TO WHOM ARE WE RELATIVE?
#99.120
(Part 3)
PEACEBREAKERS OR PEACEMAKERS?
In our previous article I spoke concerning people I called Kingdom cops who feel they are exercising their Christian duty by exposing error and destroying those who won't quickly repentant and turn back to their ways of thinking. With what I said, it could be taken that I think no correction at all should ever be taken. Which, of course, is not so. Like Solomon said, there is a time to speak and there is a time to keep silent. When the law was all there was, the time to speak was anytime the law was broken. Afterwards, however, the time to speak came when one heard the voice of the Father, as Jesus said was His motivation for speaking.
I will not attempt to bring correction every time I see error taught, even though it appears to me that it is doing harm to people I love. For instance, speaking on the subject of Kingdom cops was not an issue of hoping to straighten out wrong-doers who don't see things the way I do. I wrote on that subject because I heard the Spirit of my Father speaking, and if I perchance missed hearing properly, then I will answer for it. Even so, my purpose, other than being obedient, was to bring peace where there was the din of war.
When conflicts arise and we refuse to get involved, we may be accused of being complacent and not concerned enough about people teaching error to correct them. Personally, I would be more apt to correct a person who is doctrinally right but his spirit is wrong than one whose doctrine is wrong but his spirit is right, yet neither should be done without hearing from our Father and being moved by the Spirit of Peace. We have the choice of either taking up the warmaking sword of the law or the Peacemaking Word of the Spirit, and I prefer the latter. The following words were penned recently along these lines by a brother of honed wisdom and dear friend, J. Preston Eby:
"Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son of God, is the Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, resides within His elect, the body of Christ. Can we not see by this that with Christ in our lives God has given us the role of peacemakers in this world? Has it occurred to you what it is a peacemaker does? A peacemaker is expected to MAKE PEACE! ...In order to be a peacemaker you must become involved in legitimate conflicts. In this world, if you truly want to be blessed in the Kingdom dimension of the term, you have to encounter crises and conflicts and get involved in them so that you can change the conflict into a peaceful situation....Many have no desire to become involved in conflict and problems. We would just as soon stay at home, laid back in our Lazy Boy recliner, with a glass of iced tea, watching our favorite television program, and say, 'Thank you, Lord, for that wonderful word you gave me, that you will make a son of God and a peacemaker out of me. I feel so peaceful here! May everyone know this deep peace that I have come into.'
"Comfort does not make peace. The peace that we experience in the absence of conflict is not Kingdom peace. Anybody can have peace when all is going well and there are no cross-currents, opposition, trouble, or conflict. Learn this and you will know a great truth: Peace is more than the absence of war. The peace of God is unaffected by any external conditions. If your peace flees in the face of trouble and calamity, what you have is not peace -- it is merely the calm between storms....
"...When sin entered, peace fled. The moment that sin entered man removed himself from harmony with God, and peace fled. Adam and Eve themselves were at strife with God and each other, so that their firstborn son had the spirit of the devil and was a murderer from the beginning. He slew his own brother. The second Man, the last Adam, was the Lord from heaven. When He was once rejected, in the days of His flesh, His disciples, with indignation, besought Him to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy those wicked people. His answer comes down to us through the ages: 'Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them' (Lk. 9:55-56). The firstborn son of Adam was a murderer, but the firstborn Son of God was a Saviour. One was the peacebreaker shedding his brother's blood, the other was the peacemaker shedding His own blood that He might make peace with God. Yet the Christ had power to destroy men's lives, if He had the will....But that is not God's way in redemption. That is not the mission of the Son of God nor of the sons of God." -- End quote.
To which do we want to be joined and walking with -- the peacebreakers and shedding our brothers' blood, or the Peacemaker and willing to shed our own? The answer is obvious to the sons of God who have reached a certain level of maturity. However, we do make mistakes even if we are one with the Peacemaker. Our bad decisions along the way are not indicators that we are not sons of God; for making mistakes is one way we learn. I know of no one who has not made decisions that were motivated by the carnal mind which were later regretted. For that matter, we most likely still make regrettable mistakes. I know I do. If we happen to find ourselves aligned with the peacebreakers, or even if we are the peacebreakers ourselves, does not mean we are not sons of God and have no chance of having any part with the Kingdom. It merely means we trusted more in the flesh than the Spirit, temporarily, and it has been a good practice learning experience once understanding comes and we've repented.
