GLOBAL  IMPACT  STUDIES

If you find the truth, will you believe it?

If any man desires to do God's will, he will have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from myself and on my own accord.  John 7:17 

Chapter 19

Revelation Chapter 19

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto Yahuwah our Elohim:  for true and righteous are His judgments:  for He has 

judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. Again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever" (Rev. 19:1-3, emphasis added).

The language used in this opening statement of Revelation chapter nineteen shows that Elohim will have already “judged” Babylon (New World Order [NWO]) before this scene takes place and "has avenged the blood of His servants." "For He has judged the great whore . . . and has avenged the blood of His servants" (Rev. 19:2, 6:10-11, emphasis added).  

We saw in Revelation 16:4-6 during the third plague that their blood was avenged.  “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Yahuwah, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” 

In Revelation 18:6-10, we read these words:  “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day [a short time], death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is Yahuwah Elohim Who judges her.  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour [a short time] is thy judgment come.”

Everything in the closing scenes of this earth's history will be done openly and with complete transparency, and heaven's inhabitants are in full agreement with all that will transpire. “Elohim hath put in their [‘the ten horns' (Rev. 17:16)] hearts to fulfill His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast [Satan], until the words of Elohim shall be fulfilled" (Rev. 17:17).

Before Yahushua returns to the earth, Elohim will use Satan to bring down Babylon and avenge the "blood of His servants," which Babylon has shed, upon the "great whore." As it was with ancient Babylon, so it will be with modern-day Babylon; its destruction is permanent, as conveyed in the words, "the smoke of her torment rose up forever and ever."

Let us look at a couple of passages of Scripture to understand what "forever and ever" means. In Exodus 21:1-6, we read, "Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him forever" (emphasis added). He would be that man's servant as long as he should live but not for eternity.

In 1 Samuel 1:22, we read, "But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child [Samuel] be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahuwah, and there abide forever" (emphasis added). Samuel was going to abide before Yahuwah for as long as he lived but not for eternity.

In Jonah 2:6, we read, "I [Jonah] went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me forever: yet hast Thou brought up my life from corruption, O Yahuwah my Elohim" (emphasis added). Jonah was not in the belly of the whale for eternity, but the "three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17) he was in that belly seemed like "forever." The word "forever," as used in the Bible, is used conditionally and is relative to the situation.

When it says, "the smoke of her torment rose up forever and ever”; the smoke will rise until everything that was able to be burnt will have been burnt up.

Before ancient Babylon, which had existed during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, was destroyed, Elohim had foretold the city would never again be inhabited, and thus it has been for the past twenty-five hundred years. It has been the haunt of wild animals ever since.

"And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped Elohim that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our Elohim, all you His servants, and you that fear Him, both small and great. And I heard as it were a voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for Yahuwah Elohim omnipotent reigns" (Rev. 19:4-6).

The twenty-four elders, who have sat on their thrones surrounding the throne of Elohim watching the proceedings during the trial of earth's inhabitants, bow in adoration and worship Elohim, having witnessed the fairness and the justice of Elohim in His dealings with earth's inhabitants. "Also unto Thee, O Yahuwah, belongs mercy: for Thou renders to every man according to his work" (Ps. 62:12, emphasis added).

Elohim has been ordering everything for the everlasting good of the Universe, and there is great joy in heaven because the reign of Satan and sin on this earth is coming to an end. As our representatives, for those of us who live and have lived on planet Earth, the twenty-four elders praise Elohim for bringing things to a conclusion! "Amen; Alleluia."

Even though "Yahuwah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, He will not always chide [reprove or rebuke]: neither will He keep His anger [in check] forever" (Ps. 103:8-9). There is a limit even to Elohim's patience! He has allowed sin to run its course for just over six thousand years now, and He will soon put an end to what is going on here on the earth.

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me [John], Write, Blessed are they which are called [We are the guests. (Matt. 22:4)] unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of Elohim. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Yahushua: Worship Elohim: for the testimony of Yahushua is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:7-10, emphasis added).

John was so excited about what he was seeing he wanted to worship the angel who had been showing him the vision but was told not to do so, for only Yahuwah Elohim is worthy of our worship.

We have all received the wedding invitation. The invitation to the wedding feast was initially given to the Jewish nation, as we will see in the following parable. "My oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage" (Matt. 22:4).

"And Yahushua answered and spoke unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain King [Yahuwah], which made a marriage for His Son [Yahushua], and sent forth His servants [the prophets] to call them that were bidden [the nation of Judah] to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, He sent forth other servants [the apostles and disciples], saying, Tell them which were bidden [the nation of Judah], Behold, I have prepared My dinner: My oxen and My fatlings are killed [Yahushua was sacrificed], and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant [the nation of Judah] took His servants [the apostles and disciples], and entreated them spitefully, and slew them [beginning with Stephen in AD 34]. But when the King [Elohim, the Father] heard thereof, He was wroth: and He sent for His armies [the Roman army under Titus], and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city [In AD 70, the Roman army burned Jerusalem and the Temple to the ground as foretold in Daniel 9:26 and Matthew 24:1-2]]. Then He said to His servants [the apostles and disciples], The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy [the nation of Judah]. Go therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many [the Jews and the Gentiles] as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests [we are the guests], and when the King came in to see the guests, He saw there a man which had not on the wedding garment [‘the fine linen of the righteousness of saints' (Rev. 19:8)]: And He said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the King to His servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:2-14).

