A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


Showing posts with label Love and Justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love and Justice. Show all posts

January 2, 2022

"There's A Difference Between What Is Legal and What Is Just"


That statement was made by actor Kevin Costner in a commercial previewing his TV show "Yellowstone".  Immediately, I recognized its significance in relation to the spiritual aspects of abortion. As you know, the highest Court in our land has heard oral arguments regarding the state of Mississippi's abortion law, which makes most abortions illegal after 15 weeks. Currently, the right to abortion is protected prior to fetal viability (which is defined as when a fetus can survive outside the uterus), as established by the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. NOTE: Roe v. Wade allows abortions up to two months after the 15 weeks written in the Mississippi law. But if the Mississippi law [or any portion of it] is upheld, other states could use the decision to make abortion illegal in perhaps half of the country.

I have read articles that say the fact that the Supreme Court has even agreed to hear the oral arguments [when lower courts have dismissed the filing] suggests that there is at least a fighting chance to limit Roe v. Wade, and perhaps even "overturn" it as a federally upheld statute! It would set a course for the States to decide their own laws regarding this abhorrent practice. Here is what is so disconcerting ... There is no federal law protecting abortion rights! In fact, Roe v. Wade is not even a law! Because we, [as citizens and Christians] have not been good caretakers of the Constitution, we have allowed unjust players in our legal system to pull the wool over our eyes!

Not only is Roe v. Wade NOT a law, it is even less "the law of the land'. Let's review a civics lesson, okay? Article 1, Section 1, of the Constitution states, "All legislative powers herein shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which consist of a Senate and House of Representatives". Federal courts, including the Supreme Court, are part of the judicial branch of the government, and have no law-making powers. Since the Supreme Court has no legislative powers, they cannot make, change, or eliminate laws! From my layman's understanding of the law, the Supreme Court can only render decisions on existing laws! So under the Constitution, the Supreme Court is given no legal authority to grant abortion rights at all! For 50 years, we have believed a legal myth!!

So how were political forces able to subvert the Constitution and make a way for nearly 63,000,000 babies to be murdered? When confronted with the 14th Amendment's construct which stated that "no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws", Justice Harry Blackmun [who wrote the majority decision in Roe v. Wade] simply decided that a fetus wasn't a person. In other words, the Supreme Court decided that "personhood" didn't start until birth. Furthermore, the Court focused on the Ninth Amendment's reservation of rights to the people, and interpreted that to mean that a pregnant woman's "right to privacy" [which does not exist in the Constitution] allowed her to make a decision whether to terminate her pregnancy or not.

Which brings me to the heart of the title of this blog post... there IS a difference between what is defined as legal, and what is just. In this case, "legal" refers to those constitutional laws determined by our earthly government of men. "Just" should be understood as God's standards of what is honorable, decent, upright, honest, righteous, moral, virtuous and principled. Is it important that we distinguish between the two? And does it make a difference how we interpret what is legal and what is just? I believe it does when 63,000,000 lives of unborn babies rely on our answers to those questions. 

And what do we do when the just standards of God come in conflict with entrenched legal precedent [no matter how politically manipulated]? That becomes our "Peter and John moment", who declared that they must obey God rather than man. We must not accept what our spirits know is so offensive to the Creator of each and every one of those innocent babies. We must continue to storm Heaven with our prayers for justice for the innocent who have been subject to such brutal and unconscionable infanticide. And I believe that our prayers will make a difference! Every one of those babies cries out from under the altar of God, crying, "How long, Oh Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?" God hears our prayers and their cries. The cup of God's wrath upon this sin is nearly full, and He will soon pour it upon our land if we do not right this profound wrong. 

I pray that 2022 ends 50 years of violence against the innocent. Let our words and voices [in prayer] become spiritual weapons as we battle, in the Name of Jesus, the forces of evil and wickedness that seek to sacrifice the unborn. We do know the difference between is done in the name of "legal decision", and what is the "just desire" of our Father in Heaven, and we will never give up battling for justice and righteousness. May this year see our nation's highest Court reverse its indefensible decision of endorsing abortion, and see our land begin to regain a moral foundation. Perhaps it is prophetic that Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who argued for abortion rights [in Roe v. Wade] before the Supreme Court, passed away this last week, at the age of 76. May the case that she argued -- which legalized abortion in this country -- pass into history with her. It is time, Lord!

Psalm 25:12    Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]?
He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose.

April 26, 2021

Iniquity and Injustice: The Signs Of Our Time

I know it's been a few days since I've written a blog post. To be honest, my spirit has been in turmoil and I've been trying to listen to what God wants to reveal to me for this time. As you may or may not know, my husband and I live near the Texas border with Mexico -- close enough that our daily lives have dramatically changed from what they looked like just a few years ago. And what I'm about to share does not come from a political bias. Rather, the turmoil I am experiencing in my spirit comes from trying to see the humanitarian crisis before me from a biblical and historical perspective, as well as from the viewpoint of my Father in Heaven.

Here's the source of my unrest ... I see so much injustice all around me; it is affecting people of different ethnic backgrounds, different nationalities, different histories ... and it is all being incited by forces of evil that don't care who they destroy in the process. There is the injustice of the immigrants who have traveled (many of them walking) for thousands of miles because their nation's social and economic structures have collapsed and they are simply hoping for a chance to survive and thrive in America. There is the injustice of thousands of women and children being exploited for slave labor and the sex trade within our nation. There is the injustice of people paying thousands of dollars [and some tens of thousands, depending on their nationality] to be illegally smuggled across our border. There is the injustice of a mother having both of her legs broken by the cartel as she fought to join her four children who were loaded on a raft to cross the Rio Grande. But because she had lost her wrist band which indicated she had paid the smuggler, she was left on the Mexico side of the river, screaming in physical and spiritual pain. 

