The Day That is Coming

1 2 ON MAY 19TH, 1780 THE SKY DARKENED OMINOUSLY • SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES GLANCING OUT THE WINDOWS • FEARED THE END WAS AT HAND • QUIETING A CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ADJOURNMENT • COLONEL DAVENPORT, THE SPEAKER OF THE CONNECTICUT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • ROSE AND SAID, "THE DAY OF JUDGMENT IS EITHER APPROACHING OR IT IS NOT. • IF IT IS NOT, THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ADJOURNMENT. 3 4 • IF IT IS, I CHOOSE TO BE FOUND DOING MY DUTY. • THEREFORE, I WISH THAT CANDLES BE BROUGHT." • RATHER THAN FEARING WHAT IS TO COME, • WE ARE TO BE FAITHFUL TILL CHRIST RETURNS. • INSTEAD OF FEARING THE DARK, WE'RE TO BE LIGHTS AS WE WATCH AND WAIT. (PAUSE) • AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE CALLED IN THIS LIFE TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL • THE GOOD NEWS THAT CHRIST DIED TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • THAT WE CAN HAVE AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD 5 6 • WHEN WE HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST’S WORK ON THE CROSS • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT JUST LIKE A DAY CAME BRINGING THIS GOOD NEWS • A DAY WILL COME WHEN THE GOOD NEWS WILL BE PREACHED NO MORE (PAUSE) 7 • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT A PROPHECY THAT CLOSES THE BOOK OF MALACHI • THIS PROPHECY SPEAKS OF BOTH OF THESE DAYS • THE DAY CHRIST CAME AND DIED TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • AND THE DAY HE WILL COME AGAIN TO JUDGE • TURN TO MALACHI 4:1 • IN CHAPTER 3 GOD HAD ANSWERED THE QUESTION 8 • “WHERE IS THE GOD OF JUSTICE” • HE TOLD THEM HE IS COMING • NOW HE TELLS THEM WHAT THIS COMING WILL BE LIKE FOR TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE 9 MALACHI 4:1 10 “FOR BEHOLD, THE DAY IS COMING, BURNING LIKE A FURNACE; AND ALL THE ARROGANT AND EVERY EVILDOER WILL BE CHAFF; AND THE DAY THAT IS COMING WILL SET THEM ABLAZE,” SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, “SO THAT IT WILL LEAVE THEM NEITHER ROOT NOR BRANCH.” 11 THAT DAY COULD BE ANY DAY • GOD, THE LORD OF HOSTS SAYS; THE DAY IS COMING” • THE FACT THAT IT IS GOD THAT SAID THIS MAKES IT CERTAIN • NOTICE NO INDICATION IS GIVEN REGARDING HOW LONG TILL THE DAY 12 • THE FIRST ADVENT OF CHRIST WAS 400+ YEARS AFTER THIS • BUT THAT WHOLE 400+ YEARS IT WAS CERTAIN THE DAY WOULD COME • THIS IS PART OF THE REASON WE FIND THEM “LOOKING” FOR MESSIAH IN JESUS DAY 13 • THINK ABOUT THAT, THEY HAD BEEN WAITING 400+ YEARS • AND THEY ARE STILL REALLY INTENSELY LOOKING FOR MESSIAH • WE ARE CALLED TO EAGERLY AWAIT CHRIST’S SECOND COMING (PAUSE) 2 TIMOTHY 4:8 14 IN THE FUTURE THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY; AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING. 15 • THAT DAY, WHEN IT COMES • WILL MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS • TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE (PAUSE) 16 THAT DAY DISHONOR IS PUNISHED • FOR THE WICKED THIS WILL BE A HORRIBLE DAY • “BURNING LIKE A FURNACE; AND ALL THE ARROGANT AND EVERY EVILDOER WILL BE CHAFF” • THOSE WHO HAVE DISHONORED GOD 17 • THE ARROGANT AND EVERY EVIL DOER WILL BE CHAFF • CHAFF IS USED IN THE BIBLE TO MEAN SOMETHING WORTHLESS • IT IS SOMETHING TO BE BURNED UP, DESTROYED • THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE