Is a Great unnumbered crowd out of all Nations possible?
Up to this moment in time, there is a population of approximately eight Billion People living on our earth today. So, reasonably, it would not be possible to gather an unnumbered great crowd out of that eight Billion. One other thing to consider as I delve into this Bible subject, are the words of Zephaniah the Prophet who predicted the following: "Neither their Silver nor their Gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's fury, but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth." {Zephaniah 1:18} Of course the fulfillment of that prophecy would kill, at least eight Billion humans, would it not? That of course, would mean, to gather an unnumbered great crowd out of all Nations, would be virtually impossible. Let us look at the words of the Apostle John and see what he has to say about this great unnumbered crowd:
"After these things I saw, and Look! a great crowd which no man was able to number, out of all Nations and Tribes and Peoples and Tongues, standing before the Throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: "Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the Throne, and to the lamb." Move on down now to verses 13,14 and read: "And in response one of the elders said to me: "These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?" "So right away I said to him: "My Lord you are the one that knows. And he said to me: "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb." {Revelation 7:9-15}
Now, think very carefully about what is stated here, because there is something said here that most Bible teachers do not even comprehend. Notice this great unnumbered crowd is said to be, 'out of all Nations and Tribes and Peoples and Tongues.' This is what I want you to think deeply about. Take a reasonable amount of individuals out of each Nation, Tribe, People, and Tongue; would you even then, have an unnumbered great crowd? How could you? You had only eight Billion to begin with factoring in all those Nations, Tribes, Peoples and Tongues together. Do you see it? There is only one way to get an unnumbered great crowd out of each nation tribe people and tongue; and that is by gathering them over the six thousand years of Mans history on this earth. It is said that six thousand years of Mans history on earth ended in the year 1975. Argue that, if you will, but that doesn't change the fact, that the only way to get that unnumbered great crowd is out of all the populations that have ever existed on this earth for that six thousand year period; and the only way to actually realise that number is through the resurrection of all the human dead for all who have lived, and died, during that time period. That is the reason no man could number it!
Some will argue and say, that these ones dressed in these white robes come out of the great tribulation, foretold by Jesus at Matthew 24:21,22 but that too is virtually impossible, due to the fact that there are only around eight Billion humans on the earth at that time, not an unnumbered great crowd. Then, too, the great tribulation foretold by Jesus runs right into Armageddon at which time Jehovah, 'will exterminate all the inhabited earth,' at that time; with the exception of only a few survivors.
I've been having a long - drawn - out discussion through the e-mail method with an ex friend of mine, who tenaciously clings to this idea that a great unnumbered crowd comes out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus; but Jesus was the one who foretold that only 'a few were on the road to life.' Further, he had said, that 'many would try to get in, but would not be able.' I reasoned, would Jesus after telling us all of that, turn around and contradict himself by telling us that a great unnumbered crowd would come out of the great tribulation that he foretold? Would he also contradict the words of Isaiah the Prophet, who himself had predicted that only 'a few mortal men would survive' Armageddon? {Matthew 7:13,14} {Isaiah 24:1-6} And lastly, would he contradict the words of Zephaniah the Prophet who, under inspiration by God, foretold that Jehovah was to make, 'an extermination, indeed a terrible one of all the inhabitants of the earth?' {Zephaniah 1:14-18}Three inspired witnesses are in complete harmony, one with the other, show that an unnumbered great crowd out of the great tribulation, that Jesus foretold is virtually impossible. Paul told us that if we supply the customary two or three witnesses on any scriptural matter, and these witnesses are inspired by God to write, then any decision reached is iron-bound - truth, and cannot be argued against. The following, was my last e-mail to this ex-friend in question. But check out the following scriptures to back up what I've stated thus far. {Matthew 7:13,14} {Luke 13:24} {2 Corinthians 13:1}
You will notice in these scriptures, Jesus put the vast majority on the broad road to destruction. So, highly impossible for a great unnumbered crowd to come out of the great tribulation, he foretold, and survive the War of Armageddon. Now to read what I had to say about this matter to my ex-friend:
Hi Dan!
