SALVATION
Here, you'll find articles that discuss salvation.
GOD WILL ARISE AND HAVE MERCY UPON ZION
In Psalms 102:13, David the Psalmist stated, “Thou shall arise, and have mercy on Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.” There are three main parts - Zion, God will arise, and Having Mercy. We have to understand all the parts in detail in order to understand the full meaning.
Zion is the House of God. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills: and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob: and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3). It is from there that Jesus Christ will be ruling. “The LORD said unto my LORD, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (Psalms 110:1-2). That is also where our safety and deliverance comes from. “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For out of Zion and Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” (Joel 2:32).
Then, we also have to understand what it means for God to arise. “For the LORD shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” (Isaiah 28:21). When God says he’s arising to do something, it means he’s turning his attention to us (Exodus 3:1-14, 8). And when he says he’s going to arise, there’s absolutely nothing we can do to stop or prevent that (Isaiah 14:27, Daniel 4:34-35, Isaiah 2:2).
Then, there’s actually having mercy. The only reason why God is having mercy on Zion, or the reason why anybody would have mercy on anything, is simply because we sinned, and fell short of God’s glory (Romans 3:10-11, 23, 6:23, Genesis 3:16-19). However, God has decided to rescue us, and forgive us of our sins. He’s answering our prayers, like in the time of old (Exodus 2:23-25, Matthew 6:9-10 / Luke 11:2-4). And God has appointed Jesus Christ as Head and King of his Glorious Government in order to kick and destroy all enemies and traitors so that righteous ones can be rewarded by God Almighty (Isaiah 63:1-6, 9-14, 42:13-16, 49:7-11, 33:2, 22, Jeremiah 51:20-23, Ezekiel 36:6-12, Revelation 12:1-12, 19:11-21, etc).And what he’s doing is going to last forever (Daniel 2:44, Psalms 145:10-13, Isaiah 65:17-25, Revelation 21:1-5, etc).
We have to repent to God in order for us to get our fair share in all of God’s blessings. We must be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Job 36:9-10, Acts 3:19-21, etc). That is when his lovingkindness will really show on us. “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O LORD! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shall make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalms 36:7-9 - see also Isaiah 63:7, 4:3-6, 52:2 and 26:2-4).
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JEHOVAH: A STRONGHOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE
This was a statement made by Nahum the prophet: “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7). There were other statements made by people about that same topic too. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” (Proverbs 18:10). “They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.” (Psalms 125:1-2). Because God, the Almighty God (Genesis 17:1, Deuteronomy 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6) lives from everlasting to everlasting (Psalms 90:2, 93:2) and can do anything (Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17, 27, John 10:29) but, at the same, time, is longsuffering, gentle, and humble (Psalms 86:15, Romans 15:5, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalms 103:8-14, etc) we should trust in him, and walk in his ways (Isaiah 26:4, Psalms 36:7-9, etc).
There are many examples of when God protected people in days of trouble. For example, in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, Jehoshaphat had to battle against Moab and Ammon. It was a great multitude. When he prayed to God, he sent Jahaziel to tell Jehoshaphat that this wasn’t his battle to fight, but God’s battle. And he was right. Jehoshaphat and his army didn’t need to do anything. God sent Mount Seir to battle Ammon and Moab, and when they finished that, they simply destroyed themselves. All Jehoshaphat and his army needed to do was to invade the land and collect all the spoil, which took three days because there was so much of it. This just proves the power of God, and that he can save his children, and provide a stronghold in the day of trouble.
Another example of God providing help on the day of trouble is in Daniel 3, when the three Hebrew men had gone against Nebuchadnezzar’s rule that they had to bow down the statue he’d built. They were thrown into a furnace of fire as a result. However, none of them died; in fact, none of them even smelled burnt at all, and neither did their clothes. God had sent an angel to protect them from being harmed, which was why Nebuchadnezzar was surprised to see 4 men, when he’d only recalled throwing in three. God can do these things to us if we trust in him and keep his commandments.
As a result of man’s fall (Genesis 3:16-19, Romans 3:10-11, 23, 5:12-19, 6:23, etc), humanity as a whole has had days of trouble. We are as flowers, fragile flowers, before God (Job 5:6-7, 14:1-2). And in these last days, things are only getting more dangerous, as the wrath of God is hitting some people with a very heavy hammer, and he’s pronouncing judgment on people who certainly weren’t expecting it (Matthew 24:44-51, Isaiah 28:21, etc). However, God’s children are going to be kept under his canopy; the barn, while the other things are burnt. (Matthew 13:24-30). “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” (Joel 2:32 - see also Romans 10:13 and Isaiah 26:20-21).
