The Spirit of Burning

This basic convicting and cleansing work of the Spirit in the life of believers can be illustrated by the words of the prophet Isaiah. He said “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning” (Isaiah 4:4).  Evidently God is quite interested in washing and purging! Isaiah reveals God’s passionate desire to cleanse His people in Jerusalem.

Since this Old Testament passage is not as familiar, it would be helpful to afford some context and consider the primary meaning of this chapter and verse before applying it to Christian experience.  Accordingly, the prophet Isaiah looks beyond the “Day of the Lord” to that time when “the Branch,” Christ’s, kingdom will be established on earth.  In that day Jerusalem and Israel will be marked by holiness. Their sins will be forgiven. They will be saved and inwardly transformed to show forth the holiness of Christ. These will reside there (Isa 4:3) as citizens of the city. 

Isaiah says “the daughters of Zion” (they represent the nation of Israel) will be cleansed “by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4).  Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Clarke, 1967, p. 1347) clearly explains this judgment and purging work of God metaphorically as the craft of the refiner:

[Isaiah 4:4] The spirit of burning means the fire of God's wrath, by which he will prove and purify his people; gathering them into his furnace, in order to separate the dross from the silver, the bad from the good. The severity of God's judgments, the fiery trial of his servants, Ezekiel (Ezek 22:18-22) has set forth at large, after his manner, with great boldness of imagery and force of expression. God threatens to gather them into the midst of Jerusalem, as into the furnace; to blow the fire upon them, and to melt them. Malachi, Mal 3:2-3, treats the same subject, and represents the same event, under the like images…. This is an allusion to a chemist purifying metals. He first judges of the state of the ore or adulterated metal. Secondly, he kindles the proper degree of fire, and applies the requisite test; and thus separates the precious from the vile (The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the Old Testament).

This is the work of the Spirit of God! His judgment will be like fire that will burn away the nation’s unwanted filth and sin. God’s new order will not prevail until His Spirit has cleansed and purged the city of its wickedness, carnality, worldliness, and idolatry.  It is the sovereign workings of the Lord that must do this.  No human engineering, efforts, or excellence will be able to achieve this.  God by His Spirit will cleanse the nation (Isa. 4:4; see Zech. 12:10–13:1), revive the fruitfulness of the land, and live with them as He did before (Isa. 4:5–6; Ex. 13:21–22).  The glory of God will be evident in Jerusalem (Mount Zion) providing blessing, security, and peace. Again all of this will be accomplished through the Spirit’s purging fire!  God will produce a holy city to be the capital of the world when Christ reigns. Surely this demonstrates a persistent unrelenting pursuit on the behalf of Jehovah to purify and render his people holy.

The brilliant adaptation in Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Henry 2000) affords insight into the spiritual implications of this Isaiah passage to the current Christian experience. Note what he said.

By the judgment of God's providence, sinners were destroyed and consumed; but by the Spirit of grace they are reformed and converted. The Spirit herein acts as a Spirit of judgment, enlightening the mind, convincing the conscience; also as a Spirit of burning, quickening and strengthening the affections, and making men zealously affected in a good work. An ardent love to Christ and souls, and zeal against sin, will carry men on with resolution in endeavours to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Every affliction serves believers as a furnace, to purify them from dross; and the convincing, enlightening, and powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, gradually root out their lusts, and render them holy as He is holy. God will protect his church, and all that belong to it. Gospel truths and ordinances are the glory of the church. Grace in the soul is the glory of it; and those that have it are kept by the power of God. But only those who are weary will seek rest; only those who are convinced that a storm is approaching, will look for shelter. Affected with a deep sense of the Divine displeasure, to which we are exposed by sin, let us at once have recourse to Jesus Christ, and thankfully accept the refuge he affords.

Having recognized the primary interpretation of this passage, and some spiritual implications to modern saints, more specific applications for Christians can now be made. 

First and fundamentally, the spiritual realities of the kingdom age have already begun in the children of God, though not in their entirety (Rom. 8:18-29).  Christians have a foretaste of the glory to come and are spiritual previews, though imperfect, of the reconciliation, righteousness, peace, and fellowship with God that will characterize the kingdom age comprehensively. It is the Spirit of adoption living in the sons of God today who provides the anticipation of worldwide glory for all creation (Rom. 8:14-17).  To draw spiritual implications from this passage in Isaiah is not farfetched at all.  No, not by any stretch of the imagination could it be considered a misapplication.

Secondly, the Spirit of judgment and burning will execute cleansing by convictions, punishments, chastisements, and disciplines.  Today the Spirit of God still judges and condemns sinful behavior and will proceed to chasten wayward believers motivating them to live purer lives.  This is often referred to as conviction by God. Thirdly after such conviction, chastening, and cleansing the glory of the Lord, the character of Christ, will be made evident. This is the Spirit of Grace manifesting Christ in God’s people. Christians can currently enjoy the presence of the Spirit, the production of Christlike fruit, and the blessed peace of the Lord. 

This application is not at all an effort to spiritualize the millennial kingdom predictions or relegate them as unworthy of anticipating.  Not at all, this is simply an application and comparison of these future blessings to the spiritual blessings of Christians today.  Also applying this passage to the Christian experience William Evans (1974, p. 113) in his book The Great Doctrines of the Bible made this observation,

This cleansing is done by the blast of the Spirit’s burning. Here is the searching, illuminating, refining, dross-consuming character of the Spirit. He burns up the dross in our lives….

The “Spirit of Burning” searches the heart, illuminates that which is contrary to Christ, consumes the residual dross in the character, and refines believers for deeper fellowship and service of greater impact and magnitude.  The blessed Holy Spirit actually purifies the Christian’s soul.  Like fire He penetrates the self-assured veneer, probes and pierces the conscious deeply, and He creates aspirations to be right with the Lord and clean.

