BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR

BEN F. VICK, JR.

       After answering the apostles' questions concerning the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, Jesus turned to his second coming. The apostles' inquiries were concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. After answering them, Jesus turned their attention (and ours) to his second coming. It was not unusual for Jesus to change the subject in teaching others. He did so with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman (John 3,4). 

It was natural for Jesus to turn their attention to his second coming. Contrary to the A.D. 70 advocates, he did not come personally at the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus clearly distinguished between Jerusalem's destruction and his second coming. He said, "But." That is a contrast with what has gone before. It is a conjunction. It ties what has been said earlier with what Jesus was about to say. Jesus gave them signs as to the destruction of the temple; however, there would be no signs of his second coming. Jesus said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matt. 24:36.)

However, men come along and think they are smarter than Jesus and the angels. He said no man knows. Even Jesus did not know while he was on earth when his return would be, according to Mark's record (Mark 13:32.) The angels do not know. But ask the not-so-wise A.D. 70 proponents; they know.

Jesus said: "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matt. 24:37–39.) The second coming of Christ will be like in the days of Noah. People were going about their daily routines. They had no idea the flood was coming until it came. Unlike the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus gave signs of its downfall. People would have a window of opportunity to escape the city and its environs. That will not happen when Jesus comes again. In Noah's day, the people "knew not until the flood came, and took them all away." 

Further, our Lord says, "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." (Matt.24:40–41.) One shall be spared; the other lost. Did you note the "then"? "Then" when? When the Lord comes the second time. Jesus follows this with a conclusive warning: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matt. 24:42.) Therefore, because his second coming will be as in the days of Noah, Jesus said, "watch." Again, he said, "…for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." But they knew when Jerusalem would be destroyed. There were signs. It would happen in their generation (Matt. 24:34). The only way some have missed this is because they have had help. 

Jesus knew repetition is good, so he repeated the same thought using a different illustration. He said: "But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

The "goodman of the house" is the master of the house. He would be prepared for him if he knew when the thief was coming. He would not allow his home to be entered. Then Jesus gives another conclusion warning us: "Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." But they knew when Jerusalem would be destroyed. It would be in their generation. There would be signs, but no sign when Jesus comes again. According to A.D. 70 advocates, the goodman of the house no longer needs to watch. If the Lord came in A.D. 70, there would be no need to watch. There would be no need to prepare for his coming.

Continuing with the thought of not knowing when the Lord's return will be, Jesus said:

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:43–51.)

The faithful and wise servant is the one who provides food for the household. He is not slacking. That servant will be blessed because his lord will find him busy. However, if the Lord has already come, then that servant has been made ruler over all his lord's goods (24:47).

But what if that servant is evil and says in his heart, "My lord delayeth his coming [or, "My lord has already come"]; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken"? What will the lord of that servant do? Jesus said, "The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Whether the servant thinks his lord has already come or has delayed his coming, his reaction will be the same:  He will mistreat his fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunks. And what will the lord do? "Cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This punishment is undoubtedly an allusion to hell for the unprepared. 

It should not go unnoticed that Matthew continues the thought of the Lord's second coming because he continues in the next chapter with judgment scenes. Remember when Matthew wrote these lines, there were no chapters and verses. Observe the "Then" in 25:1. "Then" when? When the Lord comes the second time to judge the world. The parables of the ten virgins, talents, and the judgment scene all refer to that great day coming. Let each of us be prepared.   

THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM

BEN F. VICK, JR.

 Though under a different title, I have been writing about the Lord’s teaching concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. Most of his teaching on this subject is found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. However, there are other references in the Bible and out of the Bible of the horrible event.

