The Days of Vengeance – Part Two

The Days of Vengeance

Part Two

“For these be the days of vengeance,
that all things which are written may be fulfilled”
Luke 21:22

Our Obedience and God’s Judgments

“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience,
when your obedience is fulfilled”
2 Corinthians 10:6

Jesus responding to the questions of His disciples concerning His return declared…

“But as the days of Noah were,
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”
Matthew 24:37

Our obedience must be fulfilled in order to release the judgment of God upon the children of disobedience. Just as the obedience of Noah released the judgment of God in His Day so must it be so in ours. Noah’s obedience was not only the catalyst which released God’s judgment on the earth, it was in fact also the very means of his deliverance. His completion of the work God gave him to accomplish was also God’s provision for him. May the Lord open our eyes to this essential truth for this hour.

“In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth,
the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife,
and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark…”
Genesis 7:13

The flood commenced upon the earth WHEN Noah entered the Ark, which was the fulfillment of His obedience to God in his day. Such is the testimony of God concerning Noah…

“Thus did Noah;
according to ALL that God commanded him,
so did he”
Genesis 6:22

Jesus said His return would be as it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37); as Noah had his portion of obedience to fulfill so do we.

“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? Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless”
2 Peter 3:12-14

Note: * The exposition of the Greek Word translated “hasten”

“…the transitive meaning, hastening on; i.e., “causing the day of the Lord to come more quickly by helping to fulfill those conditions without which it cannot come; that day being no day inexorably fixed, but one the arrival of which it is free to the church to hasten on by faith and by prayer” Vincent Greek Word Studies

“So taken, the thought of the Apostle is that the “day of God” is not immutably fixed by a Divine decree, but may be accelerated by the readiness of His people or of mankind at large” Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

“The preposition “unto” is inserted without authority. The second participle σπεύδοντας is followed directly by the accusative, and is evidently transitive. In the Septuagint Version of Isaiah 16:5, σπεύδων δικαιοσύνην represents the “hasting righteousness” of our translation (comp. Pindar, ‘Isthm.,’ 5:22, where σπεύδειν ἀρετάν means “to pursue virtue”). Here the translation “hastening” is most appropriate. The Father hath put the times and seasons in his own power; but as the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, so now he is “long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish;” and in his gracious mercy waits for the repentance of his chosen. St. Peter seems to represent Christians as “hastening the coming [literally, ‘presence’] of the day of God” by working out their own salvation…” Pulpit Commentary

“Hasting unto.—There is no “unto” in the Greek. The margin is probably right, hasting the coming—i.e., hastening Christ’s coming by holy lives…” Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

Why is it men and women of faith have long seen and understood this truth, yet in our day the day of slumber, God’s people have no understanding that it is their walk, their lives and the holy expressions of the Christ within them functioning and ministering unto one another is what hastens His return. The return of the Lord is not a spectator event, it is one in which we are to be partakers and participants of His Glory. When will we awake out of our slumber to arise unto fulfilling our call in His appearing?

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil…”
Ephesians 5:14-16

This is why Jesus said…

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no,
not the angels which are in heaven,
neither the Son, but the Father”
Mark 13:32

For Jesus is not only the seed which fell into the ground, He is also the harvest: HE Himself is the precious fruit of the earth in the lives of His people. God is returning for the harvest of a pure and holy people!

“Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until HE receive the early and latter rain”
James 5:7

Please consider the HE in this verse that we may understand the intent of God in this hour.

His Body is involved in HIS return. Let us take heed in this hour!

“…he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame”
Proverbs 10:5

Brian Troxel

The Days of Vengeance – Part One –

The Days of Vengeance

Part One

“For these be the days of vengeance,
that all things which are written may be fulfilled”
Luke 21:22

The last days are days filled with great suffering, unimaginable evil, unspeakable glory, vengeance and retribution. It is a time of the End of things as we know it and the beginning of New things filled with the Reign and Majesty of God. It is a day of endurance, faith, malevolent hatred, and overcoming love.

“Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another”
Daniel 7:2-3

The rising up of these great and evil beasts in the earth is the result of the Spirit of God striving upon the sea of humanity. These beasts are the influences and work of the principalities and powers of wickedness in high places. They ever seek to remain hidden from the eyes of the natural man, their work is insidious and pervasive in their dominion in the affairs of men. Their success in their evil ways is achieved by their staying unseen. It is God who forces these evil beasts into the light to the intent they may be judged.

