Are You Ready?

The much waited for return of our Lord Jesus Christ is finally at hand. The world has had many false wake up calls over time, but this one is for real. The question is, are you ready for Him and for the devastation that precedes His arrival?

In the year 2000, we unveiled the prophecy of Daniel 12, the only one in the Bible that gives us a specific timetable for that awesome event, so there is no excuse for anyone to be caught unprepared. But such is the condition of the world in which we live that the last thing people want to hear these days is talk about the end of this age.

Jesus Christ knew that there would be little faith in the world when He returns, and that is why He said that the world would be taken by surprise by the Great Tribulation that precedes His arrival.

Luke 18:8b “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Mat 24:38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

Mat 24:39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

There are many people who do not wish to see Jesus Christ coming too soon, thinking that a delay in His return would give them time to prepare for His arrival. But that is a false hope, for if they are not ready to face Him now, there is little chance that they will ever be. All adult human beings are supposed to be ready to face their Creator and their Saviour any time anywhere. The problem is, Christian preachers themselves are postponing Jesus’ return to an indefinite time, supposedly because many other prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. Well, having looked carefully at both Scriptures and history, we can tell you that no prophecy is yet to be fulfilled before the return of Jesus Christ, other than the worldwide Great Tribulation. All prophecies about this time, have been, or are in the process of being fulfilled.

There has never been a more urgent and appropriate time to turn to God than it is now. Turning to God in the midst of widespread unbelief, gives you greater merit in heaven. That is why Jesus Christ said that:

Mat 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

The whole world will soon bend their knees and bow their heads before the Almighty, but most people will get little reward for doing so at the last minute, at judgment time when they have no alternative.

Isa 45:22 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.

Rom 14:11 “For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every

Rom 14:12 tongue shall confess to God”. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

One must be ready to face his Maker and answer for himself at all times. That is why those who do not wish to see Jesus Christ now will end up paying with their life.

Luke 19:27 “Bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.”

The main reason put forward by preachers who think that the return of Jesus Christ is still a long way off is that according to them Antichrist must come and deceive the world first. They do not know that Antichrist has been in the world ever since the time of the Apostles. Here is proof of it.

1Jn 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Antichrist was already in the world when Apostle John wrote those words. And who is an antichrist? Anyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh. In other words, anyone who does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ is living His life in us through the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that lived in Him when He was in the world, is an antichrist.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

There is no need for another Antichrist to come into the world, because the world has long been deceived by a great Antichrist. People do not know who that is because he masquerades as a man of God and an angel of light.

2 Cor 11:13 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

2 Cor 11:14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

2 Cor 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Satan has been posing as an angel of light for a long time, and his servants as ministers of righteousness for just as long. That is why Jesus Christ began and ended His prophecy about the Great Tribulation that precedes His return with a warning against ministers that preach falsehood, all while claiming to preach the true Christ.

Mat 24:4 “And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.

Mat 24:5 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.”

Mat 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Mat 24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Mat 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” "For then there will be great tribulation,

Mat 24:21 such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Mat 24:22 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened”.

Mat 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.

Mat 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Mat 24:25 "See, I have told you beforehand.”

Three times Jesus Christ used the word ‘deceive’ in that chapter, every time associating it with ministers who admit that He is the Christ, yet who deceive their followers. How do they do that? By preaching a false gospel in His name. Notice what Apostle Paul said.

Gal 1:6 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

Gal 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

Gal 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

Now if they started deceiving the people whom the Apostles had converted even at that time, how much worse do you think things might have gotten by now? The answer may come when you understand that closely linked with the gospel of the Antichrist, is that of the ‘man of sin’. He too is supposed to come and conquer the world before the return of Jesus Christ. And guess what? He was in the world at the time of the Apostles too.

2 Th 2:1 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,

2 Th 2:2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.

2 Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

2 Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God,

2 Th 2:5 showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”

Like the Antichrist of Apostle John, the ‘man of sin’ of Apostle Paul was also in the world at that time. That ‘man of sin’ was already sitting in the temple of God, claiming to be God, or ‘Holy Father’, when Apostle Paul spoke about him to the Thessalonians. The reason people keep stumbling over this issue is that they do not know what temple Apostle Paul was referring to. It was not the temple in Jerusalem, for no man ever stood in that temple preaching Christ while he himself was worshiped as God. The temple Apostle Paul was referring to was in Rome, the capital of the world in those days, and soon the capital of Christianity. A false Christianity of course, for not true Christian would ever usurp God’s title of ‘Holy Father’.

The fact that Apostle Paul was not able to reveal his identity at that time tells us that he was a greatly feared man – one who could have caused much damage to those who spoke evil of him. With the passage of time this is exactly what the papacy has done to the true followers of Jesus Christ. Countless people have been burned at stake for refusing to accept the counterfeited religion of the ‘man of sin’. As Jesus said:

John 16:2 "They will put you out of the synagogues [and churches]; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.”

Now it should come as no surprise that the Antichrist and the ‘man of sin’, which is really one and the same, have been in the world from the beginning of Christianity, because the Devil himself has been the ‘god of this age’ from the beginning of the world.

2 Cor 4:3 “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded,

2 Cor 4:4 who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

It is an extraordinary fact that no other powerful religious institution and position has been in the world at the time of Jesus Christ that would still be in the world at the time of His return, except the position of Pontifex Maximus – the papacy.

2 Th 2:8 “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of Hid coming.

2 Th 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan,

2 Th 2:10 with all power, signs,and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Th 2:11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe

2 Th 2:12 the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Two important prophecies come out of this passage. First, that the lawless one will be revealed and destroyed at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The people of God have known who that person is for a long time; only the world at large will be surprised to discover his true identity at the last minute.

Second, the ‘lawless one’ deceived those who did not receive the truth and had pleasure in unrighteousness. And what happened to them? God gave them strong delusion that they should believe the lie. What lie? The false gospel of salvation! See TCH No 11 if you do not know the difference. Apostle Paul used similar language in his letter to the Romans.

Rom 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because

Rom 1:19 what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead,

Rom 1:21 so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts,

Rom 1:22 and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise,

Rom 1:23 they became fools,and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Rom 1:24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves,

Rom 1:25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

Rom 1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over

Rom 1:29 to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters,

Rom 1:30 haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient

Rom 1:31 to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

Rom 1:32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Like a collective death wish, the entire world has been covered by the stench of homosexuality. Those who ought to cry aloud about it are just as likely to indulge in it themselves.

It is unbelievable that such a small number of people would wield such a disproportionate influence with world governing institutions. Two and three decades ago they used to claim that upwards of ten percent of the population had homosexual orientation. But every study done since then has shown that their number is no more than one to two percent. It only shows what a powerful spirit is behind this abominable practice.

The Bible says that religious leaders ought to be the repositories of scriptural knowledge and upholders of the Law of God, but instead they have done their best to steer people away from that Law under the pretence that churches must keep up with the times.

Mal 2:7 "For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Mal 2:8 But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law.

Mal 2:9 You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the law."

Jer 5:24 “They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest."

Jer 5:25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.

Jer 5:30 "An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:

Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?”

1 Cor 2:6 “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

1 Cor 2:8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

People have refused to hear our message because we did not come with polished publications and great pomp and ceremony. They have been led to believe that God’s messages come form well dressed, wealthy and fashionable people. But what do the Scriptures say?

Mark 1:6 “Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.”

Mat 11:7 “As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” But what did you go out to see?

Mat 11:8 A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. "But what did you go out to see?

Mat 11:9 A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Mat 11:10 "For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.'

Mat 11:11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Those who were to come in the spirit of Elijah before the return of Jesus Christ, whose role was to witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations before the end comes, were also ordinary people dressed in ‘sackcloth’ (Rev.11). Any wonder that the world does not believe them and kills them. But would it do so if they were world renown people, coming with great pomp and ceremony? Can you see now how the world is deceived to the very core, and why it is blind to its true condition?

James 2:5 “Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

James 2:6 But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you

James 2:7 and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which

James 2:8 you are called? If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself," you do well; but if you show partiality,

James 2:9 you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever

James 2:10 shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

James 2:11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

James 2:12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.”

What does the “law of liberty” tell us? To keep the Law of God, and abhor sin. Tell that to the United Sates Supreme Court, which in June 2003 equated freedom with homosexuality. Little do they realise that in so doing they signed the death warrant for their own nation.