 When the “abomination of desolation” was seen, the Jews were to flee from the city. If they were on the housetop, they were not to go down to gather anything but get out. If they were working in the fields, they were not to go back to the city. It would be terrible if a woman was with child or had a nursing baby at the time because of the difficulty in fleeing quickly. They were to pray that this event did not occur during the winter or on the sabbath because of the difficulty in traveling or even getting out of Jerusalem. At that time, there would be great tribulation. Thayer defines the Greek word (θλίψις) “of the afflictions of those hard pressed by siege and the calamities of war.”  Another Greek lexicon says of this word in this context: “of distress that is brought about by outward circumstances.”  There was nothing like it or after it (Matt. 24:21). If the mercy of God had not shortened those days, no flesh would have been saved.

During this siege, some were attempting to get others to follow them, claiming to be Christ or leading them to Christ (Matt. 24: 23-26). Like Jannes and Jambres (2 Tim. 3:8), they purported to do great signs and wonders to deceive the elect. Macknight comments:

 Hence many arose, pretending to be Messiah, and boasting that they would deliver the nation; the effect of which was, that the multitude giving credit to these deceivers, became obstinate in their opposition to the Romans, whereby their destruction was rendered both the more severe, and the more inevitable…. The partisans of the false Christs might pretend that Messiah was concealed a while for fear of the Romans; and the weaker sort of Christians, without this warning, might have imagined that Christ was actually returned to deliver the nation in its extremity, and to punish the enemies; and that he would shew himself as soon as it was proper.

Jesus further explains, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Matt. 24:27-28.)  Macknight says, “The coming of the Son of man shall be in a very different manner, and for very different ends, from what you are imagining. It shall be like lightning, swift, unexpected, and destructive.” Just as lightning comes swiftly and unexpectedly, the Son of man will come, but not personally. His servants, the Roman army, will come, who will destroy the city by his authority. As God used Nebuchadnezzar to take Jerusalem, God would use Titus and the Roman army to end the Jewish nation as the eagles devoured the prey.

Matthew records, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” (Matt.24:29.) These highly figurative expressions point out that the Jewish polity, both civil and religious, would be destroyed.   

The Jews would no longer be a people united under one form of government which they administered. They would no longer possess their own country. This language is not unusual in describing the downfall of a nation. Isaiah describes the destruction of Babylon using similar words: “For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, And the moon shall not cause her light to shine.” (Isa. 13:10.)  The language in Matthew 24:29, Wallace says, “The signs in the heavens, the darkening sun and falling stars, refer to the falling of Jewish dignitaries, casting down of authorities and powers, long established, and signified the darkness that settled upon the Jewish state.” (God’s Prophetic Word, p. 254.)

When darkness would cover the Judean state and the Jews would no longer be able to worship at the temple, the sign of the Son of man would appear. Jesus said, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matt. 24:30.) No better comment on these verses can be read than what Wallace wrote:

The coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven is not a reference to the second coming of Christ but to the coming foretold by Jesus to Caiaphas in Matthew 26.64: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Jesus told Caiaphas that he would see it, he would be a living witness to these events. The reference to the Son of man coming “with power and great glory” and “sitting on the right hand of power” is emphasis on the magnitude of the things that occurred. The Son of man came in power in the transpiring events.

15. Sending forth his angels – verse 31: “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”  Here is the grand announcement of the world-wide success of the gospel, the universal expansion of Christianity after the destruction of Jerusalem. The angels of this verse were messengers, emissaries of the gospel. The gathering of the elect from the four winds meant that these messengers would carry the gospel to every nook and corner of the inhabited world. This is history of what occurred. With the downfall of Judaism the greatest foe of the church was removed, the path cleared of the chief obstacle, resulting in the universal sweep of Christianity. The knowledge of God covered the earth as waters cover the sea. (Ibid, pp. 254-255.)

Jesus’ answer to the questions asked by his four apostles concludes with these lines: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (Matt. 24:32-34.) Jesus’ parable of the fig tree was for the purpose of showing that just as the fig tree gives a sign of summer’s nearness, so would there be signals of the closeness of Jerusalem’s destruction. Jesus clarified that all the things he mentioned would be fulfilled in that generation. Forty years later, the prophecy was fulfilled.

"JESUS IS COMING SOON" II

BEN F. VICK, JR.