As portrayed in this parable, an examination is made before the marriage supper, and anyone found not having on the "wedding garment" is taken away, in spite of being called "friend" by Elohim. In spite of the sacrifice having been made for his sins, the man was still cast “into outer darkness.”  It does not matter how cozy a relationship you may think you have with Elohim, you must have on that "wedding garment." The King called this man "friend!" And still, he was bound "hand and foot" and cast into "outer darkness." Elohim is not partial, nor does He play favorites. Elohim does not overlook our faults.

Elohim is no respecter of men.  The garment, which He has provided, He expects His children to wear. This garment has been purchased with the most precious blood of His Son. It is a very costly garment, for it is His very Own righteousness that He is willing to impart to the helpless human agent to enable humanity to be transformed into His likeness and to become a part of His family throughout eternity. Nothing, that man can do, can improve its quality, nor can he purchase it. Our only claim to it is our great need and our utter helplessness to change ourselves and fit ourselves for heaven and eternity. "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?" (Matt. 6:27).

Any garment other than “the fine linen is the righteousness of saints," which is the one that Elohim has provided for those attending the "marriage supper of the Lamb," is like the "fig-leaf garment" Adam and Eve covered themselves with when they sinned against Elohim. In the garden, Elohim took from them the "fig-leaf garment" and clothed them with the skins of the lambs that He had slain. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did Yahuwah Elohim make them coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21).

Elohim slew those lambs with His hand to provide them with those garments. This may have been the first time the inhabitants of the Universe had seen "death." We see this analogy again played out in Genesis 22:8. We read: "And Abraham said, My son, Elohim will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." And we know that Lamb was Elohim's only begotten Son, Yahushua.

It was Elohim Who had required a lamb for a sacrifice. In the story of Cain and Abel, we find Abel's offering of "the firstlings of his flock" that symbolized Yahushua Messiah showed his faith in Elohim’s Lamb and was accepted by Elohim, but Cain's offering of the "fruit of the ground" symbolized his works which he had produced by his efforts was not accepted. See Genesis 4:4.

Elohim required a "kid of the goats, a male without blemish" (Lev. 4:23) as a sin offering. Our works, produced by our efforts, amount to nothing and will not be accepted by Elohim. Only our obedience to the expressed will of Yahuwah will suffice, and "without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin" (Heb. 9:22).

That obedience comes as a result of the Spirit of Elohim dwelling in us as It dwelt in Yahushua. "Believest thou that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me [by His Spirit]? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwells in Me [by His Spirit], He does the works" (John 14:10, emphasis added).

This is what is meant by the new covenant. "Behold, the days come, saith Yahuwah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah." "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith Yahuwah, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people" (Jer. 31:31, 33, emphasis added).

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them" (Eze. 36:26-27, emphasis added). Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, humanity's heart has become desensitized likened to a "stony heart."

In the plan of salvation, it is Elohim's desire to make humanity's heart like a "heart of flesh" (Eze. 36:26) as described in Psalm 51:17. "The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Elohim, Thou wilt not despise." 

When Yahuwah set up the sacrificial service for the Hebrews, this analogy was repeated over and over again to teach not only the Hebrew people but all of humanity the truth that "Elohim would" eventually "provide Himself a Lamb" for the sins of humanity. The punishment, which humanity justly deserved, would be laid upon His only begotten Son. When a man or woman sinned, they were to take a poor, little, innocent lamb and slit its throat, causing it to die. That act was meant to break the heart of the one who had sinned, causing them to turn away from sinning and bring them to what is described in Psalm 51:17.

As with Adam and Eve, we must be clothed with the garment provided for us by Elohim, as was illustrated in the parable found in Matthew chapter twenty-two.

When John the Baptist saw Yahushua approach him, he said, "Behold the Lamb of Elohim which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29, emphasis added). Elohim will not save us in our sins, but He will keep us from sinning. "Thou shalt call His name Yahushua [which means Yah saves]: for He [Yahuwah] shall save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21, emphasis added).

Being clothed with a garment of righteousness is how the Bible describes what our characters must become like as the Spirit of Elohim dwells in us, changing us back into Elohim’s likeness.  “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of Yahuwah, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of Yahuwah (2 Cor. 3:18, emphasis added).

It is one thing to have a garment provided for you and quite another to put on that garment! The garment (a character of righteousness) necessary to be worn for the marriage supper of the Lamb has been provided for each of us; it is up to each individual to put it on.

Humanity, on the whole, is very proud and self-righteous or self-reliant. Yahushua told the religious people of His day, "that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). The Pharisees of Yahushua's day were very religious but not righteous, and they made sure people knew it. They talked it, wore it, and pretended to live it, but it was all self-serving and self-promoting and did not honor or glorify Elohim because it did not reach the heart of man where the problem of sin exists.

They were like the child who is told by his parents to do a specific thing, and the child does everything except what he is told to do. When he goes to his parents for commendation, he instead receives their condemnation! The parent wants nothing more than to commend their child, not condemn! So it is with Elohim! "For Elohim sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17).   

In the parable of Matthew chapter twenty-two, "both bad and good" were found. Even the "good" had to wear the garment provided by the King for the guests at the marriage supper. The "good," as well as the “bad,” had to realize that in their own righteousness, they were not good enough to enter into the marriage feast.

"But we are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isa. 64:6). The "good" in the parable may have more difficulty with this assessment than the "bad" because they may not realize their need. That is why Yahushua told the people of His day, "I came not to call the righteous [the self-righteous], but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).

