I felt led to do this research, because there are some who try to dissuade others from believing in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because He has punished people over time, where some people have died. Having read the Bible from cover to cover many times, I wanted to research specifically to see if these consequences were unwarranted as they suggest.
To do this research, I will use the New King James Version of the Bible, also known as NKJV, and internet resources, as needed. Since the Bible sometimes uses the word “him” and the word “he” within the same verse, I will include who is speaking and who is being spoken to within brackets if I determine it’s beneficial for clarity.
Additionally, I will put my analysis, comments, observations, and conclusions within brackets, as well. For those who would like to read this research or previous Biblical Research Projects in their entirety, you can go to either of these two blogs I felt led to create: Biblical Proof! found at https://BiblicalProof.blogspot.com or Do Biblical Inconsistencies Really Matter? at https://Biblicalinconsistencies.blogspot.com/
[Note: At times, the same event will be in two different books of the Old Testament. In that case, I will analyze that event, most often, in only one of the books of the Bible, so the research is not repetitious.]
[The thing is, God gives us choices. We can choose to follow Him and his statutes, but when we don’t there are consequences. He most often explains what He expects/wants, and has prophets that will do this for him, but there is always the alternative for those who worship idols, live wickedly, and lead others astray.]
[Although those listening to this on the podcast can’t tell, on the blogs I mentioned, I will have the portions highlighted in yellow that show God’s compassion, the negative consequence of their choices in green, and when they are warned in turquoise. Note: God often uses prophets to warn people of their poor choices, but regardless, God has already shared the 10 Commandments, with His statutes to not worship idols/false gods, as well.]
Joshua 5:6 says: For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord- to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us a land flowing with milk and honey.” [This shows God followed through on the Consequence to those who chose to not follow God.]
Joshua 6:18-16 says: “And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.” 7:10-13 goes on to say: So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. Get up, sanctify the people, and say ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.” [Joshua tells the Israelites to not take the accursed things and the consequence of doing so. Unfortunately, they took the accursed things and hid it and God is turning His back on the Israelites unless they destroy the accursed thing.]
Joshua 9:14-15 says: Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregations swore to them. 9:18 goes on to say: But the children of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers. [God had warned the Israelites not to join with other countries, because they had false gods that might corrupt them. They had a choice to make, but they didn’t ask God first and were tricked by the rulers and made a covenant with them.]
Joshua 23:6-8 says: “Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.” 23:12-13 goes on to say: “Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations-these that remain among you-and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns on your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.” 23:16 further says: “When you have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.” [Joshua reminds the Israelites they have a choice and lets them know what will happen if they don’t abide by the Laws of Moses and not to worship other gods.]
Joshua 24:19-23 says: But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good. And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord!” So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses!” “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.” [They had a choice, because Joshua reminds the Israelites again that God will turn from them if they serve other gods/idols and the Israelites agree to serve God]
Judges 2:10-15 says: When the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for calamity, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn to them they were greatly distressed. 2:16-22 goes on to say: Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so. And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way. Then the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He [God] said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, “I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.” [God turned His back on the Israelites who chose to worship idols, but He took pity on them, until they turned back to the false gods.]
Judges 3:7-11 says: So the children of
Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God, and
served the Baals and Asherahs. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against
Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of
Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years. When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord,
the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them:
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. The Spirit of the Lord came
upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord delivered
Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Chushan-Rishathaim. So
the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz
died. 3:12-15 goes on to say: And the children
of Israel again did evil in the sight of Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon
king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.
Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated
Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms. So the children of Israel
served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years. But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised
up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel
sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
[The Israelite made choices where they went astray 2 times in this passage, but when they prayed, God had someone deliver them from their enemies both times.]
Judges 4:1-3 say: When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. so the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Hagoyim. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel. 4:22-24 goes on to say: And then, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, Come, I will show you the man whom you seek.” And when he went into her tent, there lay Sisera, dead with the peg in his temple. So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan in the presence of the children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. [The Israelites chose to turn away from the Lord and ended up under King Jabin, until the Lord saved them when they cried out to Him.]