God does not change (Mal.3:6). What was abominable in His sight in ancient times is abominable to Him in modern times, and always shall be. That is why those who have not learned the lesson of history, particularly that of Sodom and Gomorra, will repeat it at their own peril. Since the whole world has gone after this, and a myriad of other sins, the whole world will pay for it; hence the Great Tribulation.

The change that is about to hit this world is so great, so radically different from anything that happened in the past, that most people find it hard to comprehend the size and scope of it.

Mat 24:21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Mat 24:22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.”

For the elect’s sake God will intervene and cut those days short, lest no flesh be left alive. Unless you are among the elect of God, you cannot make it into the Kingdom of God. You may survive the Great Tribulation and live a little longer into the Millennial Kingdom, but that is hardly a consolation for not being among the elect who will not only be spared the pains of the Great Tribulation, but receive eternal life as well.

Rev 3:10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

Rev 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Not long ago the leader of the Crystal Cathedral in America enlightened his immaculate and attentive audience how he conducts his prayer before the Almighty. So what does he tell God when he gets on his knees? Nothing! And what does God answer him? Nothing!

He seems to have done pretty well with his prayer formula, but do you think a poor man would get very far if he prayed that way? We do not know what Bible he is using for inspiration, but we do know that our Bible says something very different about prayer.

Mat 6:5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. "But you, when you pray,

Mat 6:6 go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Mat 6:7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

Mat 6:8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Our Father knows what we need before we ask Him, but He still wants us to talk to Him as we would to our human parents. The wealthy of this world can pray whichever way they want; their prayer carries little weight with God anyway.

Mat 19:23 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 19:24 "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

James 5:1 “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

James 5:3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

James 5:4 Indeed the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

James 5:5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

James 5:6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

James 5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.”

James 5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

Unless people do what Jesus Christ and His Apostles have said, they can pray standing on their head, it wouldn’t make a difference. The man who prays in silence before God came to Australia recently in an evangelistic campaign, charging $25 for anyone who wanted to hear his precious pearls. Now $25 is a lot of money for a poor person, but do you think he was concerned with the poor? One does not charge $25 if he wants to reach the poor. But if he wants to ‘enlighten’ the wealthy, he can charge anything he wants; they will make good company in their “heaven”.

Now do you know why Jesus Christ said that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

Mat 19:16 “Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"

Mat 19:17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

Mat 19:18 But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,'

Mat 19:19 'Honour your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.'" The young man said to Him,

Mat 19:20 "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Mat 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man

Mat 19:22 heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

Mat 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 19:24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The heart of the young man could not let him follow Christ because he had great possessions. Riches are a deadly snare as far as salvation is concerned. Men have a hard time parting with their possessions, and that is why it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle that for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. In other words it is virtually impossible to save rich people. And when Jesus Christ says something, you better believe that it is true.

Now isn’t it extraordinary that this world honours the very people who have the least chance of being saved? They look at those who are well dressed, influential and wealthy, who come with great pomp and ceremony, when these are the least likely people to have a good relationship with God and receive His messages. Why do you think God gave His great end time work to two poor people, ‘clothed in sackcloth’ (Rev. 11:3), instead of to wealthy people?

Poor people know their condition and pray to God in the right manner, with the right heart and the right attitude. God is able to communicate with them, because they communicate with Him. But He cannot pass on His messages to people that remain deaf-mute before Him.

Prayer is an interactive process with our heavenly Father. It should contain a eulogy for His wondrous creation; gratitude for His compassion, grace, and blessings; request for forgiveness of our sins; and a petition to help us overcome the tests, trials and tribulations that often come our way.

Our requests to Him must be moderated by the knowledge that if we ask anything amiss He does not respond to our prayer. Our prayers must be in accordance with His will, and that is why it is important to know what He expects of us in the first place. This is what James said about prayer:

James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful?

James 5:14 Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.

James 5:16 And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

James 5:19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth,

James 5:20 and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

Did you notice? “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Prayer and faith go hand in hand. For a prayer to be effective, it must be done in complete faith. But faith does not come overnight. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). But if you cannot find anyone who can inspire you to have faith, you can increase your own faith by combining prayer, meditation, and study of the Word of God.

2 Tim 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

James had a few golden sayings about prayer too.

James 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

James 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

James 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

James 1:10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.

James 1:11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

One cannot talk about prayer without mentioning the Master of it – Jesus Christ. This is what He told His disciples.

Mat 6:5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. "But you, when you pray,

Mat 6:6 go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Mat 6:7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Mat 6:8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Mat 6:9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

Mat 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen

Mat 6:14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Mat 6:15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Millions of people recite this formula by heart without stoping for a minute to consider what it really means. Each verset contains a profound meaning, so speak it slowly, stop and think about every word of it. Above all, remember the verset that says, ‘forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors’, and take note how Jesus Christ elaborated on it. More often than not, people’s prayers are ineffective because their heart is not right before God. As Apostle Paul said:

2 Cor 13:5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?; unless indeed you are disqualified.”

Indeed, Jesus Christ lives His life in his genuine followers, and answers their prayer. This is what He told His disciples just before He rose to heaven.

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

John 14:24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

John 14:25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,

John 14:27 He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:28 "You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,

John 14:29 ' for My Father is greater than I. "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.”

John 16:24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:25 "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language,

John 16:26 but I will tell you plainly about the Father. "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;

John 16:27 "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

John 16:28 "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father."

Then Jesus Christ lifted up His eyes to heaven and gave His disciples a powerful example of prayer and communication with His, and our, heavenly Father.

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

John 17:2 "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You,

John 17:3 the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:4 "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given

John 17:5 Me to do. "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

John 17:6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 17:7 "Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.

John 17:8 "For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You;

John 17:9 and they have believed that You sent Me."I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

John 17:10 "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

John 17:11 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one

John 17:12 as We are. "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition,

John 17:13 that the Scripture might be fulfilled. "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

John 17:14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are

John 17:15 not of the world, just as I am not of the world. "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

John 17:16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

John 17:18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

John 17:19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

John 17:20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through

John 17:21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in their word;Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 17:22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

John 17:23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

John 17:24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

John 17:25 "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You;

John 17:26 and these have known that You sent Me. "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

Can anyone add anything to that? Not us!

Marriage and Divorce According to the Scriptures

It is an extraordinary paradox that many fundamentalist churches that call themselves Churches of God, openly advocate what the Apostles of Jesus Christ have called ‘doctrines of demons’.

1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and

1 Tim 4:2 doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

1 Tim 4:3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

1 Tim 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;

1 Tim 4:5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

1 Tim 4:6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

1 Tim 4:7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.

1 Tim 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

As you can see, Apostle Paul placed this apostasy firmly in the end time. So if you want to know whether we are indeed in the end time, go and find out whether anyone practices those doctrines of demons. But if you want to take our word for it, we can tell you that just about every fundamentalist church, and many traditional ones, believe and practice these doctrines. There is virtually no church that does not have unscriptural dietary restrictions on its members at various times during the year. Remember, if it is not in the Bible, or approved by God, it is not necessary, or downright wrong and sinful. The strange thing is that although many churches believe that we live in the end time, none would admit that they practice ‘doctrines of demons’ even though they impose dietary and marriage restrictions on their followers.

For decades, the champion church of these ‘doctrines of demons’ has been the Worldwide Church of God. That church, which had great proselytising campaigns and influence last century, advocated even more stringent dietary and marital restrictions than the Jews. They applied biblical injunctions, which they did not understand, without any consideration for the harm and pain it caused to those who were affected. Have a look at the following examples and see what we mean.

Mat 19:3 “The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” And He answered and said to them,

Mat 19:4 "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning

Mat 19:5 'made them male and female,’ and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?”

Mat 19:6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

The new ‘Pharisees’ used this passage to split families and send people back to their former mates. When that was not possible, they left them in the lurch, separated and heartbroken. No one was allowed to remarry as long as the former partner was still alive, regardless of whether he or she was available and a member of the church. It was a classical example of wisdom of the world posing as the wisdom of God. Jesus Christ had indeed said that, “what God has joined together, let not man separate", but He also pointed out that there are times when that cannot be avoided, and separation MUST occur.

Mat 19:7 “They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"

Mat 19:8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Mat 19:9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

Sexual immorality demands divorce. But separating people who are remarried and sending them back to former partners is committing another abominable act in the sight of God.

