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The Fate of the Wicked
Chapter 12 Addendum Part 3 for Are the “Unsaved” Lost?
Is there hope for the wicked? Many “Bible believing” people assume that the wicked are every last person who is not a Christian, and that the “wicked” dead are burning in “hell”—now and forever. Others imagine that at least some of the wicked can escape the Lake of Fire by serving time in “purgatory” first. Still others suppose that, in the resurrection, “unconverted” people will have another opportunity to get to know Elohim (God), and with this knowledge, they will hopefully decide to become “good”, so as to avoid the flames of “hell”. If you consider the verses that describe the wicked, rather than just the many that merely mention them in passing, as compiled here, you may come to see that there is absolutely no evidence to support any of the popular viewpoints! These verses collectively define the actions that makes the wicked—wicked and describe what Elohim is going to do with them and exactly when their judgment will come to pass. The little old lady next door and the neighbor kids may not fit into the proverbial box you’ve marked “reserved for the wicked!”
In case you just surfed onto this page; this is the continuation of a long list of Bible verses that tell us virtually everything that there is to know about the fate of the wicked. These three lists of verses add considerable supplemental weight to the conclusions drawn in Are the “Unsaved” Lost?, which this list forms a kind of super addendum to.
Resuming the study of the word “wicked”:
Ezekiel 18 is all about the wicked, it describes what they do. Check out verse 31 below in other translations. You have everything to do with obtaining salvation for yourself—Elohim does not do everything for you! Israel will be judged by a higher standard than the other nations. Everyone will be judged in accordance to how much knowledge that they possess. Elohim can determine how many cities to give each of His faithful by their works and attitudes. Elohim can also determine who is so wicked that they will not be in those cities, by peoples’ works and attitudes. By the time an individual dies, Elohim knows whether a person was called, and has been a faithful person, or wicked (there are no excuses for that), or if they may be excused due to honorable behavior, “unsaved”, but not lost!
Ezekiel 18:4-32 Every soul [living person] is Mine. Fathers as well as sons are Mine. The soul who sins will die! [1]
5 “But if someone is righteous—is fair and living the right way, 6 and doesn’t eat in pagan mountain shrines [after fair warning: Revelation 14:6-12], or 'look to' the idols of the House of Israel, and doesn’t defile his neighbor’s wife, or have sex with a woman during her period, 7 if they don’t oppress anyone, but return to debtors their earnest payment, and they don’t rob anyone. On the contrary, they feed the hungry and give clothes to those who are naked, 8 they don’t lend at usury or take interest, they 'refrain' from sinning, and are just and fair with 'everyone'. 9 If they 'live' by My unchanging rulings and obey My regulations faithfully—THAT PERSON IS RIGHTEOUS, they’ll most certainly live [forever],” declares the Sovereign Yehovah.
10 “Suppose he has a son who robs and murders and does any of those other things, 11 (tho 'the father' has done none of those things), but [the son] eats in pagan mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, doesn’t return silver he took in pledge, 'looks to' idols and commits highly detestable things, 13 and charges excessive interest when lending silver, will he live? He won’t live [forever], since he has committed all of these highly detestable things, he’ll surely die, his bloody demise will be his own doing.
14 “Now suppose he has a son who has seen all the sins his father has done, and doesn’t do those things. 15 He hasn’t eaten in pagan mountain shrines or 'looked to' the idols of the House of Israel. He hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16 or oppressed anyone, or withheld earnest payment, or committed robbery, but fed the hungry, and provided clothing for the naked. 17 He keeps his hands off of the poor, doesn’t charge interest or make a profit from them, and has obeyed My regulations, and has lived by My unchanging tenets, he won’t die for his father’s the sins, he’ll surely live [forever]. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion and robbed his brother and wasn’t good to his people, he’ll die 'for' his sins!
19 “‘Yet you’re asking, why shouldn’t the son pay for his father’s sins?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right and obeyed all My unchanging tenets, he’ll surely live. 20 The soul [person] who sins will die, a son won’t pay for his father’s sins, and a father won’t pay for his son’s sins. The righteous deeds of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wicked deeds of the wicked will be held against them.