There are so many stories like that, and we have seen some of it on our nightly news. What we have seen far less of is the injustice suffered by peaceful residents of our Southern border states, whose cars are being stolen; who are finding dead bodies on their land; whose property is being destroyed -- houses broken into, fences mowed down, and ranches whose outbuildings are being taken over as "stash houses" as the smugglers move people from place to place. We are not adequately hearing about the over-worked law enforcement officers involved in high-speed chases and shootouts, or the overburdened Border Patrol officers taxed with the surge of over 2,000 immigrants per day [per county] in sparsely populated areas. It's an insurmountable problem! 

But like I said, I'm trying to wrap my brain and my heart and my spirit around the consequences of all this turmoil and danger and chaos. Does history have anything to say about similar periods of national upheaval? What does God think about it, and what role will He play in the near future? Believe me, I can see the iniquity of past generations coming to bear. I am not naive as I look upon this nation's need to repent for how it has treated indigenous peoples. I know that only a couple of hundred years ago, at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, the United States, as victor, took possession of land that makes up all or part of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. But before that, Mexico fought a revolutionary civil war to gain their independence from Spain, who had previously conquered the Aztec empire to reign over this disputed land. There is enough blood in the ground from all those wars and generations of fighting over the land. 

And I know that has been the way of the world ever since God set the boundaries of the nations after the Tower of Babel [when He took Israel as His spiritual territory, and left the rest of the earth in the possession of the lesser gods]. There have been wars over land, and nation has conquered nation. Boundaries and names of nations have changed throughout the centuries, and injustice has ruled the earth. And the rise and fall of nations and empires has resulted in generational iniquity. Wickedness has entered in the bloodlines of people through war and murder and evil wrought under the demonic influence of men [and women] who have sought to profit from the misfortune of others. Our nation is not immune from such human iniquity.

Yet, now I see that injustice is falling on Godly and righteous people, who through no fault of their own, find themselves in the middle of unjust policies and an invasion of the poor and disadvantaged who are being used by governments and illegal organizations to serve their own interests. Are we seeing the beginning of the collapse of our nation? Combine what we are experiencing along our southern border with our mounting national debt and the instability of our place in the global economy, and it is certainly conceivable that we cannot sustain the current crisis. We know by looking at history, that such collapses can take a century, perhaps decades, or happen overnight; coming like a thief in the night.

Wait! Doesn't the Bible have something to say about that? Now as to the times and dates, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord is coming just as a thief [comes unexpectedly and suddenly] in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety [all is well and secure!]” then [in a moment unforeseen] destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains on a woman with child, and they will absolutely not escape [for there will be no way to escape the judgment of the Lord] -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. 

I've seen it in my lifetime! The Soviet Union, under Mikhail Gorbachev fell apart in less than five years. Do you remember how close the world came to complete economic meltdown in September 2008? I don't think any of us know just how desperate that situation was -- and our economic system still hasn't recovered! But there is one thing we all need to stay focused on ... the rise and decline of nations throughout history all have the hand of God upon them. Daniel, that great prophet of the Bible, who had favor and compassion from God, proclaimed that "It is He who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings" (Daniel 2:21). It is evident that God determines the ways in which a nation progresses and develops. If a nation and its leaders stray from the precepts of God's counsel, then history will see them exit the stage according to His will. 

The Bible gives us an example of this when Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall at King Belshazzar's feast: God has numbered the days of your kingdom and put an end to it; —you have been weighed on the scales [of righteousness] and found wanting [deficient]. That very night, Belshazzar's kingdom fell to the Medes and Persians. It happened suddenly -- like "a thief in the night". Do you think the nations are found "wanting" today? What about the nations in Venezuela, Brazil and Central America whose governments have created such a surge of poor and desperate people to our borders? What about the nation of Mexico who has surrendered to violent organizations who extort its own people to benefit their trafficking and drug trade? What about our own beloved nation? What does God think of us as the Number One destination of trafficked and enslaved people? Aren't we due His wrath and judgment for failure to acknowledge Him as we continue to idolize wealth, power, sexual perversion and abortion? 

The injustice we have perpetuated through generations of iniquity will not be ignored by our Righteous and Just God. I know it must grieve His heart that we have fallen far from His ways. There is very little to connect us to our Biblical founding, except for the remnant who is faithful to exalt the Lord of Heaven and left the name of the Most High God above all other names. This remnant refuses to honor and worship the gods of gold and silver, or to bow down to the gods of greed and human power and influence. 

Last weekend, a small group of our Ekklesia spent the day traveling our surrounding counties, praying for redemption of the land and the blood that is crying out from all the wars and injustice through the centuries -- from the human sacrifices to the Meso-American gods of Kul Kul Kan, Vera Cocha, Ah Puch and Quetzacoatl; from the blood shed in the Texas Revolution to win independence from Mexico; and from iniquity of the drug and sex trade that travels through our state to the rest of the world. But I also know that we need to repent for the blood our ancestors shed in conquering the indigenous peoples who came before us; and for being the state that led abortion to become the law of the land. There is so much to repent for before our Righteous and Holy God! Forgive us, Father! We declare that we will continue to magnify You as our God who gave us Life from the breath of your Spirit. Will you join me in fervent prayer that the hand of Almighty God will turn the hearts and plans of this nation's leaders back to Him, that it might be said of us, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!" (Psalm 33:12).

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17    Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.  I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.

February 25, 2021

My Responsibility To Speak of the Fullness of God


In 2008, when it was prophesied over me that I was to "be the pen and not the blank piece of paper", I clearly understood that I was to use my gift of expression and writing to please God, the One who created me to write. I started small and privately; committing to write for two hours each day, while sharpening and improving my skills. At the end of two-and-a-half years, I had a novel of fiction. The sole purpose of that exercise was that I learned to hear the voice of God as He steered me through character development, plot, and direction of the book. There were days when I sat down to write and had no idea where my storyline was going, and two hours later I had written pages that just seemed to flow from somewhere inside me. To this day, that is the same process (and joy) I get from writing ... being able to share what God's Spirit speaks to my spirit.

