God’s Word Interprets God’s Word

Amos 3:2

You only have I known of all the families of the earth. On account of this, I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Comment

In Isaiah 46:10 It is said that God knows the end from the beginning, so what does it mean when God says “ You only have I known of all the families of the earth”

In the following verses we find the Lord loving those He chastises or punishes and they are those The Lord unconditionally chooses. As we see in scripture the ones the Lord knows are the ones He loves.

Hebrews 12:6

For whom the Lord loves, He disciplines, and whips every son whom He receives.” Prov. 3:11, 12

Proverbs 3:12

My son, do not reject the chastening of Jehovah, and do not loathe His correction;

Jeremiah 1:5

I knew you before I formed you in the belly; and before you came out of the womb, I consecrated you. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 31:3

Jehovah has appeared to me from far away, saying , Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love! On account of this, with loving kindness I have drawn you.

Deuteronomy 7:7

Jehovah did not set His love on you or choose you because you were more in number than any people, for you were the fewest of all peoples

Deuteronomy 7:8

But because Jehovah loved you, and because He kept the oath which He swore to your fathers, Jehovah has caused you to go out with a strong hand, and redeemed you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

1 Corinthians 1:28-29

And God chose the low-born of the world, and the despised, and the things that are not, so that He might bring to nothing the things that are,

so that no flesh might glory in His presence.

Isaiah 65:1

I have been sought, not by those who asked. I have been found, not by those who sought Me. To a nation not calling on My name, I said, Behold Me! Behold Me!

Romans 10:20

But Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those not seeking Me; I became known to those not inquiring after Me.” Isa. 65:1

Jeremiah 31:33

But this shall be the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those days, declares Jehovah, I will put My law in their inward parts, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Jeremiah 31:34

And they shall no longer each man teach his neighbor, and each man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah. For they shall all know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest of them, declares Jehovah. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.

2 Corinthians 4:6

Because it is God who said, “Out of darkness Light shall shine,” who shone in our hearts to give the brightness of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Isa. 42:6, 7, 16

Comment

Here we have God knowing Jeremiah before He formed him and appointed him to be prophet.

Why did God appoint him a prophet? How did he know everything about Jeremiah ahead of time?

Was there something in Jeremiah that made God choose Jeremiah to be a prophet or choose the only family that was known in all the earth?

God loved them with an everlasting love conditioned on His own purpose and the counsel of His will. There was nothing in them that would cause God to choose them. He creates, ordains and controls everything for His glory and the benefit of His elect people. Romans 9:11-13

Also, we see from Jeremiah that God changes hearts in order that they will know Him, love Him and keep His commandments. He shines into the heart the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 1 John 4:19

God created all things and knows all things before He creates and man is unable to boast about anything because all that he has, has been given; including his faith in the Gospel that saves conditioned solely on the atoning shed blood of Jesus Christ and His imputed righteousness alone. 1 Corinthians 4:7 John 6:29 Ephesians 2:8-10 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Romans 9:15-23

For He said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will pity whomever I will pity.” Ex. 33:19

So, then, it is not of the one willing, nor of the one running, but of the One showing mercy, of God.

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very thing I raised you up, so that I might show forth My power in you, and so that My name might be publicized in all the earth.” Ex. 9:16

So, then, to whom He desires, He shows mercy. And to whom He desires, He hardens.

You will then say to me, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will?

Yes, rather, O man, who are you answering against God? Shall the thing formed say to the One forming it , Why did You make me like this? Isa. 29:16

Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, out of the one lump to make one vessel to honor, and one to dishonor? Jer. 18:6

But if God, desiring to show forth wrath, and to make His power known, endured in much long-suffering vessels of wrath having been fitted out for destruction,

and that He make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy which He before prepared for glory,

God doesn’t foreknow, choose or love anyone with an everlasting love conditioned on who man is or what he does. God does all these things for His glory according to purpose, and the counsel of His will. He endures with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted out for destruction in order to show the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory

God created all things with a purpose according to the counsel of His will and everything is ordered, ordained and controlled by Him. John 15:16 Romans 8 Romans 9 Proverbs 16:4 Isaiah 46;10 Isaiah 55:11

Galatians 4:9

But now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and poor elements to which you desire again to slave anew?