Judges 5:31 says: “Thus let all your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the Land had rest for forty years. 6:1 says: Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 6:7-10 goes on to say: And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. Also I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not obeyed My voice.’” [The Israelites had rest for 40 years, because God rescued them from their enemies, but they chose to go back to their evil ways. Their consequence was to be put under the Midianites. When they cried to the Lord, He sent a prophet to remind them of what they’ve done, but rescues them again in the next portion.]
Judges 6:12-16 says: And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him [Gideon], and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, “Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” [Gideon wonders why the Israelites are suffering under the Midianites when God had saved them from Egypt, but was told that God had selected him to save them.]
[God wanted to show the Israelites how He protects them. He tells Gideon that if He allows all the Israelites to fight the Midianites, they will think they won by the number of their large army and not know that it was God who saved them. So, God had Gideon thin out the large army and only had Gideon take the 300 men who lapped water like a dog in order that this small group of men could conquer the Midianite soldiers. That way, the people would know that the Midianites were overpowered, because God was protecting them from the oppression of the Midianites.] Judges 7:2-7 says: And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from mount Gildead.’” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained. But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”
[Since Gideon was still worried, God had Gideon overhear a dream a Midianite shared with another soldier, so Gideon knew God was really going to allow him to overpower the Midianites, which they did.] Judges 7:15 says: Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midan and the whole camp.” And it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midan into your hand.” 7:18 goes on to say: “When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”’ 7:20-22 yet says: Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the [ceramic] pitchers- they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing- and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.
Judges 8:22-23 says: Then the men of Israel said to Giddeon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” 8:28 goes on to say: Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon. [God had Gideon save the Israelites from the Midianites]
Judges 8:33-35 says: So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals [means they went astray to false gods], and made Baal-Berith their god. The children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal [another name for] (Giddeon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel. 9:22-24 goes on to say: After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the crime done to the seventy son of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in killing of his brothers. 9:53-57 further says: But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’' So his young man thrust him through, and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed, every man to his place. Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal [Giddeon]. [Abimelech killed his 70 brothers, so he could be ruler over Israel, but God has a consequence for this.]
Judges 10:6-7 says: Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. So the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the people of Ammon. 10:10-16 goes on to say: And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!” So the Lord said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the people of Ammon and from the Philistines? Also the Sidonians and the Amelekites and the Maonites who oppressed you and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.” And the children of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray.” So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel. [God asks the Israelites why they chose to turn to false gods, because He has delivered them from oppression so many times. Maybe they should cry out to the false gods instead of to Him. They turned back to focus on the true God and He delivered them.]
Judges 11:29-33 says: Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon. And Jepthah made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.’ So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hands. And he [Jephthah] defeated them from Aroer as far as Minnith- twenty cities- and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. The people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. [God listened to Jepththah’s prayer and rescued the Israelites from the people of Ammon, but God doesn’t ask us to make vows as he did. God hears our prayer and vows are not necessary and He doesn’t ask us to make sacrifices like Jepthath did.]
[God’s angel let them know that they would have a son, Samson. They didn’t realize he was given to them from God to help defeat the Philistines who had oppressed the Israelites. ] Judges 13:1 says: Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. 13:6-7 goes on to say: So the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name. And He said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’” 13:24 further says: So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 14:4 continues: But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord- that He [God] was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. 14:19-20 continues on: Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him [Samson] mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father’s house [because he found out that]. And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
Judges 15:12-15 says: But they said to him [Samson], “We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.” So they spoke to him, saying, “No, but we will tie you securely and deliver you into their hand; but we will surely not kill you.” And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock. When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it. [The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson mightily and he killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, because they had oppressed Israel.]
[Samson was tricked and the locks of his hair that produced his power were cut off. He was imprisoned and his eyes were put out. He prayed and asked God to return his strength one last time for the loss of his eyes, and he pushed the pillars down that supported the temple with lots of Philistines who were killed.] Judges 16:19-23 says: Then she [Delilah] lulled him [Samson] to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his [Samson’s] head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said: “Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!” 16:25 goes on to say: So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars. 16:28-30 further say: Then Samson called to the Lord saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.