No one needed to tell me I was going to hell before I came to Yahushua. I knew if there was a hell, I was headed there. I had no doubts about it.  Unless one realizes his need, the remedy will not be accepted and appreciated.

Many take it into their own hands to cure what ails them and do not leave their case with the Heavenly Physician. We must come to the Great Physician just as we are and leave our cases in His hands for Him to heal and restore.

When a Doctor of Medicine gives us his prognosis of our medical condition, we do not usually question him, but Elohim, in Isaiah 64:6, is giving us His prognosis of our condition, and He also has the remedy that will bring a complete reversal of the symptoms and most importantly heal the cause. Most Medical Doctors only treat symptoms; our Heavenly Physician treats the cause, and the symptoms clear up as a result.

The Heavenly Physician gives us His prognosis, and the prescription for our situation is found in the counsel and warning given to the church at Laodicea found in Revelation 3:17-18. Elohim told the church at Laodicea that one of their problems was that they were naked and needed to "be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." They needed the "wedding garment," just as the man in the parable was required to wear.

Elohim does not tell us of our need and then leaves us to remedy the problem on our own. Far too many in this world have never been told the "good news" (Gospel) that Yahushua not only came to die for our sins in order to pay the penalty that our sins have incurred, but He came to save us from sinning; to keep us from being under the control of our fallen, human nature that we have inherited from Adam. See Genesis 5:3. He can fix the problem! This is truly "good news" and is called the Gospel.

"And as many as received Him, to them He gave POWER [His Spirit] to become the sons of Elohim" (John 1:12, emphasis added). "And thou shalt call His name Yahushua [Yah saves]: for He [Yahuwah] shall save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21, emphasis added). He will not save His people IN their sins but FROM their sins.

Not just to call us the sons or daughters of Elohim but to change us so that our character is like His character. Unfortunately, most have never been told how to plug into that power! “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of Yahuwah, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of Yahuwah” (2 Cor. 3:18, emphasis added).

It is not the sinning that is the problem. Sinning is the symptom of the real problem, which is the inherited, fallen human nature that has been weakened due to Adam’s fall.  "You must be born again" (John 3:7). "For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahushua has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2). "Sin shall not have dominion over you" when you are "under grace" (Rom. 6:14). If you are still sinning, then you are not under grace but are under "the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2) which is our inherited, fallen, human nature that has been weakened due to Adam’s fall.

It does no good to have a lamp if it is not plugged into a source of power. The people who receive Yahushua as their Savior are not just to be called the sons or daughters of Elohim but are to become like Elohim in character because they have been "born again" by the Spirit of Elohim (John 3:6). We must be connected to that power Elohim makes available to each of us and remain connected (1 John 3:6, 9).

Multitudes claim they are followers of Yahushua and are already "saved" because the Bible says, "believe in the Master Yahushua Messiah, and thou shalt be [future tense] saved" (Acts 16:31, emphasis added). It says, "thou shalt be saved." It does not say that you are already saved. Many believe they are already saved and go around telling everyone they are saved. This, unfortunately, has given many a false sense of security, and most continue to live as they lived previously to accepting Yahushua as their Savior [not knowing what that meant] while believing a lie.

They base their entire salvation on a misunderstanding of what Acts 16:31 is saying. The word translated as "believe" includes much more than an intellectual acknowledgment. This is how it is translated in the Amplified Version. "And they answered, Believe on the Master Yahushua Messiah (give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping) and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31, Amplified Version, emphasis added). If you maintain a close, intimate relationship with Yahushua, as He said was likened to the Vine and the branches (John 15:5), "you WILL BE saved."

For now, we have an adversary that we fight on a daily basis, and if we do not put on "the whole armor of Elohim" (Eph. 6:11-13), we will be defeated, for we battle "not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." We are told in Revelation 12:9 that "Satan, which deceives the whole world" is going about like "a roaring lion . . . seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

People may have intellectually assented to what they believe the Bible says, but they have never invited the Spirit of Elohim into their lives and then allowed His Spirit to cleanse them from all unrighteousness and make them righteous (1 John 1:9, Rom. 8:4, 2 Cor. 3:18). They base their salvation on a misunderstanding of one verse, Acts 16:31, and reveal to the world that the power of Elohim does not dwell in them.

We will be saved when we stand at the gates of the New Jerusalem, having been changed when Yahushua returned (1 Cor. 15: 51-54), never to be deceived again by the Devil!  HalleluYah!

"Thou believest that there is one Elohim; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble" (Jam. 2:19). So are the devils going to be saved? No, and why not? They believe! The devils (fallen angels) know more than we do that there is only one Elohim. They had lived with Him until they were expelled from heaven with Satan.  They also know Who Yahushua is. See Mark 1:23, 24, but they did not commit the keeping of their being into Elohim's hands and have disregarded Elohim's authority over their lives, and if we are doing the same, we will share their fate as our own.

Belief is the starting point in a person's experience. When a child is born, there is a natural progression in the child's development. When a child does not develop normally, whether it is physically or mentally, we get concerned for the welfare of that child. We seek to know the cause, and if there is a remedy, do we not?

How about in the spiritual realm of life? Should there be growth in the Christian experience? Should we be concerned when we see retardation taking place in the Christian's experience? Peter, in his second letter to the churches, urged his readers to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Master and Savior Yahushua Messiah" (2 Pet 3:18).

And how does one who professes a belief in Messiah grow? "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2). However, we cannot stay on a milk diet forever. We must eventually be weaned off of a milk diet.

"For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of Elohim; and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:12-14, emphasis added). No one likes to be called a baby when they are older!

