Eyes on the Nations (Poem, Part 2)

See the series here

‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, 

you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

So you also, when you see these things happening,

know that the kingdom of God is near.’ 

(Luke 21:29-31)

 

Our pollution has made Earth’s air and waters acidic.

Droughts make soils acidic, and floods make them alkalic.

This has driven every living species on Earth… to the brink!

Because of our sin load, all of Earth’s systems are… out of sync.

She’s alive and sentient. To her, sin is toxic! ¹

Seeing these, isn’t it time to focus on …things prophetic??

 

Part 1 summarizes the five broad nations groups,

On which, in these un-precedented times, The Lord’s ‘eye is peeled’.

Throughout Scripture, He gives a clear clue,

Of a short-cut we should keep in view.

It is a microcosm that in history is revealed,

To help segregate us who’re wise …from nincompoops!

 

Clearly, the nation of Israel is that microcosm.

In His strategic plan for humanity, it is the seed,

Planted in the rich faith of Father Abraham.

It bore the fruits of His …salvation diagram,

Foretold in the history of ancient Israel, indeed.

Behold, her harlotry is now …a global macrocosm! ²

 

On what in our day should we keep our ‘spiritual eyes’ peeled??

Narrowly, it includes His promise of a third temple,

To be built in Jerusalem where a mosque now stands.

To all, it appears this ‘Gordian knot’ blocks His plans,

As upon it, we gaze through eyes that are …merely carnal,

Blinded by our disbelief in Him and the power He wields.

 

Broadly it’s on this nation’s ...trifecta of ‘walls defensive’,

That I suspect we should peel both sets of our eyes, ³

‘Walls’ that The Lord states, one day, Israel will be without.

That’s now something impossible to imagine, no doubt! ⁴

Let’s review how high her defensive walls now rise.

As a foundation to understand The Lord’s word predictive.

 

Nations defensive trifecta, like a three-legged stool,

Are their government, military and alliances.

Upon these they lean, when by difficulties they are stressed.

With each, Israel is currently very richly blessed!!!

So there’s no need to reinforce her …God allegiances.

Aahaaa! This echoes lessons she failed in her …ancient school!

 

Whenever we fail lessons The Lord for us designed,

In Grace, He will orchestrate another chance to pass them.

But when Grace fails because in failing we are intentional,

His strategy changes, with judgments that are incremental,

Until voila, deeply ‘in a fix’ we’re… totally hemmed.

Behold… a promised day in the promised land, consigned!

 

Israel represents the fig tree, spiritual,

Into which The Lord’s Church worldwide has been grafted. ⁵

This is why with Israel, it has strong affinity.

From The Lord, they both have Grace and accountability.

Since like Israel, now the whole world has acted,

Get ready for The Lord’s tough times …pedagogical! ⁶

 

It’s your choice on which to keep your eyes peeled:

On the five nation groups, or on Israel.

Let’s work to keep fully alert and aware,

Of The Lord’s ‘pre-Millennial Reign’ affairs.

They will presage His glorious arrival,

When to Him, the world’s governments will yield.

Isaiah 24 represents a succinct one-chapter summary,

Of the key pre-Millennial things we can expect,

Results of Earth staggering under unbearable sin load,

And her life-sustaining systems on which we depend corrode.

As you read it, into our time you'll need to project.

It was written some 3,000 years ago, prophetically.

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¹ Both physically and spiritually toxic

² This refers to Israel’s spiritual harlotry (idol worship) of forsaking her God and Jesus, His declared Son, Who, in Genesis 3:15, was promised to come as ‘Seed of the woman’ (signifying His virgin birth), to bruise (not yet to destroy) satan’s kingdom on Earth. Now the whole world, including elements of The Church, have followed suit in committing spiritual harlotry against all of Heaven. This multi-millennial story is why The Lord has richly preserved the rich history of Israel more than any other people group or nation on Earth!

³ Physical and spiritual eyes!

⁴ See: A People Un-walled (Series)

⁵ See: Romans 11 to understand this analogy

⁶ During the last days of this age, The Lord promises tough pedagogical times for Israel, The Church, and the whole world, respectively noted in: Ezekiel 38 and 39, Revelation 3:14-23, and Zephaniah 3:8. These promises reverberate across the ages and pages of The Bible.

Christian Hate and Nationalism? (Q&A)

See the Q&A Series here

Q: ‘Real Christians don’t hate people. It’s not our job to judge. That’s God’s job. It’s our job to love and be kind to one another.’ What’s your take on this, and also on so-called ‘Christian nationalism’?

