The Lord is with us (Part 2)

In Part 1 of this series, I showed how scripture tells us that the Lord awakens in these end times, arises to the cause of his ‘Jacob army’-Judah remnant, and does his work on earth on their behalf. In this passage (Part 2) I will continue to demonstrate the Lord’s presence on earth within the context of how he fights against his enemy and produces his righteous cause. Taken altogether, his personal battle will be a clear dividing line between what is good versus evil in the last days.

In this passage, the following two sections cover our Lord’s presence with us in these last days:

I will address each of these topics in more detail herein. In my next passage, Part 3, I will continue to discuss the Lord’s presence with us in terms of his activities of saving his people in this last days time period.

The Lord fights alone for himself and his servants

There are many scriptural references to the Lord’s presence on earth with us here in these last days. Many are in reference to his fighting against the anti-Christ Chaldean enemy. The Lord’s primary location of war in the last days is in the Chaldean nation of ‘Babylon’-U.S., though ultimately his judgment and punishment will also come upon the nation of Israel and the entire world.

The Lord fights for himself and his own name in the last days

Scripture shows how the Lord virtually single-handedly fights the Chaldean army. We learn that, since there is little to no true faith on earth in the last days, as discussed in Part 1, the Lord is left to fight alone. Recall in the book of Isaiah, he says, “I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me…” (Is. 63:3). The prophet Habakkuk foresaw:

• “Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.” (Hab. 3:12)

The Lord observes like a Leopard (Hos. 13:1) while he is here in the last days and finds lukewarm faith at best. Speaking of his people in his original and eternal homeland (country of Israel) and the corrupt, sinful, “bloody city” of Jerusalem, God says through the prophet Ezekiel’s vision, “I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land…but I found none” (Ez. 22:30).

Similarly, look at what the Lord says about fighting his last days battle, especially in ‘Babylon’-U.S., and how he finds no help:

• “For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.” (Is 41:2)

• “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.” (Is. 63:5)

• “Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver?…” (Is 50:2)

• “Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.” (Is 65:12)

Because of a lack of faith on earth the Lord is forced to perform a quiet, “strange” work” (Is 28:21) that people do not understand due to enormous Chaldean deception in the last days. It is the manifestation on earth of warring dark principalities, powers and authorities versus Jesus Christ and his coming Kingdom. It is only a war that the Lord can fight. Consider God’s following rhetorical question in scripture:

• “Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?” (Is. 40:13-14)

I have described many times on this site how the spiritual war of the Lord versus the anti-Christ Chaldeans in the last days is an unconventional one. What the anti-Christ Chaldeans do in secret would never be approved of if it were known to the general public. This first phase of the Lord’s destruction against Chaldean evil goes on quietly, behind-the-scenes. How else can scriptures like the following be interpreted?

• “For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool…” (Is. 51:8)

• “Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.” (Hos. 5:12)

Through his “strange work” in these last days, the Lord has to fight a massive wall of deceit that has been constructed against him. Recall that the devil is the “father of lies,” and his anti-Christ system is tightly controlling the propagandized message in these last days. So the Lord’s battle while he is with us is one to shed truth and light. Again, he does this as a result of fighting alone, in a righteous battle. I will discuss the righteous component of his battle on this earth later in this passage. Meanwhile, the following scriptures show how the Lord fights single-handedly in these end times:

• “Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies.” (Is 1:24)

• “Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.” (Mic 5:9)

• “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.” (Ps. 68:1)

• “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. I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.” (Is. 42:13-14)

This is a real, tangible battle, on earth; the results of which will be seen some day by all of the world’s inhabitants. This will be the revealing of the mystery of iniquity, and likely the Lord himself at the same time. True justice will be known, along with a very clear dividing line between what is good and what is evil.

The Lord battles to avenge his name and his elect

The spiritual war in the last days is a very real battle with a very real, practical purpose. The Lord is returning on earth to avenge his name and his persecuted elect. Much of this takes place in this current last days time period prior to Jesus’ culminating return to earth as described in the book of Revelation, where he deals the final blow to his enemy.