21 But if a wicked person turns from all the sins they’ve [2] committed and obeys all of My unchanging tenets, and does what is fair and right, they’ll certainly live [forever], they won’t die [forever]. 22 None of the rebellious things that they did will be remembered for use against them. They will live [forever] because of the righteous things they did. 23 “Do I enjoy the death of the wicked, asks the Sovereign Yehovah? Shouldn’t I prefer that they turn from their ways and live? 24 When a righteous person turns away from doing right and begins doing sinful things and does the same highly detestable things that the wicked do, should they live? None of the righteous things that they did will be remembered because of their unfaithful behavior—due to the sins they have committed. They will die [forever] because of them!
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of Yehovah is unfair.’ Listen, House of Israel: Is My way unfair? Aren’t your ways unfair? 26 When a righteous person turns from their righteousness and begins sinning, they’ll die for it; because of the sins they have committed they’ll die [forever]. 27 And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they’ll save their lives. 28 Because they reconsidered their rebellious ways, and changed their course, they’ll surely live, and not die. 29 Yet the House of Israel says, ‘The ways of Yehovah are unfair.’ House of Israel, aren’t My ways fair and your ways unfair?
30 “So I’ll judge you, House of Israel, each of you by what you’ve done,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. “Change your minds, and turn from all your sins so that sin won’t trip you up. 31 Get rid of your sinful nature and make yourselves a new mind and a new spirit. Why should you die, House of Israel? 32 I take no pleasure in anyone’s death,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. “So turn and live!—The Gabriel Bible
[1] Do Humans Have an Immortal Soul? [2] Masculine terms have been replaced with gender inclusive ones where it is self evident that women are not excluded.Most of Bible prophecy deals with ALL twelve tribes of Israel in the end time. Here is the perfect example of how Elohim is going to deal with wickedness of our generation in the near future:
Ezekiel 20:33-40 As surely as I live,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “I’ll rule you with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I will be your King! 34 I’ll bring you out of the nations and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 35 I’ll bring you into the wilderness of the people [Isaiah 1, Hosea 2:14], and I’ll judge you there face to face, 36 just like when I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, that’s how I’ll judge you, declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 37 I’ll make you pass under the shepherd’s rod, and I’ll bind you in a [Kimchi] [New] Covenant, 38 and I’ll purge out the rebels from among you and those who disobey Me. I’ll bring them out of the land where they were living, but they won’t enter the land of Israel. Then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah.
39 “Now concerning you, House of Israel, the Sovereign Yehovah says: Go serve your idols, but later you’ll surely listen to Me, and you’ll no longer profane My name with your gifts and your idols. 40 On My 'special' mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “the entire House of Israel will serve Me there in the land. I’ll accept you there, and I’ll require your contributions and choice gifts with all your 'special' things.
The context of this chapter continues to summarize the whole revealed plan of Elohim for the future of Israel, from the coming captivity to the reconquest of the Promised Land! All twelve Scriptures that mention “green tree” equate it to idolatry or wickedness, as does the Christmas tree of Jeremiah 10:1-5:
Continuing in Ezekiel 20:41-48 I’ll accept you there like a fragrant aroma when I gather you out of the nations, and bring you out of the countries where you’ve been scattered, and I’ll prove Myself 'special' thru you as the nations watch. 42 You’ll realize that I am Yehovah WHEN I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country that I swore to give to your ancestors. 43 There you’ll remember your conduct and everything you did and how you defiled yourselves, and you’ll despise yourselves when you face all the evil you’ve done. 44 You’ll realize that I am Yehovah when I’ve dealt with you for the sake of My name, rather than with regard to your evil and corrupt behavior, House of Israel, declares the Sovereign Yehovah.”
45 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said, 46 “Human son, face the south and speak out against it. Prophesy against the forest lands of the Negev, 47 and tell the forest of the Negev to listen to the Word of Yehovah. The Sovereign Yehovah says: I’m about to set you on fire, and destroy every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame won’t be extinguished, and the entire surface from south to north will be scorched by it. 48 And everyone will see that I, Yehovah, set this fire. It won’t be extinguished.
