Numbers 14:22

Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles,
which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times,
and have not hearkened to My voice; surely they shall not see the land which I swore
unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it.

1. Exodus 14:11-12. At the Red Sea. They blamed Moses for taking them from Egypt. They said they would rather serve in Egypt than die in the wilderness. Unbelief in the promises of God.

2. Exodus 15:23-24. At Marah. They had been without water for three days and then found the waters of Marah bitter. They murmured. They had to learn that the bitter came before the sweet, suffering before glory.

3. Exodus 16:2. Wilderness of Sin. They were hungry and remembered all the good things they had to eat in Egypt. They forgot about slavery and abuse. It was always easy for them to find something to murmur about. In the first 12 verses of this chapter, the word murmur occurs eight times.

4. Exodus 16:20. Manna. Some disobeyed and tried to keep it till the next day. It produced maggots and stank. But that which was kept for the Sabbath remained fresh as The Lord promised.

5. Exodus 16:27. Manna. Some went out to gather it on the seventh day. There was none. They were disobeying the law of the Sabbath.

6. Exodus 17:1-3. At Rephidim. There was no water. They demanded that Moses smite the rock to give them water, and he feared they were about ready to stone him. They tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" The rock is smitten, and water comes forth.

7. Exodus 32:4. The golden calf at Horeb. They admit that God brought them out of Egypt, but they must have a likeness of God, something they can see and worship. Christendom is just as bad today because they worship a god of their imagination, not the One of revelation. They make pictures and images of it, for which we apologize as we have been asked to make the teachings more "interesting" with graphics. No graphic, statue, or video should ever be considered God or Christ-like, and we are instructed to look at His Word, not his flesh or shape. 2 Corinthians 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

8. Numbers 11:1. At Taberah. The people had turned back in their hearts and began to complain. A fire broke out in the camp and consumed many of them. This was the fire of The Lord.

9. Numbers 11:4. At Kibroth Hattaavah. Camp followers or a mixed multitude that had followed them out of Egypt start a murmuring. This infected the people, and they were reminded of the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic they had eaten in Egypt. So they murmured against Moses, and he, in turn, complained to God that this load was more than he could carry. The Lord sent them quails, saying they would eat of them, "even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils" (Num. 11:20), and they ate of them and got sick so that it came out of their noses from vomiting. But, they ate quail for a month till they were more than filled as they wanted.

10. Numbers 14:2. At Kadesh. The spies (scouts) and their reports make the people rebel. They voted to make a new leader or captain and return to Egypt. Hence the verse quoted above at the beginning of the article. This was the beginning of the 38-year wanderings till the old generation died. Read Psalms 90 and 91 in connection with this. The temptations and rebellions are summed up in Psalm 78.

Acts 5:1

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession...

Many are the strange ideas that have been expressed about this incident. Some think that this couple was wrong in not giving their all for the poor. Some think that they lost their salvation. Some think this was a part of an experiment in communism. And we could go on ad infinitum.

This sharing of goods among these early believers was not any experiment in communism. There was no compulsion to do so, as Peter said in Acts 5:4. The very essence of communism is compulsion.

There is no doubt about these folks being believers and numbered among those who were saved.

They did not have to sell their property. They did not have to give any of the proceeds away or all of them. As a part of the Christian community, they had a right to possessions and to do as they pleased with those possessions. And they could do as they pleased with the money when they sold what they had. This is all made plain by Peter (Acts 5:3-4).

Then what was wrong? Why did they die?

They died because they were Jews and still subject to the law of Moses. The law that governed the sale of land is found in Leviticus 25. The voluntary act of Barnabas in selling his acquired land and placing the proceeds at the apostles' feet is in direct contrast with the action of Ananias. He, too, sold a possession; he, too, laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet, but with the difference that he kept back part of the price while pretending that he had given all. The apostle Peter makes it quite clear that there was no compulsion to sell the land when he says, "...while it remained, was it not thine own, and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?" Ananias sinned in that he lied to The Holy Spirit. The sin of Ananias was the sin of Achan. The reader will find that the very words used of Achan in Joshua 7:1 are used of Ananias. The LXX reads enosphisanto apo you anathematos, appropriated for themselves a part of that which was devoted. Acts 5:2-3 twice applies this particular expression to Ananias and Sapphira: kai enosphisato apo tes times, `and kept back part of the price.

