Since finishing the study on Revelation, I had the notion to address rather common misconceptions and questions that I hear. The 144,000 is one of those misconceptions.

This was first posted in 2008, but much has changed since then, along with my attitude. Since finishing the study on Revelation, I had the notion to address rather common misconceptions and questions that I hear. The 144,000 is one of those misconceptions.

First, I think I need to explain my understanding of the 144,000.

• They are Jewish young men, virgins who take God's word and Jewish traditions very seriously.

• God hand picks them from the twelve tribes, and, as an archaeologist recently pointed out, there are no lost tribes. Revelation 7:3-4 tends to uphold that scriptural fact.

• God uses these Jewish men as evangelists to the Jews. The assumption is that they are pointing to Jesus as the Messiah and explaining from scriptures who He is and why He is the Messiah. The oddity here is that it seems they knew that.

• With six of the seals containing God's wrath having been opened, we are fortunate that these men are alive. In my understanding, the sealing of the men protects them from harm. Now that might not be true, but that is what I understood.

• When it comes to people who missed the boat and, therefore, missed the rapture, calling them Christians kind of gets hung up in my throat. What I do see is that those who wake up and follow Jesus get martyred, and it is God that calls them saints. The first time we see these 144,000 is in Revelation 7. The second time is in Revelation 14, where they are with Jesus, before the throne, singing a new song that only they know, and you will not see them called saints.

I spent the last 14 years reading my Bible at every opportunity, asking questions about what I read and writing down the responses that I heard in my spirit. What I learned, more than anything else, was God's nature and character. So it really grates on me when I hear statements like this one.

One day, in the men’s Bible study – that I no longer attend, a statement was made proclaiming that the one hundred and forty-four thousand bond-servants, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel, would be caught up in the church’s rapture. 

So, let's all enlighten ourselves by reading a description of the 144,000  from God's word.

Then I looked, and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Tziyon (Zion); and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of rushing waters and like the sound of pealing thunder; the sound I heard was also like that of harpists playing on their harps. They were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living beings and the elders, and no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who have been ransomed from the world. These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they have been ransomed from among humanity as firstfruits for God and the Lamb; on their lips, no lie was found—they are without defect. 
(Revelation 14:1-5 CJB)

Allow me to reiterate verse five once again, but from the King James Version.

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. (Revelation 14:5 KJV)

Now, with this pertinent information, 

Is it true that the 144,000 will be caught up in the rapture?

Any serious student of the Bible knows that is not true, but if you want to expand your horizons, then you need to ask why it's not true.

When we search for the one hundred and forty-four thousand, we only find three references, all of which occur within the Revelation of Jesus Christ, once in Revelation 7 and twice in Revelation 14.  The first reference is in Revelation 7, where we see four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so that they did not blow on the earth or sea or even on any tree.

"...Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads." And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:” (Revelation 7:3-4 NASB)

Sealed? A logical assumption is that they are being sealed to protect them from the wrath of God.

(I use the term wrath because six of the seals have already been opened, subjecting those young me to at least some aspects of that wrath. If you must argue, then consider the goals of the antichrist - based on known current trends in technology, where most everyone is chipped and tracked on daily basis. Considering the 144,000 who are sealed, how do they dodge some like a vaccination mandate?)

If that is the case, the timing of their sealing alone enforces the idea that they are Jewish and are here during the time that God’s wrath is being poured out (As teenagers tend to say, NO DUH, in other words, how obvious.) The distinction is that they are NOT gentiles.

Can we assume they were evil people because they did not go up with the church?

Not necessarily. First off, Revelation 14 clearly tells us they are without defect. 

Does that mean that they have no physical defects? 

No, it means they are, according to the law, sinless. We, too, are sinless but only by the blood of Jesus, and this may be the same reason that they can be deemed “without defect.” 

Secondly, the Jews are actively looking for the Messiah; but they have flatly rejected Jesus Christ as they feel He is a Gentile invention and designed for them alone. So, thanks to the veil being lifted and the help of these evangelists, many Jews come to Jesus after the catching away of the church.

