We don't know who we really are - only the Creator knows all things.
With that in mind, it makes sense that we should all, by Faith, trust in Him and obey His commands and live according to His Instructions, otherwise we might fall into that 'once saved always saved' trap - thinking we are one of His Chosen and later hearing Y'shua tell us to go away from him, he never knew us.
Jonah is an Example:
Yah tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and proclaim judgment upon it because of their wickedness. Jonah decides to ignore this request and run away from being in service to Yahweh. He found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare and sailed off. He left because he thought he already knew what Yahweh was going to do regardless, knowing that Yah is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing punishment - but Jonah missed the point: he disobeyed a command of Yahweh and things got pretty troublesome for him until he finally acknowledged the powerful existence of Elohim and agreed to go to Nineveh and proclaim the judgment.
Yahweh cast a mighty wind upon the sea causing a great tempest putting the ship in danger of breaking apart. The sailors cried out, each to their own god but Jonah had gone below and fell asleep. They cast lots and the lot fell upon Jonah - he confessed he was a Hebrew and worshipped Yahweh Elohim. When they learned the stormy seas were a result of his attempt at fleeing from the service of Elohim, they asked what must be done to calm the waters. Jonah told them to toss him overboard. The men continued to row hard towards shore but could not and the storm worsened. They called out to Yahweh not to kill them on account of Jonah nor hold them guilty for killing him. They acknowledge that Yahweh Elohim brought this about and then heaved Jonah overboard and the sea stopped raging.
Yah provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah where he stayed three days and three nights, and he prayed. He acknowledged his troubles and that when near death Yahweh brought him up from the pit. He gave thanks and vowed to do as He commanded. The fish spewed Jonah out upon dry land.
This second time when Yah told Jonah to go at once to Nineveh, he did. The people believed that Yahweh would do what He said He would, and they turned back from their evil ways. Yah saw what they did and renounced the punishment. Yet, Jonah was displeased.
Yah says:
You cared about the plant which you did not work for and you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight. Should I not care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not yet know their right hand from their left, and many beasts as well!
These people did not know right from wrong and could not be held responsible for their actions - just as beasts cannot be held responsible for what they do. The people had to be made aware of their wrongdoings. Nahum the prophet made a pronouncement on Nineveh, a city of crime, utterly treacherous, full of violence, where killing never stops! He writes that it is because of the countless harlotries of the harlot, the winsome mistress of sorcery, who ensnared nations with her harlotries and peoples with her sorcery that Yahweh will deal with her.
Yahweh cast a mighty wind upon the sea causing a great tempest putting the ship in danger of breaking apart. The sailors cried out, each to their own god but Jonah had gone below and fell asleep. They cast lots and the lot fell upon Jonah - he confessed he was a Hebrew and worshipped Yahweh Elohim. When they learned the stormy seas were a result of his attempt at fleeing from the service of Elohim, they asked what must be done to calm the waters. Jonah told them to toss him overboard. The men continued to row hard towards shore but could not and the storm worsened. They called out to Yahweh not to kill them on account of Jonah nor hold them guilty for killing him. They acknowledge that Yahweh Elohim brought this about and then heaved Jonah overboard and the sea stopped raging.
Yah provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah where he stayed three days and three nights, and he prayed. He acknowledged his troubles and that when near death Yahweh brought him up from the pit. He gave thanks and vowed to do as He commanded. The fish spewed Jonah out upon dry land.
This second time when Yah told Jonah to go at once to Nineveh, he did. The people believed that Yahweh would do what He said He would, and they turned back from their evil ways. Yah saw what they did and renounced the punishment. Yet, Jonah was displeased.
O Yahweh! Isn't this just what I said when I was still in my own country? This is why I fled to Tarshish. Please take my life - I'd rather die than live.Jonah leaves the city and found a place where he made a booth where he sat in the shade while he waited to see what happened to the city. Yahweh caused a ricinus plant (castor bean) to grow up over Jonah to provide shade for his head and save him from discomfort. He was very happy about this plant. The next day Yah provided a worm which attacked the plant and it withered. When the sun rose, Yahweh provided a sultry east wind, the sun beat down on Jonah's head and he became faint, begging for death. Yah asks him if he is that deeply grieved about the plant. (There was a lesson being taught Jonah)
Yah says:
You cared about the plant which you did not work for and you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight. Should I not care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not yet know their right hand from their left, and many beasts as well!
These people did not know right from wrong and could not be held responsible for their actions - just as beasts cannot be held responsible for what they do. The people had to be made aware of their wrongdoings. Nahum the prophet made a pronouncement on Nineveh, a city of crime, utterly treacherous, full of violence, where killing never stops! He writes that it is because of the countless harlotries of the harlot, the winsome mistress of sorcery, who ensnared nations with her harlotries and peoples with her sorcery that Yahweh will deal with her.
Nineveh was founded by Nimrod shortly after the Flood (Genesis 10:11-12); and as capital of the Assyrian empire, it rose to power about 900 B.C. Years later, Assyria began the process of conquering Israel, and Jonah clearly saw this nation as an enemy and feared what it would eventually do. By 721 B.C. the Assyrian army had destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel. The Assyrians were extremely brutal and cruel, even skinning their captives alive. The city of Nineveh eventually fell to the invading armies of the Babylonians and Medes (about 607 B.C.)Here is a link to more info about Nahum's prophecy about Nineveh
When we know right from wrong we will be held responsible for our actions. This knowledge of right and wrong is written in Scriptures, namely Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