So prior to his return to set up his Millennial Kingdom, he is with us, and fights as I have shown above and in Part 1. You are likely familiar with Jesus’ Parable of the Vineyard in which the owner planted a vineyard and then goes “into a far country for a long time” (Luke 20:9) and left husbandmen in charge. This owner (representing God) occasionally sent servants to gather the fruit of the vineyard but his servants were persecuted and sent away empty-handed. He finally sent his own son and they killed him (representing the “stone the builders rejected”- Luke 20:17)- a reference to Jesus crucified.

This is context and background for the Lord to return to the earth to avenge himself, his servants, and to win the war and be set up as the cornerstone. The apostle Paul refers to the Lord’s return to claim his vineyard in the following scripture:

• “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?” (1 Cor. 9:7)

Much of the Lord’s righteous remnant vine are the elect and servants in these last days in ‘Babylon’-U.S. where we are told the Lord is with them. ‘Babylon’-U.S. is where the Lord will first shine light on iniquity and persecution, and in doing so will justify his servants. The prophet Micah, as a type of ‘Jacob’ says he accepts his punishment and discipline brought on him by the Lord, but he anticipates redemption in saying, “(The Lord) will bring forth the light, and I shall behold his righteousness” (Mic 7:9). Indeed, we are told that the Lord will “lift up (his) hand” (Is. 26:11) and will “march through the wasteland” (Ps. 68:7) in these last days so that his servants’ persecutors, especially in the nation of ‘Babylon,’ will be “ashamed.” The Lord says specifically to ‘Jacob’ and his remnant:

• “Thus saith the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.” (Is. 43:14) 

• “Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.” (Jer. 50:34)

I have described before on this site how, in being told the Lord is with them (i.e. with his servants), that these nobles, kings, leaders (i.e. “riders on horses”) “shall be confounded” (Zech. 10:5). These are the consequences, with prior precedent, of unrighteously holding God’s people hostage and mistreating them.

So to continue with the analogous story of the Parable of the Vineyard, the owner (God) will return to destroy those (i.e. whose vine is the “vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah”- Deut. 32:32) who persecute his children and his servants (i.e. his righteous vine, ‘portion of Jacob’). Jesus pointed to this last days time period and said, “And shall not God avenge his very elect?” (Luke 18:7). We are also told in the prophetic Song of Moses:

• “Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.” (Deut. 32:43)

I have spoken before on this site how the Lord gives strength and might via his “arm” to the ‘Jacob army’ in their battle amidst last days persecution. Again, we are told that he is “with them” and “in the midst” in their struggles. The ‘Jacob army’ recognizes this along the way and they gain confidence. They say, “Through God, we shall do valiantly” (Ps. 60:12). The following scriptures show how the greatly outnumbered, out-powered ‘Jacob army’ can stand against, overcome and defeat the anti-Christ Chaldean force that comes against them. Note again, how these scriptures show that the Lord is in control and is with them as they battle:

• “And I (God) will beat down (David my servant’s) foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.” (Ps. 89:23)

• “The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.” (Zech. 9:15)

• “Thou (‘Portion of Jacob’) art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider.” (Jer. 51:20-21)

• “And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.” (Mic. 5:8)

The Lord himself gives strength to his righteous ‘Jacob army’-Judah remnant.

Leaders of the ‘Babylon nation and the ‘Babylon’ kingdom will be defeated

In scriptures above and in my prior passages, I have shown how the Lord will bring down current last days kings of ‘Babylon’-U.S. who are against him and his elect who are residing in the U.S. The following scriptures pertain to coming destruction on these kings because of the Lord’s presence, his observations, and his eventual wrath against them. The following scriptures support this:

• “That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!” (Is. 14:4)

• “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots: And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds.” (Mic. 5:10-11)

• “Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.” (Hos. 7:13)

The last scripture above speaks to the fact that the Lord accomplishes his initial work in ‘Babylon’ to shed light and truth and save people through their acceptance of him, but they turned their backs. Because of their lack of faith, they will have done this at their own peril. The Lord himself says to his remnant, “We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” (Jer 51:9)

Ultimately, beyond the nation of ‘Babylon,’ the Lord will punish all nations and the leaders of these nations. We are told that his wrath and indignation will be against “all nations” and against a “multitude of shepherds.” The following scripture is from a prophetic Psalm of King David, a day when he says, “The Lord shall send a rod of strength out of Zion,” again showing the Lord’s presence among them:

