The Election Count – Part 21
That is what I believe. Jesus was referring to the sword of the Spirit, and not any physical swords of this earth when He said “sell your garment and buy a sword”. He was talking about taking bags in heaven and filling them with eternal money in heaven. The only things worth selling all that you have and buying, are spiritual. And the only sword you are told to TAKE and to FIGHT WITH in the whole New Testament is the sword of the Spirit: the word of God.
Matthew 26:52 … for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Does everyone who ever has taken up arms also die by the same arms? By a sword, a gun, a grenade, an arrow? Does every soldier die by the violence of weapons? Does every murderer die violently? I don’t think so! So how can this be true??
Notice this: It’s not “BY the sword”.. but rather “WITH the sword”. If you take the sword, you will perish WITH the sword. Not because the sword will kill you, but because the sword WILL PERISH… and you will too!
But do you know what sword DOESN’T perish? Exactly… The sword of the Lord! So if I take THAT sword, how could I possibly perish WITH it? I can’t perish with the Sword of the Lord. We can’t perish together. Because it won’t ever perish. It won’t perish with me, and I won’t perish with it. If I take THAT sword, and keep it with me always, I’ll never perish.
Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
If I must die, let me die with Jesus the righteous; with the resurrection. If I must perish, let me perish with the sword of the Spirit, the Sword which divides asunder soul and spirit. Let me take that Sword, and let my last end be with like His.
If you take the sword of a man, you’ve chosen the wrong sword. You’ve taken the sword that will perish, and you will perish with it.
Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
Most Christians believe that this is direction to be prepared to fight physically. I did.
Practically, maybe I still would like to lean on that belief.
Notice: It doesn’t say, “prepare the horse.”
Does God need Christians to prepare ourselves unto the day of battle to be safe? Absolutely! But Spiritually, not physically. He needs us to put on the whole armour of God. Buy a sword, and bind it on.
It doesn’t say, “prepare the horse.” Why would it? When it also says…
Psalms 33:17-19 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Learn, and know, and remember: The Lord is our defence. All other defence is a vain thing for safety.
A horse, a sword, a gun, a rocket launcher, a tank, a fighter jet, an army of men with swords and guns, will not keep you safe you.
Psalms 33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
This is a hard thing. This is some strong meat. This requires much faith. And fortunately, our eternal salvation does not require us to always and only trust the Lord and never defend ourselves.
Fortunately, you’re free. You have liberty to buy whatever you want, and trust in whatever you want.
(As long as you’ve only trusted and confessed The Lord Jesus and nothing else for your eternal life.)
But I’m not worth anything as a Pastor if I don’t warn you that no carnal defence will deliver you. If you trust in them, you trust in a vain thing.
What is true in the spirit, is true in the flesh as well. All other defence is vain.
Psalms 127:1 … Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
This is a hard thing. You are free to buy a sword, a gun, and fight. Maybe they will make you feel safer. But the truth of it is: Except the Lord keeps your house, you wake in vain.
The king of Syria sent his host to capture Elisha, but Elisha knew not to trust in man…
2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
There are legions of angels standing about, ready armed, ready to strike the wicked down. The Lord may allow them to strike and deliver you, or He may suffer you to see tribulation for His sake. Either way, there are more with us, than with them.
Hezekiah knew the same thing…
2 Chronicles 32:7-8 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
David knew this thing from a youth. The Lord didn’t need him to have a sword!
1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; … 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
Well why do we have swords and spears, why do we have guns? Why sell your clothes to buy one? If those are not what He uses to protect us?
But NOW, we do need a sword! A Spiritual Sword to fight a spiritual battle.
You ought to buy that Sword, and gird it on. Train with it. Take it, and use it to fight the enemy. Take it and use it to free the prisoners. Take it and use it to protect the flock.
Sell everything you must to buy the Word of God, and hide it in your heart. You need to buy a Sword!
Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: …
Strong meat, and hard sayings… But I would be negligent as a Pastor if I did not warn you to NOT trust in man and man’s weapons, and if I did not encourage you to only trust in the Lord.
Its your decision. You’re free to make it. But I hope you choose the Sword that cannot perish.
God does not pour out his wrath on just persons.
When His wrath comes, when the Lord’s judgment does pass on America… I believe the righteous that serve Him, will be spared.
