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Introduction

Why was the religious establishment usually at odds with Jesus when He was here on earth? Why are the Jews still waiting for their version of a Messiah, and is that expectation biblical? And why is traditional Christianity rejecting Jesus Christ?

In the first part of this booklet, we will endeavor to answer this question, by discussing the different religious groups who were all part of the Jewish establishment at the time of Jesus.

When we read the New Testament, it becomes obvious even to the most casual reader, that Jesus was constantly being followed and questioned by those members of the different religious groupings within the Jewish race during His ministry almost two thousand years ago.

As we will see, they never once got the upper hand with Jesus; He was always a match for their trickery and cunning. He challenged and denounced their false behavior, telling the people: “Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do” (Matthew 23:3).

He was very straightforward in His approach. The world has a notion that Jesus was just “meek and mild” and that was true, but He also had a steely determination to preach the Truth and call out the phony religious doublespeak of those who should have known better. Many of the religious establishment were hypocrites, and Jesus was not negligent in pointing that out to them. In Matthew 23, He pulled no punches as He addressed them eight times, saying “woe to you scribes and Pharisees,” and in verse 27 He said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Being on the end of such rebukes and not having the humility to see that what Jesus said was true, they followed Him trying whenever they could to trap Him with clever words. We know that they never succeeded and were never likely to, because their self-serving and self-righteous attitudes were no match for the Savior of mankind.

They were jealous that He spent so much of His time with the lowly and needy and not with them; they resented the fact that He spoke with such authority, and they questioned how He was able to forgive sins. The Jewish religious leaders of that time were also in fear of losing their power and authority, and they reasoned that Jesus was someone who could cause an uprising against the Romans, but they totally misunderstood what He stood for and what He preached.

Eventually they succeeded in having Jesus put to death and thought that that was the end of the matter. But Jesus died, according to the Scriptures, so that we might live. John 3:16, which is probably the most famous verse in the Bible, sums it up perfectly: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

The death of Jesus was for everyone, including the Jewish establishment of that time, and one day, in the resurrection, they will see the One who died for all humanity, including themselves, as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth. That could be quite a reunion!   

Philippians 2:9–11 sums it up in this way: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 

The second part of this booklet will address the modern Jewish perspective, as it is related to Jesus and the biblical teaching about the coming of the Messiah; and the third part will ask and answer the puzzling question as to whether traditional Christianity believes and accepts the true Jesus, or whether they are embracing a counterfeit, thereby rejecting the Jesus Christ of the Bible. 

Part 1

Chapter 1 — The Pharisees

Young’s Analytical Concordance has this to say about the Pharisees: “From the Hebrew – separate. The largest of the… Jewish sects; noted for their self-conceit and long prayers; [they] fasted often, made broad their phylacteries, held to [their own] traditions…”

Josephus, who was himself a Pharisee, said of them in Antiquities of the Jews: 

“A cunning sect they were, and so elevated to a pitch of open fighting and doing mischief. At the time of Christ, the Pharisaical ‘fraternity’ was comparatively small.”

They Were a Small but Influential Group

In fact, the group numbered about 6,000 members, but it was nevertheless very influential.

Emil Schurer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, states: 

“Contact with non-Pharisees was avoided wherever possible. All others were unclean.”

Bible History Online explains:

“Even with the changes of government under the Romans and Herodians, the Pharisees maintained their spiritual authority. Although the Sadducean high priests were at the head of the Sanhedrin, the decisive influence upon public affairs was in the hands of the Pharisees.”

Josephus also wrote that “The Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses; It was the voice of the Pharisees that was heard on behalf of the people, whether it was before the high priest or the king.”

Schurer writes in this regard:

“They had the bulk of the nation as their ally, and women especially were in their hands. They had the greatest influence upon the congregations, so that all acts of public worship, prayers, and sacrifices were performed according to their injunctions. Their sway over the masses was so absolute that they could obtain a hearing even when they said anything against the king or the high priest, consequently they were the most capable of counteracting the design of the kings. Hence, too, the Sadducees, in their official acts, adhered to the demands of the Pharisees, because otherwise the multitude would not have tolerated them.”

Some of the Pharisees were also a political group. They created laws to build a wall around the biblical injunctions to prevent their violation, as they realized that especially because of the transgression of the Sabbath, the house of Israel and the house of Judah went into captivity. But in doing so, they made a yoke out of the Sabbath. 

The Pharisees consisted of several groups. The most important were:

− the religious liberal school of Hillel;

− the somewhat more religious conservative group of Shammai. Both were engaged in devising new applications of the law in response to new conditions;

− the arch-conservative religious group of Haberim; it was also called Table-Fellowship group or even table worshippers.

In addition, the Zealots (discussed later) were also sometimes counted as part of the Pharisees. They were fanatically conservative and considered all Gentiles as unclean. They were a political group with a religious background and were founded in the school of Shammai. They sought to stir up Jews to overthrow or revolt against Rome. 

On the “difference between” website, differences are shown between the Pharisees and Sadducees. As this particular chapter is about the Pharisees, we quote the following information:

“The Pharisees and Sadducees were influential Jewish sects with conflicting philosophies in regards to the implementation of the Torah. Pharisees and Sadducees also had conflicting views about the role of government in the lives of Jewish citizens. The Pharisees believed that God had punished the Jews by allowing oppressive Pagans like the Romans to rule over them because the Jews refused to uphold the statutes of the Torah… This is why they supported the creation of distinctive laws which would keep the Jews from further offending God by adopting the lifestyles of non-Jews.

“… the Pharisees were members of middle-class Jewish families… Leaders among the Pharisees were referred to as Rabbi… The Pharisees believed that God did not just provide the Jews with the Written Law, but also the Oral Law…

“The Written Law was the Torah, while the Oral Law comprised of oral traditions and revelations that were given to Jewish prophets who came after Moses… The Pharisees also differed from the Sadducees in the matter of the afterlife….

“The Pharisees believed that God would send the Jews a messiah who would bring peace to the world and rule from Jerusalem. They also believed that all circumstances that affected the lives of Jews were divinely ordained…

“The Pharisees… regularly took part in traditional forms of worship in the temple. They rejected foreign ideologies and philosophies such as Hellenism, and created numerous laws to keep the Jews from interacting with gentiles on a daily basis.”

They Accepted Both the Written and the ‘Oral’ Law

In regard to the “Oral Law,” we must appreciate that Christianity is not the same as Judaism. The Jews do today many things that are not in conformity with Scripture. In fact, even at the time of Christ, the Jews were DIVIDED amongst themselves as to how to apply Scripture. While the Pharisees accepted both the written and the ‘oral’ law—a collection of Jewish traditions—the Sadducees only accepted the written law, but they did not understand that correctly, either, as Christ had to point out to them on several occasions (compare James Hastings, “Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics,” under “Sadducees”). Many have taught for doctrine (which should be God’s doctrine) the doctrine of men. Matthew 15:9 records the statement of Jesus in this regard:

“And in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.” Jesus also instructed His own disciples about the problems inherent within Judaism at that time. Note this quote in Matthew 16:12: “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Paul also warned of the possible wrong influences from Judaism in Titus 1:14: “… not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.”

In regard to the many Pharisaic traditions, rules and regulations, which were contrary to the Bible, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.” 

In light of all the foregoing comments, we can already see why the Pharisees rejected Jesus, and why Jesus rebuked them. To emphasize this, the following biblical passages about the Pharisees are interesting.

They Were Rebuked by Jesus on a Number of Occasions

There are around 84 verses about the Pharisees in the first five books in the New Testament. They are mentioned several times in the gospel records as being on the receiving end of Jesus’ rebukes. Please note the following words by Jesus:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves” (Matthew 23:15).

“… Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39).

“And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore your sin remains’” (John 9:39–41).

They Falsely Accused, and Tested Jesus, About Many Things

They said that Jesus cast out demons by the ruler of the demons (Matthew 9:34 and 12:24); they wanted a sign that He was the Messiah (Matthew 12:38–40); they accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath (according to their own traditions) but they were rebuked for this (Matthew 12:1–8); Jesus told His disciples to beware of their doctrine (Matthew 16:6–12); they tested Him over divorce (Matthew 19:3–9; Mark 10:2–9); they tested Him about paying tribute to Caesar (Matthew 22:15–21, Mark 12:13–17 and Luke 20:22–25); they tested Him about a woman caught in adultery (John 8:3–4); and they tested Him on His healing on the Sabbath (Luke 6:6–11).

God’s Word First International writes:

“Appearing overall as a rather peaceful and pious group when viewed from the outside, in contrast their confrontational actions, public austere and arrogant ‘better than thou’ attitudes and their ‘behind closed doors’ hatred of their perceived enemies spoke volumes concerning the spiritual darkness within their hearts… This explains a lot about how they were frequently confrontational with Christ and his disciples then ultimately sought to bear false witness in framing him and have him put to death. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD Pharisaic beliefs became the basis for Rabbinic Judaism, which ultimately produced the basis for all contemporary forms of Judaism with what is known today as modern Hasidic Judaism being the oldest core foundational belief.”

Matthew 23 is a chapter where Jesus is particularly hard on both the scribes and the Pharisees. He tells His audience to “observe whatever they tell you but do not do as they do” (verse 3) because of their hypocrisy. They liked to be seen by men and loved the best places at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues (verses 5–6). They loved greetings in the market-place and to be called Rabbi (verse 7). Then follow eight woes aimed at the scribes and Pharisees (verses 13–29).

In fact, verse 27 is a particularly strong condemnation of their actions: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

The Pulpit Commentary has this to say about this verse:

“Once a year, about the fifteenth of the month Adar, the Jews used to whitewash the tombs and the places where corpses were buried, partly out of respect for the dead, but chiefly in order to make them conspicuous, and thus to obviate the risk of persons incautiously contracting ceremonial defilement by touching or walking over them (Numbers 19:16). To such sepulchres our Lord compares these Pharisees, because their outwardly fair show concealed rottenness within (compare Acts 23:3). Indeed, it might be said that their seeming exceptional purity was a warning of internal corruption, a sign post to point to hidden defilement. Obtrusive religiousness, emphatic scrupulosity, are marks of pride and
self-righteousness, utterly alien from real devotion and holiness.”

In verse 33, Jesus called them “Serpents, brood of vipers!”

John the Baptist had also had some strong words for the Pharisees: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7).

We also know that the apostle Paul was a Pharisee, and he persecuted the early Christians before he was struck down by Christ. He then rejected Judaism of his time and preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God while proving from Scripture that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 9:20–22).

They Were Instrumental, Along With Others, in Plotting Jesus’ Death

There is little wonder that the Savior of mankind was at odds with the religious people of His time, including and especially the Pharisees, and that they called for His death which was achieved by illegal means.

However, His death and the manner of His death did fulfill many prophecies in the Old Testament. This means that we have a Savior who died in our place. The Savior of mankind would be a sacrifice for our sin (Isaiah 53:5–12). In verse 12, we read: “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

In Romans 5:6–11, where the sub-heading in the New King James Bible is “Christ in our place,” we read:

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Once the Pharisees are resurrected in the Second Resurrection and are given the opportunity to repent, obtain forgiveness and accept Christ’s Sacrifice and Christ as their personal Savior, they too may be able to enter the Kingdom of God.

However, when Jesus walked this earth as a human being, the Pharisees rejected Him and did not accept Him as their Savior, because He did not behave and teach in accordance with their expectations and ideas. The other groups of the religious establishment were no different. 

Chapter 2 — The Sadducees

Another important influential religious group at the time of Jesus were the Sadducees.

Young’s Analytical Concordance has this to say about the Sadducees: “A sect of the Jews, denying the resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits, who derived their origin from Sadok, a follower of Antigonus of Socho B.C.250, a President of the Sanhedrin.”

A review of the Sadducees will give us some insight into the sort of religious environment that Jesus was born into and with what He had to endure during His ministry.

The website of “difference between” points out the following:

“While the Sadducees believed in the authority of the Torah, they were also more supportive of prevailing rulers… This is because they understood that they could benefit, in a political and economic sense, from maintaining peaceful relations with the ruling government.

“The Sadducees… were exposed to a more secular education than the Pharisees, and even acknowledged Hellenism (Hellenism is the term used to describe the influence of Greek culture on the peoples the Greek and Roman Empires conquered or interacted with). The main difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees concerned the understanding of the function of the Torah in Jewish society. Most of the Sadducees operated as priests and were members of the Sanhedrin… The Sadducees maintained that the first five books of the Bible, otherwise known as the Torah, were the greatest authority on God’s will for the Jews. For the Sadducees, all other laws or texts outside the sacred Torah could not be counted as part of the Law…

They Did Not Believe in the Resurrection

“The Sadducees did not believe that man would experience resurrection after physical death… They endeavored to preserve their priestly caste, and actively took part in political discourse to maintain their influence over their fellow Jews… The Sadducees held political power and religious clout as an integral part of temple government…

“Their founder, Tzadok (or sometimes spelled Zadok, in Hebrew meaning ‘Righteous’), was a priest descended from Eleazar the son of Aaron, who aided King David during the revolt of his son Absalom, and was consequently instrumental in bringing King Solomon to the throne.

“After Solomon’s building of The First Temple in Jerusalem, Zadok was the first High Priest to serve there. In any event, the name Tzadok could be indicative of their aristocratic status in society in the beginning of their existence due to their close relationship with the monarchy and King Solomon. The Sadducees derive their name from the Hebrew name of Tzadok, the ‘Tz’ is pronounced with an ‘s’ sound. Sadducees would then roughly mean, ‘The righteous ones of Tzadok’…”

According to Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, the Sadducees were a hereditary and ancient priestly class. They constituted the nobility of the Jewish people and thus we find many high priests coming from the Sadducean party. Annas was a Sadducee.

The website of “difference between” continues:

“The Sadducees believed that the souls of men died with their bodies. They did not believe in the resurrection of the body nor retribution in a future life. Neither did they believe in predestination, but ‘that good and evil are the choice of man who can do one or the other at his discretion’ and consequently that God exercises ‘no influence upon human actions, and that man is therefore the cause of his own prosperity and adversity.’”

They Acknowledged Only the Written Torah as Binding

Emil Schurer, A History of the Jewish People, confirming the foregoing, states the following:

“In addition to the doctrinal differences between the Sadducees and the Pharisees over the immortality of the soul, there was a fundamental difference over what constituted the law of the Jews. The Sadducees acknowledged only the written Torah as binding and rejected the entire traditional interpretation as well as the further development that the law had undergone during the course of centuries at the hands of the scribes.”

Political Power Was Important to Them

James C. McRuer, The Trial of Jesus, writes this:

“It is not unfair to say that the Sadducees were really more concerned with the political power that their ecclesiastical offices gave them than with the spiritual affairs of the people. To make themselves secure in this power during the Herodian-Roman period, it was necessary for them to accommodate their views to those of the Pharisees.”

There are 13 verses where the Sadducees are mentioned, as opposed to around 84 for the Pharisees, and only five of the verses mention just the Sadducees [sometimes together with a reference to priests or the High Priest], which are as follows:

Matthew 22:23: “The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him…”

Mark 12:18: “some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him…”

Luke 20:27: “Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him…”

It is interesting that the three Scriptures quoted above are about the resurrection which they denied, and these are the only ones in the four gospel accounts where only the Sadducees were noted as those asking the question.

In addition, the following two verses refer to the Sadducees in conjunction with the high priest:

Acts 4:1: “Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them…”

Acts 5:17: “Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation…”

These last two references show the concern that they had about the message that the apostles were preaching, and arrests and imprisonment were the outcome.

They and the Pharisees Mentioned Together in Just Eight Verses

In the remaining eight verses, the Pharisees are also mentioned as well as the Sadducees.

The first of these verses is in Matthew 3:7: “But when he [John the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’”

In spite of the Pharisees being mentioned much more often than the Sadducees, they were both reprimanded in no uncertain terms. In this regard, note the following four passages:

Matthew 16:1: “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.”

Matthew 16:6: “Then Jesus said to them [His disciples], ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’”

Matthew 16:12: “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 22:34: “But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.”

Both sects wanted to see a sign, but Jesus warned His disciples of their leaven, meaning their doctrine.

Note also the last three verses:

Acts 23:6: “But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!’”

Acts 23:7: “And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.”

Acts 23:8: “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.”

Again, in these three verses, the difference in doctrine is clear with the Pharisees believing in the resurrection and the existence of angels and demons, and the Sadducees denying all of it.

A Clash Was Inevitable With Jesus About the Resurrection

It is obvious from the foregoing that Jesus would have to clash with the viewpoints of the Sadducees on numerous occasions. He upheld God’s Word which teaches the resurrection from the dead and the existence of holy and fallen angels, and He emphasized that the entire Old Testament was godly inspired… not only the first five books of Moses or the Torah. But even then, He refuted their argument that there is no resurrection from the dead, when quoting from the Torah.

We would like to make the following observations about Matthew 22:23–30 where Jesus answered the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection.

As the Sadducees did not believe in the inspiration of the Old Testament apart from the first five books of Moses, Jesus quoted, as proof for a resurrection, from the first five books of Moses, mentioning the burning bush episode, as recorded in the book of Exodus. He continued to say that God was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and that God was not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Some commentaries erroneously conclude that Jesus was saying here that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were ALIVE when Jesus spoke these words—and that Jesus was therefore upholding the concept of the immortal soul which teaches that the immortal soul goes to heaven when man dies—a teaching which the Sadducees rejected.

However, Jesus did not believe in the false concept of the immortal soul. He taught that death was a sleep out of which man must be awakened (compare John 11:11–14, 43–44). He said to the Sadducees that God is a God of the living, because He will awaken Abraham, Isaac and Jacob out of their sleep of death through a resurrection from the dead. Remember, Jesus answered the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection. He proved that there is a resurrection from the dead by saying that God is the God of the living.

The dead will live because God WILL RAISE them up in the resurrection (compare John 5:25, 28–29)—and God looks at future events, which are certain, as if they had already occurred. (Compare Romans 4:17, in the Living Bible: “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say that God made Abraham the father of many nations. God will accept all people in every nation who trust God as Abraham did. And this promise is from God himself, who makes the dead alive again and speaks of future events with as much certainty as though they were already past.”)

Jesus Did Recognize Their Authority in the Temple Service

On the other hand, Jesus recognized that the Sadducees were in charge of the Temple service, and that they were correct in their understanding as to when to sacrifice the Passover lamb. While they did so at the beginning of the 14th of Nisan, the Pharisees sacrificed it one day too late, at the end of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th of Nisan. Most Jews follow today the wrong lead of the Pharisees and keep the Passover one day too late, by confusing it with the Night to Be Much Observed.

We also read that the Passover lamb was to be slain “at twilight” on the 14th day of Nisan (Exodus 12:6). The Hebrew for “at twilight” is “ben ha arbayim” or “beyn haarbayim,” and means, literally, “between the two evenings.” Many commentators are confused on this phrase and conclude that it refers to the time between afternoon and sunset. This is wrong. Rather, the phrase refers to the time between sunset and dark (compare Moffat and the annotation of the German Menge Bible) or between sunset and complete darkness (compare the Imperial Bible Dictionary). The Revised English Bible says that it means, “between dusk and dark.”

Remember that the Passover had to be slain on the 14th day of Nisan, “at twilight, at the going down of the sun.” Since days begin and end with sunset, according to the Hebrew calendar, this had to happen AT THE BEGINNING of the 14th day, in order to be a PART of the 14th day. If it had occurred at the end of the 14th day, as the Pharisees observed and most Jews believe today, then in actuality, it would have occurred AFTER the 14th day had ended (after sunset, before nightfall); that is, at the beginning of the 15th day, after sunset. But the Bible says, it occurred on the 14th day; that is, “BETWEEN the two evenings”; i.e., AFTER sunset, but before nightfall.

The biblical evidence from both the Old and the New Testament shows overwhelmingly that the Passover was to be and must be kept at the beginning of the 14th day of Nisan—not at the end of the day. Those who keep it at the beginning of the 15th day, do not keep the “Passover of the LORD,” nor do they follow Christ’s example as to when to keep it (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

They Kept Pentecost on the Correct Day, Unlike the Pharisees

The Sadducees also determined correctly when to keep Pentecost, while the Pharisees kept Pentecost many times on the wrong day. Many Jews today follow the wrong Pharisaic thought and keep Pentecost often on the wrong day as well.

There was a controversy, according to the Jewish historian Josephus of the first century, between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. While the Sadducees counted the 50 days correctly from the Sunday which falls within the Days of Unleavened Bread and which follows the WEEKLY Sabbath, the Pharisees counted it from the day after the ANNUAL Sabbath—the first day of Unleavened Bread. But we should note that the Temple service was entrusted to the Sadducees, not the Pharisees. Their determination as to when to celebrate Pentecost was conclusive and decisive for the public celebration, as long as the Second Temple existed.

However, modern Judaism has adopted the view of the Pharisees, thereby celebrating Pentecost ALWAYS on the SIXTH DAY OF SIVAN (which could fall on any day of the week). 

gotquestions.org summarizes nicely as to why Jesus would be at odds with the religious establishment, including the Sadducees:

“Jesus had more run-ins with the Pharisees than with the Sadducees, probably because of the former’s giving pre-eminence to oral tradition. ‘You ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition,’ Jesus told them. Because the Sadducees were often more concerned with politics than religion, they ignored Jesus until they began to fear He might bring unwanted Roman attention and upset the status quo. It was at that point that the Sadducees and Pharisees set aside their differences, united, and conspired to put Christ to death (John 11:48–50; Mark 14:53; 15:1).”

Chapter 3 — The Scribes

According to Young’s Analytical Concordance of the Bible, there are a total of 114 references to the word “scribe”; 53 in the Old Testament and 61 in the New Testament; i.e., 19 in the book of Matthew, 22 in Mark, 15 in Luke, 1 in John and 4 in the book of Acts.

The first mention of the scribes in the Bible is in 2 Samuel 8:17 where Seraiah was the scribe in King David’s administration which was around 3,000 years ago.

biblestudy.org states the following:

“As in other parts of the world, scribes were considered honored professionals whose modern day equivalent would be judges or lawyers. They were generally the most educated men in the nation and as such became influential. In fact, since writing was practiced only by those with a certain level of intelligence, scribes were often considered wise men (1 Chronicles 27:32). They were also eligible to be elected to the Sanhedrin (the supreme and highest council of the Jews).”

The Encyclopedia Britannica adds:

“In the 1st century, scribes and Pharisees were two largely distinct groups, though presumably some scribes were Pharisees. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe. Pharisees were members of a party that believed in resurrection and in following legal traditions that were ascribed not to the Bible but to ‘the traditions of the fathers.’ Like the scribes, they were also well-known legal experts: hence the partial overlap of membership of the two groups. It appears from subsequent rabbinic traditions, however, that most Pharisees were small landowners and traders, not professional scribes.”

The Origin, Role and Function of the Scribes

The Encyclopedia Judaica gives a very comprehensive description of the origin, role and function of the scribes. We can see from the quotes below that the scribes had adopted and followed many human traditions which were not derived from the Bible. The scribes had the responsibility to copy the Old Testament Scriptures:

“… the scribe was a professional expert in the writing of Torah scrolls… These have to be written with a feather quill in indelible ink, in straight lines, and on specially prepared parchment… The profession of scribe was indispensable to the Jewish community, and according to the Talmud… a scholar should not dwell in a town where there is no scribe… The scribe writing a Torah scroll must devote utmost attention and care to the writing; he is forbidden to rely on his memory and has to write from a model copy… His guide is the professional compendium for scribes… which contains the traditional text of the Torah, the specific rules concerning the decorative flourishes… on certain letters, the regulations as to the spacing of certain Torah sections… and the rules for writing Torah scrolls in which each column begins with the Hebrew letter vav… Only the Scroll of Esther may be adorned with artistic illustrations but not the Torah scroll…

“When writing a Torah scroll a scribe must especially prepare himself so that he writes the names of the Lord with proper devotion and in ritual purity. It is, therefore, customary that he immerse himself in a ritual bath… before beginning his work…

“Scribes also acted as recording clerks and court secretaries… They wrote legal documents such as bills of divorce and contracts… there are established rules as to who pays the scribe’s fee…”

Even though they went far beyond the command of God to copy the Holy Scriptures (Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 17:18; 31:24–26; Joshua 8:32; 24:26; Hosea 8:12), their methodology guaranteed that the Old Testament was preserved unaltered throughout all generations (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:23). For further information in this regard, please read our free booklet, “The Authority of the Bible,” and especially chapters 3–5.

They Were Well Educated and Highly Trained Professionals

God’s Word First International adds the following:

“Scribes in ancient Israel belonged to an elite class of wealthy families. As such, they were well educated in language and mathematics. Whereas the working class folks had the equivalent of a modern 6th grade education, the Scribes were college level graduates.

“Scribes were distinguished professionals who copied all types of documents, not just the holy scrolls. Sometimes they would also exercise higher functions we would associate with lawyers, government ministers, judges, or even bankers.

“As highly trained, well paid, and respected professionals, they generally had an over inflated sense of self-worth. As such, they were pompous and frequently displayed in public an arrogant righteousness.

The Process for Creating Copies of the Torah and Other Books

“The Jewish scribes used the following process for creating copies of the Torah and other books in the Tanakh.

“1. They could only use clean animal skins, both to write on, and even to bind manuscripts.

“2. Each column of writing could have no less than forty-eight, and no more than sixty lines.

“3. The ink must be black, and of a special recipe.

“4. They must say each word aloud while they were writing.

“5. They must wipe the pen and wash their entire bodies before writing the most Holy Name of God, YHVH every time they wrote it.

“6. There must be a review within thirty days, and if as many as three pages required corrections, the entire manuscript had to be redone.

“7. The letters, words, and paragraphs had to be counted, and the document became invalid if two letters touched each other. The middle paragraph, word and letter must correspond to those of the original document.

“8. The documents could be stored only in sacred places (synagogues, etc.).

“9. As no document containing God’s Word could be destroyed, they were stored or buried.

“Scribes still exist today. Known as a ‘Sofer’ they are among the few scribes that still perform their trade by hand on parchment. Renowned calligraphers, they produce the Hebrew Torah scrolls and other holy texts by hand to this day.”

gotquestions.org writes this:

“Scribes in ancient Israel were learned men whose business was to study the Law, transcribe it, and write commentaries on it. They were also hired on occasions when the need for a written document arose or when an interpretation of a legal point was needed. Ezra, ‘a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses,’ was a scribe (Ezra 7:6).

“The scribes took their job of preserving Scripture very seriously; they would copy and recopy the Bible meticulously, even counting letters and spaces to ensure each copy was correct…

“In the New Testament era, scribes… were widely respected by the community because of their knowledge, dedication, and outward appearance of Law-keeping.

They Later Added Many Man-Made Traditions

“The scribes went beyond interpretation of Scripture, however, and added many man-made traditions to what God had said. They became professionals at spelling out the letter of the Law while ignoring the spirit behind it. Things became so bad that the regulations and traditions the scribes added to the Law were considered more important than the Law itself. This led to many confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes… Jesus shocked His audience by declaring that the righteousness of the scribes was not enough… He thoroughly condemned the scribes for their hypocrisy… They knew the Law, and they taught it to others, but they did not obey it…”

Encyclopedia.com adds:

“At the time of Christ many of the scribes adhered to the teachings of the Pharisees… With the chief priests, Sadducees, and Pharisees, the scribes composed the Jewish aristocracy of the time; and many were members of the Sanhedrin.

“The scribes… are also associated with the chief priests and elders in causing Jesus’ death… The lawyers condemned in Luke 11:45–52 for their hypocrisy are also to be identified with the scribes. Their spiritual descendants were the rabbis whose teachings are recorded in the Talmud.”

From the many references in the New Testament to the scribes, we can see the attitude that they had towards Jesus. The scribes were among Christ’s most watchful and determined opponents. Their many accusations were continually recorded in the gospel accounts. Let us review some of these.

Note Matthew 16:21: “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

The same warning is repeated in Mark 8:31 where Jesus predicted His death and resurrection. We read: “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

Mark 2:16 says: “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, ‘How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?’” (Also see Luke 5:30, 15:2).

When Jesus forgave and healed a paralytic, we read in Mark 2:6–7: “And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ‘Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

Mark 3:22 states: “And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebub,’ and, ‘By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.’”

It is obvious from the record that whatever Jesus did, they would find fault in some way. They were like many today, those who are just waiting to be offended! They would persecute Jesus because He did not live and behave in the way that they thought He should, based on their traditions. They even accused Him of blasphemy and of being possessed by Satan.

They, and Others, Questioned Jesus’ Authority

The scribes and others questioned Jesus’ authority, as we read in Mark 11:27–28: “Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, ‘By what authority are You doing these things.’” Jesus knew that they were bent on mischief and answered them with a question which they were not prepared to answer (compare verses 29–33).

After Jesus had cleansed the Temple, we read in Mark 11:18: “And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.”

Because Christ opposed the human unbiblical traditions which were practiced in the Temple, they were willing to destroy Him, as He knew, and they waited for an opportune time, fearing the people who held Christ in high esteem.

Luke 6:7 says: “So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.”

When He did perform a miracle on the Sabbath, Luke 6:11 tells us: “But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.”

Again, they were willing to kill Him because He did not keep the Sabbath in accordance with their traditions.

Later, after Jesus had been arrested and brought before Herod, Luke 23:10 tells us: “And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.”

John 8:3,6 reads: “Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst… [they tested] Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.”

They were trying to test or tempt Him so that they could accuse Him of violating the Law. But they themselves were guilty as they had not brought the adulterous man to Jesus—just the woman—and as they were not without sin and therefore unwilling to cast the first stone. This is what the Savior of mankind had to contend with as He taught the Truth to tax collectors and sinners, cleansed the Temple and healed people, and yet His authority was continually questioned.

Jesus Said That Scribes and Pharisees Were Hypocrites

In Matthew 23:2–3, Christ said: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.”

Here we read that Jesus acknowledged their authority to teach God’s Word to the people; however, they were not to follow their example which was contrary to their teaching. Jesus acknowledged as well that they would many times not teach God’s Word, but their own contradictory traditions; He did not tell the people to follow them in that regard, but only insofar as they taught the Word of God. No wonder Jesus called them hypocrites!

In the following verses in Matthew 23, Jesus finally utters a series of eight woes on both the scribes and the Pharisees (verses 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27 and 29). In fact, this chapter is an expose on their appalling behavior as religious teachers!

After Christ’s resurrection, we read in the book of Acts that “the rulers, elders, scribes and others” (Acts 4:5–6) heard the testimony of Peter and “commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus” (verse 18). However, Peter and John refused (verse 20). We read further in Acts 6:12 that the elders and scribes seized Stephen. They were certainly opponents of Jesus in His lifetime and after His death.

We have already seen the constant hostility from the Pharisees and Sadducees that Jesus had to deal with, and the scribes were a further part of the religious life of the Jews who were bent on His destruction.

gotquestions.org says:

“The scribes, whose stated goal was to preserve the Word, actually nullified it by the traditions they handed down… the scribes were hypocrites at heart. They were more interested in appearing good to men than they were in pleasing God… The lesson every Christian can learn from the hypocrisy of the scribes is that God wants more than outward acts of righteousness. He wants an inward change of heart that is constantly yielding in love and obedience to Christ.”

Chapter 4 — The Elders

There are many references in the Bible to elders both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament references, the word elder is translated as “old, aged, aged as to days, bearded and grey headed.” The inference seems to be that with age and maturity, there is wisdom to be had.

We read in Genesis 50:7: “So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders (old, aged, bearded) of the land of Egypt.”

We read in Numbers 11:16–17: “So the LORD said to Moses: ‘Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.’”

Here we read that the elders would receive from God some of the same Spirit that was given to Moses in order to help them in the duties that they were chosen to perform. (The word “elder” is again translated as “old, aged and bearded.”)

desiringgod.org points out:

“In general, then, we can say that, while through the long history of Israel the role of the elder no doubt changed, they were the older men of the community who, because of their wisdom in counsel and the natural honor due to them (Leviticus 19:32), became the official administrators or leaders of the community.

“In the Judaism of Jesus’ day the elders of Israel were still dominant. The most frequent use of the word ‘elder’ in the New Testament refers to the Jewish elders who opposed Jesus during his lifetime. Within the gospels and Acts ‘elders’ are most often viewed as forming a closely knit group with the ‘chief priests.’ Again and again we read of ‘the chief priests and elders of the people’ (Matthew 21:23; 26:3,47; 27:1 etc.). The term elder was probably very broad and would include members of the scribes as well as the Pharisees and Sadducees (cf. ‘traditions of the elders’ (Matthew 15:2; Acts 22:6)).”

biblestudy.org writes the following:

“In the New Testament, elders (of the people, of Israel, etc.) were older men who represented the people and who exercised a certain amount of authority over them. Existing at least as far back as the time of Moses, they were the governing foundation of different groups in the Bible. Elders were the first ones told, by Moses, about God’s plan to free the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:16). The Old Testament elders asked the prophet Samuel to place a human king (instead of God) over all the people (1 Samuel 8:5).

“Old Testament elders could represent a city or town (Deuteronomy 19:12, 1 Samuel 16:4), the people of a particular tribe (Numbers 22:7, Deuteronomy 31:28, 2 Samuel 19:11), a family (2 Samuel 12:17) or a country (Joshua 9:11). They were eligible to sit on the Sanhedrin, or properly the Great Sanhedrin, which met in Jerusalem and was the supreme council of the Jews.

“The word translated as elder in the New Testament is the Greek word Presbuteros (Strong’s Concordance #G4245), which generally is used to refer to older men respected by others as leaders and role models. The elders of the people were some of the most vehement adversaries against Jesus and his teachings. It was known, in advance, that the elders would play a big part in causing the suffering and death of Jesus (Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22). They, along with the chief priests and scribes, challenged Jesus’ authority just days before the crucifixion (Matthew 21:23, Luke 20:1–2).”

Jesus Challenged About “Transgressing” the “Tradition of the Elders”

In Matthew 15:1–11 and Mark 7:1–13, Christ is challenged with the question as to why His disciples were “transgressing” the “tradition of the elders,” referring to eating clean meat with ritually “unwashed” hands. Christ responded by asking them why they were transgressing God’s commandment and making it “of no effect,” so that they could uphold their own traditions. He specifically referred to the tradition of “Korban” which allowed them to dishonor their parents.

Bible.org states the following:

“Jesus and his disciples had violated the ‘traditions of the elders’… as if those traditions were now authoritative and could be sinned against… the traditions of men had been elevated to the status of Scripture, so that one could be guilty of violating them…

“They could pronounce a vow on their things with the word, ‘Korban,’ meaning it is a gift… If because of greed, for example, a man did not want to help support his aging parents, he would announce ‘Korban.’ That would mean the money was frozen, and could not be used for taking care of the parents. Thus, they could use their traditions to get out of taking care of their father and mother (which the Law required). Then, they might find a way of nullifying the vow so they ended up keeping the money…”

Elders, and Others, Had Evil Intentions Towards Jesus

Let us review additional Scriptures that clearly show that the involvement of the elders (and others) was complicit in accusations of and evil intentions towards Jesus, leading to His torture and murder.

Matthew 26:3–4 reads: “Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.”

This was just before the Passover where they were assembled together at the High Priest’s palace and where they tried to devise ways in order to kill Jesus. You do have to wonder what their “religion” really meant to them when they proposed to trick Jesus Christ and looked to have Him killed. This is even more remarkable as they would be keeping the Passover which should have reminded them as to how God saved the Israelites from death in Egypt. Those were hardly the actions of good and righteous men, even if they did disagree with His teaching. Rather, it showed their incredible hypocrisy and their spirit of murder.

Judas Iscariot “with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the elders of the people” (Matthew 26:47). However, it went even further than that as we read in Matthew 27:3–4: “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it.’”

After they had agreed with Judas to betray Jesus, they tried to deny any responsibility.

In Matthew 27, we read about the release of Barabbas when Pilate offered to free a prisoner: “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus” (Matthew 27:20).

In addition, we read in Matthew 27:41–42: “Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.’”

Here we have the scenario of someone dying in agony on the cross, and they, having been part of the conspiracy to murder Him, mock, incite and ridicule Him. Their religious approach was so open to ridicule by those who would expect better from their religious leaders!

Elders Involved With Bribery and Opposition to Early Christianity

Within a short space of time, they were further compounding their previous errors with bribery. Matthew 28:11–15 states: “Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, ‘Tell them, “His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.” And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.’ So, they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”

In a very short space of time, the elders, along with the scribes and Pharisees, were involved in trickery, releasing a criminal, paying 30 pieces of silver for information, mocked a dying man who was in agony on the cross and then paid money to bribe soldiers to lie about Christ’s disciples and to deny Christ’s resurrection. That is a shocking list of actions from supposedly “religious” men.

Their opposition to early Christianity didn’t stop there, and they continued their opposition by taking every opportunity that they could to destroy the early Christian movement. In Acts 4:5–7, we read: “And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them [the early apostles] in the midst, they asked, ‘By what power or by what name have you done this [that is, healing a sick man]?’”

The apostle Peter then addressed the “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel” (verses 8–12). Subsequently, the apostles were forbidden to speak in the name of Jesus (verse 18.) “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard’” (verses 19–20).

Stephen Accused of Blasphemy and Stoned to Death

We read in Acts 6 that Stephen was accused of blasphemy, and we see the religious hierarchy, including the elders, inciting those prepared to lie and accuse: “Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law’” (Acts 6:11–13).

In the following chapter, after his address, we see that Stephen was stoned to death. The religious leaders may have felt vindicated with the result, even though they clearly understood that even by human standards, they committed murder, but it is something that they will have to answer for in the judgment.

Perhaps just one more example will again show how much the elders were involved in the persecution of the early Christians. In Acts 23, we read of a plot against the apostle Paul, who himself had persecuted the early church but had repented of that course of action after his conversion on the road to Damascus.

Some Jews “banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul” (verse 12). In verse 14, we read: “They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, ‘We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.’” The elders and the chief priests were the ones they approached. The elders continued to be among those who persecuted the people of God after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The discussion of the hypocritical “religious elders” at the time of Jesus must not be confused with the office of an ordained elder in the Church of God.

The Office of “Elder” Within the Church of God

Addressing now the word “elder” within the confines of the Church of God, Peter called himself a “fellow elder.” But he was also an apostle. In addition, John, who was also one of the original apostles, called himself “the elder” (2 John 1; 3 John 1). However, we also read about a clear distinction, at times, between apostles and elders (Acts 15:4, 6, 22, 23; 16:4).

On the other hand, the word “bishop” simply means “overseer.” The Greek word is “episkopos” and is applied to “elders” (compare again Acts 20:17 with Acts 20:28, and Titus 1:5 with Titus 1:7, describing “elders” as “bishops” or “overseers”–in Greek, “episkopos.”). 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:7 describe the qualification of a “bishop” or an “overseer”–that is, an elder. In its ultimate sense, the word “bishop” is also applied to Jesus Christ (as is the word “Apostle”; compare Hebrews 3:1), as we read about Christ’s FUNCTION as a “Bishop” in 1 Peter 2:25: “For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and OVERSEER [Greek, “episkopos,” i.e. Bishop] of your souls.”

Paul and Peter fulfilled several functions, roles and responsibilities, including the function of “prophet,” “preacher,” “teacher” and “elder.”

James 5:14 states: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 14:23 writes: “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

Compare also 1 Timothy 5:17 and 1 Peter 5:5; and note 1 Timothy 4:14, referring to “the laying on of hands of the eldership.”

Regarding the office and function of an elder in the church, we need to explain that the original definition of being “old, aged, aged as to days, bearded and grey headed” does not necessarily apply. Rather, the emphasis is on spiritual maturity, not being a novice in the faith (1 Timothy 3:6). For instance, Christ who was called an elder, was only 30 years old when He began to preach publicly. Paul warns that members should not despise the evangelist Timothy because of his youth (1 Timothy 4:12). It does not appear that any of the early apostles were “grey headed or aged.” When He was dying, Christ asked that His mother Mary would be treated by John as his mother.

Returning to the religious “elders” at the time of Christ who opposed Christ so that they could uphold their own traditions, this should be a warning to all of us in God’s true Church today, and especially elders in the ministry, not to replace God’s Law with our own concepts and ideas which are based on man’s philosophies and customs. One area where this could happen might be the commandment of God to keep the Sabbath. Our free booklets, “God’s Commanded Holy Days,” and “How to Keep the Sabbath,” explain in detail how to observe God’s weekly and annual Sabbath Days, while avoiding falling into the trap of human traditions and ideas.

Chapter 5 — The Sanhedrin

The Sanhedrin was also opposed to Jesus and His teachings. Depending on the Bible translation, the Sanhedrin is also referred to as the “Council.”

According to Young’s Analytical Concordance under “council,” we read that “Sanhedrin” means “a sitting together.”

The Wikipedia Encyclopedia elaborates:

“The Sanhedrin (… Greek… synedrion, ‘sitting together,’ hence ‘assembly’ or ‘council’) were assemblies of either twenty-three or seventy-one elders… appointed to sit as a tribunal in every city in the ancient Land of Israel.

“There were two classes of Jewish courts called Sanhedrin, the Great Sanhedrin and the Lesser Sanhedrin. A lesser Sanhedrin of 23 judges was appointed to each city, but there was to be only one Great Sanhedrin of 71 judges, which among other roles acted as the Supreme Court, taking appeals from cases decided by lesser courts. In general usage, ‘The Sanhedrin’ without qualifier normally refers to the Great Sanhedrin, which was composed of the Nasi, who functioned as head or representing president, and was a member of the court; the Av Beit Din or chief of the court, who was second to the nasi; and sixty-nine general members (Mufla)…

“In the Second Temple period, the Great Sanhedrin met in the Temple in Jerusalem, in a building called the Hall of Hewn Stones. The Great Sanhedrin convened every day except [during] festivals and the sabbath day (Shabbat).”

The Sanhedrin Could Arrest and Convict But Not Execute the Death Penalty

The website of learnreligions.com explains:

“During the time of Roman governors such as Pontius Pilate, the Sanhedrin had jurisdiction only over the province of Judea. The Sanhedrin had its own police force that could arrest people, as they did Jesus Christ. While the Sanhedrin heard both civil and criminal cases and could impose the death penalty, in New Testament times it did not have the authority to execute convicted criminals. That power was reserved for the Romans, which explains why Jesus was crucified—a Roman punishment—rather than stoned, according to Mosaic law…”

In other words, at the time of Christ, the Sanhedrin could find a person guilty and give the death sentence, but they could not carry it out. Only the Romans could put a person to death.

Continuing with learnreligions.com:

“Caiaphas was the high priest or president of the Sanhedrin at the time of Jesus’ trial and execution. As a Sadducee, Caiaphas did not believe in the resurrection. He would have been shocked when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Not interested in the truth, Caiaphas preferred to destroy this challenge to his beliefs instead of supporting it…

The Sanhedrin Was Abolished in 66–70 AD

“The Great Sanhedrin was comprised not only of Sadducees but also of Pharisees, but it was abolished with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 66–70 A.D.”

Since that time, there has been no Jewish high priest, for national sacrifices ceased with the destruction of the Second Temple. However, the Bible reveals that sacrifices will be given again shortly before Christ’s return, and a Third Temple will be built.

The Wikipedia Encyclopedia states:

“The Sanhedrin is traditionally viewed as the last institution which commanded universal authority among the Jewish people in the long chain of tradition from Moses until the present day. Since its dissolution in 358 CE, there has been no universally recognized authority within Jewish law (Halakha).”

The website of reasonabletherology.com adds:

“Despite their small numbers, the Sadducees were able to maneuver themselves politically to positions of power within the Sanhedrin… and allied themselves with the Romans…”

The Pharisees and Sadducees Were United in Their Opposition to Jesus

jewelsofjudaism.com has some interesting comments about the Pharisees and Sadducees uniting with their disagreements with Jesus, stating as follows:

“The majority of the [71] seats of the Sanhedrin were filled by Sadducees with a minority filled by the Pharisees… because the Pharisees had the majority of the Jewish population under their influence, the Pharisees often swayed the decisions in the Sanhedrin….

“Even though the Sadducees and Pharisees were diametrically opposed to each other regarding their belief system within Judaism, they were forced to work together… One person that united these two factious groups was the person of (Jesus).

“… the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, ‘What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.’ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.’ Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that (Jesus) was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. – John 11:47–53….

“In the above scenario, we read about the chief priests and the Pharisees. The chief priests would be from the group of the Sadducees. Therefore, when we read about the chief priests and the Pharisees working together we are actually reading about the Sadducees and Pharisees working together. We also see the connection between the priests and the Sadducees explained in context in the book of Acts: ‘But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy’ (Acts 5:17). The priests and those associated with the priests were generally from the sect of the Sadducees…”

It so often happens that when a situation arises, former adversaries can put aside their personal differences in order to achieve a common aim. This was certainly the case with the religious opponents of Jesus.

Nicodemus, Gamaliel and Joseph of Arimathea were Council Members

The Website of neverthirsty writes:

“The Sanhedrin Council was also called the ‘Senate,’ gerousia, which means ‘the Council of the Elders.’ The Council was the supreme political and religious body of Israel. In John 3:1 we are introduced to a man called Nicodemus, a Pharisee. In that verse he is called a ‘ruler of the Jews.’ Then in verse 10 of the passage he is called ‘the teacher of Israel.’… Both passages reveal that Nicodemus was a political ruler of Israel and a religious teacher. This reveals the Council was a political and religious body…

“The Sanhedrin Council is referred to twenty-one times in the New Testament… Luke 22:66 reveals that the Sanhedrin Council at the time of the New Testament… included [the elders,] the chief priests and scribes. Acts 23:1–7 reveals that the Council was composed of Pharisees, Sadducees and chief priests…

“Acts 5:34–35 indicates that the famous rabbi Gamaliel was a member of the Council and made an eloquent plea for justice for Peter and the apostles. The only other members of the Council named in the New Testament… are Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea…

“The gospel records… report that the Council tried to force Christ to lie. We assume that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea did not or were not in attendance. One wonders if the great rabbi Gamaliel attended this mockery of a trial…”

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, is mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John. He first visits Jesus one night to discuss Jesus’ teachings (John 3:1–21). In Luke 23:50, we learn that Joseph of Arimathea was a part of the Council or Sanhedrin as well. However, we read that Joseph was opposed to the Council’s decision and was in fact a secret follower of Jesus.

Was the Apostle Paul a Council Member?

We may wonder whether Paul, named Saul before his conversion, was a member of the Sanhedrin.

Bible Questions Answered [bibleq.net] states:

“… it [is] likely that Paul was at one time, a member of the Sanhedrin Council: Paul ‘cast his vote against’ the saints [Acts 26:10–11]… Paul consented to the execution of Stephen, a decision made by the Sanhedrin [Acts 20:22]… Paul advanced in Judaism beyond many of his own age [Galatians 1:13–14].”

As the Sanhedrin consisted of Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and elders, it is no surprise that they conspired together to kill Christ.

Below are a few examples of the word “Sanhedrin” being used in the New International Version (NIV), but, generally, the word is translated as “Council”. There is no doubt that they were one and the same.

Matthew 26:59 states: “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death” [NIV].

Mark 14:55 adds: “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any” [NIV].

Acts 6:12 reads: “So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin” [NIV].

Acts 6:15 states: “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel” [NIV].

As Jesus faced the Sanhedrin (the subtitle in the New King James Bible), we read in Mark 14:55: “Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.”

And in Mark 15:1, we read: “Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.”

In both of the above Scriptures, the word “council” is translated “Sanhedrin” in the NIV.

We read that Jesus appeared before the council or Sanhedrin in Matthew 26:59–68; Mark 14:55–65; Luke 22:66–71 and John 18:19–24.

The “trial” of Jesus Christ was without legal precedent. He was convicted and executed even though Pilate found Him innocent! Let us notice many of the outstanding reasons why the arrest, “trial,” and conviction of Jesus were illegal.

The Trial of Jesus by the Sanhedrin Was Illegal

1. There was no legal basis for Jesus’ arrest, because no one had presented a formal charge of any crime; He was simply taken. Moreover, those who went with Judas to have Jesus arrested included the priests and elders—His judges (Luke 22:52)—among whom were the ones who bribed Judas!

2. Jesus was subject to a secret preliminary examination at night (John 18:12–14, 19–23). Jewish law permitted only daylight proceedings.

3. The indictment against Jesus was illegal, because the judges themselves brought up the charge without any prior testimony by witnesses. The Sanhedrin was not allowed by law to originate charges.

4. The Sanhedrin illegally proceeded to hold its trial of Jesus before sunrise so that no one would be available to testify on His behalf.

5. The trial began on a day before an annual Sabbath (John 18:28) even though Jewish law did not permit the trial of a capital offense to begin on a Friday or on the day before an annual Sabbath. Jesus was arrested and tried on the 14th of Nisan, the day before the first annual Sabbath, the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

6. Jesus’ trial was concluded in one day. Jewish law says: “If a sentence of death is to be pronounced, it [a criminal charge] cannot be concluded before the following day” (Mishna, “Sanhedrin” IV, 1). This was done to allow sufficient opportunity for any witnesses in support of the accused to present themselves. Jesus’ trial was conducted in private and completed in less than nine hours!

7. Two false witnesses charged Jesus with saying He would destroy the temple made with hands (Mark 14:58); yet He was condemned by the court on another false charge—that of blasphemy. He was condemned on His own testimony (Luke 22:67–71). But according to Jewish law, a person could not be condemned on his own testimony.

8. The merits of Jesus’ defense were not considered. Despite Deuteronomy 13:14, the high priest did not “inquire, and make search, and ask diligently” to see whether Jesus’ statement was blasphemous. The law in the Mishna says, “The judges shall weigh the matter in sincerity of their conscience” (Sanhedrin IV, 5). Instead, the court pronounced a sentence instantly and unanimously!

9. Those who would have voted against condemnation were apparently not at Jesus’ trial. Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the court, yet he had not consented to the verdict (Luke 23:50–51). Jesus’ opponents had made sure that only those who hated Him would be there.

10. The sentence was pronounced in a place forbidden by law. The trial took place at the high priest’s house (Luke 22:54). According to the law, a death sentence could be pronounced only in the court’s appointed place.

11. Most of the judges were not legally qualified to try Jesus. Some had bought their way into office, according to Josephus. Since they were known enemies of Jesus, Jewish law required that they disqualify themselves so He could be tried by impartial judges.

12. The court illegally switched the charges from blasphemy to treason before Pilate. Jesus’ opponents wanted Him killed. So they charged Him with treason (Luke 23:2)—a Roman crime—so the Romans would be responsible for His death. No evidence was presented (John 18:29–30). Pilate, after a brief interview, saw that Jesus was not guilty (John 18:38; 19:4; Matthew 27:18). Fearing the crowd, however, he allowed the crucifixion of an innocent man. Pilate did not even pronounce Him guilty; He merely turned Him over to the soldiers. In fact, as Pilate pronounced Him to be innocent, He had to be released, according to the law, at that moment.

What a mockery of justice this trial was! All this illegality, in addition to His crucifixion, Jesus willingly suffered to pay the penalty of sins in our stead!

In the foreword in the book “The Trial of Jesus” by J C McRuer, Chief Justice of the High Court for Ontario, Canada, the following comments are made about the author: “Never have I seen the evidence of injustice in the trial of Jesus so well collated and united, and the cumulative effect of violation after violation of injustice and illegality is most profound.”

Jesus Was Murdered

In our free booklet, “Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery!”, under Part 4, we discuss numerous additional reasons which show that His arrest, “trial” and crucifixion were illegal and that He was murdered by the Romans and the Sanhedrin. For instance, even after the sentence had been issued, the Sanhedrin had the legal duty to reconvene if a new witness in favor of the accused showed up. Judas was that new witness. He said, “I have betrayed innocent blood.” The Sanhedrin, however, violated that legal duty as well.

Quoting from our above-mentioned booklet, we say this:

“The Bible confirms that Christ was murdered. It was not an execution of a legally charged and legally convicted person. It was a state-approved and state-commanded murder. His disciples were not afraid to say so.” We then quote among other passages Acts 5:27–30 and Acts 7:51–52, where Peter and the apostles and Stephen accused the Sanhedrin of having murdered Jesus.

But we also explain in great detail WHY Christ was willing to be wrongfully captured and accused by the Sanhedrin, tortured and subsequently murdered, and what this means for you and for me.

In conclusion, we read in The Wikipedia Encyclopedia:

“Over the centuries, there have been attempts to revive the institution, such as the Grand Sanhedrin convened by Napoleon Bonaparte, and modern attempts in Israel. In October 2004… a group of rabbis representing varied Orthodox communities in Israel undertook a ceremony in Tiberias, where the original Sanhedrin was disbanded, in which it claimed to re-establish the body according to the proposal of Maimonides and the Jewish legal rulings of Rabbi Yosef Karo… As of March 2010, that effort is ongoing and is supported by The Temple Institute.”

It would be interesting if such a Grand Sanhedrin would be re-established prior to Christ’s return, as most Jews will reject Christ when He returns. So will professional Christianity as well.

Chapter 6 — The Essenes, Zealots and Herodians

In this chapter, we will discuss additional influential groups at the time of Jesus, as spoken about in the Bible and also in archaeological and historical records, namely the Essenes, the Zealots (and in passing the tax collectors) and the Herodians.

The Essenes

The Essenes are not mentioned directly in the Holy Bible. However, their existence has been well established, and from what we know about them, it is clear that they would have been at odds with Jesus, His teachings and His practices. Contrary to the opinion of some “experts,” Jesus was most definitely NOT a member of the sect of the Essenes.

The Essenes Were Regulated by Strict Rules 

The Essenes have been described as a “Jewish mystical sect somewhat resembling the Pharisees… They originated about B.C. 100, and disappeared from history after the destruction of Jerusalem” (M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition).

The Smith’s Bible Dictionary says this about the Essenes:

“It seems probable that the name signifies seer, or the silent, the mysterious… There were isolated communities of Essenes, which were regulated by strict rules, analogous to those of the monastic institutions of a later date. All things were held in common, without distinction of property; and special provision was made for the relief of the poor… Slavery, war and commerce [trading] were alike forbidden. Their best-known settlements were on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.”

The Essenes Have Gained Fame Through the Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Wikipedia Encyclopedia states:

“The Jewish historian Josephus records that Essenes existed in large numbers, and thousands lived throughout Roman Judaea … The Essenes lived in various cities but congregated in communal life dedicated to voluntary poverty, daily immersion, and asceticism (their priestly class practiced celibacy). Most scholars claim they seceded from the Zadokite priests… The Essenes have gained fame in modern times as a result of the discovery of an extensive group of religious documents known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are commonly believed to be the Essenes’ library. These documents preserve multiple copies of parts of the Hebrew Bible untouched from possibly as early as 300 BCE until their discovery in 1946.”

The Encyclopedia Britannica adds that “The Essenes, a quasi-monastic dissident group, probably [included] the sect that preserved the Dead Sea Scrolls. This latter sect did not participate in the Temple worship at Jerusalem and observed another religious calendar, and from their desert retreat they awaited divine intervention and searched prophetic writings for signs indicating the consummation.”

We should note that the Dead Sea Scrolls do not contain many Old Testament passages, while including other writings which were not inspired. About 40% are copies of texts from the Hebrew Scriptures. The books of Esther and Nehemiah were not included at all. Approximately another 30% are texts from the Second Temple Period which ultimately were not canonized in the Hebrew Bible, like the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, the Book of Tobit, the Wisdom of Sirach, Psalms 152–155, and others.

It has been claimed that the biblical writings contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls are completely identical with the Hebrew Bible, as we have it today, but that is not true. There are differences, and we must not replace the Bible with the Dead Sea Scrolls. As we pointed out previously in this booklet, God used the scribes to preserve the Hebrew Bible, not the Essenes.

The Essenes Believed in the Immortality of the Soul

The Early Church by Henry Chadwick, pages 13–14, adds the following comments:

“They were a rigidly separatist society… Their life was frugal… Although they did not condemn marriage as wrong, they expected full members of the community to be celibate. They practiced very frequent ritual washings, and had a sacred common meal to which the uninitiated were not admitted…”

Josephus wrote in “The Jewish War” that the Essenes “ritually immersed in water every morning and studied the books of the elders, preserved secrets, and were very mindful of the names of the angels kept in their sacred writings.” Wikipedia adds that “Their theology included belief in the immortality of the soul and that they would receive their souls back after death.” 

They also believed apparently in the coming of two Messiahs. PBS informs us that “Some of their writings talk about a Messiah of David that is a kind of kingly figure who will come to lead the war. But there’s also a Messiah of Aaron, a priestly figure, who will come to restore the Temple at Jerusalem to its proper purity and worship of God.”

Jesus did not belong to the Essenes. For example, Quora.com points out that Mark 7 “records an incident in which Jesus is challenged by the Pharisees because some of his followers do not wash their hands [in a ritual way] before they eat… The Essenes were even stricter about handwashing than the Pharisees, so a lack of concern over this issue reveals a very un-Essene-like philosophy.” 

In addition, Jesus did believe in trading and commerce (Matthew 25:14–16), and He did not uphold the concept of secluded “monasteries” (He sent His disciples into the world); and He upheld the Hebrew calendar. The apostle Paul, reflecting the teachings of Christ, spoke strongly against “asceticism” (Colossians 2:21) and the “worship of angels” (Colossians 2:18). Both Christ and Paul rejected the concept of mandatory celibacy (Hebrews 13:4; 1 Timothy 4:3). They most certainly did not believe in the immortality of the soul (Matthew 10:28). Some feel Jesus had at times encounters with the Essenes. If so, it is obvious that such encounters would not have manifested substantial agreement between them.

The Zealots

Another group at the time of Christ were the Zealots. We have briefly referred to them in chapter 1, dealing with the Pharisees. As we mentioned, the Zealots were a political group with a religious background. 

The Zealots Favored Armed Rebellion Against Rome

thorncrownjournal.com states:

“The New Testament speaks little of the friction between Rome and the Jews. We do know that one of Jesus’ disciples was a [former] zealot. The zealots favored armed rebellion against Rome. They believed that God would deliver Israel with the sword. Their reasoning went back to the days of David. When there was a gentile problem, what did David do? He got out his sword and dealt with it, and God was on his side. Surely, God would raise up a new Son of David who would do the same.”

We hasten to add here that David SINNED when he fought in war. Regarding this often-misunderstood truth, please read our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?” and our free booklet, “Obeying God Rather than Men.”

Continuing with the quote from the above-mentioned source:

“It is interesting that one of Jesus’ disciples, Simon, was a zealot (Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13). Considering the fact that Jesus opposed violent rebellion against Rome, many probably wondered why Jesus would choose such a fellow. The irony increases when we add the fact that Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors were very much in league with Rome. There were probably no two groups of Jews in Palestine who hated each other more than the tax collectors and the zealots. Yet, Jesus chose one of each. Most people probably would have been afraid that these two fellows would kill each other. The Lord wasn’t. He knew the kingdom of God was more powerful than the hatred of men. The very fact Jesus chose two men so opposite in their worldviews was a demonstration of its power.”

God’s Word First states this:

“The term ‘zealot’ in Hebrew means one who is zealous on behalf of God. The term derives from Greek (zelotes), ‘emulator, fanatic, admirer or follower.’ Zealots were known in the time of Jesus as… fanatics who defended the Law of Moses and… the national life of the Jewish people relentlessly opposing any attempt to bring Judea under the dominion of idolatrous Rome… radicalized zealots were a dangerous, unorganized, unpredictable sect… More like revolutionists, many members of this party bore also the name Sicarii, from their custom of going about with daggers (‘sicæ’) hidden beneath their cloaks, with which they would stab anyone found committing a sacrilegious act or anything provoking anti-Jewish feeling…

“The Zealot sect traces its roots back to the Maccabean revolt about 150 BC, about the same time the Pharisees began. The Zealots objected to Roman rule and violently sought to eradicate it by generally targeting the Romans, their Jewish collaborators, and the Sadducees, by raiding for provisions and other activities to aid their cause…

“Some of the more notorious were untrustworthy as they were known to take monetary bribes from the enemy to back off and at times do evil to their own people under deception in order to incite them to engage in action, riot or war whatever the prevailing situation might warrant…”

The Encyclopedia Britannica adds that the Zealots “were aggressive revolutionaries known for their violent opposition to Rome and its polytheisms.”

One of Jesus’ Disciples Was Simon the Zealot

Regarding Simon the Zealot, amazingbibletimeline.com states the following:

“The apostle named Simon the Zealot was mentioned only four times in the Bible, and the Synoptic Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke) named him as one of the Twelve ([Matthew] 10:4; Mark 3:18; and Luke 6:15). Readers find him again in the book of Acts (1:13) after the death of Jesus and his ascension to heaven where Simon and his fellow apostles gathered together to elect a replacement for Judas Iscariot… In some versions of the Bible, Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18 (NRSV) both mentioned him as ‘the Cananaean,’ while Luke tagged him as ‘the Zealot’… Why he was nicknamed as ‘the Zealot’ is still being debated… Perhaps he was involved at some point in his life with the Zealots, a group of nationalistic Jews (sometimes bordered on fanatical) who actively sought independence from Roman rule. They—along with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Idumeans—actively participated in the Roman-Jewish War of the 1st century. It was unclear whether Simon participated as a fighter for them or that he was simply a religious [or political] enthusiast.”

The Bible does not report any encounters between Jesus and the Zealots, but it is clear that they would have known each other (Simon the Zealot being one of His first disciples), and their philosophies on violence, war and peace were diametrically opposite. Jesus NEVER resorted to violence, and He never preached that we should be engaging in violence in any way (John 18:36). Jesus was most certainly not a zealot, as Herod and Pilate recognized (Matthew 27:24; Luke 23:4, 14–15; John 18:38). He had to teach His disciples, however, not to engage in violence either (Matthew 26:51–53). For some of them, this was more difficult to understand than for others, and contrary Jewish influence and traditions had to be eradicated in all of them.

The Herodians

Another group with whom Jesus did have encounters, according to the Bible, were the Herodians.

Wikipedia tells us:

“The Herodians (Herodiani) were a sect of Hellenistic Jews mentioned in the New Testament on two occasions—first in Galilee, and later in Jerusalem— being hostile to Jesus (Mark 3:6, 12:13; Matthew 22:16; cf. also Mark 8:15, Luke 13:31–32, Acts 4:27). In each of these cases their name is coupled with that of the Pharisees who began to plot against Jesus in response to his actions in healing on the Sabbath day, and drew the Herodians into their conspiracy.”

The Jewish Encyclopedia adds about the Herodians:

“Priestly party under the reign of King Herod and his successors; called by the Rabbis ‘Boethusians,’ as adherents of the family of Boethus, whose daughter Mariamne was one of the wives of King Herod, and whose sons were successively made high priests by him. They followed the Sadducees in their opposition to the Pharisees, and were therefore often identified with the former… According to the Gospels, their plot against the life of Jesus was supported by the Pharisees… wherefore Jesus warned his disciples, saying ‘Beware of the leaven [i.e., the teaching] of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod’ (Mark viii. 15; Matt. xvi. 6 has ‘Pharisees’ and ‘Sadducees’)…”

The Herodians Were a Political Party Rather Than a Religious One

Some claim that the Herodians were a religious party, while others contend, perhaps more accurately, that they were strictly public political supporters of King Herod the Great. As such, they had strong teachings, which were detrimentally opposite to Jesus’ teachings.

Wikipedia tells us that “Like the Pharisees, the Herodians wanted political independence for the Jewish people. Unlike the Pharisees, who sought to restore the kingdom of David, the Herodians wished to restore a member of the Herodian dynasty to the throne in Judea.”

gotquestions.org adds:

“The first appearance of the Herodians in Scripture is Mark 3:6, ‘Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.’ Jesus had been doing miracles, which caused some of the people to believe in Him for salvation, and that threatened the power and position of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians. The Herodians again joined with the Pharisees to challenge Jesus, to see if they could trap Jesus in His words by a trick question, to either discredit Him or to get Him to stop preaching (Matthew 22:16).

“Jesus regarded the two groups as in unity against Him and warned His followers against them… Many scholars believe that the Herodians looked to Herod as a messiah, a savior of sorts who would put the Jewish land in favor with the Roman Empire and bring blessings to them. Jesus’ presentation of Himself as the Messiah was a threat to the Herodians’ attempt to make Herod the influential political power in the land.”

Christ was also rejected by the Herodians because He did not engage in politics, in support of King Herod or any other human ruler. Even though He taught to pay taxes and not to engage in violent rebellion against the government, He did not “accommodate” Herod (who wanted to kill Him and whom He called a fox; Luke 13:31–32) when He was asked to perform miracles for Herod’s entertainment (Luke 23:8).

Conclusion

In the first part of this booklet, we have looked at the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes, the Elders, the Sanhedrin, the Essenes, the Zealots and the Herodians. There were other religious groups at the time of Jesus, but these were the principal players at that time.

