. INTRODUCTION.At the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, those whose faith has proven steadfast under all the tribulations and persecutions they have had to endure from enemies of God will be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which they have indeed suffered. (2 Thess 1:4,5). But while bringing relief to his faithful servants, The Christ Michael will repay tribulation to all those who made tribulation for them, exacting vengeance upon these enemies of God who warred against His servants and the birth of the Kingdom of God on earth. (1:6-9*). Enemies of God, to be everlastingly cut-off, fall into three distinct categories: 1.
Those who refuse to acknowledge God: 2.
Those who refused to obey the "good news" of our Lord: 3.
The "final rebellion" against God:
WHAT IS THE "HOUR OF TEST"? This ordeal will be a severe trial of the spirit of every inhabitant on earth. It will be a time of such great distress that "unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short." (Matt 24:21,22). Almighty God Jehovah reserved the world of Noah's day for Judgement by a deluge of water, sweeping away the Godless men of that time; but the present heavens and earth are reserved for Judgement by Spirit "fire". "The Lord will judge by fire, with fire He will test all living men, and many will be slain by the Lord". (Isaiah 66:16 NEB. 2 Peter 3:5-7).
Almighty God is about to flood the earth with
the Spirit of His Judgement. Every unGodly inhabitant will receive this Spirit
from Him. This Spirit as a "fire" will burn relentlessly within
every rebellious spirit, and will eat them up. It will even cause a wasting
disease within their flesh. They will be "wasting with sickness, yet
overflowing with righteousness"! (See Isaiah 33:11
The Son of God The Christ Michael will
"taunt them with their evil plottings and the tortures they are soon to endure.
This corresponds to the flame. And he will destroy them without effort by means
of the Law
The Christ Michael will expose all the unGodly
sins of mankind within them. They will feel "naked and ashamed for all to
see" and will look aghast at each other as their rebellion against the
Spirit of God causes their faces to burn with shame. (Rev 16:15 NEB) (Isaiah 13:7 To those who usurped the authority of faithful anointed sons of God in The Christ's congregations, thereby falsely claiming to be spiritual "Jews" themselves, even changing the "times and Law" of God to do so, it is written: "In Zion the sinners have come to be in dread; shivering has grabbed hold of the apostates: 'Who of us can reside for any time with a devouring fire? Who of us can reside for any time with long-lasting conflagrations?'" (Isaiah 33:14. Rev 3:9) (Dan 7:25). For The Christ Michael warned: "Those who have misused My Law will be taken by surprise; their contempt for it will bring them continual torment." (2 Esdras 9:9 NEB).
WHO WILL ESCAPE THE "HOUR OF TEST"? C. B. Thomas.
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