22 November 2015
The Day of the LORD has its mixture of judgment and grace. It would include judgment against the unrighteous who had rebelled against God and troubled His people. The Sovereign LORD has the right to gather and judge the nations, a day of reckoning for the enemies who contributed to the sufferings before the rescue of God’s people. Matthew 25:31-46 (Parable of the Sheep and the Goats) teaches us that Jesus spoke of the day in which He (Son of Man) would assemble all the nations for judgment. The Prophet Joel mentions in his prophecy about the “Valley of Jehoshaphat” – the Valley of Decision (Joel 3:2,14). The reference to this location is probably that concerning the action of King Jehoshaphat attestted to in 2 Chronicles 20. Nothing will deter the sure execution of God’s judgments. The fate of kings and nations will be determined by His righteous decree and none shall escape the day in which people must give account to God for everything done. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow – so great is their wickedness. This is the challenge to all the enemies of God’s people. There is no escaping God’s judgment; hardened sinners in that day of the LORD shall be cut off from all comfort and joy. To the wicked it will be a terrible day.
However, to the righteous it will be a joyful day. Yes, the LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. Though the heaven and the earth pass away, His Word and promises, given to His servants, shall not pass away. Everyone shall know that He is the LORD God who is dwelling in Zion – His holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy. After the Church’s enemies are destroyed, the Messiah shall return and the remnant shall be saved and the people of God shall be holy. There shall be no strangers passing through, no profane or unclean person shall be found in the Church of Jesus again.
Give thanks to Almighty God for His sovereign plan, grace, mercy. This is cause for those in Jesus to glory in His Strength for He is their Redeemer. God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus …for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:4-9). It is wonderful to know that the God – the Judge is our loving merciful and gracious God!