If you were to pit two dogs against each other, you can determine which one will win the fight.  If you feed the one and starve the other, you know who will win.  So it is with our spiritual nature.  If you feed the inherited, fallen human nature of man, it will win.  If you feed the spiritual nature, you receive when you are “born again,” it will win.  Please read Romans chapter eight.

Many who call themselves “believers in Yahushua” are suffering from spiritual anemia and spiritual malnutrition. People expect their pastors to feed them and look to them instead of being taught to look unto Yahushua, Who is the Author and the Finisher of our salvation. "Looking unto Yahushua the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim" (Heb. 12:2). People may attend religious services once, twice, and maybe even three times or more a week, but they never learn to feed themselves by reading, studying, meditating and memorizing the Word of Elohim or learning the science of prayer.

As a result, many will be found wanting, not having on a "wedding garment!" Many do not dare to think differently from what their denomination or pastor or priest or rabbi teaches and become hopelessly entangled in error they would have discovered and been freed from had they taken it upon themselves to study for themselves. "Study to show thyself approved unto Elohim, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15, emphasis added). Most have not taken it upon themselves as their personal responsibility to study matters out and have misplaced their eternal destiny in the hands of another man/woman or a religious organization.

Elohim has provided the "wedding garment" for all who are planning on attending the wedding feast, but it is the individual's responsibility to put on the "wedding garment" which has been so graciously provided. We must allow the Spirit of Elohim to come into our lives and change us. This is a matter of eternal death or eternal life, and should we fail of eternal life, we have only one to blame and that is ourselves. We cannot depend on anyone to determine for us where we end up in eternity. Salvation is a personal issue, and we are not saved by which church we attend or to which religion we adhere.

"And this is life eternal, that they may know Thee the only true Elohim, and Yahushua Messiah, Whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3, emphasis added).  This is not a casual relationship that exists between two friends on earth.  When the word "know" is used in this verse, it implies the most intimate relationship known to a husband and his wife.

In the Old Testament, when "know" was used, it was used to denote the relationship between a husband and his wife that brought forth children; the most sacred and intimate, and pleasurable act given to humanity by our loving Creator. This intimacy is similar to the relationship Elohim would have with each of us, His children, throughout eternity and beginning right here and right now. "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Ps. 16:11). This joy can be experienced even while on the earth.  Our lives with Elohim, in turn, are to bring forth spiritual children.

Immortality is promised only to the righteous and never to the wicked. We do not become righteous by doing what is right. We become righteous by permitting the Spirit of Elohim to come into us and change us (Romans 8:2-4). "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of Yahuwah, are changed into the same image from glory unto glory, even as by the Spirit of Yahuwah" (2 Cor. 3:18, emphasis added).

It is Yahuwah Elohim Almighty that makes us righteous. Elohim is working to place the Universe on an eternally secure basis so sin will never intrude into His creation again. "What do you imagine against Yahuwah? He will make an utter end: affliction [sin] shall not rise up the second time" (Nah. 1:9, emphasis added).  

We must be cleansed of the disease of sin in order to be allowed into heaven. America did not allow those with Ebola to come into this country because of the fear of it spreading. Earth has been under quarantine from the rest of the Universe until the disease of sin has been eliminated. There is no more provision for dealing with sin should it ever resurface in the Universe. Elohim only begat one Son!

When the Father begot Yahushua, He was not immortal, so He was able to die and become our sacrifice. "I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [the grave] and of death" (Rev. 1:18). But when He was resurrected, He was given immortality like those who will have a part in the first resurrection when Yahushua returns (1 Cor. 15:51-55).

Sin is being left to run its course for now until it comes to full maturity. It has had just over six thousand years to mature into what we see in the world today. In Elohim's wisdom, He has permitted Satan to carry on his rebellion, and the entire Universe will be in complete agreement that Yahuwah should put an end to it. What the inhabitants of the earth will have gone through will be the safeguard throughout eternity that sin will never "rise up the second time."  Evil is rapidly coming to maturity, and when it has fully ripened, it will be destroyed forever, along with those who cling to their sins.

But know this.  Before Elohim allowed Satan to carry out his rebellion, He did everything He possibly could have done to convince Satan not to rebel against His authority, but He would not interfere with Satan's "freedom of will," that Elohim values beyond our comprehension in all His created beings. So shall He do for us before the return of Yahushua.  He will have done everything possible so as many as possible of earth’s inhabitants will be eternally saved.

When Elohim pronounces those words found in Revelation chapter twenty-two, the fate of every man, woman, and child will be fixed for eternity. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy let him be holy still. And behold I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give to every man, according as his work shall be" (Rev. 22:11-12, emphasis added).

Elohim is not going to be giving an unjust verdict just because of who you are or who you may think you are.  If He were to make an exception for one, then He would have to do it for others, and where would it end? There will be no exemptions! The plan of salvation provides forgiveness and complete cleansing for every confessed and forsaken sin.  Unconfessed and unforsaken sins cannot be forgiven. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). He gives us the power [His indwelling Spirit] to keep us from sinning (Jude 24). "He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy" (Prov. 28:13, emphasis added).

Even though we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8), we are judged by our works. "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before Elohim; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works . . . and they were judged every man according to their works" (Rev. 20:12-13, emphasis added).

So how do we make sense of this? We are saved by grace, and yet we are judged by our works? Let us make it clear we are saved by Elohim's grace, as stated in Ephesians 2:8 and elsewhere in the Scriptures, and not by our works. "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of Elohim." A gift cannot be earned or purchased, but it is given due solely to the graciousness [the quality or state of being benevolent, courteous, and kind] of the Giver.