Those infamous Kingdom cops I speak of, who are akin to the Pharisees, are those whose life is compassed about with legalistic, peacebreaking tactics. It is they who don't have a clue. Knowing the doctrines of the King inside-out, a son it does not make. They may speak the "Kingdom" language flawlessly; but there is something about their spirit that betrays them.
Please know this, and mark it well in the understanding of your minds, not all corrections are the hallmark of Kingdom cops, so called. There are legitimate times to sound the trumpet, to sound the note loud and clear, and with all your might. Or speak a soft word if that is the Spirit of the occasion. The time to speak is when legitimate issues arise and you know full-well the Spirit of the Peacemaker is the driving force. Such a sounding of the alarm will come at times, and will no doubt divert a few of the young in the Lord from falling into error, and will hopefully bring those in error unto better understanding and repentance.
Zeal can have the show of godliness; but without understanding and the proper spirit, death and devastation follow in its wake. We may at times get snared by zeal; but when the light of understanding begins to shine, we can see it for what it is. Then there is no difficulty in choosing to which we should be related -- that of the Peacemaker, of course, and not the peacebreaker.
It is possible to get sidetracked with a scripture that has nothing to do with the point at hand, as with: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Mat 10:34). Some ignorantly will use this as a license to smite his brother. It is clear, however, that Jesus was speaking of bringing a sword between believer and nonbeliever, between Christ and antichrist, between the first Adam and the Last Adam, et al. He was not saying He would swing a sword through His own body and sever certain members from it. In His body there are no cancerous arms or legs that need amputating. They are all sanctified and holy, even the ones we may not agree with.
So let us be slow in condemning those we know God has called, and likewise, let us be slow in condemning those who choose to correct us when they feel we are wrong; for there is often silence in the heavens about it altogether. If, however, we are to be quick in having little tolerance for someone, let it be toward those who major in breaking the peace, those who murder their brothers and sisters, those whose hearts are Pharisaical to the core, the witch hunters and legal zealots of the church. Even at that, we are often to be as the Lamb before us, who was led to the slaughter, dumb, not uttering a word.
YOUR KINGDOM -- WITH OR WITHOUT OBSERVATION?
People by nature live and have their being in that which is visible, and those of the church in general are no exception. They, therefore, relate to spiritual matters on that level. For instance, they often ignore the clear words of Jesus that "...the Kingdom of God does not come with observation." Therefore, they look largely upon heaven as being a glorified world overflowing with natural things that money could buy if they had enough of it. I am sure you know what I mean -- golden streets, spires and towering buildings, silver, jewels, mansions, gourmet foods, not to mention feather-winged angels flying around playing harps of gold. Flying angels, of course, are not commodities purchased with money; but the way these images are viewed is still a product of the natural, visualizing mind.
If your concept of heaven is similar to the above, perhaps you have not taken into account something Paul wrote about the Kingdom of God. And please, don't be confused by thinking the Kingdom of God is different from the Kingdom of Heaven; for they are one and the (1)same. "...The kingdom of God IS N-O-T meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Rom 14:17). Meat and drink, and streets of gold, can be seen, while righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost cannot be seen. Their effects can be seen, as with the wind, but they themselves cannot be seen.
As an example, we may look upon two men sitting on a bench waiting for a bus. They both are well-dressed, neatly groomed, and sit expressionless as they read the daily newspaper. One man's soul is black as the night, he is a devil from hell, a murderer, a thief, a liar, a cheat, and cares for no one but himself. The second is a righteous man who is filled with the peace and the joy of the Lord. One lives in the kingdom of darkness, and the other's habitation is the Kingdom of God -- and neither kingdom can be seen to the natural eye. If, however, you spent much time around either, it would not be long before the effects of those kingdoms would be seen.
