A Study of the Judgment: (Look out!)

(Isa 40:21 KJV) Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
. . . . . Blake wrote something like "If the lenses of our vision were cleansed, we should see things as they are: infinite."
. . . . . This is a pretty long page. Hope that won't stop anyone from reading it. Haven't mentioned maybe that I've heard more than one preacher say if you want to find out the truth about a particular, study the Bible to see what it says about whatever. Now that has the ring of truth to me, and I've been obedient to the instruction for quite a while.
. . . . . Haven't written a lot down, but that isn't the point. The point is that the studies I've posted are not intended to be exhaustive, nor do they claim to be. I merely claim that they represent to a degree my investigation into areas of interest to me. Mostly the notes to the verses are added as a for-what-it's-worth thing. Lot's of red letters were changed to black as I moved them to this page, not for any particular reason.
. . . . . Please try not to be judgmental; that's how I tried to be for many long years and I think God has rewarded me for that, and perhaps my patience.

(Rev 20:11-15 KJV) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
. . . . . I put this close to the top although it's close to the end of the Bible because it figures so prominently in man's doctrine about God's judgment. I've written a bit on the site about it, how (would-be) Christians maintain that there are going to be two judgments. Those people maintain that this one in Revelation 20 is the "White Throne Judgment" and it is only for the lost. The dead-to-spiritual-reality, don't-really-in-their-heart-believe-in-God.  
. . . . . But this is ordinary mind at work.  Just look: Verse 12 is used by many to show that this judgment is only to determine the degree of punishment for lost people (just as conventional doctrine holds that the other judgment, for "the saints" is to determine degree of reward; this other judgment [we are told by church leaders and their spokespeople] is only for the saved ["by grace" for the most part (and oh how i despise this dispensational doctrine)]) because only the dead are judged here.  (Forget Hebrews 9:27: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" [which might make us think we'll all be dead when we're judged (at "the judgment")].)  Even though the "book of life" is opened in this verse, the dead are to be judged out of what is written in "the books" (forget that "books" is actually a diminutive of the Greek "book" here).
. . . . . And what does contemporary doctrine do with verse 15 you ask?  It reads like everybody at this judgment gets a shot at being put in the Book of Life according to their works.  Just read it.  Read it two or three times.  I assure you I have.  This whole passage.  It ends with "whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire".  Don't read it to pass the test at seminary.  Don't read it and interpret it for the search committee at your neighborhood church (where people "love to have it so" that preachers and such tell them what they want to hear [Jeremiah 5:31: the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?]).  Read it, study it to show yourself approved unto God.  You know, a workman that needeth not be ashamed.  Rightly dividing the Word of truth.
. . . . . Read it like the White Throne Judgment will be for every sentient being, and people will either be found in the Book of Life or not, apparently according to their works (with a grain of salt__children for example, and of course there is the heart and mind to be considered).  Actually Matthew 25:34-45 (below) is Jesus talking about one big judgment involving everybody and those on His right hand being blessed and those on His left hand being cursed, just for one more example of the truth (I think) staring us in the face and we don't see it 'cause we don't want to.
. . . . . Yeah.  A little truth (nobody said it was an easy one) staring us in the face:  Judgment Day is the same for every sentient being.  Easy to see why people don't want this to be the truth huh?  (And I still maintain that we have the choice now of seeing God coming with a rod of correction swingin' in His mighty right hand [who can stand in that "great day of His wrath"( Rev 6:17 e.g.)? few are chosen is my guess] or Jesus standing at a magic door saying "Well done good and faithful servants" to everybody.  The Matthew 24:31 note [below] has a bit more on my two visions theory [which is hopefully evolving ("The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao" is Lao Tsu's opening line of the Tao) into something viable].)

(Mat 13:41-42 KJV) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;  
          Perhaps consider my not-really-so-radical stance that there are angels (see my study here) among us in the guise of human (sentient) beings.
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
. . . . . Right now we should note that "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."(Mat 7: 22-23)  We also might do well to remember that "iniquity" can be translated "unrighteousness" or "violation of the law( which hangs on the dual law of loving God with all your mind and soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself [Luke 10:25-27])".
. . . . . I find it rather interesting also that Jesus doesn't mention anything like a judgment seat here, it's just angels who go out and cast what big picture seems like lots of people into the fire.
(Mat 13:49-50 KJV) So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
. . . . . I guess repetition has been used for emphasis for as long as people have tried to teach.  Also see Mark 13:27 and Matthew 24:31 (below).

(Mat 10:34 KJV) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
. . . . . Unfulfilled prophecy.

(Isa 29:18-19 KJV) And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
. . . . Unfulfilled prophecy.  Note perhaps that on Judgment Day the rain will not fall on the just and the unjust.

(Luke 22:36b KJV) He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
. . . . . What kind of commandment is this? (Jesus had not decided, apparently, whether to call for revolution or not.)

(Luke 12:49 KJV) I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
. . . . . Unfulfilled prophecy, or a frightening reality. Raise your hand if you disagree.

(Isa 1:30-31 KJV) For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
. . . . . Looks like "ye" is "most favored nation" or "most of the people" huh?  No, it must be most(ly) rich people everywhere.  Unfulfilled prophecy (in my [would-be] book). The oak reference (to humanity), of course, is near to my heart because of my second vision.

(Luke 17:29-30 KJV) But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (it's all red in my Bible)
. . . . . See Luke 12:49 and note (just above).

(Jer 5:1 KJV) Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
. . . . . "It" is the status quo; as in "For all this(' it') His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still."( Isaiah 5:25 e.g. [3 times this sentence is in chapter 9; also see 10:4)
. . . . . Also notice Jeremiah 12:17 and note (immediately below).

(Jer 12:17 KJV) But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
. . . . . "New creatures" with the mind of Christ are not obedient merely to the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law, which entails discovering the truth and executing judgment (from Jeremiah 5:1) accordingly.

(Psa 73:12) Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
. . . . . Who are the ungodly?

(Isa 10:17-19 KJV) And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
. . . . . Remember?:  I am come to send fire on the earth.
And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
. . . . . Remember?:  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
. . . . . Who shall stand in that day? "Few, that a child may write them."