We should never be looking up to witches and wizards, necromancers, or other people like that for help. Rather, we should look to God (Isaiah 8:19-20, 2:19-20, Deuteronomy 18:10-12. “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” (Psalms 146:3-4). “Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.” (Psalms 62:10 - see also Psalms 20:7, Luke 16:9, 1 Timothy 6:7-10 and Ecclesiastes 7:12). We should always remember King Ahaziah in 2 Kings 1:1-17, and how he’d tried to pray to the god of Ekron for deliverance, and how he ended up dying, and Pharaoh in Exodus 7-11, and how Moses proved them useless when God gave him power to release the ten plagues.
It is our prayer, therefore, that God protects us from all the challenges that we may face in our lives, both physical and spiritual. Not one hair of our head will fall down without God noticing it (1 Samuel 14:45, Matthew 10:30), meaning that God always has his eyes on his children. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12).
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"LET MY PEOPLE GO"
God has always had a plan for humanity. A plan of peace, restoration and true service towards him. Ever since the sin of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-6, humanity has been turning to themselves from the control of Satan the Devil in order to “pursue their dreams” (Ecclesiastes 7:29). This has gone on for thousands of years. However, God is currently restoring the world back to its former condition so they may serve him in peace and happiness (Isaiah 43:21). And, even though the wicked will always hold the people fast, God rescues his people nonetheless (Jeremiah 50:33-34).
However, what do the lines above have to do with the title?
During the preparations and waiting period of God’s plan, the wicked do their wickedness (Daniel 12:10) and rule over the righteous. When God is ready to execute his plan, he sends people to preach (Jeremiah 3:15). And their statements can be summarized in one phrase: “Let my people go”.
And, in the Bible, there are prototypes of this concept.
The story of Egypt is one of them because that’s where the statement, “Let my people go”, comes from. In Exodus 5:1, Moses told Pharaoh this, and he gave the reason why: “that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.” God had made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 that he would make a nation out of him. However, God told him it would be a natural phenomenon for his children to fall under the Egyptians’ clutches, and serve them for 400 years (Genesis 15:13-14). However, when the time was ready, he would rescue them, hence Moses’s statement, “Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1, 7:16, 8:1, 8, 20-21, 9:1, 13, 10:3-4).
One technique he’d used to free the Israelites was the flipping concept. Before God’s intervention, the survival of the Egyptian kingdom depended on the workforce. In Exodus 1, we see the kind of oppression the Israelites suffered. However, God flipped the situation with the plagues. Now, the survival of the Egyptians depended on the freedom of the Israelites from their power, hence Pharoah sending them away (Exodus 12:31-33).
The second prototype is the time of Jesus. God has had it in mind to free humanity of death (Job 33:21-24, Hosea 13:14), and Jesus eventually came down. When he was here, he summarized his entire mission with what Isaiah the Prophet stated in Isaiah 61:1-3, which led to a new religion and the salvation of many Gentiles: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19 - see also John 12:47 and Matthew 18:11). No matter what people did - shutting down the preaching of the gospel, murder (John 11:45-53, Acts 5:17-42), Christianity spread all over the world, in fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 13:31-32).
In the last days, the time we are living in, the remnant of the saints are preaching the gospel of the Kingdom (Isaiah 66:19-21, Matthew 24:14). People prayed for deliverance through the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-10). Currently, the monarchs have been defeated, therefore giving humanity freedom of expression, action, etc (Revelation 12:7-12, 13:1, etc). Then, democracy came out of that (Revelation 13:1-4). Now, children of God have liberty to exercise themselves in righteousness, a true blessing from God.
However, the deliverance isn’t finished. There are still strands of autocracy, and the righteous are still being persecuted. God is changing that now (Psalms 147:3), as Jesus is testing the nations, weakening their abilities (Daniel 2:43), so that the wicked have no power to become leaders and lead in their evil, being a reproach to everyone (Proverbs 14:34). Jesus is doing so by denouncing leadership to make it worthless (Isaiah 3:6-7, 34:12). It will no more be an honour to rule the world. God did that to the Israelites, so that being a king of Jerusalem in Zedekiah’s time was nothing compared to being a king in David’s time.
