Millions of people in every country live out their lives in silent despair, as troubles mount on every side. Broken homes, loneliness, unemployment, debt, illness, crime, vice, violence and many other ills have overwhelmed human society. Some try to drown their sorrows in drink, others take drugs, only to find that they are compounding their problems. All the while, personal guilt is escalating throughout society. Families are growing apart. Churches are breaking up. The community spirit, so strong in days gone by, is fading. Greed, selfishness, sex and violence are the order of the day. Many people bravely ride out the storm, hoping against hope that things will get better. But the situation grows worse. Some, seeing no way out of their personal problems, commit suicide. To be sure, this is all common knowledge. I mention it simply by way of introduction to show that something is radically wrong with our world. Many hundreds of years ago, the shalach Paul wrote these words about our day.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of 'Elohiym--having a form of piety but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Yeshuwah haMashiyach also warned about these things. He added a list of international problems: wars, famines, disease epidemics, natural disasters. He said that the churches would lose many members, that love for 'Elohiym would grow cold, and 'emuwnah would be a rare commodity. These signs, He predicted, would all precede His return to ha'arets.
Because of the increase of risha', the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this Gospel of the Mamlahkah will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all gentiles, and then the end will come.
There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
"But Why," you may well ask, "is the world in such a mess?" The basic reason is because men and women have turned away from 'Elohiym. They have rejected His offer of salvation through His Son. They have rejected His Torah, and they have rejected His mitsvowt. The time has come for Him to act. Mankind's allocated period of six thousand years is almost finished. 'Elohiym is about to step in, shake up mankind and take over the rule of the world. But before He does that He is currently making His final appeal to the human race. The Torah says:
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With YHWH a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. YHWH is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
In other words, though 'Elohiym is soon to act and punish chatta'ah, He does not want anyone to perish; to be in Sh'owl - if there is the slightest chance they may accept His offer of checed. That is what this is about. It is an urgent invitation to consider the divine options open to you before it is eternally too late. For make no mistake, 'Elohiym is about to punish the world for its rebellion.
The punishment for chatta'ah is maveth. But before condemning a chatta' to maveth, 'Elohiym offers terms of checed. Only when His checed is repeatedly rejected does punishment follow. These Divine terms are documented in the scriptures.
Option 1 ... Unbelief and Death
For every living nephesh belongs to Me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to Me. The nephesh who is chatta'ah is the one who will die.
Yet you ask, `Why does the son not share the 'avon of his father?' Since the son has done what is mishpat and tsdaqah and has been careful to keep all My chuqowt, he will surely live. The nephesh who is chatta'ah is the one who will die. The son will not share the 'avon of the father, nor will the father share the 'avon of the son. The tsdaqah of the tsaddiyq will be credited to him, and the risha` of the rasha` will be charged against him.
Option 2 ... Forgiveness / Cleansing
“But if a rasha` turns away from all the chat'owt he has committed and keeps all My chuqowt and does what is mishpat and tsdaqah, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the pesha` he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the tsidqah he has done, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the rasha`?” declares 'Adonai YHWH. “Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”
When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even if you offer much prayer, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves! Make yourselves taher! Take your evil deeds out of My sight! Stop doing evil, learn to do right! Seek mishpat! Encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
"Come now, let us reason together," says YHWH. "Though your chatta'ah is like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool. If you are willing and attend, you will eat the Towb from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.
We will now list instances of some notable chata'iym of the Torah who found forgiveness from 'Elohiym. Their chat'owt include prostitution, idolatry, adultery, deceit, murder and sedition. When they repented, they were all forgiven.
Rachab (Prostitution)
Rachab was a prostitute who lived in the world's oldest city - Yriychow. She became a Believer in the 'Elohiym of Yisra'el. She and her family were spared when the city was conquered and all its inhabitants slaughtered.
The men said to her, "This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house”...But Yhowshua` spared Rachab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Yhowshua` had sent as spies to Yriychow -- and she lives among the children of Yisra'el to this day.
Though your chat'owt (Rachab) are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
King Mnasheh (Idolatry)
Mnasheh was one of the worst kings who ever ruled in Yhuwdah. His chat'owt were vile and numerous. 'Elohiym severely punished Mnasheh. But he repented and 'Elohiym forgave him and put him back on the throne. The story of Mnasheh is breath-taking. It shows that 'Elohiym is infinitely merciful to even the vilest chatta'.
Mnasheh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Yerushalayim fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of YHWH, following the tow`ebowt of the gentiles YHWH had driven out before the children of Yisra'el. He rebuilt the bamowt his father Ychizqiyahuw had demolished; he also erected altars to the B`aliym and made 'Asherowt. He bowed down to all the tsba' haShamayim and served them.