Deu 24:1 "When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favour in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house,

Deu 24:2 "when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man's wife,

Deu 24:3 "if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife,

Deu 24:4 "then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

So strongly does God feel about this Law that He repeated it in Jeremiah.

Jer 3:1 "They say, 'If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man's, May he return to her again?' Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me," says the LORD.”

It is abominable before the Lord, and pollutes the land, to separate people and send them back to former partners. And if something is abominable before the Lord you better not tamper with it, because the penalty for it is eternal damnation.

And yet, many churches are still unashamedly practicing these ‘doctrines of demons’.

They do not understand that the starting point for the people of God is the moment of their conversion. Whoever you are married to at the moment of your repentance, conversion and baptism, is your partner for life. But as Apostle Paul said, if one of the partners departs and marries another, the other partner is not bound for life to him or her. The remaining partner is free to marry, but only a believing member.

The problem mainstream churches, such as the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and others, are having is that they do not have a break, a converting point, in the life of their members. Their members are made not by adult conversion, but by birth. This has far reaching implications. Consider the plight of the priests who are accused of sexual misconduct prior to their ordination. They could never say: I was guilty of youthful indiscretions like all human beings. But when I matured and saw the error of my ways, I repented of it and converted to God’s way of life. God forgave me, and you ought to forgive me too. Of course this does not apply to criminal behaviour for which the common law must take its course. But as it is, they have two options: deny even the smallest infraction and hope for the best, or acknowledge it and have their reputation and career ruined. Not surprisingly, virtually all of them choose the first option.

The head of the Catholic Church in Australia was accused last year of having fondled a boy forty-one years earlier when they were both young and playing. On the face of it, it appeared to be rather a trifling accusation, with little consequence, except perhaps as a pointer towards possible homosexual orientation. But because it was aired in public, the Primate had to either admit it or deny it. As one might have expected it, he denied it. The judging magistrate then had to decide whom to believe: the accuser or the defender. Since birds of a feather stick together, he chose to ‘believe’ the defender. Thus the Primate was saved and reinstated to his position, and the church was saved from another payout.

The problem with this Primate and his choice is that even if God had forgiven him for his original error, which he could claim that he made while young, green, and irresponsible, God would never forgiven him if he lied about it now, because in so doing he portrayed an innocent man as liar, and that is unforgivable. That is what happens when churches misapply good Christian doctrines. Taking responsibility for one’s sins is paramount in Christianity. But equally paramount is the fact that errors once repented of before God, are forgiven and forgotten. But that requires a repenting and converting point in one’s adult life, a fact traditional churches deny their members.

Infants and children can be Christened and blessed by a priest or a minister of religion, just as Jesus Christ blessed the children that were brought to Him. That act however is designed to protect them from evil influences, not to erase their sins and convert them to the true faith of Jesus Christ. Children are born without sin, but they are still made of flesh and blood, and bound to fall under temptation when they grow up and subjected to the impulses and temptations of human nature. Only one Man in the history of the world had never sinned – Jesus Christ – and that happened because He had the Holy Spirit from conception. Without the Holy Spirit no one can withstand the wiles of the Devil. That is why an adult conversion, repentance of sins, and baptism through complete immersion, without which no one can receive the Holy Spirit, are so important. Can you see now why priests and ministers of traditional churches, particularly of the Catholic Church, are such easy pray to the Devil’s influence? Without the Holy Spirit they have little chance of withstanding his evil devices.

In regard to the question of why God allows little children to die young, over which so many people continue to fret and stumble, this is what the Bible says.

1 Ki 14:5 “Now the LORD had said to Ahijah, "Here is the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask you something about her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to her; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman."

1 Ki 14:6 And so it was, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another person? For I have been sent to you with bad news.

1 Ki 14:7 "Go, tell Jeroboam, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel,

1 Ki 14:8 "and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and yet you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes;

1 Ki 14:9 "but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back;

1 Ki 14:10 "therefore behold! I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, bond and free; I will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as one takes away refuse until it is all gone.

1 Ki 14:11 "The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field; for the LORD has spoken!"'

1 Ki 14:12 "Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die.

1 Ki 14:13 "And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.”

Combine that with the following Scripture, and you can see that when children die in their infancy, rather than mourn, cry, be angry and ask, why did God let little Johnny die, people should rather rejoice just as God does.

Psa 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.”

Little Johnny will most certainly be in the Kingdom of God, whereas those left behind will have a mammoth task to make it to that place, especially if they are members of the mainstream churches that do not offer their members the chance of repentance, conversion, baptism, and washing of sins by the Holy Spirit. Once people grow up and commit their first sin, they lose their innocence and can no longer make it into the Kingdom of God unless they undergo the ritual of renewal through repentance, conversion, baptism, and laying on of hands of the elders for the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

What these churches do to their members, particularly their priests and ministers, by their lack of proper doctrines, is forcing them to lie about their past behaviour in order to save their skins in this world.

It is the same story with their doctrines about marriage. It is a well known fact that the Catholic Church does not allow divorce even when both partners have committed adultery. By forcing people to stay together against their wish, even after adultery, the church commits a great abomination before the Lord. Do you happen to know whom the Bible refers to as the ‘abomination of desolation’? You might want to consult The Christian Herald No 3.

The following lengthy passage shows us in what Spirit we must look at family, marriage and divorce.

1 Cor 7:1 “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

1 Cor 7:2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

1 Cor 7:3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

1 Cor 7:4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

1 Cor 7:5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you

1 Cor 7:6 because of your lack of self- control. But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.

1 Cor 7:7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

1 Cor 7:8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

1 Cor 7:9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn

1 Cor 7:10 with passion. Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord:

1 Cor 7:11 A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

1 Cor 7:12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.

1 Cor 7:13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

1 Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

1 Cor 7:15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.

1 Cor 7:16 But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

1 Cor 7:17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.

1 Cor 7:18 Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised.

1 Cor 7:19 Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

1 Cor 7:20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.

1 Cor 7:21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.

1 Cor 7:22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave.

1 Cor 7:23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

1 Cor 7:24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

1 Cor 7:25 Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy.

1 Cor 7:26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress; that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife?

1 Cor 7:27 Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

1 Cor 7:28 But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on,

1 Cor 7:29 even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice,

1 Cor 7:30 those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use

1 Cor 7:31 this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.

1 Cor 7:32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord; how he may please the Lord.

1 Cor 7:33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world; how he may please his wife.

1 Cor 7:34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world; how she may please her husband.

1 Cor 7:35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

1 Cor 7:36 But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.

1 Cor 7:37 Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. So then he who

1 Cor 7:38 gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.

1 Cor 7:39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

1 Cor 7:40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment; and I think I also have the Spirit of God.”

As you can see, this rule applies not only to marriage, but to whatever condition one is found in at the moment of his or her call and conversion. Now there is one statement made by Jesus Christ that has caused much anguish to theologians and philosophers. It is a statement that is connected with marriage and divorce, although it does not appear to be so at first sight.

Mat 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

This statement was repeated for emphasis, lest people think that it might have been made by oversight.

Mat 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

Now why would theologians and philosophers stumble over these words? Because they go contrary to the commonly believed notion that all human beings are equal before God. They are equal as far as their judgment is concerned, everyone answering for his deeds, but not equal as fas as their gifts and abilities are concerned. What these statements are telling us is that there are three kinds of people in the world. First there is the great mass of people from whom God calls people to repentance. Then there are the called out ones with whom God works in order to bring them to perfection. And finally, there are the chosen ones, the people who have overcome their trials and are given a place in the Kingdom of God.

Can you see now why all leftist utopias have failed? They assume that all people are equal, and given half a chance they could be programmed to work for the common good and live selflessly in harmony forever more. But humans are not equal. No matter how much you program them, they would never have the same goals in life. Some are simply not capable of altruistic feelings. They are self-centred by nature, and totally unfeeling towards others. Unfortunately, because they have few scruples in stepping on the toes of others to push their agenda, they are the more likely ones to raise up to the top. That is why this society appears to be up side down sometimes. But before you despair, remember this:

Rev 13:10 “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Mal 3:14 You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the LORD of hosts?

Mal 3:15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.'"

Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.

Mal 3:17 "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

Mal 3:18 Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.

Mal 4:1 "For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch.

Mal 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings;

Mal 4:3 And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.

Now coming back to the topic of marriage, people who get married in this world, whose marriage breaks up before they convert to God’s way of life, belong to the first category. They belong to the great mass of people for whom the Law of God has little relevance, and for whom God responds in kind with little consideration.

