PSALM 91

TNDL: "THE LORD PROTECTS THOSE WHO ARE OBEDIENT, TRUSTWORTHY, FAITHFUL, ENDURING AND RELIABLE!"

Psalm 91 King James Version (KJV)

91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

NO MORE SNAKE MEAT, ONLY FISH!!!

TNDL: "YESHUA, THE LAMB, ASKED THE PEOPLE OF HIS GENERATION, 'IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE HUNGRY, DO YOU GIVE THEM SNAKE MEAT TO EAT OR FISH?' THE TRUTH IS THAT, THE FALSE LEADERS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH HAVE BEEN GIVING THEIR FOLLOWERS SNAKES MEAT TO EAT FOR THOUSAND OF YEAR, DUE TO THEIR FOLLOWERS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. BUT THE TIME AND DAY HAS COME WHEREBY, MICHAEL, THE GREAT ARCHANGEL, IS CUTTING UP THE SNAKES IN PIECES TO BE BURNED UP WITH THE CONSUMING AND DEVOURING SPIRIT FIRE OF YAHWEH ELYON YESHUA. NO MORE WILL THE MOST HIGH EL YESHUA'S CHILDREN BE DEPRIVED OF YESHUA, THE FISH, WHO IS THE FOOD OF OUR WHOLE BEING. HOWEVER, THEY SHALL BE GIVEN THE FRESH FISH FOOD TO EAT."

Copyright 2021 TNDL

PSALM 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;

TNDL: Psalm 27 KJV -

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy IS THE LORD EL-ELYON THE ETERNAL HEAVENLY FATHER, AND HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON YOUR YOUR HELPER, GUIDE, AND PROTECTOR face, Lord, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Proverbs 3:6,7 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. fear the Lord, and depart from evil

 

NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH

TNDL: "THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH, WHERE DWELLS RIGHTEOUSNESS!"

Revelation 21:22

King James Version

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

PETER WALDOW OF THE 11-12 Century

 THE HISTORY OF PETER WALDOW OF THE 11-12 Century, Who was He?

by MICHAEL WILSON POSTED ON OCTOBER 1, 2017

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by Michael Wilson

The Protestant Reformation was not a sudden phenomenon that resulted from Martin Luther’s brazen courage. There are many other names that deserve our attention, including the “pre-reformers” who set the stage for Protestantism. One such man is Peter Waldo.

Peter Waldo’s impact on church history is incredibly hard to measure. Actually, there is a small amount known about his life, and there is a good deal of uncertainty in regard to his actual role in the development of a group called the Waldensians; however, we do know that he was very influential in their advancement. These individuals lived lives that were entirely devoted to the Word of God. An important element of that lifestyle was a commitment to apostolic poverty.

​

But one thing can be known with certainty: the Waldensians shaped the European religious landscape for centuries. The Waldensians (also known as Waldenses or Vallenses) derived their name from the Alpine valleys of Europe. Historians often consider them to be forerunners of the Reformation.

It was not just a radical love of poverty that Waldo taught, but a simple understanding of the Bible and salvation.

Peter Waldo, born sometime around 1140, was a very wealthy merchant and banker from Lyon, France – where he made most of his money from interest. After a guest died suddenly at a feast Peter was hosting, he became concerned about the state of his soul.

Touched by hearing the story of St. Alexis’ selflessness and Matthew 19:21, Waldo decided to take literally Jesus’ command, to sell all that he had and give to the poor. So, he gave his wife all his landed property and sold all his movable property. With that money, he began making restitution by paying back the interest.

In addition, Peter Waldo gave most of his money to the poor. So much in fact, that he began begging for food, which troubled his wife because he never asked her for food. Upon appeal to the archbishop, the Archbishop of Lyon ordered Peter to only seek food from his wife.

Developing a greater interest in the Scripture, Peter Waldo funded the translation of the New Testament into the common language so he could read it for himself and see what the Bible actually taught. After spending some time studying the Scriptures, Peter Waldo began traveling and preaching a message of apostolic poverty.

Peter’s message struck a chord within many hearts – many of whom were wealthy. Those individuals also abandoned their possessions, and the group began referring to themselves as the Poor Men of Lyon. It was not just a radical love of poverty that Waldo taught, but a simple understanding of the Bible and salvation.