In his distress he sought the favor of YHWH, his 'Elohiym, and allowed himself to be humiliated greatly before the 'Elohiym of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, YHWH was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so He brought him back to Yerushalayim and to his kingdom. Then Mnasheh knew that YHWH is 'Elohiym.
Though your chat'owt (Mnasheh) are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.
King Daviyd (Adultery/Murder)
King Daviyd, for all his knowledge and love for the Torah, fell victim to the charms of a beautiful woman. When he saw Bat-Sheba` bathing, his spiritual defences collapsed and he committed adultery with her. So captivated was the king that he had her husband murdered in battle. Daviyd then took Bat-Sheba` as his wife. 'Elohiym was terribly angry and pronounced judgment against Daviyd.
“This is what YHWH says: `Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Yisra'el.' ” Then Daviyd said to Natan, "I have been chatta' against YHWH!" Natan replied, "YHWH has taken away your chatta'ah. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemy of YHWH show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."
Though your chat'owt (Daviyd) are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.
The Woman
She was a notable chatta' who lived in the ancient village of Bayith-`Aniy. What her chatta'ah was we are not told: but it may well have been prostitution. When she met Yeshuwah, she was converted. Never in all her days had she met such a Man. Yeshuwah became her Messiah and her friend.
Now one of the Pharisees invited Yeshuwah to have dinner with him, so He went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a chatta'ah life in that town learned that Yeshuwah was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them...Then He turned toward the woman and said to Shim'own, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give Me any water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give Me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing My feet. You did not put oil on My head, but she has poured perfume on My feet. Therefore, I tell you, her chatta'ah has been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Yeshuwah said to her, "Your chatta'ah is forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives chatta'ah?" Yeshuwah said to the woman, "Your 'emuwnah has saved you, go in shalom."
Though your chat'owt (woman) are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.
Paul (Persecutor/Sedition)
Before his conversion, the shalach Paul (previously called Sha'uwl) persecuted the Qahal. He was present - and agreed with - the death sentence when it was carried out on the first martyr, Stephen. But the Messiah understood that his zeal was misguided and He personally confronted Sha'uwl. Sha'uwl was converted and renamed 'Paul.' He later became one of the Gospel's greatest champions and the writer of many letters in the Briyth Chadashah writings.
And Sha'uwl was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the Qahal at Yerushalayim, and all except the shlachiym were scattered throughout Yhuwdah and Shomrown. Qadoshiym buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Sha'uwl began to destroy the Qahal. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Meanwhile, Sha'uwl was still breathing out murderous threats against the talmiydim of YHWH. He went to Kohen haGadowl and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damaseq, so that if he found any there who belonged to haDerek, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Yerushalayim.
Paul's Confession
For I am the least of the shlachiym and do not even deserve to be called shalach, because I persecuted the Qahal of 'Elohiym. But by the chen of 'Elohiym I am what I am, and His checed to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the chen of 'Elohiym that was with me.
For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judea, how intensely I persecuted the Qahal of 'Elohiym and tried to destroy it.
"Who are You, Lord?" Sha'uwl asked. "I am Yeshuwah, whom you are persecuting," He replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
Though your chat'owt (Paul) are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.
The Thief on the Cross
We do not know the name of this thief. But he is the perfect example of one who could find salvation on the very last day of his life. He began the day by cursing the Messiah. He ended it a converted man. This man will be in Paradise because of his 'emuwnah in Yeshuwah.
There was a written notice above Him, which read: MELEK HaYHUWDIYM. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you revere 'Elohiym," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Yeshuwah, remember me when You come into Your Mamlahkah." Yeshuw'ah answered him, "I tell you the Truth, today you will be with Me in paradise."
Though your chat'owt (thief) are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.
What must I do to be saved?
To be pardoned from chatta'ah and its consequences - Sh'owl - a person must trust in, and commit one's life to, Yeshuwah haMashiyach. 'Emuwnah must then be expressed in obedience to the mitsvowt. In short, to be saved you will trust in, and obey, 'Elohiym. There is no other option. Listen to the advice of Paul and Yeshuwah concerning the route to salvation and chay l'owlam.
Advice of Paul
He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Trust in the Lord Yeshuwah, and you will be saved--you and your household."
Advice of Yeshuwah
Now a man came up to Yeshuwah and asked, "Rab, what Towb must I do to get chay l'owlam?"
