There is a prevailing thought among many these days, especially atheists… of a newer breed of such individuals, and it is a false pride complete with the bravado unknown before. It is the same bravado that begged to be different in the surety of their own vanity- not so different from the fallen ones and those they followed originally. Pride is indeed its undoing… its choice… its lament will be felt forever- not in the satisfaction and mistake of seeking pleasure for themselves or the expensive cost but to live for eternity without one iota of pleasure to be felt again. To even speak of it so is a concept atheists resist and deplore but the truth of it being a reality gets in the way of everyone set in mind not to be deprived today. Living in the now without God is to beg for our choice to be made permanent- secure and fixed forever. Why did Jesus have to die if there is only the pursuit of pleasure to be gained from this life? Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice to make the way clear to God for all humanity… the removal of sin for the penitent, asking for His forgiveness, to change their mind of doing what was important to them (to repent) and to set about the will of God in their lives. If hell was not a real place then deliverance comes into question but, rest assured, deliverance is why Jesus came to earth- to save as many as He could. Are you ‘one’ he is still looking for?
Jesus did this because He knew hell is for real and to take the sins of all mankind upon Himself was to become what God abhorred- sin itself. This was told us in the Messianic verses of the Bible, speaking of the Messiah to come… the suffering Messiah would endure such pain for the love He had for us (before we knew Him), the truth of why He came in the human form as He did. To make a proclamation so brash, to think so little of the life saving blood of Jesus covering our sins, as to say,”We do not need God,” is further proof of just how wrong we are and how forsaken we have become ourselves. Jesus felt great loss being separated from God the Father at the cross, telling us there is a great consequence to desire ‘to do it our own way’ and without God involved.
[The Messianic prophecy of the Messiah to suffer so… for you and I and if we but believe in Him, repent… and turn toward Him and not away from Him.]
The prophecy in the Bible is true or it would not be provable and provably found in such cohesion (both the same in Old Testament as well as the New Testament) and clearly stated.
Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Mark 15:34 KJV
https://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/mark/15-34.html
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Luke 23:34 KJV
https://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/luke/23-34.html
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Please keep in mind the time frame of when the former was written. The Old Testament, being attributed to David, King of Israel… after Saul, and most of the Psalms, were penned at least one thousand years before Jesus Christ walked the earth. This can only mean one thing, and let me be perfectly clear in stating this, to be found 100% accurate is to realize God has a hand in the affairs of man and will be equally accurate in the prophecy pointing to the end of human history. This leaves humanity two choices, to turn away from life without God (which leads to death) or to seek God and claim life is important enough to appreciate it (eternal life actually begins here) and realize what love God has for those in His service.
Psalm 22:23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
Psalm 22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
Yes, there can be many people found stemming from the seed of Abraham (like the sands on the beach) but only one held the key to be used as the conduit for the lineage (to fulfill prophecy and complete God’s plans) and life of Jesus Christ… the Messiah of Israel and all humanity. Know the difference between what God offers you is a choice, one He allows you to make on your own (not coerced/threatened but made willingly) or it comes not from God. God will always honor your choice, no matter if it is for love or not- and he will make sure the choice you make will bring long lasting effects… forever! Will you choose love or hate? It is my prayer you choose love, you will won’t you?