Why the Boston Marathon Bombing?

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2013, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

For a couple of weeks, the news was filled with the Boston Marathon Bombing story.  It seemed you couldn't channel surf through the channels without finding someone talking about it.  

I'm not saying there was too much coverage.  Every American should be concerned about what happened in Boston, and whether such a thing could be prevented from happening again.  

One of our political leaders was on TV today asking why this happened.  

People watching the news sometimes have gaps in their education.  Things in the news that seem to be rather mysterious could be better understood if people were better read.  I don’t mean we should start reading every book we can get our hands on.

No, I mean that people ought to be better read than they are regarding the main book, the Bible.  

The Bible answers the question of why the Boston Marathon Bombing took place.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 2:
“…Yes, the time will come, that whoever kills you will think that he's doing God a service.”

Who spoke those words?  Jesus.  

Jesus said there would be people who would think that committing murder would be rendering service to God.  

And that’s what happened in Boston.  

Two Muslim young men decided they would do something for God, so they bought fireworks to get the powder.  They followed instructions they apparently found on the internet, and made bombs, so that they could do something for God.  

Unfortunately, they were misinformed regarding God.  The Muslims think that God’s name is Allah.  But nowhere in the Bible is the name Allah mentioned.

Moreover, in the Muslim religion, Allah does not have a son, Jesus.  But the real God does have an only son, Jesus.  That’s a tip-off right there that this Allah is not the real God.  

The Muslims say that Jesus was a good man, and a prophet, but not the Son of God.  A neighbor of mine in Houston, TX, was a Muslim.  We played some games of chess together.  I said to Ibrahim one time, “You people (the Muslims) contradict yourselves when you say Jesus was a good man and a prophet, but not the Son of God.  

Jesus said he’s the Son of God, so if you’re right, and he’s not, then he’s not a good man, but a liar; he’s not a prophet, but a false prophet.”

Ibrahim surprised me with his answer.  He said, “Jesus didn’t say that,” meaning that Jesus didn’t claim to be the Son of God.

But surely Jesus did say that.  Jesus was brought before the Jewish High Priest, who asked him whether he was the son of God.  Jesus answered, “I am.”

Another time, Jesus was talking with his disciples, and he said, “Whom do men say that I am?”  His disciples answered that some said Jesus was John the Baptist, risen from the dead, or one of the old prophets.  Jesus said, “Whom do you say that I am?”  Peter answered, “You’re the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  

Jesus answered Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 16:13-17)

So then, clearly, Jesus said he’s the Son of God.  But why didn’t the Muslim man, Ibrahim, know that Jesus said that?  Because he doesn’t read the Bible.  

If the Muslims truly regard Jesus as a prophet, then doesn’t it behoove them to find out everything that the prophet Jesus said?  

But by reading his Koran, (or, Quran,) Ibrahim didn’t know that Jesus said he’s the Son of God.  No, if you want to find out all that the prophet Jesus said, you have to read the Bible. 

And what you don’t know can hurt you.  Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge“

There will be Muslims destroyed for lack of knowledge.  Indeed, lack of knowledge has sent many more than just Muslims to hell, including my Dad, who said he was an Atheist. 

Of course, not every Muslim aspires to being a murderer.  But young men, especially, can be challenged to do the manly thing, and prove that they are indeed valiant men, by doing something for God like what happened in Boston.  

But then, it’s been in the news, too, about one or more Muslim female suicide bombers.  

I heard a preacher say that in the Muslim religion, Islam, salvation and going to heaven is not guaranteed to any Muslim unless they are Muslim martyrs.

There is the motivation, then, to be a Muslim suicide bomber, so that they can go to heaven, where Muslim men have also been promised that they’ll get 72 virgins to be their wives in heaven.  

But if they would make the effort to read the Bible, Jesus said there’s no marriage in heaven.  Even if a husband and wife on earth die, and both go to heaven, when they get there, they are two individuals who no longer have spouses.  

But if you don’t read the Bible, you might swallow the “72 virgins” lie.  

Chapter 2

The Bible also says, “No murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15)

So then, murdering people is not a pathway to heaven.  But if you don’t read the Bible, you might be deceived into thinking so. 