[1] According to Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, this is roughly how one of the Targums * states it, which makes a lot more sense, but he didn’t quote the whole verse. It would certainly seem that v.4 would read differently as well.
Ezekiel 21:1-7 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said: 2 “Human son, face Jerusalem, and speak against their 'Cherished' Places. Prophesy against the land of Israel, 3 and tell the land of Israel that Yehovah says: ‘I’m against you! I’m going to draw My sword [the Chaldean army] from its sheath, and cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you. [1] 4 Because I’m going to remove from you the righteous and the wicked, My sword will leave its sheath against everyone from south to north. 5 Then 'everyone' will know that I, Yehovah, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will not be resheathed.’ 6 “So, human son, start groaning in their sight until you’re sick to your stomach and with bitter grief. 7 Then when they ask you why you’re groaning, say, ‘Because of the latest news. Everyone’s 'morale' will meltdown and all hands will be feeble. Everyone will be dispirited and every knee will become as weak as water. It is coming! It will most certainly take place,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah.
[1] According to Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, this is roughly how one of the Targums * states it, which makes a lot more sense, but he didn’t quote the whole verse. It would certainly seem that v.4 would read differently as well.
I believe that these “righteous” who die with the wicked will have ceased to be righteous as chapter 33 describes. It is important to understand what is needed to stay righteous in Father’s eyes, particularly in the end time as explained below. Notice beginning in verse 21 (where I stopped quoting) we see that ancient Israel was already going into captivity when the warning came! Jerusalem had already fallen. The watchman warning spoken of in this chapter contains a standard of righteousness concerning the warning of our people Israel. Fair warning will be just as applicable toward the future captivity. The righteous will need to be warned! (See Ezekiel’s Warning to Israel and Judah and Gog and Magog) Of course ideally, people would wake up before Elohim so dramatically gets the public’s attention. A very few of the wicked may actually not be totally convinced of the ‘merits’ of being evil, some will repent:
Ezekiel 33:1-21 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said: 2 “Human son, speak to your 'fellow Israelites' and tell them: ‘If I bring 'warfare' on a land, and the people of the land select one of their men and appoint him as their watchman, 3 and if he sees 'violence' coming on the land, and he blows his shofar and warns the people, 4 then if anyone hears the sound of the shofar, and doesn’t take warning, their shed blood will be 'their own fault' when 'violence' comes and takes them out, 5 since they heard the sound of the shofar and ignored the warning. Their shed blood will be their 'own fault'. But if they had heeded the warning, they could have saved their lives. 6 But if the watchman sees swordsmen coming, and doesn’t blow a shofar and warn the people, and swordsmen come and 'kill' any one of them, they are being punished for their own sins, but I’ll hold the watchman responsible for their shed blood.’
7 “Now concerning you, human son, I’ve appointed you as a watchman for the House of Israel, so listen to what I say and give them a warning from Me. 8 When I announce that the wicked will surely die, and you don’t warn the wicked about their ways, those wicked people will die in their sins, but you’ll be responsible for the blood on your hands. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they don’t turn, they’ll die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself.
10 “Now, human son, tell the House of Israel: ‘Our rebellion and our sins burden us, and we are wasting away because of them, so how can we survive?’ 11 Tell them: “As long as I live,’ declares the Sovereign Yehovah, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, I’d rather the wicked turn from their ways and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why should you die, House of Israel?
12 “So, human son, tell your 'fellow Israelites': The righteous past of the good won’t save them during a time of their disobedience, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, it won’t 'condemn' them once they have turned from their wickedness. The righteous won’t survive if they turn to sin. 13 When I tell a righteous person, ‘You will certainly live’, but then they trust in their own righteousness, and begin sinning, their previous righteous behavior won’t be remembered. They’ll die due to the sins they’ve committed. 14 And if I tell a wicked person, ‘You will certainly die’, but then they turn from their sins, and do what is just and right, 15 if the wicked person then returns what they took as collateral, returns what they have stolen, and 'lives' by the unchanging rulings that promote life and refrains from sin, they’ll certainly live; they won’t die. 16 None of the sins they committed will be brought up against them, they have done what is just and right, they’ll certainly live.
