The Noah Chronicles: Volume IV
The Noah Chronicles: Volume IV
By Pete Garcia
Author’s note: Although this makes this final installment a little bit longer, the genealogies are from Soundchristian.com. As I am not a big proponent of reinventing the wheel, this website does an excellent job (albeit an extremely extensive one) of compiling a lot of data from the Bible, archeology, and history books, Christian scholars, as well as genetic data. Thus, I have just pulled out the pertinent data to add some historical context to what follows.
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The Blood Lines of Noah
HAM. Also Cham or Kham. Literal meanings are passionate, hot, burnt or dark (father of the Australoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid people groups – Hamites). He was the progenitor of:
(1) Canaan “down-low” (sons were Heth [Hittites]1, Sin [Sinites]2, Sidon [Phoenicians]3, Amor, Gergash, Hiv, Ark, Arod, Zemar and Hamat) – also Canaanites, Cana, Chna, Chanani, Chanana, Canaana, Kana, Kenaanah, Kena’ani, Kena’an, Kn’nw, Kyn’nw, Kinnahu, Kinahhi, Kinahni, Kinahna, Kinahne (Mongols, Asians, Orientals, Chinese, Tibetans, Taiwanese, Thais, Vietnamese, Laotians, Cambodians, Japanese, Eskimos, American Indians4, Malaysians, Indonesians, Filipinos, Hawaiians, Maoris, Polynesians, Tahitians, Guamanians, Samoans, Fijians, Tongans, Tokelauans, Tuvaluans, Pacific Islanders5 and related groups);
(2) Cush “black” (sons were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sabteca, and Nimrod) – also Chus, Kush, Kosh, Kish, Cushaean (Cushites, Nubians, Ethiopians, Ghanaians, Africans, Bushmen, Pygmies, Australian Aborigines, New Guineans, other related groups);
(4) Mizraim “double straits” (sons were Lud, Anom, Pathros, Chasloth, and Chaphtor) – also Masr, Misr, Misraim, Mitzraim, Mizraite, Mitsrayim (Egyptians6, Khemets, Copts, other related groups);
(3) Phut “a bow” (sons were Gebul, Hadan, Benah, and Adan) – also Punt, Puta, Put, Puni, Phoud, Pul, Fula, Putaya, Putiya, Libia, Libya (Libyans, Cyrenacians, Tunisians, Berbers, Somalians, Sudanese, North Africans, other related groups).
JAPETH. Also Diphath. Literal meanings are opened, enlarged, fair, or light (father of the Caucasoid/Indo-Europoid, Indo-European, Indo-Germanic, or Indo-Aryan people groups – Japhethites). Japheth is the progenitor of seven sons:
(1) Gomer “complete” (sons were Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah) – also Gamir, Gommer, Gomeri, Gomeria, Gomery, Goth, Guth, Gutar, G�tar, Gadelas, Galic, Gallic, Galicia, Galica, Galatia, Gaulacia, Gael, Galatae, Galatoi, Gaul, Galls, Goar, Georgian, Celt, Celtae, Celticae, Kelt, Keltoi, Gimmer, Gimmerai, Gimirra, Gimirrai, Gimirraya, Kimmer, Kimmeroi, Kimirraa, Kumri, Umbri, Cimmer, Cimmeria, Cimbri, Cimbris, Crimea, Chomari, Cymric, Cymry, Cymru, Cymbry, Cumber (Cimmerians, Caledonians, Armenians, Phrygians, Turks, Picts, Milesians, Umbrians, Helvetians, Celts1, Galatians, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Goths, Vandals, Scandinavians, Jutes, Teutons, Franks, Burgundians, Alemanni, Germans2, Belgians, Dutch, Luxembourgers, Liechensteiners, Austrians, Swiss, Angles, Saxons, Britons, English, Cornish, Irish, Welsh, Scots, French, and other related groups);