From this point in time, Peter Waldo appears to have continued to travel and preach. He eventually reached Bohemia where he died in 1217 or 1218. Peter Waldo’s involvement in the Waldensian movement was very important and ended up having an impact that is very difficult to fully measure.

As a movement, the Waldensians never wished to remove themselves from the Roman Catholic Church. When representatives of the movement went to Rome to seek approval from the pope, their lifestyle was commended; but they were told not to preach without the permission of local clerics. The clergy within the Roman Catholic Church saw the Waldensian lifestyle as an offense to their affluent lifestyle, and permission to preach was denied.

The Waldensians did not listen, and persecution began. Eventually, most of the ones who were not killed would flee to various portions of the Alps. Persecution failed to contain the message the Waldensians shared, as well as their influence.

The Reformation began hundreds of years before Luther’s 95 Theses with people committed to follow the Word of God.

So, why should you care about Peter Waldo or the Waldensians?

​

The Waldensians and Peter Waldo demonstrate that the Reformation was not the result of a miraculous moment when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a church door. Instead, it began hundreds of years earlier with people committed to follow the Word of God.

Peter Waldo and the Waldensians also kept alive the presence of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit in the church for centuries, even when such action was not being done within the established church.

As a result of Peter Waldo and the Waldensians, the message of the Gospel reached Bohemia where several hundred years later a man named John Hus would be responsible for one of the next large steps in Reformation history.

Resources

Broadbent, Edmund Hamer. (1931). The Pilgrim Church: Tracing the Pathway of the Forgotten Saints from Pentecost to the Twentieth Century. London: Pickering & Inglis.

Cameron, Euan. (2000). Waldenses: Rejections of Holy Church in Medieval Europe. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

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Moynahan, Brian. (2002). The Faith: A History of Christianity. New York: Image Books.

Stark, Rodney. (2011). The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion. New York: HarperOne.

Wylie, J. A. (1858). The History of the Waldenses. London: James Nisbet.

Godfrey, Robert W. (2012). “Peter Waldo and the Waldenesians.” Ligonier Ministries. Retrieved from http://www.ligonier.org/.../peter-waldo-and-the-waldensians/

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

TNDL: “YESHUA SAID, I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.”JOHN 11:21.”

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” The Plot to Kill Jesus 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. 55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. Footnotes: John 11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin. John 11:18 Or about 3 kilometers New International Version (NIV)

SUNDAY THE RESURRECTION DAY OF THE LORD YESHUA

TNDL: "BUT WHAT IT HE WAS NOT RISEN, WOULD HIS FOLLOWERS HAVE ANY HOPE? SUNDAY THE RESURRECTION DAY OF THE LORD, YESHUA THE HEBREW MESSIAH."

The resurrection of Jesus, or anastasis, is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day[note 1] after his crucifixion,[1] starting – or restoring[web 1][note 2] – his exalted life as Christ and Lord.[2][3][web 2] According to the New Testament writings he was firstborn from the dead, ushering in the Kingdom of God.[4][web 2] He appeared to his disciples, calling the apostles to the Great Commission of proclaiming the Gospel of eternal salvation through his death and resurrection,[note 3] and ascended to Heaven.

For the Christian tradition, the bodily resurrection was the restoration to life of a transformed body powered by spirit,[5][6][web 3] as described by Paul and the Gospel authors,[7][8][9] that led to the establishment of Christianity.[10] For Christians, his resurrection is the guarantee that all the Christian dead will be resurrected at Christ's parousia (second coming).[11] In Christian theology, the death and resurrection of Jesus are the most important events, the foundation of the Christian faith,[12] as commemorated by Easter.