“But all things that are reproved
are made manifest by the light”
Ephesians 5:13

In this day God is moving to bring the hidden things to light. He is allowing the full expression of Evil to be fully manifested to the end that it may be fully judged without remedy. The consequences of this Day are far reaching and the endurance required by the saints of God is well beyond the abilities of human strength and power. Even as Christ overcame through suffering and death so must the Church Triumphant overcome AS He overcame. The beasts that are rising in this day must arise for in the wisdom of God these things must be in order to fully manifest His wisdom, justice and power through His Church. The overcoming life of God in His people is to be displayed in the grand and terrible Day of the Lord.

“Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them…”
Daniel 7:19-21

The Church of Jesus Christ will be fully given over to the power of this beast for a season (as Jesus Himself was delivered over to wickedness) but the final verdict stands sure. The Last Day Church (the true church) must experience the full experiential identification with His death in order to know the fullness of His resurrection. Identification with His death is essential to the knowing of the power of His resurrection (see Philippians 3:10-11).

“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever”
Daniel 7:18

Why will the saints possess the Kingdom forever? BECAUSE…

“… the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom”
Daniel 7:22

The victory of the Church over the full expression of evil will be the great testimony of the power of God at work in His own. Their victory is in Him arising on their behalf to execute the judgement and the victory of Christ over all darkness.

The Day that is upon us must be faced by an overcoming people whose lives are no longer their own. They have found in Christ a grace which has so worked in them a freedom from their own will, their own ways and their reliance upon the strength and strategy of men.

There is within the ranks of His people in this day a movement to stop this rise of evil by political and carnal means but it will be to no avail. The rise of evil must come for it is in itself the very judgment of God upon the earth (every form of evil has within itself the seeds of its own destruction). The attack on the divine institution of marriage, the rise in sexual perversion and the growing resentment of the world upon all that is right and holy is the very expression of these things being allowed of God for His final victory.

In Romans Paul declares that the propagation of all sexual deviation and unbridled lust IS the judgment of God upon all nations.

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections…”
Romans 1:26
(Please read the whole context of this verse)

The reason God gives a nation over to these things is because they willfully and arrogantly refused the truth of God within their hearts. It is the great judgment of God on a people and nation.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened”
Romans 1:21

God’s judgment is already at work within our land. The rise of these things is the clear and evidentiary revelation that His judgments are upon us. The beasts are arising and will continue to arise until the Ancient of Days arises to cause the saints of the Most High God to possess the Kingdom. It is here in this environment where God will unveil a salvation which has been reserved for this Day.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls”
1 Peter 1:3-9

The Day of Vengeance is upon us to the INTENT that ALL things which have been written will be fulfilled. The Day of Vengeance will be completed and brought to its full end when God’s people have come to the fullness of total surrender and submission to Him whereas “they love not their lives unto death”.

To be continued.

Brian Troxel

A note of Thanks to Allan Halton for help on editing.

His Appearing

“When the LORD shall build up Zion,
he shall appear in His glory”
Psalm 102:16

God is a covenant keeping God. The reins of His dealings in His people are neither arbitrary nor random. He is a God of purpose and intent. It is always striking to me to hear people say that the Lord could return at any moment as if there were no real purpose in His timing. He is coming back for something specific and precious to Him.

“…to present her to himself as a radiant church,
without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish,
but holy and blameless”
Ephesians 5:27

The church which God is going to present to Himself is to be radiant, pure, and holy. The stains of selfishness, strife, division, and worldliness will be removed. She will be ONE in truth, love, and holiness. Her garments will not be wrinkled nor soiled. The members of this glorious body will have a fervent love one for another and there will be no schisms within those who have the faith of the Bride. Those who are not bothered by the division and the worldliness of the church today know little of either His return or His heart. Those not burdened to the point of speaking, praying, and admonishing His people to repent from their ways know not God! His return is predicated upon the fulfillment of the prayer of Jesus.

The Prayer of Jesus

God is not going to allow the prayer of His Son to go unanswered! The prayer of Jesus (John 17) will not fall to the ground unfulfilled. We are here to serve His purposes and desires; to walk contrary to these things is disobedience.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:
for the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and his wife hath made herself ready”
Revelation 19:7

Those who walk in the faith (the call) of the Bride cannot hold to evil thoughts about their brothers and sisters; they cannot gossip, speak evil, or withdraw themselves from others. Those who would be ready for Him must know of the burning and purifying required to walk in the white robes of His righteousness and grace. We are required to speak truth and present the Holiness of God to all. The declaration of His Holiness does not arise out of a perceived self-righteousness; it is simply because He who is Holy has called His people to be holy. People who see little are not troubled by the horror of the present day Church of God. They are so involved with their own “church” that they are blinded to the reality of God’s house.