Revelation 7:2-4 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
The Lord does not pour out His wrath on His own righteous people. As much as I understand the person of God, that is what I believe. The Lord does not persecute or destroy righteous persons. Before the Lord pours out His wrath, He seals and secures his own. He MARKS His own.
I believe in a pre-tribulational rapture of the Church.
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
I believe in a pre-tribulational rapture of the Church. But some people (possibly Real Christians) don’t. If I somehow am wrong, and Christians do go into the tribulation, at least I know this, that we will not be persecuted with the world.
Before the Lord brings in His wrath and judgment, His own are marked with His seal, and spared.
Revelation 9:3-4 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
If there were to be Christians in the tribulation, they would be marked and spared before the Lord brings in His judgment. That is just who the Lord is. A righteous judge.
Spiritually, I believe we are already marked, sealed when we get saved. We couldn’t possibly take the mark of the beast, if we are already marked of the Lord.
He marks His own and He commands, “COME NOT NEAR any man upon whom is the mark!”
Ezekiel 9:1-11 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. 3 … And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; 4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. [where does judgement begin? Judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). The first to be cut off are those that are standing unclean in His temple. Who will receive the slaughter first? Those that walk in His courts in unrighteousness. The false prophets. The prophets of false gods.] Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. 8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? 9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. 10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
I believe America’s sin is exceeding great, and the Lord will pour out His fury on her. And when judgment comes on a land, it might seem that the Lord will destroy all men in it. But the Lord does not cut off the righteous with the wicked. That is not our God. Far be it from Him. Our God is a true, just, righteous Judge.
This is what the Lord did to His own city. The city that is called by His name. To His own people, after the flesh.. And if so, you can safely bet all your money that America and Washington, D.C. will drink of the Lord’s wrath too.
Jeremiah 49:12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup [of the wrath of the Lord] have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
Jeremiah 25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
If the Lord would destroy Israel for its wickedness and idolatry and violence… the Gentile, heathen nation of America will assuredly, not go unpunished.
But… Just as with Israel, before He calls for that sword, before He pours out His wrath, The Lord marks His own. The Lord spares His own. The Lord shields the righteous.
America may persecute us. Satan, mankind, the children of the wicked one may persecute the Lord’s people. But if we are talking about what the Lord does, His wrath, … the Lord does not destroy His own children that serve Him. (The Lord may chastise them as sons, but He never destroys them in His wrath.)
When His wrath, when the Lord’s judgment does pass on America… I believe the righteous that serve Him will be spared.
Malachi 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
The Lord marks, and spares, and does not persecute His own sons that serve Him.
But we have flesh, and ARE sinners in the flesh, and with the flesh do vex the Spirit and fight against Him and defile our bodies. So the question is: Will we be judged as the spiritual children of God that we are in the Spirit, marked and spared, or will we be judged as the children of the flesh that we are in the flesh, punished and destroyed?
In the spirit, You’re born of God in Heaven. But in the flesh, you’re bought of God, a YET TO-BE adopted child of God. But also, you’re still a child of Satan, by nature. So which will you be counted as when the Lord pours out His wrath on the land? If you want to be counted as a son of God, instead of an enemy, I would suppose you need to be righteous, depart from evil, and SERVE Him. You need to be GODLY.
But The Lord spares His own children THAT SERVETH HIM.
We are careful to divide the word of righteousness. Your own righteousness cannot be involved in your spiritual salvation. And we teach men so. That your righteousness is an abomination. Its not true. Its temporary. It contains the possibility of sin. But fleshly righteousness IS still VERY important for Christians. Not to receive eternal salvation, but to receive fleshly “salvation” / protection / preservation. To receive fleshly protection, we need to be GODLY in the flesh! Because the Lord delivers the GODLY.
2 Peter 2:4-9 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; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness [hint, hint! Pay attention!], bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
He saved Noah, and He delivered Lot. He knoweth how to deliver the godly!
Though we live in America, and are vexed with their wickedness and unlawful deeds daily, our fate is not the same as theirs. The world is reserved to be punished. And we are reserved unto glory, honour and peace.
When The Lord brings in His wrath to destroy the wicked of the whole earth, or of the whole land, to destroy all living, whether on a small or large scale, He knows how to deliver the godly. And that is exactly who is delivered: the righteous is delivered.
