Peace in Christ.
We all know the refrain from an old song: “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!”
But this is not what is going to happen as it is met with a “sting” when we mortally die. Death is not a friend but an enemy to be defeated in Christ Jesus. Mortal death brings a “sting” to those who perish.
This is not about “dying and going to Heaven” but IS about NOT mortally perishing (dying) from this earth through faith in Jesus Christ. This is good news for us in the here-and-now.
Whosoever believes into Him (a point reached at the “last trump” moment) should not perish but have an age-lasting life until that moment of transformation.
We shall not mortally perish ever until the redemption of this mortal body where it is to put on immortality which is fashioned like unto His glorious body. We shall then at the last trump will have completely circumvented death…never dying as promised…. through Christ Jesus.
Joh 3:16
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (age-lasting life).
“Perishing” is being mortally cut down from this earth as shown in Luke 13 and in the parable of the barren fig tree that follows. Luke 13:9 .
Luk 13:1-5 KJV
(1) There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
(2) And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
(3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
(4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
(5) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
In Amos 5:18, why wish for the day of the Lord? He comes in His wrath with the whirlwind and His chariot to take us away from this earth in the day of our mortal death. The “day of the LORD” in this context in Amos 5 is speaking about the day of His wrath that comes to take us away mortally from this earth through our death. It is the day of our mortal death which then extinguishes His wrath upon us for the serving of the sin. We are saved but only as by fire.
To what end is it for you (personally)?
Amo 5:18-20 KJV
(18) Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
It comes with a “sting” and not rejoicing. There will be no “light”…and no “brightness”…no cheerfulness. It will be a day of darkness. It comes with a shock that we had been deceived by false prophets into serving the sin which brings "darkness" to us and not cheerful rejoicing.
(19) As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
(20) Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
The sting of death is THE sin. Mortal death brings the realization that we had perished because we listened to the wrong people….false prophets who led us down the broad way to our mortal destruction.
They deceived us into serving THE (definite article) sin….and that realization is the sting of our death when we depart from this earth.
1Co 15:55-57
(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
(56) The sting of death is THE sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
(57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The strength of the sin is the Law.
We are not to have other “gods” (elohim = JUDGES) before Him. God is our Judge and His laws are written inside us. Our judges are not to be an external handwriting of ordinances/dogmas (which many keep and serve).
Exo 20:3-6 KJV
(3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
We are not to make unto ourselves any “graven image”…graven by the pen of the church scribes…of anything in the earth beneath that resembles man’s handwritings in the world (their governmental constitutions, laws, etc).
We are not to make graven images containing the external laws of the Scriptures (of anything that is in heaven above). Moses had made the tabernacle after the exact similitude of things in Heaven. Yet, men make similitudes (graven images) of what they thought they understood in the Scriptures (external commandments of the law) and they go and build an earthly tabernacle (a “church”) based upon their “image”…their handwriting of ordinances.
We are not to make any graven image that is in the water under the earth…that is, make handwritings based on the teachings of dead men who have already perished from this earth. Their teachings “the water” under the earth (as they died and were buried) should not be made into a handwriting of ordinances.
(4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
We are not to bow down ourselves to the church handwritings of ordinances nor serve them. The LORD our God…our JUDGE...is a jealous God. He is a jealous Judge.
He visits the iniquity (the keeping and serving of handwritings of ordinances) of the church fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Him. The handwritings are passed down from the church fathers to future generations who continue to keep and serve them.
These are the MANY who go down the broad way to their mortal destruction.
(5) Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Yet, the FEW (the “thousands” of the vessels of His mercy...those of the house of Jacob) love God and keep His commandments (and not the graven images of the church scribes....their handwritings of ordinances). Only the few find the way that leads to life.
(6) And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
The false prophet has us make/do an “image” to the beast (their “another jesus” that they are preaching). The “image” is a church handwriting of ordinances/dogmas that their church is built upon (statements of faith, church constitutions, bylaws, creeds, etc, etc, etc). We are not to make graven images for ourselves to bow down to and worship them.
Rev 13:14-15 KJV
(14) And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
They cause many to “kill”…that is, JUDGE…others who do not serve their church “image”. Judging others using church handwritings as a basis for is not having love for one another. This is serving THE SIN>
The keeping of the “daily” sacrifice of our Lord (the Lamb slain) is then ceased (the wound by the sword of the Spirit is “healed”) out of our lives. We then no longer live according to the Spirit (mortifying/slaying the deeds of the body) but according to the flesh by judging others…..and those who live after the flesh mortally die.
