God's Man Elijah

 Elijah-The Courageous Prophet

 Book of 2 Kings Chapter 1

 God's Prophet Elijah.

 The Hebrew name Elijah means "My God is Jehovah."

 We are all called to be Elijah's today.

 Elijah was a sight to behold. His hair hung down his back, and he wore a girdle of skin around his loins; sometimes, he placed a mantle over it.

 A mantle would normally be a sheepskin worn like a cape.

 We first meet Elijah when he confronts King Ahab of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

 We know that Elijah had gone to King Ahab with a message from Jehovah.

 1Ki 17:1  And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 

 Elijah then escaped the vengeance of Jezebel.

 1Ki 19:2  Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 

 God provided the needs of Elijah with this small brook while ravens brought him meat to eat.

 Next, God sent Elijah to Zarephath to the house of a widow woman where God prolonged her oil and meal until the drought was over and where Elijah restored the life of her son.

 God used Elijah on other occasions

 This is the Ahab who had as his wife Jezebel. Jezebel was the daughter of the king of the Zidonians whose name was Ethbaal.

 The name Ehtbaal means enjoying the favor and protection of Baal.

 Jezebel did everything she could to stamp out the worship of Jehovah.

 She was a wicked woman.

 She also had a daughter named Athaliah who married the King of Judah named Jehoram who was also the only woman who occupied the throne of Judah.

 We will see the great influence these two wicked women had on the children of Israel.

 Elijah was one of those people that if you ever met him, you would certainly never forget him.

 Elijah may be the weirdest figure among the prophets of Israel.

 One moment Elijah was a powerhouse for God and the next he was running for his life afraid of Jezebel because he had caused the death of her false priests who could not get their false god to cooperate with them.

 Jehovah had special patience with Elijah and now he was serving the Lord with passion again.

 It is probably three or four years or more before we see Elijah in our lesson today.

 *****2Ki 1:1  Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 

 As the tribes of Israel divided the Moabites came under the control of Jeroboam but they had revolted as they saw the weakness of Israel.

 King Omri of Israel regained control over them, and they were tributaries to King Ahab.

 They now saw weakness in King Ahaziah and revolted again against Israel.

 Ahaziah was another King of Israel who rebelled against the Lord God Jehovah.

 Jehovah then sends a rejuvenated Elijah.

 *****2Ki 1:2  And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 

2Ki 1:3  But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? 

 For some reason, King Ahaziah had fallen through latticework or a trellis work on a window or balcony in his upper chamber.

 This means it was probably not the flat roof of the house, but it was high enough to cause him serious trouble.

 His sickness was caused by the wounds he had received from the fall. Probably infection.

 We know that this is the son of Jezebel, and he follows his mother in requesting help from her false gods which of course could not help him.

 There was a noted chamber for Baal-zebub, the Lord of the Flies, at Ekron.

 In the New Testament the Lord Jesus Christ was accused of serving Baal-zebub by the Pharisees.

 Mat 12:24  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 

Mat 12:25  And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 

Mat 12:26  And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 

Mat 12:27  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 

Mat 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 

 Who in the world would go to the Prince of Dung, or the Lord of the Flies to seek medical help?

 This is why Jehovah said they became fools for turning away from the true God.

 This still applies today!

 We know that Elisha was often found on Mount Carmel where there was most likely a school of the prophets.

 It seems that Elijah may have also resided at this location.

 The city of Samaria had been built and made the royal residence of the King of Israel.

 We will even see that Samaria may be substituted and used as Israel for the kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel.

 Elijah met these messengers from King Ahaziah, and he asked them "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go and enquire of Baalzebub?

 This is a good place for us to learn about our Savior.

 If we consult with someone besides the Lord on important matters such as our health, we will never get the answer we seek.

 We will consult with doctors, but we should not consult with anyone until we have talked it over with the Lord.

 Elijah gave these men the answer that Baalzebub would give, there would be no healing of the King.

 Jehovah would certainly not heal him.

 *****2Ki 1:4  Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. 

2Ki 1:5  And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 

 No matter who you are, when you are sick or have been in an accident, causing bodily harm, you will want some help.

 Ahaziah was a man whose health was leaving him, and he knew it.

 He did not have a personal relationship with Jehovah, so he sent for help from a false god.

 Who in the world would go to someone called the “lord of the Flies” or the “prince of dung” and expect to be healed?

 Baalzebub seemed to be his only help which meant he had no one to help him.

 Deu_4:28  And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

 When we ignore Doctor Jesus, we deserve whatever calamity we are suffering because we dishonor Jehovah who only has the power to heal.

 He made us and He knows what makes us tick!

 God will vindicate Himself, in His own time before all unbelievers!

 Notice also that almost every human will seek some higher power when they are too weak to help themselves.

 Even atheism is a religion whether they agree or not. Even they believe in something!

 Like almost everyone on a sickbed, this king wanted to know how this thing would turn out. I know I did, and I know where I am going when I die.