So GET godliness, friends. GET righteousness. Christians have it in the Spirit, and will be saved in the spirit. But if we want to be saved and spared in the flesh, and not be cut off with the wicked, we must get righteousness in the flesh!
Proverbs 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
The Lord does not pour out His wrath on the Godly; on the righteous. Righteousness delivers the righteous. It’s true spiritually, and its true carnally. God does not persecute the righteous. The Lord does not pour His wrath out on the godly. The righteous shall be delivered out of temptations; tribulations.
You know what childbirth labour pains are called in the Bible? Travail, labours, pains, sorrows.
Before modern medicine MANY women died in childbirth. There was a very real chance a woman would die in childbirth. But you know what God said about women in childbirth?
1 Timothy 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
If they continue in faith and charity and holiness – godliness – righteousness, she shall be saved!
THEY – Husbands… You can save your wife!
We know we will be spiritually delivered from the 2nd death. And we know we will be caught up (raptured) before the day of vengeance. But before that time even, if we are righteous according to the flesh, we will also have a promise of deliverance in this life.
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
Godliness has a promise of life. So how do we rightly divide this?
For the unsaved, godliness profits them UNTO all things (eternal life). I believe the Lord will bring them UNTO eternal life; will bring the gospel near to them. And by Godliness men also have a promise of the life that now is. For the unsaved who is living in righteousness (OT / of the law), the promise is that He will keep you alive until, UNTO all things: an appointed time to receive the gospel.
And the saved, which have been given all things, have a promise of the life that now is too. By godliness. This promise is to the sons of God who are living righteously in the flesh.
So for the saved, godliness profits them UNTO all things (eternal life) too. The saved, living righteously, is promised this life so long as it is profitable unto His eternal life. You are promised protection to serve the Lord, to preach the gospel, to suffer for His sake, yet be brought through it; to be delivered from every temptation and persecution all the way until your death: which is precious, life eternal!
By Godliness! It’s not just for Sundays. Its not just for when your lonely, depressed, brokenhearted. Its not just for after death. And godliness profits you in this world, not just in eternity.
He “spareth his own son that serveth him”.
Apr 25 2021
The Election Count – Part 21
Downloadable Word document:
The Election Count – Part 21
The Election Count – Part 21
That is what I believe. Jesus was referring to the sword of the Spirit, and not any physical swords of this earth when He said “sell your garment and buy a sword”. He was talking about taking bags in heaven and filling them with eternal money in heaven. The only things worth selling all that you have and buying, are spiritual. And the only sword you are told to TAKE and to FIGHT WITH in the whole New Testament is the sword of the Spirit: the word of God.
Matthew 26:52 … for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Does everyone who ever has taken up arms also die by the same arms? By a sword, a gun, a grenade, an arrow? Does every soldier die by the violence of weapons? Does every murderer die violently? I don’t think so! So how can this be true??
Notice this: It’s not “BY the sword”.. but rather “WITH the sword”. If you take the sword, you will perish WITH the sword. Not because the sword will kill you, but because the sword WILL PERISH… and you will too!
But do you know what sword DOESN’T perish? Exactly… The sword of the Lord! So if I take THAT sword, how could I possibly perish WITH it? I can’t perish with the Sword of the Lord. We can’t perish together. Because it won’t ever perish. It won’t perish with me, and I won’t perish with it. If I take THAT sword, and keep it with me always, I’ll never perish.
Numbers 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
If I must die, let me die with Jesus the righteous; with the resurrection. If I must perish, let me perish with the sword of the Spirit, the Sword which divides asunder soul and spirit. Let me take that Sword, and let my last end be with like His.
If you take the sword of a man, you’ve chosen the wrong sword. You’ve taken the sword that will perish, and you will perish with it.
Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
Most Christians believe that this is direction to be prepared to fight physically. I did.
Practically, maybe I still would like to lean on that belief.
Notice: It doesn’t say, “prepare the horse.”
Does God need Christians to prepare ourselves unto the day of battle to be safe? Absolutely! But Spiritually, not physically. He needs us to put on the whole armour of God. Buy a sword, and bind it on.
It doesn’t say, “prepare the horse.” Why would it? When it also says…
Psalms 33:17-19 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Learn, and know, and remember: The Lord is our defence. All other defence is a vain thing for safety.