I wasn't even going to bother answering any more of your e-mails to me; but you asked: "What's a great crowd?" "How many constitute a great crowd," I believe you asked. No one! Not you! Not I! Not anyone can give you an answer to that. However, I believe that you are already aware of that fact. No one that is, but Jehovah and his Son. I can, however show you just where they are all pictured standing. Read Revelation 20: 11-15 and learn just where that is. After reading it through, could you yourself tell me exactly how many are standing before that great white throne? It's an unnumbered great crowd, isn't it Dan? Where have all these ones been? Why in their graves! They were all dead, but now pictured here alive undergoing the final judgment. This is where Jehovah is judging the inhabited earth in righteousness as foretold by Paul at Acts 17:31 - Revelation 14:6,7 - This is where Jehovah must impute everlasting life to those who have passed the final test put upon them by satan, as he was given, as you would say: "His last kick at the cat!" You will notice in verse 15 those who have failed that final test, go for a swim in the lake of fire. but now all mankind experiences the fulfillment of Psalms 37:29 which as you know, says: "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and reside forever upon it." Jehovah must hold true to those words, and when that everlasting life is given, you will hear the momentous shout all throughout the earth and universe: {Eternal} "Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the Throne, and to the lamb." Notice here who is seated back on his Throne! It's Jehovah, not his appointed king, his dear son. At this point the Son has handed everything back to his Father and now Jehovah is all things to all people as Paul foretold at 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 -
Because this unnumbered great crowd has passed the final test, and proven their integrity to Jehovah, by with-standing the attempts by satan to mislead them; each one will be found wearing a white robe that signifies their righteous perfection with their God, Jehovah. All the many centuries that satan has ruled and dominated this earth, he has put this world through a great tribulation of terror, butchery, brutalities of every nature. Unspeakable atrocities have been committed; with literally rivers of blood intermingled with the tears of those who lost dear loved ones in death; all brought about by satan the devil, the first liar, manslayer, and murderer. {John 8:44}
Where does this unnumbered great crowd come from? From the only place a crowd of that number could come from. From every Nation, Tribe, People and Tongue who have lived, and died, all down through the six thousand years of Mans history! They come from the common grave of all dead mankind, by means of the resurrection of the dead. They have all washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. But they do not come out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus. Those that teach that they do are liars like their Father, the devil. {John 8:44} We might now consider exactly who it is, and approximately how many, that will make up the survivors of the great tribulation mentioned by Jesus; and keep in mind, there are not an unnumbered great crowd of, as Jesus called them, 'the chosen ones.' Or as the Apostle John called them, 'the seed of the Woman, who had the work of bearing witness to Jesus.' {Matthew 24:24} {Revelation 12:17}
How many today worship in Spirit and in Truth?
In conversation with the Samaritan Woman at the well-side, Jesus had told her that, that way of worship was on the scene at that time, but was yet, 'to come again.' This conversation is found at John 4:7-26 - Should it not be expected, since that way of worship was to come again, should we, not, today, find a body of believers who actually do worship in that manner? Obviously those first century believers were in direct association with the Christ, and taught first hand by him; so doesn't it follow, the exact same thing should prove to be true today? Unlike the early followers of Jesus, we are unable to receive our teaching exactly as they did; in that Jesus no longer walks this earth, but is now, and since the first century, at the right hand of his Father in the heavenly spirit realm, in possession now, of the holy spirit; Jehovah's main principle teaching instrument. As highlited for us at Acts 2:33. These following verses of scripture will show just how the Holy Spirit, in the hands of the Christ, serves as a teaching instrument: {John 14:15-17, 25, 26;16:13; 1 John 2:27}
Look where you will around our globe today, we find not a trace of this type of worship in progress. Why is that? Why, no matter where you look Religious Christendom dominates the religious scene; made up out of many divided religious sects and denominations; but know absolutely nothing about the type of worship Jehovah requires. That account tells us that, , 'those who worship the Father MUST worship in spirit and in truth for that is the only type of worship that Jehovah will accept,' according to that account in John. We know, the early followers of the Christ, were taught directly by the Christ as he walked this earth, but what about after his ascension, how did Paul for instance, receive his teachings? I'll allow Paul to explain that, for he does so, in the following: "For I put you on notice, brothers, that the good news that was declared by me as good news is not something human; for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it [by man] except through revelation by Jesus Christ." ... "that by way of a revelation the sacred secret was made known to me, just as I previously wrote." {Galations 1:11,12} {Ephesians 3:1-3} In 1 Corinthians 2:10 Paul takes this a step further: "For it is to us God has revealed them through his spirit, for the spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God."