Notwithstanding, all the natural things that so many in the church imagine to be heaven is not heaven. Such earthy things cannot, and will not, be eternally set for the saints to dwell in; for they are the elements that can be seen, which Paul said were temporal. They are those things that will pass away, and whosoever is relative to those passing away things will pass away with them, at least for a time.
On the other hand, those things which shall never pass away are righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. They are absolute, and whosoever is relative to these will also be absolute. They will be absolutely righteous in Christ, absolutely at peace in Christ, and absolutely full of the absolute joy of Christ. They will forever be absolute, and their presence will cause man's temporal heaven and earth to flee. Men's kingdoms can't stand in such absolute glory. They will be dissolved in the brilliant presence of the Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. That is what happens when darkness is exposed to Light. It cannot remain. Isn't that what happened to your old, dark heaven and earth when the King of Peace lightened your life? Those kingdoms fled, they crumbled and passed away in His presence.
John wrote of this while in exile on the isle of Patmos: "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." (Rev 20:11). There can be no greater judgment upon men's kingdoms than that which comes from God's throne of righteousness, peace, and joy. Righteousness causes unrighteous rule to flee away. War is replaced by peace. And sadness is overrun by joy. No wonder John went on to write: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea" (Rev 21:1).
Once man's dominion of both the beast and false prophet come face to face with the absolute power from the throne of God, they crumble and fall into the lake of fire and brimstone. In the place of every religion comes the new heaven of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Where death was the fruit of that kingdom, we shall see the manifestation of God's Kingdom LIFE. The fruit of the Spirit will overflow the harvester's loom. When there is nothing but the absolute love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and meekness (Gal 5:22-23) -- there will be no more sea of carnal humanity. That which is relative to everything carnal will be swept away as quickly as dirt on the kitchen floor in the presence of a haus frau's straw broom. In its place will be something never before seen at the throne of God -- a sea of glass, crystal clear, and mingled with fire.
It is time to be reminded to keep our minds off that which is visible. For this is not a natural sea. It is what was once the unstable, vacillating mass of humanity -- which is presently moved by every wind of doctrine, tradition, and worldly fashion. This is the sea which will be firmly solidified and crystalized in Christ. This sea will be clear and have nothing to hide; for the lake of fire will have consumed every microbe, creature, and leviathan of its deep. The only thing seen in the kingdom that was once a roaring, unsettled sea will be fire -- the glory of God!
There are heavens and earths, which are not holy. They were seen passing away in A.D. 70. There are still heavens and earths which will also pass away. To be exact they are every kingdom that is not Christ's. Moreover, there are heavens and earths in every man and woman. And those kingdoms, of course, are defended at all cost. That's the way kingdoms are; yet they will fail at the advent of the King and the great white throne judgment. It will be a glorious event when they all, each and every one of them, are replaced by a new heaven and earth of righteousness, peace, and joy.
In the new heaven and new earth there will be many changes; for if we read further it will be made clear what is instrumental in bringing about those changes. It is the lake of fire, and notice what is found in the New Heavenly Kingdom once God's holy flame has done it's work: "...Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they (all of them) shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful" (Rev 21:3-5).
Being true and faithful are equivalent to the absolute. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can alter them. That which is true abides forever. You see, Jesus abides forever, and He is the Truth. All that is faithful likewise abides forever and can never pass away; for "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations" (Deu 7:9).
Men may try to prevent the true and faithful words which announce the end to all death and sorrow from coming to pass. They will teach against it and say it is not so, maintaning that only a small portion of the sea of humanity will enjoy such blessings. With egotistical pride they assume they can stop His words from becoming a reality by dogmatically refusing to believe them, especially if they can sway the masses into believing the same lie. And they will surely venture to dig up scriptures (dead letters) to prove their hardened stand. But neither mountains of teachings, all the unbelief in the world, nor a graveyard of scriptures can keep Christ's sure and faithful words from coming to pass. Praise God!