How can we tell whether Elohim's gift of grace has been received, has taken effect in one's life, and is still, in fact, in one's life? The first part of Romans 6:14 says:

"For sin shall not have dominion over you" (Rom. 6:14). Many have a limited understanding of what grace is and what is its purpose and thus have a problem with being judged by their works. Grace is not passive; it is active and produces results. It is the work of the Spirit of Elohim dwelling within us.

Many see grace as only the forgiveness of Elohim, but the Scriptures say, "the gospel of Messiah: for it is the power of Elohim unto salvation to everyone that believes" (Rom. 1:16, emphasis added). How much power is available in "the gospel of Messiah?" Limitless! Elohim spoke, and the entire Universe came into existence from nothing. How does one define that type of power? That power is His Spirit (Isa. 63:10-11, 14) that He gives to each individual when we are "born again."

We can and will have that power of Elohim dwelling within us for eternity. Just as Elohim, the Father, dwells in His Son, Yahushua, by His Spirit, so Elohim, by His Spirit, will dwell in us, giving us His power to live in harmony with Him and making us righteous. "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16, emphasis added). 

Remember, we are not the only ones being judged. Elohim is being judged as we are told in Revelation 14:7: "for the hour of His judgment is come," and we are His "witnesses" (Isa. 43:10, 12).

The ninth commandment is "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor" (Ex. 20:16). Far too many professed followers of Yahushua are giving a false witness on behalf of Elohim to their neighbors by the lives they live. Those neighbors may be making their decisions for or against Elohim based on how the professed followers of Yahushua conduct themselves. Yahushua said, "You are the salt of the earth" (Matt. 5:13). If you are a follower of Yahushua, are you making others thirsty for Elohim? Or are you turning people away from Him?

Do we and can we rightly represent Elohim? We are told that we are ambassadors for Elohim. "Now we are ambassadors for Messiah" (2 Cor. 5:20). An ambassador represents the nation he/she is from. How are we representing the kingdom of Elohim to this world?

So if we are saved by grace, then how is it that we are judged by our works? How do we know an apple tree is an apple tree? By the fruit it produces. If a tree produces cherries, and it claims to be an apple tree, would we question its claim? Every tree is known by its fruit. An apple tree produces apples because it is an apple tree; it never does so to prove it is an apple tree!

The Apostle James, in his epistle, asks these questions: "Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh" (Jam. 3:12). A fountain either brings forth one or the other, but not both. A faithful follower of Yahushua will bear the fruit of the Spirit, as shown in Galatians 5:22-23 and not the works of the flesh, as shown in Galatians 5:19-21. If the fruit of the Spirit is not seen in someone's life who is professing to be a follower of Yahushua, then they may not be a follower of Yahushua, or they have not been told about Elohim's indwelling Spirit. They have not been told what It does for an individual or how to maintain that connection with Him, as illustrated in the story of the Vine and the branches (John 15:1-8).

"Either make the tree good [which is what must happen to us by the indwelling Spirit of Elohim], and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt [our condition in the inherited, fallen, human nature we have by birth], and his fruit corrupt: for a tree is known by his fruit" (Matt. 12:33, emphasis added). Just as the fruit is the evidence of what type of tree it is, the fruit of our lives is evidence of whether the grace [Spirit] of Elohim has taken effect and is still in effect in our lives.

The truth of the matter is many have accepted a false gospel. Let me illustrate it this way. In medical clinical trials, some people are given real medication, and some are given what is called a placebo (an inactive but harmless preparation). No one is told which group was assigned which one. The results will show which group was given which one. So it is with the message of salvation. The lives of people indicate which group has received the placebo [the false gospel] and which one has received the real gospel. Just as the fruit is the evidence of what type of tree it is, the fruit of our lives is evidence of whether Elohim's grace has taken effect and is still in effect in our lives.

If you have planted a garden, you know that you do not have to plant any weeds to get them to grow. The weeds grow without having been planted by us, just as sin does in our lives.

But any plant of use to humanity must be planted and cared for in order for it to grow and produce. You must allow Yahuwah, our heavenly Father, to plant His Spirit within our being so that the fruit of His Spirit may be seen in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23). It is up to Him to pluck up the weeds (sins) which He will do when we permit Him (1 John 1:9). He will never overrule our "free will."

Once we have connected with Elohim, we must maintain that connection through daily personal Bible study, prayer, meditation, and memorization.

"Who is an Elohim like unto Thee, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retains not His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion on us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Mic. 7:18-19, emphasis added).  Yahuwah “will subdue our iniquities” when we realize we cannot do it and ask Him to do it.  He does not push Himself on us, but He waits for our invitation.  Too many of us have taken on the role of God and try to do what only Elohim can do and what He has promised to do for us.

"You shall know them by their fruits. [Not by what they profess.] Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. [This is how the wicked will be destroyed. They are burnt up and not tortured throughout eternity.] Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not everyone that says unto Me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:16-21, emphasis added). Elohim is inspecting the fruit of our lives. We, too, may be fruit inspectors. When someone who professes to be a follower of Yahushua does not have the right kind of fruit, we know they do not have the Spirit of Elohim, and they need our prayers.

