the promised Land

 

the whole subject of the promised Land in the Bible has bothered me since my early years. it basically put the children of Israel through a similar test that Adam and Eve failed. now all these years later at the time of entering the promised Land the children of Israel are to go in and slaughter all the men women and children at the edge of the sword. one problem with this is that slaughtering men women and children almost no matter who they are takes a toll on you. they're screaming in horror as you repeatedly plunge a two-edged sword into their body. and you have to do this town after town city after City as you slowly work your way across the promised Land. there are two cities where God sent hornets to drive out the inhabitants. but this doesn't kill them it simply moves them somewhere else. they're going to run off with their idols and all their evil and then they're going to come back later after you've moved in and try to make friends with you. after all this was their town. it's pretty much an unpassable test, God knew it Moses knew it and Joshua knew it. and we continue to take a test that we can't pass either.

eventually God will bring the test to an end. a few people will be saved by grace and everyone else will get thrown into the lake of fire. it's strange, it's as if the actual results even surprised God.

will there be a surprise ending? The Bible plainly states that Satan his angels the false beast and the false prophet go into the lake of fire and they are there for all of eternity. it also says that everyone whose name isn't written in the book of Life gets thrown into the lake of fire. now there's an indication that billions of people may fall into that category based on the fire that falls from heaven and consumes all those that have surrounded the city of the saints but it doesn't actually say that plainly. does God have some trick up that infinite sleeve? will all those people be saved just before their big toe hits the surface of the lake of fire? the Bible certainly doesn't say that.

Isaiah 63

[3] I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
[4] For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
[5] And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

...