17 “Yet your 'fellow Israelites' say, ‘Yehovah is unfair,’ tho it is their own way that isn’t fair. 18 When righteous people turn from righteousness and commit sins, they’ll die for it. 19 And when a wicked person turns from their wickedness and does what’s right and just, they’ll live. 20 Yet you’re saying, ‘The Sovereign is unfair.’ House of Israel, I’ll judge every one of you by the way you live.” 21 In the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, someone who escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has been taken.
Nahum 1:2-10 Yehovah is a jealous and avenging Elohim. Yehovah avenges and is wrathful. Yehovah takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies. 3 Yehovah is slow to anger and very powerful, and will by no means let the guilty go unpunished. Yehovah 'directs' whirlwinds and storms. Clouds are the dust from His feet. 4 He 'commands' the sea, and dries it up, He makes rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the blossoms of Lebanon fade away. 5 The mountains quake in His presence, and the hills melt. The earth trembles at His presence—the world and everyone in it. 6 Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, even rocks are shattered because of Him.
7 Yehovah is good, a stronghold in times of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in Him. 8 But with an overwhelming flood He’ll bring an end to her [Nineveh] and pursue His enemies into darkness. 9 Whatever you plot against Yehovah, He’ll put a stop to it. Trouble won’t arise a second time. 10 Entangled among thorns, and drunk on their 'wine', they’re completely burned up like dry chaff.
Habakkuk 1:All The revelation [not oracle] that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 Yehovah, how long must I cry for help without You’re listening? I cry out to You, ‘Violence’, but You don’t save. 3 Why do You force me to see wickedness? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence surround me. Strife and contention escalates. 4 The Torah is 'ignored' and justice never prevails. The wicked 'outnumber' the righteous so that justice is perverted.
5 “Look at the nations! Watch and be astonished! Because I’m going to do something in your 'lifetime' that you wouldn’t believe even if it were told. 6 I’m raising up the Chaldeans, a 'cruel' and rash people who rush thruout the earth seizing other peoples’ 'territories'! 7 They are feared and dreaded. They have their own views of what justice and honor are. 8 Their horses also are faster than leopards, and fiercer than wolves in the night. Their cavalry comes galloping as they approach from distant lands. They fly like eagles swooping down to devour.
9 They all come intent on violence. Hordes of them 'facing the desert' [?], gathering captives like sand. 10 They mock kings, and leaders are a joke to them. They laugh at any fortress, and build siege ramps to capture them. 11 Then they sweep past like the wind and keep going. But they’ll be held guilty, because they make strength their god.” 12 Haven’t you existed forever, Yehovah my Elohim, my 'special' One? We won’t die. Yehovah, You’ve appointed them to punish us. You, Rock, have found them guilty. 13 You who consider your eyes too 'special' to witness hardship, why do you associate with the treacherous and remain silent when the wicked devours a person more righteous than they are?
14 You make humanity like the fish in the sea, like crawling 'creatures' without a leader. 15 'The Chaldeans' bring them all up with fishhooks, drag them away in their nets, and gather them in dragnets as they rejoice and celebrate. 16 They offer zebakim to their fishnets, and burn incense to their dragnets. That’s why they live in luxury, and their food is 'plentiful'. 17 Will they keep on emptying their nets, forever destroying nations without mercy?
When this chapter is read in its entirety it describes the Day of Yehovah (Judgment Day) as if it had already occurred. Here we see the wicked there:
Habakkuk 3:12-15 In fury you rushed thru the earth. In anger you trampled the nations. 13 You came out to deliver Your people, to save of Your anointed. You crushed the head man of the evil 'empire'. You stripped him from the neck 'down'. 14 With their own spears you pierced the heads of his warriors when they stormed in to scatter us, gloating as if devouring the wretched who were in hiding. 15 You trampled the sea with Your horses, churning powerful water.
