Lamentations

For all who claim to 'stand with Israel' should read the chapter from your copy of Scriptures titled Lamentations to gain a better understanding of the relationship our Creator has with His people.

The Book of Lamentations may not be the most popular book in the Bible but it is an essential ingredient for helping humans to understand an important aspect of their relationship with The Creator – the expression of grief and distress. This special book is a collection of five lament poems recounting the tragic fall of Jerusalem to Babylon.

I provide a paraphrased (shortened) version here and ask that you read from your copy of Scriptures for the full length version.

A city once great among nations sits lonely.

All of her friends and allies have betrayed her and become her foes.

Judah has gone into exile because of misery and harsh oppression.

Zion's roads are empty of festival pilgrims and her gates are deserted.

Her enemies are now the masters and her foes are at ease because

YHWH has afflicted her for her many transgressions.

Gone from fair Zion are all that were to her glory; her leaders were like stags that found no pasture, they could only walk feebly before the pursuer.

Jerusalem recalled all the precious things she once had and in her days of woe and sorrow there was no one to help her.  Jerusalem had greatly sinned and became a mockery and those who once admired her have seen her disgrace.  She has seen her Sanctuary invaded by nations which Yah had once denied entry.  He has afflicted her on His Day of Wrath.  He delivers her into the hands of those she cannot withstand and sets a time against her to crush her young men. Jerusalem has become an unclean thing.

YHWH is right and Jerusalem acknowledges that she has disobeyed Him and sees how wrong she's been to rebel against Him. In His Wrath Yah shames Fair Zion and casts down the majesty of Israel, in blazing anger.  He destroyed His Tabernacle bringing to end festival and sabbath; spurning king and priest; He resolved to destroy the wall of Fair Zion.

Jerusalem's seers prophesied to her in both delusion and folly.  They did not expose her iniquities so as to restore her fortunes. Instead they prophesied oracles of delusion and deception (lies).  She was once called Perfect in Beauty, Joy of All the Earth but now her enemies jeer at her and cry "We've ruined her!"

Yahweh has done what He purposed, that which He ordained long ago.

In all that happens, under His rod of wrath; leaving us numb as we become the laughingstock to all people, the butt of their gibes every day and we begin to feel bitterness as if sated with wormwood.  We feel bereft of peace and forget what happiness is.  But this do I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The kindness of YHWH has not ended, His mercies have not run out - they are renewed every morning - how ample is His Grace! He is my portion I say with a full heart; therefore I hope in Him.  He is good to those who trust in Him. To those who seek Him it is good to wait patiently for rescue.  We bear the yoke, sit alone and be patient.  YHWH does not reject forever, but first afflicts then pardons in His abundant kindness for He does not willfully bring grief or affliction to man, crushing prisoners of the earth. He does not deny us our rights. Of what shall a living man complain? Each his own sins!

Let us search and examine our ways and turn back to our Father; let us lift up our hearts with our hands to our Father in Heaven:

We have transgressed and rebelled, and You have not forgiven. You have clothed Yourself in anger and pursued us, You have slain without pity. You have screened Yourself off with a cloud that no prayer may pass through. You have made us filth and refuse in the midst of the peoples.  My eyes shed streams of water over the ruin of my poor people.

I have called on Your Name O Yahweh, hear my plea; do not shut Your ear to my cry! You have told us not to fear and have redeemed our lives. You see the wrongs that are done.

Those who were once valued as gold are now earthen pots and have turned cruel.  Those who feasted on dainties lie famished in the streets; those who were reared in purple have embraced refuse heaps. The guilt of my poor people exceeds the iniquity of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand striking it.  With their own hands tenderhearted women cook their children; such has become their fate.  His cup of wrath will also be passed to Fair Edom who dwell in the land of Uz.

O Yahweh, remember us. Our ancestors have sinned and we bear their guilt.  Gone is the joy from our hearts as we mourn; woe to us that we have sinned.  But You are enthroned forever, through the ages. Take us back! Let us come back; renew our days of old for truly You have rejected us, we have made you bitter.

Who's Judging Whom?

Some folks think we who make it into the Kingdom to Come will sit as judges and even judge angels.  Well, you know me, I had to look into it, especially the judging angels part.

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What does it mean, to judge?

: to form an opinion about, after careful thought : to regard (someone/thing) as either good or bad : to make an official decision about

Who is a judge?

One who makes judgments, such as

: a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court: one who gives an authoritative opinion

We have learned about the Messengers/angels being kept in chains until the day of Judgment: Jude 1:6 ~ And the Messengers that did not keep their first estate but left their station, He has reserved in chains unknown under darkness to the judgment of the great day." (These are the ones we read about in Genesis 6:2- the divine beings who took human women that pleased them).  

