"Lessons from Sodom & Gomorrah" - Pastor Stephen Bohr

shall we bow our heads for prayer our Father in Heaven we thank you so much once again for bringing us here we ask for the guidance of your Holy Spirit as we open your word as we study about the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah we ask that you will teach us the lessons which will be useful in our own personal walk with our beloved Savior Jesus and we thank you Lord for hearing our prayer for we ask it in Jesus name Amen I'd like us to begin our study today in the book of Luke chapter 17 and verses 28 through 30 Luke 17 and verses 28 through verse 30 we've already studied the story of the flood in Noah's day and we discovered that the whole flood story is an illustration of events which are going to take place at the end of time now in our lecture today we are going to study that the story of sodom and gomorrah also is an illustration of events which will take place at the very end of time let's begin reading at verse 28 after talking about the flood jesus says likewise as it was also in the days of lot they ate they drank they bought they sold they planted they built but in the day that lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all and now notice verse 30 even so in other words in the same manner even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed Jesus himself told us that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is symbolic of events which will take place at the very close of human history and so what we want to do in our lecture today is draw a parallel between what happened then and what is going to happen now as we Pro approach the end of time I'd like us to begin in Genesis chapter 13 and verse 10 where we have a description of the valley where Sodom and Gomorrah were before the cities were destroyed Genesis chapter 13 and verse 10 this is when lot and Abraham parted ways you remember that lot went into the valley where Sodom and Gomorrah were whereas Abraham decided to stay in the country outside the cities it says here in chapter 13 and verse 10 and lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan then it was well watered everywhere and then it explains in parentheses before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah like the Garden of the Lord like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar you lost that whole valley according to this verse was beautiful in fact it compares this area with the Garden of Eden of all things in other words it was a very fertile region now if you go to that region today you're going to find just the opposite I've had the privilege of being on both ends of the Dead Sea on the western bank and on the eastern bank the jordanian side and the Israeli side and I'll tell you that when that sea is called dead it is very appropriately named because there is nothing alive in that region there's no vegetation there is no life in the Dead Sea everything everything is dead everything is dry there are no birds in the air it's totally and completely dead furthermore probably you're aware of this the Dead Sea basin is the deepest point under sea level on planet earth over 1500 feet below sea level it's almost as if a gigantic crater was burned into the ground there that created this huge hole over 1500 feet deep in other words there's been a great change in that valley from a beautiful area very fertile like the Garden of Eden to an area that is totally arid and devoid of life the question is what caused this change go with me to Genesis 13 and verse 13 and let's examine in what condition these cities were before the cities were destroyed it says in verse 13 but the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord notice the expression they were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord now as we examined the story we discover that these cities had three basic sins which excelled every other sin the first sin was the sin of sexual perversion by the way we get the word sodomy from Sodom furthermore in chapter 19 of Genesis we find that when the angels were in Lots house the men gathered outside will come to this a little bit later and they said send these two men out to us because we want to know them now the word no in Scripture means to have sexual relations in Genesis 4 26 it says Adam knew his wife Eve and she conceived a son and so what these perverts of Sodom wanted to do was have homosexual relations with these angels in the house of lat they were totally morally sexually perverted furthermore the men of Sodom were very violent because when lat refused to send out these two angels the Bible says that the men of Sodom started doing violence to lot and those who were inside the house they tried to break the door down they had the intention of killing lot in other words they had no qualms about murdering someone who did not agree with what they wanted now in Ezekiel 49 we find us a third sin not only sexual immorality not only violence but there was also another terrible sin that afflicted these cities Ezekiel chapter 16 and verses 48 and 49 notice the description that is given here it says there vs. once again 48 and 49 as I live says the Lord God neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have gone as you and your daughters have done he's talking to the Hebrew nation verse 49 look this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom she had she excuse me and her daughter had pride fullness of food an abundance of idleness neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy there's one word which describes this condition and it is the word materialism they had an abundance of food according to this an abundance of leisure and idleness and as a result they did not help those who were poor and in need so the three great sins of these cities were sexual immorality violence and materialism crafts materialism now let me ask you are these three sins also sins which have proliferated