Today, 13 years later, that's still how it works. But now, instead of a make-believe narrative, He speaks to me of more serious matters; subjects that align with His heart and that affect the lives of millions like me, who seek His counsel on how to navigate the perilous times in which we live. This blog is just one of the tools He has given me. This weekend my husband Mark and I will be leading a little mini-conference for a remnant of God's faithful who are willing to hear what so many cannot bear to look at. 

As I've written recently, Revival is on the tongue of nearly every modern-day prophet. And I wholeheartedly agree that God desires heartfelt revival among His people on earth; and it should be our desire, too! But we cannot ignore that historically, revival has often come, after a season of persecution and tribulation. And what Mark and I have been hearing from the Lord is, "Prepare the people". Prepare them for what? As I have struggled to make sure I am representing His commandment correctly and clearly, what I have discerned is this: God wants to prepare people for the "fullness" of Jesus's righteousness. Well, what does that look like?

The Church today likes to equate the righteousness of the Lord with His grace and mercy and sacrificial love -- all true and Scriptural characteristics. Jesus's righteousness is exemplified in His purity, His goodness, and His blameless nature. But there's another side to His righteousness that proclaims the Father's redemptive plan for mankind ... The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Just as we are to partner with the Father and the Son to speak of [and to walk out] their love, mercy and compassion in order to speak of the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ, we are also to speak out that God desires our partnership in expanding the Kingdom of God on earth and defeating Satan's kingdom of darkness!

Yes, it is true that God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16) and we put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). It is my responsibility to share and express those truths as a recipient of God's love. But it is equally true this same Jesus who came as the Suffering Servant and Friend of mankind, will return as a Conquering King, intent on making war. It is equally my responsibility to speak of this facet of His nature [to the world], as well.

Revelation 19:11-16 describes Him like this: And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations]His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many royal crowns; and He has a name inscribed [on Him] which no one knows or understands except Himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of GodAnd the armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, [dazzling] white and clean, followed Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword (His word) with which He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He will tread the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty [in judgment of the rebellious world].  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

It is important for the Body of Christ to understand the totality of Jesus -- He is both Savior and Lord! As Savior, Jesus shed His own blood for the redemption of mankind; for me and you and all those who choose to receive Him as Master of our lives. As Lord, He will shed the blood of the wicked and evil for the judgment of mankind. Can you see both manifestations of His nature? Do you hear both sides of His nature expressed from the pulpit [or podcast]? If not, then I submit to you that we are not carrying out our full responsibilities to represent Him as children of God and ambassadors of His Kingdom.

At our mini-conference this weekend, Mark and I, along with other faithful representatives of the Kingdom of God, will attempt to bring the fullness of our God to this mighty and faithful remnant. We will share what we have heard as "watchmen on the wall", speaking what the Lord has revealed to us in our spirits, as well as what His Word clearly testifies of -- the good, the bad, the ugly, and yes, the scary. But the conference will conclude with how we as the Ekklesia here on earth can partake in the battle for righteousness on the earth; how we can use our giftings and the keys to the Kingdom that the Lord has given us. We will warn and we will encourage. We will speak of the manifestations of evil we can expect; and we will all speak of the power of Inner Healing, Forgiveness, Intercessory Prayer and Fasting; the power of meeting God face-to-face, and receiving a Word of Knowledge concerning our strategies and battle plans. 

World events seem to be careening out of control, and fear among men is increasing. But if we will hold fast to our covenant with the Lord and be prepared to speak His WHOLE truth, then we can be effective in our duty to proclaim Victory in Christ! The world needs us to walk upright in truth and spirit; rightly discerning the Word of God so that we might share it with all who will desperately need it. We should expect to be hated and must not shy away from proclaiming the full nature of our God and all that it will require of us. We need to speak of hope and love and joy in the Lord; but not remain silent regarding the efforts of the Enemy who will come to kill, steal and destroy those beautiful fruits of our faith. Let us be suited up in our spiritual armor and step on the battlefield.  As His Ekklesia we can war in the spirit, bind and loose on earth as it is in Heaven, and pray and fast for heavenly strategies to defeat the works of the devil. Let us be prepared! Our King and Commander is getting ready to mount for His ride!

 Revelation 1:7      Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. So it is to be. Amen.

 


November 7, 2020

We Do Not Fight Against Flesh and Blood!


From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, Satan sought to usurp the dominion God gave to man to rule all the facets of the earth by the same principles He ruled Heaven. And from the moment that Adam and Eve gave into the temptation and deception that they could "be like God", the kingdom of darkness became a reality on the earth. But God had a plan! He never gave up on His creation of mankind and developed a divine strategy to give men the opportunity to choose to restore the earth to its original and righteous foundation. And there has been a battle between God's children of Light and Satan's sons and daughters of darkness ever since. What we are seeing in our country post-election is the very evidence of this truth.

I don't like to get political on this blog because I try to see from a spiritual, heavenly perspective rather than from a purely secular or worldly viewpoint. So here's how I see our current debacle: the pride and arrogance of Lucifer, which led to his thinking he could "be like God", resulted in him seeking power and position to overthrow his Creator. It is this very sin that is often repeated in our political process... pride and arrogance, seeking power and position... spiritual transgression [which is rebellion] manifests in the physical actions of men.

That's why Paul's admonition to us in Ephesians 6 has so much relevance for today: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places." It has been apparent during my lifetime that illegal practices were rampant in our national election process. The advancement of technology has only exacerbated this reality. But that is seeing through physical eyes. When observed through spiritual eyes, we can see that we are not "contending only with physical opponents", but we are battling very real allies of Satan who are influenced by "spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places". And that is why I must speak now.