Often in Scripture fire relates to the process of purification and refinement.  For instance Isaiah 1:25, says “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin”.  Likewise God endeavors to purge Christians’ attitudes, aspirations, and actions like precious metals to remove impurities and refine them for greater usages—these are chastening and judgment acts of God upon His people (Heb. 12).  Fire is a symbol by which the Holy Spirit’s work in believers’ hearts can be understood.  Taken together the result is spiritually purified hearts by the searching flames of the Spirit of Burning.

The Spirit also purifies the believer by freeing him from the dominance, slavery, and mastery of the carnal fleshly human nature.  Upon the new birth He creates this power and potential in each saint.  But it is through yielding to the Spirit that cleansing can be experienced. Paul conveys this in Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Note also Galatians 5:25. Through a faithful “walk in the Spirit” believers realize the blessings of freedom from sinful practices even when sin seems unmovable and extremely stubborn!  Additionally, the Spirit, like fire, will illuminate the faintest sins hiding in the deepest recesses of the soul and purge it so significantly that it no longer tortures believers through their motivations and desires. Then the Spirit of God affords the people of God the power to refuse and deny those base desires satisfaction, expression, and ventilation. This is victorious freedom as one continually walks in the Holy Spirit’s sin-purging fire! This is the purifying role of the Holy Spirit—The Spirit of Burning. Note the following comment from the Bible Knowledge Commentary (Walvoord & Zuck 1985),

The Promise of Victory Over Sin (Gal. 5:16-18). The answer to the abuses described in the previous verse is to live by the Spirit. The phrase literally means to, “keep on walking.” As a believer walks through life he should depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit for guidance and power. But the Spirit does not operate automatically in a believer’s heart. He waits to be depended on. When a Christian does yield to the Spirit’s control, the promise is that he will not in any wise gratify, “complete, fulfill” in outward action) the desires of the sinful nature. Thus, while no believer will ever be entirely free in this life from the evil desires that stem from his fallen human nature, he need not capitulate to them, but may experience victory by the Spirit’s help.

The Spirit of the Lord will ‘burn’—convicting of sin and creating a passionate desire for holiness—to purify the hearts and practices of believers (John 16:8–11).  He will not allow anything to coexist with Him in His temple that is not holy, pure, and righteous.  For that reason, the Holy Spirit convicts believers continually when they sin. They may refuse to yield to His convictions for such a long period that it seems His voice has been reduced to a whisper.  Still He will seek to persuade them of their sin until they face it, confess it, judge it, repent of it, are forgiven for it, and are cleansed of it (1Jn. 1:7-2:2). Our sinfulness is revolting to the Holy Father, and the Spirit of Burning will not allow it to stand unchallenged.

The Lord Jesus identified the heart of man as the center of his spiritual problems.  He taught that corruption, impurity and filth come from the inner motives of the fallen mind and heart (Mark 7:20–23).  No doubt the Holy Spirit targets the heart of the believer with a yearning to cleanse it of all base desires and carnal motives.  The fact is the heart of the matter is the heart!  The Spirit not only wants believers to behave correctly, but He longs for them to also have correct beliefs, values, motivations, and godly desires. The Lord Jesus taught that genuine purification is possible by following Him and giving heed to His message (John 15:3; Ps. 119:9-11).  This is the same as walking in the Spirit (Eph. 5:18-21; Col. 3:16-17).

In light of this each believer should be sensitive to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in his life.  Christians should respond to Him with a contrite and humble heart. David the Psalmist said that, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17).  When the Spirit of God identifies something in the Christian’s heart that does not resemble Christ, they must submissively humble themselves before Him recognizing the gravity of their offense to a holy, righteous, and good God.  Remember all sins, big and small, are a vicious assault on the Majesty and Authority of Jehovah God!  Every sin expresses treasonous rebellion and despises God and His Law (Lev. 16:21; 2Sam. 12:9-10).  The Spirit of the Lord presses the enormity of their sin upon their conscious and encourages them to make things right with the Lord immediately.

Recall when King Josiah humbled himself before the Lord, God responded by saying,

But to the king of Judah…Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; ¹⁹ Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord” (2 Kings 22:18-19). 

Josiah’s reaction to this confrontation with his sin and that of the nation is highly instructive for Christians today.  Many are far too tolerant and permissive regarding personal sin. Clearly this attitude is not from God. Believers can become rather insensitive and harden to what violently offends His Majesty. But when the Spirit convinces us of sins we must face, confess, and forsake them (1Cor. 6:9-11; 1Jn. 1:7-2:2; Tit. 2:14). Thank God there is cleansing and purification through the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1John 1:7-9). Only then can we be forgiven of it and restored to the fellowship necessary for the Lord to use us as He desires.

Satan Shall Be Loosed!

If you have ever heard the saying, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire," then you know exactly how this article unfolds. God gives Satan a get out of jail free card and Satan rounds up his crew to lead a worldwide rebellion. As they situated themselves to attach The Lord Jesus' headquarters in Jerusalem, God rains down fire and brimstone and destroys them all. As a result the unsaved dead and Satan end up in the Lake of Fire! Incredible right! Oops...maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself!
This is a continuation of two other posts, "Christ's Kingdom Will Come," and "Reigning With King Jesus Christ." This is part three in the continuing exposition of Revelation chapter twenty.

III. Satan Leads a Rebellion After the Millennial Age (Rev. 20:7-10).

Satan will revolt after his release from the bottomless pit.

A.  THE MASTER OF THE REBELLION (REV. 20:7).  “Satan shall be loosed”

     1.  At the Close of the Millennium, Satan Will Be Released from the Pit.

But, why Satan specifically?

         A.  He will be permitted to lead one last revolt against the Lord. 

         B.  He is loosed to bring cohesive leadership to the world of rebels born to the believers who entered the kingdom at the beginning.

         C.  He is loosed to reveal the character of Christ-rejecting sinners who are brought into judgment for the last time ever.