In secular and liberal Christian scholarship, the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus are explained as visionary experiences[13][14][15] that gave the impetus to the belief in the exaltation of Jesus[16] and a resumption of the missionary activity of Jesus' followers.[13][17]Jewish–Hellenistic background

Five part resurrection icon, Solovetsky Monastery, 17th century

Jewish

See also: Jewish eschatology and Resurrection of the dead

In Judaism, the idea of any resurrection at all first emerges clearly in the 2nd-century BC Book of Daniel, but as a belief in the resurrection of the soul alone.[18] Josephus tells of the three main Jewish sects of the 1st century AD, that the Sadducees held that both soul and body perished at death; the Essenes that the soul was immortal but the flesh was not; and the Pharisees that the soul was immortal and that the body would be resurrected to house it.[19][20] Of these three positions, Jesus and the early Christians appear to have been closest to that of the Pharisees.[21] Steve Mason notes that for the Pharisees, "the new body is a special, holy body," which is different from the old body, "a view shared to some extent by the ex-Pharisee Paul (1. Cor. 15:35ff)."[22]

The evidence from Jewish texts and from tomb inscriptions points to a more complex reality: for example, when the 2nd century BC author of the Book of Daniel wrote that "many of those sleeping in the dust shall awaken" (12:2), he probably had in mind a rebirth as angelic beings (metaphorically described as stars in God's Heaven, stars having been identified with angels from early times); such a rebirth would rule out a bodily resurrection, as angels were believed to be fleshless.[23] There was in fact a plethora of opinion regarding the afterlife within Second Temple Judaism, ranging from Daniel's heavenly exaltation of disembodied spirits to the more traditional view of a shadowy existence in the underworld.[24] Within this spectrum, a resurrection of the flesh was a marginal belief.[2READ

Matthew 28

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Has Risen

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

THE FATHER IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE

TNDL: "GOD, THE ETERNAL HEAVENLY FATHER, WANTS HIS CHURCH (EKLEIZEA)TO BE BUILT BY THE SPOKEN WORD! THE FATHER IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE, WHICH HE IMPARTS TO HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, YESHUA L MICHAEL. HE, THE SON, SHARE THE SAME NATURE AND SUBSTANCE OF HIS ETERNAL HEAVENLY FATHER, WHICH MAKES THEM ONE. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1:1- IN a Beginning was the LOGOS (WORD) The WORD was with GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. ALL things were made by him, and there was nothing made without him making it. Know GOD, the eternal heavenly Father and His only begotten Son for yourselves, not by just reading about Them, but knowing Them personally, through a personal relationship with Them, by seeking Them with all your hearts, just as the Holy Seer Prophets and the Apostles knew the eternal heavenly Father through His only begotten son. Much Agape (Love) and peace."

Copyright 2020 TNDL

YESHUA THE LIVING LIGHT

TNDL: "WHEN YESHUA THE LIVING LIGHT RETURNS, HE IS NOT COMING AS A LAMB TO BE CRUCIFIED, BUT AS A CONQUERING KING, AND HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS NEW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. YESHUA, THE HEBREW MESSIAH, THE LIVING LIGHT OF THE WORLD! ACCORDING TO REVELATION 19-21, HE SHALL DESTROY THE DRAGON AND ALL HIS ENEMIES; THEN, HIS REIGN AS KING, SHALL BEGIN. HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH AND HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD ALMIGHTY. KNOW THE BEGINNING AND THE END!"

THE END OF THE AGE

TNDL: "Revelation 11: THE END OF THE AGE HAS COME! AND NOW IS COME SALVATION AND STRENGTH, THE KINGDOM OF THE MOST HIGH, AND POWER AND AUTHORITY OF CHRIST!"

Revelation 11 New International Version

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

The Seventh Trumpet

15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become

the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,

and he will reign for ever and ever.”

16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,

the One who is and who was,

because you have taken your great power

and have begun to reign.

18 The nations were angry,

and your wrath has come.

The time has come for judging the dead,

and for rewarding your servants the prophets

and your people who revere your name,

both great and small—

and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.

Footnotes

Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.

Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)

SIGNIFICANRTS OF YESHUA'S DEATH ON THE CROSS

TNDL: "WHY WAS YESHUA'S DEATH ON THE CROSS SO SIGNIFICANT TO HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS?"

Hebrews 9 NIV -

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Footnotes

Hebrews 9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come

Hebrews 9:12 Or blood, having obtained

Hebrews 9:14 Or from useless rituals

Hebrews 9:16 Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17

Hebrews 9:20 Exodus 24:8 ..

MALACHI 4

TNDL: Malachi 4 NIV -

New International Version (NIV)

Judgment and Covenant Renewal

4 [a]“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

Footnotes

Malachi 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-6 is numbered 3:19-24....