Those who are sealed are specifically from the tribes of Israel, not Jehovah’s witnesses. 

Verses five through eight of Revelation fourteen spell out how 12,000 of each tribe of the sons of Israel were chosen from the tribes listed there, and you can look these up on your own time.

Why is any of this important? 

The layout of the Revelation is, for the most part, chronological, which is why we can say that the wrath of God began with the revelation of the lamb that looked as if it had been slain in Revelation chapter 4. By the time we reach chapter seven, where we see the 144,000, six of the seals have been broken.

"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. "Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; because these are days of vengeance so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people;”
(Luke 21:20-23 NASB)

While the entirety of Luke's passage is worrisome, this, by and large, is pointed at one people group, the Jews. If I based my understanding of what is to come upon Luke's version alone, I would be remiss by not providing adequate witnesses.

Since we can see that it is wrath that is coming, then let's focus on that for a moment.

Who is this wrath for?

Based upon Luke's gospel and the usage of the name Judea, it is simple to see that much of it is for and because of the Jews, and the Prophet Hosea acknowledges that as well.

“Israel, the time has come. You will get what you deserve, and you will know it. "Prophets are fools," you say. "And God's messengers are crazy." Your terrible guilt has filled you with hatred.”
(Hosea 9:7 CEV)

Brenton's translation uses terminology similar to Luke's gospel.

“The days of vengeance are come, the days of thy recompense are come; and Israel shall be afflicted as the prophet that is mad, as a man deranged: by reason of the multitude of thine iniquities thy madness has abounded.”
(Hosea 9:7 Brenton)

Iniquities, in Hebrew, also means perversity or evil. Have you ever asked yourself why or where this happened? One of the first things the “children of Israel” did after coming out of Egypt was to pressure Aaron into making the god Moloch for them (think child sacrifice). Stephen, in Acts chapter seven, defines these things in a manner that we see nowhere else. Jewish tradition tells us that their acts were so detestable that they were unspeakable. So you see, NO one contest what Stephen said about what Israel did with Moloch. In Exodus 32, we see God's reaction and commentary.

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.”
(Exodus 32:7 NASB)

At this point, God practically disowns them. He uses the word corrupted to define them. The Hebrew word conveys that they had spoiled, ruin, and perverted themselves. The word perverted does not convey the depth of their perversion as they roasted their babies in the arms of Moloch and danced around the star of Ishtar the goddess of sex. Exodus 32:22, in the NASB, has Aaron defending them and himself by saying, “you know the people, that they are set on mischief.” Ah, mischief is an artful way of saying they are naturally and morally bad and evil. Now how would Aaron have known that? Remember Balaam and his donkey? This is the man that told Balak that they could defeat Israel by putting the pretty girls from the surrounding nations within reach of their men. Those men will take the girls into their beds, and when they whine, build me a high place to worship; the children of Israel will do what they ask. Those high places, especially among the Canaanites, were places of child sacrifice by dismemberment (I recently watched a Christian archaeologist who demonstrated exactly what I am talking about). Can you now see that one of the reasons God is so angry with Israel is that they perpetually invested in the perversion of the surrounding nations, and you see it throughout the Old Testament.

God's wrath is also poured out upon the nations. In Jeremiah, we see God taking vengeance upon those who chose to fight against Him.

“But that day is a day of the Lord, the Lord of hosts--a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. And the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, the Lord of hosts has a sacrifice [like that of a great sin offering] in the north country by the river Euphrates.” (Jeremiah 46:10 AMP)

Here in 46:10, Jeremiah uses the phrase “day of the Lord.” What does this phrase apply to? It applies to the entirety of the seven years in which He pours out His wrath upon Israel and the nations. The purpose is to eliminate “sinners,” though it is evident that it is not complete elimination. Some will say, Ah, see, this is one of those areas that prove that God cannot be trusted. What it proves is that God is merciful. In the example I showed you above, where Aaron makes the god Moloch for them, God told Moses that He was going to destroy them all. If you read the story in Exodus 32, then you will see that Moses dissuaded God, and God showed mercy. Eventually, your sins will find you out, and somehow, you will pay. This is where the blood of Jesus Christ comes into play because it covers all our sins.

“Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.”
(Isaiah 13:9 NASB)

The Hebrew word for exterminate can also mean to pluck down. You should be able to realize that there is a reduction of sinners and not extermination, as that seems to go against the character and nature of God. Sinners, according to the Hebrew, are those accounted guilty. We already saw in Jeremiah 46:10 that God is going to avenge Himself on His adversaries. Avenge can also be read as bringing punishment. The context of Revelation demonstrates how God comes at His adversaries from every possible direction.

One last passage to help define how God's wrath will purge the earth.

“The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant.”:
(Isaiah 24:5 NASB)

The everlasting covenant, what's that?

It is the covenant that God made with Adam, Eve, Abraham, and Moses, and it applies to every follower of Christ. In every human interaction, God said, I will uphold my end of the bargain, even if you don't. If you think about the family tree, no one failed to hear “the law,” but few upheld the covenant completely. In failing to uphold the covenant, we have destroyed this earth with our technological advances.

Sometimes you can determine to whom God's wrath is directed by eliminating those who are excluded from the conversation.

""But God demonstrates His own love toward us (the followers of Jesus Christ) in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (Romans 5:8-9 NASB) Emphasis mine.

Romans 5 speaks of being justified; while that forgiveness was a blanket coverage, it still requires action on the part of the recipient. You must accept Jesus Christ as yours.

Paul goes on to say that we, followers of Christ, will be rescued from the wrath, much like Noah was.

“that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” 
1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NASB)

Spend a few minutes looking at this transaction between God and Noah (Genesis 7:1-4.) Having followed God's instructions, God closed the massive door behind them. (Genesis 7:16) And this saved the family from God's wrath – the flood.

This theme of being rescued from wrath is continued in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10.

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 NASB)

This, too, demonstrates how God's salvation is a blanket of escape – if you will, that works for all who accept His salvation.

This rescue or salvation from wrath is from God's wrath, not the tribulations of everyday life. God's wrath will be poured out upon everyone living on the earth at this time; we assume that there is an exception for the 144,000. I am puzzled, for if I look at the Revelation as chronological, then it tends to indicate that they, too, were killed in some brutal manner.

How does that work if the seal of God protected them? Again, we make assumptions about the extent of their protection. The passage where we see this sealing begins reads like this.

“..., Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."
(Revelation 7:3 NASB)

It says nothing about NOT harming these Jewish believers. Now my understanding of them has shifted, and I see them as hand-picked evangelists up until the time that God sees fit to call them home. If the fourteenth chapter of Revelation is not an indication of that happening and fractures my idea of the Revelation retelling as a precisely chronological eschatological story. So, now I have to see the 144,000 as reinsertion into the Revelation timeline, much like a color commentary in a televised sporting event.

What's the point so far?

Based on what I see in the verses that we have to work with, all this is happening within the seven years of wrath. Since we see an uncountable multitude standing before the throne, then there would have to have been an attempt to kill the followers of Christ. Since God has sealed these Jewish men, then they, too, would be deemed to be followers and potentially subject to death at the hands of Jewish leadership as well. This conversation is, of course, in consideration of the fact that three and one-half years into the seven, the false prophet will be unleashed upon the world, and, according to Islam, this man will be the enforcer of Sharia law. Sharia law dictates that the head of infidels are chopped off (anyone outside of Islam is an infidel) as the primary method of elimination.

"Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him, one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads."
(Revelation 14:1 NASB)

If Jesus is standing on Mount Zion, then He has returned victoriously, and the earth is now in the hands of the Almighty God. Since the 144,000, to the best of our knowledge, have been witnesses to the Jews during the time of wrath, then it is obvious that their work is completed.