     2.  This Action Demonstrates That Satan Will Not Repent.

After the Millennium, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit and will make one final desperate attempt to dethrone God but will be utterly defeated and thrown forever into the lake of fire.

B.  THE MANIPULATION OF THE REBELS (REV. 20:8).  “Shall go out to deceive the nations”

     1.  Immediately, Satan Will Deceive the Nations at the Four Corners of the Earth. (Rev. 20:8)

The children born during the kingdom age and after the battle of Armageddon lived throughout the thousand-year reign of Christ, but as soon as Satan is set free, they will be deceived and ready to gather for battle.

         A.  He Will Use Deception to Manipulate Them.

                1.  Deception is Satan’s primary mission and method (Rev. 12 to 18, in particular Rev. 12:9; 13:14; 19:20; 20:3, 10).  No sooner is Satan let loose, than he again begins deceiving the nations, and stirring them up to make war with the saints and servants of God.

John 8:44, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

               2.  It would be good if the servants and ministers of Christ were as active and persevering in doing good, as his enemies in doing mischief.

         B.  He Will Use Temptations to Manipulate Them. (Rev. 20:8)

The popular phrase, “The devil made me do it” is not actually true.  Actually this excuse has been around since Eve.

              1.  The truth of God's Word is that the devil has never made any person do anything contrary to his or her will.

              2.  The devil is a deceiver and the father of lies. But the devil's only power over people is through manipulation and deceit.

              3.  If he could actually make us do things, he wouldn't need to go to the trouble of deceiving us!

              4.  If Satan could make us sin, the temptation process would be unnecessary.  Let it suffice that we conclude that the devil cannot make us do anything.

2 Cor. 11:3,  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

     2.  This Shows That People Will Rebel Against God If Given Opportunity.  (Rev. 20:8)

No matter how long or how many chances they are given to repent, it makes no difference at all.

          A.  QUOTE: “Imagine the tragedy of this revolt: people who have been living in a perfect environment, under the perfect government of God's Son, will finally admit the truth and rebel against the King!”   — W. W. Wiersbe

          B.  QUOTE: “A thousand years of confinement does not alter Satan's plans, nor does a thousand years of freedom from the influence of wickedness change man's basic tendency to rebel against his Creator. . . . Neither the designs of Satan nor the waywardness of the human heart will be altered by the mere passing of time.” — Robert Mounce 

     3.  Why? As Final Proof That the Heart of Man Is Desperately Wicked. (Rev. 20:8)

Mankind can only be changed by God's grace.

           — QUOTE: “The phrase total depravity . . . declares that no part of us is untouched by sin, and therefore no action of ours is as good as it should be, and consequently nothing in us or about us ever appears meritorious in God’s eyes. We cannot earn God’s favor, no matter what we do; unless grace saves us, we are lost.

Total depravity entails total inability, that is, the state of not having it in oneself to respond to God and his Word in a sincere and wholehearted way (John 6:44; Rom. 8:7-8). Paul calls this unresponsiveness of the fallen heart a state of death (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13)”.  ^— Packer, J. I.

                — QUOTE:   “The understanding is darkened (Eph. 4:18; 1 Cor. 2:14); the heart is deceitful and wicked (Jer. 17:9, 10); the mind and conscience are defiled (Gen. 6:5; Titus 1:15); the flesh and spirit are defiled (2 Cor. 7:5); the will is enfeebled (Rom. 7:18); and we are utterly destitute of any Godlike qualities which meet the requirements of God’s holiness (Rom. 7:18).”   —William Evans

     4.  Rules, Regulation, Religion, Nor Environment Can Change the Human Heart. (Rev. 20:8)

This rebellion proves that a rule of perfect law cannot change the human heart; sinners would rather follow Satan.  The source of rebellion against God comes not from the environment or even from Satan himself but from within the human heart.

         A.  Sin Against God Is Going Beyond the Boundaries Established by God.

               — It is not only a behavioral problem, however—one rooted in attitudes, motives, actions, and patterns of conduct. It is a “nature” problem, an identity or “state of being” problem.

                — Man's sin nature is one of pride, greed, and total self-centeredness and self-will. Every person is born with this sin nature. Behavior is learned; our natural tendency to sin is not.

                — A sin nature is inherent, and it is inherent regardless of the spiritual condition of our parents. It is part of our inheritance as fallen human beings, the descendants of Adam and Eve.

         B.  Now, a Person Might Change His or Her Behavior as an Act of the Will.

But a person cannot change his or her basic sin nature, regardless of how much “willpower” is exerted. We are incapable of transforming our spirits or of altering the core of our spiritual being. We are born with a “sin condition” that only God can correct.

         C.  The Good News Is That While We Were in this Helpless, Ungodly State, God Sent His Son, Jesus!  He came to die for us so that we do not have to experience the consequence of our sin nature—which is separation and alienation from God. We can be transformed and made new in spirit.  (See Eph. 2:1–3; Rom. 5:6, 8, 10).

     5.  The Work of Satan and the Reaction of the Rebellious Nations Prove That Eternal Judgment is Necessary.  (See Rev. 20:11-15).

         A.  It Is No Coincidence That Satan and Fallen Unrepentant Mankind Around the World Rebel Before There Is a Final Judgment of Humanity.  Before mankind appears at the Great White Throne Judgment and is cast into an eternal Lake of Fire, God shows why it is necessary. 

         B.  Satan and Sinners Alike Prove That They Are Rebels to the Core and must Be Rejected from God’s Eternal Kingdom and Reign. (Rev. 20:8)

                    

C.  THE MULTITUDES OF THE REBELLION (REV. 20:8) “four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog . . . the number of whom is as the sands of the sea.”

   1.  The People.  (Rev. 20:8)  “The Nations”

Who are these who will follow Satan?

    

      A.  Those Believers’ Children Who Survive the Tribulation.

These believers will enter the Millennium in their natural bodies, and they will bear children and repopulate the earth (Isa. 65:18-25).