Those who respond to the call of God, repent and begin the road of spiritual growth, become part of the second group. That is the moment that counts with God as far as their marital condition is concerned. As Apostle Paul said: “Let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.”

It is a grievous sin to split families that have converted to God’s way of life and send them back to former unconverted spouses. Or if their former partner is no longer available to force them to remain celibate until that spouse dies.

The Worldwide Church of God has been enforcing this policy mercilessly for decades, and even now some of its siblings, and quite a large number of other churches, are still doing it. They will have much to answer before God and before the people whom they have caused so much grief and misery.

IN THE MULTITUDE OF COUNSELLORS

THERE ISN’T ALWAYS SAFETY

When we pointed out that virtually the whole of Christianity has fallen away from the truth of God, an American professor of theology quoted the following Scripture as assurance that he was safe where he was.

Proverbs 11:14. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

Well, we do not know what they discuss in their councils, but obviously not the work of Elijah whom the Bible says must come before the return of Jesus Christ and restore all things all by himself. Where are the church councils at that time, and why don’t they help Elijah carry out his duty? More importantly, why would there be a need to restore anything of they preached the right Gospel in the churches?

Mat 17:10 “And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

Mat 17:11 “Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.”

And what about the other major biblical figures of the end time – the two witnesses of God spoken of in the book of Revelation. Why are they wretchedly clothed in ‘sackcloth’, why are they hated by everyone who dwells on the earth, and why are they killed in the end? Where are the church councils during those days?

Rev 11:3 "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand

two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

Rev 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called

Rev 11:9 Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

Rev 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.”

How is it that those councils could not see the connection between this prophecy and the following one, and the end time mission spoken of by Jesus Christ when the words ‘witnesses’ and ‘witness’ make a clear link between them?

Mat 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Not only are the church councils not doing their job and coming to the help of Elijah and the two witnesses, but they hate the very people they ought to love. Now consider Jesus’ message to the Church of Laodicea.

Rev 3:14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

Rev 3:15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or

Rev 3:16 hot. "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Rev 3:17 "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'; and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;

Rev 3:18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Rev 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine

Rev 3:21 with him, and he with Me. "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Rev 3:22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."' "

At a time when Jesus Christ stands at the door ready to come in, when poor people are doing the work of God, taking His message to the world all on their own, the Laodicea Church of God, the very last church that should be busy with the work of God and be ready to receive its Saviour, is basking in the belief that its members are “rich, wealthy, and have need of nothing”.

Safety in a multitude of counsellors? Yes, but not in spiritual matters, because salvation is a personal not a collective quest. That is why those who think that they are saved because they belong to large congregations, or are safe because a multitude of counsellors is leading them and telling them so, might have some big surprises coming their way.

In the whole history of the world, there isn’t a single example in which God passed His messages to the world through a multitude of counsellors. With the exception of the Apostles in the earlier stages of their work, always lonely people did the work of God, and always they were persecuted. If anything, when religious councils were involved they came together for evil not for good. Need we go any further than the Sanhedrin council that condemned Jesus Christ to death? Or the council of young people around king Rehoboam, whose advise led to the division of Israel? If Solomon had lived a little later, or knew what his son would do, he might have written Proverbs 11:14 a little differently.

The most important prophecies about the Church of God for the end time is that it would fall asleep or fall away and not be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ.

Mat 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

Mat 25:4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

Mat 25:7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. "And the foolish

Mat 25:8 said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

Mat 25:9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

Mat 25:10 "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

Mat 25:11 "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'

Mat 25:12 "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

Mat 25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

2 Th 2:1 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering

2 Th 2:2 together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.

2 Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling

2 Th 2:4 away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

2 Th 2:5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”

The question is, which is the Church of God that has fallen asleep or fallen away right now? Is it the Catholic, the Orthodox, the Protestant, or any of the fundamentalist or charismatic denominations?

If any of them is a genuine Church of God, it must explain how these prophecies apply to it. If all of them are Churches of God, all of them collectively must allow for the possibility that they may have fallen asleep or fallen away.

At one time, I was invited to attend an evangelical revivalist meeting. At the end of the ‘show’, in lack of a better word, I asked the main preacher how he explained the prophecies about Elijah and the two witnesses. He said that when that time comes, he will worry about it then. It was inconceivable for him that we might be living in those times, or that these prophecies might be fulfilled right now.

The problem with people who have fallen asleep or fallen away is that they do not know their condition. They fail to understand that when a wicked spirit takes over their minds, their thought processes change without them being aware of it, and they see things with entirely different eyes. Sin no longer appears to be such an evil thing.

Prov 30:20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, "I have done no wickedness."

But what did Jesus Christ say?

Mat 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

Mat 12:36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give

Mat 12:37 account of it in the day of judgment. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Now why is it that in spite of all the signs of our time people refuse to contemplate that the world has fallen asleep or fallen away so far from God that it has brought itself to the very brink of catastrophe? Is it because we have given this warning so may times that people think we have cried wolf once too many? Would it have been better if God had spoken just once and then zap – crashed everyone who did not take that warning seriously and repented of their sins?

When we embarked on this road some fourteen years ago we knew that our work would be of limited duration, but did not know how long it would be before the world plunged itself into the Great Tribulation, except that it would not be too long.

Now how long is too long in historic or in God’s, terms? Considering that recorded history is telling us that humanity has stood on this planet for a mere six thousand years, what would be the appropriate time to warn people about the end of this age? I suppose it depends on what purpose that would serve. If it just to just let people know that teir end is near and they must put their house in order, a few days or a few weeks might be enough. But if it is to give them enough time to repent, change their ways and qualify for the Kingdom of God, the longer the better. The problem is, human nature being as it is, if the warning is too short, they either panic or refuse to believe that such an event could be possible in their life time. If it is too long, they forget about it and put it out of their minds altogether. Either way, one cannot win with human beings.

The point is, God has not created humanity and placed it on this planet in order to catch it in its sins and punish it for it. He has given it ample time to reform itself and be saved, even though this has often worked to the detriment of His messengers. Remember what happened to the prophet Jeremiah?

Jer 20:7 “O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily;

Jer 20:8 Everyone mocks me. For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, "Violence and plunder!" Because the word of the LORD

Jer 20:9 was made to me A reproach and a derision daily. Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

Jer 20:10 For I heard many mocking: "Fear on every side!" "Report," they say, "and we will report it!" All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, "Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him."

Unless people see results right away, they misinterpret the message. They were angry with Jeremiah when his prophecies did not occur right away. They accused him of being a false prophet and threw him in a muddy dungeon where he nearly died. But before long, his prophecies did come true. They were taken into captivity where they all ended up their days.

When we began this work, we had no councillors to rely upon, and spent virtually every spare moment of our life in prayer, meditation, worship, and study of the Word of God. We communicated with God, and He communicated with us.

There was nothing special about us, except that we believed God and His Word, as did Jesus Christ and His Apostles. You too can do that and ensure your salvation, but you cannot afford to waste any time for the Day of the Lord is truly at hand.

Exposing Falsehood Is NOT Judging People

When you begin a work of the Gospel like this one, you know that you will receive both favourable and negative comments. We have been happy to receive both kinds, and are grateful to all people who have taken time to comment on our writings, knowing that while the first found spiritual comfort in them, the second made us think deeper on the topics they took issue with. We know that as long as we are in this ‘tent’ we are bound to make mistakes. Anyone who shuts his ears to advise or criticism, has already put one foot in the grave. As the Scriptures say:

Prov 26:12 “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Eccl 4:13 “Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.”

We have been dealing with important matters that affected people’s lives, and since we are not infallible we have tried hard to make sure we understood the Scriptures properly before we expanded on them to others. But just as the Apostles discovered in their time, it is not possible to please everyone no matter how hard you tried. Some people are hating the Scriptures, others are twisting them, others have put our writings to their use, but like the Apostles, we rejoice that the Gospel is being preached, regardless of by whom or for what purpose.

2 Pet 3:14 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by

2 Pet 3:15 Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things,

2 Pet 3:16 in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

2 Pet 3:17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;

2 Pet 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Phil 1:15 “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from

Phil 1:16 good will: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;

Phil 1:17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel.

