"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 11 April 2012"
Today's Blog Title: "Judgment on the Nations"
Today's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 34:1-17
Today's Key Verse: Isaiah 34:1 "Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it."
This section of Isaiah's prophecy (34:1-35:10) is again apocalyptic in nature. The object of God's wrath will be the "nations," the "earth," and the "world." Here Isaiah depicts the worldwide carnage of the Battle of Armageddon when God's "indignation" and "fury" are poured out on all nations. So great is this destruction that "mountains shall be melted" and the "host of heaven shall be dissolved" (melt or vanish). So severe is this devastation that the atmospheric "heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll." This apocalyptic judgment will be so cataclysmic that it will affect the earth and its atmosphere, and it will usher in a "new heaven and a new earth" (Isaiah 65:17). "The day of the Lord's vengeance" refers to the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). This is the final devastation of the world that culminates at the end of the Tribulation period ("Day of the Lord": Joel 2:2; Zephaniah 1:15; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4;5 "Time of trouble": Daniel 12:1; "Time of Jacob's trouble": Jeremiah 30:7; "The wrath to come": 1 Thessalonians 1:10; "Wrath of the Lamb": Revelation 6:16-17).
The theme of divine vengeance and retribution dominates Chapters 34 and 35. Deuteronomy 32:34-35 says, "it is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."
Vengeance is a judicial concept and it is reserved for God, as moral and Spiritual Judge of His universe, to punish those who persistently reject Him, abandon His ways, and oppress the righteous. Vengeance will be served at history's end (Isaiah 63:1-6), and any present time is marked by a divine forbearance that provides individuals and nations with every opportunity to repent and to believe.
Another major theme found in the Old Testament and seen in Chapters 34 and 35 is that of a great world conflict in which the armies of man are drawn up against the Lord and His people. This conflict, destined to take place at history's end and to result in the crushing defeat of man's rebellious forces, is described by many of the Old Testament prophets. Among the the passages which describe that conflict are: Isaiah 2:12-21; 30; 34 and 35; Ezekiel 38-39; Daniel 11:40; Joel 2:1-17. The very same vision of "the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse (Christ) and His (heavenly) army" is found in Revelations 19:9.
The real wonder is not that God will certainly punish the unrepentant, but that He chose to vent His anger against sin on His Son Jesus rather than us. The suffering of Christ for us forever disproves the notion that a God of vengeance could not also be a God of love.
Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for Today's Bible Verse from John 14:5-6.
Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength and Grace be with you all.
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
Today's Blog Title: "Judgment on the Nations"
Today's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 34:1-17
Today's Key Verse: Isaiah 34:1 "Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it."
This section of Isaiah's prophecy (34:1-35:10) is again apocalyptic in nature. The object of God's wrath will be the "nations," the "earth," and the "world." Here Isaiah depicts the worldwide carnage of the Battle of Armageddon when God's "indignation" and "fury" are poured out on all nations. So great is this destruction that "mountains shall be melted" and the "host of heaven shall be dissolved" (melt or vanish). So severe is this devastation that the atmospheric "heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll." This apocalyptic judgment will be so cataclysmic that it will affect the earth and its atmosphere, and it will usher in a "new heaven and a new earth" (Isaiah 65:17). "The day of the Lord's vengeance" refers to the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). This is the final devastation of the world that culminates at the end of the Tribulation period ("Day of the Lord": Joel 2:2; Zephaniah 1:15; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4;5 "Time of trouble": Daniel 12:1; "Time of Jacob's trouble": Jeremiah 30:7; "The wrath to come": 1 Thessalonians 1:10; "Wrath of the Lamb": Revelation 6:16-17).
The theme of divine vengeance and retribution dominates Chapters 34 and 35. Deuteronomy 32:34-35 says, "it is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."
Vengeance is a judicial concept and it is reserved for God, as moral and Spiritual Judge of His universe, to punish those who persistently reject Him, abandon His ways, and oppress the righteous. Vengeance will be served at history's end (Isaiah 63:1-6), and any present time is marked by a divine forbearance that provides individuals and nations with every opportunity to repent and to believe.
Another major theme found in the Old Testament and seen in Chapters 34 and 35 is that of a great world conflict in which the armies of man are drawn up against the Lord and His people. This conflict, destined to take place at history's end and to result in the crushing defeat of man's rebellious forces, is described by many of the Old Testament prophets. Among the the passages which describe that conflict are: Isaiah 2:12-21; 30; 34 and 35; Ezekiel 38-39; Daniel 11:40; Joel 2:1-17. The very same vision of "the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse (Christ) and His (heavenly) army" is found in Revelations 19:9.
The real wonder is not that God will certainly punish the unrepentant, but that He chose to vent His anger against sin on His Son Jesus rather than us. The suffering of Christ for us forever disproves the notion that a God of vengeance could not also be a God of love.
Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for Today's Bible Verse from John 14:5-6.
Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength and Grace be with you all.
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
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