 Jehovah is so much more than some fortune teller!

 Ahaziah may not have ever met Elijah, but he had heard of him through his father, and he knew that the things he said would come to be true.

 *****2Ki 1:6  And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 

2Ki 1:7  And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? 

2Ki 1:8  And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 

 It seemed to Ahaziah that the only way to stop the truth of Elijah was to kill him.

 It should be clear to us that anyone who rejects the LORD and turns to a false god is foolish.

 This is the biggest mistake that any person can make. All the world knows of the GRACE of the LORD even though they may not believe Him.

 All the leaders of false religion know they serve false gods all tied to Satan, the Devil.

 Those false gods have no life, no consciousness or power to help anyone so they are trusting fate.

 Jehovah has a love that no one understands for all the people on this earth, but He also has His requirements.

 Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

 God loves us all enough that He would never leave us in the dark, grasping and groping around to find our way in the dark.

 Jehovah tells us only the truth in a world that is full of lies.

 As time goes by, we see more and more of the truth of God come out into the open.

 He is the only God who can help us and meet our needs!

 In fact, Jehovah promises to meet all our needs!

 King Ahaziah had been duped by his mother and his father was a weak man who was controlled by Jezebel.

 Pro 1:24  Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 

Pro 1:25  But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 

Pro 1:26  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 

Pro 1:27  When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 

Pro 1:28  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 

Pro 1:29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

 Where Jezebel, his mother had failed Ahaziah hoped to succeed. He sent a captain of his army with fifty soldiers to hunt down Elijah.

 *****2Ki 1:9  Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. 

2Ki 1:10  And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 

 We should know that when Jehovah tells us something then we can rest that it is fact and unchangeable.

 If Ahaziah had repented, then Jehovah may have helped him, but to react with more stubbornness could not help him at all.

 Fifty soldiers seemed like an awful lot of men just to kill one man, but Jehovah would not have allowed a thousand soldiers to take Elijah on this day.

 It did not take long to find Elijah because he was not hiding.

 He may have hidden from Jezebel, but his confidence had been restored.

 We are only humans so, we can go through periods of weakness, but our strength is in the Lord!

 No one was going to force this man of God to be arrested unless he chose to do so.

 Fire came down from Heaven and destroyed this group of men.

 The king would try this again.

 *****2Ki 1:10  And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 

2Ki 1:11  Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. 

2Ki 1:12  And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 

 It should be very clear God allows us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace, but we had better not make demands when we get there.

 It should have been very clear to King Ahaziah that Jehovah was not going to help him. He had been offered Ahaziah a path to repentance and he rejected it,

 We should remember what God had said before He sent a worldwide flood.

 Gen_6:3  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man

 We may not know how many times we can reject the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit knows when He is wasting His time on us.

 Today we must understand that God's help will come from the places where He says we can find it!

 Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

 Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

 When God has spoken, He cannot then change His Word unless the sinner changes his ways!

 The only strength we have to change Heaven lies in our direct contact with Heaven through our prayers.

 This will not work if we have sin in our lives.

 Psa 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

 Another thing we must consider is that when God has told us to do one thing then we have no obligation to give in to the world.

 Elijah knew he did not have to come down off that mountain under the threat of some king.

 God will not do for one what He will not He will not do for another, and He will protect us in the same way as He did Elijah under the right circumstances.

 Elijah was a powerful prophet who had the ear of God!

 2Ti 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 Elijah called down fire from Heaven and fifty more soldiers and their captain perished.

 There is a proper way to approach the man of God!

 *****2Ki 1:13  And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. 

2Ki 1:14  Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. 

 Does God care about life?

 Isa 66:2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. 

 We can be sure that Jehovah holds our life in His hands!

 We already know that God loves all His creations, especially those made in His image, but God still insists that we believe what He has to say.

 Luk 13:1  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 

Luk 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 

Luk 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 

Luk 13:4  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 

Luk 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

 We seem to dwell upon all those who died in the Old Testament when we should concentrate on those who were spared.

 God loved us enough to send His only begotten Son to die in our place just so we can live with Him throughout eternity. How can the world say God has no love for life?

 The blood of Jesus was the full price for our salvation!

 Psa 49:8  (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

 Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

 There should be no doubt in our minds that God will receive each of us if we just believe what He says!

 There should also be no doubt that God will reject us if we refuse to be like Jesus Christ in valuing the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 Jesus came to save life and not to destroy life! Life is precious to our Heavenly Father!

 Now we may not know what Elijah would have said but we do know what this angel from Heaven said.

 *****2Ki 1:15  And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. 

 What is one of the jobs of angels? To comfort and assure God's people.

 Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 

Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 

Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 

 Angels will also watch over our children.

 Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

When we are in the will of God, He will protect us even from corrupt governments.

It works best for us when we go boldly to the Lord at any sign of trouble.

We can ask great things of God if we do it properly.

God loves us so whatever happens to us is the concern of our Heavenly Father!

