“Thus says the LORD God of Israel—because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, says the LORD…your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants." (2 Chronicles 34:26-27)
Seventeen years ago on October 4 I and several other men from Sayre stood together with over one million other men in Washington DC on the National Mall in an event sponsored by the Promise Keepers organization. It was termed a sacred assembly and labeled “Stand in the Gap”. An aerial picture of that assembly hangs on the wall of my office today. The purpose was for Christians and Messianic Jews to collectively confess the sin of our Nation to God and ask for His Mercy. I was convinced that God would hear our prayer and defer judgment on the USA like He had done for Israel. Whether it made a difference for the USA I do not honestly know…but it had a lasting impact on me.
I have since learned, however, that it is in the loving, righteous JUDGMENT of our heavenly Father that will finally rescue MANKIND from this present evil age to become what God intends for mankind to be. Paul writes….
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might RESCUE us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen” (Galatians 1:3-5)
I still pray for my family and friends, but I no longer pray for God to withhold his judgment on the world. I trust Him to do whatever is necessary, IN HIS TIME, to bring to a conclusion this present “evil age”, so that in the ages to come God can receive from His creation the sincere and unforced Love that is due.
The JUDGMENT of God on the whole world is coming. Revelation and other portions of Scripture tell us about it in great detail. But His judgment will CLENSE mankind, not eternally condemn them. It will RESCUE mankind from itself, not enslave them to God for all eternity. It will PREPARE mankind for its eternal destiny to be made into the very IMAGE of God…full of love, grace and mercy. Then there will be no more evil or sin for God will make all things new…
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the former things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. Then He said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life WITHOUT COST…” (Revelation 21:4-6)
The Bible closes with the following words which remains the hope of mankind…
“Yes, I am coming swiftly…Come, Lord Jesus. The GRACE of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (Revelation 22:20-21)
Seventeen years ago on October 4 I and several other men from Sayre stood together with over one million other men in Washington DC on the National Mall in an event sponsored by the Promise Keepers organization. It was termed a sacred assembly and labeled “Stand in the Gap”. An aerial picture of that assembly hangs on the wall of my office today. The purpose was for Christians and Messianic Jews to collectively confess the sin of our Nation to God and ask for His Mercy. I was convinced that God would hear our prayer and defer judgment on the USA like He had done for Israel. Whether it made a difference for the USA I do not honestly know…but it had a lasting impact on me.
I have since learned, however, that it is in the loving, righteous JUDGMENT of our heavenly Father that will finally rescue MANKIND from this present evil age to become what God intends for mankind to be. Paul writes….
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might RESCUE us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen” (Galatians 1:3-5)
I still pray for my family and friends, but I no longer pray for God to withhold his judgment on the world. I trust Him to do whatever is necessary, IN HIS TIME, to bring to a conclusion this present “evil age”, so that in the ages to come God can receive from His creation the sincere and unforced Love that is due.
The JUDGMENT of God on the whole world is coming. Revelation and other portions of Scripture tell us about it in great detail. But His judgment will CLENSE mankind, not eternally condemn them. It will RESCUE mankind from itself, not enslave them to God for all eternity. It will PREPARE mankind for its eternal destiny to be made into the very IMAGE of God…full of love, grace and mercy. Then there will be no more evil or sin for God will make all things new…
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the former things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true. Then He said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life WITHOUT COST…” (Revelation 21:4-6)
The Bible closes with the following words which remains the hope of mankind…
“Yes, I am coming swiftly…Come, Lord Jesus. The GRACE of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (Revelation 22:20-21)