'A Wicked and Adulterous Generation'

Greetings friends in Kenya, New Zealand, Italy, and all throughout the United Kingdom – along with our friends within the United States of America. Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries – I’m your host Leonard V. Johnson in beautiful Spring Hill, Florida.

Do you recall Abraham’s plea to Almighty God!? “Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place.” And the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” And then Abraham said, “Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous?” And then, forty, and thirty, and then twenty, and finally ten. And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten righteous people.” And we know the result. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, couldn’t even convince his own family to leave. It was only his wife and his two daughters who were still living at home which left Sodom. Those five cities on the plain of Jordan were allowed to be destroyed because there weren’t even ten righteous people in that city. And, brethren, let us not sell ourselves short – but we should wonder – is it that Almighty God is holding back the utter destruction of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth of Nations, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand respectively – because there are maybe ten in one-million righteous people within these nations!? It should make us wonder. Is that number depleting as time goes by!? In prayer to Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ – a thought crossed my mind – just before the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP very few saints of God will be left. There will come a time when the LORD our God cannot find ten righteous people! As ‘this generation’ (cf. Matthew 24:34) continues many of these cities the cup of their iniquity becomes full. And the LORD God has no choice but to exact judgment upon that nation. It is something to ponder.

Friends, what does Almighty God say about a wicked and spiritually adulterous generation!? A generation of which we live in today!? How are we to conduct our lives in the very midst of a vile and evil generation!? Minister Guy C. LaMar, not long ago, gave a sermon on this very topic, entitled, “What should Christians do in these trying times?” Be sure to check out this enlightening and well-informed sermon.

If you have your Bible in front of you – maybe a piece of paper and a pen for taking some notes – turn with me to the Book of Exodus the 23rd chapter –

Verse 2 – some of the very beginning of the instructions which God gave to the nation of Israel. “’ You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.’” – like joining into a mob scene that is going to destroy or subvert justice.

In the Book of Leviticus the 18th chapter –

Verse 1 – “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2) ‘Speak to the children of Israel [and in ‘this generation’ - spiritual Israel, the spiritual children of Israel and heirs to the promises of God – cf. Galatians 3:7. As well as the physical modern descendants of the house of Israel], and say to them: ‘I AM the LORD your God. 3) According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall NOT do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I AM bringing you, you shall NOT do; …’”

So, He’s bringing them from Egypt into the land of Canaan – and they were not to follow the ordinances of either one of those lands.

The LORD God says – verse 4 – “’ You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I AM the LORD your God. 5) You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I AM the LORD.’”

Now, the apostle Paul quoted this very passage, saying, “Yet the law [speaking here of the Mosaic law of the Old Covenant] is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them’” – Galatians 3:12 NKJV.

Turning now to the Book of Numbers the 16th chapter –

We know that the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt and wandered in the wilderness some forty-years. And over time they indeed began to wonder. They began to complain about not reaching the Promised Land. They began to blame the LORD God, along with Moses and Aaron. Surely it became monotonous – even though they had the LORD with them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Well, there came up an uprising, both religious and political. Called ‘the rebellion of Korah.’

Verse 1 – “Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi [making him the great-grandson of the patriarch Levi and first cousin to Moses and Aaron], with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2) and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.” – so these were leaders that were “famous” in their time and well known.

Verse 3 – “They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, ‘You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, …”

This reminds me of something that my sister-in-law’s friend said to me once, she said, “Everyone is a messiah.” But, since she didn’t explain - I’m not sure just what she meant.

Now, in reference to these malcontents’ insurrection, the Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary, states, “that Moses had, by an arbitrary arrangement, taken away the right of primogeniture, …” – meaning, the right of succession belonging to the first-born child. “ … which had vested the hereditary dignity of the priesthood in the first-born of every family, with a view of transferring the hereditary exercise of the sacred functions to a particular branch of his own house.” 1

Korah felt that they too [the Reubenites] were entitled to the priesthood, not just Moses’ own household. And they resented Aaron, that he was the high priest. But Dathan and Abiram had an additional “ground of their mutiny … for while Korah murmured against the exclusive appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron and his family, they were opposed to the supremacy of Moses in civil power.” Id. They felt that they should be the leaders. So, not only was it a religious uprising, but it was also a political uprising.

Verse 4 – “So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; 5) and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, ‘Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him.”

And so Korah and his company were told to take censers, put fire in them and place incense within them and place them before the LORD in the morning, and they will see just who the LORD chooses to be His holy one. 

Then down in verse 17 – “Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron each with his censer.” 

Verse 20 – this was Almighty God’s reaction. “And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21) ‘Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’”

God is about to destroy the whole congregation! 

Verse 22 – “Then they [the whole congregation] fell on their faces, and said, ‘O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?’”

Verse 23 – “So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24) ‘Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” – now, Korah being a Kohathite, his tent could not have been in the Reubenites camp. Id. At 125

Verse 26 – “And he spoke to the congregation, saying, ‘Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.’” – and, of course, we know what happened!

Verse 31 – “Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32) and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.”

So, a great earthquake literally splits the ground open – and all of their tents, cattle, and households were swallowed up into the earth.

Verse 35 – “And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.” – in other words, from the clouds in the sky destroying Korah and those Levites who were with him.

It was indeed a harrowing experience for the children of Israel. I imagine it was a great example and lesson to them concerning the rebellion from the hands of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and all the rest.

Now, I went over this with you from the Old Testament – because there is a connection with just what is happening in this world today. There is something about this idea of being overly tolerant of evil – that can be a vexation to a large portion of a nation. Now, case in point – we have high-office leaders here in the United States of America, such as, Nancy Pelosi, and “The Squad,” and others of their ilk which are evil – and are representatives of the evil one. And like what the apostle Paul said concerning receiving “a different spirit” or “a different gospel” – you may well put up with it! And that’s what a great majority of this nation is doing – putting up with this evil which is amongst us! Or for that matter, those of any province, country, or nation. But especially to those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ.

I’m sure what I just said is “politically incorrect” to some who may be reading this – but my authority comes from our living Jesus Christ!

Let’s look at an example of this very Authority –

Ezekiel 3:18-19 – “’ When I [the great and awesome LORD God] 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 [or her] life, that same wicked man [or woman] shall die in his [or her] iniquity; but his [or her] blood I will require at your hand. 19) Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he [or she] does not turn from his [or her] wickedness, nor from his [or her] wicked way, he [or she] shall die in his [or her] iniquity; but you have delivered your [life].’”

Now, people do not like their evil exposed and do not want anyone else to expose them. The vast majority of this world’s so-called Christians will go against Almighty God’s living Word and literally stand up for Satan the devil and will fight the LORD God and condone and support evil! How can one love what God abhors!?

In the Book of Numbers chapter 33 –

Verse 50 – “Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 51) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, …’”

Now, notice this – verse 52 – “’ then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places [their temples and sacrificial altars].’”

The Canaanites were NOT to keep alive their evil practices. Now, what comes immediately to my mind: is the United States of 1889. The Native American Mandan tribe, which today, post-1983, uses (and presumably a less harsh form) ritual suspension of humans by their skin – what was known as the Okipa ceremony. If you’ve seen the 1970 movie A Man Called Horse, then you know of what I am speaking of – only in the movie, it was called a Vow to the Sun. Today, this vile ritual of suspension has spread into other groups and subcultures all around the world! Do you think there are so-called Christians which stand around watching and cheering for their favorite participant who is topless pulling a car using ropes attached to flesh hooks in their backs!? – such as the Doo Dah Parade, Ohio of 2011!?

Verse 55 – “’ But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.’”

Now, ask yourselves – is this happening in the modern nations of Israel today!? I believe it is happening today to the modern nations of Israel. When they tolerate evil and wicked practices – whatever they might be – which is contrary to God’s will and God’s Law.

Turning now into the Book of Deuteronomy, the 12th chapter –

Our LORD God tells us that we are to follow Him, and Him alone.

Verse 29 – “’ When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30) take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you DO NOT inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.’”