Just as when Daniel prayed to God to deliver the Jews from their captivity in Babylon, our prayers to deliver America from the evil of Socialism and Communism have been heard. We must trust in that idea and trust in our Lord to respond. He is aware that we are immersed in a very real battle between the spiritual forces of Good and Evil in our nation. And I know it may seem as if our physical opponents are galvanized by spiritual forces that are more organized and powerful, while we feel like we are fighting the battle alone in the midst of disorganization and apathy. I assure you that God has not abandoned us. We must trust in Him and "lean not on our own understanding". His ways are higher than our ways; His strategies more capable and astute than ours. 

What we are seeing is a manifestation of tyranny -- one of Satan's favorite tactics. And there are always men who have no problem becoming his willing accomplices to impose tyrannical measures to limit he freedoms that God gave us. Just like Adam and Eve, they listen to the lies of the devil who convinces them there are no consequences for their rebellious actions -- "Go ahead and eat of that forbidden fruit ... You certainly will not die!" So men pursue power and position, blinded by their own greed to the death and destruction being fomented against their fellow man; and thinking themselves exempt from God's justice. But They openly challenge God's power and authority in this realm, and discount the heart and soul of those who are spiritually bound to the strength of their God above and will not submit to tyranny.

Here is what our Enemy and his cohorts do not understand ... they may have Satan on their side, the one who only knows hate. But we have God Almighty, the God above all gods, who is Love. He is Jehovah Sabaoth, Lord of Heaven's Armies. He is Jehovah Milchamah, the Lord who is Mighty in Battle. He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my Banner [as we go into battle]. And they have forgotten that our God is also Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace who will soon crush Satan under the feet of King Jesus. 

As followers of Jesus and Children of Light, we must stand fast in our knowledge that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. Whether we face defeat or victory in this physical realm, we know the final victory over the Beast System of Satan is ours. And as Christians, we need to face the possibility that our nation is under judgment and we may face discipline from our Righteous and Just God. Regardless of the outcome of this election, we are to be instruments of our Lord to bring His Gospel of the Kingdom to all the earth; even our enemies. That is a huge responsibility but we are up to the task when we stay focused on Him. He is our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer. He is our Stronghold. And these names of the Lord that I have mentioned above are like a strong tower; the righteous run in to them and are safe. Remember, He hears our prayers and He will answer in His timing. Don't give up! Keep praying and stay strong, stay focused, stay awake and abide in Him! 

Psalm 91:1-2     He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!"

October 7, 2020

Understanding The "Hosts" of God

 

I wanted to take a slight detour today to shine a light on a subject that needs some clarification. Unless you're one who delights [as I do] in studying the etymology of the Bible, then what I'm writing about today may have escaped you. I love researching the origin of words in the Bible and the historical understanding of them. As happens quite often, I have found that our 21st Century Greek mindset can sometimes assign a broad definition to a word, when in fact, taken in context, the word can render a completely different awareness of the nature of God. So forgive me if I take you on what is a typical journey for me. 

I started my research while preparing for a Bible study lesson with my mother-in-law. We are in the Book of Matthew, and what I think is probably one of the most fascinating and difficult parables is the Parable of the Wedding [or Marriage] Feast. Jesus begins by saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

It is not too difficult to discern that "the king" in the parable is God, the Father, who is giving a wedding feast for His "son" (Jesus), and sends His "servants" (the prophets) to call "those who were invited" (the Jews) to the feast. But when they refused the invitation and then mistreated and killed His prophets, God became angry, and the Bible says "He sent His troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city". 

Now, I know that is a difficult passage to accept ... God sends His "troops" to murder and burn the city of the Jews, which must rightfully be interpreted as Jerusalem. Can this be true? Does God send "troops" against His own people? We know that the parable goes on to tell us that God then sends more prophets to invite guests who had not been previously invited, which would be the Gentiles [and includes us]. But I want to concentrate on that image of an angry God who sent His "troops" against His own. Is it just a story, or is it found in history? And does God have an army other than the Heavenly Host of angels that we are familiar with?

First of all, I looked at various versions of this parable and found that the word "troops" is used here in the English Standard Version (ESV); "soldiers" is used in the Amplified Version (AMP); and "armies" is used in the King James Version (KJV). So, obviously this is a military image Jesus is painting for us, and He doesn't hide the fact that the Father was angry. And we can't ignore that this picture is being presented in the New Testament, where the usual interpretation of God's army is the "Heavenly Host"; an army of angels. Now, can we also agree that this angelic army [or "host"] does the Father's bidding and is organized for war? But our typical comprehension is that God's host goes to war against Satan and his army. So, again, is this parable of God bringing an army against His own people borne out in history? 

Well, in 721 BC, God used the Assyrians to destroy the northern kingdom of Israel and took all the tribes into captivity, except for the southern kingdom of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In 586 BC, God used Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and take Judah into captivity in Babylon. They are in captivity for 70 years in Babylon until King Cyrus lets them return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. And after the Jews reject Jesus as their Messiah and He is crucified, God sends the Roman troops to Jerusalem, once again destroying and burning the Temple in 70 AD.

 

The parable represents a disobedient and rebellious people who time and again turn their backs on God, and it results in a severe reprimand. God is obviously using nations as His disciplinarian "army". Is this a theme found only in the Old Testament and do we find any evidence that God can [and still will] choose this form of disciplining His sons and daughters? We can certainly find several such warnings in the Old Testament before God sent His Son to deliver us. In Deuteronomy 28:47-48, God shares what the curses for disobedience can look like: Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things [He has given you], therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. 