Phil 1:18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

As it happens, those who have shown displeasure at our writings have not impressed us with their knowledge of the Scriptures, or with their ability to follow through and substantiate their arguments. Almost without exception, when people felt uncomfortable with our writings, they threw at us the age old accusation that we were judging them contrary to teachings of Jesus Christ, even though we did not even know who they were.

Mat 7:2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be

Mat 7:3 measured back to you. "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

Mat 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look,

Mat 7:5 a plank is in your own eye? "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”

Well, if they think that this is the case, we would be only too happy to have someone pull the plank from our eyes so that we can remove the speck from theirs, but unfortunately we found that when it comes to the real message of the Scriptures they appear to be completely blind. They fail to understand that the following Scriptures apply to the Christian ‘Pharisees’ of today too, not only to the Jewish Pharisees of old.

Mat 15:12 “Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said,

Mat 15:13 "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. "Let them alone.

Mat 15:14 They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

It is not often that we have named people in our writings. We have done so only after we became convinced that it would be for the common good, in order to protect others from their teachings, but also in the hope that they might repent of their errors and turn to God, our guiding principle always coming from the Scriptures.

James 5:19 “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns

James 5:20 him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

Even the Apostles corrected each other publicly when some did not behave properly, and did not mind. And who was the one who made one of the biggest mistakes? None other than the very chief of the Apostles.

Gal 2:11 “Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be

Gal 2:12 blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

Gal 2:13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?””

And what did Peter do when he was confronted in front of the whole congregation? Did he remind Paul who was chief among them and knew better? Or that his error was like having a speck in his eyes, when Paul himself was having a plank in his own? No, Peter loved him, and praised him for his work. Apostle Paul was far from perfect, having persecuted the Church of God in the past, so Peter could have come back with some pretty grievous accusations against him if he wanted to, but he did not do so. One, because you do not bring back the errors for which people have repented, and two, because Peter knew that he was at fault and needed to repent of it.

Making errors in the process of salvation is not a major problem as long as the correction, from whatever source it comes, is received in a spirit of meekness and repentance. God specifically contrasted His condition with that of human beings, by pointing out the need for humans to always repent.

Num 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Apostle Peter mentioned the fact that some people twist the Scriptures to their own destruction. Now if someone is in that position shouldn’t he be told about it while he can still repent of it? The Scriptures make it clear that if we see someone committing sin, especially if he appears to be unaware of it, and we do not tell him about it, we become guilty of his sin.

Ezek 3:17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

Ezek 3:18 "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Ezek 3:19 "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

Ezek 3:20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Ezek 3:21 "Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

Ezek 2:1 “And He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you."

Ezek 2:2 Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.

Ezek 2:3 And He said to me: "Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.

Ezek 2:4 "For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'

Ezek 2:5 "As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse; for they are a rebellious house; yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Ezek 2:6 "And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

Ezek 2:7 "You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse,

Ezek 2:8 for they are rebellious. "But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."

Ezek 2:9 Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold,

Ezek 2:10 a scroll of a book was in it. Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.

Ezek 3:1 Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go,

Ezek 3:2 speak to the house of Israel. "So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.

Ezek 3:3 And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

Ezek 3:4 Then He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.

Ezek 3:5 "For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house

Ezek 3:6 "not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. of Israel, Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. "But the house of Israel will not listen to you,

Ezek 3:7 because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.

Ezek 3:8 "Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against

Ezek 3:9 their foreheads. "Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house."

Some people say that those who do not convert to true Christianity now, will be given a second chance after resurrection, when supposedly they are brought back up to life to start all over again, until they repent and are given a place in the eternal Kingdom of God too. Nothing could further from the truth. This is your one and only chance to work out your salvation. If you do not prepare for the Kingdom of God now, if you mess your life now, you will never have another chance.

Heb 9:27 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment”

2 Cor 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

We appear before the judgment seat of Christ after one life, not after two or more. That is why the doctrine of reincarnation is such a dangerous one. For it implies that even if people mess up their life now, they can always come back to repair the damage they have done to themselves in this life. Once again, nothing could be further from the truth. God does not have to, nor is He going to, wait until people make up their mind whether they want to be saved or not.

He says: I have given you the chance to save yourselves now, in this life, so don’t waste it. Moreover, people who do not care about salvation now, more often than not are the very ones that cause problems for those that do. That is another reason for not giving them another chance, and that is why they will be resurrected for punishment not for salvation.

People in the West must understand that the road to salvation is more than just going to church on weekends and hoping for the best. Salvation is an active process that requires bringing under control the pulls of human nature, and achieving peace of mind and union with God and with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

Indeed, all those who do not bring their bodies under subjection now, will be disqualified.

John 17:20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

John 17:21 that they all may be one as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 17:22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are

John 17:23 one: "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

You cannot achieve union with the Father and with Jesus Christ if your carnal nature rules over you.

Rom 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”

Apostle Paul went on to plead with his disciples to present their bodies as a ‘living sacrifice’ to God.

Rom 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,

Rom 12:2 which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Now compare that with the philosophy that is prevalent in the world at present. Any notion that there is something better and infinitely more pleasant and enduring to hope for is anathema to this “me” generation. They have given themselves over to full indulgence of their senses here and now, and heaven help those who stand in their way. But then, what did the Apostles say about this generation?

2 Tim 3:1 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

2 Tim 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,

2 Tim 3:3 unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of

2 Tim 3:4 good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

2 Tim 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

One cannot please God and the world at the same time. Apostle Paul again:

Rom 8:8 “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Rom 8:9 Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus

Rom 8:11 from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Rom 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors; not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Apostle John put it just as strongly.

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of.

1 John 2:17 the world And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

Indeed, the reward for bringing the flesh under subjection, and loving God rather than the world, is eternal life and pleasures forever more in the everlasting Kingdom of God.

Psa 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Or as Jesus Christ said:

John 12:25 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

John 12:26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour.”

Are the pleasures of this world worth anything if one loses his eternal life for them? All the glamour, wealth, status, glory and joys that men crave in this world amount to nothing if in the end “he who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Those who think that these are mere idle words are gravely mistaken.

Salvation is achieved by overcoming on two levels. At the physical level, one must keep under control the pulls of human nature, and at the spiritual level, one must ensure that he believes and follows the right Christian doctrines and practices.

Therefore exposing falsehood is NOT judging people, it is trying to save them by showing them a better way, because, “there is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Prov 14:12; 16:25).

Another Major End-Time Prophecy Unveiled

There is hardly a major prophecy in the Bible that we have not looked at and revealed in the pages of this magazine. But just as we though that we had a break from them, at least for the time being, in came another one rushing in. We were surprised by the fact that we have discussed this prophecy before, and thought that we have solved it, but we found that we were wrong and had to admit it.

Making mistakes is not a major problem in the Bible, but failing to admit them when one’s eyes are opened to them becomes a sin. Our mistake came from the fact that we allowed ourselves to be influenced by other people. Almost without exception, whenever we relied on other people we ended up correcting ourselves. Have a look at the following Scriptures.

Rev 9:13 “Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet,

Rev 9:14 "Release the four angels who are .”

Rev 9:15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

Rev 9:16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.”

Rev 16:12 “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.”

It is a general belief among biblical scholars that the army of two hundred million coming from the East on the river Euphrates, would be made up of an alliance of ten nations that includes Russia, China and Iran among others. We have a number of publications in our hands that say so. Well, we swallowed their pill, and were wrong like everybody else.

- First, because there is no association between the river Euphrates and this alliance.

- Second, because if you come against Israel you do not need to come up on the river Euphrates.

- Third, because if you were to take an army even half that size from Russia or China across Asia towards Israel, you would swamp all nations on your way. It would be a nightmare to supply such an army with all its needs – water, fuel, munitions, etc.

- And fourth, prophecy says that the ten-nation alliance led by ‘the prince of Rosh’ will come against Israel not by land but by air, and not from the East, but from the North.

Ezek 38:2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:

Ezek 38:3 "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.

Ezek 38:4 "I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.

Ezek 38:5 "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; "Gomer and all his troops;

Ezek 38:6 the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops; many people are with you.

Ezek 38:7 "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.

Ezek 38:8 "After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.

Ezek 38:9 "You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.

Ezek 38:10 "'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:

Ezek 38:11 "You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates';

Ezek 38:12 "to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.

Ezek 38:13 "Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'"

Ezek 38:14 '"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:

Ezek 38:15 "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? "Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.

Ezek 38:16 "You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes." 'Thus says the Lord GOD:

Ezek 38:17 "Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?

Ezek 38:18 "And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "that My fury will show in My face.