It’s important we have faith in God’s deliverance, and patiently wait it out (Romans 8:24-25). “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:4). God’s deliverance for his children is a gradual process, so we have to patiently wait for its completion (Luke 21:19). We should never adapt to the deliverance of false prophets in this world (1 John 4:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 5:21), because their so-called, “gospel of deliverance”, only brings us closer to bondage (2 Peter 2:19, Matthew 23:15).
God has gifted us freedom, so we have to use it wisely. People are using their freedom to do all kinds of unrighteous things, the way Abiram, Dathan, Korah, On and the 250 princes used their freedom to show their true colors and oppose God’s plan (Numbers 14, 16). Rather, we should use our freedom to serve God more faithfully than before. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1).
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THE GLORIFICATION OF THE CHURCH
The Glorification of the Church is a very important subject, because it is the current-future destiny of all righteous ones. God has promised all his true children that they will be glorified. “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.” (Psalms 149:4 - see also Ezekiel 21:26 and Psalms 147:3). However, how is this process going to take place? What things will have to give for this to be successful? Such things will be discussed in this article.
Some terminology should be covered, though. To glorify means to make admirable, or beautiful. The church is the people, those being the ones who love God. That’s the way we understand Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” When we see church in the Bible (e.g in Acts 2:47, 5:11, 8:1), it is understood in that light.
The reason why the glorification of the church is an event that is happens is because righteous ones, since the sin of Adam and Eve, have always been like the heath in the desert, waiting for rain to fall. They have to suffer persecution: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12 - see also Psalms 59:3, Acts 14:22 and Revelation 2:8-10). It was the reason why Job had to suffer (James 5:10-11), and the people that St.Paul talked about in Hebrews 11:36-38.
The glorification of the church, whether in the Old Testament or in the last days, cannot take place without some adjustments being made, mainly being one party going down and other being exalted. And that was what people in the Bible prayed for. “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.” (Psalms 25:2-3). In fact, King Solomon said, “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” (Ecclesiastes 10:7 -see also Proverbs 19:10). This is all the glorification of the church.
There are examples in the Bible of the glorification of the church. There was Job, previously cited, considering his sufferings, and how he got double of everything he had, fairer children, and 140 extra years to enjoy his life (Job 42:10-17). The Israelites, after all their years of yearning (Exodus 2:23-25), were glorified starting with the choosing of Moses (Exodus 3), and ending with the exiting of Egypt and the Egyptians being swallowed up in the Red Sea, the Israelites having all the spoil (Exodus 7-15). They were low, being under the Egyptians, and then their destruction glorified the Israelites.
That story of the rescue of the Israelites is a foreshadowing of the ultimate glorification of the church, starting with Jesus Christ, and ending with the children of God. Jesus Christ was glorified when he went to heaven, with all his glory (Matthew 17:1-9 - foreshadowing the glory - Philippians 2:5-11). and his prophecies didn’t fall to the ground, but were fulfilled by the destruction of Israel (Matthew 23:33-38, Luke 19:41-44, Matthew 21:33-46). The saints were glorified with the setting up of God’s Kingdom, and the leaders of this world brought down, and their prophecies fulfilled (Luke 18:1-8, Revelation 6:9-11).
In these last days, the glorification of the church is taking place, answering the prayer of Jesus Christ’s taught to mankind in Matthew 6:9-10. People had been praying that prayer for close to 2000 years, and it was only a century ago that the prayer was answered, where World Wars 1 and 2 announced the beginning of the process where righteous ones will no more be like the heath of the desert, hoping for rain, but they will be like the trees in the garden (Jeremiah 17:5-8). Righteousness ones will be like shining stars (Daniel 12:3, Matthew 13:43). “The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the ox together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.” (Isaiah 60:13). People will come and realize that the lifestyle of righteous ones had been better all this while, and the righteous will be glorified a a result, the way the 5 foolish virgins in Matthew 25:8-9.
The glory that righteous ones will get to have is incredible. It can’t be compared to our sufferings. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18 - see also 2 Corinthians 4:16-18). This is why we must persevere and trust in God, because there is light at the end of the tunnel. (Hebrews 10:35-36, 38-39). “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” (Job 8:7).
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
This was a fantastic question asked by a jailor in Acts 16:30. Here’s the account: “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And then the answer was given: “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:26-31).
Now, what salvation are we talking about here? Salvation from death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). We are being saved from the death sentence that was issued on Adam, in Genesis 3:16-19. Jesus Christ died so we might live through him (Matthew 20:28, Hebrews 9:22, 28, Isaiah 53:10-12, etc). “ I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” (Hosea 13:14). He will be giving this to his righteous ones (Psalms 3:8).
