THE FURY OF THE BRIDEGROOM
The Unpopular Face of Jesus
1. THE LAST GENERATION – AN APPOINTED END
A. This generation will witness the full opposition of God against the world, the flesh, and the devil. This generation will
see the Lord in the fullness of His compassion and love as He vindicates the saints with the resurrection from the dead
and saves Israel in their darkest hour. The Saints will meet the Bridegroom King in all of His passion and the rebellious
will meet the Bridegroom King in all of His fury. Passion towards those who are His. Fury towards those who have scorned
His love, refused His tender affections, and embraced the ugly, the perverted, the wicked thirst for rebellion and iniquity.
B. There is an appointed end when God will drive the usurper out. The Bible reveals the face of Jesus on that day as
one of a lion devouring His prey and crushing His enemies. He will be seen as a great King and all the nations shall worship
Him.
Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And
as a lion, who shall rouse him? 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his
feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (Genesis 49:9-10)
"His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 "God brings him out of Egypt; He
has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce
them with his arrows. 9 'He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?'"Blessed
is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you." . . . "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not
near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And
destroy all the sons of tumult. (Numbers 24:7-9, 17)
The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass. (Proverbs 19:12)
The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
(Proverbs 20:2)
"Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: 'The LORD will roar from on high, And
utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those
who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth --
For the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who
are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD." . . . . 38 He has left His lair like the lion; For their land is desolate
Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor, And because of His fierce anger." (Jeremiah 25:30-31, 38)
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. (Joel 3:14-16)
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. 8 A lion has
roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:7-8)
But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers,
and burned up their city. (Matthew 22:7)
C. The Day of the Lord displays the various tensions of God’s love in a single event that will forever change the course
of human history and ushers us into the next age. It is the hour when God’s nature of love will be fully manifest and clarified
before the whole world. In the person of Christ the world will watch God declare His name in terms of mercy, compassion,
deliverance, protection, righteousness, and justice. Jesus will declare His Father’s name again as he delivers the saints,
protects and saves Israel, destroys the wicked, and binds Satan in the bottomless pit. All His manifold glory will be
displayed as he vindicates His loving nature to save and to remove wickedness from the earth.
Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is
with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with
His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. (Isaiah 40:10-11)
. . . "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all
who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and
of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (Jude 14-15)
D. This Day is described by the New Testament as the Day of Christ and was looked forward to by all the saints as
the day when love finally triumphs over sin and light vanquishes darkness. Yet, the Church has remained largely silent in
regard to discussing the face of Christ that will be shown on that day. The Apostles embraced the stigma associated with
proclaiming the Day of the Lord. We cannot shrink back from proclaiming this truth.
1. Peter’s First Message to the Gentiles – Acts 10
The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of all --
37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism
which John preached: 38 how 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. 39 And 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. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not 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.
42 And 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. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes
in Him will receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:36-43)
2. Paul’s Message to Athens
God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in
temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He
gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on
all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not
far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets
have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to
think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He
has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:24-31)
II. ISAIAH 63:1-6
Isaiah 63:1-6 Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious
in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength? -- "I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
A. Isaiah witnesses a majestic and terrifying vision of the Second Coming of Christ. He is coming from Edom with dyed
garments and is glorious in His apparel. This time He is not coming as a Lamb to be slain, but as the King dressed in
beautiful robes of royalty. He is traveling in the greatness of His strength. He is striding like that of a lion chasing His
prey. With power and terrifying strength the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is conquering the nations of the earth. The
prophet is seeing the Messiah differently from His previous vision in Isaiah 53. The suffering servant is now the majestic
King striding in the greatness of his strength. Isaiah asks who is this?
B. Jesus answers that is Him who speaks in righteousness, the One mighty to save. Jesus confirms that this portrait
of Himself is consistent with nature of righteousness and of redemption. It is the last act of redemption in this age. Jesus
comes as the Judge of all the nations to trample all resistance to love. He will not contend with the flesh of humanity
forever. There is an appointed day when love will triumph over evil. Jesus, who speaks in righteousness, is mighty to
save planet earth. He is mighty to save His people. He is mighty to establish His government of love and goodness on
earth once and for all.
3 "I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in
My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all
My robes. 4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. 5 I looked, but
there was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought
salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me. 6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger, Made
them drunk in My fury, And brought down their strength to the earth." NKJV
C. Isaiah, not used to seeing Jesus like this, asks Him why His garments are stained red.
1. Isaiah is seeing the dashing of the nations that David warns the rulers about in Psalm 2 and Psalm 110.
Psalm 110:5-6 The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He shall judge
among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries.
Psalm 2:9-12 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'"
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is
kindled but a little. NKJV
D. Jesus answers that it is blood that stains His garments. It is the blood of the rebellious nations who gathered
against the Lord and against His anointed One. The nations that resisted the rule of God have become the focus of the
most terrifying force in heaven and earth – the fury and vengeance of the Son of God against the opponents of love. Just
as he jealously desired in John 17 to go to the Cross to bear the wrath of God on behalf of those who would receive Him, so
now He jealously yearns to dispense the wrath of God on those who stubbornly resisted God’s kindness and God’s ways.