J C McRuer states:

“Whatever may have been the theological and philosophical differences between the Pharisees and Sadducees [and the other groups which we discussed herein], Jesus’ early ministry arrested the attention of the leaders of both [rather, all] parties. They saw in His teaching new concepts of human values and human obligations – concepts that, if allowed to take root and grow, would destroy not only much of the power they wielded in religious [and political] affairs, but many of the vested interests which were the source of their great wealth. From the early days they were united in one thing – the determination that Jesus’ ministry should be of short duration…

“In the synagogues of Galilee, Jesus’ voice was heard as one with a mission. ‘For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:20) were strong words, revolutionary words, revolutionary words that preached rebellion not against the power of Rome but against special privilege in everything religious. He was a humble man, a carpenter’s son. To the crowds that came to hear him he taught as a man of astonishing knowledge and as one who had authority – not as their scribes.”

In “From Sabbath to Sunday” by Samuele Bacchiocchi, we read the following on page 34:

“Our story provides a fitting example of this prevailing perversion, by contrasting two types of Sabbath-keepers. On the one side stood Christ ‘grieved at the hardness of the heart’ of his accusers and taking steps to save the life of a wretched man (Mark 3:4–5). On the other side stood the experts of the law who even while sitting in a place of worship spent their Sabbath time looking for faults and thinking out methods to kill Christ (Mark 3:2,6). The contrast of attitudes may well provide the explanation to Christ’s questions about the legitimacy of saving or killing on the Sabbath (Mark 3:4), namely that the person who is not concerned for the physical and spiritual salvation of others on the Sabbath is automatically involved in destructive efforts or attitudes.”

This sums up the massive difference between the approach of Jesus Christ and the religious (and political) leaders nearly 2,000 years ago and what our Savior had to contend with during His earthly ministry.

It is interesting to note that while the common denominator of the different religious (and political) groups at that time was the destruction of Jesus, there was apparent disunity between the various sects of Judaism at that time on many other issues. Today, we have disunity between the very many different groups in mainstream Christianity, all of whom have considerable differences with apostolic Christianity which is the basis for the understanding of the true Church of God.

It is also an interesting exercise to review the religious environment that Jesus was born into, and His teaching seemed revolutionary to many at that time. It was certainly in sharp contrast to the mainstream Judaic beliefs, and this was deemed to threaten the position and standing of the ruling religious elite.

In the end, they seemed to have succeeded when Jesus was crucified but, instead of that being the end of His teaching, it was, in fact, just the beginning as we see down through the events of the last 2,000 years.

However, the same sort of situation is also prevalent today. The true Church of God which teaches apostolic Christianity without any additions or deletions is criticized and accused by the mainstream churches of today. What an apt comparison that is, but nothing really changes!

When Jesus Christ does return to set up the Kingdom of God on earth (not in heaven as many mainstream churches seem to believe), the people of God, baptized faithful and loyal spiritually-begotten members of the Church that Jesus founded nearly two millennia ago, will become born-again members of the God Family. They will teach the Truth during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment period, which have generally been discarded today and seen as in error by mainstream Christianity, which itself, as we will see in Part 3 of this booklet, is full of errors and syncretism and, at last, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

Part 2

Chapter 1 — Most Jews in Denial

In this second part, we will discuss the indisputable fact that most of today’s Jews are in denial and therefore also at odds with the true Jesus of the Bible. 

As the Jews reject Jesus Christ, they are still waiting for a Messiah. The Jews rejected Jesus when He was on earth, and Judaism has continued with that rejection up until the present time. 

A Few Jews Did Believe Him Then, But Most Did Not

Some Jews at the time that Jesus was on earth did believe in Him. In our booklet, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People,” we read on page 60 the following under the heading “Some Jews Believed in Christ”:

“Some Jews believed what Paul taught, as noted in Acts 17:1–4: ‘Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.’”

We also continue to state on pages 60–61, under the heading, “Most Jews Did Not Believe”:

“Most Jews rejected what Paul taught: ‘On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles”… But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region’ (Acts 13:44–46, 50).

“Later in his ministry, being a prisoner, Paul was taken to Rome. Nonetheless, he was still able to teach those who came to him. Among those were leaders of the Jews in Rome (Acts 28:17), and Paul spoke to them: ‘So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved’ (Acts 28:23–24).”

The Jews Killed Jesus Because of Ignorance

Continuing on pages 61–62 under the heading, “Why the Rejection?”:

“Paul explained why most of the Jews rejected Jesus, using the analogy of the veil that Moses had to place over his face, due to the glory of his countenance, following his presence before God: ‘But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away’ (2 Corinthians 3:14–16).

“Paul made it clear that the rulers killed Jesus because they did not understand the wisdom of God, as written in 1 Corinthians 2:7–8: ‘But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.’

“Christ confirmed this fact, praying to God the Father to forgive His murderers, because ‘they do not know what they do’ (Luke 23:34).

“On the other hand, it is true that the Pharisees had some knowledge about the person of Christ. Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees, came to Christ by night and told Him: ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him’ (John 3:2).

“Still, most Pharisees rejected Him because they were envious and did not want to lose their positions in the community (Matthew 27:18; John 11:48). They even accused Him of casting out demons through the power of Satan, which caused Christ to give them a stern warning, since they knew better (Matthew 12:22–32).

“The apostle Peter boldly preached to the Jews about Christ, showing again that the Jews were ‘ignorant’ as to who Christ was:

“‘The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses… Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled’ (Acts 3:13–15, 17–18).

“The people did not really understand who Christ was. Christ asked His disciples: ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ The disciples answered: ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or some of the prophets.’ When Jesus asked them: ‘But who do you say that I am?’, Peter answered: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Christ responded that this revelation had to come from God the Father; otherwise, he would not have understood this either (compare Matthew 16:13–17).”

We read in John 1:10–11: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” Since that time, this rejection of Jesus as the Messiah has been the approach of most Jews down through the last 2,000 years.

On the website jewsforjesus, we read the following:

“[It is for religious] reasons [that] most Jews do not believe in Jesus… Rabbis, religious leaders and religious followers will [say] that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because he did not fulfill the job requirements.”

The Jews Do Not Believe That Jesus Fulfilled the Messianic Prophecies

Continuing with the quote:

“Judaism does not believe that Jesus was the Messiah because He did not fulfill any messianic prophecies. ‘Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war anymore’ (Isaiah 2:4).’ Far from establishing world peace, Jesus himself said he came to divide ‘father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother’ (Luke 12:53, ESV). In fact, there has been more bloodshed in the name of Jesus rather than peace. How can anyone argue that Jesus is the promised Messiah according to the Jewish Scriptures?”

It is indeed true that there has been violence down through the ages, but this cannot be justified by quoting the above-mentioned passage in Luke 12. There, Christ did not advocate any violence against others, but He pointed out that His Word—the Truth—is a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17; and Revelation 1:16) which will divide truth from error and cause those who do not believe to persecute those who do.

The quoted website explains this quite succinctly:

“These many atrocities and this tragic legacy are a stain on those who call themselves Christians and identify with those who claim to share the same faith. However, we must ask ourselves, is any of this what Jesus taught his followers to do? Is there a single New Testament writer who advocated violence and called for injury to the Jews? Jesus himself declared, ‘all who take the sword will perish by the sword’ (Matthew 26:52, ESV). Contrary to the early church fathers, Paul declared that God has not rejected the Jews. ‘Has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite’ (Romans 11:1, ESV). It is clear that this tragic legacy of those who identify themselves with Jesus does not follow the instructions of Jesus or the New Testament writers.”

Today, Judaism rejects Jesus as the Messiah but some Jews claim that they accept Him.

The Jewish Virtual Library estimates that there are 14,707,400 Jews worldwide and the jewsforjesus website states that “Statistics of how many Jews embrace Jesus range wildly from 1.7 million Jewish adults to 175,000 Messianic Jews in the US. Some have argued that these figures represent Jews who are assimilated, disaffected, and otherwise uneducated in Judaism. However, the historical record would disagree. Some who embraced Jesus are among the most educated in Judaism such as Israel Zolle, the chief rabbi of Rome during World War II; Isaac Lichtenstein, district rabbi of Tapio-Szele in Hungary, who after 35 years serving his synagogue, at age 60, publicly declared to his congregation he discovered Yeshua is the Messiah; and Leopold Cohn, the Grand Rabbi of Austria-Hungary. Even today, there are Jews with different degrees of educations and observance, courageous enough to explore whether Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah in spite of the dictates of traditions and religious authorities.”

However, it is clear from these estimates that the vast majority of Jewish people do not accept Jesus as the Messiah (or even claim that they do), and that is the view of the Judaic faith.

The Jewish Idea of the Mashiach Is That of a Great Human Leader

This information gives us the basis to review the reasons WHY the great majority of the Jews dismiss Jesus as the Savior of mankind. To look at what Jews believe today, we will quote from the website jewfaq.org as follows:

“The idea of mashiach (messiah) is an ancient one in Judaism. The Jewish idea of mashiach is a great human leader like King David, not a savior. There is much speculation about when the mashiach will come. The Bible identifies several tasks that the mashiach will accomplish. Jews do not believe in Jesus because he did not accomplish these tasks.”

The article continues:

“Jews do not believe that Jesus was the mashiach. [According to their reasoning, even “assuming” that he existed, and assuming that the Christian scriptures are accurate in describing him (both matters that are debatable [in the eyes of the Jews]), [the Jews believe that] he simply did not fulfill the mission of the mashiach as it is described in the biblical passages cited above. Jesus did not do any of the things that the scriptures said the messiah would do.”

Proof That Jesus Did Exist

Then there are those—Jews and others, including agnostics and atheists—who claim that Jesus never lived. This stance is absurd. 

In our booklet “Jesus Christ—A Great Mystery!”, this question is immediately addressed under the heading, “Did Jesus Exist?”, beginning on page 1, and below is a brief extract (we recommend, however, to read the entire chapter in our booklet, proving beyond doubt the existence of Jesus):

“Is there any historical proof that a person called Jesus Christ ever existed? Although it is sometimes claimed by atheists and agnostics that the very person of Jesus was an invention by early writers, very few educated people down through history have doubted the existence of Christ. There are more than 1,000 works of literature that were written very early in Church history affirming the existence of Christ, and much of it was written by pagans or Jews—people who acknowledged His existence, but denied that He was, indeed, the Son of God.

“H.G. Wells wrote in ‘Outline of History’: ‘… one is obliged to say, “Here was a man. This part of the tale could not have been invented.”’ Will Durant, professor of philosophy, and a non-Christian, wrote extensively about Christ’s existence and His effect on society in ‘The Story of Civilization.’ The Encyclopedia Britannica refers to Christ more than 20,000 times—more than Socrates, Aristotle, Buddha, Napoleon, Confucius, Mohammed, or Shakespeare. It says in one instance: ‘These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds by the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries.’

“John Singleton Copley, also known as Lord Lyndhurst, one of the greatest legal minds in British history, once commented in this way on the existence of Christ, His death, and His resurrection: ‘I know pretty well what evidence is: and I tell you, such evidence as that for the resurrection has never broken down yet.’ Also, Lord Chief Justice of England, Lord Darling, once said: ‘no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in a verdict that the resurrection story is true.’

“Consider also this brief synopsis of many other non-Biblical sources attesting to the historical authenticity of Jesus Christ:

“The Huleatt fragments were written in AD 50 and contain the quote from Matthew 26:7–15, referring to Christ’s anointing with oil.

“Tatian, the Syrian, wrote in AD 170 that, ‘God was born in the form of a man’ (Address to the Greeks 21).

“Melito of Sardis wrote in AD 177 about the baptism of Christ and His miracles (Fragment in Anastasius of Sinai’s The Guide 13).

“Thallus, a Samaritan historian, wrote in AD 52 about the darkness that occurred at the crucifixion of Christ.

“Mara Bar-Serapion wrote in AD 73 to his son about the death of Socrates, Pythagoras and Jesus.

“Cornelius Tacitus wrote in AD 112 or AD 115 in his Annal (15.14) that ‘Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberias.’

“Lucian of Samostasa (AD 115–200) wrote about Christ as ‘the man who was crucified in Palestine because he introduced this new cult into the world.’

“Phlegon wrote in his ‘Chronicles’ in AD 140 about the ability of Jesus to foresee future events.

“In addition, Christian authors such as Clement of Rome [AD 30–101], Ignatius [martyred in AD 117], a writer naming himself Barnabas [in the Epistle of Barnabas, written between AD 70 and 135], and Justyn Martyr [AD 100–165] wrote about Christ and His followers.

“The Jewish Talmud contains several references to Jesus Christ. It states on one occasion, ‘On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged’ (The Babylonian Talmud, vol. iii, Sanhedrin 43a, p. 281). Another quote states, ‘Our rabbis taught: Yeshu had five disciples—Mattai [i.e. Matthew], Nakkai, Netzer, Buni and Yodah’ (from Sanhedrin 43a). Other sources talk about Christians who were following Christ (compare, Aristides, Apology 16 [AD 140]; Pliny the Younger [AD 112]; and Suetonius [AD 120]).”

That Jesus existed and lived on earth as a human being is beyond the shadow of any doubt. But many Jews who believe in His existence as a human being reject the accuracy of the New Testament Scriptures. That position will be discussed in the next chapter. 

Chapter 2 — The Jews Question the Accuracy of the New Testament Scriptures

In the previous chapter, we began to look at the fact that the Jews rejected Jesus when He was on earth and Judaism has continued with that rejection up until the present time. One of the reasons why Jews have rejected Jesus is the false notion that He did not even exist. We refuted this claim by looking at the evidence that shows that Jesus did exist with proof from many sources.

As alluded to in the previous chapter, Jews also reject Jesus as the Messiah because they question the accuracy of the New Testament Scriptures, and they state that He simply did not fulfill the mission of the Messiah.

The New Testament is an Accurate Record of Jesus’ Life on Earth

Of course, the New Testament is accurate in describing Jesus, His life and His mission. We firmly believe that there are no contradictions in the Bible. However, we would agree that He did not fulfill the mission of the “mashiach”—the Judaic belief which we will show to be in error. We will also show why Jews reject clear Old Testament passages identifying Jesus as the Messiah.

Regarding the many proofs for the infallibility of the original writings of the New Testament, please consult our free booklet, “The Authority of the Bible,” chapters 3–6.

In addition, on the website crosswalk.com, we read the following:

“We should believe the Bible because Christ believed the Bible. Such reasoning may sound circuitous or circular. It is not. As the British theologian John Wenham argued, Christianity is rooted first and foremost in faith in a person: ‘Hitherto Christians who have been unaware about the status of the bible have been caught in a vicious circle: any satisfactory doctrine of the Bible must be based on the teaching of the Bible, but the teaching of the Bible is itself suspect. The way out of the dilemma is to recognize that belief in the Bible comes from faith in Christ, and not vice versa.’ In other words, confidence in the Bible rests upon confidence in Christ. Is Christ who He said He was? Is He just a great man or is He the Lord? The Bible may not prove to you Jesus Christ is the Lord, but the lordship of Christ will prove to you that the Bible is the very word of God. This is because Christ regularly spoke about the authority of the Old Testament (see Mark 9). He claimed authority for His own teaching by saying, ‘I tell you’ (see Matthew 5). Jesus even taught that the teaching of His disciples would have divine authority (see John 14:26). If Jesus Christ is trustworthy, then His words about the authority of the Bible should be trusted as well. Christ is trustworthy and He trusted God’s Word. So should we. Without faith in Christ, you will not believe the Bible is the self-disclosure of God. With faith in Christ, you cannot help but believe the Bible is God’s Word.”

We read in Luke 24:44 these words of Jesus: “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’” By this, Jesus endorsed the Old Testament Scriptures (which the Jews accepted anyway, at least so they said.)

Failed Human Messiahs

Continuing with the statement from the website jewfaq.org: 

“On the contrary, another Jew born about a century later came far closer to fulfilling the messianic ideal [as taught and believed in by Judaism] than Jesus did. [We will see later what the (false) Jewish concept of the Messiah really means.] His name was Shimeon ben Kosiba, known as Bar Kokhba (son of a star), and he was a charismatic, brilliant, but brutal warlord. Rabbi Akiba, one of the greatest scholars in Jewish history, believed that Bar Kokhba was the mashiach. Bar Kokhba fought a war against the Roman Empire, catching the Tenth Legion by surprise and retaking Jerusalem. He resumed sacrifices at the site of the Temple and made plans to rebuild the Temple. He established a provisional government and began to issue coins in its name. This is what the Jewish people were looking for in a mashiach; Jesus clearly does not fit into this mold. Ultimately, however, the Roman Empire crushed his revolt and killed Bar Kokhba. After his death, all acknowledged that he was not the mashiach.

“Throughout Jewish history, there have been many people who have claimed to be the mashiach, or whose followers have claimed that they were the mashiach: Shimeon Bar Kokhba, Shabbatai Tzvi, Jesus, and many others too numerous to name. Leo Rosten reports some very entertaining accounts under the entry for meshiekh in The New Joys of Yiddish. But all of these people died without fulfilling the mission of the mashiach; therefore, none of them were the mashiach. The mashiach and the Olam Ha-Ba lie in the future, not in the past.”

In this statement above, we read that “another Jew (Bar Kokhba) born about a century later came far closer to fulfilling the messianic ideal than Jesus did.” They further write that “Jesus does not fit into this mold” after discussing “Bar Kokhba (son of a star), and state that he was a “charismatic, brilliant, but brutal warlord.”

Jesus Commanded His Followers to Be Peacemakers, Not Warlords

We should be very happy that Jesus did not fit into such a mold; in fact, His approach for Him, as a Man, and for His disciples was exactly the opposite, as we read in Matthew 26:51–53: “And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?’” (See also Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50–51; John 18:10).

Jesus also sternly rebuked His disciples as we read in Luke 9:54–56 when they wanted to command fire down from heaven to destroy the Samaritans after they had refused to give them shelter. In Matthew 5, we read of Jesus’ approach; verse 9 commands us to be peacemakers, not warmongers, and not even to get angry with your brother without a cause; verses 22–25 talk about reconciliation, and verses 38–42 tell us to “turn the other cheek” (an Aramaic idiom), instead of resorting to violence. These were Christ’s instructions then and for now. Jesus certainly did not fit into the category that the Jews were looking for, that of a human warlord.

As will be shown below, Christ WILL fight when He returns to this earth, but then He will come as GOD. However, when He became a Man and was here on earth, in the flesh, born of a woman, born under the law, to fulfill His role as a human Messiah and to overcome sin in the flesh and to suffer and die for us, He categorically refused to fight, and He rejected war in any manner, shape or form.

Judaism Misunderstands the Old Testament Messianic Prophecies

The huge mistake in Judaism is that they misunderstand the Old Testament Scriptures Which Clearly Reveal That The Messiah Would Have to come TWICE—first as a human being who would suffer and die for mankind and thereby bring about forgiveness of sin; and second, as God who will establish the Kingdom of God on earth “in the last days” and rule all of mankind with a rod of iron.

While confusing these passages and believing that the Messiah would only come once to fulfill all these Old Testament prophecies at the time when He will appear to rule mankind, many Jews and modern Judaism reject the supreme Sacrifice of Christ and the fact that the Messiah would have to come FIRST to DIE for mankind. (In fact, they do not even believe that the Messiah would come to die for man.) As we will see, they totally pervert Scriptures in the Old Testament which establish this, by giving them a distorted meaning.

Returning to jewfaq.org, they give the additional information:

“The following passages in the Jewish scriptures are the ones that Jews consider to be messianic in nature or relating to the end of days. These are the ones that we rely upon in developing our messianic concept:

“Isaiah 2, 11, 42; 59:20

“Jeremiah 23, 30, 33; 48:47; 49:39

“Ezekiel 38:16

“Hosea 3:4–3:5

“Micah 4

“Zephaniah 3:9

“Zechariah 14:9

“Daniel 10:14.”

They certainly apply to the Messiah and the end times, but they see them to be fulfilled by a human warlord as mentioned in the case of Shimeon ben Kosiba who was thought at one time to be the “mashiach,” as well as others, but the reality for them has not yet happened. When these Scriptures are reviewed, it seems clear that they are all about the time at the end and the beginning of the Kingdom of God on earth when Jesus Christ, as the immortal and eternal GOD BEING, will be King of kings and Lord of lords (see Revelation 17:14 and 19:16). 

For example, Isaiah 2 is about the future house of God when “He (that is Jesus who is God) will teach us His ways”—not some human warlord. Zechariah 14:9 speaks about the time when “the LORD shall be King over all the earth,” not some human being. These and many other verses have been explained in a number of our booklets about biblical prophecy.

Before we move on to review further information as to what the Jews are looking for, it is appropriate to explain why we do believe that Jesus Christ, at His first Coming, was indeed the Messiah.

On the website bibleprobe.com, a list of 365 Messianic Prophecies is given from Genesis to Malachi that Jesus fulfilled, when He was here on earth during His first Coming as a HUMAN BEING. Of course, space prohibits listing all of these. (In fact, others, like Edersheim, see below, claim that Jesus, when He was here on earth as a human being, fulfilled as many as 456 Old Testament prophecies.)

Mathematical Probability That Jesus Is the Christ

On the website empower.global, we read about the “Mathematical Probability” That Jesus Is The Christ And That He Fulfilled the prophecies about Him as a human being during His first Coming:

“A professor at Westmont College has calculated the probability of one man fulfilling the major prophecies made concerning the Messiah. The estimates were worked out by twelve different classes representing some 600 university students. The students carefully weighed all the factors, discussed each prophecy at length, and examined the various circumstances which might indicate that men had conspired together to fulfill a particular prophecy. They made their estimates conservative enough so that there was finally unanimous agreement even among the most skeptical students. However the professor then took their estimates, and made them even more conservative. He also encouraged other skeptics or scientists to make their own estimates to see if his conclusions were more than fair.

“Finally, he submitted his figures for review to a committee of the American Scientific Affiliation. Upon examination, they verified that his calculations were dependable and accurate in regard to the scientific material presented. For example, concerning Micah 5:2, where it states the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, the professor and his students determined the average population of BETHLEHEM from the time of Micah to the present; then they divided it by the average population of the earth during the same time period. They concluded that the chance of one man being born in Bethlehem was one in 300,000.

“After examining only eight different prophecies, they conservatively estimated that the chance of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies was one in 10^17. To illustrate how large the number 10^17 is (a figure with 17 zeros), the professor gave this illustration: If you mark one of ten tickets, and place all the tickets in a hat, and thoroughly stir them, and then ask a blindfolded man to draw one, his chance of getting the right ticket is one in ten. Suppose that we take 10^17 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They’ll cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up the one silver dollar that has the special mark on it. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would’ve had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time.

“In financial terms, is there anyone who would not invest in a financial venture if the chance of failure were only one in 10^17? This is the kind of sure investment we’re offered by God for faith in His Messiah.

“From these figures, the professor concludes the fulfillment of these eight prophecies alone proves that God inspired the writing of the prophecies – the likelihood of mere chance is only one in 10^17. Another way of saying this is that any person who minimizes or ignores the significance of the biblical identifying signs concerning the Messiah would be foolish.

“But, of course, there are many more than eight prophecies. In another calculation, the professor used 48 prophecies (even though he could have used Edersheim’s 456), and arrived at the extremely conservative estimate that the probability of 48 prophecies being fulfilled in one person is the incredible number 10^157. How large is 10^157? 10^157 contains 157 zeros!

“The professor gives an illustration of this number using electrons. Electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES 10^15 of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one inch long. With this introduction, let’s go back to our chance of one in 10^157. Let’s suppose that we’re taking this number of electrons, marking one, and thoroughly stirring it into the whole mass, then blindfolding a man and letting him try to find the right one. What chance has he of finding the right one? What kind of a pile will this number of electrons make? They make an inconceivably large volume.

“This is the result from considering a mere 48 prophecies. Obviously, the probability that 456 prophecies would be fulfilled in one man by chance is vastly smaller. Once one goes past one chance 10^50, the probabilities are so small that it is impossible to think that they will ever occur.

“As the professor concludes, ‘Any man who rejects Christ as the Son of God is rejecting a fact, proved perhaps more absolutely than any other fact in the world.’”

There Are Hundreds of Old Testament Prophecies That Jesus Fulfilled

We have given conclusive proof that Jesus did exist and have quoted the source that shows that there are 365 [or even 456] Messianic Prophecies in the Old Testament that are given that Jesus fulfilled from the book of Genesis to Malachi. We have further shown that the mathematical probability that Jesus is the Christ and that He was and is the Messiah is overwhelming.

Many Jews claim that Jesus (if they believe that He existed) knew the Old Testament Scriptures and just arranged His life in such a way that it appeared as if they were to apply to Him. But they should readily admit that there are hundreds of prophecies, concerning the Messiah, over which He, as a human being, could have had no influence or control. For example, how could He have “inspired” Judas to betray Him for 30 shekels of silver? How could He have arranged it to be born in Bethlehem; and how could He have influenced His parents to flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod?

There is no doubt that due to a misunderstanding of Scripture, the expectations of the Jewish people of that time were that of a leader who would liberate them from the oppressive yoke that the Romans had laid on them, and when Jesus came preaching a gospel of love even for one’s enemies, and when He subsequently died without replacing the Roman government and establishing Jewish rule over the land, those expectations remained unfulfilled for most of the Jews at that time. Jesus stood in stark contrast to other false messiahs that had arisen and failed.

Chapter 3 — The Messianic Idea in Judaism

In the previous chapters, we looked at proof of Jesus’ existence and that He was indeed the Messiah, promised in the Old Testament.

Let us return to the website jewfaq.org and continue to look at the Messianic idea in Judaism.

“Belief in the eventual coming of the mashiach is a basic and fundamental part of traditional Judaism. It is part of Rambam’s 13 Principles of Faith, the minimum requirements of Jewish belief. In the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, recited three times daily, we pray for all of the elements of the coming of the mashiach: ingathering of the exiles; restoration of the religious courts of justice; an end of wickedness, sin and heresy; reward to the righteous; rebuilding of Jerusalem; restoration of the line of King David; and restoration of Temple service.

“Modern scholars suggest that the messianic concept was introduced later in the history of Judaism, during the age of the prophets. They note that the messianic concept is not explicitly mentioned anywhere in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible).

“However, traditional Judaism maintains that the messianic idea has always been a part of Judaism. The mashiach is not mentioned explicitly in the Torah, because the Torah was written in terms that all people could understand, and the abstract concept of a distant, spiritual, future reward was beyond the comprehension of some people. However, the Torah contains several references to ‘the End of Days’ (acharit ha-yamim), which is the time of the mashiach; thus, the concept of mashiach was known in the most ancient times.”

This explanation, that the Messiah is not mentioned in the Torah because people could not understand the abstract concept of a distant reward, is silly and laughable. God inspired the writing of the five books of Moses, and they do contain numerous references to the end time and to the coming of the Messiah (compare Genesis 3:14–15; 22:18; 49:10).

The Jews Believe That the Human Mashiach Will Be Anointed as King in the End of Days

Continuing with the above-mentioned quote:

“The term ‘mashiach’ literally means ‘the anointed one,’ and refers to the ancient practice of anointing kings with oil when they took the throne. The mashiach is the one who will be anointed as king in the End of Days.

“The word ‘mashiach’ does not mean ‘savior.’ The notion of an innocent, divine or semi-divine being who will sacrifice himself to save us from the consequences of our own sins is a purely Christian concept that has no basis in Jewish thought…

“The mashiach will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). The mashiach is often referred to as ‘mashiach ben David’ (mashiach, son of David). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments (Isaiah 11:2–5). He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.

“It has been said that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the mashiach. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person’s lifetime, then that person will be the mashiach. But if that person dies before he completes the mission of the mashiach, then that person is not the mashiach.”

It is interesting to read that the mashiach will not be a “being who will sacrifice himself for us” and that he will be “a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.” These statements are all false, and need to be properly reviewed.

As we explained previously, it was prophesied in the Old Testament that the Messiah would come twice—first, as a human being to DIE for mankind; and second, as God to rule this earth forever.

Isaiah 53 Refers to the Birth of Jesus, Not to the Jewish Nation

Regarding His first coming as a human being, this is clearly prophesied in Isaiah 53. However, Judaism rejects today the clearly revealed and intended meaning, but this was not always the case.

We explain in our free booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?” in chapter 7, “The rejected prophecies of Isaiah 53,” that all the statements mentioned in that chapter were fulfilled by Christ at His first coming. In addition, we state, beginning with page 37:

“The Ryrie Study Bible explains:

“‘Traditional Jewish interpretation understood the passage to be speaking of the Messiah, as, of course, did the early Christians, who believed Jesus to be the Messiah (Acts 8:35). Not until the 12th century did the view emerge that the NATION [of] ISRAEL is referred to, a view that has since become DOMINANT JUDAISM. But the servant is distinguished from the “people” (Isaiah 53:8). He is an innocent victim, something that could not be said of the nation (53:9).’

“Sadly, however, as stated above, Judaism today rejects Isaiah 53 as applying to the Messiah, but teaches that it refers to the JEWISH NATION.

“Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible states in his introduction to Isaiah 53: ‘The Jews have endeavored to apply it to their sufferings in captivity…’”

Similar ridiculous interpretations allege, as we continue to explain, that the “Servant” applies to the people, holding that “the PEOPLE—NOT GOD—will bring about the work of salvation.”

Isaiah 53:8 states that “My Servant” (Isaiah 52:13) “was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.” Daniel 9:26 explains that it is the “Messiah” who “shall be cut off, but not for Himself.” So clearly, the Messiah is identified as the Servant who would come as a human being to DIE for our transgressions.

But the Messiah was no ordinary human being. He was God in the flesh (“Immanuel,” compare Isaiah 7:14; literally “God with us”). He would be born in Bethlehem as “The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

Jesus’ Return to Earth Will Be as the Supernatural Son of God

When He comes a second time, He will NOT come as a human being, as it is falsely alleged in the above-quoted website article. IF He were to come as a human being, He would ultimately die (something, which the Muslims believe; compare our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy”, Appendix 1, “Will there be a Mahdi?”, pages 61–62). But this is not what the Old Testament says.

The Messiah was God, before He became a man and died; and when He returns, He will come as God—the Son of God the Father. He will rule as God—the God of Jacob (Isaiah 2:3). His name will be “Mighty God”; and “of His government and peace There will be no end”; it will “remain forever” (Isaiah 9:6–7). Daniel 7:13–14 describes how He—“One like the Son of Man”—is brought before God the Father—the “Ancient of Days” to receive a kingdom and glory and an “everlasting dominion Which shall not pass away,” proving that the Messiah could not be a mere man when He takes over the rule over this earth who would subsequently die in due time. Rather, He will live and rule forever.

For further proof, please read our free booklets, “God Is a Family” and “The Book of Zachariah—Prophecies for Today.”

The Ruling Messiah Could Not Be a Human Being

That the ruling Messiah could not be a mere man is also obvious from the following considerations:

We know that mankind has been on the earth for around 6,000 years after God created Adam and then Eve. After about 1,650 years, mankind had gone off the track so much and was so evil that we read: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

“And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:5–8).

Then God started again through Noah and his family and eventually, man went off track yet again and has continued to do so throughout all of those years.

How many wars have been fought during the last 6,000 years? Hundreds, maybe thousands or even tens of thousands, who can know? However, it is man’s aggression and lust for power that guarantees that these will continue while man is in charge on earth.

In Wikipedia under the heading of “World Peace,” we read:

“World peace, or peace on Earth, is the concept of an ideal state of happiness, freedom and peace within and among all people and nations on Planet Earth. This idea of world nonviolence is one motivation for people and nations to willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that has this objective. Different cultures, religions, philosophies, and organizations have varying concepts on how such a state would come about.

“Various religious and secular organizations have the stated aim of achieving world peace through addressing human rights, technology, education, engineering, medicine or diplomacy used as an end to all forms of fighting. Since 1945, the United Nations and the five permanent members of its Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) have operated under the aim to resolve conflicts without war or declarations of war. Nonetheless, nations have entered numerous military conflicts since then.”

God gave the nation of Israel a choice. We read in Leviticus 26 they were given a promise of blessings (verses 1–14), but if they went down the wrong path, there would be cursings (verses 15–45). We know from history that they, so often, chose the wrong way.

Today, we see the state of the world and no man can change what is happening. First of all, the Ten Commandments would have to be kept so that society would be regulated in the right way. Then everyone would have to worship the one true God. “There is salvation in no other name given among men by which we must be saved” (that of Jesus Christ), as we read in Acts 4:12. The chance, at this time in world history, of that occurring is zero, as only God can call people to the Truth and into His Church, and it is clear that will not happen to everyone on earth at this time.

No man, even leaders like Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Hitler and many others have been able to rule the world, even though they may well have had aspirations to do so. Man is totally incapable in himself to do so, and so it will take a supernatural Being to sort out the mess that man has made. To think that a human leader can arise and convert the whole world to their brand of religion and authority is flying in the face of history. Even the ancient nation of Israel which was God’s chosen nation could not enforce the ways of God on the rest of the world.

An Imposter Will Arise at the End Time Claiming to Be God

There will be someone who will arise and many will be convinced that this man is God, but of course, he is not God, but an imposter. In our booklet “Is That in the Bible?—The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” we read the following on pages 67–68 under the heading: “The Man of Sin in the Temple of God”:

“Another Scripture that indicates the existence of a future temple in Jerusalem, just prior to Christ’s return, can be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4. Paul writes:

“‘Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’

“This ‘man of sin,’ who is also called ‘the lawless one’ in verses 8 and 9, is identified in the book of Revelation as ‘the false prophet’ (compare, for example, Revelation 16:13; 19:20; also see Revelation 13:13–14). This religious figure will deceive people through ‘great signs’ (Revelation 13:13; 19:20). We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 that the coming of the lawless one is ‘according to the working of Satan, with all power, SIGNS and lying wonders.’ This false prophet will receive the power to do these things from none other than Satan and his demons (compare Revelation 16:13–14).

“The Ryrie Study Bible comments:

“‘… the Antichrist [this is an incorrect designation—rather, the passage speaks about the false prophet] will desecrate the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem by placing himself there to be worshipped… This will be the climax of man’s great sin of self-deification, in open defiance of God.’

“The Nelson Study Bible adds:

“‘The man of sin will proclaim himself to be divine and will sit in the temple of God, acting as if he were a god… The man of sin will probably stand in a physical temple in Jerusalem, and declare himself to be a god, the ultimate fulfillment of the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel (Dan. 7:23; 9:26, 27; 11:31, 36, 37; 12:11) and Jesus (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14)…

“The returning Christ will consume the man of sin ‘with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming’ (2 Thessalonians 2:8).”

This man will not be God. He—together with a military leader, the “beast”—will try to convince people that they will create a kingdom to exist and rule forever, but they will fail miserably, as other “messiahs” have failed before them. The “Thousand-Year-Reich” of Adolf Hitler lasted less than 15 years. Right up to just before Jesus Christ returns to this earth, there will be counterfeits and imposters, and the false prophet will fool most people.

For the Jews to think that the mashiach will be “a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being” and that he will be able to subdue all nations and introduce the equivalent of the Kingdom of God on earth is just not possible. It is something that only a great supernatural Being can achieve, and that will be Jesus Christ at His return.

Chapter 4 — According to the Jews, When Will the Mashiach Come and What Will He Do?

We previously looked at the fact that Judaism has been, and is still looking for, a human being to fulfill the role of the “mashaich” who they expect will bring about the millennial prophecies we read about in many books in the Old Testament.

Let us continue to look at the website jewfaq.org where we read further, as follows:

“When Will the Mashiach Come?

“There are a wide variety of opinions on the subject of when the mashiach will come. Some of Judaism’s greatest minds have cursed those who try to predict the time of the mashiach’s coming, because errors in such predictions could cause people to lose faith in the messianic idea or in Judaism itself. This actually happened in the 17th century, when Shabbatai Tzvi claimed to be the mashiach. When Tzvi converted to Islam under threat of death, many Jews converted with him. Nevertheless, this prohibition has not stopped anyone from speculating about the time when the mashiach will come.

 “Although some scholars believed that G-d has set aside a specific date for the coming of the mashiach, most authority suggests that the conduct of mankind will determine the time of the mashiach’s coming.”

The Bible Shows That the Return of Jesus Can Be Delayed or Accelerated

We want to interject here that the above-quoted concept does include elements of truth, but is not entirely correct. We explain in our booklet, “When and How Will Christ Return?,” chapter 4, beginning on page 23, that based on our conduct, we can hasten or delay the coming of the Messiah:

“… we read in 2 Peter 3:12 that we are to be ‘looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God’—the return of Christ… Just as we can hasten Christ’s return, so we can also delay it, to an extent. This can be seen in 2 Peter 3:9: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance’…

“According to 2 Peter 3:9, God may delay Christ’s coming, if Church members, whom God wants to be in His Kingdom, are not ready, due to a lack of serious repentance…

“Some feel that the precise moment of Christ’s return has been fixed for thousands of years—as the Father ‘knows’ the exact moment of Christ’s Second Coming. They say that according to Christ’s words, the Father knew at least 2,000 years ago exactly when He would send back His Son: ‘But of that day and hour no one KNOWS, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only’ (Matthew 24:36). (Mark 13:32 adds that not even the Son of God—Jesus Christ—knows that exact time.)

“However, in light of the fact that Christ’s return can be delayed or accelerated—at least partially because of human conduct—it is very doubtful that God the Father ‘knew’ the exact day and hour of Christ’s return for thousands of years.

“We should note that, according to the two passages in Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32, Christ said that man, angels and Christ do not ‘know,’ but ‘only My Father.’ There is NO VERB here, following ‘My Father,’ so it must be added…

“Acts 1:7 does not say that God ‘knows.’ It only says that it is not for Christ’s disciples to ‘know.’ In regard to the Father, it is stated that He has ‘put this’ in His own power or authority. Reading Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 together with Acts 1:7, it is apparent that the words which need to be supplied in Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 would have to be those showing God’s AUTHORITY to set the date.”

The Luther Bible from 1891 rendered Acts 1:7 in regard to the time of Christ’s coming: “… which the Father has reserved to His power.”

This means then that we can hasten or delay the time of Christ’s coming, until the Father decides that He has waited long enough and that there would be no further delay (compare Revelation 10:6), as otherwise, all of mankind would be destroyed and no one would survive (Matthew 24:22).

The Jews Believe That the Human Mashiach Will Arise When Most Needed

Continuing with the quote from the above-mentioned website:

“In general, it is believed that the mashiach will come in a time when he is most needed (because the world is so sinful), or in a time when he is most deserved (because the world is so good). For example, each of the following has been suggested as the time when the mashiach will come:

“if Israel repented a single day;

“if Israel observed a single Shabbat properly;

“if Israel observed two Shabbats in a row properly;

“in a generation that is totally innocent or totally guilty;

“in a generation that loses hope;

“in a generation where children are totally disrespectful towards their parents and elders…”

This is just man’s mind at work and complete speculation. There are no Scriptures to indicate that any of this will happen under the rule of man.

But let us assume that one of these times, as listed above, came to pass. Could Israel—and do they mean the Jewish nation?—all repent in one day? What about everyone else on earth? It’s never happened in 6,000 years and, even when Jesus returns, there will still be those who will be difficult and disobedient (compare Zechariah 14:16–19).

If Israel (again just the Jews?) observed a single Sabbath properly or two Sabbaths in a row properly, what would that prove? It is impossible at this time that this could ever happen but there is so much more to an obedient God-fearing person than keeping one or two Sabbaths. It is just such a very narrow, restricted activity to be able to make it a possibility for the Messiah to arise. We can liken this to the fact that so many churches and other places of worship were full just after 9/11 when the Twin Towers in New York had been attacked. After a few weeks, things got back to “normal”!

The next qualification would be if a generation is totally innocent or totally guilty. How could a generation all be one way or another? Civilization over the millennia has shown us that generations are made up of people at different levels—the good, the bad and those in between. To think that a generation could all be one way or another is not consistent with 6,000 years of experience.

We are told that the time of the Messiah’s coming will be like the time of Noah (thoroughly evil and wicked), but—like Noah—there will be some who will be righteous. They are called the elect and it is for their sake that Christ will shorten the days and return so that all of mankind will not be destroyed. This includes many members of the true Church of God prior to and during the Great Tribulation and the conversion of 144,000 Israelites and the great multitude of Gentiles prior to the plagues of the Day of the Lord.

According to the opinion of Judaism, as quoted by the writer in the above-mentioned article, the time when the mashiach could arise is when a generation loses hope. Again, this is given as an all-encompassing requirement which is something that has never happened before as there are always those who have a positive mindset even in the most trying of circumstances.

Following the suggestions of Judaism, the last requirement for the human mashiach to arise is when there is a generation where children are totally disrespectful towards their parents and elders. Again, another all-encompassing situation which could never happen in its entirety. The contrary is clearly revealed in Malachi 4:4–6.

Human nature over a period of 6,000 years has amply proved that this world, being ruled by Satan the Devil, will not change under the leadership of a human being. It is also not possible for human beings to become “totally innocent,” nor will it ever happen, due to God’s merciful intervention, that everyone, without exception, will be “totally guilty,” “totally losing hope,” and “totally disrespectful.” But only when someone becomes a Spirit-born member of the Family of God will there be perfection.

The above-quoted article continues:

“Before the time of the mashiach, there shall be war and suffering (Ezekiel 38:16).”

To inject right here, even though this is a very common error in Jewish interpretation, the events in Ezekiel 38 and 39 take place AFTER the coming of the Messiah, not before. Compare our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”

Continuing:

“The mashiach will bring about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by bringing us back to Israel and restoring Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:11–12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4–5).”

The Human Jewish Mashiach Will Bring About Political and Spiritual Redemption 

Just to clarify again, this common false concept of the “Jewish people” is mentioned throughout the article. The Truth is that Christ will not only free the Jews from slavery and bring them back to the Promised Land, but also ALL modern descendants of Jacob or Israel—referred to in the Bible as the houses of Israel AND Judah. Compare again our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”

Continuing:

“He will establish a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles (Isaiah 2:2–4; 11:10; 42:1). He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish its worship (Jeremiah 33:18). He will restore the religious court system of Israel and establish Jewish law as the law of the land (Jeremiah 33:15).”

The Messiah will not “rebuild” the Temple, but He will cleanse an existing Third Temple and free it from pollution. See, for example, our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People.” In addition, He will not establish Jewish law as the law of the land, but the law of GOD (much of Judaism or today’s Jewish laws, customs and traditions are totally against the commandments of God.)

Olam Ha-Ba: The Jewish Messianic Age

Continuing:

“The world after the messiah comes is often referred to in Jewish literature as Olam Ha-Ba (oh-LAHM hah-BAH), the World to Come. This term can cause some confusion, because it is also used to refer to a spiritual afterlife. In English, we commonly use the term ‘messianic age’ to refer specifically to the time of the messiah.

“Olam Ha-Ba will be characterized by the peaceful co-existence of all people (Isaiah 2:4). Hatred, intolerance and war will cease to exist. Some authorities suggest that the laws of nature will change, so that predatory beasts will no longer seek prey and agriculture will bring forth supernatural abundance (Isaiah 11:6–11:9). Others, however, say that these statements are merely an allegory for peace and prosperity.”

These changes are to be understood literally, not just allegorically. Continuing with the article:

“All of the Jewish people will return from their exile among the nations to their home in Israel (Isaiah 11:11–12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4–5). The law of the Jubilee will be reinstated.”

Again, it is all the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah who will have survived the terrible times to come, who will return to the Promised Land. Regarding the law of the Jubilee, see our free booklet, “Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?”

Continuing:

“In the Olam Ha-Ba, the whole world will recognize the Jewish G-d as the only true G-d, and the Jewish religion as the only true religion (Isaiah 2:3; 11:10; Micah 4:2–3; Zechariah 14:9). There will be no murder, robbery, competition or jealousy. There will be no sin (Zephaniah 3:13). Sacrifices will continue to be brought in the Temple, but these will be limited to thanksgiving offerings, because there will be no further need for expiatory offerings.”

The World Will Recognize That God Is a Family

The world will recognize the God of Israel (not just the Jews) as the one and only true God, but we must understand that God is a Family, presently consisting of the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The world will not totally be without sin, as it is impossible for human beings not to sin, but due to the acceptance of the supreme Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, they will be forgiven of their sin upon repentance and belief.

The idea that the Millennial offerings which will be brought will only be “thanksgiving offerings” is clearly false. In fact, burnt offerings and sin offerings and offerings for atonement are specifically mentioned (Ezekiel 40:38; 43:10, 18, 21, 27; 44:11, 27, 29; 45:15–25). We discuss these temporary animal sacrifices in the Millennium in our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”

Continuing:

“Some gentiles have tried to put an ugly spin on this theology, claiming that Jews plan to force people to convert to our religion, perhaps based on their own religion’s history of doing exactly the same thing. That is not at all how Jews understand the messianic age. We believe that in that future time, everyone will simply know what the truth is, in the same way that we know that 2+2=4, and there will no longer be any reason to argue about it. It is much like a situation I witnessed at work once: two computer programmers were arguing loudly and at length about whether it was possible for a user to input data at a certain point in a program. Finally someone pressed a key and they all saw that nothing happened. Now they knew the truth, end of argument. When mashiach comes, theological truths will be equally obvious to mankind, and there will be no reason to argue about it.”

This conclusion is also wrong. As mentioned before, not everyone will accept the Messiah and God’s Law right away. Some will still want to wage war. Others will at first refuse to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. People will have to be educated about God, the true worship of God, and God’s Way of Life (Isaiah 2:1–4). This understanding will not come “automatically.”

However, much of the above applies to the return of Christ (with our comments), but Judaism teaches that it will be brought about by a man. That truly would not be possible as man’s history clearly shows, nor is it God’s plan to do so.

In Galatians 5:22–23 we read: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” The thought that a man could bring about such fruit of the Spirit in every person on earth is way beyond the bounds of possibility. No man can possibly bring about peace on earth—only the great God Himself can do this. And even then, not everyone will submit to God… some will refuse to repent even after the coming of the Messiah. This is also true for the time before His coming.

The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord Precede the Second Coming of Jesus

We must remember that there will be a time of trouble such as never was before nor will be again (see Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21) which is when the Great Tribulation starts which will include the Day of the Lord and, even with such terrible events, there will be those who will still refuse to repent. “And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds” (Revelation 16:9–11).

The question has to be asked if there will be those who refuse to repent even under the most painful and excruciating circumstances, how can a mashiach, a human being, succeed in bringing the whole world into subjection? The simple answer is that it will be God the Father, sending His Son, Jesus Christ, back to the earth to set up the Kingdom of God—not a mortal, flesh and blood human being. Only then, most people will be led to repentance… while some rebels will refuse even then.

There Will Be False Christs at the End Time Deceiving People

We read in Matthew 24:21–27 about the time of Christ’s return:

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

It is interesting that false christs and false prophets will arise at the end time (Matthew 24:24), and Jesus will have to return to save mankind from blowing himself off the face of the planet at precisely the right time. And God’s timing is perfect.

It will be achieved by the returning Savior of mankind, not by some human being for which the task would be impossible.

In addition to the booklets mentioned in this booklet, we have many more free booklets on the biblical Messiah—the Jesus of the Bible—as well as on prophecy which explain in detail what is just ahead of us now and these are available on request.

Conclusion

In this part of the booklet, we have seen why ancient and modern Jews were and are at odds with the true Jesus of the Bible. We saw that Jesus did indeed exist as a human being—although some, if not many, would deny this—and that the New Testament records about him are absolutely true—which is most certainly denied by modern Judaism. 

We also saw that the Jewish concepts of a Messiah are in direct opposition to the biblical revelation. 

In the next part, we will address the fact that nominal Christianity likewise rejects Jesus Christ. 

Part 3 — Nominal Christianity at Odds with Jesus Christ

In previous chapters, we explained why the Jewish establishment and the numerous Jewish sects and fractions were at odds with Jesus, when He was here on earth, and that the Jews are still waiting for the coming of the Messiah, as they reject Jesus as the Messiah. We also saw that the Jewish expectation of their concept of a Messiah is in violation of the Bible. 

In this last part of the booklet, we will point out that nominal or professing Christians are likewise guilty of rejecting the true Jesus of the Bible, albeit for different reasons than the Jews, even though they may not realize this.

This article is a fitting discussion in the context of this booklet, as true Christians are spiritual Jews and Israelites (Romans 2:28–29; Romans 9:6–8; Galatians 6:16; John 4:22–24), while nominal Christians are not spiritual Jews in the eyes of God, but rather belong to those “Jews” who are rejecting Jesus (Revelation 2:9; 3:9).

Nominal Christianity Today Is Not the Same as Apostolic Christianity

There are many concepts nominal Christianity believes in, which we could quote, all being in contradiction to the clear teachings of the Bible. It has been said that virtually everything which the Bible teaches has been rejected or distorted by traditional Christianity. In this chapter, we will be concentrating on some major discrepancies showing that traditional or orthodox professing Christians do in fact reject Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

To begin with, nominal Christians reject the true Jesus Christ as they believe in another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4) and in a different message than the one which Jesus taught (Galatians 1:6–8). They believe in the idea that man has an immortal soul [which will be discussed below] and that therefore, Christians will go to heaven when they die, and that the wicked will go to hell to be tormented forever. All these teachings are wrong and reject the Bible, the written Word of God, and therefore Jesus Christ—the “Logos” or the “Spokesman” or “Speaker,” the spoken WORD of God the Father.

Heaven and Hell

The concepts of “heaven” and “hell” in orthodox Christianity are quite astonishing and troublesome:

Wikipedia writes:

“… in most forms of Christianity, [heaven] is the abode of the righteous dead in the afterlife… According to Catholic… teaching, Mary is said to have been assumed into heaven without the corruption of her earthly body; she is venerated as Queen of Heaven.”

The Bible does not teach us that we go to heaven when we die. Christ taught that no one will go to heaven (John 3:13: “No one ascends to heaven, but He who came down from heaven; that is, the Son of Man…”, Luther Bible 1891). The Bible actually teaches that when we die, we sleep a dreamless sleep, without consciousness, and that we have to be raised from the dead. However, according to the Bible, no one, with the exception of Jesus Christ, was raised from the dead to eternal life. Jesus is the FIRSTBORN of many brethren. Those who died in Christ, including Mary, will be resurrected to eternal life at the time of Christ’s return… not before then (1 Corinthians 15:50; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17). Mary is still dead and in her grave, as everybody else who has died. But the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians believed in and worshipped a goddess in heaven, called Astarte or Ishtar, whom they called the Queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 7:18).

Going to heaven when we die is a doctrine that is NOT contained in Scripture. Neither is the concept of hell.

The Conversation writes:

“In traditional Christian doctrine, hell was conceived as a place, generally beneath the earth, where the wicked would be punished for eternity. There would be both psychological torment – at our knowing we had lost the opportunity for salvation – and physical ones inflicted by the Devil and his demons. There were gnawing worms and unquenchable fires. No escape from hell or mitigation of eternal torment was possible…

“Amidst the gloom, there was one bright spot in the traditional Christian doctrine of hell. Our punishment there would be proportionate to our sins just as our rewards in heaven would be proportionate to our virtues. This sense of proportionality led around the year 1000 CE to the invention of another place between heaven and hell – a place of purification of our sins…

“Purgatory was the place where those who were judged worthy of heaven eventually were purged, purified and punished for their sins before going on to their heavenly reward… The inhabitants were purified by fire…

“The Protestant reformers of the 16th century hated the idea of Purgatory and threw it out… Protestant Christianity therefore returned to the harsh either/or of heaven or hell, determined by God at the time of death (or birth)… Today’s conservative Christians… remain unmoved by the possibility of eventual salvation from hell for everyone. The doctrine of eternal torments in hell has stayed on their theological agenda.”

Hell and Purgatory Are Not Biblical Concepts

The concept of hell and purgatory is not biblical. Those who died without having had an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior in this life will be given the opportunity when they are raised from the dead to a physical temporary existence in the Second Resurrection to qualify then for eternal life (Revelation 20:6, 11–12). If they committed the unpardonable sin, they will be resurrected in a third resurrection to physical life to be burned up in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13–15). They will cease to exist (Obadiah 16; Malachi 4:1, 3).

The Kingdom of God Has Not Yet Come

Nominal Christians also reject Christ by believing that He will not return to set up the Kingdom of God, but that the Kingdom is either the Church or that it is within us. They do not believe that God is the Kingdom, the Family of God, and that true Christians who are begotten today will be BORN into the Kingdom as God beings. Even though some may give lip service to this Truth (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Number 460), they really do not truly believe in it, as reflected by their other teachings (Please read our free booklets, “God is a Family,” and “Are You Already Born Again?”).

The Law of God Is Still In Full Force and Effect Today

Nominal Christians believe in a Jesus who came to do away with the Law of God, even though Christ said the exact opposite (Matthew 5:17–19). They teach against and transgress God’s commandments in order to keep their own traditions. Christ said that in doing so, they worship Him in vain; that is, they reject Him (Matthew 15:7–9; Mark 7:6–9, 13).

The Weekly and Annual Sabbaths Are Still to Be Kept Today

This is especially true for the Sabbath commandment. Jesus is the LORD of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27–28). He created it, as God the Father created everything through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9). Since no one has seen the Father or heard His voice (John 5:37), it was Christ, the God and LORD of the Old Testament, who proclaimed the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai. He told us to KEEP the Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8). But orthodox Christianity has abolished the Sabbath and replaced it with Sunday [calling it the “eighth day”]. The Roman Catholic Church began this movement, due to anti-Semitism and the desire of embracing pagans into their fold who already kept Sunday in honor and worship of their gods, and most Protestant churches have followed the lead of the Catholic Church. In rejecting the Sabbath—God’s creation—they are rejecting Jesus Christ, the Creator and Lord of the Sabbath.

In our literature about the Sabbath and the mark of the beast, we have published numerous admissions of the Catholic Church to the effect that they have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, knowing that the Bible does not endorse such a change. Here are a few more admissions by the Catholic Church (we could cite many more quotations, but this should suffice):

“It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church” (Priest Brady in an address on March 18, 1903).

“Sunday is founded, not [on] scripture, but on tradition, and is distinctly a Catholic institution. As there is no scripture for the transfer of the day of rest from the last to the first day of the week, Protestants ought to keep their Sabbath on Saturday and thus leave Catholics in full possession of Sunday” (Catholic Record, September 17, 1893).

“The Sunday… is purely a creation of the Catholic Church” (American Catholic Quarterly Review, January 1883).

“Sunday… is the law of the Catholic Church alone…” (American Sentinel, June 1893).

“Protestants… accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change… But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that … in observing Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the Church, the pope” (Our Sunday Visitor, February 5th, 1950).

“They deem it their duty to keep the Sunday holy. Why? Because the Catholic Church tells them to do so. They have no other reason… The observance of Sunday thus comes to be an ecclesiastical law entirely distinct from the divine law of Sabbath observance… The author of the Sunday law… is the Catholic Church” (Ecclesiastical Review, February 1914).

“[Sunday] is a day dedicated by the Apostles to the honour of the most holy Trinity, and in memory that Christ our Lord arose from the dead upon Sunday, sent down the holy Ghost on a Sunday… and therefore is called the Lord’s Day. It is also called Sunday from the old Roman denomination of Dies Solis, the day of the sun, to which it was sacred” (The Douay Catechism of 1649, by Henry Tuberville).

There is no “holy Trinity,” as will be explained below. In addition, Sunday is nowhere called the Lord’s Day in the Bible. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, not of Sunday. When the term “the day of the Lord” is used, it refers to a prophetic time span for the last days of approximately one year—not a particular day (compare Zephaniah 1:7, 14.) In Revelation 1:10, the phrase “the Lord’s day” is used in English translations. This is the only passage where this wording is used. Some try to make a distinction between the “day of the Lord” (a prophetic time span) and the “Lord’s Day” which allegedly refers to Sunday. As we have seen, IF the phrase “the Lord’s Day” was to refer to a particular day, then it would refer to the Sabbath. However, the distinction is arbitrary and a “clever” invention of the translator to teach the “holiness” of Sunday. Some translations even say quite deceitfully: “I was on Sunday in the spirit…” But the phrase in Revelation 1:10 could be easily and correctly translated with “the day of the Lord.” All German bibles render this phrase as “the day of the Lord.”

Also, Christ did not rise on a Sunday [see below], so the argument of having to keep Sunday holy to honor Christ’s resurrection or that suddenly Sunday became the Lord’s day evaporates as well.

The same is true for the replacement of God’s Holy Days or annual Sabbaths (cp. for instance Leviticus 23:24, 27, 32, 39) which Jesus, the God of the Old Testament, instituted for His Church, with pagan holidays which were instituted under Satan’s inspiration, such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and New Year’s Day. In doing so, they reject Jesus and the sign for His people (which sign is associated with both the weekly and the annual Sabbaths). This sign shows that those keeping God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths are God’s and that the true God is their God (Exodus 31:13–17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20).

The Only Sign That Jesus Gave Was That He Would Be In the Grave for 3 Days and 3 Nights

Orthodox Christianity rejects Jesus in that they deny the only sign that He gave to the Pharisees that He was the Messiah—that He would be three days and three nights in the grave (Matthew 12:40); that He was crucified on a Wednesday and placed in the grave just before sunset, when the annual Holy Day or Sabbath of the first Day of Unleavened Bread began—a “high day” (John 19:31); and that He was resurrected on Saturday (the Sabbath) and left the grave just before sunset, exactly three days and three nights later, as He had said that He would. It was right “in the end” (Authorized Version) or “at the close” (Moffat) of the [two] Sabbaths (as it should be rendered—so the Fenton Bible; the word here for “Sabbath” is in the plural, referring to the annual Sabbath on Thursday and the weekly Sabbath on Saturday), when the women appeared at the grave (Matthew 28:1), and Jesus had already risen (verses 5–6). Instead, traditional Christianity believes that He was crucified on “Good Friday” (called “black Friday” in pagan religions) and that He was resurrected on Sunday morning—the day of the pagan sun god Baal, also known as Nimrod, Mithra or Attis. This Sunday is called Easter Sunday, which was dedicated to the pagan goddess Ishtar, known today as Easter. As mentioned, Ishtar was also worshipped by pagans as the Queen of Heaven (see above).

For more information, please read our free booklet, “Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery.”

The Holy Trinity Is Unbiblical

Traditional Christianity rejects Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by believing in the Trinity and that Jesus was somewhat of a human extension on earth while He—as the Son—was still in heaven.

First, let us notice how the concept of the “Trinity” is being described:

Infoplace.com writes:

“The central teachings of traditional Christianity are that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Wikipedia writes:

“Trinity refers to the teaching that the one God comprises three distinct, eternally co-existing persons: the Father, the Son (incarnate in Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit… They are distinct from [one] another: the Father has no source, the Son is begotten of the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father. Though distinct, the three persons cannot be divided from one another in being or in operation… The Trinity is an essential doctrine of mainstream Christianity…”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes it in this way:

“The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity… The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life…”

The question is then, what happened to the Son (the second “Person” of the Trinity) when Christ became a human being and when He died.

Carm.org writes:

“God is a trinity of persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit… If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God… Jesus has two natures: divine and human… When Jesus died on the cross, his human nature died. The divine nature did not die. Therefore, we see that the Trinity never ceased to exist…”

This is nowhere taught in Scripture, and it is in fact utter nonsense. Worse yet, it constitutes a rejection of Christ and represents the spirit of Antichrist.

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was the Son of God (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 John 4:14–15; 5:5; 2 John 1:3,9) who became man—fully flesh—and who died (Romans 5:10). When Jesus died, the Son died. The Son did not continue to be a living “Person” within a Trinity. Secondly, it was God the Father who resurrected Jesus Christ—the SON—from the dead (Galatians 1:1).

By believing in the Trinity, orthodox Christianity rejects Jesus Christ as God who came in the flesh and who died for us (1 John 4:2–3). Christ, the Son of God, needed to die for us to become our Savior. If the Son of God did not die, we don’t have a Savior (1 John 2:22). Orthodox Christianity rejects Christ as the Son, saying that the Son, as part of the Trinity, could not die. The Son stayed alive when His “human shell” or His “human nature” died. Jesus’ “divine nature” did not die. This, quite frankly, is blasphemy.

Jesus Did Not Have an Immortal Soul; Nor Do We

Traditional Christianity rejects the Sacrifice of Christ for an additional reason in that it claims and believes that even the Man Christ—His human shell—did not really die, but kept on living as an “immortal soul.” They state that Jesus (who, they say, did not really die, not even as a Man) went to hell to preach to the spirits, while His human body was in the grave.

Wikipedia writes about immortality:

“By the 3rd century, with the influence of Origen, the traditions of the inherent immortality of the soul and its divine nature were established. As the new Encyclopedia Britannica points out: ‘The early Christian philosophers adopted the Greek concept of the soul’s immortality…’”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church writes:

“… every spiritual soul is created immediately by God… and it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death.”

We show in our free booklet “Do We Have an Immortal Soul,” that the Bible nowhere teaches that concept. In fact, the Bible says that the SOUL which sins will DIE (Ezekiel 18:4, 20).

However, since it is taught that Jesus (as supposedly every human being) had an immortal soul, the concept is that He went to hell after He died, but before He was resurrected.

Vatican.va writes:

“The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was ‘raised from the dead’ presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection… that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there… In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven’s gates for the just who had gone before him.”

The National Catholic Reporter wrote in 2012:

“Every Christian knows the story: Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. But what did he do on Saturday? … Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and most mainline Protestant churches teach that Jesus descended to the realm of the dead on Holy Saturday to save righteous souls, such as the Hebrew patriarchs, who died before his crucifixion.

“The catechism of the Catholic church calls the descent ‘the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission,’ during which he ‘opened heaven’s gates for the just who had gone before him.’ An ancient homily included in the Catholic readings for Holy Saturday says a ‘great silence’ stilled the earth while Jesus searched for Adam, ‘our first father, as for a lost sheep.’…

“Churches that teach he descended to the realm of the dead most often cite 1 Peter 3:18–20…”

Of course, this passage does talk about the time of Noah, prior to the Flood, when Jesus preached to the spirits in prison (that is, the spiritually imprisoned demons—not any “departed ones” or dead people still being alive in “hell”).

Jesus Will Return Visibly When All Who Are Alive Shall See Him

Many within traditional Christianity also don’t believe—contrary to Matthew 24:27, 30; Mark 13:26; Revelation 1:4–7—that Jesus, at His Second Coming, will come back visibly, but they claim that Jesus will come back at first in secret, or that He already returned on the Day of Pentecost as the Holy Spirit—the third “person” of the Trinity who is somehow “identical,” but still not identical, with the Holy Spirit. This idea is nonsense for the simple reason that the Holy Spirit is not a person, and if it were a person, then it would have been the Person of the Holy Spirit who would have come—and not the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For more information on what the Holy Spirit is, and what it is not, please read our free booklet, “Is God a Trinity?”

Traditional Christianity Does In Fact Reject the TRUE Jesus of the Bible

We could add many more concepts taught by traditional Christianity, which are contrary to who and what Christ was and is, and what He, the Word, taught; but we believe that the foregoing is sufficient to show that traditional Christianity does in fact reject the TRUE Jesus of the Bible. As long as it does, it does not believe and accept our Savior… and there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12) than the name of the TRUE Jesus of the Bible.

Conclusion

Orthodox Christianity is at odds with Jesus, without perhaps even realizing it. 

Jews and Christians have accused, fought and even killed each other over their religious concepts and beliefs. They were all in error. Satan has deceived the whole world. He has convinced man to accept religious, philosophical and political concepts which are in detrimental opposition to the Truth. 

Christianity has accepted a false gospel and a false Jesus, and the Jews in times past and Judaism today have likewise rejected the true Jesus of the Bible and replaced Him with their human traditions of a false Messiah. 

Jesus asked His true followers to pray: “Your kingdom come.” When He, as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, returns to this earth to establish that very Kingdom here, then, and only then, will deceived Jews and Christians recognize who the true Jesus of the Bible is… and they will worship Him as GOD.

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Introduction

The title for this booklet was inspired by Peter’s famous saying in Acts 5:29 and also in Acts 4:19. The Sanhedrin had prohibited the apostles from teaching the Truth in the name of Jesus Christ, but they steadfastly refused. They were threatened and arrested and in danger of being executed, but were freed by an angel and continued to preach the Truth. They were arrested again and severely beaten, but then let go.

Peter’s saying and the underlying circumstances have been quoted and told endless times over the centuries, and many Christians have suffered martyrdom for obeying God rather than men. But as time went by, the meaning of what this passage actually conveys became more and more blurred in the minds of many, and we are warned that in these last days many would fall away from the Truth, would lose God’s love and be willing to compromise with God’s Word, and even betray others in order to escape punishment from the government. 

Christ warns us that if we belong to those who are ashamed of Him and His Words, He will reject us when He returns, and God’s wrath will be upon us.

What does it mean to you to obey God rather than men? Have you, in your own mind, concluded that in certain circumstances, it would be justifiable to disobey God in order to follow man’s directives and injunctions so that you can escape the government’s punishment? Are you perhaps too quick to follow the government’s orders or guidelines, without asking whether they are in accordance with God’s Will for His people? 