in our present-day world you look at the world sexual immorality and perversion you look at a tremendous increase in violence you look at the crass materialism people buying and selling doing business thinking that the world is going to last forever and not thinking about those who are in need but thinking about self lovers of money the Apostle Paul called them and so you had these terrible sins that were being practiced in the cities of the blame and therefore God decided that he was going to destroy these cities and obliterate them from the face of the earth but God never destroys a civilization he never destroys a city without first giving a message of warning and I want you to go with me to Genesis chapter 18 and verses 1 and 2 and let's notice who came to visit Abraham before the cities were destroyed chapter 18 of Genesis and verses 1 and 2 it says then the Lord appeared to him that is to Abraham by the terebinth trees of mom rain as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day so he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold three men were standing by him and when he saw them he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground how many individuals came to visit Abraham three individuals came to visit Abraham immediately we asked the question who were these three individuals well before I answer this question we need to go to chapter 18 and verse 22 chapter 18 of Genesis and verse 22 it seems like after these three individuals visit with Abraham they departed from Abraham's tent and they went towards Sodom notice what we find in verse 22 then the men turned away from there that is where they met Abraham and when toward Sodom now let's stop there they went towards Sodom actually let's finish the verse and then I'll explain something they went towards Sodom and then what does it say but Abraham still stood before the Lord now let's go to chapter 19 verse 1 here this gets very very interesting chapter 19 and verse 1 identifies two of those individuals notice it says now the two what angels came to Sodom in the evening now wait a minute you say there's something wrong here two angels came to Sodom how many came to visit Abraham three the question is what happened to the other one well let's finish reading this verse it says now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening and lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom when Locke saw them he rose to meet them and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground saw two angels we know that at least two of these individuals were angels that came to visit Abraham and two of them end up going to Sodom now the question is who was the third angel and where did he go let's go back to Genesis chapter 18 and verse 22 Genesis chapter 18 and verse 22 it says there and we just read this verse then the man turned away from there and went towards Sodom but Abraham still stood before the Lord hmm where did the Lord show up from who was that third personage the third person age was whom the Lord by the way do you notice that the word Lord is capitalized that is the Covenant name Jehovah very significant one of the most solemn names if not the most solemn name of God in the Old Testament so it says that Abraham before the Lord two of them two of the Angels go to Sodom but Abraham still stands before the Lord and now I want you to notice the conversation that they explained by the way this first angel is the judgment angel or the judgement messenger let's read verse 23 and Abraham came near and said would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked what does Abraham's concern that maybe God is going to what he's going to destroy the wicked and the righteous together now what does God have to do before he destroys the wicked he has to separate from the wig and what the righteous what do we call that what do we call that that judgment yes thank you notice verse 24 suppose there were fifty righteous within the city would you also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it who is Abraham concerned about is he concerned about the wicked or the righteous he concerned about the righteous that God judged correctly the righteous verse 25 far be it from you to do such a thing as this to sway the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be as the wicked far be it from you and now notice shall not the judge of the all the earth do right what is taking place here with this first angel if we might call him a first angel by the way did you know that the angel of the Lord and the Old Testament is none less than Jesus Christ I don't have time to get into that but scholars of all denominations have come to the conclusion that the angel of the Lord who appeared in the burning bush and said I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and told Moses to take off his sandals from his feet because he was standing on holy ground it says the angel of the Lord was speaking to Moses it's generally agreed that that angel of his presence that that angel of the Lord is Jesus Christ the word angel means messenger incidentally and we find here abraham standing before this angel messenger and his concern is that the angel messenger perform a work of what judgment separating the righteous from the unrighteous before the destruction are you following me now there's a second angel that has a message go with me to Genesis chapter 19 Genesis chapter 19 and verses 12 through 14 Genesis 19 and verses 12 through 14 it says then the man said to law lot have you anyone else here son-in-law your sons your daughters and whomever you have in the city take them out of this place what did they say get out for we will destroy this place because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord and the Lord has sent us to destroy it so lot what went out and spoke unto a sons-in-law who had married his daughters and said get up and what get out of this place for the Lord will