(Isa 66:15-16 KJV) For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
. . . . . Those who sow the wind (advocates of the status quo/common sense in my [would-be] book) shall, recall, reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). A whirlwind of furious flames and swords (see next verse) perhaps.
For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
. . . . . This prophetic passage seems to fit right in with the prophecies of Jesus. "Plead" is defined by Strong's as "to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence". Interesting eh?

(Exo 15:3 KJV) The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
. . . . . Seems that all we really know is that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. (Isa 55:8) Which is just about enough to make me want to change my ways.

*(Psa 12:5 KJV) For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
. . . . . Seems the only question which remains is when will God arise to take vengeance on ordinary mind. Note here that the poor and afflicted, all who are oppressed by those who have more than they need (whether it's their intention or not realize), are given assurance of safety from (presumably) the avenging angels here.

(Rev 6:4 KJV) And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
(Deu 32:41 KJV) If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
. . . . . Old Testament and New Testament. Perhaps a good time to remind everyone that on judgment day Jesus warns that many will come claiming to have been worshippers of His and He will respond "Depart from me ye workers of iniquity: I know ye not."  Imagine that:  there are lots of people who think they worship God who actually hate Him in their heart.
. . . . . Also maybe a good place to mention that there are preachers on tv these days saying that the mark of the beast is a mindset.  Yeah, Arnold , the guy from Shepard's Chapel in Arkansas is one of these, a guy who I listen to pretty regular because he's pretty close to the truth basically.  He says the mark isn't on the forehead but in the forehead.  God searches heart and mind we're told several times in the Bible.
. . . . . And hey, this is my study so I'm gonna disgress: Colossians 1:8 says "(Epaphras) also declared unto us your love in the spirit."  Now love of God and mankind (is there anyone who would argue with God that the Palestinians or the Sierra Leonies or the AmeriKans or anybodies are not your neighbors?  Leave the class.  Get out.) are the most important things, at least to Jesus and God.
. . . . . Anyway my study Bible says of "your love in the spirit" that "spirit" is simply "the product of the new nature."  That's the new creature ya know, the product, the way we are. Kind of like Strong's defines grace: "the divine influence on the heart, especially as reflected in the life".  And I hope others are coming to see, as I am, that yes, the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is only when we are concerned for and willing to help all of mankind that we can begin to claim to have the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit of peace toward all and good will toward all and a spirit of sacrificial obedience to the perfect will of God.  (Somewhere on this site is an apt quote from Alan Watts about needing compassion for all of humankind to become a student of Zen.)
. . . . . Hey, c'mon, His ways aren't our ways and our way is not to take from those who have too much to give to those who don't have enough.  It's all so simple.  We need to change our ways.  Make straight the way of the Lord.  The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Turn away from (repent) the sinful attitude, mindset, of the status quo, common sense, ordinary mind.  Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by a renewing of your mind.( Romans 12:2)
. . . . . 1 John 3:17 one more time: "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"  "Adelphos" one more time is defined in Strong's as "a brother (lit[eral] or fig[urative].) near or remote".  Literal or figurative.  Near or remote.  The truth.  (I did my second [and hopefully last (would-be)] sermon on Who Is Our Neighbor?.)  The truth will set you free.  Free of the ways of the world because of your fear of the Lord.  Because the yoke of serving others is easy, and the burden is light.  All we have to do is stop accumulating and start helping.  Nothing (worldly) really matters much. It is appointed to man once to die, and then the judgment.

(Mat 24:31 KJV) 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.
. . . . . Very reminiscent of Matthew 13:41-42 (above) except here the angels gather together the elect.  Admittedly if one is reaching for straws this does lend some credence to the two judgments mentality.  And actually this should lend some credence to my Two Visions theory of the end (to say nothing of Stephen's study of the yugas [here's a bit]).

(Josh 5:13-14a KJV) And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.
. . . . . Check it out, maybe it'll happen again: I'm not for you or your adversaries, as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.  That's what Jesus says to expect.  Angels with swords.  Also He says "take heed that the light that is in thee be not darkness" and "many will come to me in that day saying 'Lord, Lord' . . . and I will say 'Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity: I know ye not'."  (And how about Psalms 36:1 [and Romans 3:18 ("There is no fear of God before their eyes.")]?)

(Isa 42:13-14 KJV) The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
. . . . . Sounds like a promise to me, a promise of a dark day indeed (Joel 2:2).  And you know, "destroy and devour at once" just might mean destroy the workers of iniquity and inhale the good and faithful servants (who don't shut up the bowels of compassion of 1 John 3:17) to His bosom say.

(Luke 21:22 KJV) For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
. . . . . I've written on the site about wanting to be a post-milleniumist (?--one of those who think Matthew 24 and Luke 21 have been fulfilled completely by the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. seventy maybe) but as one who feels like there's been a seal on the New Testament (my note on Isaiah 29:11 ["the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed"] says 'Reference to New Testament too is my contention. See Isaiah 41:28 too.') as far as current doctrine goes, I must say it is exceedingly difficult for me.  And hey, verse 27, about Jesus coming in clouds and great glory, is what man's doctrine generally agrees is unfulfilled prophecy.  Same chapter.  Different dispensations/theories.  Difficult to reconcile.  People picking gnats out all over and piling them up into a camel it looks like to me.

(Luke 21:25-26 KJV) And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
. . . . . I don't choose to address man's doctrine about post-milleniumism or meanings about astrology references or anything else right now. (I'm hoping the babes in the Word have dropped out actually.)  Oh yeah, babes in the Word think God is omnipotent and omniscient.  There's a bit about the powers of heaven down there.

(Amos 5:20-21 KJV) Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
. . . . . See note above regarding man's doctrine and what we should expect.
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
. . . . . Ya think the sacrifice of the wicked really is abomination to God?

(Jer 9:9 KJV) Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
. . . . . The day of vengeance is in His heart (Isaiah 63:4 [below]) for such as think they worship God but whose worship is abomination to Him is the way I read this.  And this sobering indictment is found three times in Jeremiah (see also 5:9 and 5:29).

(Amos 8:8-11 KJV) Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
"For this" it says, you know (see my [wud-be] study of the poor, maybe starting here), the status quo,  "For all this His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still (a sentence found five times in Isaiah)."
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
"The clear day" could be translated "the day of illumination", like when all is revealed, which reads like Judgment Day huh?
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
I've been waiting for the days of "now we call the proud happy" to end for just about twenty years now.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
I'm thinking that these are the days we've been in for a real long time and we're about to see these past as well.