 

A: Thanks for your questions. I fully agree we are called to love all people, and not to hate anyone. Period!

 

That said, let’s do a quick review of what we ARE called to do and be.

 

1. Show respect and God’s love to sinners, but not to their sinful lifestyles. These are not easy to segregate. It is unfortunate that casting any negative light on sinful lifestyles is interpreted as 'not loving me!' That's satan at work in our world, and he has deceived most Christians to just keep silent and avoid controversies. As a result, they never grow to full maturity as The Lord requires and demands. Consider how stringently Jesus spoke to Pharisees during His time as a human on Earth. They most likely thought He hated 'them' rather than their sin. They were too spiritually BLIND to see His attacks were actually done ...in love, just as young children are unable to appreciate strong parental discipline done out of a heart of love.

 

2. Hate all sin and call it out when clearly evident, even our own! Calling sin, sin, is not for babes who accept Christ, but who never grow up to full maturity in Him, as He requires and demands. These babes are akin to fetuses that never develop sufficiently to be born at all. It is unfortunate that the world interprets calling out sin, as ‘judging people’. Spiritual blindness blocks folks from perceiving the differences. Again, that's satan at work in our world. Nevertheless, we must find effective ways to obey, or be held responsible for the outcomes of a world without adequate spiritual salt that's designed to help preserve righteousness. 

 

3. In various ways, preach The Word 'in and out of season'. Otherwise, sinners won’t ever learn they need to repent (i.e., turn around and actually live different lifestyles), and will be forgiven. If we neglect to do this, God promises to hold us responsible! This is a key point that separates real Christ followers from Christianesque CINOs who would never in a b-zillion years consider obeying what Christ calls us to do. In slang, this separates 'the MATURE from the babes' who never grow up in Christ.

4. Judge sins between each other, not sinners. Please see: Judging Misjudged (Poem)

Bottom line: Do not allow this sinful world manipulate you into its twisted, un-informed definition(s) of who and what a 'real Christian' is and does. Study The Bible rigorously to LEARN and APPLY what The Lord, Himself, requires, since He and He alone has the first and final say in that matter. That's the only way you and I will escape being 'vomited out of His mouth' for being an ineffective, useless, lukewarm, so-called Christian, per Revelation 3:14-22. Yep, He's deadly serious about all of this.

 

Re. your second question, Jesus has nothing to do with so-called Christian nationalism. He only required one nation to be a theocracy (ancient Israel), and it failed miserably in that call. I know of no Biblical evidence of any call for pagan nations to become 'Christianized'. There are many promises they will be (and have been) judged for their wickedness that spills over innate, natural understandings of what is good and right, independent of them being 'evangelized'. 

The Lord God has promised to revive His theocratic call to Israel, and then (get this...) to remain on Earth a thousand years to ENFORCE IT! In fact, at that time, the whole world will be ……(taadaaa)…. a Theocracy! And I will be there as one of its immortal, governmental administrators. 😇 This role is reserved for, and promised to those whom HE (not this world) regards as ‘Christian’.

Here's my question back to you: Will you be there??

Red Sea Parting Theories (Q&A)

See the Q&A Series here

Q: Controversy continues to abounds over the Red Sea crossing. What are your thoughts on new theories, e.g., it was the Reed Sea with a land bridge, not the Red Sea; The Red sea was at an exceptionally low level, easy to cross; and a regular set of winds, not God, parted the sea?

 

A: Indeed, ever since The Lord began to converse with mankind, devilish forces have conspired to prompt us to discount, deny, dismiss and denigrate whatever He has said. No surprise they are pretty good at their job! In our day, their strategies bleed over into every aspect of life on Earth. Truth and facts are now fake news; good is now evil and evil is good. All of this is the predicted atrophic processes of our sin-ridden world.

 

Rather than delving into the details of such theories, questions like this might best be answered by sharing what I understand are Heaven’s key perspectives on what it means to be a Christian believer, a follower of Christ. The generic principles are not too dissimilar from what Heaven required of Old Testament Jewish believers -- not all the fine points of the Mosaic and the host of other Judaic laws and customs. 