It is reasonable to conclude from this writing thus far, that during the time the sign of the coming of Christ is in progress, these ones worshipping in spirit and in truth would be in evidence once again but the question might be raised, just how is it they come to be worshipping in the way Jehovah God approves? We recall the words of Jesus now at John 14:6 where he stated: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." So, these ones in question, would recognize the only approach to Jehovah was only through his Son; 'the one mediator between God and Man.' {1 Timothy 2:5} but now another question is raised: How did they manage to gain approach to the Son, so that they could approach the Father, and what occurred after they did gain that approach? Jesus will explain all of that: "No man can come to me unless the Father who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day." {John 6:44} So, obviously, these ones are directly chosen by Jehovah God, and allowed approach to his Son. But what happens now that they have gained said approach? That will be revealed in these next words of Jesus: "If you love me, you will observe my commandments, and I will request the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, the Spirit of the Truth, which the world cannot receive, because it neither beholds it nor knows it. You know it, because it remains with you and is in you." {John 14: 15-17} [1John 2:27]
So, was it to be true, that Jehovah failed to draw anyone to his Son, there would of course be no possible way to approach Jehovah through his Son, and that one would never gain the Holy Spirit, becaue it is the Christ who requests of the Father to impart the Holy Spirit to the one drawn, that would, if gained, enable that one to find the very deep things of God. Do not miss this very important point focused on here. The World in general cannot receive of the Holy Spirit, because as Jesus said, 'it neither beholds it nor knows it.' Hence this Religous World cannot gain any knowledge of Jehovah, and his Son, or much less of anything else to do with the Bible. So, no part of it could ever gain everlasting life, because it takes accurate knowledge of Jehovah and his Son to gain everlasting life, according to the words of Jesus at John 17:3. This one scriptural fact alone shows that a great unnumbered crowd, could never come out of this World alive, as survivors of the the great tribulation, that precedes the War of Armageddon.
It will only be those drawn by Jehovah to his son that will be found worshipping in Spirit and in Truth, as required by Jehovah, because only those ones will receive of the Holy Spirit, and through that means will be taught the Bible by the only one who can teach it accurately; the 'one teacher,' and 'one leader' of the first century. The Son of God! Our Lord Jesus Christ! {Matthew 23:8-12}
Some today believe that a great unnumbered crowd will survive the great tribulation foretold by Jesus at Matther 24: 21,22 but consider this, the only ones who could possibly survive that great tribulation are these few chosen ones who worship in spirit and in truth. Would Jehovah spare those who involve themselves in worship of the demons? Or those who otherwise simply ignore his Holy Word, and totally exclude him from their daily lives, and pursuits, as though he didn't exist? No! Lacking the Holy Spirit as this entire World does, it is devoid of the knowledge of God, and of his dear Son, who died for all mankind that they might have eternal life, being devoid of the Holy Spirit, this World in no way manifests the fruitage of the Spirit in their daily lives; because the works of the flesh abound the world over, and it desperately needs the world-wide clean-up, that will be done at Armageddon.
Anyone reading Revelation 13:1-8 can readily see, the entire World of Mankind involves themselves in Worship of the demons, and that is just one more major reason, why, a great unnumbered crowd to come out of the great tribulation mentioned by Jesus, is virtually impossible. The only ones who could possibly survive the great tribulation, are the ones Jesus foretold were to, 'come again;' and those ones are the ones who worship in spirit and in truth. The only kind of worshipper Jehovah will accept! As Jesus called them: "The chosen ones"! {Matthew 24:24} Of these, there will only be a few survivors, as foretold by Jesus at Matthew 7:13,14 and Luke 13:24. But there will be a great crowd on the broad spacious road to destruction. But a great unnumbered crowd out of the great tribulation mentioned by Jesus is definitely not possible.