How can it be that we can have our “own” church and our “own” spiritual agendas? Even in our “preaching of Christ” we secretly desire to bring men and women to our building, our organization and our ways. The hidden agenda to enlarge “our” church body reveals the carnality of self-seeking. The result of this worldly way of living is that we are divided against ourselves; an indictment of a people who have wandered far from the truth and power of HIS love in our midst.

Jesus prayed:

“That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”
John 17:21

Many religious people do not take the substance of this prayer seriously nor is it thought of in terms of actual fulfillment. The prayer of Jesus is given little consideration as to how we live and conduct ourselves within the household of faith. This Oneness for which Jesus prayed can only be known by “us being ONE IN HIM”. If I am in Jesus, I love His people; if I do not love His people, I do not know God.

“He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love”
1 John 4:8

Living outside a true knowing of God will leave an individual separated from the influence of the prayer of Jesus. Men take the knowledge of God’s Word and purposes as an intellectual formula but do not know the heartbeat or the power of His love within their hearts. They journey through life unaffected by the condition of His House. In stark contrast, the Bride makes herself ready for she feels the anticipation of being one with Him. Her aspirations are not born by some religious concept; she desires purity because she wants to present herself to Him. This spiritual betrothal is a real and living thing that beats within her heart; a hope that purifies.

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

Everyone that has this hope knows of this purifying! It is a day of separation of the wheat from the chaff, the wheat from the tares, and the Ishmaels from the Isaacs. The Day of the Lord is upon us and the life which we now live reveals the truth of our condition. Those who hold His heart and His faith are asking God to search out their hearts, repenting of the works of the flesh and the severing of relationships. There is a fire to speak the truth and to hold one another accountable in our walk with Him. There is a circumspect walk and a rising up of His Word within the hearts of those who know and feel that the day of His appearing is nigh; not waiting in faithless inactivity but cooperating with the burning of His Spirit within their hearts. They seek out others in whom the fire is burning “to provoke one another unto Love and Good works”.

The Father waits for the prayer of the Son to be realized within those whom He has called.

“Behold, the husbandman waiteth
for the precious fruit of the earth…”
James 5:7

It is He who is waiting for the full and rich harvest from the precious seed which was sown into the earth! The Day of the Lord is the Day of the Harvest. He is waiting for the fullness of Christ within His own. We cannot know God and have little or no concern for the welfare of the Body of Christ. Daniel saw the state of Israel and spent his time weeping and praying over their condition. Paul, Peter, Jude and others wrote and spent their lives beseeching His people to preserve the unity of the Spirit and hold fast to the love of God.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you… to walk worthy… Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all”
Ephesians 4:1-6

How do we walk worthily?
By endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit!

This is not about the organizations of men but about the One Body of Christ. To walk worthy of His heavenly call we must seek the welfare of His house! Without a burden for his house we are without His Heart.

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another”
John 13:35

A heart devoid of love reveals the indisputable fact that it is not a disciple of Christ. Love is the very signature of God in His own. Apathy is deception; it holds to His word but is bereft of the power and wonder of His Love for Him and one another.

Religion is comfortable with loving one another in word but the love of God calls us to a higher standard.

“My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth”
1 John 3:18

When the Church of God is pure, holy, and unified in the fervency and power of His Love, He will suddenly appear with unspeakable glory.

“It came even to pass,
as the trumpeters and singers were as one,
to make one sound to be heard
in praising and thanking the Lord…
that then the house was filled with a cloud,
even the house of the Lord
So that the priests could not stand
to minister by reason of the cloud:
for the glory of the Lord
had filled the house of God”
2 Chronicles 5:13-14

———————————–

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come”
Revelation 22:17

Those who are of the Bride speak the same word as the Spirit.

His Return

Note that there are many aspects of His return and his appearing will be according to a person’s relationship with Christ. To the wicked and evil of this world He will come as the Righteous Judge with retribution upon those who have not obeyed the Gospel. To the slothful servant who hid His talent in the ground He will judge and render a just recompense (Matthew 25:24-28). Those who kept their lamps burning by the oil of His Spirit He receives into the marriage feast (Matthew 25:10). To the foolish virgins the marriage feast is closed (Matthew 25:10). To those who knew His will but did not prepare themselves His coming will be accompanied by many stripes (Luke 12:47). His coming to each of us will be in accordance to the life we have lived not the doctrines we hold.

“Blessed is that servant,
whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing”
Matthew 24:26

“the Lord, whom ye seek,
shall suddenly come to his temple”
Malachi 3:1

Brian Troxel