destroy this city but to his sons-in-law he seemed to be what he seemed to be joking what message these messengers give to lot and to his family get out because the cities are fallen the cities are going to be destroyed because of their sins get out before they're destroyed so the first messenger is the one messenger of the judgment the second message which is given is the cities are corrupt get out all right if you're starting to catch an interesting picture here now whoever doesn't get out what's going to happen with them go with me to Genesis chapter 19 and verse 24 Genesis chapter 19 and verse 24 and I see some of you smiling because you know where we're going with this even though we haven't gone there yet you see we noticed that what happened then is going to happen at the end is it just possible that God is going to send a three-fold message to the world before the close of time warning God's people to deliver their lives from the world before the destruction comes absolutely you see those three messengers those three angels prefigure three angels in Revelation 14 that God is going to send to the world at the very end of time to warn the world that because of its sins destruction is about to come now notice Genesis chapter 19 and verse 24 it says then the Lord this is after lot and his family had come out then the Lord rained brimstone and fire and Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens where did the fire and brimstone come from it came from whom it came from the Lord and where was the Lord in heaven according to this and notice the expression fire and brimstone do you know that expression fire and brimstone is used only for two events in all of the Bible it's used for the destruction of sodom and gomorrah and it's used to speak about the destruction of the wicked at the end of time those are the two only places where the expression fire and brimstone is used and by the way in the third angels message it says whoever does not get out will be punished with fire and brimstone and so you have contained a here in Genesis already in shadow form in miniature form what is going to happen on a worldwide level at the very end of human history now I want you to notice Genesis chapter 19 and verse 10 Genesis chapter 19 and verse 10 was there a shut door in this story of sodom and gomorrah before the cities were destroyed do you remember that in the story of Noah the door was shut a period went by then destruction is it just possible by the way the wicked gathered around the ark also correct while the righteous were safe we're inside now notice Genesis chapter 19 Genesis chapter 19 and verse 10 Genesis 19 and verse 10 it says here but the men that is the angels we've already identified them but the men reached out their hands and pulled lot into the house with them and shut the door was there any more opportunity of salvation after that door shut for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah that was it who protected lot and his family from the wrath of those wicked people it was angels that protected them from the wicked that had gathered around them just like at the time of the flood there was a closed door before destruction actually came and those who were outside Lots house didn't have the foggiest idea that when the door closed that was it by the way do you know that in Psalm 91 verses 9 through 12 it says that God will send his angels to take charge of his people in the midst of the tribulation and no plague will touch the households of God's people this will be repeated all over again you say God gave us the stories of Genesis not only as stories but as prophecies most people simply read these stories they're stories of things that happen once upon a time they're not only stories they are really prophecies written as stories every single story of Genesis is also a prophecy and so fire descended from heaven fire and brimstone and consumed the cities and I want you to notice the aftermath of this Genesis chapter 19 and verse 28 here Abraham is looking towards the cities after the fire and brimstone fail from God out of heaven Genesis chapter 19 and verse twenty-eight it says then he that is Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrha and toward all the land of the plain and he saw and behold the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace you read the third angels message it says that not only does fire and brimstone fall from heaven but it says the smoke of their torment a sense for ever and ever now we're going to talk about that a little bit later on and be series but what I want you to notice now is that fire and brimstone falls from heaven and the smoke a sense as a result in Genesis as well as in the third angels message of Revelation chapter 14 now we need to understand this issue of the fire which consumed Sodom and Gomorrah because fire is also going to consume the world there's a fundamental misunderstanding among Christians that when the fire falls from heaven the wicked are going to burn in the fire for ever and ever and the fire is never going to go out and they're never going to go out they're gonna be tormented and they're gonna be suffering for ever and ever now we need to take a closer look at that because I believe that that's based on a tradition which is not in harmony with Scripture and you're going to see it as we study alone go with me to Jude 7 that's that little book right before the book of Revelation Jude 7 where the destruction of the cities of the plain is described Jude 7 so you have to let scripture interpret itself we can't we can't simply take one verse and say oh this verse means this we have to compare with other verses to make sense out of what scripture is trying to teach us notice Jude 7 and I only mentioned the verse because it only has one chapter sword says as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in a similar manner to these having given themselves over to sexual immorality see there's the sin that we talked about and gone after strange flesh are set forth as an example suffering the Vengeance of what suffering the Vengeance of eternal fire what kind of fire destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah according to this it was eternal fire which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah but now we have a problem go with me to 2nd Peter 2nd Peter chapter 2 and verse 6 2nd Peter chapter 2 and verse 6 it says here speaking about the same city Sodom and Gomorrah it says and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them to destruction making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly what were sodom and gomorrah reduced to ashes now we have a problem how many of you have ever tried to burn ashes have you ever going to the grocery store to buy some ashes to put in your fireplace say pastor that's ridiculous you can't burn an sis because everything that there was to burn has already been burnt what happens when ashes is all that's left what happens with the fire the fire goes out because everything that was going to be consumed has been what consumed so immediately we asked the question how could Sodom and Gomorrah have been destroyed by eternal fire and yet the fire went out because the cities were reduced to what to ashes how do we understand this I believe that there's a perfect explanation to this you see I believe that the fire that burned Sodom and Gomorrah is still burning today not the cities but the fire yes now let's examine this concept you're going to be confused for a few moments until you understand what I'm trying to say go with me to Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verses 23 and 24 Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verses 23 and 24 here it says God speaking to Israel take heed to yourselves lest you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you in other words don't make images don't practice idolatry verse 24 for the Lord your God is a consuming fire a jealous God what is the consuming fire God is the consuming fire according to this burn is the fire it says he is a consuming fire now go with me to the book of Hebrews the New Testament corroborates this idea the book of Hebrews chapter 12 in verses 28 and 29 Hebrews 12 verses 28 and 29 here it says therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptable with reverence and godly fear in other words let's be respectful towards God let's serve Him with godly fear nor less verse 29 for our God is a consuming fire who is the fire God is the fire according to this my question is how long has God been the fire how long has God been the fire how long has not existed eternally so how long has God been a fire eternally now I need to explain that God is not literally a fire scripture teaches us teaches us what the fire really is go with me to Exodus chapter 24 verses 17 and 18 Exodus chapter 24 in verses 17 and 18 here we're gonna find what the fire is it says there Exodus 24 and verses 17 and 18 the following actually let's begin at verse 15 for the context it says then Moses went up into the mountain and a cloud covered the mountain thang only for Israel allow me to see now the notice now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai what was it that rested on Mount Sinai the glory of the Lord and the cloud covered it six days and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud now notice this the site of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel what is the fire the fire is the glorious presence and light of the Lord what was it that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah it was the fire that came from God but what is that fire God revealed his what God revealed his glory how long has God had that glory only since he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah is God an everlasting consuming fire he most certainly is because he is eternal in other words the everlasting fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah has never gone out it is still burning today not that which at burnt but the fire itself is still burning are you understanding what I'm saying now let's notice Malachi chapter four and verse one amplifying this point Malachi chapter four and verse one see when you compare Scripture with Scripture things become very clear in our minds the thing is people have too much of a restricted vision Malachi chapter four and verse one it says for behold the day is coming burning like an oven and all the proud yes and all who do wickedly will be stubble and the day which is coming shall burn them up says the Lord of Hosts that will leave them neither what neither root nor branch what is the burning oven going to do what is the fire going to do when the Lord comes in leave root nor branch who is the root of all evil Satan who are the branches his followers it's like Jesus said I am the vine you are the branches the faithful followers of Jesus are the branches Jesus is the vine the devil is the root his followers are the branches in other words it says here that there will be left neither root nor branch and doughnuts verse three verse three says you shall trample the wicked for they shall be what ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this says the Lord of hosts what are the wicked going to be reduced to they are going to be reduced to ashes which means that they're not going to burn forever but the fire that burned them is going to burn forever because the fire is God's glory raise your hand if you're understanding what I'm saying now let's go by the way let me just mention this in passing revelation 15 verse 2 speaks about God's throne and it says that before it's throne there's a sea of glass mingled with fire do you know why that see if glasses it looks as if it's mingled with fire because God is sitting on the floor throne and the glory of God is reflected in that see it's the glory of God a glory before