(Isa 60:2 KJV) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
. . . . . This might reflect mostly bad news, as in "the Lord shall come upon thee with His glittering sword".  See Isaiah 17:7 and note (below).

(Isa 2:11-12 KJV) The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
. . . . . In my book the repetition in these verses and the ones just below lend significance to them.  In my book God is no respecter of persons and ordinary mind worships the created more than the creator.  In my book "now we call the proud happy" refers to the lofty attitudes of people who have fat lifestyles and fat impressions of themselves and no compassion for the multitudes.  That's in their hard hearts.  Remember they are deceived by their hearts( see Jeremiah 17:9 [again]) into believing they are humble and compassionate.   In my book these people shall be brought low.  (see companion verses below; remember idols can be things like common sense and governments and the status quo and houses and cars and hobbies and [maybe especially (loving the created more than the creator?)] children)
(Isa 2:17-21 KJV) And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
. . . . . In my book the fear of the Lord has a prominent place.

(Jer 10:10 KJV) But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
. . . . . Sounds like unfulfilled prophecy to me.

(Ezek 18:7-9 KJV) And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
. . . . . Another not-beating-around-the-burning-bush bit huh?  Think about my epiphany (yeah, sure . . .) that profit is evil as you read these verses. And it's not so much profit as accumulation that is evil.

(Jer 13:10-11 KJV) This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle (of verse 7, marred and worthless and [verse 8: ]"After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem"), which is good for nothing.
For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
. . . . . They would not hear.  Not in Jeremiah's time, not in Jesus' time, apparently (to me for sure, living now with "this evil people") not in this time either.

(Jer 10:15 KJV) They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
. . . . . "Visitation" can be defined "account" or "reckoning", as in "on judgment day they shall perish".
. . . . . Now who could be vain and following (instead of "the work of errors" how about) "mental machinations" from Ecclesiastes 7:29 or "for doctrine the traditions of men" from Mark 7:8-9?'  Couldn't be the people Jeremiah was talkin' about in verses 10 and 11 (just above) could it? And nothing the prophets said in the Old Testament has anything to do with now huh?  You know, when Jesus said "this generation" fulfills Isaiah's refrain about not seein' & hearin', that was it; He wasn't speaking prophetically too huh?  Did somebody say "reincarnation"?

(2 Th 1:7-8 KJV) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
. . . . . The "you who are troubled" could well be, judging from my (would-be) study of the poor (open another window here maybe; e.g., [Jer 22:16 KJV] He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD), simply those who are afflicted by, forgotten by the status quo.  Matthew 7:22-23 might give us reason to take heed that the light that is in us be not darkness.  "Them that know not God" reminds me of my line drive off a curve thrown to me at a Bible study around 1990:  "Why would you not go to church, Gina?"  i immediately replied (repeat only for reinforcement) "Paul said 'I bear witness of your zeal,' your desire to know God but you just don't know God."  After what almost became a pregnant pause, i said "line drive."

(Jer 23:20 KJV) The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
. . . . . "The latter days" seem to be the "time of the end" or the "end times" or (me: finally) the end of time.  The anger of the Lord, I guess we're agreed, is not turned away (Isa 5:25 e.g.) and it seems more and more likely His "plan" is to visit us again, and show us the way again, and our option is to follow His way or the way of ordinary mind.  In other words, if we like perform the thoughts of His heart, it may be His anger will be turned away from humanity.

(Isa 54:17 KJV)...every tongue that shall rise up against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn ...
. . . . . Well, surprise, surprise, I really like this promise.  (Maybe too personal to include here, but people who have read this whole site [raise your hand please] know how much I despise people who judge without [valid] cause.  And actually people who judge on the positive end of the spectrum, so-and-so is such a good person, I think they are being foolishly judgmental too.  God is no respecter of persons and we should not be either.)

(Ezek 39:19 & 21 KJV) For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land . . .
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
. . . . . What can I say?  Matthew 10:34(  "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.") and Luke 12:51-52(  "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division . . .")

(1 Co 3:13 KJV) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
. . . . . Must be that day of "great shaking in the land" this refers to.  Interestingly verse 15 says if someone's work is burned "he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." Another example of too much attention by ordinary mind I reckon, making this kind of a neutral verse as far as truth goes.  Maybe though it's just about how believers will get through the fire.

(Isa 1:17 KJV) Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
. . . . . Matthew 23:23 says we pay tithe and ignore the weightier matters like judgment and justice, and more and more I'm thinking it's simply a matter of a little redistribution of resources doing a whole lot of good.  This verse certainly (in the context of all these other verses plus my big picture rants) gives the impression that God's judgment is/will be very concerned with those forgotten by the system, the status quo( i.e., those who bow down to common sense).  Check out Charles Spurgeon's 19th century devotion on this topic here.
. . . . . And I'm not talking about 'lost people', I'm talking about people who are hungry, even desperate for a slice of bread.

(Isa 10:2 KJV continues "Woe unto them [who conspire] ) To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
. . . . . Apparently this woe is reserved for the great and terrible day huh?  (The rain still falls on the just and the unjust.)  At least lending credence to my theory that judgment might focus on these wretched folks, this verse (like Isaiah 1:17) seems to put a whole lot of emphasis on what we might call the helpless and the hopeless (or how about the "tired, poor, huddled masses, tempest tossed..." [who can't get through the "Golden Door" anymore]).
. . . . . Notice that people who acquiesce to the status quo do evil to "the least"( see Matthew 25:31-46) so dear to the heart of Jesus, mostly without realizing it.

(Isa 10:3 KJV) And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
. . . . . It is hard to think the many juxtapositions of judgment and our treatment of the poor, needy, huddled masses are a matter of coincidence. (Unless you're practiced at swallowing camels.  [And ordinary mind is a marvel at such machinations be sure.]) Seems actually like "your glory" could refer to physical treasures of deluded people here.  Well, also respect and admiration of peers say, friendship with the world, deluded thinkin' like that.  (e.g.: James 4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.")

(Psa 80:15-16 KJV) And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
Thinking about Jesus' parables about the vineyard and the owner leaving and coming back and what happens when he returns is one of the more frightening aspects of the Gospels to me.  Repeated a lot too.

(Isa 5:30 KJV) And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
. . . . . The "they" here might be the angels referenced in Matthew 13:41-42 and 49-50 and that other place.

