DAY OF GOD’S VENGEANCE 3
(week 24/12)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our article last week, we saw why God’s vengeance is coming upon the Church; this week, we will see how this vengeance will come.
This vengeance of God will cause two-thirds of the Church (as it is presently constituted) to be ‘cut off’: die prematurely and suffer loss of eternal reward:
1Corinthians 3:11-15 KJV: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. (14) If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Corinthians 5:1-5 KJV: It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. (2) And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. (3) For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, (4) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Zechariah 13:7-9 KJV: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (8) And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. (9) And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
It is instructive to note that these two-thirds will not all be ‘cut off’ at once; rather this ‘cutting off’ will be gradual over a period of some years. Furthermore, as they are being removed, God will be bringing in new Christians who will be birthed and discipled by the one-third that are being refined and purified. We see this truth typified in
2Samuel 3:1 KJV: Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
Malachi 3:1-3 KJV: Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. (2) But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: (3) And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
The one-third left in the Church will be refined as gold and silver and produce seed after its kind (Gen.1:11) bringing forth a glorious Church, not having spot, wrinkle or any such thing:
Ephesians 5:26-27 KJV: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
A Church that will cause the ‘blind’ to see, the ‘deaf’ to hear and those that err to learn doctrine thus maintaining its perfection and purity.
Isaiah 29:18-20 KJV: And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. (19) The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (20) For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
Isaiah 29:22-24 KJV: Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. (23) But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. (24) They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
So it is URGENT NOW to repent of stubbornness, rebellion, spiritual laziness and lack of discipline and self-denial, dishonesty of heart and so handling the Word of God deceitfully as God’s vengeance in His Church is imminent!
Next week, we will examine God’s vengeance on the world.
