Words are the most dangerous weapons man can use, especially in the spiritual realm. Words, as we all know, can get one killed. It was Jesus’ Words that brought about His death, as well as the deaths of His 12 Apostles and many other of His followers over the past 2000 years. Jesus prophesied that in the latter days just prior to His return the world, particularly the religious world, would hate those who spoke and wrote His Words. The fact is that men would die today for speaking those Words if not for social laws that allow freedom of speech. According to the Scriptures, this will change during the Great Tribulation. One can see the seeds of our murderous future being planted on our college and university campuses today where speakers from the social and political right are not allowed to speak. In many cases hatred for them has turned into violence when those opposed to such speakers do whatever is necessary to prevent any opposing view from being expressed. This is merely a harbinger of things to come. The world-ruling power soon to arise on the scene, known Biblically as the “First Beast,” will have the power to kill anyone who proclaims the name of Jesus Christ. Speaking and writing His Words will result in immediate execution.

During the horrific days of the first spiritual holocaust the Lord protected His tiny group of true believers from the Catholics and their Roman enforcers by hiding them in the mountains of Europe for many years. He has promised to do the same for His true saints during the coming holocaust by taking them to a place of safety where He will protect them for the 3 1/2 tribulation years as the rest of the world goes up in flames. I have visited the place where I believe He will protect and provide for His “little flock”–those “few” who “find” and “strive to enter” His “strait gate” and walk His “narrow way” that leads to eternal “life” (Mat. 7:13,14). This place is called “Petra,” a mountainous area located in the nation of Jordan. Now let us return our focus to the primary subject of this series–Saul’s reaction to being blinded and knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus.

It is obvious that at this point Saul had no idea Who it was that had arrested him. The imposter named Jesus was dead. Saul was zealously serving his god. So who was it that was treating him so roughly? Notice Saul’s first and most important question: “Who are you ….?” This is the question all who would live forever must ask. We must realize with Whom we are dealing. We must then conclude that we are dealing with the Creators of the universe and everything and everyone in it. These are the Gods Who hold our lives in their hands, Who can erase us with a thought and Who know our every thought, word, deed, etc. Salvation seekers must realize that these Gods demand to be believed, obeyed, worshiped and served, and that they have been bought with a price that Father and Son have paid. These Gods–the Godhead–demand that Their people be led by Their Holy Spirit. Only those who are so led are truly their children as Saul, henceforth called Paul, wrote in Romans 8:14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they (and only they) are the sons of God.” In the two preceding verses he noted that his spiritual brethren”–fellow believers–are not debtors to live according to fleshly desires and actions. For if they do so THEY WILL DIE. However, IF they put to death the flesh’s desire to sin, THEY WILL LIVE. Note it: Paul is writing to believers in the church at Rome, telling them that they have no guarantee of salvation, and that only those among them who obey God’s Holy Spirit will receive it. This should strike fear into the heart of every church member who has doubted and rebelled against anything written in God’s Holy Word. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Without such fear men do as they please and attribute their actions to the Lord. This is commonly called “Christianity.” L.J.