The Sword of the LORD

“And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, LET US PASS OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE .” (Mark 4:35).   How precious is God’s Word!   It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.   It illuminates our way through the gross darkness of sin, deceit, and confusion that besieges us today.   Not only does it lighten those external things around us, but also it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our own hearts.    Every day, the Lord wants to come and share something of His Word and of Himself with us that we might grow, and it is up to us either to receive and believe or reject and neglect.   Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20).   This applies to every child of God.   The Lord wants to share His heavenly Manna and allow us to sup from the Bread of Life.   It is up t...

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” (Joel 2:1).     "Behold, I will send My messenger , and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant , Whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.   But 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 fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness ." (Malachi 3:1-3).   About 400 years before John the Baptist was born, or Jesus Christ began his earthly ministry, the prophet Malachi foretold the arrival of these two messengers.   The first messenger,...

There was severe drought and famine in the land of Israel in the Prophet Elijah’s day.   It would continue for three and a half years and severely affect the lives of most Israelites at that time.   Like today, people were feeling much uncertainty and fear for the future.   Some didn’t know where their next meal was coming from, and many were perishing from hunger.   Why was Israel left so impoverished?   It was because they had left off serving the true God and turned to worshipping Baal, an idol that was revered by some of the heathen nations around them.     Ahab, king of Israel during the time when the drought occurred, was not a good or godly man.  He managed to become even worse by the choices that he made in his personal life.  He chose Jezebel for his wife, a daughter of Ethbaal, who was the king of the Zidonians.  The name Ethbaal means “with Baal” and signifies that he reverenced and worshipped the heathen god Baal.  ...