That would mean that they were not raptured, as only the church is caught up to be with Jesus; it also means that they are alive today, being prepared, and will have to endure the entirety of the seven years and its associated wrath. And, there is nothing that says they are exclusively in Israel, for we have Jews all over the world.

What’s the advantage of being a Jew? Romans 3:1-8.

 We have made it to Romans chapter three, and immediately there is a sense that something is missing, as though we drop into the middle of a conversation. Based on this introduction if you were to say to me, I don't understand Romans 3 I would completely understand. Here is verse one.

Romans 3:1 NLT  Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?

Because, as I noted above, we are missing the context, let's look at the context.

“In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it. For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:27-29 NLT)

Why, would the uncircumcised Gentiles, a people group despised by the Jews, condemn the Jews?

Even I, a Gentile convert accepted into God's grace and love by the sacrifice of Jesus, a Jew, understand that God came to the Jews first. Paul tells us it is because they did not obey the law necessary to take away their sins, at least for the moment.

The problem, for me, is that I don't obey the law either; in fact, it is even worse than that, I can't because there is something trying to push me to the dark side all the time, and that is why we needed a savior.

Paul takes this one step further by talking about circumcision.

Beginning with Abraham, circumcision was the sign of the covenant between Abram and God.

“This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. "And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.” (Genesis 17:10-12 NASB)

A question, were there any Jews at this point, following laws?

The answer is NO, and there was none until several hundred years later, and they were descendants of Judah; and yet they followed God's instructions to Abraham concerning the covenant, by getting themselves, their children, and Gentile servants who lived in their house circumcised. Their actions, in their mind, signified that they were God's promised people.

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

Great in every respect.

First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

[We have already seen that God initiated these words/oracles when he spoke to Abraham. However, Romans 2:13-15 conveys that it is only the doers of the law who gain a righteous standing with God; and Paul tells us that many of the Gentiles do that and they have never heard of the law. Why? Because God saw fit to write His law – all ten of them, upon our hearts.]

Abraham complied by getting circumcised as a sign.

What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?

[The NLT puts it this way,

“True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful,

does that mean God will be unfaithful?”]

(Romans 3:1-3 NASB)

It's a rhetorical question, which Paul promptly answers.

Romans 3:4 NLT  “Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

• “Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”

  Often our purpose in a study is to prove or disprove that a statement is valid or true. Job certainly does that for us.

  “Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.” (Job 34:10 NLT)

  And though the questions come from Bildad there are still valid and true.

  “Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right?” (Job 8:3 NLT)

  The answer is a resounding NO. Sadly, those who ignore the morality that dwells will find out that He is just and true.

• “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

  Almost everyone struggles with this portion of Romans 3:4, and it just occurred to me why they struggle. We think this is talking to us, about us, and it is NOT. It is talking about God, His Word, and His actions.

  Virtually everything in the NT came from the Old and this line that Paul speaks sounds very much like King David in the Psalms.

  “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.”

  Psalms 51:4 NLT 

  Having spent some time in recovery, I came to find that honesty was the best option. As King David just said, “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.” There is, as the NASB states, NO JUSTIFICATION for what we do. Thank God for being a savior and for the fact that God purchased us back and marked us with a seal of this covenant we have with Him, which is the Holy Spirit that comes into the life of every believer that accepts Him.

Many times, because I have had these discussions/arguments with “Christians” I will put forth the argument to address the question before it comes.

Romans 3:5 NASB But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)

The NLT puts it this way.

But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 

Maybe this is what we do when we declare ourselves to be covered by God's grace and therefore free to cuss all we want. In this case, you are NOT proving anything other than the fact that you are an ignorant dolt that cannot communicate your emotions and feelings by the use of proper language and grammar. I certainly do not look at people like this and immediately say, my, how good God is, and neither does the general public. I can, however, extend grace toward these people.

After being in recovery for a time, I was asked to lead the men's anger group. Being a participant is entirely different from being a leader that has to attempt to reign in someone who is on the edge of being out of control. One brother had been a medic with a special ops team during the Vietnam war. As a special ops medic, you have to fight as well as patch people up. For a time this guy merely sat alone in the break room, stroking the head of his stress dog. I stopped to talk with him and got an earful of cussing. He then said, see, you cannot handle the volcano inside of me. I responded by saying, I can handle anything that comes out of your mouth, but I would prefer to hear Jesus. He eventually came around.

Paul must have heard statements like this, “isn't it unfair for Him to punish us?”

Are you serious? I already showed you a statement about God from Job 34:10 and it reads like this.

“Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.”

Promoting sin goes against the nature and character of God. God is the moral standard and there is nothing unjust or unfair in what He does.

Again, Paul answers his own question.

Romans 3:6 NLT  Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?

What we do not perceive, is that God's decisions have all been played out because there is a legal standard, based upon His moral standard; and controlled His actions in purchasing the human race back from the control of Satan.

“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.” (Romans 3:7-8 NLT)

Merely to say, my dishonesty, or as most translate, lie highlights God's truthfulness and brings him more glory, demonstrating how dishonest we truly are. Again, go to recovery and you will find people standing before you and saying, “Hi, I am …. and I have 15 years of sobriety.” In saying this, they are admitting that a return to the activity they are testifying of is freedom, and it is hanging out there waiting to grab you and take you captive once again if you let it. God, may, in time, get the glory, but He does so only as you testify to your dependence upon the freedom He brings.

People who are foolish enough to go back to their vomit, are nothing more than fools.

Turn to Jesus.

Wisdom from above. James 3:14 - 18.

Previously, we talked about taming the tongue. If you noticed, that maybe one of the hardest things you will ever do; and, it is wisdom at its best if you do. Now, under the premise of “Wisdom from Above” James elaborates on how this faith action demonstrates good behavior and the gentleness of wisdom.

Wisdom from Above

The section starts with the verse we ended on, but from Eugene Peterson's perspective.

James 3:13 MSG  Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.

In contrast to the person who lives in this appropriate manner, we have James chapter three, verse fourteen, which seems to be in total opposition to wisdom.

James 3:14 NASB But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

Where did this person who is living well, wisely, and humbly get off to? Do you see those categories?

• “you have bitter jealousy” and
• “selfish ambition in your heart” But note, that these things equate to arrogance and lying against the truth.

The word bitter is the Greek word pikros and means sharp (with the idea of piercing,) or pungent.

Jealousy is as it says.

Selfish is the Greek word eritheia and also means rivalry and ambition.

Ambition is merely the Greek word eritheia used twice. I am not a scholar, so I look at translations from a layman's point of view, and it makes no sense to say selfish twice. So, typically, in conjunction with a defining term, the word changes into something that has a similar meaning, and hence we get selfish ambition. When words are used in succession, it is wise to pay attention.

Arrogant is the Greek word katakauchaomai and its primary meaning is to exult over. This is often understood as arrogance.

To lie seems like such a simple word that it needs no explanation but let's examine it anyway. It is the Greek word pseudomai and it means to utter an untruth or attempt to deceive by falsehood. This is the root from which we get the term pseudopods. Clams are pseudopods, meaning, they have a false foot. A dictionary definition includes protozoans and says, it is a temporary protrusion of the protoplasm, as of certain protozoans, usually serving as an organ of locomotion or prehension.

So when it comes to uttering an untruth what could James possibly be talking about? Especially since James just finished talking about a person who shows good behavior and wisdom by controlling their tongue.

Against is the Greek kata and means that this untruth is indicating motion meaning down from a higher to a lower place.

Truth. Again, this seems to simple a word, as it means what it says. But as Pilot said to Jesus, what is truth?

Jesus responded to Thomas, with, I am the way, the truth, and the life … John 14:6 NASB

Jesus said this of the Father, and therefore Himself - His word is truth John 17:17

The Psalmist David tells us, The sum of Your word is truth, … Psalms 119:160 NASB

Refocus on the passage once again.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

So, once again, in the course of studying the book of James, I ask, who is James talking to?