“The time of trouble" (Dan. 12:1), which is soon to come upon the world, will reveal who is a professed Christian and who is in a living connection with the Vine [Yahushua]. A person's profession will amount to nothing if there is no fruit!  Elohim has made the provision for us to be changed into His likeness, but it is left to us to allow Him to do so by inviting His Spirit into our lives. The fruit that is produced in our lives will either confirm that we are indeed abiding in Messiah or that we are living apart from Messiah, even if we, at one time, have been "born again." We must stay connected to the Vine. Yahushua said, "I am the Vine you are the branches: he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5, emphasis added). “Whosoever abides in Him sins not” (1 John 3:6, emphasis added).  We stay connected through Bible study, prayer, meditation, and memorization. Matthew 12:33 says: "Make the tree good." When the life of Elohim dwells in us through the impartation of His Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit shall be seen in us, and not one will be missing. See Galatians 5:22-25.  

Being born into a Christian denomination accounts for nothing, nor does attending church services; "you must be born again" (John 3:3) "of the Spirit" (John 3:5).  “Whosoever is born of Elohim does not commit sin; for His seed remains in him:  and he cannot sin, because he is born of Elohim” (1 John 3:9, emphasis added).  “Whosoever abides in Him sins not: whosoever sins hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1 John 3:6, emphasis added).  Once a person has been “born again,” they must maintain that connection with Yahushua.

The fruit seen in the lives of Christians is not the result of their efforts, but it is the result of their connection with Elohim through the indwelling Spirit of Elohim. These are the words of Yahushua: "Believe thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father [through His Spirit] in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father [through His Spirit] that dwells in Me, He does the works" (John 14:10, emphasis added). It was the Father's Spirit dwelling in Him that was doing the works and giving Him the words to speak. Yahushua said this: "I can of My Own self do nothing" (John 5:30). That is how much we can do without Elohim's Spirit abiding in us – nothing (John 15:5)! Oh, yes, we can do many things, but they will not be of any eternal value when done apart from Elohim.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22, 23). It is the Spirit of Elohim living in us that produces these qualities of character.

Yahushua was totally dependent upon the Father's Spirit dwelling in Him to live the life He lived while on the earth. He came not only to become our sacrificial Lamb but to become our Living Example by showing us how to live in this world. Different places in the Scriptures tell us how to live (Ps. 15:1-5), but Yahushua came to show us how to live. Knowing and doing are two separate issues. One is only a theory, and the other is experiential; having the presence of the Spirit of Elohim dwelling in us supplies the power to live an Elohim-like life.

When Peter walked on the water, he kept afloat as long as his eyes were fixed on Yahushua, but once he took his eyes off Yahushua, he sank into the waters. So it is with us! As long as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we can stay dry even amid the storms we encounter in this life. "I can do all things through Messiah which strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).

And in all this, Elohim is being judged! Is His grace sufficient for us as the Bible tells us? "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9).  Grace does not make up the difference between our obedience and our disobedience.  The religion of the Bible is not a subsidized means of salvation.  Grace “is the power of [the Spirit of] Elohim unto salvation to everyone that believes” (Rom. 1:16).  Grace accomplishes everything in our lives that needs to be accomplished in order for us to have immortality conferred upon us at the return of Yahushua.  Grace is the power of the indwelling Spirit of Elohim.

Those who are weak realize their need for an outside source of power, while those who are self-sufficient may not realize their need. Many have said the Bible is only for those who are weak. I would disagree because it is for all who come to understand their need. Unfortunately, those who think themselves capable may not realize their weakness or need. They are self-sufficient!  Yahushua said: "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous [those who think they are righteous – the self-righteous], but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17).

Those who think they are reasonably good may not realize their need of the help Yahushua came to offer humanity, while those whom the world considers wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked understand their need and come to Yahushua. They are the "poor in spirit" mentioned in Matthew 5:3, and that is why they are said to be “blessed.”  They realize their need for a power outside of themselves to enable them to live a righteous life.  We all need the help Yahushua came to give humanity, for all have been infected by the disease of sin, but not all will realize their need and come to Yahushua for healing. We are suffering from a more deadly disease than Ebola, and that is an inherited, fallen human nature that is prone to sin, and the Great Physician has the cure.

Peter told Yahushua he would never leave Him nor forsake Him, but Yahushua told Peter that when he was converted, he would be able to strengthen the brethren. Peter was, at that time, self-reliant and not Elohim-reliant.

The children of Israel in the desert told Moses that all that Yahuwah had said to them, they would do, and yet a few days later, they were committing adultery and idolatry because they, like Peter, were self-sufficient and thought they could do it in their strength. "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that Yahuwah hath said will we do, and be obedient" (Ex. 24:7). It is written, "For to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18, emphasis added).

Is Elohim able to keep us from sinning? "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling [sinning], and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24, emphasis added). The Bible says He can. Do we believe what the Bible says? "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matt. 9:29). And how is that faith obtained? Faith in Elohim is a result of getting to know Elohim on a personal level. We do not have confidence in total strangers or in someone we know only casually. "Yahushua said unto them, Believe you that I am able to do this? They said unto Him, Yea, Master. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you" (Matt. 9:28-29).

We are to be Elohim's witnesses of His ability to keep and fulfill His promises in us, through us, and to us. When people question if a sinner can become perfect, they are questioning Elohim's ability to keep us from sinning. See Job 1:1, Luke 1:6, and Revelation 14:5. Yahushua told us to "be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). Would He tell us to do something that was impossible for us to do? "With men this is impossible; but with Elohim all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26, emphasis added).

