Like a chestnut tree

Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire family which He brought up from the land of Egypt: “You only have I known among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your wrongdoing.” (Amos 3:1-2)

Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great panic within her and the oppressions in her midst. But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who store up violence and devastation in their citadels.” Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “An enemy, one surrounding the land, will take down your fortifications from you, and your citadels will be looted.” (Amos 3:9-11)

It is easy to interpret that the OT prophecies are about God’s anger towards the Israelites who did not keep the Law. And the emphasis on the Law is evident in the Book of Nehemiah and the Book of Ezra. Although the importance of keeping the Law was emphasized after the return of the exiles, the minds of the most Israelites did not change.

In the early years of the Reformation, God’s grace was in the center. As time went, the Law and sin became the focus. Adam became a supreme being in people’s thoughts because he was born sinless. Many theologians and ministers praise Adam who was sinless and was living in the garden of Eden. They want to go back to Eden. Consequently, ministers talk rarely about the Spirit and the kingdom of God. Churches are re-living the OT time. Now I see that the history repeats. But this is also God’s will. Those without the Spirit will understand neither the OT nor the NT.

In Amos 4, this phrase is repeated multiple times: “Yet you have not returned to Me.” Although God showed the Israelites the signs and wonders, they did not understand or have faith in God. Whenever God tested them, they failed and followed idols. The greatest idolatry is written in Exodus 32. They made a golden calf and believed that it was God who had brought them out of Egypt. While Moses was receiving the instructions concerning the Tabernacle where the lawful worship of God must happen, they invented their own ways of worshiping God including making the golden calf. They did not want God to have His own wills or thoughts. This history repeated throughout the history of Israel. And the golden calf appears again in 1 Kings 12.

After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. (1 Kings 12:28)

The Tabernacle was replaced by the temple built by king Solomon in Jerusalem. It was God’s will that Solomon built the temple as a shadow of the coming kingdom. The temple in Jerusalem was the only authorized place of worship. But king Jeroboam did not want his people to go to Jerusalem. So he made two golden calves, one in Dan and the other in Bethel. Jeroboam I was appointed to become the first king of the Northern Israel by God, but he did not know or thank God. All the kings of the Northern Israel did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam I. And Amos prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, who was no different from Jeroboam I. It is believed that Jeroboam II had much wealth and the Northern Israel prospered during his reign. But God announced that their wealth would become nothing in Amos 3:14-15. Even though God warned them, they did not return to God as written in Amos 4.

When the Reformation happened in the 16^th century, God gave people the zeal to worship Him right and to leave the false ways of worshiping God, which the Roman Catholic church invented. Looking at the Protestant churches around the world now, they have become like the Roman Catholic church. Even though God sent prophets and disasters, they do not turn away from the evil ways. Instead, they persecute those who speak truths of God.

Since the coronavirus, the natural disasters appear everywhere in the world and more frequently than before. But the churches continue to do their evil ways and say that God will save them. They are Adam-worshipers and people-pleasers. They think they are chosen by God. I am not saying that people should keep the Law to get saved. Everyone goes as destined. Obedience to God is the result of being born again by water and the Spirit. Obedience is not the condition to get saved. Rather, it is the result of being one with God.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

Only those chosen by grace before the world began will be saved. The rest will be judged according to their deeds. The Bible is there as the evidence. The warnings are there but they block their ears and cover their eyes.

“Therefore so I will do to you, Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God, Israel.”
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind,
And declares to a person what are His thoughts,
He who makes dawn into darkness
And treads on the high places of the earth,
The Lord God of armies is His name. (Amos 4:12-13)

The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. (Amos 1:1)

Amos was from Judah but was sent to the Northern Israel to announce judgements of God. Although he was sent to the Northern Israel, his prophecies are against both Judah and Israel as well as other nations. His contemporaries are believed to be Micah and Hosea. Each of them speaks of similar prophecies and yet, they are not exactly the same. Amos was a farmer and a shepherd. And we read in many places in the Bible that God is like a farmer who plants, grows and harvests. God also refers Himself as a shepherd, a landowner or a potter.