If Jesus does not bear the wrath of God for you, then He will dispense the wrath of God upon you. Jesus is not coming to
discipline the nations. He is coming to punish them. This is the day of His wrath. Jesus is coming to liberate the Jews and
bring retribution upon the nations that have. We must wrestle with the terrifying language of the Day of the Lord just as
Isaiah did.
And it shall be, that just as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the LORD will
rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which
you go to possess. (Deuteronomy 28:63)
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them
in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: . . . 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You
shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'" (Psalm 2:4,5,9)
The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! . . . . 5 The
Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He shall judge among the nations, He
shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. (Psalm 110:2,5,6)
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, Even thousands of thousands; The Lord is among them as in Sinai,
in the Holy Place. 18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts
among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there. . . . . 21 But God will wound
the head of His enemies, The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses. 22 The Lord said, "I
will bring back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 23 That your foot may crush
them in blood, And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies." (Psalm 68:17-23)
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 2:19)
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of
nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts musters The army for battle. 5 They come from a far country,
From the end of heaven -- The LORD and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land. 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. (Isaiah 13:4-13)
Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little
moment, Until the indignation is past. 21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her
slain. (Isaiah 26:20-21)
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off. 18 Your heart will
meditate on terror: "Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?"
(Isaiah 33:17-18)
Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and
all things that come forth from it. 2 For the indignation of the LORD is against all nations, And His fury
against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. 3 Also their
slain shall be thrown out; Their stench shall rise from their corpses, And the mountains shall be melted with
their blood. (Isaiah 34:1-3)
The sword of the LORD is filled with blood . . . For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter
in the land of Edom. . . Their land shall be soaked with blood, And their dust saturated with fatness." 8 For it
is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion. 9 Its streams shall be
turned into pitch, And its dust into brimstone; Its land shall become burning pitch. (Isaiah 34:6-9)
"I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in
My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all
My robes. 4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. (Isaiah 63:3-4)
When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the LORD
shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies. 15 For behold, the LORD will come with
fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many.
(Isaiah 66:14-16)
A noise will come to the ends of the earth -- For the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead
His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD." 32 Thus says the
LORD of hosts: "Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised
up From the farthest parts of the earth. 33 "And at that day the slain of the LORD shall be from one end of
the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall
become refuse on the ground. 38 He has left His lair like the lion; For their land is desolate Because of the
fierceness of the Oppressor, And because of His fierce anger." (Jeremiah 25:31-38)
Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD Goes forth with fury, A continuing whirlwind; It will fall violently on the
head of the wicked. 24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, And until He has
performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it. (Jeremiah 30:23-24)
"Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth;
Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," Says the LORD. (Amos 9:8)
"Therefore wait for Me," says the LORD, "Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the
nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All My fierce anger; All the earth shall
be devoured With the fire of My jealousy. (Zephaniah 3:8)
And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem:
Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their
tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. (Zechariah 14:12)
"For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be
stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them
neither root nor branch. 2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing
in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. 3 You shall trample the wicked, For they
shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 4:1-3)
since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who
are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming
fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from
the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among
all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10)
So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great
winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of
the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14:19-20)
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were
many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped
in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white
and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should
strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF
KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice,
saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great
God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses
and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."
(Revelation 19:11-18)
E. One cannot understand the terrifying language of the Day of the Lord without first staring at the mystery of iniquity –
the stubborn refusal of humanity to submit to God’s laws and leadership and the active aggression to cast off all of God’s
restraints. No kings or nations stand with Jesus. Psalm 2 has come true. All the nations raged against His rulership under
the auspices of a demonized king called the son of perdition, the Antichrist.
1. Even as Jesus returns in the sky, marches on land, and releases the last of the bowl judgments, men are still
blaspheming God and gathering together to fight against Him. This is unthinkable to us, but it is true nonetheless. When
all is visible, all is manifest, humanity will still resist. Not only will they resist, they will violently oppose Jesus’ rule.
2. For three and a half years the earth witnesses the disasterous rule of the Antichrist, the epitome of human strength
and ingenuity. The earth also witnesses the hand of God opposing and preserving humanity through His manifest
judgments. Even as the earth is in full fledged rebellion God is working to dismantle darkness, break the delusion, and
bring as many people possible to the saving knowledge of Jesus with the least severe means possible. Yet, at the end of
the trumpet judgments and throughout the bowl judgments the people refuse to repent, blaspheming God.
But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands,
that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither
see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual
immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21)
And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these
plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. 10 Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain Then the fifth angel
poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed
their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their
sores, and did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:9-11)
These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and
King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)
III. REASONS TO STUDY THE FURY OF THE BRIDEGROOM AT THE END OF THE AGE
A. This revelation releases the fear of the Lord and purifies the Church. God hates sin! The Bridegroom King is
actively moving against unrighteousness on the earth and He will ultimately remove sin from His economy. He hates sin.
It is killing the Image Bearers! This understanding preserves us from grace as licentiousness and delivers us from
holding bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts.
