God does not take kindly to the proud. Anyone who thinks to themselves that they are any good without Him is in big trouble, lest they repent and turn to Him. They may not see it now but in judgement, their just punishments will be handed down to them. For God said, through Isaiah, 1“I will punish the fruit of the stout heart” 1“and the glory of his high looks”. Anyone that thinks to themselves that they are well off and can handle their own lives without Him, do not understand what they are saying. When they say things like 1“by the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent”, they are putting all the glory upon themselves, as they are lifted up. Even many of such people think themselves to be 1“like a valiant man”, when really there is no good in them at all but wickedness. It is sad to see people masquerade as something they are not. Thinking themselves as such will eventually get themselves in a lot of trouble. It is in these difficult times that brokenness will set it. In those moments, we pray that they will turn from their wicked lifestyle and to God. In their confessions, we pray that they will look to the Lord Jesus for salvation. No person can ever make it to heaven on their own.
As the righteous enjoy being in the light of Jesus, the wicked do not want anything to do with it. It actually causes them to fear and be anxious. His light brings joy to everyone that believes, but to the wicked, it brings destruction. The same burning fire that lights up our way and consumes our life with great joy, through the Spirit, also consumes the wicked, till they can no longer stand. It is recorded that 1“the Lord of hosts” will 1“send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.” While the believers are feeling really good inside because of their blessings from God, the wicked are not. Isaiah continued and said that 1“the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.” And this one day is at His coming and in judgement. As the followers of Jesus are blessed to welcome the Lord and be in His light, the unbelievers are burned because of God’s light. Malachi said, 2“the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up.” What an awful way to die.
4And so it is, that as the people of God go to heaven are blessed continually in the light of the Lord, the unrighteous will be thrown into the lake of fire, while being tortured in the fiery flames. Isaiah records that God 1“shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.” No one will be able to bear His light, unless they are His children. Anyone else will faint at even His appearance. This is why in judgement that everyone will kneel before Christ. The unrighteous will not be able to stand His glory, but only kneel with their heads covered. The sorrow will consume them, as they understand their fate. Paul said 3“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” The wicked may have denied their chance to do this and be saved, while on earth, but on judgement day, this will be forced upon everyone. Then the people will know that Jesus is Lord and the grave mistake they made for not looking to Him in faith. Surely, at this moment, they will have missed their chance.
Now we know that the believers in Christ will be saved. However, this also includes every person from the seed of Israel that comes back to the Lord Jesus, in the end. They will be saved also. Isaiah said that they 1“shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.” The majority of the Jews may continue to deny that Jesus every came and was their Messiah but the few that do believe will be saved. And what we are seeing today is Messianic Jews. More and more Jews are coming to know Jesus as their personal Savior and King. These are those that now lean upon the Lord and are able to see the truth that is in His Him. Isaiah continued, 1“For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.” It is amazing to see this be unfolded. How glorious it is to have every believer in Christ, now join in with the Jews that also believe. We give God all the glory for this to come to past. It is surely a miracle from God.
Let us pray:
Lord, it is a blessing to come unto You and to feel of Your glorious light. I now know how great it is to have Your presence with me, that I might know Your will and do what is right. Because You are with me, I am longer lifted up in my own pride but walk in the things that You lead me in. I know from the past that my pride will only let me down. I could only do things on my own for so long until things crashed down upon me. It was in my unbelief that Your light was fearful. I could not stand it, for it pierced me to the very core. Instead of faith, fear grew until I was overcome by fear. It was in this brokenness that I wished that my sins would be forgiven. So I came unto You for mercy. I knew that I had done some serious crimes in Your sight, including adultery and my pornography addiction, and didn’t think that You could ever forgive me. However, as I called upon Your Name, everything changed. I couldn’t believe it, as my sins, though they were great, were forgiven. Mercy, that I did not think was possible, was given to me freely. In this moment, Your presence came over me and I was consumed with love and joy. Thank You Lord for allowing Your light to shine through me. I am changed because of Your love for me. I no longer fear death and the judgement but look forward to it. Surely, no one is like You, God. You are the God who saves. I love You so much and am so blessed to have You in my life. All praises and glory to Your Name. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Isaiah 10:12-22 (KJV)
12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.
19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
2Malachi 4 (KJV)
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.
4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
3Philippians 2:1-11 (KJV)
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
4Revelation 20:11-15 (KJV)
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.