• “The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.” (Ps. 110:5-6)

The punishment of the Lord can be expected to extend beyond ‘Babylon’ the nation and will ultimately be against the entire anti-Christ Chaldean kingdom of ‘Babylon.’ I made a reference above to wicked, corrupt leaders and rulers. We will find in these end times that many, if not all, rulers and leaders of nations are complicit with the anti-Christ Chaldean plans. This is a pre-requisite in these last days for those in powerful leadership roles- i.e. to be complicit in plans against the Lord and his coming Kingdom. Incidentally, this is why we are told the Lord “shall break in pieces and consume these kingdoms…” (Dan. 2:44). Similarly, scripture also says, “with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Is. 11:4). The kings who are fortunate enough to survive and remain will serve the Lord Jesus Christ (Ps. 72:11). We are even told in King David’s Psalm above that the Lord will, “rule in the midst of his enemies.”

The Lord is present in righteousness

As you would expect, the Lord is fighting a last days war that is for a righteous cause versus his evil anti-Christ Chaldean adversary. In this section, I demonstrate how the Lord is present in this undertaking: he is with the ‘Jacob army’; he represents the dividing line for righteousness; he saves the poor; and he pleads for his people to come near.

The Lord is with the righteous ‘Jacob army’

I have already described (earlier and in Part 1) the Lord’s presence in fighting with his ‘Jacob army’-Judah remnant. He is with them while they are the initial canaries who take a righteous stand and through whom God sets a “standard” to sound the alarm about Chaldean iniquities (organized crime). God says he is pleased for his (servant’s) righteousness sake…” (Is 42:21) in taking their stand. Meanwhile, as the righteous judge of his people’s oppressive enemies, God says, “produce your cause, bring forth your strong reasons” (Is 41:21) against (my) people. God’s people’s battle is a strong indication of worldwide trouble to come in the Tribulation period. The Lord says to ‘Jacob,’ who will be saved out of the time of ‘Jacob’s trouble’:

• “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Is 41:10)

Can you imagine being a recipient of that incredible promise from a God who is among them? On behalf of his ‘Jacob army,’ God shows his presence in speaking directly to them in scripture regarding their last days righteous cause. God says that he will do the following:

• “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness” (Is 42:6)

• “I will plead thy cause” (Jer 51:36)

• (I will) “execute judgment (for ‘Jacob’)” (Mic. 7:9)

• “I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right” (Is 45:19)

• (I will lift up my hand…) “when thy hand is lifted up, (our persecutors) will not see; but they shall see, and be ashamed…” (Is 26:11)

The Lord himself on earth in the last days becomes the voice of righteousness on behalf of his ‘Jacob army.’ This is tangible, and will be felt by many, but the extent to which the Lord himself is visibly seen in this preliminary period prior to his hiding his face and then his subsequent revealing is unclear.

The Lord himself is the last days dividing line of righteousness versus evil

The true plumb line of righteousness in the last days is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ- the cornerstone. He is the rock of righteousness and justice, described as: “a tried stone”; “a rock of offense”; and a “snare.” He is called these things because his righteousness necessarily exposes his enemies and their dark works that are done in secret, these are works artificially couched behind veneers of phony “social justice” causes. The following scriptures speak about Jesus as the rock that becomes an “offense” and a “snare”:

• “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” (Matt. 21:44)

• “Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Rom. 9:32-33)

• “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Is. 8:14)

Jesus has already earned the designation as the cornerstone, but he does so all over again while he (or his fellow trinity member the Comforter) is on earth again in these last days. He is hated all over again because of his righteousness in a world that is wayward and decided upon abiding in their own transgressions.

As the rock just described above, Jesus is the one in the prophet Daniel’s dream interpretation who is the stone that is “cut out of the mountain with hands” (Dan. 2:45) that prophetically is shown to break in pieces the world kingdom of iron and clay in the last days.

Jesus is the clear dividing line between what is good and evil in the last days. This will be revealed in the story of how anti-Christ Chaldean iniquities persecutes him (his Comforter) again for his righteous life. The Lord has to defend himself (see earlier in this passage) from the lies and iniquities against him. Consider the following scriptures:

• “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.” (Ps. 74:22)

• “Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.” (Is. 56:1)

• “But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.” (Is. 5:16)

The Lord has to come back to defend his own name against the very same anti-Christ spirit that put him to death on the cross two thousand years ago. It has since persecuted numerous others, including many of God’s saints. This system is the arm of the devil- the tempter and the accuser- who will “stand condemned” (Jn. 16:11) through Jesus’ righteousness.