If they had been Gentiles, this would not have happened. Even Gentiles, who were believers at that time, were not subject to the law of Moses. At no time have Gentiles been subject to the law of Moses. That is one of the many reasons that Col. 2:16 is Truth for us.

Can you find any reference anywhere in The Word where it says that one who broke the law lost his salvation? The fact that a man was punished, even by death, did not indicate that he was an unbeliever. In Numbers 15:33-36 they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath. He was stoned. Does that mean that he was unsaved? David was punished severely for his sin. Was he also unsaved? How about the sons of Aaron who brought strange fire into the Tabernacle? How about Uzzah putting out his hand to steady the ark? How about the millions of Jews who perished in the wilderness and did not get to enter the promised land? And if they were not saved, then Moses was not saved either, for he suffered the same penalty.

A lot of zealous folks are all too ready to consign any and all who make a misstep into some heathen torture chambers to suffer forever. It is well to search the Scriptures and use a little pinch of common sense. In searching the Scriptures, you might be much surprised to find that more believers are punished than others.

There is a Dispensational lesson to be learned here, too. If the church began at Pentecost, as so many teach, then why do not church members and preachers die when they lie today? Just why are you still permitted to live? And what about me?

In Acts chapter 5, The Kingdom was being proclaimed, and it was at hand. No Gentiles belonged to the group of Christian believers yet. The law was still in effect, and so the penalty fell.

In the Dispensation of The Mystery, God is dealing with believers in Grace, not law. But in every Dispensation, there is an accounting at some time.

Revelation 16:16

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Armageddon means Mountain of Megiddo, but the term is used in the Bible to signify the Great War of God. The War will take place in the valley of Esdraelon, which was a battlefield many times in ancient Israel. Here fought Barak and Gideon, here Saul died, and here Josiah died.

You will find it on your map just southeast of Mt. Carmel. Nazareth is on the north side of it.

This is to be the scene of the final battle of the age before The Kingdom is established. No doubt hundreds of millions will be slain here, the greatest slaughter of all time. Not only in this little valley, but the whole land will be soaked with the blood, 1600 furlongs (Rev. 14:20), from Dan to Beersheba. It will furnish a great feast for the beasts of the earth and the fowls of the air. This will be called "the supper of the great God" (Rev. 19:17).

Now for the events leading up to this great struggle. After The Church of The One Body Manifests with Christ Jesus in The Heaven of heavens, Israel and its Dispensation are back on the scene spiritually, and from there will be a period leading up to the great tribulation. Contrary to popular belief, when the tribulation starts, it will last not seven but three and one-half years (Dan. 7:25-27). This is in the midst of the 70th week of Daniel that was determined upon Israel and the Holy City (Dan.9:24). There had been a treaty made with Israel that they could rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem and worship there in peace. This was for seven years, but in the middle of that week of years, the beast suddenly breaks the treaty, and the antichrist (2 separate individuals) sets up the abomination of desolation in the Holy of Holies in The Temple and declares himself to be God. Then a decree goes forth from the beast that all must worship the image of the beast and receive the number or mark upon pain of death.

It can readily be seen that the tribulation that follows is an attempt by the devil to liquidate the Israelite believers, but he can not find them, for they have fled to the wilderness where God once again hides and feeds them. The rest of the Christian world lives through this terrible time contrary to popular belief (See The Hope Of Paul's Epistles Written During The Time Of Acts). At the end of this tribulation period, things come to a head. The Euphrates river is dried up so that the kings of the east may come in. Prophecy also states that there will be many coming in from the north. At the present time, countries east and north of Palestine could muster a few hundred million soldiers.

