Message 71: GOD'S JUDGMENT UPON THE EARTH TO DESTROY ALL WICKEDNESS AND TO RENEW HIS CREATION THROUGH WATER AND FIRE
– Mark Chen 6-11-2015
Dearest saints of God,
The LORD led me to Psalm 75 on June 11, 2015, which speaks prophetically of the coming Day of the LORD (Isaiah 13:9-13). Along with this Scripture that I am posting here, The Lord has also given me a Rhema Word, so please prayerfully read and discern the message through the Holy Spirit.
I have added many supporting Scriptures for this Rhema Word, by God's grace. Also, I have included a teaching note at the end of the post. May you be blessed with clarity in understanding God's redemptive plan for the earth and the measure of His grace for all of His saints who live by faith, and not by sight.
Shalom!
Psalm 75 (NKJV)
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
75 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.
2
“When I choose the proper time,
I will judge uprightly.
3
The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;
I set up its pillars firmly.Selah
4
“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’
And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn.
5
Do not lift up your horn on high;
Do not speak with a stiff neck.’”
6
For exaltation comes neither from the east
Nor from the west nor from the south.
7
But God is the Judge:
He puts down one,
And exalts another.
8
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup,
And the wine is red;
It is fully mixed, and He pours it out;
Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth
Drain and drink down.
9
But I will declare forever,
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10
“All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off,
But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”
Rhema Word (June 14, 2015):
"My dear children, the great shaking is about to begin upon the earth. Have you seen the increasing tumult in your world, as the birth pains increase with greater intensity and frequency? Even your scientists are scrambling to understand the dramatic rise in the incidence of major earthquakes and the awakening of volcanos all around the earth. They do not fully understand why all these events are occurring almost concurrently in your world, for a great majority of these scientists and experts know not My Will nor the truth of My Word regarding the end times of the earth and its peoples.
My Scriptures say that I have chosen the appointed time, and it is I who judge rightly. The chosen time of My judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth has come, and I will cause the earth and all its people to quake, for the wickedness of the evil will be destroyed, and the arrogance of the proud will be brought low. Who can stand before Me, My loves? Will those who defy My righteous statutes and trample My holy Name stand in the assembly of the righteous saints? NO! For unless they repent in true contrition and humility, they will all be swept away in the rising tide of My righteous anger and in the face of My judgment upon the earth! I will break the yoke of the oppressor and set My captive children free, for the time of My deliverance has come. My righteous saints are being refined now and prepared for their appointed role in My mighty end-time army. Remain in Me, dear children, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Just as I have declared to Nicodemus that no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless he or she is born again of water and of the Spirit, I declare to you this day that I AM doing a great work of restoration to the earth. I have brought the earth through My cleansing by water in the Great Flood during the time of My son, Noah and his family, and I will bring the earth through a baptism of fire in the coming days as My apostle, Peter had written in his epistle to the early church. Do you see the parallel symbolism, My loves? I am restoring mankind to their glorious freedom in Me, before sin entered the world through the actions of Adam, the first man.
In the same manner that My children must be washed by the sanctifying truth of My Gospel, and be cleansed through My refining fire in their lives, after having received the gift of My Holy Spirit to them, the earth will also need to undergo cleansing by water and refining in My fires of judgment, before I can restore My Creation to what it was before the fall of mankind into the bondage of sin and decay. This is a mystery that I am revealing in these end times through My servant, Mark, so that My saints can comprehend God's sovereign Will and divine plan of redemption for the earth, before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the LORD, for it will be a time of My fierce wrath and judgment upon the earth.
Keep your garments clean, My loves, by coming to Me as often as you stumble and fall, for I AM willing and able to restore you to Myself, according to My great love and mercy. Listen, My children- none of My saints can fall beyond My divine grace and forgiveness for them, unless they choose to do so because of their doubts and disbelief. Those who come to me in true humility and contrition of heart, these I will not turn away, no matter how many times they do so, because My mercy triumphs over My judgment. Indeed, My mercies are new every morning, great is My faithfulness to those who fear Me and love Me. The ones who fall outside My grace are those who believe the lies of the enemy, and who choose to turn away from Me and My ways, and step off the narrow path that leads to life everlasting in Me. By embracing the enemy's deception, they will walk the wide path that leads to destruction, because they have lost their faith in Me, and in My grace for them.
