Zeal for destruction...

The last post was given with thankfulness of "the zeal of the Lord"  from a loving, tender heart to give believers His best.  Today, that same zeal will go in the opposite direction.

Nothing disturbs this believer more than the grand statement, "God is love," standing alone among all His other attributes.  It causes one to be misled and perform "those things which are not convenient/Sin!" (Rom 1.28-32).  

It is wonderful to note His love for His children as well as the mercy and compassion that follows.  However, it would be error to preach/teach only that doctrine.  Because He is holy, the only way we can get to Him, of course is through His Son, the Lord Jesus.  Because He is holy, that holiness cannot look on sin in any form.  (1 Sam 2.2,  I Pet 1.15, 16, Isa 57.15, Lev 11.44-47, Lev 19.2, Eph 1.4, Ps 96.9, Isa 6.1-13, Ps 103.1-22)

Let's take a look at current devotional reading in Isaiah 13.6, 9 and 11.

"Howl ye; for the DAY OF THE LORD is at hand it SHALL COME as a destruction from the Almighty...Behold, the DAY OF THE LORD cometh cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and HE SHALL destroy the sinners thereof out of it...And I WILL punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I WILL cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and WILL lay low the haughtiness of the terrible."

If we would understand some of His nature, we must allow that His holiness must be justified.  All the scripture references noted above testify of His holiness.  We cannot come near Him because of that.  Our sinful flesh, even those that have been washed by the blood of the Lamb, would defile His holiness and that cannot be.  So then, how are we to escape such fiery judgement and destruction?  In John 14.6 the Lord Jesus tells us plainly that "(HE) is the way, the truth, the life and NO MAN cometh to the Father but by me."  We are saved from eternal destruction, through Him.  We pray in the Holy Spirit, by Him.  We CANNOT get to God apart from Him!  He lived a sinless, perfect life when we could not.

The old preacher pointed out that to go to God apart from the Lord Jesus is destruction.  We are not sinless and perfect and apart from the Lord Jesus never could be. It is indeed sobering to think of One so powerful as to destroy "sinners for their iniquity." (Isa 13.11)  

This destruction is complete.  Scripture also points out in references too numerous to mention, the destruction that will be the "lake of fire" when this life is over.  Bear in mind this is eternal damnation. No turning back once it is done.  Look it up. There are 54 verses in 17 of 66 books of the Bible that tell of that awful place.  Among others, the "UNBELIEVING" (Rev 21.8) are of the number that will end up in this dark, sad place where "the worm dieth not."(Mk 9.44-48)

How does one escape the "zeal" of the Lord to also perform destruction on the unbelieving?   Again, look it up!  Salvation, escape from eternal damnation.  A few verses to back the truth of the Lord Jesus.  Titus 3:5 - "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

(Eph 2.8-9, Rom 10.9, Mt 7.21, Jn 14.6, Acts 4.12, 6.44, Jn 15.1-27, Acts 16.30-33, Ps 3.8, Ps 37.39, Acts 28.28, Rom. 6.14, Jn 3.16-18, Ps 60.5, Gal 2.21, Jn 3.17-21, Acts 2.1-47)

To gain perspective for any truth presented in scripture, it is paramount to get the "WHOLE" truth.  ALL scripture is relevant and "is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God (any believer) may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim 3.16, 17)