The Bible also teaches that there’s nothing you can do to earn you way to heaven.  No, you get salvation by getting born again (John chapter 3,) and by confessing Jesus with your mouth, and believing in your heart that God raised him from the dead.” (Romans 10:9,10) 

Here’s something else the Muslims don’t know about God.  God says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

So then, even if you’re pretty darn sure that non-Muslims have the wrong religion, if you were aware that God had said, “Vengeance is mine,” you wouldn’t be going out to punish people for being non-Muslims, you’d just let God take care of it.  

But if you don’t read the Bible, then how would you know that God said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord?”

Here again is where ignorance could send you to the fiery hell Jesus spoke of, “Where their worms don’t die, and where the fire is not quenched, where there’s weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

There’s an American expression I had never heard until I joined the U.S. Military, “That torques my jaws.”  What does that mean?  It means, “That makes me angry.”  The “torqueing of jaws” is pretty much the same as the “gnashing of teeth” spoken of by Jesus, and it is done by angry people.  

Why are people in hell angry?  Because salvation and going to heaven was available by getting born again (John chapter 3), but they were deceived, and tricked into rejecting salvation through Jesus, so they went to hell.  And hell is forever.

People have said, “Well, if I’m going to hell, I’ll have a lot of friends there.”  No you won’t.  A lot of the people that are your friends on earth might go to hell with you, but once you’re there, they’ll be blaming you, and you’ll be blaming them for why you’re in hell.  

But in the United States, we have freedom of religion.  We don’t punish people just because they might have the wrong religion.  

On the other hand, it is against our laws to commit murder, and to shoot people, such as policemen and others.  

So then, if your religion requires you to shoot people and to kill people, then your religion violates the law, whatever your religion might happen to be. 

But I have learned something of the religions of the world.  I don’t really want to go too deeply into any of the false religions.  But of all the religions that I’m aware of, the only one I know that advocates violence against those who are not of their religion is Islam.  

With that in mind, it would be wise to watch Muslims more closely than non-Muslims as potential law-breakers.  Some would argue that that would be discrimination against Muslims.  

No, I would call it due diligence on the part of law enforcement to watch more closely the Muslim part of the population, in view of the fact that they have as part of their religion, unlike most other religions, that the punishing of those who are not of their religion is a service to God.  

To those who would say that closer watching of Muslims would violate their rights, I say, it is simply a fact of life in today’s world that Muslims are more likely to commit terrorist acts than non-Muslims.  Of course, there are also the people who have mental problems.  But Muslims deserve focus of law-enforcement because teachers in their religion advocate terrorist acts.  We would be slothful to disregard that fact.   

In our nation, we have people coming in on student visas so that they can attend colleges here.  We don’t necessarily have to accept as many as we’re accepting as students from foreign nations.  That could be curtailed somewhat.  

Some might say “discrimination,” but I would say we have a right to defend our nation against those who would destroy us, thinking they’re performing service to God.  

We have an immigration program where foreigners are allowed to come to the U.S. and become Americans.  But if those candidates advocate violence against those who are not of their religion, then they are not proper candidates to become Americans.

I’m not advocating the breaking of the law.  If any of these policies I’ve spoken of infringes on a law, then let’s change the law to implement these common sense policies.

After the massacre in Connecticut, there was a lot of talk about gun control, and ammo magazine size restriction.  Now that fireworks provided materials for bombs, we should restrict fireworks sales. 

Don’t talk to me about discrimination when Americans are being murdered and maimed.  Let’s talk instead about how to protect Americans from those enemies.

Chapter 3

Another serious mistake made by the Muslims is this notion they seem to have that if God wants people dead, he needs a man to do the killing.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  

You probably remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from the Bible.  God changed Jacob's name to Israel, and he had twelve sons, one of whom was Judah.  In Genesis chapter 38, Judah's firstborn son was Er.  But Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord killed him.  

So Judah told Er's younger brother, Onan, to marry the widow, Tamar, and raise up a son in Er's name.  But Onan didn't like the idea and wouldn't cooperate, so the Lord killed him.  Notice that God killed both Er and Onan without the help of a human executioner.  

In Genesis chapter six, verses numbers 
 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
 7 And the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man, and animals, and the creeping thing, and the birds of the air, for I regret that I've made them."
 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

God made the decision to destroy man from the face of the earth, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  So God told his man Noah to build an ark.  He told him what kind of wood to use, and gave Noah the dimensions.  

When the ark was ready, God brought the animals and birds, and they boarded the ark.  Noah and family went in, eight souls.  God shut the door.  Then God did what he said he would do, and destroyed all of mankind with a flood of water that covered the highest mountains on earth.  