Have you perhaps concluded that you must submit to civil leaders in every aspect of life because they are “God’s appointed ministers” who do not carry the sword in vain, and because you are to pray for them? Do you think that you can love and serve God and this world at the same time? 

We must understand that this is not God’s world. This society is ruled by Satan the devil, the god of this world. Is it therefore our responsibility to try to make this world a better place by getting involved in politics and vote in governmental elections in order to replace one evil ruler with another one? Are we ever permitted to resort to violence in an attempt to bring about a change in the human rule of the country we might be living in?

We say this in our Statement of Beliefs, under “Civic Government”:

“We believe that we are to be subject to the government of our country and its laws (Romans 13:1–5; 1 Peter 2:13–17); that we are to pay our taxes (Matthew 22:17–21; Mark 12:14–17; Romans 13:6–7); that we are to pray for leaders of government (1 Timothy 2:1–3); and that we are to honor those leaders (1 Peter 2:17; Romans 13:7).”

However, we also state this in our Statement of Beliefs, under “Relationship with God”:

“We believe that a Christian’s duty to God is of a superior and higher nature than our duty arising from any human relationship (Acts 4:18–20; 5:27–29). We therefore, following biblical commands and principles, do not participate in voting for national elections or jury duty, and we do not join the military. On the other hand, we do not object to participation in civil service. If compelled by governments to enlist, we refuse to serve in any capacity that would violate the spirit of the sixth commandment against murder (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:43–48; Romans 12:17–21).”

On the other hand, some preach that Christians should participate in violent activity in protecting their own nation and themselves! But is this what Jesus Christ taught or exemplified?

When we read that we ought to pray for the leaders of our human government, and to honor and submit to those leaders, does this mean that we should pray to God to bless them, even though they lead sinful lives, make and enforce ungodly laws, and propagate and even try to mandate sinful conduct? If not, how and for what should we pray? And what does “submission” to the government really mean… and what doesn’t it mean?

This booklet will thoroughly explain what God requires of you as an uncompromising Christian, in spite of any and all obstacles. We will first establish what our general relationship and attitude toward our governmental leaders should be, before addressing in detail what it means to obey God rather than men, even though this important Truth is alluded to and referenced throughout the entire booklet. We will also address the all-important meaning of the “mark of the beast,” and how it relates to us today.

Chapter 1 — How to Pray for Governmental Leaders

Some claim that we must pray for God’s blessing of governmental leaders so that they will be successful in their office even though what they stand for is detrimentally opposite to God’s Way of Life. Is this what we ought to do?

To properly understand what Paul is saying—and what he is not saying—in regard to this question, let us read 1 Timothy 2:1–7, in context:

“(1) Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for ALL MEN, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE in all godliness and reverence. (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires ALL MEN to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is ONE God and ONE Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave Himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time, (7) for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle–I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying–a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

How, exactly, are we to pray for governmental leaders?

The Life Application Bible explains:

“Paul’s command to pray for kings was remarkable considering that Nero, a notoriously cruel ruler, was emperor at this time (A.D. 54–68). When Paul wrote this letter, persecution was a growing threat to believers. Later, when Nero needed a scapegoat for the great fire that destroyed much of Rome in A.D. 64, he blamed the Roman Christians so as to take the focus off himself. Then persecution erupted throughout the Roman empire. Not only were Christians denied certain privileges in society, some were even publicly butchered, burned, or fed to animals…”

With this background, the commentary continues:

“… we should pray for those in authority around the world so that their societies will be conducive to the spread of the gospel.”

This is a correct statement, as far as it goes. True Christians ARE to pray that God would influence leaders, especially in societies hostile to Christianity, to allow the unhindered and unrestricted preaching of the true gospel (compare 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Paul is not telling us here that we are to necessarily pray for the conversion of these leaders—God will convert people in His due time—but that they be motivated to make decisions allowing us to lead peaceful and quiet lives. We are not asked to pray that God would reward evil leaders for and in their sins.

We are to pray even for our enemies (compare Matthew 5:44), not that they will be blessed in their sins, but that they perhaps change their way of life (compare Romans 12:20). The king of Nineveh and the entire city-state repented of their evil deeds when they heard Jonah’s warning, and, as a consequence, they were spared from destruction. Jonah should have prayed for such a change in the minds of the people, but he did not. This should be a lesson for us today, not to act and think as Jonah did at that time.

There are occasions, of course, when we are not to pray for a particular governmental leader. After God rejected King Saul, He told Samuel to cease mourning for the king (compare 1 Samuel 16:1). 

At the same time, we are asked to pray with thanksgiving. This may be easy to do when we are living in peace. It is more difficult to do when we are encountering persecution. But still, we need to include in our supplications and intercessions the giving of thanks in and even for those circumstances. We know that nothing just “happens” in our lives of which God is unaware. Whatever God allows is for a reason. 

John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible explains the phrase, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty,” in the following way:

“… since the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord, and he can turn them as he pleases, prayer should be made to him [God] for them [kings, etc.], that he [God] would… at least so dispose their hearts and minds, that they might stop the persecution, and so saints might live peaceably under them…”

Vincent’s Word Studies adds that we are to pray for governmental leaders that we may lead a “quiet and peaceable life,” by explaining that “quiet” arises “from the absence of outward disturbance,” while “peaceable” or “with tranquility” arises “from within.”

Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible states:

 “Good rulers have power to do much good; we pray that their authority may be ever preserved and well directed. Bad rulers have power to do much evil; we pray that they may be prevented from thus using their power. So that, whether the rulers be good or bad, prayer for them is the positive duty of all Christians; and the answer to their prayers, in either [case], will be the means of their being enabled to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible writes that we ought to pray for governmental leaders so “That their hearts may be so inclined to what is right that they may protect us in the enjoyment of religion, and that we may not be opposed or harassed by persecution.”

We are instructed to include governmental leaders in our prayers so that we may be able to lead quiet and peaceable lives, enabling us to preach the gospel of the peaceful Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness and to assemble in peace on God’s weekly and annual Feast Days. We are not asked to pray for the conversion of our leaders, but rather, that they may be motivated not to persecute us or that they be induced to cease from their persecution. 

Our prayers for governmental leaders with the goal of leading peaceful lives would also include praying that, subject to God’s Will, our leaders do not decide to go to war, and that they are motivated to end whatever wars their nations might be engaged in. In this world of hatred, violence and war, such kinds of prayers are necessary and very pleasing to God. In times of crisis, we should also pray that our leaders make right and godly decisions so as to enable God’s people to obey His command to assemble on His weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days. 

Chapter 2 — Render to Caesar…

Jesus taught that we are to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s (compare Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26), thus showing that He was subject to man’s laws, including paying taxes, so long as there was no conflict with God’s Law. And that applies to us today.

In Titus 3:1, Titus is instructed by Paul to “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.” 

In 1 Peter 2:13–17, the same principle is repeated: “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men – as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

In Acts 4:18, the civil and religious authorities commanded Peter and John “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” But in verses 19–21 we read: “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ So, when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.” 

In this instance, they defied the secular authorities so that they could do the Will of God and no punishment beyond threats was forthcoming. Shortly thereafter, in order to follow God’s command to preach the Truth, they again had to disobey the secular authorities and were severely punished as a consequence (Acts 5:17–32, 40). But in spite of their punishment and the ongoing threats of the government, the apostles defied the order of the civil counsel, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (verse 41). And they continued to disobey the orders of the government while obeying God’s explicit instructions to announce and teach His plan of salvation (verse 42). 

Today, God’s Church has the commission and responsibility to preach the gospel and to feed the flock. We will discuss later what this means, specifically.

In short, our submission to governing authorities does not mean uncritical obedience, as our highest authority is God. Laws that are contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Law of God must not be obeyed, but in such situations, we must be willing to accept the consequences of our actions, without resorting to violent civil disobedience. 

In light of the foregoing, the next several chapters will discuss Paul’s statements in Romans 13, which can be easily misunderstood and misinterpreted, if we are not careful. After all, Romans 13:1–2 states: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” 

Do those passages mean that God appoints directly every human authority, and that we must therefore obey human laws in every respect—no questions asked?

Chapter 3 — In What Way Are Rulers Not a Terror to Good Works?

In Romans 13:3, Paul also says that “rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.” He is talking about rulers in general, who uphold certain laws to guarantee a civil, peaceful and harmonious lifestyle amongst their citizens. Paul is referring to the submission to (verse 5) and the enforcement of civil and criminal laws (verse 4), such as theft or murder.

Paul is not talking here about the Hitlers or Neros, etc., who are encouraging their citizens to betray Christians or the Jews so that they can be killed. We need to remember Christ’s statement to OBEY the Pharisees in all that they tell the people, but later, Peter did not obey them when they told him not to preach in the name of Christ. Christ would not obey them, either, to follow their rules of ceremonial washing, or to have no contact with “sinners.” 

So, Christ was talking about matters which were not in conflict with God’s Word. [Notice, too, that John the Baptist openly rebuked Herod for committing adultery with his brother’s wife. (Luke 3:19–20).]

In John 19:11, Christ told Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the GREATER sin.”

Christ is giving here an implicit forewarning of accountability and judgment on those who are evil, including rulers. We are to be ambassadors of Christ and of the Kingdom of God. As such, we are still subject to the laws of man, as long as they are not in conflict with the laws of God.

Also, in Luke 4:6, Satan states to Christ that all authority over the kingdoms of this world has presently been given to Satan, and that it is he who gives it to whomever he wishes. Christ does not dispute this claim. In fact, we read that Satan is the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) and the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), who still has a throne on this earth (Revelation 2:13). He and his demons are the current rulers over this world (Ephesians 6:12), inspiring civil leaders to obey their will (1 Corinthians 2:7–8).

Today, this world is cut off from God, and it is subject to the rule of Satan. God had placed Lucifer on the throne of this earth, but he rebelled and became known as Satan. When he inspired Adam and Eve to sin, God gave mankind 6,000 years to find out for themselves that we need God. Still, God decreed that Satan is to remain on his throne, until Jesus Christ comes back to replace him and to restore the government of God on this earth. 

In that sense, there is “no authority except from God” (Romans 13:1), and all authority “has been given from above” (John 19:11), in that God had placed Lucifer on this earthly throne; in that He has not yet replaced Satan and his demons; and in that they cannot do anything which God does not ALLOW them to do. At times, God might even directly intervene to ensure that a particular person takes over rulership in a particular country, so that God’s overall plan for mankind can be fulfilled. But, we are not to follow them, or their laws, when they oppose God.

In fact, Jesus Christ has qualified to replace Satan’s rule over this earth (John 12:31; 16:33), but that will only occur when He returns to establish the Kingdom and Government of God on this earth (Revelation 11:15) Until then, Christians are to serve as ambassadors of that FUTURE Government (2 Corinthians 5:20).

The Broadman Bible Commentary has this to say about Romans 13:3:

“…State officials as rulers deserve the loyalty of Christians only when they do approve good conduct (vv. 3–4a). The corrupt politicians who appeal to the Christian conscience to protect their unjust reign of terror and tyranny should be totally repudiated… As God’s public servant, the ruler is to promote the good against the bad” (p. 257).

The German “Lexikon zur Bibel,” by Fritz Rienecker, points out, under “governing authorities” [“Obrigkeit”]:

“The Bible instructs us, because of God, to obey the governing authorities (Romans 13:1–7; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13–14), and to pray for them (Jer. 29:7; 1 Tim. 2:2) [in the sense as discussed before]. The reason is, that every authority is appointed by God [in the sense as explained above] and that it is His servant (Romans 13:1, 4)…There is, however, a limit to obedience. That limit is reached, when the instructions of the authority prevent a human being from obeying God (Acts 4:19; 5:29). This freedom, not to follow the will of the authority, Peter defends before the spiritual authority of his own people.”

When addressing Paul’s comment that “rulers are not terrors to good works” (Romans 13:3), Blunt’s commentary points out:

“The Apostle is obviously speaking of rulers as they ought to be, not finding it necessary for the purpose of his argument to speak of them otherwise, by taking into account the infirmities and the wickedness which have sometimes made them a terror to others than evil-doers.” 

This should be self-evident, but gullible and ignorant readers, or even deceitful teachers of the Bible, have far too often missed or misrepresented this obvious caveat.

Paul also states in Romans 13 that the governing authority is “God’s minister.” What he meant by that is explained in the next chapter of this booklet. 

Chapter 4 — In What Way Are Governmental Officials “God’s Ministers?”

When Paul said that political governmental officials can be viewed as “God’s ministers,” he had in mind that true Christians are to be subject to duly constituted human authority. They are not to rebel against it, trying to overthrow it with violent means, even if such authority behaves in a blatantly ungodly way. 

But as explained in the previous chapter, Paul also believed, as he clearly taught in Scripture, that it is Satan who rules this present evil world, and that it is ultimately God who allows Satan to rule temporarily. Paul taught that God might even directly appoint certain people to certain offices—in furtherance of His plan. These officials might actually be totally unqualified, from a godly perspective, to rule righteously and fairly. But this is not the reason why they were placed in power.

For instance, we read that God may appoint the “lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17). We read that He placed the stubborn Pharaoh of Egypt in power to magnify Himself in him (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17). He says that He will “send” a future king of Assyria against modern Israel and Judah to punish them (Isaiah 10:5–7). In that sense, they were or will be “God’s ministers,” in that they have been used—or will be used—to carry out God’s plan and purpose. God even called violent King Nebuchadnezzar “My servant” (Jeremiah 27:6), and He referred to idolatrous King Cyrus as “My shepherd” and “His anointed” (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1), because they were fulfilling God’s Will in certain areas at that time. 

The New Scofield Reference Bible states regarding Romans 13:1–4: “…the apostle points out that orderly government is part of God’s provision, even in a wicked world. No ruler exercises control except as God permits… Under normal circumstances the Christian is to be obedient to the law of the land. This does not mean that he is to obey regulations that are immoral or anti-Christian. In such cases it is his duty to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29; cp. Dan. 3:16–18; 6:10 ff…).”

The Life Application Bible sets forth the different ways in which “Christians” have tried to interpret the statements in Romans 13:1–4. Today, many are using similar arguments to justify, for example, voting in governmental elections. 

The above-mentioned commentary writes:

“We should never allow government to force us to disobey God. Jesus and his apostles never disobeyed the government for personal reasons; when they disobeyed, it was in order to follow their higher loyalty to God. Their disobedience was not cheap; they were threatened, beaten, thrown into jail, tortured, and executed for their convictions. Like them, if we are compelled to disobey, we must be ready to accept the consequences.”

We are to submit to human laws and governments. When we must disobey for conscience sake and are being convicted for it, we must not resort to the use of guns and weapons, attempting to violently fight the officials who are being sent to us to carry out any sentence which might have been imposed against us. 

The commentary continues:

“Christians understand Romans 13 in different ways. All Christians agree that we are to live at peace with the state as long as the state allows us to live by our religious convictions…

“Some Christians believe that the state is so corrupt that Christians should have as little to do with it as possible. Although they should be good citizens as long as they can do so without compromising their beliefs, they should not work for the government, vote in elections, or serve in the military.”

We would, overall, agree with this view point, at least as it concerns voting in governmental elections or serving in the military in a combatant capacity, or working for the government in respect to certain tasks, like the production of weapons to be used in war. This is not to say that a Christian could not work for the government by fulfilling non-violent tasks which would not compromise his beliefs.

The commentary goes on to state:

“Others believe that God has given the state authority in certain areas and the church authority in others. Christians can be loyal to both and can work for either. They should not, however, confuse the two. In this view, church and state are concerned with two different spheres—the spiritual and the physical—and they complement each other but do not work together.”

Again, these statements contain elements of truth, but Christians should not confuse God’s authority with man’s authority. They must not be working for the state in capacities which would violate the letter or the spirit of God’s laws. 

However, many Christians misinterpret Paul’s statement in Romans 13 in the way the aforementioned commentary describes in regard to a third category as follows:

“Still others believe that Christians have a responsibility to make the state better. They can do this politically, by electing Christian or high-principled leaders. They can also do this morally, by serving as an influence for good in society. In this view, church and state ideally work together for the good of all.”

Of course, it is true that as true Christians, we are to be good examples for others to show them how one can represent God and His Way of Life. But this does not mean that we should try to make this a better world or that we should attempt to better the state—it is Satan’s world which we cannot improve—or that we should vote for “high-principled leaders.” 

Since a true Christian must disobey laws that are immoral or anti-Christian, how can he then support and vote for a political candidate who promotes and enacts such laws? The answer is, he cannot. He cannot vote for a lesser evil, but he must “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Christ’s true disciples are to come out of this world and be separate, and not to touch what is unclean (2 Corinthians 6:17; compare Revelation 18:4; John 15:19; 17:16; 18:36). Also, Paul is asking in 2 Corinthians 6:14: “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” To think naively that we can change this evil world through the election of professing Christian political candidates misunderstands the purpose of our Christian calling, and reflects a misunderstanding of life’s realities. After all, evil company in the political field corrupts even the most “high-principled” candidates (compare 1 Corinthians 15:33).

The commentary concludes with this accurate assessment:

“None of these views advocate rebelling against or refusing to obey the government’s laws or regulations unless those laws clearly require you to violate the moral standards revealed by God. Wherever we find ourselves, we must be responsible citizens, as well as responsible Christians.”

When speaking of Paul’s phraseology of “God’s ministers” (twice in verse 4), the commentary of Blunt, “The Annotated Bible,” states:

“Literally, ‘the deacon of God,’ meaning obviously, in this case, the delegated agent by whom the authority of the Divine Ruler is administered and enforced. This is the only place in the New Testament where the phrase is not used in its ecclesiastical sense… ‘for good’ being the object for which God has instituted governmental and judicial authority…”

God is against anarchy. At the same time, the present ruler of this world—Satan the devil—will be replaced by Jesus Christ when He returns to this earth. In the meantime, for the sake of God’s plan and His people, rulers of this world can be influenced by God to carry out His purposes and to do good for His true servants, and they can thereby become, at least temporarily, God’s “tools” or “servants” or “ministers.”

The commentary also points out that the words “God’s ministers” in verse 6 are different from the words in verse 4 and describe “an officer engaged in the civil service of the state. It is not elsewhere used in a secular sense in the New Testament.”

Romans 13:1–6 does not teach that Christians can or should get involved in political campaigns or that they should vote in governmental elections. This is clearly prohibited in the Bible, as we will see.

Chapter 5 — When Are Governmental Officials Established as “God’s Ministers?”

The question may arise then as to when human authority is established in God’s eyes; in other words, when do successful rebels constitute such authority which we must be subject to?

The commentary of Blunt, “The Annotated Bible,” addresses this issue in the following manner:

“… ‘be subject unto’ [as it is stated in Romans 13:1]: This word… means literally, ‘to range oneself under,’ and is opposed to the word rendered ‘resisteth’… which means, ‘to range oneself against in battle array.’ The one indicates loyalty on the part of citizens of a country to the sovereign authority of that country, the other indicates rebellion against it.

“… even when kings and their subordinates seem to be acting most independently [from God], they are but exercising so much power as they are permitted to exercise, working out within appointed limits such results as are in accordance with the general plan and purpose of God.

“… if we could see history mapped out before us, we should know how even the wars and misgovernments of the world are permitted… and not left to run their course without any control from above. Thus the cruel wars and tyrannical conquests out of which the universal empire of Rome grew [as well as its subsequent ten revivals in Europe] was a preparation of the [coming] universal kingdom of God…”

This brings up the thorny issue of rebellion against and assassination of wicked rulers. Even though humanly understandable, it must be said that the Bible does not support the killing of an evil ruler through subjects and citizens, however noble the motives might be. To give an example of history, the attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler or the killing of Muammar Gaddafi would not be justified by biblical injunctions. (Of course, a true Christian is not to participate in any violent action against others in the first place, including in war.)

Even more to the point, when does a movement of rebels cease to be against constituted government?

The commentary continues:

“The independence of the great American republic was constitutionally acknowledged by the sovereign to whom it had previously been subject; the emperor Napoleon seated himself upon a throne which had been practically vacated before he came upon the scene of strife… But it is evident that a willing submission to successful rebels cannot be a duty until that success is established … by the practical extinction of opposition on the part of those against whom the rebellion has been raised.”

Both in the case of the American Revolution and Napoleon’s usurpation of the throne, godly providence can clearly be seen in action, based on biblical prophecies which had to be fulfilled. A good example of wrongful submission to a rebel would be the uprising of Absalom against his father, King David. Even though King David fled temporarily from Jerusalem, he was still the godly-ordained and established king, and any loyalty to Absalom against David would have been misplaced. At the same time, we must realize that Absalom’s uprising was in direct consequence of David’s sins of adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband Uriah, and thus constituted God’s punishment (compare 2 Samuel 12:9–12).

We must also realize that God will sometimes use rebellious uprisings to displace an evil ruler. However, this fact does not justify actively supporting such uprisings or voting for rebels, nor would it justify voting for the evil king whom God wants to replace. The Christian role is to be one of an observer, ambassador and announcer, not one of a participant. 

Note, for example, the violent and rebellious uprising, pursuant to God’s Will, in 1 Kings 11:9–11, 26–40; 12:1–24. However, the rebels led by Solomon’s servant Jeroboam against King Solomon and Solomon’s son, King Rehoboam, were in no way more righteous than the ones against whom they rebelled. In fact, when Jeroboam became king over the House of Israel (while Rehoboam remained king over the House of Judah), he instituted idolatry and, according to many records, abolished the observance of the Sabbath and replaced it with Sunday worship. 

In addition, it must be said that even in the context of illegal actions by duly constituted governments or rebels, a true Christian is to avoid resorting to violence, as Christ explains in Matthew 5:38–41. (This is not to say that Christians cannot resort to legal non-violent means to defend against illegal conduct, nor, that they cannot flee, under certain circumstances, when confronted with unjust punishment. This will be discussed below.)

In Matthew 5:41, when encouraging His followers to go the “extra mile,” Jesus referred to the Roman practice that “obliged the people not only to furnish horses and carriages [for government dispatches], but to give personal attendance, often at great inconvenience, when required. But the thing here demanded is a readiness to submit to unreasonable demands [by governmental officials] of whatever kind, rather than raise quarrels, with all the evils resulting from them” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible).

It must be admitted that Paul’s statements in Romans 13:1–7 belong to some of his sayings which “are hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16), and predictably, some “untaught and unstable people” have twisted them “to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (same verse). But it is clear what Paul is NOT saying:

He is NOT saying that we should participate in violent rebellions against constituted government. Nor is he saying that we should obey human governments in matters which are against God’s laws. He is most certainly not saying that true Christians should participate in political campaigns and vote for any of the political candidates. 

Those who conclude the opposite and become engaged with and entangled in the affairs of this world are twisting Paul’s words to their own disappointment and destruction. Rather than concentrating on the physical affairs of this present evil age, which will soon pass away, they should concentrate on God’s Kingdom and do everything in their power and ability to “hasten” the coming of the Day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:12).

Chapter 6 — Is It a Sin to Vote in Governmental Elections?

To be blunt, voting in governmental, national and presidential elections violates God’s plan for true Christians and constitutes a grave sin. It manifests the absence of faith in God; reveals a complete lack of understanding as to what the role of a true Christian is today; and shows utter ignorance as to who is ruling this world. FAR TOO MANY Christians are deceived and are deceiving others on this topic, foolishly thinking that they are serving God and their country by voting in governmental elections. This is true even for Christians who refuse to join the military and fight in war, but they think that it is alright to vote in presidential elections. 

However, it is inconsistent to take the position that one cannot join the military because one is an ambassador of Jesus Christ and a citizen of another government—the Kingdom of God—while at the same time serving on a jury or voting in governmental elections. For instance, in the United States, the President is also the Commander-in-Chief, having both the right and the obligation under the Constitution, in certain circumstances, to declare war. How can one refuse to participate in war, while voting for a person who has the right and the obligation to declare war? In the past, people were disqualified as conscientious objectors because they did not refuse to serve on a jury or to vote in governmental elections. It was ruled that such an obvious inconsistency in position showed evidence for non-sincerity of the applicant.

As we pointed out above, it is SATAN who rules this world—EVERY country, WITHOUT exception. It is true, of course, that Satan can only do what God ALLOWS him to do, but generally speaking, God is NOT getting involved in the affairs of this world, and neither should we. God will ONLY intervene and see to it that certain individuals end up in governmental positions, if they are temporarily needed to fulfill aspects of God’s plan. But this would be GOD’s doing, NOT ours.

A Christian is not to vote for a candidate in governmental elections because he understands the Truth about this being Satan’s world at the present time. It is Satan who, with the general permission of God, places candidates into governmental offices. If we were to vote, we might involve ourselves quite directly in Satan’s system. Hosea 8:4 gives us God’s warning in this regard: “They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.”

Sometimes, in order to ensure that certain aspects of His plan are fulfilled, God Himself might intervene to see to it that the person best (or perhaps worst) suited for the job at that time gets the job. How would God look at us when He intervenes directly to place a specific person into office, while we did not vote for that person, but rather for someone whom God does not want to see in charge at that time? It is obvious that our vote would be found to be in opposition to God’s Will.

To give a prophetic and an historical example, biblical prophecy reveals that a final political leader of the resurrected Roman Empire—the “beast”—will soon arise in Europe. According to God’s prophetic plan, this person will be placed in office in the very last days, wreaking total havoc on this planet. It is Satan, with God’s permission, who will give his power and authority to this person (Revelation 13:4–5). A Christian could not and should not vote for this person, of course, as he will persecute and kill many of the “saints” (Revelation 13:7), and he will even attempt to fight the returning Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:19). 

Neither should a Christian have voted for Adolf Hitler, although it is clear now that Hitler came to power, as prophesied, to bring about the ninth resurrection of the Roman Empire. This is to say that God allowed Hitler to become ruler over Germany so that prophecy could be fulfilled.

The Bible shows that God sometimes appoints directly, or permits Satan to place into office, strong or weak leaders, depending on the situation, in order to ensure that God’s purpose will be carried out. 

For example, as mentioned before, God allowed ancient Pharaoh, at the time of the Exodus, to be ruler over Egypt. We read that God placed him into power because he was a stubborn, self-righteous and ungodly person who would refuse to obey God and do His Will. God announced to Moses that He was “sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand” (Exodus 3:19). Pharaoh would only yield after God had stricken Egypt with “all My wonders which I will do in its midst” (verse 20). God announced to Pharaoh that “indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth” (Exodus 9:16). Paul later quoted this passage in Romans 9:17 in the context of God’s Will and His decision as to whom He wants to grant mercy in this day and age. 

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 16:4 that “The LORD has made all FOR HIMSELF, Yes, even the WICKED for the day of doom.” The fact that GOD raised up and gave rulership to wicked Pharaoh for the day of his doom in order to show His mercy towards Israel PROVES that HUMAN voting for governmental leaders is useless, futile and CONTRARY TO GOD’S Will.

While the Jewish leadership was willing to fight the Babylonian army under King Nebuchadnezzar, the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed God’s Will to the Jewish people NOT to fight, but to put down their weapons and to surrender to the foreign king. Jeremiah did not find a popular acceptance of this command; in fact, he was labeled a traitor and imprisoned as a consequence. King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and subdued the House of Judah, as it had been prophesied, but he was by no means a righteous king. He was extremely violent and full of pride, and because of his arrogance and lack of humility, God removed him from his throne for seven years and let him become insane, living with the animals. After that, God restored his sanity and placed him back on his throne. 

The accompanying lessons before, during and after Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity are strikingly revealed in the Bible. We read in Daniel 2:21 that God “removes kings and raises up kings.” We also read in Daniel 4:32; 5:21 that it is GOD who gives a kingdom to whomever HE chooses. God wants us to know that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever HE WILL, And sets over it the LOWEST of men” (Daniel 4:17). The Authorized Version even says that He “setteth up over it the BASEST of men.”

As mentioned, God will do so when His plan requires it; otherwise, He leaves it to Satan to appoint those whom he wants to rule this world. Satan understands this. You will recall that he showed Jesus in the wilderness all THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD in a moment of time, and said to Him: “ALL this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to ME, and I give it to WHOMEVER I WISH” (Luke 4:5–6). Jesus knew this to be true, and we do not read that He disputed Satan’s claim. This is simply NOT God’s world, and neither is it the world of true Christians. Jesus said that the world hates us because we are not part of it (John 17:14). How FOOLISH to think that we should be a part of it by voting in governmental elections, believing that we can thereby make this world a better place or help our country in any way. How FOOLISH to think that we should be trying to improve Satan’s handiwork.

We are afraid that this biblical warning will fall on deaf ears of those who in their misguided zeal are determined to vote, no matter what God says. They will do this at great personal peril, because God is not mocked; and what a man sows that he will also reap. 

The Bible is very clear: We are SINNING if we vote in national elections, while forgetting our true responsibility of being AMBASSADORS for Christ and the coming Kingdom of God. Once God rules on earth, there will be NO MORE VOTING in political campaigns. For true Christians, there must be no voting today.

Chapter 7 — Is It Sin for a Christian to Serve on a Jury?

As it is sinful behavior for a Christian to vote in governmental elections, so it is indeed sin for a Christian to serve on a jury.

A true Christian is a stranger, an alien and an exile (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13) while here on earth; an ambassador for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20); and a representative of God’s Kingdom. As such, and in being a light to the world by proper conduct (Matthew 5:14–16), a true Christian does not take part in this world’s governmental or political affairs, as presently, it is not God who rules this earth, but Satan the devil (Revelation 2:13; Luke 4:5–6). Christians are challenged to come out of the governmental and political systems of this world. Christ, knowing that God’s Kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), refused to judge a civil matter when He was asked to do so (Luke 12:14). Paul, likewise, prohibited judging those “who are outside” the church (1 Corinthians 5:12). 

Further, man’s judgments are concerned with the letter of the law. In contrast, God looks on one’s heart, and is concerned with the spirit and intent of the law. Man’s laws usually do not take into account repentance, forgiveness of sins, and other spiritual factors in the way that God does (Acts 2:38). Jesus, in looking at the heart of the accused, refused to condemn a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11). Jesus taught that true Christians must be willing to forgive others (Matthew 6:14–15). 

Another principle against participation in jury duty is that true Christians are to learn to judge according to the Law of God as seasoned by judgment, mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23). They are also to render “righteous” judgment (John 7:24). Presenting selective evidence, where facts may be suppressed for technical legal reasons as permitted in the courts, may not necessarily lead to godly justice, mercy and truth, and to the rendering of a righteous judgment. 

In following biblical injunctions, one could not convict a person, in any event, unless the accusation is supported by the testimony of at least two witnesses (Matthew 18:16; Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6–7; 19:15). These two witnesses would have to be subject to cross-examination. Since the witnesses would have to “cast the first stones,” circumstantial evidence [which is many times based on human interpretation and theory] would not be sufficient under God’s Law for the requirement of two witnesses. 

Since we may be compelled, as a juror, to apply man’s laws in conflict with the Law of God, we could not take the oath as a juror, as we would, in principle, agree to obeying men rather than God (Acts 5:29; Acts 4:19). Therefore, jury duty will invariably create a conflict of conscience in an informed Christian between the requirements of God and the requirements of jury service. A Christian who violates his conscience would be guilty of committing sin (Romans 14:23; 1 John 3:4).

Chapter 8 — Is It Sin for a Christian to Join the Military and Fight in War?

As it is sinful behavior for a Christian to vote in governmental elections and to serve and judge on a jury, so it is indeed sin for a Christian to join the military service and participate in war.

Romans 12:17–21 tells us that we have to overcome evil with good; that we are not to avenge ourselves; and that we even have to give food and drink to our enemies if we find them in need. Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27–28 command us to love our enemies. This tells us that we cannot fight or kill our enemies. We are told, in Romans 14:19 and in 1 Peter 3:11, to pursue the things which lead to peace. We are called to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9; James 3:18).

John the Baptist told Roman soldiers to “do violence to no man” (Luke 3:14, Authorized Version). He was showing man how to live in peace (Luke 1:79). Jesus Christ came to preach peace (Acts 10:36), as man does not know the way to peace (Luke 19:41–42; Romans 3:17), living, instead, the way that brings about bloodshed and war (Romans 3:10–18). Christ will return to make an end to war (Psalm 46:9). He will scatter all those who delight in war (Psalm 68:28–30). After His return, all will learn how to live in peace, and there will be no more wars (Isaiah 2:2–4). Weapons of war will be destroyed (Hosea 2:18). At that time, there will be no end to the increase of peace (Isaiah 9:7). Today, as ambassadors of Christ, we are to proclaim peace and reject any kind of war (Isaiah 52:7).

We read in James 4:1–4 that wars originate with man’s sinful and carnal desires, which must be overcome. We must live today the way of peace that all mankind will learn to live after Christ’s return. Christ told Peter to put his sword away (Matthew 26:52). We are warned that all those who use the sword would perish by it (Revelation 13:10; compare 2 Samuel 2:26). Christ told His disciples that they were not following God’s directive when they wanted to destroy their enemies (Luke 9:54–56). Christ told Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this world, and that therefore, His servants would not fight (John 18:36). Paul confirmed that Christ’s followers are not to fight (2 Corinthians 10:3–4; Ephesians 6:12). We find that Satan is the one deceiving man to fight in war (Revelation 20:7–10).

It is true that in Old Testament times, ancient Israel fought in war. This, however, was sin. God never intended that Israel should fight. Israel chose to fight, lacking faith that God could and would help them in times of need (Exodus 17:7; Psalm 78:41). Since man is a free moral agent, God does not force man not to sin. God had made it clear, however, that Israel was not to fight. He told Israel in Exodus 14:14: “The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” God intended to bring Israel into the Promised Land by driving out the enemies, using hornets in several cases (Exodus 23:27–28; Deuteronomy 7:17–22; Joshua 24:12). When Israel relied on God, God fought for them, and they did not have to fight (2 Chronicles 20:1–30; 2 Chronicles 32:1–23).

David also fought in war, but this, too, was sinful. God punished David with wars because of his murder of Uriah and his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:9–10). God did not allow David to build a temple, because he had shed blood in war (1 Chronicles 22:6–10; 1 Chronicles 28:2–3; 1 Kings 5:2–5). God punished David again at the end of his life, when he numbered his army, intending to go to war or to defend himself in war (2 Samuel 24:1–17; 1 Chronicles 21:1–30).

It is true that God, at times, ordered Israel to fight certain wars. This did not make war right. Israel had chosen to fight in war, as Israel later chose to have a king. God gave them their king (1 Samuel 8:22; 9:17), stating at the same time that their request for a king was sinful (1 Samuel 8:7, 19; 10:19; 12:13, 19–20). God allowed divorce in Old Testament times, because of the hardness of people’s hearts, but it was not God’s intent that people should divorce, barring certain biblical circumstances (Matthew 19:3–9). Since God’s purpose must stand, and since God had promised Abraham unconditionally to bring his descendants into the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18–21; 22:15–18), God determined the outcome of those wars that Israel wanted to fight.

Rather than killing our enemies, we are to do them good if it is within our power to do so. Elisha acted in that way, as recorded in
2 Kings 6:14–23, and lasting peace was the result. When we are confronted with aggression, we need to pray to God to give us strength not to violate His Law by killing the aggressors. God will not allow that we are overtaken by a temptation that is too difficult for us to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). If there is an opportunity, we can hide or escape from our enemies, as Christ did (John 10:39). 

Christ never fought in war, nor did He ever commit violence against any man. When He drove out the money changers, Christ only used the whip for the animals, not the people. Correctly translated, John 2:15 should read: “When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, BOTH (not “with”) the sheep and the oxen…” (Compare New International Version; New Revised Standard Version; Moffat Bible). 

As Christ never resorted to violence, neither did the early apostles and disciples after their conversion; and neither must we today.

God promises us protection from our enemies when we do what He commands (Exodus 34:22–24). If God were to choose not to protect us in any given situation, for whatever reason, we must still not violate His Law by killing another human being. Rather, we must act as Daniel’s three friends did, when Nebuchadnezzar threw them into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:14–18).

Since God has ordered us, not to kill (Exodus 20:13), we must not violate His Law by taking the life of another human being (including through abortion). It is also remarkable that before the time of Constantine, no Church leader approved of Christian participation in war. Soldiers willing to kill, as well as gladiators and executioners, were refused Church membership. 

We could therefore not kill in war, nor enter the military to serve as combatants. We would be able to fulfill any duties as a civil servant, if so required.

The Worldwide Church of God under its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, who died in 1986, and the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates have consistently taught their members that it is wrong to participate in military service, as explained above, and to fight in war. It is a sad testimony that when a Church organization began to deviate from the Truth and the faith which was and is once and for all delivered to the saints, they began to allow voting in
governmental elections, participation in jury duty, and finally joining the military and fighting in war. In most cases, since they were unwilling to repent, many ceased to be members of the Body of Christ.

Chapter 9 — What Is the Mark of the Beast?

In Revelation 13, we read about two “beasts.” The first “beast” (Revelation 13:1–10) is a political, economic and military power and describes the ancient Roman Empire and its ten European revivals. The second beast is introduced in Revelation 13:11 and describes a religious power. But they also describe the individuals, especially at the time of the last European revival, who will be leading the European power bloc. They are referred to as the “beast” as well, and also as the “false prophet.”

This second beast had two horns. It looked like a lamb (Jesus Christ is referred to as the Lamb of God throughout the New Testament, compare John 1:29 and Revelation 5:6), but it spoke like a dragon (Satan is identified as a dragon in Revelation 12:3, 9). This second beast is influenced by Satan, while pretending to speak and teach “religious doctrines” on behalf of Christ.

We read in Revelation 13:14 that the second beast will make an “image” to the first beast (the Roman Empire and its ten revivals). This passage began to find its fulfillment, historically, when the religious power of the second beast patterned itself after—made an image of—the governmental and political structure of the worldly power—the first beast—when it became a state in Rome, called the Vatican State, which would make contracts or treaties with other worldly governments; which also would send out their ambassadors and emissaries; and which would even have an army, including the Swiss guards that fought against “heretics” under the leadership of the Pope. It ultimately influenced and “inspired” the first beast to put to death those who would not worship and follow the dictates of the Catholic Church.

Revelation 13:16–17 explains that “the image” of the second (religious) beast will cause people to accept “a mark” of the first beast “on their right hand” or “on their foreheads.” Without it, they cannot buy or sell (compare Revelation 14:9).

This mark of the first beast includes the violation of God’s commandment to observe the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days (compare Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:20; Isaiah 56:2; Isaiah 58:13; Amos 8:5; Exodus 16:23, 26; Exodus 31:15). In the Bible, the “right hand” is associated with work (Psalm 90:17; 137:5). The “forehead” is the seat of thoughts (Ezekiel 3:8; 9:4; Revelation 7:3).

Christ told us that the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27); and Paul adds in Hebrews 4:9 that “It is therefore the duty of the people of God to keep the sabbath” (Lamsa Translation).

We are told that the “little horn”—a reference to the Roman Catholic Church—would try to “change times and law” (Daniel 7:25), that is, God’s Law regarding holy time. The Roman Church changed the calendar in Europe in 1976, which identifies Sunday as the last day of the week, rather than the 7th-Day Saturday-Sabbath. It commands that Christians are to rest on Sunday, and it did command in the past that they were to work on Saturday. We will experience something similar very soon. 

The “image” will influence the first beast—the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire—to enjoin people to work on the Sabbath, while prohibiting to work on Sunday. As in the past, it will thereby “cause” the death of true Christians (compare Revelation 13:15).

God warns us not to worship the beast and his image, and not to receive his mark on our forehead and on our hand (Revelation 14:9). If we do, we will “drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation” (Revelation 14:10).

That the Catholic Church (the little horn) “changed” God’s Law regarding holy time is even admitted by the Catholic Church itself. Archbishop James Cardinal Gibbons wrote in 1893 in the Catholic Mirror: “The Catholic church for over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her Divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday…. The Protestant world at its birth found the Christian Sabbath [Sunday] too strongly entrenched to run counter to its existence; it was therefore placed under the necessity of acquiescing in the arrangement, thus implying the [Catholic] Church’s right to change the day, for over 300 years. The Christian Sabbath [Sunday] is therefore to this day the acknowledged offspring of the Catholic Church…”

In addition, the Catholic Church Extension Society in Chicago published the following statement by Peter R. Kraemer, a Catholic priest: “We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living church, the authority of the church, as a rule to guide us…. We accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws…. It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible.”

Regarding the mark of the beast, the commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown states that, “The mark may be, as in the case of the sealing of the saints in the forehead, not a visible mark, but symbolical of allegiance. So the sign of the cross in Popery. The Pope’s interdict has often shut out the excommunicate from social and commercial intercourse. Under the final Antichrist [the beast] this shall come to pass in its most violent form.”

In addition to the rejection of the weekly Sabbath, the mark of the beast includes, among other things, the rejection of God’s annual Holy Days [which are also called Sabbaths in the Bible, compare Leviticus 23], while enforcing the celebration of man’s pagan holidays.

Simply put, the mark of the beast is tantamount to a political and religious philosophy detrimental to the true worship of God. It includes the mandatory and legally enforced celebration of pagan religious holidays, such as Sunday, Christmas and Easter, and the rejection of God’s weekly and annual Holy Days, including the weekly Saturday-Sabbath and, for instance, the Feast of Tabernacles. It also includes humanly devised and ungodly ideas such as fighting in war or supporting and embracing a religion which preaches a false Jesus or a false gospel (Galatians 1:6–9; 2 Corinthians 11:3–4).

It is important that we come out of the modern “Babylonian” system of religious and political confusion (Revelation 18:4). Modern “Babylon” includes the many false religious teachings of the fallen woman in Revelation 17 (compare verse 5)—the “second” beast—in conjunction with the many false political, military and economic concepts and activities of the “first” beast (Revelation 18:9, 11–14).

The mark comes from the first beast. But the second beast causes all people to accept this mark. We can get a clue about its character from what has gone on before in the Roman Empire and its revivals. Notice what historian Will Durant says in The Age of Faith, volume 4 of his renowned work, The Story of Civilization, about the Code of Justinian: “This Code, like the Theodosian, enacted orthodox Christianity into law. It began by declaring for the Trinity…. It acknowledged the ecclesiastical leadership of the Roman Church, and ordered all Christian groups to submit to her authority…. Relapsed heretics were to be put to death… and other dissenters were to suffer confiscation of their goods, and were declared incompetent to buy or sell, to inherit or bequeath; they were excluded from public office, forbidden to meet, and disqualified from suing orthodox Christians for debt” (1950, p. 112).

In addition, the Catholic Church decreed in 364 A.D. that Christians must work on the Sabbath, and that they ought to rest on Sunday. Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea stated the following:

“Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day [Sunday]; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.”

In A.D. 597, Pope Gregory I labeled those who insist on the observance of the Sabbath as teachers of Antichrist: “It has come to my ears that certain men of perverse spirit have sown among you some things that are wrong and opposed to the holy faith, so as to forbid any work being done on the Sabbath day. What else can I call these but preachers of Antichrist…”

Those who were not orthodox Catholics were forbidden from buying and selling—conducting business. Thus, the mark of the beast includes general participation in the worship system of the revived Roman Empire. Those who refused and are refusing to accept the mark were and will be persecuted by the government.

In Revelation 20:4, John says, “Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

Theologians and commentators alike know that Sabbath observance is biblical, and that Sunday observance was instituted without biblical authority. Swiss reformer John Calvin admitted that the Bible teaches the observance of the Sabbath, not of Sunday. But, like Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, he was unwilling to go back to Sabbath worship. 

The woman that rides the beast has been around for a long time, and has blatantly changed what God Himself sanctified. In the process, God’s annual Holy Days were discarded and pagan holidays, such as Easter and Christmas, were adopted. God specifically warned ancient Israel not to incorporate pagan elements in their worship of Him. He says in Deuteronomy 12:30–32, “Take heed to yourself… that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I will also do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods…. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it, you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” The same warning is for us today!

Sunday was the day on which pagans worshiped their sun god since ancient times. That is where the name Sunday comes from. Easter was a feast of fertility for the goddess Astarte, also called Ishtar, Ostara or Eostre. Christmas was the holy day of Mithras, of Attis, and of other pagan gods. Remarkably, many pagan “saviors” were supposedly born on December 25, killed on a Friday, and resurrected on a Sunday during Easter time. 

Christ Himself was not born in December, nor killed on a Friday nor resurrected on a Sunday. Rather, Scripture indicates, with the support of history, that He was born in early autumn, before the rainy season. He could not have been born later than that because shepherds were still in the fields with their sheep. Records confirm that He was crucified on Wednesday and resurrected on Saturday, just before sunset, thereby fulfilling the only sign He gave—that He would be in the grave for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40).

The Christmas tree is a relic of pagan tree worship, which is condemned in Jeremiah 10:3: “For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple.”

The early Roman Church absorbed pagan elements into their worship, in direct contradiction to God’s command not to do so, to make the new faith attractive to Gentiles who were already steeped in pagan customs. These pagan customs were placed under a “Christian” mantle so that they would have the appearance of being godly. Traditional Christianity clearly violates God’s command not to learn our ways of worship from the Gentiles, not to add pagan elements to holy worship, and not to delete godly elements that are to be observed, such as the weekly and annual Holy Days. Traditional Christianity has, in effect, already accepted the mark of the Beast by embracing human traditions that violate God’s laws. 

Will You Accept the Mark of the Beast?

In these present times and in the months and years ahead, it will become increasingly important for all of us to draw very near to God! We must stand firm in the face of challenges and persecution. We must be faithful in observing God’s laws regarding the weekly and annual Sabbaths, which identify us as HIS people (Exodus 31:13, 17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20). We must also reject the religiously inspired “mark” of the revived Roman Empire, which will enforce the false religious doctrines of the fallen woman, rewarding those who will observe them, while persecuting those who won’t. 

God’s punishment and His wrath will be poured out over everyone who worships the beast and his image, and who receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand. We read that he “shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the PRESENCE of the Lamb” (Revelation 14:10). 

Compare also 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9, which explains what will happen “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the PRESENCE of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” 

Even before fire destroys them, they will live in fear of their future. Compare Luke 21:26–27: “…men’s hearts [will be] failing them from fear and expectation of those things which are coming on the earth…Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the cloud with power and great glory.” Because of their fearful expectations, they will have “no rest day or night” prior to their death (Revelation 14:11).

As in the past, true Christians will be persecuted by the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire for following God’s commands of keeping and worshipping God on the Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, while rejecting the observance of pagan holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, or New Year’s.

In the History of the Norwegian Church, under the years 1435 and 1436, appears the following: “We counsel all the friends of God throughout all Norway who want to be obedient towards the holy church to let this evil of Saturday-keeping alone [so there existed Sabbath-keeping Christians at that time]; and the rest we forbid under penalty of severe church punishment to keep Saturday holy. It is forbidden under the same penalty to keep Saturday holy by refraining from labor.”

Here is a report from 1618 about a Mrs. Traske, a Sabbatarian in England: “At last for teaching only five days a week [she was a teacher, but refused to teach on the Sabbath], and resting upon Saturday she was carried to the new prison in Maiden Lane…. Mrs. Traske lay fifteen or sixteen years a prisoner for her opinion about the Saturday Sabbath.” She chose to follow the Bible and the Bible alone!

In 1604 in Ethiopia, there were some who kept the Sabbath, but due to the influence of the Jesuits, the king of Ethiopia prohibited his subjects, upon severe penalties, to observe Saturday any longer.

Much has been written about the Waldenses. They taught and kept the Sabbath, for which they were severely persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church. Citing from A General History of the Sabbatarian Churches, pages 88 and 89, “Of the many who were burned, and otherwise destroyed for Judaism, observes a Spanish author of the sixteenth century, it is not probable that one-tenth were of the race of Israel, but heretics, who, for persisting in saying that the law of Moses was still binding, were accused of Jewish practices, such as circumcision and sabbatizing, to the latter of which [Sabbath keeping] they uniformly plead guilty.” 

What the Mark of the Beast Means for Us Today

True Christians understand that the Sabbath and the Holy Days must be kept, and that they must not instead accept the mark of the beast by worshipping on Sunday and pagan holidays, and by refusing to worship on God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths. 

But how does this play out in practice when the government prohibits Christian churches to meet and assemble on the Sabbath? They might not even place this prohibition under a religious mantle, but they might give some other reasons, such as the outbreak of a pandemic that would require people to stay at home. The weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days are commanded biblical holy assemblies or holy convocations (compare Leviticus 23). We should ask ourselves whether refusing to follow God’s command, because the government says so, would be pleasing to God (compare Hebrews 10:25; the Living Bible states: “Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near”).

In the past, some Church groups have been far too quick to follow the guidance (not even at first a directive) of a particular government and have prohibited worship services worldwide for all of their members, even though the government of one particular country did not speak for other countries, and even though an alleged pandemic had not even reached some of the countries in which members lived. Other Church groups followed the subsequent directive of the government of their country, but did not limit their prohibition of services to that country, but prohibited all their members worldwide to meet anywhere. 

In this day and age, we have the means of broadcasting sermons live over the Internet to the homes of Church members, which we can resort to on a temporary basis, when physical person-to-person meetings and assemblies with the brethren are not possible. But what happens if a government would prohibit such services as well? How far would we go to follow governmental rules which would prohibit religious services in any manner and of any kind? 

Christians in the early Church were forced to meet in secret, in catacombs, in order to escape the fury of the Roman government. When they were caught, they were severely punished, but they were willing to obey God rather than men. 

The Mark of the Beast in Its Wider Application

In a sense, the mark of the beast is the political, economic, philosophical, religious and military application of the rule of the modern Babylonian system—concepts of men in opposition to the Truth of God. As such, the issue we are addressing here is wide-ranging. 

Anointing

For instance, God’s ministers are commanded to feed the flock. Zechariah 11:16 warns us of a worthless shepherd who will not feed or heal Church members. Ezekiel 34:4 applies this to other shepherds as well. God’s true ministers have a duty to anoint those with oil who are sick (James 5:14), which includes the laying on of hands (Luke 4:40; Mark 16:18; Acts 28:8).

But in times of the existence of a real or perceived virus that is allegedly being transferred through touch or close proximity (“social distancing” is supposed to prevent this from happening), a government might prohibit such a practice of anointing. 

It is true that God allows His ministers to prepare and send out an anointed cloth instead, when person-to-person anointing is not possible (compare Acts 19:11–12). This is mainly meant for cases of great distance. In any event, what happens if this procedure is prohibited as well? Pretty soon, we might be labeled by God as worthless shepherds if we refuse to anoint the sick. Some might want to agree with the government that for the greater good and the health of the public, laying on of hands by a minister should be omitted, without considering that God has shown over many years that, due to His protection, His anointing ministers will be immune from contracting the disease of the sick person.

We are also told that in times past, when pestilence struck Alexandria and Carthage, Christians remained to care for the sick well after pagans had fled. What a contrast with situations today when senior citizens are being abandoned in Christian countries during a pandemic and die a lonesome death. 

Conflict may arise when a government, perhaps due to fear of a virus which might allegedly be transmitted by touch or close proximity, prohibits the practice of baptizing or ordaining a person, which requires the laying on of hands by the minister on the person (compare Acts 8:12–17; 19:5–6; Acts 6:2–6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6). In addition, a government might prohibit Church ministers to bless little children (Mark 10:16; compare Matthew 19:13–15) or to conduct marriages, as all these procedures require the laying on of hands to set the persons aside for a holy and righteous purpose. Already in Old Testament times, it was understood as symbolizing the imparting of godly blessings (Genesis 48:13–20), His authority and spiritual power (Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9).

Preaching the Gospel

A government might also prohibit God’s Church from preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. Would ministers in God’s Church acquiesce to such a demand? Or, a government might not prohibit the preaching entirely, but it might seriously limit it to only those statements that are deemed politically correct. It might prohibit preaching God’s Truth about sin, including homosexuality, abortion, voting, jury duty or fighting in war. How far would ministers in God’s Church be willing to go to obey the government so that they could at least preach “some” of the Truth? Do we believe that God would be pleased with such compromising and condescending attitude, or would He not want His Church to preach the “full counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), no matter how “offensive” it might be to other people and to the government?

Worshipping and Serving God Alone

What if a government would issue a decree prohibiting the worship of the true God, or enjoining the worship of the “god” of their choosing? What if our children would be commanded in school to pray to pagan gods or to the “Virgin Mary”? 

Daniel’s three friends refused to fall down and worship before a statue of Nebuchadnezzar, and Daniel refused to obey a governmental decree not to worship God any longer and not to pray to God. In both cases, they refused to follow those directives, and serious punishment was the consequence.

In this regard, the answer of the three friends to Nebuchadnezzar is quite remarkable. When the King ordered them to fall down and worship his image and threatened them in case of disobedience with their execution in the fiery furnace, they responded:

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

What needs to be stressed here is that the King let them be cast into the fiery furnace, but that God saved them supernaturally. When Daniel was cast into the lions’ den for obeying and worshipping God and disobeying the order of King Darius not to pray to God, God likewise protected and saved him supernaturally. Again, Daniel’s answer to the King after his rescue is quite remarkable:

“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you” (Daniel 6:22). Verse 23 adds that God protected him and that “no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.”

In times of great distress and persecution, we must never forget that the all-powerful God is on our side and will protect us or that He will give us the necessary strength to endure a particular trial, and that NOTHING will happen to us which is too difficult for us to handle, and that God will always show us the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

In the past, emperors and dictators would order their subjects to accept so-called Christianity and to participate in mass “baptisms” with the threat of death for non-compliance. If something like this were to occur today, how would God’s people respond to such orders? 

At other times, governments would require of their subjects to disassociate themselves from the true God and to openly repudiate and deny Him. 

True Christians refused to do so and were sometimes tortured and killed as a consequence. We are told that Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John, being 86 years old, refused the order of the government to curse Christ and instead to declare that “Caesar is Lord” and to sacrifice to his image. A recent plague and an earthquake had convinced the people that the gods were angry because Christians lived in the city. When threatened with death, Polycarp answered, “Eighty-six years have I served Him and He never did me any wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me? Hear my confession—I am a Christian.”

When the proconsul threatened him with wild beasts, Polycarp answered: “Call for them. I am unalterably resolved not to repent from good to evil.” When he was then threatened with fire, he said: “Your fire burns only a short time, then flickers out; but you are ignorant of the judgment to come of everlasting fire prepared for the wicked.”

We are told that when he was burned, the fire did not consume him, and he only died when the executioner stabbed him with a dagger. We are also told that he died on the seventh day of the week, the “great Sabbath.”

How would many Christians react in such a situation today? Would they argue that this is just a minor infraction of God’s laws, if at all, and that they therefore could do so publicly to save their lives, claiming and convincing themselves that in their hearts, they had not denied or cursed Christ? 

When NOT to Obey

The principle of obeying God rather than men applies to so many scenarios. In the context of “government” in our private homes, it applies for instance to a wife who must refuse to obey or submit to her husband who requires of her to do something which violates God’s Will in letter or spirit. 

Notice Colossians 3:18, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” Note the fact that it would not be fitting or pleasing to the Lord, if the husband gave unreasonable orders; if he acted selfishly; or if he ceased to love his wife. Although the command to be submissive is directed to the wife, it presupposes that the husband himself submits to God first and that he does not require of his wife things that are ungodly. For instance, if a husband asks his wife to lie, the wife is not to do that. God’s commands always come first. Wives must not sin in “submitting” to their husbands. They must not violate their biblically-based conscience (cp. Romans 14:23). 

Notice Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord…” Note again that we do not submit to God if we break His commandments. Likewise, wives are not to submit to their husbands if doing so would mean breaking one of God’s commandments in the letter or in the spirit.

The principle of obeying God rather than men applies to children who must not obey their parents if they are ordered to disobey God’s Word. 

Paul says in Ephesians 6:1–3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”

As children, we are to obey our parents in the Lord. This means, we are not to obey them if it would not be in the Lord—that is, if it would be in contradiction to God’s commandments—either from a literal or a spiritual standpoint. Once a child is old enough to understand God’s Way of Life, he or she must follow God.

Christ did just that. He told His parents, when He was twelve years old, that He had to be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49). Yet, as a young child, He remained obedient to His mother and His stepfather (Luke 2:51), when He could do so without violating God’s Will for Him. Even as an adult, He honored His mother’s wish to change water into wine (John 2:1–11). He did not obey His mother, however, when it was contrary to the Will of God. When He was busy teaching and His mother asked Him to come out of the house to see her, He refused (Mark 3:31–35; Matthew 12:46–50). 

Notice also Colossians 3:20, “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.” We must obey our parents in all things, unless the instructions of our parents contradict the letter or the spirit of God’s Word. It is never well-pleasing to God if we disobey Him. Children must not obey their parents, if this would violate God’s Law. They are not to lie or to steal or to kill or to dishonor God or to break His Sabbath or to keep Christmas and Easter with them in “obedience” to their parents’ “orders.”

The principle of obeying God rather than men applies to parents who are ordered to send their children to school on the Sabbath or the Holy Days and who are told that in case of disobedience, a fine might be imposed upon them. Great caution and diplomacy are of course required by the parents, and much prayer and fasting that God would graciously intervene and make it possible that the children can keep His Holy Days. In addition, rather than just giving in, all legal channels and avenues should be used to fight such ungodly orders. 

A Christian employee must refuse the order of his boss who “governs” over the employee, to work on the Sabbath, even if this could mean the loss of his job. 

A citizen must refuse an order of the government to serve in the military in a combatant capacity and to fight in war, even if this means suffering the fate of a “traitor.” In World War I and World War II, conscientious objectors were executed or severely mistreated on all sides. This will clearly be the case in the coming World War III.

Obey or Submit to the Penalty—What It Does Not Mean!

Some have a terribly distorted understanding of a Christian’s duty and obligation toward human governments, thinking that they must either obey, no matter what, or that they must always submit to and accept the penalty imposed upon them if they disobey. They do not feel that there could be any “middle ground,” but that is not what the Bible teaches.

It should be clear, of course, that we can resort to legal channels when a penalty imposed on us is deemed to be wrong or unjustified or in violation of our constitutional rights, including our rights of religious worship and assembly or the freedom of expression of our opinion. In many countries, such freedoms do not exist, however. In what way then is it the duty of a Christian to submit to the penalty of the government? It is clear that a Christian cannot resort to violence against the government, but what does the Bible say, for example, about becoming a fugitive from the law?

Many democratic and civilized countries recognize that this must be allowed in certain circumstances, and they offer asylum to those who have been persecuted in their country for practicing their religious convictions, and who have fled their country to seek shelter and refuge in another country. Joseph and Mary were told by an angel of God to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus, as King Herod was trying to capture and kill Him. 

The Bible makes it very clear that a Christian can try to escape from governmental measures—whether legal or not, judged by human standards—if those measures are in violation of the Word of God.

When King Saul tried to kill David, David hid and then escaped. He did not wait for Saul to capture and execute him. He repeatedly escaped when Saul pursued him. 

When the prophet Elijah heard that Queen Jezebel was trying to capture and kill him, he escaped and fled as well. 

When Jesus was told that King Herod was trying to arrest Him, or that the religious authorities were plotting to capture Him, Christ did not voluntarily surrender; instead, He let Herod know that He still had a job to do. 

Moses’ parents found a way to save their little child; they did not simply wait until the government came to them to kill it. 

The harlot Rahab acted similarly when she hid the spies and helped them to escape the city of Jericho. In doing so, she saved her life and that of her household.

The most obvious example of a godly and even commanded escape from governmental confinement can be seen in Peter and other early apostles. We read in Acts 5:17–25 that the government arrested the apostles but that an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors for them and brought them out of prison so that they could continue to preach the Truth. The apostles did not react by saying, we cannot leave prison because it would violate the government’s order to keep us incarcerated. 

Later, in Acts 12:3–19, King Herod imprisoned Peter, but an angel of the Lord freed him supernaturally, and after showing himself to the brethren, he went away and hid himself so that Herod could not find him. 

All of these examples show that it was God’s Will for His servants to escape from the ungodly punishment of the unjust human government; in some cases, He even supernaturally intervened to make such escape possible.

In the future, God’s Church is described as fleeing to a place of safety here on earth from governmental authorities. Even though we do not know exactly how this flight will transpire, the point is that it is God who will set in motion such a “flight” to protect His people from governments under Satan’s control, and He will even intervene when the governmental armies are trying to capture and kill God’s people. If someone, falsely understanding the relationship between God’s and men’s prerogatives, would feel that he cannot flee as this would violate the government’s orders, he would most certainly not be taken to the place of safety, but he would be left behind and suffer the terrible consequences of his misguided and faulty perception.

Conclusion

In this booklet we have tried to point out the proper and right relationship of a Christian toward the government of the country in which he lives, and to explain what to do in times of conflict between the directives of the human government and God’s Will for His people. Many more examples could be given, of course, but the ones mentioned should suffice to help you to resolve in your own mind what to do when a difficult conflict situation arises, so that you will not be found unprepared. 

As we draw nearer to Christ’s return, mankind will move further and further away from the Truth of God and they will completely submit to unrighteous and ungodly decrees of the governments. The Bible even says that because the love of God will grow cold in many Christians, they will hate and betray one another—they might become informers to their government regarding their relatives, friends and neighbors who will not succumb to rules and regulations contrary to the dictates of God. 

We should not be surprised when this happens, but we must stand strong in the faith when our obedience toward God is being tested.

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Introduction

The concept of the Ten Commandments—also referred to as the Decalogue—has been known since time immemorial, often being referred to in religious and even nonreligious articles, books, movies and TV shows. However, many false ideas are associated with these Commandments, as very few people truly understand their unique meaning and significance, resulting in opposition to keeping them today, even among professing Christians.

In this booklet, we will discuss many of the false interpretations and misconceptions about the individual commandments and the entire Decalogue, and we will show how the Ten Commandments ARE to be understood and what they mean for us today.

The Ten Commandments are listed in their entirety in Exodus 20 and in Deuteronomy 5.

Quoting from Exodus 20:1–17, we read:

“And God spoke all these words, saying:

“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.

^“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

^“‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

“‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

^“‘Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

^“‘You shall not murder.

^“‘You shall not commit adultery.

^“‘You shall not steal.

^“‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

^“‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

In reading the plain words of these instructions, it would seem that everyone would understand their meaning. Sadly, this is not the case at all. Just the opposite, everyone has their own opinion or interpretation, but a closer look at God’s Word—the Bible—reveals what God is really saying.

Chapter 1 — God’s Law Before and Since the Creation of Man

It might be surprising to learn that most of the Ten Commandments were already in force and effect—in a spiritual way—BEFORE the creation of man, and that ALL of them became LAW in its physical and spiritual application with the creation of Adam and Eve.

Before the creation of man approximately 6,000 years ago, a cherub by the name of Lucifer sinned. In our booklet Angels, Demons and the Spirit World, we state the following under “Lucifer and Satan” on page 40:

“The Bible reveals that God created all of the angels. They were not created as robots, but as spirit beings with the power to choose and to decide. One high-ranking angel, a cherub by the name of Lucifer, rebelled and sinned against God (Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:11–17). Lucifer wanted to ‘ascend to heaven’ to dethrone God (Isaiah 14:13). He wanted to ‘ascend above the heights of the clouds’ (Isaiah 14:14). This shows us that he was here on earth, because he wanted to ascend above the clouds of the earth to go to heaven. When he sinned, he was thrown back to this earth (Isaiah 14:12). He became Satan, which means enemy or adversary. Lucifer, or Satan, was already here on earth when Adam and Eve were created. We are told that the serpent was already here in order to deceive Eve when Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden. The serpent is identified as Satan the devil (Revelation 12:9). Since Satan appeared to the first man and his wife as the deceiver, he must have lived on this earth prior to man as Lucifer—when he was not yet the deceiver—before he tried to ‘ascend to heaven.’

“Actually, before he was sent to earth, Lucifer had been trained in heaven before the very throne of God, and he had angels under his command. We read in Ezekiel 28:14 that he was the anointed cherub who covers. Recall that the cherubs covered the throne of God when God appeared to Moses in the Tabernacle. Also, we read in Ezekiel 28:14 that Lucifer was on the holy mountain of God in heaven (compare Hebrews 12:22). When he sinned by trying to ascend from this earth to heaven to dethrone God, he was cast out of the mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:16). Christ later said that He saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18).”

Before his rebellion, he chose, of his own free will, to love and serve God, but later on, he took his “eyes” off of God. His focus changed from serving God to elevating himself to become God. In Isaiah 14:13–14 we read: “For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” 

Satan and his demons sinned when they rebelled against God (2 Peter 2:4; 1 John 3:8). Sin is defined as the transgression of God’s LAW of love (1 John 3:4; Romans 13:8–10). So we see that sin was committed even before the creation of man.

Then after Adam and Eve were created, they sinned while in the Garden of Eden. This was long before the Ten Commandments were announced to the people by God through Moses at Mount Sinai.