      B.  They Will Live in Ideal Circumstances in Which All Know about Jesus Christ (Jer. 31:33-34). 

Though many will outwardly profess faith in Christ without actually placing faith in Him for salvation.

      C.  Their Shallow Professions Will Become Apparent When Satan Is Released.

The multitudes who follow Satan are evidently those who have never been born again during the millennial kingdom.  

      D.  Rebellion is a matter of choice. The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven his trustworthiness, believe in Christ and be saved, or obey the devil, with his fail coup attempt. 

            — Truthfully the times will come for each of us to choose who or what will control us.

            — The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own limited personality, or Satan?

            — Once you have chosen to be controlled by God's Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day.

   2.  The Populations.   (Rev. 20:8) “in the four quarters of the earth . . . the number of whom is as the sand of the sea”

Satan’s release will produce a worldwide rebellion against the millennial reign of Christ. The armies will be so vast in numbers that they are said to be like the sand on the seashore.  Clearly we are referring to billions and billions of people.

   3. The Portrayal.    (Rev. 20:8) “Gog and Magog, to gather then together to battle”

Who are they?  The question has been raised as to whether this war is the same one discussed in Ezekiel 38-39, where Gog and Magog are also mentioned (Ezek. 38:2).

      

       A.  Whom They Are Not.

            1.  QUOTE: “This is not the battle of Gog and Magog, for that battle takes place about the end of the first half of the Tribulation (Ezek 38-39) and results in the Beast defeating both Russia and Egypt. Rather, this battle involves perhaps Russia (Gog and Magog) as the leading force . . . These armies will attack the millennial Jerusalem, but fire from heaven will devour them.”  —W. W. Wiersbe

            2.  QUOTE: “The naming of "Gog and Magog" (Rev 20:8) does not equate this battle with the one described in Ezek 38-39; for that army invades from the north, while this one comes from the four comers of the earth. This is only the name given to the army of rebels and its leader at the end of the Millennium.”  — John MacArthur

            3.  QUOTE: “These are two different battles, for in the war of Ezekiel 38-39 the armies come primarily from the north and involve only a few nations of the earth. But the battle in Revelation 20:7-9 will involve all nations, so armies will come from all directions.

Furthermore nothing in the context of Ezekiel 38-39 is similar to the battle in Revelation, as there is no mention of Satan or of millennial conditions. In Revelation 20:7 the context clearly places the battle at the end of the Millennium, whereas the Ezekiel battle takes place in connection with end-time events.” — Walvoord

       B.  Whom Are They.

            1.  QUOTE: “They were names of ancient enemies of the Lord. Magog was the grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:2) and founder of a kingdom located N of the Black and Caspian Seas. Gog is apparently the leader of a rebel army known collectively as Magog.”  — John MacArthur

            2.  QUOTE: “Why then is the expression “Gog and Magog” used by John? ... In Ezekiel 38 Gog was the ruler and Magog was the people, and both were in rebellion against God and were enemies of Israel. It may be that the terms have taken on a symbolic meaning much as one speaks of a person’s “Waterloo,” which historically refers to the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, Belgium, but has come to represent any great disaster. Certainly the armies here come in the same spirit of antagonism against God that is found in Ezekiel 38. ” — Walvoord

   4.  The Place.  (Rev. 20:9).  These two events are related, however, inasmuch as in both battles, Israel is the focal point.

        A.  Jerusalem the Capital City. 

In this case, Jerusalem will be the target ("beloved city," Ps 78:68; 87:2). Jerusalem  will be the capital city during Christ’s millennial reign.

Jeremiah 3:17, At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

        B.  This is not the New Jerusalem. 

Which is commonly called “the city of My God” (Rev. 3:12) and “the holy city” (Rev. 21:2). This city is clearly the renewed earthly Jerusalem.

        C. Jerusalem is the Home of the Saints. 

“The beloved city” symbolically refer to the home of God’s people. The saints will be living around the city where Christ reigns.

Isaiah 24:23, Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Zech. 14:9-11, And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. [10] All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. [11] And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

D.  THE MAULING OF THE REBELLION (REV. 20:9).  “Fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”

God will fight this last and decisive battle for his people, that the victory may be complete, and the glory be to himself.

    1.  God Will Deal with this Revolt Very Quickly and Efficiently! 

The result is immediate judgment. “Fire” will come down from heaven and devour them.

    2.  In Contrast with Ezekiel 38, There Is No Mention of Earthquake, Hail, or Other Disasters.

The only similarity is that in both cases there is fire from heaven, a frequent method of divine judgment on the earth (Gen. 19:24; Ex. 9:23-24; Lev. 9:24; 10:2; Num. 11:1; 16:35; 26:10; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10, 12, 14; 1 Chron. 21:26).

    3.  Rebellion Will Ultimately Lead to Judgment.

Jude 1:5-8, I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. [6] And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. [7] Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. [8] Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

        A.  Jude Gave Three Examples of Rebellion:

             (1) The children of Israel -- who, although they were delivered from Egypt, refused to trust God and enter the Promised Land (Num 14:26-39);

             (2) The angels -- although they were once pure, holy, and living in God's presence, some gave in to pride and joined Satan to rebel against God (2 Peter 2:4); and

             (3) The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah -- the inhabitants were so full of sin that God wiped them off the face of the earth (Gen 19:1-29).

        B.  If the chosen people, angels, and sinful cities were punished, how much more would these rebels be severely judged?

E.  THE MISERY OF THE REBEL (REV. 20:10).  “The devil that deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire”

   1.  Satan Will Be Cast into “The Lake of Fire.”  (Rev. 20:10)

 After Satan’s followers will be destroyed, he will be thrown into the lake burning with sulfuric fires. Being cast into the lake that was prepared for him and his angels is the final judgment on Satan.  The Lake of Fire is the place of punishment God has prepared for rebellious angels and unsaved men (Mt. 25:41; Re. 20:10,15).

