Page 5 - April 2026 - Truth & Tidings

all the surrounding nations. … Multi- and half of it toward the south. Then you
tudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! shall flee through My mountain valley”
For the day of the LORD is near in the (Zec 14:3-5). The same Lord who parted
valley of decision” (3:12,14). The descrip- the sea and made it stand up like stone
tion of the Lord on the battlefield is one will part the stone as if it were water. The
of great power and violence. Isaiah states, day of deliverance will be unmistakable
“Who is this who comes from Edom, with to Israel and they will run to receive their
dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who Messiah.
is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the His ascension to the throne will signify
greatness of His strength? – ‘I who speak the renewal of the world. In our time,
in righteousness, mighty to save’” (63:1). wars leave power vacuums and decades
Truly, the battle belongs to the Lord! of recovery. In His day, the blessing will
The return of the Lord to the earth will be immediate. The changes in topography
bring both ruin and redemption. Isaiah highlight the healing of humanity. Isaiah
captures this dichotomy: “For the day of 2 states that Jerusalem will be elevated as
vengeance is in My heart, and the year the highest mountain. In that same way, all
of My redeemed has come” (63:4). In my that is right will be given its proper place
mind I have pictured the Lord descend- in society. Ezekiel 47 foretells a flood of
ing slowly upon the Mount of Olives. Yet healing water flowing from the temple to
it has been suggested that He will deal
with the vast throng of enemy armies bring the Dead Sea back to life. Similarly,
surrounding Israel as He approaches the truth and justice that flow from His
Jerusalem. Imagine David running forth reign will cause this world to burst forth
to defend the honor of Israel, and now with vibrant life. Imagine a world with
imagine the Great King running to deliver no war, no drug crisis, no hunger, no pan-
His people. Perhaps He will run, maybe demics and no human trafficking. Indeed,
He will ride, but there is no doubt that He this battle will usher in great blessing.
will rush to the rescue of His people. The Samuel Trevor Francis began his hymn
late Mr. Jim Allen captured the reality very with these famous words, “I am waiting
succinctly in his masterpiece Revelation for the dawning of that bright and glorious
Revisited: “The armies gathered around day, when the darksome night of sorrow
Jerusalem are but as the grapes in the shall have vanished far away.” Perhaps
winepress that Christ is about to trample he had the Rapture in view, but as we
upon as He steps to the throne.” consider the horizons of Christ’s Second
Amidst the destruction of His enemies, Advent, we can echo those hopeful lines.
consider the deliverance of Israel: “Then As Francis penned in the closing of his
the LORD will go forth and fight against hymn, “I can almost hear Christ's footfall
those nations, as He fights in the day of on the threshold of the door, and my
battle. And in that day His feet will stand heart, my heart is longing to be with Him
on the Mount of Olives, which faces Je- evermore.” On that great day, we will be
rusalem on the east. And the Mount of with Him and will witness these events by
Olives shall be split in two, from east to His side. Today, we look up and consider
west, making a very large valley; half of the horizons of His return and say, “Mara-
the mountain shall move toward the north natha, even so come Lord Jesus.”

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