I can recall from our history that John Lennon said – coinciding with the band’s 1966 US tour, “We're more popular than Jesus now.” And I can also recall that The Beatles, back in 1968, had famously traveled to India attempting to find spiritual enlightenment with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – dealing with Hinduism and its 33 false gods. In reflection, I personally don’t believe that Lennon’s words were taken out of context – Americans at that time, heard loud and clear, and there was a backlash – for a short time. And then, “they put up with this wickedness which was amongst us.” Here, the LORD our God’s very instruction is that we are not to even ask this question – ‘How do these nations serve their gods!?’ The Beatles was indeed truly an invasion.

Verse 31 – “’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.’” – and this is absolutely a despicable act! I can’t imagine families taking their children and sacrificing to their gods!? And even TODAY, my friends, in places like China, there is infant cannibalism! 2

Friends, the LORD our God warned the ancient house of Israel against that – and what did they do!? Well, they absolutely fell victim to that!

Verse 32 – “’ Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.’”

Now, in regards to this world’s professing Christians – I’ve heard so many say, “I’m going to worship God my way.” And, last Easter (or rather, Ishtar), my mother-in-law said to me that God has many religions. And, she added, “At least you believe in God!” Indicating that one can worship God as they please.

But the LORD our God is telling us here that we are to worship Him the Way He tells us to worship Him – and we are not to add or take away from that. These are His instructions – not mine.

So, we’ve seen here in the Book of Deuteronomy – a Book of recapitulation – that we are to follow Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and Them alone. We’ve quoted the LORD our God through all these many years through the prophet Jeremiah involving this world’s holiday – the Mass of Christ. In which the LORD our God states, “’ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; …’”

Now, there are great blessings to our people who choose to truly follow the LORD our God! King David was a man who observed this.

Let us turn now into the Book of Psalm the 1st chapter –

Verse 1 – “Blessed is the man [or woman] Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2) But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, And in His Law he [or she] meditates day and night.’”

Verse 3 – “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water [certainly symbolic of the great “river of water of life, clear as crystal” which will proceed from the very throne of God the Father and of the Lamb – cf. Revelation 22:1] that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

I remember growing up in a two-story white farmhouse in Oregon which had a seventy-five or one-hundred-year-old twisted Garry oak tree in front. Its branches touching the ground, making it very climbable. That old Garry oak is still standing there on that piece of property! Indeed, your life will be just like this tree if you will follow Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Verse 4 – “The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment [again, a reference to the ‘Great White Throne Judgment’ – cf. Revelation 20:11-15], Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.”

Verse 6 – “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish [cf. Revelation 20:15; 21:8].”

Continuing in the Book of Psalm chapter 26 – let us look at what King David thought of evil and wickedness.

Verse 4 – “I have not sat with idolatrous mortals [spiritually idolatrous] …” – meaning, he has not sat with people who worship other gods. “ … Nor will I go in with hypocrites. 5) I have hated the [congregation] of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked.”

And friends, again – and I know I’ve mentioned this quite a lot toward the end of this last year – but it was a great lesson from Almighty God for me. And I pray that it may be a testimony to you – in that this last year I was invited to attend the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and that while there I was verbally attacked by one of their sycophant ministers. And how Minister Guy LaMar told me something very profound and wise. He said, “We cannot walk with Almighty God while holding hands with Satan the devil.” A variation of what our Lord Jesus Christ tells us, “’ No one can serve two masters; … You cannot serve God and mammon.’” – meaning, wealth and assets. Certainly, with that church organization, it’s about their wealth and their assets. You threaten their family wealth and assets, they will attack you with great ferocity!

Now a great many – even many from that church organization of which I speak and them of that ilk – will quote this very passage from King David and teach, “See, God doesn’t even want you to sit down with those you consider evil or wicked.” And they use this as a proof text for this erroneous teaching. But was this the attitude and example which our Lord and Savior showed us!? After all, He is to be our example! Did He not sit down with publicans and sinners!? Cf. Matthew 9:10; Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29!? Did Jesus do what I heard this sycophant minister claim he had done - that he was in line at a McDonald’s ordering food when two homosexuals got in line behind him. He said that he immediately turned around and began to berate them and call them terrible homophobic names!? Did our Lord and Savior insist on leaving, turning, and saying, ‘Get away from Me sinner!?’ No, He stated, “’ Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’”

Now, there is nothing wrong with hating evil. We should indeed hate evil and wickedness!

Psalm 139 – reading here from the New English Translation –

Verse 19 – “Surely You will slay the wicked, O God; therefore you bloody men, depart from me. 20) For they speak against You wickedly and Your enemies take Your name in vain.”

Well, it certainly doesn’t take us much to find people today who meets this description.

Verse 21 – “O LORD, do I not hate those who hate You? And am I not grieved with those who rise up against You? 22) I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.”

King David does make a bold statement here concerning evil and wickedness and of hating his enemies and the enemies of God. Now, certainly, Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ accepted this psalm here of King David – that those who hate God are King David’s enemies. However, our Lord Jesus Christ emphatically commands us and says, “’ You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” – as it was said here by King David. “’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that YOU may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven; …’”

Now in the Book of Proverbs King Solomon – through the writings to his son – warned us of having monetary gain and power and becoming associated with wicked men. Cf. Proverbs 1:10.

So, what should we do – as Christians – if someone evil or wicked comes in contact with you or with the Body of Christ – the living Church of God!?

Let us turn over into the New Testament – beginning in the Book of Romans the 16th chapter. Turning back to the New King James Version.

Verse 17 – the apostle Paul had to deal with this on a number of occasions. There are many examples of disruptions that happened within the Church – people that were trying on a number of occasions to destroy the congregations, to divide the Church. And the apostle Paul had to deal with it over and over again. Here he ends this letter to the church which was in Rome – “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions …” – it means to make a note of that person. “ … and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” – doesn’t say, ‘hate them,’ does it!?

Verse 18 – “For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, …” – so they are there for their own gratification, their own gain. “ … and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” – ‘For those who are such,’ meaning, like he writes and tells Brother Timothy, “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, …” Even the church organization I speak of – they love widow women who send money and asks no serious doctrinal questions. ‘The simple,’ meaning, the unwary, the unsuspecting.

Turning to 1st Corinthians the 5th chapter. We read this during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 1st Corinthians was written in 56 AD. Which is twenty-five decades after the human life and death of Jesus Christ. The Book of 1st Corinthians, in one sense, it’s simply Paul saying, “Hey, Corinthians, you’re screwing up big time! And I want you to get this straight!” So, 1st Corinthians by enlarge is a letter of correction. It’s an admonition – it’s a ‘you’re not doing this right!’ “Your glorying is not good.” As he says to the Corinthians in verse 6 – “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” So, the apostle Paul is indeed saying – that a person within their congregation (here speaking about one being married or having a sexual relationship with one’s own step-mother) committing heinous acts will eventually leaven the whole lump. Such as the old idiom, a rotten apple spoils the (whole) bunch.

God emphatically commands us over in 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 –

Verse 14 - “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15) And what accord has Christ with Belial [another name for Satan the devil]? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16) And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you [your physical body] are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.’ 17) Therefore ‘COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. …’”

Now, that does not mean that we cannot have contact with this world or people of other beliefs. And, it certainly does not mean that you cannot buy food from a store staffed with unbelievers, or with professing Christians of other beliefs.

The apostle Paul clarifies back in 1st Corinthians –

Verse 10 - “Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11) But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother [a so-called brother or sister], who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person.”

We are not to have social or religious FELLOWSHIP – in other words, close friendship – with any except those who know and OBEY the TRUTH of God. We must try to WORSHIP with them – and attend those churches.

In the Book of 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 –

He explains this a little further.

Verse 6 – “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother [one which is in the congregation calling themselves a brother or sister] who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which [they] received from us.”

The word “tradition” is the Greek word paradosis, which is more akin to the meaning, teachings, or ordinances. Meaning the ordinances which were laid down by our Lord Jesus Christ under the New Covenant!

Verse 7 – “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; …”

And, how will you recognize them!?

Let us turn over to the Book of 1st Timothy chapter 3 –

Verse 1 – “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come …”

And he’s not just speaking of this world, but also of professing Christians. Recall, our Lord Jesus Christ said, “ … ‘Many will be offended …’” – many professing Christians will be offended i.e. that you preach the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God. “ … ‘will betray one another, and will hate one another.’” – and as I’ve said before, as Brother Paul WARNS, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” “’ Many false prophets [and surely false ministers] will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound …’” – and He is speaking concerning the churches of God – “ … ‘the love of many will grow cold.’”