        In last week's article, I mentioned that the song as titled and some of the lyrics are not scriptural, even though some modern translations change the word "quickly" to "soon" in Revelation 22:20. Neither our Lord (while he was on earth), nor the angels, nor the apostles knew when his return would be. He will come as a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10). Yet date-setters and prognosticators have taught that the Lord's return is imminent, near, at hand. There is no doubt that the Lord came in judgment upon the city of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, but that is NOT the second coming of our Lord.

It has been suggested that the song's title is not wrong because it will not be long before we quit the walks of men. However, the song is not entitled: "We Shall Meet Jesus Soon," but "Jesus Is Coming Soon." An apparent reference to his second coming, not our departure from this life. 

Jesus said the gospel would be preached in all the world before the end of the Jewish state. Keep in mind that the law of Moses had ended at the cross (Col. 2:14), but many Jews were still attempting to follow it. However, it had been nullified. In that Olivet discourse, he said to Peter, Andrew, James, and John, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14.)

Within thirty years of the Lord's pronouncement, the gospel had been preached in all nations. Paul wrote to the Colossian saints, "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth." (Col.1:5-6.) A few lines later, he said, "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." (Col.1:23.) In Romans, Paul said, "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." (Rom. 10:18.)

After mentioning distant signs of the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus then began to show signs of destruction closer to Jerusalem. He said:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day. (Matt. 24:15-20.)

What is "the abomination of desolation"? There have been many suggestions. One possibility made was in A.D. 40 when the Roman emperor Caligula had planned to erect a statue of himself in the temple. In his Late Great Planet Earth, Hal Lindsey suggested several abominations of desolation. According to John MacArthur, the abomination of desolation "is an event that will happen in the future time known as the tribulation." (Website: "Grace To You.”) These speculations are wrong. Men cannot be satisfied with the Lord's answer. 

The expression "abomination of desolation" related to one event, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army in A.D. 70. The Lord said, "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." (Luke 21:20.) Luke recorded earlier, "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." (Luke 19:41-44.) The idolatrous Romans did desecrate and destroyed the temple.

When the Jews saw the Roman army surrounding the city of Jerusalem, they were to flee to the mountains. Those who believed the Lord's word fled to Pella, on the eastern side of the Jordan River. One on the housetop was not to go down to gather anything out of his house. Time was of the essence. If one was in the field, he was not to return to Jerusalem to get his clothes. Pregnant women and those nursing babies would have difficulty in travel. Such will make no difference when the Lord comes the second time. Jesus said, "pray ye that your flight not be in the winter, neither on the sabbath day." Why? Inclement weather and muddy roads would make travel harder.

Why pray that the abomination of desolation does not occur on the sabbath? The Seventh Day Adventists would argue that this is proof that the sabbath had not ended at the cross since the sabbath law was still in force. However, it was the Jews who were attempting to practice that which had been made null and void. The Jewish authorities would close the gates on the sabbath day. So, those wanting to escape would be held against their will. 

Further, Jesus said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matt. 24:21-22.) "Then," when would there be great tribulation? When they saw the abomination of desolation. This tribulation did occur. It took place in A.D. 70. There was nothing like it before or after the destruction of the city. Macknight says (and I quote): "In short, from the beginning of the siege to the taking of the city, there were slain by faction, by famine, by pestilence, and by the enemy, no less than eleven hundred thousand in Jerusalem." (A Paraphrase and Commentary on the Harmony of the Gospels, Vol. II, p. 424.) God shortened those days to deliver the elect; otherwise, no flesh would have been saved. 

To be continued.

"JESUS IS COMING SOON"

BEN F. VICK, JR.