No matter the trial or the temptation, the hardship or the misfortune He will not allow us to go through these things alone.

Elijah did not need to fear this armed guard or King Ahaziah.

What was God's message to this king?

*****2Ki 1:16  And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

There is only one escape from the "judgment" of God, and it is through the blood of Jesus Christ!

Sin causes death!

The things we get the most from the Old Testament are God's holiness, God's justice, God's righteousness, and God's severity against sin stands out.

Elijah was God's messenger to King Ahaziah, and he had no malice against this king, he simply gave him God's message and the reason why.

We can be sure that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will never change just because people do not want to hear it!

Psa 1:5  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 

Psa 1:6  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 

King Ahaziah died just as the Lord had said. He never came off his sickbed.

Amen

The God of All Comfort

The Comforting Presence of God

Isaiah 41

We should ask ourselves what does "Freedom" mean to us?

According to the dictionary "freedom" is being exempt from the power and the control of another.

So, in this case, are any of us truly free?

We have freedom of will and choice but each of these things have consequences, we must answer to.

We have a book of freedoms here in America but it seems that most Americans desire to give those freedoms up and allow the government to decide their freedoms, what fools are we raising in our homes!

God says, none of us are free because we are all slaves to sin!

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So, in the process of having a personal relationship with God we must become free from sin!

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This can only be done through Jesus Christ!

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Isa 49:25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

The Lord Jesus Christ is all about salvation!

Let's begin with verse 10:

*****Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Understanding the salvation of the Lord should also cause us to understand the chastisement of the Lord and "this must always be remembered" because it is also the reason for the "Judgment of God"!

Our sinful behavior is what causes so much of the destruction of life and property and the pollution of the environment in our world.

God judges us from a heart of love and compassion. God seeks to save us from harming ourselves and others.

Exposing these things to us should cause us to repent. Some will and some will remain foolish!

Life is not easy for anyone if we regard the external conditions of this world. Even the rich have their problems including the problems of sickness and death that we all have!

But, we should all clearly understand there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God!

Rom_8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If we can understand the love of God, then we can also begin to understand why we need to believe Him! It’s called "Faith".

Faith is the conscious that God is there and that His presence is the complement of every need!

Faith recognizes the reality of true choice, that God will enter into a covenant that cannot be dissolved by any outside source and God cannot be overcome even by any heavenly source.

Faith knows, that this Loving God has a purpose in everything that comes upon us!

Faith is the reality that chastisement can teach us things that nothing else can!

Therefore, we have no reason to fear because the Lord is always as close as the next breath.

We truly have a God that will stand in a tender relationship with each of us, as He so well puts in this Scripture.

Notice also in this Scripture that God is not speaking to the world, God is speaking to His chosen people, but He is spiritualty speaking to all people!

God does not live in the same time scale that we do, so He can protect us in the here and now, just as He was saying to these Jews!

All believers need the assurance that God is with them every moment of their life just as God states here!

God says to never fear the things we face day by day. In fact, God has not given us the spirit of fear at all.

2Ti_1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

With God's power at our request, God's love always, and the sound mind of "Faith", why would we ever be afraid of what this world can do to us?

All these things should teach us to cling to Christ Jesus and never releasing our grip for He will never release His grip!

Once we have been accepted by the Lord and our sins forgiven we can never be bound by sin again!

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Our enemies and those who become our enemies, because we love Jesus Christ are nothing in the eyes of God.

*****Isa 41:11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

Now, these Jews had given up their idols, and their worship of those idols and returned to the Lord.

Those that cling to their idols then became their enemies, they were "incensed" against them.

As Christians, we face this same thing. Many of our friends in a sense have become our enemies just because we have become a child of God.

God says they will be ashamed and confounded.

Their idols will not be able to help them!

They will not be able to defend their worship of those idols!

Today, the world's idols become riches, political power and military strength and these also will be ashamed and confounded.

These modern-day idols are nothing compared to the power of Jehovah God!

Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Many historians have written of the fall of Rome but the truth of the fall of Rome is because of the persecution of God's people.

If you look at our world today, you will see nation after nation fall, because of the persecution of God's people!

The Bible speaks of a revived Rome, not Rome itself but a league of nations like the Roman empire and it will also fall for the same thing, the persecution of God's people!

*****Isa 41:12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

Even today, Israel has cause for fear because they are surrounded by their enemies but God says that they that war with the Jews, shall be as nothing. "because they will be destroyed"

But this includes more than just those foreign military:

1) It would include all those who are angry with the Jews.

Those who are angry are all those who resent God's people and are inflamed by their actions.

2) Including those who have strife with the Jews.

Strife would include all those who envy God's people in everything they accomplish.

3) Including those that conflict with the Jews.

Conflict includes all those who are in direct opposition to the Jews and are on a violent collision course with them. "Certainly, all the Arab nations" but also others.

4) And those who are at war with the Jews.

War is then an actual contest between God's children and the evil of this world we live in.