   2.  Note That "The Beast" and “False Prophet” Will Still Be Suffering in the Lake of Fire.  (Rev. 20:10) This is after 1,000 years!

      A.  This Is a Significant Support of the Doctrine of Eternal Punishment!

This concluding statement is key, “shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” This includes the devil, the beast, and the false prophet.

Matthew 25:41, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:46, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2 Thes. 1:9,  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

      B.  The Lake of Fire Is Not Annihilation!  (Rev. 20:10)

Are the wicked annihilated in hell? No, because the beast and false prophet “are” still there a thousand years after they experienced their final judgment (Rev. 19:20).  

            1.  This proves the punishment is not annihilation, but is eternal torment. the Lord Jesus actually said it would have been better if Judas had never been born (Mt. 26:24).

            2.  Jesus' words make no sense if Judas was only going to be annihilated.

QUOTE: “In one sense, the millennial kingdom will sum up" all that God has said about the heart of man during the various periods of history. It will be a reign of law, and yet law will not change man's sinful heart. Man will still revolt against God. The Millennium will be a period of peace and perfect environment, a time when disobedience will be judged swiftly and with justice; and yet in the end the subjects of the King will follow Satan and rebel against the Lord. A perfect environment cannot produce a perfect heart.

God is now about to "wrap up" human history One great event remains.”  — W. W. Wiersbe

Be sure to look for the next article in this series based on Revelation chapter twenty!

What Is Your Final Destination?

We need to be clear on the fact that Hell, according to the Bible, is a terrible end, and that we must not only be sure to avoid it ourselves, but we must warn others of it also. If a person does not believe in judgment for unbelief and sin, they will underestimate the negative consequences of rejecting God and place themselves in dreadful infinite danger. In the consternating reality of Hell, divine justice will be served. We need to know the terrifying outcomes of disbelieving God as well as the wonderful magnitude of accepting Christ. It is my express desire that we receive God's forgiveness for our sins, and warn others to choose an eternity with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ also. (Anders, M.)

This is probably the hardest of all the doctrines of Christianity to be received. If we surveyed the average American as to why, we will receive various answers.

• Some would tell us that this doctrine is unwelcome to many because they feel themselves guilty, and their conscience tells them that unless they repent and turn to God this awful doom awaits them.
• Others believe that it is because the thought of future punishment strikes terror to people’s hearts, and therefore this doctrine is repulsive to them.
• To yet others, the thought of everlasting anguish seems utterly incompatible with the fatherly love of God.

Yet we must all acknowledge the remarkable fact that both Jesus and John, who more than anyone else in the New Testament represent the element of love in their lives and teaching, speak most of the future anguish of the wicked (Anders).

There can be no reasonable doubt, that future punishment of the wicked holds a prominent place in the teachings of the Scriptures. What is between the covers of the Bible is the preacher’s message. We do not have the option to forsake this teaching because of post-modernism, haunting conflicts deep within our hearts, misguided humanistic sentimentalism, or the challenges of Pseudo-Evangelicals. For me the Bible and especially the NT teachings of our Lord Jesus are the final authority for my faith and practice. Yet great care must be exercised in the teaching or proclamation of this doctrine. While it is vital that we warn the unsaved of Hell, we must avoid coming across as being desirous of sending them there. After all it is not the saying of hard things that pierces the conscience of people; it is the voice of divine love heard amid the thunder (Anders, MacDonald).

Yet the preacher must not have the heart of a coward when proclaiming the doctrines of future judgment and eternal punishment for sin. No matter how awful this reality may appear to the minds of men. Certainly the Lord Jesus understood the hearts of men better than any of us ever will, and He still stands as the clearest communicator of the horrors of Hell in the entire Bible. The Lord Jesus not only authoritatively assert Hell's reality, He gave graphic details on several occasions to help people realize what great jeopardy they were in.

In addition, fear is a legitimate motive to which we may appeal to persuade people to understand the consequences of rejecting Christ as Savior.  The Comforter, according to the Lord Jesus, will "reprove the world" of sin, righteousness, AND JUDGMENT (Jn. 16:8-11). So as we present the Gospel message, the Holy Spirit will convince, convict, and persuade sinners of their dire jeopardy! While fear may be classified among the lower motives, it is nevertheless true that it is the only motive that will effectively move some people to action. Paul, the apostle, feared God. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; …” (2 Cor. 5:11). He lived in reverential awe of a just and holy God. God still believes in perfect justice! Paul had a proper respect for God's perfect nature, righteous character, and extraordinary power. He was of the persuasion that offending God is the very last thing one should want to do. How much more so when a person is lost living in contradiction to God, habitually violating His perfect moral standard of righteousness, and violently assaulting His Majesty with their very existence? Preachers tend to skip over fear as a motivation for fleeing to God’s grace and mercy. But many forget that fear is not necessarily bad in every instance. The Bible says that those who do not fear God will inevitably be judged (Ps 36; 55:19-23). For those who have persisted in sinful rebellious ways, remembering God should inspire dread, because their ways have been condemned by God, and their path leads to death (2Cor. 2:14-16).

What Does the Bible Say About the Final Destiny of the Unsaved? (Rev. 20:14-15)

Well read carefully and thoughtfully what John wrote in Revelation 20:14-15, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15, And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” As Bible-believers, we view Hell as a place of endless, conscious, physical, spiritual, and emotional suffering in a literal lake of fire for those who have rejected God in their earthly life. Such eternal punishment and separation from God is the "second death." Consider just two observations in this connection screaming at us from this frightening passage.

The Spiritually “Dead” Will Be Cast into “the Lake of Fire.”

"The dead" (Rev. 20:12) is one among several designations for people who have refused God's offer of life, forgiveness, and salvation. The basic idea is that such individuals actually have no relationship with God who is the Source of real life, spiritual life, and abundant life. All peoples from their very birth are "dead" in trespasses and sin because of our innate rebellious propensities (Eph. 2:1-10). We are all sinners, and we all have committed numerous sins against a holy God. Because we are sinners, we have sinned, and our sinful actions and habits evidence the fact that we are sinful rebels against God. Sin always leads to death (Js. 1:15) and such is the case with every non-believer (Rom. 6:23).