In Acts 16:31, Paul said that we have to believe in Jesus Christ. And he’d said it himself: “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47). However, belief comes with some crucial things that we have to consider:
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Our belief has to be based on the knowledge of the truth. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). We have to study it in order to believe in it. “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:25 - see also 2 Timothy 2:15).
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Our belief has to be supported by Christ-like attributes, works of righteousness. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 - see also 2 Peter 1:5-7).
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Our faith and belief must be kept to the end. “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. (Hebrews 3:14). “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:12-13 - see also 1 Peter 1:9, Philippians 3:14 and Hebrews 10:35-36, 38-39).
The ability to inherit eternal life is very good and wonderful indeed (Isaiah 65:17-25, Hosea 2:18-20, Revelation 21:1-5, etc). As a result, we should trust God and keep his commandments. “Open ye the gates (the gates of salvation - Matthew 7:13-14), that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:2-4).
WHAT IS SALVATION?
Salvation is the total deliverance from the consequences of sin, including death. The Scriptures have revealed to us that sin causes many things: lack of peace, tranquility, pain (Psalms 38:3). But most importantly, it produces death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:15).
Humanity plunged into sin in Genesis 3:1-6, when Satan directed us out of God’s principles. Ever since, there’s been a sense of sin in us. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalms 51:5). It’s built into our moral instincts (Romans 7:7-25). It was because of our sin that God made us die off (Genesis 3:16-19), as people who live in sin can’t be walking in God’s presence forever (Genesis 6:3, Romans 3:23).
But God promised salvation to humanity, and for a couple of reasons. Number one: He felt sorry for our sinful condition (Job 33:21-24). Sin is a heavy burden to humanity. “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” (Psalms 38:4). We have no power to save ourselves of death (Psalms 49:6-7). So because of that, God has provided a ransom (Job 33:24).
But God also wants to save us from sin because of Himself. He is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45, Deuteronomy 32:4, etc), and he doesn’t like unholiness in His presence. Humanity was seen as unholy before God because of their sin (Isaiah 1:4,6 - a relevant description of humanity’s sin). This is why, when God was angry with Job’s friends, because of their sin, he asked for sacrifices to be made (Job 42:7-10). Those sacrifices pacified His anger and disgust for the Israelites when they sinned against Him. Therefore, he gave a ransom for humanity to save them from sin (1 John 4:10, Romans 3:25) and feel good with looking at us. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” (Hosea 13:14).
And all Christians know that Jesus Christ was the ransom. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). He was the ransom because he was without sin (1 Peter 2:22), and his perfect life would equal the perfect life that was lost (Deuteronomy 19:21, Exodus 21:22-25). His blood was like a sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22), which would atone for the sins of humanity and take them away (John 1:29). This is similar to the day of Atonement, which was done once a year to atone for the sins of Israel (Leviticus 23:26-32). This was done so that God wouldn’t remember the iniquities of the Israelites, and Jesus Christ’s ransom was the same for all of humanity.
All this information about salvation was prototyped by the story of Egypt and Israel. Salvation, to reiterate, is the total deliverance from the consequences of sin, including death. During the time of the Egyptians and the Israelites, salvation could be defined as, “the total deliverance from Egyptian bondage.”
God saved them for some reasons. One, to fulfill His promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14. He remembered Abraham’s obedience and couldn’t let it go without reward (Deuteronomy 7:7-9). Two, because he pitied their condition (Exodus 2:23-25), and doesn’t believe that people can oppress one another like that (Exodus 3:9-10). And just like humanity as a whole, the Israelites had no way of saving themselves. They were powerless against the Egyptians. But God brought them on “His wings”, and brought them unto Himself (Exodus 19:4-6, 6:6, Deuteronomy 15:15).
In order to worship God, we have to believe that we needed the ransom. It isn’t just for the Jews, or for Christians; it was for all of humanity. And to show our belief, we have to do a few things:
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We have to learn about the ransom, and Jesus Christ, the person who paid it (1 Timothy 2:3-4). We have to understand God’s salvation and want to be a part of it.
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We have to believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 36, 6:47, Acts 16:30-31, etc.). We do this by living by his words, and feeling proud of believing in him (Romans 1:16, Mark 8:38). Those are the works that James says we have to do for our faith to be of any worth (James 2:14-16).