 

First and foremost, Christian believers ‘believe’ and do not doubt The Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God, just as it attests to be. (2 Peter 1:19-21, and confirmed in 2 Peter 3:16-17) If believers doubt any part of the Holy Scriptures, they leave themselves w-i-d-e open to devilish influences and deceptions to disbelieve other aspects, until ultimately they confront satan’s highest temptation, namely to DOUBT IT ALL, especially, ‘there is NO God, or something called sin, and ergo, NO day of reckoning will come down the road, so don’t worry or sweat any of that stuff!’ In his crafty wisdom, satan and his imps never, ever start their dark deceptions attacking BIG points of The Gospel. They are way too wise for such. Rather, they start with the small stuff. And unfortunate for us, that has been their winning strategy. Who hasn’t faced some version of this temptation?!

 

Second, a believer seeks always to be filled with, and guided/directed by The Holy Spirit in all matters of this life. While no one achieves this perfectly, the point is to demonstrate to our ever on-looking Holy Trinity, our best efforts to do so, and our sincere repentance when we ‘miss the mark’. Why is this so important? A follower of Christ is reportedly ‘spiritually baptized into The Kingdom of God’ BY the same Holy Spirit Who promises to facilitate that believer’s steady growth process as a citizen in/of The Kingdom. If a person’s conversion is sincere, there WILL be some evidences of this leading and guiding work, in part, as an encouragement to the believer, and also as a testimony to the observant, critical world. satanic temptations to believers are to deny and block The Holy Spirit from accomplishing His assignment, until they fit squarely into the despicable picture Jesus (post-incarnate) paints of lukewarm followers whom He promises to spiritually ‘vomit out of My mouth!’ Unfortunately, it appears many so-called Christians clearly fit snugly into this picture painted in Revelation 3:14-22.

 

Third, Christ-followers/believers demonstrate growing concern for those who are ‘lost in their sinfulness’, and remain spiritually dead to God. We know clearly what The Bible iteratively attests will be the eternal judgment for these souls, namely the exact judgment promised to satan and his entire army of fallen angels (devils and demons). They will be cast into the hopeless lake of eternal fire (hell), far away from all/anything called ‘GOOD’, and in a new, immortal, tripartite physical form (spirit, soul and body) that will experience and feel everything and perhaps much more than our current person can experience and feel.

 

Why much more? No parts of an immortal body will ever grow old or atrophy! It will forever maintain its PEEK performance and abilities. I imagine an immortal body forever confined to the fires of hell may be extremely sensitive to such pangs of life we currently grow to ignore. Such insights cause true Christians to pray for, and to seek opportunities to warn some souls in this life of the incredible option to such a place that was created for devils and demons, not for humans! 

 

Lastly, bona fide Christian believers regularly feed on nourishing insights from across the pages of The Bible. As we do, The Holy Spirit is always at work helping us to identify and extract key principles to apply to/in our own lives. He is the only Expert Who can do this, both directly as we read and meditate on what's written in the Scriptures, and also indirectly, through others (like me) who help to sharpen understandings and to break down more complex aspects of the Scriptures for eadier digestion.

 

Applying these basic perspectives to your question about the Red Sea parting should clearly outline Heaven’s expectations of its bona fide citizens. Irrespective of how The Lord parted The Red Sea (which I was blessed to visit and take a tour on), I am good with the details of the Biblical account. Jesus, The Lord God, is Lord of all His creation, including winds, waves, rocks, animals, etc., etc. He ‘speaks their languages’, so when and what He commands them to do, unlike us, THEY OBEY. Imagine that!!! 😇🤡

Eyes on the Nations (Poem, Part 1)

See the series here

…Every day brings us closer to Earth’s new chapter,

When all the world will know The Lord’s iron rod scepter.

(Album 9: One Day Closer!)

 

From just about every perspective we can imagine,

We’re living in a time that is un-precedented!

While in Earth’s long history, a global flood has been written,

By floods and droughts, it may have never been… globally smitten!

Search and see if such has ever been documented.

In times like these, folks are …spiritually awakened.

 

From just about every perspective I can imagine,

I have written about nations groups highlighted in our time,

Across the ages and pages of The Holy Bible.

By what I have written, no doubt, many minds are baffled!

Here, I’ll try to simplify and summarize it in this rhyme,

To sharpen your perspective of what’s on Earth’s horizon.

 

1st nations group focus...

The Lord, in a ruthless, ancient king of Babylon,

Activated, then in history, animated a dream.

It predicted the succession of hegemon empires,

Concluding with nations after Rome would have expired.

Many nations today are on …the ‘post-Roman Empire team!’

