“And Araunah said, Wherefore (why) is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee (from you) to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague might be stayed (alleviated) from the people.

And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him; behold, here be (are) oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay (No) but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which dost (does) cost me nothing.

So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” 2 Samuel 24:21-24

Bought & Sold, so many seem to think that their actions and even their inactions come without a price tag.

Everything comes at a price.

On this earth and in the spiritual realm even more so.

I especially love our passage there because David being offered everything that he needed absolutely free was so quick to explain that he would not offer unto God anything that cost him nothing.

All who come to Christ truly pay a price and as Jesus stated: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the save shall save it” Mark 8:35

We lose friendships, some lose family, some of us have to forego our employment and the changes wrought in us by our new relationships with Christ are often so astounding that nothing of our former lives remain.

We lose the old life to gain the new, death of carnality resurrecting life eternal.

The literal sense of the verse so painfully evident in those who are kidnapped, tortured and murdered every single day in this world for the decision to follow Christ and they are willing to pay that price.

And as with king David, if it costs us nothing then it is worth nothing.

My heart went out to the pastor and his congregation that paid a hefty price last week as they gathered to worship the Lord in joy and fellowship only to have siege laid to their house of prayer by those who have sold themselves to the devil for absolutely nothing other than maybe the dollar, the mention of their name in the right chat groups and their sickeningly fake show of “righteous” indignation on behalf of the latest cause they swarm too.

The grand wizard of the crew so arrogant and smug, takes a lot to get in a pastor’s face, but evidently if the price is right…

Mark 8:36: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

1 Timothy 6:6-10: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment (clothing) let us therewith be content.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Money is only useful in this realm, can’t take it with us when go, and even if we could, we wouldn’t need it in heaven or New Jerusalem and surely couldn’t spend it in eternal hell, and yet so many give their soul in exchange for a few dollars on this earth.

Disrupting service, scaring children and making complete idiots of themselves, shoving their phones in the congregation faces and belligerently screaming ice out.

Couldn’t help but to think of the rich man in hell and thinking to myself concerning them that if they don’t repent, in the afterlife they are not going to be screaming to get ice out, they’ll be begging for a different ice in, and those cries will fall on deaf ears.

Luke 16:23,24: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off (far away) and Lazarus in his bosom.

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

You probably recognize that as being from the account of Lazarus, a poor beggar who say outside the rich man’s home, hoping for just anything to help and comfort him.

And of course, they could not have helped him even if they had wanted to because they were separated by a gulf. The way in which he addressed Abraham also clues us in on the fact that this man had heard the truth in his life and had chosen to ignore it.

The rich man only caring for himself had no compassion whatsoever ever for the sick man and in death Lazarus was rewarded for a life righteously lived. He was comforted and later resurrected while the rich man only began paying the eternal price for his actions on this earth.

So many need to be seizing the opportunity that they still have available to them and cool their tongues on this earth.

Spewing out hate against those that they do not even know, allowing the crowd to decide their opinion for them and repeating whatever they are told.

Pray that they repent and chose another path, rather than wait until it’s too late and join that rich man in that eternal damnation paying the ultimate price for their hatred of God, of Isreal, and the persecution of his people, whether true intentional hatred or more often as a social stance and quick buck that has no value in the world to come.

Ahh, wanna be famous former newscaster trying to justify what has no justification, who had the absolute audacity to say that wasn’t the “Christianity” he himself practiced.

Of course not!

You have to be a true believer to practice true Christianity!

No true believer in Christ would dare profane His house, bringing in accusation, confusion, anger and fear! That is the work of the devil.

Just because these people falsely claim Christ, that does not mean that He will claim them.

Anyone can pretend and say that they are anything they fancy themselves to be.

God knows that we have proof positive of that with all the gender confusion, however, saying so doesn’t make so.

And trying to make a name for oneself in prideful arrogance is a sure guarantee that that name will be forever forgotten, like rich man whose name is not even uttered.

No future generation will a national holiday in their honor, their face will not be on the 2036 postage stamp, and immigrant families are not going to name their firstborn in their honor.