 

In Jeremiah 30:8, we find God promising restoration from His discipline: And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. Yet, in verse 11, He still makes it clear that disobedience comes with a price: For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord; I will make a full end of all the nations among whom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.


I don't know about you, but both those passages read as if they could have been spoken over our nation. And here's where it gets really interesting ... Joel, Chapter 2, is well-known as "The Day of the Lord", and it tells of a mighty army who charges and scales walls. They do not swerve from their paths; they burst through the weapons and are not halted. I have heard modern-day Christians described as this "Joel 2 Army", and that they represent a return to the Lord, walking out the lifestyle portrayed in Joel 2:12–17 of fasting and praying. But I believe that is a misunderstanding of the overall context of the entire chapter. I believe this Chapter again portrays the nature of God to destroy [in His sovereignty].

 

Joel 2:11 tells us that He will come with His heavenly army to once and for all destroy the nations loyal to Satan's evil agenda: The Lord utters His voice before His army, for His camp is exceedingly great; He who executes His word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it? And then, in verse 25, He makes a promise to the children of Zion, while letting them know He was the source of their discipline:  "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, My great army, which I sent among you."

 

So, we have plenty of examples of God using nations as His disciplinary troops against a rebellious member of His family. And lest you think all that discipline is only reserved for the Old Testament or the end of the Great Tribulation, let's take a look at another familiar passage, but from the perspective of the Father's discipline. In Roman's 13:1-4, Paul reminds us that God is still able to send "rulers" and "authorities" to avenge His demand for obedience and righteousness. And, as history shows us, these authorities don't necessarily represent Godliness. They might be set over us to discipline us for our rebellious ways. [That should make every one of us get on our knees and pray!] Here is Paul's warning:  Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

 

We would do well to remind ourselves that God is Immutable; unchanging over time, or unable to change. He is the same God [with the same nature] as presented in the parable of the Wedding Feast; in Deuteronomy; in Jeremiah, and in Joel. Mind you, this is not His full nature, but one that has been "shoved out of sight", if you will, in what the Church likes to call this "Age of Grace". If we are going to see Him in His fullness, then we need to see all that He is ... a God who is jealous of those He has called and is not afraid to discipline them when necessary; and a God who will soon settle scores -- inflicting His wrath on the Evil in the world by telling His Son to "mount up" with all of His Heavenly army and deliver His Justice. As we come ever nearer to our national election, who will God assign to rule over us? Are we deserving of a righteous ruler? Will God's servant be for our good, or to avenge God for our rebelliousness? Will He restore us, or send us into destruction and captivity? Pray like you've never prayed before and join me in crying, "Come, Lord Jesus, Come!"

 

Revelation 3:19    As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

 

 

June 5, 2020

My Thoughts In These Troubled Times: Up Close and From A Distance

     