Zephaniah 1: All This is the Word of Yehovah that came to Zephaniah, Cushi’s son, Gedaliah’s grandson, Amariah’s great-grandson, and Hezekiah’s great-great-grandson during the days of Judah’s King Josiah, Amon’s son. 2 “I’ll completely sweep away everything from the face of the land [of Judah],” says Yehovah. [1] 3 “I’ll sweep away man and beast. I’ll sweep the birds from the sky, the fish from the sea and the ruins along with the wicked when I eliminate people from the surface of the land,” says Yehovah. 4 “I’ll reach out My hand against Judah, and against all the residents of Jerusalem. And I’ll cut down the remaining Baal worshipers from this place, and the names of the pagan and idolatrous priests, 5 and those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, and those who bow down and swear by Yehovah, yet swear by Moloch as well, 6 and those who have turned away from following Yehovah, and those who didn’t seek Yehovah or inquire of Him.”
7 Be silent at the presence of the Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”], because the Day of Yehovah is near. [2] Yehovah has prepared a zebak. He has invited [sarcasm] His guests. 8 “On the Day of Yehovah’s zebak, I’ll punish the princes, the king’s sons, and everyone clothed in outlandish clothing. 9 When That Day Comes*, I’ll punish everyone who leaps over the threshold to fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.
10 “When That Day Comes,” declares Yehovah, “a cry will 'arise' from the fish gate, a wailing from Jerusalem’s second quarter, and a loud crash from the hills. 11 Wail, you who live in the market district, because all the merchants will be silenced! Everyone who weighs out silver will be killed. 12 “When That Day Comes, I’ll search Jerusalem with lamps, and I’ll punish the men who are complacent, like wine left too long in its dregs, who say to themselves, “Yehovah won’t do anything good or bad.” 13 Their wealth will be plundered, their homes ransacked. They’ll build houses but they won’t live in them. They’ll plant vineyards but they won’t drink the wine.
14 “The great Day of Yehovah is near, it is near and coming very quickly. Just the noise of the Day of Yehovah will be so bitter that even valiant men will cry out. 15 That day will be a day of fury, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and deep darkness, 16 a day of shofar blowing against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers. 17 “I’ll bring enough distress on mankind that they’ll fumble around like the blind, because they’ve sinned against Yehovah, and their blood will gush out onto the ground and their intestines like manure.” 18 Their silver and their gold won’t be able to save them on the Day of Yehovah’s fury. The whole land will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy, because He’ll bring a complete and terrifying end to everyone living in the land.
[1] Very many modern versions substitute “earth” for “land”, broadening the scale of this event exponentially! This in contrary to many Scriptures. Here are some random examples. [2] Yehovah, the Father (the Ancient of Days) will actually be present on earth for this (Daniel 7:9-14), tho He obscures the view of His throne by spreading His cloud over it. (Job 26:9)Malachi 3:14-18 You’ve said, ‘It’s futile to serve Elohim. How have we benefited from followed His instructions and 'going about' like mourners in the presence of Commander Yehovah?’ 15 ‘So now we call the arrogant blessed. Wicked people prosper, they even test Elohim and escape!’”
16 But those who feared Yehovah fellowshipped with each other as friends, and Yehovah noticed and listened, and a scroll of commemoration was written in His presence for those who revere Yehovah and esteem His name. 17 They’ll be Mine,” says Commander Yehovah, “on the day when I make up My treasured possession [on Judgment Day], and I’ll spare them as a 'father' spares his own son who serves him. 18 Then once again you’ll be able to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve Elohim and those who don’t serve Him.
Burning and the healing both occur shortly after Elohim sends Elijah! The Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”) will eliminate the terminally wicked. The Hebrew Scriptures end with the promise of an encore visit of Elijah! I believe that Elijah actually “time traveled” into the Day of Yehovah and that we’ll see him when that day comes. See Does Father Travel in Time?
Malachi 4:ALL There is certainly a day coming, burning like a furnace, when all of the arrogant and all the wicked will become chaff. The coming day will set them ablaze,” says Commander Yehovah. “It won’t leave so much as a root or a branch. 2 “But for those of you who revere My name, the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. You’ll go out and leap like calves set loose from their stall. 3 You’ll trample down the wicked; they’ll be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when this is done,” says Commander Yehovah.