WE CAN IMPROVE THE FUTURE

TNDL: : "WE CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST, HOWEVER, WE CAN IMPROVE THE FUTURE! When the people become united as one and with one voice, then the change will come. change in thinking through our thought process, in our finances, changes in the mind, souls and Spirit. Our greatest enemy is capitalism. When we get rid of capitalism and a greedy heart, allowing Christ to transform our minds/hearts, according to Jeremiah 31, then we, the people of El-Elyon, will have the prosperity that can make us flourish. But first, above all these things, let's learn to pray to our eternal heavenly Father God, Most High. Nothing is impossible when He is in our midst working for His children. just put Him and His business first above all things. Much Agape (Love) and peace among our brethren.

Copyright TNDL

ZECHARIAH 4

TNDL: "ZECHARIAH 4. Who are the two olive trees, according to the seer prophet Zechariah?"

Zechariah 4

King James Version

4 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.

2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

8 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.

10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.has .

WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR

TNDL: "WAR AND RUMORS OF WARS." 

SEE ALSO MATTHEW 24: 21-WAR IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL, AND AMERICA AND ORHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD!"
Zechariah 5
New International Version
The Flying Scroll
5 I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.
2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.[a]”
3 And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. 4 The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’”
The Woman in a Basket
5 Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, “Look up and see what is appearing.”
6 I asked, “What is it?”
He replied, “It is a basket.” And he added, “This is the iniquity[b] of the people throughout the land.”
7 Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! 8 He said, “This is wickedness,” and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed its lead cover down on it.
9 Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.
10 “Where are they taking the basket?” I asked the angel who was speaking to me.
11 He replied, “To the country of Babylonia[c] to build a house for it. When the house is ready, the basket will be set there in its place.”
Footnotes
Zechariah 5:2 That is, about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide or about 9 meters long and 4.5 meters wide
Zechariah 5:6 Or appearance
Zechariah 5:11 Hebrew Shinar..

HOW TO RESTORE THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION

TNDL: "IF YOU WANT THE FULLNESS OF JOY, LET THE FATHER AND HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON ENTER INTO YOUR MIND, SOUL AND SPIRIT. IN OTHER WORDS, LET THEM COME INTO YOUR BEING!" Psalm 51:12 NIV -

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51[a]
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.


3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.


7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.


10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.


13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.


18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
2. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are

HEALING WATER FROM THE THRONE OF GOD

TNDL: "SEE ALSO REVELATION 22, THE HEALING WATER THAT FLOWS FROM THE THRONE OF GOD, THE ETERNAL HEAVENLY FATHER OF YESHUA, THE WORD OF GOD, MOST HIGH!"

Revelation 22
New International Version
Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel

6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

Footnotes
Revelation 22:16 The Greek is plural.

ENMITY BETWEEN ADAM'S DESCENDANTS AND CAIN’S OFFSPRING

TNDL: “THE SEED OF ADAM, YAHWEH’S SPIRITUAL SON, VS THE SEED OF CAIN, SATAN’S SON! THERE IS ENMITY BETWEEN ADAM'S DESCENDANTS AND CAIN’S OFFSPRING."

Eve’s offspring, the serpent, and his offspring—Part 1

In the third chapter of Genesis, God pronounces the judgment on the serpent after he successfully tempts Eve, and then Adam through Eve, to disobey the one law God had given them. God then decrees enmity (v. 15) between the woman’s offspring and the serpent’s offspring. This finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, whose sacrificial death results in the defeat of Satan and undoes the power of the Curse for those who believe in Him. The final fulfillment of the work of Christ remains in the future when Christ will defeat the “ancient serpent” as foretold in Revelation.

Throughout the narrative of Scripture, certain people or groups particularly typify ‘the offspring of the woman’, and other people or groups typify ‘the offspring of the serpent’. This theme is brought out in Scripture both to emphasize the struggle of the righteous against the sinful in this fallen world, and to affirm the progress of God’s salvific plan throughout history.

The Fall and first messianic promise

Throughout the narrative of Scripture, certain people or groups particularly typify ‘the offspring of the woman’, and other people or groups typify ‘the offspring of the serpent’.