Verse 2 – “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, …”

Now, when you are reading this – just imagine what not only this world is like TODAY, but also what so many ministers are like. Many ministers and church organizations do not have the fruits of God’s Spirit and are indeed lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, and unholy. Recall, Jesus said, “’ You will know them by their fruits.’” So many ministers who put on a ‘Really Big Shew’ as Ed Sullivan would say, are but “ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15)! These “ministers of righteousness” are quick to point their finger to the world and anyone in their flock they deem unrighteous, but they are not so quick to look at themselves.

Verse 3 – “unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, …” – and here is where we know that the apostle Paul was not just speaking of the world at large –

Verse 5 – “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Now, is it possible that a very leader of a church organization among the people will secretly bring in false teachings (what I had previously called ‘erroneous teachings’) and will actually deny the Lord who bought them!? The apostle Peter says, ‘Yes indeed!’

Turn with me over to the Book of 2nd Peter chapter 2 –

Verse 1 – “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly [meaning, they will act as “ministers of righteousness”] bring in destructive heresies, EVEN DENYING THE LORD WHO BOUGHT THEM, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”

Verse 2 – “And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3) By covetousness they will exploit you …”

Now, brethren, I speak to you here - what we might find revealing is — both from our Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles — is how revealing the everyday lives of false teachers are about their falseness. They are not just false in their teaching, but also in their living. For beneath their erroneous teachings is doctrinal error – however subtle it may be. And, sadly, these subtle deceptions may not appear overnight; they may take time. But they will come out!

Here are the living words of Jesus Christ on this matter –

Matthew chapter 7 –

Verse 15 – “’ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16) You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17) Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20) Therefore by their fruits you will know them.’”

Jesus said it twice for clarification and importance: You will recognize them by their fruits. 2 Peter I find remarkable in how it fleshes out our Lord Jesus’ warning about the fruit of false teachers. Verses 1 and 3 mentions generalities “destructive teachings” and “false words” which indeed relate to teaching. But then, nothing further in this chapter focuses on their teaching. Everything else is about their lives.

We can certainly break it down to three essential categories – all three being about character and conduct, not their teaching:

1. Pride, or defying authority – v. 10. They deny “the Master who bought them with a price.” See also verse 12-13, 18.
2. Authoritative – v. 2. “Many people will follow as authoritative their destructive ways.” See also verses 10, 12-14, 19.
3. Greed for money and monetary gain – v. 3. “through insatiable greed they will with enticing messages exploit you for gain.” See also verses 14-15.

So, their falseness comes out in sin – sin against themselves, against others, and against Almighty God and Jesus Christ. In their greed, they fleece their flock for monetary gain. Or, in their lust of flesh, they compromise sexually (i.e. fornication, adultery, or even homosexuality, which the apostle Peter eludes to in verse 6). Or, even in their pride, they “despise authority” – v. 10. And the greatest Authority in all the universe is GOD THE FATHER! In which JESUS CHRIST is in complete unison!

But in the end, my brethren – the apex of Brother Peter’s teaching here is this – the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of trials.

Our Lord and Savior, as I testify to you, is not only the greatest Teacher who ever lived, but He is also our great SAVIOR, who has redeemed us from the death penalty and will truly keep us from those who wish to destroy our eternal life – our promised crown. For like what occurred to me just this last year during the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, Jesus saves those who know His voice – John 10:27. □

Bibliography:

1) Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R., Brown, D., Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pp. 124.

2) Dale, Y. “Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world” The Washington Times, 31 Dec. 2014, https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/. Retrieved 12 Feb. 2021.

'Why Should You Die, O House of Israel?'

Greetings EVERYONE! Greetings, our friends in Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Malawi, and Finland – and, of course, all our friends in the United States of America! Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries, I’m your host Leonard V. Johnson.

There are a number of YouTube channels that we have that are available. We here are excited about Minister Guy LaMar’s great commission up in Athens, Alabama. The Independent Christian Church of God YouTube channel looks wonderful! Be sure to Subscribe and ring the bell on the channel to get notified about their latest sermons. And you have the option to be notified for occasional sermons, or all of them. And on your phone, make sure to go into your settings and switch on notifications. There is also the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ’s YouTube channel with literally hundreds of great sermons delivered by Minister Michael C. Garrett. Also, Trevor Koonce’s wonderful channel! And I am so truly proud and glad that we have this “open door” here in which all the before mentioned YouTube channels have God’s WORD, TRUTH, and PLAN! Each Sabbath I myself go on those YouTube channels and watch several sermons!

Good Morning America! We wake up this morning and discover that the Leftists and their agenda are pushing ever-stronger for their ultimate goal for America – revolution. Also, Iran escalates its threats and dire warnings to the United States of America! Continuing to call America the “Great Satan.” As Iranians bemoan the killing of one of their top generals – Soleimani – there in Iran. There has been a recent deployment of over 3500 U.S. military personnel to Iraq following the killing of this general. Let us dear friends think about the mothers and fathers of our soldiers who are being deployed into one of the most severe warzones of the world. We are continuing to see American and Israeli flags burned and stepped on in places like Iraq and Iran – chanting ‘death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel.’

What will be the response!?

Now, for the past few months, I have been posting dire warnings – not just for America, but also the little nation in the Middle East known as Israel. With such sermons as “Does God Have Your Attention?” and “God’s Master Plan – From the Beginning” and “’ Tell My People Their Sins’” – which received several negative comments.

We have been proclaiming that we think two factors are going to cause a reunification of Europe - a seventh resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire.

1. The threat of Islamic militarism.

And quoted from Minister Michael C. Garrett:

“You can call it Islamofascism or you can call it Radical Islam or you can call it all just a bunch of crazy people. … Make no mistake my friends, the leaders of that Islamic strain of Islam, their greatest goal is to conquer you or to kill you! Don’t be confused about that! I have to say I’m embarrassed by some of our political leaders in this country that wanna make nice. “O’ these are nice people!” they say. “It’s a religion of love!” And every time I hear it I wanna say, “It twernt Lutherans that flew the planes into the Towers!” It was Islamic terrorists! And that movement is growing! We have Hamas in charge of Palestine! We have Iran threatening with nuclear weapons! We have Pakistan – one bullet away, one assassination away – from becoming just like Afghanistan! A homeland of fanatics! Throughout the world we have problems!”

(Read More: Prophecy Series – The Final Empire!).

2. A revitalized Roman Catholic Church and a pope of magnificent stature.

Again, Minister Garrett:

“These two factors will be the tipping point that causes Europe to say, “We must have strong leaders again! We must have a strong military again! We must protect our borders! We must protect ourselves! We must unite! Even though we have differences!” Remember the image in Daniel, ‘partly clay, partly iron’!? - doesn’t always get along. But in the threat of a common enemy, I believe, that Europe will coalesce together. It will be Islamic terrorism and it will be led by a revitalized Roman Catholic leader. And it’s going to set up that seventh revival.”

(Read More: Ibid).

Indeed, in the United States, there has been a grave influx of home-grown terrorism – as in the bombing of Nashville, to the threat of explosive devices within Washington, D.C., and there may be even foreign terrorist cells of a radical strain of the religion of Islam within the United States ready to strike!?

This is America! An America I have not been witness to before! Sadly, this is the America we are living in today. We also just witnessed, and as Michael Snyder of the Most Important News pointed out – a massive riot that dealt a severe blow to any political future that President Donald Trump hoped to have. With one stone, the terrorist organization Antifa neutered the debate over the legitimacy of the election and devastated the Trump movement as well. 1 All of this has revealed just how truly divided we are as a nation. Also uncovering the devious plots and schemes – and the true character – of many of our politicians and those within leadership positions.

Also in the news, we notice that the Methodist Church is splitting right down the middle in regards to an impasse between two factions within the church that have not been able to agree on homosexual “marriage” and clergy. Over half of their members believe and accept homosexuality and homosexual “marriage” as well as homosexual clergy. It is difficult for me to contemplate this. Truly, a society like ancient Rome – the LGBTQ movement – should have equal rights with god-fearing American citizens!? As I say quite a lot – there is coming a time soon when those who have the “lifestyle” of pedophilia will want those equal rights – too. I never imagined growing up and then one day waking up in an America such as this! Where abortion, and even post-birth abortion, is legal! Basically – LEGAL MURDER!

