"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."                                                                                  Malachi 4:1

This country and this world are going to be judged for the sins we have committed.  People today think that they will always get by with sin.  Guess what!  Payday is coming; it is the decision of each individual person as to where you will spend eternity.  Thank God that the blood of Christ has covered my sins.

Where will you spend eternity?  Our lives are just a vapor down here. We are here for a short season, and then we are gone.  Have you placed your hands in the hand of the Almighty God?  The Bible says there is a book of remembrance and your name is recorded in that book, if you have chosen to follow Christ.  In Revelation 20:12 John tells us: And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  If the earth should end today, do you have the promise of being with Jesus throughout eternity?  "For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven..."  Do you remember the story of the rich man in the book of Luke?  He looked up from the torments of Hell to see Lazarus in the arms of Jesus.

There is a day coming when everything on earth will burn up.  The New Testament calls it the day of Tribulation.  You ask, "What will be burned up, preacher?" I am happy you asked.  There is a day coming when the world will go through a period of Hell here on earth.

• Revelation 8:7 -- The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth; and the third part of trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

• Revelation 8:8 -- The second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood.

• Revelation 9:18 -- By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke and by the brimstone ...

• Revelation 14:10 -- And the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire, and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

• Revelation 16:8 -- And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

So, as we see in the Scripture, fire will be God's judgment tool.  The wicked will suffer torment.  Who are the wicked?  Those who reject God.  Some say they do not believe this will happen; however, I believe the Bible is trustworthy.  It says the wicked will burn and I believe they will burn.  Here in Malachi 4:1 it says that the wicked are as dry straw.  In other words, the wicked will not have a chance; they will be judged completely.

I am so glad God knows His children.  He doesn't know us as a church name.  He doesn't know us by how much money we give in the offering; nor does He know us by what we do for those in our community.  But God does know when He can see that the Blood of Jesus has been applied to our sins.  God knows the redeemed.

What happens to the righteous?  The Sun of righteousness is going to arise with healing in His wings.  There will be a new age for the children of God -- no more sin, no sickness, and no pain.  Some of you say, "I've been mistreated all my life", but, Child of God, there is a glad day coming for there shall be healing in His wings.  Malachi 4:3: "And ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I do this."

At the end of time, God's children will go forth as calves in the stall, protected and safe in His presence, sheltered under the wings of the Almighty. 

I believe that God will not let His children go through the torment of Tribulation.  I feel that He will rapture His children home, one-by-one or all together.  I don't care how we are called, just as long as we are called.  Can you imagine what it will be like?  I think we will be running, shouting, leaping, and praising God because we have been kept up in a stall on this earth, and suddenly we are free, running toward the Son.  When we see Jesus, how can we be still?  We will rejoice in His presence.

Brother John Hood spent the last few years o f his life on earth in a wheelchair.  But I can imagine Brother John, running and leaping toward Jesus when he reached the gates of Heaven.  Our sister Edith Burger lost both of her legs to diabetes when she was here on this earth, but with two brand new legs she ran into the arms of Jesus.  Our daughter Ashley was fully awake and laughing as she ran to Jesus with that long hair swinging in the breeze.

Are you ready for the rapture of the church?  But 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; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 
II Peter 3:10.

Read and study the books of Revelation and Ezekiel.  I cannot do it justice in one short sermon.  I have only skimmed the surface.  Study these books for yourselves.  If Jesus should come and rapture the church away, would you be in the crowd that is gone.  Are you Rapture-Ready today?

Sermon edited by Mary King

 This page last updated: 03/07/08