RESULT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST 18 • THE ARROGANT AND THE EVILDOER (PAUSE) • I KNOW A LOT ABOUT ARROGANCE, I HAD IT DOWN. • I CANNOT IMAGINE ANYTHING MORE ARROGANT • THAN THE WAY I REJECTED CHRIST 19 • “SURE CHRIST DIED TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS, BUT I WILL PAY FOR MY OWN SINS” • “I DO NOT NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN I WAS BORN RIGHT THE FIRST TIME” • THOSE ARE EXACT QUOTES OF HOW I USED TO RESPOND TO THE GOSPEL 20 • THOSE WHO HAVE REJECTED CHRIST HAVE DISHONORED GOD (PAUSE) • WHAT ABOUT THE EVIL DOER? • EVERYONE WHO HAS REJECTED CHRIST IS STILL A SLAVE TO SIN 21 • THEY ARE BY DEFINITION AN EVIL DOER • A HUMAN BEING CAN ONLY HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD • BASED ON FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST PAYING FOR HIS SINS 22 ECCLESIASTES 7:20 INDEED, THERE IS NOT A RIGHTEOUS MAN ON EARTH WHO CONTINUALLY DOES GOOD AND WHO NEVER SINS. 23 • NO MATTER HOW NICE PEOPLE SEEM • NO MATTER HOW WE MIGHT NOT THINK OF THEM AS EVILDOERS (PAUSE) 24 • GOD KNOWS WHAT IS IN THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS • ALL WHO REJECT CHRIST HAVE DISHONORED GOD • AND THEIR FATE ON THE COMING DAY IS CERTAIN THAT DAY IS PERMANENT 25 • NOT ONLY IS THEIR FATE CERTAIN BUT IT IS ETERNAL • “SO THAT IT WILL LEAVE THEM NEITHER ROOT NOR BRANCH.” • THIS DOES NOT MEAN DESTRUCTION AS IN CEASING TO EXIST 26 • THIS MEANS COMPLETE EXCLUSION GOD’S PRESENCE • PERMANENT REMOVAL FROM GOD’S KINGDOM • WHEN NO ROOT OR BRANCH IS LEFT THE PLANT MAY NOT RE-GROW • THE CERTAINTY AND PERMANENCE OF THIS FATE SHOULD MOTIVATE US 27 • IT SHOULD HELP US OVERCOME ANY RELUCTANCE TO TELL PEOPLE THE GOSPEL • ANY REASON WE HAVE FOR NOT SHARING THE GOOD NEWS • IS OVERRULED BY THE COMING DAY AND THE FATE • OF THOSE WHO HAVE REJECTED CHRIST • A FATE THAT IS CERTAIN AND ETERNAL (PAUSE) A NEW BELIEVER WAS ON A PLANE WITH AN INTELLECTUAL • (A MAN EDUCATED BEYOND HIS INTELLIGENCE). • HE SNEERED AT HER READING THE BIBLE. 28 • ASKED IF SHE BELIEVED IT? "YES." • "JONAH AND THE WHALE STORY?" HE ASKED • "YES." SHE REPLIED • "HOW DID IT HAPPEN?" HE QUESTIONED HER 29 30 • "I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'LL FIND OUT WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN." • "WHAT IF JONAH ISN'T THERE?" • "THEN I GUESS YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK HIM FOR ME.“(PAUSE) 31 • MANY OF THOSE HEADING FOR GOD’S JUDGMENT • HAVE NO IDEA THE PATH THEY ARE ON • BUT THEIR DESTINATION IS CERTAIN AND PERMANENT 32 • GOD HAS TOLD US THROUGHOUT HIS WORD OF THE COMING JUDGMENT • WE ARE CALLED TO BRING THE GOOD NEWS • OF REDEMPTION FROM THIS JUDGMENT 33 • WE SHOULD BE EAGERLY AWAITING THIS DAY • BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IT BRINGS FOR US (PAUSE) MALACHI 4:2–4 34 “BUT FOR YOU WHO FEAR MY NAME, THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL RISE WITH HEALING IN ITS WINGS; AND YOU WILL GO FORTH AND SKIP ABOUT LIKE CALVES FROM THE STALL. 35 “YOU WILL TREAD DOWN THE WICKED, FOR THEY WILL BE ASHES UNDER THE SOLES OF YOUR FEET ON THE DAY WHICH I AM PREPARING,” SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. 