Power to give life unto the beast=the lie that you shall not surely die. By killing another, you shall not die…according to the lie.
(15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
MANY have and are going down the way that leads to the destruction of the mortal body. They are being led down that way by false prophets who come to us in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Wolves are hunters. They capture and destroy their prey.
Mat 7:12-15 KJV
(12) Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
(13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
(14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
(15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
These men are MADE to take and destroy (not made “to be taken and destroyed”). That is their function. They are hunters…like natural brute beasts (such as a wolf or a lion) who capture and destroy their prey.
2Pe 2:12
(12) But these, as natural brute beasts, made to take and destroy, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
They are the vessels of His wrath that are fitted for destruction. The Potter has made them that way. The Potter formed the vessel of Esau roughly (Esau = rough handling) while He formed Jacob smooth (a vessel of mercy). Esau was a vessel of dishonor.
They …natural brute beasts that are made to capture and destroy ….are of the house of Esau…as Esau also was a hunter. They…as Esau…”live by the sword”…and die by it. They judge others using their handwritings of church ordinances/dogmas.
Gen 25:27 KJV
(27) And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Every man is “brutish” by his knowledge. Every founder is confounded by the “graven image” The church handwritings of ordinances are “images” containing falsehoods. There is no breath/spirit in them.
Jer 51:17-22 KJV
(17) Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
They...the graven images of handwritings of church ordinances... are empty….the word of errors. In the time of their visitation (the day of the LORD), they shall perish. The graven images did nothing to save those who keep and serve them from the wrath of God that came upon them. They are removed from this earth by His wrath.
(18) They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
The portion/inheritance of Jacob (the vessels of His mercy) is not like them. He (God) is the “former”…that is, the POTTER (Hebrew: yâtsar)… of all things.
(19) The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
(20) Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
God uses those of the house of Jacob (the Potter’s vessels of mercy) to break in pieces the “horse and his rider”…that is, the power of DEATH. Revelation 6:8. With the vessels of His mercy, He will break the chariot…the chariot that comes to take us away from this earth in the wrath of God. We shall not “ride” in this chariot for we shall not die.
(21) And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
We all know the refrain from an old song: “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!”
But this is not what is going to happen as it is met with a “sting” when we mortally die. Death is not a friend but an enemy to be defeated in Christ Jesus. Mortal death brings a “sting” to those who perish.
This is not about “dying and going to Heaven” but IS about NOT mortally perishing (dying) from this earth through faith in Jesus Christ. This is good news for us in the here-and-now.
Whosoever believes into Him (a point reached at the “last trump” moment) should not perish but have an age-lasting life until that moment of transformation.
We shall not mortally perish ever until the redemption of this mortal body where it is to put on immortality which is fashioned like unto His glorious body. We shall then at the last trump will have completely circumvented death…never dying as promised…. through Christ Jesus.
Joh 3:16
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (age-lasting life).
“Perishing” is being mortally cut down from this earth as shown in Luke 13 and in the parable of the barren fig tree that follows. Luke 13:9 .
Luk 13:1-5 KJV
(1) There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
(2) And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
(3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
(4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
(5) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
In Amos 5:18, why wish for the day of the Lord? He comes in His wrath with the whirlwind and His chariot to take us away from this earth in the day of our mortal death. The “day of the LORD” in this context in Amos 5 is speaking about the day of His wrath that comes to take us away mortally from this earth through our death. It is the day of our mortal death which then extinguishes His wrath upon us for the serving of the sin. We are saved but only as by fire.
To what end is it for you (personally)?
Amo 5:18-20 KJV
(18) Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
It comes with a “sting” and not rejoicing. There will be no “light”…and no “brightness”…no cheerfulness. It will be a day of darkness. It comes with a shock that we had been deceived by false prophets into serving the sin which brings "darkness" to us and not cheerful rejoicing.
(19) As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
(20) Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
The sting of death is THE sin. Mortal death brings the realization that we had perished because we listened to the wrong people….false prophets who led us down the broad way to our mortal destruction.
They deceived us into serving THE (definite article) sin….and that realization is the sting of our death when we depart from this earth.
1Co 15:55-57
(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
(56) The sting of death is THE sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
(57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The strength of the sin is the Law.
We are not to have other “gods” (elohim = JUDGES) before Him. God is our Judge and His laws are written inside us. Our judges are not to be an external handwriting of ordinances/dogmas (which many keep and serve).