God says the punishment for these things is:

1) Some would be covered with shame.

2) Some would perish.

3) Some would not be found.

4) Some would be as if they never existed. (Nothingness)

Psa 37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Psa 37:36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Job 8:13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

And why are these things so true?

*****Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

We see that God offers His personal help.

God loves to get personal with those who want it that way!

Only Christianity can say this about Jehovah, the Living God!

The truth must come from God who is a Living God!

The truth is, that God will only help in the right way!

The way of righteousness is not always the most pleasant way but it is always the safest way to live.

The children of Israel had departed from the right way and if they sought to satisfy their flesh they could not expect help from God.

We know that God does not ever change so why would we think He would do different today?

The way of holiness, is also the way to Heaven but this is so strange to someone deep in sin but no progress can be made without a guide.

The Lord Jesus is that guide sent from Heaven to hold our hand until we get home!

This is a covenant, a guarantee, a promise, that only the Lord can make AND KEEP!

Notice the closeness, God will hold our hand! This is way of parents to a small child who would get lost if not for holding to that hand but it is the parent’s responsibility and not that of the child, once that child is "Born" into the family!

Then God conveys this same thought to the children of Israel.

*****Isa 41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

To be a redeemed child of God, we must first realize our own weakness to save ourselves, because it is impossible!

To fear not, shows that we are afraid in this world we live in.

We must understand, God will not hold the hand of those who travel in their own strength!

What are worms in this passage?

If we go back to the days of the Jews escaping from Egypt we know that God fed them with the Manna and some would try to gather enough in one day that would last for several days. God would not allow this and that manna would become worms or today we would say maggots and it would stink horribly.

God is not so much saying these Jews were maggots or that they had a terrible odor but simply that the children of Jacob were in terrible, stinking, disobedience, that could only lead them to eternal death, just as all those who reject the Word of God today!

The children of Jacob were supposed to be the blessed of God!

Jacob was a worm in the eyes of all people but Jacob then became Israel but are now still worms in the eyes of the world.

Today there are many Christian worms in the eyes of true believers and we as Christians, we are no more than worms in the eyes of this world of unbelievers.

But God loves His worms because He is our Lord but more important He is our "Redeemer"!

We may not like being a worm in the eyes of mankind but we know we are no more than worms when we refuse to give up those pet sins.

Psa_22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

To be real honest it may be an insult to the true worm, for a dirty, worthless, corrupted, sinner to use its name!

Job said:

Job_17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

When we understand what we are, (no more than a worm) it makes us desire better things and nothing is better that a personal hand holding relationship with the Lord!

Those who reject being worms but still speak in the worms’ language and remain unclean, can never be redeemed by the Holy One of Israel!

The truth is, a worm is always exposed to danger, the next footstep could end its life or it could become the bait to attract another evil, again causing its death.

What does God say to His disobedient children?

Deu 28:39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.

But God has plans for those who repent even for the children of Israel!

*****Isa 41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

Isa 41:16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Here evil is considered to be a mountain, something large and occupying a large area.

God said He would take His "redeemed" Jewish worms and make them a "new" sharp threshing instrument that "shall" thresh those evil mountains.

We know this has not taken place yet but remained in their future, maybe in this age we are in now.

When the "good" of God threshes the "evil" mountains of this world, then the Lord will join His people on this earth for 1000 years and after this eternity.

By the way, those mountains are all those who have set themselves against Israel and against the Church.

We can see that this is the mystery of "Grace". (God's Riches At Christ Expense).

Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

Psa 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

Psa 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

We must remember, it was the job of the Lord to buy back the property that belonged to God.

The Lord is that "Kinsman Redeemer" following the law of God!

Lev 25:48 After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:

Lev 25:49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.

This was not to be an earthly redeemer.

Rth 3:12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

The Lord is the nearest of all our kinsmen because He is our Creator!

It is only our "Redeemer" who is the greatest of all mountains.

Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

And the wind will carry all the chaff away and the whirlwind shall scatter the remains of the threshing floor no longer to be found on this earth.

And God will care for all those, His children that remain!

*****Isa 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Isa 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

Isa 41:19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

Isa 41:20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

We know that the Lord provided for His people while they were in captivity in Babylon but this Scripture reaches far beyond this image into the Millennial Kingdom.

As Christians, until the Lord returns we are as a barren wilderness, seeking a greater measure of "Grace" and "Knowledge" and increasing our spirituality and becoming more complete.

We also see a world that is growing more and more in its lust of the flesh and rejection of the Word of God.

The Lord assures us that we will not be disappointed in the objects of our desires. The Lord will hear all our cries!

Everyone is poor when compared to the riches of Heaven and even that is not in riches as seen in this world but much greater things than these.

Water here means the influences of the Holy Spirit which cannot come while we live in our own sin.

Sinners all over the world seek a physical high that cannot be obtained except by the Holy Spirit so they are never satisfied!