The Pharisaical leaders have for a short time put to death the Living word in some, as they did with Jesus. The power of darkness had its way, and those men and women of the night drove iron spikes of the law into the living words. They were buried deep into the saint's minds, as a great religious stone is rolled over its entrance, insuring that nothing could ever rise up in life. Dogmas, tenants of faith, doctrines of death, and sundry other religious factions were put as seals upon those individual stones. Every precaution was taken to keep the one who WAS alive secured in the grave. They knew not, of course, such life always IS, and is presently ministering to those in hell and leading them into the captivity of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is taking place inside the people. Moreover, He SHALL BE ever coming into the world in resurrection glory to save all that are lost. For He and His words are SURE and FAITHFUL, they are ABSOLUTE, and cannot be destroyed. They shake apart and bring to nought every temporal kingdom.
When our Lord told John that there would be no more tears, no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither would there be any more pain -- He had good reason for saying it! For with the New Heaven and New Earth -- THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY! He drove the point home by adding: "...Behold, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW. And He meant exactly that. With all things being made new, all the former things would forever cease for all mankind.
When He said that He makes all things new, do we really suppose He meant "all things" or "only a few", as some suppose and teach. I believe He meant what He said and He said what He meant. That should not be too difficult to grasp; but until blind eyes are opened, religious men will continue denying those sure and faithful words of our Lord.
I say religious men, for average men and women of the world have no trouble seeing this truth when it is presented to them. Their understanding of it may be on a natural level; but at least they can see more clearly than those who have been blinded by the (2)god of this age, whose sowing fields are largely in the world of religion. Religion and the devil go hand in hand. All in all, they are inseparable. There's not much else where we see this infamous foe working. In the Bible, religion seems to be his base camp and mode of operation -- and it certainly hasn't changed much since his first day of existence, if any. AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH
One of the masterful arts of the devil, Satan, Beelzebub (the dung god, or lord of the flies) has been to delude preachers into taking a straight word and twisting it completely around, or muddying a clear truth so it can no longer be penetrated by light. No wonder he is known as the dung god, he obscures and causes everything he touches to stink with the refuse of Adam. For instance, as we have already covered in Part 1 that the coming of the Lord in Matthew 24 took place in A.D. 70; but many today are declaring it to be a future event. Some have taught every year since 1988 that around September or October Jesus would appear and whisk the believers off the earth in what is called (3)The Rapture. Do you remember the book that started this wave of error? -- "Eighty-Eight Reasons to Believe The Lord Is Coming in 1988." Well, they were sorely disappointed; yet that didn't keep them from revising their charts and reasons, and have declared it just as loudly every year since. When will the people tire of that stench?
There may be some spiritual applications of Matthew 24 that point to some future event, or at least it can speak of serious dealings of God in people's lives. I won't dispel it completely; however, when we note Matthew 24:36, it is amazing how they can continue teaching such error:
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Mat 24:36). Yes, I am aware that Jesus in another place said that you would know the times and seasons. After almost a dozen years, I would say that both the times and seasons have long gone to be remembered only in the shameful annals of discord, disappointment, and confusion. Nevertheless, they continue promising a place in the sky; for it is a popular doctrine to the carnal-minded church folk, regardless of its invalidity.
Let us for a moment take the position of viewing this chapter as yet future. In doing so, let us see the context and setting by which it all happens. We will note our Lord's words and see how they turn everything back the way it was said, rather than wishfully supposed:
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall ALSO the coming of the Son of man be"(Mat 24:37).
He set the stage with that verse, and he continued with:
"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark" (Mat 24:38).
We will take a minute or two and see that there are two elements contending with one another. One is absolute, while the other is temporal -- in the days of Noah, and also the coming of the Son of man, whether past, present, or future. Everyone who was relative to these two men (Noah & the Son of man) were absolute, while those who were relative to the eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage were temporal.
It will be hard to miss this point if we read on and stay focused:
"And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Mat 24:39). Let me interject a question -- WHO was taken away? The temporal, those eating and drinking, etc.
I trust by now you already know what lies ahead; nevertheless, we will look at it just in case someone's mind wondered, or perhaps their pre-taught concepts caused them to miss the context of the above verses along with my short interjection. It is also hard to see clearly when religious colored glasses are worn.
