Biblical prophets of old were never appreciated by the people to whom they ministered.  Their message was rejected by most of the people who heard them.  Their messages are still maligned today.  In fact, the church has accused God of nailing them to Christ’s cross.  The question is, “Why?”  Why do those to whom God is speaking think so negatively about His Words of love.  In my thinking Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 most clearly show the two sides of loving prophecy.  In those chapters the Lord reveals His positive desires for all of mankind by stating what He will do FOR those who choose to obey Him-blessings in every aspect of life.  Secondly, He explains what He will do TO those who refuse to obey Him.  Adam and Eve were the first human beings to be afforded that choice. We all know how that turned out.

Through the prophets God prophesies to the Israelites that if they turn from their wicked ways and obey Him He will bless them.  But if they continue to rebel against Him He will punish them with weather disasters, famine, military defeat, slaughter, captivity, global scattering, etc.  After many years of ignored warnings by His prophets, the ten northern tribes were defeated, slaughtered, and the survivors taken to Assyria as slaves.  They were later scattered throughout the world where they became known as the “lost ten tribes of Israel.”  Read Who and Where is Israel Today?  Key word–Who.  Following their defeat, God’s prophets continued to warn the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (called “Jews” by the King James translators) who lived in the southern part of the Promised Land.  The prophets continually warned them that they would received the same punishment from the Lord if they did not repent and return to Him.  They refused to hear the prophets and were defeated, slaughtered and taken into Babylonian captivity.  They too were later scattered throughout the world.  The Lord allowed a few Jews to return to the land of Judah in 1948 where they reestablished their homeland which they misnamed “Israel.”

This ministry focuses much on Biblical prophecy which is admittedly dark and painful to think about.  Truth seekers–those with eyes to see and ears to hear–know that Biblical prophecy leads to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth headquarted in the Promised Land, New Jerusalem being its capital.  Prophecy also involves how to enter that paradise and live there forever in the presence of God and Christ.

The vast majority of church people reject prophecy because it offers only two paths from which to choose: (1) follow (“walk”) God’s way, be blessed during their present walk and enter His kingdom upon Christ’s return or (2) walk Satan’s way, enter the Lake of Fire and burn to ash to be walked upon by God’s saints.  Religious man insists on a third way, one in which he walks his version of God’s way (called church/denominational doctrine) and later enters heaven where he will remain forever.  Satan has deceived professing Christendom (Rev. 12:9) into getting both the way and the destination wrong.  Read The Kingdom of God and Hope and Salvation.  Key words–Kingdom and Hope respectively.  Warning: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER SATAN EXERCIZES OVER HIS CATHOLIC/PROTESTANT CHURCH SYSTEM.   In a word, it is TOTAL.

Jesus Christ condemned the religious leaders of His day who said: “If we had lived in the days of our ancestors we would not have shed the blood of the prophets” (Mat. 23:30).  The irony of their words was that they were at that very moment plotting to kill Him because He was THE prophet of all time and was warning them about the end result of their lifestyle (“walk”).  Their modern counterparts want God to bless them while they reject His Rules of Engagement for relating to Him which He calls His Law.

Jesus represented the God OF love Who in fact IS love itself (1 Jn. 4:16,7).  He shows His love for man by telling him how to enter His future kingdom.  We show our love for Him (and qualify for entrance into His kingdom) by emulating Christ’s example of strict obedience to Him (2 Jn. 1:6).  It is the GOD OF LOVE Who sent the prophets of old and continues to send His prophets to those who want to live with Him forever but who refuse to obey Him.  In love he (1) warns “the church” that they are not His children, (2) tells them that He wants them to be His children, then (3) tells them how to become His children.  If that isn’t love, I do not know what love is.  It is that love that the church rejects.

Jesus spoke to the Jews of His day (and church people today) in terms of those He would send to draw them to Himself, and therefore to His Father: “… I will send unto you prophets, wise men and writers.  Some of them you will kill and crucify ….” (Mat. 23:34).  Why did they kill His messengers then and reject His messengers today?  Because they insist on embracing that third option which, Satan has convinced them, will take them to paradise.  God condemns their third option because it leaves Him out.  Only His name is used which supposedly lends their religion a modicum of respect within the religious community.  Jesus addressed those whom Satan has deceived into taking his third option in Matthew 7:23: “You will say to Me on that (judgment) day, ‘Lord, Lord,” have we not prophesied (preached) in Your name and eaten in your presence and done many wonderful works in Your name?’  And I will say unto you, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU.  Depart from Me, you who practice iniquity (Lawlessness) ….'”  In Luke 6:6 He asked them, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not what I command you (in the Law)?”  Church people, along with the unchurched, reject God’s Words because of their HATRED OF HIS LAW.  Man wants to rule himself, which is what got Adam and Eve in trouble.  Like them, modern religious man INSISTS ON DETERMINING RIGHT AND WRONG.  The third option gives them the power to do so.  God condemns the third option in that the only One who can determine good and evil is God Himself.  He will not share His godship with anyone else.  God rules by His Law (Genesis to revelation) which He condensed into the Ten Commandments.  One glaring example of man’s rejection of His Law is the church’s rejection of His Sabbath.  Read The Sabbath.  Key word–Sabbath while recalling that to reject one commandment of the Law is to reject the entire Law (Jam. 2:10), making one a worker of iniquity.  Jesus said in Luke 10:16 that to reject anything He said proves that one DESPISES BOTH HIM AND HIS FATHER.  GOD IS DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT HIS LAW, which He equates to His Law/commandments in John 14:15,23.  Note that in verse 15 He calls His Words His “COMMANDMENTS.”  Then in verse 23 He calls them His “WORD.”  Note also that we must KEEP every word/commandment.  The word “keep” is a military term meaning to surround and protect.  Note that the word “keep” is used in the Ten Commandments relative to the Sabbath (# 4)–Exodus 20.  Every Word in the Holy Bible is Law/a commandment.  Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 that we must “… live by (keep) EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God,” and that we will be judged by every word He said, which He spoke through Christ by way of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 12:44-50).  Note verse 48.  GOD IS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS WORD/LAW/TRUTH/WILL/GOSPEL/ COMMANDMENTS.  Only those who are equally as serious will spend eternity with Him in His kingdom.  PROPHECY IS A MAJOR PART OF HIS WORD.  Let us embrace it.  L.J.