Have I not declared in My Scriptures that My righteous ones will live by faith in Me, and if they shrink back in fear and disbelief, I shall not be pleased with them? Indeed, that is so, My children! I AM grieved whenever My children forsake Me, because they think I have forsaken them in their recurring sins. Far be it from Me to do so, My loves, for every single one of My sheep is precious to Me, and I will go all the way to recover and bring home even one lost sheep from My precious flock. Some of My children believe that they can never fall outside My grace for them, so they indulge in the pleasures of their flesh, because they take My divine grace as a licence to sin. Let me remind you again, My loves, that I AM not to be mocked! My grace will always be sufficient for those of My children who struggle against the carnality of their flesh, and who claim My promises of forgiveness and mercy BY FAITH IN ME.
These are the ones who struggle with habitual sins and addictions in their lives, and they know that this is not pleasing to Me, their Lord and Saviour. They do not freely indulge in the lusts of their flesh, but they fall into sin because they fail to rely on Me to overcome the carnal flesh in their moments of weakness. To them is My grace ever sufficient, and My forgiveness ever ready to be given, but they must come to Me in genuine repentance and confession of their sins, and according to their measure of faith will it be done to them. To those of My children who lack faith in Me, I want you to come to Me and ask for a greater measure of faith to be given to you, and it shall be granted to you when you seek Me wholeheartedly and single-mindedly.
Be ready now, My loves, for the great darkness is nearly upon the earth. Stay sober, vigilant and prayerful, because you will need to recognise the signs of My coming, or I shall come upon you like a thief in the night, and you will not be ready for Me. Stay close to Me always, and abide under the shelther of My wings. I love you, My dear children, and I AM coming to gather those of you who are found worthy to Myself, and We will celabrate joyously at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb!"
- God, the Father and Jesus Christ, the coming King
Coordinating Scriptures:
Isaiah 13:9-13 (NKJV)
9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes,
Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger,
To lay the land desolate;
And He will destroy its sinners from it.
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.
11 “I will punish the world for its evil,
And the wicked for their iniquity;
I will halt the arrogance of the proud,
And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold,
A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens,
And the earth will move out of her place,
In the wrath of the Lord of hosts
And in the day of His fierce anger.
Psalm 1 (NKJV)
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Ezekiel 18:23, 22 (NKJV)
23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV)
61 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
John 3:5 (NKJV)
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 17:17 (NKJV)
17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."
Ephesians 5:25-27(NKJV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Malachi 3:1-5 (NKJV)
3 “Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
2 “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to theLord
An offering in righteousness.
4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the Lord,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
5 And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien—
Because they do not fear Me,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
Matthew 24:37-39(NKJV)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
2 Peter 3:3-14 (NKJV)
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world thatthen existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning Hispromise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
Matthew 3:11-12(NKJV)
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Romans 8:19-23 (NKJV)
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Lamentations 3:22-23(NKJV)
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 Corinthians 12:9(NKJV)
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Romans 8:1(NKJV)
8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Hebrews 10:37-39(NKJV)
37 “For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
Mark 9:23-24 (NKJV)
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Luke 21:34-36 (NKJV)
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
NOTE:
In this message, The Lord is emphasising the parallel symbolism of His appointed plan of redemption for mankind and for the earth (ie. literal water and fire for the cleansing of the earth, compared with symbolic water and fire for the cleansing of God's saints).
We learn from Genesis 3:17-19 that the earth has been under the curse of God because of the fall of man into sin. Indeed, all of God's Creation await their release from this bondage to death and decay because of the effects of man's sins (Romans 8:20-21). The earth will be brought into the glorious freedom of the redeemed children of God, as His appointed time.
That time has now come, for that is one of the important purposes of the Day of the LORD - to destroy all evil and sin on earth through God's fires of judgment. Indeed, one important common characteristic between the time of the previous global cleansing of sin and wickedness during the time of the Great Flood, and the coming time of God's fiery judgment in the Great Tribulation, is the presence of sin and wickedness that is spearheaded by the fallen angels and their hybrid demonic offspring, the nephilim (Genesis 6:1-7).