When I first started to understand the Bible back in 2017, I realized that God is practical, logical, and rational. I don’t know how I can describe my understandings of God. Only the words of God accurately describe God. Many ministers describe God as a sentimental and emotional being who cries and sympathizes. This view of God is common in Evangelical and/or Pentecostal churches. Many Christians think that the presence of the Spirit is like fire, meaning some kind of emotional outburst. Some think they experience the presence of the Holy Spirit if they cry or show erratic behaviors. Music can encourage such experiences. Therefore, music is important during an assembly in those churches. Some may say that the Holy Spirit has many faces and characters. They often quote Revelation 3:15-16. But the verses refer to how we keep water or food fresh. We either put water/food in the fridge or heat them so that bacteria won’t grow. The verses are not about God having multiple personalities. The Holy Spirit does not speak against the words of God. No matter how many people are physically cured by a minister, if he does not hold the sound doctrines, he has not received the Holy Spirit and thus, is a false Christian. An anti-Christ carefully mixes truths with lies like the devil.

Amos 1 and 2 tells us that God knows every sin of a person. Everyone on the earth must show the glory of God because He is the Creator. However, many refuse to worship Him. They refuse to love Him and their neighbors. Even His chosen people of Israel in the OT were no different from those who followed idols. Can anyone escape from God’s judgements? God knows who, when, where, what, and how one has sinned. And every sin is recorded so that no one can argue with Him.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (Revelation 20:12)

Is there any difference between people who call themselves Christians and those who are not Christians? According to Amos 1 and 2, they are the same. Even those who have received the Holy Spirit can be evil. Ministers and theologians encourage people to believe that they have the Holy Spirit because they do good works such as going to church every Sunday, participating in church activities, helping the poor, etc. But the saints know that there is nothing good in us. We live the life of Romans 7.

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold into bondage to sin. For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate. However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner person, but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:14-25)

What does going to a church every Sunday do to God? Should God thank people for worshiping Him? Christians think they are doing some kind of favor to God by going to church on Sundays and participating in church activities. The truth is that they are happy to listen to lies about God and sing men-made songs on Sundays. They contribute some money to their churches and boast that they help God build the kingdom. These people are full of excrement inside, but they wash only their body and say they are clean. I saw in my dream that many people went to a spa place to relax and heal, and they looked satisfied and happy. But the place did not have a toilet even though they were full of dung and urine.   

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27)

Therefore so I will do to you, Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, Israel. (Amos 4:12)

Woe to you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light; (Amos 5:18)

The next book we will go through is the book of Amos. Amos appears different from other prophets because he addresses himself as a simple farmer. Many commentators think Amos was an educated man who became a farmer. But Amos himself says he is no more than a farmer. He says that he is not a prophet. It may be that people who called themselves a prophet at that time were highly educated, hold priestly roles, and/or teach others about the Law. Amos did not see himself as a prophet. He knew that he was not educated. However, God made Amos a prophet. Amos spoke as God spoke to him.

Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’ (Amos 7:14-15)

People think that one should read and study a lot to know God. Most Christians regard highly of those who read many theology books and hold a PhD degree in theology. These educated people like to speak in front of others and teach them. Looking at how churches around the world are doing, I think many theologians/ministers do not speak the truths of God. They are not sad about what is happening in their own churches. They are simply ignorant. Churches are full of people who follow false doctrines. They say they know the Bible. But they seek people’s praises.

To understand the book of Amos, it is important to know the history of Israel after king Solomon. I’d advise you to read 1 and 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. The Bible is not about how to live a moral life. Our righteousness is not from a man’s will and efforts. I heard many sermons concerning great men and women in the Bible. Ministers often encourage people to become like them. All men and women are corrupt. And we will read that God was not pleased with king David either.

Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves (Amos 6:5)

We cannot initiate good works. Our proud minds always rebel against God. We are no different from Adam who rebelled against God. All people deserve to die. But God saves some for His kingdom.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

The city shall be eighteen thousand cubits all around; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD is there. (Ezekiel 48:35)

The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. (Revelation 3:12)

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

I heard that there are people who try to build a temple for God on the earth. The Bible simply tells us that we cannot and do not build a temple for God on the earth. Revelation 3:12 says that the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven from God. I also heard of stories that some people try and have tried to find the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is in heaven so no one can find it on the earth.

And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. (Revelation 11:19)

All people were born totally depraved. And they worship idols until the Holy Spirit comes to them. They say they believe in God but do not understand what the Bible teaches. God does not live in a building that men made. In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites thought they had the control of divine power because of the Ark. God taught them a lesson when the Ark was taken by the Philistines. Even now, there are Christians who think God is something they can possess. They worship pictures, statues, objects they call relics, buildings, etc. What they really want is material prosperity, power, and a sense of security on the earth. The Bible teaches that the earth is the very opposite of their definition of a paradise. The earth is only a training ground. The real kingdom is coming.

The Ark and the Tabernacle/Temple in the OT symbolizes the real kingdom, where God dwells with His chosen people forever. The saints will see God face to face. And God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Earlier I mentioned that the temple shows the Law of God. In other words, the temple is the words or the Word of God, Christ. The Father and the Son are one (John 10:30). And the chosen people who are united with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit are the bride of Christ, the kingdom of God. God as the temple dwells in the midst of His people (kingdom).

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking about the temple of His body. (John 2:19-21)

And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, “It is written: ‘MY HOUSE WILL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a DEN OF ROBBERS.” (Matthew 21:12-13)

Ezekiel speaks of the river flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47. John also mentions of this river in Revelation 22. Water is Christ, the Word of God (John 1:1). And the river nourishes the tree of life (Revelation 22:2) that bears twelve kinds of fruit and the leaves that heal the nations. The temple does not need regular maintenance or repairing like a building on the earth. God is the same yesterday, now, and future. His words never fail. He is faithful and true.

The right to become the children of God is freely given to those whom God has chosen before the time began. Everyone goes as destined by God.

Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy.” “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. (Revelation 22:11-15)

… you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel. (Exodus 19:6)

Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and teach them to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. In a dispute they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My ordinances. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts, and sanctify My Sabbaths. (Ezekiel 44:23-24)

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)

When God built the Israel nation, it was a shadow of the reality. The Israel nation was not the kingdom God had planned before creation. The last chapters of Ezekiel illustrate the new kingdom and the fulfillment of the promise given to the Israel nation in Exodus 19:6.

Although it was given to the Israel nation, not all received this promise. As Paul explains in Romans 9, those who have received God’s mercy and have faith in God are the true Israelites.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel. (Romans 9:6)

The saints are the priests of the kingdom of God. And that is the very purpose of creation.

But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9)

Revelation 19-22 tell us the end of creation. Those chapters explain why God created all things. Once the kingdom is established, there is no need for the old system.

During the Reformation, the reformers did not understand why Revelation was written. Calvin wrote commentaries for most book of the Bible but not for Revelation. Luther also did not want to discuss much about the book. We must understand that God planned everything before creation. Therefore, the end explains what has happened in Genesis. God did not and does not change like men do. God’s will is the kingdom, the group of trained people who are united with Him through His Son and the Holy Spirit. The saints rule with God and serve Him wholeheartedly. We become the adopted sons of God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. As written in Ezekiel 44:23-24, the roles of the priests are to teach and to judge people. This means they have the knowledge of God and are given the authority to judge. They are united with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:15-17)

When we read Genesis, we understand why we are chosen to become the kingdom. Adam was a shadow of Christ. And Eve was created for him as a helper. I consider that the purpose of all creation is the church, the bride of Christ. And God made her for His only begotten Son.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

False Christians think the whole world exists for them. They consider Christ as a tool to get saved. They say they love Christ. But they love only themselves. They always praise men and their works. On the other hand, the saints know exactly why we are created. We are created for God. More precisely, we are created for Christ as a helper suitable for Him.

When I was in a Reformed church, I heard people saying that they are privileged. It appears that most of them are proud to have been born in a Christian family and raised in the Reformed faith. I consider that the privilege that the saints have on the earth is the right to pray to God. And our prayers are heard by God because He chose us before the time began and gave us the Holy Spirit. However, the public prayers that I heard in the Reformed church were not different from those I had heard in other churches who do not hold the Reformed faith. The elders and the ministers in a Reformed church elaborates all the things that they want God to do in their prayers as if He does not know what is happening in the world.

When God gave specific instructions concerning the Tabernacle, He gave them the ingredients of the incense in Exodus 30. Incense is the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8). And Christ taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). The Reformers like Calvin emphasized the importance of the Lord’s prayer. But I heard the Lord’s prayer very rarely in the Reformed church. Instead, they recited the Apostle’s Creed and the Confessions frequently. I think this tradition is strong in all Reformed churches. Ministers are proud that they follow the Reformed faith and yet, they boast about and praise what men did. They study the Confessions diligently but never encourage people to read the Bible. How are they different from the Pharisees? Their crooked minds are often revealed by their actions. These people do not like singing in God’s words during public worships. They are false Christians who pretend to hold the Reformed faith and yet, entice others. They like praying in public but despise the Lord’s prayer.