We do not know just how or why these come in. Out of the mouths of the unholy trinity, the dragon, beast, and false prophet, come evil spirits or demons like unto frogs. These, with their lying wonders, may get men to come to the great battle.

How and why the issue at stake changes, we do not know, but after trying to eradicate the remnant, they make war against the Lamb and the armies of heaven. 

At no time do we find that any Gospel is given out to those who come from the north and east. We can see that they have no place for such, and these very places now are trying to stamp out The Word of God. This may be significant, but we do not know.

This is all connected with the seven last plagues, and note that they are aimed at the kingdom of the beast and his throne and those who receive the mark of the beast and worship his image.

The Last Trumpet blows, and the Christians rise to meet The Lord in the air. Then He Who is The Word destroys the armies of men with the sharp sword that issues from His mouth. The King of kings and Lord of lords is victorious and then is "the supper of the great God."

The only ones who escape this awful slaughter at Armageddon are the faithful Israelites hidden by God in the wilderness and fed with daily bread from above.

John 6:71

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon:
for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

This Judas was the son of Simon (John 6:71), and Iscariot is Ish Kerioth, a man of Kerioth (Joshua 15:25). This was in Judah, so he was the only one of the 12 that was not a Galilean.

Judas was a chosen man, chosen to be one of the 12 (Luke 6:13). He was an ordained minister (Acts 1:17, Acts 1:20) . He went out with the other Apostles and cast out evil spirits and healed all manner of sickness and disease (Matt. 10:1).

He lived such an exemplary life that the other Apostles did not suspect anything was wrong, even at the last supper. To all appearances, he was the same as they were.

But he carried the bag (treasurer), and he was a thief (John 12:6). He had the love of money, and it got the best of him. So he began to take money from what he carried for the expenses of the little band and for the poor. But Judas really gave himself away at the feast when Mary anointed the feet of the Lord with some costly spikenard (a fragrant essential oil), and Judas just could not stand seeing that "waste" when it could have been sold and the money put in the bag (John 12:5).

Judas also tried to infect the rest of The Apostles with dissatisfaction but failed. He was so angry about this money slipping away from him that he resolved to hurry along the prophecies of Messiah, Who would set up His Kingdom and rule the world. If he could force Messiah to set up The Kingdom, then The Apostles would be co-rulers with Christ, and he could be treasurer of all the riches of The Kingdom. He thought if he could arrange for Jesus Christ to be captured, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, The Lord would have to call the mighty angels from heaven and begin The Kingdom and fulfill the prophecies. So he plotted with the Jews to betray Christ.

Judas ate that last supper with his Lord and also had his feet washed at the supper. And as a special favor, the Lord took a piece of bread, dipped it in the bitter herbs, and handed it to Judas (John 13:26). No appeal could be made to Judas to turn him from his purpose. Right after the sop (the host or master of the house would give the sop, a small piece of bread dipped in the communal bowl to the person to whom He wanted to show His greatest love and esteem) was given to him, Satan entered into his heart, and Judas immediately left and went and betrayed his Lord.

When The Lord Jesus did not escape from His foes as Judas planned by forcing his Lord to show He was Messiah, Judas immediately awoke to what he had done and what had happened. He was not really a murderer; he was a moral man, except for his weakness for filthy lucre. So he repented and tried to undo what he had done by going to The Temple and bringing the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, but it was too late (Matt. 27:3-10). The money he had received from them he flung into the sanctuary, which the priests took to buy a potters field for graves.

The money he had been stealing he previously had used to buy a nice property outside Jerusalem. It would have been a nice place to live and commute to and from Jerusalem during The Kingdom, which he was expecting.

But to this nice place, he then went out and hanged himself. That place was avoided as cursed since then by the Jews who called it Aceldama, meaning the field of blood (Acts 1:18-20).

Scripture says that Judas was the betrayer and was called "the son of perdition," a type of antichrist. Another took his bishopric, Matthias. And, of course, his name will never be in the foundations of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:14). Acts 1:25 should read, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, that he might go to his own place, from which Judas by transgression fell.

Many a one has sold out for less than Judas did.