When Yahushua healed people, He told them to "sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you" (John 5:14). He was not telling them to do something impossible. And still, some tell us we cannot stop sinning, contradicting what the Bible says on the matter, just as Satan contradicted what Elohim had told Eve in the Garden of Eden. Who are you going to believe?  Even worse, some people tell us we do not need to stop sinning!  

How big, how powerful, and how mighty is your God? If He cannot do what He has promised, then you had better switch gods, because you may not be worshipping the One True Elohim (John 17:3)!  “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Ps. 33:9). Do you think that if Elohim can create the Universe by speaking it into existence that He can also keep you from sinning? See Jude 24.

The early followers of Yahushua were called believers. They believed every word Elohim said, just as a child believes every word that comes from its parents’ mouths. "Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3).

Satan wants you to doubt what Elohim has promised. Satan's three temptations of Yahushua in the wilderness were all prefaced by doubt. If Satan can get us to question what Elohim has said in His Word, then he knows he has us!  “For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12, emphasis added).  This is not just an intellectual knowledge but a deep, personal knowledge of Him gained through time spent with Him in studying His Word, prayer, meditation, and memorization.  Have we committed the keeping of our souls to Elohim as Acts 16:31 in the Amplified Version tells us?  “Believe in the Master Yahushua Messiah (give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping) and you will be saved” (emphasis added). 

We all like to do the driving, and it is hard to turn over our lives to Someone unless we have learned to trust Him.  And that trust comes from knowing Him intimately because of the time we have spent with Him personally.

It is one thing to know what is coming in the future, as revealed in Daniel and Revelation, but quite another thing to be ready to go through that time as described in these books. It will require an experience as is best described in Psalm ninety-one. We must have that experience so "he that dwells in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty”; so we can say with the utmost assurance, and not with presumptuousness, "He is my refuge and my fortress: my Elohim in Him will I trust" (Ps. 91:1-2).

"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock" (Ps. 27:5).

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried" (Dan. 12:10).

When we meet the conditions as stated in the Scriptures, every promise will be realized. A great lie being perpetrated in the world today is about Elohim's unconditional love. His love is described as many things, but unconditional is not one of those. You will not find that word mentioned in the Scriptures or anything to support such a false concept of Elohim.

The little word "if" is used throughout the Scriptures and shows there are conditions by which Elohim's promises may be claimed; otherwise, it is like writing a check without sufficient funds being available. It is presumption to expect Elohim to fulfill His promises to us when we do not meet the conditions under which those promises are to be granted.

"Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Ps. 19:13).  “But the soul that does ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproaches Yahuwah; and that soul shall be cut off from among His people” (Num. 15:30). 

"The mystery of godliness: Elohim manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16); our flesh! While this is speaking primarily of Yahushua, it is also talking of our experience where "the word is made flesh" (John 1:14) once again in us, and Elohim is revealed to the world through us. Yahushua said His words were "spirit and they are life" (John 6:63), and we partake of the very life of Elohim as we spend time with Him in His Word. By His Word, He created the Universe, and by His Word, He recreates us.

After we repent of our sins and turn to Elohim for cleansing, and as we spend time with Elohim in prayer and the personal study of His Word and meditating on His Word, we partake of His Spirit and become transformed into His likeness. What food does to the body, so the Word of Elohim does in our lives! It changes us. It makes us strong, healthy, and vibrant followers of Elohim.

The more we meditate on His Word, the more we obtain from His Word, like when we masticate (chew) thoroughly our food before swallowing it. The more we chew our food, the more of the nutrition we absorb from the food we eat. The more we meditate on the Word of Elohim, the more we receive from it. A quick reading of the Bible before we rush out the door in the morning cannot give us the nutritional value of Elohim's Word that we would receive if we just sat down and spent time in thoughtful contemplation of the Word of Elohim.    

If you do not presently read and study the Bible, take the time to do so and see what happens in your life. Those of us, who already do, know what can happen in one's life. That, in a nutshell, is how we exchange our "filthy rags" for the "fine linen . . . the righteousness of saints" that we must have to attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. This garment was provided for us in the redemption Messiah wrought out for us on the cross, and it is left to our decision whether we will wear it or not. If we choose not to wear it, we will find ourselves, like the man in the parable, taken out of the wedding feast and lose eternal life, even though we have accepted the sacrifice of Yahushua for our sins but have not allowed Him to cleanse us from our sins.  Once again, it is Elohim Who cleanses us from our sins (1 John 1:9).  We do not and cannot do this for ourselves, and it is the Father’s and the Son’s “good pleasure” to do this for us!

I have quoted Psalm ninety-one before because it above all that is written in the Bible means everything to those who will be living during the last days! We must have a living, personal, vital connection with Yahuwah Elohim.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself" (Rev. 19:11-12, emphasis added).

Today, within the Judeo-Christian Communities, there is much discussion concerning the Hebrew name of Elohim (God). There is little agreement on how to write out His name in order to have the correct pronunciation (transliteration), which in Hebrew is YHWH.  I am not fluent in Hebrew and do not consider myself an adequate judge in this matter. There are multiple ways the names being used for both the Father and the Son are being spelled in order for them to be pronounced correctly. One group condemns the other for the spelling used for the name of the Father or His Son and vice versa. When the One Whom I call Yahushua returns, all of this heated discussion, along with condemning one another, will come to an end because He has a name "that no man knew, but He Himself."  I have chosen to use the spellings that I have (Yahuwah and Yahushua) because what has been presented to me makes the most sense, but that by no means makes me right or wrong. I am attempting to do what I believe is correct without being dogmatic about the issue as some have chosen to do and, in the process, may be the means of turning people away from Elohim and losing their own salvation.