(Isa 10:4 KJV) Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
. . . . . Remember Jesus opening Isaiah and reading that He had come to set the prisoners free (actually the verses my Quickverse opens to [61:1], and I guess anybody who got to here knows I say we're like prisoners of ordinary mind)? Reckon the wicked will bow down to legions of angels on the big day?
. . . . . The second sentence of this verse, which appears five times in Isaiah, is really why I put this verse in this study, because it lends such focus to the big picture to me, like for everything, the world in its entirety you know, for all this lack of judgment and justice to people hungry for a bowl of rice
. . . . . I had to stop, but for all this, His Hand is stretched out still. Here's the image i posted back in '97.

(Isa 22:12-13 KJV) And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.
. . . . . Ode to now. Man's doctrine (not God's way [I say]) holds that Jesus came that we might have an abundant lifestyle and the people love to have it so. (See Jeremiah 5:31 [again].) Lots of sermons, I mean really many many, on John 10:10b ("I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"[ and always it's mainly material abundance]) and never have I heard one on 1 John 3:17 ("But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?")

(Jer 4:8-9 KJV) For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.
. . . . . There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
. . . . . This is where the wisdom of the wise becomes foolishness (1 Co 3:19 [For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.]) and all that. (E.g., Isaiah 29 quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19.)

(Mal 3:5 KJV) And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
. . . . . I de-emphasized the part of this verse that most people like to focus on (and think, hey, cool, I'm safe), you know, the really bad things that maybe even most people manage to avoid.  That the status quo robs the poor is inconceivable to ordinary mind.  No, maybe it's the insidiousness of ordinary mind that's incomprehensible to most, perhaps the ubiquitousness of it.  Notice the "fear of the Lord" component I maintain is one of God's precepts.

(Isa 13:5-13 KJV) They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
. . . . . Man, "the weapons of his indignation"; what a turn of phrase
Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
. . . . . His day of vengeance on those who refuse to be obedient to His will, many of whom the Bible repeatedly tells us actually believe that they seek His will and try to be obedient servants.
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
. . . . . Jesus talks about men's hearts failing because of fear.
And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
. . . . . Like ashamed of how foolish (i.e., selfish) they have been; weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
. . . . . Cruel with judgment huh? Where is it The Book tells of children being "dashed to pieces" in the sight of their parents?(Isaiah 13:16)
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.
. . . . . A dark day indeed, apparently literally and figuratively (and yeah, i know man's doctrine says the astrological references in the Bible are for emphasis, i just choke on camels lately).
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
. . . . . Ain't it a shame, that it's mostly just people being mischevous that's gonna cause all this destruction and desolation, even more since people don't even know how off base they are.  ("Many will come to me in that day" Jesus said, pleading and explaining what good people they really are.)
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
. . . . . i (still) have to ask if this is a particular person, like if this man was Jesus and will be again, or maybe the Comforter i've asked ya know, maybe "if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."( John 5:43).  Because of the prophets say, and the ridicule and scorn and affliction heaped on them by people sold out to the status quo, we might soon reap the whirlwind.

(Isa 5:20-30 KJV) Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
People who think they know and trust and obey God but in fact bow down to the devil of ordinary mind and common sense, the status quo.  ("In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" is part of Matthew 15:9)
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
1 Co 1:19:  "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
This is ordinary mind trying to throw us off the path of truth, make us think it's mainly about drunkards of the wine and whiskey (rather than power and lifestyle say) variety.
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
The people love to have it so, that the commandments of men are the rule of the land like.  It is so natural to have what the Bible calls "respect of persons" and apparently so wrong.
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
I sat in the company of scorners (of me) a year or two ago and mentioned the Jewish law of restitution.  "Oh, that law never was obeyed" was the quick response.  My attempt to interject a little truth into some apparently dark hearts was apparently casting pearls before swine which is apparently much like what Jesus ran into when He tried to bring light into a dark world.
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Well, this looks like a mixture of mostly unfulfilled prophecy and a little bit of history (which we should know we have not learned from).
And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
God will hiiisssss to His avenging angels . . . and, behold, they shall come . . .swiftly.
None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
Angels remember.  1 Co 15:51: Behold I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed...
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind.
Stiff-necked people . . . sowing the wind . . . reap the whirlwind.
Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.
How does that go in 1 Peter (5:8)?  "The devil as a roaring lion walketh about..."
And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
I already put this verse in the study, and asked if "they" could be the avenging angels Jesus tells us will come.  Behold darkness and sorrow. . .

(Prov 2:22 KJV) But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
. . . . . 'Wicked' might better read 'morally wrong' (another definition) though doubtless we would need to agree that being disobedient to God, willfully or otherwise, is all it takes; those who transgress, other definitions say, "act covertly" and "deal deceitfully" and naturally (maybe i should say really, in truth) people who transgress God's laws often are not cognizant of the fact and actually, in many cases Jesus tells us, try to be obedient to God's will but hearing they do not hear and seeing they do not see etc.

(Prov 16:4 KJV) The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
. . . . . Can't say i agree with what i call the children's tale of the creation as readers here prob'ly know.

(Jer 12:12 KJV) The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
. . . . . Another unfulfilled prophecy methinks; certainly reflects prophecies of Jesus Himself. Not exactly what Isaiah 65: (immediately below) conveys.

(Isa 65:12-14 KJV) Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
. . . . . Another 'sword' prophecy huh? "Many are called, but few are chosen," Jesus said, perhaps because the divine influence on the heart is not reflected in the life (i.e.: definition of "grace").
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
. . . . . my study of the poor (here) seems to indicate that the poor, needy, afflicted masses of the earth will rejoice in that great and terrible day.
Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
. . . . . i guess my main focus has been that people who truly serve God have a burden of compassion for humanity and are certainly willing to help shelter and feed everybody and how we be (in this regard particularly) might actually determine the type of judgment day humanity witnesses.

(Isa 66:4-5 KJV) I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Strong delusions abound today, especially about God huh? 
Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Another verse that seems to indicate that it will be the movers and shakers, those who have gained a measure of respect among men who don't obey the Biblical injunctions against respecting people, who will be ashamed in that day and people who are cast out, hated by the world, despised of men (who are respecters of persons), the poor and needy and afflicted who will be joyous on the day in question.