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We have to live in righteousness and be sober, avoiding iniquity wherever possible (Proverbs 4:14-15). “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14).
But the ransom sacrifice wasn’t salvation in itself. It was a door to it. Once again, salvation is the total deliverance from the consequences of sin, including death. And while the ransom sacrifice did defeat death (Hebrews 2:14-15), it didn’t just take sin away from our lives. That’s the job of God’s Kingdom. The Kingdom of God was set up to rework the world into righteousness (Acts 3:19-21). The Kingdom of God is an idea, not a place (Luke 17:20-21) that represents what God wanted the world to look like from the beginning. It is made of principles such as love, faith, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23). The whole world will move in that direction (Isaiah 2:2) as former systems of corruption, poverty, and injustice, in God’s sight, which have dominated the world under the rule of Satan the Devil (1 John 5:19) is being removed, as Jesus Christ is defeating the powers of this world, which Satan ruled the world through (Revelation 19:11-21). And in the end, all of this work will result in peace and happiness (Isaiah 65:17-25, Revelation 21:1-5). This may seem complicated, but if we watch what’s going on, and match it with the Bible, with prayers, such things will be revealed to us.
But how do we qualify to live to obtain that salvation? We have to prove to God that we have faith in His plans. All our spiritual works are like a resume which God looks at and approves of. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” (Revelation 3:5). And our faith has to remain to the end to be valid (Matthew 24:12-13, Hebrews 10:35-36, 38-39, 3:14, 1 Peter 1:9-10, etc). If we return to sin, the ransom sacrifice doesn’t save us. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:26).
This topic is drawn from Psalms 37:11. “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (see also Matthew 5:5 and Proverbs 2:21-22).
This article will explain the important parts of this verse: the “meek” and “inherit the earth”.
THE EARTH
God created the earth to be inhabited and remain forever (Isaiah 45:12, 18, Ecclesiastes 1:4). He liked it when He created it (Genesis 1:31, 1 Timothy 4:4), and wanted the children of men (humans) to inhabit it (Psalms 115:16, Psalms 89:11), and worship Him there (Isaiah 43:21). There would be no violence, politics or anything like that. Peace would reign.
However, all this changed with the interference of Satan the Devil. He deceived Adam and Eve to believe that disobeying God and trusting in their own judgment would help (Genesis 3:1-6). Because of all that, he became the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), and the world was “under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19, NKJV).
With the world under his control, he set up an economy, political forces, kingdoms and many other things. Living in the world became about meeting standards, competing with other people, amassing wealth, etc. That was what he showed Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:8-9. Seven of those kingdoms (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, the Medes and Persians, Greece, the Roman Empire and the British) influenced the Israelites in major ways (Revelation 17:10-11 - the seven kings). On a smaller scale, because the Israelites had rejected God (1 Samuel 8:7-8), they set up a nation for themselves, with an economy, standing army, etc, to compete with and resemble the surrounding Gentile nations (1 Samuel 8:1-8, 19-20). God never liked this idea because that wasn’t what He planned in the beginning (Hosea 13:11).
This is relevant because the righteous, consequently, have to suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). The righteous are ones who trust in God and not in political leaders, the economy, etc (Jeremiah 17:5-8). However, the majority of people in this world believe in the economy and politics, and because of that, righteous ones are on a narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14). People won’t like them, and as Revelation 13:17 put it, “no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Essentially, they won’t have many friends or hold big positions in the world, especially in politics.
GOD’S PROMISE FOR A BETTER FUTURE
However, God wanted to fix the world so that His children would be beautified (Psalms 149:4) and shine like the sun (Matthew 13:43). And, to do so, He promised to create “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1). The world will be restored to how it was in the Garden of Eden (Acts 3:19-21). He would make war to cease in the world (Psalms 46:9, Isaiah 2:4 60:18). And to do all this, he appointed Jesus Christ as head and King over His government (Isaiah 9;6-7, 32:1, etc.).
It is evident that God’s government under Jesus Christ is working to reform the Earth for the righteous in our time. After all, political leaders have less power than before, and spiritual leaders can’t enforce Satanic doctrines on the congregation. Jesus Christ is making governance a very hot seat (that’s why leaders are criticized, and people are rioting against them all over the world). God is using that to destabilize Satan’s system, set up thousands of years ago. Being a president, prime minister, etc., is becoming more worthless as a position, in fulfilment of Isaiah 3:6-7, and 34:12. Eventually, the concept of politics and government will be universally rejected. And this process was summarized by Isaiah the Prophet in Isaiah 24:21-22. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.”