In the days of this ‘team’, He said His Kingdom would dawn.¹

 

2nd nations group focus...

The Lord has signaled His eye is on all nations,

From which He will have drawn His group of post-cross saints,

Dead and alive, who will have embraced Jesus Christ,

Who, by His death, paid our unpayable sin price,

We who live(d) life under His ‘righteousness restraints’,

Having learned to respond to His Spirit’s unctions. ²

 

3rd nations group focus...

He’s determined to pour on all nations angry indignation,

And to devour the Earth with the fire of His jealousy.

This will occur after from Earth, His saints are extracted.

During this time, Jews in three nations will be protected,

But not for long! Their protection will be temporary,

Thus serving as a major set-up for a massive invasion. ³

 

4th nations group focus...

The Lord’s focus will be sharply concentrated,

On the nation(s) ‘in the far north’, presumably of Israel.

Check any map (in your day) to learn which it (or they) will be.

His anger will be against Gog, the chief demon folks can’t see,

Who will trigger the invasion by an …alliance quintuple.

In the end, these armies will be …decimated! ⁴

 

5th nations group focus...

Before their decimation, these armies just might play a role,

In fulfilling The Lord’s promise to Jews He knows are righteous,

The promise He made so long ago in Zephaniah 3:11,

To remove from their midst, Jews who by pride are darkened!

He’ll leave only meek, humble, trusting Jews who are virtuous.

Thus this age will end, and His Millennial Reign will unfold. ⁵

 

If focusing on five nations groups might be too much,

See Part 2 for a recommended short-cut,

That might help to perceive The Lord’s Hand,

As He unfolds His strategic plan.

It will help you to avoid the scuttlebutt,

Falsehoods about how the world will or won’t end, and such.

 

Heads-up: It won’t!

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¹ See: Daniel 2, and also In the Days of These Kings (Series). Consider the nations that have adopted various aspects (legal, political, cultural, etc.) of the Roman Empire. Various nation remnants of Rome have existed ever since that empire fell nearly 1,500 years ago.

² See: Revelation 5:9, a future vision of this massive group drawn ‘out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation.’  This great remnant of humanity, unfortunately, will only represent a tiny percentage of all humans who will have ever lived. In His GRACE amazing, I believe this group will likely include every person whose life was aborted, and some children who died before they reached The Lord’s child-specific ‘age of accountability’, irrespective of their parents …religious affiliation or none. See: Children in the Rapture? (Poem).

³ This stanza notes the dual set of mystical protections The Lord promises to His ‘two peoples’ groups: saints protected in the rapture (comprising mostly post-cross Gentiles, and some Jews), and any remaining Jews who will hastily flee to Israel where they will be protected during the great tribulation. Many will spill over into Lebanon and Jordan-Gilead. See: The Coming Lame Blame (Poem) and The Goshen Effect (Poem, Part 2).

⁴ See: Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14:12 to see the list of nations involved in this invasion, and especially how not only their fate will end. See also: Revelation - Future Attacks in Israel, and A Forced Reconciliation (Poem).

⁵ These Jews will be representative of a long list of nations from which they will have hastily immigrated. Recall, pride is the first, the mother and the taproot of all sin. It is what motivated Lucifer (who became satan) to attempt a coup d’etat in Heaven. In Ezekiel 28:13-15, The Lord refers to Lucifer, a top-ranked angel with musical abilities, in the midst of spiritually upbraiding a wicked King of Tyre. In Isaiah 14:12-17, in the midst of a predicted future, proverbial upbraiding the king of Babylon, the proverb addresses Lucifer, who became satan, and who apparently was the king’s motivating spirit. Some Bible scholars flatly deny this, while others question at which verse the proverb, inspired by The Lord, returns to addressing the king of Babylon. Read it and form your own opinion in context of the entire Bible, including what happened in Genesis 6:1-3, Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4, and their relationship to the global flood.

See: Which Bible Books to Read First? (Q&A)

World's on the Brink!

The Lord God, Jesus Christ, 

sees and declares links

we refuse to see.

(See: Ezekiel 14:12-23 and Zephaniah 3:8. 

Note how the former is more ‘nation or spot targeted’,

whereas the latter is much more ‘globally blanketed’.

Climate change is deeply and spiritually REAL.

