Following Your Judgments
- Isaiah 26:8 -
“Those who are following His judgments are the only ones who can rejoice in them because they know His judgments are a precursor to a new heaven and a new earth”
In these times of trials and tribulations our Heavenly Father is powerfully working to turn the hearts of His people away from the perishing dark world and its deceptive pulls and preoccupations. As prophesied, things are shaking and only those established on the solid ground, out of the world, out of the flesh, and in the Spirit, will withstand with unshakable faith all these righteous outpoured judgments on a wicked world (Haggai 2:7, Hebrews 12:27). The Almighty “will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in Him” (Isaiah 26:3). Their hope is not in a world, “their citizenship is in heaven, from which they also eagerly wait for their Savior, the Lord Yahshua Messiah (Jesus Christ)” (Philippians 3:20). Those who are following His judgments are the only ones who can rejoice in them because they know His judgments are a precursor to a new heaven and a new earth.
“We are to “set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth”
Through these times of poured out judgment, our Heavenly Father is alerting us to “judge ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Those who walk by faith “do not continue to sin” (1 John 3:6). We should “live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12). We are to “set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). We have got to take our focus off this earth under judgment and all the many ways that we can be distracted, preoccupied, and “fall from our secure position” of unwavering faith (2 Peter 3:17). We are not to have our hope on anyone or anything in this temporal life. We are to be “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yahshua (Christ Jesus)” (Titus 2:13).
“Judgment is as much a part of our Heavenly Father and Savior’s character as is His mercy, grace, and salvation. Yahveh Almighty is the Great Lawgiver and Judge”
Our Savior prophesied about the coming judgments saying they would be “like labor pains upon a pregnant woman” (Matthew 24:8). This means there is no escaping these painful judgments and they will only become closer and closer together and harder and harder to endure. To reemphasize, judgment is as much a part of our Heavenly Father and Savior’s character as is His mercy, grace, and salvation. Yahveh Almighty is the Great Law-giver and Judge (Isaiah 33:22, James 4:12). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, He is not only our beloved slain sacrificial Lamb who died for us. He is roaring with righteous indignation to devour and mangle His enemies. He will “uproot and tear down, destroy and demolish, in order to build and plant” on a righteous foundation after He “destroys those who destroy the earth” (Jeremiah 1:10, Revelation 11:18). Yahveh Almighty has to do this because He is going to make a New Heaven and a New Earth (Revelation 21:1). The world as we know it, is coming down. The judgments will destroy the earth (see Isaiah 24), in order for the prophesied Home of Righteousness, the Messianic Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, to come out of heaven to a purified earth. His redeemed remnant, throughout the ages, have lived, died, and longed for His kingdom. It will come down “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” in righteousness and purity (Revelation 21:2). “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and [He] will be their God and they will be [His] children” (Revelation 21:7). The New Jerusalem will be filled with Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) holy ransomed bride, with whom He will rule and reign forever!
“The best days we have ever known on earth have come to an end, becoming a faint memory as they are fading away in the darkness of judgment”
The judgments must come in order for the Almighty to fulfill all biblical righteousness by judging all unrighteousness with these trials and tribulations. The prophesied end time judgments are dramatically unfolding before us at an accelerated speed. The best days we have ever known on earth have come to an end, becoming a faint memory as they are fading away in the darkness of judgment. The lights are out! Judgment is recompense on a sinful world and it brings “darkness”, “gloom”, “destruction” and ultimate “desolation” (see Joel 2:2, Zephaniah 1:15). The Scripture tells us, the day of Yahveh (the LORD) “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! Is not the day of the Lord Yahveh darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?” “It will be that the one who flees the sound of terror will fall into the pit, and the one who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the windows above are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake” (Amos 5:19-20, Isaiah 24:18). The judgments are not going to end they are only going to increase as is written throughout the prophets and magnified at the end of Scripture in the book of Revelation. Our Savior exhorts us, “keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).
“… Following the way of Your judgments, Yahveh, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, and remembering You, is the desire of our souls” (Isaiah 26:8). We read in Isaiah regarding the judgments that were coming, that in the midst of the whole world being shattered and destroyed, there is a righteous remnant from the four corners who are singing because they have waited for this day when their Bridegroom would come and save them. It is written, “The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant [The Ten Commandments]. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left” (Isaiah 24:1,3-6). Yet, hear the simultaneous rejoicing of the righteous, “…They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim Yahveh’s majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to Yahveh; exalt the name of Yahveh, the God of Israel … From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One” (Isaiah 24:14-16).
“This age will end, grace and mercy will end, and judgment and wrath will terminate this age with the wiping out of all sin and all who cause people to sin”
A remnant is truly going to rejoice saying, “that in perfect faithfulness Yahveh has done marvelous things, things planned long ago” (Isaiah 25:1). In making His plans known ahead of time to His servants the prophets it testifies to His faithfulness to warn us of judgments to come. The Almighty proclaimed,“Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10). For those who are waiting for Him, they “will sing as on the night they celebrate a holy festival; their hearts will rejoice …” (Isaiah 30:29). It is the night of the last and final feast of Sukkot [Tabernacles], the Feast of Great Rejoicing, which points to the greatest rejoicing of the redeemed, the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Leviticus 23:39-43, Revelation 19:6-9). Yahshua (Jesus) is only coming for those who are waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:28). We are to be as a bride in waiting, a priesthood busy about His business, as disciples following our Master, bringing the uncompromised truth to others.
When we see these judgments, this is our cue to look up for our “redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay” (Hebrews 10:37). It will be sudden. This age will end, grace and mercy will end, and judgment and wrath will terminate this age with the wiping out of all sin and all who cause people to sin. Then a home of righteousness will be established for those who have persevered, for those who had confidence and faith in everything our God and Savior spoke and did not consider their lives and self serving ambitions anything compared to knowing and doing the will of the Father.
“Nobody likes bad news, but if you know and love your Savior and you are a prepared, pure, and spotless bride in waiting, the world’s judgment is not bad news!”
We need to listen to the prophet’s words; they have been given to get us ready and sober. They are bright lights, like Peter said, shining on the backdrop of this dark world and they help to keep us on the narrow path. “To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed and they cannot listen. Behold, the word of Yahveh has become a reproach to them; they have no delight in it” (Jeremiah 6:10). The word of the Almighty and His warnings of righteousness and judgments to come are offensive to them who find no pleasure in it. Nobody likes bad news, but if you know and love your Savior and you are a prepared, pure, and spotless bride in waiting, the world’s judgment is not bad news! Following His judgments helps us to be like the “wise virgins” who saw the signs of His coming and were “looking up knowing their redemption was drawing near” (See Matthew 25:1-10, Luke 21:28). They made the most of every opportunity to be found pure, spotless, blameless, and holy by quickly getting the oil of the Spirit to fill their lives as they rid themselves of the dross of the flesh, its sin nature, and the world with its preoccupations.
It is time to make ready for the coming of our Holy King, who is coming! He is looking for a people who have “believing”, “enduring”, “saving faith”, who’ve “worked out their salvation with fear and trembling”, and did not “despise the discipline” or judgments of our Heavenly Father that helped to prepare them to be found holy and eagerly waiting (Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 12:5). “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him” (Hebrews 9:28, Isaiah 64:4). HalleuYAH!
