Judgment, the lake of
fire, and divine mercy are topics, today. (No BATTLE AXE appears.) A regular
reader at thoughts.com using the ID “Southern_Grace” responded to (11/01/2012)
After the Rapture? and posted the following:
The lake of fire will become the mercy of
God. That is an interesting statement. Would you expand on your
thoughts?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: And I
heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may
rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and
behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of
man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And
another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat
on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to
reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust
in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came
out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And
another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with
a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle,
and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully
ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine
of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of
God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the
winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and
six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14: 13-20, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Does GOD
Feel? (10/05/2012); How Was GOD Known Before Jesus? (10/06/2012); Life and Death
(09/26/2012); Doom (09/20/2012); Contradictions? (09/21/2012); Mercy is Just?
(12/17/2010); The Lord’s Prayer (12/18/2010)
The idea of a “lake of mercy” wherein wickedness is
destroyed, and the idea of rain from heaven that destroys wickedness by
completely covering the earth, are ways of describing divine judgment against
sin while further revealing the surpassing love of the Creator for created
beings and living creatures. Correctly understood, salvation and judgment are
sacred processes to accomplish the purposes of GOD, not those of mankind. The
intent of GOD revealed in Creation has not changed, and through Creation GOD is
known as immutable, invisible and unchanging. The need for peace throughout
Creation is recognized and provided for. Peace, and the resolution of conflict
are not the outcome of war; rather, they are the outcome of judgment (i.e., the
end of contention and quarrels, and the settlement of disputes through law).
Created beings and living creatures endowed with self-will continue in conflict
with their Maker, and with one another calling for a reconciliation of flesh and
spirit made present as both divinity and matter. The grace and mercy of GOD
invested within the law are made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ, who is
anointed as Judge and the primary overseer of divine judgment. Just as GOD is
revealed in the sacred process of Incarnation, GOD is made visible through the
sacred process of judgment that displays grace, justice, mercy, righteousness,
wisdom and wrath against sin.
Throughout the Scriptures, language that speaks of
burning, fire from heaven, holy fire, and the wrath of GOD are used pertaining
to judgment against sin. Fire from heaven as a device in divine judgment is
first reported in the book of Genesis, and appears as “a flaming sword which
turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3: 24, King
James Version). Immediately, we grasp that this flame is not produced by common
fire, such as we use to cook and warm ourselves. We next understand the
appearance of holy fire in judgment of mankind by the account of sacrifice from
the sons of Adam. Both Abel and Cain were granted the instruction from GOD as
heirs to the priesthood from heaven that was demonstrated to Adam upon the
earth. Adam was shown how to prepare an altar as the holy table, and the point
of connection between heaven and earth. Also, he was taught the correct way to
transfer sin to a living creature, kill, eviscerate, portion and present the
lamb, sprinkling the blood for atonement and thanksgiving. Almighty GOD then
introduced holy fire to consume the sacrifice, that could, all at once, destroy
the sin laid upon it, and release to GOD the divine spirit substance from both
the innocent substitute, and the priest making sacrifice. While both Abel and
Cain built altars, and made offerings based upon their labor, only Abel’s
sacrifice was performed in obedience to the pattern from heaven. The Scripture
reports, “And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:” (Genesis 4:
4, KJV). Holy fire from heaven is understood as the device that was used by
Almighty GOD to acknowledge the obedience of Abel, and to indicate divine
pleasure.
In the same way that law existed in heaven long
before creation of the angels and sacred beasts, holy fire existed as the tool
of GOD in Creation of the heaven and the earth long before lightening and
natural fire. Judgment existed as an aspect of divine person and (before sin)
continued as assessment, evaluation and the weighing of alternatives in
decision-making and accomplishing sacred process. The holy angels, who are
neither mortals nor immortal beings, were completed as finished spirit-beings
along with their spirit-place (the celestial heavens), and were not given the
same ability to change through growth and learning that was bestowed upon Adam.
More than this, angels and others were not made capable of spiritual
repentance. When sin became known among the holy angels, holy fire first became
a tool for judgment against rebellion and willful behavior by created beings,
and is called “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” by Jesus
(Matthew 25: 41, KJV).
The idea of fire from heaven having a form similar
to that of water comes into view in the account of judgment against the cities
of the plain, when the Lord rained brimstone and fire (Genesis 19: 24, KJV).
This is similar to the accounts of flood waters used for judgment against
mankind in Noah’s day as well as hail and fire used in judgment against the One
World empire of Egypt at the time of Moses. Many suppose that Sodom and
Gomorrah were destroyed by common fire, and because of idolatry, fornication,
and perverted sexual practices. In fact, Scripture declares: Behold, this was
the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of
idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of
the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16: 49, KJV). The phrase “lake of fire” first
appears in Scripture at Revelation 19: 20 describing the destruction of the
false prophet and beast that were instruments of Satan. This second death is
first described as a second harvesting of the earth commanded by an angel that
comes out from the altar in heaven having power over fire, and in service to
Christ (Revelation 14: 18-20, KJV).
There is far more to be said, correctly applied,
and spiritually apprehended. (For example, mercy is exclusively an artifact of
divine judgment: No judgment by GOD, no mercy; no mercy from GOD, no perfect
judgment. Such elements as balance, impartiality and righteousness characterize
divine judgment through its inclusion of mercy. Judgment that results in the
second death is both the eternal release from sin, and the eternal release from
divine displeasure and punishment.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be
useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK
PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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