A horse, a sword, a gun, a rocket launcher, a tank, a fighter jet, an army of men with swords and guns, will not keep you safe you.
Psalms 33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
This is a hard thing. This is some strong meat. This requires much faith. And fortunately, our eternal salvation does not require us to always and only trust the Lord and never defend ourselves.
Fortunately, you’re free. You have liberty to buy whatever you want, and trust in whatever you want.
(As long as you’ve only trusted and confessed The Lord Jesus and nothing else for your eternal life.)
But I’m not worth anything as a Pastor if I don’t warn you that no carnal defence will deliver you. If you trust in them, you trust in a vain thing.
What is true in the spirit, is true in the flesh as well. All other defence is vain.
Psalms 127:1 … Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
This is a hard thing. You are free to buy a sword, a gun, and fight. Maybe they will make you feel safer. But the truth of it is: Except the Lord keeps your house, you wake in vain.
The king of Syria sent his host to capture Elisha, but Elisha knew not to trust in man…
2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
There are legions of angels standing about, ready armed, ready to strike the wicked down. The Lord may allow them to strike and deliver you, or He may suffer you to see tribulation for His sake. Either way, there are more with us, than with them.
Hezekiah knew the same thing…
2 Chronicles 32:7-8 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
David knew this thing from a youth. The Lord didn’t need him to have a sword!
1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; … 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
Well why do we have swords and spears, why do we have guns? Why sell your clothes to buy one? If those are not what He uses to protect us?
But NOW, we do need a sword! A Spiritual Sword to fight a spiritual battle.
You ought to buy that Sword, and gird it on. Train with it. Take it, and use it to fight the enemy. Take it and use it to free the prisoners. Take it and use it to protect the flock.
Sell everything you must to buy the Word of God, and hide it in your heart. You need to buy a Sword!
Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: …
Strong meat, and hard sayings… But I would be negligent as a Pastor if I did not warn you to NOT trust in man and man’s weapons, and if I did not encourage you to only trust in the Lord.
Its your decision. You’re free to make it. But I hope you choose the Sword that cannot perish.
God does not pour out his wrath on just persons.
When His wrath comes, when the Lord’s judgment does pass on America… I believe the righteous that serve Him, will be spared.
Revelation 7:2-4 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
The Lord does not pour out His wrath on His own righteous people. As much as I understand the person of God, that is what I believe. The Lord does not persecute or destroy righteous persons. Before the Lord pours out His wrath, He seals and secures his own. He MARKS His own.
I believe in a pre-tribulational rapture of the Church.
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
I believe in a pre-tribulational rapture of the Church. But some people (possibly Real Christians) don’t. If I somehow am wrong, and Christians do go into the tribulation, at least I know this, that we will not be persecuted with the world.
Before the Lord brings in His wrath and judgment, His own are marked with His seal, and spared.
Revelation 9:3-4 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
If there were to be Christians in the tribulation, they would be marked and spared before the Lord brings in His judgment. That is just who the Lord is. A righteous judge.
Spiritually, I believe we are already marked, sealed when we get saved. We couldn’t possibly take the mark of the beast, if we are already marked of the Lord.
He marks His own and He commands, “COME NOT NEAR any man upon whom is the mark!”
Ezekiel 9:1-11 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. 2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. 3 … And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; 4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. [where does judgement begin? Judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). The first to be cut off are those that are standing unclean in His temple. Who will receive the slaughter first? Those that walk in His courts in unrighteousness. The false prophets. The prophets of false gods.] Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. 8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? 9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. 10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
I believe America’s sin is exceeding great, and the Lord will pour out His fury on her. And when judgment comes on a land, it might seem that the Lord will destroy all men in it. But the Lord does not cut off the righteous with the wicked. That is not our God. Far be it from Him. Our God is a true, just, righteous Judge.
This is what the Lord did to His own city. The city that is called by His name. To His own people, after the flesh.. And if so, you can safely bet all your money that America and Washington, D.C. will drink of the Lord’s wrath too.
Jeremiah 49:12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup [of the wrath of the Lord] have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.
Jeremiah 25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
If the Lord would destroy Israel for its wickedness and idolatry and violence… the Gentile, heathen nation of America will assuredly, not go unpunished.
But… Just as with Israel, before He calls for that sword, before He pours out His wrath, The Lord marks His own. The Lord spares His own. The Lord shields the righteous.