You could triple the population of our earth now, but there is not enough time left now to do that, but even if there was, 24 Billion is still not an unnumbered great crowd; it is still a numbered population. So, how could it possibly be that a great unnumbered crowd comes out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus?
There is also something else, very striking, that will show the impossibility of a great unnumbered crowd coming out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus during the time period the sign of his coming was in evidence. Recall, Jesus informed us, that this world cannot receive of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Truth, and lacking said Holy Spirit there can be no knowledge of Jehovah or his Son, a prerequisite for gaining everlasting life, or if you will, gaining their salvation.Then too, Jesus made that perfectly clear, by these following words: "Righteous Father, the World has, indeed, NOT COME TO KNOW YOU, but I have come to know you, and these have come to know that you sent me forth." {John 17:25} To that Paul adds: "For since in the wisdom of God, the World through its wisdom DID NOT GET TO KNOW GOD ..." {1 Corinthians 1:21} Not knowing God, they would neither know his Son; so the opportunity for gaining everlasting life, would not be open to them, so how could they ever be heard to be saying: "Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the Throne and to the Lamb." {Revelation 7:9-17} The answer to that, is they could not! Never could you get an unnumbered great crowd from a World that does not know God; they would be seriously lacking in the one thing that would save their lives, was it to be true that they manifested it in their every day lives. That is the following: "Valuable things will be of no benefit on the Day of Fury, BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS ITSELF WILL DELIVER FROM DEATH."
{
Proverbs 11:4}
Who from among us, would have the audacity to tell anyone, that a great unnumbered great crowd of scripturally informed, righteous humans comes out of the time of this Worlds greatest trouble? And that from among a World that worships the demons! That does not know the King of Eternity, Jehovah God! My God! [1 Corinthians 10:20-22]
It's an easy matter, to misconstrue what Jesus and the Apostle John are saying, because it LOOKS LIKE they are talking about the same tribulation in both instances. Some are want to use scripture out of context, to support what they believe. They will point only to verse 14 of Chapter 7 of the Revelation, and pair that one verse with the words of Jesus at Matthew 24:21,22- to them that's the end of the arguement, both Jesus and John are talking about the same tribulation; according to them, that is.
But re-read these words of Jesus: "For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning until now, no nor will occur again. In fact, unless those days were cut short, NO FLESH WOULD BE SAVED; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short." Now why didn't Jesus here, tell us those days would be cut short on account of a great unnumbered crowd? If no flesh were to be saved, then, that would remove any great unnumbered crowd, would it not? But notice, only the few remaining chosen ones, had those days cut short to save their lives. At this point Jesus would know, it was too late for this world who did not know God; he would know, that through him and the angelic armies, his Father was to make 'a terrible extermination of all the inhabited earth,' in harmony with the words of Zephaniah the Prophet at Zephaniah 1:14-18 -
What occurs, though, when you examine thoroughly the entire context of Revelation 7:9-17? You will quickly learn, that Jesus is discussing the time period of this Worlds greatest peril, that precedes the battle of Armageddon. Look closely though at the scenario laid out by John, and you will learn that John is discussing something that is occuring at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ. That becomes apparent by the entire context, when considered. John pictures Jehovah back on his Throne, with all of his Angels back, bowing in worship to him once again. The thousand year reign is over. No longer does the Christ hold all authority in heaven; no longer are God's Angels bowing in worship to him. {Matthew 28:18-20}They are back on their faces worshipping Jehovah God, not the Christ. {Hebrews 1:6} The Christ has handed everything back to his Father. {1 Corinthians 15:24-28} Satan and those misled by him, are already in the lake of fire. {Revelation 20:7-10} Those that have passed the final test put upon them by satan, are all now clothed in white robes; and the final judging of the inhabited earth in righteousness has been done; hence this grand cry: "Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the Throne and to the Lamb." This is ETERNAL SALVATION, for now Jehovah must impute everlasting life to this unnumbered great crowd, as the Psalmist implied at Psalm 37:29 - But now read Revelation 20:11-15 and learn just where this great unnumbered crowd came from. {Revelation 14:6,7} {Acts 17:31} {"Eternal} Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the Throne!, and to the lamb." {Revelation 7:9-17}
Is a great unnumbered crowd out of all Nations Possible out of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus? Absolutely Not! But it is possible to gather a crowd of this size from the resurrection of all who have lived and died over the six thousand years of Mans history. That is the only place a crowd of that magnitude could come from, and that is where the Bible says they do come from. Read again Revelation 20:11-15 and prove that to yourself!