Indeed there is, soon, coming a time when our government will no longer be using our national motto “In God We Trust.” I believe that within my lifetime we will see this occur! Already there are governmental officials that upon their swearing-in leaves out “so help me God.” And as Yahoo News writes:

“America’s socialists reckon they’re on a roll. But now it’s spreading across the Rust Belt, Midwest and South. At least 60 branches of the Democratic Socialists of America, the most prominent among a bunch of reinvigorated leftist groups — have sprung up in the past year, mostly in conservative areas where President Donald Trump did well with voters.” 2

Of course, as our Lord Jesus Christ said (cf. John 15:18-25), true Christians are often attacked, because they of this world insist that we should just accept all of these degradations as “our way of life.” And I’m speaking of our brethren all around the world that are victims – people who fear God, accept Jesus Christ and obey His commandments, accept the principles of the New Covenant, properly understand the kingdom of God, the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the ultimate Plan of God! Our brethren who has been called of Father, repented, baptized, and has had hands laid upon them – receiving the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit. Those who indeed try – with the help of God’s Spirit – to live a life in accordance with God’s living Word – the Holy Bible. And this very concept is antiquated in America – today. This reminds me of a story –

One time my wife and I went out to eat at a Golden Corral restaurant, and while we were standing in line to pay I was still trailing the edge of a previous conversation I had been having with her earlier. And it just so happened that I mentioned the name of our Lord – Jesus Christ – in great reverence. And as we were getting a table to set down, a man behind us blurts out – as he turned to look our way – “Great, another Bible thumper!” And I remember thinking – he thought I was a fanatic!? And we’re talking about JESUS CHRIST! We’re supposed to be a Christian nation! An “In God We Trust” nation! And yet, I look like the oddball in the crowd! Our nation, friends, is in dire straits!!

Friends, while all these terrible tribulations are going on in the United States of America – and indeed I could mention the grave tribulation of COVID-19 – and could continue proclaiming, as many have accused me of, “You're Chicken Little - 'O', the sky is falling!'” and about how very bad things are in our nation –

Yet many Americans are truly UNAWARE of what is happening worldwide.

But friends, let us get to the main message today.

There was a prophet of God in which some called “sleeper.” His name was Jonah. I’m sure you remember the story.

Let’s turn there if you would. He was a prophet selected by the LORD God to go to the ancient city of Nineveh. Nineveh was a city outside of the kingdom of Israel. Gentiles. And, Nineveh was the capitol of the Assyrian Empire.

Ancient Nineveh

Sir Austen Henry Layard’s outstanding impression of the Assyrian palaces in ancient Nineveh is truly something to behold! And of course, most of us have seen photos of the restored massive Adad Gate prior to the gate’s destruction by ISIS in 2016! The city was near the modern-day city of Mosul, which is located approximately 250 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq – located on the east bank of the Tigris river, and indeed it was a mighty city with a mighty wall that surrounded it! Now Jonah would later state that the breadth of the city was a three-day journey – which gives you an idea of just how large this city was. Some of the archeologists who unearthed the ancient city of Nineveh believe that there may have been as many as 150,000 citizens within the city wall! There was a great palace within the city of Nineveh, and you can read about this city – I could go on and on speaking about this mighty powerful kingdom which subjugated their enemies. But I want to get to the main message today.

In the Book of Jonah chapter 1 –

Verse 1 – “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2) ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.’”

Now, this indeed appears to be an easy command to do – doesn’t it!? But imagine – today – going to Baghdad and testifying against that city!? Or, going to Tehran, or Amman!? Foreign nations that literally hate you – if nothing more than for being an American. That’s where Jonah was. This puts this in perspective – especially in the light of the world news today. Indeed, it would be terrifying to think – ‘I’ve got to go to a city that literally hates me and would love nothing more than to string me up or chop off my head and I’ve got to preach against them because God commands me to do this!?’

This great and powerful city which ruled over an empire and that within the city cradled the worship of Ishtar – frequently depicted as a naked goddess; flaunting her beauty and sometimes even depicted raising her skirt to reveal the lower parts of her body. A pagan goddess of sex which has come down to us today as Easter. Have you ever questioned – why are there eggs being used at Easter, or lilies!?

What does this have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ!? Well, this is a very city that propagated this pagan observance of Ishtar/Easter.

Verse 3 – “But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”

Joppa was a town – known today as Jaffa – which was the main port of the coast in Israel as early as King Solomon’s time before the Israelis constructed the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. There is some debate as to where Tarshish was. We know that the apostle Paul was from Tarshish, which was up in modern-day Turkey. However, this Tarshish, according to the Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible states is “in Spain; in the farthest west at the greatest distance from Nineveh in the east.” 3 Called Tartessus on the Iberian peninsula. Some biblical scholars have said that it’s Tunis, which is the capital and largest city of Tunisia – which is in northern Africa. Either way, Jonah got on a ship to go as far away as he thought he could get from God – from YHWH! In the opposite direction which the LORD God instructed him to go!

Verse 4 – “But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.”

Surely, there has to be nothing more that gets your attention than acts of nature! The mariners were certainly used to storms upon the sea – this must have been extreme.

Verse 5 – “Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, …” – they were all pagans who worshiped their own gods. Their gods were proving unable to help them. “ … and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.”

So, conscious of his guilt he shrunk from the presence of his fellow men into concealment - he goes and curls up in a blanket and he goes fast asleep. Regardless of what was occurring around him!

Verse 6 – “So the captain came to him, and said to him, ‘What do you mean, sleeper? …” – so, here’s where he’s called the name ‘sleeper.’ “ … ‘Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.’”

Verse 7 – “And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.”

Verse 8 – “Then they said to him, ‘Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?’”

Verse 9 – “So he said to them, ‘I am a Hebrew; and I fear [YHWH], the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’”

Notice what Jonah knows about the LORD God!

Verse 10 – “Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, ‘Why have you done this?’ For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.”

Jonah told them the story. ‘The LORD God told me to go to Nineveh, but I had decided to go down to Joppa and get on your ship and go with you to Tarshish.’ Even these pagan Gentiles realized – there’s something wrong with what Jonah had done.

Verse 11 – “Then they said to him, ‘What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?’ – for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12) And he said to them, ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.’”

Here, reality begins to strike Jonah. He realizes this is all because of his actions.

Verse 13 – “Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, …” – they were in the Mediterranean Sea. “ … but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14) Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it is pleased You.’”

They were awed by the great power of God – even these pagans realized that they had upset Almighty God and that He was mightily angry!

Verse 15 – “So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16) Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows.” – they offered some sacrifice of thanksgiving at once, and vowed more when they reached land. They promised to make additional sacrifices later.

Verse 17 – “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

Now, a lot of people will say that this is an old folk tale passed down through history – but we know that this story was verified by our Savior Jesus Christ in Matthew 12:40 when He said, “’ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish [the Greek word kētos, meaning “huge fish], so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’” So our LORD God actually verified this story about Jonah. I can’t imagine a more horrifying experience – to be alive and know that is happening to you!

Surely it was at this point that Jonah knew he had forsaken Almighty God. This toying that he did back in his hometown and debating within himself I think brought about anger against God. ‘It’s not fair’ surely went through Jonah’s mind. ‘I just can’t understand how God would want to save our pagan enemy!’ All of this had turned into fear and stiff-necked rebel against God and an absolute rejection of God’s direct command! Remember, God had told him directly to go do this. That, ‘I’m gonna give it all up’ attitude. Sadly, friends, I’ve seen this within the churches of God! Now, there was a guest once on the Aaron Ra show, a man that Minister Michael C. had gone to college with in Pasadena, who had later become a minister for some 30-years! Who now claims he is struggling with his faith! Eventually turning his back on EVERYTHING! And some of them have a difficult time even acknowledging Jesus Christ and giving Him the credit that is due! It truly saddens me! The prophet Jonah had a bit of that attitude – here.