It is just as wrong to sing a lie as it is to preach it. This song, written by R. E. Winsett in 1942, teaches error. I have tried to justify it because "soon" is a relative term; however, the New Testament does not teach that the second coming of Christ is coming soon. If it does, Paul did not know it because he taught that there would be a falling away after his death (Acts 20:28-32). If the New Testament teaches the imminent return of our Lord, Peter did not know it. The Lord had said to Peter that he would die before Christ returned (2 Peter 1:12-14; John 21: 18-19). These apostles spoke by inspiration of God. If they were wrong, it reflects on the Holy Spirit who revealed the messages to them (John 16:7-13). 

The Premillennialists teach the Lord shall return before his 1000-year reign on the earth. Some also teach the imminent return of Christ.   They believe the New Testament teaches the imminent return of Christ. If the New Testament teaches it now, it taught the same 2000 years ago. I believe in the eminent doctrine of the second coming of Christ, but not the imminent return of our Lord. "Eminent" means prominent. "Imminent" is defined as “ready to occur, impending, close in time, about to occur, at hand.” 

John wrote, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20.) The word "quickly" translates from the Greek word (ταχύς), which pertains "to a very brief period of time, with focus on speed of an activity or event. The word "quickly" is an adverb modifying "come." The Lord's coming will be quickly. He will come swiftly, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."

 A second definition of the Greek word pertains "to a relatively brief time subsequent to another point of time." To translate the word "ταχύς" as "soon" is not wrong in specific contexts. However, the bias of the translators of some available translations today is seen using the word "soon." The NIV, ESV, NLT, and NRSV translate the word as "soon." The New Berkeley Version renders the word "very soon." The Message reads, "I'm on my way! I'll be there soon." These renderings reflect the veracity of the Godhead. It has been 2000 years since those words were penned. It might be argued that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day; however, that statement is from the Lord's perspective; "Surely, I come quickly" is written from man's viewpoint. 

The song "Jesus Is Coming Soon" teaches error in saying there will be "signs" of the Lord's second coming. The second stanza in our songbook reads:

Love of so many cold, losing their home of gold

This in God's word is told, evils abound.

When these signs come to pass, nearing the end at last

It will come very fast, trumpets will sound.

Brethren, there will be no signs of the second coming of Christ. More on that later. However, to teach that there will be signs of his return is based on a misapplication of the Lord's teaching concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. It is to apply the signs of the pending doom of Jerusalem with the second coming of Christ. Those are two different events. The Lord's prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem is found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. There are short references in other places as well. 

When Jesus and his apostles were in Jerusalem, Jesus said to the Jews, "Behold, your house [not his house or temple] is left unto you desolate." (Matt. 23:38.)  This announcement concerned the apostles. Mark records, "And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" (Mark 13:1.) Perhaps they could not understand how the temple would be desolate. It was beautiful. They spoke of its having been "adorned with goodly stones and gifts." It was the center of Jewish worship. Jesus said, "As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (Luke 21:6)

The disciples went with Jesus to the Mount of Olives on the eastern side of Jerusalem. As they sat there looking over Jerusalem, they could see the temple's east side. Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus privately, "Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?" (Luke 21:7.) Though Matthew mentions three questions asked by Jesus' apostles, they boil down to just two. The apostles were asking him about the destruction of Jerusalem, his coming, and the end of the world or age. Their questions related to one event, the destruction of Jerusalem. However, Jesus answered them concerning two events:  the destruction of Jerusalem and his second coming. Matthew's account makes this clear.

Jesus answers the question as to the destruction of Jerusalem in 24:4-34. What were these signs? There were remote signs of its destruction:  Many would be claiming to be Christ and deceive many (24:5). There would be wars and rumors of war. Luke's account says, "wars and commotions" (Luke 21: 9). But the end of the state of Judaism would not be then (Matt. 24:6). The law of Moses ended at the cross (Col. 2:14), but many Jews were still worshiping under a law that had been nullified. Nation would rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in different places would occur. Jesus said, "All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matt.24:8.) "Sorrows" literally is "birth pains." These things mentioned would be just the beginning of great pain. 

