Daily Devotional, Year 4 – December 21 (Eternal Torment? Part 33: “Outer Darkness”)
By admin On September 15th, 2024.
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Daily Devotional, Year 4 – December 21
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Eternal Torment?
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Part 33:
“Outer Darkness (CONTINUED)”
To read Part 1, click here… “September 8th (Eternal Torment?)”
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“And I say unto you,
That many shall come from the east and west,
and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,
in the kingdom of Heaven.
But the children of the kingdom
shall be cast out into outer darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 8:11, 12
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CONTINUED FROM YEAR 2, SEPTEMBER 15TH DEVOTIONAL…
So, just how do we walk in the light, and stay in the light?
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PARABLE OF THE WEDDING INVITATION
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Well, perhaps we might find the answer to this question by examining just what could cause a churchgoer to be cast out into outer darkness…
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Listen…“And Jesus…spake unto them again by parables,
and said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king,
which made a marriage for his son…
But they made light of it, and went their ways,
one to his farm, another to his merchandise…
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth:
and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers,
and burned up their city…
And when the king came in to see the guests,
he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment…
Then said the king…cast him into outer darkness;
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 22:1-3, 5, 11-13
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The problem with the invited guests was that they were more concerned about this world and all its pleasures and pursuits. And thus, they ignored the invitation.
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Parable of the wedding guest – Wikigallery – US Public Domain
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1 DAY WITH JESUS, 6 DAYS WITH OTHER gODS
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And so it is today! Churches are filled with parishioners each Sabbath.
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But the Bible tells us that many of those are still lovers of the world. Oh yes, they attempt to worship God while sitting there in church. But after the service they return to their pursuit of their weekday gods.
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So, in essence, it is a revolving door of one day of the week, attempting to worship Jesus, followed by six days of vigorously pursuing many modern-day gods: cars, boats, sports, amusements, hobbies, houses, lands, careers, projects, excursions, clubs, TV, radio, high-tech devices, and all the other modern-day idols that are commonly revered in this modern-day cornucopian super-society.
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CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS
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And so, this Parable of the Wedding Invitation ends with one person sitting in the wedding with no wedding garment. And when discovered, the king said…
“Bind him hand and foot, and take him away,
and cast him into outer darkness;
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 22:13
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Yes, this man without a wedding garment symbolizes all those church members who worship God 1-day-per-week, while pursuing all their weekday gods the next 6 days!
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A DIFFERENT SPIRIT ENVELOPS
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Oh no, these idolaters will not be literally thrown out. But in time, a spiritual mist of darkness will envelop them (see Acts 13:11 & 2nd Peter 2:11). And they will become filled with a different spirit, a worldly spirit.
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And even though they might continue to attend church each week, they will nevertheless become worldly-minded. And the evidence of this is that they will become critical of people, symbolized by the phrase, “gnashing of teeth”. And there will be a spirit of criticism for many other things as well.
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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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WEEPING
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But they will also weep, because they will have a dim cognizance that their lives have become void of a love for Bible study, contemplation, and ceaseless prayer.
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Oh yes, they may pick up their Bibles for 15 minutes each morning. And yes, they may still pray at times.
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But the love for these Christian duties just won’t be there any longer. And they know it. But their love for this world takes precedence over their love for Heaven, and for Heaven’s Jesus!
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Vincent van Gogh – Old Man in Sorrow (On the Threshold of Eternity) – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
Weeping Woman – Van Gogh – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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REPENTANCE POSSIBLE!
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But is there any hope for those who have been thrust out into outer darkness? Can such a person ever return to the Lord?
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Well yes!
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After all, this is still the day of Salvation! And as Acts 13:11 says…“and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” This man’s darkness was only for a season.
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And for all those who come to their spiritual senses once again, the door of mercy is still just barely open! And God may decide that this rejector of grace has suffered in outer darkness long enough! And then they will begin to bitterly weep and plead for restoration and redemption! And they will loathe themselves for all the gnashing on their teeth in their daily criticism of others!
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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain
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FOREVER FAITHFUL!
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And there have been many who have returned to the light once again!
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And once they do return to a restored relationship with God, these will never ever again want to slight the grace of God! They have finally learned their lesson!
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And now they are ready to completely forsake this present world and once again begin that ever-ascending pathway to Heaven!
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Upward-Pathway-by-böhringer-friedrich – cropped image – Wikimedia-Share-alike-License (1)
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to keep my eyes steadfast upon Thee. Let the meditations of my heart be upon Thy Word. Let me pray to the degree that I’m not even aware that I am praying! O let me not be taken away and cast into outer darkness…
The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… Planet of Rest: Doctrine of Eternal Torment, or you can also read this shorter article…“September 8th (Eternal Torment?)”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shall you labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:
in it you shalt not do any work,
thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,
thy manservant, nor thy maidservant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that in them is,
and rested the seventh day:
wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
Exodus 20:8-11
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The Earth seen from Apollo 17 – wikipedia, – NASA, – public domain
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FOURTH SOLAR SYSTEM MEMBER
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Counting the Sun as the 1st heavenly sphere, the Earth is the 4th heavenly sphere. If we extend our theory (and it’s just a theory) that God created our solar system to correspond to the commandments, then planet Earth would correspond to the 4th Commandment.
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And so, on the very planet that corresponds to the commandment that exalts the idea of “rest” and “peace”, there exists very little peace. And very little rest. Ironic, isn’t it?
Picture: Solar System NASA public domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Planet Of Rest”…4th Sphere & 4th Commandment
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TOMORROW…
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS IS STUDY #623 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…
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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain
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