before which sinners would be consumed in an instant now I'm gonna surprise you about what I'm going to tell you the churches have it all wrong it's not the wicked who are gonna be in the everlasting flames it's the righteous go with me twice a a 33 we prove everything here from Scripture Isaiah 33 and verse 12 this is a strange twist isn't it Isaiah 33 and verse 12 speaks of the destruction of the wicked and then it deals with the righteous it says there in Isaiah 33 beginning in verse 12 and the people shall be like the burnings of lime like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire here you who are afar what I have done and you who are near acknowledge my might the sinners in Zion I refrain fearfulness has seized the hypocrites and then notice the question who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings he who walks righteously and speaks up rightly he who despises the gain of oppressions who gestures with his hands refusing bribes who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from seeing evil who's going to inhabit the everlasting flames it's not the wicked it's the righteous because the wicked when they're in the midst of the fire they are what they are consumed but the righteous because they are right with the Lord the fire will not consume them so the church has got it the wrong way around they say the wicked will be in everlasting flames the righteous will be with the Lord in heaven the fact is the righteous will be with the Lord in heaven whose presence whose glory is like a devouring everlasting fire are you clear on this point now let me ask you is God going to send a message to the world before the world is destroyed do you know how many parts that message is divided three parts in the exact order as we noticed in Genesis history is going to be repeated the only difference is that in Genesis a few cities in the Dead Sea basin were destroyed at the end of time this is going to be a global catastrophe what was local in the Old Testament becomes Universal at the end of time in other words that was a shadow it foreshadowed what is going to happen in the future go with me to Revelation chapter 14 and let's examine these three messages Revelation chapter 14 let's begin reading at verse 6 revelation 14 and verse 6 then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation tribe tongue and people saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come some versions say the hour of his judgment is come and worship Him who made heaven and earth the sea and the springs of water let me ask you does this judgment take place before the destruction of the world what good would it be for God to say the hour of his judgment is come if that didn't warn the world to get ready for the destruction that is coming the purpose of this message is to warn people to get ready for the destruction so let me ask you does the judgment take place before the destruction is God going to separate the righteous from the wicked and he's going to is he going to seal his righteous followers before destruction comes like he did with Lunt yes and by the way when the cases are all decided what is going to close the door is going to be shut that's the door in the parable of the ten virgins ever heard of the parable of ten virgins the shutting of the door is not the second coming of Christ the shedding of the door is the close of probation because after the door closes the five foolish virgins still have a chance to go and they try to find oil everywhere but there's no oil because the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn preaching has come to an end the door of salvation has ended so do you see that you have an announcement of the judgment by the first angel of Revelation chapter 14 now what about the second angel notice Revelation chapter 14 and verse 8 it says here and another angel followed saying Babel and his fallen is fallen see at the end time the power is not Sodom it is what it is Babel and Babylon is fallen is fallen that great city because she has made nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication let's go to chapter 18 because there's an additional concept in chapter 18 chapter 18 and let's read verse 2 and he cried mightily with a loud voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and has become a dwelling place of demons a prison for every foul spirit in a cage for every unclean and hated bird for all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her we'll talk about all this later and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury verse 4 and I heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people is that what the angel said it's on him come out of her my people lest you share in her what in her sins and you receive her plagues very same message given to God's true people who are in the midst of Babel and like luck was in Sodom at the very end of time and then of course you have the third angels message which warns against worshiping the Beast and His image and receiving the mark by the way we have lectures on each one of these topics on the Beast on the image to the Beast and on the mark of the beast we're going to be dealing with a lot of issues in Bible prophecy now in our second half of this seminar but the third angel says that those who worship the Beast and His image and receive the mark in other words those who don't come out of Babylon fire and brimstone will fall from heaven and the smoke of their torment will ascend to heaven very same sequence as in the book of Genesis God has a message for his people in these last days now the question is how can we be sure to be ready when Jesus comes let's notice several verses in the New Testament that tell us how we need to prepare so that we can stand when Jesus comes you see just not anybody's going to stand if they're alive when Jesus comes there's a special preparation we have to develop a fireproof character yes we must receive Jesus as our Savior but we must be like Shadrach Meshach and Abednego loyal to death willing to give up the most precious thing their life in order to be loyal to God obey his law worship only him not practice idolatry not worship the beast or his image and as a result when they went into the fire the fire did not consume them because they had fireproof characters now what will God's people be like those who are ready for the coming of Jesus see this is something that is almost totally absent in the churches churches talk about oh yes Jesus died for your sins yes Jesus stands in your place Jesus intercedes for you you know if your sin we have an advocate by the way I believe all of these things they're biblical but you have to take the additional step you have to ask God to give you pure heart a clean heart they don't give you clean motivations they don't give you a pure mind so that the fountain of the heart will produce a change in the life because the life proves whether our profession is true or not now allow me to mention a few verses Hebrews 12:28 and 29 we already read this but let's read it again Hebrews 12:28 and 29 here the Apostle Paul is talking about the second coming of Jesus and by the way I believe that Paul was the author of Hebrews I'm not gonna give you the reasons why I believe that now but I believe that he was and sound Christian tradition indicates that now notice chapter 12 and verse 28 therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken that's the kingdom that's going to come when Jesus arrives let us have grace by which we may serve God except ibly with reverence and godly fear how should we serve God with reverence and godly fear why should we do that for God our God is what is a consuming fire so whom does the fire not consume those who serve God with reverence and godly fear godly fear means with the utmost respect notice Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 14 being that were in Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews 12 and verse 14 we find these wonderful words pursue peace with all people and holiness and then notice the last petal verse and holiness without which no one will see the Lord what must we have in order to be able to see the Lord we must have holiness we must serve Him with godly fear by the way the Lord Jesus said blessed are the pure in heart this is Matthew chapter five and verse eight blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God do you know what the wicked are going to do when Jesus comes revelation chapter six describes it they're going to hide in the caves of the earth they're going to cry for the rocks to fall upon them because they have not learned to love Jesus they are totally unlike Jesus they can't stand the idea of spending an eternity with Jesus and therefore they're gonna hide from the Lord God's people are gonna say lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us as it says in Isaiah chapter 25 notice that passage that we read in Isaiah 33 again there's one verse which I didn't read Isaiah 33 and verse 17 after speaking about the righteous living with the devouring fire in others inhabiting with the glory of God we find these very interesting words about someone that the righteous are going to see or some yes known as Isaiah chapter 33 and verse 17 it says here your eyes will see the king in his beauty see the conclusion your eyes will see the king in his beauty they will see the land which is very far off do you know what that land is the land that is very far off it is the place that the king comes from where does the king come from he comes from heaven notice a couple of other verses that we find in the New Testament go with me to first John chapter 3 and verses 1 2 3 first John chapter 3 and verses 1 2 3 we find this theme time and again when the second coming is spoken about God tells us that we haven't must have a pure clean life in order to be able to wait for the Lord in order to see God as Jesus said notice what we find in 1st John chapter 3 and verses 1 to 3 behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that should we should be called the children of God therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him beloved now we are the children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and what should we be doing in order for this to happen notice verse 3 and everyone who has this hope that is the hope of seeing Jesus when he comes everyone who has this hope in him does what purifies himself just as he is pure what should we be doing in preparation for the coming of Jesus we should be developing holiness we should be purifying ourselves even as he is pure he provides the soap and water but me we must is it what does it mean purify yourself I can't purify myself I don't have the soap in the water the soap and the water represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit but I have to take the soap and the water and I have to apply it or it will do me absolutely no good notice also second Peter 3 and verse 10 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 10 this is a very marvelous passage that deals with the final destruction of the world by fire and I want you to notice the special preparation that God's people are going to need in order to withstand this fire it says in verse 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 and now notice therefore since all these things will be dissolved because the fire is going to destroy the world what should we be doing what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness how should we live in holy what conduct and what godliness some people say oh doesn't really does God doesn't really care what you do we're not saved by works we're saved by faith yes we're saved by a faith that works our faith that doesn't work as a dead faith and a dead faith cannot save you faith is shown by words if there are no works there is no faith and so to say that you're saved by bare