THE LAND OF JUDÆA WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN

     Before the birth of Jesus Christ, in 63 B.C. the pagan Roman Empire began to spread its imperial rule in Europe and Asia Minor, as was prophesied centuries before in the 6th century B.C. by the prophet Daniel (chs.2&7).

     Rome is the fourth and last of the world’s ruling kingdoms and will continue to rule whether openly or discreetly “until Shiloh come.” There is no fifth kingdom to have the lion’s share of influence in this sinful world, even unto this day. Although raised up to be a republic (as was the United States of America) the Caesars drew the power and authority to themselves while creating the façade of preserving republican values when in fact they were imperialists and the antithesis of true virtue. And when the pagan empire transitioned into the papal empire the same spirit of tyrannical supremacy was wielded by popes and prelates.

     The lessons of government that history shows with all of the dangerous tendencies that have caused every nation’s downfall we readily see their counterparts today in every facet of America's government, as it is written:

“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! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” Isa.5:20-23.

     History is our greatest lesson book to understand the path of safety vs. the road to ruin as Solomon said, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be.” Eccl.1:9. As in the days of the tower of Babel, as in the days of the birth of Jesus, just as today, exists a world-dominant government with one dominant language, striving to unite all people under one banner—yet living in rebellion against GOD through religious and secular leaders' flagrant disobedience to His Sacred Law: the only Law whereby every man would be safe in each other’s care. It was into this sinful regime of church and state that Jesus Christ was born.

     Two thousand years ago the Land of Judæa was a land in bondage to sin in both its government and religion. The Pharisees of Judaism had established a multitude of manmade laws outside of Bible guidelines in their determination to shield the Sacred Ten Commandment Law with a plethora of religious theories. They imposed on the people their thousand laws outside of Bible guidelines with the warning that by transgressing any of these laws, a threat to transgress the boundaries of GOD’S Sacred Law was imminent. But by setting up their religious system: a religion GOD never commanded, they made GOD’S Holy Law subservient to their own unholy laws. This was “the tradition of men” that Christ rebuked in Matthew ch.23. Thus they literally smothered GOD’S Holy Law with their own prideful religion. (And this religion rules to this day in the form of Talmudic Judaism. In this religion, Gentiles are to be the mere slaves of Jews—forever.) This was the religion of Judaism that Jesus Christ was born into and raised to obey.

The Great Stumbling Block of Judaism’s theology

     Scripture prophesied the stark contrast between the Holy Law Christ lived by (to save the children of GOD) vs. the unholy laws of carnal hearted men (that always destroy the children of GOD): “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 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. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” Isa.11:1-5.

     This prophecy along with other prophecies of Jesus Christ encompass all Three Advents: His First Advent as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn.1:29); His Second Advent, when He destroys those who have legislated the death decree against “they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,” taking “the saints” to heaven to review the history of sin (Rev.13:15;14:12; Jn.14:2); and His Third Advent, when He returns with the saints in the New Jerusalem to carryout the verdict of “the second death” against Satan with his minions of demons and men: “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Ju.v.14,15).

     All men who have lived selfish lives at the expense and wellbeing of others (just like cancer) will be cast “into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt.25:41).

     Let it be known that it was not GOD’S intention that one single man perish with the devil in “the lake of fire” cleansing of the Earth’s surface. The Gospel of Jesus Christ justified every man to be saved from sin and death. But with man’s abuse of GOD’S eternal gift of freewill, coupled with his selfish nature and the constant temptations of devils, men by the multitudes have succumbed to live out their lives in the cruel indifference of sin, and thus grieve the Spirit of GOD away from their hardened hearts—forever.

     Another prophecy of Christ that spans thousands of years was the one that the wise men of the East discovered as the reason the star of Bethlehem appeared on the night Christ was born. They read the words of the prophet Baalim: “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Nu.24:17.
In these prophecies and others the rabbis falsely but proudly concluded that these prophecies were a single event in time and not spread over thousands of years. And when Messiah would come He would crush the Roman legions, and place the rabbis at the head of every nation, kindred, tongue and people, in which they would wield their power to rule over all men.

     But what was lost sight of was the most precious significance of the sacrificial system first begun when GOD Himself laid to rest the first innocent animals: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Gen.3:21. Throughout Earth’s history, those faithful to GOD’S promise of salvation understood that the sacrifice of innocent creatures signified the coming sacrifice of “the Christ of God” Who would shed His blood, and literally pour out His life unto death on the Cross of Calvary to redeem His children from the curse of sin and death, by taking the curse of sin to Himself.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Lev.17:11.