But God didn’t see it that way. And God didn’t forget. And God didn’t let it go. God’s living word and His command was going to be fulfilled with Jonah – or without. But God also wasn’t finished with Jonah. Now, He could have just allowed the great fish to continue digesting Jonah. God was definitely angry with Jonah. But He didn’t completely cast him away. And we should find this very inspiring that Almighty God does have that kind of mercy. God made him fulfill his obligation.

So, here in chapter 2, is a story about the prophet Jonah, and it is written sort of like in the third person, but it is also written from the standpoint of a man who had gone through all this experience and actually survived to tell about it! So, he first describes his impossible situation, but then immediately just how Almighty God rescues him.

Verse 1 – “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly.”

I tell this story here of when I lost one of my brothers. He was my oldest brother. We lost him to what we believe to have been a severe heart attack. He had been addicted to Crack cocaine and alcohol. It truly destroyed his body – eventually, he slowed down on all of that, but it was too late. His body had already suffered from all of the afflictions that he had placed upon it for well over 36 years! And one of the things that he had said to me, in the end, was – that one time while he had been praying that he had been knocked to the ground by an unseen force, and while he was lying on the floor a warmth had enveloped him and that he had begun to cry profusely. He said that it had scared him to death! And here I was hearing this from someone who had rejected God for most of his life. Sadly the very last time I had seen him alive he had called me every name in the book and had thrown me off his property – because I had come over without calling first. And as I was leaving I had said to him, “Don’t worry, It’ll never happen again.” On my way home I had asked Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive him – but that I couldn’t continue to try to be his friend anymore. Six days later he had died.

You know when you sin against Almighty God you go to God right then and there! You don’t wait till tomorrow, you don’t wait till next week, you don’t wait six months – or six days. You go to Him immediately! And you talk to God and say, ‘I know that I made a mistake, but I ask that You forgive me so that I can go on and relinquish this guilt and burden which is upon me.’

Verse 2 – “And he said: ‘I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol [meaning, the grave], I cried, And You heard my voice. 3) For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All You billows and Your waves passed over me.’”

There is a similar speech in Lamentations chapter 3 – “The waters flowed over my head; I said, ‘I am cut off!’” And, King David wrote, “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.”

Verse 4 – “Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’”

Now he has this vision of being able to see God’s holy temple once again. He knew that he was going to see God’s temple again.

Verse 5 – “’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head.’” – you could just imagine someone just being taken to the very depths of the sea inside a great fish! Truly terrifying! He was about to die!

Verse 6 – “’ I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God.’”

Verse 7 – “’ When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.’” – directly to God.

Verse 8 – “’ Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. 9) But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.’”

So, we close chapter 2 with prophet Jonah’s realization and his rescue from his prayer and his turning around from where he was heading.

Verse 10 – “So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”

Let us be reminded here of men like prophet Moses who went in over and over again before (very possibly) Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) for his people – the house of Israel. Moses didn’t want to go either! “’ O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow to speech and slow of tongue.’” – Exodus 4:10 NKJV. The prophet Isaiah had told the LORD God, “’ Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, …’” – Isaiah 6:5 NKJV. And God had one of His seraphim’s place a live coal upon his lips and said, “’ Go and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And [convert] and be healed.’” – V 9-10.

Later the prophet Isaiah warned the house of Israel and the house of Judah of their sins and of their evil wickedness. He said, “’ The look on their countenance witnesses against them.’” – Isaiah 3:9 NKJV. The show of their face – the way they look. “’ And they declare their sin as Sodom; They DO NOT HIDE IT. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.’”

And indeed – today – the modern nations of Israel, as well as the modern nation of Judah declare their sin to everyone as Sodom and Gomorrah – i.e. migration headache commercials such as Aimovig which sneakily shows a gay couple getting cozy with each other on a couch.

It’s almost as if they have to have this homosexual factor in movies, television shows, and commercials. They cannot have anything without having some reference to that. And we read this passage here of the prophet Isaiah which states, “They DO NOT HIDE IT!” It’s out in the open, they are blatant and in God’s face! And, there was another time when the prophet Isaiah wrote – under inspiration – “’ As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. …” – Isaiah 3:12 NKJV. The apostle Paul spoke of this very thing – of women’s rights and of women over-ruling men and of the proper order of a family. And we can think of what is happening in our society today – the president-elect Joe Biden surely won’t be in the office too long, before the United States of America will have her first female president – Kamala Harris. It is completely turned around – completely opposite of what Almighty God originally intended for the family structure to be. And I only say this because – it is part of the reason for what is happening to the modern-day nations of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah. The disintegration of the family! I weep for my wife’s cousin who is being subjected to parents of multiple marriages, divorces, and relationships, and now being subjected to her mother’s lesbian “lifestyle.” What is this teaching her at only seven-years-old!? Well, Almighty God never intended for the family to be that way. But, because of this, we have a breakdown of our family structure, along with a breakdown in our societies. And it leads to a lot of the problems our nations have.

The prophet Isaiah asks the LORD our God, “’ Lord, how long?’ And the LORD God answered, “’ Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.’” – Isaiah 6:11-12 NKJV.

Recall, even the prophet Jeremiah had told the LORD God, “’ Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’” And the LORD God said, “’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I AM with you to deliver you.’” – Jeremiah 1:6, 7, 8 NKJV.

Brethren, I don’t know how we WARN the modern-nations of Israel and the modern-nation of Judah – to get to the point where we can take Almighty God’s message (the warning messages which God gave His prophets) to nations which won’t allow anything on its public social media sites!? I don’t know how we’re going to do that! But I know that that message is going to go out! And I know that when the prophet Jeremiah was told by the LORD God to “’ take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day,’” and how eventually King Jehoiakim would take the scroll – which was a whole indictment of the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah – and cut it up with his scribe’s knife and cast the pieces into a fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed, God told Jeremiah, “’ Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll that this king has thrown into the fire!’”

And of course, the prophet Ezekiel, God says, “’ Son of man, I AM sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; … ‘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. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, … though they are a rebellious house. You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are [most] rebellious.’” – Ezekiel 2:3, 5, 6, 7 NKJV.

The Lord GOD told Ezekiel to write, “’ An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end has come upon you, And I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations. … For the land is filled with crimes of blood, …’” – Ezekiel 7:2-3, 23 NKJV.

So, here we are back to the prophet Jonah again. Back to the prophet who was forced to turn around and forced to go to Nineveh – a pagan Gentile nation.

Jonah chapter 3 –

Verse 1 – “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2) ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.’”

Verse 4 – “And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’”

Verse 5 – “So the people of Nineveh believed God, …” –

Unlike stubborn stiff-necked Israelites – My people of the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth Nations, Australia, and New Zealand – who are supposed to be Christian nations, but who have rejected God’s New Covenant, His Law, His statutes and judgments! Rejected His righteousness! His living word! His WARNING!

O’ what a most marvelous outcome in the Book of Jonah – I wish we could see this happen again TODAY! In Iran, Iraq, in Afghanistan, in places like India, in North Korea – that desperately need to hear Almighty God’s word! I’d love to see today’s Gentile nations repent and turn unto the LORD God! And I would just love it if the modern-day nations of Israel and the modern-day nation of Judah would repent. □

Bibliography:

1) Snyder, M., “Questions About The Chaos At The Capitol That Desperately Need To Be Answered” themostimportantnews.com, 7 Jan. 2021. Retrieved 18 Jan. 2021. (Questions About The Chaos At The Capitol That Desperately Need To Be Answered | Survival | Before It's News).

2) Dmitrieva, K., “Solidarity, Y’All: How Socialists Are Targeting Trump Country” Yahoo News, Bloomberg, 18 Oct. 2019. Retrieved 8 Jan. 2021.

3) Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R., Brown, D., Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pp. 806.

'Blow the Trumpet'!

'Blow the Trumpet!' audio sermon

AI Audio Article in Swahili

Greetings Everyone! Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries here in Spring Hill, Florida on the West Coast. I’m your host Leonard V. Johnson.

Friends, back in 2015 I had a dream in the night in my head while on my bed, and behold, I saw a young Jewish family on a bright beautiful morning, in which all the males wore yarmulkes, taking pictures. Then as I lifted my eyes I saw a huge armada of spaceships in low earth orbit in which one very tall commander dressed in silver armor with six huge horns which wrapped around from the back of his head, his face shining like the sun in full strength, stood atop one of the ships looking through a pair of binoculars at the earth.

