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. THE LORD'S JUDGEMENT."The time has come for the Judgement to begin; it is beginning with God's own household. And if it is starting with you, how will it end for those who refuse to obey the gospel (1) of God? It is hard enough for the righteous to be saved; what then will become of the impious (2) and sinful?" (1 Peter 4:17,18 NEB). "For the Lord knows all that men do; He knows their plans, their schemes, and their inmost thoughts… Alas for sinners who try to hide their sins! The Lord will scrutinize all their deeds; He will call you all to account. You will be covered with confusion, when your sins are brought into the open, and your wicked deeds stand up to accuse you on that day. What can you do? How can you hide your sins from God and His angels? God is your Judge: fear Him! Abandon your sins, and have done with your wicked deeds for ever! Then God will set you free from all distress." (From 2 Esdras 16:54 & 63-67 NEB). "The day of Judgement will be the end of the present world and the beginning of the eternal world to come… On the day of Judgement, therefore, there can be no mercy (3) for the man who has lost his case, no reversal for the man who has won it." (From 2 Esdras 7:113 & 115 NEB). "Then it will be the
same for priest and people, the same for master and slave, mistress and
slave "The time draws near when I shall judge those who live on the earth, the time when I shall enquire into the wickedness of wrong-doers, the time when Zion's humiliation (4) will be over, the time when a seal will be set on the age about to pass away… There shall be a loud trumpet blast and it shall strike terror into all who hear it. At that time friends shall make war on friends as though they were enemies, and the earth and all its inhabitants shall be terrified." (From 2 Esdras 6:18-20 & 23,24 NEB). "Go, My people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you; withdraw for a brief while, until wrath has gone by. For see, the Lord is coming from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their sins; then the earth shall uncover her blood-stains and hide her slain no more." (Isaiah 26:20,21 NEB). "…earth itself is desecrated (5) by the feet of those who live in it. Because they have broken the laws, disobeyed the statutes and violated the eternal covenant. For this a curse has devoured the earth and its inhabitants stand aghast. For this those who inhabit the earth dwindle and only a few men are left." (Isaiah 24:5,6 NEB). "Hark, how the valiant cry aloud for help, and those sent to sue for peace weep bitterly! The highways are deserted, no travellers tread the roads. Covenants are broken, treaties are flouted; man is of no account." (Isaiah 33:7,8 NEB).
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