The truth can only be found in the Word of God.

Isa_34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

When the Lord returns those, who have felt the barrenness of this life will be watered by the unlimited blessings of God.

God will provide refreshment for the souls of His people!

Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Isa 61:11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

God will also supply the material things as this world after the devastation of war will be restored as it was in the first days of Adam!

Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isa 43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

We know of all the deserts in Israel and all the lands adjacent to Israel and around this world but each one of them will be transformed into an oasis with a grove of beautiful trees.

The "Grace" of God will be seen throughout this world during the Millennial reign of Christ and no one will be able to doubt the truth of God!

The object of these miracles of God, is a demonstration of the "creative power" of the true God!

Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Isa 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

All the things the Jews went through in all the years up to the time of Nebuchadnezzar happened because they had turned away from God and worshipped idols.

After their 70 years of captivity in Babylon they were still not a perfect people, none of us are, but they put down the idols and have not been a nation of idol worshippers again!

Then God says to "state your reasons" why you remain in sin.

God says, "present your case" for still worshipping false gods.

*****Isa 41:21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

Isa 41:22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.

Isa 41:23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

We should understand that God has the power to prove He is God at any time.

But we should also understand that God is not in competition with any other god because no other god exist.

God says, present your case for worshipping man-made gods!

God means if your false god can prove itself then He will allow you to worship it.

These are people that hate the Living God but love this world just as it is, what a shame!

They are influenced by things that are only temporary and seldom have any desire for things that are unseen and eternal.

They live in the, "here and now"!

They have an unwillingness to even consider such things and hate those that do believe.

God says bring forth your strong reasons which means, show your proof.

The world is forever saying that Christians are insane to believe in Jehovah God and they say where is the proof.

The proof is readily available but it is denied and rejected.

God says where is your proof, because He knows they cannot prove the existence of man-made gods!

The only thing that non-believers and the worldly minded can do is, to sit and take pleasure in trying to destroy Christianity! So, they stay with their false gods of pleasure.

There are also those who say they believe but the only thing they do is blame a Holy God when they have not obeyed even the simplest of God's commands. So, they stay with their false gods who gives them no commands to follow.

They will say, "my life is not right", "my position is not safe", "I do not get what I want" and God will never bless those that blame Him for their problems and life's obstacles that happen to everyone else. So, they stay with their false gods, never believing God will provide our needs and go with us through all life's obstacles and problems.

And then there are these of the last days, days which we are in now:

2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

God says how many of you have a God, besides Jehovah, that can show the world what will happen in the future as Jehovah does, but is denied.

God says how many of you have a God, besides Jehovah, that can show the world what He has done in the past, as Jehovah does, but is denied.

God says how many of you have a God, besides Jehovah, that has explained the only logical way our created world came to existence, but is denied.

God says how many of you have a God, besides Jehovah, that can explain life after death, and the truth of the human body, mind, and especially the soul, which is denied.

God says, who else besides Jehovah, has written all these things down for the world to see, and so the world can be warned, besides Jehovah and even this is denied!

God says show Me the things that have been written or predicted, or said by any false god and let’s see if they are true or if they come true.

And God responds:

Isa 43:9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.

Isa 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

God also says those who are blind and those who cannot hear, no more about the truth than those who worship idols they have made themselves.

2Co 4:4 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.

So, God says:

*****Isa 41:24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

God says the silence of all idols prove they are nothing!

God says there is no proof of any work that has ever been done by any false god.

God says it is only Satan, the abomination of this world who has chosen these people who deny the one true God!

An idol is anything that comes between us and God and they are all abominable, detestable, and filthy in the sight of Jehovah God!

God alone has the power to control history.

God alone has the power to predict history and God is always 100% correct.

God alone has said to these of that day that He would send a messenger to proclaim the "Good News" of salvation before the end times come.

And God finishes with these words:

*****Isa 41:29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Both idols and those who worship idols are nothing in the sight of God.

God ask many times why would someone worship something that provided no benefit at all?

Only emptiness and confusion can come to those who deny the Living God!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Fall of Nineveh

The Fall of Nineveh

Book of Nahum Chapter 1

We have been seeing that the armies of Sennacherib, the King of Assyria had become the dominate power in the known world now until God clipped their wings.

We should understand that Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria now and God had also prophesied of the downfall of Nineveh.

This is another thing that the people of Judah should have understood.

While Isaiah was speaking to King Hezekiah of the victory to those who trusted in the Lord.

The prophet Nahum was speaking of the destruction of Nineveh.

We must also remember the Prophet Jonah had preached in Nineveh and the whole city had turn to the Lord but by this time they had reverted to their old ways and were led there by their own government.

Far too often, when people talk about God, they ignore His "justice" and His "judgment" and speak only of His love.

This is a dangerous thing to do because, God is not only a "loving" God, God is also a "just" God!

The truth is, it is God's love for all believers and those who trust in Him and His Word, that will cause the "Judgment" of God to fall on those who do not believe in His existence and who reject the Word of God.