The true priests of the Lord know how to pray because the Bible teaches us how to pray. We do not pray to please people. Christians often say, “I will pray for you” as if they do others some kind of favor. I rarely say that because God has plans for everything and everyone. We do not pray to change God’s plans by praying for the same thing repeatedly and persistently. True Christians do not pray to receive praises from others.

But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him. (Habakkuk 2:20)

And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the corpses of their kings when they die, by putting their threshold by My threshold, and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them. And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them remove their prostitution and the corpses of their kings far from Me, and I will dwell among them forever. (Ezekiel 43:7-9)

From chapter 40, we read about the new temple, the new city, and the new kingdom.
The new temple is a strange one because it resembles the Tabernacle and the Solomon’s temple that were built previously and yet, it is the everlasting temple. Christ has fulfilled and fulfills all the laws and prophecies. And there is no need for keeping the ceremonial laws as explained in the Book of Hebrews. The ceremonial Law and the judicial Law of Israel are no longer necessary in the church era. However, God says this one is the everlasting temple, where He dwells forever. This does not indicate the revival of the old system. However, the new system is also the old system. They are not completely different. They are the same in essence. The essence is love.

Ezekiel was living in Babylon. But his prophecies do not include the demise of Babylon like other prophetic books. Instead, he was given the task to write about the new kingdom. God is the greatest architect and had planned the kingdom before He created everything. The garden of Eden was not the kingdom. We are not returning to the garden of Eden.

It is known that Nebuchadnezzar was a great architect and built buildings like Etemenanki and the Hanging gardens. The city Babylon was built by the river the Euphrates. And the temple, the new Jerusalem, and the new kingdom in Ezekiel 40 to 48 are contrast to Etemenanki and Babylon. What is distinctive about this new temple is that Ezekiel and John were given the exact measurements of the structures of the new temple. And the temple shows the Law of the Lord. The Law is not only about the Ten Commandments. It is the entire words of God. And the Word is God.

¹⁰ “As for you, son of man, inform the house of Israel of the temple, so that they will be ashamed of their wrongdoings; and have them measure the plan. ¹¹ And if they are ashamed of everything that they have done, make known to them the plan of the house, its layout, its exits, its entrances, all its plans, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its entire plan and all its statutes and execute them. ¹² This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. (Ezekiel 43:10-12)

Interestingly, Nebuchadnezzar built Etemenanki, which means ‘temple of the foundation of heaven and earth’. But it does not exist anymore. God uses different measurements for His temple. God’s temple is beyond human imaginations. And God is the temple as John says in Revelation.

I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (Revelation 21:22)

Men, the devil, and his angels compete with God. But God does not compete with them. Men and the devil build something resembling God’s kingdom. What they build is abominable to God. They are like the fruitless vines that will be cut off.

Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls—all of them fattened animals from Bashan. At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 39:17-20)

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great feast of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slaves, and small and great.” (Revelation 19:17-18)

The Book of Ezekiel does not have a chapter dedicated to the fall of Babylon like other prophetic books. Interestingly, Ezekiel mentions Gog and Magog, which also appear in the Book of Revelation 20:8. We may say that the Book of Ezekiel is paired with the Book of Revelation.

Seek from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them. (Isaiah 34:16)

I interpret that Gog and Magog as all the earthly nations, their leaders, and the followers that oppose to God. In other words, they are the devil and his followers, all men who have received the mark of the beast.

When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. (Revelation 20:8)

There are many speculations on Gog, Magog, and Armageddon. I consider that the final battle in Armageddon in Revelation 16:13-16 is the final battle mentioned in Revelation 20:7-10. However, I do not want to argue with people who think otherwise. The important thing is that God will put an end to the devil and his followers. There will be no such thing as death, diseases, or rebellion against God in His kingdom.

The Reformers in the 17^th century emphasized Christ’s keeping of the Law as the basis of the righteousness of saints. I repeatedly say that it is wrong. Saints do not fall like Adam did even if they don’t keep God’s command. Christ has removed their chance to fall completely on the cross. More importantly, saints become impossible to rebel because of the Holy Spirit. Saints love the Father, the Son, and their neighbors like themselves because of the love implanted to them by the Holy Spirit. The knowledge of God will be like water covering the sea. No one will need to say to another, “Know the Lord”. That is the fulfillment of the new covenant mentioned in the OT.