The world is also becoming more peaceful. An egalitarian concept is being sown into the hearts of people by God, and in various European countries, the idea that “the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer” simply doesn’t exist. People care about others, aid others, and are more interested in the wellbeing of the society than their personal wellbeing.
The Scriptures also help us understand the future. For one, there will be no more war or suffering (Isaiah 11:6-9, 65:17-25, Revelation 21:1-5), or governments (Isaiah 3:6-7). There will be no economy, either, as Jesus Christ implicitly said in Luke 16:9. “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” The mammon of unrighteousness is money, and what is failing in the text is the money system (a.k.a the economy). There will be no marriage (Luke 20:37-38), or sickness, because sickness is a product of sin, which the future won’t have (Isaiah 33:24). And the righteous will not be persecuted by the wicked any longer, as Ezekiel told us in Ezekiel 34:28. “And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.”
The righteous ones of God will be resurrected to live in this world. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29). Job expressed hope in resurrection in Job 19:25-26. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”
But we shouldn’t forget the first part of Psalms 37:11, the “meek”. It is the meek that will be inheriting what has been described above. Why? It is because only they will humble themselves before God and not feel entitled to inherit such a thing. They will be eternally grateful and will serve God the way He wants to be served, and not some other way. Isaiah the Prophet spole about this in Isaiah 57:15, where he declared, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
THE HARP OF GOD
The harp is a musical instrument, and when played well by a good musician, it can produce melodious tunes. According to Genesis 4:21, the first person to play the harp was Jubal. In the Scriptures, it was noted to have ten strings, through harps now have 47 or so. And in Psalms 144:9, the writer said he would use that instrument to praise God. “I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.”
The melodiousness of the harp was proven by its ability to pacify Saul when David played it. This was written in 1 Samuel 16:23, which reads, “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”
Spiritually, the Word of God is a harp, because when preached by anointed ones with the Holy Spirit, its power can convert souls to God (Psalms 19:7, Hebrews 4:12; see Acts 2 for an example of when this happened). The anointed ones who preach that gospel are the saints, who are given the truth from heaven (1 John 2:27), and they play that harp (that is, preach that gospel) to the whole world (Revelation 14:1-5). David spoke about how God’s Word was like a harp in Psalms 49:4, where he said, “I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.” The Word of God is like a song we sing to praise God and comfort souls, according to Psalms 119:54, which reads, “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” (see also Isaiah 35:10).
I noted earlier that the harp in the Scriptures had ten strings (see Psalms 33:2, 92:3). The Word of God can also be divided into 10 strings, or “cardinal doctrines”, which summarize God’s plan for mankind, and the whole Bible as well. The ten strings are:
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CREATION
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GOD’S JUSTICE MANIFESTED
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THE ABRAHAMIC PROMISE
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THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
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THE RANSOM SACRIFICE
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RESURRECTION
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MYSTERY REVEALED
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THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
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THE GLORIFICATION OF THE CHURCH
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THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS
Now, it’s very important you understand that these ten strings are not fully chronological. While there is an order (for example, God talked to Abraham before Jesus Christ came down to this world), but because all of these link together, and are of equal importance, some steps might also talk about events in our time, even though their beginners are thousands of years old.
We’ll give a quick summary of the ten strings, and you might be able to notice that there’s a fall and rise, as in, humanity’s fall, and then steps that God took and is taking to recover us back.
The first string is Creation. In Genesis 1-2, God created the universe and humans who would inhabit it and worship Him (Isaiah 43:21). Genesis 2:7 summarizes the process by which God created man: “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 soul.”
The second string is God’s Justice Manifested. In Genesis 3:1-6, Adam and Eve sinned against God by disregarding God’s original rule after Satan came along and introduced something peculiar to them. And God pronounced the death sentence, which was justice manifested on them (Genesis 3:16-19).
The third string is the Abrahamic Promise. In Genesis 3:15, we see that two figures had seeds. These seeds that were spoken of represent Jesus Christ and Satan the Devil. Jesus Christ is a seed (Galatians 3:16) and that was brought into the world through the lineage of Abraham. That was the purpose of God coming to Abraham, and telling him, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” This promise was fulfilled when Jesus Christ, the Son of God himself (Matthew 3:16-17) was born into this world. He came through that same line of Abraham, and Jesus Christ was a blessing to the world. Angels said in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.“ They were speaking about Jesus Christ.