And they seem to forget that God loves His Holy name and everything His name stands for, which is love, joy, peace, righteousness, and holiness.

God will therefore execute vengeance on all those who reject, ignore, neglect and curse His Holy Name!

As we go through this lesson, we can be sure that in "typology", Nineveh is a type of all those who rebel against Jehovah, our God.

Let's begin:

*****Nah 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

We know that God spoke to His prophets in many ways, to Nahum, God used visions.

That word burden in this passage means, these Scriptures are a message of doom to Nineveh and as I said this message is also intended for all those who rebel against the Lord.

Now, Nineveh was the capitol city of Assyria and remember Assyria is oppressing Judah as Nahum receives these visions from the Lord.

So, Nahum is saying, this Book of Nahum is a Book of Visions given to him by the Lord.

We already know, the words of God's prophets were as God speaking Himself!

An Elkoshite was anyone who came from Elkosh and not much is known of this place or it's true location.

So, let's witness the visions God gave to Nahum.

*****Nah 1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

It is a fact that our God is a jealous God!

In our relationships with the opposite sex, we find that "jealousy" is one is one of the strongest passions of our nature!

When we see, these things written of the Lord, this word is used as an illustration, rather than expressing the emotions His divine mind.

The Lord presents Himself as the Husband of the Church and the Church as the "Bride of Christ".

We can see, it is the Lord's desire to maintain the purity of the relationship between Himself and His Church.

The emotions of "Love" can make us all selfish in keeping that one we love, for ourselves.

The "jealousy" of the Lord is in fact a Godly jealousy.

The "jealousy" of God is awakened by the long-continued injuries inflicted of the people of God!

The fact is, God is love but God is also just and those that God has already justified are His as His children and God will avenge any harm to His children!

There can be no "true love" without "justice" and God is always ready to defend His honor and His family!

We can be sure God is working behind the scenes to stop those causing harms to His people but for the most part God may withhold His hand of vengeance for a time, as He does now, until He returns to settle all things. He reserves His wrath for His enemies! Which means He is watching and waiting until He has had enough of this abuse of His children and no one else will repent of their sin.

We all know, to withhold anger will only it to grow and grow until it must be released.

We should clearly understand that the destruction of Assyria was God's doing and Assyria no longer exist as a nation.

Nineveh was established by Nimrod and then became the capitol of Assyria in the time of Sennacherib and Assyria ruled the Near East for more than 65 years until about 612 BC when until Babylon destroyed it and later the Medes and the Persians.

The Assyrians were a cruel, and oppressing and a murderous people, whose leaders were greedy and ambitious to expand their kingdom.

Countless multitudes of other evil people were slaughtered and mutilated by the Assyrians and any survivors were made slaves.

In our lesson, we will see that God had reached a point where He could no longer tolerate this evil nation, as He did the Canaanite and we should see this as an example of the return of Christ when God has had enough of this evil world.

The people of Nineveh were far beyond repentance and returning to the Lord and the Lord always know these things!

We should also see that the prophet Nahum had the message of God's last warning to these people and their last chance to repent.

Eze 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

This is a great burden to the Lord God because He has no pleasure in having to do these things,

Eze 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

The jealousy of God is not built on envy, God cherishes who He is and protects His possessions as any good husband and father should do.

God demands worship, praise, and service by His people but they must willingly offer these things, not out of fear but out of love and God will not accept any rivals for this affection to Him!

Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Common sense should tell us all, that God will have to carry out His vengeance and justice to all those who reject Him!

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

God must obey all His Written Word or we would not be able to trust any of His Word and He has no problem in doing this!

Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

God shows great patience now but that patience will come to an end one day soon and God's wrath will be seen!

*****Nah 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

It is a fact that God's patience is the only reason evil people and evil nations can continue in their evil ways and why is God like this?

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Longsuffering is the same as patience!

God delays His judgment but the truth is God will never (not at all) acquit the wicked!

Notice how God's lips move quickly when He promises but move more slowly when He is warning.

When God warns, He is very slow to sentence, allowing every possible moment for repentance.

We all know the sentence against every sinner, is death.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is slow to carry out this sentence even though sin is an abominable thing to God. God hates sin!

God is right to do anything He pleases at any time He so desires!

Remember when all those that have refused to repent and return to the Lord, stand at the White Throne of Judgment, they will be without an excuse and they can in no way blame the Lord for their demise!

The Lord has great power and this includes great power over Himself to carry out that sentence of death. It takes much power to restrain the Almighty God and only He has that power within Himself.

None of us should forget, that God has never, even one time, pardoned an unrepented sin!

The greatest exercise of God's patience is found in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross!

Notice God will warn before He strikes and He warns so that maybe He will not have to strike!

Now God does not travel around using these powerful storms as a vehicle of travel. Nor are these storms created by His presence.

BUT the earth is God's footstool to do with as He pleases. We are all in fact, God's creation!