(2) Magog “land of Gog” (sons were Elichanaf, Lubal, Baath, Jobhath and Fathochta) – also Gog3, Cog, Gogh, Gogue, Gogarene, Jagog, Yajuj, Majuj, Juz, Majuz, Agag, Magug, Magogae, Magogue, Ma-Gogue, Mugogh, Mat Gugi, Gugu, Gyges, Bedwig, Moghef, Magogian, Massagetae, Getae, Dacae, Sacae, Saka, Scyth, Skythe, Scythi, Scythii, Scythini, Scythia, Scythae, Sythia, Scythes, Skuthai, Skythai, Cathaia, Scythia, Skythia, Scynthia, Scynthius, Sythian, Skudra Sclaveni, Samartian, Sogdian, Slovon, Skodiai, Scotti, Skolot, Skoloti, Scoloti, Skolo-t, Skoth-ai, Skoth, Skyth, Skuthes, Skuth-a, Slavs, Ishkuzai, Askuza, Askuasa, Alani, Alans, Alanic, Ulan, Uhlan (Scythians, Scots); also Rasapu, Rashu, Rukhs, Rukhs-As, Rhos, Ros, Rosh, Rox, Roxolani, Rhoxolani, Ruskolan, Rosichi, Rhossi, Rusichi, Rus, Ruska, Rossiya, Rusian (Russians4, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Chechens, Dagestanis); also Mas-ar, Mas-gar, Masgar, Mazar, Madj, Madjar, Makr-on, Makar, Makaroi, Merkar, Magor, Magar, Magyar (Hungarians – also Huns, Hungar, Hunugur, Hurri, Gurri, Onogur, Ugor, Ungar, Uhor, Venger); Yugoslavians, Finns, Lapps, Estonians, Siberians, Voguls, Poles, Czechs, Croatians, Bosnians, Montenegrins, Mordvins, Serbians, Slovenians, Slovakians, Karelians, Komi-Zyrians, Udmurts, Izhorians, Livonians, Bulgarians, Avars, Tartars, Turks, Colchi, Armenians, Georgians and other related groups).
(3) Madai “middle land” (sons were Achon, Zeelo, Chazoni, and Lotalso) – also Mada, Amada, Madae, Madea, Manda, Maday, Media, Madaean, Mata, Matiene, Mitani, Mitanni, Minni, Megala (Medes5, Aryans, Persians, Parsa, Parsees, Achaemenians, Manneans, Caspians, Kassites, Iranians, Achaemenians, Kurds, East Indians, Romani, Pathans, Hazaras), including the peoples of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Khazachstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan and Kyrgyzstan, and other related groups;
(4) Javan “miry” (sons were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim) – also Jevanim, Iewanim, Iawan, Iawon, Iamanu, Iones, Ionians, Ellas, Ellines, El-li-ness, Hellas, Hellenes, Yavan, Yavanas, Yawan, Yuban, Yauna, Uinivu, Xuthus (Grecians, Greeks, Elysians, Spartans, Dorians, Tartessians, Britons6, Aeolians, Achaeans, Myceneans, Macedonians, Albanians, Carthaginians, Cyprians, Cypriots, Cretans, Latins, Venetians, Sicanians, Italics, Romans7, Valentians, Sicilians, Cilicians, Italians, Spaniards, Portugese, other related groups);
(5) Tubal “brought” (sons were Ariphi, Kesed, and Taari) – also Tabal, Tabali, Tubalu, Thobal, Thobel (Thobelites, Iberoi, Ibers, Iberians, Ivernians, Irish8, Spanish, other related groups), Tbilisi, Tibarenoi, Tibareni, Tibar, Tibor, Sabir, Sapir, Sabarda, Subar, Subartu, Tobol, Tobolsk (Cossacks, Samoyeds, Siberians, other related groups);
(6) Meshech “drawing out” (sons were Dedon, Zaron, and Shebashnialso) – Me’shech, Mes’ek, Meshekh, Meshwesh, Meskhi, Meschera, Mushch, Muschki, Mushki, Mishi, Muski, Mushku, Musku, Muskeva, Muska, Muskaa, Muskai, Maskali, Machar, Maskouci, Mazakha, Mazaca, Mtskhetos, Modar-es, Moskhi, Moshkhi, Mosah, Mosher, Moshch, Moschis, Mosoch, Moschi, Moschian, Moshakian, Mo’skhoi, Moschoi, Mosochenu, Mosochean, Mossynes, Mosynoeci, Moskva, Moscovy, Moscow (Muscovites, Latvians, Lithuanians, Romanians, other related groups);