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all
things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one
another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards
of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers,
let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus
Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11)
For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be
the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where
will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God
commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:17-19)
Be Steadfast Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace,
without spot and blameless; (2 Peter 3:14)
Be Holy O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by
us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same(I speak as to children), you
also be open. 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness
with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial?
Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be
their God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says
the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 'I will be a Father to you, And you shall be
My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty." 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises,
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
God. (2 Corinthians 6:11-7:1)
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you
as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2)
B. It empowers our proclamation. In light of the coming wrath of God we appeal to all persons everywhere that He is
coming to judge the living and the dead. Beloved, we work overtime to make the unbeliever feel comfortable. What a
contrast to Paul!
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according
to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)
And 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. (Acts 10:42)
because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He
has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His
appearing and His kingdom: (2 Timothy 4:1)
They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)
C. It gives us strength to endure persecution.
since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who
are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming
fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8)
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our
blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10)
For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth
with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." (Revelation 19:2)
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will
repay," says the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." (Romans 12:19-20)
D. The revelation of Jesus as a conquering King gives us more than faith to endure. It gives us faith to live. Might
enters our inner man and we know that what Christ has accomplished on the Cross will be completed at His second
coming. He will destroy death. He will remove sickness. He will subdue and triumph over all powers of darkness
completely and entirely. Great faith enters into our hearts as we meditate upon these things and brings life to our prayers
and ministries.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having
been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10)
IV. ISAIAH’S PRAYER
A. Isaiah seeing what is coming and what backslidden state the people of God are in is left with an incredible
intercessory burden. In light of what is coming he cries out to God. He has only one hope for the people of God one
that day – the lovingkindness of God.
B. Isaiah recalls the goodness of God towards Israel in the Exodus and in His leading through the wilderness and the
Conquest by the Angel of His Presence. He recalls how God lovingly carried them and kept them as His children.
C. Isaiah then acknowledges the peoples rebellion and God’s fighting against them as well as God’s kindness to turn
with favor upon them once again.
D. He appeals to the merciful and zealous and compassionate heart of God. He states in verses 16-19 that the
people of God are unrecognizable. Abraham is ignorant of them. The early Fathers cannot even recognize them. They
have strayed. Isaiah appeals to the sovereign power and kindness of God to turn this people around.
1. This is where we are today, beloved. We are hardly recognizable to the early church. The Apostles would have
difficulty looking at us and recognizing us as their offspring.
2. We lack any true power, any true transforming influence in the west right now.
V. ISAIAH 64
A. Isaiah prays for the solution. God, rend the heavens and come down. Release Your demonstratable power and
presence amidst the people of God. Come down! Open the Heavens! Manifest Your power and glory, changing the
people of God into what they should be and releasing the witness of Your reality among the nations.
B. There is coming a last great witness at the end of the age. God will release His voice with power. There is coming a
witness to the Church. It is the season of great grace when God comes amidst the Church in manifest demonstrations of
His power and glory to refine and purify the Church and to make the nations tremble at His reality.
C. Isaiah declares that this will happen due to the nature of God to answer weak ones when they cry out. A world
wide prayer movement is coming forth at the end of the age to release a powerful visitation of the Lord that will release
apostolic power in the Church.
1. Mark 13:32-37 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man
going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and
commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the
house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- 36 lest,
coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" NKJV
2. 1 Peter 4:7-8 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your
prayers. NKJV
D. Two Powerful Verses
1. Acts 1:7-8 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in
His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." NKJV
2. Acts 2:17-21 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.'
VI. WHO WILL CONTEND FOR THE BREAKING IN OF GOD
A. Is 64:5-6 displays that there is not Fear of the Lord of the Lord in the land. They fade away like a leaf. They
continue in their sin and cannot see their need for repentance.
B. The Fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is that gift which enables us to see the difference between the Lord’s
assessment of us and our opinion of ourselves. It is that wondrous grace of God which enables us to see ourselves rightly
and come into agreement with heaven’s evaluation over our lives. It is a lonely feeling to stand before the Judge with a
deluded evaluation of our lives. We must hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.
Ps 19:7-14 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making
wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD
is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD
are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter
also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them
there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back
Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. NKJV
C. What a gracious gift Jesus gave to the churches to speak to them before the hour of transition and crisis! The
fear of the Lord is the gift of God to prepare the church for the new season in God. In Is. 11 it says of the Messiah that
He delights in the fear of the Lord.
D. Isaiah prophecies that a lion is about to roar. God is on a collision course with planet earth and the only appropriate
response is prayer, but no one stirs themselves up to take hold of you. Isaiah states that prayerlessness has set in due to
God hiding His face due to their persistent stubbornness and rebellion. It is deception to think that you will have grace in the
moment of crisis to pray. In the moment of crisis you do what is most natural to your frame.
1. Garden of Gethsemane – The Disciples were weighed down from fear and sorrow and slept in the hour of the
greatest temptation.
2. The Importance of Watching (Matthew 24:36-44; Mark 13:32-37) "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be
weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will
come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may
be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)