Now, I grieve in my spirit within my body, and this dream by night troubles me. I tell you this dream because of some of what the prophet Jeremiah had to say to the nation of Judah – his own country. What he saw and the condition it was in and what he knew God thought about what was occurring in their land and to the people. Friends, it was in a state of disrepair.

The prophet Jeremiah loved his country. The Lord GOD said concerning Jeremiah, “’ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’” – Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV.

And, Jeremiah said to the LORD God, “’ Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’”

But the Lord GOD told him, “’ Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I AM with you to deliver you.’”

So, friends, like the prophet Jeremiah (and I am not saying that I am a prophet by no means) – but, I too have great reservations in proclaiming to you this dream by night. But look at what the LORD our God said to the prophet Jeremiah –

“’ Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10) See, I have this day set you over the nations …’” – so there are things which God tells Jeremiah in this chapter, “ …’ I have set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.’”

Let us today for this article look into the living word of the Eternal and help us glean an understanding of just what the Lord God meant here. God had given prophet Jeremiah a specific task that came with his calling.

The prophet Jeremiah began his ministry during the righteous reign of King Josiah when Judah was “great again.” And as Jeremiah watched the following five kings and the slow disintegration of his great nation, we can indeed associate this with the past five presidents of the United States of America – with George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack H. Obama, and Donald Trump.

I was called by Almighty God during the leadership of Ronald Reagan. A great many believe that his “Reaganomics” was a great success. He oversaw one of the largest peacetime economic booms in US history, and he introduced strict legislation for drug offenses, as well as the Strategic Defense Initiative. He is considered one of the most influential presidents in US history. And like prophet Jeremiah’s day, one by one and step by step this great nation has become worse and worse.

As I said – God had given prophet Jeremiah a specific task that came with his calling. One task was to ‘root out.’

Turn with me in your Bible to the Book of Matthew the 15th chapter.

Our Lord Jesus Christ said in verse 13 – “ … ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14) Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind, both will fall into a ditch.’”

So, this should give you an understanding of one thing the prophet Jeremiah was to do. For when you come across a ‘blind leader, LET THEM ALONE. They are blind and will lead their flock into a ditch!’ Recall Jesus told us how to recognize these ‘blind leaders’ – “’ You will know them by their fruits.’” We, as true Christians, are to ‘root out’ of our life these ‘blind leaders who are leading their flocks into a ditch.’ God Himself, indeed, will eventually uproot them and throw them into the fire!

Another task was ‘to pull down.’ But to pull down what!?

In the Book of 2nd Corinthians the 10th chapter, the apostle Paul says –

Verse 3 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down strongholds, …”

We, as faithful servants of Christ, fight our battles differently now! We break down ‘strongholds’ and overcome issues and problems.

Verse 5 – “casting down [imagination, false thinking, or a more common term – fake religious news; and friends, I might add – conspiracy theories cf. Isaiah 8:12-13] and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

And another task was ‘to destroy.’

In the Book of Matthew, the 3rd chapter recall that John the Baptist said to the Pharisees and the Sadducees of his day, that “even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Now not only were these negative characteristics but also ‘to build and to plant.’ Indeed, the prophet Jeremiah’s own characteristics were absorbed into that of the LORD our God’s! From the Book of Jeremiah let’s look at some other verses which glean an understanding of what God meant here.

Jeremiah chapter 18 –

Verse 5 – “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 6) ‘O house of ISRAEL, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the LORD. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! 7) The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 8) IF that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 9) And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, …’”

Verse 10 – “’ IF it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.’”

Jeremiah chapter 24 –

Verse 6 – “’ For I [the LORD] will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.’”

So, Almighty God is actually speaking here of building and planting a nation and a kingdom! To plant a new people. A people who are actually obedient and faithful to God the Father and Jesus Christ! And you might ask the question – who are they!? And when will this happen!?

Going back to the 1st chapter of the Book of Jeremiah –

Verse 11 – “Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a branch [or a shoot] of an almond tree.’”

Friends, the almond tree is the first deciduous nut tree to bloom in spring. It’s a type of symbol of God’s early execution of His purpose because notice what God says in verse 12 – “ …’ You have seen well, for I AM ready to perform [or, hasten] My word.’”

Verse 13 – “And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.’” – this is symbolic here of a raging war that is boiling!

Verse 14 – “Then the LORD said to me: ‘Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land.’”

This seething pot is a depiction of a boiling pot of hot water – a depiction of a great army, a soon-coming war!

Verse 15 – “’ For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north,’ says the LORD; ‘They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of JERUSALEM, Against all its walls all around, …’” – and we can think of the ‘walls all around’ in the nation known today as Israel as her Iron Dome – it’s an air defense system. “ … ‘And against all the cities of JUDAH.’” – speaking of an invasion and utter destruction!

Verse 16 – “’ I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burning incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands.’”

Indeed, as it was in antiquity when Judah was under subjugation of Roman rule, once again Judah (modern-day Israel) the people will have to decide if they will follow Almighty God or an edict ordering everyone (including Jews) to perform a sacrifice to other gods as well as to an end-time final European ‘beast power’ and a false prophet!

Verse 17 – “’ Therefore PREPARE YOURSELF and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.’” – ‘so, don’t worry about their looks, their smirks, and of their attitudes.’

Now, this is another thing God bestowed upon the prophet Jeremiah –

Verse 18 – “’ For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar [like a steel post!], And bronze walls against the whole land – Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land.’” – the whole nation will be unable to speak against the prophet Jeremiah.

Verse 19 – “’ They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I AM with you,’ says the LORD, ‘to deliver you.’”

So, you talk about a lot for a young man to know and to accept – surely it terrified him. It’s like what if an angel of the LORD came and said to you, ‘I want you to go to your nation, to the leaders of the land, and give them this message from Me!’? The doubts, the fears – ‘they’re not going to believe me! I am insignificant. I am unimportant. They’re going to think I’m crazy!’ It would be like in the 1977 movie “Oh, God!” in which Jerry was told that he was selected to be God’s messenger to the modern world. They called him a religious nut! You know what the outcome was going to be! But the prophet Jeremiah was to do it – anyway.

Well, is there any recourse for the people!?

Turn with me in your Bible back to the 18th chapter of the Book of Jeremiah. Earlier we read these very terms of ‘destroying, and plucking up, and of building and planting’ –

Here the LORD sent the prophet Jeremiah down to a potter’s house and he saw this potter creating a vessel and he didn’t like what he had made, so he made another. And the LORD said, “’ Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!’”

Verse 7 – “’ The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it.’” – just what does this mean!? Well, God explains.

Verse 8 – “’ IF that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent OF THE DISASTER that I thought to bring upon it.’” – so, this is what is meant, ‘to pluck up, to pull down, and destroy.’ It means that Almighty God is going to send vengeance upon that nation – to attack it and rip it apart!

Verse 9 – “’ And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it. 10) if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.’” – so, this is what is meant by ‘building and planting.’ It’s goodness which God plans to do towards a nation and a kingdom.

Turning back a few pages to chapter 2 of the Book of Jeremiah –

Why was this grave judgment to come upon the nation of JUDAH!?

Verse 11 – “’ Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.’”

So, as God is saying here, as He said to other prophets – ‘look out into a nation and out into a kingdom and see, has Buddhists changed their god!? Have Islamists changed their god!? What about many of these third-world nations that believe in their false primitive gods!? They have been worshiping those gods for thousands of years – they haven’t changed their god. But, the house of ISRAEL has changed their God as well as that of the House of JUDAH! And what have they changed into their god!? The majority of our peoples are into a secular religion of the Far-Left – what is often called pseudo-socialism!

Be sure to watch Minister Michael C. Garrett's FIVE-PART series "Toxic Philosophy"

Verse 12 – “’Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,’ says the LORD. 13) ‘For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water.’”

In other words – they have rejected Almighty God and have gone after a religion that is an empty cistern that holds no water. Friends, the very mention of Jesus Christ in our society today – including coaches kneeling down with their team in pre-game prayers to God – is frowned upon and could lead one to have criminal charges laid against them! IT’S ABOMINABLE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR NATIONS – the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth nations, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, including, of course, JUDAH, which is modern-day Israel! In this 21st century world, we indeed do have (to name but a few): Economic and Television Socialism, Health Socialism, and Learning Not To Work Socialism.

