Be Forewarned

Isaiah 2:12-22

The Church in the United States of America and maybe in your nation, has little fear of God, they preach about the God of love; and ignore the God who is just who will bring judgment on His own first, and then the non-believer.  This should not surprise us, for in 2 Timothy 4:3, we were given this word: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”  This I’m sure of, in my life time we are moving as a nation to teachers and preachers who are great orators, people enjoy hearing them, but the message has no conviction, it’s man word to man, void of the power of the living Christ.

Isaiah was shown this in a vision, a time when God has set “a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up – and it shall be brought low.” (Isaiah 2:12) 

As you read Isaiah 2:12-17, it is clear that man becomes arrogant and prideful when experiencing God’s blessing, as did the people of Judah, and God’s people were the object of His anger in these verses.  It is without any doubt that “The Day of the Lord” ultimately is the finial judgment, but God’s temporal judgment or punishment of His people is to bring them back under His authority.  So was the case of Lebanon and Bashan, whose lands were very fertile with impressive trees, and they began to trust in the blessing more than in the One who blesses.  Has anything like this happened in your life, has God gifted you in such a way, and you have become prideful and arrogant? 

When we see Jesus, He is not returning to this earth as the Lamb, but the great and mighty warrior, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lord’s.  Do you recall the apostle John’s vision of Jesus’ return? “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11-16, ESV)

Is it any wonder why they cast away their idols, be forewarned, if you are not in Christ, you will also on that day, it will be a day of terror for all who have not bowed their knee to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Those who are on the earth on that day will see the splendor of His majesty, and Isaiah tells us He is coming to terrify the earth.  Isaiah also tells us the people will try to hide in caves.  If you have put your trust in a man, and maybe it is in yourself, please ponder verse 22.  “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice