We have become so accustomed to thinking of the Lord God of Heaven as being Santa Claus, of the Holy Spirit as performing only works of salvation and healing, of Christ as being our servant who stands ready to perform our every desire, that Joel 2:3 (as well as the ministry of the two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter 11) means little or nothing to us. We cannot comprehend such, supposing that all Spirit-empowered works of destruction are in the past or will be performed by the Lord and the angels on the unbelievers in some far off Day of Judgment.

Not so! The whole earth is filled with the wood, hay, and straw of the accomplishments of the flesh. God has made man upright but man has invented many things that are leading him away from his Creator. Mankind has departed from God, thinking that God has placed people on the earth and then left them to their own devices. This especially is true in the so-called "civilized" nations. Therefore catastrophes are at hand and they will affect sinning Christians as well as the unsaved people.

God will return from the spirit realm to dwell in the earth. He has created nations of people that He regards as His offspring. God will come with "ten thousands" of His saints. The saints will go through the earth destroying everything that has not been wrought in Christ, especially the works of flesh in the churches that bear His name.

On one occasion James and John desired to command fire to come down from the heaven upon a certain village of the Samaritans. Jesus rebuked them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of" (Luke 9:55).

Christ has given to His Church a Spirit of love, of concern for people, a willingness to help. We are not to avenge ourselves but to commit ourselves to the righteous judgment of God.

However, beginning with the ministry of the two witnesses (Revelation 11), who announce the coming of the Kingdom of God, the Divine judgment will be revealed in the earth. Those who have submitted themselves to God, enduring all the testings and tribulations that God has seen fit to give them, have been taught meekness, patience, and lowliness of mind. It is these "lambs" who will be responsible to see that all sin and rebellion are destroyed from the earth. Even Christ Himself will be as a Lamb; but woe to the sinners of the earth when the avenging Lamb appears for all to see!

And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 4:3)

To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalms 149:9)

Do ye not know the saints shall judge the world?... (I Corinthians 6:2)

The land, being ruled by Antichrist, will be a manmade garden of Eden (on the surface). After the sons of God pass through, the accomplishments of Antichrist will be left a desolate wilderness. Nothing will escape the divinely led army. Before the work of restoration can begin, all the works of the flesh must be destroyed.

To be continued.