(7) Tiras “desire” (sons were Benib, Gera, Lupirion and Gilak) – also Tiracian, Thracian, Thirasian, Thiras, Thuras, Tyritae, Thrasus, Thrace, Trausi, Tereus, Trecae, Troas, Tros, Troia, Troiae, Troyes, Troi, Troy, Troya, Trajan, Trojan, Taunrus, Tyras, Tyrsen, Tyrrhena, Illyrian, Ilion, Ilium, Rasenna, Tursha, Tusci, Tuscany, Etruria, Etruschi, Etruscan, Eturscan, Euskadi, Euskara (Basque9), Erul, Herul, Heruli, Erilar, Vanir, Danir, Daner, Aesar, Aesir, Asir, Svear, Svea, Svie, Svioner, Svenonian, Urmane, Norge (Leleges, Carians, Pelasgians, Scandinavians10, Varangians, Vikings, Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Icelandics, Baltics, other related groups).
The Japhetic people are, in general, the peoples of India and Europe (Indo-European stock), with which any demographer is familiar11.
SHEM. Also Sem. Literal meanings are named or renown (father of the Semitic people groups – Shemites). The sons of Shem were:
(1) Elam “eternity”(sons were Shushan, Machul and Harmon) – (Elamites, Persians);
(2) Asshur “a step” or “strong” (sons were Mirus and Mokil) – (Assyrians/Northern Iraqis);
(3) Arphaxad “I shall fail” (sons were Shelach, Anar and Ashcol) – (Chaldeans/Southern Iraqis, Hebrews/Israelites/Jews1, Arabians/Bedouins, Moabites/Jordanians/Palestinians, and related groups);
(4) Lud “strife” (sons were Pethor and Bizayon) – (Ludim, Lubim, Ludians, Ludu, Lydians, Chubs, other related groups in Asia Minor and North Africa);
(5) Aram “exalted” (sons were Uz, Chul, Gather and Mash) – (Aramaeans/Syrians, Lebanese, other related groups), and remnant groups throughout Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
1Hebrews descended from Eber (Heber), a great-grandson of Shem. Six generations after Heber, Abram (Abraham) was born, so Abraham was both a Hebrew and a Semite, born of the line of Heber and Shem. Ishmael and Isaac were born of Abraham. However, Ishmael was born of an unlawful union between Abraham and his Egyptian maid Hagar (Genesis 16, Galatians 4), making Ishmael half Semitic and half Hamitic. Sunnite Arabs (specifically Arabian Muslims) consider themselves to be descendants of Ishmael, often calling themselves Ishmaelites, and thus are both Semitic Hebrews and Hamites. To this day the descendants of Ishmael (Arabs) and his half-brother brother Isaac (Israelites) have fought over which family group is Abraham’s true spiritual heir, specifically relating to ownership of land in the Middle East. Thus, there has been an unsolvable problem, and the nation of Israel is progressively being forced to give up land for peace.
Isaac was born to Abraham and his lawful wife Sarah (Gen. 17, 18 & 21). Isaac had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. Esau was firstborn, and so had the right to inheritance (as was custom), but instead sold his birthright to Jacob during a time of hunger. Esau’s name was changed to Edom, and Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. The descendants of Esau (Edom) became known as Edomites, and the descendants of Jacob (Israel) became known as Israelites. Jacob fathered 12 sons which became the twelve tribes of Israel. Those who interchange the words “Jew” and Israelite, call Abraham a Jew, though Abraham was neither an Israelite or a Jew. The word “Jew” was not used in the Bible until nearly 1,000 years after Abraham. One of Jacob’s (Israel’s) children was Judah (Hebrew “Yehudah”). His descendants were called Yehudim (“Judahites”). In Greek, the name is Ioudaioi (“Judeans”). Most all Bible translations use the word “Jew”, which is a modern, shortened form of the word “Judahite”. A “Jew” in the Old Testament would be a “Judahite”, and a “Jew” in the New Testament would be a “Judean”.”