Jesus said they would be delivered up to be afflicted. They would be hated of all nations for the Lord's name. Many would stumble and betray one another. Mark's words of the Lord are these: "Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death." (Mark 13:12.) Luke says, "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death." (Luke 21:16.)  Further, Jesus said, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matt.24:11–12) Does that sound like the second stanza of the song? Yes, I know one's love for the Lord can wax cold now, but that is not the context of this expression. Jesus said, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13.) The end of what? He was not referring to his second coming here. The context deals with the Jewish state's end and Jerusalem's destruction. Persecution would cause some to fall away from the faith. But those who remained faithful to the Lord, not a hair of their head would perish (Luke 21:18). 

To be continued.

GOD'S ATTITUDE TOWARD SODOMY

BEN F. VICK, JR.

        The Lord said through the prophet Malachi, "For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Mal. 3:6.)  The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Heb. 13:8.)  Insofar as God's characteristics are concerned, He changes not. Though Jesus Christ left the glories of heaven and tabernacled among men, His attitude toward transgression was/is the same. This truth should be kept in mind as the world celebrates what it pleases to call "Gay Pride Month." There will be parades and celebrations of homosexuals this month. The media pushes it; Disney supports it, but God hates it.

When Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom in the long, long ago, heavenly messengers visited Abraham. On that visit, the Lord spoke to Abraham. We read, "And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;" (Gen.18:20.) God let Abraham know that the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, and surrounding towns would be destroyed. Abraham bargained with God. God would not destroy the city if there were 50 righteous ones in Sodom. From that number it went to 45, then 40, then 30, then 20 and at last 10. If there had been ten righteous souls in the city of Sodom, God would have spared the city. When one reads the 19th chapter of Genesis, he can see how wicked the city was. Both the old and young men surrounded the house where Lot's guests were. They demanded to know them sexually. God spared Lot and his daughters, but he sent down fire and brimstone and destroyed the cities of the plain. The term "sodomite" came from the disgusting practices of the people of Sodom. They were homosexuals. To be a sodomite was to be a homosexual.

When God gave the law of Moses to Israel, he said, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants." (Lev. 18:22-25) Again in the same book, it is said, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." (Lev.20:13.) In repeating the law, God said, "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel." (Deut. 23:17.) God's attitude toward homosexuals or sodomites did not change, though a written law was given to Israel. 

When the kingdom of Israel divided due to the poor decision of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, the historian said, "And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." (1 Kings 14:24.)  This statement depicts how immorally corrupt the nation had become during the reign of Rehoboam. It may have had its slide earlier. However, the grandson of Rehoboam, Asa, did right in the eyes of the Lord. One of the things he did was to take away the sodomites out of the land (1 Kings 15:12)). He did not thoroughly do this because Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, removed the remnant of the sodomites out of the land (1 Kings 22:46). Josiah began his reign in Judah by cleaning up the nation. One of the things he did was break down the houses of the sodomites that were by the house of the Lord (2 Kings 23:7). Imagine that! Under previous reigns – Manasseh and Amon, the sodomites pushed their way into building houses near the temple. One of the indications of a good or bad king was what he allowed or disallowed regarding homosexuals. Evil kings allowed the sodomites to push their agenda, but good kings got rid of them. That was God's assessment of the kings.

In Romans 1, the apostle Paul described the condition of the Gentile's world:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" (Rom. 1:18-28)

Of these and others, Paul said that they are worthy of death; i.e., spiritual death, separation from God (Rom. 1:32).

Jude, the brother of the Lord, described the condition of those of Sodom and Gomorrah when he wrote: "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 7.) Those of Sodom and Gomorrah are "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" now. Note the present tense. They are not sleeping in restful repose; they are suffering. They will be at the judgment on the final day (Matt. 11:22-24). 

So, the world may call it "Gay Pride Month." I am not in favor of celebrating the homosexuals period. If people do not speak out against this abomination, the homosexuals will be pounding on our doors. They do not want us just to accept them. They want us to embrace their lifestyle. But David said, "Through thy precepts I get understanding: Therefore I hate every false way." (Psa. 119:104.)