4 [1] “Remember the Torah of My servant Moses, the unchanging rulings and regulations that I gave him in Horeb for all Israel. 5 “I’m going to send the prophet Elijah to you before the intensely terrifying Day of Yehovah arrives! 6 He’ll turn the sentiments of the fathers with the children, and the sentiments of the children with their fathers [turning them all], otherwise I’ll have to come and strike the land with utter destruction.
[1] The concluding remark from the Prophets: “Remember the Torah” and keep an eye out for Elijah before the “terrifying Day of Yehovah” arrives!When you see the wicked mentioned in the Scriptures, look around for statements about Judgment Day!
Now concerning the Testimony of Yeshua (Jesus), it is more likely to say “evil” rather than “wicked”, with the evil ones perpetrating the evil only being implied, so my examples will be few and implied.
Matthew 12:38-45 Then some of the Torah teachers and Pharisees said to Him, “Sovereign, we want to see a miraculous sign from You.” 39 But He replied, “A wicked and unfaithful people demand a sign, but the only sign they’ll be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, in the same manner, the Human Son will be in the inner part of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand up on Judgment Day with this group of people, and will condemn them, because they amended their ways at the heralding of Jonah, and now Someone greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will be aroused from her sleep on Judgment Day with these people and condemn them, because she came from a remote part of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now Someone superior to Solomon is here.
43 When an unclean spirit leaves someone, it wanders thru dry places looking for comfort, but doesn’t find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll return to the house I left.’ So it returns and finds it vacated, swept clean, and set in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits, worse than itself. They enter and occupy the person, and the person’s final state is worse than it was before. So it will be for this wicked group of people.
The wicked will be “burned” at the end of “this age”. The wicked who live and die during the “millennium” will likely be judged at the end of the “thousand years”, tho it could be “first come first served” since there are no more firstfruits among them. Note that Revelation 20:5 was altered in the Greek Versions to that end presumptuously.
The parables deal with the “wicked one” and Judgment Day. Verse 19 is from the parable of the sower.
Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the Word [message] of the Kingdom, yet doesn’t understand it, the wicked one comes and steals the seed that was sown in their minds. This is what was sown along the path.
In verses 27-43, the parable of the tares, we read about the tares being harvested on Judgment Day:
Matthew 13:27-44 The householder’s servants came and asked him, ‘Sovereign, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these tares come from.’ 28 He told them, ‘An enemy did this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Should we go and pull them out?’”
29 He replied, ‘No, because if you pull out the tares, you’ll also uproot the wheat. 30 They must both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I’ll tell the harvesters to gather the tares out first, and tie them in bundles to be burned, and then bring the wheat into my granary.’” 31 He related another parable to them, “The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a mustard seed that someone went out and planted in their field. 32 This is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is larger than all of the herbs, and becomes a tree, and birds come and nest in its branches.
The Kingdom is Like Leaven
33 He used another analogy, “The Kingdom of the Heavens is like leaven that a woman hid in three satas [about 4 gallons] of flour, until the whole mass was leavened and rose.” 34 Yeshua explained all of these things to the crowd in parables. He didn’t say anything to them without an analogy. 35 This fulfilled what was 'foretold' by the prophet, who said, “I’ll open My mouth in parables, I’ll explain things hidden from before the foundation of the world.”
36 Then Yeshua sent the crowds away, and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain the parable of the tares and the field to us.” 37 He told them, “The One who sowed good seed is the Human Son. 38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the people of the Kingdom, but the tares are the people who belong to the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is Satan. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the spirit messengers. 40 Just as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Human Son will send His spirit messengers, and they’ll gather out of His Kingdom everyone who set snares, and all the Torah breakers [Gr. anomia], 42 and throw them into a blazing furnace where there will be wailing and clenching of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears to hear should listen. 44 “Again, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a treasure that is hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again and in his excitement he went and sold everything that he had and bought the field. Continuing:
The Kingdom is Like a Mustard Seed
[Until 2023 the Mustard Seed was just a cute little saying until I realized how fitting the analogy is prophetically. Look under this caption here: “World Overtaken by a Mustard Seed!”]
