#DailyDevotion The great and terrible day of the Lord. We’re not afraid.
December 8th
Read Is 24:14—25:12
Isa 24:21-23 On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. (22) They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. (23) Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
Isa 25:6-9 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. (7) And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. (9) It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
There are two aspects to the great and terrible day of the Lord. One is the judgment of the inhabitants of the earth as seen in chapter 24. The redemption of God’s chosen ones is seen in chapter 25.
Revelation chapters 18-22 also give another view of this day several times. In any case, judgment day will not be pretty, a party or a general good time for those who rejected the grace and mercy of Jesus during their earthly lives. Death and destruction, no worse terror awaits them on that day. It will be far worse than anything Hollywood ever produced. People will seek to escape but they will fall into another trap. Everyone who persecuted Christians will see the fruit of their labor. The great and powerful, kings, ceo’s, the middle class and the poor all alike will be gathered for the day of destruction.
On the other hand, everyone who trusted in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ will be gathered together on the mount of the Lord. The day of judgment for most people will be like a wedding banquet for Jesus’ people, the Christians. On that day Death is swallowed up forever. No more will death’s dark veil cover us. No longer will death cause us to fear (though it shouldn’t for us now either).
The Last Day is a great day of joy for Christians. Every tear shall be wiped away. Eternal joy shall be ours. Most importantly, we shall see our God and our Lord Jesus Christ. We shall receive him fully as we are fully received by him.
Heavenly Father, ever grant us greater faith that we may persevere unto the day of your Son’s second advent, that we may escape the judgment of the earth and enter into his eteranal kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.