for all that He does, and all that He allows. It is only because of His love and grace that the human race; Adam’s race has not been destroyed. It is also by His mercy and grace that evil has been kept somewhat at a level of sanity for most of us.

What was God’s purpose for judging Israel and Judah, sending them back into captivity? Are you ready for the answer? It does not take too many words to say it. For a multitude of years God continued to love them, protect, enrich them; and they reached a level of self awareness, desiring to be god themselves, making their own way, doing their own thing. God sent prophets morning and evening to the spiritual leaders warning them to turn back to God, and they would not obey. Therefore they were destroyed by sword, famine, noisome beasts, and pestilence. He delivered those who obeyed. God saved their lives.

The greatest love, mercy, and grace God has shown to all of us is when He sent His Son to die in our place. You see, none of us can obey Gods commandments without help. We all want to go our own way, but that leads to death. God provided the way through the propitiation of Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. If Jesus Christ had not taken my place and your place on the cross we would have died and burned in Hell. Christ becoming sin for us bore all the wrath of God for all our sin, died, was buried carrying our sins away, the then He rose again. Now when we come to God through Christ Jesus we have eternal life now. Call on the name of Jesus and be saved to eternal life.

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.

 

New Every Morning

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It is a wonderful thing to know that the LORD God’s mercies are new every morning. That is when you know that He is your portion, the One who is the major part of your life.

Hear the word of the LORD.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.  The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Lamentations 3:22-27

Just a short read for today. God bless you and may you have a godly day, and always remember that God showed His love for us through the death of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, His burial, and resurrection. Receive Him and believe Him.

The Place You Desire To Go

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Do we listen to the word of the LORD? Do we hear the word of the LORD? Do I really want to know the will of God? Do you? When we know the will of God, do I do it?

Are we like the people in the following verses of Scripture in Jeremiah? They came to the prophet asking him to pray for them concerning staying in Judea, and whatever God told them through the prophet they would do.

Hear the word of the LORD.

Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, “Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) that the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.” Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, “I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.  Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”  And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him; if ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent Me of the evil that I have done unto you.  Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him,” saith the LORD: “for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.  And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. but if ye say, ‘We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, saying,’ No;’ ‘but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:’ and now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.”
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “As Mine anger and My fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall My fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.” The LORD hath said concerning you, “O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt:” know certainly that I have admonished you this day.  For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.’  And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which He hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.”
Jeremiah 42:1-22