Only those in the ark survived.  Notice again, that when God decided to kill, he didn't need a man to help him kill.  

In the New Testament, Herod the king made trouble for the church and killed James the brother of John with the sword.  Herod also arrested the Apostle Peter, and put him in prison.  At night, an angel brought Peter out of prison.  

When it was learned that Peter had escaped from prison, Herod executed the prison guards.   

Acts chapter 12, verses number
 20 And Herod was highly displeased with those of Tyre and Zidon, but they came united, and having made Blastus the king's butler their friend, desired peace, because their country was nourished by the king's country.
 21 And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal clothes, sat on his throne and made an oration to them.
 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man."
 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn't give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms, and gave up the spirit.

God killed Herod with worms.  An angel was involved, but God didn't require a man to kill Herod.  

Remember the prophet Elijah the Tishbite from the Old Testament?  (2nd Kings chapter 1)  

 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
 4 Now therefore thus says the Lord, you shall not come down from that bed on which you've gone up, but shall surely die."  And Elijah departed.
 5 And when the messengers turned back to him, he said to them, "Why have you now turned back?"
 6 And they said to him, a man came up to meet us, and said to us, "Go, turn again to the king that sent you, and say to him, thus says the Lord, is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?  Therefore you shall not come down from that bed on which you've gone up, but shall surely die."
 7 And he said to them, "What kind of man was he that came up to meet you, and told you these words?"
 8 And they answered him, "He was a hairy man, and girded with a girdle of leather around his loins."  And he said, it is Elijah the Tishbite.
 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty.  And he went up to him, and see, he sat on the top of a hill.  And he spoke to him, "You man of God, the king has said, come down."
 10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I'm a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty."  And fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
 11 Again also he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty.  And he answered and said to him, "O man of God, thus has the king said, come down quickly."
 12 And Elijah answered and said to them, "If I'm a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty."  And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
 13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty.  And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said to him, "O man of God, please, let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
 14 See, fire came down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties, therefore let my life now be precious in your sight."
 15 And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, "Go down with him, don't be afraid of him."  And he got up, and went down with him to the king.

The third captain of fifty and his fifty were not consumed because he approached the man of God with a better attitude.  But the previous two captains of fifty with their fifties were consumed by fire sent from God out of heaven.  

My point is that if God wants you dead, you're dead, that's all, without remedy.  But if you've angered God, you could quickly repent and ask forgiveness before God carries out an execution against you,  but If God wants to kill you, he doesn't need a man to do the killing.  

There was another case in the Old Testament, where God sent an angel who killed one hundred eighty five thousand of the enemies of Israel.  

You're in big trouble if God decides to kill you, and God doesn't need a Muslim man to help God do the killing.  

In fact the Muslim trying to help God by doing killing, that God doesn’t need any help doing, is viewed by God as the murderer that he is.  And, “No murderer has eternal life living in him.” (1 John 3:15)

Eternal life means going to heaven.  If you don’t go to heaven, then you do go to hell.  And most people go to hell, Jesus said.  

Frederick Hoehn
www.FredHoehnMinistries.com

___1 John chapter 1
 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life,
 2 (For the life was made clear, and we've seen it, and testify, and show you that eternal life, that was with the Father, and was made clear to us.)
 3 That which we've seen and heard we tell you, so that you also will have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
 4 And these things we write to you, so your joy will be full.
 5 This then is the message that we've heard from him, and tell you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and don't do the truth,
 7 But if we walk in the light, like he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 10 If we say that we haven't sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

___1 John chapter 2
 1 My little children, these things I write to you, so you won't sin.  And if any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
 2 And he is the payment for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
 3 And by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
 4 He that says, "I know him," and doesn't keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
 5 But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.  By this we know that we are in him.
 6 He that says he lives in him ought to walk like He walked.
 7 Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment that you've had from the beginning.  The old commandment is the word that you've heard from the beginning.
 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness has past, and the true light now shines.
 9 He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now.
 10 He that loves his brother lives in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.
 11 But he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and doesn't know where he's going, because that darkness has blinded him.
 12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
 13 I write to you, fathers, because you've known him that is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you've overcome the wicked one.  I write to you, little children, because you've known the Father.
 14 I've written to you, fathers, because you've known him that is from the beginning.  I've written to you, young men, because you're strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you've overcome the wicked one.
 15 Don't love the world, nor the things that are in the world.  If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
 17 And the world passes away and its lust, but he that does the will of God lives forever.
 18 Little children, it is the last time, and as you've heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists, by which we know that it is the last time.
 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, so that they'd be made clear that they were not all of us.
 20 But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.
 21 I haven't written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
 22 Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son.
 23 Whoever denies the Son doesn't have the Father, but he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
 24 Let that therefore live in you that you've heard from the beginning.  If that which you've heard from the beginning remains in you, you'll also continue in the Son, and in the Father.
 25 And this is the promise that he has promised us, eternal life.
 26 These things I've written to you concerning those who try to seduce you.
 27 But the anointing that you've received from him lives in you, and you don't need any man to teach you, but as the same anointing teaches you about all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, you'll live in him.
 28 And now, little children, live in him, so that, when he appears, we'll have confidence, and not be ashamed in his presence when he comes.
 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone that does righteousness is born of him.