36 “REMEMBER THE LAW OF MOSES MY SERVANT, EVEN THE STATUTES AND ORDINANCES WHICH I COMMANDED HIM IN HOREB FOR ALL ISRAEL. WE WILL BE RESTORED 37 • EVEN IN MALACHI’S DAY THERE WERE SOME WHO FEARED GOD • THIS PORTION OF THE PROPHECY IS ADDRESSED TO THEM’ • TO FEAR GOD MEANS TO HAVE REVERENCE FOR HIM 38 • TO HAVE RESPECT, TO BE IN AWE OF HIM • IT MEANS TO UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS (PAUSE) • THE SOVEREIGN CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE • GOD SAYS THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS 39 • HAVE A DIFFERENT FATE THAN THOSE WHO DISHONOR HIM • “THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL RISE WITH HEALING IN ITS WINGS;” • THIS IS TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL RESTORATION • THE BROKEN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN WILL BE REPAIRED 40 • THIS BEGINS AT THE CROSS & CONTINUES EVERY TIME SOMEONE TRUSTS CHRIST • I LOVE THE IMAGE OF HOW THOSE WHO ARE HEALED WILL RESPOND • “SKIP ABOUT LIKE CALVES FROM THE STALL.” • MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE • CALVES JUMPING AROUND AFTER BEING LET OUT OF A PEN • I HAD TO GO LOOK IT UP ON YOUTUBE (PAUSE) 41 • THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE JOY GOD’S PEOPLE WILL FEEL ON THAT DAY • THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO • SOMETIMES I WONDER IF WE ARE AS EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS WE SHOULD BE 42 43 • IF WE REALLY BELIEVE IT, WE OUGHT TO BE PUMPED AND READY TO GO SKIPPING ABOUT LIKES CALVES LET OUT OF A PEN • NOT ONLY WILL WE BE HEALED AND RESTORED • WE WILL BE PART OF GOD’S JUSTICE BEING COMPLETED WICKED WILL BE DEFEATED 44 • WE SEE A GREAT DEAL OF INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD • THOSE DOING EVIL SOMETIMES PROSPER • WE WANT THEM TO GET WHATS COMING TO THEM 45 • HERE IN THIS PROPHECY IT SAYS • NOT ONLY WILL THEY GET WHAT'S COMING TO THEM • WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PART OF IT HAPPENING • THE LORD OF HOSTS SAYS 46 • “YOU WILL TREAD DOWN THE WICKED” • THE UNFAITHFUL ISRAELIETE HAD ASKED • WHAT DO WE GET OUT OF SERVING GOD? • WELL HERE IS AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION 47 • YOU GET TO BE PART OF GOD’S JUSTICE • YOU GET TO AVOID BEING REDUCED TO ASH AND TRAMPLED ON • YOU AVOID THE ETERNAL WRATH OF GOD (PAUSE) 48 ROMANS 6:23 FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. 49 • WHEN WE FACE INJUSTICE AND WICKEDNESS IN THIS WORLD • WE NEED TO KEEP THIS IN MIND WE NEED TO REMEMBER THIS PROMISE • REMEMBERING WHAT GOD HAS SAID IS VITAL (PAUSE) 50 REMEMBERING IS REVERENCE • GOD HAS TOLD THEM WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD • HE HAD TOLD THEM WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO DO NOT • NOW HE SAYS; 51 • “REMEMBER THE LAW OF MOSES MY SERVANT,” • WHY WOULD HE TELL THEM THIS RIGHT HERE? • WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH FEARING THE LORD OR BEING WICKED? • THIS IS HOW YOU DEVELOP A REVERENCE, RESPECT, AWE FOR GOD 52 • THIS IS HOW YOU AVOID BEING A WICKED PERSON (PAUSE) • REMEMBER HAS IN IT THE IDEA OF RECALLING WHAT WAS SAID • THERE IS ALSO AN IDEA OF NOT JUST RECALLING WHAT WAS SAID • BUT ACTUALLY, DOING WHAT WAS SAID 53 • THE LAW OF MOSES IS MORE THAN JUST THE 10 COMMANDMENTS • BUT JUST LOOKING AT THOSE 10 WE SEE HOW THIS WORKS • THE FIRST THREE ADDRESS HAVING A PROPER FEAR OF THE LORD • GOD IS GOD HAVE NO OTHER, MAKE NO IDOLS, 54 • DO NOT USE THE LORDS NAME IN VAIN • THE REST ADDRESS HOW TO AVOID WICKEDNESS • DON’T KILL, NO ADULTERY, NO STEALING, DON’T COVETING • NO FALSE WITNESSING 55 • I AM NOT SAYING WE ARE SAVED FROM JUDGMENT BY FOLLOWING THESE RULES • I AM SAYING