They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)

“For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

King Josiah died in Megiddo while fighting against Egyptians. Jeremiah lamented for Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:25). And Christ triumphs in Armageddon (Har Megiddo). Revelation 11:8 tells us that Christ was crucified in a great city called Sodom and Egypt. Josiah means “God has healed”. The name, Jesus, was from Joshua, which means “God is salvation”.

Christ’s death on the cross was a foundational step for God’s people to be healed and saved. Christ did not need to keep the Law perfectly to earn righteousness for us. Christ gave us God’s righteousness. “The Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6). He saved us and gave us the Holy Spirit to unite us with the Father and Himself. The righteousness is not from the Law, but we are considered righteous because of the faith that God gave us. The righteousness we received is God’s righteousness which cannot be removed by men’s actions. If we have the same kind of righteousness that Adam had in the garden of Eden, we can fall again. Christ completely removed the possibility of falling again. And He will triumph in Armageddon, and there will no longer be death. His triumph in Armageddon is yet to come. But it is already completed because everything God wrote in the Bible will be completed without a possibility of failing.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WILL LIVE BY FAITH.” (Romans 1:17)

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! (Matthew 5:18)

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:14)

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:10)

And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his cloak and buy one. (Luke 22:36)

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. (Matthew 26:52)

In this chapter, God tells us that we were once like dry bones without life. Dry bones do not have the ability to think or make decisions. Dry bones testify that they cannot learn or know about God by themselves. But God talked to the breath to come from the four winds and enter them to make them live. And they are made to live for a purpose, a great army.

Many Christians do not read the Bible or understand God’s words. They think they have the Holy Spirit and yet, do not like reading the Bible. They do not like the Bible because they do not understand what they read. Their interpretations are strictly morality-based. They are satisfied with church activities. They shed tears when their preachers say that they can achieve something with their efforts at the pulpit. They believe in men, not God. Christianity has become the same as the other religions. They worship men-made idols in their hearts. God always judges by what is in one’s heart.

In this passage, the life that the dry bones receive is physical life. But it also demonstrates that the spiritually dead people come to life as the Spirit enters them. We often separate the OT from the NT, the ceremonial baptism from the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the conditional covenant from the unconditional covenant, and the visible church from the invisible church. As the knowledge develops, we find that two things do not contradict to each other. We come to understand that there is, in fact, one covenant, one Bible, one faith, one baptism, etc.

I’ve heard of the term, ‘the militant church’. This word does not mean that we must take up weapons and kill unbelievers like the crusaders did in the past. God has given much power and authority to visible churches. But anyone who misuses the power will be condemned at the end. The militant church is strictly spiritual until the coming of Christ. I do not know what will exactly happen when Christ comes. But we will see the complete destruction of the devil and his followers at the end as shown in the Book of Revelation. The letters to the seven churches also testify that churches do spiritual fights against all the temptations from the devil. And it is the Holy Spirit who makes us understand God’s words, persevere under trial, and be one with the Father and the Son. The reprobate people will never learn the works of the Spirit, and eventually blaspheme the Spirit. Therefore, all reprobate people commit the unforgivable sin.

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

I believe that God had built the two church systems and gave them the understanding of the Trinity, divine election, etc. for the sake of the elect people. They are the Roman Catholic and the Protestant church. However, many have abandoned the sound doctrines. Regardless of the evil shepherds within the two systems, God saves His elect people and makes them endure till the end. God will not save those in other religions who deny the sound doctrines and the authority of the Bible. Just because someone acknowledge that there is one God who created all things, he/she does not become a child of God. The Spirit makes us believe in God which the Bible testifies. Anyone who does not love God’s words (Christ) is not a reborn Christian. A reborn Christian cannot love idols. Although some with physical or mental disabilities may have the difficulty in understanding God, God judges justly and fairly, according to what is in their heart.