We read in 1 Timothy 2:14 that “Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Eve sinned when she violated God’s Law. This means that God’s Law of the Ten Commandments was already in effect long before Abraham or Moses. Paul tells us in Romans 4:15, “…where there is no law there is no transgression.” And remember, if we sin, we are “convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9).

Adam and Eve transgressed the Law of the Ten Commandments when they took of the forbidden fruit. They sinned by disobeying God, by stealing from Him and by lying to Him about it. They also committed idolatry by following Satan, desiring to have something that was not theirs. Later, Cain sinned by murdering his brother Abel (Genesis 4:7–8). The men of Sodom were sinful against God (Genesis 13:13) in violating His commandments and principles pertaining to marriage (Genesis 18:20).

Long before Moses, God prevented two pagan rulers—both referred to as Abimelech—from sinning against Him by having an adulterous relationship with Abraham’s and Isaac’s wives (Genesis 20:6; Genesis 26:10). Later, Joseph refused to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife, knowing that this would be a sin (Genesis 39:7–9). Jacob sinned by deceiving, or lying to, his father Isaac (Genesis 27:35). Jacob knew that stealing was sinful (Genesis 30:33; 31:39). Joseph later explained that kidnapping a person was stealing and therefore sinful (Genesis 40:15). His brothers understood, too, that stealing was sinful (Genesis 50:17; Genesis 44:8).

Fornication was understood to be a sinful act long before God spoke the Ten Commandments to Israel (Genesis 34:7, 31; 38:24). Murder also was declared to be sinful (compare also Genesis 49:6–7), and the midwives refused to kill the Israelite baby boys because they feared God (Exodus 1:16–17).

As we have already seen, the commandment against idolatry was in force and effect prior to Moses. Further proof can be found in Genesis 35:2–4 and in Joshua 24:2, 14.

God clearly identified the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as a law that had to be obeyed, even prior to arriving at Mount Sinai (Exodus 16:4–5, 22–30). After all, it had been in effect since Adam and Eve were created (Genesis 2:2–3). There is no evidence, however, that the Sabbath was in force and effect prior to the creation of man. Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27), indicating it was not created for angels. 

We see, then, that all of the Ten Commandments were in force and effect since the creation of man. In breaking them, man fell into transgression—he sinned.

Chapter 2 — Why So Much Opposition?

There is, generally, very little respect for God and His Commandments today. We read from time to time how little is known in present society with regard to the Ten Commandments. When polls are taken and people are questioned, many know much more about the celebrity culture than they do about the things of God, and few today could name the Ten Commandments in order, or even just a few of them.

Around 3,500 years ago, God spoke the Ten Commandments to the ancient nation of Israel, as we read in chapter 20 of the book of Exodus. Even though all of the Ten Commandments had been in force and effect since the creation of man, the Israelites had undoubtedly forgotten most of them while in Egyptian slavery. 

God had to remind the Israelites of His Laws for their own good and personal well-being, and for order in their society. The Commandments, when properly kept, taught them that they were to respect God and their fellow man, which in turn, would help to form and stabilize them as the new nation that God brought out of Egyptian captivity.

On the website “National Center For Constitutional Studies,” there is an article entitled, “Why Do Materialists Fear the Ten Commandments?” They make some very interesting observations, as follows:

“The most basic concept leading to the establishment of freedom in America is that, ‘Men are endowed with certain unalienable rights.’ But immediately following is the recognition that declaring rights is one thing but preserving and protecting them is quite another. What good does it do, when one is face-to-face with a pistol-carrying thug, to declare, ‘I have an unalienable right to my life and property?’ No thief or murderer will be deterred by that declaration. Hence, the Founders knew there must be a basic set of laws given to declare what actions are illegal and perhaps what the punishment will be for breaking those laws. In other words, without law there is no protection of rights.

“William Blackstone… said it was necessary for God to disclose these laws to man by direct revelation:

“‘The doctrines thus delivered we call the revealed or divine law, and they are to be found only in the Holy Scriptures. These precepts, when revealed, are found upon comparison to be really a part of the original law of nature, as they tend in all their consequences to man’s felicity’ (The Five Thousand Year Leap, pp. 131–132)…”

Ten Commandments No Longer in Force?

So many people today deny the existence of God and, therefore, anything that emanates from the Bible is seen as irrelevant, with man’s ideas taking precedence over God’s instruction. Also, human nature is set against doing the Will of God. In addition to that, mainstream Christianity generally takes the view that the Ten Commandments are done away with, and so there is often little support from those who profess Christianity but who teach erroneous doctrine.

There are many invalid comments by those who believe that God’s Commandments are no longer necessary. One such faulty opinion reads as follows: “Christians are free from that law that [was] given only to Israel. Christians lead good lives by being led by the Spirit of YHWH my father—read Galatians 5:16–18. Christians lead good lives because it’s in their hearts to do so, not because the 10 commandments [tell] them to.” This shows the deceptive lack of understanding that is touted by so many “religious” people today.

On the other hand, one writer observed, quite accurately, that “Today is a day of lawlessness. The spirit of our times is one of unbounded ‘freedom,’ one of casting off all restraints, despising all authority… God Himself is no longer feared by the majority… Because of abounding iniquity on every hand, the love of many professing Christians for their God and His Law has grown cold, just as Christ prophesied (Matthew 24:12). Yet we see in Holy Scripture that the only true freedom is freedom from sin. Concerning the purpose of Christ’s coming into the world, God’s angel Gabriel said to Joseph, ‘And thou shalt call His name JESUS (that is, ‘JEHOVAH is Savior’): for He shall save His people from their sins’ (Matthew 1:21).”

Those who think or argue that the Ten Commandments are no longer necessary today—and there are many, even in so-called Christian churches—might want to think about why God would give these Commandments in the first place if they were not right for all people of all ages, because they define love toward God, as well as love toward fellow man.

Basic Building Blocks of Society

It should be noted that the Ten Commandments are really the basic building blocks of law and order in society throughout all generations—past, present and future. In spite of Jesus saying that He came to fulfill the Law of the Ten Commandments, not to destroy it, (see Matthew 5:17), many unfortunately believe that it has been done away with. The true Church of God has always taught that Christ’s words here must be understood in the way that “fulfill” means to “fill to the full, to magnify, to enlarge,” not to do away with or bring to an end. Otherwise, Christ would have said: “I did not come to do away, but I came to do away.” 

When addressing two of the Ten Commandments, we read in James 2:10 that “whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” That should be clear enough for anyone to understand!

Keep the Ten Commandments

We read in 1 John 2:3–6: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Jesus kept the Ten Commandments, and so must we.

In 1 John 5:2–3 we read: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” That is contrary to popular belief! Many in mainstream Christianity believe that God’s commandments are a burden. For the carnal mind, which is hostile toward God and unwilling and unable to keep God’s commandments, they might very well be. But true Christians have learned that the Ten Commandments can be kept with God’s help. 

We read that in the end time, the Ten Commandments are still in force and effect. Revelation 12:16–17 describes events when Satan pursues God’s people at the end of this age: “But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 14:12 says: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

Revelation 22:14 adds: “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

Why Opposition to Keeping the Ten Commandments?

1. The love for God and His Commandments is not taken seriously by professing “Christians” who are often led astray by false shepherds.

This attitude of antipathy may affect even true Christians. It was prophesied in Matthew 24:12, when talking about members of the true Church of God: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” “Love” is a translation of the Greek word agape and refers to God’s love, which has been poured out in a true Christian’s heart by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Due to lawlessness or the transgression of the Law, God’s love in them will grow cold—they will become less and less motivated to maintain and use it, and will engage instead in more and more lawlessness. 

2. Man feels that he has all the answers, so why bother with religion and God’s commandments?

3. Scholars teach that liberation from religion and liberation from marriage are prerequisites to true human flourishing (as American journalist, David French, wrote in April 2019).

4. As we read in Romans 8:7: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Therefore, it is to be expected that those who do not have God’s Holy Spirit or who do not use it enough, but “quench” it, will have problems in obeying the Ten Commandments, and they will “justify” not having to do so.

Chapter 3 — How to Number the Ten Commandments?

Even the question as to how to number the Ten Commandments is an issue of considerable confusion. 

As mentioned earlier, the Ten Commandments are listed in Exodus 20:1–17 and also in Deuteronomy 5:6–21. There is universal acceptance that the number of the commandments God gave to us is ten. In fact, it is recognized that the Bible calls this set of commandments from God, “…the Ten Commandments” (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4).

There is, however, much disagreement as to HOW to number the Ten Commandments. Many professing Christians count the Ten Commandments differently today than the Jews do; than the early New Testament Church did; and, most importantly, than GOD numbers them.

How the Jews Count Them

For instance, the Jews count Exodus 20:2–3 as the First Commandment, which reads, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

The Jews count Exodus 20:4–6 as the Second Commandment, which reads:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve [margin: worship] them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

Many Count Them Differently 

Many professing Christians count the entire passage of Exodus 20:2–6, as quoted above, as just ONE commandment, believing that all these verses describe just the First Commandment. However, the early Church understood Exodus 20:2–6 as describing TWO commandments, not just one.

Why the discrepancy? It was Augustine, a Catholic bishop of Hippo in North Africa, who, in the fourth century, combined the First and the Second Commandment as ONE commandment, so as to allow the worship of images. In order to reach the number ten, he divided the last or the TENTH Commandment into two.

The Correct Understanding 

The Jews and the early Church correctly understood that the entirety of the TENTH Commandment reads as follows: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).

This is clearly just ONE commandment. Augustine, by deleting the Second Commandment and still wanting to reach the number “ten,” divided the Tenth Commandment into two, claiming that the first part of verse 17 (“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house”) constitutes the Ninth Commandment, and that the second part of verse 17 (“…you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s”) constitutes the Tenth Commandment.

Anyone should be able to see that this distinction is highly arbitrary. Why would God give one commandment against coveting our neighbor’s house and another commandment against coveting our neighbor’s wife, his servants, his animals and ANYTHING that belongs to him?

Different Wording in Deuteronomy

Augustine’s arbitrary division of the Tenth Commandment into two commandments is also manifestly wrong for the reason that the parallel Scripture in Deuteronomy 5:21 lists the people and things not to be coveted in a slightly different order, and it does NOT begin with not coveting the neighbor’s house. It reads:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire [or covet] your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” 

It is obvious that the entirety of Exodus 20:17 and of Deuteronomy 5:21 constitutes just ONE commandment.

Paul’s Numbering

For further proof that Augustine’s renumbering of the Ten Commandments must be rejected, please note that Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, made no distinction between coveting our neighbor’s house or his wife. There is only ONE commandment against coveting, as Paul clearly explains.

He said in Romans 13:9: “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

He also wrote in Romans 7:7: “… for I would not have known covetousness [i.e., that it is wrong and a sin] unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’” Again, no distinction is made between coveting our neighbor’s house and coveting our neighbor’s wife, servants or animals.

Where Did this Counting Error Come from?

As mentioned, the reason Augustine renumbered the Ten Commandments (by counting the First and the Second Commandment as just one commandment) was a strictly “political” one. It was done for the purpose of allowing the worship of images and statues as part of the worship of God. But as we will see, THAT is EXACTLY what the Second Commandment prohibits. While the First Commandment prohibits the worship of anything else BUT God, the Second Commandment prohibits the worship of statues in connection with the worship of God. This means, it is wrong to bow down and worship in front of a statue that supposedly depicts Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary or a “departed saint.”

The Bible is very clear that neither Mary, the mother of Christ, nor any of the dead Christians, such as the Apostles Peter, Paul and John, are alive today. Rather, they are in their graves, awaiting the resurrection from the dead to eternal life. It is therefore useless, for that reason alone, to bow down in front of a statue that allegedly represents or depicts them, and pray to them for help. It is also clearly prohibited in the Bible to do so.

In addition, the Father is God, but so is Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:8), and to make a statue of God and to worship IT is also in clear violation of the Second Commandment. This is true even apart from the fact that virtually all pictures or statues that purportedly represent God the Father and Jesus Christ are in total opposition to every description given of God in the Bible. 

For instance, when Christ was on earth in the flesh, He was a Jew (Hebrews 7:14). He did not wear long hair (compare 1 Corinthians 11:14). He was a carpenter, working outdoors (Mark 6:3), but virtually all statues and pictures portray Christ as a non-Jewish feminine-looking man with long hair. When seeing pictures and statues of God the Father, they resemble the imagined “appearance” of Greek and Roman gods, but not of God the Father. 

In conclusion, Augustine’s renumbering of the Ten Commandments, which has been adopted today by so many professing Christians, is in DIRECT CONTRADICTION to God’s inspired Word! Correctly numbered, here are the Ten Commandments in an outline format (for the complete presentation, compare Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21), as inspired by God Almighty:

The Correct Counting of the Ten Commandments:

1. I am the LORD your God. You shall have no other gods before Me.

2. You shall make for yourself no image to bow down to it and worship it.

3. You shall not take the name of your God in vain.

4. You shall keep the Sabbath day holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness or lie.

10. You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s.

In the next ten chapters, we will explain in detail the true meaning and intent of each of these commandments.

Chapter 4 — The First Commandment

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me”
(Exodus 20:2–3).

The clear command is to not have other gods, but more is involved. Not having other gods presupposes that we acknowledge the one true God. We have the Creator as our God, and no other.

When Adam and Eve chose to disobey the instruction of God, they chose not to acknowledge the authority of God. Even if they were not worshiping another god, they were not honoring the true God.

When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, it was only the great Creator God who had the power to release them. While all Israel stood before Mount Sinai on that wonderful day when the Ten Commandments were spoken to them, it shook with thunder and lightning as the Creator’s voice boomed across the plain below. It says in Exodus 20, verse 1, that God spoke all these words. What a unique and yet terrifying situation they found themselves in!

God began with a short preamble to the commandments in which He proclaimed His identity. “I am the LORD your God!” The word “LORD” transliterates into English as YHWH, the pronunciation of which remains uncertain. Some Bible translators render the meaning of this name as the “Eternal”, the “Ever-Living” or the “Self-Existent One.” That is to say, “He who has life inherent within Himself.” Those are titles of the One to whom we should and must worship, not any human being or inanimate object!

What Is Idolatry?

What does it mean to not have other gods before the true God?

Unger’s Bible Dictionary gives this explanation: “In a general sense, idolatry is the paying of divine honors to any created thing; the ascription of divine power to natural agencies.” It then continues to give several different classifications of objects of idolatry—the inanimate, animals, certain areas of nature, plus a number of other areas. Suffice it to say, put simply for the people of God, idolatry is anything or anyone that comes before the true God. It really is as simple as that.

This means that there is a very close connection between the First and the Second Commandment, which will be explained in the next chapter. But this connection is not the one that was taught by Augustine, as explained previously.

It seems today that so many things or people are worshiped rather than the true God. But God says that He is a jealous God, intolerant of unfaithfulness.

He is jealous of us for our own good. In Exodus 34:14, we read: “… for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God…” Here “jealous” can also mean “zealous,” which is for our well-being. (This will be further explained in the next chapter.) Allegiance to the one true God is before all. The Second, Third and Fourth commandments define the nature of this allegiance. It is a question of priorities!

When the Commandments were spoken at Mount Sinai, the surrounding area, and probably the whole world, was full of idolatry. The Israelites had just left Egypt, a land steeped in paganism and idolatry where the Egyptians worshiped false gods, some animals and even the Pharaoh. The Israelites had been in that land for hundreds of years and the inevitable consequence was that many of the Egyptian ways and habits would have rubbed off on them. 

Egyptian Deities

Quoting Unger’s Bible Dictionary again, it has this to say about the idolatry of Israel’s neighbors, particularly Egypt:

“Israel adopted in the course of her history many idolatrous practices from her heathen neighbours.” 

About the Egyptians, we read:

“They had a bewildering conglomeration of deities. It is impossible to list all of the gods sacred to this people. Every aspect of nature, every object looked at, animate as well as inanimate, was viewed as indwelt by a spirit which could select its own form, occupying the body of a cow, a crocodile, a fish, a human being, a tree, a hawk etc. In their hieroglyphic inscriptions and their tomb paintings, ancient Egyptian artists have left impressions of literally thousands of deities. The Pyramid Texts mention some 200. The Book of the Dead catalogues 1200. Many of the Pharaohs were believed to be incarnate…” 

Does God tell us to have no other gods before Him and that He is a jealous God, just because He wants praise? Of course not! God knew that pagan worship is harmful and destructive, with some even burning their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods (see Deuteronomy 12:31)! In fact, it has been argued by some that false religion may have hurt more people than any other force on earth. If everyone’s affections were instead set on the one true God, above all others, then there would be perfect peace and happiness. God is love (1 John 4:8), and He has our very best interests at heart. God is “jealous” not for His own sake—but for ours!

Obedience and Love

In Deuteronomy 11, Moses ties obedience to love, as we read in verse 1: “Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.”

Israel had previously been told to keep God’s statutes, judgments, and commandments, and he reminds the Israelites that they had not seen the chastisement of the Lord. They had been children in the wilderness and had not experienced the plagues that came upon Egypt, even though they had seen the miracles in the wilderness. Those to whom he was speaking were 40 to 60 years old, as all the others had died. Therefore, Moses reminded them of God’s miracle in overthrowing Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. He also reminded them of the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16) and of the miracles in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy 11:16 is a stark warning: “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them.”

This was another reminder against idolatry, and in the next verse is the consequence of disobeying that commandment: “…lest the LORD’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.” If Israel rebelled, God threatened that there would be no rain and they would perish from the land—a matter of cause and effect!

We read in Isaiah 44:6: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.”

Even Satan and the Demons Believe

In the New Testament, James has something to tell us about acknowledgement of and belief in the existence of the one true God. He says in James 2:19: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” Yes, Satan and the demons acknowledge and believe in the true God, but they are not about to serve and obey Him! Knowing the righteous judgment of God for disobedience, they tremble! They know that belief in God and acknowledgement of His existence are not enough—but they are unwilling to obey Him!

Notice Peter’s words, as recorded in Acts 5:32: “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit [which] God has given to those who obey Him.” If God gives His Holy Spirit only to those who obey Him, then He also withholds it from those who disobey Him! Obedience is a requirement for salvation!

In the booklet The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy, written by Mr. Herbert W Armstrong, the late Pastor General of the (now defunct) Worldwide Church of God, we read the following in chapter 11, page 170, under the heading “Definition of God”:

“Let me give you still another definition of God. Although the only wise and true God is the Great Creator-Ruler of the universe, there are many false or counterfeit gods. Satan palms himself off to the deceived as God—and indeed the Bible plainly calls him the god of this world. Idols were worshiped as gods—and still are, today, even in so-called ‘Christian’ churches. Whoever, or whatever, you serve and obey is your god! 

“The very word ‘Lord’ means ruler, master, boss—the one you obey! Jesus exclaimed: ‘And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?’ (Luke 6:46). If they did not OBEY Him, then He was not their Lord! So WHY did they call Him LORD, when He was not their Lord? 

“Then again, Jesus said: ‘Not everyone who says unto me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in heaven’ (Matthew 7:21). Only they who obey God can be His children and enter His Kingdom! Your God is the one you OBEY!

“Paul explained in Romans 6:16: ‘Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?’”

What or Whom Do We Truly Serve?

What is our life primarily devoted to? What do we truly love above anyone and anything else? With some people it is the self! With others, their spouse or children, or career or material possessions, or maybe even other people. If the answer is not God at all times, then we are breaking the First Commandment! For with our whole being we must love God more than anyone or anything else! When asked about which is the great commandment, Jesus was unequivocal in His answer. We read this in Matthew 22:35–38: “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment.’”

This is truly the greatest of all the commandments—Jesus said so! To live a truly happy and fulfilled life, we must make sure that we are not putting other “gods” before the true God. Yet there are many who vie for our affections!

The modern so-called gods will be a thing of the past when Jesus returns. All of this culture of worshiping anything other than the Creator will become history, and that is really good news!

Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the one true and living God is the most important commitment Christians can ever make! That is the primary focus of the first of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3, which states very clearly and very simply:

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”

The Father and the Son

We understand, of course, that God consists of two Persons—God the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. We also know that the word “LORD” can refer to both of them, or either one of them. We read that the Father created everything through Jesus Christ. 

While the Person in the God Family who dealt directly with Israel was Jesus Christ, He acted on behalf of the Father. While the Father is greater than the Son, both are one—totally unified in Will and Purpose. Therefore, when we read that God says that we must have no other gods before Him, He is referring to both members in the God Family. 

For more information and biblical proof, please read our free booklets, Is God a Trinity?, God Is a Family, and Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery.

Chapter 5 — The Second Commandment

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of
anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:4–6).

The First Commandment prohibits us from having any other god before the true God, and the Second Commandment tells us that we must not create a likeness of anything (including man, animals or any inanimate or lifeless imagery), to represent God in our worship. 

While the Second Commandment also prohibits the worship of idols representing other gods, as we are not to worship other gods in the first place, the main emphasis of the Second Commandment is directed toward the worship of images, which are supposed to represent the true God in any way. We are prohibited from even creating images of God—the Father and the Son—as well as angels.

No idol made of wood or stone can represent God. Idols are deaf, dumb, blind, and powerless (compare Isaiah 44:18). 

Paul’s letter to the Romans indicates that the worship of created things—not just their images—is wrong in the eyes of God (Romans 1:25). Paul also warns the Colossians against worshipping other supernatural beings: “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Colossians 2:18).

Pictures or Statues Depicting God the Father and Jesus Christ

Regarding pictures, images or statues of the Father and of Christ (including those which picture God the Father on His Throne and Christ in the manger or on the cross), we clearly read that we are not to have images of God (Exodus 20:4). Since both the Father and Christ are God (John 1:1; Hebrews 1:8; Titus 2:13), the creation and use of images or pictures of the Father and of Christ violate this express prohibition.

Some say that this commandment does not prohibit us from portraying Christ when He was a man, and not God. Even though Christ became fully man—fully flesh—He nevertheless did not cease to be the Personage that He had always been before—the Son of God, the second member in the God Family. That is why He, when here on earth, was called “Immanuel” or “God with us,” and that is why people, recognizing this fact, worshipped Him in the flesh.

In addition, Paul tells us that we are not to know Jesus Christ any longer according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16), as He is now again a glorified, all-powerful and divine God being. He is depicted in Revelation 1:14, 16 with eyes as a flame of fire and as the sun shining in full strength. Pictures which show Christ today, as a man, are totally inaccurate, even from a human standpoint. As we mentioned before, Christ is portrayed with long hair, although Paul said that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair (1 Corinthians 11:14). And even though Christ was a Jew, pictures today show Him with features which have no resemblance to Jewish men, but which, instead give Him an effeminate appearance.

What About Using Crosses?

Many people worship crosses—either in Church services or at home when they fall down in front of it and pray before it, thereby thinking that they reach God by such activity.

When addressing the cross and its worship or use in religious services or at home, we should realize that the Bible does not even say that Christ was nailed to a cross, as it is pictured and portrayed today. In every case when the word “cross” is used in the Authorized Version or the New King James Bible, the Greek word is stauros.

According to Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible, the meaning of that word is simply, “stake.” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible agrees, defining stauros as a “stake or post, as set upright,” explaining that it could refer to a pole or a cross.

The Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by Vine adds the following, when discussing the kind of death that Christ endured:

“… stauros denotes, primarily, an upright pale or stake. On such malefactors were nailed for execution. Both the noun and the verb stauroo, to fasten to a stake or pale, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of a two beamed cross.”

Since pagans already worshiped the cross as we know it today, before they entered the Catholic fold; and as the Roman Church allowed them to continue to worship the cross—only now in association with Christ; and as the Romans used a two-beamed cross as one of their methods of crucifixion, it can be easily seen how the Roman Church was able to convince an unsuspecting world that the CROSS was the method of Christ’s crucifixion.

However, as mentioned, it is highly unlikely that Christ was killed in that way. In the New Testament, the word for stauros is equated with a “tree”—and never with a two-beamed “cross.” Also, Christ had to carry His “cross” (stauros) to Golgotha (Matthew 27:32; John 19:17). Some commentaries say that this was only the cross beam—that is, only a small part of the “cross.” However, the Bible does not seem to support this. We read that Christ carried His “cross”; that subsequently, Simon, a Cyrenian, was compelled to bear “His cross” (Mark 15:21); and that after His crucifixion had begun, His mother and other relatives stood “by the cross of Jesus” (John 19:25). In all these passages, the same word stauros is used in the original Greek for “cross”—with no indication of just different parts of the “cross” being described at different times.

Can We Have Idols in Our Mind?

A clear connection between the First and the Second Commandments can be seen when we consider that we can commit idolatry not only by the use and worship of idols representing God, but also by the idols in our minds, thereby placing them before the true God. 

The Jewish Publication Society of America, in its 1917 version of the Bible, translates Ezekiel 14:3–4 by using the expression “idols in their minds” and “idols in his mind.” Other translations use the word “heart” rather than “mind,” saying in verse 3: “…these men have set up their idols in their hearts.” The Hebrew word used here can be translated either as “heart” or “mind,” depending on the context. So the question that needs to be answered is, what is an idol? Is it only an image of something that is made to be worshipped, or can it be more than this?

The apostle Paul tells us that we are to put to death covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Therefore, the Tenth Commandment is linked to the Second Commandment. If we covet anything belonging to another person, we are making an idol of what we covet. This would include our neighbor’s spouse, car, house, job, holiday, etc. We would be coveting something that God says is not ours to have because it is someone else’s possession!

An Idol is Not Just a Religious Symbol or Image

The Second Commandment is also linked to the First, because anything that we put before God basically becomes our idol. We know that God commands us to give thanks for all things, but if we covet, then instead of giving thanks for what we have, we are complaining about or coveting what we do not have. That is the reason why the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:8–9: “And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

However, idolatry is more than just the wrongful desire for physical things. 

Returning to Ezekiel 14:3, 4, the Soncino commentary explains: 

“More lit. ‘have brought up their idols to their hearts,’ an idiom for ‘have set their mind upon their idols.’ The phrase does not imply that they were worshiping idols, but that their thoughts were influenced by pagan ideas, such as believing in magical spells and divination. This has been a stumbling block to them willfully placed by themselves in their way and leading them into iniquity.”

Just reading through chapter 13 of the book of Ezekiel, we see many references to false divination, false prophets and magical charms—all things that God hates because they turn people away from Him. Today this would include séances, mediums, astrology, horoscopes, fortune telling, etc. In this case, the idolatry would be leading us to not rely on God and His revealed Word, but on a false diviner or fortune teller.

In Job 27:5–6 we find Job stating: “Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go…” Job believed in his own righteousness so much that he accused God of wrongdoing (compare Job 19:6–12). As long as he made an idol of his own righteousness, which was self-righteousness, he could not understand God and His righteousness.

Idols can relate to physical objects and the desire for the possessions of others, but they can also include the belief in things like charms, divination or astrology. They can even pertain to our reliance on our own self-righteousness and integrity. As we read in Ezekiel 14:3–4, idols can indeed be in our minds. And any idol, whether an object or a wrong thought pattern or concept, can lead us away from obeying God and can cloud our understanding as to what and who He is.

The Bronze Serpent

In Numbers 21:4 we read: “Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.” The people spoke against God and Moses, and so God sent fiery serpents and many Israelites died (verses 4–6). Moses prayed for the people and God said to him: 

“Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” However, the serpent became an object of worship, as we read in 2 Kings 18:4, and was broken in pieces.

This example shows the proclivity that man has to worship the inanimate, which is something the Second Commandment instructs us not to do and is something that the people of God must take seriously and obey.

God Is a Jealous God

The Second Commandment also includes the following statement in Exodus 20:5: “…you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” 

Young’s Analytical Concordance shows that the word for jealousy in this verse is qanna which can mean zealous and jealous. 

The same word is used in the same context in other verses as follows:

Exodus 34:14 reads: “…for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God…”

Deuteronomy 5:9: “… you shall not bow down to them [carved images] nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me…”

Deuteronomy 6:15: “…for the LORD your God is a jealous God among you…”

The word ganno, also meaning zealous and jealous, is used in Joshua 24:19 and Nahum 1:2, also referring to God as being a jealous God in respect to worshiping idols. There are a number of other references too. We can quickly understand that God is zealous, which can be defined as “jealous for the good or the promotion of some person or object; ardent; eager; fervent; devoted.” That is a quality of God and must also be a quality that we must have. 

Deuteronomy 4:23–24 states: “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

God Will Not Accept Unfaithfulness

The following Scripture also shows that God does not accept unfaithfulness toward Him. He was to be first in the lives of the ancient nation of Israel and, therefore by extension, is to be first in our lives today.

Deuteronomy 12:30 says: “… take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them [pagan nations], after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’”

They were instructed to put God first, to love God with every fiber of their being, to teach God’s Way to their children, and not to learn the way of the heathen. Nothing else would be acceptable.

God was making sure that His people kept Him at the center of their lives, and we should do exactly the same today!

We know that God is perfect in every way. How then are we to understand the verses quoted above?

One commentator observed that “this is part of the second commandment—you shall have no other gods before God. The meaning is clear, beautiful and as righteous as a man being jealous for his wife. In an environment where many gods compete for the affection of man, God is intensely competitive in vying for the affections of His people.”

Full Devotion Necessary

God was “jealous” in the sense that He expected full devotion, not merely a partial, lukewarm commitment. Worship belongs to God, and He is right to be “jealous” of it.

When we lack full devotion to God, we are devoted to someone or something else, thereby violating both the First and the Second Commandments. 

God entered into a committed relationship with the ancient nation of Israel. In Exodus 19:4–6 we read: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

The commitment was that Israel was to “obey My voice” and to “keep My covenant,” as God put it. The demands of the covenant were the laws and statutes that regulated the relationship between Israel and God, and between the Israelites themselves. We read the response from the Israelites in Exodus 19:8: “Then all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do.’ So, Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.” An agreement had been reached!

We know that Israel reneged on these commitments time and time again. We can read this in Psalm 78:10–11, where the sub-heading to the chapter in the New King James Bible is “God’s kindness to rebellious Israel”: “They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law, And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.”

We Must Have a Special Relationship with God

As the people of God, Israel failed miserably much of the time. As the people of God and “spiritual Israel” today, we have a special relationship with God. 

In our booklet God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships, we state the following on page 26: “As we can see from Ephesians 5:31–32, Paul is addressing here the mystery of the relationship between Christ and His Church. He emphasizes that those who are called must come out of the ways of this world in order to be joined with Christ. Christ must be continuously living within them (1 John 2:15–17; Romans 12:2; Galatians 2:20). Paul also shows that the physical institution of marriage is pointing at a spiritual union between God and man. It is pointing at a spiritual marriage between Christ and His Church.”

In 2 Corinthians 11:2, the apostle Paul wrote: “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Paul desired that the Church be fully devoted to Christ. His “jealousy” was one of wanting the very best for the Church and their relationship with God. Anything that would divert their attention and commitment of worshipping God would be seen as a disaster. That was a type of godly jealousy, where Paul earnestly wanted the best outcome for the Church, which would be their closeness and commitment to worshiping God.

If Paul could be “jealous” for God in the right way, how much more would the perfect Creator God have righteous jealousy for the spiritual well-being of His people?

Conversely, human jealousy is usually (but not always) a very negative force. As mentioned above, the jealousy of a righteous husband for his wife would be an exception. In the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:20, we read some traits to be avoided: “… idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,” none of which, along with the other “works of the flesh,” are to be part of a true Christian’s Way of Life.

In 1 Corinthians 10:22 we read: “Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” This was talking about idolatry, and it is a very dangerous exercise to provoke God in such a way; particularly, when true Christians should have known then, and should know today, that God always has our best interests at heart, and that God’s jealousy is based on His love and concern for us. He wants us to make it into His Kingdom—for eternity!

Jealousy Is Used in the Bible in Both Positive and Negative Ways

When jealousy is used as an attribute of carnal man, it is invariably used in a negative way, but when used as an attribute of God, it is always used in a positive sense, because God is perfect in all His ways.

Isaiah 42:8 contains more than just a clue as to why God is a jealous God: “I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” He clearly states that He will not share His praise with any other so-called god, as He is the only true God and all the other gods are just idols from the imagination of man. God looks after His own and protects us mightily, all in the best interests of man. That is divine jealousy!

In Matthew 10:37, we read Christ’s words: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

This Christian struggle of choosing God above all else is vividly described in James 4:4–5, where we read: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who [or which] dwells in us yearns jealously’?”

We have to live a life worthy of our calling! In 1 John 2:6 we read: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” By following such instruction, we will be able to get our priorities right and God will be first in our lives. 

God’s jealousy can be defined as “intolerant of unfaithfulness.” God demands of us, for our own benefit, complete fidelity to Him, as He knows what is best for us, and He guides us down that path through the lead of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the jealousy of the carnal human mind is always linked to envy and covetousness, of which we must not be guilty. The difference between God’s jealousy and man’s jealousy is unbridgeable.

Visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers Upon the Children

The Second Commandment also includes God’s statement that He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him, but that He will show mercy to thousands, to those who love Him and keep His commandments (Exodus 20:5–6).

What does it mean that God will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him (compare Exodus 20:5)?

Doesn’t this contradict Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 24:16, stating that children are not to be put to death for their fathers, but that a person “shall be put to death for his own sin”?

This question has puzzled many over the years. To fully understand what God is saying in Exodus 20:5, let us read the entire passage in context, beginning with verse 4:

“(4) You shall not make for yourself a carved image… (5) you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, (6) but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

Similar statements can be found in Exodus 34:6–7; Numbers 14:18; and Deuteronomy 5:8–10.

In addition, as mentioned above, passages like Deuteronomy 24:16 state that children are not to be put to death for the sins of their fathers. The same is expressed in 2 Kings 14:6. Also, Ezekiel 18:4, 17, 19–20 tells us, “(4) Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son are Mine; The soul who sins shall die…(17) [The righteous son] shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live…(19) Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of his father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. (20) The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.” (Compare, too, Exodus 32:31–33.)

All of These Passages Complement Each Other

Notice how some commentaries explain the passages in Exodus 20 and in Ezekiel 18:

The Companion Bible comments on Ezekiel 18:4, 20: “Descendants were not punished for the sins of their ancestors unless they persevered in their ancestors’ sins.” The same thought is expressed in Exodus 20. Note that Exodus 20:5 speaks of those “who hate Me.” Soncino points out that the phrase, “of those who hate Me,” applies to the children; i.e. God will punish the children if they [the children] hate Him. Soncino comments, too, that the punishment will be brought upon the children, “when they retain the evil deeds of their fathers.”

Those who hate God will be “visited” by God. Note, though, it does not necessarily say that they will die. Those who love God will receive His mercy. At the same time, the conduct of the parents may have a lot to do with the fact whether their children or grandchildren love or hate God.

The sins of the fathers do affect future generations, and so does the penalty for sin, which is oftentimes automatic. Soncino explains that the “effects of the penalty imposed upon a sinner are felt up to and including the fourth generation.” The New Commentary of Holy Scripture, S.P.C.K., 1951, comments, “It is an everlasting law of human society that children suffer by reason of the sins of their fathers.” This shows, then, how parents must consider the consequences of their actions, not just for their own sakes, but also for the sakes of their children, grandchildren, and future generations. A wrong lifestyle might very well affect the parents’ offspring, even in physical ways.

For instance, as long as even one parent is in the Church of God, his or her children are sanctified (1 Corinthians 7:14), meaning that they can and do have access to God. If both parents leave the Church, their children’s access to God is no longer guaranteed and may in time totally disappear. We note that because of Lot’s righteous conduct, God saved his daughters, but David’s adultery caused the death of his child (2 Samuel 12:13–14, 19–23). It should be pointed out here, however, that God did not consider David’s child to be guilty in any way and worthy of punishment. God punished David. The innocent child will be brought back to life by God at a time of peace and happiness, when prejudice and the hatred toward illegitimate children (compare Judges 11:1–2), who did nothing to deserve their fate, will be a thing of the past.

Sin Separates Us From God

When Adam and Eve sinned, the penalty imposed on them affected all of mankind. Through their sin, they cut themselves—and man—off from God. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1–2), and since all have sinned, all have incurred the death penalty for sin (Romans 5:14). One might say that the sin of Adam and Eve affected, at the very least, the third and fourth generation, but since Cain sinned, his sin affected the next four generations, and so on. The effect of sin is cumulative. Finally, sin had become so all-encompassing that God decided to destroy the entire world in a flood.

Christ, in showing the evil influence of their parents and their own culpability in their continued hate of God, pointed out in Matthew 23:31–36, how the principle of Exodus 20:6 was fulfilled in the persons of the scribes and Pharisees at Christ’s time.

The vicious cycle of sin, penalty, and death can be interrupted, however, when a person turns to God, repents, and obtains forgiveness. Noah was found righteous, and because of his righteousness, eight souls were spared from death, and through them, mankind survived. God’s mercy, extended to Noah, affected “thousands.” 

Because of the righteousness of Abraham, the father of the faithful, “thousands” experience God’s mercy to Abraham through the unconditional promises given to him of national greatness and spiritual grace. (The modern nations of the United States of America and the United Kingdom have been beneficiaries of these promises. For more information, please read our free booklet, The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.)

Then, because of God’s mercy toward obedient David, his offspring were blessed, in that his throne would always be occupied by one of his descendants. 

We can also think of the harlot Rahab, who saved her family and offspring by virtue of her righteous deed of saving the spies, and God extending His mercy to her.

God’s Mercy to Mankind

The most shining and outstanding example of God’s mercy extended to a Man, and through that Man, to “thousands,” is of course Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice and death, all of us can be saved, if we respond to God’s call. Although all of mankind became an enemy of God due to the sins of Adam and Eve, the resulting penalty of being cut off from God, and man’s continued disobedience of God’s Law, man can return to God through the deeds of one Man, Jesus Christ—the second Adam. Though only a few people are called today to return to God, all will be given the same opportunity of accepting God’s mercy, in due time (1 Corinthians 15:23–24).

When God tells us that His mercy will extend to “thousands” who love Him, He is really talking about man’s ultimate potential to join His very Family, for all eternity. Notice how the Jewish Bible translates Exodus 20:6, “…but showing kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

If you count all generations from the creation of Adam until the time of the end of the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–12), you will still not have a thousand generations. Therefore, the thought is conveyed here that all who love God and keep His commandments will obtain God’s love and mercy, due to the love and obedience of their forefathers—including Noah, Abraham, David, and of course Jesus Christ. Especially through Christ who kept the Law perfectly, and who loved God the Father perfectly, God’s love and mercy are extended toward all of us, if we too, follow in the footsteps of Christ (1 Peter 2:21). The end result of God’s love—if we abide in it by keeping His Word—is our entrance into the Kingdom and Family of God (2 Peter 1:10–11).

The Second Commandment prohibits the creation of images representing God the Father, Jesus Christ, and angels. It also prohibits the worship of images representing God or other gods. Idols or “carved images” can be real objects, but they can also be in our minds and become more important to us than the true God. This, too, is prohibited and violates the letter and the spirit of the First and the Second Commandment. 

Chapter 6 — The Third Commandment

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

First of all, we need to define what “taking the name of the LORD your God in vain” really means. We could look at many definitions, but the bottom line is that we simply should not, and must not, use the name of God in any irreverent way because that would be disrespectful. When we look at God’s creative power and the awesome size, beauty and majesty of His creation, it really is something wonderful to behold, so to denigrate the Name of the Creator of it all is simply unacceptable.

Why would God, the greatest Being in the universe, be so concerned about His name? Isn’t He, as some have observed, able to look after Himself? For anyone to make such an observation shows that they have no understanding at all about what is involved.

Is God “Offended” by Blasphemy?

Some may think that they can hurt God by taking His Name in vain or by rejecting Him. God can certainly be very disappointed when this happens, but we have to remember that He is the Creator of all things; He sustains life; He has provided salvation for us through Jesus Christ. 

As mentioned before, God is a Family, consisting of God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and they both are God—the only true God beings. Therefore, God deserves our worship, and we are hurting ourselves when we go contrary to His Way and when we blaspheme His Name. It is not about ego and the feeling of importance, but God knows that we lose out when we do not honor His Holy Name. By so dishonoring Him, we are also showing disrespect, and that does not have any rewards attached to it, quite the reverse. 

Revelation 4:10–11 is instructive in this regard: “… the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.’” Honoring God’s Name according to the Third Commandment is truly one way of showing our love for our Creator.

To understand properly, when we use God’s Name in vain, we are dishonoring God Himself. The same is true when we hallow His Name: When we hallow His Name, we hallow God Himself.

We stated the following in our free booklet, Teach Us to Pray:

“God has many names, each of them describing certain aspects of His character and of His being. One of God’s names is ‘the Almighty’; another one is ‘the Eternal’; still another one is ‘the God who heals us.’ Then there is the ‘God of hosts.’ Note, however, that Christ did not say, ‘hallowed be thy names,’ but, ‘thy name.’ He is emphasizing the entirety of God—His entire being—everything He is and stands for.

“We read in Isaiah 29:22–23 that Jacob will hallow God’s name and that he will hallow the Holy One of Jacob. God’s name is identified here as the Holy One of Jacob. Likewise, Isaiah 8:11–13 identifies God’s name, ‘the Lord of hosts,’ with God Himself. We read in verse 13: ‘The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow.’ God’s name is identified here as the Lord of hosts. But even though God’s name is mentioned, it is obvious that we are to hallow HIM… When we pray, ‘Hallowed be thy name,’ we are really saying: ‘You, Holy Father, are to be hallowed.’

“The Commentary on the Whole Bible, by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, states on page 905: ‘God’s name means “Himself as revealed and manifested.”’”

Like the first two commandments, the Third Commandment describes the proper relationship that man must have with God. One of the distinguishing attributes about this commandment is that it involves how the Name of God is used. The act of speaking or writing His Name is so important to Him that it appears prominently in the Ten Commandments. How can the use of a word be so important? Why does it matter to God how we use His Name? And most importantly, how are we to understand and apply this commandment in our lives today?

To begin with, we must understand that God’s Name is holy, as God is holy. He expressed this fact to the nation of Israel as He spoke to them His commandments: “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 22:32–33). Clearly, God expects man to offer Him reverence, honor, and respect. Not only does respectful behavior involve obedience to His instruction, but also that we acknowledge the holiness of His Name.

Seeing that the Name of God is holy and that it must be hallowed, it is important that we clearly understand what it means to use His Name and refer to Him in the words that we use. Holiness is the distinguishing quality to consider. Holy things are sanctified, special, and distinguished from that which is common or ungodly (compare Deuteronomy 7:6, Ezekiel 22:26, Ezekiel 36:20, Ezekiel 44:23). Therefore, to use the Name of God in a way that does not acknowledge His holiness, or which treats His Name as a common thing, is a violation of the Third Commandment. 

Likewise, since there is but one God (that is, one God Family, consisting of God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son), and since only the God Family is deserving of the Name of God, to exalt another Name above the true God is also a violation of the Third Commandment. The holiness of God requires that we glorify His Name and treat it with the reverence that it requires, and do not offer that same reverence to any other man or thing.

Commonplace Today

Unfortunately, in our contemporary society, God’s holy Name is widely used in ways that show disrespect rather than the glory and honor that is commanded. It is exceedingly difficult to go through a day without hearing the Name of God the Father or of Jesus Christ used in combination with expletives or as an empty exclamation. 

The use of God’s Name in ways that apply it as a common thing, or often much worse than common, is despicable to God. Such wrong use is what it means to use God’s Name in vain. When His Name is used for show, rather than for the purpose of respectfully referring to Him and His righteousness, the Third Commandment is violated. This is the clearest way in which the Commandment is broken.

This Commandment Was to Be Taken Seriously by Israel

As an example, we can see how an individual of the nation of Israel broke this commandment when he cursed God: “And the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the LORD might be shown to them. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him’” (Leviticus 24:11–14). 

The punishment sentenced when the Name of God was used in the context of a curse was extremely serious. This instance of sin resulted in the penalty of death by stoning. Even though uttering words that show disrespect may seem to be a trivial act, we can see how serious God is about this commandment.

The use of God’s Name in the context of a curse is a classic example of using His Name in vain. Far from expressing the glorification that is commanded, the use of God’s Name in the context of an evil sentiment is only for show. When we apply this principle to the use of our own language, any use of God’s Name is in vain when it is used to express anything other than the respect and honor due Him. The most obvious example is when God’s Name is included in a statement with foul language. However, it is also a vain use of God’s Name when used to express surprise or as an exclamation. Such showy use of God’s Name diminishes the reverence and honor due to Him, and is sinful.

Euphemisms to Be Avoided

Some believe that using a euphemism—a substitute for God’s Name—in vain expressions will prevent one from violating the Third Commandment. However, such euphemisms must be removed from our language as well. 

In our booklet, Teach Us to Pray, we write the following:

“We also defile God’s name, of course, when we use His name in vain (compare Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12). To casually use expressions such as ‘My God,’ ‘O my Lord,’ or ‘Jesus Christ,’ just to utter surprise or emphasis, is therefore clearly prohibited. So is the casual use of a common German welcome greeting (‘Gruess Gott’ or, ‘Gott zum Gruss’—meaning ‘Greet God’ or ‘God as a Greeting’), or the casual use of the French or Spanish farewell expressions, ‘adieu’ or ‘adios’ (both meaning, ‘to God’).

“The same prohibition applies when we use ‘euphemisms.’ A ‘euphemism’ is defined as a substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for another felt to be too blunt or offensive. God instructs us to let ‘no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth’ (Ephesians 4:29). This prohibition applies to careless speaking or using slang expressions or euphemisms, which would profane God’s name, such as ‘gosh’ or ‘gosh almighty’ (a substitute for ‘God’ or ‘God almighty’) or ‘gee’ (a substitute for ‘Jesus’). It also applies to the careless use of words describing characteristics or concepts clearly associated with God, such as ‘my goodness’ instead of ‘my God’ (compare Matthew 19:16–17) or ‘by heaven’ or ‘for heaven’s sake’ (compare Matthew 5:34; Revelation 13:6).”

The Sin of Blasphemy

In addition to the explicit use of God’s Name or a substitute of God’s Name, another application of the Third Commandment is the sin of blasphemy. Just as the vain use of God’s holy Name is a sin that defiles the glory of God, blasphemous statements or actions do the same thing. 

Wikipedia gives this definition: “Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, or sacred things, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable.”

Exalting anyone above God is a blasphemous action, showing disrespect. As an example, the “man of sin” or the “false prophet” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 exalts himself as God. 

In Daniel 11:36–37, a future military king, the “beast,” is also described as engaging in acts of blasphemy: “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God [or gods] of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.” Compare Revelation 13:5–6.

Such blatant disrespect toward God is a violation of the Third Commandment in the way that the Name of God is applied directly or indirectly to someone other than God.

Christ Wrongly Accused of Blasphemy

The Jews at the time of Jesus Christ believed that Jesus blasphemed the Name of God when He referred to Himself in a godly context. Jesus expressed that He was the Son of God, which antagonized the so-called righteous Jews (compare Matthew 26:62–66). While the act of exalting oneself above God is indeed an act of blasphemy, Jesus Christ was speaking the Truth in that He was and is the Son of God. Therefore, His statements were not blasphemous nor sinful.

In our booklet, God is a Family, we explain how Jesus Christ is a member of the God Family:

“Reading in Zechariah 4:8–9: ‘Moreover the word of the LORD [in Hebrew, ‘Yahweh’] came to me, saying: The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD [in Hebrew, ‘Yahweh’] of hosts has sent Me [‘Yahweh’] to you.’

“We see in this passage that the LORD [‘Yahweh’] sent the LORD [‘Yahweh’]. The expression, ‘Yahweh,’ then is applied to both God beings… both God the Father and Jesus Christ are referred to in Scripture as ‘Yahweh’—the ‘I AM’ (compare Exodus 3:14)—basically meaning, ‘the Eternal,’ or, ‘the Ever-living One.’ This fact alone proves that both the Father and Jesus Christ have always existed—that they are God beings, and that the Old Testament teaches that there is more than just one God being.”

Since Jesus Christ is a member of the God Family, His name must also be treated with the same honor that befits God the Father. The same rules of the Third Commandment apply in using the Name of Jesus Christ because He too is rightfully called “God.”

The way that we behave is an extension of the way that we revere the Name of God as well. When we claim that we are Christians and follow God, our actions become a reflection of God’s Name and all of the righteousness that it stands for. But when our behavior violates His commandments, God’s Name is profaned. Ezekiel 20:39 reads in the Living Bible: “O Israel, the Lord God says: If you insist on worshipping your idols, go right ahead, but then don’t bring your gifts to me as well! Such desecration of my holy name must stop!”

In this example, the nation of Israel is chastised because their actions were not obedient to God. As a result, His Name was not venerated with the holiness required.

It is worth mentioning that, while God’s Name is taken in vain by so many people around the world today, other “deities” don’t seem to “suffer” in the same way, and we know how Muslims revere “the prophet Mohammed” who was just a human being anyway. Neither the name of Mohammed nor the names of any other “gods” in non-Christian religions are used as expressions of surprise, frustration or anger as much as the Name of the true God so often is. Satan is doing everything he can to induce many, including professing and sometimes even true Christians, to blaspheme God’s Name, as he knows that he has but a short time left.

Blasphemy Laws Around the World 

An interesting and, it seems, not a very well-known fact is that the blasphemy law in some parts of the UK was abolished a few years ago. 

Wikipedia notes that in the UK “on 5th March 2008, an amendment was passed to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 which abolished the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel in England and Wales. The peers also voted for the laws to be abandoned during March. The Act received royal assent on 8 May 2008, and the relevant section came into force on 8 July 2008.”

Equivalent laws remain in Scotland and Northern Ireland but have not been used for many years. Still, in the state of Ireland, “publication or utterance of a blasphemous matter,” defamatory of any religion, is criminalized.

On the Humanists UK website, they state the following: “Outdated and discriminatory blasphemy laws are still far too common all around the world. But the English and Welsh blasphemy laws were abolished in May 2008. The offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel were common law offences which were contrary to the principle of free speech and probably contrary to human rights laws adopted by the UK, which protect freedom of expression. The law fundamentally protected certain Christian beliefs and made it illegal to question them or deny them.”

In short, the Third of God’s Ten Commandments is seen by this world and the carnal human mind as being outdated in today’s “more enlightened” society!

In Canada, blasphemous libel was an offense under section 296 of the Criminal Code, but it was repealed in December of 2018.

Insofar as the United States is concerned, before winning their independence from the British Empire in the late 18th century, some of the British colonies in North America had blasphemy laws. The 1791 First Amendment arguably put an end to them but Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania have laws on the books that make reference to blasphemy. However, they are not enforced in any way.

Blasphemy is not a criminal offence under Australian federal law, but the de jure situation varies at state and territory level; it is currently not enforced in any Australian jurisdiction.

Blasphemy was abolished or repealed in Sweden in 1970, Norway with Acts in 2009 and 2015, the Netherlands in 2014, Iceland in 2015, France for its Alsace-Moselle region in 2016, Malta in 2016, Denmark in 2017, and New Zealand in 2019.

On the other hand, in Germany, religious defamation is covered by Article 166 of the Strafgesetzbuch—the German criminal law. If a deed is capable of disturbing the public peace, defamation is actionable. In Italy, blasphemies can be punished with a small fine. 

Israel has a blasphemy law, which punishes offenders with prison terms.

We should not be surprised to learn that blasphemy laws exist in many non-Christian countries. Thirteen countries with Islamic law currently have laws on the books carrying a penalty of death for blasphemy or apostasy. They are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. 

While most Christian countries tolerate blasphemies against the true God, many Islamic countries execute people for “blaspheming” their gods.

As we have seen from the examples and instructions of the Bible, the use of the TRUE God’s Name is not to be taken lightly. The way that we use His name expresses our respect for Him, and when we use His name to express anything less than the glory and honor He is due, we are using His Name in vain. 

There are other ways in which the Name of God may be defiled too. When others are exalted above God, His Name is blasphemed. This shows the connection between the first two Commandments with the Third Commandment.

When we use the Name of God to identify ourselves, saying that we are God’s children and Christians, but reject the Way of Life that He commands, His Name is profaned as well. The lesson for us is clear. In all of our words and deeds, the Name of God is to be glorified. The words of David offer us an excellent perspective on this matter: “I will praise You, O LORD my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore” (Psalm 86:12).

Chapter 7 — The Fourth Commandment

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

The Sabbath commandment is one of the most-misunderstood regulations within the Decalogue. To the carnal human mind, it makes no sense to observe that day. Why not Sunday, Friday or any other day of the week? Why observe it at all?

There is a fundamental reason why the Sabbath commandment has been described as the test commandment. It determines our allegiance and shows God whether we are willing to obey Him in everything or not.

We cover this Fourth Commandment in our free booklet God’s Commanded Holy Days. We will quote some of the pertinent parts below:

“The Sabbath Was Made in the Beginning

“God created Adam and Eve on the sixth day of the week. He finished His work by ‘resting’ on the seventh day. We read in Genesis 2:2–3, ‘And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.’

“The Hebrew word for ‘rested’ is ‘shabath.’ It literally means ‘to cease, rest, keep Sabbath’ (Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible). God rested, or ceased, from His work of creating in the first six days, and He kept the Sabbath on the seventh day. God did not have to rest from His work. He was not tired or weary. God is never weary (Isaiah 40:28). But He did it for us—for mankind—to give us an example to follow in observing the Sabbath. (Similarly, Christ would later allow John the Baptist to baptize Him though He did not have to be baptized, since He had not sinned and had nothing to repent of. He did it for us—to give us an example to follow in being baptized—in order to ‘fulfill all righteousness,’ Matthew 3:13–15.) In the same manner, then, God showed us how to keep the Sabbath as He did—by resting from our daily work—even though He Himself did not need to rest.

“We read in verse 3 of Genesis 2 that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. Now, when someone, or something, is ‘sanctified,’ he, or it, is set apart ‘for a holy purpose.’ The Sabbath was set apart as holy time by God at the creation of man, and God intended it to be kept holy by man. How can man keep it holy unless he learns how and when to do so?

“When the Sabbath Starts and Ends

“God has revealed in His Word exactly when the Sabbath starts and when it ends. God reckons each day, including the Sabbath, beginning at sunset and continuing through until the following sunset. Today, we would say that the Seventh-Day Sabbath starts Friday evening, when the sun sets, and lasts until Saturday evening, at sunset.

“We know from the Jewish people when to keep the Sabbath. It is the Jews to whom God committed His revelations or His ‘oracles,’ as Paul clearly explains in Romans 3:1–2. These ‘oracles of God’ included the Old Testament Scriptures, as well as the knowledge of the week and of the Sacred Calendar. The Jews preserved the knowledge of which day the seventh day of the week is. Without an understanding of when a week begins and ends, we would not have been able to tell, from the Bible alone, which day the seventh day of the week actually is. Today, the Jews keep the Sabbath on Saturday, beginning Friday evening, at sunset. Nobody questions today that the Sabbath, as preserved by the Jews, is the seventh or last day of the week. All understand that Sunday is the first day of the week—although there have been some attempts in Europe to actually change the calendar in order to deceitfully pretend as if Sunday, and not Saturday, was the seventh day of the week.

“The Bible reveals that days start and end at sunset, in the evening. Notice Genesis 1:5: ‘God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.’

“Many Scriptures associate the meaning of the word ‘evening’ with ‘sunset.’ For instance, a period of one day regarding a ritualistic, temporary law is noted in Leviticus 22:6–7: ‘The person who has touched any such thing shall be unclean until evening… And when the sun goes down he shall be clean.’ (Note the same definition in 2 Samuel 3:35.) Further, we are told in Leviticus 23:32 to keep God’s Sabbath ‘from evening to evening.’”

“Sabbath in Effect Before the “Old Covenant”

“Some would argue that God introduced the Sabbath to the ‘Jews’ (erroneously believing that the ancient house of Israel was identical with the ‘Jews’) at the time of the Old Covenant and, since the Old Covenant is no longer binding, neither is the Sabbath. The Bible shows that this is not a valid argument.

“First of all, this argument does not take into account that a covenant and a law are two different things, and that abolishing a covenant does not automatically annul the law(s) on which the covenant is based (For an in-depth study of this important question, write for our free booklet, And Lawlessness Will Abound…).

“Secondly, the Sabbath command was in effect long before the ‘Old Covenant.’ We have already seen that God instituted the Sabbath at the time He created man. 

“We learn that the Sabbath command was a law that God required to be kept. It had been in force for a long time—in fact, since the creation of man. He asked the people, ‘HOW LONG do you refuse to keep it?’ (compare Exodus 16:28). We also learn that the Sabbath is holy to God. God sanctified the seventh day when He created man. It was set aside for a holy purpose. We learn that God gave the Sabbath to man—the Sabbath is a gift from God. James 1:17 tells us that God only gives us ‘good and perfect gifts.’ Finally, we learn that the people rested—‘shabath’—kept the Sabbath on the seventh day by not going out and engaging in the work of gathering bread (compare Exodus 16:30)…

“A Separate Sabbath Contract

“It is true, of course, that the Fourth Commandment was part of the Old Covenant. But, the Old Covenant did not bring the Ten Commandments into existence, since they were in force and effect since the creation of man. Rather, the Old Covenant was based on the Ten Commandments. To clarify this, we need to first understand that a covenant is simply a contract that is based on law—it does not create law—and when a contract is annulled, the law on which it is based is not annulled along with it.

“Additionally, we are introduced to a separate contract in Exodus 31. The subject matter of that contract is the Sabbath. We read in Exodus 31:14–17: ‘You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holy to the LORD. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested [Hebrew, ‘shabath’] and was refreshed.”

We should also mention here that Exodus 31 talks not only about the weekly Sabbath, but also God’s annual Holy Days, which are also called “Sabbaths” (compare Leviticus 23:24, 27, 39). Both the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days or Sabbaths are signs that we are God’s people (Ezekiel 20:12). Exodus 31:13 refers to both, using the plural, saying, “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep…”

The connection between the weekly and the annual Sabbaths is fully explained in our free booklet, God’s Commanded Holy Days.

The Sabbath—a Day of Joy

Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man. It was God’s gift to man. It was to be a blessing, not a burden! As God blessed and sanctified the seventh day for holy use (Genesis 2:3), so man will be blessed when he properly keeps and enjoys the seventh day.

At the time of Jesus Christ, the Pharisees had made a burden of the Sabbath. For example, the disciples of Christ were criticized for plucking the heads of grain on the Sabbath, yet they were only doing so in order to satisfy their hunger (Mark 2:23–24; Matthew 12:1–2). It was the position of the Pharisees that the disciples should rather go hungry than to pluck a few heads of grain, falsely interpreting such conduct as prohibited “harvesting.”

Right and Wrong Kind of Work

Christ placed mercy over pharisaic restrictions, pointing out that David ate from the showbread of the tabernacle when he was hungry, although it was not “lawful” for him to eat it (Matthew 12:3–4). But Christ did not condemn David for this. He also taught that the priests in the temple had to fulfill their responsibilities on the Sabbath, which—according to pharisaic consequential reasoning—would have been tantamount to “breaking” or “profaning” the Sabbath, but Christ said they were “blameless” in doing so (Matthew 12:5). When God’s ministers today “work” on the Sabbath in preparing and delivering sermons, they are equally blameless and guiltless.

On the other hand, Christ did not teach that we can violate God’s Sabbath by just trampling it under foot—by working on our jobs to earn a living and by pursuing our own pleasures and hobbies. Isaiah 58:13 states (according to the New International Version) that you are to “keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day” and to “call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable” and to “honor it by not doing as you please or speaking idle words.” The Living Bible clarifies that “doing as you please” refers to “your own fun and business.”

Keeping the Sabbath Sets God’s People Apart

When we keep the Sabbath, it will be noticeable to those with whom we have close relationships—our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Our lack of participation in sports, school or college events that are scheduled on the Sabbath, as well as not going to theatres or working on the Sabbath, will become very obvious, and so these people will come to realize our commitment to God.

God’s people know that the Sabbath is the time span from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, even though some misguided religious teachers claim erroneously that the biblical Sabbath is “Sunday.” However, “Sunday” has always been described in the Bible as the “first day of the week,” while the Sabbath has always been identified as the “seventh” or “last day of the week,” when God completed the days of recreation (Genesis 2:2–3; Exodus 20:11).

The Fourth Commandment is very clear—it must be kept by the people of God.

In addition to our booklet on God’s Commanded Holy Days, we have prepared further literature covering in detail God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths. One booklet is entitled, Man’s Holidays and God’s Holy Days, explaining that while man is willing to keep his human traditions and festivals, he refuses to observe God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days. This booklet also explains which human festivals true Christians should not keep. 

Another important booklet, How to Keep the Sabbath, discusses many examples to show what we can and should do on the Sabbath and the annual Holy Days, and what we must not do. This booklet has become very handy and helpful for many of our readers, and we trust that it will accomplish the same for you. Further information on correct and incorrect Sabbath observance is also given in chapters 18 and 19 of this booklet. 

Chapter 8 — The Fifth Commandment

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).

The first four Commandments show us that we must love God first and foremost; and the last six Commandments show us that we must have love for other people.

The Fifth Commandment Addresses Family Relationships

A parent to a small child is almost like God and that is why it is so important for the parent to set the standards and example very early in life. However, it can be disastrous if there is any hint of hypocrisy on the part of the parent as children can quickly pick up on this.

There is no question that children who are trained and disciplined in a godly way will have a good relationship with their parents, and will be much more able and willing to honor their parents.

Correct Authority in the Home Is Essential

What a person thinks about authority in the home, and in society, starts from an early age when habits and attitudes are formed. As children develop within the right environment in the family, usually the same standards are passed on to their own family. In addition, such children may move on more easily from obeying their parents when they were small to honoring them when they become self-sufficient adults. 

They will generally realize how much their parents loved them in giving them such a caring and positive upbringing. Their appreciation will be shown in the same approach they take with their own children, as well as in respecting and honoring their parents for all that they have done for them—the more so as the parents approach old age. 

Of course, there is no guarantee for this outcome, and it is most certainly not true in every case, as Satan, the god of this world, will try to harm and destroy the family relationship by any means. This can happen in the home itself, and it can happen through influences on the child from the “outside,” especially in school, in a God-defying and oftentimes left-liberal agnostic or atheistic society. It can happen through the child’s peers, where little, if any, regard is given to the Ten Commandments, including God’s directive to have respect for authority and to honor their parents.

Parents have to be very aware of this and they must do everything they can to counteract these false teachings and influences by educating their children properly at home.

One writer opined: “A reason for a thorough study of the Fifth Commandment is that our culture most often hinders and opposes our efforts to honor our parents. In the culture of the ancient Near East, there was a much higher regard for those in positions of authority (in general) and for parents in particular.”

In the book of Luke, chapter 2, we see the perfect example of Jesus as a 12-year-old being subject to His parents. In verse 42 we read: “And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.” As we read this account, we find that He stayed behind to listen and ask questions of the teachers in the Temple. In verse 51 we further read: “Then He went down with them [His parents] and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

The First Commandment With Promise

We read in Ephesians 6:1–3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”

By so doing, this sets a pattern for life which can only be of great benefit to the growing child.

When we really understand the Fifth Commandment, it becomes clear that it brings into sharp focus how important it is for the family, and society, in that it reflects the true love that children should have for their parents who have spent many years of untold and incalculable sacrifice to ensure that they gave their children the best possible start in life.

The Fifth Commandment is the first one with promise because it is the one where the benefit is not just for the individuals at the time, but is something that can be passed on from generation to generation, and it hugely benefits society at large. It has been said that the family structure is one of the building blocks of society.

The Fifth Commandment also reflects the spiritual aspect of God as our Father and the importance of the family now, which further reflects the importance of the future Family of God that will last for eternity.

Reasons for Not Honoring Parents?

Matthew 15:3–6 is a good example of those who were trying to avoid honoring their parents: “He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, “Honor your father and your mother”; and, “He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.” But you say, “Whoever says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God’— then he need not honor his father or mother.” Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”’” Jesus was very straightforward to these “religious men” who tried to opt out of their family responsibilities.

Proverbs 30:11 is a statement along the same lines: “There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.”

Dysfunctional Families

Many in this world have grown up in dysfunctional families and have been subjected to all forms of abuse. Does God expect someone under these circumstances to show honor to a parent? It is easy to show respect and honor to a parent who raised you in a loving home, but did God envision the corruption that has seeped into modern-day families when He commanded mankind to “Honor your father and mother”? Many examples could be given of abusive homes or parents which seemingly justify that children are allowed to dishonor them. Are they still to honor their parents even then? The simple answer is YES, but we must understand what this means. God’s Laws are eternal (see Psalm 119:160) and are not subject to change depending on human condition. 

These commands were not established long ago, only to be forgotten or ignored in our modern times. God’s laws resonate throughout the New Testament with the same importance given in the earlier books of the Bible. As mentioned, Paul stated, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). Christ even warned us of not honoring our parents, “For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death’” (Matthew 15:4).