Many will be ashamed on that day for the spirit that was so often manifested in those discussions that too often ended in producing more heat than light!

Very few ever spell or pronounce my surname correctly without my help, and that never bothers me. How small and petty do we think our Elohim is that we dare to become so dogmatic over this issue? What kind of a character is Elohim being portrayed as having in all of this wrangling over His name by His professed followers? Is it more important to know the Individual and what He is like than to know His name? Jeremiah 9:23-24 answers that question.

"And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of Elohim. And the armies which were in heaven followed upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev. 19:13-14). The 144,000 are clothed in beautiful white garments made of "fine linen," as all the redeemed will be throughout eternity.

In the above passage, Yahushua is referred to as “The Word of Elohim." Words are thoughts made audible. When we study the life of Messiah while He lived on this earth, we can look into the very thoughts of Elohim. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Elohim's thoughts are made audible and visible to us through the life of His Son, Who lived in dependence upon His Father; Who dwelt in His Son through His Spirit.

What are Elohim's thoughts toward us? "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Yahuwah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jer. 29:11).

In the last days, Elohim will be revealing Himself through His "born again" children's lives. "You are our epistle [letter] written in our hearts, known and read by all men: forasmuch as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Messiah ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living Elohim; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart" (2 Cor. 3:2-3). You are Elohim's epistle (letter) sent into the world by Elohim to tell and to show them Elohim's love and compassion for all humanity!

King Yahushua leaves heaven riding on a white horse, with the armies of heaven following. "And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty Elohim. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:15-16).

This picture is quite different from that of the meek and lowly Yahushua as we often picture Him. Isaiah 53:2 tells us when Yahushua would come the first time, "He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him." There was to be no outward attraction to draw us to Yahushua when He first came; only the beauty of heavenly truth was to attract us to Him and not any outward display. "For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth" (John 18:37).

The religious people of His day could not understand Him because He was not like them. Their religion consisted only of outward display. They crucified their Creator, but they would not enter the court of Pilate for fear of contaminating themselves (John 18:28). They judged Yahushua by what they were and what they could understand. Their hearts (minds) were closed to Him. "O generation of vipers, how can you being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart [mind], the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34).

Yahushua is coming back in all His glory, honor, majesty, and authority. Yahushua had told those who were clamoring for His death: "Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Matt. 26:64).  “And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron” (Rev. 19:15).  As we found out in an earlier chapter, those men who had put Yahushua to death will be resurrected to see Him coming in the clouds of heaven (Rev. 1:7; Dan. 12:2). While a "rod of iron" to the wicked brings terror; to those who know Yahushua as their Good Shepherd, the "rod of iron" brings safety, comfort, and assurance (Ps. 23:4).

While the righteous are being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, the lost are being called to be the "main course." "And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great Elohim; that you may eat the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great" (Rev. 19:17-18). Those who are slain by the brightness of Yahushua's coming will have their flesh picked clean by the scavengers of the earth.

"And I saw the beast [Satan], and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army" (Rev. 19:19).

When I started studying Daniel and Revelation twenty-nine years ago, scientists were petitioning their governments to develop the technology to blast asteroids out of the sky. Then a movie came out with just such a scenario. Whether or not that technology will ever be developed, I do not know, but if it is, it will be used in this battle when the armies of the earth and Satan see Yahushua coming through the heavens to rescue the righteous.

Satan will not go down quietly, but he most certainly is going down in the Battle of Armageddon! Isaiah is not referring to this scene, but I hope you will appreciate its appropriateness. Its words were given for the encouragement of Elohim's people but apply to Yahushua in the above scenario. "No weapon that is formed against Thee shall prosper" (Is. 54:17).

"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped the image. These were both cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeds out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh" (Rev. 19:20-21).  

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing [Fighting against Elohim!]? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against Yahuwah, and against His Anointed [Messiah Yahushua], saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. [People do not like the restrictions Elohim has placed upon humanity for their good.] He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: Yahuwah shall have them in derision. Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure" (Ps. 2:1-5).  Speaking of the wicked, Psalm 37:13 tells us, "Yahuwah shall laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming." Elohim will put an end to what is taking place on this earth, and nothing can stop Him.  “I will work, and who shall let [stop] it?” (Isa. 43:13).

Much of the discussion of this chapter pertained to being ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb by being clothed in the "fine linen . . . the righteousness of saints." Just knowing what is about to happen would be of no benefit to you if you are not ready to spend eternity with Elohim and the Lamb. May each of us wear the wedding garment that has been purchased and provided for us at such an unimaginable cost of suffering to the Father and His Son!

Daniel and Revelation do not tell us some of the details that will take place at the second coming of Yahushua. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Master Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain [who were not slain by the brightness of the Master's coming] shall be caught up together with them [the ones who were resurrected from the dead] in the clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Master [and with His and our Father, our Elohim]" (emphasis added).

At the time of the second coming of Yahushua, we find these precious words written centuries ago coming to pass. "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:51-55).

There is no evidence of Yahushua standing on the earth at this point, and the scene described in Zechariah 14:4 will not take place until Yahuwah Elohim, Yahushua, the redeemed from this earth, and all the holy angels return to this planet after the one-thousand-year millennium has been spent in heaven.

____________________

      1. What is the "testimony of Yahushua?"

      2. What will be the main course for the fowls to eat?

      3. What will be Yahushua's new name?

      4. Will Yahushua come as a lamb or a lion when He returns?