"Why do you ask Me about what is Towb?" Yeshuwah replied. "There is only One who is Towb. If you want to enter chay l'owlam, obey the mitsvowt."
"Which ones?" the man inquired. Yeshuwah replied, " `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and `love your neighbor as yourself.' "
"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Yeshuwah answered, "If you want to be of tamiym, go, sell your possessions and give to the `anaviym, and you will have treasure in Shamayim. Then come, follow Me."
What About You?
How will you react to His invitation to give up your chatta'ah and be saved? He is ready to pardon you, no matter how many times you have broken His Torah. So long as you confess your chatta'ah to 'Elohiym and then forsake them, you will certainly receive a free pardon. You can see from the Torah examples quoted that no case is hopeless. No one is beyond salvation. It is possible for even the vilest chatta' on earth to be saved. Listen again to the pleading voice of ‘Elohiym:
Wash yourselves! Make yourselves pure! Take your evil deeds out of My sight! Stop doing evil, learn to do tsdaqah! Seek mishpat! Encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
"Come now, let us reason together," says YHWH. "Though your chatta'ah is like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and attend, you will eat the Towb from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.
What Does This Mean To You?
It means this...no matter what you may have done -- prostitution, idolatry, adultery, murder, theft, blasphemy or sedition -- you can be forgiven, if you want forgiveness. The divine offer is open to you - now!
'Though your chat'owt (YOURS) are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be like wool.'
The Briyth Chadashah invitation to salvation is worded like this:
Then the mal'ak showed me the river of Mayim haChayiym, as clear as crystal, flowing from the Throne of 'Elohiym and of the Lamb...the Ruach haQodesh and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of Mayim haChayiym.
Who Can Accomplish This Miracle?
Yeshuwah haMashiyach can. I repeat...no matter how many chat'owt you may have committed, 'Elohiym is willing and able to forgive you. If you embrace salvation you will be able to say with the Tphillah:
Surely towbah and checed will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Bayith-YHWH forever.
The alternative to salvation is damnation, and that, dear reader, is too dreadful to even contemplate.
The Believer's Future
No matter how desperate your present situation may be, if you believe in Yeshuwah haMashiyach, your future is bright beyond anything you can imagine. 'Elohiym has in store for you an inheritance far better than the wealthiest billionaire can purchase. In the Paradise of the new Shamayim and new ha'arets that He has promised to create, there will be no sickness, no sorrow, no pain and no death. The redeemed host will live there for all eternity in absolute Shalom, in happiness and good health. This is the Word of 'Elohiym!
Then I saw a new Shamayim and a new ha'arets, for the first Shamayim and first ha'arets had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw 'Iyr haQadoshiym, the new Yerushalayim, coming down out of Shamayim from 'Elohiym, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from the Throne saying, "Now the Mishkan of 'Elohiym is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and 'Elohiym Himself will be with them and be their 'Elohiym. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the Throne said, "I am making everything chadash!" Then He said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am Ri'shown and 'Achrown, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of Mayim haChayiym. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his 'Elohiym and he will be My son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The shalach Paul sums it up in these words:
However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what 'Elohiym has prepared for those who love Him" --but 'Elohiym has revealed it to us by His Ruach haQodesh.
There you have it. Your future prospects guaranteed on the Word of 'Elohiym. What stronger reassurances do you need? None whatsoever. So let me close by summarizing:
The present world is in total disarray and is getting worse by the week. Insoluble problems of all kinds are engulfing nations, communities, families and individuals. Your own life may well be in ruins. I don't know. But do not despair; there is hope.
'Elohiym, the Creator of the mighty universe, is extending checed to all mankind, even to the vilest chatta' that walks this earth. Failure to accept His offer of checed will result in Sh'owl, a prospect too horrible to contemplate! We advise you to choose haChay.
Torah examples of folk who have found checed include prostitutes, idolaters, adulterers, murderers, thieves, persecutors, liars and chata'iym of all kinds. We are all included in the list. Whatever you may think of yourself, you are no exception. You too can be saved.
To be saved you must trust in the Lord, Yeshuwah haMashiyach. Then express your 'emuwnah in obedience (ne'eman) to the mitsvowt of 'Elohiym. This is living 'emuwnah and checed in action.
You are now being offered the opportunity to give up chatta'ah and place your life in the hands of 'Elohiym. This offer of salvation is made possible through His Son, Yeshuw'ah.
If you embrace His offer of salvation, He promises you chay l'owlam in the new Yerushalayim; where there will be no sorrow, sickness, pain or death. You have His Word for it. No human mind can possibly take in the full extent of this Divine offer and its endless guarantee. It cannot fail.
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