31 He related another parable to them, “The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a mustard seed that someone went out and planted in their field. 32 This is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is larger than all of the herbs, and becomes a tree, and birds come and nest in its branches.” 33 He used another analogy, “The Kingdom of the Heavens is like leaven that a woman hid in three satas [about 4 gallons] of flour, until the whole mass was leavened and rose.” 34 Yeshua explained all of these things to the crowd in parables. He didn’t say anything to them without an analogy. 35 This fulfilled what was 'foretold' by the prophet, who said, “I’ll open My mouth in parables, I’ll explain things hidden from before the foundation of the world.”
36 Then Yeshua sent the crowds away, and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain the parable of the tares and the field to us.” 37 He told them, “The One who sowed good seed is the Human Son. 38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the people of the Kingdom, but the tares are the people who belong to the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is Satan. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the spirit messengers. 40 Just as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Human Son will send His spirit messengers, and they’ll gather out of His Kingdom everyone who set snares, and all the Torah breakers [Gr. anomia], 42 and throw them into a blazing furnace where there will be wailing and clenching of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears to hear should listen.
44 “Again, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a treasure that is hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again and in his excitement he went and sold everything that he had and bought the field.
By verse 47 of the same chapter we see another parable about Judgment Day and the wicked.
Matthew 13:47-50 Also, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a fishing net that was thrown in the sea, and it caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, they hauled it ashore and they sat down and culled them. They put the good ones into containers and threw the bad [unkosher] ones away. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The spirit messengers will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into a blazing furnace. There will be wailing and clenching of teeth.
To read about the terminal fate of Satan and the demons see: Satan’s Second Death
Later, Matthew again quoted Yeshua talking about Judgment Day and the “wicked” in such a way that even the wicked understood it—sort of.
Matthew 21:33-41 Here’s another analogy. “There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, enclosed it with a hedge, dug in a winepress and built a tower. Then he leased it to sharecroppers and traveled abroad. 34 When it was time to harvest the fruit, he sent his servants to the sharecroppers so that they could collect his share of vintage. 35 The sharecroppers grabbed his servants and beat one, stoned another and killed another. 36 So he sent another group of servants, more than the first time, and they did the same thing to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them, because he thought, ‘Surely they’ll respect my son.’ 38 But when the sharecroppers saw his son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they grabbed him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard COMES [His Father!], what will he do to those sharecroppers?” 41 They replied, ‘He’ll utterly destroy them and lease the vineyard to other sharecroppers who will give him his share of the harvest.
This could not be more simple: first you die once, then you face judgment. End of story! I like this commentary, tho as I have explained elsewhere I see the judgment when the Kingdom is established being the same judgment period as the Great White Throne Judgment. (Revelation 20:11-15):
Hebrews 9:27-28 And just as people are destined to die once, and after their death comes Judgment Day, 28 so the Messiah was also offered once, and personally placed on the altar to bear the sins of many, and He’ll appear a second time, not to bear sin, but for the eternal life of those who expect Him.
To my understanding, Luke seems to be saying that His spirit could almost be felt in the air, it was extremely close. Rejecting His spirit brings a fate worse than Sodom will receive:
Luke 10:8-12 Whenever you come to a town where you are welcome, eat what they serve you. 9 Heal those who are sick and tell them, ‘Yehovah’s Kingdom is extremely close to you.’ 10 But any town you come into that doesn’t welcome you, go out into the street and say, 11 ‘We’ll shake off the very dust of your town that sticks to our feet, protesting you, but be certain of this, Yehovah’s Kingdom came extremely close to you.’ 12 I can assure you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom on Judgment Day than for that town.
Peter was very plain spoken about the fate of the wicked. Those who “don’t understand” will be “captured” and “destroyed”. Apparently, Elohim forgot to mention the “other chance” that some say they are supposed to have for salvation:
2 Peter 2:1-13 There have been false prophets in the world, and there will also be false teachers among you who will introduce destructive heresies [1], and contradict the Sovereign who bought them and bring on themselves swift and eternal destruction. 2 Many will follow their wicked ways, and because of these deceivers, the Way of truth will be blasphemed [Gr. blasphemeo]. 3 In their greed and with carefully formed arguments, they’ll buy and sell you. Yet their condemnation that was determined in the distant past is still in force, and their utter destruction won’t be 'caught' sleeping.