Genesis records that God created Adam so that he could rule over creation as His steward. Eve shared in this dominion over creation, as both she and her husband were equally created in the image of God. But in the first interaction recorded, instead of putting the serpent in his place, Eve takes his advice! At the least, it is clear that part of what went wrong in the Fall was that the Dominion hierarchy (Genesis 1:26, 28) was reversed; Eve allowed the serpent to have equal footing with her and even took its word over God’s, and Adam obeyed his wife instead of God. This may be part of the reason why after the Fall, though the hierarchy remains in place, there is now a tendency for conflict and abuse.

When Adam sinned, he became enslaved to sin. The whole creation, still under the stewardship of mankind, joined Adam in a related form of bondage. Paul in Romans 8:21 says that creation is in “bondage to corruption” (other translations say “bondage to decay”). But even as God was declaring the curses that went along with Adam’s sin, He gave a glimmer of hope for Adam’s race, for when He cursed the serpent He also declared:

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).

But God is in control of this conflict:

It should not be forgotten that it is God who is setting up this new order. He is in control, acting in his providence and managing history unto his own ends. History is being played out according to his desire, will, and plan.1

Who was the serpent?

Genesis itself does not tell us who the serpent was, only that he was a creation of God. But Revelation 12:9 calls the dragon “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world”. Revelation 20:2 repeats that the dragon is “that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan”. Jesus says of the devil, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Jesus’ description of Satan only makes sense if he is the same as the serpent, who was the first liar (hence ‘the father of lies’).

Genesis 3 sets up multiple levels of conflict. The first conflict is between the woman and the serpent. This started with the serpent’s deception of the woman. The second conflict is between the woman’s offspring (or ‘seed’) and the serpent’s offspring (or ‘seed’). The third conflict is between a specific ‘offspring’, a male descendant, and the serpent. The serpent will wound him, but this offspring will crush the serpent’s head.2 Even in the midst of tragic judgment God promised to redeem humanity, but the serpent’s judgment included no corresponding hope for redemption.

Eve apparently believed God’s promise; in fact, her belief in this promise is probably behind all her subsequent recorded speech. When she had her firstborn son, she explained Cain’s name with the statement: “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord” (4:1). A more literal translation would be, “I have gotten a man: the Lord”. This suggests that Eve’s theology was sophisticated if misapplied! She knew her promised offspring would be both God and man. The meaning of the Hebrew word behind the name ‘Abel’ means ‘vanity’, which may suggest disappointment when she figured out that Cain wasn’t the promised offspring. But when she named Seth, she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him” (4:25). Seth’s name sounds like ‘he appointed’ in Hebrew. Perhaps this indicates Eve believed that God would have sent the deliverer through Abel’s line, but since he was killed, God gave Seth to her instead.

Cain and Abel

God started acting on His promise quickly. But Satan was also acting. Part of God’s promise involved Satan’s offspring, and we start to see his offspring early on. Cain was a wicked man; 1 John says that Cain was ‘of the evil one’ because he murdered his brother (3:12). Cain was not the physical offspring of the devil; we know that Cain was the result of Adam and Eve’s union. But spiritually he was a son of Satan. Rather than submitting to God’s will, he was given over to hatred and murder. In contrast, the New Testament portrays Abel as a righteous man (e.g. Hebrews 11).

The difference in Cain and Abel’s spiritual standing is illustrated by what happened when they offered sacrifices. Both brought some of the fruits of their labor; Abel brought the best of his lambs, but Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground. While Scripture later specifies different occasions where grain offerings are acceptable—even required—if this was a sacrifice for sin, part of the reason it would have been rejected was because it wasn’t a blood sacrifice.3 Hebrews states that Abel’s sacrifice was accepted because he offered it in faith (Hebrews 11:4), so conversely, Cain’s attitude was the main factor in God’s rejection of his sacrifice, possibly manifesting itself in what Cain offered.

Wikipedia.org, Distant Shores Media / Sweet Publishing Cain-Abel

In Scripture, God’s people often sin and fall short of perfection, but what differentiates them from wicked people is that they repent and return to God. God counseled Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:7). Cain’s response shows that, spiritually, he was a ‘son of the serpent’, for he then kills his righteous brother.

