THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND HEAVEN ON EARTH

PROCLAMATION

“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts.  Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.  You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”  Isaiah 26:1-3 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

The prophet Isaiah foretells of the burdens which will put upon the nine nations which surround Judah in chapters thirteen through twenty-three.  In chapter thirteen of The Bible Book of Isaiah is the prophecy for the destruction of the kingdom of Babylon.  It shall be destroyed as by God, as were Sodom and Gomorrah, and turned into a wasteland. (Isaiah 13:19-22)  Chapter fourteen continues to describe the burden which will befall the people of Babylon then goes into the prophecy against the Philistines.  Chapters fifteen and sixteen contains the prophecy against Moab.  Chapter seventeen presents the prophecy against Damascus.  Chapter eighteen reveals the prophecy against Cush.  In chapters nineteen and twenty Isaiah presents the prophecy against Egypt and Assyria.  Chapter twenty-one contains more prophecy against Babylon, and then against Edom.  Chapter twenty-two reveals the prophecy against Israel, the northern kingdoms.  And finally in chapter twenty-three Isaiah tells the prophecy against Tyre.  Chapter twenty-four presents the final judgement against the earth which is The Great Tribulation period.  Then the return of Christ after the Tribulation and the establishment of The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth is revealed in chapters twenty-five and twenty-six.  This is the kingdom which Jesus, The Christ, preached about. (Matthew 3:2 and 4:17) 

APPLICATION

Considering all of the hell that the people will go through on earth during The Tribulation, it is good to know that we as believers will not have to face it because we will not be here, as this will all occur after the rapture of the church. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)  We will come back with Christ to enjoy heaven on earth during the Kingdom Age.  We will enjoy God’s perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3)  So, do not worry about current suffering, or evil people, and don’t envy those who cheat and get ahead for The Lord God will deal with them. (Psalm 37:1-2)  Believe in Him, obey His Holy Word, do that which is right, and trust in Him.  Trust in The Lord, for The Lord Himself is The Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:4)

THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING

PROCLAMATION

“The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled) … People will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from the fearful presence of The Lord and the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.”  Isaiah 2:12-19 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
Here the prophet Isaiah presents the vision that he saw concerning the future of Jerusalem and Judah. (Isaiah 2:1)  This is a prophecy regarding the last days, the end of the world as we know it.  The chapter begins with the enlargement of God’s kingdom on earth by the calling of the gentiles as believers from all nations, and they will all come to the mountain of The Lord. (Isaiah 2:2-3)  Isaiah then briefly describes those who have fallen away from The Lord and become involved in the worship of idols. (Isaiah 2:6-9)  These are the people who will be trying to hide from the presence of The Lord on the day when He returns. (Isaiah 2:10-11)  They will be humbled and hiding.  This prophecy is repeated in the sixth chapter of The Bible Book of Revelation. (Revelation 6:15-16)

APPLICATION
The coming day of The Lord will be the time when God will take His vengeance upon all of the non-believing sinners.  The church, all of the believers, will have been removed from the world beforehand in the rapture.  He will deal with the proud (Isaiah 2:13), governments and societies (Isaiah 2:14), the world’s armies (Isaiah 2:15), businesses and commerce (Isaiah 2:16), the arrogant (Isaiah 2:17), and all false religions. (Isaiah 2:18)  The Lord God will deal with everything and everybody that is outside of the church when He comes.  Do not be like the people who were left outside of the ark in Noah’s day when the flood came. (Genesis 7:16-21)  Don’t be one of those who is left behind when the rapture occurs. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)  Believe in The Lord, confess your sins, accept Him as your personal Savior, and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) There will come a day when it will be too late for you. (Luke 13:27)

READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD AND GROW

Proclamation:

“Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!  Amen.”  2 Peter 3:17-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the scattered believers after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  This is the third and final chapter in his second letter to them.  He begins by stating that he is writing this letter to them to serve as a reminder of previously spoken words and to stimulate wholesome thinking among them. (2 Peter 3:1-2)  He tells them that non-believers will come to them and attempt to discourage them. (2 Peter 3:3-7)  Then he reminds that The Lord’s way of measuring time is much different than their way, and that a day to Him is like a thousand years to man. (2 Peter 3:8)  He tells them that the Day of The Lord will come, earth will be destroyed by fire, and that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:10-13, and Revelation 21:1)  He ends by telling them that since they have been forewarned, they should be on their guard, and that they should grow in The Lord.

Application:

As believers, we know that we have already been guaranteed the victory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  Therefore, we should hold on to our belief in Christ and do our best to follow His teachings.  We should learn as much as we can about The Lord God and His Holy Word, and we should do our best to live by it.  The Day of The Lord is coming.  To God be the glory!!!