Ponder This... (Heaven’s Human Citizen Groups)

See the series here

 

The Bible reveals Heaven’s human citizens currently comprise three distinct groups:

 

1. Pre-cross saints in their immortal spirit/soul/body form, who were reportedly resurrected from their graves, per Matthew 27:52-53 ¹ These are saints from the first two ages of history (pre-flood and post-flood/pre-cross).

 

2. Post-cross church age dead saints whose bodies remain in the dust of the Earth, but whose immortal spirits and souls are with Jesus in Heaven (per 2 Corinthians 5:8), which is likely the new Earth The Lord promised Isaiah He was creating about 700 years before His vi4gin birth.(Isaiah 66)

 

3. Post-cross alive saints who, in spirit/soul/body, are still on the Earth

 

So what does this infer regarding the rapture?

I surmise the following:

 

A. Saints who, in their immortal form, might remain in Heaven during the next rapture. Why? Bodily-speaking, they are already fully equipped with what The Bible promises all bona fide saints, namely a totally recreated human body comprising: ²

     1)    a re-born/re-created spirit

     2)    a renewed soul

     3)    a re-created/immortal body ³

 

B. The spirits and souls of physically dead saints will come in the clouds (Earth’s atmosphere) with Jesus. Why? They will need to be re-united with their physical bodies, resurrected and made immortal, thus completing what The Bible promises these saints. ⁴

 

C. Alive saints will instantly be transformed from mortal-to immortal, and be caught up to meet them in the clouds. Both groups will return. to Heaven (as the anti-Christ is then revealed) where I perceive we will, inter alia, receive our Millennial Reign assignments. 

 

Keep in mind… 

Mankind was created in The Lord’s tripartite, immortal image: spirit, soul and body. Our spirit and soul have always been immortal, whether sinner or saint. Only our body became mortal as a result of sin. In the salvation process, The Lord saves (re-creates) our spirit, and, through Paul, He instructs us post-cross saints to renew/re-create our soul (mind, will, emotions, intellect, imagination) according to the revealed Mind of Christ, i.e., the books of The Holy Bible, each of which He inspired and then preserved over many millennia, and through which His Spirit coaches us in Heaven’s citizenship ways. ⁵

 

With these insights, imagine this…

~ Our GRAND UNION at the end of our ride to Glory! What a great day that will be – all pre-Millennial Reign saints (pre- and post-cross) together in Heaven.

~ A few Earth-years later, all of us returning with Jesus and all His angels (per Daniel 7:27, Zechariah 14:5, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 2 Thessalonians 1:10, Matthew 16:27, 25:31 and Mark 18:33) to take control of all governments across the Earth for a full millennium:

   ...Post-tribulation -- Earth will be in need of a major overhaul (its third one). See: Earth 2.0?! (Poem). How might that be accomplished??

   ...Post-Armageddon -- the war that will end the fourth age of history, the tribulation age. (Revelation 19:11-21), and start Christ's Millennial Reign.

   ...Post-devils’ imprisonment -- satan and his entire crew will be locked away for a millennium. (Revelation 20), and the anti-Christ and his prophet will have been cast into the lake of eternal fire (the first residents!!) likely on the same new Earth (Heaven) noted in Isaiah 66! Imagine that! 

 

Since Adam’s sin, satan’s invisible/unseen crew has been influencing and coordinating their evil through sinful human via their demonic actions on Earth, and also ‘…in heavenly (celestial) places’.

 

During the Millennial Reign, we visible immortal saints will be coordinating with holy angels …in heavenly places’ to achieve and ensure (police) righteousness on Earth, under Jesus’ global, iron rod authority. (Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12. Will they 'be revealed'/visible, as hinted in 1 Thessalonians 1:7??) I envision this as a grand strategic replacement process — Jesus, with His immortal saints and His angels, replacing satan and his ranks of devils and demons (fallen angels). See: Earth’s Cloaked Satellites (Poem)

Finally...

When He appeared to Ezekiel, Jesus (pre-incarnate) showed up sitting alone, on a Throne, high above an expanse or firmament…His totally awesome ride!!! ⁶ So via what massive means of celestial transport do you imagine He will use for our round-trip rides …from Heaven-to Earth-back to Heaven-then back to Earth?! Clouds?? As noted, I perceive Heaven could possibly be the promised new Earth in an alternate universe. (See: Isiah 65:17 and 66:22) Read the last 3 verses in Isaiah 66, Revelation 21 and 22 and let me know what you perceive. See: Your Heavenly IQ (Series).