1 Samuel 7:2-6 says: So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. [Samuel tells the Israelites who had turned away from the Lord, to turn back and He might protect them, which He does.] And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah. 7:8 goes on to say: So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the Hand of the Philistines.” 3:10-13 further says: Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. [Samuel told them that if they put away foreign gods and chose to turn to serve the Lord, He would deliver them from the Philistines, which God did.]
1 Samuel 8:6-10 says: But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day- with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods- so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 8:17-19 goes on to say: “He [the new king] will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.” Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” [Samuel warns the Israelites that if they demand a king instead of letting God lead them, what the consequences will be, but they still chose to have a king.]
1 Samuel 12:7-25 when Samuel says: “Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord which He did to you and your fathers: When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the Lord, the the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who bought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgot the Lord their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. Then they cried out to the Lord, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ “And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. And when you saw that the Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. Now therefore here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the Lord has set a king over you. If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God. However, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers. Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes: Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking a king for yourselves.” So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear, You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside, for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.” [Samuel reminds the Israelites of times they turned against the Lord, and turned back to Him and how God sent someone to rescue them from their oppression. They are told that if they and their king choose to follow the Lord, all will go well for them, and what the consequences are if they don’t.]
1 Samuel 15:21-23 says: Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Pilistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven. [The Lord saved the Israelites when they battled against the Philistines.]
[The giant, Goliath, challenged the Israelites who would have been the
servants of the Philistines if Goliath won the fight against them. On God's
behalf, David as a youth took on Goliath to defend both the honor of God and
the Israelites.]
1 Samuel 17:44-51 says: And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with the sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Phistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
1 Samuel 28:17-19 says: “And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of Philistines.” [The spirit of Samuel tells Saul that God is going to give the kingdom over to David, because Saul chose not follow God’s order.]
2 Samuel 12:7-10 says: Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’” [After all God had done for David, David chose to have the husband of Bathsheba killed, because she was pregnant with David’s son, while she was still married to Uriah.]
[How do we know that God so loved the world that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to Save Us?]
Think about it. How Could the Exact Things Done to Jesus, be Predicted All These 100+ Years Before His Birth, if it weren't for God the Father's Having Prophets Write These Predictions down to Be Included in the Bible! God knew that some would doubt, so He left us Biblical evidence, so We Know Jesus is Truly the Son of God by Fulfilling These Predictions!
Prediction
in Psalm About Jesus being God’s Son
[God Letting David Know Something He Will Say to His
Only Begotten Son, Jesus]
· I will declare the
decree: the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten
Thee. Psalm 2:7
· New Testament Proof this prediction was fulfilled: God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day, have I begotten Thee. Acts 13:33
Predicting a Virgin will
Bear the Son of God
· Therefore the Lord
Himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son,
and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He
may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall
know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest
shall be forsaken of both her kings. Isaiah 7:14-16
· New Testament Proof of Prediction fulfilled: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. '' and she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25
Plot to Betray Jesus:
Predicting the 30 Pieces of Silver Judas was Given to
Betray Jesus, is Used for Potter's Field
· And I said unto them, If
ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed
for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, cast it
unto the potter: a goodly price that I was [priced] of them. And I took the
thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.
Zechariah 11:12-13
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment: And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, “and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.” Matthew 27:7-10
This Predicts Jesus'
Disciple, Judas, Would Betray Him
· Yea, Mine own
familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up
his heel against Me. Psalm 41:9
· This is More than just New Testament Proof of fulfillment, because this
particular Bible passage shows Jesus knows full well He is going to be betrayed
by Judas. Who else could do that, but God’s Son, Jesus? : When Jesus had
said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then,
leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus
answered, “It is he to whom I shall
give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of
Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him [Judas]. Then Jesus said
to him, “What you do, do quickly.” But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For
some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy
those things we need for the feast, “ or that he should give something to the
poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately, And it
was night. John 13:21-30
· More New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment: And while He [Jesus] was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. Matthew 26:47-50
Predicts That Jesus Will Be
Beat and Spit Upon Before They Crucify Him
· The Lord God hath
opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave My
back to the smitters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid
not My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help Me;
therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Isaiah 50:6-7
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment: Then released he Barabas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head. And after that they had mocked Him, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. Matthew 27:26-31 [Jesus knew He would have to go through all of this in order to save us from our sins, so that believers could have salvation in heaven with Him, some day. If it were me, and I knew people were going to spit on me, mock me, and beat me, it would have been a real game changer, but Jesus went through all of this for us anyway, knowing all of this in advance!]