     This is a difficult post to write. As I watch the social unrest in the cities of my nation, and I hear the words of empathy and compassion, as well as anger and hate, I am aware that no matter what I say here, there will be those who misunderstand my heart. I am not going to be able to relieve or satisfy the intense emotions being experienced by all sides of this tragic situation.
     Let me start by saying that I do not know of ANYONE who is not deeply disturbed by the death of George Floyd. And let me further say that anyone who finds no fault with the officers involved needs to examine their hearts. But what I am seeing on the streets of our largest cities does not honor this man's life or the loss of it. And let me be clear .... in no way can I ever understand what it is like to walk in the shoes of a black man in America. I cannot understand what it's like to experience decades of racism and bigotry. And it's naive and insensitive to suggest that it has not existed, or its time to move on.
     I have never felt the fear of being stopped by a white policeman during a traffic stop. But I have felt outrage when my bi-racial nephew was accosted by a minority police officer for mistakenly turning the wrong way down a one-way street in a town he was unfamiliar with. My heart has hurt for him as he described being thrown up against a car and hand-cuffed as the officer automatically suspected the worst from his innocent actions.
     At the same time, I have also felt anxiety and fearfulness as my white nephews put on their police uniforms in order to serve the public during riots in Ferguson, MO and again, in these latest cities that are on fire, literally and figuratively. I am just as troubled that they are perceived guilty because of the color of their skin as my black nephew was. All I can do is love these young men based on their hearts, not the color of their skin. And I do not cite these incidents to try to convince you that I understand every side of this human issue, or that I have the answers. I do not and cannot.
     I am all too aware that some will perceive that I have not said enough to express the heinousness of the crime or their feelings on the matter, while others will think I have said too much in favor of those whose opinion they oppose. But I need us to step back and see behind the spiritual veil -- and that is not an attempt to gloss over or diminish the very real issues that are happening in this earthly realm.  I want you to hear me .... my spirit is very sensitive to the truth that what we have seen on the surface this last week or so is not the complete story; nor does it convey the sinister agenda of the devil and his kingdom of darkness.
     As I personally step back from the immediate chaos and lawlessness (by all parties involved), I hear the Spirit telling me through Paul's words, "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." I am seeing this truth profoundly displayed in the earth these past few months. I have discerned the spirit of Deception in most everything associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. I have perceived the duplicity in powerful men and corporations who have much to gain financially from the fear spawned by this manufactured plague. Therefore, I was not surprised when I read about the revelation received by Jeremiah Johnson during a vision in which he encountered a demonic entity.
     In case you are unfamiliar with Jeremiah, he is the founder and director of Maranatha School of Ministry, a full-time two-year five-fold ministry training center that equips and sends out End-Time messengers. Before I share the heart of Jeremiah's vision, I want to make it clear that I am not declaring that recent events indicate we are in the End Times, or that Jesus's imminent arrival on Earth is to be expected any moment. Of course, I believe the Word when it says no one knows the day or the hour, only the Father. But I am inclined to believe that the last 100 years of history has [more than likely] been the "beginning of the birth pains" that Jesus speaks about in Matthew 24, and which He predicted would precede the ever-increasing tribulation we are beginning to see now.
     I believe it is important that the Body of Christ understand that what we are seeing and experiencing is rooted in something much more than racism and racial politics, the upcoming Election, or the actions of the Deep State -- although all are tools of the kingdom of darkness. We must take to heart what Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:10-12. He says, Then many will stop following me and fall away [or stumble, or take offense], and they will betray one another and hate one another.  And many lying prophets will arise, deceiving multitudes and leading them away from the path of truth. There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold.
     This is being fulfilled before our very eyes! And this prophecy was confirmed by Jeremiah Johnson's vision, which also aligns with what my spirit [and many in the Body of Christ] have been sensing for some time. You can read about the entire vision at this link, but here is the gist of it.... a demonic entity appeared to him on the evening of May 30th, announcing that "Just as there are forerunners in the Kingdom of God that go before the Son of Man, so I am a forerunning spirit in the kingdom of darkness that has been sent before the coming of the man of lawlessness."
     Jeremiah said that the demonic entity had a visible and deep scar underneath its right eye, but it also had the ability to mutate or rather, change forms. He watched this “being” morph several times right in front of him, yet the gash below its right eye remained. Then the demon spoke: "The scar underneath my right eye has come at the hands of the praying Church, for many of them in this hour have begun to detect our true plans and purposes to disrupt systems, divert attention, and release chaos in the land." The demon revealed that the source of the power and influence coming upon the world in these days is the Media! It revealed that the Media has been the tool to spread, first, the fear of the pandemic, and is now fueling the hate that we see in our cities on fire and escalating racism (on both sides). And ultimately, it is the greed of those with evil hearts that is inciting the spirits of fear and hate.
     We MUST look beyond the [hear me] JUSTIFIED pain and anger of Black Americans, and all of us must seek the keys of the Kingdom to overcome the man of lawlessness's agenda! Granted, the Bible tells us that he will succeed for a time until the Lord of Righteousness, Jehovah Tsidkenu, appears to put an end to his lawless, violent, and evil reign. Yes, we must continue to pray for healing of our land and hearts. But prayer alone will not defeat this evil agenda. We must combine it with fasting, binding and loosing [on earth as it is in Heaven], casting out demons, and putting on our spiritual armor and battling alongside the Host of Heaven who are fighting on our behalf in the Second Heaven.
     The words and actions of mere humans who do not know Jesus Christ will not accomplish the peace and healed hearts that we seek. The Body of Christ must rise up in their Heavenly Kingdom identity as the Ekklesia and take back the government of this earth, stopping the disruption of, and diversion from God's agenda, and end the chaos caused by the agents of Satan's kingdom of darkness.
     The crowds clamor for Justice, and rightly so. But as human beings, we will never come to a consensus and agree on what that justice looks like. Righteous justice certainly does not look like anything that Satan is currently fomenting. God, whose Justice is holy, merciful and truly righteous, is the only one who can turn this around. We need to turn to Him for guidance on how to heal, and ask for His righteous judgment to fall on our land. We must remember that Vengeance is His, and He has a record of all that has happened and everything that has been said and done. He knows the true nature of all hearts and we will have to stand before Jesus as our thoughts and deeds are exposed to His Light. Let us pledge that we will remain His vessels for mercy, love, and righteousness. Pray, fast, release the power and authority of the Kingdom into your spheres of influence, and praise Him for His everlasting love for all who love Him in return. Lord Jesus, let me be on the front lines in this spiritual war against the Anti-Christ spirit that has invaded our land. Let me represent You in this time of lawlessness and chaos!

 1 John 3:10    By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
     
    

July 17, 2019

How Do We View God's Justice and Righteousness In The 21st Century?