NB: In Isaiah 66:24, The Lord attempted to convey the rather (at that time) unusual concept that we now understand will be immortal beings eternally tormented in the lake of fire! I wonder what in the world Isaiah and his readers imagined, seeing/hearing the words, carcasses, and worms that never die? The concept that comes remotely close in modern day language is, the living dead. Though Jesus attempted to convey this notion in Mark 9, actually, and perhaps strategically, The Bible's concept of the second death is not clearly defined until Revelation 21:8!!! I say perhaps strategically, because Isaiah 13:10 &13 are very clear about how The Lord   (in Whom ALL the treasures of knowledge and wisdom are hidden) releases both spiritual and material-world insights to humans on a ...drip, drip, drip basis.

Ponder that...!!!

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¹ See: Bible Raptures (Q&A)

² These are not promised to fake, or lukewarm folks who are ‘Christian-in-name-only’. See: Christianesque (Poem) and also Revelation 3:14-22. That is UNLESS they miss the rapture of the church, writ large, are alive during the anti-Christ rule, reject his dreaded ‘mark of the beast’, and be killed for that decision. See: Audacious Christians (Series), especially Part 2.

³ See: Creation, Reversed? (Poem).

⁴ Integrate the strategic logic of 2 Corinthians 5:8 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. Given The Lord's amazing Grace, I believe this group will also include all people who were aborted, and those who died before reaching His age of accountability. Do not confuse the rapture with references to the phrase, ‘all His/the saints’, in Zechariah 14:5 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13, or with Daniel 7:27 and 2 Thessalonians 1:10. I understand these verses refer to The Lord’s second coming on Earth, not to the rapture meeting in Earth’s atmosphere. These are separate events, separated by the great tribulation and the first two (of three) multi-national attacks in Israel. See: Revelation.  Future Attacks in Israel. 

⁵ See: Romans 12:2 and 2 Peter 1:21

⁶ See: Ezekiel 1

Ponder This... (Since the Flood)

See the series here

Have you ever pondered the role water plays in the most significant transitions in life? 

--Childbirth

--Baby dedications

--Adult baptisms

--Dead bodies washings

--Can you think of others?

 

What about the role of water in the start of so many other species of life on our planet whose ‘water breaks’ to signal birth? ¹

Consider water’s role in ending the pre-diluvian age, and beginning the post-diluvian age in which we live. The flood waters came from the breaking up of the fountains of the deep, and the windows/floodgates of the heavens. What waters, you wonder? Genesis reports how The Lord separated waters into those above and those below a firmament, then gathered the waters below the firmament into one place, and dry land appeared. ²

Literally all across the world, in every hemisphere, on every continent, all islands, every body of water, there is increasing evidence that Earth’s climate (weather patterns, temperatures and especially her water systems) is essentially out of sync. Unprecedented floods and extreme droughts are often occurring in the same places! We quite myopically label this as ‘climate change’, and conclude it is the result of too much carbon in the atmosphere. Focusing only on the scientific basis for climate change, with eyes wide shut, we are guaranteed to miss the higher, broader reasons for what we and the entire animal, insect and plant kingdoms are experiencing.

Water played pivotal roles in creation of Earth, and later in the flood that punished mankind’s gross sinfulness. He Who sent those waters has promised never again to flood the entire Earth. ³ However, He has promised to judge our persistent sinfulness in other ways, including with negative impacts on Earth’s water systems and the cascading/resulting impacts of famines, wars, pestilence and wild beast attacks. Water is the ‘pivotal plug’ in all of this. Pull that plug, and our entire ‘house of cards’ collapses.

The Lord God has clearly outlined for us how water will, once again, play a critical role in transitioning to our next historical age, yet most of us flat out ignore His promises, while stressing out about how to deal with climate change. Trying to get the entire world to reduce carbon emissions is like focusing on a gnat buzzing your sweaty face, while ignoring the most serious and impactful issues of our time, from Heaven’s perspective.

Just like many women reportedly experience temperature increases during pregnancy and just before labor, what if Earth has long been ‘pregnant’ with the next extended age The Lord has promised - His Millennial Reign, that will follow the short fourth age of human history - the tribulation?? What if her waters are about to break, giving birth to this new age? We are very experienced in failing to ‘connect-His-dots’, thus we fail to envision climate change is a mere symptom, not the cause of these most significant global environmental issues ….since the flood.