4 If Yehovah wasn’t lenient with the angels who sinned, but imprisoned ['tartarooed'] [2] them in chains of darkness reserved for a painful judgment, 5 and wasn’t lenient with the original world, but rescued Noah, a herald of righteousness and his family of eight when He brought a flood on the world of the wicked, 6 and burned up the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and condemned them with an upheaval, making them an example for the wicked people who would live after them, 7 and rescued righteous Lot, who was tormented by the filthy conduct of the Torahless, 8 (because that righteous man living among them was distressed in his righteous consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] every day, by seeing and hearing about their Torahless deeds), 9 then Yehovah knows how to rescue those who fear Him from suffering, but He’ll reserve the wicked for Judgment Day to be tormented, 10 and especially those who follow the mortal lusts of defiling passions and despise government. Daring and arrogant, they are unfazed as they blaspheme, 11 yet spirit messengers far greater than they in might and valor don’t bring blasphemous condemnation against them. 12 But they are like instinctively illogical [Gr. a’logos] animals who are born to be butchered and destroyed, blaspheming things they don’t even understand. They will die in their own corruption. 13 These people will be compensated for their injustice, because their idea of fun is carousing during the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, reveling in laziness and devoted to pleasure [3].
[1] Sect and heresy are the same word in Greek.
[2] Tartaroo is actually a Greek verb! That’s about the only accurate thing to be found in a lexicon, since verbs simply aren’t nouns! So I ‘doubly verbalized’ tartaroo into ‘tartarooed’ to make a point. These angels will burn during the Judgment (Deuteronomy 32:22-24), but they aren’t burning now. The Aramaic brings out the fact that they are in “sheol” (1 Peter 3:19)! Revelation 9:14 says they are in the Euphrates river, while verse 11 calls their place of restraint ‘the abyss’! An abyss is usually a very cold and wet place. [3] The Greek ‘says’, “while they feast with you”, but I don’t think you’d eat with these people!We obtain eternal life “because” we love our fellow man. This has been the determining factor for passing “from death to life” since “the beginning”. It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that: hatred = murder = no eternal life. If you don’t understand Father’s purpose for creating mankind, that is no excuse, it is totally irrelevant. Being a murderer, for example, erases your name from the the Book of (Eternal) Life! (Names are deleted, not added.)
1 John 3:11-15 This is the Commandment that you have heard from the beginning, that you should love each other. 12 Not like Cain who belonged to the Wicked One, and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own works were wicked and his brother’s actions were righteous! 13 Friends, don’t be surprised that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love 'one another'. Anyone who doesn’t love their 'fellow believer' is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates their 'fellow believer' is a murderer, and you know that no murderer can have eternal life remaining in them.
Knowing That You Have Eternal Life
1 John 5:12-19 Anyone who has the Son has life, and anyone who doesn’t have the Son doesn’t have life. 13 I’ve written this to those who believe in the name of Yehovah’s Son, so that you’ll know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the assured confidence that we have toward Him: Whenever we ask for anything in accord with His will, He listens to us. 15 And since we know that He hears our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask Him for.
16 If anyone sees their friend 'commit' a sin that doesn’t result in death, they should ask Aloha, and life will be given to them, so long as their sin isn’t deadly. There is a deadly sin, and I’m not saying that we should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness [violation of the Torah] is sin, yet there are sins that aren’t fatal.
18 We know that no one who is begotten by Yehovah continues to sin, because the One who was born of Yehovah guards them, and the Wicked one can’t touch them. 19 We know that we belong to Yehovah, while the whole world is asleep under the sway of the Wicked one.
This concludes the primary Bible verse reference list concerning the fate of the “wicked”. There is no hope for the wicked once they die—only a fiery punishment on their way to oblivion!