This is further illustrated by Cain’s actions after the murder. His father deflected when confronted by God about his sin, but Cain gives an outright lie: “I do not know, am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). When God judged Adam and Eve, He never cursed them as He cursed the serpent and the ground; this may be because He had formerly blessed them and could not contradict Himself by cursing them. But Cain is the first human being directly and explicitly cursed by God, as the serpent was. The punishment that Cain receives, however, sounds similar to his parents’; his sentence is that the ground will no longer yield produce for him; he will have to wander the earth. But even in the midst of this curse, there is mercy because God promises to avenge Cain if someone murders him, and He signifies this promise by means of a mark. We can’t know what this was, but it would have been clear to anyone who happened upon him.

The narrative suggests that Cain continued to rebel against God, however, because the very next thing that the text attributes to Cain is settling in the land of Nod (which means ‘wandering’ in Hebrew), and building a town which he named after his son, Enoch (not to be confused with Seth’s descendant of the same name). And it seems that his descendants continue to rebel against God; Adam’s seventh-generation descendant through Cain is Lamech, who was the first recorded polygamist, violating God’s will for monogamy as exemplified by Adam and Eve (i.e., God created one woman for Adam, not a harem). Lamech’s speech recorded in 4:23–24 reveals, if nothing else, his determination to defend himself, rather than relying on God to defend him. So by the seventh generation, the sinful human race has ‘progressed’ from sinning to the glorification of sin (it is likely not a coincidence that one of Lamech’s sons is...

BLESSINGS AND CURSES FOR OBEDIENCE AND DESOBEDIENCE

TNDL: "THESE ARE THE BLESSINGS AND CURSES IN WHICH THE LORD HAS IN STORE FOR THOSE WHO ARE OBEDIENT, FAITHFUL, TRUSTWORTHY AND TRUE TO HIM; AND THE DESOBEDIENT AND BAD PASTORS, HE, THE MOST HIGH, WILL PUNISH AND BRING HIS RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT." Jeremiah 23 NIV -

The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. 3 “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.

5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“when I will raise up for David[a] a righteous Branch,

a King who will reign wisely

and do what is just and right in the land.

6 In his days Judah will be saved

and Israel will live in safety.

This is the name by which he will be called:

The Lord Our Righteous Savior.

7 “So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ 8 but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

Lying Prophets

9 Concerning the prophets:

My heart is broken within me;

all my bones tremble.

I am like a drunken man,

like a strong man overcome by wine,

because of the Lord

and his holy words.

10 The land is full of adulterers;

because of the curse[b] the land lies parched

and the pastures in the wilderness are withered.

The prophets follow an evil course

and use their power unjustly.

11 “Both prophet and priest are godless;

even in my temple I find their wickedness,”

declares the Lord.

12 “Therefore their path will become slippery;

they will be banished to darkness

and there they will fall.

I will bring disaster on them

in the year they are punished,”

declares the Lord.

13 “Among the prophets of Samaria

I saw this repulsive thing:

They prophesied by Baal

and led my people Israel astray.

14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem

I have seen something horrible:

They commit adultery and live a lie.

They strengthen the hands of evildoers,

so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.

They are all like Sodom to me;

the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”

15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

“I will make them eat bitter food

and drink poisoned water,

because from the prophets of Jerusalem

ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”

16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;

they fill you with false hopes.

They speak visions from their own minds,

not from the mouth of the Lord.

17 They keep saying to those who despise me,

‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’

And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts

they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’

18 But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord

to see or to hear his word?

Who has listened and heard his word?

19 See, the storm of the Lord

will burst out in wrath,

a whirlwind swirling down

on the heads of the wicked.

20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back

until he fully accomplishes

the purposes of his heart.

In days to come

you will understand it clearly.

21 I did not send these prophets,

yet they have run with their message;

I did not speak to them,

yet they have prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my council,

they would have proclaimed my words to my people

and would have turned them from their evil ways

and from their evil deeds.

23 “Am I only a God nearby,”

declares the Lord,

“and not a God far away?

24 Who can hide in secret places

so that I cannot see them?”

declares the Lord.

“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”

declares the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship. 28 Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

33 “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake you, declares the Lord.’ 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ I will punish them and their household. 35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ 39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”