(Hag 2:6-7 KJV) For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
. . . . . i've said somewhere on the site that when Jesus said "the powers of heaven shall be shaken" (Luke 21:26) that it's a reference to the power of ordinary mind, simple attention, and the fallibility if you will of God, the divine indifference of the universe.   See for example Matthew 13:58 ("He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.") which is not a matter of Jesus being vindictive say, but unable to do the mighty works He had been doing.
. . . . . Also, speaking of filling a house with glory, Revelations 20:11 says "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away . . ."

(Mal 3:1-2 KJV) Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
. . . . . Why not put it again:  Revelations 20:11 says "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away . . ."  Who may abide the day of His coming? (About the messenger of verse 1 see verses [and note] from next chapter of Malachi [immediately below].)  "Few, that a child may write them."

(Mal 4:5-6 KJV) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
. . . . . That's how the Old Testament ends.  Some people say "the great and dreadful day of the LORD" has already happened, i.e., the destruction of Jerusalem around 70 A.D.  And they love to have it so huh?
. . . . . Seems to me we need to have everybody so much on the same page that kids grow up not merely knowing God, but loving Him madly and fearing Him too re: the great (and unfulfilled) prophecy of Jeremiah 34:31-34.  Else the curse is gonna be the Day of Vengeance.  Angels with swords sounds like a true curse to me.

(Ezek 21:1-7) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.
. . . . . This is one of those all-or-nothing segments huh? Remember Israel is most-favored-nation.  "It cometh, and shall be brought to pass." "Every knee shall bow" is Romans 14:11b.

(Rom 14:10-12 KJV) But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
. . . . . Again it's "brother: literal or figurative; near or remote"; if we would collectively judge ourselves we would not be judged could well be the truth of Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 11:31.  And by not helping the starving huddled masses we are in fact setting them at naught, not caring about them.  Period.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
. . . . . And no way no how do i see anybody using this passage to lend credence to the two judgments theory (though i'm sure commentaries address the issue here, probably quite logically).  "Only believers will bow the knee" someone might say, but simply consider Isaiah 17:7 (below: "At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.") and realize that if and when God terribly shakes the earth people are gonna believe.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
. . . . . And even "every idle word" shall be called into account on the day of judgment, Jesus said.  (Mat 12:36: Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.)

(Prov 17:5 KJV) Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
. . . . . And it's looking more and more like the punishment referenced here is not the chastening in this world but the curse (or blessing) of eternal judgment.  Just one more of those verses which juxtaposes judgment and our treatment of the poor.
. . . . . Might more correctly read "whover takes the poor lightly", i.e., has little regard for them, has little regard for God.  The second part of this verse could obliquely reference the fact (for example) that "after all, it was you and me" (Mick sings) who shot the Kennedys.  Part of ordinary mind is happy stuff happens to other people, and when it's a close thing it might be a large part.

(Zep 2:3 KJV) Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
. . . . . "It may be ye shall be hid" is as good as it gets if we wish to live with the fear of the Lord in our heart.  Interesting too that Moses was the meekest of men( Num 12:3), huh?  Hard to picture him like that.  Most people of influence are not meek methinks.  Most people of authority bow down to the status quo, rather than the extraordinary mind promoted by Jesus and the prophets.

(Job 31:14 KJV) What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
. . . . . Pretty good questions huh?  Looks like we're gonna give accounts of our works, our words, our thoughts. And our heart (shudder: "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."[Luke 11:35], huh?).

(2 Pet 3:7 KJV) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
. . . . . Saw a (professing-to-be) Christian preacher talking to a Jew on tv about the sign of the rainbow.  The rabbi said something about God's promise that He wouldn't destroy the earth by flood again and mentioned the old "Negro spiritual" which goes "Not by water, but fire next time" (featured in Bob Dylan's tours around 1980) and the guy actually asking the questions acted like this was a fable he was not familiar with.  I thought 'looks like a guy who's doing his dead-level best to give people what they want to hear'.

(Mat 3:11-12 KJV) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
. . . . . Fire, fire.  Interesting that John baptizes with water, like preachers today, and Jesus didn't baptize at all which makes this an unfulfilled prophecy in my (would-be) book.

(Isa 17:4 KJV) And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.
. . . . . And what day is "that day"?  Hey, ameriKa's been claiming to be the apple of God's eye for a long time; it's like our glory. And it's lookin' to me like the glory's gonna be a little thin come judgment day.  Like the fatness of our lifestyle ain't gonna look so good.  Especially to those who think they don't trust in their material riches but actually do.  As in strong delusions.

(1 Th 5:2-3 KJV) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
. . . . . See  Amos 6:1 ("Woe to them that are at ease in Zion,".

(Isa 17:7 KJV) At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
. . . . . Now we just pay lip service as our hearts are far from Him.  Yeah, when He arises and terribly shakes the earth, talk about respect huh?  But remember Jesus says it'll be too late for the fear of the Lord to help then.

(Luke 17:24 KJV) For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
. . . . . Blitzkrieg!  Isn't that German for lightning strike?  Used to describe very quick, aggressive acts of war.  Avenging angels sound real quick to me.  And I gotta say aggressive too.

(Luke 18:7-8 KJV) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
. . . . . Okay, it's looking like there's gonna be a day of vengeance.  And shall Jesus find faith on the earth when He appears (apparently on that day the way i'm reading all of this now)?  Not in my (would-be) book.  'Cause in that book the elect are all angels.  Not "saints" who profess with their mouth to "believe".  Angels.  Non-sentient beings.  Waddayou think?

(Joel 1:15-16 KJV) Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
. . . . . Weeping and gnashing of teeth headed our way huh?
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
. . . . . Rather reminiscient of Jesus telling the church people their worship is in vain, and (to anyone who's been reading on this site) what I've been saying will be the condition of actually all organized religions.

(Isa 30:25-27 KJV) And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
. . . . . "The day of the great slaughter" huh?  Water running uphill?
Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
. . . . . Judging from our study of the poor, "his people" here refers to the poor, oppressed, helpless/hopeless mass of have-nots.  Interestingly here the darkness and gloom of that great and terrible day is portrayed as very light indeed, perhaps a reflection of God's goodness to the select few.
Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
. . . . . And let's review: why is God angry?  Is it because mankind mostly worships at the altar of the status quo, the shrine of ordinary mind?