___1 John chapter 3 
 1 Look at what kind of love the Father has loved us with, that we should be called the sons of God, therefore the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him.
 2 Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doesn't yet appear what we'll be, but we know that when he appears, we'll be like him, for we'll see him as he is.
 3 And every man that has this hope in himself purifies himself, just as he is pure.
 4 Whoever commits sin also violates the law, for sin is the violation of the law.
 5 And you know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him there's no sin.
 6 Whoever lives in him doesn't sin, whoever sins hasn't seen him, nor known him.
 7 Little children, let no man deceive you, he that does righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous.
 8 He that commits sin is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning.  For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, so that he'd destroy the works of the devil.
 9 Whoever is born of God doesn't commit sin, for his seed remains in him, and he can't sin, because he is born of God.
 10 In this, the children of God are made clear, and the children of the devil, whoever doesn't do righteousness is not of God, nor he that doesn't love his brother.
 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love each other.
 12 Not like Cain, who was of that wicked one, and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
 13 Don't be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
 14 We know that we've passed from death to life, because we love the brothers.  He that doesn't love his brother remains in death.
 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life living in him.
 16 By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and won't show compassion on him, how does the love of God live in him?
 18 My little children, let's not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
 21 Beloved, if our heart doesn't condemn us, then we have confidence toward God.
 22 And whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
 23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love each other, as he gave us commandment.
 24 And he that keeps his commandments lives in Him, and He in him.  And by this we know that he lives in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

___1 John chapter 4
 1 Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
 2 By this you know the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
 3 And every spirit that doesn't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is that spirit of antichrist, about which you've heard that it would come, and even now already it's in the world.
 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
 5 They are of the world, therefore they speak about the world, and the world listens to them.
 6 We are of God.  He that knows God listens to us, he that is not of God doesn't listen to us.  By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
 7 Beloved, let us love each other, for love is of God, and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God.
 8 He that doesn't love, doesn't know God, for God is love.
 9 In this, the love of God was made clear toward us, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that we would live through him.
 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins.
 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love each other.
 12 No man has seen God at any time.  If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
 13 By this we know that we live in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God.
 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he that lives in love, lives in God, and God in him.
 17 In this our love is made perfect, so that we'll have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.
 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love throws out fear, because fear has torment.  He that's in fear hasn't been made perfect in love.
 19 We love him, because he first loved us.
 20 If a man says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar, for he that doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he hasn't seen?
 21 And we have this commandment from him, that he that loves God should love his brother also.

___1 John chapter 5
 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone that loves him that fathered loves him also who was fathered by him.
 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments don't cause grief.
 4 For whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world:  our faith.
 5 Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
 6 He's the one that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit that testifies, because the Spirit is truth.
 7 For there are three that testify in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.
 8 And there are three that testify on earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one.
 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God that he has testified about his Son.
 10 He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself, he that doesn't believe God has made him a liar, because he doesn't believe the record that God gave about his Son.
 11 And this is the record, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
 12 He that has the Son has life, and he that doesn't have the Son of God doesn't have life.
 13 I've written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God so that you'll know that you have eternal life, and so that you'll believe on the name of the Son of God.
 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us,
 15 And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we requested from him.
 16 If any man sees his brother sin a sin that's not to death, he shall ask, and he'll give him life for those who don't sin to death.  There is a sin to death, I don't say that he should pray for it.
 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not to death.
 18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn't sin, but he that's begotten by God keeps himself, and that wicked one doesn't touch him.
 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness.
 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, so that we'll know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God, and eternal life.
 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.