Obey God Rather Than Man

If a child or a teenager is being drawn by God and understands His Truth, he or she is not in any way obligated to obey his or her parents when they teach or require ungodly conduct. God will judge all of us based on what we know and what we do with such knowledge. We are told that we must obey God rather than man, and this also means that we must submit to the penalty that might be inflicted upon us because of our righteousness. We are told that children are to obey their parents “in the Lord”—not contrary to what God commands. 

We state the following in our free booklet, The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families:

“As children, we are to obey our parents in the Lord. This means, we are not to obey them if it would not be in the Lord—that is, if it would be in contradiction to God’s commandments—either from a literal or a spiritual standpoint. Once a child is old enough to understand God’s way of life, he or she must follow God…

“We must obey our parents in all things, unless the instructions of our parents contradict the letter or the spirit of God’s Word. It is never well-pleasing to God if we disobey Him… wives cannot disobey God by obeying their husbands. In the same way, children must not obey their parents either, if this would violate God’s Law. They are not to lie or to steal or to kill or any such thing in ‘obedience’ to their parents’ ‘orders.’”

But this does not mean that children are therefore free to dishonor or disrespect their parents. Honoring our parents influences our character, and showing honor is a learned trait. Godly traits begin with the physical and lead to a spiritual understanding. “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual”
(1 Corinthians 15:46). Our mother and father gave us life but God, our eternal Father, gives us eternal life.

Learning to express respect for our parents also leads to physical blessings. When Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments, he described the benefits of this command even further: “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 5:16). By observing this principle, we can expect to live longer, better and in peace.

Abuse Suffered as a Child

That being said, how are we to grapple with ongoing pain from what might have been years of abuse? There is no panacea or a quick snap-of-the-fingers solution to make years of parental neglect or mistreatment go away, but God does give us the ability to change. This might sound overly optimistic, but to change our minds through God’s Spirit can be miraculous. Christ stated the first step in this process, “‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30). Everything begins by turning to God. Once we are willing to submit to God, He will, as David stated, be “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows…” (Psalm 68:5).

Loving those who do not treat us with kindness and respect is another trait we are familiar with as Christians (see Luke 6:35–36). Showing love and honor can be difficult toward those who do not appreciate it, but as Christians we are to be merciful to others just as God is merciful to us. The apostle Paul also outlines how we should address the world around us, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

Willingness to Forgive Is Fundamental 

Christ states, “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15). Setting a godly example might be our only means of eliciting change in others. Our calling did not come to us until God opened our minds and allowed it. That same change can happen, even to the most neglectful or even abusive parents, if God is involved, for “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).

Our need to develop a forgiving attitude can only occur with God’s help. The wickedness perpetrated on an entire childhood is difficult to overcome, but we should not allow our hearts to become hardened. 

A fundamental trait of all Christians is a willingness to change, to turn away from evil: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). 

For some, this might mean physically separating from the ungodliness of their parents. As Christians we understand that we “do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). It is difficult for abusive parents who have succumbed to this spiritual influence, and without godly intervention, to prevail against it. 

But even then, we must have a willing heart to forgive them for their abuse, once they recognize what they have done or are doing, and we should still show honor to them and have a loving contact with them, even if this may have to mean, for the time being, having a long-distance relationship, via phone calls or sending gifts, cards, letters or messages in other ways.

The willingness to forgive must not place us back into an abusive state. Boundaries are acceptable and even necessary in the face of ungodliness. We must not go back into a destructive environment once we have risen out of it. If we do, we are surrounding ourselves with sin. Christ warns, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). We are even warned to remove ourselves from behavior that leads us away from God, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).

The danger of parental mistreatment is that we can become comfortable with it. The abuse becomes our “norm” and it can be difficult to remove ourselves from the underlying destructiveness. But that is expressly what Christ came to free us from once we have submitted to Him. “For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:35–38).

Don’t Live in the Past

Those who submit to God have always and will always face persecutions. Deliverance from the evils perpetuated against us can only be achieved by true submission to God. Christ allowed Himself to be murdered and He depended on the Father who “raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power” (1 Corinthians 6:14). Likewise, Stephen, as he was being murdered, called upon God for deliverance and then, before dying “knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60). This kind of mind-set is only possible when we take on the mind of God through His Holy Spirit.

We must not be defined by our past, no matter how difficult it might have been. If we have accepted God’s Spirit, we must focus first on changing our own character. Paul states, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:12–14). It is crucial that true Christians “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:23–24). No matter what we were, God has a plan for who we will become—members of His holy righteous Family.

Dying Prematurely

We read in the Fifth Commandment that we will live long on the earth if we honor our parents (compare again Ephesians 6:3). It is indeed correct that God promises long life to those who honor their parents. We must understand, however, the correct meaning of this promise, especially when we might see that a seemingly righteous person dies “prematurely.” The three points below will expand on this:

1. Keep all of God’s Laws

Even though some may appear to live righteously and to keep the Fifth Commandment, they really do not, in God’s eyes. The New Testament makes it clear that a believing man or woman should look after and take care of their parents (1 Timothy 5:4, 16; compare Mark 7:10–13).

In addition, some who die without having enjoyed long lives, might have kept the Fifth Commandment in a general way, but they might have violated other commandments of God. But God’s Law is a package, and cannot be looked upon in an isolated fashion. James tells us that when we violate one of God’s commandments, even though we keep the rest, we have still violated God’s entire Law (James 2:8–13). When we do that, we cannot expect God’s protection in dangerous situations, or His intervention to save us from premature death.

We must emphasize that God’s laws, statutes and judgments are a package, to be kept in their entirety. This is not to say that we will keep them perfectly—we will slip and fall—but we can obtain God’s forgiveness upon our repentance, and move on (1 John 1:8–9). The righteous may fall seven times, but he will rise up again every time (Proverbs 24:16).

2. Protection from Evil 

In properly understanding the Fifth Commandment in Exodus 20:12, we must realize that God may decide to override His general promise of long physical life, under certain circumstances. It was preordained that Christ’s life on earth would be short—even though He kept all of God’s laws perfectly. Also, God may sometimes decide to let a righteous person die, to save him from the evil to come, as the righteous will be resurrected to eternal life within the next second of his consciousness (compare 1 Corinthians 15:50–54).

3. Living Long on the Earth

The fact that the righteous will inherit ETERNAL life provides a third way of looking at God’s promise in the Fifth Commandment. When God resurrects a righteous person to eternal life, He will give him the land or the earth to possess forever (compare Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:11; Isaiah 57:13; 60:21). Please note that both in the Hebrew and in the Greek, the words for “land” and “earth” are the same; i.e., erets in Hebrew and ge in Greek. When we read in Exodus 20:12 that the one who honors his parents will be living long in the land, it can also be understood to mean that he will live “long” on the earth–as an immortal Spirit being in the Family of God (Christ will rule on earth, and we will rule with and under Him.). The implication is, of course, that if we refuse to keep God’s commandments, and especially the one enjoining us to honor our parents, we will not obtain eternal life—we will not live long on the earth or in the land which God has promised to Abraham and his spiritual descendants (compare Romans 4:13-25; Galatians 3:29).

God has indeed promised long life to those who obey Him. A special blessing is expressed for those who honor their parents. It is not an unconditional promise in the physical realm, as God may deem fit to override His promise for special, individual reasons. Barring this, we can rely on God’s promise of long life in this flesh—and, more importantly, life everlasting in the Kingdom of God.

Chapter 9 — The Sixth Commandment

“You shall not murder (or kill)” (Exodus 20:13).

This commandment is variously shown as “You shall not murder” or “You shall not kill,” according to whichever translation you turn to. The Amplified Version is “You shall not commit murder (unjustified, deliberate homicide),” making this a more descriptive version. However, replacing the word “kill” with the word “murder” has led to serious misunderstanding.

God values life highly, and He wants us to have that same approach. He is our Creator, as we read in Genesis 2:7: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” 

He has set out a plan for the whole of mankind, which can be understood through His Holy Days, a plan that will give everyone the opportunity to be in His Kingdom IF they take advantage of that offer when they are called to His Way of Life. Life is important to God but can be treated with indifference in many parts of the world where life seems to be “cheap.”

Life can be ended prematurely by killing or murder, which is the unlawful taking of a human life. As we pointed out before, the Ten Commandments have been in force and effect since the creation of man, long before God spoke the Ten Commandments to Israel under Moses, and that included the commandment against killing or murder, showing that “murder” (rightly understood) is wrong (Genesis 4:8–12; 9:4–6, Exodus 1:15–17).

Murder, like all sin, begins in the human mind. It can be motivated for example by greed, envy, evil desire or hate. In James 1:13–15, we read: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

There are many ways of killing or murdering others, although, in some cases, man tries to justify such action and we will review some of those areas.

Killing in War?

Many advocate the “need” for waging war in diverse places, even if this would lead to the death of innocent civilians. The argument has been advanced that true Christians are allowed, if not compelled, to participate in “righteous” wars. One “supporting” concept is that God does not view killing in war as murder. Those who believe this idea refer to the fact that in Exodus 20:13 (“You shall not kill”), the Hebrew word ratsach is used for “kill,” and they say that it only means “murder,” and that killing in war is not murder and is therefore allowed.

That conclusion is false. The Hebrew word ratsach can even refer to ACCIDENTAL killing. The person who kills accidentally is referred to as a “manslayer” (ratsach). He was not worthy of death, but he had to flee to a city of refuge to stay there until the high priest died. If the perpetrator hated the victim in the past, or if he struck him intentionally with a stone, an iron implement or a wooden hand weapon, even though he might not have hated the victim, he was still to be executed (Deuteronomy 19:4, 6, 11; Numbers 35:20–21; 16–18). In all these cases, the Hebrew word for “manslayer” is ratsach; i.e., “murderer.”

So, accidental killing (including of innocent civilians in war, so-called casualties) is prohibited and sinful in the eyes of God.

Apart from the fact that many translations (such as the Authorized Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible and the New Jerusalem Bible, as well as virtually all German Bibles) render Exodus 20:13 as, “You shall not kill” (not: “You shall not murder”), the argument that the Ten Commandments exclude killing in war is also faulty for the following reason: Those who advocate fighting in war allege that whenever killing in war is described in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word is harag, and they say that this word does NOT describe murder. But the truth is that the word harag IS very clearly used for “murder.”

Psalm 10:8 speaks of a person who “murders” (harag) the innocent in secret. Hosea 9:13 states that Ephraim will bring out his children to the “murderer” (harag). Jeremiah 4:31 says that Jeremiah’s soul is weary because of “murderers” (harag). Genesis 4:8 explains that Cain killed (harag) his brother Abel, and 1 John 3:12 clearly shows that Cain “murdered” Abel.

That fighting in war is clearly sinful and murder in the eyes of God can be seen in James 4:1–2: “Where do wars and fights come from among you… You MURDER and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.” The Greek word for “war” is polemeo, and it is used in Revelation 17:14, referring to people who make war with the Lamb.

So we see that fighting and killing in war is prohibited by the Sixth Commandment. It is sinful and constitutes murder. This means that a true Christian must refuse to participate in war. It means that he must be a conscientious objector and cannot bear arms to be used against humans. He must not voluntarily join the army. If compelled by the government to enlist, a Christian must refuse to serve in any capacity that would violate the spirit of the Sixth Commandment against murder. 

It also means that a Christian must refuse to work as a policeman or in any occupation which might require him to kill another human being. A Christian would have to refuse to work for an organization or business which is strictly engaged in producing weapons of war. A Christian would have to refuse to work as a judge or a juror for numerous reasons, including, but not limited to, condemning an alleged criminal to death. A Christian must refuse to vote for someone who advocates and engages in war. An American Christian CANNOT and MUST NOT vote in presidential elections, because the American President is also Commander in Chief of its military. Non-American Christians face the same challenge, as every governmental official, in one way or another, advocates or participates in acts of war when the opportunity arises.

We know that many see it differently. Christians may say that all their fellow citizens and brethren MUST vote in presidential elections, and if need be, even fulfill their “patriotic duties” by joining the military and fighting against their country’s enemies.

That kind of thinking would be in DIRECT opposition to one of the most CRITICAL and FOUNDATIONAL areas of CHURCH DOCTRINE!

Mr. Herbert W Armstrong, the late human leader of the (now defunct) Worldwide Church of God, stated the following in his booklet, Military Service and War, copyright 1967 and 1985:

“Military service, bearing arms (for use against humans), killing, war, is directly contrary to God’s Law in principle! It is not the WAY of giving, sharing, helping, serving (page 11)… Actually, reliance on military arms, physical force, and human allies, is SIN. It breaks God’s Commandment, ‘Thou SHALT NOT KILL!’ The fact that ALL nations have chosen the way of SIN does not make it RIGHT! And the individual Christian, today, having God’s Spirit, and in God’s CHURCH, must face this question and decide for himself whether he will go along THE WAY OF SIN, as the overwhelming majority are doing, or whether he will OBEY God, and then TRUST GOD with his life—TRUST GOD alone!” (pages 24–25).

Some have claimed that Israel went to war, pursuant to God’s explicit order, and that therefore killing in war cannot be wrong.

Herbert Armstrong wrote on page 23: “It was altogether unnecessary for these Israelites to arm themselves and wage war. It was WRONG! It was SIN.”

In our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?”, we state the following:

“On page 33, Mr. Armstrong begins to address the question why God ordered the Israelites at times to wage war: ‘These descendants of Abraham had made their decision to be a fighting, war-waging nation. That decision was theirs to make. And since they had made it…, God gave orders for them to do what fighting—and killing—was necessary to accomplish God’s PURPOSE of putting them in the land of Promise! But that did not make war RIGHT. Whether to DO right or wrong—that is MAN’S decision! These Israelites did not need to fight! So it was BECAUSE of Israel’s faithlessness and disobedience that God ALLOWED them to SIN by taking up arms. And therefore God used them as His instruments in driving out the nations illegally in their land. Even at that later date the Israelites could have REPENTED, changed their decision, and trusted God to fight their battles for them… Having committed the sin of DOUBT, these Israelites proceeded to commit the SIN OF FIGHTING—of WAR!’”

The New Testament’s Teaching on Killing in War

Romans 12:17–21 tells us that we have to overcome evil with good; that we are not to avenge ourselves; and that we even give food and drink to our enemies if we find them in need. Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27–28 command us to love our enemies. This tells us that we cannot fight or kill our enemies. We are told in Romans 14:19 and in 1 Peter 3:11, to pursue the things which lead to peace. We are called to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9; James 3:18).

John the Baptist told Roman soldiers to “do violence to no man” (Luke 3:14, Authorized Version). He was showing man how to live in peace (Luke 1:79). Jesus Christ came to preach peace (Acts 10:36), as man does not know the way to peace (Luke 19:41–42; Romans 3:17), living, instead, the way that brings about bloodshed and war (Romans 3:10–18). Christ will return to make an end to war (Psalm 46:9). He will scatter all those who delight in war (Psalm 68:28–30). After His return, all will learn how to live in peace, and there will be no more wars (Isaiah 2:2–4). Weapons of war will be destroyed (Hosea 2:18). At that time, there will be no end to the increase of peace (Isaiah 9:7).

Today, as ambassadors of Christ, we are to proclaim peace and reject any kind of war (Isaiah 52:7). We read in James 4:1–4 that wars originate with man’s sinful and carnal desires, which MUST be overcome. We must live today the way of peace, the way that all of mankind will learn to live after Christ’s return. Christ told Peter to put his sword away (Matthew 26:52). We are warned that all those who use the sword will perish by it (Revelation 13:10; compare 2 Samuel 2:26). Christ told His disciples that they were not following God’s instructions when they wanted to destroy their enemies (Luke 9:54–56). Christ told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, and therefore, His servants would not fight (John 18:36). Paul confirmed that Christ’s followers are not to fight (2 Corinthians 10:3–4; Ephesians 6:12). We find that Satan is the one who deceives man to believe that he should fight in war (Revelation 20:7–10).

Self-Defense

A related question is whether we are allowed to kill another human being in self-defense.

When we find ourselves, or others, in a dangerous, challenging, life-threatening situation, we must PRAY to God, with faith, to HELP us out of that situation. To fight our fight for us! To give us the wisdom and the power NOT to do the WRONG thing, however tempting it may be!

We must realize that no matter what harm we may WANT to do physically in a given situation, we must not seriously injure or kill the attacker. But unless we understand beforehand, and have in our mind that we are not to do something with the intent to seriously injure or kill the attacker, we might very well do so when the occasion presents itself. If we carry a gun with us or have one handy, say, next to our bed, we will certainly try to use it, but then may be killed in the process.

People who disagree with the foregoing may ask you what you would do if you came home and a robber was in the process of raping your wife or killing your husband. Realistically, how many times does this happen? But if it does happen, do you really think that you can take a gun and shoot the attacker, and that the attacker would let you do it without any resistance? Chances are, he will use his gun first. In any case, to use a gun and shoot the attacker would be against the clear biblical teaching of prohibiting killing. But what about just trying to injure him? In the heat of the moment, you may not be able to do just that, even if you wanted to. And if the attacker would only be injured, he would still have the chance to kill you or others who are with you.

Christ told Peter, when he pulled his sword in defense of Christ and injured the servant, to put his sword away. Christ’s protection did not depend on human weapons. It depended on God the Father and His angels. So, too, with us. Our real protection comes from the same source!

When we are confronted with aggression, we need to pray to God to give us strength not to violate His Law by killing the aggressors. God will not allow us to be overtaken by a temptation that is too difficult for us to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). If there is an opportunity, we can hide or escape from our enemies, as Christ did (John 10:39). Christ never fought in war, nor did He ever commit violence to any man. Neither did the early apostles and disciples after their conversion. Neither must we today. God has not changed! God promises us protection from our enemies when we do what He commands (Genesis 35:1–5; Exodus 34:22–24). If God were to choose not to protect us in a given situation, for whatever reason, we must still not violate His Law by killing another human being. Rather, we must have the faith and act as Daniel’s three friends did, when Nebuchadnezzar threw them into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:14–18).

Since it is God who commands us not to kill (Exodus 20:13), we must not violate His Law by taking the life of another human being, for ANY reason! We must, therefore, not kill in war, nor enter the military to carry arms, or serve as combatants. We would be able to perform alternate service work under civilian direction, when required by law.

Killing Through Abortion?

The question of abortion has been debated long and hard over many years with many different and varied outcomes. We will cover this subject from a biblical standpoint, but to start with, we will look at the current situation around the world.

Some have put forward the idea of no abortion at all, under any circumstances, while others have suggested that it be allowed up to a certain time.

On the BBC website under “ethics,” the following information is available:

“At various times some of the following have been allowed in some societies:

“—abortion for the sake of the mother’s health including her mental health and where a pregnancy is the result of a crime such as rape, incest, or child abuse;

“—abortion where the child of the pregnancy would have an ‘unacceptable’ quality of life such as cases where the child would have serious physical handicaps, serious genetic problems or serious mental defects;

“—abortion for social reasons, including poverty, the mother being unable to cope with a child (or another child), or the mother being too young to cope with a child;

“—abortion as a matter of government policy, as a way of regulating population size, as a way of regulating groups within a population and as a way of improving the population.

“Most opponents of abortion agree that abortion for the sake of the mother’s health can be morally acceptable if there is a real risk of serious damage to the mother.”

On the Debatepedia website under “Debate: Abortion—‘Should abortions of any kind be permitted?,’” the following brief excerpts are shown under “background and context”:

“The issue of abortion is one of the most contentious, and emotive dilemmas faced by modern societies. The question is whether one should allow the termination of a pregnancy. For some, the question is even more fundamental: at what stage is the embryo or fetus in the uterus to be regarded as a child? At fertilization? At birth? Or, maybe somewhere between? The battle-lines are drawn between strict, religious (‘pro-life’) arguments (that it is never permissible), and those (‘pro-choice’) that emphasise the woman’s right to choose as the primary concern. While abortion has been legal in America since the landmark Roe vs. Wade case in the early 1970s, this is by no means a reflection of universal agreement—either international or within America itself—as many Western countries still have considerable restrictions on abortion. For example, the Irish position has softened only recently, and the Catholic Church steadfastly refuses to change its resolutely pro-life stance in the face of criticism from Women’s and other lobby-groups.

Whose Rights Are Involved?

“The abortion debate revolves around a number of questions. Does a woman have a right to her body that the fetus cannot take away? Does this right mean that a woman has a right to ‘unplug’ from the fetus? Or, does the fetus have a right to life that is binding on the woman and her body and that outweighs any rights held by the woman, requiring her to give birth? Is a fetus only a fetus or is it a person that deserves rights and protections? Does ‘human life’ begin at conception or at birth? (our emphasis). Is destroying a fetus akin to ‘killing a human’ or murder?

“What about the biological father? What rights does he have over a fetus? If the woman seeks an abortion, can he prevent it? And, what if she wants to give birth to a child, while he does not want it to happen? What say does he have? Is this, therefore, simply a question of the woman’s rights, or the man’s rights as well? Is a woman responsible for actions and behavior that may lead to an unwanted pregnancy, making her responsible for the fetus even if it is ‘unwanted’? Are there circumstances in which a woman cannot be said to be responsible for her own impregnation, such as failed contraception or rape? Can this justify an abortion?

“Is abortion an issue that is subjectively moral/immoral, so should [it] be reserved to individual judgement (not law)? Must opponents simply tolerate the practice? Or, is the scale of abortions world-wide too large to ignore, and does this scale give cause to a ban?”

We can see from all of this information that, because God is never mentioned, the musings of man’s mind become the predominant questions to be answered, and there are plenty of questions asked, as we have just seen.

Roe vs. Wade

The American landmark Roe vs. Wade case in the early 1970s is mentioned above. In Lifenews.com on January 22, 2013, we read the following:

“As Roe v. Wade and its allowance for unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy turns 40 today, the woman behind the infamous Supreme Court case has pledged her life to overturning it.

“Norma McCorvey never wanted an abortion — she was seeking a divorce from her husband — but young, pro-abortion feminist attorney Sarah Weddington used McCorvey’s case as a means of attempting to overturn Texas’ law making most abortions illegal. Weddington took the case all the way to the Supreme Court, which invalidated every pro-life state law in the nation protecting unborn children and the rest is history.

“But most Americans don’t know that McCorvey, who was ‘pro-choice’ on abortion at the time, is now a pro-life advocate. She is now dedicated to reversing the Supreme Court case that bears her fictitious name, Jane Roe.”

It is interesting and encouraging to read that this woman who was involved in this case now feels very differently. She said: “I think it’s safe to say that the entire abortion industry is based on a lie… I am dedicated to spending the rest of my life undoing the law that bears my name.” She concluded the following in a 60-second advertisement: “You read about me in history books, but now I am dedicated to spreading the truth about preserving the dignity of all human life from natural conception to natural death.”

Worrying Statistics

Statistics of abortions are nothing short of alarming, and we read on US Abortions Clock.org, the following figures as at the end of May 2019:

• Abortions in the USA since 1973 (the time of Roe v Wade) are now over 61 million.

• Worldwide abortions for 2019 were 16 million.

• Worldwide abortions since 1980 are over 1.5 billion.

In another report in 2013, Dr. Brian Clowes, director of education and research at Human Life International, investigated the number of worldwide abortions since 1973. The results were staggering! He estimated that there have been more than 1.72 billion abortions over the last 40 years, a trend that is not lessening but growing exponentially.

Whether the figures are 1.5 billion or 1.72 billion, they still represent an enormous number of lives that have been killed before birth.

Over 200,000 abortions are performed each year in Britain. On the Christian Institute website, we can read this information: “Unknown thousands of human embryos are frozen, stored and destroyed by assisted reproductive technologies. In addition, human embryos are either specifically created, or obtained as excess ‘spares’ from IVF procedures, for use in destructive experimentation. Embryonic stem cell technology also means that human embryos are routinely destroyed in order to harvest such cells. More and more sophisticated prenatal screening techniques, including preimplantation genetic diagnosis, have been developed to implement a eugenic ‘search and destroy’ mission against the unborn who are suspected of being disabled.”

According to worldpopulationreview.org, “One of the nations with the highest rate of abortion is Russia. According to UN reports, Russia’s abortion rate is 37.4. In other words, for every 1,000 women between 15 to 44, 37.4 had an abortion. Another nation with a high abortion rate is Cuba. According to data from the United Nations, Cuba had an abortion rate of 28.9…

“The abortion rates of other nations include:

“United States: 19.6; Hungary: 19.4; China: 19.2; New Zealand: 18.2; France: 17.4; Norway: 16.2; Denmark: 15.2; Australia: 14.2; United Kingdom: 4.2; Canada: 13.7; Israel: 12.5 Spain: 11.7 Italy: 10.0; Netherlands: 9.7; Belgium: 9.2; Japan: 9.2; Portugal: 9.0; Greece: 7.2; Switzerland: 7.1; Costa Rica: 6.9; Germany: 6.1.”

An Oath to Preserve Life

On the website medicinenet.com, several commitments by doctors are listed in “A Modern Version of the Hippocratic Oath”:

“I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant which includes, amongst others, the following commitment:

“I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.”

The last italicized phrase is very interesting. Unfortunately, all too often, lives of the unborn are terminated for no reason other than inconvenience and even when there may be supposedly “valid” reasons for termination, this is really nothing more than a doctor “playing God” which they promise not to do. It is a very sad indictment on the medical profession when we read about the number of abortions that have been undertaken worldwide.

Scriptural and Scientific Evidence

Having given this background, let us review the Scriptural and scientific evidence to see when life begins, while dismissing arbitrary times, depending on thoughts, ideas and assumptions of many different people.

God’s commandment in Exodus 20:13 (“You shall not kill”) is pretty straightforward, one would think, but something that never seems to enter the equation when discussing abortion. Perhaps some think that a conceived child is not a member of the human race until it is born; perhaps others don’t particularly care, while still others may not even think about it too much.

To answer the question as to when human life begins in the eyes of God, let us consider the following:

Numbers 26:59 tells us: “The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.” Levi had a daughter, not listed, who was born in Egypt—Jochebed who was the mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Levi’s wife must have been pregnant at the time and wasn’t named and yet God made sure that she was counted as a person making the journey. She was already conceived, but not yet born!

Exodus 21:22–25: “If men fight, and hurt a woman with [an unborn] child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm [to the woman] follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine [This shows that it is wrong in God’s eyes to hurt or kill an unborn child]. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman and there is lasting harm to the woman (some claim, and/or to the child), then you shall give life for life, that is, a much higher compensation. We see that the life of an unborn child was important to God. (For a thorough discussion of this passage, see our free booklet, Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?, pages 49–56.)

Psalm 139:15–16 says: “My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” This was obviously in the womb!

Author John R Ling observed as follows: “Human life is a continuum from fertilisation until natural death… In other words, there is a demonstrable continuity throughout each human life. This continuity theme is beautifully expressed in three ways in Psalm 139:13–16. First, King David acknowledges God’s creational oversight of his earliest days: ‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.’ It is God the Creator who directs and purposes the beginning of prenatal life. Second, there is the repetitive use of the personal pronouns, ‘I’ and ‘me’. This usage establishes the continuity of life between the adult David and the just-conceived David, as both the writer and the subject of this Psalm.

“At whatever stage and whatever age, whether in the womb or on the throne, it was always David. In other words, once fertilisation has occurred, there is a real, live human being…”

Isaiah 44:24 talks about God as “your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb.”

On the website “gotquestions.org” we read: 

“Science tells us that human life begins at the time of conception. From the moment fertilization takes place [fertilization, a synonym for conception, is defined as the action or process of fertilizing an egg, female animal, or plant, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote. See definition of zygote below], the child’s genetic makeup is already complete. Its gender has already been determined, along with its height and hair, eye and skin color. The only thing the embryo needs to become a fully-functioning being is the time to grow and develop.”

From the website “answers in genesis,” we read: 

“The initial event along the road of human development is fertilization. Twenty-three chromosomes from the mother and 23 chromosomes from the father are combined at the time of fertilization. At this point, the genetic makeup of the individual is determined. At this time, a unique individual, known as a zygote, begins to exist.”

The Spirit in Man

In order to determine when in God’s eyes, a human being begins to exist and live, we also need to understand the biblical concept of the spirit in man. 

Job 32:8 says: “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.”

Zechariah 12:1 tells us: “The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.”

This spirit in man empowers the human brain with intellect and mind power as we read in 1 Corinthians 2:11: “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”

When a person becomes converted, then God gives the person the Holy Spirit, in addition to the human spirit already in him or her. Romans 8:16 tells us: “The [Holy] Spirit [itself] bears witness with our spirit that we are [begotten] children of God.”

But when does God give the human spirit to a person?

Begotten and Born

When a person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, he or she is not yet born again, but already a begotten child of God and one of His heirs (Romans 8:16–17). This is on the spiritual level and it is exactly the same on the physical level.

The Holy Spirit is imparted at the conception of spiritual life. As we will show, the human spirit is also imparted at the conception of physical life. It is then that he or she becomes a human being.

A correct understanding of the “born again” process can help us understand the physical parallel—begettal, gestation and birth. Please see our free booklet, Are You Already Born Again?, for much more information on this matter.

David said that God knew him while still in the womb. Psalm 22:9–10 says: “But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.” This passage suggests that God had given him the human spirit while still in the womb.

Isaiah was inspired to write in Isaiah 49:1: “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.” The same conclusion applies that God gives the human spirit while the person is still in the womb.

In speaking of Jacob in Hosea 12:3, God says: “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God.” We read in Genesis 25:22 that “the children STRUGGLED TOGETHER within her”; and Genesis 25:26 states that Jacob “took hold on Esau’s heel”—that is, he did not want Esau to come out first. As we saw, Hosea 12:3 clarifies that Jacob had already taken Esau’s heel “in the womb.” It is also interesting that some translations (Elberfelder Bible; Lamsa; Luther; Zuercher) render Hosea 12:3 in this way: “He DECEIVED his brother in his mother’s womb…” Others translate this verse as follows: “In the womb he tried to supplant [or, supplanted] his brother…” (NRSV; REB; NAB; Tanakh; Moffat). 

Regardless of which translation we use, they all seem to indicate motivation through the human spirit. We read that these two brothers are not described as bits of “biological material” as one writer put it; rather, that they already possessed identity and significant purpose—they were to become two great leaders, the progenitors of two vast nations (Genesis 25:23).

In reference to John the Baptist, we read in Luke 1:15: “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”

Since he had the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb, he must also have had the human spirit while still in his mother’s womb; that is, prior to his birth. In verses 41–44 of this chapter of Luke, we read in the Authorized Version: “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy [Spirit]: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” 

Again, there appears to be motivation through the human spirit. John was already a person while in his mother’s womb.

When the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, he said to him: “… do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). The angel was giving to Joseph the understanding that the LIFE which was within Mary was of God! Christ already “lived” in His mother’s womb, prior to His human birth. Note how the Living Bible renders this verse: “… ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.”

As with John the Baptist, Jesus Christ had the Holy Spirit from His mother’s womb, beginning with the very moment of His conception. Unlike John, who had only a measure of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ had the Holy Spirit in its fullness, without measure (compare John 3:34 in the Authorized Version). Since He had the Holy Spirit in His mother’s womb, He must have had the human spirit in His mother’s womb as well.

We can see from the Bible that both John and Jesus were real persons in the womb. Would those who advocate abortion really dare to claim that it would have been acceptable for them to be aborted?

Judges 13 relates the birth of Samson. In verse 5 we read: “For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” In verse 7, there are particular instructions to Samson’s mother: “And He said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’” 

This was necessary because, as a Nazirite, Samson was to have a restricted diet, hence the reason why his mother had such limitations so as not to pass on anything to her unborn child, at any time, during her pregnancy. Right from conception, it had to be right!

It is therefore biblically sound to conclude that a human being receives from God the spirit in man at the time of conception within the mother’s womb, thus making him or her a living person (compare James 2:26), giving him or her what we understand as human intellect. (Unlike Christ and John, who received the Holy Spirit in the mother’s womb, we receive today the Holy Spirit as adults, after our conversion, repentance, and proper baptism and the laying on of hands by an ordained minister of God.)

Therefore, based on the Scriptures we have examined, we can conclude that a fetus already receives the spirit in man at conception, and is therefore a living HUMAN BEING, and if it is aborted at any time prior to birth, the person is murdered and dies. [As is the case with all humans who die, their human spirit will return to God who gave it in the first place (Ecclesiastes 12:7).] 

God’s Word is very clear—“You shall not kill,” as we read in Exodus 20:13, applies to abortion. Abortion is murder; the killing of innocent, as yet unborn children, falls very firmly into that category.

Killing of Self Through Suicide

In the first chapter of the first book in the Bible, we read that God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26–27). Man was created for a purpose, and that ultimate purpose is to become an immortal member of the God Family.

In John 10, Jesus talks about Himself as being the good Shepherd and that He had “come that they have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (verse 10). In this day and age, God has only called very few people for salvation, but everyone will receive their opportunity to inherit eternal life when God deems that the time is right. Why would anyone who has received this marvelous calling today want to commit suicide? 

The definition of suicide is “the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally.”

There are many “reasons” and “justifications” why even true Christians might erroneously think that this is the best course of action in their particular circumstances.

What circumstances would give rise to such a thought? Perhaps someone has an incurable disease (by man’s reckoning) and is in such severe pain that it seems to be the only way out of a terrible situation? Or someone doesn’t think him or herself worthy of God’s calling and cannot reconcile the fact that he or she is a sinner who doesn’t seem to be making any progress in his or her life, perhaps even going backwards? What about someone who experiences demonic activity in his or her life, which presses that individual to take such action as a way out of this misery? Drug or alcohol addiction, mental illness, depression, family issues, bullying, and marital and financial problems can also be reasons why suicide might seem to be the answer. But it never is! When someone commits suicide, he or she will have to give an answer to God for that course of action within his or her very next waking moment.

Suicide Statistics 

Taken from “Key trends from the Samaritans Suicide Statistics Report 2017,” 6,188 suicides were registered in the UK and 451 in the Republic of Ireland, and the highest suicide rate in the UK was for men aged 40–44. According to “2016-National-Facts-Figures,” nearly 43,000 Americans die by suicide every year. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death for ages 44 and under.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that each year approximately one million people die from suicide, which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds. It is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds. We are informed that Europe is the most suicidal region in the entire world. In absolute terms, Germany and France were the two EU Member States recording the most suicides in 2015, followed by Poland, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. However, for a relevant country comparison, these absolute numbers must be adjusted to the size and structure of the population.

Biblical Examples of Suicide

There are a number of examples in the Bible where suicide was committed. Ahithophel hanged himself (2 Samuel 17:23). Zimri burned himself (1 Kings 16:18). Saul fell on his sword, as did his armorbearer (1 Samuel 31:4–5). Judas hung himself (Matthew 27:3–5). Samson killed himself while destroying the pagan temple, knowing that his actions would lead to his death (Judges 16:29–30). Abimelech, a son of Gideon, asked his armorbearer to kill him, which he did (Judges 9:54), though some might dispute this as being an example of suicide, as Abimelech died at the hand of someone else. Perhaps “assisted suicide” might be an appropriate term (in legal terms, helping someone to commit suicide might also qualify as “aiding and abetting of murder” or even as “murder” itself), but in any event, the outcome was that Abimelech wanted to die and did so.

We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit [which] is in you, [which] you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” How could Christians even consider taking such drastic action, irrespective of their individual situation, when the Holy Spirit lives within them? Life belongs to God and the Sixth Commandment tells us: “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13). We are not to kill, either someone else or ourselves! Suicide, the taking of one’s own life, is equal to murder.

After Job had lost his property and his children, he stated that “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away” (Job 1:21). When someone takes their own life, it is an ungodly act because it rejects the life that God so graciously gave them in the first place. The meaning of Job 1:21 is that it is God who gives life and it is His prerogative and authority to take life away. It is not within a human being’s right or authority to do so.

King David stated in Psalm 31:15 that “my times are in Your hands.” Albert Barnes’ Notes of the Bible observed: “All that pertained to us is under the control and at the disposal of God. We shall live as long as God has appointed; we shall pass through such changes as he directs; we shall die when and where and how he chooses.”

In Deuteronomy 30:19, God told the ancient Israelites to choose life: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” It was presented to them as either blessings or cursings—blessings for living the life that God would have us lead, or cursings for choosing to disobey God, leading to death.

Suicide Within the Church of God

What about those who have been baptized in the Church of God and received the Holy Spirit, and who subsequently take their own life? Are they lost forever? They would certainly have known that it was wrong, but we all sin in many different ways, and we do not know another person’s heart or situation. We do read in Psalm 103:11: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.” In James 2:13, we read: “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” God is a merciful God, and He will always make the right decision about everyone. For instance, even though Samson committed suicide, he will be in God’s Kingdom, as Hebrews 11 tells us. On the other hand, it appears that King Saul will not be, but he had lost the Holy Spirit quite a while before his final act. In any event, it is for God to make these kinds of ultimate judgments.

Suicidal thoughts can happen to the best of people. Toward the end of his life, Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:17: “Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” In Ecclesiastes 12:13, he also wrote: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all (or: “the whole duty of man”). For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether it is good or whether it is evil.”

Both Elijah and Jonah at one point wanted to die; Jeremiah encountered serious moments of despair; and the apostle Paul and his friends were under significant pressure at times. We read in 2 Corinthians 1:8: “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.” Even great men in the Bible had their very difficult moments, and we can have those today as well.

Suicide, For Any Reason, Cannot Be Justified

But this does not justify suicide, assisted suicide, or aiding and abetting murder by any stretch of the imagination. Taking one’s own life or helping someone else to do so is a sinful act. 

Even though there are usually extreme circumstances that may have driven people over the edge to do this, and even though we may have no idea of the pressure that others may be under, nor do we know their hearts, we also know that we must never take such action. God, as a merciful and loving God, will judge them righteously and fairly, something that any man would be incapable of doing.

What About Euthanasia?

True Christians who obey the Law of God, understand that it is not their right, prerogative or even responsibility to end the life of a human being, including their own.

Euthanasia, in particular, can be defined as an easy or painless death which brings to an end a lingering, hopeless, painful disease or condition. However, to engage in such conduct is not in obedience to God. The Bible clearly tells us that it is God’s prerogative—as the One who created human life—to let a person die, or to prolong his life, when He sees fit. It is GOD who gives us life (Ecclesiastes 5:18; 8:15); and it is GOD who takes it away from us (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6).

Of course, no one can kill a human being without God allowing this to happen; but the fact that He does allow it does not mean that He wants all this world’s killing to continue. This is NOT God’s world, but this world is ruled by Satan the devil (John 14:30)—the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2)—the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:3). Satan is the destroyer, and he broadcasts his thoughts of destruction, which could include the will to commit suicide.

God allows Satan to rule over this present evil age at this time—but only until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns to this earth to displace and banish Satan, and to begin to RULE this earth righteously.

Life Is a Gift from God and Only He Has the Right to Take It

There is no support in Scripture for humans to prematurely end the life of a sick person. The Church of God has taught this for a very long time. However, it has also taught correctly for a very long time that there IS a difference between cutting short a human life and artificially prolonging it. While euthanasia is not a practice in which a true Christian should engage, it is an altogether different matter to decide NOT to prolong the “life” of a clinically dead or comatose person through machines and other equipment, thereby keeping the comatose person “alive” artificially. The Worldwide Church of God explained this in an old letter (L 185):

“… the idea that heroic measures must be taken to keep a terminally ill person alive as long as possible is not biblical either. There is no sense prolonging a person’s dying. Many righteous people in the Bible knew when they were dying, got their affairs in order… and simply died. It is not wrong to ask God in His mercy to allow a suffering person to peacefully die.”

The same would be true if a terminally ill person was facing the possibility of a serious and risky operation which might temporarily prolong his life—and its accompanying painful condition. In such a case, it would certainly not be wrong if the person decided against such an operation. It would also not be wrong for a person to set forth in writing, ahead of time, his or her wish as to how doctors or relatives should proceed in case he or she falls into a coma.

Of course, in all these different scenarios, we are to ask God for His mercy to HEAL us from pain and suffering. But if God should choose not to do so in a particular circumstance, we are still not to engage in “mercy killing” or other practices which would terminate human life.

Jesus Magnified the Law on Murder

In Matthew 5:21–25, we read the following: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.” 

He reveals that to commit murder means more than just killing someone. It includes having an angry, hateful, resentful and unforgiving attitude toward another person. This is bringing the spiritual application into play, rather than just the physical killing of a person.

This is confirmed by the apostle John who writes: “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). Here, hatred or the unforgiving, vengeful and hostile attitude are equated with murder. 

In Matthew 5:43–48, we are told by Jesus to love our enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

This admonition is exactly the opposite of fighting back and trying to take revenge. 

The Sixth Commandment is more than not killing or murdering self or others; it also prohibits hating or holding grudges against anyone, while in spiritual extension, it commands us to love others as ourselves.

Chapter 10 — The Seventh Commandment

“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).

The Christian Bible Reference website states that “Adultery is one of the most frequently and severely condemned sins in the Bible. It is mentioned 52 times, including in the Ten Commandments, all four Gospels and ten other books in the Bible. Only the sins of idolatry, self-righteousness and murder are mentioned more often.”

This site also states that in the “Old Testament, adultery was understood as sexual relations between a married (or betrothed) woman and a man other than her husband.”

However, this description is not all-inclusive, as adultery was also understood as sexual relations between a married (or betrothed) man and an unmarried woman, or sexual relations between two married people who were not married to each other. 

In the New Testament Jesus described adultery as sexual relations between a married man and a woman other than his wife, as we read in Mark 10:11–12: ^“So He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’”

We further read in Luke 16:18: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

We must understand these passages properly, as they have caused much confusion. Christ spoke in the context of marriages that were joined or bound by God (compare Mark 10:9). In such a case, a divorce and a subsequent remarriage are only permitted for biblical reasons (compare for instance Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians 7:10–15). But Christ’s prohibition does not apply to those who, prior to their conversion, had been married and became divorced, as God never “bound” their marriage in the first place. 

We state the following in our free booklet, The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families:

“Biblically, divorce with the freedom to subsequently marry someone else is permitted only under very limited circumstances. God created the marriage unit and He intended that it should flourish and endure (Matthew 19:4–6). Two truly converted married Christians (as long as both remain alive and converted throughout their marriage to each other) must never divorce and subsequently marry somebody else! Their marriage, which has been bound by God, is for life (1 Corinthians 7:10–11; Romans 7:1–3; Luke 16:18).

“What about a married couple where one mate is a true Christian, making every effort to apply God’s principles, and the other mate is not? Even in such a case, divorce and subsequent remarriage is not biblically permitted, unless the ‘unbelieving’ mate departs from the marriage, by not fulfilling his or her marriage duties, and the ‘unbeliever’ is no longer willing to live with the converted Christian mate (cp. 1 Corinthians 7:12–16). Such total departure from the marriage by the ‘unbeliever’ can be seen in serious continuous violations of his or her marriage duties and responsibilities, such as the sinful practice of ‘sexual immorality’ (Matthew 5:31–32; 19:9).”

In other words, if the married mate engages continuously in adultery or sexual immorality with another person who is not his or her mate, he or she is or has become an unbeliever who has departed from the marriage. In such a case, the believer is clearly permitted to divorce the unbelieving mate, even though God might have originally bound that marriage. 

But even when God did not bind the marriage, as God was never part of the lives of the two partners, they had exchanged some kind of a promise to stay faithful to each other until death. They were still married in the eyes of the law and before men, and they had still exchanged marriage vows. If one mate or both broke those promises by having sex with a person other than their mate, while still married in the eyes of the law, they became guilty of adultery.

Adultery, then, applies to sexual relationships between a man and a woman where at least one of the two persons is married, but not to the other person. Adultery also applies when at least one of the two persons is “betrothed.” Betrothal in biblical times was a binding and enforceable contract, containing promises to marry each other. The Bible considered betrothed partners as husband and wife, and a betrothal could only be dissolved by a decree of divorce. For instance, we read that Mary and Joseph were “betrothed,” and the Bible refers to them already as husband and wife.

Sexual Immorality

1 Corinthians 7:2–5 reads: “Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

In the above-quoted passage, Paul refers to “sexual immorality.” This term can refer to adultery, but it can also refer to fornication—a sexual relationship between two unmarried people. This, too, is sinful. It also violates the spirit of the commandment against adultery, as pre-marital sex cheapens and can violate the future marriage relationship with a different mate. 

As God created marriage between a man and a woman, and only the sexual relationship between a man and a woman who are married to each other is acceptable in God’s eyes, sinful sexual conduct would also apply to any other form of sexual relationship, including homosexuality, bestiality, or polygamy. All these activities are sinful. Please read our free booklet, entitled, God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships, for a detailed in-depth discussion on these widely misunderstood topics.

Paul states in 1 Corinthians 6:15–16: 

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh.’”

This passage can refer to adultery or sexual immorality, depending on whether or not the man and/or the harlot is married. Regardless, all of it would be sinful!

The Christian Bible Reference website continues under the heading “Lasting Damage”: “Even though God will forgive adultery (we would add, subject to full and heartfelt repentance), the damage it causes often cannot be undone. It is extremely hurtful to the spouse. It often leads to divorce and leaves the marriage partners embittered, disillusioned and financially poorer. It robs the children of the love and security of a healthy family and denies them a good role model for their own future marriages. Children from families where there is conflict and/or divorce are more prone to anxiety, poor school performance, drug abuse and delinquent behavior. These problems can persist into adulthood. Adult children of divorced parents tend to have lower educational attainment, lower income, more children out of wedlock, higher rates of divorce themselves, and a lower sense of well-being.”

It really is quite clear-cut, but with an ever increasingly secular society, the Bible is ignored and man goes on his own self-destructive path. An interesting seminary paper, entitled “100 Consequences of Adultery,” was written by a student at Phoenix Seminary in the USA, which revealed that those who are involved in an adulterous relationship rarely seem to think of the consequences and the ways that infidelity can destroy a marriage and the lives and families of those involved. The same can be said about pre-marital sex in view of a future marriage.

Devastating Effects 

TDJ World News published an article entitled “10 Historic Times That Saw A Rise In Adultery And Why,” stating that “finding accurate statistics on adultery rates is very difficult. The most accurate way to get data is through face to face interviews and most people are unwilling to disclose extramarital affairs when they know their identity will be known. However, throughout history, there have been markers that indicate probable increases in infidelity.” 

Starting with ancient Greece and proceeding forward to our present time, the article cited changes in the way people view marriage, and the correlation to a rise in adultery and divorce. Below are some brief comments on the last two periods that were reviewed:

“1960’s and 70’s—During this time of history, society was going through some major changes. This was the era of ‘free love,’ the Vietnam War was in full swing, Civil Rights and Women’s rights were also being fought for. Once again the divorce rate spiked, this time, it is thought that the advent of no fault divorce played a part in the spike. Even so, history tells us that sexual exploitation was rampant.

“21st Century—Once again, society has gone through some serious changes. People are viewing marriage and relationships differently. Statistically it looks like adultery is still on the rise and the disillusionment of marriage and our disposable mentality seems to be at the root of it.

“Adultery still tears people and families apart and causes damage to the psyche and the emotional wellbeing of those involved. Children are the biggest losers when families disintegrate due to infidelity.”

Even in the world today, there are those who are concerned about the effects of adultery. Had mankind listened to the great Creator God and taken His Seventh Commandment seriously, much unnecessary suffering, heartache and many other problems and difficulties would have been eliminated. However, the history of man over the last 6,000 years has shown us, quite clearly, the general disregard for God and His Word.

Premarital Sex Prohibited

As mentioned, the spirit of the Seventh Commandment also prohibits premarital sex. We read in 1 Corinthians 6:18 that we are to “flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”

We are also told not to “make provisions for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:14). 

Further, we are commanded to “abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5). 

Regarding this last passage, the Ryrie Study Bible comments that this “means either mastery over one’s own body, keeping it pure (1 Corinthians 9:24–27),” or that it “refers to an honorable marriage (vessel = wife, as 1 Peter 3:7).” 

Another possibility is a warning for a man not to try to “obtain” for himself a vessel—that is, a future wife—“in passion of lust.” The Nelson Study Bible explains: “Paul strongly urged the Thessalonians not to participate in any sexual activity outside of marriage… Sexual involvement outside of marriage dishonors God, one’s marriage partner or future spouse, and even one’s own body.”

God’s Stance on Adultery

As mentioned, the Bible refers to adultery as a sexual sin involving at least one married partner. We read in Leviticus 20:10 that “The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife… the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.” There is no room for adultery by consent from the non-involved mate. This is the reason why Abram’s and Sarai’s conduct—to bring forth offspring through intercourse between Abram and Sarai’s maid Hagar—constituted adultery in God’s eyes.

Punishment for Evil 

We explained earlier that the commandment against adultery included not only a married woman who has had sexual intercourse with her husband, but also a virgin who was “betrothed” to her husband, prior to the consummation of the marriage. 

We read in Deuteronomy 22:23–24: “If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city [thereby consenting to the adulterous conduct], and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s wife [even though she was only “betrothed,” and the marriage had not yet been consummated]; so you shall put away the evil from among you.”

Punishment for the Rapist

On the other hand, as Deuteronomy 22:25–27 continues to point out, “… if a man finds a betrothed young woman in the countryside, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her [i.e., the rapist] shall die. But you shall do nothing to the young woman; there is in the young woman no sin deserving of death [since the rapist forced himself upon her; there was no consent to this act by the woman], for just as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter. For he found her in the countryside, and the betrothed young woman cried out, but there was no one to save her.”

In case there were no witnesses to the act of adultery, God had provided for a procedure to determine the guilt or innocence of an accused wife, if the husband so desired (compare Numbers 5:11–31). This was a ritual procedure which is no longer valid today. We explain this fact in our free booklet, Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?

Bride-Price Applications

In addition, we do find a remarkable difference in the Old Testament in case of fornication between two unmarried young people.

We read in Exodus 22:16–17: “If a man entices a virgin who is NOT betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins.”

Deuteronomy 22:28–29 adds: “If a man finds a young woman who is a virgin, who is NOT betrothed, and he seizes her [this goes beyond mere enticement] and lies with her, and they are found out, then the man who lay with her shall give to the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife because he had humbled her; he shall not be permitted to divorce her all his days.”

The amount of the bride-price was steep, which was “meant to discourage young men from reckless behavior… This law warned young men that they would be made responsible for their actions” (Nelson Study Bible, comments to Exodus 22:16–17 and Deuteronomy 22:28–29).

These principles regarding pre-marital sex still apply today in God’s Church. There should not be ANY premarital sex between two unmarried partners. The Bible calls this fornication, and we are told to flee from it. But if two young unmarried people in the Church of God commit fornication (even though they should not do so and are sinning if they do), they should be aware that, excluding extraordinary circumstances (see, for instance in ancient times, the exception mentioned in Exodus 22:17), they have a responsibility, before God, to complete their marriage responsibilities, which they, in effect, already began through their conduct. If one party is not in the Church, then the situation is different, as 1 Corinthians 7:39 requires that a marriage in the Church should only occur “in the Lord”—between two believers. In that case, counsel with the ministry should be sought. Our free booklet God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships addresses this matter in detail.

Many Warnings against Adultery

The Bible includes many warnings against the evil of adultery. Proverbs 30:20 states: “This is the way of an adulterous woman; She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, ‘I have done no wickedness.’” You might want to read the entirety of chapters 5, 6 and 7 in the Book of Proverbs, where the dangers stemming from an adulterous married woman are described in vivid terms. 

Proverbs 7:25–27 ends with this admonition:

“Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.”

Jesus Magnified the Law on Adultery

Christ came to make the Law more honorable—to reveal the spirit of the Law. The commandment prohibiting adultery applies, as we have seen, to all kinds of sexual conduct outside a valid marriage between a man and a woman, and it also applies to conduct and thoughts, preparatory to and leading to the actual act of adultery. 

In the New Testament, Christ warned His followers not to look at a married woman with lust or evil thoughts—wanting to commit adultery with her—because such uncontrolled desire already constitutes adultery in the mind and heart (Matthew 5:27–28; compare Proverbs 6:23–35). Please note that Christ did not say that one can look at another man’s wife with evil thoughts, as long as the wife’s husband “consents” to this. 

The prohibition applies likewise to a married man looking at another woman with evil thoughts (whether the woman is married or not), and it applies to a married woman looking at another man (married or not) or an unmarried woman looking at another married man. 

At the same time, Christ also taught that every sin can be forgiven, upon genuine repentance. He refused to condemn the woman caught in the very act of adultery, when He saw her humiliation and repentance (compare John 8:1–12). God also requires mercy and compassion. Joseph, being a righteous man, intended to leave Mary secretly when he thought that she, who was betrothed to him, had committed adultery. He just wanted to put her away secretly, “not wanting to make her a public example” (Matthew 1:18–19).

God Is Against Destructive Behavior

God wants us to have happy and productive marriages, and He is against any conduct which could destroy or jeopardize the success of a present or future marriage. If such conduct occurs, God is willing to forgive, but He still requires appropriate behavior to guarantee the success and endurance of the current or future marriage relationship.

Chapter 11 — The Eighth Commandment

“You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15).

The meaning of the word “steal” is “to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, especially secretly or by force” (dictionary.com).

In Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, we read: “Thou shall not steal. Which is to take away another man’s property by force or fraud, without the knowledge, and against the will of the owner thereof. Thefts are of various kinds; there is private theft, picking of pockets, shoplifting, burglary, or breaking into houses in the night, and carrying off goods; public theft, or robbing upon the highways; domestic theft, as when wives take away their husbands’ money or goods, and conceal them, or dispose of them without their knowledge and will, children rob their parents, and servants purloin their masters’ effects; ecclesiastical theft or sacrilege, and personal theft, as stealing of men and making slaves of them…”

Theft can also apply, by extension, to a third party stealing the affections of a married man or woman. This describes an action, which constituted in many parts of the USA a cause of action for alienation of affection against the third party; i.e. the adulterer or adulteress. Even though this kind of conduct may not be punishable or actionable anymore by the laws of the land, it is still abominable and worthy of death in the eyes of God.

Penalties and Restoration

God instructed Moses on how stealing should be dealt with among the people of Israel. Even though the detailed penalties of restoration, as described in that law, are no longer in force today, the principles most certainly apply.

We read in Leviticus 6:2–5:

“‘If a person sins and commits a trespass against the LORD by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor, or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely—in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins: then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it belongs, on the day of his trespass offering.”

That which belongs to another is to be carefully respected, and God’s commandment to not steal has detailed application, even to the point of paying others for their work without delay:

“You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning” (Leviticus 19:13; compare Deuteronomy 24:14–15; James 5:4).

God’s commandment especially focuses on those who steal as a way of life. Those who use false weights and dishonest scales are condemned as thieves (compare Leviticus 19:35–36; Deuteronomy 25:13–15; Proverbs 11:1; 16:11; 20:10; Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:11). Concerning the future government of God during the thousand-year reign of Christ on and over the earth, a prophecy in the book of Ezekiel reveals that “honest scales” will be used (Ezekiel 45:10).

As a prerequisite for baptism, John the Baptist taught that those who have authority over others—especially their livelihood—should only do what was authorized:

“Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than what is appointed for you.’ Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, ‘And what shall we do?’ So he said to them, ‘Do not intimidate (margin: shake down for money) anyone (The Authorized Version says: “Do violence to no man”) or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:12–14).

Jesus Magnified the Law on Stealing

Jesus specifically included the commandment, “you shall not steal,” in His teaching (compare Matthew 19:18). Furthermore, He magnified the application of the laws of God. Not only are we to not steal in the literal sense, but we must not even allow ourselves to conceive of such actions:

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man…” (Matthew 15:18–20).

Some of the strongest reactions of Jesus during His ministry were against the pollution of the Temple by those who cheated, that is, stole from the people:

“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you have made it a “den of thieves”’” (Matthew 21:12–13).

The Benson commentary includes the following annotation:

“A harbour of wicked men; a place where traffic is carried on by persons of the most infamous character, who live by deceit and oppression, and practise the vilest extortion, even in the house of the most righteous and blessed God.”

Judas Was a Thief

Judas, one of the original twelve apostles and the one who betrayed Jesus, was a known thief:

“Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it” (John 12:4–6).

Interestingly, we note that Judas’ position among the disciples was that of handling the money (John 13:29). Like so many who compromise God’s Law, he corrupted himself in many ways, including being willing to take money to treacherously betray Jesus.

Repentance of Stealing Required

Paul strongly cautions Christians and includes those who steal among those who will not enter the Kingdom of God:

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).

Paul taught that one must repent of stealing: 

“Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

In this regard, we have the example of the rich tax collector who responded to meeting Jesus by renouncing his former practices:

“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold’” (Luke 19:8).

Stealing brings about penalties, and it is, for instance, an important responsibility for parents of young children to teach them the difference between what is theirs and what belongs to others. Teaching that stealing is wrong is foundational to developing righteous character.

It is also important for all to understand that we must not steal from God. Indeed, the actions of Adam and Eve when they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:6) included, among other things, an act of stealing from God, since the tree belonged to God and He had forbidden them to eat from it. Because of this disobedience, they incurred the death penalty. 

Chapter 7 of the book of Joshua recounts the sin of Achan who stole what God had forbidden to be taken by anyone in Israel (compare Joshua 6:18). Achan was stoned for his disobedience, and so were others in his family who obviously knew about and at least condoned Achan’s conduct. The implication is that they even supported it and were perhaps even actively involved. (God would not have demanded the stoning of innocent and ignorant family members.) 

Another aspect of stealing from God is discussed later in this chapter.

Why Do People Steal?

On healthline.com, we read the following: 

“Kleptomania, or compulsive stealing, is a common cause of theft that many forget about. This type of stealing is about a psychological compulsion instead of a desire to profit or gain.

“Some people steal as a means to survive due to economic hardship. Others simply enjoy the rush of stealing, or steal to fill an emotional or physical void in their lives.

“Stealing may be caused by jealousy, low self-esteem, or peer-pressure. Social issues like feeling excluded or overlooked can also cause stealing. People may steal to prove their independence, to act out against family or friends, or because they don’t respect others or themselves.”

Those committing such acts have no understanding of God’s commands on the matter or, if they do, these are just ignored, and this is, quite simply, yet another societal rejection of the Commandments of God. Even though one may have some degree of sympathy for a thief who steals to satisfy his hunger, while totally rejecting any kind of sympathy for adulterous couples, it still remains the truth that thieves are committing sin. 

We read in Proverbs 6:30–33: “People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away.”

At least, that should be our approach in regard to adultery (Compare also Psalm 50:18).

Theft in Many Ways

Let us review this from a personal point of view. Taking or keeping something that is not ours is stealing. That would include borrowing something from someone and never returning it. What about stealing time that we are being paid for, but not working for it? All these may seem minor matters to some but there is a vital principle shown in Luke 17:10: “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

We are to give full value because it is expected and required of true Christians, and going above and beyond, the extra mile (compare Matthew 5:41), is recommended.

One category that we may never think about in this regard is kidnapping, which incurred the death penalty in ancient Israel (see Exodus 21:16). This would include slavery in all its many disgusting forms.

In Proverbs 29:24 we read: “Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life.” Being an accomplice to a thief or condoning such illegal actions is to be avoided. 

Victims of Theft

Those who have been the victims of theft can usually relate to what an awful feeling it can be. Not stealing is one of the basic concepts of a decent and properly regulated society, and stealing is punishable by law. 

A more modern way of stealing is referred to as identity theft, which is when a person pretends to be someone else by using a stolen debit or credit card, a Social Security number or other personally identifiable information. The intended outcome is to access bank accounts, have access to someone’s address, insurance or car details, any of which can cause immense distress to those affected.

The Equifax website points out:

“Identity theft is largely an invisible crime; someone quietly steals your identity and uses it for financial gain. Yet, the impact on victims is real. Many lose money and time, but there’s another cost that’s not so easy to quantify—the emotional toll. As identity theft increases — there were 13.1 million victims of identity fraud in the United States in 2013 — psychologists and therapists are beginning to examine the emotional fallout for victims. First, many victims suffer financial stress. Second, identity theft victims may experience similar emotional effects as victims of violent crimes, ranging from anxiety to emotional volatility. 

“Every two seconds, someone in America becomes the victim of identity theft, according to Javelin Strategy and Research.”

While the above is about identity theft, the same feelings may be experienced by anyone who falls victim to any type of theft. Surely, those who steal do not give any thought as to how their actions will impact their victims. 

For instance, when a thief breaks into one’s house or dwelling place, the owner or occupier feels not only victimized, but also violated, as his or her privacy has been invaded and his or her possessions have been investigated, which can cause serious and lasting feelings of emotional distress. The same can be said about despicable unscrupulous criminals who hack into computers with the goal of stealing private information. And then there are swindlers who use deception to deprive especially older people or foreigners of money or possessions.

From the futurelearn.com website we learn that “a victim of a crime may possibly experience many different kinds of effects, such as:

• Direct costs and inconvenience due to theft of or damage to property (including time off work).

• The physical effects of injury through violent crime.

• Guilt at having become the victim of crime and feelings one could have prevented it (whether or not this was at all possible).

• Psychological effects such as anger, depression or fear, which, in serious cases, can cause sleeplessness, flashbacks to the offence or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

• Feelings of anxiety through shock that such a thing has happened and worries about revictimisation, sometimes leading to feelings of loss of trust in one’s community and in society.

• Limiting one’s social life or work life, or changing one’s lifestyle, by not going to places like where the crime occurred or being afraid to go out altogether, because of unease or fears of revictimisation.

• Taking extra crime preventive measures.

• Dealing with insurance claims and, for those for whom the crime is reported to the police, the police and other parts of the criminal justice system.

“It is almost impossible to predict exactly what effects an individual victim will suffer. People react very differently to similar offences and where one person may be seriously affected, another might experience only minor or short-term effects. Those who are more vulnerable (such as people who are poor, live in deprived areas or have other life stressors) and those who have been previously victimised are more likely to find a greater impact on them.”

Impact on Society

Theft can also have a tremendous impact on society as a whole. Many companies usually factor in a percentage of the price of their product or service to cover theft, thus increasing cost for buyers. Stealing disturbs the standards and stability that an orderly society seeks, and the results are feelings of fear and insecurity, and may sometimes include a desire for revenge. God’s laws are always for our good, and they are not only moral and spiritual, they are always practical.

The commandment, “you shall not steal,” has been flagrantly ignored by individuals and nations throughout human history. The consequences have been devastating for mankind as so many examples in the Word of God show. If it were possible to stop all stealing, consider what obeying just that one commandment would mean, and what if all of God’s commandments were kept?

Each of us can and must examine our own lives to see if we are guilty of stealing, and a good starting point is to ask ourselves if we are stealing from God.

Will a Man Rob God?

The following requirement of God is a “test” command for all of God’s people. Notice this clear admonition found in Malachi, chapter 3:

“‘Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, “In what way have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it’” (verses 8–10).

Would any true Christian walk into a bank with a gun to make a “withdrawal”? He would not do this, since he would not want to blatantly violate God’s Law in such a fashion, and he would also be afraid of doing so for fear of being caught, prosecuted and jailed for committing such a terrible crime. In addition, he knows that being caught and punished for committing such an act would ruin his reputation in the community. Yet, why is it that some Christians neglect to tithe altogether, or why do they sit at their office desk at home or at the kitchen table and write a check in support of the Church that does not represent a full tithe, even though they may realize that the tithing commandment is one of the basic requirements for a Christian?

For more information on how to calculate God’s tithe, please read our free booklet, Tithing—Today?

Tithes and Offerings

Since there does not seem to be any immediate consequences for them in shortchanging God, some Christians conclude that it is somehow all right to pay God less than what is commanded. Others think that when they faithfully tithe a full ten percent of their increase, that is all that is required of them. They overlook that even then, they are still called unprofitable servants because they simply fulfilled their duty to God to tithe (Luke 17:10). 

But God says that we rob Him when we do not faithfully tithe or when we do not give Him acceptable offerings. It appears that the people described in the aforementioned book of Malachi were shortchanging God in their tithes—giving only “nominal” offerings, or not paying any tithes or offerings at all.

Tithing from the entire amount of our increase is a requirement, and so are giving offerings, which are over and above God’s tithe. When giving an offering, we demonstrate to God where our heart really is. Both Cain and Abel gave offerings, but God rejected the offering of wicked and evil Cain, while accepting the offering of righteous Abel. It is interesting to note that there is no specific instruction as to how much of an offering we need to give—other than the fact that we are to consider and evaluate how much God has blessed us physically and spiritually. When we give an offering, we take advantage of the opportunity to show God how truly we appreciate His involvement in our lives, by giving cheerfully and not grudgingly (Deuteronomy 16:17; 2 Corinthians 9:7).

Our offering on each annual Holy Day should not only be for the purpose of proving to God that we would never want to rob Him, but also to demonstrate to Him our deep appreciation for His blessings and for the privilege to be part of and support the most important Work on the face of the earth today—that of announcing, preaching and publishing the gospel or good news of the soon-coming Kingdom of God to a sick and dying world. God knows and has decreed that His Work will be accomplished with or without our faithful tithes and generous offerings—but God has granted us the opportunity to participate in His great plan and purpose—and what a great privilege it is!