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So what made the sons of Noah unique in their eventual differing ethnic bloodlines?
Ultimately, God knew what each family bloodline would carry genetically, and at Babel, dispersed them along those family lines. Once divided by language and space, the sons, their spouses, and their eventual offspring would mix amongst themselves to the point that eventually, those differences, would come to display themselves in the form of visible, ethnic differences over the next four millennia. Not to get too much into the weeds on this, but we all carry an abundance of potential DNA that either could or would determine our physical make-up, depending on a variety of circumstances. From the color of our skin to the genetic defects we carry (if we do), to eye color, height, width, build, and everything in between. All of these variances depend upon an incalculable number of factors such as genetic pairing (from both parents), nutrition, disease(s), and physical environment.
Nevertheless, these nations would arrive at their predefined boundaries, and settle those areas, bringing with them the three major stories they all equally shared: the world before the flood of demigods (fallen angels and Nephilim), the flood-event itself, and the global dispersion at Babel.
Now separated by time, distance, and language, these shared stories began to morph and change, and become adopted and adapted into their own local retellings via oral history (e.g., Gilgamesh). As more time passed, these real events became mythology and then passed into legend. Throughout the ensuing centuries, the tide of nations ebbed and flowed as kingdoms rose and fell across the planet with the end of both the Stone and Bronze Ages.
If we look back over the extent of history, we can see how each of the Noahic lines began to try and control the world at one point or another. The first to do so, the Hamitic Line, began the world’s first attempt at global government through Nimrod. Of course, this failed, but what spawned from it, was the divine reaction at Babel, and the dispersion of all the different people groups. From Nimrod, through roughly Nebuchadnezzar (nearly 1,800 years), the Hamitic Line brought forth a series of strong rulers and kingdoms (ex. Pharaohs, Hittites, and Babylonians) who would come to dominate the Middle East. However, in the 6th century BC, we see the rise of the Medes (Japeth) and the Persians (Shem), who took the mantel of power forever from the line of Ham. Beginning around the end of the 3rd century BC, the rise of the Greeks (and later the Romans) would cement the seat of power firmly in the Japhetic Line from then until our present day. This was confirmed in the 5th Century BC to the prophet Daniel by both King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, and his own visions.
From man’s perspective (Daniel 2), these kingdoms were presented in the form of a massive statue that was stately and imposing. In Daniel chapters 7 and 8, God shows these same kingdoms to Daniel as beasts. To God, there was nothing grandiose or impressive about them. They were wild, ferocious beasts that trampled and devoured everything in their path. They were simply agents of chaos and destruction. What followed after Babylon, were a subsequent progression of stronger and more hardened forms of authoritarian governments all from the line of Japeth. Over the past twenty centuries, this has progressed in the form of world colonization, the rapid expanse of knowledge and travel, and the rapid development of weapons. This culminated in the 20th century with the rise of a globalist-minded, economic and political Babylonian system, which is backed by a technologically advanced military and intelligence state.
In Daniel 9, the angel Gabriel showed Daniel the last two world rulers who would come. The first was/is Jesus the Christ (Messiah the Prince- vs. 25), who comes out of the line of Shem. The second is the “prince who is to come” (vs. 26-27) who will come out of the line of Japeth. Although placed sequentially in Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy, history has borne out that there have been at least 2,000 years between verses 26 and 27. In this gap, Japeth’s line has dominated and will solidify Rome’s (the legs of iron/terrible beast) resurrection onto the world stage. The “people of the prince who is to come” who destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD, were the Romans. Thus, this final gentile ruler must come from somewhere out of the boundaries of the old Roman Empire.
