The Days of Vengeance – Part Two

This is from the blog A Word in Season:

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 (the selfsame day!) 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