Moses, by the way, did not hesitate to institute the exhortation of God, which He asked of the people, as we can read in Exodus 35:5, 29.

The Tithe Belongs to God

There are a number of such financial requirements that God placed on His people and administered through those He had put in positions of service to those whom He is calling. The tithe, however, has always belonged to Him (Leviticus 27:30). It is holy to Him! He did give the tithe for a period of time to the sons of Levi “…as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform[ed], the work of the tabernacle of meeting” (Numbers 18:21).

Yet we see in Hebrews 7:9 that the law of tithing existed long before God made an agreement with the sons of Levi, which agreement gave them the right to collect tithes for a certain time. As we read verses 15–28 of Hebrews 7, we see that this right to receive tithes later reverted back to Jesus Christ, whose right it was from the beginning. Today, Christ collects tithes through His Body, the Church, to be used to carry out the end-time Work of God.

Christ showed that this system of financing the Work of God is definitely applicable today (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42, Luke 18:12). And of course, God shows in Malachi 3:8–9 that one thing He is angry about at the time of the end is that His people are failing Him in this requirement!

What to Do?

In Ezekiel 33:15–16 is the answer to stealing: “If the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.”

There is hope for those who may have become habitual thieves, but they have to repent of their actions and change their way of life, which includes giving to and sharing with others, rather than taking away from others.

We read earlier: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

The Principle of Repentance

This describes the principle of repentance—ceasing to do what is wrong, and doing what is right. Rather than taking and stealing, we are to be giving and sharing. 

This principle can also be seen in other aspects of life. We are told not to commit adultery, but rather, to love our own mate. Proverbs 5:15–20 tells us:

“(Verse 15) Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well.” 

“(Verses 18–20)…rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?” 

The same principle applies to the commandment against murder. Rather than killing or hating someone, we are to love them. Rather than participating in war, we are to be peacemakers. 

Consider also God’s other commandments. Rather than dishonoring our parents, we are to honor them. Rather than violating the Sabbath, we are to keep it holy. Rather than dishonoring God’s Name and using foul language, we are to speak wholesome words and glorify God (Ephesians 4:29). And, as we will see in the next chapter, rather than lying, we are to tell the truth. 

We state the following in our free booklet, Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians—How to Understand It:

“As Paul points out in Ephesians 4:25, 26, 29 and 31, when we put off the old man, we put away lying and wrath, as well as stealing, bad language and evil speaking, bitterness, anger and malice. Rather than living as this world does, we will be different. We won’t be like those anymore who are ‘lovers of themselves, lovers of money… unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal… headstrong, haughty’ (2 Timothy 3:1–4).

“When we replace the old man with the new man, then there is no room for the devil (Ephesians 4:27). When we obey God, humbly submitting ourselves to Him, the devil must flee from us (James 4:10, 7).

“And as Paul continues to show in Ephesians 4:25, 28 and 29, when we put on the new man, we speak only the truth, and we work willingly and earn money so that we can readily give to others who are in need. We will use words of edification—words that encourage others—rather than words that tear down or destroy. We will be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving, realizing that God has forgiven us because of what Christ did for us (Ephesians 4:32).”

Chapter 12 — The Ninth Commandment

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).

Lying is endemic in society today. Some people get into such a habit of lying that they may get to the stage where they can’t tell fact from fiction. They have become pathological liars.

When we place a call to a large organization, we often hear a message stating that the call will be recorded for staff training and so on. The company can easily refer to such a recorded conversation if there is a difference of opinion on any matter. One would think that this might encourage a truthful response, but it does not necessarily work that way. 

A Man’s Word His Bond?

The day when a man’s word was his bond is generally a thing of the past. A handshake on a deal a hundred years ago was sufficient, but it certainly is not so today. It is a great feeling to be able to trust someone and to trust their word, but this rarely seems to be the case in today’s society.

The insurance industry is plagued with false claims—lies—where people feign injury, pretending to have whiplash and other assorted problems that they do not have, all with the express intent of gaining financial compensation. But they had better beware because Scripture says that “whatsoever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

When someone sues someone else in court and there are two entirely different stories, then someone is lying—and it could be both of them in different parts of the story. Why is this done? Usually for financial gain but it may be for other reasons—like covering up for someone else. But God is adamant that we must not lie! Lies, half-truths and deviousness for any reason should not be so! Shoddy and misleading advertisements are other ways of lying. Incorrect labelling of goods is also lying.

Wouldn’t it be a marvellous world if you could trust anyone and everyone and know that what they said was always the Truth? It will be one day of course, but not at this time.

Where Lying Originates

Jesus made it quite clear, as recorded in John 8:44, that lying and misleading people emanates from Satan the devil: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

What a huge difference it would make in this world if just this one Commandment about not lying, not bearing false witness, was kept by everyone! 

Where Truth Emanates From

God is a God of Truth. He clearly shows us in the Scriptures that He wants us to learn to hate lying and dishonesty and to love Truth. In 2 Thessalonians 2 there is a very important lesson for the people of God to learn and remember. Paul was writing about apostasy and the coming of the lawless one in verses 8 and 9, and then gives a reason why some will perish. We read in verse 10: “…and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Having a love of the Truth means to value the understanding of the Truth God has given us, and to live our lives accordingly. John 17:17 reads: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” The people of God are to be set apart (sanctified) by the Truth of God, which is His Word.

Truth Is of Paramount Importance to God

Below are a few Scriptures, which emphasize this point.

Deuteronomy 32:4 states: “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” 

God is ever faithful and will always keep His promises—His Word is completely reliable. He cannot ever be charged with unreliability or unfaithfulness, as He is the perfect God, and part of that perfection is Truth at all times. This is confirmed in James 1:17, where we read: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

Psalm 100:5 states: “For the LORD is good His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Truth is of paramount importance to God, and every generation from Adam until today has been subject to the same Truth from the great God. His character is perfect and His Word is always sure.

John 14:6 reads: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” Again, we read about the importance of Truth. 

Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible has these comments to make:

“[God is] the source of truth, or he who originates and communicates truth for the salvation of men. Truth is a representation of things as they are. The life, the purity, and the teaching of Jesus Christ was the most complete and perfect representation of the things of the eternal world that has been or can be presented to man… the life of Jesus was the truth. The opinions of men are fancy, but the doctrines of Jesus were nothing more than a representation of facts as they exist in the government of God. It is implied in this, also, that Jesus was the fountain of all truth; that by his inspiration the prophets spoke, and that by him all truth is communicated to men.”

John 18:37 reads: “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’”

Ellicott’s Commentary for English readers has this to say: 

“He came to be a witness—a martyr—to the truth, and to send forth others to be witnesses and martyrs to the same truth, through the Holy Spirit, [which] should guide them into all truth… His kingdom was not of this world [or present age or civilisation]: it possessed [currently] neither land nor treasury, neither senate nor legions, neither consuls nor procurators; but it was to extend its sceptre over all the kingdoms of the earth.”

The value of Truth is generally not a consideration in society today. God is the true God, a God of Truth, and our adversary is a liar and father of it.

Human Beings Have Been Lying 

Men and women down through the ages have lied. The Bible is full of examples showing how people lied… including righteous people.

We read about Cain’s lie to God when He asked him about his brother Abel whom he had murdered; Jacob’s lie and deception toward his father Isaac when he pretended to be Esau; Rachel’s lie to her father Laban regarding the idol that she had hidden; David’s lies about his relationship to Saul when he fled from him and pretended to be on a secret mission; Peter’s lies when he denied Christ three times; and Ananias and Sapphira’s lie about the proceeds from the sale of their possessions. 

Many more examples could be added but we will focus now on Sarah and Abraham.

Why Did Sarah Lie?

Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is described in Scripture as a faithful and righteous woman (Isaiah 51:1–2; Hebrews 11:11; 1 Peter 3:5–6). Still, we read that she broke the Ninth Commandment and lied on several occasions. There were mainly two different sets of circumstances that induced Sarah to lie.

Sarah’s first lie is recorded in Genesis 18. God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, appeared with two angels to Abraham and Sarah and promised them that they would have a son within a year. Genesis 18:11–15 states: “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?” Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid. And He said, ‘No, but you did laugh!’”

Sarah denied—lied against—the Truth because she was afraid to admit that she didn’t have enough faith.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible states:

“‘She denied, saying, I did not laugh,’ thinking nobody could contradict her: she told this lie, because she was afraid; but it was in vain to attempt concealing it from an all-seeing eye; she was told, to her shame, ‘Thou didst laugh…’ It is a shame to do amiss, but a greater shame to deny it; for thereby we add iniquity to our iniquity. Fear of a rebuke often betrays us into this snare. See Isaiah 57:11, ‘Whom hast thou feared, that thou hast lied?’ But we deceive ourselves if we think to impose upon God; he can and will bring truth to light, to our shame. ‘He that covers his sin cannot prosper,’ for the day is coming which will discover it.”

Further Deceit and Abraham’s Lie

The second set of circumstances involving Sarah’s deceitful conduct is described in Genesis 20, when Abraham told the lie that Sarah was his sister, denying the Truth that she was his wife. As a consequence, King Abimelech took Sarah to become his wife. One might ask why Sarah did not speak up and tell Abimelech that she was Abraham’s wife. Why did she keep silent? Why did she cover up Abraham’s lie?

We read of an earlier account in Genesis 12:11–13:

“And it came to pass, when he [Abram, later called Abraham] was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai [later called Sarah] his wife: ‘Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, “This is his wife”; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with you for your sake, and that I may live because of you.’”

God revealed to Pharaoh that Sarai was Abram’s wife. Both Abram and Sarai lied to Pharaoh about this. And later, both repeated the same lie to Abimelech.

As God did in the case of Pharaoh, He revealed the Truth to Abimelech—this time in a dream. We read in Genesis 20:4:

“But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, ‘Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me, “She is my sister”? And she, even she said herself, “He is my brother.” In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.’”

Why Did Sarah Participate in Abraham’s Lie? 

Why did she even repeat it herself? We read in Genesis 20:10–13:

“Then Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?’ And Abraham said, ‘Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, “This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, ‘He is my brother.’”’”

Abraham’s and Sarah’s lies are not justified by the fact that Sarah was Abraham’s half-sister. In God’s eyes, they were husband and wife, and God calls them consistently that way in His Word. Abraham and Sarah suppressed the Truth that they were married, with the intent to deceive their neighbors. Even though Sarai was his half-sister, she was clearly his wife (Genesis 20:11–13)—and the Bible always refers to Sarai (later Sarah) as his wife. The Bible never calls her his sister (Genesis 12:18–19; 18:9). Further, Abram’s bad example apparently prompted Isaac to repeat his father’s mistake (compare Genesis 26:6–10).

Abraham had asked Sarah to lie in order to save his life, placing a guilt trip on her by suggesting that she would be unkind to him if she did not tell the lie, and she would be without the protection of her beloved husband if they killed him and let her live. Sarah obeyed her husband and broke one of God’s commandments in the process. She should have never done this. Even though we read that wives are to submit to their husbands, we are also told that this must be done “in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). That is, they must never violate God’s Will, and if a demand or request of their husbands would violate God’s Word, they must disobey. We are told that we must obey God, rather than man, in a conflict situation (Acts 5:29).

Of course, Abraham should have never lied, nor asked Sarah to lie for him or to actively or passively participate in or condone his lie. Both showed a lack of faith. They were afraid that if they were to tell the Truth, Abraham would be killed. They did not fully believe that God would be powerful enough to protect them.

But we also read that both Abraham and Sarah grew in faith, as we all must do (Romans 4:19).

Wives are not to obey their husbands when they are asked to do wrong. And husbands must not listen to the voice of their wives when they ask or suggest to them that they do or say something which would violate God’s Will.

Even before God appeared with two angels to tell Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son within a year, God had already promised descendants to Abraham (Genesis 15:1–5, 18). God had specifically said to Abraham (then called Abram) that “one who will come from your own body shall be your heir” (verse 4).

But as time progressed and Abraham and Sarah remained childless, they began to doubt in God’s promise and reasoned that they had to produce offspring through Abraham and Sarah’s maid, Hagar (Genesis 16:1–2). This episode showed a lack of faith of both Abraham and Sarah. This is perhaps another reason why Sarah later denied that she had laughed when God repeated His promise that they would have a son. She realized that she had again, for a second time, manifested a lack of faith in God’s Word and Power. After all, it was she who persuaded Abraham to bring forth offspring through her maid Hagar.

However, there were other occasions when God told Abraham to listen to the voice of his wife (Genesis 21:8–12). It is always a matter of what God’s Will is in a particular matter.

Generally, Abraham and Sarah obeyed God and kept His commandments, but they were not perfect and did sin on occasion. Every lie is a sin against God and most often also against neighbor. When they realized their sin and repented, God forgave them. They will be in God’s Kingdom and one of God’s born-again sons and daughters, ruling under Christ in the Millennium and beyond (Hebrews 11:39–40).

Did God Tell Samuel to Lie?

God cannot lie. It is against His very nature and being to lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). God has told us in His Word that it is a sin to lie (Exodus 20:16). God does not tempt us to sin (James 1:13), and He does not tempt us—let alone order us—to lie. On the other hand, God sometimes uses lying people or even lying spirits or demons to carry out His purpose (compare 1 Kings 22). This does not mean that God orders anyone to lie—but since men and demons are free moral agents and may decide to sin, God may use them to accomplish a certain goal—but the decision to sin, including to lie, is still the decision of the man or the spirit involved. (For a better understanding, please read our free booklet, Angels, Demons and the Spirit World, especially pages 46–51.)

How, then, are we to understand 1 Samuel 16:1–5, where God told Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse as king, but to tell the people that he came to sacrifice to God? Let us read the entire passage in context:

“Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’ And Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me?’ But the LORD said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.” Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.’ So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ and he said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.”

God showed Samuel that He wanted young David—the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons—to be anointed king. “Then Samuel took his horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward” (verse 13).

God did not order Samuel to lie, and Samuel did not say anything that was untrue. However, Samuel did not say everything he knew—he kept part of the reason for his coming to himself. There is a difference to say something that is partly true and partly false, with the intent to deceive someone. As we saw earlier, when Abram told Abimelech that his wife was his sister, for fear that the people might kill him if they knew the Truth, he told a complete lie.

Samuel Did Not Lie

On the other hand, Samuel did not lie—even though his initial question to God (“How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me”) shows a human character weakness in Samuel. He should have realized that God would protect him on his mission, since He had ordered him to go. 

Matthew Henry’s Commentary adds the following thought: “Samuel’s faith was not so strong as one would have expected, else he would not have thus feared the rage of Saul.”

Nevertheless, God told Samuel what to do, and he came and sacrificed to God. He did not tell the people the main reason for his coming, though what he did say was true. The Nelson Study Bible comments: “God did not instruct Samuel to lie, but instead He provided a legitimate opportunity for Samuel to visit with Jesse and his family. By performing the anointing in Bethlehem while officiating at a sacrifice, Samuel would avoid arousing the suspicions of Saul.”

Similarly the Ryrie Study Bible: “The Lord did not suggest deception, but simply told Samuel to take care of the anointing while he was in Bethlehem on official business.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary adds: “God orders him to cover his design with a sacrifice: ‘Say, I have come to sacrifice’; and it was true he did, and it was proper that he should, when he came to anoint a king, chapter 11, verse 15.” 

We should also note that Samuel anointed King Saul in connection with a sacrifice (1 Samuel 9:10–27; 10:1; especially chapter 9, verse 12).

In addition to the fact that Samuel came to offer an actual animal sacrifice, his pronouncement, in following God’s injunction, could have also been a reference to David himself—as David would become a living sacrifice with the anointment as king and the receipt of the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (compare Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5).

Jeremiah Did Not Lie 

Another example can be found in Jeremiah 38:14–27. When King Zedekiah spoke in secret with Jeremiah who was imprisoned in a dungeon, he told Jeremiah not to reveal the main subject of their conversation, but rather tell those who would come to ask additional aspects which were also included in the conversation. In this, Jeremiah did not lie; what he said was true, but he did not reveal everything that had been discussed.

What Else Constitutes Lying?

On the other hand, lying can be deceitful, and it might be a fine line between not telling everything we know and lying about what we do know.

Also, lying includes breaking one’s promise (Psalm 15:1–5); dishonesty in our business (Proverbs 11:1); adding something to God’s Word (Proverbs 30:5–6); saying that we have not sinned or do not sin (1 John 1:8, 10); saying that we know God while not keeping His commandments (1 John 2:4); or saying that we love God while hating our brother (1 John 4:20).

Some might say that lying can be justified (for example, when the harlot Rahab lied about the spies she had hidden or the midwives who lied about the new-born Hebrew babies whom Pharaoh wanted to kill), but lies are always wrong. God can help us and others without the need of lies. God did not bless Rahab or the midwives for lying; He blessed them because they saved lives, but He was not happy about their lies. In God’s eyes, lying is always an abomination (Proverbs 12:22; 6:16–19).

Confidentiality Must Be Honored

One may still wonder whether concealing or keeping certain information secret constitutes a lie and is deceitful conduct. However, the Bible makes it clear that we are NOT to violate confidentiality. If we were always obligated to tell everything we know when asked, then we could not uphold confidentiality—even though the Bible instructs us to do so.

For instance, we read in Proverbs 11:13: “A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” And Proverbs 25:9 tells us: “… do not disclose the secret to another.”

We are instructed to “conceal knowledge” (Proverbs 12:23), and Proverbs 17:9 reveals: “He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.”

It is important in confidential counseling sessions that the parties clearly understand to whom confidentiality applies (a minister might have to divulge information to other ministers) and when confidentiality ceases, and when the counselor might have a legal duty to divulge certain information. 

We also read that Jesus Christ spoke in parables to the public at large, so that they would not understand (Matthew 13:10–15). Christ did not lie or try to deceive—but He did not want to divulge information to the people which they could not properly handle. He warns us not to cast our pearls before swine, so that they don’t turn on us and tear us in pieces (Matthew 7:6; compare Proverbs 9:7).

Our adversary, Satan the devil, is a liar and father of it, and we must resist his influence and temptations at all times.

The value of Truth is generally not a consideration in society today. God is the true God and the God of Truth, and we must follow His example at all times. We must love the Truth and hate the lie (Proverbs 13:5). What we say must be true, because a faithful witness does not lie (Proverbs 14:5). 

Chapter 13 — The Tenth Commandment

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).

As we mentioned earlier in this booklet, the wording of the Tenth Commandment in the book of Deuteronomy is slightly different from the wording in Exodus. Deuteronomy 5:21 says: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

We should note that the order of “wife” and “house” is reversed between the two, and that Deuteronomy adds the word “desire” to the word “covet.” Also, the word “field” is added in Deuteronomy.

Commentaries are trying to explain the reverse order, but without convincing arguments. It appears that in God’s eyes, one is as bad as the other. In addition, the examples are given in Exodus and elaborated in Deuteronomy to make it clear that nothing which belongs to our neighbor is to be coveted or desired by us.

Definitions of Coveting

The definition of “covet” is helpful. In Hebrew, it can mean “delight,” “lust after” and “desire,” and it is used in a wrong way in both passages above. (There is a right kind of desire as it pertains to the things of God, but this is not what is addressed in the Ten Commandments.) 

The dictionary defines “covet” as “yearn to possess or have (something).” In this respect, something that does not belong to us. When we covet our neighbor’s wife or our neighbor’s house, we are resentful for what our neighbor has, and we desire to have them instead.

Synonyms for “covet” are “lust, desire, thirst for, fancy” or “want.”

The Tenth Commandment is related to man’s relationship to his fellow man. It is one of the last six commandments that defines how to love our neighbor. The first four commandments tell us how to love God.

Do Not Covet Your Neighbor’s House

“You shall not covet [desire] your neighbor’s house” tells us that we are not to wrongly desire our neighbor’s dwelling place—his house and his field or his possessions. Is it bigger than ours? Is it newer than ours? If it is, then we should be happy for him and follow the admonition of Paul in Philippians 4:11, which tells us: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…” Another admonition worth noting is this: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:6–8).

Some people are never happy, thinking that more physical possessions and a nicer house are what life is all about, and that those things will give us more happiness in life. But what does the Scripture tell us? “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).

Many people steal (breaking the Eighth Commandment) because they first covet (eagerly desire) something that someone else has! It all starts with coveting.  

The key is to be happy with what we have, or do not have, and to be happy for those who have more than we have. All of this is temporary anyway.

Do Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Wife

The Tenth Commandment goes on to say, in Exodus 20:17: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.” This, in effect, as discussed before, prevents committing adultery in our minds. Christ told us in Matthew 5:28: “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Here again, one must be content with what one has or does not have. If one is married, we are to be content and happy with our wife and don’t look for “alternatives.” If you are not married and want to be married, then wait for God to provide you with a wife in His due time; do not covet the wife of your neighbor. Proverbs 31:10–12 tells us that a virtuous wife is very precious: “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.” If such a wife belongs to our neighbor, it would be a terrible sin to desire her, visualizing adultery in your mind, and then to perhaps even initiate actions to break up such a marriage.

Do Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Servants

We are also told in the Tenth Commandment not to covet our neighbor’s “male servant, nor his female servant.” What this is telling us is to not be envious of and covet the things which our neighbor has, things which makes life easier for him; for instance, a butler and people who come and cut his lawn or take care of his field or his yard, clean his house and do chores around the house for him.

Do Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Ox, Donkey or Anything Else

We are finally admonished not to covet our neighbor’s “ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is [our] neighbor’s.”

We are not to become envious of our neighbor’s possessions and covet those—be they a nice car and, again, those things that help make work easier for him regarding his yard: Things like a riding lawnmower or a snowblower, which our neighbor may have, while we may have to push our mower and shovel snow by hand.

Sometimes this sin of coveting can manifest itself by someone damaging or destroying something that belongs to someone else simply because they do not have it or cannot afford it, in effect thinking: “If I can’t have it, they are not to have it!” It is a sorry, sick, jealous approach! If someone has something that we do not have, we should rejoice for them!

Avoid Covetousness

The Bible includes many examples of people who covet the possessions of others, and they show how detrimental such an attitude is, as it may lead to damaging action.

Note, for example, Micah 2:1–2:

“Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.” 

Proverbs 6:23–26 speaks of lust for a married woman. Note here that the Hebrew word for “lust” in verse 25 means “covet.”

The New Testament warns repeatedly of the dangers of covetousness. Note James 1:14–15; 4:1–3; Romans 13:14 (“lust” has the meaning of “covetousness” or “evil desire”); Mark 4:18–19; 1 Timothy 6:9–10; 1 Corinthians 10:6 (“lust” or “covet” or “evil desire”); and Titus 3:3.

It is Satan who is the author of evil desires, covetousness and lust (John 8:44). But we should realize that this world, which is ruled by Satan, and its evil desires will soon pass away (1 John 2:15–17).

Coveting Can Lead to Other Sins

What God tells us in the Tenth Commandment is that we must overcome covetousness by being happy for the other person. Covetousness, if not repented of, may turn into envy and jealousy. Jealousy goes down to the marrow of the bone. This may lead to hatred and the desire to hurt our neighbor who has something we want to have. This attitude has caused a lot of suffering in this world. That is why God gave us His Commandment against covetousness.

Being happy for others removes covetousness and brings joy and peace into our hearts. Envy and jealousy are many times the root cause for life-lasting rivalries, destroying families and friendships. It is almost impossible to deal with someone who is envious and jealous.

The key is to be happy with what we have (or do not have) and not to look lustfully on our neighbor’s wife or covet our neighbor’s servants, nor focus on our neighbor’s animals or his house or dwelling place, his job and other things which our neighbor may have—even if they are nicer, bigger or more expensive than ours. We are to focus on those things that build treasures in heaven. We are not to get caught up in coveting, jealousy and envy, knowing that this life with all its physical blessings is only temporary. In the final analysis, covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5), as we place something else before the true God who told us not to covet, but to love Him first and foremost.

Coveting Must Be Repented Of

Coveting must be repented of—sincerely regretted and made to cease as a factor in one’s life. One must keep his eyes on God at all times. David wrote in Psalm 119:36: “Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to covetousness.”

We are told to put to death and abstain from covetousness and evil desires (Colossians 3:5–7; Titus 2:11–12; 1 Peter 2:11).

This can be done only with God’s help and by prayer and fasting. Galatians 5:16 tells us: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Those who are Christ’s have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (verse 24). 

Hebrews 13:5 clearly teaches us what our approach should be: “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

We must remember that whatever physical things we accumulate in this life are lost when we die. We should have the approach we read about in 1 Thessalonians 4:11: “… you [must] also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” If we are conscientious about minding our own affairs, coveting what others have may never even enter our minds!

Are we content with what we have? If so, then we will not covet or have evil desires or lust for anything. Coveting can lead to much ill will and hard feelings. God tells us to avoid coveting because there is nothing good about it. You shall not covet!

Chapter 14 — Does 2 Corinthians 3:3–11 Abolish the Ten Commandments?

The passage in 2 Corinthians 3:3–18 has been very confusing to many, and most commentaries use it to teach that the Ten Commandments are no longer binding for us today (compare Ryrie Study Bible, footnote to 2 Corinthians 3:7). However, this conclusion is clearly erroneous.

Let us review the entire passage of 2 Corinthians 3:3–11, in context:

“(3)… clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (4) And we have such trust through Christ toward God. (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, (6) who has also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (7) But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, (8) how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? (9) For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. (10) For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. (11) For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.”

God’s Covenant with Israel

We need to understand that God made a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai. We read in Exodus 24 that the covenant was sealed with blood. When that happened, the covenant was final and could not be altered. The law of the covenant was written in a book, the “Book of the Covenant” (verse 7; compare Hebrews 9:19–20). At that time, the sacrificial system was not a part of the law—those ritual provisions had not been given yet, and they were not written in the Book of the Covenant. The covenant at Horeb did not originally include the sacrificial system. Neither did the Book of the Covenant contain such ritual regulations. 

Book of the Law

But as time went on, ritual laws were added, including the laws regarding the Levitical priesthood and penalties or curses for violations of God’s spiritual law, and those did find their way into the Book of the Covenant, which is also called the Book of the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 28:58, 61; 29:20–21, 27, 29; 31:9).This Book of the Law was placed outside or beside the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 31:24–26). The tablets with the Ten Commandments, however, were placed inside the ark (Deuteronomy 10:4–5; Hebrews 9:4).

Engraved on Massive Stones

Later, all the laws that had been written by Moses into the Book of the Law were engraved on massive stones (Deuteronomy 27:2–3, 8; Joshua 8:30–32, 34). The laws that were written on the stones included the Ten Commandments, along with the statutes and judgments, and also the rules and regulations regarding sacrifices and other rituals. We find a reference to those stones and the laws that had been engraved on them in 2 Corinthians 3:7–8, “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious… how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?”

The reference to the ministry of death includes the death penalty for violating God’s spiritual Law and for committing capital crimes according to the letter. The penalties were first written in the Book of the Law of Moses and then engraved on massive stones. Since Christ died for us, we do not have to pay the death penalty, if we repent of our sins and obtain forgiveness. In addition, the ritual sacrificial laws, which were among the laws written on stones, could not forgive sins—they only reminded the sinners of their sins. The Levitical priesthood was, in that sense, a ministry of death, as people would still not be able to obtain eternal life, even though they brought sacrifices.

Internalize the Ten Commandments

It is true that 2 Corinthians 3:3 addresses the Ten Commandments, stating, “… you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”

However, this statement merely explains that we are to internalize the Ten Commandments. It is not enough to have them in our Bibles or written on posters or on tablets of stone, but they must be part of ourselves. They must be in our hearts, on the tablets of our flesh. This passage does not even remotely suggest that we are no longer obligated to keep the Ten Commandments; just the opposite is the case.

God’s Law must be in our hearts (Isaiah 51:7; Hebrews 10:16). The following passage in Ezekiel 36:26–27 is especially telling: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

Tablets of Stone and Ministry of Death Engraved on Stones

However, 2 Corinthians 3:7 does not refer to the Ten Commandments. As stated above, the “ministry of death, written and engraved on stones,” refers to massive stones (compare again Deuteronomy 27:2–3, 8; Joshua 8:30–32, 34), on which ALL of God’s laws were written—not just the Ten Commandments, which are spiritual and eternal, but also temporary ritual laws regarding washing and sacrifices. While the two tablets with the Ten Commandments did not include any penalties, the subsequent massive stones did.

Let us compare the different Greek words that are used in verses 3 and 7 in describing the “tablets of stone” and the “ministry of death… engraved on stones.” The Greek word for “of stone” in verse 3 is, lithinos (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, No. 3035), and means, literally, “made of stone” or formed out of stones. The word is used in Revelation 9:20, describing idols made out of stone. The Greek word for engraved “on stones,” in verse 7, is, lithos (Strong’s No. 3037), and it describes complete stones—not something made of stone. It is also rendered as “millstone” in Luke 17:2. The tablets with the Ten Commandments were taken from stones—the tablets did not constitute complete stones. But later, all of God’s laws—permanent as well as temporary rules—were engraved on complete, massive stones. To reiterate: The Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone, while the laws of the Book of Moses, including the penalties for sins and crimes, were engraved on complete, massive stones.

The Ten Commandments, as well as other permanent and temporary laws, were written in a book—the Book of the Law of Moses. Verse 7 refers to this fact when it says, “…written and engraved on stones.” Quite literally, the meaning is that all of the laws were first “reduced to writing” (en grammasin in Greek) and then “engraved” (entupoo in Greek) “on stones” (en lithos in Greek).

2 Corinthians 3:7–8 Paraphrased 

2 Corinthians 3:7–8 could be paraphrased as follows, to clarify the intended meaning:

But if the ministry of death, which was first written in the Book of the Law of Moses and later engraved on massive stones, was glorious, even though it would cease one day—so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance (after he saw God’s form), which glory also passed away—how will the ministry of the Spirit, which will endure forever, not be more glorious?

God’s true ministers today do not administer the death penalty for sin or for any crime—they do not fulfill the ancient Levitical priesthood’s role and function of a “ministry of condemnation” (2 Corinthians 3:9). Rather, God’s true ministry today teaches that sinning man can receive forgiveness of sin, through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God’s ministry today also teaches that man must keep the Ten Commandments. Man can only do this, however, through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within him, which is received after repentance, belief, baptism and the laying on of hands. In other words, God’s ministry is a “ministry of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 3:9), teaching man how to obtain righteousness and how to live righteously. For further information on this critically important subject, please read our free booklet, Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation?. 

2 Corinthians 3:2–11 does not teach that the Ten Commandments are abolished. Quite the contrary, the passage teaches that the Ten Commandments must be kept today. However, they must be kept in the Spirit; that is, they must be applied in our lives with their spiritual intent, as Christ clearly explained in Matthew 5–7. In doing so, we can escape death and inherit eternal life. If we refuse to do so, Christ’s warning in John 3:36 is still applicable for us today: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him” (Revised Standard Version).

The Shining Face of Moses

But if 2 Corinthians 3:7 makes reference to the massive stones which were mentioned by Moses and later erected under Joshua, why then do verses 7–8, 11–14 refer to Moses’ shining face when he returned from the mountain with the tablets of the Ten Commandments? 

The argument is that Moses’ face had a glorious appearance when he returned with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, allegedly proving that Paul is referring here to the tablets with the Ten Commandments and NOT to the massive stones with the entire Law of Moses, including its ritual and sacrificial laws and its penalties.

Let us note that the face of Moses shone with glory after he saw God in His glory (Exodus 33:18–23), and after he had been with God a second time, for 40 days and 40 nights, to receive the second set of the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:29–30). His face did not shine when he received the first tablets with the Ten Commandments, which he broke in anger because the Israelites had built a golden calf and committed idolatry.

The Soncino commentary points out that “these rays of glory originated with Moses at the time he stood in the cleft of the rock and God covered him with His hand.” Most commentaries conclude that his glory continued to shine throughout his life, and that he continued to put a veil on his face when he showed himself to the Israelites (Exodus 34:33–35).

The Nelson Study Bible states that Moses’ “glory was enhanced on each subsequent encounter with the LORD.”

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers says: “The brightness of Moses’ face… remained henceforth a property of his countenance.”

The Benson Commentary states: “He carried his credentials in his very countenance; some think, as long as he lived he retained some remainders of this glory, which perhaps contributed to the vigour of his old age; that eye could not wax dim which had seen God, nor that face wrinkle which had shone with his glory.”

Friedman, Commentary on the Torah, writes: “For the rest of the narrative in Exodus (and in the next three books of the Hebrew Bible), he is to be pictured wearing a veil.”

No Timing Mentioned

In fact, Paul does not mention the timing as to when the face of Moses was shining with glory. He does not say that Moses’ face shone only when he returned from the mountain with the tablets of stone, and that therefore, Paul had in verse 7 the tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments in mind. Rather, it appears that Moses’ face still shone when he spoke about the massive stones on which the entire Law of Moses would be engraved. So, Paul’s point is still well taken that when Moses announced that the ministry of death (reduced to writing in the Book of Moses) would be engraved on massive stones, the face of Moses was still shining, but that was temporary because Moses would die soon thereafter. In the same way, the ministry of death passed away and ended when Christ died on the cross.

Chapter 15 — Does Galatians 3 Abolish the Ten Commandments?

In Galatians 3:17–19, 22, 24–25, Paul states the following: 

“And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator… But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in [of] Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe… Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

What Is Meant by the Law?

In order to understand this passage properly, we must recognize that the Bible sometimes uses the word “law” for just a portion of the entire law system. We must consider the context of the particular passage in order to ascertain whether the word “law” refers to the entirety of God’s law system, or just a portion, and if just a portion, which portion. We do the same today in human affairs. We might say, “the law requires you to do this or that,” and we may be speaking about a particular provision in the Civil Code, or the Criminal Code, or some administrative law.

We learn from Galatians 3:17 and 19 that “the law” was “added” “four hundred and thirty years” after God’s covenant with Abraham. This “law” was added “because of transgressions.” We also learn in verse 22 that the Scripture confined everybody “under sin.” Sin is the transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4, Authorized Version). The physical law referred to in Galatians 3 was added because people had sinned—because they had transgressed God’s spiritual Law (Romans 7:14) of the Ten Commandments.

Paul’s use of the word “law” in the third chapter of the book of Galatians then does not relate to the Ten Commandments at all, but to an altogether different set of rules—the sacrificial law system which was added some time after Moses had brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt (compare Jeremiah 7:21–23).

Two Sets of Law

Paul uses the same language in Romans 5. A careful analysis shows that he speaks there, again, about two sets of law—the Ten Commandments and the sacrificial system which was added because of sin. 

In Romans 5:12–14, Paul says: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin [death came through sin, because death is the penalty for sin, compare Romans 6:23], and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses…).”

Notice carefully: Paul says here that all sinned; that all incurred the death penalty because they had sinned; and that there is no penalty if there is no law. Therefore, since there was a death penalty, there had to be a Law. But then, Paul says that that situation already existed before the “law” was in the world. How clear—he is talking about two different sets of law! The law which came into the world had to be different from the Law which already existed from the time of Adam.

Paul continued in verse 20: “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound.” What law entered? What law was added? NOT the Law of the Ten Commandments, which was in force and effect since Adam, but the sacrificial law system which “entered” or was “added” more than 430 years after Abraham’s covenant with God.

The Bible does not contradict itself. One Scripture does not “break” or “make of no effect” another Scripture (John 10:35). A law was added because of transgressions. This law cannot be the Ten Commandments. Rather, because people had transgressed the Law of the Ten Commandments, an additional law was given to the people. Paul’s statement that the law was added because of transgressions (Galatians 3:19), and that a law “entered” the world after sin and death were already in the world (Romans 5:12–14, 20), refers to that part of the physical law which has to do with sacrifices and other rituals. 

Because the people had sinned by transgressing the spiritual Law of the Ten Commandments, as well as those statutes and judgments which embellish those righteous commandments, another “law” was added and came into the world—the temporary physical law dealing with sacrifices and other rituals.

Deception

Professing Christians are largely deceived, as is the rest of the world (Revelation 12:9). If you think you are free to break God’s spiritual Law of the Ten Commandments, you are deceived—no matter what Christian group or denomination you may claim to be a member of. “Christian” commentaries of worldly scholars add to the deception, by concocting ridiculous “explanations” in their terrible desperate attempts to contradict the clear and timeless message of Jesus Christ, which is beyond debate for those who are willing to believe and obey their Master. Read for yourself Christ’s words in Matthew 19:17: “But if you want to enter into life, keep the Commandments.”

Chapter 16 — Does 1 Corinthians 9:20–21 Abolish the Ten Commandments?

Does 1 Corinthians 9:20–21 teach that we are free from the Law of the Ten Commandments?

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 states:

“(Verse 19) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; (verse 20) and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; (verse 21) to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; (verse 22) to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (verse 23) Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”

Just What Did Paul Mean in 1 Corinthians 9:20–21?

The New Testament makes it clear that certain sacrificial laws are no longer binding today. Paul calls them “a tutor” in Galatians 3:24. As we explained in the previous chapter, this ritual law, which is referred to as a “law,” “was added because of transgressions” (Galatians 3:19). Sin is the transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4), the Ten Commandments (James 2:8–12). We see, then, that the Ten Commandments—the “Law”—had to be in effect before the sacrificial law system was added, as it was added because of transgression. (For a thorough explanation, please read our free booklet, Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.)

While it is no longer necessary to abide by the sacrificial system with its ritualistic rules, it would not be sinful to keep it while in the presence of Jews, as long as it was not kept for wrong motives and with a false understanding that it was still obligatory. Therefore, when Paul was with Jews, he would not offend them by refusing to keep their customs, as long as they were not in contradiction to the spirit or the letter of God’s Law. He even circumcised Timothy so as not to offend the Jews (Acts 16:3), but refused to circumcise Titus when this would have given a wrong impression to the Jews who believed that circumcision was necessary for salvation (Galatians 2:3).

In addition, Paul would not keep those customs, of course, when he was with Gentiles, as these customs or ritualistic laws are no longer binding. Paul did make it clear, however, that he did teach and keep the spiritual Law of God (Romans 7:14) that is still binding, including all of the Ten Commandments (Matthew 19:17–19).

Paul never taught others to sin, and he was careful that he did not sin either. He would have never disobeyed God by breaking His Law, only to “win” the Gentiles. He was not without God’s Law, although he no longer preached as binding and mandatory physical circumcision or other sacrificial rituals, as those temporary laws had been abolished by God in the New Testament. At the same time, he did not offend his Jewish audience by violating their customs and traditions, as long as he could keep them without sinning against God.

Paul made it clear that he was not without the Law of God. He said in verse 21: “… not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ.” Please note that the word “under” in “under law toward Christ” is ennomos in Greek and should be translated as “in” or “within” or “subject to.” Paul said that he did not live without the Law, but within or subject to the Law of the Ten Commandments. 

“Under the Law” 

Paul also said that in 1 Corinthians 9:20 that he lived as if he was “under law,” implying that he was not. How is this to be understood? Note that here in verse 20, a different word is used in Greek (i.e., hupo), which is translated as “under.” 

In this context, some also quote Romans 6:14, stating that we are no longer “under law but under grace,” saying this means we do not have to obey the Law anymore. However, the correct meaning of this passage is that when we violate the Law, we are no longer under the curse of the Law—the death penalty—as the blood of Christ, given to us by grace, has covered and forgiven our sins—has paid the death penalty that we earned. Paul explains in the very next verse (verse 15), that this does not mean that we can now continue to sin; that is, to break God’s Law. Rather, we are now to be “slaves of righteousness” (verse 18), in keeping God’s Law.

In Romans 6:14–15, the Greek word for “under” is also hupo. 

In Galatians 4:4–5, we read: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born UNDER (Greek: hupo) THE LAW, to redeem those who were UNDER (Greek: hupo) THE LAW, that we might receive the adoption as sons (better: “sonship”).”

Christ had to be made UNDER the Law—subject to its penalty—as Christ never sinned. He never was under the Law—its penalty—due to His conduct; rather, He had to be placed or made under the Law, so that He could pay the penalty of sin for us. We came under the Law—its penalty—through our conduct, so Christ had to be MADE UNDER the Law, in order to redeem us who were under the Law—its penalty.

Another passage, where the term “under the law” is used is in Galatians 4:21. It reads: “Tell me, you who desire to be under (Greek: hupo) the law, do you not hear the law?”

Paul is not saying here that they desired to be under the Law in the sense that they wanted to be under the penalty of the Law. They did not desire to die because of their sins. But they seemed to desire to live their old way of life again (which brings forth death)—or they desired to follow wrong teachers believing that they must be circumcised in order to be saved.

However, circumcision does not justify us—nor does the Ten Commandments. In violating just one of the Ten Commandments, we have sinned and incurred the death penalty. What saves us is Christ’s Sacrifice, by which God forgives us our sins and removes the penalty—but we cannot keep on sinning so that grace may abound.

To put it differently, if we desire to break God’s Law of the Ten Commandments, we are again under the Law; that is, under or subject to its penalty. Also, if we desire to obtain justification apart from Christ, we are still under or subject to the penalty of the Law, as we can only become justified through Christ.

Furthermore, Paul is using the word “law” in different ways in verse 21. To be “under the law” means, under its penalty; when he then says, “hear the law,” he means the five books of Moses.

A third passage can be found in Galatians 5:18. It reads: “But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under (Greek: hupo) the law.”

We can choose to walk in the Spirit (verse 16), which will motivate and empower us to KEEP the Law of love, and when we do, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh which will induce us to sin and to break the Law. But if we choose, instead, to walk in the flesh, we don’t show love, but selfishness, and we will engage in biting and devouring one another (verse 15).

To walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh is a constant struggle, as Paul explains in verse 17. There is a battle going on in our minds between God’s Spirit and our fleshly desires. When we are led by God’s Spirit and do the things which are pleasing in God’s sight, we are no longer “under the law” (verse 18). When we walk after the Spirit and are led by it, we will keep the Law. And since, and as long as we do not break it, we are not under the penalty of the Law.

The Curse of the Law

When we are under the Law, we are under its penalty for having violated it. The Law has dominion over us in that it can demand our life. The penalty of the Law is also described as the “curse of the law.” We are under that curse when we sin, and nothing that WE might do subsequently can abolish that curse.

Galatians 3:10, 13 tells us: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under (Greek: hupo) the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them’… Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)…”

Paul conveys the thought that nobody kept all the physical works of the law, including all of its rituals, washings or sacrifices. In addition, nobody kept all of God’s spiritual commandments of the Ten Commandments and its judgments and statutes. Therefore, everybody is under the curse or penalty of the Law, which is the second death for spiritual sin, or which might be physical death or other physical penalties for civil or criminal infractions.

The curse of the Law is the penalty for breaking or violating the Law. Christ redeemed us from the curse or penalty of the Law—not the Law—as He became a curse for us, in that He took our sins upon Himself and paid the penalty for our sins on our behalf. He thereby redeemed us or set us free from the penalty of death, which we brought upon ourselves by sinning—breaking the Law.

Under Sin

In the same way, we are “under” sin (hupo in Greek), as Romans 3:9 says (“we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.”). When we sin, then we are under the power or influence of sin. Sin has us in its clutches. Rather than ruling over it (Genesis 4:7), it rules over us. And as carnal human beings, we cannot keep the spiritual Law of God (Romans 8:7). But even after conversion, a fight of good vs. evil is going on in our minds and in our lives. Paul was still compelled to say, years after his conversion, that he was “sold under sin” (Romans 7:14; Greek: hupo) and did “evil” (Romans 7:19), obeying the “sin that dwells in me” (Romans 7:17, 20), and being held in “captivity” to sin (Romans 7:23).

When we sin by transgressing the Law (compare Romans 4:15), then we are under sin, under the Law, under the curse of the Law, under its penalty. Sin has power over us so long as that penalty is not removed, because the penalty of sin—the wages of sin—is death (Romans 6:23). So, death needs to be removed.

Returning to 1 Corinthians 9:20, we see that though Paul was not “under the law,” he became as one “under the law,” so that he might win those under the Law. The term “under the law” refers to its penalty. When we sin, the penalty of sin—death—is hanging over us like the sword of Damocles. Through the Sacrifice of Christ, our repentance and our belief in and acceptance of His Sacrifice, we can have forgiveness of our sins; that is, we won’t have to die anymore. The death penalty is no longer hanging over our heads. In order to win those who had not yet accepted Christ’s Sacrifice, Paul became as one of them. He became as one under the penalty of the Law [even though he was not], as he understood what it was like to live in sin, being cut off and separated from God.

Paul never taught that any of God’s abiding laws could be broken. Those who want to refuse to keep God’s spiritual Law twist certain Scriptures and invent arguments to justify their sinful conduct. They do this, however, “to their own destruction” (compare 2 Peter 3:14–16).

Chapter 17 — Does Hebrews 10 Abolish the Ten Commandments?

Hebrews 10:1, 8–9 reads:

“(Verse 1) For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect… (Verse 8) Previously saying, ‘Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them’ (which are offered according to the law), (Verse 9) then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first that He may establish the second.”

It is claimed that Paul is stating here that the Law of the Ten Commandments was abolished by these passages. But this is not correct, as the Scripture does not refer to the Ten Commandments.

What then is the law, referred to in Hebrews 10, that was abolished when Christ died for us?

In discussing the “earthly sanctuary” that Moses built according to God’s instructions, Paul explains in Hebrews 9:9–10, “It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices were offered which cannot make him who performed the sacrifice perfect in regard to the conscience—concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”

The Temporary Added Law 

Here we find described the “law that was added,” which we discussed in detail in chapter 15 of this booklet, when addressing Galatians 3 and Romans 5.

It was only a temporary ritual law—it was only imposed until the time of reformation, that is, until the time of Jesus Christ’s perfect life without sin (Hebrews 4:15), His sacrificial death and His resurrection to eternal life. Since Christ paid the penalty for our sins through His death, we are no longer under (Greek: hupo) the “tutor” of that ritual sacrificial law, as referred to in Galatians 3:24–25. 

The ritual law was a “tutor” or “schoolmaster” (as the Authorized Version translates this term) to bring us to Christ. It was laborious work and the people were motivated through this kind of work to avoid sinning, at least to an extent. The rituals and offerings had dominion over them; they were “under” the strict obligation to fulfill them when they had failed. Peter describes them later as a “yoke” which they were unable to bear (Acts 15:10). 

We are no longer bound by the law that was added that dealt with fleshly ordinances and rituals. This temporary law can be summarized as the sacrificial law—it regulated sacrifices, food and drink offerings, certain washings, and other rituals dealing with the flesh. This was the law that was added after Israel made a golden calf—after Israel had sinned against God’s Ten Commandments and fallen into transgression.

This sacrificial system is clearly referred to as “the law” in the Bible. 

The Old Testament applied the words “the law” not only to the Ten Commandments and the statutes and judgments that define and explain the Ten Commandments more, but also to the sacrificial system that pertains to different kinds of offerings and rituals.

Examples are the law of the sin offering (Leviticus 6:9, 14, 25); the law of the trespass offering; the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings; the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the consecrations, and the sacrifice of the peace offering (compare Leviticus 7:1, 11, 37–38); the law for her who has borne a male or a female (Leviticus 12:6–7; the law of leprosy (compare Leviticus 14:2, 32, 54–57; the law of jealousy (Numbers 5:29–30); or the law when a man dies in a tent (Numbers 19:14, 19).

All of these examples serve to illustrate the point that the words “the law” can refer to the sacrificial law. 

Acts 13:38–39 explains that those who now believe in Christ are the ones who receive the forgiveness of sins and are justified—made perfect through living as Christ lived. Verse 39 also shows, by contrast, that no one “… could be justified by the law of Moses.” The “law of Moses” included the sacrificial system. 

Christ Abolished the Entire Sacrificial System

The sacrificial law could not forgive sin, as Paul stresses in Hebrews 10:4: “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Paul adds in verse 11: “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”

This sacrificial law is not binding for Christians today. It was a law that was added because of sin, until Christ came to forgive sin, upon repentance of sin and belief in His Sacrifice. That is why we read in Hebrews 10:18, “Now where there is remission [forgiveness] of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”

This sacrificial law that was added and then later taken away did not affect the Ten Commandments. The sacrificial system, which was added one year after God spoke the Ten Commandments to the people, did not enact or bring into existence the Ten Commandments. (As we have discussed before, the Ten Commandments were in force and effect since the creation of man.) And since the sacrificial law did not enact the Ten Commandments, it could not void them when the sacrificial system itself became obsolete.

A Shadow

That sacrificial law is referred to as a shadow in Hebrews 10:1. It was foreshadowing the death of Christ. 

Hebrews 9:9–10 confirms that the sacrificial system was only of a temporary nature, to be superseded by the death of Jesus Christ: “It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices were offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.”

Matthew Henry’s Whole Commentary, in his explanations of Leviticus 4:31, points at the temporary meaning and duration of animal sacrifices, and the all-important Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, when stating:

“From all these laws concerning the sin-offerings we may learn, 1. To hate sin, and to watch against it. That is certainly a very bad thing to make atonement for which so many innocent and useful creatures must be slain and mangled thus. 2. To value Christ, the great and true sin-offering, whose blood cleanses from all sin, which it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away. Now, if any man sin, Christ is the propitiation (1 Jn. 2:1, 2), not for Jews only, but [also] for Gentiles.”

Matthew Henry’s Whole Commentary, in reference to Leviticus 6:7, points out how the animal sacrifices, as a tutor, foreshadowed the all-encompassing Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He also shows that the spiritual Law of the Ten Commandments and the statutes and judgments, explaining and magnifying the Ten Commandments, were not abolished when the animal sacrifices were superseded by THE Sacrifice of Jesus:

“This trespass-offering could not, of itself, make satisfaction for sin, nor reconciliation between God and the sinner, but as it signified the atonement that was to be made by our Lord Jesus, when he should make his soul an offering of sin, a trespass-offering; it is the same word that is here used, Isa. 53:10. The trespasses here mentioned are trespasses still against the law [of God]… and though now we may have them pardoned without a trespass-offering, yet not without true repentance, [obedience], reformation [that is, a lasting change of our thinking and action], and a humble [obedient] faith in the righteousness of Christ [which we must obtain]: and, if any make the more bold with these sins because they are not now put to the expense of a trespass-offering for them, they turn the grace of God into wantonness, and so bring upon themselves a swift destruction. The Lord is the avenger of all such, 1 Th. 4:6.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds the following, regarding Leviticus 6:7:

“And the priest shall make an atonement for him [the sinner] before the Lord… By offering the ram he brought, by which a typical, but not real atonement was made; for the blood of bulls and goats, of sheep and rams, could not take away sin; but as they were types of Christ, and led to him, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

Did Animal Sacrifices Forgive Sin?

In light of these clear teachings of the New Testament, how are we to explain passages in the Old Testament that seem to say that people who were offering animal sacrifices could thereby obtain forgiveness for their sins? For instance, we read in Leviticus 4:20 that upon the sacrifice of a young bull, the priest was to make atonement for the unintentional sin of the congregation, “and it shall be forgiven them.” Also, verse 26 says that upon the sacrifice of a young male goat, the ruler’s unintentional sin “shall be forgiven him.” Also, in regard to an unintentional sin of a common person, we read that upon the sacrifice of a female kid of the goats, “the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him” (verses 31, 35).

We need to emphasize that the Bible does not contradict itself (compare John 10:35). We also must understand the Old Testament Scriptures in the light of the New Testament, and not vice versa. As the New Testament clearly teaches that spiritual forgiveness of sin could NOT be obtained through animal sacrifices, what then is the meaning of the above-quoted passages in Leviticus?

The following statements from selected commentaries shed more light on the issue.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states: “…the meaning [of forgiveness through animal sacrifices] is, he shall not be punished for it.”

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary concurs, saying this about Leviticus 4:35: 

“None of these sacrifices possessed any intrinsic value sufficient to free the conscience of the sinner from the pollution of guilt, or to obtain his pardon from God; but they gave a formal deliverance from a secular penalty (Heb 9:13, 14); and they were figurative representations of the full and perfect sin offering which was to be made by Christ.”

The (above-mentioned) passage in Hebrews 9:13–14 shows indeed what kind of “forgiveness” could be obtained through animal sacrifices. It reads: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies [sets aside or apart; that is, allowing a relationship between God and man] for the PURIFYING OF THE FLESH, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Animal sacrifices provided a means of permitting the ancient Israelite who had sinned unintentionally, to remain in the community of the nation, under God’s rule, and to be spared from physical punishment. In case of an unintentional sin by the entire congregation, animal sacrifices prevented that God would turn His back on them and forsake them. However, they did not provide spiritual forgiveness, and later on, Israel misused and abused animal sacrifices in a terrible way so that God had to remind them that He did not desire animal sacrifices, but an upright and humble heart. 

Animal sacrifices were a means of maintaining a relationship between God and man, by “forgiving” the physical transgression and allowing the transgressor to remain within the community of Israel. They were never meant to provide spiritual “forgiveness” of sin. They never abolished or superseded the spiritual penalty for sin, which is eternal death (Romans 6:23), nor did they make possible the means of inheriting eternal life. Only the Sacrifice of Christ can bring about such spiritual forgiveness, and allow us to continue on our righteous path (1 John 1:8–9; Romans 8:3–4) to ultimately be given eternal life at the time of Christ’s Return.

Hebrews 10 does not address the Ten Commandments at all. It speaks about the temporary sacrificial system which was abolished when Christ died for our sins.

Chapter 18 — Do Not Add to or Delete from God’s Commandments

God’s command to not add to or take from His Law has wide-ranging applications and practical consequences in many areas of daily life. For instance, when we look at the question as to why we are not to observe Christmas or Easter, the first answer might be because they are pagan, not Christian, and because the Bible nowhere commands their observance. In fact, God prohibits His followers from worshipping Him in the same way that pagans worshipped their gods (Deuteronomy 12:29–32), and Christ warned us that we are not to uphold human traditions while rejecting God’s commandments (Mark 7:8–9).

But there are additional important reasons to consider, not limited to the question of Christmas and Easter observance, and they affect our worship of God in other ways.

Christmas Celebrations

In our free booklet, Don’t Keep Christmas, we state the following:

“Moses reminded ancient Israel of a timeless principle when it comes to true worship. We read in [Deuteronomy] 4:1–2: ‘Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving to you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you’ (Compare Deuteronomy 12:32, Revelation 22:18–19).

“We find the same admonition in Proverbs 30:5–6: ‘Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.’… So if we contend that Christmas is a festival that honors God, then we add to God’s Word, which has nothing to say about the celebration of Christmas. God will rebuke us, and we will be found ‘liars,’ since we have misrepresented God.

“Let’s also note how the apostle Paul approached the Christians in Corinth… he tells them in 1 Corinthians 4:6: ‘Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written’ (New International Version).

“A similar reminder is recorded in the second letter of John. He states in verse 9: ‘For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too’ (Living Bible). Those who do celebrate Christmas ‘go beyond what is written,’ and ‘wander beyond the teaching of Christ,’ thereby leaving ‘God behind.’”

Weekly Sabbath Observance

This concept is not limited to Christmas celebrations. It can affect us in many different ways in our daily lives. We might take weekly Sabbath observance as an example. Are we becoming too liberal in our conduct, or are we becoming too strict? If we add to or delete from the commandments that God gave us regarding the true worship of the Sabbath, we are guilty of sin.

As we have explained in this booklet, there is no doubt that true Christians today are commanded to keep the Sabbath. Those who refuse to do so, and who claim that Christ abrogated the Sabbath and replaced it with Sunday worship, are guilty of sin and of lying, and Christ told them that they are worshipping Him in vain, “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7; Isaiah 29:13). 

But notice also what we are saying in our free booklet, God’s Commanded Holy Days, in describing the sinful conduct of the Jews in regard to Sabbath observance at the time of Christ:

“From God’s perspective, the Sabbath is a Feast Day, intended to be a day of joy and happiness, as well as physical and spiritual renewal. We can learn from the mistakes of the Pharisees and avoid repeating them today. By adding humanly devised restrictions to God’s Sabbath commandment, the Pharisees did, in fact, violate God’s law (Matthew 23:4; Mark 7:8–9, 13)…

Limitations of the Pharisees

“The Pharisees totally misinterpreted the prohibition against carrying burdens on the Sabbath. They decreed that a person was guilty of breaking the Sabbath if he carried a sheet of paper, or any food that weighed as much as a dried fig, or if he carried more than one swallow of milk, or enough oil to anoint a small part of the body. If a fire broke out in a person’s home on the Sabbath, he could carry out only the necessary food to be consumed on the Sabbath. This meant that if the fire broke out at the beginning of the Sabbath—right after sunset—the person could take out enough food for three meals; but if the fire broke out on the afternoon of the Sabbath, he could only take out enough food for one meal. The rest could not be carried out and had to be left behind, to burn with the building. Further, only necessary clothes could be taken out of a burning house on the Sabbath.

“Very likely, the Pharisees had been subconsciously influenced by their former Babylonian environment when they devised those Sabbath rules. The Babylonians had set apart the seventh day of the Babylonian week, called ‘Shabattum,’ as ‘ill omens’ or ‘evil days.’ For instance, it was forbidden on those days to eat flesh cooked upon coals. One must wonder whether we find a reason here why some Orthodox Jews have misunderstood the above-described passage in Exodus 35:3 regarding ‘kindling a fire,’ falsely concluding that even turning on a light switch was prohibited. The Babylonians also forbade the change of garments on those days, as well as calling for a physician. As we will see, Christ had to deal with a similar Pharisaic concept. The Pharisees in His day insisted that He should not heal anyone on the Sabbath—that people were not supposed to request healing on that day. Again, the parallel to Babylonian superstition is evident.

“We might laugh about those restrictions today, but these were no laughing matter at the time of Christ. He had confrontations with the Pharisees on numerous occasions when He refused to abide by their man-made Sabbath rules. We must be careful today not to create for ourselves, and others, similar rules on how to keep—or not keep—the Sabbath, when such rules cannot be found in Scripture.”

Again, it is all based on the biblical injunction to not add to or delete from God’s commandments. Richard Elliott Freedman makes the following statements in his Commentary on the Torah, regarding Deuteronomy 4:2:

“One may think that, by doing more than the law requires, one is doing better, being more religious, more observant, when one is in fact thus violating the law… Adding to a command is as dangerous as taking away from it… in postbiblical Judaism a principle developed of ‘building a fence around the Torah’”…

Although this practice may seem logical to the human mind, in its final analysis it is in violation of God’s command to not add to His Law.

We find that Moses was very careful not to add anything to God’s commandments, and he reminded the people before his death that they must not do so either (Deuteronomy 5:33). He added that they must not turn to the right or to the left, but that they had to be careful and watchful to stay on the narrow road (Deuteronomy 5:32). This injunction complements of course the command to not add to or take away from God’s Law.

When we are tempted to add to or delete from God’s commandments, in the letter and in the spirit, then we are in the process of sinning. We need God’s wisdom to show us exactly, in a given situation, what His command is, rather than replacing God’s lead with our own self-righteous and presumptuous human imaginations.

Eating Out on the Sabbath

We should also accept the fact that God leads His Church through His ministry to advise members when questions arise. For instance, the question as to whether or not to eat in a restaurant on the weekly and annual Sabbaths has been a stumbling block for some.

We wrote this in our free booklet, God’s Commanded Holy Days: 

“If Church members today eat occasionally in a nice, quiet restaurant on the Sabbath or a Holy Day after Church services, for instance, while, at the same time fellowshipping with other brethren and speaking about the things that pertain to God, then we must not condemn them for that. For instance, Church members might be traveling for quite a distance to attend Church services, looking forward to spending additional time with their brethren after services.

“If, on the other hand, your conscience does not allow you to go to a restaurant on a Sabbath or a Holy Day, then you must not do so, since ‘whatever is not from faith [or conviction] is sin’ (Romans 14:23). It would be advisable, though, to review the Scriptures to see whether your conscience is based on the Bible or merely on man-made traditions. God never accepts our conviction as justification for the violation of His law, and man-made regulations can… cloud the intent of God’s commandments in the minds of men.”

Ministerial Authority

The last sentence should also be viewed in light of the fact that God gave the ministry of His Church the authority to bind and to loose, and with it, the responsibility to explain biblical passages that might not be clear at first sight (Matthew 16:18–19, Matthew 18:18 and John 20:23).

The ministry has been given the authority from God, to “bind and loose,” and to “remit” and “retain” sin. It is critical that we understand correctly the scope of this authority. The Nelson Study Bible comments on Matthew 16:19 and on Matthew 18:18: “In rabbinical literature, binding and loosing refers to what was permitted or not permitted. So this passage may refer to judgments that Peter [and the other apostles] would make about what would be permitted or forbidden in the church… As in [Matthew] 16:19, the tenses [in Matthew 18:18] imply that what is loosed or bound on earth will have been determined already in heaven. In other words, this is a promise of divine direction…”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, agrees and adds the following remarks: “… Judicial rulings, like the promulgation of rules of conduct, are binding.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary, commenting on Matthew 18:18, explains the meaning and scope of “binding and loosing” as follows: “The authority to bind and loose, given to Peter in [Matthew] 16:19, is here extended to the whole church [that is, its ministry]. In [Matthew] 16:19 it seems to relate primarily to instruction, what conduct is permitted and what is not [we might insert here that this would include conduct that is not clearly defined in Scripture. The Church is not permitted, however, to do away with any of God’s commandments, judgments or statutes, compare Matthew 5:17–19; James 2:10; Mark 7:6–13. Likewise, the Church is not to add prohibitions regarding conduct that the Bible permits, compare Revelation 22:18; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5–6]. Here [in Matthew 18:18] it relates primarily to church discipline…”

Christ empowered the leadership of the Church throughout the Church’s history and existence, to discern God’s Will regarding binding Church decisions as to what God permits and prohibits, based on His Law, and who is to be excommunicated and reinstated, based on the Church leadership’s discernment of the person’s repentance and God’s forgiveness [or the lack thereof].

Over the centuries, the true Church of God has declared, based on the directions and instructions of the Bible, that it is wrong to observe Christmas and Easter, or to participate in any of their customs. Furthermore, it has declared as binding, God’s injunction to observe the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days. In this context, it has recognized and therefore dogmatically pronounced that God gave the Jews the sole responsibility of maintaining the Hebrew calendar.

God’s Church has also declared God’s Law of abstaining from unclean food, while clarifying that it is wrong to insist that we must be vegetarians or vegans today. Rather, that it is not wrong to eat the flesh of clean animals (while rejecting the consumption of fat and blood). 

The true Church of God has determined for a long time that it is wrong for a Christian to vote in governmental elections and to serve on a jury, and it has pronounced God’s revelation of circumstances when God binds a marriage, and when a Church member is free to divorce and remarry. God’s Church has also clarified that we are not obligated to observe new moons, and it has determined, based on the Bible, that the Passover is to be kept in the beginning of the 14th of Nisan, as this was the correct time when ancient Israel, Jesus and the apostles observed it.

In addition, as mentioned, God’s true Church and its ministers have also declared, with godly authority, that it is not wrong or a sin to eat out in a restaurant on the weekly Sabbath or annual Holy Days, including during the Night to Be Much Observed on the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Even though the Church respects the conscience of (newer) members who may not be comfortable with going out on a weekly or annual Sabbath, because the Church realizes that their faith may (still) be weak (compare the principle in Romans 14:2; 1 Corinthians 8:7–13), it expects that they, in time, will grow in the knowledge of God and, in submitting to the guidance of the Church ministry, will come to understand the Truth in the matter. It is clarified, of course, that they must never try to convince other Church members of their unique individual religious conviction (which is not based on Church teaching), and that they must be very circumspect in the practical application of their conscience, as this could otherwise create division within the congregation.

In conclusion, we should carefully heed God’s admonition to His followers in Ecclesiastes 7:16–18: “Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand from the other; For he who fears God will escape them all [New International Version: “…will avoid all extremes”].”

Chapter 19 — God’s Law in Our Hearts—No More Rules to Be Obeyed?

It is a common misconception, and a very deceitful one, that Christians do not need any written rules, as (so it is claimed) they will “automatically do what is right, since the law of God is written in their hearts.” With this dangerously deceptive concept, traditional Christianity attempts to justify their claim that Christ came to do away with the rules and regulations of the Ten Commandments of the “Old Testament.” They state that today’s Christians only need to follow some nebulous and ill- or undefined spiritual principles, without the need for any written rules. They claim that this is because we are not to follow the letter of the Law, but the Spirit.

The fact is, you are a true Christian if you have received the Holy Spirit of God. It dwells in you, and it is through the Holy Spirit that you have received the love of God (Romans 5:5). The love of God is defined as keeping the commandments, as it says in 1 John 5:3: “For this IS the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” Paul tells us that “love is the fulfillment [better: fulfilling] of the law” (Romans 13:10). Love does not do away with it; quite to the contrary, it fulfills or keeps it. Rather than thinking that the Ten Commandments have been abolished, God’s Holy Spirit in you reveals to you that the Commandments are still binding for you, and God’s love in you will motivate you to keep them.

