The reason Israel will go through the Tribulation.
Matthew 23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. [NKJV]
This verse is relevant today and more so as we near the time of the Tribulation. Like it or not, just as death is appointed for mankind, we are nearer End Time than yesterday or two minutes ago. To address some readers’ curiosity, End Time does not have a beginning date. Conditions on earth will move into it gradually. BUT…It does have an ending date!
We do know the recognition date of the End Time. This is when the abomination of desolation is globally exposed. It will be on purpose. The Antichrist will declare on the floors and in the sanctuary of the rebuilt Jewish Temple that he is to be worshiped…NO EXCEPTIONS. The abomination of desolation is a prophetic event found in the book of Daniel *(Daniel 12:11) and referred to by Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:15).
*Daniel gives a duration time slot that God will allow the abomination to be practiced. Truths will then be what is said by the evildoers. Common sense and logic will be subdued and eliminated as much as possible. Liberal arts will truly be liberal arts. Freedom of speech will be limited to the left of policy and politics. Read Ecclesiastes 10:2. Prepare yourself for a shock if one has not read this passage before now.
The teachers of the law now sit in Moses’ seat, it has to be a do what I say but not what they practice. Isn’t this true today? We are told what to do even if it is wrong. Calling right wrong and wrong right is also an End Time warning. We find it to be global, not just in the USA court and legislative branches of government. There are about 100 verses in scripture that state or allude to this. One example is found in Isaiah 5:20-21.
Continuing with Matthew 23:3b we read… So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. This does not mean to do anything that is against the laws of God, but it does mean to follow the truths of what they read to them (us) about the laws of scripture. The teachers of the law at that time in history were not quoting from their hearts and spirit but their selfish perspectives. They wanted Israel to follow the law even though they did not. This will be and already is what governing bodies of this world wish on their general populations. Do as I say not as I do.
But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. This is chief amongst the scriptures we read in the Bible about deceitfulness. Deceitfulness is not only the sneaky stuff but what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 23:3c includes do as I say and not as I do. This puts the guilt of sinning on the shoulders of the listener. One KNOWS better but blames the messenger for him or her being contrary. Understand this! If one knows better s/he cannot be excused for doing as cancel-culture or the wrong being right crowd wish all to believe.
The Bible not only warns us to not be deceived but to not be self-deceived. Click here to read eight different verses about deception.
Continuing Matthew 23… in its entirety is a monologue by Jesus. He points out what is a major problem with Israel’s/Judah’s leadership, then and now, and why HIS chosen or elect will suffer the consequences of the Tribulation. He primarily addresses the scribes and Pharisees.
NOTE: Let’s understand the use of these two titles: scribes and Pharisees. According to Strong’s Greek definitions, a scribe (G1122) is a writer, that is, (professionally) scribe or secretary: – scribe, town-clerk. It is not a sect, tribe, or subtribe of Israelites. A Pharisee according to G5330 is a separatist, that is, exclusively religious; a Pharisaean, that is, Jewish sectary: – Pharisee. In comparison to a scribe, this is a unique group of people.
Notice that the Sadducees are not mentioned in Matthew 23. A good question to ask is why Jesus didn’t include the Sadducees in his chapter 23 monologue. They were primarily responsible for the Temple’s upkeep and maintenance plus well known for their corruption. Jesus realized that about 30 years after his death and resurrection around 30-32 A.D. the Temple would be destroyed (70 A.D.) by the Persians/Babylonians. The sect of Sadducees would die off. They no longer exist and will not exist during the final days of In That Day i.e., Tribulation.
Jesus gives *8 woes in his monologue in Matthew 23.
* The older Bible manuscripts leave out verse 14, #2 of 8 woes in the King James Version.
1. Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
2. Matthew 23:14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation.
3. Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
4. Matthew 23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.‘
5. Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
6. Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
7. Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
8. Matthew 23:29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (but you rejected and killed them).
We encourage the reader of this article commentary to read the verses between each woe listed here from Matthew 23.
The End Time connection with these woes is what Jesus points out, they are the guilt of his elect or chosen people. The Tribulation is the final chapter of their punishment. God is removed from worship by men. Worship is replaced by denominations and religious acts i.e., church attendance. Remember, these woes are directed at God’s Left Behind elect, not the world in general. The world in general falls under a different condemnation…The Great White Throne Judgment.
Rev. Dr. Jstark
2022
PS; Isaiah 24:19-23
The earth is broken asunder,
The earth is split through,
The earth is shaken violently.
The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard
And it totters like a shack,
For its transgression is heavy upon it,
And it will fall, never to rise again.
So it will happen on that day,
That the Lord will punish the host of heaven on high,
And the kings of the earth on earth.
Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Earth-On-Fire
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