The Daily Word of Righteousness

Being With the Lord, continued

The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: "Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" (Isaiah 33:14—NIV)

Do you know who the consuming fire is? It is the Lord Jesus.

Do you want to be with Him forever? Some qualifications are necessary.

He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil— This is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. (Isaiah 33:15,16—NIV)

There are so many verses in the Old and New Testaments that tell us we must be righteous if we would walk with God. But today everyone says, "That does not apply to me. I am saved by grace." I do not believe a more deadly error has ever been introduced into Christian thinking. This is to use Divine grace as an excuse for sin.

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah. (Psalms 24:3-6—NIV)

The "hill of the Lord" is Mount Zion. Let us see what the New Testament says about those who stand with the Lord Jesus Christ on Mount Zion.

And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. (Revelation 14:3-5—NIV)

Does it sound to you like these who are firstfruits to God and the Lamb are viewed as "under grace," or are they perceived as being blameless in character?

When you come to Mount Zion you are among the spirits of righteous people made perfect, not carnal, sinful, self-willed spiritual babies.

Those who stand with the Lord on Mount Zion will deliver Israel from sin.

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." (Romans 11:26,27—NIV)

Those who stand with the Lord on Mount Zion will govern the saved people of the world.

Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD's. (Obadiah 1:21—NIV)

We have to stand with Jesus on Mount Zion if we are to deliver the Jews and govern the world. And the Bible is clear that people who continue in sin will not be with the Lord when He installs His Kingdom on the earth.

To be continued.