Some believe and teach that you will automatically do what is right if you have God’s Holy Spirit living within you—that you do not need “rules” to tell you what to do. First of all, this concept is a contradiction in terms. If God’s Holy Spirit “tells” you to do what is right and how to live a “holy” life, then it tells you to keep God’s Law of the Ten Commandments, as God’s Law is “holy, just and good” (Romans 7:12). For instance, Paul explains to us in Ephesians 6:1 that it is “right” that children obey their parents, and that such conduct conforms to the “first commandment with promise” (verse 2).

Secondly, you do not know, by yourself, what is right. In fact, God chides those who live by their own standards, doing what is right “in their own eyes” (Deuteronomy 12:8; compare Judges 17:6; 21:25). You might think that if you “love” your neighbor, you won’t do him any harm, but that is a false assumption. With that rationale, people have killed others in war; they have aborted their unborn children; they have engaged in “alternate lifestyles”; and they have committed fornication and adultery (after all, isn’t it “love” to have an “affair” with a “misunderstood” or “unloved” man or woman?). Further, without God’s love in you, you do not really love God either. People may think they do, but, again, they are wrong. And so, they have created idols for themselves, believing they are serving God; they have created their own weekly “day of worship” and their annual “religious” holidays; and they have trampled God’s Sabbaths under foot, thinking that God does not care whether we keep them or not. Man’s “love” is a misguided counterfeit of the true love of God, which, we repeat, is defined as keeping the commandments of God!

Keep the Whole Law

The apostle James silenced those who claim that we today do not have to keep all of God’s Ten Commandments. We read in James 2:8–12: “If you really fulfill [that is, keep] the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep [or, fulfill] the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.”

James tells us that we sin if we break just one provision of the “whole” Law. He makes it clear that the “law” he is talking about is, in fact, the Ten Commandments. He illustrates this point by selecting two of the Ten Commandments—the law against murder and the law against adultery. He explains to us that, if we violate even one of the Ten Commandments, we are still a “transgressor of the [entire] law.”

The fact that God’s Law is written in our hearts does not mean that, suddenly, there are no more written rules which define the Law of God. Rather, what is meant by this is that the written rules have become an integral part of the person; the true Christian has internalized these rules and identifies him- or herself with them. To put it differently, the written rules have become an inward part of the Christian; they have become part of his or her character; they identify the Christian and describe his or her personality and very being.

For instance, Deuteronomy 6:6–7 states, in connection with God’s pronouncement of the Ten Commandments to the Israelites under Moses: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Deuteronomy 11:18 states, in connection with the second giving of the Ten Commandments under Moses: “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul…”

Proverbs 3:3 says: “Let not mercy and truth forsake you… write them on the tablet of your heart…”

Proverbs 6:21 states that we are to bind a particular law continually upon our heart. The context is the command and admonition against adultery, compare verses 20, 22–24, 27–29.

Hebrews 8:10 describes the New Covenant, and true Christians—spiritual Israelites (Galatians 6:16)—are living already today under the conditions of the New Covenant:

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Yes, God’s Law must be written in our hearts. But notice, it is still God’s spiritual Law (Romans 7:14)—defined and described by the words and the rules of the Ten Commandments—that is written in our hearts.

We explain in our free booklet, And Lawlessness Will Abound, that the New Covenant is not a covenant without written rules; just the opposite is true. We read in Hebrews 8:6 that the New Covenant is “established” on better promises. The New Revised Standard Version says here, “enacted through better promises.” The New Jerusalem Bible states, “founded on better promises.” The Greek word, translated as “established,” “enacted” or “founded,” is nomotheteo. The word nomos means, “law.”

In Hebrews 7:11, the same word nomotheteo is translated as “received the law.” In James 4:12, the noun nomothetes is used in the Greek and rendered there as “Lawgiver.” In Romans 9:4, the related Greek word nomothesia is translated as “giving of the law.”

New Covenant Based on God’s Spiritual Law

Hebrews 8:6 tells us that Jesus Christ is Mediator of a better covenant, which, having better promises—including the promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life in the God Family—is based or enacted or founded on God’s given Law. The New Covenant is based on God’s spiritual Law, but not on laws that God has decreed are no longer valid. 

But this does not mean that the Ten Commandments ceased to exist when the Old Covenant ended (see chapter 7). Some preach that the Old Testament laws were allegedly identical with the Old Covenant, and when God abolished the Old Covenant, He also abolished the Ten Commandments and all the other Old Testament laws. Christ, so the argument goes, replaced the Old Covenant (allegedly identical with all of the Old Testament laws) with a New Covenant, and this New Covenant is allegedly identical with a “New Law.” This “New Law” allegedly includes, for instance, nine of the original Ten Commandments, but it leaves out the fourth commandment (to keep the Sabbath holy), as well as the statutes regarding the annual Holy Days, tithing, or clean and unclean meat, just to name a few. This erroneous teaching is fully discussed in our free booklet, And Lawlessness Will Abound. See also chapter 20 of this booklet.

The New Covenant is not based, for example, on the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and other rituals and washings. However, as explained above, it IS based on the Ten Commandments.

In chapter 14 of this booklet, we discussed 2 Corinthians 3:3–11, pointing out that the tablets of stone (with the Ten Commandments) never entered the hearts of the Israelites—never became part of their being. As the tablets were of stone, so were their hearts. That is the reason why God, in a New Covenant, replaces our stony hearts with hearts of flesh, so that we can walk in God’s statutes and do them as He expects (Ezekiel 11:19).

2 Corinthians 3:3–6 does not teach that the Ten Commandments are abolished. Quite to the contrary, the passage teaches that the Ten Commandments must be kept today. However, they must be kept in the Spirit—they must be applied in our lives with their spiritual intent.

Paul reiterates the same in Romans 7:6, which reads:

“But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Christ Came to Exalt the Law

We must realize that Christ came to exalt the Law and make it honorable (Isaiah 42:21). How did He do that? He came to teach His followers the spiritual application of the Law, going beyond the application of the letter.

For instance, we read in Matthew 5:21–22 that we sin and are guilty of murder when we hate someone. Under the letter of the Law of the Ten Commandments, we would only be guilty of murder if we actually killed someone. But serving God in the newness of the Spirit, we are already guilty of murder when we have the wish to kill another person, because we are filled with hate and rage toward him or her.

When we keep the Law in the Spirit, we are to look beyond the letter and keep the Law in accordance with the spiritual intent. This could also mean that sometimes, the letter might appear to prohibit something when viewed with the carnal mind, but it does not really do so when considering the spiritual intent.

The Spirit of the Law—Right Sabbath-Keeping

A good example is the way in which the carnal Pharisees and Sadducees taught the people about the Sabbath. We referred to this before in this booklet. They applied the Law quite literally, from a very carnal viewpoint, but since they did not have the Holy Spirit and since they did not have God’s Law written in their hearts, they did not understand and teach the spiritual intent.

We read in Matthew 12:1–8: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’ But He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord… of the Sabbath.”

Christ was chiding the Pharisees for being merciless. They did not allow the disciples to pluck heads of grain on the Sabbath, even though they were hungry. Christ compares this situation with David when he and his men ate from the showbread because they were hungry. The law against eating from the showbread was not given, however, for a situation where someone was hungry and had nothing else to eat. Likewise the commandment against work did not apply to the priests who brought sacrifices at that time, nor to God’s ministers today who engage in ministerial functions on the Sabbath.

When we keep the rules and regulations of the Law of God in the Spirit, we keep them in accordance with their spiritual intent, which might mean that we have to be more “restrictive” or more “permissive” than the mere letter. The rules of God’s spiritual Law are written in our hearts; they have become part of our inner being. Isaiah 51:7 tells us that God’s people “who know righteousness,” are those “in whose heart is My law.” David exclaimed that God’s Law was in his heart (Psalm 37:31). But at the same time, we read that he meditated on God’s statutes (Psalm 119:23); and that he did not forget God’s Law (verse 61).

He obviously read the written “rules” of God’s Law in the Bible; the idea is plainly ridiculous that he rejected any written rules and believed that he was just “automatically” doing what was right, because God’s Law was in his heart.

Paul spoke about the fact that we need to obey God’s teaching “from the heart” (Romans 6:17). We can and will do so, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit within us, when God has written His Law in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).

Chapter 20 Love Fulfills the Law

Far from teaching that love does away with God’s Law, the Bible tells us that we keep the Law when we love—or to say it differently, when we do not keep the Law, then it shows that we do not love. 

Romans 13:8–10 states:

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment [or “the fulfilling”, so the Authorized Version] of the law.”

God says that he who loves another fulfills the Law. Each and every command that regulates our relationship with another human being falls under the heading, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And if we do that, we will do no harm to our neighbor (as it says in verse 10).

We see from this Scripture that love and law are not exclusive—rather, they complement each other. When we love, we fulfill the Law—we do what the Law tells us to do. 

The Last Six Commandments Define Love for Our Neighbor

While the first four of the Ten Commandants regulate our love toward God, the last six regulate our relationship to our neighbor—how we show love to our neighbor, how we do no harm to our neighbor. Notice:

Honor your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12).

When we love our parents, we will honor them. We do not love our parents by dishonoring them. 

Matthew 15:4–6 states: “For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”

When we truly love someone, we will show our love through our actions (1 John 3:17–18). We also find that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We certainly do not want to harm ourselves, so in honoring and loving our parents, we love ourselves at the same time. Ephesians 6:1–3 tells us that if we love and honor our parents, it will be well with us and we will live long on the earth.

You shall not murder or kill (Exodus 20:13).

We do not show love to another person when we take his life. However, some feel it is alright to take another person’s life under certain circumstances, for instance in war. But God tells us this in Matthew 5:43–48: 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.’” (Compare also Luke 6:27–36).

We are to do good to those who hate us. We don’t do good to them if we kill them. Galatians 5:14–15 tells us: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”

When we love others, we don’t kill them. And when we don’t kill them, we love ourselves at the same time since we don’t enter the vicious cycle of violence where death leads to death, including our own. Notice Christ’s warning to Peter, in Matthew 26:52: “But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.’” (Compare Revelation 13:10).

You shall not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14).

If we love our neighbor, we will not commit adultery with our neighbor’s wife. That should be obvious. Committing adultery with a married person shows a total lack of love for the defrauded and betrayed marriage partner. The husband’s adultery with another woman also shows a total lack of love for his wife. Committing adultery breaks our word and promise to the mate to always love him or her and to always be one flesh with him or her.

At the same time, when we love our neighbor by not committing adultery with his or her mate, we are loving ourselves. If we commit adultery, we actually hate ourselves.

Proverbs 6:23–29, 32–35 reads:

“For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent… Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.” 

You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15).

When we steal from another person, we are not showing him love. Ephesians 4:28 states: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.”

Rather than stealing from another person, we are to give others what they need. Loving others means giving to them, not taking away from them. We do not love others when we steal. This applies foremost to the person from whom we steal, but it also includes those in the Church on whom we bring reproach through our individual actions, and it does include, of course, our lack of love toward God by profaning His name (Proverbs 30:8).

When we steal, we also do not show much love for ourselves. Under God’s laws, the penalties for theft were very harsh (Proverbs 6:31). Even though they are not today (unless you [are perceived to] steal from the government), if you are caught, your reputation suffers—even today. You do not really show a great deal of love for yourself either if you engage in theft.

A thief who refuses to repent will not be in God’s Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9–10). Also, when we steal, we lose all credibility. Who wants to hire a thief and give him a job? Who wants to entrust his fortunes to a thief? His life is ruined.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Exodus 20:16).

When we lie about our neighbor, we do not love him. When we libel and slander our neighbor, we most certainly do not show him any love. One of the worst things you can do to your neighbor is to damage his reputation by lying about him. 

When we lie, we also do not love ourselves. Proverbs 19:5 says: “A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.”

When a liar is caught lying, his reputation is damaged. Trust between friends will have been destroyed, perhaps forever. And most importantly, God will not allow a liar to enter His Kingdom (Revelation 22:15).

Zechariah 5:3–4 has this to say about liars and thieves:

“Then he said to me, ‘This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: “Every thief shall be expelled,” according to this side of the scroll; and, “Every perjurer shall be expelled,” according to that side of it.’ ‘I will send out the curse,’ says the LORD of hosts; ‘It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.’”

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his servants, his animals, or anything else that your neighbor may have (Exodus 20:17).

When we covet the possessions of our neighbor, we do not show love for him. Rather than being happy that our neighbor is blessed with a lovely wife, faithful employees, or nice possessions, we are unhappy that he has them and we don’t. We WANT to have them too! And so, given enough time and opportunity, we will try to get what our neighbor has. 

That is why Christ tells us, for example, in Matthew 5:27–28: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Christ addresses the lust of the eyes—covetousness—which will lead to the actual act of adultery, unless it is being overcome.

Many times, a covetous person refuses to work with his own hands, preventing him from being able to obtain some of the things that his neighbor has, without coveting. 

Proverbs 21:25–26 says: “The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.” 

Covetousness takes away from us the energy to lead an honest and upright life; instead, we become obsessed with the things that our neighbor has. Our sound mind becomes impaired. 

Notice Paul’s conduct and advice in Acts 20:32–35:

“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 

We are blessed when we love others and do them good. This is how we love others as ourselves. When we covet, we destroy ourselves. Notice 1 Timothy 6:10 in the Authorized Version: “For the love of money is the [or “a”] root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Covetousness destroys us. If we do not repent of covetousness, we will not enter God’s Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9–10).

The Bible makes it very clear that by violating God’s Law that
defines love toward our fellow man, we all will suffer the consequences. 

Fulfilling the Law

When we LOVE our neighbor as ourselves, we FULFILL the Law. Loving our neighbor as ourselves means to not break the Law, but to keep and apply the Law—because if we do, we will not do any harm to our neighbor nor to ourselves. If we have enough love for ourselves that we want to be in God’s Kingdom, then we must love our neighbor as ourselves, by keeping God’s Law, which defines for us what love is.

2 John 6 says: “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.”

As we explained in previous chapters of this booklet, including in chapter 20, only with God’s love in us (John 17:26)—which has been shed or poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5)—can we REALLY love our neighbor as ourselves. And God’s love is practical, not something that is merely theoretical (1 John 3:17–18).

1 John 2:5 says that God’s love is perfected in us if we keep His Word—His Law. In doing so, we fulfill God’s Law. 

1 John 5:3 adds that God’s love in us helps us to keep His commandments—to love Him and to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

Christ told us that we love Him if we keep His commandments (John 14:15). God’s Ten Commandments tell us how to love God and how to love our neighbor as ourselves; how to avoid doing him any harm; and how to do him good. God’s love in us will help us to do just that. 

Chapter 21 — The New Commandment of Jesus

Some claim that Jesus came to do away with the Law of the Ten Commandments and replace it with a “new” Law that happens to be identical to the Ten Commandments, except for the omission of the Sabbath. This treacherous and deceitful argument has convinced quite a few people that they do not have to keep the Sabbath anymore. But the Truth is that the Ten Commandments have not been abolished, and when you break one of the Ten Commandments, you break them all. 

Please note these excerpts from pages 14–15 of our free booklet, Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation?:

“What, exactly, is it that we need to repent of…? Simply put, we must repent of the sins we have committed. What is sin? The biblical definition is: ‘…sin is the transgression of the law’ (1 John 3:4, Authorized Version). Which law? The law of God’s Ten Commandments. James calls it the ‘royal law according to the Scripture’ (James 2:8). It defines our love toward God and our love toward neighbor. When we break even one of the Ten Commandments, we are guilty of having broken them all and have become a transgressor of the law (James 2:10–11).

“The law of the Ten Commandments is a spiritual law, as Paul explains in Romans 7:14, because it regulates not only our actions, but also the motives and intents of our heart. We sin when we commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), but we also sin when we desire or covet the wife of another man (Exodus 20:17), or when we look at another woman with the desire to commit adultery with her (Matthew 5:28). Additionally, we sin when we kill someone (Exodus 20:13), but we have already sinned by violating God’s spiritual law of the Ten Commandments when we even hate another human being (Matthew 5:21–22; 1 John 3:15).”

It is true that Christ said He gave the disciples a “new” commandment, but as we will see, not even the most liberal “interpretation” of His statement should persuade an honest person that the Ten Commandments are no longer valid. Christ never said that He gave a new commandment to replace the Ten Commandments. On the contrary, He told the young rich ruler that he had to keep the Ten Commandments if he was to enter the Kingdom of God and inherit salvation and eternal life (Matthew 19:16–26).

What Is Meant by a New Commandment?

What then did Jesus say, and what did He mean when He spoke of a “new commandment”?

He says this in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another…” The Greek word for “love” is agapoa, which is derived from agape, describing “godly love.”

But to love one another is hardly a new commandment that was not stated before. When Christ was asked what was the greatest commandment in the Law, He responded by quoting two Old Testament passages, demanding that we love God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36–40). In both cases, the Greek word for “love” is agapoa, referring to “godly love.” When we keep the Ten Commandments, we show our love toward God and our neighbor, because we honor God in the way that He requires of us, and we do not harm our neighbor by, for instance, killing him, lying to him, committing adultery with his wife or with her husband, or lusting after the things that our neighbor has.

1 John 3:11 confirms that the message of love toward one another is not really anything new: “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

And again, we read in 2 John 5–6: “And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. This is love [Greek, agape], that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”

We also read this startling statement in 1 John 2:7–10: “Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him…”

No Contradiction 

Again, the context is loving our brethren. And even though John says that this is not a new commandment, he goes on to say that it is a new commandment. Is there a contradiction? Some try to explain this by saying that even though it is an old commandment, it is always new for us. But this is not really convincing.

The key to understanding this “mystery” is to return to Jesus’ statement in John 13:34. When quoting this passage above, we purposefully omitted the second part of Christ’s saying. Let us now read the passage in its entirety: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

The New King James Bible places erroneously a semicolon before “as I have loved you,” thereby totally obscuring the meaning. In the original Greek, there were no commas or semicolons, and the translator added those, as he felt best, but in this case, he did so wrongly. Christ was saying here that we are to love one another as He loved us; that is, in the same way as He loved us.

He repeats this command in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Notice, no semicolon here before the word “as.” And He explains in the next two verses this extraordinary love: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (verses 13–14).

The connection between loving each other—even to the point of death, if necessary—and obeying Christ is obvious (compare John 14:15, 21). Christ gave up His eternal existence as an immortal God being and became a mortal man and died for us so that we could inherit eternal life, and He demands of us that same kind of unselfish and outgoing love toward others.

This is not remotely possible for a human being to fulfill, except through and with the help of God. Only if God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us will we be able to begin to manifest that great godly love toward God and others. As a whole, and barring a few exceptions, Old Testament Israelites did not have the Holy Spirit within them, and neither did the disciples prior to Christ’s resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, but Christ announced to them that the Holy Spirit would be given to them (John 14:16), which would, in turn, give them the power to love each other as Christ loved them.

Even though the command to love God and neighbor had been given from the beginning—and it was therefore an “old” commandment—it now became a “new” commandment, in that it encompasses a much more demanding degree of love that can only be manifested through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In order to fulfill Christ’s “new” commandment to love each other as He loved us, we must become a “new” creation and put on the “new” man (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). We are to become a “new lump”—“unleavened” (1 Corinthians 5:7), without malice and wickedness (verse 8). We must walk the “new and living way” of love which Christ consecrated for us (Hebrews 10:20). When we have been baptized and received God’s Holy Spirit, we are to walk “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4)—or, as we quoted John above, we are to “walk” “in love.”

In order to become a new creation, enabling us to keep Christ’s “new” commandment, we must receive God’s Holy Spirit and be led by it (Romans 8:14).

We read in Ezekiel 18:31: “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die…?”

Notice God’s Promises

“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:19–20).

And again: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:26–27).

Far from abolishing the Ten Commandments, Christ commanded us to keep them in a new way—with even more zeal and enthusiasm, and with much deeper spiritual understanding and commitment—showing the love toward God and neighbor in a way that is impossible for the carnal mind (Romans 8:6–9). It requires that God give us a “new heart” and a “new spirit,” and that is exactly what He promises us, so that we can obey the “new” commandment of manifesting godly love by keeping His commandments.

Conclusion

We have given you the clear biblical evidence for the necessity of keeping the Ten Commandments, and we have answered many of the objections that are raised by those who think differently.

If you had an open mind when you started to read this booklet, then we hope that you are convinced to start keeping these commandments of God. If not, you will be denying the Truth that God has revealed through His Church, and you will also miss out on the sure understanding that God looks after those who do His Will. That assurance in this sick, evil, corrupt, malevolent and wicked society is priceless, and if it is ignored, it is at the reader’s peril.

It is worth mentioning here how a true Christian is identified. Note the following Scriptures which are by no means exclusive, but if someone professing to be a Christian does not fulfill at least these requirements, then he or she is not a true Christian:

Someone who has repented, believes, has been baptized, and has received the laying on of hands by God’s ministry:

Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 8:36–37: “Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philipp said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’”

Acts 8:16–17: “For as yet [it—the Holy Spirit] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they [the apostles] laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

Someone to whom God has given His Holy Spirit and who is obedient to God:

Acts 5:32: “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit [which] God has given to those who obey Him.”

Someone in whom God’s Holy Spirit dwells:

Romans 8:9: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

Someone who believes that there is no salvation in any other name than Christ:

Acts 4:12: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

We understand that it may be very difficult for someone who may have been misled by the false teaching that the Ten Commandments have been done away with, to change course and go in the opposite direction. But change is a must in order to please our great Creator God. Obedience is a critical matter in the eyes of God, not the self-willed approach that is often taken by man. The Commandments are not to be ignored by God’s people, but often are by those who have been seduced by false teachers.

Before the Ten Commandments were pronounced by God to His nation Israel, as recorded in Exodus 20, God told Moses to tell the children of Israel: 

“‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:4–6). They were to be different than all of the other nations.

Fast forward to the Church of God founded on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2). As the ancient nation of Israel and as the people of God were set apart around 3,500 years ago, so also has the true Church of God been set apart since its inception almost 2,000 years ago. 

We read in 1 Peter 2:9–10: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

God instructed His people at Mount Sinai to keep His Law, and today, the message is the same. We read in Malachi 3:6: “For I am the Lord, I do not change…,“ and in Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

In Psalm 111:10 we find this nugget of wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

The wise person will receive and obey God’s Commandments, which outline God’s Way of Life. The fool will not! Learning to fear God and depart from the evil ways of this world means that we do need to study the Word of God to find out what we should do. As we learn, we should then fear to disobey what we have learned.

Theoretically, what a difference it would make if everyone on earth kept just one of these Ten Commandments! Yet when Jesus Christ sets up the Kingdom of God on earth, ALL ten of the Commandments will be kept and the world will be a completely different place—so much better than it has ever been! 

Those who think that these Commandments are done away with ought to consider the wonderful scenario ahead—no wars, no hatred, no broken families, no abusive behavior, no human trafficking, no injustices, no prejudices, no genocides, no starvation! In considering whether or not to keep the Ten Commandments, they just might come to realize the correlation between keeping the commandments and living in true peace and harmony. 

We who understand the Truth that God has revealed to His Church, should be so grateful for this knowledge, and we should be diligently putting into practice what we learn, even while mainstream Christianity largely ignores the Truth that God has given to us! God’s spiritual Law of the Ten Commandments does not change by the passing of time. If we want to please God and be in His Kingdom, obedience to His Law and His Way of Life are essential.

Solomon effectively summarizes the issue in Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” (or: “the whole duty of man”).

To understand and live by God’s Law is indeed our duty. And it IS more priceless than anything else. We must treasure it and NEVER forsake it, because if we were to do this, we would forsake GOD. 

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Introduction

It seems that Christians throughout history have commonly believed that Christ would return during their lifetime. The early New Testament apostles believed this until it became clear to them that His return would not occur that quickly.

Based on the upheaval at the time of Martin Luther, he believed that Christ would return soon, as did those who were plagued by the devastating Black Death. Strong earthquakes, heavenly occurrences, devastating natural disasters, famine, pestilences and great wars prompted many to believe that they would experience the soon-coming return of Christ. They all looked at certain signs and predictions, which were startling and frightening, but they did not look at the entire picture.

More recently, the Worldwide Church of God under its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, who died in 1986, believed for a while that Christ might return in the 1970s, or even earlier. At that time, numerous prophecies seemed to indicate, convincingly, that the Day was near, but some end-time prophecies did not find their fulfillment then.

Why do we feel that it is any different today? What specific world developments lead us to believe that Christ’s return is indeed near, and why are we confident that we are right at this point in time? What events must we consider, and what are the false and misleading signs that have no biblical bearing?

When Christ was asked by four of His disciples about the end of the age, He said:

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:32–35).

It is clarified in the parallel Scripture in Luke 21:31 that Christ was speaking about His Second Coming and the establishment of the Kingdom of God here on earth. The phrase “All these things” refers to the events that we are describing in this booklet. The Greek word for “generation;” i.e., genea, refers here to the people in the end time—not the entirety of mankind throughout many “generations.”

In Psalm 90:10, a generation is described as lasting 70–80 years. We also read in the Bible that God sometimes shortens or prolongs human life, and that bloodthirsty and deceitful men may not live out HALF their days (Psalm 55:23). We know that men will be so bloodthirsty and destructive in the end time that Christ will HAVE to SHORTEN the days of worldwide warfare, lest NO man would survive (Matthew 24:22)!

When we see the signs of the times, as discussed in this booklet, we KNOW that Christ’s return is near. We do not know the EXACT time of Christ’s return, but based on the parable of the fig tree, we CAN say that we ARE living today in the very last generation, and that Christ WILL return BEFORE this present generation has “passed away.”

Chapter 1 — THE Sign of Christ’s Return

As alluded to in the Introduction, Christ’s disciples asked Him about the destruction of the Second Temple (which would occur in 70 A.D.), the sign of His Coming and the end of the world (compare Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21). 

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Christ answered by beginning to describe the first four seals—the four horsemen of the Apocalypse—in the Book of Revelation, chapter 6. He referred to religious deception (the first seal), wars and rumors of wars (the second seal), famines due to severe shortage of food (the third seal), and pestilences which are oftentimes communicated by sick animals carrying deadly viruses (the fourth seal). The reference to wild beasts in Revelation 6:8 would be one of the consequences of war, famine, and pestilence. Lands would be depopulated and wild beasts would be multiplied.

Christ also spoke of commotions (Luke 21:9) and great or “big” earthquakes in various places (Luke 21:11; compare also Isaiah 24:19 and the culmination in Revelation 16:18). The Bible lists other natural catastrophes as well, which would include huge tsunamis (“the sea and the waves roaring,” Luke 21:25), volcanic eruptions and increasing destructive wildfires. In Isaiah 1:7, we read: “Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire…” Ezekiel 20:47–48 says: “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it. All flesh shall see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.”

Christ also made it clear that these events alone were not proof that the end had come, but that they were the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:6, 8). These events must surely take place, and they will increase in strength and frequency, but they alone are not the sign of Christ’s Second Coming. On the other hand, if they were not to occur, His Coming would not be near.

We can also expect more and more demonically inspired violent acts committed by deranged people, as well as governmental suppression in many nations. The reason is because Satan has great wrath, knowing that his time is short. We read in Revelation 12:12: “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Christ continued to speak about a time of great distress (the Great Tribulation—the fifth seal) and devastating heavenly signs (the sixth seal). Other Scriptures in the book of Revelation and elsewhere describe terrible events on the Day of the Lord (the seventh seal), which follow the heavenly signs, culminating in Christ’s Return. 

Heavenly Signs

Following the beginning of the Great Tribulation, Christ warns in Matthew 24:29 of heavenly signs—“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” The parallel account in Luke 21:25–26 adds that at that time, there will be “distress of nations” on this earth, “with perplexity, the sea and the waves” will be “roaring,” and “men’s hearts” will fail them “from fear and the expectation of those things” that will be “coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Luke 21:11 also states that at that time, “fearful sights and great signs from heaven” will be observed. All of these events are depicted by the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12–14, picturing those “heavenly signs” or cosmic disturbances that are introduced by a great earthquake.

It appears however that certain frightful signs will already begin to occur right after the four horsemen of the Apocalypse have begun to ride and pestilences will be spread throughout the earth. Notice that Luke 21:11 is followed by a description of the Great Tribulation in verses 12–24, and then verse 25 continues to describe the terrible heavenly signs, after the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Unless we conclude that verses 11 and 25 refer to the same incident, it appears that certain “fearful sights and great signs from heaven” will occur even prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Notice, however, that Christ speaks of FEARFUL signs and wonders. The solar eclipses and nice-looking “blood moons”—when the moon temporarily appears in a somewhat red light—would most certainly not constitute “fearful” signs and wonders.

THE Sign of Christ’s Coming

We should note however, that the disciples asked for one particular SIGN of Christ’s Coming (Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:4), and Christ made it very clear what that sign would be. He pointed out that the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God as a witness in all the world and to all nations MUST PRECEDE His Coming and the end of the age. He said in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom WILL BE preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” He is quoted as saying in Mark 13:10 (Authorized Version): “And the gospel must first be published among all nations.”

That the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world was given as THE SIGN for Christ’s Return shows that this gospel had NOT been preached to the world for a long time. Rather, a false gospel had been preached, which fact is alluded to in Galatians 1:6–7. Of course, “a” gospel was preached—the gospel “ABOUT” Christ (but it was many times a false Christ or a counterfeit; compare 2 Corinthians 11:3–4 and the reference to the first horseman of the Apocalypse). 

However, the gospel OF Christ—of the Kingdom of God—would be preached at the time of Christ’s Coming. It was the gospel that Christ preached, the gospel that originated with the Kingdom of God (which is the Family of God, consisting of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son). This true gospel includes the message that God’s government will be restored on this earth when Christ returns, as well as the fact that true Christians will then be changed—resurrected to eternal life IN God’s Kingdom. They will become immortal sons and daughters of God the Father and brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, ruling on and over this earth under Christ for a thousand years. They will become born-again members of the God Family—God BEINGS in the KINGDOM of God.

It is an undeniable fact that the true gospel of the Kingdom of God was being preached to the world during the lifetime of Herbert W. Armstrong. It is likewise an undeniable fact that Mr. Armstrong died in 1986, and that Christ has not yet returned. This means, then, that God’s Church has the continued obligation to preach the gospel in all the world as a witness in order to fulfill THE Sign of Christ’s Coming.

True Gospel Still To Be Preached Today

Christ made it very clear that the gospel would still be preached at the time of His Return. He told His disciples in Matthew 28:19–20 that He would be with them “always, even to the END of the age,” while they were “making disciples of all the nations” (a logical consequence of the Church’s preaching of the gospel in all the world, compare Romans 10:14–15). Christ also said that those who would be doing God’s Work of preaching His gospel would not have finished it, even in the cities of Israel, when He returns (Matthew 10:23).

Considering this fact, it is obvious that Christ could not have come back at the time of Martin Luther, as there was no practical way of fulfilling Christ’s prophecy that His gospel would be preached in all the world and among all nations. The possibility to do so simply did not exist. Even in the last century, that possibility was somewhat limited with the available use of radio, TV [which was only accessible in certain countries] and the printing press. 

But today, with the invention of the Internet and other technological opportunities, this prophecy can be and is being fulfilled—really for the first time in the history of man! Even though some autocratic and dictatorial countries, including certain radical Muslim counties, would like to limit or prevent their citizens’ access to the Internet, they are unable to do so completely. And so, the gospel of the Kingdom of God is indeed reaching people in all countries—the sign which Christ gave for His Return is being fulfilled today.

Gospel Message Includes a Warning!

The preaching of the gospel (the good news of the Kingdom or Family of God) includes the task of warning the world of impending disaster. This aspect is also being fulfilled today.

We read in Zephaniah 1:2–3 (Revised Standard Version): “‘I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,’ says the LORD. ‘I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. I will overthrow the wicked; I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,’ says the LORD.”

Verse 18 adds (Revised Standard Version): “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealous wrath, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full, yea, sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.”

However, Zephaniah 3:12 adds that some will survive: “Those who are left will be the poor and the humble, and they will trust in the name of the Lord” (Living Bible).

Some Will Survive

When speaking about the time of the Great Tribulation, Christ also confirmed that even though this will be the most devastating time in the annals of human history, some will survive because Christ will come to shorten those terrible days. He told us in Matthew 24:21–22 (New International Version):

“For then there will be great distress (most translations say: “great tribulation”), unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect these days will be shortened.” 

The Living Bible writes: “… unless those days are shortened, all mankind will perish.”

Isaiah 24:5–6 tells us something very similar: “The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, And those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, And few men are left.”

Warning to the Lost Tribes 

The Church of God warns all nations of these impending dangers (Isaiah 34:1–3), especially the lost tribes of the house of Israel (Ezekiel 3:17–21; 33:2–11). Emphasis is placed on the house of Israel because God will deal with them first, but a specific warning must also go out to all nations, because God will deal with them subsequently (Isaiah 24:5–6; 28:22). In addition, a warning message must even go out to members and prospective members of the Church of God (Colossians 1:28; Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:14).

This warning message is part of the proclamation of the gospel, as those who hear it are given the opportunity to repent so that they can be spared. We read in Luke 24:46–47: “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations…”

In order to warn the modern nations of the ancient house of Israel (and, by extension, the ancient house of Judah), it is necessary to know who they are today. And so, the Church of God has identified these nations—the lost tribes of the house of Israel—and it is proclaiming the warning to them as a witness or testimony against them. 

Where the Lost Tribes Can Be Found Today

Those nations can be found today in the USA (where we find descendants of Manasseh, the first-born son of Joseph and grandson of Jacob or Israel); the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa (all descendants of Ephraim, the second son of Joseph); parts of France (descendants of Reuben, Jacob’s first-born son); Denmark and Ireland (descendants of Dan, one of Jacob’s twelve sons); Norway and Iceland (descendants of Benjamin, another one of Jacob’s twelve sons); The Netherlands (descendants of Zebulun, one of Jacob’s twelve sons); Finland (descendants of Issachar, one of Jacob’s twelve sons); Switzerland (descendants of Gad, one of Jacob’s twelve sons); Belgium and Luxembourg (descendants of Asher, one of Jacob’s twelve sons); and Sweden (descendants of Naphtali, one of Jacob’s twelve sons). 

In addition, modern descendants of Jacob’s son Levi might be found today in Wales; and descendants of Simeon and Levi might also be found in Scotland. Furthermore, a warning message is going out to the modern descendants of the house of Judah—the Jewish people.

Warning to Non-Israelite Peoples as Well

But, as mentioned, the warning message is also reaching non-Israelite peoples, which would include powerful nations such as Germany and Austria (both constituting modern Assyria); Italy (in part descendants of the ancient Chaldeans and Babylonians); and countries such as Russia, China, Japan, India, nations in the Middle East, Africa and South America. 

The gospel of the Kingdom of God with all its different aspects is, in fact, being proclaimed and published today in all the world as a witness among all nations.

This PROVES to us that the Return of Christ is indeed near!

Chapter 2 — The Great Tribulation

In the first chapter, we discussed THE SIGN of Christ’s Coming—the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God as a witness among all nations. We also noted that Christ referred to several events that are prophesied to accompany that particular sign.

The event we will focus on in this chapter is commonly referred to as the “Great Tribulation.” We stated in Chapter 1 that those coming days would be so devastating that, unless they were cut short, no one would survive—ALL would perish (Matthew 24:21–22; Mark 13:19; Daniel 12:1–2). The very physical survival of mankind will be at stake! However, it has already been determined that those days will be shortened. Mark 13:20 reads, in the New International Version: “If the Lord had not cut short these days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.”

Christ will return to this earth to end those prophesied terrible times. He will come to a world that is at war in order to make wars cease on this planet (Psalm 46:9). Misguided and misled human ingenuities, experimentations and inventions have produced weapons of mass destruction that are capable of eradicating man from this earth many times over. 

This shows that Christ could not have returned in previous generations, as the possibility that man could cause such mass extinction simply did not exist.

Only Now Possible

This scenario became reality with the development and use of atom bombs in World War II. Since then, man has been busy creating and assembling more and more powerful and highly sophisticated nuclear arsenals, advanced conventional war machines, and biological and chemical weapons with the obvious intention of using them when the time comes. He has perhaps deceived himself in believing that the build-up of deadly ammunition will prevent the outbreak of war, as a country’s enemies might be too afraid to attack. However, history shows that the weapons that were invented, were also used.

As Satan’s wrath is great and he is determined to destroy mankind, he will see to it that those terrible weapons of mass destruction will be activated… in the very near future.

Satan’s Wrath Against Physical Israel

The Great Tribulation has been correctly described as Satan’s wrath against God’s people—the physical descendants of Israel, as well as true Christians who are oftentimes referred to as spiritual Jews or spiritual Israelites (Romans 2:28–29; Galatians 6:16). Even though Satan’s ultimate goal is to murder every human being on the face of the earth, he will focus in these end times, first and foremost, on physical and spiritual Israel.

It is the responsibility of God’s Church to warn the modern descendants of the ancient tribes of the physical house of Israel (especially the USA and the UK), as well as the Jewish people, of impending disaster and destruction, as they will be defeated in war and either killed or enslaved at the very beginning of the Great Tribulation. This warning message is being given today, before the Great Tribulation starts, and it will continue to be proclaimed during that time, especially through the testimony and prophecies of the “two witnesses” (Revelation 11:3–6).

God has revealed to His Church the understanding as to where the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah can be found today, and so it is able to pronounce the identity and fate of these nations who will be the targets of coming military attacks, commencing at the very beginning of the Great Tribulation. Christ leads and inspires His Church, and Christ’s Spirit is a spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10; compare Amos 3:7–8; John 16:13; Isaiah 44:26; 1 Corinthians 13:2).

Terrible Destruction Coming

Many Scriptures show us that the modern descendants of the houses of Israel [also known as Jacob] and Judah will suffer unparalleled destruction and gruesome captivity in World War III (Luke 21:20–24; Hosea 13:16; Amos 6:7; 7:17).

Jeremiah 30:4–7 gives us this frightening scenario:

“Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. For thus says the LORD: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.’”

The modern house of Israel is also oftentimes referred to as Ephraim (mainly Great Britain and countries such as Canada and Australia) and Manasseh (the USA). We are told in Hosea 5:5, in the Authorized Version, that “Israel [here mainly a reference to Manasseh] and Ephraim” will “fall in their iniquity” and that “Judah also shall fall with them.” This is an end-time prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. In the past, Israel and Judah (the Jews) “fell” at different times, but never together or at the same time. The Tanakh says: “Israel’s pride shall be humbled before his very eyes, As Israel and Ephraim fall because of their sin (And Judah falls with them).”

The signs of the time show us that the Great Tribulation is near! 

Christ tells us in Luke 21:29–31:

“Then He spoke to them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near…”

Weapons of mass destruction, which are capable of eradicating all human life, are available NOW; the warning message to the houses of Israel and Judah is going out; and we observe that especially the United Kingdom and the USA, as well as the state of Israel, are becoming more and more isolated on the world scene, preparing the way for a most devastating war against them. 

America is hated more than ever before; the alienation between Great Britain and the EU is continuing; and anti-Semitism is on the rise. The Bible shows that at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, a European power bloc will attack, occupy and destroy the USA, Great Britain and the state of Israel in a coming nuclear World War. 

Satan’s Wrath Against Spiritual Israel

As mentioned, the Great Tribulation pictures military attacks against the physical Israelites and Jews, but it also describes Satan’s wrath being directed at the same time against God’s Church—spiritual Israel.

Christ warns that, prior to His Return, an organized and worldwide martyrdom of true Christians will occur. Matthew 24:9–10 describes this time in vivid terms (compare also Mark 13:11–13; Luke 21:12, 16–17). These events are part of the “Great Tribulation” and are also referred to as the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9–11. The fifth seal, following the first four seals of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, is a vision of slain souls under the altar:

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”

The Nelson Study Bible explains that the souls who were slain for the Word of God are pictured as resting under the altar, as “sacrificial blood was poured beside the base of the altar in the temple (see Ex. 29:12).”

The Souls Under the Altar

The “souls under the altar” are, of course, not alive (it is said that they need to “rest” a little bit longer), and they do not really cry to God with a loud voice. Neither did the “dry bones” in Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 37:11 really speak, nor did Abel’s shed blood (Genesis 4:10). All of this is symbolic language. Notice what is said in Revelation 20:4, 6 about the “souls” of those who were killed for Christ:

“… I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads and on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years… Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection…”

This vision of the souls under the altar makes it clear that religious persecution has occurred throughout the history of the true Church (compare Revelation 6:9–10), but that in the end time, a terrible and unparalleled persecution will happen once again (compare verse 11).

The Church of God—spiritual Israel—is viewed by most as a sect, or even a cult, and as a part of Judaism. As anti-Semitism rises, true Christians will be affected as well, and perhaps even more so, as they will be viewed as “traitors” toward orthodox Christianity. Not willing to submit to false religious concepts and unbiblical human traditions that have replaced God’s Word, they will be treated as enemies of the state and of the established and mandated state religion. We will later discuss in detail the identity of the “beast” and the “false prophet,” as well as the “fallen woman,” and their role regarding the persecution of the saints.

Martyrdom of the Saints

For now, we will quote several passages that describe the martyrdom of the saints during the Great Tribulation, which will last 3-½ years or less.

Daniel 7:21–22, 25 speaks about the time that will culminate in the Return of Christ and the establishment of God’s rule on earth:

“I was watching; and the same horn [a religious power] was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom… He [the little horn] shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time [i.e., approximately 3-½ years].”

Revelation 13:5–6 speaks about the rule of the beast and his persecution of the saints during the time of the Great Tribulation:

“… he [the beast, to be explained later] was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months [approximately 3-½ years]. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.”

Revelation 16:4-6 describes a future time just prior to Christ’s return, showing again that true Christians will be hated, betrayed, persecuted and killed:

“Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: ‘You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.’”

Revelation 17 speaks about a harlot or a fallen woman, called “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” The woman sits on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. Notice how she is described in these last days, just prior to the Return of Christ.

Revelation 17:6; 18:24 states very clearly:

“I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus… And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”

We are approaching this time very soon! The beast, the false prophet, and Babylon the Great will manifest themselves in the near future, setting in motion the events that will lead to the Great Tribulation. We are seeing the beginnings of these prophesied events, which show us that Christ’s Return is near! 

The Way of Escape

It is extremely important to heed Christ’s warning for the Church in these last days:

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34–36).

God will provide the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). While many will have to endure persecution and martyrdom, some members of the true Church of God who have been counted worthy to escape such terrible fate will be protected during that time at a physical location or “place of safety” here on earth (Revelation 12:13–16; 3:10).
As we see devastating end-time events developing with enormous speed, we should make sure that God will count us worthy of His protection (1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 11; compare also Luke 20:35).

We have not yet seen the beginning of the Great Tribulation, but we know that it is the next major event to occur in our time.

Chapter 3 — The False Prophet and the Falling Away

In this chapter, we will address the end-time manifestation of a powerful religious leader and the tragedy that, in light of religious persecution and other reasons, true Christians will fall away from the Truth and return to the world. The prophesied “falling away” from the Truth is to occur, in its fullest and most grievous extent, just prior to and during the Great Tribulation. We will know that Christ’s Return is imminent when these and other events happen at approximately the same time.

Loving the Truth

True Church members will fall away from the Truth because they did not receive the love of the Truth and did not believe the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:10, 12). Because of lawlessness, the love within them will grow cold (Matthew 24:12; “love” in Greek is agape, describing the love of God, which only true Christians have; compare Romans 5:5). The New International Version says: “They refused to love the truth.”

As a consequence, they will become an easy target for Satan’s ministers (2 Corinthians 11:14–15) who will deceive them through their lying signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 11; Matthew 24:11, 24).

The Man of Sin

The end-time falling away from the Truth refers to converted Christians. It will reach its climax at the approximate time when the man of sin manifests himself, just prior to and during the Great Tribulation, claiming to be God and sitting in the Temple of God. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4, Paul writes: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

The False Prophet 

This “man of sin,” who is also called “the lawless one” in verses 8 and 9, not only will claim to speak with godly authority, he will also say that he is God himself (maybe the Messiah). He is identified in the book of Revelation as “the false prophet” (compare, for example, Revelation 16:13; 19:20; see also, Revelation 13:13–14). He is also identified as the future prince of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:2–5), as well as the end-time representative of the “little horn” in Daniel 7:25, and of the “harlot” in Revelation 17 who rules from a city built on seven “hills” (Revelation 7:9; New English Bible; compare also Revelation 17:18).

This religious figure will deceive people through “great signs” (Revelation 13:13; 19:20). We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 that the coming of the lawless one is “according to the working of Satan, with all power, SIGNS and lying wonders.” This false prophet will receive his powers to perform great signs from Satan and his demons (compare Revelation 16:13–14).

The Man of Sin Is NOT the Beast

Some believe that the man of sin is a reference to the end-time “beast”—a political military leader. This is not the case.

James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, under “Antichrist”, says correctly that the “man of sin” in 2 Thessalonians refers to “a false Messiah, a prophet… the opponent of the true Messiah.”

We also read that the returning Christ will consume the man of sin “with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Therefore, this man of sin will exist at the time of Christ’s return. He will proclaim himself to be God, sitting in the Temple of God. It is highly unlikely that Paul was talking about the Church as the spiritual temple of God in this context. There is no biblical evidence that the false prophet will be sitting in God’s true Church—the pillar and ground or foundation of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15)—which continues to teach and practice the Truth. Instead, a physical temple will be built in Jerusalem just prior to Christ’s Return.

Some have proposed that the coming end-time falling away refers to traditional Christianity, which will exert a more powerful influence on the world. While false Christianity will become more powerful in these last days, Paul’s warning of a future “falling away” refers to true Christians.

Falling Away From the Truth

The context of these verses addresses a falling away (apostasia in Greek) from the Truth. The apostle Paul is addressing “brethren” (verse 1) about an apostasy, especially at the end time, just prior to Christ’s Return when the man of sin is revealed.

An apostasy from the true gospel had already begun during the lifetime of Paul. In fact, he said that he marveled that so many in the Church of God had turned to another gospel (Galatians 1:6–7; compare also 2 Corinthians 11:4, saying that they had accepted another Jesus and another spirit).

Simon Magus

Even though numerous false doctrines were infiltrating the early church, including “Judaism,” with its demands of physical circumcision and the observance of superseded ritual laws of the Old Testament, we can safely say that an important personality, the Samaritan sorcerer, Simon Magus, had tremendous influence on the introduction of false doctrines, which are still known and taught today in orthodox Christianity.

Simon Magus believed “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus” (Acts 8:12–13). He was baptized, but never received the Holy Spirit because the apostles refused to lay hands on him, given the fact that he had not repented of his evil and wicked heart (compare Acts 8:18–24). Simon Magus went to Rome and was given the surname “Peter” as a religious title, meaning “father” or “interpreter.”

In his book, Mystery of the Ages, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote on pages 51–53:

“It seems incredible that a being like Satan not only could have deceived the whole world, but also ‘Christianity’—the very religion bearing Christ’s name and supposed to be his true religion. Yet, paradoxically, Satan did! He did it through his great false church, started A.D. 33 by Simon the Sorcerer…

“Simon proclaimed himself a Christian apostle… and called the pagan Babylonian mystery religion ‘Christianity.’ He accepted the doctrine of ‘grace’ for the forgiveness of sin (which the pagan religions had never had), but turned grace into license to disobey God (Jude 4). He aspired to turn his pagan religion, under the name ‘Christianity,’ into a universal religion…”

The Dictionary of Christian Biography, Vol. 4, p. 682, states: “[Simon] came to Rome in the days of Claudius Caesar (45 A.D.), and made such an impression by his magical powers, that he was honored as a god…”

A Rival Religion

Hasting’s Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, volume 2, page 496, states: “But it need not be supposed that when Simon broke with the Christians he renounced all he had learned. It is more probable that he carried some of the Christian ideas with him, and that he wove these into a system of his own. This system is a mixture of pagan ideas wrapped with Christian names and identities.”

The Dictionary of Religion and Ethics says that Simon was “a false Messiah, who practiced magical arts and subsequently attempted, by the aid and with the sanction of Christianity, to set up a rival universal religion” (Apostolic Christianity, volume 11, page 514).

In Revelation 17, the Apostle John is given a vision of a scarlet beast having seven heads and ten horns. The scarlet beast is ridden by a woman—a harlot. Revelation 17:5 identifies the woman as “mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.”

In biblical terminology, a religious entity is many times depicted as a woman. The true Church of God is identified as a woman (Revelation 12:6, 13–17); a virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2); and the wife of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:7). Likewise, Christ’s true followers are identified as “virgins” (Matthew 25:1; Revelation 14:4).

However, the woman who sits on the scarlet-colored beast is a FALLEN rich woman who has committed “fornication” with the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 17:2; compare also verse 4, and Revelation 18:3, 9). She is identified as “the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication” (Revelation 19:2). In biblical terminology, she is a fallen church, pretending to be the true Church of God.

The woman is called, in Revelation 17, verse 5, “Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.” This fallen church is called the “Mother Church,” which has “daughter churches.”

Lehman Strauss writes in The Book of the Revelation,” page 295: “The Babylon of the Revelation is an apostate religious system clearly identifiable with all of Christendom, with papal Rome taking the lead in its formation.”

Simon Magus started the fallen church described in Revelation 17. As he was worshipped as a god or God, so the final representative of the harlot—the false prophet—will likewise claim to be God. A falling away from true Christianity did take place in the days of Simon Magus, and thereafter, when many who first believed the Truth of the Bible were swayed into accepting Simon’s counterfeit apostate religion.

A Falling Away in Recent Times

More recently, another major falling away did take place at the time when a new administration came to power in the Worldwide Church of God, after the death of its human leader, Herbert Armstrong, in 1986. Gradually, the Truth was replaced with the false pagan doctrines of “orthodox” Christianity.

Catholic and Protestant churches have rejected, for nearly two millennia, the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days. The Catholic Church claims godly authority and it has admitted that it changed many biblical laws, including the ones regarding God’s holy times—the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days (compare Daniel 7:25).

The Protestant Churches, even though they officially reject the authority of the Catholic Church to change the teachings of the Bible, nevertheless followed the lead of the Catholic Church and adopted Sunday worship, while rejecting the Sabbath.

Today, those who accepted the changes within the [now defunct] Worldwide Church of God have become part of the Babylonian religious system of a counterfeit Christianity [unless they forsook religion altogether], embracing its false doctrines such as Sunday, Christmas and Easter worship; the Trinity; the immortal soul; going to heaven or hell upon death; and many more. At the same time, they have rejected the biblical Truth of the Sabbath, the Holy Days, abstaining from unclean meat; the true nature of God; and the potential of man, among many others.

A Future Falling Away

Note however, that the apostasy from the Truth within the Church of God will continue (Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy 4:1), and will reach its climax of accepting false teachings and practices, while rejecting the Truth, just prior to Christ’s return.

The commentary of Bengel’s Gnomen states: “Apostasy is a falling away from the faith… Some of those who had received it drew back [and departed] from the living God…”

The coming end-time apostasy does not refer to just a “handful” of people. It is true that the Bible does not use the term “GREAT” or “GREATER” falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2. However, it is also correct that it has been commonly understood that Paul had a GREAT apostasy in mind, which will be, relatively speaking, greater than prior apostasies. For instance, the headline of the New King James Bible for 2 Thessalonians 2 reads, “The Great Apostasy.” The Ryrie Study Bible comments about the coming apostasy: “An aggressive and climactic revolt against God.”

The Benson Commentary writes about the coming apostasy: “The article here is emphatical, denoting both that this was to be a great apostasy, the apostasy… and that the Thessalonians had been already apprised [sic] of its coming.”

After all, Paul uses the end-time falling away from the Truth and the manifestation of the man of sin as important and critical visible signs for the arrival of the day of the Lord—the Return of Jesus Christ. If he had only a minor event in mind or just a few Christians who were to forsake the Truth, then this would hardly be an obvious and convincing sign for Christ’s Return, as Christians have fallen away from the Truth as long as the Church of God has existed.

Two Separate Events at the Same Time

We must clearly keep in mind that two different and separate end-time events will happen at approximately the same time: The apostasy or falling away of true Christians and the manifestation of the false prophet representing a false and apostate counterfeit “Christianity.”

The coming of the lawless one and the concept of lawlessness will remain a mystery to the world. God’s people are warned not to be deceived when the lawless one appears so that they don’t fall away from the Truth. The best protection against deception is to stay close to God and His Word, and while rejecting the pleasures of unrighteousness, to believe the Truth and receive and hold fast to the love of it (compare again 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12).

When we see the manifestation of the man of sin and the falling away from the Truth, in combination with other events already mentioned, and to be discussed later, we know that Christ’s Return is near!

Chapter 4 — The Third Temple and Animal Sacrifices

In the last chapter, we alluded to the fact that the man of sin will sit as God in the Temple of God, pretending to be God Himself (2 Thessalonians 2:4). We also saw that this will happen just prior to the Return of Jesus Christ. This means, a Third Temple will be built in Jerusalem so that the man of sin can occupy it. When we see that that Temple will be built, we will know that Christ’s Return is imminent.

The question arises as to why a Temple would be built in the first place. One answer is: To fulfill the desire of the Jews to bring daily sacrifices at the Temple Mount. 

Animal Sacrifices Without a Temple?

Even though it is true that sacrifices can be brought before the foundation of the Temple has been laid and the erection of the Temple has been completed (compare Ezra 3:6, 11), it is also true that the Jews would not bring daily animal sacrifices unless the preparation of the Temple is underway (compare Ezra 3:8–10). We read in 1 Chronicles 21:26 that David built an altar and that sacrifices were offered on the site upon which Solomon built the First Temple.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary explains the passages in Ezra 3:6–11: “They could not at once have a temple, but they would not be without an altar… And they made preparation for the building of the temple without delay…”

Barnes Notes on the Bible adds: “They restored the old altar of burnt-offerings, which stood directly in front of the temple-porch, upon the old foundation.” In other words, on the Temple Mount. Soncino writes to verse 8: “…‘house of God’ probably denotes the site where the First Temple had stood on which they planned to erect the new Sanctuary.”

We should also notice that the occurrences in Ezra 3 were unique, in that the Jews were allowed to leave their Babylonian captivity and to return to Jerusalem in order to build the Temple there (Ezra 1:2–5; 2:68; compare also Ezra 4:1–3).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges points out: “The burnt offerings were regularly made on the altar, although there was no Temple building, nor Temple worship. Such a thing would have been almost incredible to the Jew of later centuries.”

Future Daily Sacrifices to Be Suppressed

The Bible clearly prophesies that the Jews will bring daily sacrifices, which will subsequently be suppressed by an invading foreign power (Gentile nations under the leadership of a military commander, the “beast”). The sacrifices will be suppressed by that power for 2,300 evening-mornings (Daniel 8:14) or 1,150 days (as daily sacrifices were and will be brought twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, compare Exodus 29:38–39), until the sanctuary will be cleansed. The foreign power will also place there the abomination of desolation (compare Daniel 8:11–12; Daniel 11:31). All of this will happen at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

It is important to understand the correct meaning of Daniel 8:13–14. A superficial reading might lead to the conclusion that animal sacrifices will be given for 2,300 evenings and mornings (1,150 days) until the foreign power invades Jerusalem and suppresses them, but that is not correct. 

Ceasing for 1,150 Days

Rather, we are told that the daily sacrifices will begin at a given point and will then cease for 1,150 days. We are not told specifically when they will begin and for how long they will be given, but as other prophecies indicate, they will be given for only a short time until the foreign power will invade the Middle East, bringing about the Great Tribulation. This shows too that the building of the Third Temple will have to be completed or nearly completed when the foreign power invades and conquers Jerusalem and the man of sin will sit in the Temple.

The German Bible, Hoffnung fuer Alle, renders Daniel 8:13: “When will one be able to give God again the regular sacrifices? When will the rebellion against the Lord of Heaven and the terrible sacrilege of the Temple end?”

The Revised English Bible translates Daniel 8:13–14 as follows: “… ‘How long will the period of this vision last? How long will the regular offering be suppressed and impiety cause desolation? How long will the Holy Place and the fairest of all lands be given over to be trodden down?’ The answer came, ‘For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then the Holy Place will be restored.’”

Notice carefully: 2,300 evenings and mornings were to pass before the sanctuary would be cleansed or restored. During this time span, the daily offerings would be suppressed; the “transgression of desolation” or the “abomination of desolation” would appear; and the Holy Place (or the sanctuary or the Temple) would be trodden down or trampled underfoot.

The 1,290 Days

In addition, Daniel 12:11 says that there will be 1,290 days AFTER the daily sacrifices were taken away AND the abomination of desolation will have been set up.

Some say that Daniel is referring to the day of Christ’s Return and tells us to count backwards, but if we were to count backwards from such an assumed day of Christ’s Second Coming, then Daniel 8:13–14 would tell us that the daily sacrifices will be abolished for 1,150 days before Christ’s Return, while Daniel 12:11 would tell us that the daily sacrifices will be abolished for 1,290 days before Christ’s Return. Both statements could not be correct, as they would contradict each other. This shows that we must wait until God reveals to us the clear meaning of those days, as there is certainly importance attached to them.

The Abomination of Desolation

When Christ was asked by His disciples what would signify the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), He referred to the “great tribulation” (verse 21) and, at that same time, “‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (verse 15; compare, too, Mark 13:14, adding, “where it ought not”).

In Luke 21:20, in the parallel account, Christ is quoted as saying, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.”

Daniel 11:31 refers to Antiochus Epiphanes as a forerunner for another end-time fulfillment. When Antiochus set up the first “abomination of desolation,” he overran Jerusalem with armies; did away with the daily sacrifices, which were brought AT THE TEMPLE; and erected an image of Zeus (or Jupiter) in the “holy place” — the TEMPLE. He and his followers began offering pigs to their pagan deity in the Holy TEMPLE in Jerusalem.

A Speaking Image

Something similar will happen again when the end-time abomination of desolation occurs. This might include the erection of an image in the Temple, which could present a false Christ or a statue of the “Virgin Mary.” In addition, we read in Revelation 13:14–15 that a religious power will create “a speaking image” of the political and military beast power. 

Some have suggested that “the false prophet will attempt to lead the people to finance the erection of a great image in Jerusalem… When the image speaks, Jews and Gentiles, Roman Catholics and Protestants, wherever they are, will worship the image or be killed if they refuse” (Lehman Strauss, The Book of the Revelation). 

Finally, we also read that the false prophet will sit in the Temple of God and pretend to BE God, constituting the final and ultimate abomination of desolation in the holy place. It is very possible that he will be using the “speaking image” (perhaps a religious statue in the Temple) to “prove” his divinity while sitting in the Temple. The commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown wrote: “Rome’s speaking images and winking pictures of the Virgin Mary and the saints are an earnest of the future demoniacal miracles of the false prophet in making the… image to speak.”

A Literal Physical Temple

Other passages confirm as well that a literal Temple will be built in Jerusalem just prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation. For instance, Revelation 11:1–2 says that an angel of God told John: “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months [or 3-½ years].”

We note that Gentiles (referring to European armies under a military leader, the “beast”) will tread the holy city underfoot for 3–1/2 years, and the court, which is outside the Temple, will be given to those Gentiles. Luke 21:24 prophesies that the Gentiles will trample or tread the holy city underfoot until “the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” We also read in Daniel 8:13 that “some of the host” will be trampled underfoot by a future Gentile ruler (the beast).

Notice again how the Revised English Bible renders Daniel 8:13: “…How long will the regular offering be suppressed and impiety cause desolation? How long will the Holy Place and the fairest of all lands be given over to be trodden down?”

Some have wondered whether a Third Temple will be built prior to Christ’s return, or whether the reference to the “Temple” refers to the Church of God, the spiritual Temple. We have addressed and rejected this concern in the previous chapter.

The Church of God, under its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, has always and consistently identified the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2 as the false prophet. While the Church felt at times that the “temple” might be a reference to a spiritual Temple—the Church—it has also taught at other times that it is referring to a literal Temple. 

In Die Reine Wahrheit of October 1967 (German edition of the Worldwide Church of God’s magazine, The Plain Truth), it was stated on page 10 (in the article, “2,300 Evenings and Mornings”): “Yes, a temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, as incredible as it may sound.”

In the Worldwide Church of God’s The Good News magazine, November–December 1987, the following was stated on page 12 in “A Sealed Prophecy,” implying the existence of a Temple before Christ’s return: “The ‘sanctuary’ is to be ‘trampled underfoot.’… the taking away of daily sacrifices and trampling of a sanctuary underfoot is yet a future event. We are nearing the fulfillment of these amazing prophecies about the Temple Mount in Jerusalem…”

Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following about the man of sin and the Third Temple, in the Plain Truth of June 1967:

“There will be a Jewish Temple built in Jerusalem, with animal sacrifices once again being offered… For a long time the Jewish people have had in mind the rebuilding of the Temple… And it must be built on the exact site of Solomon’s Temple… [Jesus said:] ‘When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place …’—this ‘Holy Place’ has to be IN THE TEMPLE! And IN JERUSALEM!… before the second coming of Christ, a vile leader will stop the daily sacrifices being offered in the Temple (yet to be built) in Jerusalem, and will profane the Holy Place with an idol…

“There will very soon be a Temple in Jerusalem, with daily sacrifices once again being offered. But the ruler of the soon-coming resurrected ‘Holy Roman Empire’; a political-military union of ten European nations—will stop the daily sacrifices and profane the Holy Place in the Temple… Jerusalem will be surrounded and captured… by the… armies of the European Empire… They will invade Jerusalem, and take charge of the Temple.

“This European power, resurrecting for a VERY short while the Roman Empire, will take over the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2.) They will take the Temple, and plant the palace of their headquarters there. With this coming military leader, pictured in Revelation 17 as the symbolic ‘beast,’ will be a supreme religious leader, called ‘the False Prophet,’ [Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10] and the ‘man of sin.’ So will you turn next to II Thessalonians 2:3–4: ‘Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day’ — the Day of the Lord, verse 2 — ‘shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and THAT MAN OF SIN be revealed, the SON OF PERDITION; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ So there will have to be the Temple there!” 

We can clearly see now that the Bible speaks indeed of the building of a LITERAL Third Temple on the Temple Mount just prior to Christ’s Return, and that the false prophet will occupy that Temple, claiming to be God (perhaps in the Person of the Messiah—the returned Jesus Christ). 

An additional passage which shows that the Jews will build an end-time Temple in Jerusalem, just prior to Christ’s Return, is Psalm 79:1–7. This is an end-time psalm, as verse 6 shows. God is asked to pour out His wrath on the nations—a reference to God’s pouring out of the end-time plagues of His wrath, as described in Revelation 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19. In this context, Psalm 79:1 says: “O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.”

Other prophetic end-time references to a future Temple in Jerusalem can be found in Ezekiel 8:5, 16, as well as in Ezekiel 9:1–7. These passages speak about a defilement within the Temple, an “image of jealousy” in the Temple, sunrise worship services in the Temple; and punishment of those who defile the Temple, which is also referred to as God’s sanctuary.

Anxious to Build the Temple

The Jewish community in the state of Israel, as well as fundamental Christians, are anxiously waiting for the building of the Third Temple. Contributions and gold have been received from national and international sponsors for the building of the Temple. A blueprint for the building of the Temple exists; and replicas of certain furnishings and utensils for the Temple have been prepared. They include the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, the altar of incense, the Ark of the Covenant, and the crown and ephod for the High Priest.

Many articles have been published over the years, clearly proving the conviction of many Jews and Christians that a Third Temple will be built PRIOR to the arrival of the Messiah. We are setting forth some recent representative samples.

JTA wrote on May 14, 2018:

“The United States dedicated its newly established embassy in Jerusalem in a high-profile ceremony attended by prominent Trump administration officials… The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which passed both houses of Congress by overwhelming votes, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called for relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem…

“Several of the speakers… reminded the audience that exactly 70 years ago, nearly to the moment of the ceremony, the United States under President Harry Truman became the first country to recognize the new state of Israel.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a remarkable speech during the opening of the US embassy, which clearly alluded to the building of the Third Temple. He said, as quoted by the Times of Israel, dated May 14, 2018:

“In Jerusalem, King David established our capital three thousand years ago. In Jerusalem, King Solomon built our Temple, which stood for many centuries. In Jerusalem, Jewish exiles from Babylon rebuilt the Temple, which stood for many more centuries. In Jerusalem, the Maccabees rededicated that Temple and restored Jewish sovereignty in this land.

“And it was here in Jerusalem some two thousand years later that the soldiers of Israel spoke three immortal words… [‘Har ha’bayit be’yadeinu’] ‘The Temple Mount is in our hands,’ words that lifted the spirit of the entire nation. We are in Jerusalem and we are here to stay…

“May the opening of this embassy in this city spread the truth far and wide, and may the truth advance a lasting peace between Israel and all our neighbors. God bless the United States of America and God bless Jerusalem, the eternal, undivided capital of Israel.”