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¹ See: Giant panda’s water breaks

² See: Genesis 1: 6-10. Also, 'In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month, on that same day all the fountains of the great deep [subterranean waters] burst open, and the windows and floodgates of the heavens were opened. (Genesis 7:1, AMP) Now do you perceive what ever happened to the ‘waters above the firmament’?? ;o)

³ For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer (never again) cover the Earth… (Isaiah 54:9)

Collateral Damages or Blessings? (Poem)

Readers, by now, you might know of my ‘eye strategic.’

It’s from a career in international development,

That emphasized Goals, Purposes, Outputs, Inputs,

And anticipated End-of-Project/Program achievements.

Managing this kind of work accentuates tactics.

 

So when The Lord Jesus prompted me in retirement,

To apply my skills to re-reading His Holy Word,

I clearly understood His higher intention:

To unpack and parse therein what to me might be blurred,

And to perceive what, in our day, is most relevant.

 

As I progress in this rather unique assignment,

So many blurred points have become much clearer,

Aspects of His strategic and tactical approaches,

And repeating patterns that are much sharper!

In my understanding, I have grown more confident.

 

Yet there are some aspects of His strategic approaches,

About which I have deep longings to know so much more.

As I observe developments across our world today,

One in particular relates to His remnant corps,

Folks He allows to survive through His …judgment agendas!

 

From His heart of compassionate love for humanity,

Plus an undying desire for us to learn righteousness,

The Lord typically leaves a remnant in the wake of judgments, ¹

A mixed group of folks who’re righteous and ignominious. ²

Hey! Does that mean the righteous are damaged …collaterally?? ³

 

This point has long boggled my mind, and I would bet yours, too!

That righteous folks get wracked in The Lord’s judgment tragedies,

Right along with the worst sinners in the bunch,

On the surface, might seem to us like ...justice travesties!

So I thought; that’s until …deeper in His wisdom I grew.

 

Apostle Paul wrote: 

‘Oh, the deep riches of wisdom and knowledge of God,

Whose judgments are un-searchable; His ways past finding out.’ ⁴

Yet, he later affirmed, ‘But we (righteous) have The Mind of Christ.’

Hey Paul, is that a contradiction? What’s that all about?

‘No, J! Just like you, in wisdom I grew. It’s not flawed.’ ⁵

So why this curious strategic or tactical pattern??

I am sure there are reasons we can never fathom,

But here are two insights I will share with you:

1. The Lord is our help, even across judgments’ chasms!!

Tip: Build-up strong faith in this promise,

well before judgments happen!

 

2. The Lord has clear lessons in the un-righteous remnant to stir.

One might be exceptionally strong demonstration-effects,

That can only be learned by witnessing His blessings,

That accrue upon righteous folks who, through judgments,

are not vexed!!!

Their righteous salt preserves them, and testifies to on-lookers.

 

Imagine how those points played out in these mixed remnant groups:

--Of eight souls in the flood, only one was declared righteous – Noah.

--In the wilderness sojourn, only a few were righteous – Moses, Joshua, Caleb.

--In captivity, righteous Judaens were protected; Daniel/Esther rose to prominence. ⁶

--As David fled from Saul & Absalom, folks were chastened by his righteousness.

--In The Millennial Reign, the worst-ever sinners will be ruled by resurrected saints slain by the anti-Christ government in the tribulation age. ⁷

 

When you see the righteous apparently caught in judgments’ nets,

STOP …and ponder the message in this poem.

Train your 'inner eyes' to look well beyond what they may see.

If they see some righteous folks as victims,

Look l-o-n-g and closely to perceive their …distinguishing effects.

 

Yes, Friends, The Lord knows how to protect and preserve His saints,

In and through any broad judgments aimed at those who are not.

What may appear to be saints, as collateral damages,

May well be Him loosening them from their binding knots,

To demonstrate righteous trust to folks who, stressed-out,

…will faint.

 

What an AWESOME God and Lord we serve!!!

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¹ See: Isaiah 14:22-23 and 30 for two examples in which The Lord promises to wipe out even the remnants of two ancient, wicked nations.

² Ignominious – contemptible; marked with or characterized by disgrace or shame

³ Collateral damages – damages incidental to a targeted activity; unintended damages

⁴ See: Romans 11:33 (paraphrased). 

⁵ So I imagine… ;o)

⁶ See: Jeremiah 24 to know The Lord’s heart toward most Judeans He sent into Babylonian and Persian captivity.

⁷ See: and Worst of the Worst (Poem) and Fresh Troops, Incoming (Poem)