When all matters of the final judgment are finished, all "dead" (unsaved) individuals will be cast into hell, the lake of fire, to forever experience the second death.

The "first death" separates a person from this earthly reality, but the "second death" separates the sinner from God and heavenly reality. Non-believers and Believers alike will  experience the first death, but the "second death" is exclusively for the unsaved.  The first death is physical, but the "second death" is eternal in the "lake of fire," the final, eternal Hell (Rev. 20:6, 14).  All death stems from the spiritual consequences of sin (Rom. 5:12). Many people reject the biblical doctrine of Hell as being “unchristian,” and yet Jesus clearly taught its reality again and again (Matt 18:8; 23:15, 33; 25:46; Mark 9:46). Unfortunately there is a sentimental kind of humanistic religion that will not face the reality of judgment; they teach a God who loves everyone into heaven and sends no one to hell. These people have chosen to reject such clear biblical teachings. Their message is a bold-faced lie of the devil designed to appeal to our erroneous sense of self-worth and value because we are ignorant of the infinite value of a righteous and holy God! He has been offended by our sin! They unwittingly devalue the magnitude of offending a righteous God and the magnitude of one single sin. But note the following insightful statement:

One perennial difficulty concerns the relationship between God's love and holiness: How could a loving God reject forever the creature he loves? This question assumes that the creature is the highest intrinsic good, even for God. But the highest good for the God of Scripture is not humanity. Humanity was created for God, and cannot be defined in terms of itself; we exist to glorify God (Ps 73:24-26; Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 10:31; Col 1:16). That is why Jesus insists it is idolatrous to enlist God as humanity's servant (Luke 17:7-10). Certainly God loves the creature; creation itself reflects God's free love. But since God's love is complete in himself, even before creation, the creature cannot be presumed as his one and only end. Nor can the character of God's love be decided a priori, but only by revelation. Consequently, Jesus' warning of the wrath to come (Matt 25:31, 41, 46) must be accepted as an inherent possibility of God's love. (Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology; 1996)

Hell is eternal separation from God and all that is good. No matter what a person thinks, the Bible always describes Hell in ominous and foreboding terms as a place of torment to be avoided at all costs. God communicates this frightful reality to warn men, and point them to His solution to the sin problem in Jesus Christ. I earnestly contend that "love" warns people of eternal jeopardy and does not conceal it! I insist that real "love" provides a means of salvation to bring men into an eternity with God! I cannot help but believe that a God who took the penalty of sin upon Himself in order to save those of us who have violently offended Him is worthy of extreme trust! It is absolutely crazy to question God's love and justice when we are the guilty parties and He has suffered greatly to redeem us unto Himself! Beloved, we must be careful to not misrepresent God!
Today, of course, the concept of Hell has fallen by the wayside among those who do not believe in a literal Hell. Preachers refuse to preach on the subject, and Christians seem content if they forgot it altogether! Yes, Hell is often an awkward subject among those who do believe in the existence of a real Hell. So we do not hear much about Hell from anyone these days. There seems to be a general embarrassment among some Believers about this subject. They are uncomfortable with the challenges from Atheists, Post-Modernists, and Secular Humanists who describe God as sadistic, tyrannical, and a vicious dictator. Some are intimidated by such challenges because they have no answers; they do not know what the Bible says because their preachers have not taught them. Others have abandoned biblical teachings to adopt a 'softer' position that supposedly 'vindicates' God's character in the eyes of unbelievers, skeptics, and scoffers! How foolish to abandon God's words in order to pacify our own confusion, and to avoid appearing unreasonable to people who do not even know God through faith in Jesus Christ! People are more comfortable with ignoring Hell as a reality, and some “Christians” are even ashamed of this biblical teaching. They care too much about offending people while they violently offend God without a second thought. Beloved, this is extremely insane!

Hell is a witness to the righteous character of God. He must judge sin.

Much like a just Judge must give and appropriate sentence for the crime committed, a God of righteous character must do so also (Gen. 18:25). To not do so renders Him unrighteous and unjust--an impossible self contradiction. But think about this for a moment.... Who would want an unjust God guiding the universe? In such a scenario, there is zero hope of justice being served! Rapists get off free, child molesters go untouched by justice, and murders suffer no repercussions for taking a precious life. In such a universe oppressors extort, "protect," and harass with impunity; businesses lie, steal, cheat, and manipulate with license; leaders dominate, dictate, enslave, and abuse without any sense of accountability to anyone...including a God who does not behave according to perfect justice! The world we live in may be bad, but it would be exponentially worse without a just God-Judge! We all share the universal hope of egregious wrongs being made right by God eventually. Though the True and Living God is patient to judge sin, He nevertheless will indeed do so! One look at Calvary and the incredible suffering of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, gives us a clue as to how God feels about pure and absolute justice (Rom. 3:21-31). God sacrificed His only Son to save sinners; surely He holds the right to judge those who reject His most gracious offer! Make no mistake about it, God will deal with sin!
Hell is also a witness to man’s responsibility, the fact that he is not a robot or a helpless victim, but a creature able to make choices. God does not merely “send people to hell;” in one sense, they send themselves by rejecting the Savior (Matt 25:41; John 3:16-21). But, God will hold all humanity responsible for their actions and failures and this is in keeping with His righteous character. We have it all wrong if we think that we are being mistreated because we have to live forever with the decision to reject Christ.