The fourth string is the Birth of Jesus Christ, which was spoken about above. The Bible makes us know that God had a big plan for Jesus Christ; the role he was going to play in the restoration of humanity was fundamental. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Therefore, his birth into the world was significant.
The fifth string is The Ransom Sacrifice. Jesus Christ came down to this world to be a ransom for the sin of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-6. All humans have been tainted with that sin (read Psalms 51:5) but because Jesus Christ was a perfect life, without sin (1 Peter 2:22) he could atone for the perfect life lost in the Garden of Eden. And in Matthew 20:28, Jesus Christ claimed to play that role by saying, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Also, in Isaiah 53:10, Isaiah the Prophet prophesied that Jesus Christ would play that role, and he made a connection between this and his future role (which is string #8). He said, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
The sixth string is Resurrection. Now, we’re not talking about resurrecting and dying again (like Lazarus in John 11). Jesus Christ was the first person to rise to eternal life, according to St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20, where he said, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” The apostles were resurrected by Jesus and taken to heaven (John 14:1-3), and their brothers in this world (as in, those who have been anointed by God as well) will join them (Revelation 6:11). And the general resurrection, the resurrection for righteous Christians on earth, will take place when Jesus Christ has subdued all his enemies, in fulfillment of Psalms 110:2 and 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. And this resurrection for Christians was spoken about in John 5:28-29. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (also see Job 14:13-15 and Job 19:25-26).
The seventh string is Mystery Revealed. Jesus Christ and the apostle revealed mysteries to mankind that were given by God Himself through the Holy Spirit. These mysteries are about God’s plan to restore mankind to Himself, and He’s revealed the steps He will use through Jesus Christ and the apostles. Many of these mysteries were given to mankind when the apostles began to preach, and these were “gifts”, according to Ephesians 4:8. “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” St. Paul also spoke about this mystery in Ephesians 1:9-10, where he said, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” And for those who God has chosen to be His children (Matthew 11:25-26, etc.), the mysteries of God’s Kingdom will be revealed to them (Mark 4:11).
The eighth string is The Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In response to the disciples’ question, Jesus Christ gave us signs that would help us know when he would arrive, and help us identify the events that signal his arrival. Matthew 24:3-8 gives us the details: “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
The ninth string is the Glorification of the Church. This is the process when the righteous will be exalted, and those who have rejected God Almighty and persecuted righteous ones will be abased. This is taking place in our time (and we have an article about this, which you can find in the Doctrines Page). The Bible has spoken a lot about this event, especially in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 52:1-2, the Glorification of the Chuch was summarized by these statements: “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.” (see also Isaiah 60:1-3, 13).
And the tenth string is the Restoration of All Things. God is restoring humanity back to its former state of glory by ending war, poverty, strife, envy, hatred, etc., among men. And the building blocks of that are found in the way people’s hearts are gradually changing to desire freedom and unity, rather than power and wealth (though that still dominates the world, of course). St. Peter was inspired by God to summarize this last string of the Harp of God in Acts 3:19-21, where he said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
These ten fundamental truths are like sweet music when we are true children of God. The children of the promise (Romans 9:8) are attracted by the gospel message; when they hear it, it’s like music that reaches into their soul. Those in Acts 2:37 fall into this category, because when they heard the gospel message, it pricked their hearts as sweet music does. This feeling only comes to those who are called by God; those who aren’t will simply see ut as foolishness. St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (also see 1 Corinthians 2:14). God anoints people to preach this gospel to the world (1 John 2:27), and they go about preaching it, without alteration nor deceit (2 Corinthians 4:1-2). it gathers God’s people, which prophecy said Jesus would do (Genesis 49:10).
The reason why the gospel is preached is so that we can be reconciled to God. St. Paul begged his readers that they come to Christ, knowing fully well that dancing to the harps of God will reap the rewards of the Kingdom that the harps of God play upon (Revelation 21:1-7). He said in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
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THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
The Feast of Tabernacles was an annual celebration that the Jews celebrated in the land of Canaan, the land God had given them for an inheritance. As stated in Leviticus 23:33-43, It took place on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar (that would be in September, according to the worldwide Gregorian calendar). The celebration was to last 8 days; on the first day and last great day, there would be a holy assembly, where the Israelites would gather and hear the law of God (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). On all days of the feast, there would be no work; rather, people would take the time to celebrate God Almighty in booths (as that was how God Almighty protected them in His deliverance), and remember Him.