Is this not the place to properly insert these following words of the Apostle John: "AFTER THESE THINGS [ask yourself, how long after?] [point made?] I saw, and Look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of ALL NATIONS and Tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the Throne and before the lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And the keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: {ETERNAL}"Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the Throne, and to the lamb." I bracketed the word eternal for good reason. Now all mankind is living forever, never to die again!
In conclusion then, we might just take a look at this great unnumbered crowd that John has told us about: "And I saw a great white Throne and the one seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the Throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life, and the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. And they were judged individually according to their deeds. The Sea gave up those dead in it, and death and hades gave up those dead in them, And death and ha'des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire." This, as I said previously, is the time period that Jehovah judges the inhabited earth in righteousness, as Paul foretold at Acts 17:31, also reported on by the angel flying in midheaven in John's Revelation Chapter 14:6,7
Can anyone put a number to the amount of dead ones, mentioned here? No man was able to number this unnumbered great crowd; were they, and where did they all come from? Why they all were lying dead in their graves, were they not? That being the case, someone explain to me exactly how they all came out of the great tribulation mentioned by Jesus! These are obviously the ones John foretold came out of, 'every Nation, Tribe, People and Tongue.' The great crowd that no man could number, and no man could number them, because you cannot number what is not visible to the human eye! That lies buried, dead in the grave!
Now, in that the Apostle John did say, 'these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,' exactly what tribulation was John making reference to? He obviously had something else in mind, and I've revealed just what that was in this writing. So, if you have fastened on your spiritual thinking caps very tightly you will have already learned exactly what that was. If you have been paying attention, I mean.
Those that, believe, and teach, that an unnumbered great crowd will come out of the great tribulation that Jesus foretold, have only one seemingly valid scripture to support their belief. But is a scripture really valid, when the entire context around that one verse is totally ignored? Can they really pair John's words at Revelation 7:14 with the words of Jesus at Matthew 24:21,22 and come up with an accurate interpretation of scripture, in this case? While conversely, I have shown using the Holy Writings that there is overwhelming scriptural evidence, that their reasoning is seriouasly flawed, to say the very least.
To my mind, any reasonable individual will go with the preponderance of scriptural evidence that I have supplied from the Holy Writings. Evidence gathered from Men who were inspired to pen Jehovah's messages to mankind, should forever and always be put ahead of what these false teachers of today, interpret as the truth of the Bible. When the real truth of the Bible they could never, really, know!
Let me probe a little deeper into this Bible subject at hand. Lets assume that one wasn't 'granted to understand these sacred secrets;' even more, that their 'minds had not been fully opened to grasp the true meaning of the scriptures.' What kind of Bible interpretations would they be able to set forth? At the very best, they would only come up with failed predictions and false propbecies; is that not correct? As strange as it may seem, the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society, has to date established a 130 year record of failed predictions and false prophecies. These are the very ones who make the claim that it is they that are gathering this unnumbered great crowd, through their preaching activity around our globe. If this subject was not so serious, it would be down-right funny; because they are trying to convince us that they can gather an unnumbered great crowd from a numbered population of eight billion; and to date they have all of their converts numbered to a man. This fosters the questions, how can they gather an unnumbered great crowd from a numbered population of eight billion? Or from an earth, where the entire population has been exterminated? It might pay now to read the words of Jesus at Matthew 13:10-15 as well Luke 24:45 just to back up what I've stated here.
The Apostle Peter had something to say about these ones in his writings, and fully explains the reasons for their flawed understanding of the scriptures, in these following words: "Furthermore, consider the patience of our lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given him also wrote you, speaking about these things as he does also in all his letters. In them, however, are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unsteady are twisting, as [they do] also the rest of the scriptures, to their own destruction." [1 Peter 3:15,16]
This brings me back, now, to the bone of contention in the Apostle John's words at Revelation 7:14 where these ones will assume that Jesus and John are discussing the same tribulation. They will do a mere superficial, cursory reading, ignoring the full context, of Johns words and because it looks, and sounds, like they are talking about the same tribulation, they render their interpretation based on that superficial, cursory, reading; while not being granted to understand the sacred secrets, nor having their minds fully opened to grasp the depth of meaning of what John is discussing. Then, too, being untaught and unsteady, do not, and cannot, get the full meaning of what John is saying. A close look at the entire context of the words of John, one can see clearly, that Jesus and John are not even discussing the same time period. Jesus is making reference to the complete end of our global system of things; that foretold time of world peril, that would end with the battle of Armageddon. While John is talking about the end of the thousand year reign of the Christ; evidenced by the fact, that it is Jehovah who is pictured sitting on the Throne; back where he rightfully belongs. [Daniel 12:1]
That fact tells you that it is the end of the thousand year reign. With all of those resurrected dead ones, this unnumbered great crowd, who have passed the final test put upon them by satan the devil, undergoing the judging of the inhabited earth in righteousness, and receiving themselves at that time, the prize of everlasting life; initiatiing this grand cry throughout the earth: "Salvation we owe to our God, WHO IS SEATED ON THE THRONE, and to the lamb." Again! Note who is seated back on his Throne!
What does that fact tell you? Would we expect to find Jehovah seated on his Throne immediately after the War of Armageddon? Was not the Christ to occupy that throne for the thousand year period, holding 'all authority in heaven; as well as on earth?' Would not the thousand year reign begin immediately after the War of Armageddon is fought and won? With the Christ now on that throne, at that time? Not his Father, Jehovah God?Then, too, didn't it take the entire thousand year period to bring this great unnumbered crowd of resurrected dead ones to perfection; preparing them all for that final test, when satan is let loose for that final time? Would it not be after that final test is done to completion, and all have received the prize of everlasting life, that the Christ, now, at that time having finished all that he was sent to do, would hand the Kingdom back to his Father so that Jehovah at that time becomes all things to all people, as prophesied by the Apostle Paul. It would be, then, that this grand cry of: "Salvation we owe to our God who is seated on the [great white] throne, and to the lamb." That grand cry, could never have been heard immediately after the great tribulation mentioned by Jesus, nor could they have gained those white robes, at that time. Only by passing that final test at the end of the thousand year reign, could those white robes be gained; and they would only be gained by withstanding that final test put upon them by satan the devil, proving their integrity, and loyalty, to Jehovah, under the extreme pressures that satan would put upon them at that time. Those white robes had to be earned!
So, it's a matter of honest logical, sensible, and scriptural reasoning that the truth of this matter becomes known; if that is, we are 'granted to understand' it, and have those 'minds' that have been 'fully opened to grasp the meaning of the scriptures.'
Was we to be among those untaught and unsteady ones, mentioned by Peter, we will find ourselves on that broad road that leads to destruction; and we will learn to our dismay that we was not granted to understand these sacred secrets; nor was our minds fully opened to grasp the meaning of the scriptures.
Aside from predicting this Worlds destruction, Zephaniah had something else to say, that if we pay heed to it, it may well be, we will be in among those few survivors of the great tribulation that Jesus predicted. Note very carefully his following words: "Gather yourselves together, yes, do the gathering, O Nation not paling in shame. Before [the] statute gives birth to [anything] [before the] day has passed by just like chaff, [before] there comes upon you people the burning anger of Jehovah, [before] there comes upon you the day of Jehovah's anger, seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced his own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Perhaps you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah's Anger." [Zephaniah 2:1,2]
We know, that Jesus has told us that only a 'few was on the narrow road to life,' and now we know, that those few would consist of those who were to, 'come again.' Those that 'worshipped in spirit and in truth,' as all of those first century Christians did. We all, now, need to ask ourselves: "Is my worship in Spirit and in Truth? Will Jehovah find me, a meek righteous Worshipper; or will he find me one of those ones with the unreceptive heart, who had eyes, but could not see. Ears that could not hear because the prophecy of Isaiah found fulfillment in them? Dangerous ground to be found standing on, is it not? [Isaiah 6:9,10]
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