Hell is also a witness to the awfulness of sin. If we once saw sin as God views it, we would understand why a place such as Hell exists. Hell is a place of never ending conscious suffering; sin must be truly awful in the extreme to warrant such a place. Hell was created for the eternal punishment of Satan and rebellious angels (Matt. 25:41). Though it was not created for humanity, God will sentence the lost to it to honor their decisions of rejecting Christ as Savior. God will not and does not force people to accept His gifts of salvation, eternal life, forgiveness, sonship, and Heaven! He will respect the choices people have made during their lives when confronted with the opportunity to be saved. Men will reap the fruit of their decisions because God respects the "free will" He gave us!

In light of Calvary, no lost sinner can condemn God for casting him into Hell. God has provided a way of escape, and is patiently waiting for sinners to repent. He will not lower His standards or alter His requirements. He has ordained that faith in His Son is the only way of salvation (Jn. 14:6). We must come to God on His terms for forgiveness and salvation since it is God we have offended.

The word translated hell in the New Testament comes from the Greek word “Gehenna.” It is derived from the valley of Hinnom, located just south of Jerusalem.

This place was a city garbage dump that smoldered and burned twenty-four hours a day every day. In this dreadful place, human sacrifices were once offered to the god Molech (2 Kings 23:10), and it was once used as a burial place for criminals. It’s not difficult to see why it evolved into a metaphor for the everlasting state of punishment for the unsaved. The metaphor presents a powerful image to the mind, but the reality to which it points is even more overwhelming to be sure.

Jesus said Hell was a place of worms, maggots, fire, and trouble. From Him and John we get the image of a lake of fire and the concept of perpetual burning. The evil ones, fallen unrepentant sinners, there are full of remorse and torment (Mark 9:43–48). The Bible speaks of a lake of fire reserved for the Devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). Human beings were not intended to consigned there. But the ones who choose to reject God will one day follow Satan right into this eternal torment. Jesus repeatedly mentioned this awful and eternal danger to give people all the information they needed to turn to God for forgiveness and salvation. He did not leave out this important detail when trying to convince folks of their need to be forgiven and saved. No, the Lord Jesus had the courage to tell people the truth…the entire truth…and nothing but the truth about Hell.

At this point it is also important to note there will be no exit from Hell, no way out, no second chance. That is why it is so important in this life to receive the pardon that God extends to all men through the Cross of Jesus Christ (Rev. 20:11–15).

A number of Bible passages evidently speak of hell as a real place of torment for unbelievers who have died.

Some are far more comfortable with Hell as a symbol or as figurative speech than as a hard reality. In Matthew 10:28, Believers in Christ are told not to be afraid of those who kill the body, but rather to “fear Him which is able to destroy [eternal punishment] both soul and body in hell.” In Matthew 7:23, those who are not true converts of Christ, yet who claim to be true converts, will one day be told by Christ, “I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” In Matthew 25:14–30, a devious unprofitable servant is thrown “into the outer darkness: There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Here the image is one of terrible loneliness: separation from a thrice holy God and man. Those who are consigned to hell will be put into the inky blackness of eternity, with nobody to turn to or talk to—constantly alone (Anders). They will suffer the remorse of knowing they had the opportunity to come into heaven with God but turned it down.

This is still not all the Bible says or teaches about the reality of hell. In Luke 12:47–48 and Mark 12:40, we learn that there are degrees of punishment in hell; one servant receives a lighter beating than another servant, and evil hypocrites are worthy of greater condemnation than others. The apostle Paul describes the punishment of the unbelieving as “sudden destruction” when the Day of the Lord comes (1 Thessalonians 5:3) and they will suffer divine wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The punishment of the unbelieving is described as “everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). In Hebrews 6:2, “eternal judgment” is prophesied for the unbelieving, and in 10:27, this is enlarged with a reference to a “fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.” All of this points to a definite reality and eternal state that everyone should not only believe in but flee from to Christ.

Other passages impress us with the fact that this torment is conscious and everlasting:

If anyone worships the beast, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: [11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:10–11). And the devil himself, who deceived people will be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

During the future Tribulation Period, many people will believe the Anti-Christ and take his mark of allegiance to him and his kingdom. These who take the mark of the beast will be "tormented with fire and brimestone" and the "smoke of their torment" will continually ascend "for ever and ever" (v. 10, 11) after the Great White Throne Judgment. This passage does not tolerate the false notion that people will be annialated in Hell. It affirms just the opposite teaching that people will consciously suffer forever in Hell. Then Revelation 20:10, informs us that Satan is finally cast into the Lake of Fire where the beast and the false prophet have been suffering for one thousand years (Rev. 19:20). Christ consigned them to Hell at His return to the earth to take up His thousand years reign! Yes, a thousand years later...they are still there suffering when Satan is finally cast in after his judgment at the Great White Throne. This does not seem like annialation at all to me! For some, a deeply troubling aspect of these passages is that it is difficult to harmonize eternal punishment with the character of God. The popular question is, How can a loving God punish people in unspeakable agony forever? In response to this, John Walvoord writes:

If the slightest sin is infinite in its significance, then it also demands infinite punishment as a divine judgment. Though it is common for all Christians to wish that there were some way out of the doctrine of eternal punishment because of its inexorable and unyielding revelation of divine judgment, one must rely on Christian faith on the doctrine that God is a God of infinite righteousness as well as infinite love. While on the one hand he bestows infinite grace on those who trust him, he must, on the other hand, inflict eternal punishment on those who spurn him” (Four Views of Hell 27).

Sensitive Believers struggle with this grave truth. Yet because we believe in the authenticity and authority of the Scripture, we feel that we have no alternative but to believe that Hell is a real place of conscious, eternal punishment, since the Bible so clearly teaches it. For us, the Bible is the basis for harmonizing the concept of God's righteousness and justice with His love and mercy. Sensitive literalists believe in a literal, conscious, everlasting Hell not because we want to but because the Bible teaches it. Again it is not tradition that we believe, but God Himself who wrote in the Word of God.

We believe in a God of justice and righteousness balanced by love and mercy because the Bible teaches it. And if all this exceeds our understanding, we suspend judgment of God's character, believing that we either do not have enough information or enough capacity to understand the subject as God does. We believe that when we stand before Him, and know even as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12), then it will all be clear. This has been the majority interpretation of the Christian faith for two thousand years (Anders).