(Mat 10:14-15 KJV) And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
. . . . . This was what Jesus told the disciples as they went to spread the Gospel, the good news about the accessibility of the kingdom of heaven (see Luke 10:11[ below]; and the only bad news was the bit about having to be obedient to God's ways instead of blindly following the ways of man.  [Well, i guess it's bad news for many many cities and people huh? with many being called and few being chosen.]).
(Mark 6:11 KJV) And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
. . . . . Today i wonder if people who reject this message will find the situation intolerable "in the day of judgment".
(Luke 10:10-12 KJV) But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
. . . . . Man, "Be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."  Way heavy to me.  Quite similar to the account in Matthew 10, just above.  (Yeah, some emphasizing there by me.)

(Mat 12:36-37 KJV) But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
. . . . . This has been a heavy passage for me from my first remembrance of it.  That (would-be) Christians said these accounts would not be used to determine whether you go to heaven or hell, only degree of reward or punishment, has never really influenced my thinking in this regard, though I really considered it and even wanted that bit of mans' doctrine to be the truth.  In my first study Bible I wrote in the margin something like "actions count, of course, and thoughts too".
. . . . . Of course with the advent of my understanding that I've at least achieved a little of the division that Jesus told us He brought to the world, my thinking of late is that things people say against me and for me could well receive particular attention.  (What did i say where about gossip killing Jesus?  Anyway, we know He reserves special contempt [well . . . anger?] for those who malign those who come after Him from, e.g., His saying that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is unforgivable[ Mark 3:29].)

(Acts 2:20-21 KJV) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
. . . . . The first verse seems to echo the consensus on what "that great and notable day" is gonna be like.  The second verse is quite contrary to what Jesus says in Matthew 7:22-23 (just below:) although pretty much what contemporary "experts" say.  Actually it could come down to knowing His name, huh?

(Mat 7:22-23 KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
. . . . . I have made much of Psalms 36:1 ("The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.") on this site and have personally made much of "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  'Course my world was like rocked a long time ago.

(Matthew 25:34-45 KJV)Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
(2011 edit note:  somewhere on this site i note that in June of 2001 there were eight hundred million people who went to bed hungry; in June of 2011 Time magazine reported more than nine hundred twenty-five million people were malnourished.  November of this year i saw that it is almost one billion people who surely, as surely as night follows day, as surely as light is inherently more powerful than darkness, surely these are "the least" who were (and are i assure you) so dear to the heart of the Holy One of Israel.)

(Deu 27:19 KJV) Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow.
 . . . . . Doesn't beat around the bush here.  Notice that "cursed" is the word Jesus used for those who don't treat everybody like they want to be treated in Matthew 25( just above).  This is huge, like "do not merely not take advantage of anybody; go out of your way to help everybody (see Matthew 5:47-48 ['And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'])"  I actually told a local businessman that profit is contrary to God's doctrine.

(Psa 72:4 KJV) He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
. . . . "Oppressor" could translate "overflowing"; in other words, people with more than they need.  Note that "defend" is an alternate translation of "judge."  Might read "He shall avenge the poor . . . and break in pieces the hold of ordinary mind."

(Psa 72:12-14 KJV) For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.  He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.  He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
. . . . Basically the least esteemed of the world it would seem.  The spiritual violence of free enterprise and neighbors stabbing neighbors in the back is much worse than the physical violence.

(Psa 94:1-8 KJV) O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? (emphasis mine)
. . . . . Ode to Ordinary Mind, figurative mode.  Note (again) that those who acquiesce to the status quo comprise "the wicked".

(Psa 103:6 KJV) The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
. . . . . This must be a prophetic passage, as we know the rain now falls on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45), and the judgment referenced in this verse is to fall on the oppressors, the slaves to ordinary (carnal) mind, one of whose many gods we call "common sense".

(Job 34:24-28 KJV) He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
. . . . . Looks like Job is referencing the Lord's "day of vengeance[ Isa 61:2]" here.
Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
. . . . . (2 Peter 3:10: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.)
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
. . . . . God's angels will sever the wicked from the just huh?( Mat 13:49-50: So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, ⁵⁰And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. )
Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:
. . . . . Since the beginning of time men have found God (or been found by Him) and turned their backs on Him; His ways were/are so foreign to ordinary mind that people haven't really considered them.
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
. . . . . The status quo is us.  We cause the cry of the poor to get to God; His hearing the cry of the afflicted presages verse 24.  Let's also note that His day of vengeance will trump His hearing these cries.

(Psa 146:9 KJV) The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
. . . . . This must be prophetic also, for even today as in Malachi's time, "now we call the proud happy".  (Remember how deceitful the heart is.)  "The way of the wicked he turneth upside down" reminds me not only of Jesus turning the tables in the temple and Paul writing "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."( quoting Isaiah in 1 Corinthians 1:19) but also the repetition in Isaiah 2 (above) about bringing down the haughty.

(Prov 15:25 KJV) The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.
. . . . . See note immediately above on Psalms 146:9; also note on Isaiah 2 early in this study.  Probably should read "poor, oppressed, afflicted people" instead of "widow".

(Prov 21:13 KJV) Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
. . . . . What did Jesus say?  Matthew 25:45 (see above for 25-45), e.g., "Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."( emphasis mine).  Or Matthew 23:23: "Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."  Or Matthew 7:22-23: "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
. . . . . Note also the alternative translation of 'wicked' and its application in today's society in Proverbs 21:10 note (in my study of the poor here).

(Joel 2:1-3 KJV) Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
. . . . . Another fire and bad-news, avenging-angels version of the day of vengeance.

(Hosea 8:1 KJV) Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
. . . . . This could be the "captain of the host of the Lord"( Joshua 5) or the Firestarter Himself huh?  (This chapter continues "Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. . . [and God replies (to His angels?)] they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."[ Hosea 8:7] Perhaps the churches of today qualify as "the house of the Lord", but please note that those who profess to be believers of this day are in that house, and they appear to be unknown to the Lord of this study.

(Isa 11:4 KJV) But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
. . . . . Another promise kind of promising for the have-nots and kind of frightening for any haves who have ears to hear huh?  Looks like shaphat can read "He will avenge the poor."   (Note note on 'wicked' just above, and Psalms 72:4 and note [above].)