We have a great example of these things in the time of Noah.

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Are the clouds the dust of God's feet?

We know that the earth is God's footstool and the Earth is made of dust, the same dust the we are made of. Scientific discovery has confirmed that the clouds owe their glory and their beauty and even their existence to the presence of dust particles in the atmosphere. The liquid vapor condenses on the particles and then become visible. So yes, the clouds are certainly the dust of God's feet!

What did Jesus Christ say?

Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

And again, in the Book of Revelation

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

And of course, that is not all as Nahum describes the return of Christ.

*****Nah 1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

We should clearly understand, God's power is absolute, limitless and inexhaustible and works everywhere within His created world!

No one and nothing else, will be able to stop the wrath of God, when He decides it is time!

We know of God's works in the air and now we see God's works in the sea. We can see that God says look what He has already done to the Red Sea and the River Jordan for examples.

Amo 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:

In the time of Nahum, Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon were the most fruitful places in all of Palestine but their growth depended entirely on the results of God's power over the rain.

We must understand, nature is alive but not by any power of its own. All the forces of nature are by the personal energies of the Lord!

And that's not all:

*****Nah 1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

God is not the cause when that tornado destroys your home.

God is not the cause when that earthquake destroys a city.

God is not the cause when those bad things happen in nature.

BUT, we should be aware that God has absolute control over nature and nature will be used when God brings His wrath on the disobedient of this world. To be honest, nature has no choice in this matter, "the earth will melt in the presence of God" because of His Glory.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

So, in truth, who on this earth has the power to stop the wrath of God?

*****Nah 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Those that reject God and reject the Word of God live by one option, they reject the existence of God, so they are not concerned about His return.

But those who know there is a God because the works of creation prove it, are truly foolish if they do not repent and return to the Lord.

The Word of God is the truth and God's warnings are real!

God's fury will be poured out like fire! We already have the example of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or like the molten lava from a volcano.

Jer 7:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

And notice, those rocks and those mountains are thrown down by God Himself or we should say in His presence.

Assyria resisted the truth of God with a 200,000-man army and God dispatched one Angel who could have destroyed them all, but then there would have been no witnesses to tell others of the Mighty God of Israel, Jehovah God so, only 185,000 were destroyed and 15,000 witnesses to tell the truth of the Holy One of Israel!

When the Lord is our protection, we are safe and God knows all those that belong to Him and who have answered His call!

*****Nah 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Repeatedly we see that the wrath of God will not fall upon those that have repented and returned to the Lord.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

There are many reasons to repent and return to the Lord better than this one, because there are too many benefits of being a child of God to mention here, but this one must be counted also.

We can draw much comfort knowing that Christians will not go through the seven years of tribulation on this earth but God will remove His Church before this period begins!

It is certain that God will offer more help to the poor and oppressed than He does the rich but rich or poor. God will only offer His shelter and protection to those that trust in His name and in His Word!

It is that same presence of God that causes utter destruction that protects those that love Him. Just as in the Jews escape from Egypt, "we are covered by the blood and not just any blood but the blood of the Lamb of God.

Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

True believers walk with the Lord and just like Enoch, before the wrath of God we, in a sense, will all just walk on up to Heaven in His Glory, when God calls out His church.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Just after the time when God removes His Church, this world will see the wrath of God!

*****Nah 1:8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

Nah 1:9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

Nah 1:10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

As God affords His protection to the max for those who love Him, those that remain will see God's wrath to the max!

Eze 7:8 Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.

Eze 7:9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.

Eze 7:10 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

We know that God put an end to Nineveh and God will do the same to this world we live in!

God's goodness demands that He carry out a perfect "Judgment" upon those who have rejected Him!

God's people must be vindicated or God would not be the God that He claims to be!

There are great plots to destroy the message of God and the messengers of God throughout this world and even in America.

BUT, any attack of God's people is a direct attack on God Himself!

**God will put an end to all plots against Him, when the Lord Jesus returns to establish God's Kingdom!

Many Christians suffer persecution and are refused many things, while if they refuse an unbeliever, they are punished.

**God will put an end to all those who cause trouble for God's people when the Lord Jesus returns, He will rule with a rod of iron!

God will put an end to the pain God's people suffer in this world!

We may not have the thorns such as grow in Palestine but when you are walking through the brush and a thorn bush grabs your clothing it takes a few moments to get yourself free and move on.

God said His enemies will be as drunkards caught up in a thorn bush, unable to free themselves. They and the thorns are like worthless brush fit only for burning.

Mal 4:1 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.

Yes, it's true that great thorn hedges were planted in such a way to protect the sheep from predators and the King of Assyria felt like his great city walls offered that same protection from his enemies and Nineveh was considered impenetrable. So, the soldiers would have drunken feasts when attacks came rather than prepare for defense, since no army have ever entered Nineveh.