Predicting Bystanders Would
Divide Jesus' Clothes & Cast Lots for His Coat
· They part my garments
among them, and cast lots upon My vesture. Psalm 22:18
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment: Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them. And for My clothing they cast lots.” Matthew 27:35
Predicts The Piercing of
Jesus' Hands & Feet When They Nailed Him on the Cross
· For dogs have
compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have [enclosed] Me: they pierced My
hands and My feet. Psalm 22:16
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment- the same day Jesus arose from the grave: Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, he showed them His hands and His feet. Luke 24:36-40
100’s of years before Jesus
was Born, It was predicted What Jesus would Say on the Cross When He Died for
Our Redemption:
· My God, My God,
why hast Thou forsaken Me? Why art Thou so far from helping Me, and from
the words of My roaring? Psalm 22:1
· New Testament Proof this verse was fulfilled is in Matthew 27:45-46: Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Predicting Jesus Wouldn't
Suffer Corruption [ His body wouldn’t rot!]
· For Thou wilt not
leave My soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see
corruption. Psalm 16:10
· The fulfillment of this verse is in John 20:25-29 when Jesus shows
Himself to the disciples the second time after arising from the grave: The other disciples therefore said to him [Thomas], We have seen the
Lord.” So he [Thomas] said to them, unless I see in His hands the print of the
nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His
side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again
inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the
midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here,
and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas
answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas,
because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed.”
[You’ve heard all these predictions of Jesus being the Only Begotten Son of God, His Birth, Betrayal, Death, and Resurrection and the Fulfillment of these. Here are some additional noteworthy passages, so you are not led astray by those who would try to dissuade Christians from believing in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.]
Jude Forewarns Us of Those
Trying to Lead Believers Astray from Love of God and Jesus Christ, His Son
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude v.1-4
Jesus
Christ, God's Son, Washed Our Sins From Us When He Died and Arose from
the Dead
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6
[Jesus
Tells John in the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ: They Should Stay Strong,
Hold Fast, and Repent, because Jesus Comes Like a Thief in the Night, and
Believers Undefiled Shall Walk in White with Him & Jesus Will Not Blot Out
Their Name from the Book of Life, but Will Confess Their Name to God the
Father, and They Should Focus on What the Holy Spirit Says to the Churches]
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,
that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt
not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not
defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are
worthy. He
that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white [clothes]; 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. He that hath and ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:2-7
………………………………………..
[After all my research analysis, I have determined that it is very consistent that God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to save us, but had consequences for some people’s choices where they died.]
[God gives them and us choices. If we worship the Lord God and follow His statutes, He will provide for us and support us, but if we choose to turn our backs on Him, He will turn His back on us. Of course, that doesn’t mean that we get to have steak every night or the desired job they want, but God will be there with us through the good things and the bad.]
[Much the same as it says in Deuteronomy 7:16: “Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the Lord your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.”]
[Why is it significant that God gave His Only Begotten Son to Save Us?
Romans 6:23 says: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 4:9-10 says: In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation/substitute for our sins.
1 Peter 1:17-21 says: And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’ work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.]
[Not only do I base my analysis on all the predictions about Jesus in
the Old Testament and fulfillment in the New Testament, but also on the
following Bible verses.]
When He [Jesus] had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan [River]. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22
And John [the Baptist] bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him [Jesus.] “I did not know Him, but He [God the Father] who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” Again, the next day, John [the Baptist] stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” John 1:32-36
At Jesus’ Transfiguration before He betrayed: While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5
And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Mark 9:7
While he [Peter] was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Luke 9:34-35
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” John 12:27-28
For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 2 Peter 1:16-17
Remember John 3:16-21 where Jesus says:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
[My advice to you is to follow Jesus, the Light of the World, that can
lead believers to Salvation in Heaven with Him someday.]