Ezek 38:19 "For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day

Ezek 38:20 there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.'

Ezek 38:21 "I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains," says the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be against his brother.”

Ezek 38:22 "And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

Ezek 38:23 "Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."'

Ezek 39:1 "And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal;

Ezek 39:2 "and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel.

Ezek 39:3 "Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand.

Ezek 39:4 "You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

Ezek 39:5 "You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken," says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 39:6 "And I will send fire on Magog, and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezek 39:7 "So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

Ezek 39:8 "Surely it is coming, and it shall be done," says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 39:9 "This is the day of which I have spoken. "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with em for seven years.

Ezek 39:10 th"They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them," says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 39:11 "It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.

Ezek 39:12 "For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.

Ezek 39:13 "Indeed all the people of the land will be burying, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified," says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 39:14 "They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search.

Ezek 39:15 "The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog.

Ezek 39:16 "The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land."'

Ezek 39:17 "And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: "Assemble yourselves and come; Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you, A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, That you may eat flesh and drink blood.

Ezek 39:18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, Drink the blood of the princes of the earth,

Ezek 39:19 Of rams and lambs, Of goats and bulls, All of them fatlings of Bashan.

Ezek 39:20 You shall eat fat till you are full, And drink blood till you are drunk, At My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you. You shall be filled at My table With horses and riders, With mighty men And with all the men of war," says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 39:21 "I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.

Ezek 39:22 "So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward.

Ezek 39:23 "The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.

Ezek 39:24 "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them."

Ezek 39:25 '"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name;

Ezek 39:26 'after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.

Ezek 39:27 'When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations,

Ezek 39:28 'then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.

Ezek 39:29 'And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD."

God has not yet been hallowed in Israel in the sight of all nations, as He was hallowed in Egypt in the sight of Israel in ancient time, an interesting type and prototype.

Exo 9:13 “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh,

Exo 9:14 and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me, for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.

Exo 9:15 "Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth.

Exo 9:16 "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you,

and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”

Prophecies do not normally come as one long story like the one above in Ezekiel. In most cases you have to go back and forth through the Bible and put them together in their proper setting in order to get their meaning. This one however is pretty clear. All that is left for us is to determine its timing. But the first question that needs to be answered is, if this end-time alliance comes against Israel not by land but by air, who forms the army of the two hundred million that comes from the East on the Euphrates, and against whom are they being deployed? This is where truth becomes more mysterious than fiction. Before we discuss that, let us remind you what the Scriptures say about secrets and revelations, and how God deals with humans.

Prov 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”

Deu 29:29 "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Dan 2:47 “The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."

Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

Isa 28:9 "Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message?

Isa 28:10 Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little."

Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little," That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught.”

God takes pride in concealing prophetic things, and men cover themselves in glory discovering them. However, those who take on this task should always remember that in the final analysis it is still God who reveals His secrets to His true servants anyway.

So who forms the army of two hundred million that comes from the East on the Euphrates? Hard to believe it but that prophecy has already been fulfilled. It was the ‘coalition of the willing’ that invaded Iraq from the East in the second Gulf War – the armies of the USA, Great Britain, and Australia. But their armies put together do not come anywhere near that figure, some might say. Oh, but they do! Because, you see, God does not count armies the way humans do. God’s armies include all people from the age of twenty upward. Notice:

Num 1:2 "Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their

Num 1:3 fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above; all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Num 1:45 “So all who were numbered of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war in Israel;

Num 1:46 all who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.”

If you count all people upwards of twenty years from those countries, you can easily reach that figure. And if you add the other countries that provided token or logistic support, Poland, Holland and more than thirty other countries, you exceed that figure by much.

Now there is something else to this prophecy. When we published the first edition of The Christian Herald in 1990, on the brink of the first Gulf War, we said that that war would lead to the Great Tribulation. When that war ended and no worldwide tribulation ensued, our nemesis rejoiced and we were left with egg on our faces.

Like Jeremiah, we decided that we were not going to speak in the name of God again.

Jer 20:7 O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me.

Jer 20:8 For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, "Violence and plunder!" Because the word of the LORD was made to me A reproach and a derision daily.

Jer 20:9 Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

Jer 20:10 For I heard many mocking: "Fear on every side!" "Report," they say, "and we will report it!" All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, "Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him."

Two years passed before we produced another edition of The Christian Herald. As with Jeremiah, the Word of God was burning in our hearts too and we had no choice but to keep trudging on regardless. But then, just as with Jeremiah, in the end we were proven right too. The first Gulf War never ended. It was not even a truce, for the United States, British and Australian planes or ships maintained a blockade against Iraq and pounded that nation at will whenever it stepped out of line. The people of Iraq suffered more from the ‘peace’ imposed on them than from the two Gulf Wars put together. So if we take that period in its entirety, our prediction that the Gulf War would lead to the Great Tribulation still stands. This is when the coalition of ten nations led by the ‘prince of Rosh’ from the North will make its move.

And yet, there is still more to this prophecy. The Bible speaks of three wicked spirits associated with the army of two hundred million that comes up on the Euphrates.

Rev 16:12 “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Rev 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Rev 16:15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his

garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."

Of course, these spirits represent human beings, but who might they be? Well, who were the three leaders that fought to create the ‘coalition of the willing’, and are now seeking to create a coalition against North Korea, Iran and Syria – the allies of ‘Rosh’, Meshech, Tubal, God and Magog? The three Maggies of the English speaking world! If you do now know who they are, we are just not going to tell you. What we are going to do though, is draw your attention to verse 15, which makes it clear that the prophecy about the river Euphrates would be fulfilled just before the return of Jesus Christ.

The Heritage Of The Hebrews

The Jews have suffered enough during their long and troubled history, without anyone adding to their woes in our time. However, watching what is happening in the Middle East these days, a neutral observer might have a hard time deciding who is a villain and who a victim of circumstance.

One day you feel for the innocent Jews who are blown apart unexpectedly by Palestinian suicide bombers, and the next you feel for the grieving parents who after losing their son must also watch their abode being destroyed by avenging Israelis.

This is the price people pay for living in a time warp, which is what both Palestinians and Israelis are doing at present. They both hold on to beliefs and practices that have long passed their ‘use by date.’ It should be obvious to all by now, that eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth results in two blind and toothless cripples. This is not to speak of a head for a head, which would be a more appropriate description of what really is happening in that land these days.

We have tried hard to explain to both peoples that only an open and thorough examination of themselves and their beliefs, in light of overall historical and spiritual developments, can get them out of troubles. We have asked them to take another look at the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, not at what historically has come down to us as Christianity, and admit that His Gospel far from being contrary to their revealed religion, it complements, enhances, and places it in a proper contemporary context. We emphasize the word ‘revealed’ because like Christianity and other religions, both Judaism and Islam have suffered at the hands of false teachers in the meantime.

Having studied all three religions, and opening my heart to them at close quarters, I find it compellingly obvious that they are like the three middle fingers of one’s hand, one standing higher than the others but resting on them. This is not to diminish the value and importance of any religion, only to point out that after complementing each other they must grow together to a higher plateau – the true Christianity of Jesus Christ.

It may surprise people to know this, but Christianity has legacies from both Hebrew and Canaanite peoples. Unfortunately not all of it has been positive.

During my studies of religions at the university some two and a half decades ago, the Jewish scholar who lectured us in Judaism was always trying to channel our tutorial discussions towards questioning biblical events such as the Exodus, slavery in Egypt, and others. It was a wonder to me that instead of being proud of the legacy his people had given to the world he was undermining it. It took me a long time to understand why.

The latest television documentaries from the Middle East assure us that the Jews are not Semitic in origin, but Canaanites, having always lived in the Middle East alongside Palestinians. I shook my head in disbelief, as I am sure many other people did on hearing such preposterous claims. Clearly, in order to justify their presence in Palestine, the Jews are prepared to deny their own divinely apportioned heritage.

This is a major problem with the Jews. For much as we admire their tenacity in the face of adversity, and contribution to world heritage in many fields, they seem to have a major flaw in that when they set their minds on something nothing stands in their way, not even truth, and, if it were for them, not even God.

They have run roughshod on their own religion, which instead of being a beacon to the world, as it was meant to be until Christ, Judaism, together with Islam, have become the most despised religions in the world. That is not what God intended for either of them. You may not agree with another religion, you may not like its customs, but in an interdependent world you accommodate it. Despise comes only when the basic norms of civilisation, which incorporate God’s divine laws, are breached. This is what is happening in both religions at present.