     The concept of Justice and Righteousness can be a confusing issue among both Christians and non-Christians alike. For starters, among the various translations, the two terms "justice" and "righteousness" are often interchangeable. So, at times God's justice is His righteousness, as in the ESV version of Psalm 106:3, which says, "Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!". The structure of the sentence seems to indicate that the two clauses are similar in meaning. Yet the King James translation of that same verse indicates two separate and independent clauses: "Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times."
     Again, we see a confusion of terms in Deuteronomy 32:4, which says, "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he." Yet that same verse, in the King James version reads, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." Is God's justice to be understood as His righteousness, or is it His judgment? No wonder we, in the 21st Century, have a hard time understanding the true nature and character of our God!
     In a very real sense, I believe we have lost our awareness and our perception -- our consciousness -- of what a Just God looks like. We have decided that we like the picture of a loving and kind God better than that of a God who judges and condemns people to destruction. In fact, many have decided to drive a wedge between the Old and New Testaments, saying that Jesus brought Grace and Mercy and Compassion, and there is no room for Old Testament justice as judgment in the New Covenant.
     But, because we know that the God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New, and that one of His characteristics is that He never changes (James 1:17), nor can Scripture be undone, annulled, or broken (John 10:35); we can confidently declare that His justice is both righteousness and judgment, as He determines.
     One of the hardest accusations against God to answer is why would He command the complete destruction of Canaanite peoples down to every last man, woman, and child? We are asked, "If your God is such a loving God, where is the justice and compassion in that?" What we need to be able to explain is that Israel had a unique calling as God's chosen covenant people. Their assignment was to prepare the way for a pure and just Messiah. That's why God was so careful in establishing purity laws; they pointed the way to the holiness demanded by God to bring the Messiah into the world.
     Jesus Christ must be born through an uncorrupted and pure bloodline. The inhabitants of the Canaanite nations that the Israelites were commanded to destroy were the descendants of fallen angels mating with human women; obviously an unholy bloodline. There could be no intermingling of DNA. God intended for His chosen people to remain pure so Jesus could be born into humanity; while Satan was determined to pollute the gene pool so that our Lord's birth would be denied.
     Furthermore, our just and righteous God instituted sacrificial laws to point the way to the Atonement that Jesus would bring. And the total destruction of the Canaanite societies was both a physical and spiritual war that pointed to God's just judgment against sins such as child sacrifice and cult prostitution. Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman summarizes these points of God's justice and righteousness like this: We must point out that the Bible does not understand the destruction of the men, women, and children of these cities as a slaughter of innocents. Not even the children are considered innocent. They are all part of an inherently wicked culture that, if allowed to live, would morally and theologically pollute the people of Israel.  I would add, spiritually and physically to that list, as well.
     That's a pretty simple example of God's justice and righteousness in the Old Testament. But how are we to look at it in the New Testament, and from a modern perspective? At the Cross, Jesus exemplified and experienced the full measure of God's wrath against sin. And because of His sacrifice, we can be forgiven of our sin, and stand in God's favor by faith alone.
     But the war is not over! God's enemies will not be completely defeated until Jesus returns to establish everlasting justice on the earth. Until then, we are still called to do battle for God; only now it is a spiritual battle against "the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." We are not called to fight and destroy flesh and blood humans today, but to tear down and destroy strongholds and principalities in the spiritual realms!
     But have we stripped our God of His nature of Justice, which includes His administration of a heavenly government on the earth? Do we now interpret everything in the human sphere through Grace or Hyper-Grace instead of a righteous and just governmental lens? I'm not sure that the majority of Christians believe in Justice today. Could it be that we have reduced God to the characteristics that make us feel comfortable; creating a God that fits our image of what He should be -- loving, kind, gentle, merciful, gracious, compassionate, warm, sensitive ... and oh, yes, let's not forget tolerant. 
     Have we forgotten that at the beginning of His ministry, He proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven had arrived? Have we ignored the fact that a kingdom is under the legal jurisdiction of its King? Have we read the back of The Book which tells us that He comes to rule and reign; and to divide and conquer; that He is Lord, King and Judge? All that speaks of justice in terms that we don't like to apply to Him ... vengeance is His, and He will repay. 
     It is important to acknowledge that YHWH has not changed. He is the same God in 2019 that He was at the creation of this world. Even in the midst of his righteous judgment, He can be seen as merciful and loving. Through the destruction of the Canaanites, God mercifully protected the Israelites from idolatry and maintained His plan for Jesus to be born pure and holy. God was merciful and righteous in His justice to provide a way for a Canaanite woman (the prostitute Rahab) to repent and join the geneology of Jesus. A righteous and holy God would not be true to Himself if He tolerated sin. He must uphold His holiness. But we can be assured that wrath is not His heart. Because He will not tolerate sin, it shows His righteous mercy for those He loves. David Matthews, Executive Director of desiringGod.org writes, "Severity in God always serves His heart of mercy — to make known the riches of His glory to His people, who are the vessels of His mercy." 
     So, let us endeavor to remember that Jesus reclaimed the earth for the Kingdom of God. Nothing has changed with that profound reality.  We need both His justice in the form of His righteousness and love; but when necessary, we need His judgment, too. It all serves to mold us into the very image of Him, and to see the completion of the restoration of His kingdom on earth.

Proverbs 28:5    Evil men do not understand justice, but they who long for and seek the Lord understand it fully.   
     
      

November 11, 2018

God's Love and His Justice: Are They In Conflict?

     Mark and I are so blessed to have friends with whom we can deliberate our theological views. We don't always agree and that's okay. I still think one of the most astounding verses in the Bible is Proverbs 25:2, God conceals the revelation of His word in the hiding place of His glory.  But the honor of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all that God says.  
     Since we have been made kings and priests(1 Peter 2:9), royal lovers of God because of God’s grace and Christ’s redeeming blood, I can imagine how much it pleases our Father when we spend our lives trying to know Him more intimately. Our love and desire for more of Him does not require that we are in agreement on every theological question. So, I would like to present a question [or quandary] that one of our friends has been wrestling with; one that I know is difficult to reconcile for many other Believers, as well ... If God is love, as the Bible so clearly says in 1 John 4:8, then why all the Old Testament scriptures about destruction and judgment of the enemies of God? 
     Let me start by saying I do not claim to have the definitive answer to this question. In fact, as I meditated upon it, I found myself with as many questions as answers. So, this blog post is based on my own personal ruminations. I am not asking you to subscribe to my thoughts, but hopefully, it will inspire you to "thoroughly search out" what the Bible says about this subject, and in the process, you will find more of our Father's glory. So here goes...
     I guess the first thing that I have come to understand is that both Love and Justice are equal aspects of God's Nature. All of the attributes of God work in harmony to express the magnitude of His character and nature. I think, perhaps, that we Christians tend to look at Love and Justice as separate parts of God's essence; as polar opposites of who He is, so to speak. We tend to identify Him as the God of Judgment in the Old Testament and the God of Love in the New Testament. But does not the Word say that God never changes? That He is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow? Perhaps we need to come to an understanding that His Justice comes out of His Love for His creation; that they are intertwined. 
     So, consider this ... God loves us, His creation. Deuteronomy 7:9 says, Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Adam and Eve experienced that covenant and love in the Garden of Eden ... and then they sinned. Sin came into the world and caused pain and suffering to all that God loved. He could not allow it to run rampant and continue to destroy the covenant He made with His creation. So, as an act of love, He renders His justice. Both love and justice are essential to God's purposes in the world -- to reconcile mankind back to Him. 
     Justice and Love meet in this world when wrongs are righted and human beings are healed through God's loving discipline. We see the ultimate culmination of that process on the Cross. Jesus paid the price required by a Just God in the most loving act of all time. New Testament Christians have no problem seeing that picture of Justice and Love combined. But they still continue to struggle with the concept that Jesus says we are to love our enemies, yet they see God in the Old Testament destroy people and nations in His judgment. 
     I think it is incumbent upon us to consider that the Bible is a history of God's relationship with mankind. In the Old Testament, His covenant with man was designed that we live in wholeness and fullness with Him; in an environment of peace. He then had to establish strict moral law to encourage man to keep covenant with Him. But man continued to rebel in his sin, and because God is Holy, He cannot excuse sin, and His integrity as a God of covenant and of steadfast, enduring Love requires that He destroy evil and restore good. 
     I think we make a mistake when we look upon His justice in the Garden of Eden, Sodom and Gomorrah, in the ten plagues of Egypt; in His judgment of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Nadab and Abihu as separate acts from His love. God was not acting out of an inflexible set of rules and punishing laws. There was a bigger purpose in play. We are deserving of death because of our sins, and most often, we do not receive the punishment that our sins deserve. What may look like the actions of an unloving God is actually the Father pursing His Justice in the context of grace -- His covenant is one of a commitment to care and honor the ones He loves; and unable to abide by the destruction of that covenant, God's Justice is an act of offering redemption to come back into covenant.
     We must also keep in mind that much of the destruction of peoples and nations in the Old Testament is against those not in covenant with God; those intent on destroying God's covenantal [yet rebellious] people, Israel. Out of His love to redeem Israel through the perfect seed line that would lead to Jesus, God's justice required that He destroy the nations who were corrupted with Satan's seed in order that He might keep the lineage to Jesus pure. 
     Then there is the struggle Christians have with "God hardening Pharaoh's heart". Some see that as a conflict with the concept of God as Love. But again, we must look at it within the context of His covenantal relationship with Israel. But let me ask you this... How did God harden Pharaoh's heart? God revealed His love for His people Israel and His hatred of sin through the signs and wonders of the ten plagues. Can you perceive that this revelation of God's power and supremacy and enduring love for Israel were the catalysts for Pharaoh to harden his own heart? [The Bible even says  in Exodus 8:32 that Pharaoh hardened his heart, not God]. His heart was so filled with hatred of Israel (SIN!) that he suppressed the revelation of God and refused to believe and receive God's grace. That is unrighteousness and resulted in God's righteous judgment.

