Thread by @2runtherace

The Death Of The Wicked!

How do you feel when you think about the wicked? How do you feel when you hear that the wicked are sick and dying, or have encountered some other calamity in their lives?

Do you have the heart of God for the wicked; for those you consider to be enemies of the LORD, and of yourselves?

Here is what the Word of God says about the death of the wicked!

Ezekiel 18:23
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the LORD GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

Ezekiel 33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked — His enemies; and if God doesn’t, neither should we!

He tells us to do what is so contrary to our fleshly desires! He tells us to love and pray for them, and He goes even further than that — He tells us to do good to them, and to bless them!

Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Luke 6:27-29
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

How do you Love someone who hates you? Someone who has done wrong to you? You do it in His strength, out of obedience to His command; you do it with His Love, and the power of His Spirit in you!

Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

It is for God to see to His enemies, and ours! We don’t know that they will repent and turn to Him one day, and that should always be our desire and prayer!

Romans 12:17-21
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Of course we hate evil, but we are not to hate people. As we’ve seen, the LORD takes no pleasure even in the wicked man’s death!

If we rejoice when our enemies fall, the Word says, the LORD will see and He will be displeased, so much so that He turns His anger away from the wicked person!

Proverbs 24:17-18 l
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.

The desire of the LORD is that all would turn to Him in repentance! This is the reason our Father has not sent Jesus back yet!

2 Peter 3:9
The LORD is not slack concerning His promise (of Jesus return), as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Saul, was once an enemy of the LORD, and of His church, but the LORD was patient with him! He repented and turned to the LORD and became the apostle Paul — a mighty witness for the LORD, who has led many people to Him through his life and testimony!

You can read more of his story in Acts 9. Here’s part of it!

Acts 9:1-5
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the LORD, went unto the high priest,

And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this Way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the LORD said, I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest.

Beloved, we don’t know who among the wicked might be Saul now, but who will be transformed by the power of the cross and become a Paul! We don’t know who might just be barely saved from the fire — but our desire should be that they are!

Jude 1:21-23
Keep yourselves in the Love of God, looking for the mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Remember He loved us when we were still sinners in need of His mercy and grace!

Romans 5:8
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

When you look around, do you see people being used by the devil; wicked and evil people?

Have compassion on them, love them, pray for them! And remember the Words of the LORD we read above — “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.”
#EyesOnHim

@threadreaderapp please unroll 🙏