The feast took place in September because the harvest happened then. After a year of planting, people gather what they planted, and the plenty could now be used for a feast. This was why the Feast of Tabernacles was sometimes called the “Feast of Ingathering” (Exodus 23:16, 34:22).
The reason why God set up the feast was so that they could celebrate His deliverance. As Moses explained in Deuteronomy 4:32-35, their deliverance was unheard of in all the nations. Therefore, God Almighty wanted it to be remembered from generation to generation; this way, His name would be glorified, and people would have joy in their Creator and God.
In Nehemiah 8:13-18, we find a record of the feast being celebrated. This was after their captivity in Babylon. “And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month….. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.”
And it is indeed a good thing that in Israel, the Jews continue to celebrate God’s deliverance. It is called “Sukkot”, and in September, they observe the feast with thanksgiving and joy.
As Christians, we follow Jesus Christ’s example (1 Peter 2:21), because he is the spiritual tabernacle of God. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Hebrews 8:1-2; see also Hebrews 9:11-12). By paying the ransom (which was needed to atone for humanity’s original sin in Genesis 3:1-6; and by so doing, he would open the path for righteousness and salvation), he became what we look to in order to serve God and be saved (just as the Israelites looked to the physical tabernacle to hear God’s Word and worship).
And we find in the Scriptures that Jesus celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. In John 7, the Son of God himself went up to Judaea to attend the feast. And through the feast, he taught the people (which came as a surprise in John 17:14-15, since Jesus wasn’t a Pharisee). And on the last and great day of the feast, he gave a message of salvation to the Jews by saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38).
But here comes the question: what about the Christians who aren’t Jews? Do they still celebrate the feast?
Well, the way we look at a “Jew” now, is not related to whether your father was a Jew, or whether you were born in Israel. A real Jew is one who worships God in the spirit, or in the heart. St. Paul explained this in many places, and we’ll consider a few: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:28-29). Those who have faith in God Almighty, the way Abraham did, based on the true knowledge of God, are true Jews because they fulfill the Abrahamic promise. In Galatians 3:7-9, St. Paul said, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”
Therefore, “Israel” is a spiritual thing; and it is those who serve God Almighty in the spirit and in the heart, and who are “circumcised in the heart” (Jeremiah 4:4) who are really Israel before God. “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” (Romans 9:6-8; see also Galatians 6:15-16).
And the way we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles is not physical, either. Remember, when God set up the feast, He wasn’t interested in the sacrifices, and the singing (Psalms 51:16). It was the joy, and the love they would have for Him, that He wanted, because He is a spirit, not a human being. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24). It’s very important that we know this, because when we just do the physical, then the celebration will become tradition, and the value is lost. That’s what St. Paul meant by, “for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6). The letter is just the physical things you do (like offering sacrifices). But when the celebration involves our heart (the spirit), it gives it life, because the celebration will become meaningful, and righteous.
Therefore, we celebrate the feast by living in a way that pleases God, and we show our gratitude to Him by doing things that make Him happy. We "offer" ourselves to God and use our lives to do His work. St. Paul encouraged us to do so by saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1; see also Hebrews 13:15 and 1 Peter 2:5).
God Almighty prophesied in Zechariah 14:16-17 that the Feast of Tabernacles would be celebrated spiritually in our time, the last days. And it would be those who celebrate it spiritually (because when Jesus Christ paid the ransom, our worship was no more physical, but rather spiritual) who would be blessed. “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain." The phrase “that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem” is referring to those who have decided to serve God with their hearts and not disobey Him. They are "left" because they are separate from the majority of people who don't live in a way that pleases God (similar to how there were a selection of people who were "left" of all those who went into Babylonian Captivity, according to Nehemiah 1:2-4).
The King in the text is Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32-33, Revelation 11:15, 19:15-21), and we should celebrate his feats in our time. God Almighty has used him to cut down the leaders who used to oppress humanity, and the monarchical system of rulership has been reduced to royal figures who sit on thrones with no authority. In other words, God has delivered us, and we now have the freedom to serve God without having spiritual leaders, who gang up with political leaders, opposing the wrong way of doing it.
Therefore, we should join those in the Scriptures to celebrate God Almighty, spiritually and even physically. “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” (Psalms 98:1-4). When we do so, God will send rain to us (in other words, He will bless us. “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” (Ezekiel 34:26).