Comment

Above in Galatians 4:9 we again discover that those knowing God are knowing God because they are known of God from before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:3-14

Then in Matthew 7:23 in the verse below we discover that some persons are not known by God. In fact, Jesus says He never knew them. This actually is saying I never loved you from before the foundation of the world.

Matthew 7:22-23

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power?

And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; “depart from Me, those working lawlessness!” Psa. 6:8

Comment

They weren’t given to Jesus by the father to be saved from their sins conditioned on Jesus Christ’s atoning shed blood and His imputed righteousness alone. Consequently, They never believed the Gospel John 6:37-44 Mark 16:16

Romans 8:28-30

Due to the fact that God never regenerated them unto belief of the Gospel, they were submitting their own works for the grounds of their salvation in Matthew 7 instead of trusting in the atoning shed blood and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone as the only grounds of their salvation; unto good works and keeping His commandments. John 3;3,5,8 Romans 10:1-4 2 Thessalonians 2:13

No flesh will be justified by the works of the law. For through the law comes the full knowledge of sin. The just ( justified) shall live by faith in the shed blood and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ as the only grounds of their salvation Romans 3:20 Romans 10:1-4 Romans 1:16-17

Matthew 7:23

And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; “depart from Me, those working lawlessness!” Psa. 6:8

John 10:11, 14

I am the Good Shepherd! The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

I am the Good Shepherd, and I know those that are Mine, and I am known by the ones that are Mine.

John 10:26

But you do not believe for you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. ( They weren’t known or fore known by God or fore – loved)

Exodus 5:2

And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah that I should listen to His voice to send away Israel? I do not know Jehovah, and I also will not send Israel away

Comment

In John 10 above we find that the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep and He knows those that are His sheep.

Then in John 10:26 He addresses persons that do not believe because they are not His sheep. In other words, they were never fore-known or fore-loved before the foundation of the world.

There is the word know again. He does not know the sheep that aren’t His sheep that He didn’t foreknow, love and lay down His life for and that the other sheep not known by Him still belong to the family of Satan. They loved darkness instead of light. They loved the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. They loved the world and the love of the father was not in them.

In Exodus 5:2 we find another person, Pharaoh, that does not know Jehovah because Jehovah didn’t know him and did not fore-love him before the foundation of the world

1 Samuel 2:12

And the sons of Eli were sons of worthlessness; they did not know Jehovah.

Psalm 139:13, 16

For You have possessed my inward parts; You wove me in the womb of my mother.

Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written the days they were formed, and not one was among them.

Comment

It appears God knows everything about everything before He created everything that was created. How can it be any other way?

It can’t; God being God knows the end and the beginning and what is in between; otherwise, He is not the God of the Bible.

God foreknows, His people, His elect, His Children of Promise, His Assembly, His Chosen. The foreknown are predestinated, called, justified and glorified by Jesus Christ’s blood and His imputed righteousness . They are chosen to be saved from their sin from before the foundation of the world according to His purpose and according to the counsel of his will.

All His people of promise will come to the knowledge of the truth before they die. They will know that it is God who saves His people from their sin conditioned solely on the atoning shed blood of Jesus Christ and His imputed righteousness alone without any effort or work from the people He represented in His perfect life lived, His death and resurrection.

God is glorifying Himself in the hearts of His promised people that He promised to save from their sin. Matthew 1:21 John 6:37-44

His love and mercy are attributes that will fill the hearts of His foreknown people; believers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He endures with much long suffering vessels of wrath fitted out for destruction in order to show the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy prepared beforehand unto glory. 2 Corinthians 4:6 1 Peter 1:2 Romans 9:21-26 Matthew 1:21 Romans 8:28-30 Ephesians 1:4,11-14

Comment

Below in Deuteronomy 2:30 we see more evidence that God didn’t know other families on the earth and He does things for His glory and benefit of His people. Jehovah hardened the heart of king Sihon so he wouldn’t let the Israelites pass his land peacefully because God wanted to give King Sihon’s land to His people, the Israelites.