One might be excused for thinking that Jewish scholarship these days equates with licence to invent the past. As for Islamic scholarship, I can tell you about some great thinkers in the past, but I can’t think of anyone today. Whenever one gets notoriety these days it is for crude invectives against Judaism or Christianity, or for senseless homicidal suicides.

We will come to the Canaanite legacy to Christianity in a moment, but first let us have a look at a few aspects of Judaism as they relate to Christianity. There is a passage in the book of Revelation that is revealing indeed.

Rev 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":

Rev 3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Rev 3:9 "Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie; indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

Rev 3:10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Rev 3:11 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

The reference to King David and the people who falsely claimed to be Jews is fitting in that in addition to denying their Egyptian sojourn and Exodus, Jewish scholars are trying to get rid of David and his kingdom from their history books too. Why? Because in order to sink their roots deeply into Palestine, they must cut any links with the Bible! It doesn’t bother them that in so doing they make God a liar and will draw His vengeance and retribution.

Heb 10:28 “Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three

Heb 10:29 witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Heb 10:30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Heb 10:31 And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Jewish archaeologists assure us that there is no evidence that David’s kingdom ever existed. The Bible is no proof for them anymore. Now it is a well-known fact what modern historians have done to history. They have ignored important historical documents and created a new history of the world, particularly of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean basin, based mainly on potsherds. Almost in every case they have moved history back in time by centuries and millennia in order to accommodate the fallacy of evolution. The case of David and his kingdom however, is the only one that we know of in which they have moved history forward by at least two centuries. We do not know why they did that, for there is no logic in it, but we do know that they are looking for David’s kingdom in the wrong place and at the wrong time.

A few years ago, they finally found a potsherd piece that bore the inscription: King David. It caused quite a stir. They did not know what to do with it or whether it was genuine. First, because it came from north Israel, where king David was not supposed to have been (that’s how well they know the history of David’s kingdom), and second because it did not come from the eighth century B.C. when they think David’s kingdom existed if at all.

Christian historians however are not very far behind their Jewish counterparts when it comes to reshaping history, especially that of true Christianity. We’ve all seen what they did to the story of the Dead Sea Scrolls (See The Christian Herald No 9).

Now in wanting to be like the Canaanite people, the Jews have forgotten what the fate of the Canaanites was supposed to be. For just like the Jews, the Canaanites have positive and negative sides to their story. Here, in a nutshell, is ancient Jewish history vis-a-vis that of their Middle Eastern neighbours.

Gen 15:18 “On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I

Gen 15:19 have given, this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates;

Gen 15:20 "the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, "the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

Gen 15:21 "the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

Deu 7:1 "When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you,

Deu 7:2 "and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. "Nor shall you make marriages with them.

Deu 7:3 You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.

Deu 7:4 "For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly”.

Deu 11:22 "For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do; to love the

Deu 11:23 LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him; "then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess greater and mightier nations than yourselves.

Deu 11:24 "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea, shall be your territory.

Deu 11:25 "No man shall be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you.”

Note carefully how far God said that He would extend the land of the Israelite people: from the River of Egypt, to the River Euphrates.

Josh 3:9 “So Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the LORD

Josh 3:10 your God." And Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites.”

Judg 2:10 “When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.

Judg 2:11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals;

Judg 2:12 and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger.

Judg 2:13 They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

Judg 2:14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.

Judg 2:15 Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for calamity, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless, the LORD

Judg 2:16 raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

Judg 2:17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so.

Judg 2:18 And when the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them.

Judg 2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.”

Judg 2:20 “Then the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded

Judg 2:21 My voice, "I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which

Judg 2:22 Joshua left when he died, so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the LORD, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.

Judg 2:23 "Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out immediately;

Judg 3:1 nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua. Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by them, that is,

Judg 3:2 all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),

Judg 3:3 namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

Judg 3:4 And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

Judg 3:5 Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Judg 3:6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons;

Judg 3:7 and they served their gods. So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.

Judg 3:8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia.”

Neh 9:13 "You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.

Neh 9:14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes

Neh 9:15 and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them.

Neh 9:16 "But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments.

Neh 9:17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and

Neh 9:18 merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them. "Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, And said, 'This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,

Neh 9:19 ' And worked great provocations, Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go.

Neh 9:20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst.

Neh 9:21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell.

Neh 9:22 "Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations, And divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, The land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan.

Neh 9:23 You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess.

Neh 9:24 So the people went in And possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And gave them into their hands, With their kings And the people of the land, That they might do with them as they wished.

Neh 9:25 And they took strong cities and a rich land, And possessed houses full of all goods, Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, And fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, And delighted themselves in Your great goodness.

Neh 9:26 "Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great

Neh 9:27 provocations. Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.

Neh 9:28 "But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies,

Neh 9:29 And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, 'Which if a man does, he shall live by them.' And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear.

Neh 9:30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

Neh 9:31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.”

There is not much one can, or should, add to this rendition of Jewish history directly from the Bible. The Jews have forgotten that their inheritance of the Middle Eastern area does not come by virtue of human roots, but by divine decree. God gave it to them because the previous inhabitants defiled the land with all sorts of abominable sins.

Lev 18:24 “'Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.

Lev 18:25 'For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants.

Lev 18:26 'You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you

Lev 18:27 '(for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), 'lest the land vomit

Lev 18:28 you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

Lev 18:29 'For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be

Lev 18:30 cut off from among their people. 'Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God.'"

Lev 20:22 'You shall therefore keep all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out.

Lev 20:23 'And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them.

Lev 20:24 'But I have said to you, "You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey." I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.

Lev 20:26 'And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.”

Deu 30:1 "Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, "and you return to the LORD

Deu 30:2 your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your

Deu 30:3 children, with all your heart and with all your soul, "that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the

Deu 30:4 LORD your God has scattered you. "If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you.

Deu 30:5 "Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deu 30:6 "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Deu 30:7 "Also the LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate

Deu 30:8 you, who persecuted you. "And you will again obey the voice of the LORD and do all His commandments which I command you today.”

The reason the Lord God has not yet circumcised their heart and put their curses on their enemies is because they have not yet committed themselves to obeying His Commandments and judgments. They continue to seek their own righteousness, instead of the righteousness of God, and so they keep paying a penalty for it. As Apostles Paul wrote:

Rom 9:29 “And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."

Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;

Rom 9:31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.

Rom 9:32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.

Rom 9:33 For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.

Rom 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Rom 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those

Rom 10:6 things shall live by them."But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' " (that is, to bring Christ down from above), or,

Rom 10:7 " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"

Rom 10:9 (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Why the Jews continue to stubbornly seek their own righteousness, a righteousness based on law, rather that the righteousness of God based on faith, remains a great mystery.

Since they continue to rely on the Law of the Old Testament, perhaps one should remind them again what that Law required, and the price they pay now for not fulfilling it.

Judg 1:27 “However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages;

Judg 1:28 for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites under tribute, but did not completely drive them out.

Judg 1:29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; so the Canaanites dwelt in

Judg 2:1 Gezer among them.” “Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: "I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said,

Judg 2:2 'I will never break My covenant with you.' And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed My voice.

Judg 2:3 Why have you done this? "Therefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.'"

A condition of Jewish inheritance of that land was the elimination of the sinful native inhabitants. Now whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the world is prepared to accept this fact or not, what is happening in the Middle East is a continuation of the process the Israelite people had started in ancient time but had not finished. But now there is one big difference: the kingdom that God is preparing for the Jews in the Middle East will be inherited by people who live by the Law of God not the law of the jungle as they do at present. The Millennial Kingdom will be based on entirely new borders and customs. Its King will be Jesus Christ, and only those that turn to Him will inherit that Kingdom, and they could come from any nation. In other words, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ belongs to the Jews by faith not by blood.

The American Christians who have allied themselves with the current Jews, in the belief that they will inherit that Kingdom, are betraying their own legacy and making a mockery of Jesus’ Gospel and His teachings. I they want to help the Jews, they can do so by preaching the need to convert to Jesus Christ now, so that God would help them through the catastrophe that is about to hit their country and the world. They should never have forgotten that those who take the sword will perish by the sword (Mat 26:52), and only the elect of God can be sure of God’s salvation (Mat. 24:22).