The Unsaved Individuals Who Die in Their Sins Will Spend Eternity in Hell.

It is important to recognize that the unsaved will be punished forever in the Lake of Fire. It is equally important to understand why. It is because the unsaved individuals died in their sinful and unforgiven state. They never took advantage of the opportunity to make thing right with God Whom their lives have gravely offended with sin. Once again these conclusions and assertions are based squarely on what the Bible spells out repeatedly.       

I repeat, the all time greatest Hell fire and brimstone preacher said in John 8:21, “Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.” Yes, the Lord Jesus warned people of the consequences of rejecting Him and His Gospel message. He desires to give them all of the information they would need to make an informed and intelligent decision with God’s gracious offer. This was so extremely important to Him that He echoed it again to emphasize how important the opportunity they were entertaining was. So, once again Jesus thunders in John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” There are other passages that teach this very same idea (Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:14, 15;  21:8).

The “death” spoken of in these fearful passages does not mean cessation of existence any more than eternal life means the beginning of existence. Eternal life does not mean merely to live forever, but to live in a state of blessedness with God for ever (Anders). Eternal life deals not so much with quantity as with quality of existence. The same is true with eternal death. It is a most undesirable quality of existence, not cessation of being. Even in this life death can co-exist with life: “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth” (1 Tim. 5:6); Eph. 2:1). What men call life God calls death.

There are two things which the Believer gets: at his regeneration, eternal life; at his resurrection, immortality; but in both instances he already has life and existence. So it is in the case of the wicked: the second death does not mean cessation of existence, for he is dead already, now in this life (1 Tim. 5:6; Eph. 2:1; John 5:24, 25). Revelation 21:8, describes what “death,” as here used, means: “But the fearful, and the unbelieving … shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

At the Great White Throne judgment, those who have rejected God receive the just rewards of their unbelief and sin. In this terrifying reality, justice will be served. You can escape this terrible judgment by trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. By so doing, you never will be a part of the second resurrection or experience the terrors of the second death, the Lake of Fire.

"He that heareth My Word," said Jesus, "and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment], but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

Have you trusted Him and passed from death unto life? If a person does not believe in judgment for unbelief and sin, they will underestimate the negative consequences of rejecting God and place themselves in dire eternal peril. Why not take this moment to acknowledge your sinfulness to God as I had to over 23 years ago? Why not ask God to forgive you for your rebellion against His Majesty, disregard of His grace, and blatant violations of His perfect moral standard? I did, and He forgave me. Why not turn to God for forgiveness on the basis of Christ's death for our sins and His resurrection for our justification with God? Millions have and now stand forgiven and justified before God! It is time for you to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ with every fiber of your soul. Christ died for our sins, was buried, and literally arose bodily from the grave on the third day just as the Bible predicted He would (1 Cor. 15:1-8). Many Believers saw Him, talked with, ate with, learned from, and were taught by Jesus Christ after His resurrection! He is alive; though now back in Heaven, He is waiting and willing to save anyone and everyone who will turn to Him with a heart of faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you too will be saved by God's infinite grace (Rom. 10:8-17). Do not delay; trust Christ Jesus today!!!

Of course, the Bible teaches that Hell is a real place, an unspeakably terrible place of pain, punishment, and everlasting destruction. Yes, the Lord Jesus believed in Hell and warned people not to go there and that those who do not accept Him will go there. In addition, the threat of Hell ought to motivate us to share the message of the gospel with others, that we might be used of God to keep people from that dreadful fate. May God give each of us the faith, compassion, wisdom, and courage to do so. To the glory of God and salvation of sinners like us. 

Don't Give Up!

 Don’t Give Up!

Quitting is a natural response to intimidating challenges. Giving up, walking out, throwing in the towel, and checking out are automatic reactions for too many of God's people when faced with hardnesses. Our Lord understands this weakness and inclination; He prescribes that we take courage instead. In effect God says, 'When you must walk through floodwaters and fires, I will see you through them all….trust Me', says our Lord God. Notice His exact words to ancient Israel as they faced a tumultuous future, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2). Though the Lord indicated Israel would faces some serious challenges in the days ahead, He sought to assure them of His love, presence, and protective hand. He did not promise the hardness will not touch them and He did not promise to take away all of their cares and concerns. He did promise that He would be with them every step of the journey. Acknowledging the truth that He is truly with us when life hurts is key to surviving the fires and floods of life. Take careful note of MacDonald’s strengthening comments,

In tones of tender love, Jehovah assures His people that they need not … fear, because He who created, formed, redeemed, and called them will be with them in the flood and fire. The Holy One of Israel gives Egypt as their ransom, a promise that was fulfilled after the return of the Jews from captivity. –MacDonald, W. (1995).

Beloved, our great God knows YOU, and He fully understands exactly where you are. He has not lost you in the floodwaters or the fiery trials! Though life presently hurts beyond your ability to express, our Lord is not oblivious, nor has He ceased to care deeply. Remember, He created you with a definite purpose in mind, He redeemed you making you His very own—dislodging you from any obligations to sin, He has graciously provided for you and sustained you, and He has been diligent to protect you from all dangers—both seen and unseen. Therefore, in these perplexing times refuse to be overwhelmed with fears! Deny the devil a victory by declining the indulgence of doubts. Do not give up or in because you are weary and tired! Don't quit because you feel abandoned and alone. Why? You can continue because you are not alone! Yes, you may feel alone, but you are not actually alone! Our Lord said, "I will be with thee". Again the God who cannot lie said, “I will be with thee” (Isa. 42:3). Therefore He is indeed with you through the fires and the floods! Mark yourself by pure wisdom because you consciously chose to trust this promise from an honest God! Believe Him now. Don’t give up because you are afraid, weary, gun-shy, or feel alone!