We have read in Matthew that Messiah said the 12 Apostles will be given positions at his return, so that they may judge: Matthew 19:28 ~ Y'shua said to them, Truly I say to you, that you who have come to follow me in this world, when the Son of man sits new upon the throne of his glory, you will also sit upon twelve seats and you will judge the twelve tribes of Israel..."

The twelve Apostles judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Does this include the entire generational line of Jacob, the commonwealth of Israel, both native born and adopted in? If the Apostles are given the authority to judge, who are we to judge? And who judges the 200 angels who have been kept in chains?

Click Here to go to my study about Nephilim
and Scroll down to "According to Enoch..."

1 Corinthians 6:1 ~ Would any of you, when you have a controversy with a brother, litigate before the sinful, and not before the sanctified? Or don't you know that the sanctified will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you (the sanctified?), are you unfit to decide trivial causes? Don't you know that we (the Apostles?) will judge Messengers? How much more the things that are of the world?" 

Who are the sanctified? Those who are set apart, consecrated, made free from (bondage to) sin, purified, dedicated.

It is only the set apart believers from the beginning of time that will be gathered together just before the Day of Wrath scenario when the plagues are poured out upon those left behind. These who are gathered are they who are sanctified, His Set Apart people. The sanctified judge worldly things. The Apostles judge the 12 tribes. The Messengers being held in chains are judged by whom, come Judgment Day, when worldly things cease to exist.

At this point in the study I don't see that it will be you and me who sit in those seats judging angels, but Y'shua and the twelve Apostles are definitely designated judges, and it is only the 'angels' prior to The Flood who left their station in the spiritual realm that are being kept for judgment day. We know of no others that have fallen or are being kept in chains in darkness. Yet, this raises another question: Is the Day of Wrath the same as Judgment Day, or are these two events separated by the thousand years?

Revelation 20 tells us Satan is locked up in the abyss for the next thousand years which brings us to Ezekiel's prophecy recorded in chapters 38 and 39.

Revelation 20:7 says when the thousand years are completed Satan will be released from his prison and goes forth to seduce the nations, to assemble them for battle. This army, the vast horde, will eventually 'encompass the camp of the Set Apart believers and the beloved city (Jerusalem).
Ezekiel 38:8 notes 'after a long time' YHWH will summon Gog (Satan has been release from the abyss and starts working on summoning/seducing nations/peoples).
Ezekiel 38:10 says Gog gets this idea to attack a people gathered from among nations now living at the center of the earth (Jerusalem, that beloved city). My note here is that those people who are gathered together and living secure whom Gog desires to attack are the camp of Set Apart ones and those living in the city, same ones mentioned in Revelation 20:7.

We are judging now, aren't we?  It's beginning to look like we, as His sanctified people, are judging the things of this world, the here and now. We gain knowledge the further we move along His Path of Righteousness. After careful thought, we form opinions about (something or someone). As we continue to abide by His Instructions, we are able to regard (someone or something) as either good or bad, and through discernment given us by His Spirit, we judge the person or situation and make an official decision about it, according to His rules, laws and commandments. That is how we judge this world, within the bounds of Torah and only those who are part of the body of Y'shua. YHWH takes care of those unbelieving Gentiles.

Second Timothy 4 ~ I charge you before Elohim and our Master Y'shua who is to judge the living and the dead at the manifestation of his Kingdom. I have fought a good fight, I have completed my race, I have preserved my faith; and from now on there is preserved for me a crown of righteousness with which my Master Y'shua, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day; and not me only, but them also who love his manifestations.

Y'shua is the judge of the living and the dead.... the first resurrection is of those who chose the Blessing: Set Apart believers from the beginning of time who have died and are seen rising by the Set Apart believers still alive when that time comes. This is the gathering of Yah's people after the 7th shofar is sounded. This is the 'living' time line we want to be part of, as this is eternal life.  The second resurrection, the Curse, is after the thousand years come to an end, and is known as the second death.

Revelation 20:5 ~ This is the first resurrection. Blessed and Set Apart is he that has part in this first resurrection; over them the second death has no dominion, but they will be and are priests of Elohim and of his Mashiyach and they will reign with him the thousand years. 20:14 ~ And death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, namely, this lake of fire. And if any one was not found enrolled in the book of life, he was cast into this lake of fire.

Click Here to go to my study To Judge or not to Judge 

Daniel 7:9 ~ As I looked on, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His garment was like white snow, and the hair of His head was like lamb's wool. His throne was tongues of flame; its wheels were blazing fire (Ezekiel's vision). A river of fire streamed forth before Him; myriads upon myriads attended Him; the court sat and the books were opened.