What the Jews do in the Middle East right now is wrong even by the standards of king David that extended the Kingdom of Israel from the Nile to the Euphrates. The rule he applied then, and approved by God, was to either obliterate the sinful native inhabitants altogether, or convert them to the Law of God and let them live as servants in his kingdom. But the mishmash of inequity the Jews practice in the Middle East at present – punishing parents for the sins of their children, destroying their homes, and leaving them broken hearted in the street, is contrary to the Law of God, which they claim to uphold.

Ezek 18:1 “The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying:

Ezek 18:2 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge'?

Ezek 18:3 "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

Ezek 18:4 "Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine;

Ezek 18:5 The soul who sins shall die. But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right;

Ezek 18:6 If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor's wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity;

Ezek 18:7 If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

Ezek 18:8 “If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man;

Ezek 18:9 If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully; He is just; He shall surely live!" Says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 18:10 "If he begets a son who is a robber Or a shedder of blood, Who does any of these things,

Ezek 18:11 And does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled his neighbor's

Ezek 18:12 wife; If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge,

Ezek 18:13 Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination; If he has exacted usury Or taken increase; Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.

Ezek 18:14 "If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise;

Ezek 18:15 Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,

Ezek 18:16 Nor defiled his neighbour's wife; Has not oppressed anyone, Nor withheld a pledge, Nor robbed by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

Ezek 18:17 Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes; He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live!

Ezek 18:18 "As for his father, Because he cruelly oppressed, Robbed his brother by violence, And did what is not good among his people, Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

Ezek 18:19 "Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?' Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live.

Ezek 18:20 "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the

Ezek 18:21 wicked shall be upon himself. "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Ezek 18:22 "None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.

Ezek 18:23 "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Ezek 18:24 "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.

Ezek 18:25 "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?’

Ezek 18:26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.

Ezek 18:27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.

Ezek 18:28 "Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.”

Ezek 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair? "Therefore I will judge you,

Ezek 18:30 O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 18:31 "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.” "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? "For I have no pleasure

Ezek 18:32 in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"

I saw a documentary film from the Middle East recently in which a poor old Palestinian woman was living in a limited space on the lower floor of her house while Israeli settlers were living unperturbed in the spacious upper floor. All she said was: “May God grant them what they deserve”. That is one of the most powerful prayer anyone can make before God, especially for one’s enemies. The Jews better pray to God that He does not give them what they deserve, for if their enemy’s prayer is heard they are in bigger trouble than they can imagine.

What the Jews should remember is that the Palestinians of today are not like their ancient counterparts who polluted the land with abominable practices. Today’s Palestinians practice a religion that has its roots in Abraham, just like theirs (See the next article). Of course, Islam is not going to save the Palestinians any more than Judaism is going to save the Jews when the Great Tribulation engulfs the world shortly. Both Jews and Palestinians need to change their heart and convert to Jesus Christ without delay, otherwise there will be no end to the common troubles they inflict on themselves. The following Scriptures reflect the transition of the Middle East from the current age to the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Zec 12:1 “The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:

Zec 12:2 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. "And it shall happen in that day that I will make

Zec 12:3 Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. "In that day," says the LORD,

Zec 12:4 "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Zec 12:5 "And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.

Zec 12:6 "In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place; Jerusalem.

Zec 12:7 "The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. "In that day

Zec 12:8 the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them.

Zec 12:9 "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Zec 12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Zec 12:11 "In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

Zec 12:12 "And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves;

Zec 12:13 "the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves;

Zec 12:14 "all the families that remain, every family by itself, and their wives by themselves.

Zec 13:1 "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. “It shall be in that day," says the LORD of hosts,

Zec 13:2 "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.

That will be the end of Judaism, of Islam, and of every other religion, and the beginning of a new universal religion – the religion of Jesus Christ.

Islam’s Legacy in Judaism and Christianity

The word Palestinian these days identifies the people who live in narrow and isolated patches of land on either side of Israel. But if we take the word in its ancient connotations, Palestina was a Roman province that comprised the whole of the Middle East, from Asia Minor to the Nile and from the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula.

If we look further back in history, we find an amazing legacy of the people who lived in those lands in both Judaism and Christianity. Let us begin with Islam. The Islamic people say that Muhammad was their great prophet, and he was; but they also say that Abraham was their forefather, as he was of the Jews, and that is true too. The question is, when did the Islamic religion really begin: at Mohammed or at Abraham’s time?

Is it right to say that Islam began with Muhammad when the roots of the people who began that religion go as far back as Abraham? Wouldn’t it rather be more accurate to say that God accomplished in Muhammad what He promised Abraham more than two millennia earlier? If we place Islam in its proper historical context we find that there are far more links and similarities between the three religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – than if we look at their degenerate condition in which they have came down to us.

Surely Mohammad had visions from God and codified the law that gave Islam its identity, but before him the Arabs were not complete strangers to God. They were not in the same league as the occupants of Palestine that were supposed to be wiped out or driven out altogether from Palestine due to their abominable practices that had polluted the land. The Arabs had a good seed in themselves, having come out of the loins of Abraham, the friend of God, just like the Israelite tribes.

Isa 41:8 "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.”

God chose Israel to disseminate His law among the Gentiles, but the Arabs could not have been complete strangers to His law either, a fact confirmed by the similarities between Islamic and Judaic codes of law. Either that, or Muhammad was trained in a Judaic school of law, a preposterous idea.

We may not like aspects of Islamic law, but if Judaism had prevailed and come down to us in its raw form, we too would cut the limbs of thieves, and stone adulterers to death in market places.

People keep saying that the Arabs were a bunch of wild tribes, fighting savagely among themselves before Mohammad tamed them and gave them a semblance of civilisation. But so were Israel’s tribes, both before and after Moses gave them the law of God. Wild and fighting among themselves the Arabic tribes were, but pagan they were not, as many of our critics keep telling us. It is on the customs and laws inherited from Abraham that Mohammed built the Islamic code of laws.

Moses was a great prophet. Mohammed was a great prophet. But greater than they both was the man whom God declared to be His friend – Abraham. A friend of God is greater than a prophet of God. In the course of time there have been many prophets (messengers) of God, but only one friend of God.

Abraham was an obedient and fearful man before God, and that is why God said that the whole world would be blessed in his seed. If we look at the life of Abraham, we find that he was familiar with the laws that God gave Moses for Israel later on. So was Isaac, so was Jacob, and so were the twelve tribes. Is it not it reasonable then to assume that so was Ishmael, Abraham’s first son, and the father of the Arabs?

The people that gave rise to Judaism and Islam not only have common roots in Abraham, but have equally benefited from Abraham’s blessings down through the centuries. Notice God promised Abraham regarding Ishmael.

Gen 16:10 “Then the Angel of the LORD said to [Hagar], "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”

Gen 16:11 "And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.”

Gen 16:13 “Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?

Gen 16:14 "Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

Gen 16:15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”

Gen 17:18 “And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!"

Gen 17:19 Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

Gen 17:20 "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.”

God established his covenant with Isaac, but Ishmael was to become a ‘great nation’ too.

God however does not exclude anyone from the covenant of salvation that He fulfilled in Jesus Christ. That is why we say that converting to Christianity does not mean giving up on either of the two prophets: Moses or Muhammad, for neither Judaism under Moses, nor Islam under Muhammad, are complete without Jesus Christ. Both prophets prepared their peoples for this world, and both fulfilled their destinies admirably having grown into religious empires that covered the world.

Jesus Christ however spoke of a different kind of kingdom, one that does not belong to this world.

John 8:23 “And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

John 18:35 “Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You

John 18:36 done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

Neither Moses nor Muhammad were from above; they were both human beings born of humans. Not so Jesus Christ. He was born of the seed of God, planted into a virgin that came from the seed of David, just as the Scriptures have predicted long in advance.

Isa 7:10 “Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD

Isa 7:11 your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above."

Isa 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel [Literally God-With-Us].“

Jesus Christ was confirmed as the expected Messiah and Saviour of the whole world by the multitude of miracles He performed, the likes of which no man had ever come near to accomplishing.

Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know;

Acts 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

Acts 2:24 "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that

Acts 2:25 He should be held by it. "For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced,

Acts 2:26 and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.

Acts 2:27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'

Acts 2:29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

Acts 2:30 "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,

Acts 2:31 "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

Acts 2:32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

Acts 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Acts 2:34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The LORD said to my Lord,

Acts 2:35 "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the