712 - When God’s Power is Manifested

When God’s Power is Manifested

John 18:1 - 14 (NKJV) ¹When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. ²And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. ³Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” ⁵They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. ⁶Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁸Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” ⁹that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” ¹⁰Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. ¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” ¹²Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. ¹³And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. ¹⁴Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Introduction:

We have been looking at John’s Gospel and have come to the description of the last days of Jesus. There are many ways I could look at this scripture, especially near the season of Easter but this sermon is on the last day of the year 2007 and we are approaching New Years. Therefore I have chosen to relate to one small detail often overlooked in the story of Jesus and that is found only in John 18:6. “He said to them, ‘I Am’… they –‘fell to the ground.’”

On Biblical commentator, trying to get rid to the passage, writes that “the guards were so frightened by Jesus that they ran backward away from Him and fell to the ground trembling.” What he is saying is that an armed division of solders were so frightened by an unarmed preacher, that they had come to arrest, when He admitted who He was they ran and fell in terror! Men will try to give all kinds of lame reasons for denying the supernatural!

1. The declaration of who He Is!

A. The “I Am” to Moses

Exodus 3:4 - 15 (NKJV) ⁴So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ⁵Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” ⁶Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. ⁷And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. ⁸So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. ⁹Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” ¹¹But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” ¹²So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” ¹³Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” ¹⁵Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

B. Emmanuel

Isaiah 7:10 - 14 (NKJV) ¹⁰Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹“Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” ¹²But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” ¹³Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.^

Matthew 1:18 - 23 (NKJV) ¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. ²⁰But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ²²So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”^ which is translated, “God with us.”

ILL: The Christmas story is not about the birth of a great teacher, or even a prophet but it is about the incarnation. Jesus Christ is not just a man He is “God with us!”

C. The testimony of Jesus

Matthew 11:25 - 27 (NKJV) ²⁵At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. ²⁶Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. ²⁷All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

John 14:9 - 11 (NKJV) ⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Mark 14:61 - 64 (NKJV) ⁶¹But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” ⁶²Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” ⁶³Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? ⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

ILL: Why did the High Priest accuse Jesus of “blasphemy?” Because he understood that Jesus had just clamed to be “God!”

2. What this has to do with the men falling!

A. Old Testament Testimony

Leviticus 9:22 - 24 (NKJV) ²²Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings. ²³And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, ²⁴and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Numbers 22:31 (NKJV) ³¹Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

Joshua 5:13 - 15 (NKJV) ¹³And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” ¹⁴So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” ¹⁵Then the Commander of the Lord’S army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

1 Kings 8:10 - 12 (NKJV) ¹⁰And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. ¹²Then Solomon spoke: “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud.

Ezekiel 43:3 - 4 (NKJV) ³It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when ^I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. ⁴And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east.

Daniel 10:7 - 9 (NKJV) ⁷And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. ⁸Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. ⁹Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

B. New Testament Testimony

Acts 9:1 - 20 (NKJV) ¹Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” ⁶So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. ⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. ¹²And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” ¹³Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” ¹⁷And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord ^Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. ¹⁹So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰Immediately he preached ^the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Acts 10:9 - 48 (NKJV) ⁹The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. ¹⁰Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance ¹¹and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. ¹²In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. ¹³And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” ¹⁵And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” ¹⁶This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. ¹⁷Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. ¹⁸And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. ¹⁹While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. ²⁰Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” ²¹Then Peter went down to the men ^who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” ²²And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” ²³Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. ²⁸Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁹Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” ³⁰So Cornelius said, ^“Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. ^When he comes, he will speak to you.’ ³³So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” ³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. ³⁶The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— ³⁷that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. ³⁹And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom ^they killed by hanging on a tree. ⁴⁰Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, ⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴²And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” ⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Revelation 1:¹⁷And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying ^£to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. ^19£Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

3. Non Biblical Experiences

• “A young man was praying, suddenly he fell down, and lay precisely as if asleep. All present were astonished, Some were alarmed, some were moved with pity; and while some were for lifting him up, others prevented them saying they should rather wait and see what would result. And behold! He rose up and was healed and stood quite well scanning those who were scanning him. Who then refrained himself from praising God?”

St. Augustine, The City of God

• In John Wesley’s ministry, the founder of Methodism, people falling under the power was quite common

• In Charles Finney’s ministry people would fall in the factories

• 1870 New England – “She fell prostrate under the hand of God and when she rose she had yielded her heart to God

• 1879 Arkansas, “In the service the young man fell prostrate under God’s mighty power

• 1906 Azusa Street, “As the people came they would fall under the power, and the whole city was stirred

• 1005 India “Some fell as they saw a great light and while they lay there the body of sin passed before them.

• 1907 Pennsylvania, Suddenly he fell prostrate to the platform and was immediately baptized in the Spirit, speaking in tongues

• 1907 Canada, “for some time I lay prostrate at His blessed feet, so enraptured with His unspeakable glory I felt lost to every being and everything but Himself alone.

• 1908 Ohio. “I saw what could not be less than from 50-75 people prostrated at one time by the power of God

• 1909 South America, “four vain young ladies (three of whom were in the choir) fell to the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit

• 1914 China The woman fell blind but after praying a short time she was filled with the Spirit and spoke in English which she knew nothing of – the first word she said was “worship” – she was then made to see!”

• Kathryn Kuhlman “a professor of theology came questioning. I took a step toward him and extended my hand to place it one his shoulder. His legs suddenly buckled and he fell backwards to the floor. His friends helped him to his feet and he started out of the door still shaking his head. The glow on his face must have been like the glow that was on the face of Moses. All he could say was, “the Holy Spirit is real!”