Through the Lord’s work on earth, he will bring out truth that reveals a very clear line between what is right and wrong, and between what is good and evil. This will reveal the ruling powers of ‘Babylon’ and their anti-Christ Chaldean cohorts as oppressors who employ a large secretive army with a policy of “no talking” to enable their own greed, corruption and power. We are told in scripture that they “rejoice” to oppress and “devour the poor secretly” (Hab. 3:14).

I already mentioned earlier how the nation of ‘Babylon’s leaders will be exposed. In terms of the country of Israel’s last days corrupt leaders, specifically, the Lord will “set his face against them” in his work. We are told in the prophet Ezekiel’s vision that the Lord will gather them to “execute judgment(s),” “recompense their ways,” and “melt them” in the fire of his wrath.

The Lord is with us to save the poor and needy

What has been shown in ancient scripture will again be true in these last days. God has always said leaders are to look out for oppressed victims, including the poor, fatherless, widow, foreigner, etc. Jesus preached in his Sermon on the Mount about these oppressed as the ones who will eventually be blessed and will inherit the Kingdom. The following scriptures show how the poor will be saved and their oppressors will be judged in the Lord’s presence:

• “For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” (Is. 25:4)

• “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” (Is. 11:4)

• “He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.” (Ps. 72:4, 12-14)

The Lord saves. We are told that the meek shall “increase their joy” and the poor will “rejoice” in the Holy One of Israel in the last days (Is 29:19). Of course, in the book of Isaiah (Ch. 61), we are told that the Lord will come to once again “preach good tidings to the meek,” “to bind up the brokenhearted,” and to “proclaim liberty to the captives.” This is the answer to the prophetic prayers of those such as Hannah, Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus, who prayed for the humble to be exalted and the oppressor/enemy to be brought down by the coming Messiah to be “birthed.”

The Lord in his presence in the last days will plead with his own people to understand true righteousness and true faith versus the tricks and trade of his evil adversary and accuser. The Lord, through his case, asks his people to come near (i.e. “let us reason”- Is. 1:18) and pleads with his people Israel because of the “controversy” (Mic. 6:2) that he has with them. Scripture also tells us that he will be “quick to testify to rampant sin and lawlessness.” God says:

• “Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.” (Is. 51:4-5)

• “And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 3:5)

In these last days there will only be so much time to recognize and love the truth before he “hides his face.” Otherwise, people will be at risk of even greater deception and danger in the midst of lawlessness to come in the Tribulation period.

Ultimately, the Lord’s judging will be according to the law and what is true righteousness when his truth is revealed once and for all. Secrets will be revealed for all; we are told “he will set iniquities and secret sins before people” (Ps. 90:8). This is why the apostle Paul tells us:

• “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” (1 Cor. 4:5)

This is corroborated by other scripture that tells us that all things will ultimately be revealed.

His people return once they recognize the Lord’s righteous cause

It will be much better to be redeemed beforehand than to face the Lord’s cause in righteousness and judgment in the period of his wrath to come when his fire will go forth to clearly separate between good and evil. This is described in some scripture as a “purging” process. His law and its implications will go forth again at this time. His unsaved people will return in their sorrow at this time, as shown in the following scriptures:

• “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Is. 2:3)

• ^“And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Mic. 4:2)

When the Lord does his work to demonstrate truth (versus the secret, lying, deceptive mystery of iniquity) and then reveals himself there will be no denying and no grey area as to what is good versus evil. His justice and judgment will be perfect. At this time, scripture says, “They shall know that I am the Lord” (Ez. 30:19). The Lord’s people will acknowledge in return:

• “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.” (Is. 33:22)

• “Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.” (Is. 26:8)

• “…for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Is. 26:9)

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The Lord’s fighting and the results of his fight to reveal truth and justice will be good news for all of those who desire to be with, and to serve, their one true God, Jesus Christ. In Part 3, I will provide more detail about how the Lord is present in these last days to save his people.

Grace & Peace,

Lion’s Lair (LL)