THE DAY OF SALVATION IS NEARER THAN WE THINK

Proclamation:

“… The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.  So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”  Romans 13:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle Paul under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the believers in Rome.  Paul began this chapter by telling them to obey those who had governing authority over them because God has established them. (Romans 13:1-2)  That is also why he tells them that they should pay taxes and pay their debts. (Romans 13:6-8)  Then he encourages them to fulfill the law of love. (Romans 13:8-11)  Here, he says that the day of salvation is near.  It is time for them to put off their evil ways, put on the armor of God, and to clothe themselves in Jesus, The Christ. (Romans 13:12-14)

Application:

As the saying goes, “Wake up, it’s later than you think.”  The end of our time on this earth is almost here.  We need to turn from our sinful ways and pray, and seek His face (2 Chronicles 7:14) while we can for once the day of salvation comes and the grave has called it will be too late. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)  We need to seek Him while He can still be found (Matthew 7:7) because there will come a time when it will be too late. (Proverbs 1:28)  We need to put on the whole armor of God now. (Ephesians 6:11-18)  Don’t put off for tomorrow that which should be done today, for tomorrow is not promised to you.

THE DAY OF THE LORD IS NEAR

Proclamation:

"The great day of The Lord is near ... That day will be a day of wrath ... ‘I will bring such distress on all people that … have sinned against The Lord’ … In the fire of His jealousy the whole earth will be consumed …”  Zephaniah 1:14-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Zephaniah warning the people that God is not pleased with the behavior of mankind.  This prophecy was a warning of the imminent judgement of the tribe of Judah.

Application:

There are many Bible scholars who believe that this is also a warning that applies to mankind today. "The Day of The Lord" is a day of wrath, trouble, distress, devastation, destruction, darkness, gloominess, clouds and thick darkness. (Zephaniah 1:15)  Most people do not like "hell fire and brimstone" preaching but the lake of fire is mentioned in The Bible. "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)  And, this earth will be destroyed, many believe that this time it will be by fire.  If this is to be the day that The Good Lord will destroy the earth, believers need not worry because we will have been caught up in the rapture beforehand. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)  When we return with The Lord there will be a new earth.  The Bible says that there will be "a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away ..." (Revelation 21:1)  We are encouraged to get ourselves together before that day comes.  "Seek The Lord, all you humble of the earth ... seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of The Lord's anger." (Zephaniah 2:3)

DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND DURING THE RAPTURE

Proclamation:

 "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of The Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of The Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  'Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.'" Matthew 24:37-42 (NIV)

Explanation:

The Apostle Matthew recorded these words of Jesus, The Christ, as He described to His disciples the things which will occur when He comes again.  Jesus made it clear that no one knows exactly when that will be except our Heavenly Father. (Matthew 34:36)  However, He stated that people will be suddenly taken up from the earth, and that some people will be left behind.

Application:

When the rapture occurs, everyone will not be taken up to meet The Lord God in the air.  Some people will be left behind.  The Bible clearly states that when Jesus, The Christ, returns, He will be coming back for His Church.  He died for The Church so that He could present it to Himself, cleaned up, without spot or blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)  He said that He was going away to prepare a place for His people. (John 14:2-3)  When He comes back, the dead in Christ will rise and meet Him in the air first, then those of us who believe and are still alive at that time will join them in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)  Only the believers will be taken up from the earth, the non-believers will be left behind.  Two people will be walking, or working together, and one of them will be taken up while the other will be left behind. (Matthew 24:40-41)  No one knows when this will happen, The Day of The Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)  We need to be ready for it.  Don't be left behind.  You do not want to be left here on earth after The Church has been taken out of this world.

Judgement Day Is Coming

"But the day of The Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare."  2 Peter 3:10 (NIV)

In the words of the Apostle Peter, which were inspired by The Holy Spirit of God, the return of Christ on judgement day will be sudden and unexpected.  It will be a time of catastrophe and judgement for the evil and the wicked.  However, it will be a time of glorious renewal and salvation for the believers.

Because of the evil, wicked, and sinful behavior of man, The Lord God destroyed the world the first time with water during the great flood. (Genesis 7:17-22)  The next time He destroys the world it will be by fire. (2 Peter 3:10)  The first time that Christ came into the world, He came to offer Himself as a sacrificial lamb for the sins of man, to offer man a means of salvation. (John 1:29 and Hebrews 9:28)  The next time He comes to earth, it will be to receive His Church unto Himself. (John 14:2-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)  The third time He comes, He will come in judgement.  The sun will not shine, the moon will bleed, and the earth will be destroyed by fire. (Joel 2:31, Acts 2:20, Revelation 6:12, and Revelation 20:9-10)  Heaven and earth shall pass away, and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21:1)  There will only be hope of salvation on that day for those who truly believe.

Seek Good Not Evil That You May Live

"Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then The Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps The Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph. Therefore this is what The Lord, The Lord God Almighty, says: 'There will be wailing in all the streets and cries of anguish in every public square ... There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass through your midst,' says The Lord ... the day of The Lord ... That day will be darkness, not light." Amos 5:14-18 (NIV)

After lamenting to the people that they turned away from God, Amos calls them to repentance. Then he warns them that if they do not repent, they will suffer the wrath of God. There will be crying in the streets and suffering everywhere. The day of The Lord is coming.

There are people today who do not want to hear The Word of God. They are living in sin and want to continue to do so. Do not be one of those people, and do not associate with them. Confess your sins, believe in birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, The Son of God, repent and turn from your sinful ways. Judgement day in coming.