ONE SHALL BE TAKEN AND THE OTHER LEFT
Keep in mind, as it was in the days of Noah when the flood came and carried them away, and, "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken (the one relative to the temporal), and the other left (the one relative to the absolute)" (Mat 24:40). Jesus was very clear to those who were the generation who would see all those things come to pass -- telling them to flee to the mountains when certain signs began to manifest. In so doing, they would be left. As history reports, not one Christian was swept away or lost their lives at the hands of Titus. They embraced Christ's absolute word as a true and faithful word, and they too became absolutely safe during that time of trouble.
On the other hand, all who were eating and drinking, all whose source of safety was in the natural, temporal realm of man, were carried away by the sweeping flood that overran Jerusalem.
If these verses can metaphorically be applied to our lives today, and I believe they can to a degree, what do they speak? What is the field wherein the two are working?
The field would be (4)the world that Jesus referred to in the parable of the sower. As recorded in Matthew 24, we see two workers today, one is sowing the Good Seed who are the Sons of the Kingdom. This sower represents those who have the Living Word of God's Kingdom. Their Seed will bring forth life and establish them in Christ. Being Good Seed, they are as their Father who is Good. But the tares, of course, are the sons of the wicked one.
Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that their father was the (5)devil, and that he was a liar from the beginning, and at no time had he ever stood in the truth. There is no indication whatsoever that He was implying that they were conceived by an adulterous relationship between Satan and their mothers. The conception that made them sons of the devil took place in the world of their minds. That was where the Sons of God were also conceived. The conceptions are spiritual and not physical.
The sons of the wicked one embraced the traditional lies that were handed down through the ages, and as they matured, those lies matured with them. Once of age, those hypocritical scribes and Pharisees compassed land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he was made, they made him twofold more the child of hell than themselves (Mat 23:15). Jesus minced no words in telling them who their father was, he who was a liar from the beginning. Their native language was that of lies. It came natural to them, and this is what their religion was built upon -- lies! And sadly, it has not changed over the centuries.
What a vast difference in what the two in the field of the world are sowing today. One is sowing the Good Seed of the Kingdom, bringing forth the Sons of God at the end of the age. The other is sowing lies that are raising up a mass profusion of religious tares who will be gathered and cast into the fire for burning. The first is the one who is joined to the Lord and is thereby absolute -- he is left. The other is relative to the facade, the temporal lie, and is taken away. He is not taken in the fabled rapture, mind you, but in judgment that will consume every lie and vestige of sin and evil that has disgraced him and the wheat-field world of religious hierarchy wherein he was raised.
"Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken , and the other left" (Mat 24:41). As with the two in the field, there are two at the mill grinding out the word. In this comparison, who could fault either for grinding, or preparing the word of the Lord for the hungry and lost of the world? The crux of the matter is whether they are preparing the Living Word that feeds the nations, or they are without the Spirit and grinding, sorting, sifting, and mixing the scriptures in a way that forms a lie. The latter is fodder for the religious minded sons of the devil.
The one who grinds out and is relative to the True and Faithful Word -- is left, while the one grinding out dead-letter lies is taken, and again -- she is not taken in a rapture, so called. Each, the sower and grinder of lies, have their seats reserved in the lake of fire; for ALL LIARS shall have their part in the lake of fire that burns with brimstone (Grk, theon - Godfire) (Rev 21:8).
Ah, but it is not at all as these liars teach, and they will be eternally thankful. For it is in the lake of fire where even they are brought to Godly sorrow that works repentance unto salvation. Not only for the good of the people are they taken away and cast into this lake that burns with the flaming presence of God, but it is for their good as well. It would be reprehensible for the God of Truth to allow even a single lie to remain forever anywhere in the universe. Therefore, every person whose relationship is with a lie will have their part in the lake of fire where all such death-inflicting things are dealt with and consumed.
It's all right to rejoice, brethren, and be glad in knowing there will be a good end for such hypocrites and liars. The best way I know to destroy your enemy is to make him your friend. Once that is done, he is no longer your enemy. Oh, the wondrous works of fire! It may be hard to believe the likes of the Pharisees could ever find a place in Christ. But take into account that although Jesus called them sons of the devil -- while hanging upon the cross, He also asked His Father to forgive them for they knew not what they were doing. And I am persuaded that His prayer was answered since He was always heard by His Father, and He would not have asked for something that was not God's will in the first place. Only one time, while in the Garden, did He ask, "...Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).
