The Day of the Lord: Part Four By Joel M. Killion E-mail: joel@innerlifeministries.com Web-site: innerlifeministries.com
	Judgment Upon Egypt The Sword of the Lord, which is the Word of God (Heb. 4:12), is cutting through the soul of Egypt.  The Spirit of Christ, Who called and energized the prophet Moses, is again sweeping through the land of Egypt, wreaking havoc on Pharaoh’s empire and demanding freedom for His people. But what is Egypt? Egypt is “a place of bondage or servitude, such as the world, sin, certain habits, and the like (Ex. 1:8-14; Hos. 11:1; Mic. 6:4; Heb. 11:24-28)” – Kelley Varner. Plainly stated, Egypt is a type of the “World System.” The “multitudes” of Egypt (those who are milling around “in bondage” to the “World System”) and her “foundations” (those things which support and under-gird the “World System”) are being measured and dealt with. All of the nations (our imagi-nations and denomi-nations) that are allied (joined, yoked or united as friends) with Egypt will fall with her by the sword (The Living Word of God). Every man’s work, which has not been founded solely and wholly on Jesus Christ, will be stripped naked and seen for what it really is for “the day” will disclose its true nature and makeup.  Every worldly, carnal way will be judged with fire.  Therefore, let every man “take heed how he buildeth” (1 Cor. 3:10-15, KJV).   The apostle James knew the danger of being “friends with the world” and brought a contemporary application in James 4:4.  Here are a few translations that really unlock the immense seriousness of this issue: NASB: You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?   Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Question: Whose “friend” do we “wish” to “be”? AMP: You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]!  Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy?  So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God. Question: Have we ever considered that when we have “an affair” with the World we are actually “sleeping with the enemy” and thus “breaking” our marriage vow to our Lord Jesus? Have we ever thought on these terms or have we just assumed that it is possible to “have our cake and eat it too”? The Message: You're cheating on God.  If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way. Friendship with the world “is equal to” hostility toward God.  This couldn’t be any plainer. And the opposite is also true:  Friendship with the Lord is equal to hostility toward the world.  So, don’t be surprised when you are “hated” by the World and those who love it for Jesus was not “of” the world (worldly, belonging to the world) and neither are His followers (Jn. 17:16, AMP). In essence, “the Lord” and “the world” cannot mix; they are polar opposites of one another; they are like “oil” and “water.” They cannot co-exist for they are contrary to one another. The world “hates” the Lord (1 Jn. 5:19); it “hates” Jesus (Jn. 7:7; 8:23) and it “hates” His Father (Jn. 15: 23) and those whom He has chosen (Jn. 15:18-19; 17:14; 1 Jn. 3:13).  These are the facts. In Romans 8:7 (AMP) the apostle Paul said that “…the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot.” [Also study 2 Cor. 6:15-18] Did you catch that?  Paul said that the mind (or the soul) of the flesh “cannot” submit to God’s Law.  He didn’t say that it doesn’t “want” to submit; he said that it “cannot” submit; therefore, it “will not” submit. Therefore, in light of this, we must ask ourselves some very serious questions: Is there any part of our lives that is a “friend” of the world? Are we closer to “the world” than we are to “the Lord”?  Which one do we spend the most time with? Which one do we think about the most? Which one do we invest in (give to) the most? If the Lord were to take a look at our weekly spending habits, would He discover our “other gods”? (Deut 5:7; 6:14) Do we have “the mind of the flesh” or “the mind of Christ”? (1 Cor. 2:16, KJV) Be honest. Judge yourself, lest you be judged.  God, in His mercy, is calling out to make us free from Egypt. The “mind” of the flesh is set on the “principles” of the way of the World. The “mind” of Christ is fixed on the “principles” of the way of the Kingdom of God. These two “minds” cannot be truly mixed. The apostle John wrote the consummate rule on this very subject in First John 2:15-17 (AMP): “Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things] - these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].  And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.” Let’s read this same verse in the Message Bible: “Don't love the world's ways.  Don't love the world's goods.  Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.  Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father.  It just isolates you from him.  