ILL: The first time I saw Kathryn Kuhlman minister I thought she had a cattle prod under her dress. Shortly after that the fire of God came through my hand into a woman and she fell under the power. One time I was on the floor in a church in Florida for about four hours while God was doing some inner healing.

Conclusion: Why were the solders taken off there feet? The answer is simple – it was a sign to prove that Jesus was who He said He was – That is what all of the gifts of the Sprit are about! All supernatural gifts are proof that Jesus is “I AM!” They still do!

Study in Haggai IV

C Paul Willis

Introduction:

The Prophet Haggai had four major revelations. The first three applied to his day but the last skips over history as do the prophecies of many and relates to Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Haggai 2:20 - 23 (NKJV) ²⁰And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, ²¹“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: ‘I will shake heaven and earth. ²² I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother. ²³‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

1. Zerubbabel?

Who is Zerubbabel?

A. Legal ancestor of Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:12 - 16 (NKJV) ¹²And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. ¹³Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. ¹⁴Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. ¹⁵Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. ¹⁶And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

B. Ancestor of King David

Matthew 1:5 - 6 (NKJV) ⁵Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, ⁶and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her ^who had been the wife of Uriah.

C. So Joseph the husband of Mary had a legal right to kingdom ship! And, Jesus, his adopted son, has a legal right to be King of Kings! Kings are always Kings by right of birth.

II. “In that day”

Isaiah 2:12 - 19 (NKJV) ¹² For the day of the Lord of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up— And it shall be brought low— ¹³ Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And upon all the oaks of Bashan; ¹⁴ Upon all the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted up; ¹⁵ Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall; ¹⁶ Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops. ¹⁷ The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The Lord alone will be exalted in that day, ¹⁸ But the idols He shall utterly abolish. ¹⁹ They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

Isaiah 13:6 - 13 (NKJV) ⁶ Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. ⁷ Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, ⁸ And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames. 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.

Jeremiah 46:10 (NKJV) ¹⁰ For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. The sword shall devour; It shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood; For the Lord GOD of hosts has a sacrifice In the north country by the River Euphrates.

Ezekiel 30:3 - 6 (NKJV) ³ For the day is near, Even the day of the Lord is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles. ⁴ The sword shall come upon Egypt, And great anguish shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain fall in Egypt, And they take away her wealth, And her foundations are broken down. ⁵“Ethiopia, ^Libya, ^Lydia, all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword.” ⁶‘Thus says the Lord: “Those who uphold Egypt shall fall, And the pride of her power shall come down. From Migdol to Syene Those within her shall fall by the sword,” Says the Lord GOD.

Joel 1:15 - 20 (NKJV) ¹⁵ Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty. ¹⁶ Is not the food cut off before our eyes, Joy and gladness from the house of our God? ¹⁷ The seed shrivels under the clods, Storehouses are in shambles; Barns are broken down, For the grain has withered. ¹⁸ How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep ^suffer punishment. ¹⁹ O Lord, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, And a flame has burned all the trees of the field. ²⁰ The beasts of the field also cry out to You, For the water brooks are dried up, And fire has devoured the open pastures.

Joel 2:1 - 11 (NKJV) ¹ Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand: ² A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations. ³ A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them. ⁴ Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run. ⁵ With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array. ⁶ Before them the people writhe in pain; All faces ^are drained of color. ⁷ They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks. ⁸ They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own ^column. Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not ^cut down. ⁹ They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief. ¹⁰ The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness. ¹¹ The Lord gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?

Joel 3:14 - 17 (NKJV) ¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. ¹⁵ The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. ¹⁶ The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel. ¹⁷ “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, And no aliens shall ever pass through her again.”

Amos 5:18 - 20 (NKJV) ¹⁸ Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness, and not light. ¹⁹ It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! ²⁰ Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?

Obadiah 1:15 - 17 (NKJV) ¹⁵ “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. ¹⁶ For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been. ¹⁷ “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

Zephaniah 1:14 - 17 (NKJV) ¹⁴ The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. ¹⁵ That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, ¹⁶ A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers. ¹⁷ “I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the Lord; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse.”

Zechariah 14:1 - 7 (NKJV) ¹ Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. ² For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. ³ Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. ⁴ And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. ⁵ Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with ^You. ⁶ It shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish. ⁷ It shall be one day Which is known to the Lord— Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.

Acts 2:17 - 21 (NKJV) ¹⁷ ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. ¹⁸ And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. ¹⁹ I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. ²⁰ The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. ²¹ And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’^

1 Corinthians 5:1 - 5 (NKJV) ¹It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even ^named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! ²And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. ³For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. ⁴In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord ^Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 - 10 (NKJV) ¹But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. ²For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. ³For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. ⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

2 Peter 3:10 - 14 (NKJV) ¹⁰But 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. ¹¹Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹²looking 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? ¹³Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

That Day – is it figurative or literal? You decide!

3. ”I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms;”

The Throne!

Ephesians 2:1 - 3 (NKJV) ¹And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ²in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Matthew 4:8 - 9 (NKJV) ⁸Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

ILL; Sin rules behind every throne in the world – even Washington! But God is going to pick up that serpent and shake him loose!

3. The Signet Ring of God

²³‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Zerubbabel’s grandfather had been a signet but God cut the finger off!

Jeremiah 22:24 - 27 (NKJV) ²⁴“As I live,” says the Lord, “though ^Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off; ²⁵and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of those whose face you fear—the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of the Chaldeans. ²⁶So I will cast you out, and your mother who bore you, into another country where you were not born; and there you shall die. ²⁷But to the land to which they desire to return, there they shall not return.

Now God returns the ring and the authority. Christ the greater Son will be Jehovah’s signet whereby He shall impress and imprint upon all nations His own majesty, His own will, His perfect ideal, and His very own image!