"I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left" (Luke 17:34 NRSV). Being in bed at night would speak of the night when no man can work, as Jesus related. It is also of a time of rest from the previous day's work, perhaps a rest from the labor of sowing and grinding out the word. Here we see the two resting. Neither are working. It is not the time to sow or grind. There is a time and season for everything, and during the hours of darkness no one is required to work. They are both resting in their comfortable bed of religion.
Why, we might wonder, would one be taken and the other left. Probably because one's religion is that of the Pharisees while the other is that of his Lord's. One is that of a lie, and the other is sure, faithful, true. Regardless of whether their religion is resting upon the Rock of Jesus or not, they both can rest in what they have. If you want to see what I mean, first go to an assembly where truth is flowing like a might river, and you will see the people are at rest in Christ. Then go to a church that is still teaching the lie of being snatched away and the remainder are "left" to burn in hell forever, and you will find them resting very well in it. Yet I can guarantee that their rest will not remain, for at the advent of the Son of man, it will pass away with the heaven and earth where they live. Rather than restful peace, there will much sorrow and anguish of heart.
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your (absolute) Lord doth come" (Mat 24:42). Although that hour is not known, those whose vision is set on the temporal things of the world, that which is natural, like the Jews in A.D. 70, their houses will be broken up (vrs 43) and they will be swept away.
The Sons of the Kingdom will be left to rule over the New Heaven and New Earth -- upon the earth. The old will have passed away and the New established. Jesus said it so no one could miss what He was saying. His words should leave no doubt in anyone's mind who would be taken and who would be left except, of course, the blind Pharisees whose father was and is the lying devil. Listen:
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season?" (Mat 24:45). The faithful and wise in Christ, the absolute, are the ones who remain and will rule on the earth(6).
The Son's in God's Kingdom will not to be flying up and away, and then returning. They are not be taken away to receive their plans on how to rule in God's Kingdom. The ones left already know the plans; for they have been living them. They know them by revelation and practical experience. Through many years of preparation, they have learned the plans. The plans are engraved into the very core of their being and are already in many ways ruling in the Kingdom. And those plans are simply doing and saying what they see and hear their Father do and say. It may not be evident to the sons of the devil; but that does not negate the reality.
Come on, people of fables -- get a vision, see the light, embrace at least a small vein of truth. Take off your religious shackles. It is time to wake up and cease from hearing and loving the lie, that fabrication which asserts that you are going to be going on a long vacation by being taken away in the rapture. The fact is, you will fry before you fly. Pardon the pun, please, yet it is true; for all liars and those who believe the lie and have not the love of the truth, will have their part in the lake of fire. Count on it! Relate to that lot and you will have a hellish time when you are taken away; but as I mentioned before, it will work to your ultimate good. That is the beauty of damnation. It corrects the wrong and sweeps away the refuse of lies (Isa 28:17-18). It brings a person to the crisis point, to the very brink of life and death. There is a critical breakdown of man's will, and God's will shall prevail who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (Eph 1:10-11 & 1 Tim 2:4)
Nevertheless, before that glorious hour, such sorrow will be known by those taken away. For He who is Absolute, He who shakes the temporal heavens and earth "...shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mat 24:51). Anytime people's kingdoms are removed (their heaven and earth), great loss is experienced. Weeping and grinding of teeth will be heard welling up from hurting souls. Tremendous sorrow will run deep due to the loss of their fallen kingdoms; but His word abides forever!
Continued...
Elwin R. Roach
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1. Ref. To Whom Are We Relative (Part 1) Pub. #99.118, heading -- KINGDOM OF GOD and KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
2. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Cor 4:4)
3. The Rapture Question available upon request.
4. "The field is the world; the good seed are the children (sons, Grk) of the kingdom; but the tares are the children (sons, Grk) of the wicked one" (Mat 13:38)
5. "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44, NIV).
6. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Rev 5:10).