America may persecute us. Satan, mankind, the children of the wicked one may persecute the Lord’s people. But if we are talking about what the Lord does, His wrath, … the Lord does not destroy His own children that serve Him. (The Lord may chastise them as sons, but He never destroys them in His wrath.)
When His wrath, when the Lord’s judgment does pass on America… I believe the righteous that serve Him will be spared.
Malachi 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
The Lord marks, and spares, and does not persecute His own sons that serve Him.
But we have flesh, and ARE sinners in the flesh, and with the flesh do vex the Spirit and fight against Him and defile our bodies. So the question is: Will we be judged as the spiritual children of God that we are in the Spirit, marked and spared, or will we be judged as the children of the flesh that we are in the flesh, punished and destroyed?
In the spirit, You’re born of God in Heaven. But in the flesh, you’re bought of God, a YET TO-BE adopted child of God. But also, you’re still a child of Satan, by nature. So which will you be counted as when the Lord pours out His wrath on the land? If you want to be counted as a son of God, instead of an enemy, I would suppose you need to be righteous, depart from evil, and SERVE Him. You need to be GODLY.
But The Lord spares His own children THAT SERVETH HIM.
We are careful to divide the word of righteousness. Your own righteousness cannot be involved in your spiritual salvation. And we teach men so. That your righteousness is an abomination. Its not true. Its temporary. It contains the possibility of sin. But fleshly righteousness IS still VERY important for Christians. Not to receive eternal salvation, but to receive fleshly “salvation” / protection / preservation. To receive fleshly protection, we need to be GODLY in the flesh! Because the Lord delivers the GODLY.
2 Peter 2:4-9 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; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness [hint, hint! Pay attention!], bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
He saved Noah, and He delivered Lot. He knoweth how to deliver the godly!
Though we live in America, and are vexed with their wickedness and unlawful deeds daily, our fate is not the same as theirs. The world is reserved to be punished. And we are reserved unto glory, honour and peace.
When The Lord brings in His wrath to destroy the wicked of the whole earth, or of the whole land, to destroy all living, whether on a small or large scale, He knows how to deliver the godly. And that is exactly who is delivered: the righteous is delivered.
So GET godliness, friends. GET righteousness. Christians have it in the Spirit, and will be saved in the spirit. But if we want to be saved and spared in the flesh, and not be cut off with the wicked, we must get righteousness in the flesh!
Proverbs 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
The Lord does not pour out His wrath on the Godly; on the righteous. Righteousness delivers the righteous. It’s true spiritually, and its true carnally. God does not persecute the righteous. The Lord does not pour His wrath out on the godly. The righteous shall be delivered out of temptations; tribulations.
You know what childbirth labour pains are called in the Bible? Travail, labours, pains, sorrows.
Before modern medicine MANY women died in childbirth. There was a very real chance a woman would die in childbirth. But you know what God said about women in childbirth?
1 Timothy 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
If they continue in faith and charity and holiness – godliness – righteousness, she shall be saved!
THEY – Husbands… You can save your wife!
We know we will be spiritually delivered from the 2nd death. And we know we will be caught up (raptured) before the day of vengeance. But before that time even, if we are righteous according to the flesh, we will also have a promise of deliverance in this life.
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
Godliness has a promise of life. So how do we rightly divide this?
For the unsaved, godliness profits them UNTO all things (eternal life). I believe the Lord will bring them UNTO eternal life; will bring the gospel near to them. And by Godliness men also have a promise of the life that now is. For the unsaved who is living in righteousness (OT / of the law), the promise is that He will keep you alive until, UNTO all things: an appointed time to receive the gospel.
And the saved, which have been given all things, have a promise of the life that now is too. By godliness. This promise is to the sons of God who are living righteously in the flesh.
So for the saved, godliness profits them UNTO all things (eternal life) too. The saved, living righteously, is promised this life so long as it is profitable unto His eternal life. You are promised protection to serve the Lord, to preach the gospel, to suffer for His sake, yet be brought through it; to be delivered from every temptation and persecution all the way until your death: which is precious, life eternal!
By Godliness! It’s not just for Sundays. Its not just for when your lonely, depressed, brokenhearted. Its not just for after death. And godliness profits you in this world, not just in eternity.
He “spareth his own son that serveth him”.
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