This abominable agenda wants to eliminate Almighty God and Jesus Christ out of every aspect of our societies. They don’t want to have any Bible studies – or even the mention of a Holy Bible. Well, guess what, God is about to take His blessings off of the house of Israel and the house of Judah! Our nations – as a whole – are inviting Him to leave. You know, there was a CBS News report back in 2018, which reported a mom of a California shooting victim reportedly saying to the cameras, “I don’t want prayers… I want gun control!” Sadly, I believe this to be the sentiment of the population! – TODAY!

Down in verse 31 – “’ O generation, see the word of the LORD! Have I [the Lord GOD] been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? …’” – and this is what the nations today (as a whole) are saying to Almighty God “’ Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’?” – they are saying exactly what that mom of a California shooting victim reportedly stated, “We don’t need You!” But then the Lord GOD asks the question –

Verse 32 – “’ Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? …’” – meaning, can a bride forget that she has on a wedding gown!? “ … ‘Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.’”

Friends, try to think back – when was it that the majority of our peoples within our nations actually still loved, respected, worshiped, and obeyed the Lord GOD!? Like I said, I began to be called by Father God back when the leader of the United States of America was Ronald Reagan. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center poll, in the U.S., the decline of Christianity continues at a rapid pace. A general survey concluded that there is a decline of Christians and a growing religion of what they call – “nones.” I shudder to think what my grandmother, Lela Mae Johnson, would think of today’s society! My dad’s mother – a kind and sweet woman who died in 1998 and in whom I pray had found favor in the eyes of God to be within His family. Though she set in front of her television set at 76-years-old cheering wrestling giants the likes of André, Randy Savage, Dusty Rhodes, and shrieking at the likes of the Iron Sheik and Abdullah the Butcher – what would she think of what is on television today!? Of the ever-growing commercials and television programs that promote homosexuality, drag queens, transgenderism, lesbianism, and vampirism!?

Turning to the 3rd chapter of the Book of Jeremiah –

Verse 1 - So the Lord GOD is asking a question – “ … ’If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him to another man, can her ex-husband return to her again!?’” No! “’ Would not that land be greatly polluted?’ But you [My people] have played the harlot [a prostitute] with many lovers; Yet return to Me,’ says the LORD.”

Verse 6 – “The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: [very early in the prophet Jeremiah’s ministry] ‘Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? …’”

You know, at that time, they had the example of the kingdom of Israel to the north – they saw how the northern kingdom had fallen into disrepair and had fallen away from Almighty God and was rejecting Him. And they saw and witnessed the northern kingdom destroyed and taken captive! They had that example of what happens to a nation –

Verse 10 – “And yet for all this treacherous sister JUDAH has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,’ says the LORD.”

Verse 12 – “’ Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I AM merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever.’”

The Lord GOD is asking them to repent – and within this dual prophecy, asking the scattered house of Israel TODAY to repent! Even though they are in the condition they are in!

Verse 13 – “’ Only acknowledge your iniquity [your sins], That you have transgressed against the LORD your God, …’”

Now, what does it mean to repent!? It truly means that you have to go before the LORD our God and confess every evil rotten deed you’ve done, said, or thought. You’ve got to lay it all out before Him and truly tell Him that you are sorry – not only personally but as a nation, a country, a province. We need to do this collectively before Almighty God!

Verse 14 – “’ Return, O backsliding children,’ says the LORD; ‘for I AM married to you. …’ 20) ‘Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,’ says the LORD.”

Friends – these surely are tough words for a nation to hear. And they are tough for me to proclaim to my people! I’m sure that during this time of year our peoples would rather hear the incorrectly translated “ … ‘on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” – Luke 2:14 NKJV. That tends to lose much of the proper meaning – “’ Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased!’” – NLT. And as I earlier said, I have great reservations in relaying to you this dream of which I had. But I am commanded by God and our Lord Jesus Christ to relay this to the nations of people that desperately need to hear these words! I am very possibly a nobody, a small person in your eyes – why should you listen to me!? Well, you don’t have to listen to me – but, you best LISTEN TO GOD!

Turning now to the 4th chapter of the Book of Jeremiah –

Verse 1 – “’ IF you will return, O Israel,’ says the LORD, ‘RETURN TO ME; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be [removed].’” – ‘you won’t be removed out of the land.’

Verse 2 – “’ And you shall swear, ‘The LORD lives,’ In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, And in Him they shall glory.’”

Verse 3 – “For thus says the LORD to the men [and women] of JUDAH and JERUSALEM: ‘Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. 4) Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins OF YOUR HEARTS, You men [and women] of JUDAH and inhabitants of JERUSALEM, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.’”

So, friends, these are the beginning announcements of the judgments of God against JUDAH and JERUSALEM – but look at what verses 5 to 7 says –

Verse 5 – “Declare in JUDAH and proclaim in JERUSALEM, and say: ‘Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry, ‘Gather together,’ And say, ‘Assemble yourselves, And let us go into the fortified cities.’” – in other words, take up a defensive position – WAR IS COMING!

Verse 6 – “’ Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I [the LORD God] will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction.’”

And this next verse is truly what I want to point out here –

Verse 7 – reading from the Authorized King James Version – “’ The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; …’”

Almighty God is proclaiming His judgment and the utter destruction of JUDAH and that of JERUSALEM! And this destroyer appears to already be on his way!? It’s already coming! It’s only up to the people to stop it! Recall verse 1 – “’ IF you will return, O Israel,’ says the LORD, ‘RETURN TO ME; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be [removed].’”

Indeed, you can read the rest of this chapter where this destroyer will come in with ‘chariots like a whirlwind. His horses swifter than eagles.’ And the people will say, ‘Woe to us, for we are plundered!’ It is because of what is happening to the people deep in their heart –

Verse 18 – “’ Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart.’”

The prophet Jeremiah laments over what he knows is about to happen –

Verse 19 – “O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET, The alarm of war.”

This reminds me of the prophet Ezekiel, in which he saw a vision of God, which said to him, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.’ … 9) Now when I [prophet Ezekiel] looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10) Then He spread it before me; … 3:1) Moreover He said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, …” – Ezekiel 2:1, 9-10; 3:1. And when he looked upon the scroll there was writing on the inside and on the outside – covered with lamentations and mourning and woe. Friends, it was not a comforting bedtime story that the prophet Ezekiel was reading!

Often when you see the outcome of Almighty God’s living word, and you know what the outcome may indeed happen to a nation if they don’t repent – it can be quite disheartening.

Turning to the 5th chapter of the Book of Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah –

Verse 1 – “’ Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man [or a woman], If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her.’”

Now I have written several times - you remember Abraham’s plea!? “Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place.” And the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” And then Abraham said, “Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous?” And then, forty, and thirty, and then twenty, and finally ten. And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten righteous people.” And we know the result. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, couldn’t even convince his own family to leave. It was only his wife and his two daughters who were still living at home who left Sodom. Those five cities on the plain of Jordan were allowed to be destroyed because there weren’t even ten righteous people in that city. And, brethren, let us not sell ourselves short – but we should wonder – is it that Almighty God is holding back the utter destruction of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth of Nations, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and Judah (the little nation known today as Israel) respectively – because there are maybe ten in one-million righteous people within these nations!? It should make us wonder. Is that number depleting as time goes by!? In prayer to Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ – a thought crossed my mind – just before the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP very few saints of God will be left. There will come a time when the LORD our God cannot find ten righteous people! As ‘this generation’ continues many of these cities the cup of their iniquity becomes full. And the LORD God has no choice but to exact judgment upon that nation. It is something to ponder.

Friends, the things here in chapter 5 of the Book of Jeremiah which Almighty God spoke concerning: adultery – saying, “ … ‘assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses. … like well-fed lusty stallions; every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.’” Concerning impiety – saying, “ … Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. … they have lied about the LORD, And said, ‘It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword of famine.’”