Exo 20:3-6 KJV
(3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
We are not to make unto ourselves any “graven image”…graven by the pen of the church scribes…of anything in the earth beneath that resembles man’s handwritings in the world (their governmental constitutions, laws, etc).
We are not to make graven images containing the external laws of the Scriptures (of anything that is in heaven above). Moses had made the tabernacle after the exact similitude of things in Heaven. Yet, men make similitudes (graven images) of what they thought they understood in the Scriptures (external commandments of the law) and they go and build an earthly tabernacle (a “church”) based upon their “image”…their handwriting of ordinances.
We are not to make any graven image that is in the water under the earth…that is, make handwritings based on the teachings of dead men who have already perished from this earth. Their teachings “the water” under the earth (as they died and were buried) should not be made into a handwriting of ordinances.
(4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
We are not to bow down ourselves to the church handwritings of ordinances nor serve them. The LORD our God…our JUDGE...is a jealous God. He is a jealous Judge.
He visits the iniquity (the keeping and serving of handwritings of ordinances) of the church fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Him. The handwritings are passed down from the church fathers to future generations who continue to keep and serve them.
These are the MANY who go down the broad way to their mortal destruction.
(5) Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Yet, the FEW (the “thousands” of the vessels of His mercy...those of the house of Jacob) love God and keep His commandments (and not the graven images of the church scribes....their handwritings of ordinances). Only the few find the way that leads to life.
(6) And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
The false prophet has us make/do an “image” to the beast (their “another jesus” that they are preaching). The “image” is a church handwriting of ordinances/dogmas that their church is built upon (statements of faith, church constitutions, bylaws, creeds, etc, etc, etc). We are not to make graven images for ourselves to bow down to and worship them.
Rev 13:14-15 KJV
(14) And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
They cause many to “kill”…that is, JUDGE…others who do not serve their church “image”. Judging others using church handwritings as a basis for is not having love for one another. This is serving THE SIN>
The keeping of the “daily” sacrifice of our Lord (the Lamb slain) is then ceased (the wound by the sword of the Spirit is “healed”) out of our lives. We then no longer live according to the Spirit (mortifying/slaying the deeds of the body) but according to the flesh by judging others…..and those who live after the flesh mortally die.
Power to give life unto the beast=the lie that you shall not surely die. By killing another, you shall not die…according to the lie.
(15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
MANY have and are going down the way that leads to the destruction of the mortal body. They are being led down that way by false prophets who come to us in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Wolves are hunters. They capture and destroy their prey.
Mat 7:12-15 KJV
(12) Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
(13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
(14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
(15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
These men are MADE to take and destroy (not made “to be taken and destroyed”). That is their function. They are hunters…like natural brute beasts (such as a wolf or a lion) who capture and destroy their prey.
2Pe 2:12
(12) But these, as natural brute beasts, made to take and destroy, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
They are the vessels of His wrath that are fitted for destruction. The Potter has made them that way. The Potter formed the vessel of Esau roughly (Esau = rough handling) while He formed Jacob smooth (a vessel of mercy). Esau was a vessel of dishonor.
They …natural brute beasts that are made to capture and destroy ….are of the house of Esau…as Esau also was a hunter. They…as Esau…”live by the sword”…and die by it. They judge others using their handwritings of church ordinances/dogmas.
Gen 25:27 KJV
(27) And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Every man is “brutish” by his knowledge. Every founder is confounded by the “graven image” The church handwritings of ordinances are “images” containing falsehoods. There is no breath/spirit in them.
Jer 51:17-22 KJV
(17) Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
They...the graven images of handwritings of church ordinances... are empty….the word of errors. In the time of their visitation (the day of the LORD), they shall perish. The graven images did nothing to save those who keep and serve them from the wrath of God that came upon them. They are removed from this earth by His wrath.
(18) They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
The portion/inheritance of Jacob (the vessels of His mercy) is not like them. He (God) is the “former”…that is, the POTTER (Hebrew: yâtsar)… of all things.
(19) The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
(20) Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
God uses those of the house of Jacob (the Potter’s vessels of mercy) to break in pieces the “horse and his rider”…that is, the power of DEATH. Revelation 6:8. With the vessels of His mercy, He will break the chariot…the chariot that comes to take us away from this earth in the wrath of God. We shall not “ride” in this chariot for we shall not die.
(21) And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
