Escape For Your Life
THE EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT AND FINAL CLEANSING
2 Peter 3
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 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.
Many have forgotten the reality of the Biblical flood. Even Christians try to explain it away as being merely a parable. Noah, they maintained means rest. Therefore, Noah was to bring rest to the people. The flood is symbolic of Christ washing sin away and we rest with Noah from all work. They made great mention that nowhere does scripture say Noah tried to reason with the people, or called them to come into the ark. God simply washed sin away and all that was left was righteousness.
Now any honest Bible student would see that this fulfills Peter's prophecy that; "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
It also contradicts Hebrews 13:7 when "by faith, Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is accorded with faith."
Noah: "This one will "comfort" us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." Gen. 5:29
The word used as "comfort" is "nacham" meaning: give forth sighs, to breathe strongly, be sorry, full of pity, seeking comfort, trying to ease, even has a sense of repentance and avenge.
Noah was one who would sigh and cry for the abominations of his people. This sounds very much like Ezekiel nine to me, where God commissions an investigative judgment before the executive judgment-- for judgment was about to befall upon them.
Ezekiel 9.4-5 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
The message of Noah was a judgment message.
God says, "My Spirit will not always strive with man I will give him 120 years." Gen. 6:3
For 120 years Noah preached the message, calling people to repentance and to come into the ark of safety. But they would not. They hardened their hearts with the deceitfulness of sin. They hardened their hearts in rebellion. Therefore they could not enter the provision God made for their "comfort" -- all Noah's sighing and pitying could not ease their terrible end.
As far as human wisdom could see, the event predicted by Noah was not likely to occur. Rain had never fallen. Why would the God who had created such a beautiful earth destroy it with by a flood. I'm sure if Noah had set up a web page or started preaching today, it would be declared as the ultimate exhibit of paranoia. How could Noah preach such a message if he was resting in the love of God?
It wasn't sins that were drowned, it was people who hardened their hearts and would not listen.
This is no parable-- this is history! As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the time of the end. (And so it is)
2 Peter 3.8-9
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.
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.
God sends a message of warning before destruction comes. That is His consistent pattern throughout the Bible. Prepare thyself to meet thy God! Get ready — watch and pray, put on the whole armor, resist the devil and draw very close to THY GOD — the ONE WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH!
Before the destruction of Sodom, God sent a message to Lot, "Escape for your life; look not behind you, do not stay in the plains but escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." (Gen. 19:17) The same voice of warning was heard by the disciples of Christ before the destruction of Jerusalem: "When you shall see Jerusalem encircled with armies, then know that the desolation of it is near. Then let them who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Luke 21:20,21)
There is to be a coming out, a decided separation from the wicked, an escape for our very lives. As it was in the days of Noah, as it was in the days of Lot; as it was in the days of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, so it will be in the last days.
2 Cor. 6.17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,"
It is very interesting that the message preached from the churches in our day is the VERY OPPOSITE to the message Revelation tells us to preach.
The message we hear now is ecumenicalism — let's join with all other's who profess to be Christians regardless of their beliefs and doctrines. The Bible says "Come out of her, My people that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4
There can be no compromise between God and the world! "You can not serve God and mammon" Matt. 6:24 There must be an active separation from sin or God's people will lose their way and will not hear His voice.
Like the people living in Sodom, the people are dreaming of prosperity and peace and pleasure. "Escape for your life," is the warning from the angels of God. But other voices clamor to drown out the voice of warning. "Don't get excited; there is no cause for alarm: The multitudes cry, "Peace and safety" while Heaven declares that swift destruction is about to come upon the world. The night before the fire fell on Sodom, the citizens rioted in pleasure, they threatened Lot and his visitors demanding sinful pleasure, they scoffed at Lot as he sought to warn his family of the coming doom; but those people died in the flames! That very night the door of mercy was forever closed to the inhabitants of Sodom. God will not always be mocked; "Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it" Isaiah 13:9.
The majority of the people will reject God's mercy, and will be overwhelmed in swift and irretrievable ruin. But those who heed the warning shall dwell "in the secret place of the Most High" and "abide under the shadow of the Almighty." His truth shall be their shield and buckler. Psalm 91
The time has come to prepare to meet God. The call of the Spirit in our heart of hearts must be answered. Everything in the life must be squared by the Spirit with the Word of God, His law and the everlasting gospel.
As radical developments take place in the formation of the Papal New World Order, radical, deep and thorough preparation for what is ahead must be made. All other preparation is in vain if we fail in the spiritual preparation. We must learn to really communicate with our Master and Savior making Him supreme in our lives. There must be time for heart searching, and heart cleansing through the power of Christ's blood.
Come out of her my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.
2 Peter 3:10-12 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.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
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?
Luke 21.35-36
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
The Bible tells us that after Noah and his family entered the ark and the door was shut, seven days went by before anything unusual happened. The obedient ones inside the ark had to depend upon God's Word — for it seemed the predicted event would not transpire. Outside the inhabitants of the preflood world had their last parties, celebrating the stupidity of this paranoid old man and the deluded family members who locked themselves up in the ark. Silly, foolish people to limit their freedom in such a strange fashion and to think they expected other rational, people to do the same.
The flood did come! Filled with anguish the rioting crowd now began to shriek in anguish. "Oh, for a place of safety! O, had we only listened and obeyed we would now have rest from this dreadful fear."
Soon the party will end! Just like it happened to King Belshazzer, throwing a party while the enemy was at the gates, trusting that even yet all was peace and safety, so the party-pleasure- crazed world lives for self-indulgence imagining itself safe and secure while the greatest of enemies is at the gate and invading every stronghold, and God will soon step in to end it all.
Yes, there is a judgement. The investigative judgment is now in progress. The executive judgement will soon take place.
In light of the seriousness of the times what will we do. How will we choose to live? Soon the verdict will be pronounced — will it be like Belshazzer "You are weighed in the balance and found wanting." Or "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord"
Painting by Robert Temple Ayres
2 Peter 3.13
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
A righteous heaven is only righteous if the inhabitants are righteous. Thus, those who would be citizens there need much more than the legal aspect of forgiving of sins. They need the blood of Christ to cleanse them and the Holy spirit lead them into harmony with God's law. For the will must be united with the Will of Christ, rebellion cannot enter heaven.
2 Peter 3.14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
The Lord is longsuffering:
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.
Today! Harden not your hearts in rebellion, Today! Harden not your hearts because of the deceitfulness of sin! Today is the day of salvation. Christ is longsuffering, not wanting any of us to perish but that we should all find repentance in Him and be following Him in loving obedience to His commands.
But now Peter gives us an interesting warning.
2 Peter 3:15-18
Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
It is Paul's writings today, that are being twisted to mean God no longer has a written standard, a moral code. It is Paul's writings today, that are being twisted to mean grace does away with faithful and steadfast obedience to God's moral law.
Peter points out that Paul has given the true light, but people would wrest it to their own destruction. People would take the precious blood of grace that was to cleanse us from sin and trample it under foot by declaring obedience to God's law is not necessary. (Hebs. 19)
2 Peter 3.18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Part One --Peter's Message
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