(Isa 10:33 KJV) Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
. . . . . Again judgment focuses on people "of stature," the proverbial 'movers and shakers' we like to say.  And hopefully we're beginning to see that it's people who can like think-God/feel-humble but in fact are deceived by the heart (The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 asks) and will be judged haughty by God because they shut up the bowels of compassion when they saw hungry people all around the world and (like 1 John 3:17 asks,) "how dwelleth the love of God in him?"

(Amos 2:2-8 KJV) But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
. . . . . Fire and trumpet and death.  And listen, this is about the world, not Moab and Judah.  It scares me.
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.
. . . . . God is not only not a respecter of persons, it seems that most people of good repute in the eyes of men are like abomination to God, maybe because they could make/could have made a difference and didn't.  Judge here might just be a type for one of stature say. 
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
. . . . . Well, this lends a little credence to my admittedly bizarre theory of the previous note.  And all my rantings about blindly bowing down to the status quo and saying 'you can't change the way things are'.
But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
. . . . . Not much needs to be said about this verse except: anybody have any questions about what kountry this "Judah" refers to in what the preacher called "present truth"?  Anybody wonder if the 'palaces of Jerusalem' now references big houses in Anytown usofa no, read wOrLD?
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
. . . . . The old "bottom line" mentality has justified a lot of really crazy stuff. 
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:
. . . . . Ditto (and notice ordinary mind forcing/sneaking in one odd sexual scenario so most people say "That's not about me hallelujah)
And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
. . . . . Kind of obviously pointing out the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord( Proverbs 15:8 and 21:27), and those who commit this particular abomination have been mostly oblivious to it.

(Joel 1:15-16 KJV) Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
. . . . . This will be the cry of many who have tried to serve God and believed they were doing it, the joy and the gladness of those Sunday services like so much dirt.

(Zep 1:14-18 KJV) The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
. . . . . Kind of self-explanatory at this point I hope.

(Psa 94:15 KJV) But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
. . . . . Could well be prophetic of judgment day, indicating that judgment will turn from the letter of the law we deal with these days to righteous judgment which will lead the upright in heart to the right hand of God ya know.

(Isa 3:14 KJV) The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
. . . . . "What you have robbed from the poor is in your houses" is a better translation.  Again (and again and again) we see that judgment revolves around our treatment of the poor.  That rich people don't recognize the truth when it's written out for them is not God's problem.

(Amos 5:10-15 KJV) And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. (de-emphasis mine)
. . . . . It's like gonna be the end of time I think.  Judgment Day.  All caps, bold-face.  Writ large.  We don't like to admit it but watch Home Time and acknowledge that we admire some of those houses as much as we admire our churches.  But we can't forget the gods of power and life-style and common sense and such.
. . . . . Reminds me how my grandmother used to get such a charge out of me liking this plastic shake-it-and-watch-it-snow thing she had in the living room where I basically couldn't go 'cause there was nice stuff in there.  Same thing with her round tin of buttons.  They were treasures in the eyes of this child.  And she thought it was funny that I was so naive, that I wouldn't even know a diamond if I held it in my hand. (Somewhere* I remember writing about the song that went like that, and how I was kind of proud that I fit the bill.  You know, "The sage wears rough clothing, and holds the jewel in his heart," is the way Lao Tsu put it.  "Store up treasures in heaven," is one of the many many ways Jesus warned against yielding to our naturally covetous nature.  "Ye cannot serve God and [money]"( Matthew 6:24b and Luke 16:13b) remains a key verse to me.  Jesus said He had overcome the world. And He actually told us to do the same thing [Mat 5:48 e.g.].)
And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.
            "The heathen" are those in whom the love of God does not dwell.

(Isa 26:21 KJV) For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
. . . . . Sure sounds like most people are in line for punishment, and seems to me anyone reading the Bible and not seeing/hearing what (s)he wants to see/hear would agree that people who think they're right with God are mostly not.

(Isa 51:4-7 KJV) Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
. . . . . The law which proceeded from Jesus was to love God with everything we have and everybody else like we love ourselves (which is easier to relate to than how much we're supposed to love God).  Interestingly "rest" is translated from "mishpat", a primitive root word meaning "to toss violently and suddenly".  So what we might should read (or understand huh?) is "God's judgment will rock the world and people everywhere will understand His will" and we could easily add (from our studies and discernment) "and most rich people will be violently unhappy".  See Isaiah 61:2 et al.
My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
. . . . . This last part is really critical and something we'd rather avoid understanding: if we truly believe Jesus is Lord of our life then His law (easy, no, very pleasant to obey) is in our hearts and we seek mostly to love Him immensely and everybody else the same way.  (Kind of like Watts' "law of compassion", that says we can't even be students [of Zen] unless we have a burden of love for all of humanity[ see a bit where*].)
. . . . . Naturally I like that Isaiah says that people who do know righteousness, people who have God's law in their hearts will be reviled by the world since I have been so reviled...but no, that would hopefully be a backwards look at our reality.

(Zec 9:14 KJV) And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
. . . . . Careful readers might wonder with me if Zechariah saw like a vision that caused him to write this verse; also if there was a vision did "the LORD" with bow and arrow differ from "the Lord GOD" with trumpet?  (My Hosea 8:1 note [above] addresses those who will "reap the whirlwind".)

(Isa 29:6 KJV) Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
. . . . . No doubt huh?

(Isa 31:4 KJV) For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
. . . . . Quite an analogy huh?  A "lion roaring on his prey" not at all concerned about a "multitude of shepherds".  Come down in the form of a man (instead of sending His only child)?  Also notice the verse immediately above this one addresses this visitation too.  (In my 2010 would-be study of Psalms maybe i maintain that many many "mountain" and "hill" verses (also) reference Mother Earth.)

(Isa 63:4 KJV) For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
. . . . . Even Jesus didn't know the day (which should give pause to those who maintain that He was omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent [except I think man's doctrine holds, except for one moment on the cross and not knowing the day or hour of the end( Mat 24:36)]), though apparently it was in God's heart for a long time.  "The year of my redeemed is come" appears to be prophetic of the unfulfilled variety as 'redeemed' can and I daresay should translate 'avenger' or 'revenger'.

(Isa 33:14 KJV) The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
          "Who shall stand in that day?" 
. . . . . "Now we call the proud happy..." Malachi 3:15.  Also see Luke 12:49 et al for Jesus' "I am come to bring fire on earth . . .".