Fight against God and persecute his people, his churches, and profane his name by claiming to be his representative and their name will rot right along with pages of the discarded newspapers they hoped to find their face in.

Think they will someday be immortalized in the books of history along those who truly fought for actual freedom and true equality, think again, there will be no remembrance of even their name.

Unlike the rich man whom we know only as rich man, Lazarus is named as a memorial to him. to his trust and service to God regardless of his poverty, and sickness, and social standing.

Proverbs 10:7:” The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.”

Psalms 9:3-10: ” When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. For thou hast (has) maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.

Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out (cut off) their name for ever and ever.

O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial perished with them.

But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.

And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”

If they were truly freedom fighters and rights advocates, they would take up true cause, true persecutions, those events of which you will never hear a word about from them.

After the short span of human life, there will be no money, no fame and all that will be left for them is judgment at the throne.

At the throne there will be no bank accounts, no cash, no matching tees, no flashy signs.

There will be no attorneys, or friends or cronies, no biased news media to plead causes

No expensive clothing to hide behind, no grand dinners, no prestige, no cliques, no friends’ groups, no cell phones, no cameras, no video to post.

Simply the soul alone bared before the throne of the only Holy Living God, who knows that soul as only God himself can know.

Every moment spent, squandered away during the life which he had graciously given, and every word spoken and every action during that life an account will be given.

Galatians 6:7: “Be ye not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.”

For the persecuted and all that have suffered and all who have and will die for the word Christ, death will only be the beginning of a beautiful eternal resurrected life.

Free from sorrow, pain, and torment, dwelling forever with the Lamb in his glorious light, being allowed to witness the wrath of God poured out upon those who tormented them.

Many to have their adversaries of earth be made to bow before them at their feet as God proclaims to all that these are his children and he does indeed love them.

Revelation 3:9:” Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.’

That verse always came to mind when I would see those who proclaim to be Jews out protesting Israel and championing the causes of those who hate her and God’s chosen.

Again, saying so doesn’t make so but God knows.

A few of my favorite words from the Bible are these, “Forbad the madness of the prophet”, it was written concerning Balaam, the false prophet who had been hired to curse God’s people and God overruled the plans of wicked men

Just as this all continues now God can and surely does divinely intervene in this world, divine, supernatural judgment can be meted out any time he so desires when humans choose to push a little too far and push beyond his mercy.

He is beautiful, holy, and merciful but he can be pushed too far.

This passage is perfect for what we are seeing now, they do proclaim liberty and in truth they only offer spiritual death.

2 Peter 2:2-22: “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned. but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemning them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto all that should afterward live ungodly;

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the conversation((conduct) of the wicked:

(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusations against them before the Lord.

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure (consider it a joy) to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.

But was rebuked for his iniquity, the dumb ass (speechless donkey) speaking with a man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped form them who live in error.

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”

I know that is really quiet lengthy, but if we ever need to know this it is now, so we know what we are seeing when we see it.

Notice also in this passage that it refers to their actions, their lifestyles, the empty promises and their seductive words that mislead even those who have known the Lord, which is why we are warned to be wary of these people.

They are children of the darkness not true children of the light as they profess to be and you know them by their works, that they do not follow the truth of God.

Let’s finish up with two very different views that will be had at the throne.

The persecuted will find blessed providence while those who persecute them will find absolute perdition.

Revelation 20: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.

And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, God, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sands of the sea.

And they went up the breadth of the earth, and compassed the saints about, (surrounded)and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, whose face the heaven and the earth fled away; and there was found no place for them.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in ir; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

And whosever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

We all have a choice, if we choose Christ we only die once and resurrect to eternity and life, if we choose wickedness, we will suffer death twice and pay an eternal price and nothing, nothing in this world will ever be worth that terrible eternal price.

Pray for all those who are being led into things that they cannot even begin to understand, pray for divine intervention into the minds and hearts of those who are selling their very souls for nothing as instigators.

Ranting, raving and touting signs are one thing and terrible enough but once it stands against God and his house, that is choosing a battle that no force in this universe could ever win.

Love & Peace to you, thanks for reading!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2026/ Rev. n. Brown Johnson