Part IX: The Lord of the Scroll – The Lord of Hosts
Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. (3) You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you. So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s return. Think of how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient for it until it receives the early and late rains. You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near. (James 5:1–8 NET)
God is full of Grace, Mercy, and Compassion, offering it freely to all and waiting longer than any human would for a person to turn from serving evil and seek the way of life found only in Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:9). Because God shows His mercy by delaying the consequences of our actions – so that we are not all destroyed – people can wrongly think that God must either approve of what they are doing or overlooked it, and they continue in sin (Ecclesiastes 8:11-13). Realize while God “is love Himself,” He is also just (Exodus 34:6,7). Even as those who watched Noah build the Ark could have sought the Lord for a “boarding pass,” they continued with their sinful lives. Nevertheless, God waited patiently for them when Noah built the ark (perhaps 100 years). But when the time came to execute justice, it was too late, God shut the door, not Noah (Genesis 7:15,16), and all that had not entered the ark perished in the flood (2 Peter 2:5).
Realize that God always extends grace, mercy, and compassion. Still, when we refuse, the only thing left is wrath (Proverbs 29:1). Furthermore, realize that the Mercy of God extended to all living in Noah’s day, but accepted only by Noah and his family, was greater than the wrath received by those that rejected it and subsequently perished. Throughout the Bible, judgments that resulted in wrath were always from the refusal of the greater Mercy offered (1). The Mercy of God is always much greater than the judgment of His wrath (James 2:13).
Even as in the days of Noah before the flood, while He was building the ark that could have saved others, people today go on blindly living as if nothing is wrong. While Jesus’ Bride, the Church (Our Ark), is being made ready to be preserved during the upcoming judgment (1) (Matthew 24:37-39). Furthermore, we are presently experiencing what Jesus said was the beginning of sorrows before the end times judgment is released (Matthew 24:6-8. 1 Thessalonians 5:3. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10).
Lastly, while we are not saved by our works (Ephesians 2:8,9), we will be judged by them to determine our reward in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10,11.James 2:14-18). Note that Jesus’ letters to five of the seven churches of the Revelation (1) contained the phrase “I know your works.”
Therefore, we must be diligent in doing good works (2), for The Lord of the Armies of Heaven is coming soon! (1) (Matthew 5:14-16. James 5:4. Revelation 22:20).
Lastly:
For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! (2 Corinthians 6:2 NET)
how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, (Hebrews 2:3 NET)
His-Story (History) Series:
- Part I: The Lord of the Scroll – Fellowship Lost!
- Part II: The Lord of the Scroll – The Two Kingdoms
- Part III: The Lord of the Scroll – The Revelation of the King!
- Part IV: The Lord of the Scroll – The Death of the King
- Part V: The Lord of the Scroll – The Re-Birth of the King!
- Part VI: The Lord of the Scroll – Salvation
- Part VII: The Lord of the Scroll – Revelation of the King’s Bride!
- Part VIII: The Lord of the Scroll – Revelation of the King of Kings!
- Part IX: The Lord of the Scroll – The Lord of Hosts
- Part X: The Lord of the Scroll – When will the King of Kings Return?
- Part XI: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (God’s Throne Room)
- Part XII: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (The Beginning of Birth Pains (BBP))
- Part XIII: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (The Great Tribulation (GTrib))
- Part XIV: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (The Day of the Lord (DOL))
- Part XV: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (GTrib and DOL Revisited)
- Part XVI: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (BBP, GTrib, DOL, and The Days of Mourning (DOM) Revisited)
- Part XVII: The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (DOM, Cleansing the Temple (CT), The Kingdom Age (KA), Great White Throne Judgment (GWTJ) Revisited)
- Part XVIII The Lord of the Scroll – Daniel’s 70th Week (KA, GWTJ, and Ages of the Ages (AoA) Revisited)
Shalom
(Security, Wholeness, Success)
Peace
Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. (3 John 1:2 NET)
(1) Select the link to open another article with additional information in a new tab.
(2) Good works are those done in the power of the Holy Spirit juxtaposed to dead works which are done in the flesh (i.e., our own ability).
(3) Yahweh-Sabaoth (Tseva’oth) – Lord of Heaven’s Armies (1) (Joshua 5:13-15. Psalms 84:3. Revelation 11:16,17)
Doulos Hal
Hal has taught the Bible for over three decades. Through an interdenominational ministry dedicated to helping the local church build men for Jesus, Hal trained men, the leaders of men’s ministries, and provided pulpit supply. Before that, he was a Men’s Ministry Leader and an Adult Bible Fellowship teacher of a seventy-five-member class at a denominational megachurch. Presently, Hal desires to honor Jesus Christ through this Internet teaching ministry, thereby glorifying the Heavenly Father in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. He believes, second to cultivating his relationship with God that raising his family unto the Lord is the most significant task for him while on Earth. Furthermore, Hal believes that being a successful leader in the church or workplace is no substitute for failing to be a successful leader at home.
DOULOS HAL'S TOPICAL INDEX