Literally and symbolically, water can wash away filth, while fire can burn up impurities, even in precious metals such as gold and silver. The apostle Peter drew this comparison of the Lord's refining of our faith in Him to the purifying fire of a furnace in a blacksmith's shop (1 Peter 1:6-7). Similarly, The Lord draws a comparison of those who have been washed by the cleansing water of the Gospel to that of a person who has taken a bath and is clean (John 13:10), for the Word of God sanctifies them by His truth (John 17:17).
In the same way, God had previously used the mighty waters of the Great Flood during Noah's time to wash away the sin and wickedness of the earth by destroying the wicked humans, including the nephilim. Very soon, He will also use terrible fire to destroy the wickedness and sin of mankind in the coming Great Tribulation. Where will the wicked humans, the current generation of the nephilim and the devil himself eventually meet their end? In the lake of fire! (Matthew 25:31-33, 41-46, Revelation 19:20, 20:10)
Concerning the grace of God, I wish to explain that while God's grace and mercy is given to all peoples on earth in general (ie. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous- Matt 5:44-45), regardless of whether they acknowledge Him or not, God's offer of salvation through the forgiveness of sin in His Son, Jesus Christ, is a specific form of His grace given to us.
This special grace from God must be received through FAITH and REPENTANCE ( see John 5:1-15), for without faith, no one can please God (Hebrews 11:6); without repentance, no one can live according to God's righteousness through His Son, Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:19). In addition, we are called to produce good fruit in keeping with our repentance (Matthew 3:8), but that doesn't mean that we will never ever stumble or fall into temptation along the narrow path that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).
It is for this reason that God has given us His wonderful promise to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness when we come before Him in confession of our sins (1 John 1:9). There are some Christians who may wish to argue that this specific Scripture mentions confession, but not repentance, and so they may believe that no repentance is required, and a mere acknowledgement of our sins to God will suffice. However, such a distorted understanding of God's Word will lead them only to their own detriment. Indeed, it is to such believers that Christ Himself issues a stern warning and command to repent from their worldliness, for He rebukes those whom He loves (Rev 3:19).
What, then, is repentance? I had previously explained that biblical repentance is the 'turning away from our sinful/wicked ways through a change of mind and heart'. Often, this change of mind and heart cannot be effective or permanent, if we choose to rely on our own will power, instead of relying on the Holy Spirit's power. Those who may have effectively overcome their previous sinful habits by the power of the Holy Spirit in them may still lapse into their old sinful ways if they are not careful to guard against temptation, especially when they believe that they cannot possibly fall into their old carnal ways again (1 Cor 10:12-13).
Whatever the case may be, we must remember God's promise of forgiveness and cleansing to us and claim it by FAITH and REPENTANCE, because confession of sins without repentance is simply paying lip service to God, while confession of sins without faith is not going to enable us to appropriate God's grace of forgiveness in our lives. Either way, we risk making a mockery of God and His grace, so let us be careful in this regard.
The most important thing to remember is that no matter how often we mess up and fall into temptation and sin, we can go to God in prayer and confession, by FAITH and REPENTANCE, to claim His solid promise of forgiveness and restoration. God has not set a limit on the number of times He will forgive us in this wonderful promise in His Word, so let us not limit God by believing the lies of the devil.
Rebuke the demons of lies, deception and confusion in Jesus' Name, and ask the LORD to increase your measure of faith in Him and in His promises to us, because He is the Good Shepherd who will not let you fall back into the darkness, unless you willingly choose to walk away from Him and His love, in the exercise of your free will. Remember that the devil has come to steal, kill and to destroy, while Jesus has come so that we may have an abundant life in Him (John 10:10).
I pray that this Rhema Word from The Lord will encourage all of us who are struggling against temptation and habitual sin, because He will never abandon us, even when we lose our faith in His promises to us at times. When we fall along this journey of faith in Christ Jesus, we must not believe that we have fallen beyond the grace and forgiveness of God, for nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God through His Son (Romans 8:38-39). We only need to persevere in faith, hope and love, staying repentant and obedient to Him daily, for His grace is ever sufficient for us, to the very end.
Jude 1:24-25 (NKJV)
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
In His Grace,
Mark Chen