“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”“For behold, the day comes, burning like a furnace, when all the proud and all who work wickedness will be stubble. The day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.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.For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
4 sermons cite this verse
judgment God protects His own people. And we perhaps are seeing that in the angel being surrounded by a rainbow, a symbol of mercy. And looking at His face, the face was like the sun, not surprising. He had just come out of the presence of God. He would be much like Moses, who went into the mountain, and God revealed His glory in Exodus 32 and 33, and the glory of God transferred to the face of Moses. Remember when He came down the mountain and the glory of God was on His face. This angel is reflecting the glory of God. His feet are like pillars of fire, literally His legs. It refers to His unbending holiness and judgment activity. He is firm. He is unmovable. He is stable. He is setting His feet to act on behalf of God in judgment. This is firm judgment. Then attention is directed to His hand. Verse 2, And He had in His hand a little book which was open, placed His right foot on the sea and His left on the land. …
Now that doesn't mean they'll all survive, because clearly many will be martyred. But as we come to chapter 7 in the book of Revelation, there is a unique group that will be protected, and they're a very critical group. There are 144,000 of them, 12,000 from each of the tribes identified. And what are they, or who are they? How are we to understand them? I think maybe the best way to get a grip on who they are is to understand that they are described in chapter 14 of Revelation, verses 1 to 4. Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand." There they are, having His name and the name of the Father written on their foreheads. There they have been identified, they have been labeled, they have been marked. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. …
And shall I be thought to be fanciful if I suppose that this exclamation would have been most appropriate among the bands of angels and choirs of the blood-washed, when our Savior, having finished His lifework, ascended to His Throne? When they brought His chariot from on high to bear Him to His last place of rest, when He ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and the pearly gates were set open that He might enter, did not all those bright celestial spirits throng the streets of gold and cry "Hosanna: Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord"? I can scarcely think they could refrain from the expressions of their delight when they saw Him come with His garments dyed red, fresh from the slaughter of all His foes, triumphant over all that came against Him, the great Conqueror, the Hero who had routed, once and for all, all Israel's enemies and put them all beneath His feet! Surely they must have said, "Hosanna," yet again and again, "Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord"! And surely, to close the list of occasions, I may mention when He who went up from Olivet shall come a second time, in like manner as He went up into Heaven, that is to say, in very Person as He mounted to the skies, He will be saluted, will He not—by all His waiting people, with this grand exclamation, "Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord"? The coming of the Son of God is no joy to the ungodly world—the day of the Lord to them will be darkness, and not light—the earth will burn as an oven! "The day comes that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble." To the righteous the coming of Christ is their grandest expectation—it is the day of the manifestation of the sons of God, the day for which the whole creation groans and travails, for it will be the day of our resurrection, when our souls that may have been a long while divorced from our bodies shall be re-married, and the body shall be raised again like unto His glorious body! "For we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like He, for we shall see Him as He is." The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come," and that same Spirit and Bride shall say, "Welcome, welcome, King of Kings!" when He shall come. Those who have watched most, and longed most, and hungered and thirsted most after that glorious Advent shall be they who most joyfully shall go forth to meet King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousal, and this shall be the note of their triumphant greeting, "Hosanna: Blessed is He that comes in Jehovah's name." Thus I have very briefly run through the occasions when this exclamation would seem to be exceedingly suitable. Now let us for a while consider— …
Now such men shall be brought into judgment for their conduct, as well as more gross sinners. Nor will they be any more able to stand in the judgment than the other. They resist the most powerful means of grace; go on in sin against the clear light of the gospel; refuse to hearken to the kindest calls and invitations; reject the most amiable Saviour, the judge himself; and despise the free offers of eternal life, glory, and felicity. And how will they be able to answer for these things at the tribunal of Christ? IV. If there be a day of judgment appointed, then let all be very strict in trying their own sincerity. God on that day will discover the secrets of all hearts. The judgment of that day will be like the fire, which burns up whatsoever is not true gold; wood, hay, stubble, and dross, shall be all consumed by the scorching fire of that day. The judge will be like a refiner’s fire, and fuller’s soap, which will cleanse away all filthiness, however it may be coloured over: Mal. iii. 2. “Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap:” and chap. iv. 1. “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.” There are multitudes of men that wear the guise of saints, appear like saints, and their state, both in their own eyes and in the eyes of their neighbours, is good. They have sheep’s clothing. But no disguise can hide them from the eyes of the judge of the world. His eyes are as a flame of fire: they search the hearts and try the reins of the children of men. He will see whether they be sound at heart; he will see from what principles they have acted. A fair show will in no degree deceive him, as it doth men in the present state. It will signify nothing to say, “Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence; and in thy name have we cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works. ” It will signify nothing to pretend to a great deal of comfort and joy, and to the experience of great religious affections, and to your having done many things in religion and morality, unless you have some greater evidences of sincerity. …