faith then you can be saved and still live like the devil it's not in harmony with the Bible because when Jesus comes into our lives our lives changed when he genuinely comes into our lives and that's what the Bible is talking about when it deals with preparation for the second coming of Jesus and then it says that we're supposed to do that because the day is hastening when Jesus is going to come it says in 2nd Peter chapter 3 and then we're told that Jesus is going to make a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells now how is this possible how can we develop this fireproof character we found that God wants us to have it he says without holiness you won't see the Lord the pure in heart will see God we must purify ourselves as he is pure how do we do it we can't do it the Lord does it and how does he do it let's go to three texts psalm 119 and verses 9 through 11 psalm 119 and verses 9 through 11 gives us the secret we're told here by david the longest chapter in the Bible the following listen up young people how can a young man cleanse his way that means the behavior by the way by taking heed according to your word how do we cleanse our way by obeying what by obeying the word how much of the word the nine Commandments how many all of them because the Bible says that if you break one you break them all we don't keep them in order to be saved we keep them because we're saved works are good as long as you don't put the cart before the horse verse 10 with my whole heart I have sought you all let me not wander from your Commandments your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you what is the secret for gaining the victory over sin hiding the word where in the heart you know the more time I spend in the word the more victory I have in my life the reason why we don't have victory is we spend most of our time in front of the television and what the television does it confirms our sinfulness it strengthens our sinfulness because we reflect what we see but when you put the word in the heart day after day after day our lives take the form of the word notice also John chapter 15 and verse three John chapter 15 and verse three here Jesus is giving the allegory of the vine and the branches and he says some very wise words John 15 and verse 3 speaking about his disciples he says you are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you what is it that cleanse the disciples the word that Jesus spoke to them notice Ephesians chapter 5 the same idea then it's the word that cleanses it's the word that purifies when it comes in to our hearts it expels evil because the word is light and light expels darkness from the life notice what we find where did I say where we're going now ah good you're still with me fees ins chapter five and verse it's 25 to 27 it says in verse 25 husbands love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her did he give himself for her for a reason let's read verse 26 that he might sanctify and what cleanse her how does he cleanser cleanse her with the washing of the water by the word do you know what the water represents the water represents the holy spirit the holy spirit when we read the word the Holy Spirit comes in through the word and cleans our hearts and then notice what type of church Jesus is gonna have it says in verse 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 that's what the word does that's how we can be pure in heart so that we can see God so that we can say lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us that will prepare us to live in the midst of the everlasting fire now to close by saying that there were four kinds of people related to Sodom and I'm just gonna mention this in passing Genesis 13 verses 10 through 12 don't even bother to look for it I want I want you just to listen to what I'm gonna say you can read it later it's on your list of text Genesis 13 verses 10 through 12 speaks of Abraham do you know that Abraham never actually lived in the cities from the time that he was called out of ur of the chaldeans contact with the cities you have a second type of person relating to the cities you have lot who lived in the cities but he was a follower of the Lord in the cities in fact we're told in 2nd Peter chapter 2 verses 7 and 8 that lot was tremendously bothered by the wickedness in the cities and he's even called righteous lot there in 2nd Peter chapter 2 you see he lived in Sodom but his heart was not inside him and God called him out and now he was with Abraham the faithful one who never lived in the cities now you have lot who was a member of God's people who was called out from the cities you have a third type of person that person is Lot's wife she also lived in the cities she accepted the call to come out but the trouble is she came out of Sodom but Sodom had not come out of her the Bible says that her heart was there she looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt that represents those perhaps that have heard the call of Jesus calling them out of Babylon calling them out of the world where sinful practices are carried on and they've come out in excitement but their heart is still in the world that represents those who have lived in the world practice the sins of Babylon but their heart is with alert and so when their call come out they come out Abraham represents those whose face has been pure let's say since birth and then you have a fourth group which are those who chose to stay in the sea the vast majority and were destroyed in the city what group do you belong to those who were born into the pure faith of Scripture those who were in Babylon but have been called out those who have come out but whose heart is still in the world or those individuals who remain in the world our decision will determine our everlasting destiny

Channel: Aaron

Views: 9,029

Rating: 4.7555556 out of 5

Keywords:

Id: 65_I7SkkaxA

Length: 56min 23sec (3383 seconds)

Published: Mon May 28 2018