WE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS & OUR NEED FOR A SAVIOR • IF WE FAIL TO REMEMBER THE LAW OF MOSES • AND IT IS CRUCIAL WE UNDERSTAND OUR NEED FOR A SAVIOR 56 • A BUSINESSMAN KNOWN FOR HIS RUTHLESSNESS • ONCE ANNOUNCED TO MARK TWAIN, • "BEFORE I DIE I MEAN TO MAKE A PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND. • I WILL CLIMB MOUNT SINAI • AND READ THE 10 COMMANDMENTS ALOUD AT THE TOP." • "I HAVE A BETTER IDEA," REPLIED TWAIN. • "YOU COULD STAY IN BOSTON AND KEEP THEM." 57 58 • WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES • BUT BY NO MEANS SHOULD WE FORGET THE LAW OF MOSES • WE SHOULD REMEMBER AND TREASURE ALL THAT GOD HAS SAID 59 • WHEN WE DO THIS WE ARE TURNING TO GOD • THIS IS HOW WE BUILD A PROPER RESPECT AND REVERENCE OF GOD • THIS IS HOW WE UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS & OUR NEED FOR A SAVIOR (PAUSE) 60 MALACHI 4:5–6 “BEHOLD, I AM GOING TO SEND YOU ELIJAH THE PROPHET BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD. 61 “HE WILL RESTORE THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS, SO THAT I WILL NOT COME AND SMITE THE LAND WITH A CURSE.” 62 • A PROPHET WILL COME • GOD PROMISES TO SEND A PROPHET BEFORE THE COMING OF THE DAY OF THE LORD • SO, THE QUESTION IS, DOES THIS REFER TO JOHN THE BAPTIST COMING 63 • OR IS THIS SPEAKING OF SOMEONE ELSE? • BACK IN MALACHI 3:1 GOD STATES HE IS SENDING A MESSENGER • THAT MESSENGER IS CONFIRMED TO BE JOHN THE BAPTIST IN MATTHEW MATTHEW 11:10–11 64 “THIS IS THE ONE ABOUT WHOM IT IS WRITTEN, ‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’ 65 “TRULY I SAY TO YOU, AMONG THOSE BORN OF WOMEN THERE HAS NOT ARISEN ANYONE GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST! YET THE ONE WHO IS LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS GREATER THAN HE. 66 • HE JUST QUOTED MALACHI AND LINKED IT TO JOHN THE BAPTIST • BUT I THINK THIS PROCLAMATION OF A COMING PROPHET IS SPEAKING OF SOMEONE ELSE 67 • NOTICE HOW HE DESCRIBES THE DAY THIS PROPHET WILL ANNOUNCE • “THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD.” • THIS PROPHET WILL COME BEFORE THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST • THIS MAY BE SPEAKING OF ONE OF THE 2 WITNESSES MENTIONED IN REVELATION REVELATION 11:3 68 “AND I WILL GRANT AUTHORITY TO MY TWO WITNESSES, AND THEY WILL PROPHESY FOR TWELVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DAYS, CLOTHED IN SACKCLOTH.” 69 • OR IT MAY BE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY • MUCH OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN • THE TRIBULATION IS BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING • BUT WE CAN KNOW CHRIST WILL COME IN JUDGMENT • AND WE CAN PRAY FOR PEOPLE TO TURN THEIR HEARTS TO HIM (PAUSE) 70 71 HEARTS WILL BE RESTORED • GOD SAYS OF THIS PROPHET; • “HE WILL RESTORE THE HEARTS” • THIS PROPHET RESTORES THE HEARTS OF SOME PRIOR TO THE 2ND COMING 72 • IT IS SAID HERE THAT HE WILL RESTORE THE HEARTS • “OF THE FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS, • WHAT A BEAUTIFUL IMAGE, THIS PROPHET • WE REVIVE LOVE AND UNITY, 73 • BRING PEOPLE WHO ARE DIVIDED TOGETHER • BOY WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT NOW • PEOPLE ARE SO DIVIDED WE NEED TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN 74 • TO HELP RESTORE PEOPLE HEARTS TO ONE ANOTHER • TO NOT ADD TO THE DIVISION BUT BE PART OF BRINGING UNITY (PAUSE) REASON FOR RESTORATION 75 • THIS IS THE VERY LAST VERSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT • IN IT GOD GIVES THE REASON WHY THIS RESTORATION MUST HAPPEN (PAUSE) • “SO THAT I WILL NOT COME AND SMITE THE LAND WITH A CURSE.” 