Jewish followers of Christ – who hold to the old ways and attitudes. This holding to the old ways is not necessarily a bad thing, as the Jew tends to have a grip on the Holy feast days – something we “Christians” have little to no idea about; and yet, these Holydays – Pentecost which we just went through, plays a role in the end times events.

Consider this idea for a moment. God brought the church into being on Pentecost; is it possible that He will remove the church in conjunction with this one? Yes, I know, it is June of 2020 and we are still here, but the momentum that brought about the birth of the earth might be something comparable to the pandemonium we have been witnessing on our city streets. Example: Chaos came to the streets of Minneapolis somewhere around May 22, 2020. Having been on quarantine for three months, many churches challenged “the law” and opened, specifically on May 31, 2020, Pentecost Sunday. It felt like a clarion call to come back to life; and, if you are honest, you will have to admit that our Churches have been dead or dying for a while.

Having looked at the alternate words that could have been used, I can see that James is having to deal with horrendous attitudes and pride. We Gentiles, who stumbled in off the street, have our own set of issues; but stick around religion long enough and we can learn to develop our own biting attitude that longs to lord over someone else. You probably noticed that James just straight out said, our bad attitudes are twisting the truth – lies. Wait a minute, I was just trying to make my point in that conversation, besides that, I know I was right and they needed to hear it.

If we are lying, then what are we lying about?

Truth! If God's word is truth, and it is, then without thinking about it, we are disparaging almost everything that God stands for. Have you ever thought about that?

What then does God stand for?

What you should really be asking at this point, is, what is God's nature and character, because WE get every twisted potential, such as God is an angry God, willing to send everyone to hell; or that He is unapproachable and uncaring. Yes, God stands for justice; but there is another word that is often used here, and it is vengeance.

In the context of the now global rioting, under the premise of a murdered black man, George Floyd. Not only are crazed people trying to find justice, but because of the looting, fires, and additional harm done to the public, we too are now crying out for vengeance and justice. This evokes more questions.

• When will God bring this justice?
• Are we supposed to be motivated by fear?

We are broken, and therefore we all have the capacity of acting out of this brokenness that we see in James 3:14. Now pay attention as James continues to disassemble what acting outside of wisdom gets you.

James 3:15 NASB This wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly, natural, demonic.

If you are acting as if bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are okay, then you are operating in a wisdom that is earthly and demonic.

James 3:16 NASB For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

Operating in a realm that is earthly, natural, and demonic, puts us in a position where there is disorder, and to make things worse, every evil thing.

But the wisdom that comes from above.

James 3:17 NASB But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Eugene Peterson's Message says, “Real wisdom, God's wisdom, ...”

Dr. J. Vernon McGee states, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure—that is, it's not mingled or mixed; it's undiluted; it's the original. It is that wisdom which comes down from God, and James clearly identifies it.”

• pure
• peaceable
• gentle
• reasonable
• full of mercy
• full of good fruits
• unwavering
• without hypocrisy.

James 3:18 NASB And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Once again, look at what Peterson has to say.

You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. (James 3:18 MSG)

Lacking the Super Hero characteristics to take on all the looters, I really only have a handful of reasonable tools to combat the fear and anxiety fear tries to bring, prayer, and teaching. Since my teaching is not what I thought it would be, then I must pray.

The seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace?

Look at alternative passages.

The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. (Proverbs 11:18 NASB)

Fairness will produce peace and result in lasting security. (Isaiah 32:17 NET.)

Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12 NASB)

Can horses gallop over boulders? Can oxen be used to plow them? But that’s how foolish you are when you turn justice into poison and the sweet fruit of righteousness into bitterness. (Amos 6:12 NLT)

he who sows for his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, and he who sows for the Spirit will reap life eternal from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:8 Moffatt NT)

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
(Philippians 1:11 NLT)

So be seed planters of peace, the times are calling for it. This is NOT peace as the world understands it, it is the Word of God, which often tells you NO. In doing this you will reap a harvest of righteousness.