The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” As you can see, this was not and is not a suggestion, but an apostolic rule.  To the degree that we love the world, we do not love the Father and neither does His love live in us.  Those who love the world are doomed to pass away with it (Ps. 73:27); but he who does the will of God will live forever. But, for clarity, it must be stated again - “If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.” (Selah - pause and meditate on this) Those who uphold (be-friend) Egypt shall fall and the pride of her power shall come down.  And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate and her cities shall be wasted. Ezekiel 40:8 (KJV) presents a very important principle which has proven to be true throughout human history: “And they shall know that I am the Lord, when (not before but “when”) I have set a fire in Egypt, and when (not before but “when”) all her helpers [allies, supporters, defenders] shall be destroyed.” Notice, the Lord said, “And they shall know that I am the Lord, when…”  You see, for them to “know” Him “as Lord,” something had to happen “first”: The pressure of “pain” had to precede the reality of “perception.”   Clearly, the hardness of Israel’s heart made “destruction” inevitable. Let me explain, The phrase “…know that I am the Lord…” is used thirty-six times in the book of Ezekiel, showing its importance.  Yet in each instance, we find something very disturbing; it seems that Israel chose to only “know” the Lord “as” Lord “when” He brought harsh judgment upon them.  They were unwilling to obey Him from the first, so they learned their lesson “the hard way.”   Today the issues within the church are no less severe.  In fact, things are worse in this present time.   The world around us has gotten into us, imparting the darkness of what the prophet Jeremiah called “a whore’s forehead,” making our hearts so calloused that we cannot even “blush” at our wickedness (Jer. 3:3).  And because of “this” and many other abominations, we too must learn “the hard way.”   Therefore, judgment is our portion “until” we “know” Him as Lord. So what do we do? How should we than live? What’s the answer? Well, the apostles, Paul and James, gave us two very solemn words of encouragement - study them well: Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” (Romans 12:2, AMP) The Message Bible restates this verse by saying, “Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” The apostle James said, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this…to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27, NKJV) To be “unspotted” from the world literally means to live in such was that your life is “untouched, unblemished and uncontaminated” by the world and its popular, natural ways. (Selah - pause and meditate on this) In Acts 24:16 (AMP), Paul gives some insight into how he applied these truths in his own life: “…I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God.” Jesus Himself lived this kind of life for He too always sought, with a clear conscience, to avoid any and all things that would “offend” His Father and therefore cause “separation.”  Hebrews 5:7 (AMP), says that “…He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father.” And now Jesus calls us to have His same heart. But how do we do this? Well, again, the apostle Paul tells us how: “For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.  It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self- controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12, AMP) Please understand, the grace of God - the power of God - is our only hope.  Yet there is one condition - humility.  God gives His grace to the humble while He resists the proud (1 Pet. 5:5).  Those who are unwilling to be “trained” by the Lord to “reject and renounce all ungodliness…and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world” will not fair well in the days, months and years to come.   Therefore, it is time for us to get on our faces before God and “judge ourselves” (1 Cor. 11:31, KJV).  It is time for us to weep in repentance, with godly grief and sorrow, between the porch and the alter.  It is time for us to change our minds about sin and righteousness for without “holiness” and “purity” we will never see the Lord (Matt. 5:8; Heb. 12:14).   Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of “the flesh and spirit” as we, by His grace, work with the Lord to perfect holiness in “the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1, KJV).   If we want to be wise, we will be zealous in our “fear of the Lord” for this is the “beginning of wisdom” - however, it is “just” the beginning. “For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret…” (2 Cor. 7:10, AMP) “…For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” (1 Pet. 5:5-6, KJV) (Selah - pause and meditate on this) Click here to read part three of the Day of the Lord.