The Red Heifer

The Daily Star wrote on September 8, 2018:

“The Temple Institute announced the birth of an entirely red female calf that ‘brings the promise of reinstating Biblical purity to the world’. The cow’s birth and sacrifice is said to proceed the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem. And the Third Temple’s construction – following the destruction of the previous two – heralds the arrival of the Jewish Messiah…

“Rabbi Chain Richman, director of the Temple Institute, hailed the red heifer’s birth as suggestions the time could be right for the Third Temple…

“Evangelical Christians believe the construction of the Third Temple will herald their own end times prophecy…”

The Bible does not necessitate or prophesy the appearance of a red heifer (note Hebrews 9:11–14 in reference to the abolished need for the ashes of a red heifer; also compare Hebrews 10:8–10, 18; Hebrews 8:13). However, it is very likely that some Jewish clerics may insist that the sacrifice of such a heifer for the purpose of producing the ashes for the water of purification of the Temple Mount, and the Temple itself, will be essential for the reconstruction of the Temple and the coming of the Messiah. But this is NOT to say that other clerics or many Jews will abide by the interpretation of some, and that they will not begin with the construction of the Temple and the offering of daily animal sacrifices before they “find” such a red heifer.

The Nascent Sanhedrin Speaks Out

Breaking Israel News wrote on November 8, 2018:

“Jerusalem will have a new mayor next week and more than any other election this year will decide the religious nature of Israel’s capital. The nascent Sanhedrin has addressed a letter to the two candidates emphasizing the role of the Third Temple in municipal current policy… ‘We call on the candidates as well as the voters to make choices based on truth and on the main aspect of Jerusalem, which is the building of the Temple.’

“The Sanhedrin wrote a similar letter [in November of 2016] to U.S. President Donald Trump after he won the election, calling on him to take a role in building the Third Temple just as Persian King Cyrus helped the Jews build the Second Temple after the Babylonian exile in the sixth century BCE…

“The Sanhedrin has already begun working toward this end, holding full-dress reenactments of the Temple service before the Biblical feasts…”

There is great momentum for the beginning of daily animal sacrifices and the building of the Third Temple. This momentum will intensify. We will know that Christ’s Return is near when the Jews begin to bring daily animal sacrifices in connection with building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem!

Chapter 5 — The Last Revival of the Ancient Holy Roman Empire

One of the most striking and convincing events proving that Christ’s Return is indeed very near, is the last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, which is happening today, in front of our very eyes.

The book of Daniel describes four world-ruling empires, identified as Babylon (compare Daniel 2:38; 7:17), Medo-Persia (compare Daniel 2:39; 7:17; 8:20), Greece (compare Daniel 2:39; 7:17; 8:21) and Rome (compare Daniel 2:40–43; 7:17).

John’s description of a beast in Revelation 13:1 parallels the four beasts that Daniel saw in Daniel 7—the first beast in Daniel’s vision was like a lion, the second like a bear and the third like a leopard. Here John sees only one beast, but it has combined elements of all the beasts that Daniel saw—a lion, a bear, and a leopard. In addition, John’s beast had seven heads. Taken together, Daniel’s beasts had seven heads too—that of a lion, of a bear, four heads of the leopard (Daniel 7:6), and the head of the fourth beast. John’s beast had ten horns, and the fourth beast Daniel saw in Daniel 7:7 had ten horns as well.

John’s beast represents the Roman Empire. He saw it as one composite beast, as it had swallowed up the previous three kingdoms. The Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek empires had already come and gone, but their territory and characteristics had been absorbed by Rome.

The Roman Empire was to be divided into Eastern and Western Rome, and the Western part would fall, but it was to be revived ten times and would endure until the time of Jesus Christ’s Return.

When the Roman Empire fell, the world believed it would never rise again (symbolized by the deadly wound of John’s beast, compare Revelation 13:3). But it was to be revived ten times, symbolized by the ten horns of John’s beast.

According to Daniel 7:24, ten kings were to arise from or out of the ancient Roman Empire. The beast or the Roman Empire would have ten successive resurrections or revivals. Revelation 17:8 confirms this—the beast described there, which is similar to the beast of Revelation 13, is described as one that “was, and is not, and will ascend…,” showing the successive nature of the revivals.

The Ancient Roman Empire Revived

After the destruction of Rome, three so-called “barbarian” powers who were all followers of unorthodox Arianism, revived the Roman Empire, constituting its first three resurrections. This happened under King Gaiseric of the Vandals, under King Odoacer of the Heruli, and under King Theodoric of the Ostrogoths. These are the first three horns of the fourth beast in Daniel 7 (compare Daniel 7:7–8, 24) and of the beast in Revelation 13.

The fourth resurrection occurred under Justinian in A.D. 554. Known in history as the Imperial Restoration, this is the biblical “healing of the deadly wound” (compare Revelation 13:3) the Roman Empire had received from the barbarian powers.

The fifth resurrection occurred under Charlemagne (Charles the Great) in A.D. 800; the sixth under Otto the Great in A.D. 962; the seventh under Charles V of Hapsburg in 1530; the eighth under Napoleon Bonaparte (ruling from 1804 until 1814); and the ninth under Mussolini and Hitler. Mussolini declared publicly that he had revived the ancient Roman Empire, saying: “Raise on high your emblems, your arms and your hearts to salute, after fifteen centuries, the reappearance of the Empire on the fateful hills of Rome.” What is happening right now in Europe is leading to the tenth and final resurrection of that same Roman Empire.

Core Europe

This tenth resurrection will be a collaborating entity, commonly referred to as “core Europe,” consisting of ten European nations or groups of nations which will only exist for a very short time. They might have different ideas, but they will be a strong unified military power, and they will be united in their rebellion against God.

In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream a great image with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and with feet partly of iron and partly of clay. He also saw in that dream that a stone (symbolizing the returning Jesus Christ) struck the image on its feet or its ten toes. These ten toes are identical with the ten horns or ten kings in Revelation 17:3, 7, 12–14. They will rule together at the very end before the Return of Christ and will attempt to fight Him, but Christ will, of course, defeat them.

Out of the current EU (consisting of more than two dozen member states or “countries”) and out of the current Eurozone member states (consisting of 19 “countries,” which have adopted the euro), ten nations or groups of nations will emerge. They will receive authority for one prophetic hour (Revelation 17:12) together with the end-time “beast”—a charismatic political and military leader. In the Bible, the “beast” can refer to the political and military power bloc and/or to the end-time leader of that bloc.

When that political leader manifests himself, THEN the ten kings receive power at the same time, which they will then turn over to the beast. The mighty and powerful Babylonian system—“Babylon the Great”—will continue to exist, and so will the euro—the common European currency which glues the Eurozone states together. The concept is biblically untenable that the euro will fail and that the European core nations will return to individual national currencies.

The Bible speaks of ten horns or kings in the book of Revelation and ten toes in the book of Daniel. These kings, kingdoms or toes (powers) do not have to correspond to humanly devised geographical borders, designed by political ambitions. That is why we refer to ten nations or groups of nations.

Currently, as of April 2019, the 19 Eurozone member states are designated as follows:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

God is not viewing some of those “countries” as single and independent entities. Some of the “countries” might be grouped together and are to be viewed as “one” in biblical terminology. For instance, Germany and Austria would be one entity or one group, even though man lists them as two nations. Little islands like Malta or Cyprus (if they were among the final ten “kings” or “kingdoms”) would not constitute individual countries or nations in God’s eyes; in all
likelihood, Malta would be considered as part of either Italy or France, and Cyprus might be viewed as part of Greece. (This is not to say that the current Eurozone configuration constitutes the prophesied ten nations or groups of nations.)

Some European Countries May Leave

Some Israelite nations in Europe might leave the Eurozone and even the EU. Some Nordic countries (modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel) might form a trading bloc in competition to the Eurozone.

Religious Revival 

In addition to the political and military revival of the ancient Roman Empire, note should be taken of the fact that the last seven of those ten revivals will also see and include a revival of a religious power, which will work together with the political power.

In Revelation 17, John is given a vision of a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. It is ridden by a fallen woman—a harlot. Revelation 17:5 identifies the woman as “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.” This woman is depicted in verse 6 as “drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” In verse 18, the woman is also identified as “that great city that reigns over the kings of the earth,” the city that is built and sits on seven mountains or hills (verse 9)—Rome.

The heads of the beast in Revelation 17 depict the seven last resurrections of the ancient Roman Empire. The fallen woman sits on these last seven resurrections of the beast. The first three revivals of the ancient Roman Empire occurred under leaders with a different religion, that of Arianism, which was labeled a heresy by the Roman Catholic Church.

As we will recall, the first of the seven last resurrections of the Roman Empire occurred under Justinian in A.D. 554. He was mainly responsible for wiping out the barbarian tribes, but he did so at the behest of a succession of Roman popes. At that time, lands of the old West Roman Empire were taken back. Justinian also restored the rule of “orthodox” Roman Catholicism to the West. 

The second of the seven last resurrections occurred under Christian Emperor Charlemagne or Charles the Great, who was crowned in A.D. 800 by Pope Leo III, and who is commonly referred to as the “European Unifier.”

The third of the seven last resurrections occurred under Otto the Great, under whose name the “Roman Empire of the German Nation” was coined. He was crowned in 962 by Pope John XII. The fourth of the seven last resurrections occurred under Charles V Habsburg, who was crowned in 1530 by Pope Clement VII. By this time, the name “Holy Roman Empire” was in popular usage because of the close contact between the state and the so-called Holy Roman Church. The fifth of the last seven resurrections occurred under Napoleon Bonaparte, who was also crowned by a pope.

The sixth of the last seven resurrections occurred under Hitler and Mussolini, both Catholics. Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty with the papacy in 1929, establishing papal sovereignty over Vatican City. This event affirmed Roman Catholicism as the only religion of Italy and, in turn, the papacy officially recognized Mussolini as the rightful Italian governor. Also, the Vatican signed a concordat with Hitler in 1933, protecting the rights of the church under the Nazi regime. This gave Hitler’s government an outward semblance of legitimacy.

The seventh and last resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire is already beginning. As with the previous six resurrections, the woman—the papal city of Rome—will “ride” or work with, and to an extent, direct the activities of the seventh resurrection as well.

Was and Is Not

We read in Revelation 17:11 that the beast “that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.” The phrase, “is not” refers to the short-lived ninth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire under Mussolini and Hitler. Even though “it was” (verse 8: “… is not, and yet is”), it really was not, by comparison, such an all-encompassing and consequential revival as the previous ones, and as the tenth and last revival will be.

The Eighth, and of the Seven

Verse 11 tells us that the beast himself is the “eighth, and is of the seven.” This could be a reference to the individual beast—the end-time military leader who will rule and be a part of the seventh revival of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Little Horn

The influencing power of the Roman Catholic Church was prophesied in Daniel’s vision of the four beasts in Daniel 7—with the fourth beast having ten horns. The ten horns picture the ten resurrections of the ancient Roman Empire. Daniel 7:7 deals with the first three of these resurrections. Then, in verse 8, Daniel says, “I was considering the [ten] horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.” Verse 24 says that the little horn will rise “after them”—that is, after the first three horns.

An angel explained in verse 24 that the little (religious) horn, which would be different from the other (political) horns, would “subdue three kings.” This little horn, the religious power synonymous with the woman in Revelation 17, riding the scarlet beast, would also change times and law, or rather, change the law regarding holy times.

We saw earlier that the beast (the political and military leader of the European power bloc) will persecute the saints. In Revelation 17, we are told that the woman riding the beast power will participate in the persecution of the saints. It will be a combined joint effort between church and state, which it has been so many times before.

The Mark of the Beast

We read in Revelation 13:16–17 that the second (religious) beast will cause people to accept “a mark” of the first (political) beast “on their right hand” or “on their foreheads.” Without it, they cannot buy or sell (compare Revelation 14:9). The mark of the beast means general participation in the worship system of the revived Roman Empire. 

In particular, it is clearly associated with the violation of God’s weekly and annual Sabbath commandments [the time from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, and during the times of seven annual Holy Days, which likewise begin at sunset]. In the Bible, the “right hand” is associated with work (Psalm 137:5). The “forehead” is the seat of thoughts (Ezekiel 3:8; 9:4; Revelation 7:3). God has commanded us to keep certain times holy and, during these holy times, one is not to concentrate on and engage in commercial activities.

Changing God’s Holy Times?

The little horn in Daniel 7:25 persecuted God’s people who did not accept its change from God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days to man-made holidays, such as Sunday, Christmas and Easter. Under the Code of Justinian, who constituted the first resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire, orthodox Christianity became the only lawful religion. 

It acknowledged the ecclesiastical leadership of the Roman Church, and ordered all Christian groups to submit to her authority. Those who were not orthodox Catholics were forbidden from buying and selling; i.e., conducting business. Indeed, those branded “heretics” faced a death sentence. In general, Christians were many times branded by orthodox Christianity as those who were “Judaizing,” and they were put to death for such practice.

The little horn changed the holy times ordained by God and replaced them with times designated by man to be holy. Today, most Christians follow human traditions, rather than godly injunctions. The little horn, the woman riding the beast, will cause people to accept the mark of the beast under pain of death.

As in the past, the woman, under its coming leader, the “false prophet,” will influence the political power of the revived Roman Empire to command people, via “legislation,” to work during God’s holy times, while prohibiting work at times proclaimed by her to be “holy.” As true Christians cannot and will not abide by the political power’s legislative demands, the woman, by her influence and her teaching, will “cause” the death of true Christians (compare Revelation 13:15).

When the final revival of the ancient Holy Roman Empire is manifesting itself in Europe—a mighty power bloc of ten nations or groups of nations under the leadership of a political and military leader (the beast) in collaboration with a religious leader (the false prophet)—then we will know that Christ’s Return is imminent!

Chapter 6 — Great Britain and Continental Europe in Prophecy

The Bible has prophesied for many centuries that Great Britain would leave the EU. The Church of God has been proclaiming for many years that Great Britain will not be a part of the European unification in its final configuration. The main reason for this warning has been that the Bible predicts a devastating war between Great Britain (as well as the USA) and continental Europe.

Many falsely believe that the house of Israel and the Jewish people are one and the same. But Judah, from whom the Jewish people descended, was just one tribe of the descendants of Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel (Genesis 35:10). They separated from their Israelite brothers and, along with the tribes of Levi and some of Benjamin, formed the “house of Judah.” The other tribes became known as the “house of Israel.” The “house of Israel” went into captivity first, never to return to the “Promised Land.” Today, they are called the “lost ten tribes.” The “house of Judah” also went into captivity but did eventually return to Palestine. Many descendants of the house of Judah are living today in the state of Israel.

In due time, as history and archeology reveal, the lost ten tribes of the house of Israel migrated to and settled in Europe and the British Isles. One tribe in particular, the descendants of Manasseh—the older son of Joseph—migrated from there to the United States of America, where they still are today. The descendants of Ephraim—the younger son of Joseph—can be found in Great Britain and in some of today’s Commonwealth nations [once known as the British Commonwealth], including Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Coming Slavery

The Bible shows that just prior to the Return of Christ, the United States and Great Britain, as well as some of the other Commonwealth nations, will be overthrown and enslaved by a mighty European power bloc, constituting the last revival of the ancient Roman Empire. When we see that hostile relationships continue to develop between continental Europe and the USA, Great Britain and the state of Israel, and that these hostilities are escalating toward outright military confrontations, we know that Christ’s Return is imminent! 

Dismissal of Three Shepherds

A remarkable prophecy for our time can be found in Zechariah 11, which is directed against the USA, the United Kingdom and to some of the Commonwealth nations, as well as the state of Israel. The passage refers specifically to three powerful religious and/or political leaders: “(8) I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me… (14) Then I cut in two my other staff… that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.”

This indicates that in the times just ahead of us, the close relationship between the USA and Great Britain on the one hand, and the state of Israel on the other hand, will cease. We will soon know for sure who the three shepherds or human leaders over these three nations are, or will be, who will be “dismissed” “in one month.”

That the relationship between the USA, the UK and the state of Israel will deteriorate, just prior to Europe’s attack on these powers, is confirmed in Isaiah 9:20–21, which tells us: “… Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. Manasseh (USA) shall devour Ephraim (UK), and Ephraim Manasseh, Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.”

Modern Assyria

The Germans will be the dominant people of the coming united Europe, which will attack and conquer both the United States of America and Great Britain, as well as the state of Israel. Isaiah 10:5 describes the person who will launch the world into a devastating war, stating: “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation.” God will use Assyria to punish Israel and Judah, but afterward, He will deal with Assyria as well.

The Church of God has recognized for a long time that the modern Assyrians can be found today in large parts of Austria and Germany (especially the southern part and perhaps the eastern part of Germany). At least three leaders (the German Otto the Great, the Austrian Charles V and the Austrian Adolf Hitler), and possibly as many as seven leaders (the three Germanic Barbarian tribes and Charlemagne or Charles the Great) of the various revivals of the ancient Roman Empire, were descendants of the Assyrians. The last leader, called the king of the North, the beast, the king of Assyria and King Jareb, will also be an Assyrian. This means that the “beast” will be of German or Austrian descent.

There currently still exists a superficial friendly alliance between Germany and the state of Israel, the United States and Great Britain. However, recent events have shaken that alliance considerably, at least between Europe and the USA and the UK, mostly due to the controversial leadership of President Donald Trump and the Brexit disaster between the UK and the EU.

Help from Assyria?

The time will soon arrive when any friendly relationship between Europe and the USA, the UK and the state of Israel will come to a complete end. The days of calamity are looming, when the United States, Great Britain and the modern state of Israel will seek the help of the modern Assyrians, but will not receive it.

We read God’s words in Hosea 5:9–14: “Ephraim [modern Great Britain and possibly here, by extension, the USA] shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure. The princes of Judah [modern leaders in the state of Israel] are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out My wrath on them like water. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, Because he willingly walked by human precept.

“Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, And to the house of Judah like rottenness. When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound [a military defeat in war and lingering consequences], Then Ephraim went to Assyria… [the German Menge Bible and the New American Bible add: “…and Judah…”] sent to King Jareb [the “beast”—note that the Elberfelder Bible explains that “Jareb” means, “fighter; or one who seeks quarrels”]; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you of your wound. For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.”

Ephraim and Judah will attempt, unsuccessfully, to obtain help from Assyria, perhaps pursuant to a covenant or a treaty that Ephraim and Assyria had entered into (Hosea 12:1). Only later, after they had to experience their terrible destruction through the Assyrians, all of “Israel” will come to recognize reality and turn to God, as Hosea 14:1–3 states:

“O Israel, return to the LORD your God, For you stumbled because of your iniquity… Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, “You are our gods.” For in You the fatherless finds mercy.’”

Considering the former greatness of the British Empire and comparing it with today’s British Isles, we can see how accurate the following descriptions are in Hosea 7:8–9, 11–12. We read in verse 8: “Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned…”

The Nelson Study Bible has the following interesting annotation: “Instead of depending on the Lord for political stability, Israel formed alliances with surrounding nations. The destructive outcome of this policy is compared to a cake that has been placed over a fire and left unturned.”

Captives in Assyria

Modern Israelites and modern Jews will try in vain, at their time of distress, to obtain assistance from Assyria. But quite to the contrary, the Assyrians will fight against modern Israel and Judah. Enslavement and mass deportation of peoples will be the result. Assyria, which will invade the territories of the modern Israelites and the Jewish state, will bring some of the prisoners into its own country (as in the Second World War many of the imprisoned Poles and Yugoslavs were deported to Germany as forced laborers).

Hosea 9:3 tells us: “They shall not dwell in the LORD’s land, But Ephraim shall return to Egypt [not to the land of Egypt, but to “Egyptian” captivity and slavery, as they had endured it in Egypt], And shall eat unclean things in Assyria.” Hosea 11:5 adds: “He shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall be his king.”

What all of this means is that the relationship between Europe and the USA, the UK and the state of Israel will deteriorate more and more. Finally, the last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire will attack the USA, the UK and the state of Israel with nuclear and bio-chemical weapons of mass destruction.

Conduct of European Nations

That war may not only be directed against the state of Israel, Great Britain and some of the Commonwealth nations (such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand), as well as the USA, but also against some of the Israelite nations in Europe (Israelite nations in Europe can be found today in Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden and the northern part of Germany). 

On the other hand, the name of Israel should rest specifically on the descendants of Joseph (Genesis 48:16), the father of Ephraim (the UK) and Manasseh (the USA), and biblical prophecies about the modern house of Israel are mainly directed toward them. Therefore, a departure of other Israelite nations from the EU or even the Eurozone is possible, as we pointed out in the last chapter, but it is not compelling. It is also possible that many or all of the Israelite nations in Europe (apart from the UK) will remain as members of the EU—in the case of France, Belgium, Luxembourg or Ireland, as well as those living in the northern part of Germany, this is very likely.

For instance, none of the descendants of Dan in today’s Ireland are mentioned in the book of Revelation as part of the 144,000 who will be sealed to receive special protection from the awesome plagues of the terrible “Day of the Lord” (see Revelation 7:4–8), perhaps because of their ongoing idolatry and their alliance with or being part of core European nations. Therefore, the possibility exists that some of these Israelite nations will be part of the European power bloc so that they will participate in fighting against the UK and the USA, as well as the state of Israel. Historically, there have been many times when Israelite nations fought against each other.

We read in Zechariah 14:14 that “Judah”—that is, some or many of the Jews from around the world—will fight not only “at,” but also against Jerusalem. (Compare Revised Standard Version; New American Bible; New Jerusalem Bible and the Moffat translation; as well as the German Elberfelder Bible; the Luther Bible 1891; the Luther Bible 1984; the new Luther Bible 2009; the Luther Bible 2017; the Menge Bible; and the Zuercher Bible.)

In addition, other Israelite nations outside “core Europe” might not actively participate in the fighting, but they may not do anything to protect or defend the USA, the UK or the state of Israel. They may stay “neutral,” as the Israelite nation of Switzerland has famously done many times throughout its history, thereby clandestinely supporting both sides.

Core Europe—Not as United as One Might Think

We also need to understand correctly the nature of the ten kings or kingdoms that are forming a coming core Europe. They will not be as united as some may think. They are described in Daniel 2:40–43, as follows:

“And the fourth kingdom [the ancient Roman Empire] shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom [the last revival of the Roman Empire] shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom [the Kingdom of God] which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

This last revival will be very strong militarily. This military might is also described in Daniel 7:7, 23. But it will also be morally corrupt and brutal, and the ten core European nations or groups of nations, under their leaders, will have their own ideas and philosophies. They will have a strong unity regarding military matters, perhaps due to perceived or real threats and dangers from foreign countries; but they will have a rather fragile “unity” in regard to moral and immoral matters.

The appearance of the patchwork of a perceived but rather weak unity might be supported by marriages between the leaders and their relatives of some of those European nations, but those marriages will not bring about unity of mind.

The New Living Translation renders Daniel 2:43 in this way: “This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage.” Literally, it says, through “mixtures of human seeds.”

Since the toes consist of iron and clay, the thought is also conveyed that some of their leaders will be strong, while others will be weak. Still, the military unification will be very powerful, and the present desire for a strong and “real” European army points in that direction. All of this shows us that the Return of Christ is near!

The next major development will be the revelation and manifestation of the “beast”—King Jareb of Assyria—at the same time that ten European nations or groups of nations unite powerfully economically, politically and militarily. Very shortly thereafter, the European power bloc will attack the USA and Great Britain, and the newly created unified European army will invade the Middle East and Jerusalem to suppress the daily sacrifices and to occupy the Third Temple. When ten nations or groups of nations establish themselves as the leading core European nations and give their power and authority to the beast (who will only rule for a very short time), we know that Christ’s Return is imminent!

Chapter 7 — The Beast Identified

Revelation 13 describes the ancient Roman Empire and its ten European revivals. It also refers to the person—the end-time military leader—who is called the “beast” as well (Revelation 13:8; compare also Revelation 16:13; 19:19–20). We already saw that the person who is also identified as the modern king of Assyria or King Jareb (meaning “the contentious fighter”), is revealed as being of German or Austrian descent.

We have also pointed out that the mark of the beast that will be enforced on people, describes the general acceptance of the worship system of the revived Holy Roman Empire, and that it is clearly associated with the violation of God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days, and it includes the observance of manmade pagan holidays. The mark of the beast is not a visible sign or a microchip, but it symbolizes allegiance.

The Number of His Name

In addition, Revelation 13:17 tells us that no one will be able to buy or sell if he does not have the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Verse 18 reveals that the famous “number of the beast” is the “number of a man.” We are told to “calculate” the number, which is 666. King Lateinos was the founder of Rome. In the Greek, every letter has a numerical value. The numerical value for “Lateinos” is 666. Therefore, the beast is identified as the Roman Empire—the number 666 identifying the founder of the Roman Empire—Lateinos.

In the Greek, L stands for 30, A for 1, T for 300, E for 5, I for 10, N for 50, O for 70, and S for 200. These total 666.

Since the designation of the word “beast” can also refer to the end-time representative or ruler of the final revival of that Empire, it is likely that the numerical value of the “name” of that final human leader of the revived Roman Empire will also be 666. The NAME can refer to a literal name, to an adopted name, or to a well-known expression associated with or describing the beast (such as “Heil Hitler” or “Il Duce”). In addition, when people accept his name, they accept what he stands for and what he does.

The number 666 has great meaning in the Bible. In the Greek, this number is written as 600 and 60 and 6. The number 6 is the number of a man who is far from God or alienated from Him. The combination of the number 6 in 666 stands for total separation from God and the unconditional submission to Satan the Devil. Most people will be so deceived that they will worship Satan and his human instruments—the beast and the false prophet—while rejecting the true God and His Law.

The sixth commandment forbids murder in all of its different forms (Exodus 20:13), but man, separated from God, thinks that some kinds of murder are permitted, such as killing in war. Those who will worship and follow the beast and the false prophet will be so deceived that they will not only want to fight against other human beings in war (compare Revelation 13:4), but they are even willing to fight the returning Jesus Christ, thinking perhaps that He is an Alien or “the Antichrist” (compare Revelation 19:17–21; Zechariah 14:1–5, 12–15).

The Beast a Male

Notice that the beast is referred to as a MAN (compare again Revelation 13:18). In other words, the reference is to a male and not to a female. Even though the term “man” could refer to a human being in general (male or female), this is not the meaning in Revelation 13. We read in Revelation 13:8: “All who dwell on the earth will worship HIM whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

If the reference in Revelation 13:8 were strictly to the Roman Empire, then one would expect a statement to the effect that the people would worship IT—the Empire or the beast power. But in the Greek, it says “him” in verse 8. The Zuercher Bible points out that one would expect the statement that people would worship “IT”—rather than “HIM.” But saying that all the earth will worship HIM indicates that a MALE person is meant.

We will recall that the ancient Roman Empire received a deadly wound which was healed (compare Revelation 13:3). We find an interesting expression in Revelation 13:14 where reference is made to the “beast WHO [not “which”] was wounded by the sword and lived.” This might also indicate the fact that not only the Roman Empire received a deadly wound and was healed, but also, that the end-time human leader (“the beast”) will suffer a political defeat (so that one may think he has no future), but that he then will arise again from the historical abyss, so that many will marvel and follow him (compare again verse 3).

The Elberfelder Bible confirms in two footnotes their understanding that in verses 8 and 14, a MALE person is meant, as the pronoun is masculine (“he”), not feminine (“she”) or neuter (“it”).

The accuracy of these observations is confirmed by the Literal Translation of The Englishman’s Greek New Testament; giving the Greek Text of Stephens 1150. It says “which” in the text in Revelation 13:14, with the footnote: “os—who.” There is a similar footnote to Revelation 13:8.

Beast Will Be Worshipped

In Revelation 13:1–4, 8, 11–12, we are told that it is Satan who will give power to the beast (the system as well as the end-time leader), and that the false prophet, who deceives the nations, causes the nations to worship the beast (Revelation 14:9; compare 20:4). This reminds us of past Greek, Roman and European leaders who were literally worshipped and looked upon as God or a god, and this will also be true for the final military leader. Hitler was perceived by many as a messiah, or the “Messiah,” while Mussolini was worshipped as a god by many Italians.

Antiochus a Forerunner

We read in Daniel 8:23–25 that a fierce king or a king “having fierce features” (verse 23); i.e., Antiochus, would arise with sinister schemes and cunning and deceit; and that he would be broken without human means. The New International Version says: “… a stern-faced king, a master of intrigues.” The Revised Standard Version says: “a king of bold countenance, one who understands riddles.” The Authorized Version says: “… understanding dark sentences.” The Living Bible interprets this as “an angry king… with great shrewdness and intelligence.”

The Beast with Fierce Features and Intrigue

Antiochus was a forerunner of the end-time beast. Antiochus died suddenly of a disease, but since this is a dual prophecy, it also refers to the death of the end-time beast by the hand of Jesus Christ, when the beast will be thrown alive into a burning lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). To point out a parallel with the king having fierce features in Daniel 8:23, we read in Deuteronomy 28:50 that the end-time army which will occupy the Middle East is described as a “nation of fierce countenance.”

Daniel 11:21–23 describes Antiochus Epiphanes as having supplanted the ruler and having come into power through intrigue. The end-time beast will act in a similar way. He might also obtain his rule over the ten nations or groups of nations through “intrigue” or “flattery.” In the Living Bible, Daniel 8:25 reads: “He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard as they bask in false security.”

The duality of the prophecies in the book of Daniel has been clearly explained by Jesus Christ Himself. We already saw that the beast (also called the King of the North) will invade the Middle East and, together with the false prophet, he will suppress the daily sacrifices and bring about the abomination of desolation. Jesus Christ confirmed that the abomination of desolation, which Antiochus set up in the Temple (Daniel 11:31), will be set up again (Matthew 24:15). The abomination of desolation has been understood as describing a devastating army occupying Jerusalem as well as the erection of an idol, a statue or an “image,” an ungodly presence such as the man of sin sitting in the Temple of God, or pagan worship services in the Temple.

Anti-Semitic, Anti-American and Anti-British

The beast will be deeply anti-Semitic, anti-American and anti-British. Antiochus, a forerunner of the end-time beast, hated the Jewish religion and tried to ridicule it (by offering swine’s blood on the Jewish altar) and attempted to wipe it out completely. The beast will try to do likewise.

We read in Psalm 83:4–9 about an alliance or a confederacy between Arabic nations and modern Assyria so that “the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (verse 4). The name of Israel would apply to both the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel (mainly the USA and the UK) as well as the Jewish people. But God will view this as a confederacy against Him (verse 5).

We also read in Luke 21:20–24 that the beast and his armies will attack Jerusalem with wrath against the people of Judah.

No Love Toward Women

Another statement about the King of the North is worthy of consideration. We read that he “does not regard the desire of women” (Daniel 11:37).

The old Luther Bible of 1964 translates that he does not care for the love of or have love toward women (“Frauenliebe”). This could be a reference to other than normal sexual preferences. The commentary of Henry speaks of “unnatural lust” in this context. This might indicate that the beast will be homosexual (compare Romans 1:24–28). If the reference is to the homosexual nature of the end-time beast, we could think, as a forerunner, of Emperor Hadrian who massacred the Jews. He was married, but he was also homosexual. The beast could very well be married and still be homosexual, or he might be living in self-imposed celibacy.

The German Schlachter Study Bible says: “Desire of Women could mean that the [beast] is homosexual, but it surely means that he has no normal interest in women such as for example someone who lives in celibacy.”

Acknowledging a Foreign God

Daniel 11:36–39 also states: “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.”

We read earlier that people will worship the beast and the false prophet. In the above-quoted passage in Daniel 11:36–39, we read that the beast will invite such worship. He will exalt himself mightily, above every god (compare Revelation 13:6). At the same time, he will honor with gold, silver, precious stones and pleasant things a god which his fathers did not know (Daniel 11:38), and he will act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god which he will acknowledge and advance its glory (Daniel 11:39). 

This might be a reference to the false prophet whom his fathers did not know and who will proclaim to be God. (Please note that we do not read that the beast will proclaim to be God.) The beast will rely on his cooperation and psychological support in war by giving him much fortune, pretending to accept him as a god who will give victory in war—while at the same time, the false prophet will influence the masses to worship the beast (Revelation 13:12).

It is also implied that the beast will place much confidence in his own military capabilities. People will follow him and glorify him for his war-making abilities (compare again Revelation 13:4).

Coinciding with the Preaching of the Gospel

The Bible shows that the final resurrection of the Roman Empire and the manifestation of the beast will coincide with the end-time preaching of the gospel.

Habakkuk 1:5–10 reads as follows: “Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astonished! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful… They all come for violence… They gather captives like sand. They scoff at kings…”

Isaiah 23:13 tells us that the ancient Assyrians founded the land of the Chaldeans. It will be the modern Assyrians—mainly the German-speaking peoples—who will lead the final resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire.” In ancient times, the Chaldeans were Babylon’s religious leaders, astrologers and magicians.

Habakkuk’s prophecy of Babylonian warfare is clearly awaiting an end-time fulfillment.

Paul later quoted these words and applied them as a warning to people who would reject the gospel message. We read in Acts 13:32–41: “And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers… let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man [Jesus Christ] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. BEWARE therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets COME UPON YOU [quoting Habakkuk 1:5]: ‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you.’”

God said that His Work, the end-time preaching of the gospel, would be powerful, but short. Romans 9:28 states: “For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a SHORT WORK upon the earth.”

The Bible prophesies that at the time when the powerful preaching of the gospel message is being revived, modern Chaldeans or modern Babylon will rise once again in Europe as the seventh and very SHORT-lived resurrection of the ancient “Holy Roman Empire”—a combination between Church and State.

God will use modern Babylon in a literal SWIFT blitzkrieg to punish the modern houses of Israel and Judah for their transgressions (compare also Isaiah 29:13–14, referring indirectly to Habakkuk 1:5). But God will then punish modern Babylon (Habakkuk 2:8)—a system less righteous than modern Israel and Judah (compare Habakkuk 1:12–13).

Demonic Possession

In this context, we read in Habakkuk 1:11 that after the modern Babylonian/Assyrian leader—the beast—has come to power, his mind will change. This term could be a reference to demonic possession. Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says it could describe the invisible presence of a spirit (compare Job 4:15; the word for “passed” in that passage is the same word as for “change” in Habakkuk). We know, of course, from passages such as Revelation 16:13–14, that the beast (as well as the false prophet) will be demonically possessed, but this passage in Habakkuk seems to indicate that the possession will occur after he has received his authority and power from the ten core nations or groups of nations.

Daniel 8:24 says that: “His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.” The Living Bible interprets this to mean: “His power shall be mighty, but it will be satanic strength and not his own.”

However, we would not expect that his entire personality and his way of thinking will change in that he will become anti-Semitic or anti-American/British even though he had been pro-Jewish and pro-American/British before. His latent hostile feelings towards Jews, Americans and Brits had been there all along. But when the demonic possession occurs, these feelings will magnify and lead to extremely violent conduct. 

For instance, Judas Iscariot was always a thief, craving for money; Satan used this problem and influenced and possessed him to betray Christ for money. The point is, Judas was not originally a giving person and only changed into a greedy thief, when Satan possessed him. 

When we see the rise of modern Babylon, the preaching of the gospel and the manifestation of the beast with the characteristics and features as described herein, we will know that Christ’s Return is imminent!

Chapter 8 — The False Prophet Identified

When the end-time beast arises and comes to power, then an influential religious leader will accompany him and will collaborate with him. He is called the “false prophet” in the Bible (Revelation 19:20). We know that Christ’s Return is near when these two leaders manifest themselves on the world scene.

The End-Time Religious System

We already saw that the false prophet will arise within the religious Babylonian mystery system. He is also referred to as someone who claims to be “God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4); the “lawless one” (2 Thessalonians 2:8); and the “prince of Tyre” (Ezekiel 28:1–10). The religion that he represents is described as “the great harlot” (Revelation 17:1); “the mother of harlots” (Revelation 17:5); and “that great and mighty city” (Revelation 17:18; 18:10).

This city is built on seven hills (Revelation 17:9; compare the New English Bible; the Revised English Bible; the New International Version; the New American Bible; the Moffat Translation of the Bible; the Jewish New Testament, by David Stern; the New Jerusalem Bible; the Living Bible; and German Bibles such as Die Gute Nachricht and Hoffnung fuer alle).

It is the almost unanimous conclusion of biblical commentaries that the city referred to is Rome. Indeed, any honest evaluation of Revelation 17:9 must admit that John is describing, in prophetic terms, an end-time religious system which is centered in the seven-hilled city of papal Rome, and which influences and dominates the peoples of this world.

Zechariah 5:5–11 contains another reference to the end-time religious system and its ultimate demise, describing it as “the woman in the basket.” The time will come when Jesus Christ will make an end to the woman’s wickedness. God WILL remember modern Babylon’s iniquities (Revelation 18:5). We read that God will judge “the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He [will avenge] on her the blood of His servants shed by her” (Revelation 19:2).

The False Prophet—a Powerful Sorcerer

We also read in Revelation 18:23 that by the woman’s “sorcery all the nations were deceived.” The implication is that the representatives of that religious system are engaging in sorcery in its different forms and applications. We read that the end-time false prophet, arising out of the religious Babylonian system, will be a powerful sorcerer who will apply magical “arts” and who will work lying signs and wonders with the help of Satan the Devil, thereby deceiving the masses.

The final false prophet had several historical forerunners. The most famous one was perhaps the sorcerer, Simon Magus, who, as we saw, re-established the ancient Babylonian system at the time of the early apostles by giving it a “Christian mantle.”

Another famous sorcerer was Pope Silvester II, who lived at the end of the first century. It is said that he regularly conversed with the Devil, possessed a “brazen head” that spoke to him, and that he could prophesy future events. Pope John XII, who became Pope in 955 A.D. and who in 962 A.D. crowned Otto I as the “Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation,” was also an extremely sinful person. In addition to the myriads of horrible sexual sins and murders, which he committed, he was an addicted gambler; and during gambling sessions, he called on pagan gods or goddesses to grant him luck when rolling the dice.

Other popes who, because of their immorality, were described as “a demon from hell in the disguise of a priest” or who claimed to be a god, were, respectively, Benedict IX, who was born in 1012; and Pope Alexander who was crowned in 1492.

Declaring to Be God

As we saw already, the false prophet will even sit in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, declaring to BE God. The Ryrie Study Bible comments that he “will desecrate the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem by placing himself there to be worshipped. This will be the climax of man’s great sin of self-deification, in open defiance of God” and, as the Nelson Study Bible put it, he will personify “the ultimate fulfillment of the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken of by Daniel.”

The false prophet might use a speaking image or statue of perhaps the “Virgin Mary” or a false “Christ” to back up his claims of divinity and holiness. He will receive power to do “miracles” from Satan himself (compare Revelation 19:20), performing “great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men” (Revelation 13:13–14).

The Prince of Tyre

We also read about the false prophet in Ezekiel 28:2, where he is identified as the “prince of Tyre”: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: … your heart is lifted up, And you say, I am a god [or, God], I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas, Yet you are a man, and not a god [or, God], Though you set your heart as the heart of a god [or, God].”

The false prophet or “the man of sin” will be slain by Christ Himself. Christ will throw him alive, together with the military leader—the “beast”—into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). God asks this religious leader (the prince of Tyre) in Ezekiel 28:9, “Will you still say before him [better, “Him,” Jesus Christ] who slays you, I am a god? [better, “I am God?”]. But you shall be a man, and not a god [or, “God”], In the hand of him [better, “Him”] who slays you.”

Ezekiel 28:8 explains that the “prince of Tyre” or the “false prophet” will be thrown into the pit—the abyss. His influence on the nations will cease and he will die the deaths of those that are slain in the midst of the seas. As they die, so he will die. He will die in disgrace (verse 10), as the uncircumcised do when they die by the hands of strangers.

Great Harmony between the Woman and the Beast?

Sometimes, we might get a wrong perception about the woman riding the beast, thinking that throughout their existence, there was always great harmony between these two powers. That is not the case, and we find that in the very end, the political beast power (the State) will fight against the Roman Catholic Church and those religious organizations (the “daughters” of the “mother” church) which have become a part of it.

We read that the ten end-time kings or kingdoms—the coming core Europe—will ultimately revolt against and persecute the religious Babylonian system, making it “desolate” (Revelation 17:16), apparently confiscating its property. One possibility for their conduct might be that they feel betrayed by that Church, as she had been promising them peace on earth and invulnerability. When they see, instead, that they themselves are going to be overrun by Asiatic hordes and especially the modern Medes (Isaiah 13:17; the Medes are today’s Russians and Ukrainians—part of the “kings of the east”), they might change their minds about that Church. In any event, we are told that it is God who will move their hearts to fulfill His purpose (Revelation 17:17).

It appears that before or while moving toward the place called Armageddon in the Middle East, at least parts of the armies of the “kings of the east” will sweep through Europe, creating devastating havoc there. At that time, the beast and the false prophet will be dwelling in Jerusalem, so they will not be personally affected by these attacks on Europe. Neither will the ten kings and their armies who will also be in or move toward Jerusalem, as they will fight with the beast against the returning Christ (compare again Revelation 17:14).

As we saw, the ten European military leaders will not destroy nor kill the false prophet. Jesus Christ will do this Himself. They may find enough courage to use that part of their armies that is still stationed in Europe to attack the city of Rome and burn her with fire (Revelation 17:16, 18), yet lacking courage to attack the false prophet (who will have the power to work “miracles”).

Struggles Between Kings and Popes

But even historically, as Wikipedia Encyclopedia brings out, the “struggle between kings and popes shaped the western world… After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, there emerged no single powerful secular government in the West. There was however a central ecclesiastical power in Rome, the Catholic Church. In this power vacuum, the Church rose to become the dominant power in the West. The Church expanded in the beginning of the 10th century, and as secular kingdoms gained power at the same time, there naturally arose the conditions for a power struggle between Church and Kingdom over ultimate authority…

“The conflict between Church and State was in many ways a uniquely Western phenomenon… throughout the Middle Ages the Pope claimed the right to depose the Catholic kings of Western Europe, and tried to exercise it, sometimes successfully (see the investiture controversy), sometimes not, as with Henry VIII of England and Henry III of Navarre…”

At other times, a strong alliance between Church and State existed—especially during the periods of the Holy Roman Empire under Justinian and Charlemagne and its subsequent revivals under Otto the Great and Charles V. In the future, the coming, initially strong, European alliance between Church and State will crumble. Ultimately, the religious and economic European system of modern Babylon will end, and so will the city of Rome (Revelation 17:9, 18), which will be destroyed in one day (Revelation 18:8) and in one hour (verse 17).

The Bible does not say whether the strong collaboration between the beast and the false prophet will ultimately lead to hostility and animosity from the beast and even the false prophet toward the Catholic Church, but it is possible. Historically, when focusing on the Pope, great disputes occurred between the Pope and his Church, or between popes themselves. There were times, when the Catholic Church had two or even three simultaneous popes who were all fighting each other.

Attacks on the Catholic Church by Hitler and Mussolini

Considering recent historical military leaders, we may recall that Adolph Hitler was persecuting the institutions and the personnel of the Catholic Church in Germany, as well as in occupied countries, and so did Mussolini, but they did not fight directly against the popes, even though their animosity toward them was well-known.

Wikipedia Encyclopedia states that “Mussolini made vitriolic attacks against… the Catholic Church. Despite making such attacks, Mussolini would try to win popular support by appeasing the Catholic majority in Italy… On 11 February 1929, he signed a concordat and treaty with the Roman Catholic Church… After the concordat, Mussolini reportedly came close to being excommunicated from the Catholic Church.”

Before his death, Hitler had repeatedly denounced the Catholic Church while announcing his intention to destroy Christianity and replace it with a pagan religion. His Nuremberg rallies were actually an invocation of Mars, the pagan god of war, with Hitler being the High Priest.

A Pope… But Who?

When focusing on the false prophet, we learn that he will be possessed by a powerful demon (Revelation 16:13). Since there is a close association between the false prophet and the woman, we conclude that he will be a pope—even though we are NOT told in the Bible that he will be black, or that his name will be Peter, or that he will only have one eye. These are concepts, that are not contained in Scripture—rather, they are “prophecies” from questionable and, in all likelihood, demonic sources.

It is not entirely clear whether the false prophet will be the particular Pope who will be elected by the majority of the Catholic cardinals to be in power at the time of the manifestation of the beast. There is much conflict going on in the Roman Catholic Church today between the Pope and the Vatican and between bishops and cardinals belonging to conservative and liberal factions —as has been the case many times in previous decades and centuries. It might therefore be conceivable that a strong “competitor” to the “duly elected” Pope within the Catholic Church might arise, claiming the title and office of Pope and performing satanic miracles. What we do know for certain is that the false prophet will belong to the religious Babylonian system—he will not arise from Islam or other non-“Christian” religions.

The Bible does not tell us the ancestry of the false prophet. While we are clearly told that the beast will be of Assyrian descent, nothing is mentioned regarding the false prophet. What we need to watch for is a mighty religious “Christian” figure who will begin to perform “miracles,” working together with a charismatic political leader—the beast—and ultimately moving to Jerusalem at the time when the Third Temple is being built or completed. When these events occur, we know that Christ’s Return is near!

Chapter — 9 Europe and Arab Nations

The last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire and the powerful military leader (the beast) will cause the Great Tribulation. Just prior to that time, they will begin, at first, to temporarily collaborate, to an extent, with Arab nations (including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Jordan) and Turkey in their common goal of destroying “Israel” (Psalm 83:1–8). This collaboration might not endure until the Return of Christ.

No Seven-Year Contract

However, there is no biblical suggestion that a seven-year contract will be entered into between the “beast” and those or other Arab nations, which will allegedly be broken after 3-½ years.

The passage that is sometimes quoted for the false proposition of a seven-year contract (Daniel 9:27) does not refer to such an end-time physical covenant. Rather, it addresses the death of Jesus Christ in the middle of the week (Wednesday, when He was crucified) after His 3-½ year long public ministry. His death did away with or “brought to an end” the sacrificial system of animal sacrifices and “confirmed” the spiritual New Covenant with His people for one prophetic week or seven years (Christ will fulfill the remaining 3-½ years of His seven year long ministry when He returns).

It is revealed however that the European invasion of the Holy Land will occur when animal sacrifices will be brought there by the Jews, apparently during or after the completed construction of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount (Daniel 8:11–14; 11:31; 12:11–12). The beast will invade the Holy Land and conquer countries such as Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia (Daniel 11:41–43).

But note that the countries mentioned in Daniel 11:41–43 are NOT the same as the countries mentioned in Psalm 83 with which the beast will have a temporary alliance. In fact, Daniel 11 specifically mentions that those countries (mentioned in Psalm 83) will “escape” the hands of the beast.

A Mahdi Before Christ’s Return?

Many believe, based on prophecies contained in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, that immediately before the Return of Jesus Christ, a powerful Arab leader— a religious “Mullah” or Mahdi, many times imagined to be the “king of the South”—will arise in the Middle East. Daniel 11:40–41 says: “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack [or: push at] him [the king of the North]; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown…”

Historically, and reviewing the entire biblical prophecy in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, we can determine that at the time described in verse 40, the king of the North constituted the ninth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, or the sixth resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire, led by Mussolini and Hitler.

At that time, the modern remnant of the “king of the South” of this prophecy was Ethiopia. The prophecy in Daniel 11:40 WAS FULFILLED in 1896, when King Menelik II of Ethiopia “pushed at” the Italians and defeated Italy at Aduwa. In 1935, Mussolini responded when the king of the South was Emperor Haile Selassie. Mussolini came against Ethiopia like a whirlwind, using airplanes, and conquered it.

But, what about today, or the immediate future? Will there occur another conflict between the king of the North—the final LEADER of the 10th resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, or the 7th resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire—and a king of the South, a final LEADER in the Middle East? Perhaps—but not necessarily so.

Let us first address the concept of a future religious figure, a Mahdi, who will allegedly unite many Muslim nations and attempt to establish the Muslim religion in all the world. This is strictly a Muslim concept. The Bible nowhere says that a Muslim Mahdi will appear in the Middle East or elsewhere, in an attempt to unite Arab and Muslim nations (which would also require healing the long-time animosity between Shias and Sunnis) and to establish a power bloc, ruled by the Muslim religion.

A Future King of the South?

In addition, we need to emphasize that the prophecy in Daniel 11:40 has ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED, and verse 40 is the LAST TIME that the king of the South is mentioned! Beginning with the second half of verse 40, we read exclusively about the king of the North and his activities, and, in verse 44, about rumors from the east and the west.

Some point out that Daniel 11:40 speaks specifically about the time of the end, and that therefore a future king of the South must still arise just prior to Christ’s Return. However, the book of Daniel includes several examples where the terms “the last days” or the “time of the end” are used, without necessarily referring to just a few years prior to Christ’s Return.

For instance, we read in Daniel 2:28 that a dream about a statue was to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar “what will be in the latter days.” The dream described four successive world empires that would arise on the world scene, and the fourth empire (the Roman Empire) would survive (through ten successive revivals) until the Return of Christ. Much of the dream related to events a long time prior to the last revival of the Roman Empire with ten kings at the time of Christ’s Return—the “stone” or Rock which would smite and destroy the ten toes of the statue (verse 44–45).

Something similar can be found in Daniel 8:17, 19, which talks about “the time of the end” and the “latter time of the indignation.” The entire passage starts with the time of ancient Media and Persia, followed by Alexander the Great and, sometime later, Antiochus Epiphanes, then culminating in certain events which apparently end with the last King of the North at the time of Christ’s Return. (We understand of course the dual application of this prophecy, as we discussed earlier.)

When reading Daniel 12:4, 9, we are told that the book of Daniel would be sealed “until the time of the end,” but that then “knowledge” in general and the right understanding of the book would increase. This most certainly started to occur under the late Herbert W. Armstrong (the human leader of the now-defunct Worldwide Church of God) who died in 1986.

Viewing Daniel 11:40 and the historical events in this light, we note that there DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ANOTHER end-time king of the South. If one were to arise, following the historical and biblical records as set forth in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, it would have to be, mainly, modern Ethiopia.

But ALL THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED (and which the previous king of the North—Mussolini—did NOT fulfill), is the invasion of the Glorious Land by the future and final king of the North (verse 41), including Jerusalem (verse 45), as well as the overthrow of “many countries” (verse 41), including Egypt, while the “Libyans and Ethiopians” will follow at his heels (verse 43).

It is entirely possible that the prophecy in verse 40 is dual and a type of future events to be repeated—but it DOES NOT HAVE TO BE this way. It is NOT necessary, based on biblical prophecy, that there will still arise an end-time “king of the South,” attacking or pushing at the end-time king of the North. Christ could return without such an event having to occur first.

Also, a final king of the South would not be from Egypt, and he would not constitute a confederacy of Arab nations led by Egypt. Rather, Ethiopia would be the only possible government that could be the final king of the South.

Until Mussolini, Ethiopia was the only country in all East Africa that continued to stay independent from the Roman Empire throughout history, and that had a government and kingdom dating back before the Roman Empire. It was the southern part of the ancient kingdom of the South. It was the only possible government to be the king of the South under Mussolini, and it would therefore be the only possible government for a final appearance of a king of the South.

Ethiopia in Collaboration With Other Arab Nations?

Of course, Ethiopia could be a leading nation in collaboration with Arab nations. We read an interesting prophecy in Ezekiel 30:1–9, 18–19 for the time of the “day of the LORD” (a reference to the end time). 

IF some of the nations mentioned there refer to Ethiopia and Libya (but note the next chapter of this booklet), then we would be told that the sword will come upon Egypt, as well as on additional countries like Ethiopia (Cush), Libya (Put), and Lydia (or Lud; compare Jeremiah 46:8–9, which would show that Egypt, Ethiopia, Lydia and Libya would be allies at that time of the end; note that the New King James Bible translates Cush as “the Ethiopians” and Put as “the Libyans”). 

Verses 4–5 refer to Chub, which is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture; the passage could also read, “and ALL (Chub) the men of the lands who were allied…” We also read specifically in verse 18 that at that time of the “day of the LORD”, Egyptians will go into captivity (through the king of the North, compare Daniel 11:42).

Even though Ezekiel 30 does not refer to those nations as being the king of the South, they seem to describe a power bloc in opposition to the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Assyrian (German or Austrian) leadership. None of these countries referred to in Ezekiel 30 are mentioned in Psalm 83:1–8. It appears, then, that the countries mentioned in Psalm 83, which are allied WITH Assyria, are different from the countries, mentioned in Ezekiel 30, which are apparently allied AGAINST Assyria.

As the ninth revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Mussolini, was comprised of several nations and powers, including Hitler’s Germany, and as the final revival of the king of the North will consist of ten European nations or groups of nations, under Assyrian leadership, so if there is to be a future king of the South, he might very well constitute a coalition of Middle Eastern nations, under Ethiopian leadership.

When wanting to consider prophesied end-time events in the Middle East, we must foremost look at Europe under German leadership and the final revival of the Roman Empire. When we see modern Assyria (Germany) form an alliance with certain Muslim nations against Israel; when we see ten European nations or groups of nations transfer their power to the beast—a military leader of German or Austrian descent—and when we see that the beast will shortly thereafter invade the Middle East and fight against the state of Israel and other Arab nations, then we know that the Return of Jesus Christ will be imminent!

Chapter 10 — The Kings of the East—a Far Eastern Power Bloc

The Bible tells us that in the near future, a military power bloc in the Far East will form which will be hostile toward continental Europe. This power bloc is referred to in Scripture as the kings of the East.

The 200 Million “Horsemen”

We are first introduced to the kings of the East and their powerful armies and weapons in Revelation 9:13–21, which describes the appearance of 200 million “horsemen” from the east (Revelation 9:14, 16).

We should note that Revelation 9:16 literally says, “… and the number of armies of the cavalry two myriads of myriads…” The word for “horsemen” or “cavalry” is hippicon, which is derived from hippos, meaning “horse.” The New Bible Commentary: Revised explains: “… the horsemen seem to be of little account; it is the horses that terrify and destroy.”

Some claim the reference of the huge number is strictly symbolic; others state that the army describes a force of 200 million demons. But since the emphasis is on the “horses” or tanks and other deadly weaponry, the thought should be considered that the tanks are not directed by human beings, but by robots. Far Eastern nations, especially, are already heavily engaged in creating and cloning artificial intelligence (AI) machines. Regardless, what is prophesied pictures massively armed military forces. 

Coming War Between Europe and Far Eastern Nations

The attack of the kings of the East on Europe will occur shortly after Europe’s invasion of the Middle East and Europe’s attack on the kings of the East (Daniel 11:41–45). This attack is described in Revelation 9:1–12.

This first phase of the coming war between Europe and Asia is also alluded to in Daniel 11:44.

The European forces will attack the kings of the East—Russia, China, Japan and other Asian countries—after rumors from those areas will have disturbed the “beast” (the coming European military leader), perhaps indicating that these Asian nations are planning an attack on Europe and the Middle East. Interestingly enough, the European nations will use weapons that will not kill, but only torment the Asian peoples for five months (Revelation 9:5). They will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them (verse 6). These weapons will not destroy the grass of the earth, nor any green thing or any tree (verse 4). Based on this description, it is apparent that the European forces (described as flying locusts, verses 3, 7, 9) will not use nuclear or conventional weapons, but that they will engage in some kind of biological or chemical warfare.

Far Eastern Nations Will Retaliate

The kings of the East will fight Europe in retaliation for the attack of the European power bloc. The tormented Asian nations will respond with a counter attack (compare also Revelation 9:17 with Joel 2:4), but their actions will be ruthless and merciless. They will use nuclear weapons of mass destruction and kill “a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:15), showing that the effect of their actions will kill many Europeans, although it will not be limited to just European nations. Other passages tell us that ultimately, Europe will be destroyed by these Asian nations, and the beginning of this destruction will undoubtedly commence with this counter attack, but additional attacks will follow.

Shortly before Christ’s Return, at least parts of the armies of the kings of the East—mainly the modern Russians and Ukrainians—will apparently sweep through Europe and create devastating havoc there. Jeremiah 51:27–28 refers to horses as coming up against Babylon like bristling locusts, indicating that they will use some of their tanks and their air force to destroy modern Babylon.

The Modern Medes

The Bible shows that after the ten European nations, under the authority of a modern Assyrian leader of German or Austrian descent, subdue and conquer many nations, including the USA and the UK, they themselves will be defeated in war by the modern Medes. Compare Isaiah 13:17, which describes the destruction of modern “Babylon” through the hand of the modern “Medes” or Russians and Ukrainians. Verses 6, 9 and 13 designate the timing as occurring during the “day of the LORD.” Compare also Isaiah 21:2.

In ancient times, the Medes lived in present-day Iran. Originally under Assyrian rule, they revolted against and expelled the Assyrians and imposed their rule over the Persians. They then attacked Nineveh and overthrew the Assyrian Empire. Under Cyrus the Great, the Medes and the Persians were considered as one people. The Encyclopedia Britannica (ed.1959) points out that at least some of the Medes were not Iranians or Indo-Europeans, but perhaps connected with the numerous tribes of the Caucasus. The modern Medes, then, are to be found in modern Russia and surrounding areas, including Ukraine.

Assembling at Armageddon

At the same time or shortly after their final attack on Europe, the kings from the East will be crossing the dried-up river Euphrates to move their armies and equipment to a place called “Armageddon” in the Middle East (Revelation 16:12, 16). “Armageddon” or the “hill of Megiddo” (“har” meaning “hill” in Hebrew; in German, the word is Harmageddon) is about 55 miles or 90 kilometers north of Jerusalem, and about 15 miles or 25 kilometers inland from the Mediterranean Sea.

Megiddo is a huge mound with a commanding view of the long and fertile valley of Jezreel—an ideal place for armies to gather. The kings from the East, as well as all of the other kings of the earth, will be influenced by Satan and the demonically possessed beast and the false prophet to assemble there together (Revelation 16:13–14), to combine their forces with the beast’s armies to fight the returning Christ.

We do not read that there will be a battle at Armageddon—the “battle” will be fought farther south in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which is called today the “Kidron Valley,” which borders Jerusalem on the east. That “battle” as described in the 19th chapter of the book of Revelation and in the 14^th chapter of the book of Zechariah, pictures the Return of Jesus Christ. Christ will supernaturally destroy and wipe out those armies trying to fight Him (Revelation 19:15, 21; Zechariah 14:12, 15), and the beast and the false prophet will be thrown, through the “breath” or word “of His mouth” (2 Thessalonians 2:8), into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20) to be consumed and burned up there.

Some claim that the army that Christ will destroy at His return will consist of “two hundred million” human beings. However, even if the reference in Revelation 9:16 to 200 million “horsemen” refers to human soldiers at that prior time, the Bible does not say that the kings from the East will again move two hundred million Asian soldiers to the Middle East and Armageddon. We do not know how many soldiers will be present at Armageddon and at the subsequent battle in the Kidron Valley.

No Russian Attack on America and Israel Prior to Christ’s Return

Some feel that the kings of the East or the Asiatic hordes will also attack the descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah—including America, Great Britain and the state of Israel—before Christ returns. They refer to Ezekiel 38 and 39 in this context.

However, these events will occur AT THE VERY BEGINNING of the Millennium—shortly AFTER Christ has returned. (We learned earlier that prior to the return of Christ, the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah will be attacked and conquered by the modern Babylonian system of Europe—not by the Asiatic hordes.)

Ezekiel 38:8 emphasizes that the Asiatic hordes will attack Israel and Judah when those living in the Promised Land have been “brought back from the sword and gathered from among many people.” It is emphasized that they are THEN dwelling “safely.” Verse 12 also reiterates that these former “waste places” are “again inhabited,” and that the people of Israel, who were gathered from the nations, “have acquired livestock and goods.”

We read in Ezekiel 38:11 that the people of Israel will live in “unwalled villages;” that they are a “peaceful people, who dwell safely,” “without walls, and having neither bars nor gates.” This shows that the events will not occur PRIOR to Christ’s Return, as the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah do not live in peace today, and they will not live in peace, without walls, bars or gates, prior to Christ’s Return.

Also, Ezekiel 38:8 refers to the “mountains of Israel” where the modern house of Israel will live at that time (compare Ezekiel 39:12, 22, 23, 29)—but the modern house of Israel does not presently reside there at all, nor will they live there prior to Christ’s Return.

Far Eastern Nations Identified

Ezekiel 38 identifies the Asiatic nations and armies. This gives us a clue as to who the nations of the kings of the East will be that will attack Europe and that will invade the Middle East prior to Christ’s Return. Therefore, we will observe a growing military collaboration between those nations in the near future, and when we do, we know that Christ’s Return is near!

Ezekiel 38:2–3, 5, 6 speaks of “Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal,” as well as “Persia, Ethiopia and Libya,” “Gomer and… the house of Togarmah.”

“Gog” means “mountain” or “high” and seems to be a reference to a commander (compare also verse 7). As he is called “Gog of the land of Magog,” and also “the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” it appears that at that time the leader of the future kings of the East and the nations under his command will be Chinese.

Magog has been understood as a reference to the Mongols—or more generally, China. “Rosh,” meaning “blond,” is a reference to the White Russians or Ukrainians. “Meshech” is another designation for the city of Moscow, and “Tubal” for the city of Tobolsk. Meshech and Tubal, being sons of Japheth—the father of the Eurasian peoples—and brothers of Gomer and Magog (compare Genesis 10:2), seem to refer here to the Great Russians. Included in this entire description are the vast regions in northern Eurasia extending from the Baltic to the Pacific.

Persia designates modern Iran; and Ethiopia (Cush in Hebrew) includes the people of Ethiopia, but also peoples in Central and Southern India and parts of Sri Lanka. Cush’s sons, Seba and Raamah (Genesis 10:7), and Raamah’s son Sheba (same verse), were later worshipped by Hindus as the gods Shiva and Ramah.

Libya (Put in Hebrew) includes the people of the state of Libya, as well as people from Northern and Central India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

As we read earlier that Ethiopia and Libya will be conquered by the beast prior to Christ’s return, they will not be part of the kings of the East at that time, but they might become part of that collaboration after Christ’s return, unless in Ezekiel 38, Cush and Put refer exclusively to the peoples of Southern India, Sri Lanka, Northern and Central India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Gomer seems to designate the peoples from the Asian steppes and deserts, including people from the region of Mongolia. Finally, the reference to “Togarmah from the far north” (Ezekiel 38:6) has been understood as a reference to the people living in Siberia.

We note that certain other Far Eastern countries are not mentioned in Ezekiel 38, such as Japan and Korea, but it is highly likely that they will be part of the kings of the East prior to Christ’s Return.

We read in the 38th and 39th chapters of the book of Ezekiel that God will supernaturally intervene and destroy those Asian warring nations.

Another Attack at the End of the Millennium

In passing, a similar final attack on Jerusalem will occur when the Millennium is ending and Satan is “released from his prison” for a short while. He will “go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:7–8).

We know that this is not the same incident as the one described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, as major differences are listed. For instance, Revelation 20:8 speaks of the hostile nations which are in “the four corners of the earth,” while Ezekiel 38:15 and Ezekiel 39:2 say that they come from “the far north.”

Also, the nations referred to in Revelation 20 are not necessarily identical with those mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39, but they are mentioned symbolically in the book of Revelation to signify those who are opposing God and following Satan. They will try to conquer Jerusalem, but God will supernaturally destroy them (Revelation 20:9). This will be the very last time that man will try to fight in war.

When we see that Far Eastern nations, including Russia, China, Japan, Korea, India and Pakistan, are forming a military power bloc at approximately the same time as a core European military power bloc of ten nations or groups of nations is forming, we know that Christ’s Return is near!

Conclusion

God gave His Church the commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness. When this occurs, we know that Christ’s Return is near, as the proclamation of the true gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness is the ONLY SIGN which Christ gave for the end of this present evil society; His imminent Second Coming; and the establishment of God’s Government on this earth.

We have explained in this booklet that the gospel includes a warning message of events that WILL occur during the Great Tribulation, showing that the warning must logically PRECEDE the time of the beginning of the Great Tribulation!

Not Far Off

We do not set any dates, but we can tell from the signs of the times that Christ’s Return cannot be that far off (compare Matthew 24:32–33). It is therefore very important not to fall into the self-destructive trap of some who claim that their Lord delays His coming (Matthew 24:48) and that He will not come for a long time. The Bible clearly warns against such an attitude.

Peter told us in 2 Peter 3:3–4 that in our time, “scoffers will come in the last days… and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’” Peter continued to tell us that they “willfully forget” that God has patience with us (verse 9), but that His patience will run out, stating, “the day of the Lord WILL COME as a thief in the night” (verse 10).

Ezekiel 12:21–28 adds this pronouncement for us today, and we had better take it to heart:

“And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails”? Tell them therefore, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’”

“‘But say to them, “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak WILL COME TO PASS; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord God.’”

“Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, “The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.” Therefore say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak WILL BE DONE,’ says the Lord GOD.”’”

In this booklet, we have described major prophetic end-time events that are surely coming to pass. As you see the fulfillment of these developments, you KNOW that Christ’s Return is indeed very near!