But what of the bloodlines?
What of the three sons, who spawned 70 nations that make up our world today?
What does that mean for us today in the 21st century?
Growing up, I remember seeing drawings and artwork that depicted Noah’s sons as all looking different, with Shem appearing slightly browner (or Middle Eastern perhaps), Japeth appearing lighter (or white), and Ham appearing darker-skinned or even black. Of course, that is ridiculous. My thoughts on the sons of Noah (Shem, Ham, and Japeth) were that they all looked very much the same. They would have looked like a physical cross between their mother and their father with only slight physical variations between them (unless they were all identical triplets).
As history has borne itself out, how we look, the language we speak, and our cultural/ethnic identities have figured large in how we have existed so divided on the planet. In recent history, the eco-political philosophy of Marxism attempted to divide and conquer the masses by dividing people over their social-class and economic status (i.e., bourgeoisie versus proletariat). Taking its cue from Marx, Darwinism (and its offshoots of Social Darwinism, Eugenics, and Aryanism) attempted to divide people over ethnicity and skin-color.
Here in the United States at least, from the Confederacy to the modern Democrat Party, the socialist-progressive is wholly invested in dividing and conquering over superficial differences like skin color, in an attempt to either regain or maintain their political power base. The only difference was in the past, the racist progressives attempted to keep the darker-skinned ethnicities physically enslaved through the pain of death or violence, whereas the modern liberal progressives are attempting to keep them mentally enslaved by promoting a perpetual victimhood mentality, endemic poverty, and a slavish addiction upon a nanny-state for their livelihood.
There has even arisen a bizarre, government/corporate-sponsored cottage industry of sorts (1619 Project, Critical Race Theory, Cancel Culture, BLM, etc.) attempting to pin all of the evils against darker-skinned persons (i.e., persons of color) on capitalism, the United States, and Western Europe. As if they (we) somehow created slavery and prejudice out of thin air.
It should be noted that prejudice against dark-skinned persons is not simply a Western-phenomenon. For instance, in India and Nepal, the caste system (largely based on skin color and ethnicity) has been in place for millennia. The slave trade was in existence for millennia even before Europe’s founding by the barbarians in the pre-Roman era. [By extension, this means slavery was already a global economic mainstay in the ancient world when the only things that ruled North America were wild deer and tumbleweeds]. Prejudice and slavery, at least from a biblical standpoint, could be traced back to the Hebrews’ 400 years of slavery in Egypt.
In fact, the slave trade is still a thriving industry in many parts of the Muslim world today, which, oddly enough, gets a pass by the modern, liberal, progressive. Furthermore, the ultimate form of racial prejudice, genocide, is still being championed to this day by progressive liberals and Democrats in the form of Planned Parenthood abortion targeting minority communities. (It’s actually one of their political pillars).
While it is true the darker-skinned races have suffered grave injustices in the world due to things like the slave trade, colonization, economic suppression, and so forth., they are, however, not alone. Many lighter-skinned ethnicities/races have suffered as well, including the Jews (2,000 year Diaspora, the Holocaust), the Irish (Muslim slave trade, indentured servitude), the Armenians (Turkish Genocide), the Bosnian/Serbians massacres and forced conversions to Islam (Ottoman Turks), and modern-day human-trafficking. I hope it is fair to say that human suffering is not just limited to skin color; it is endemic to the human condition.
So why would God create all these differences if it would only cause so much pain and suffering?
Ultimately, I suppose we could say God is the reason for all the differences. Just as God intentionally placed variety into the natural and supernatural orders, God also put variety into the human race. Could you imagine if God had only made one kind of flower, or one kind of star, or one kind of fish? Why would He make everyone look the same? The only commonality we humans were all ingrained with, was that we were created in His image. Aside from that, He built into us all the perfect and varying attributes and differences that would come to make up the human race and all our glorious variety. Not only that, but He is also the One who divided mankind at Babel. So if anyone wants to point a finger of blame at anyone, I suppose you could point it at Him. However, I recommend reading Job 38 before pursuing that course of action.