The greater majority of my people around the world just simply say, ‘you know, this prophecy business about the soon-coming fall of our great and powerful nation is nothing but hogwallop!’ ‘Don’t be preaching this to us – you’re nothing more than a modern-day Chicken Little who screams, “The sky is falling! – taking Scripture out of context!”’ Well, I once had told a good friend – his name is Chuck, nicknamed “Recon” because he had done two tours in Vietnam – that the United States of America, among other nations, was prophesied to fall! Along with the utter destruction of Jerusalem. And he very loudly retorted, “Do you even know how mighty and powerful the United States is!?” I said, “Yes I do. But God – if He executes judgment it doesn’t matter how mighty and powerful an Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard the nation might have. If God decides to bring down our nations, He can certainly do it!”

Verse 15 – “’ Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,’ says the LORD. ‘It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.’”

God also speaks of spiritual corruption.

Verse 23 – “’ But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. 24) They do not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear the LORD our God, …’” – they completely disregard the LORD our God.

God also speaks of civil corruption – which is indeed happening in our nations today!

Verse 31 – “’ The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. …’” – they like it when lies are told. They like it when deception is the message. “ … ‘But what will you do in the end?’”

Friends, in a Letter to our Friends on September 10, 2019, I wrote: “There may be some who do not want to hear about prophetic dreams, yet God says, ‘the teacher under the inspired mantle, let him speak My Word faithfully.’ There may be some criticism of me for revealing such a dream, but I do so only for the glory of God.”

Now, I didn’t want to only announce this grave WARNING message of the LORD our God today – but to also announce the GOOD NEWS of His address as well.

Turn with me to the 30th chapter of the Book of Jeremiah – the soon-coming wrath of God! A ‘time of Jacob’s trouble’ – the Day of the LORD!

Verse 3 – “’ For behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people ISRAEL and JUDAH,’ says the LORD. …” – and as I’ve been saying, being under subjugation to a “United States of Europe” – or whatever they will call themselves in this end-time – is a type of captivity. Also, notice that Israel and Judah are paired together! When the prophet Jeremiah was writing this, the northern kingdom had already been taken away captive, and Judah was yet to be captured.

Verse 6 – “’ Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? 7) Alas! For that day [the Day of the LORD] is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he [a remnant – what Jesus Christ calls His ‘elect’ cf. Matthew 24:21-22. “ …’ shall be saved out of it.”

Minister Michael C. Garrett explains:

“And it will be so bad, as we read in verse 22 – “’ And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; …’” – no human flesh. It’s going to get so traumatic with nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, biological weapons, famine, pestilences – diseases, that human life – human flesh – is in jeopardy of going extinct. “ … ‘but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.’”

Now, I’ve always thought: Well, IF God resurrects His people – His spiritual people; the spiritual House of Israel – ON THE SEVENTH TRUMP, and we know that the Battle of Armageddon is about the Sixth of the Seven Last Plagues – the Day of the LORD, theoretically, everyone who should have been resurrected has already been resurrected, so, to whom was He referring!? I think most of the decades I’ve been around the Church, it was sort-of assumed, and I think incorrectly, that those ‘elect’s’ was somehow the Church members. But keep in mind, IF you properly understand the order of events, the Church members – the people who have God’s Spirit – will at that time have been resurrected already. So, who are the ‘elect’? Well, notice what it says in Isaiah 45:4 – “’ For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, …’” Who’s He saving the earth for!? … He’s saving the elect as in physical Israel. For the sake of the physical people of Israel those days will be shortened.”

(Garrett, M.C., Feast of Trumpets – ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ 9/29/19).

And this is the point I want to make here. Recall, Jacob was Abraham’s grandson – and his name was changed to Israel. And he passed that name onto his two grandsons – Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob had crossed his arms and said, “let my name be named on them.” Now, the apostle Paul made it abundantly clear that those who had the faith of Abraham are Abraham’s seed and are recipients of the promises which were made by God – becoming spiritual Israel. But, friends – this is speaking to the physical nations of Israel today, like the two main tribes Ephraim and Manasseh – the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and her Commonwealth Nations. As well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

In Ezekiel 37:19 the LORD our God says, “’ Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them ONE STICK, and they will be ONE in My hand.’”

Let us here today look at some of that. Turn to the 31st chapter of the Book of Jeremiah –

Verse 1 – “’ At the same time,’ says the LORD, ‘I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.’”

Verse 2 – “Thus says the LORD: ‘The people who survived the sword Found grace in the wilderness – Israel, when I went to give him rest.’”

Verse 3 – “The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; …’”

Verse 4 – “’ Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned … 5) You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; …’” – recall we spoke earlier about ‘to build, and to plant’!?

Verse 8 – “’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child And the one who labors with child, TOGETHER; A great throng shall return there.’”

Verse 9 – “’ They shall come with weeping, …’” – And there indeed will be!

Friends, have you ever heard of the Höcker Album!? It is a collection of photographs believed to have been collected by Karl-Friedrich Höcker, a Nazi war criminal – who was once an officer of the SS (the Schutzstaffel – a paramilitary organization under the Nazi Party). The album contains over one hundred images of which the captions and the people featured quickly confirm the deplorable and atrocious conditions committed at Auschwitz-Birkenau prison and extermination camp from 1940 – 1945. When you look at the prisoners’ gaunt, sunken-eyed pale faces in the photos, your heart can’t help but feel sorrow and pain for them! I, of course, have seen the official U.S. Army Film of 1945 showing the liberation of the camp – of the barely living human skeletons too weak to move, the dead bodies stacked like cordwood, and of the weak men and women profusely thanking their liberators! It’s almost as if they cannot believe it’s happening to them! I believe that God’s remnant ‘elect’ will certainly be praisefully thanking their liberators. They are not going to believe that it’s actually happening to them!

“ … ‘And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I AM a Father to ISRAEL, And Ephraim is My firstborn.’”

These prophecies here indeed talk about a kingdom – that a resurrected King David would ultimately be king over all the house of Israel. Recall what the angel Gabriel had said to Mary – “you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord GOD will give Him the throne of His father David.” Now, did that kingly line end at the time of King Zedekiah as we read in the Chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah!? The answer is no. We, of course, know the historical story of where the prophet Jeremiah (in the company of his scribe Baruch) took King Zedekiah's daughter, Tea Tephi, to Ireland where she founded a line of Davidic kings that has continued on down to this day. 1 And that that ‘overthrowing’ happened from the Middle East to Ireland, then to Scotland, then to England, where this kingly line is today. And friends, even if you don’t believe the annals of Ireland – and there are people who think it’s ridiculous. We, however, can prove that this Davidic line continued – from God’s very own living word!

As I mentioned in the sermon “One God One Mediator II” that the word “Shiloh” is etymologically “this obscure word is variously interpreted to mean ‘the sent’ (John 17:3), ‘the seed’ (Isa. 11:1), the ‘peaceable or prosperous one’ (Eph. 2:14) – i.e., the Messiah (Isa. 11:10; Rom. 15:12).” 2 Referring to the ‘Scepter.’ That this condition here of a Scepter and a Lawgiver existing – a kingly line would exist until the One comes – the One who the scepter belongs. And, we have known for several decades – Ezekiel the 21st chapter in which the Lord GOD says, “’ Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him.’” – to possess this scepter or this kingly seat. So, this is certainly talking about a time when Jesus Christ will come – at His second coming – and will establish a government here on this earth. And there are ample passages within His living word which proves this very thing! Cf – “And in that day [the Day of the LORD] His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east.” – Zechariah 14:4 NKJV. Also, “and [who will make] us kings [or rather, a kingdom] and priests to His God and Father, …” – Revelation 1:6 NKJV. A new government under new rulership!

So in closing dear friends, with much trepidation and reservation under the very work of the Lord our God, I give this dire message to the nations of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah.

This event recorded for us here within the pages of God’s living word is also reserved for our day – WARNING our nations of our sins and our own rejection of the LORD our God! It is written down for the purpose of WARNING us and our peoples that the exact perils will befall us unless we fall down before the LORD our God and repent, beseeching His mercy to turn from His fierce anger and wrath – which is ready to burst forth.

I implore you, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” – Acts 3:19 NIV. □

Bibliography:

1) O’Donovan, J., LL.D., M.R.I.A., Annals: The Kingdom of Ireland, By The Four Masters, V. I, Hodges, Smith, and Co., Grafton. Street, 1856, pp. 31. PDF Retrieved 11 December 2020.

2 Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R., Brown, D., Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pp. 52.