Revelation 20:11 ~ And I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it; from whose presence the earth and heaven fled away, and were not found. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds.  And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and Sheol gave up the dead in them. And they were judged, each one according to his deeds.  And death and Sheol were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, this lake of fire. And if any one was not found enrolled in the book of life, he was cast into this lake of fire.

(Both the above quotes from Daniel and Revelation refer to the same event which happens at the end of the thousand year kingdom of Y'shua. The 'dead' are being judged. Anyone not found in the book of life will be thrown into Fire Lake).

John 5:24 ~ I (Y'shua) say to you that whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has life that is eternal, and does not come into judgment but has passed from death into life. 29 ~ And those who have done good things will go forth to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil things to the resurrection of judgment.

Matthew 12:36 ~ I say to you for every vain word that the sons of men speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be made righteous, and by your words you will be condemned.

First Corinthians 4:4 ~ I am not conscious in myself of anything flagrant; yet I am not made righteous by this; for Master YHWH is my judge. Therefore do not pronounce judgments before their time or until MarYah comes, who will pour light upon the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the thoughts of men's hearts; and then will each one have due praise from Him.

Hebrews 9:27 ~ As it is appointed to men that they must once die, and after their death is the judgment; so also the Mashiyach was once offered and by this, he burned away the sins of many; and a second time (at his return) he will appear for the life of them who expect him.

John 5:21 ~ For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, likewise also the Son will make alive to those whom he desires. For the Father does not judge man, rather all judgment He has given to the Son, so that every man who honors the Son also honors the Father who sent him.  

It all comes back to the beginning when YHWH Elohim gave us a choice between the Blessing and the Curse: Life or Death.

Deuteronomy 30:15- See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity. For I command you this day to love Yahweh your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His laws, and His rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that He may bless you... But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish... I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Chose life by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure...

To be continued.... 

Day of Wrath

Exodus 32:34

"But go now, lead the people where I told you. 

Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless 

in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin."

Zephaniah 1:15 - That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, A day of waste and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness

Isaiah 13:9 - Watch out! The Day of Yahweh Elohim is coming- cruel, with wrath and fierce anger -to turn the entire inhabited earth into a desolation and to annihilate sinners from it.

Proverbs 11:14- Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Ezekiel 7:19 - They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Yahweh. They cannot satisfy their appetite nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling.

Ezekiel 6:12 - "He who is far off will die by the plague, and he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus will I spend My wrath on them.

Isaiah 13:13 - Therefore I'll make the heavens tremble. The earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, at the time of his burning anger. 

Psalm 110:5 - Yahweh Elohim is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.

Jeremiah 40:3 - ...and Yahweh has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against Him and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you.

Romans 2:5 - But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when Yah's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Revelation 6:16 - And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Romans 2:8 - But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

John 3:36 - The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

Once upon a time I was accused of being a 'gloom and doomer'. I was early in my walk and began learning Scriptures when I first read the book of Revelation. No wonder I was warning those who would listen about the end times!  But knowing that our Creator has become so angry with the unrepentant ones should turn a light on in our brains showing us we should choose to obey the Father and gain His blessing.  His day of wrath is coming.  Lets be part of His chosen so we do not take part of the plagues.

We have been given fair warning of future events and how to prepare for end. Our choice is simple: 

• Follow the Instructions given by Yahweh
• Don't follow the Instructions given by Yahweh

Acts 5:22 - We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Ruach haKodesh, whom Yah has given to those who obey Him."

If we have Faith in our Creator we should trust Him to know what is best for us.  He does, and He provided all the Instructions we'll ever need to live a good life on this old earth - if we choose to obey and live accordingly.

Deuteronomy 30 - lightly paraphrased 

(please read your 'bible' for all the details)

And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you remember them, among all the nations where Yahweh Elohim has driven you, and you turn back to Him, you and your children, and obey His voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then He will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and He will gather you again from all the peoples where He has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Yahweh your Elohim will gather you. And He will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. Yahweh will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. And the He will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you. And you shall again obey Yahweh and keep all His commandments. Yahweh Elohim will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the He will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey Yahweh Elohim, to keep His commandments and His statutes that are written in this Book of the Teaching, when you turn to the Yahweh Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.

For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. 

See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim that I command you today, by loving Him, by walking in His ways, and by keeping His commandments and His statutes and His rules, then you shall live and multiply, and Yah will bless you in the land that you are entering. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.  I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving Yahweh, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that Yah swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.