Saints must understand that true faith is not affected by circumstances. The earth is our training ground. The relationships on the earth are important for training. When the end comes, those relationships do not mean anything. At the end, you are not going to meet your dead parents or children as they were on the earth.  A new life starts when the end comes. A false religion keeps you strictly within the earthly life. All it focuses on is how to live a good life on the earth without pain or sufferings. For example, the Roman Catholic who turned away from truths, says that the dead can go to heaven if the living pays to the church. The Roman Catholic church (and some Protestant churches) sold indulgences in the past and also now to satisfy people on the earth. Their theories may sound convincing and comforting for those who live on the earth, but the Bible does not say what they say. If I had a child and the child died young before knowing God, I would be comforted by the words of God that He is just and faithful. My child may not have gone to heaven after death despite my prayers. In the end, all the knowledge becomes clear, and I come to know that the life on the earth has been only a training for the everlasting kingdom of God. My relationship with my child or anyone on the earth will become meaningless. And it will become meaningless because I will have a new family and see them face to face and live together forever. However, the life of the earth is meaningful because it is the shadow of the real one. If we cannot love anyone on the earth, then we are not a child of God because it is impossible not to love if the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Love is the foundation of the kingdom of God. However, love that comes from God is not what the world thinks.

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26)

The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10:37)

For I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the lands; and I will bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances. And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. Instead, I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your wrongdoings and your abominations. I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord GOD; “let that be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated for your ways, house of Israel!” (v. 24-32)

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8)

God created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. And when the purpose is met, everything will pass away. Yet God and His words will remain. And everything that is united with God and His Son by the Holy Spirit will also remain. The purpose of the creation is His one and only kingdom, His people. When interpreting John 3, some ministers and theologians think “the spirit” is men’s spirit. It is wrong. It indicates the Holy Spirit as we read and understand Ezekiel 36:24-32.

Christ washed the disciples’ feet in John 13.

Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.” (John 13:8-10)

Earlier, I mentioned that Christ prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Christ is often referred as water and bread. Christ is also the Word. Christ washes all filthiness, but a person does not become a child of God unless the Holy Spirit enters the person. Although John does not say anything about Judas Iscariot having his feet washed by Christ, there is no doubt that Judas’ feet were also washed by Christ. But he was not an elect child of God. In fact, Christ referred him as a devil. God chose him to be a devil. Judas killed himself before the Spirit came to God’s chosen people on the day of the Pentecost. On the top of all the sins Judas committed, he added the sin of rejecting the Holy Spirit by not believing what Christ had said in John 16:7 and killed himself. That was his destiny. Christ’s words were meaningless to him. This is the end of a reprobate. Other disciples did not do anything to deserve the Holy Spirit. God saved them from falling away and gave them the Holy Spirit. Sola Gratia.

It is the Holy Spirit who activates and applies the words of God to a chosen child of God. Even though someone reads and studies the Bible everyday, the words of God do not save the person until the Holy Spirit comes. Going to church and learning about God from youth may benefit a person who he or she receives the Spirit later. But faith and the knowledge of God cannot be possessed by human efforts. In my experience, I saw only the abominations and wrong teachings about God in churches in my youth.

We understand that God chose Judas to be a devil from the beginning. It is not that Christ chose the twelve and unfortunately one fell away. The Greek word “kai” means both “and” and “but”. It is not up an individual person to decide his/her own salvation. Saints do not choose to believe in God. We are chosen to believe in Him. In a church, we have a mixture of the elect and the reprobate. People want to think that all or most of them are children of God. But we do not know. By looking at how churches are doing around the world, it is clear that there are few who are chosen to be saved (Matthew 22:14). Still, it is God’s will that only a small number of people are saved and built into His kingdom. It is marvelous in our eyes.

Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? (John 6:70)

A stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This came about from the LORD; It is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22-23)

Up until now, the understanding of the Holy Spirit has been little. During the Reformation, the focus was Jesus Christ. It was God’s will because there is a certain process we need to go through for learning. You would not teach your kids algebra before they learn numbers. In this new reformation, the understanding of the Holy Spirit will become clearer and deeper.

I feel sad because there are few ministers who really understand the works of the Holy Spirit. They think all truths were revealed during the Reformation and try to remain in the 16^th and 17^th century. They consider the Confessions more important than the Bible. They read many theology books and pretend to know God, but their own words deny that they have the knowledge of God. They like to speak about human ideas and philosophies about God. God did not give the knowledge to the learned. God trained Calvin and Luther, who had a high level of education. But they were useless until they received the Holy Spirit. God gave the Reformers a certain knowledge to make them separate from the Roman Catholic church. As God willed to separate the Northern Israel and the kingdom of Judah in the OT, He willed to separate the Protestant church from the Roman Catholic church. The two systems were used for spreading the good news to other nations outside the Europe. But most of those who boasted about having the knowledge of God did not receive the knowledge. God pities His chosen children outside the Europe who were enslaved by superstitions and idols for a long time. They believe in God because of the words of God and the Holy Spirit. But the rest regardless of their ethnic origin continue to do evil.