76 • IF THERE WERE NO RESTORATION GOD WOULD SMITE ISRAEL • UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS: • IF WE ARE NOT RESTORED TO GOD, HE WILL SMITE US • THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION 77 • YOU ARE RESTORED TO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • OR YOU ARE PUNISHED • I KNOW THAT SOUNDS HARSH, THE WORLD DOES NOT LIKE THIS IDEA • THEY WANT TO THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER OPTIONS 78 • BALANCE YOUR KARMA, BECOME ENLIGHTENED • DO THE FIVE PILLARS, HUG ENOUGH TREES (PAUSE) • BUT THE ONLY OPTIONS ARE RESTORATION OR PUNISHMENT • THE OLD TESTAMENT STARTS OUT WITH MAN FALLING FROM 79 • RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • IT ENDS WITH THIS PROCLAMATION JUDGMENT IS COMING • BE RESTORED ETERNALLY OR BE PUNISHED ETERNALLY • WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN 80 • WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE TO COULD THAT DAY YEARS AGO A DAM WAS TO BE BUILT ACROSS A VALLEY IN MAINE. • THERE WAS A TOWN IN THE VALLEY • THE PEOPLE IN THE TOWN WERE TO BE RELOCATED AND THE TOWN ITSELF SUBMERGED. 81 • DURING THE TIME BETWEEN THE INITIAL DECISION AND THE COMPLETION OF THE DAM, • THE TOWN, WHICH HAD ONCE BEEN WELL-KEPT, FELL INTO DISREPAIR. • WHY KEEP IT UP NOW? EXPLAINED ONE RESIDENT: 82 • "WHERE THERE IS NO FAITH IN THE FUTURE, THERE IS NO WORK IN THE PRESENT.“(PAUSE) • GOD TELLS THE ISRAELITES THAT MESSIAH IS COMING • THAT A PROPHET WILL COME BEFORE TO RESTORE THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE 83 • THESE PROPHECIES SPEAKS OF CHRIST’S ADVENT AND SECOND COMING • WE ARE NOT GIVEN A DATE OR TIME FOR HIS SECOND COMING 84 • WE ARE NOT TOLD THE DATE BECAUSE WE ARE TO LIVE LIFE • PREPARED FOR THIS SECOND COMING TO HAPPEN AT ANY TIME • WE ARE NOT TO LET OUR LIVES FALL INTO DISREPAIR 85 MATTHEW 24:42–43 “THEREFORE BE ON THE ALERT, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHICH DAY YOUR LORD IS COMING. “BUT BE SURE OF THIS, THAT IF THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE HAD KNOWN AT WHAT TIME OF THE NIGHT THE THIEF WAS COMING, 86 HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE ALERT AND WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED HIS HOUSE TO BE BROKEN INTO. • WE NEED TO BE PREPARED BECAUSE THAT COMING DAY COULD COME AT ANY TIME. LIKE THOSE FELLAS IN THE CONNECTICUT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • WE CAN START TO THINKING THE END IS NEAR • DARK CLOUDS OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS • THE WORLD GETTING MORE AND MORE MESSED UP (PAUSE) 87 88 • AND WE THINK TODAY IS THE DAY, AND IT MIGHT BE • BUT WE SHOULD NOT APPROACH SUCH A DAY IN FEAR • WE SHOULD REJOICE, LIKE CALVES LET OUT OF THE PEN • YES IT WILL BE A TERRIBLE DAY 89 • FOR THE ARROGANT AND THE EVIL DOER (PAUSE) • THIS SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO GO AND PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL • BUT IT WILL A DAY OF HEALING AND RESTORATION • FOR THOSE WHO RESPECT, REVERENCE, FEAR GOD (PAUSE) 90 • THOSE WHO HAVE TRUSTED IN CHRIST ARE CALLED • TO EAGERLY AWAIT THIS DAY, • IF YOU HAVE NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST • IF YOU HAVE REASON TO DREAD THIS DAY COMING • IN A MOMENT… 91