God also, in His infinite wisdom, foresaw all the issues man would ever have over our superficial differences like skin color, ethnicity, and language, and created the perfect solution to our dilemma. Yes, God created us differently, and to be different (male, female, Jew, Gentile, etc.) However, when one becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, we are no longer who we were, but are new creations in Him.
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – Galatians 3:26-29
This does not mean we cease to be male or female, Jew or Gentile in the physical sense, but from God’s perspective, what He divided at Babel, and what was separated from Him at the Garden (when Adam and Eve fell) is now made whole again. We are reunited with God through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. Our faith in His finished work is what baptizes us into the body of Christ. We become part of the “we” and no longer remain the “they.”
Conclusion
“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” – Luke 17:26-27 (emphasis mine)
When asked about the last days, Jesus told His disciples that it would be like the days of Noah, in that the judgment would come suddenly, and catch them by surprise and destroy them. Who were the “they” and “them?” Back then, it was the ungodly lines of Cain, who turned fallen angels into demigods and began engaging in the most horrific acts of violence and wickedness the world had ever seen. This was the line of mankind Lucifer was able to corrupt spiritually and genetically to the point where redemption was no longer possible. Thus, God destroyed them by flooding the whole earth.
What Jesus was saying about the last days, was it will once again, be days like Noah’s day in relation to the suddenness of the judgment and destruction; and it will begin with the Rapture of the Church. This is where God introduces a little of His own chaos into Satan’s plans, causing the world to be caught off guard. What follows will be sudden destruction.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:3 (emphasis mine)
While the Rapture of the Church does not start the 70th Week (e.g., The Tribulation), it certainly sets the conditions for everything which follows, namely global chaos. After the Rapture of the Church, but before the start of the final “week” of years, some will seek to take advantage of the chaos and wage war on God’s chosen nation, Israel. This is called the war of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39). They form a coalition of nations from Shem (Persia), Ham (Phut and Cush), and Japeth (Magog, Gomer, Meshech, and Tubal).
This global chaos will also be necessary for the formation of the final world order, the 10-nation/region confederacy known as “the Beast.” At the head, will come one ruler (the prince who is to come) from somewhere within the ancient boundaries of the old Roman Empire. He will be aided and abetted by the False Prophet (could be either from Shem or Japeth’s line), who will champion the arrival of the Antichrist (rider on the white horse, lawless one, son of perdition, little horn, etc.). Like Jannes and Jambres, this False Prophet will be able to perform counterfeit miracles and signs and fill the vacuum of a Christless world with spiritual harlotry. He will do this, until the mid-point and then direct all peoples to worship the Beast himself.
It is interesting how this final beast-kingdom is made up of 10 nations/regions. Out of the descendants of Noah’s three sons formed 70 nations. 7 (the number of completeness) x 10 (also completeness) = 70 nations. Thus, at least from a biblically numerical standpoint, this will represent the most complete and powerful government to ever rule over the race of men.
Satan lost the fight against corrupting bloodlines with the arrival of Jesus to Bethlehem o/a 4BC, Satan is no longer concerned with trying to prevent the coming of the true Messiah. The only bloodline he is concerned with now is destroying the Jewish people out of the line of Shem.
It’s so crazy how events from nearly 4,500 years ago, are still playing out today. But we can see them forming before our very eyes ( Israel’s national rebirth, the revival of the Roman Empire, Gog-Magog, et.al.).The age of the Gentiles is about to come to its inescapable and divinely appointed end. And because history has borne itself out exactly as God’s word has spoken, we know His word is sure. This means the “we” in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, are about to be lifted up out of here before the flood of judgment sweeps over the world one last time. So fellow believer, even though the hour has grown late, and darkness threatens to envelop the world, keep faith in God and take comfort in the words of our Lord and Savior.
“…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. – Matthew 28:18-20