The doctrine of election must be handled carefully. Otherwise, the church system produces many hypocrites who think they are chosen by God and superior to others. That tradition or brainwashing is still continued in their descendants. They think whatever they do is acceptable in the sight of God. They think God is pleased with their worship. They think they do enough good deeds to earn God’s favor. They speak proudly of their ancestors who murdered people in need. They are no different from their ancestors. When the Pharisees claimed that they were children of God, Christ said they were children of the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning. From my experience, most people in the Reformed churches have the Dutch and/or the English ancestors. Most of them think they have a better knowledge of God and are superior to others. They do not like people with different ethnic backgrounds coming to their churches. They do not give their children to non-Europeans for marriage. They think they inherit faith from their biological parents, and want to keep their bloodline. They live in their own world separate from the world and say that they are different from the world. They admit that God saves those from different nations. But they do not know that they have become the Pharisees.

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob; (Malachi 1:2)

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE NAMED.” That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON.” And not only that, but there was also Rebekah, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” Just as it is written: “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.” (Romans 9:6-13)

This chapter tells us that God is against the descendants of Esau. It may seem that God is against a certain tribe or a nation living on the earth. But God is not against biological descendants of Esau. He is against the spiritual descendants of Esau. Paul wrote that not all biological descendants of Israel are true Israelites. Not all who have received the ceremonial baptism are true Christians although they are called Christians. Even before Jacob (Israel) and Esau were born, God had already decided their destiny. And this was explained by Apostle Paul in Romans 9. 

One may ask, “Then how can I love others in my church if they may not be a true Christian?” Love is interpreted in many ways in the world. Sharing food and laughter and helping business and/or housework is not love that the Bible talks about. You can do those to others regardless of their beliefs. You can be at peace with all people in the world. But the love the Bible teaches is about speaking truths of God and risking their own lives for God.

Those who are against Sola Gratia inevitably deny the divine election and reprobation. The Creator can make and destroy His creation as He likes. God created all things for the purpose of building His eternal dwelling, the kingdom of God. And the kingdom is His chosen people. Apostle Paul used the metaphor of a potter. Paul was not making up a new story. Jeremiah 18 tells us that God is like a potter.

Even in the Reformed churches, there are many ministers and theologians who deny Sola Gratia because many (including themselves) do not believe that they are born dead. They say they were born totally depraved but do not know what they are talking about. They still worship Adam in the garden of Eden. They are Adam-worshipers. Many have been trying to twist God’s words to suit their taste. They want to do works to earn salvation. When the Active Obedience of Christ was revived in the hands of the false Reformers, the Protestant churches turned away from God. What the false Reformers promoted in the 17^th century England was a merely moral living. They focused on the life on the earth while Christ came for the coming kingdom of God. Gradually, Christians became ignorant of the reason why Christ came. They were happy with the thought that their lives were approved by their church authorities. They became drunk with delusions that they would be saved because of their (church-approved) moral living. They call their church “Mother” and worship her. How are they different from the Roman Catholics who worship Mary, the mother of Jesus?

The fact is that they pursue a lawless living by rejecting Sola Gratia. And their falsely pious living has been exposed and proven false again and again throughout the history. Christians commit physical and spiritual adultery secretly and publicly. They steal from and murder others. They tell others God is merciful and would not punish them for their wrongdoings. They live just as the Israelites did in the OT. They boast of their bloodline saying they are the descendants of Christians. But they have nothing to do with Abraham or any saints spiritually. Although they call themselves Christians, they are no different than unbelievers.

Even true Christians sometimes follow the ways of false Christians because of the fear of people. They are confused and in agony, but they do not know why they are not happy in their churches. When God sends disasters, some of them will realize that this life on the earth is nothing by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are renewed by the words of God. They will realize that their churches have been telling them lies about God. God will save His chosen people as He promised in the OT because of His mercy and faithfulness. The remnant will be saved but they will go through a hard training. False Christians go to churches to entice true Christians. Those unbelievers may laugh at the demise of churches around the world. But the true church, the only bride of Christ, remains unharmed. The unbelievers will be punished and destroyed completely as the spiritual descendants of Esau.

As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be a desolation, Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 35:15)