The Lord permits no rivals. In Isaiah 43:11, He said, “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.” Yet, there is a battle on the horizon that will bring all matters to a head. The Antichrist will sit in the temple of God claiming to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He will torture the people of God (the Jews) and blaspheme the name of God. He will set up his image and demand that the people worship him (Revelation 13:14-15). This peak of idolatry and blasphemy will lead to the culmination of God’s jealousy when He returns to judge the world (Revelation chapter 19).
Every true and honest Bible student readily confesses that the Bible identifies the Jewish people as the people of God. Unfortunately, the Jews repeatedly provoked the Lord to jealousy. In judgment for their indiscretions, the Lord promised to move the Jewish people to jealousy as He showed His favour unto a people “which are not a people.” According to the apostle Paul, this was fulfilled when the Lord turned to the Gentiles offering them salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:19; Romans 11:11). This jealousy was not to be permanent. One day the Lord will again turn back to the Jewish people after the Rapture of the church.
When asked about the requirements for baptism, John the Baptist gave several suggestions including, “Do violence to no man.” It can be argued that John was not simply giving baptismal requirements but simply attempting to draw attention to the wickedness of those seeking his baptism. Regardless, we know that John admonished the people to cease from violence. The Bible makes obvious exceptions during times of war or in the exacting of righteous judgment. However, as a rule, God calls the righteous to live peaceably with others and avoid violence (Romans 12:18). Christians are further admonished against finding any pleasure in those who do such things (Romans 1:29, 32).
The focus of people’s speech generally revolves around things they find most important. This is why the Bible says, “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life.” How is that so? Because righteous things are important to him; they tend to dominate much of his conversation and focus. To the contrary, the wicked enjoy violence and tend to focus upon it, sometimes even unintentionally. They stir up controversy in the hopes that it yields the violence they crave. They view violent material in order to analyze the various aspects of violence ever needing new forms to entertain. It tends to dominate their discussions whether amongst friends or strangers. They pay money to view various events containing violence and leave disappointed if the violence does not reach their level of satisfaction. As a generation becomes enamored by violence, it consumes their thought life and their speech.
