The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Day of Atonement, #4

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13)

By "putting to death the deeds of our body" we mean walking in the Spirit of God so we are able each day to deny the sinful urges of our flesh and to yield ourselves as servants of righteousness. If we are faithful in putting to death the deeds of our flesh, the Lord will remove from us the compulsion of sin at His coming in the closing days of the Church Age. We believe that the final removal already has commenced in the warrior-remnant whom the Lord is calling out of the churches. It is an eternal judgment upon sinning spirits.

Putting to death the deeds of our body.

The Day of Vengeance.

Our obligation to live above sin, to put to death the deeds of our sinful flesh, is presented by the Apostle Paul.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. (Romans 8:12)

The coming of the Lord in the Day of Vengeance is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament. It is the hour when the Lord will roar out of Zion.

The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. (Isaiah 42:13)

The day of God's vengeance upon His enemies is referred to in the New Testament as the Day of Redemption.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)

The New Testament writings look toward the end time when the Lord will appear bringing salvation from sin.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1:5)

Salvation from sin will be revealed in the last time.

The incident concerning the Cave of Makkedah illustrates the two phases of the removal of the presence of sin from Israel.

First, the kings of the Amorites were confined to a cave, a symbol of putting to death the sinful deeds of our flesh.

And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: (Joshua 10:17,18)

After victory was obtained, Joshua returned to the Cave of Makkedah, called forth the five kings, and put them to death, representing the more complete salvation from sin that will be brought to us in the last days.

And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. (Joshua 10:26)

To be continued.