(Psa 146:5-9 KJV) Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: . . .
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
          This is in both my (would-be) study of the poor and the judgment.  The judgment in all caps etc. and our treatment of the poor (those "which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry" etc.) seem inextricably linked to me.

(Nahum 1:9 KJV) What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
. . . . . Nahum is a minor prophet I think because there's been so much ordinary mind directed at his writing; it's like much of the minor prophets in that it's rather obtuse and difficult to discern the truth of it.  This verse is fairly clear.

(Nahum 1:2 KJV) God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
. . . . . Not much obtuse here.  Seems God is especially jealous of His "little ones" (see Study of the Poor) and He will revenge those who do not to them like they would be done to, who don't love all people as they love themselves.
(Nahum 1:3 KJV) The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
. . . . . Easy to believe He's slow to anger huh?  Great in power more difficult for ordinary mind. That He will not at all acquit the wicked is truly frightening to people open to the truth.
(Nahum 1:5-8 KJV) The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
. . . . . The world and everybody in it will be burned in His Day of Vengeance (Isa 61:2) is what this propecy seems to clearly specify.
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.  The answer to these questions:  those not sold out to ordinary mind.
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
. . . . . He searches the hearts and minds (Jeremiah 17:10) and we should not presume that the light in us is not darkness (Luke 11:35).
But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

(Isa 56:1 KJV) Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
. . . . . Looks like another unfulfilled prophecy to me if 'salvation' uses the alternate 'victory' or 'deliverance' and 'righteousness' is translated using the alternate 'justice'.  In other words "Do what you know I want you to do, ignoring the ways of man, because my victory is close and my judgment is almost revealed."
. . . . . Judgment and justice, I hope we are coming to see, are synonymous with doing good to poor people everywhere 'whensoever we will'. Important stuff.  See Matthew 23:23 et al. Jesus was obviously declaring this verse when He said "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."  When the righteousness of God is collectively sought, even if it is the form of lots of people in the grip of ordinary mind in border-line panic mode (realizing that the love and light of the universe seeks all people and desires that all people turn to it _and_ considers the have- have-not status quo nothing but abomination) seeking to escape the day of vengeance, when that righteousness is sought out in word and deed, then God's salvation (the kingdom of heaven, the end of time, the end of matter, no more mind, only spirit) truly is near.'  Radical huh?

(Isa 1:16-17 KJV) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
. . . . . I know I put this up in my study of the poor, but want to do it again and get everybody to notice how God pleads with us to seek out the extraordinary mind and love which Jesus shared so clearly with us. Here's part of my note from the earlier study: Take a look around at the evil of today, reckon the evil of today is sufficient unto itself?  Reckon twenty-four thousand people dying of starvation yesterday is the result of our failure to exercise, no, not exercise, our failure to even seek judgment (see Jeremiah 5:1 and note way above)?  Think God's judgment has anything to do with the oppressed, the fatherless, the poor?

(Isa 1:19-20 KJV) If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
. . . . . Wow, what a promise.  I'm been working a little from time to time for years on a study of "sword" and, interestingly(?), it seems to intersect my study of that 'great and terrible' Day of the Lord.

(Prov 21:2 KJV) Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
. . . . . Well, none of the pondering will matter except at The Judgment huh?  And hey, our hearts, our will (individually and collectively) seem to be so critical to our situation.  This might particularly be applicable to those utterly conformed to the norms and mores of their particular society, like Saul to the Jews. (see Jeremiah 17:9-10 e.g.)

(Psa 37:28 KJV) For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
. . . . . Okay, another promise about the Lord's day of vengeance.  My note says '"Judgement" might best be translated "obeying divine law", i.e., forsaking ordinary mind and loving even our enemy neighbors to the point that we do to them as we would have them do to us, i.e., help.  Judgment also is what Jesus said the believers ignored as in "Ye pay tithe . . . and ignore the weightier (i.e. more important) matters of law and judgment and justice..."( Matthew 23:23)'

(Psa 110:5 KJV) The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
. . . . . This is from the chapter I recently Zen opened to (here); it gets pretty obtuse at the end for a great start huh?  (Must admit I've wondered about my habit, kind of revived, of walking in public with head bowed and that last verse.)

(Rom 2:5-6 KJV) But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
. . . . . Wow, pretty plain talk here.  Luckily man's doctrine tells us that this is the judgment for the lost, not the judgment for the saints (which is what most everybody who professes to be a Christian is don'cha know).  The fact that I disagree without reservation with this doctrine is, of course, a moot point, since I'm a sinner who's never been to seminary.

(2 Chr 15:13 KJV) That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
. . . . . This is the kind of thing Jesus had in mind when He talked about asking God for legions of angels with swords and when He warned us repeatedly in the Sermon on the Mount and throughout the Gospels about the critical nature of priorities huh?
. . . . . Talk about radical; but what happened to the jubilee years__too much public pressure to maintain the status quo prob'ly ("The priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so."  [It's really ordinary mind in the form of pressure from the congregation, but the congregation didn't/doesn't recognize this.])

(Luke 14:13-14 KJV) But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
. . . . . Well, more end times stuff: "the resurrection of the just".( note the raising of "the dead" in 1 Co 15:52[ just below])  What I wish to impress on people is that there is cause and effect involved in our lives, and that the bottom line, when time ends (the phrase "time of the end" appears five times in Daniel; the angel swearing "that there should be time no longer" is in Revelations10:6) Jesus is going to say 'I told you (Matthew 28:19-20 says) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (emphasis mine)"' and (Matthew 16:27) "the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."  Teach everybody to be obedient to His commandments, huh?  That's the Great Commission.  And people who think Jesus' commandments don't count don't deserve this mention.
. . . . Another instance of truly great sermon material I've never heard in a sermon is just part of John 14:27: "not as the world giveth, give I unto you."  People just naturally enough (as far as ordinary mind goes) expect to get back or they quit giving.  Christmas cards even.  It's pretty wild, the ways of the world, compared to the ways of heaven say.
. . . . Actually i think it was said better here.

(1 Co 15:51-52 KJV) Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
. . . . "Dead" here can be taken literally or figuratively according to Strong's.  Sounds like time for judgment and the end of time to me.  Heaven and earth shall pass away, Jesus said.  We will no longer have corporal bodies and maybe we'll be dispersed to heaven and/or hell.

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