     The incident involving Nadab and Abihu is a bit more difficult to understand, but I will offer my opinion.You might wonder what grievous sin of these sons of Aaron caused the fire of the presence of God to devour them. Scripture says in Leviticus 10:1 that Nadab and Abihu "took their respective [ceremonial] censers, put fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange (unauthorized, unacceptable) fire before the Lord, [an act] which He had not commanded them to do".  At this point, you have to decide if this judgment seems too extreme for the sin that was committed. But further verses in the chapter shed more light on this example of God's justice. 
     This is what I see .... the fire of the presence of God is the Holy Spirit. Apparently, Nadab and Abihu offered the holy God an unholy fire. In fact, Moses says to Aaron, his brother and the [I'm sure] distraught father of Nadab and Abihu, "This is what the Lord said: ‘I will be treated as holy by those who approach Me, and before all the people I will be honored.’” God commanded that the bodies of the boys be taken outside the camp, and further instructed Aaron and his younger sons to exhibit no mourning before the congregation, lest they, too, experience the wrath and anger of God and die.  You see, God IS Holy (morally and spiritually excellent) and He is to be honored as separate from everything evil, having not even a trace of evil [sin] in His character. It is what makes Him worthy to be "The God Most High". Incorporating any [unauthorized or strange] fire, other than Holy Spirit fire, would have been blasphemous to God, who made it clear He was to be treated as holy by those who approached Him. Furthermore, He was to be honored as separate from sin (Holy) before all the people. This explains why Aaron and the brothers of Nadab and Abihu were not allowed to mourn -- that would have been seen as a gesture of agreement with their dishonor of God. 
     In addition, we get what may be another clue to the magnitude of the sin committed against God in this situation. In verse 8, the Lord spoke to Aaron and told him and his sons not to drink wine or any intoxicating drink before they entered the Tent of Meeting, in order "to make a distinction and recognize a difference between the holy (sacred) and the common (profane), and between the [ceremonially] unclean and the clean". Perhaps in addition to the unholy fire, Nadab and Abihu were intoxicated before the Lord.God intends that those He is in covenant with will recognize His holiness and treat Him as such. Anything less devalues Him and results in death, the only justice worthy of His covenant and steadfast love.
     That is how God revealed Himself as He established His character and nature in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus offered Himself to satisfy God's justice. Jesus [as God, Himself] came to show us how to express God's love for His creation, and His Goodness is evident to all. And at this point, I want to say that the modern Church is in danger of diminishing the role and power of God's justice in favor of a message that God is ONLY love. Nothing could be further from the truth! God has not changed! Rather, He expects us, as inheritors of His grace and love, to represent His holiness to the rest of humankind to bring about redemption [for all who will receive it]. Unlike Nadab and Abihu, we are to reflect God's holiness and show the difference between the sacred holiness of our Father and the common profane nature of Satan. We are to offer His divine nature to the world, and for those who accept it, it will be Life. For those who reject His offer of redemption from their evil ways, His justice will prevail at the end of the age -- because darkness cannot survive in the Light. 
     In my final analysis, God's holiness requires that there be justice and a penalty for sin. But God's steadfast and enduring love desires that all humans be reconciled in relationship with Him. Ultimately, like Adam and Eve, the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh, and Nadab and Abihu, each of us must make a decision to recognize that God is holy, and worthy to be treated as such. The refusal to do so [as acts of rebellion] will result in consequences that reveal His justice. It is His divine nature and who are we to question it?

Psalm 37:28    The Lord loves it when He sees us walking in his justice. He will never desert His devoted lovers; they will be kept forever in His faithful care. But the descendants of the wicked will be banished.