Babylon seized upon this foolishness and after Nineveh became Babylon, Cyrus and the Medes proved this to be the downfall of Babylon which was Nineveh. In typology, this is what the Lord is describing for those who reject His warnings and think they can protect themselves from the wrath of God!

Mat 24:38 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 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

In truth God cannot build His Kingdom until all the brush has been removed!

There are always those who plot against the Lord!

*****Nah 1:11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.

It is probable that Nahum was referring to Sennacherib that imagined such evil against the Lord but the fact remains that whoever is considered by the prophet, is a picture of Satan.

In the end, those who have followed Satan will find Him to be a worthless counselor!

We can see an example here of how foolish it will be for anyone to enter a conflict with the Lord!

Rom_1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

The Lord put a stop to Sennacherib.

The Lord has put a stop to many wicked rulers.

The Lord will put a stop to Satan! Satan is not God's equal, he is only a tool in the hands of God!

*****Nah 1:12 Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

Corrupt rulers most often bring ruin to their own nations.

In Hebrew, that word "quiet" means complete. No doubt the military of Assyria was well trained and battle hardened and they were complete in their ability for warfare. They were organized. They were disciplined. They had the proper equipment. That had many, they were an overwhelming force for any nation to overcome.

The Lord says even though this military was all these things, they would be cut down, they would be destroyed.

The Lord warns all those who rebel against Him, including all so-called powerful nations, they will cut down and destroyed when the Lord returns.

When that "one" Angel passed through the Assyrian army 185,000 were cut down.

Though the Lord had allowed these Jews to be afflicted by these Assyrians, He would not allow it to continue anymore!

*****Nah 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

We should know that the affliction on God's people was due to God's discipline for rebellion!

God used this wicked king and his nation Assyria, to be the agent of this discipline.

We see this repeatedly in the Old Testament, and we can be sure God does the same today, not only to Israel but to other nations as well! "Wake up America"

Judah had paid tribute to Assyria from the time of King Ahab and sent presents to the king since the time of Kind Ahaz and were in bondage by the Assyrian army, the most powerful military of that day.

God is saying that He would remove this yoke of Assyria from Israel forever and we know that Assyria no longer exist as a nation!

In "typology" this should remind us that the Lord Jesus Christ has set each believer free from the bondage of Satan forever and after God is through using Satan for His agent of discipline, Satan will be put away, so we can consider that he will no longer exist. "This time gets closer with every passing day"!

Those Ninevite, by seeking to destroy Israel, would only cause their own destruction.

Again in "typology" we can see this happening in our world today, as the wicked followers of Satan try to destroy Christianity and Israel, they are only hastening their own destruction!

We must understand that the discipline of the Lord is used to cause rebellion to cease from His people. When we seek the Lord, we are very aware that we must put away all sin in our lives or the Lord will not hear our prayer.

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

God will use whatever agent it takes to correct us and in most cases, it will be sinful people, but it can also be disease, or finances or sadly He may take away someone we love.

We can see that it is our own sin that can destroy our families and others we love!

God only disciplines us because He loves us!

Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

In our discipline, God is fulfilling a promise He has made to us.

The Lord has promised to deliver us from the things that bring us into bondage in this life!

These include alcohol, drugs, foul language, even gluttony, and we must include all manner of sexual sin. Not only fornication and adultery, but also homosexuality. Sin is sin and God must deal with all sin that becomes a yoke of bondage in our life!

Through Jesus Christ the power of sin can be conquered along with the power of death!

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

"wake up world"

What did God promise Israel?

*****Nah 1:14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

Nah 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

God first addresses the Assyrians:

1) The Assyrian people would become extinct and we know that this has happened.

In "typology" we must understand that one day God will remove all unbelievers from this world.

2) In the middle of his house of worship, even among all the false gods of Sennacherib, God would take his life.

We know that two of the sons of Sennacherib murdered him as he worshipped in the place of his idols.

We see that sin destroys families!

3) We see that Sennacherib was certainly a type of the Antichrist because God said he was vile.

God said this man was useless, "he was weighed in the balances and found wanting".

Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

The truth is, all those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ will face the "judgment" of God and because they are "vile" their names will be removed from ever existing, their names will not appear in the Lamb's Book of life!

God guarantees the destruction of all evil in this world and none will be allowed in the New World to come!

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

God then turns His attention to Judah.

The purpose of God's vengeance is to bring freedom and freedom of worship to His children!

God gives us the picture of a messenger racing over the hills to bring the good news that the enemy has been destroyed.

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

It is time for Judah to get back to the worship of their Savior. To perform the vows, they had made to the Lord. They could enjoy the peace that the Lord had provided. They had been delivered once again!

God promises each of us peace and He will deliver!

That peace of God can come only through Jesus Christ!

When we trust the Lord Jesus Christ as our Deliverer and our Savior we are to become faithful and consistent worshippers!

When we make a vow to the Lord, God expects us to keep it!

After we all we should all have the same understanding and the same goal!

Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psa 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Psa 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Questions?

Let's Pray!