This idea that the wicked were endured by God and fitted out for destruction with much long suffering in order to show the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory was noted in Romans 9:22-24

Deuteronomy 2:30

And Sihon the king of Heshbon was not willing to let us pass by him, for Jehovah your God had hardened his spirit, and had emboldened his heart, so as to give him into your hand, as it is this day.

Romans 8:27-31

But the One searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He intercedes for the saints according to God.

But we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose;

because whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.

But whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; but whom He justified, these He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Matthew 11:27-30

All things were yielded up to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him .

Comment

In Matthew 11:27 The Son is only known by The Father. The Father gives persons to Jesus Christ to whom He reveals and causes to come to Jesus Christ to be saved in John 6:37 to whom it was that Jesus revealed The Father. They are the same persons; the ones The Father gave to Jesus to be saved and the ones Jesus revealed the Father.

Matthew 11:28

Come to Me, all those laboring and being burdened, and I will give you rest.

Comment

Then in Matthew 11:28 we learn that those the Son reveals the Father, The Father gives and causes to come to Jesus laboring and being burdened; most likely by their own sin and the world’s sin around them Luke 16:18

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am meek and lowly in heart, “and you will find rest to your souls.” Jer. 6:16

Comment

Jesus tells them how to find rest for their souls by learning from Him because He is meek and lowly in heart

Matthew 16:15-18

He said to them, But you, whom do you say Me to be?

And answering, Simon Peter said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And answering, Jesus said to him, Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father in Heaven.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My (Assembly) church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her.

John 6:37

All that the Father gives to Me shall come to Me, and the one coming to Me I will in no way cast out.

John 6:38

And this is the will of the Father sending Me, that of all that He has given Me, I shall not lose any of it, but shall raise it up in the last day.

John 6:39

For I have come down out of Heaven, not that I should do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 6:40

And this is the will of the Father sending Me, that of all that He has given Me, I shall not lose any of it, but shall raise it up in the last day.

John 5:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes the One who has sent Me, has everlasting life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Comment

What do these persons believe that the Father has given Jesus that He will not lose and raise up in the last day?

They will believe that salvation is conditioned on the atoning shed blood of Jesus Christ and His imputed righteousness alone without any effort or work for whom He represented in His perfect life lived, His death, and His resurrection.

Galatians 1:15-16

But when God was pleased, “He having separated me from my mother’s womb” and having called through His grace, Isa. 49:1

to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the nations, immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood,

Comment

Here God is revealing spiritual things to One of His unconditionally chosen people again that are fore-known by God that He promises to save Matthew 1:21

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone believing, both to Jew first, and to Greek;

for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; even as it has been written, “But the just shall live by” “faith.” Hab. 2:4

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, if one does not receive birth from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.

Romans 3:9

What then? Do we excel? Not at all! For we have charged both Jews and Greeks before, all with being under sin;

Romans 3:10

according as it has been written, “There is none righteous, not one!”

Romans 3:11

There is none that understands, there is “not one that seeks after God.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But a natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to know them , because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved, it is the power of God.

Romans 8:8

And those being in the flesh are not able to please God.

Comment

If you believe that salvation is conditioned on Jesus Christ’s atoning shed blood and His righteousness alone, without any contribution in effort or work from those He represented in his perfect life lived, his death and resurrection, then, you have been regenerated by God unto belief of the Gospel, the Good News, of Jesus Christ John 5:24 Mark 16:16 John 3:24

You are unable to provide a righteousness to God that will satisfy God’s justice and Holy righteousness. You must have a perfect substitute, a mediator, between you and God to satisfy God’s justice making God a just God and a savior. Romans 3:9-31 John 10 Romans 10:1-4 Hebrews 2:8-10 Hebrews 4:15 Hebrews 9:15 1 Timothy 2;5

The only one that fulfills that requirement of God to save you is Jesus Christ, The Son of God, The God/ Man mediator between God and Man for His promised people. In the beginning was The Word and the Word was with God and was God .. and the Word became flesh. John 1:1-3,14,18

Psalm 65:4

Blessed is the one You choose and cause to come near You; he shall dwell in Your courts; we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.

Highlights and Italics added for emphasis

Scripture taken from 1993 Literal Translation by Jay P Green