Who will be able to stand amidst the devouring fire of this world? Who will be able to stand among those heading to Hell.

Isaiah 33:14-16

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us will dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us will dwell with everlasting burnings?” Isaiah 33:14

In the Day of the Lord, at the return of Christ Jesus, Zion will be afraid and fearfulness will seize the hypocrites. The earthly Zion is within Jerusalem, and they will be afraid upon seeing the return of the Christ, whom they rejected, whose name is Jesus. They are hypocrites who claim to be the people of God but reject His Son whom He sent as the Christ and Savior of the world. “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelations 1:7

The sinners of Zion also include everyone who claims to be heading to the promised land of the heavenly Zion [Hebrews 12:22-24], but they do not have a born-again testimony which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on the heart. They say they believe in God, but they serve the false God that gives them what to say, do, think, and feel. They say they are looking forward to the coming of the Christ, but they embrace the “Sustainable Development Goals” of the United Nations as the way to salvation for humanity and planet. They say they embrace the Holy Spirit, but they serve the beast with two horns like a lamb that is Satan’s version of the Holy Spirit. Click for post on the beast with two horns like a lamb from Revelations 13:11-13. In the Day of the Lord, upon the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will be afraid, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelations 1:7

The question the Spirit of the Lord asks is, “Who among us will dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us will dwell with everlasting burnings?” In other words, who on this earth will remain faithful to the testimony of Jesus Christ as all the world rages against Him, are hypocrites, and opposes God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and afflicts everyone who lives for Him? They are heading to the eternal fires of Hell, but on this earth, we are living among them, and they are a raging fire of lawlessness. They serve the beast who has “…opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” Revelations 13:6-7 They serve the dragon [Satan], who “…[is] enraged with the woman, and he [goes] to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelations 12:17

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” Revelations 15:2

In the next verse, the Lord answers the question of who will be able to endure the fires of affliction, hardships, difficulties and tribulations of this earth. The Lord reveals who will be able to endure living among those who are headed to the everlasting burnings of Hell.

“He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil:” Isaiah 33:15

Who among us will dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us will dwell with everlasting burnings? We who survive the tribulations of this world walks righteously and speaks uprightly. We know that righteousness comes by serving God from within the heart, mind, and soul, because our lord Jesus said our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20 Their righteousness was only external appearances but inwardly they were dead to the righteousness of God, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27

We are to despise the gain of oppressions, which means to shun any gain that comes as a result of oppressing belief in God, oppressing the Gospel of Jesus Chrst, and oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are to openly refuse bribes, bribes being offers to do something for the culture of the beast in exchange for self-enrichment. We are to close our ears to any scheme to bring harm to others and to close our eyes from watching for entertainment the wrongdoing being committed in this world. “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Revelations 18:4

 “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Selah” Psalms 24:3-6

“He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, his water will be sure.” Isaiah 33:16

Our Lord Jesus lives in the High place of Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem, and that will be our eternal home, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant,” Hebrews 12:22-24

Our defense is the fortress of rocks, and Christ Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalms 18:2

Jesus Christ is the Bread and Water of Life, given to us through the Holy Spirit, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst…But the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 6:35. John 4:14

The Holy Spirit within us is the guarantee of our eternal inheritance in the New Jerusalem, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” Ephesians 1:13-14

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13

The Armor of God includes; the truth found in Christ Jesus, righteousness of Jesus Christ, Gospel of peace, shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of attacks, knowing our Salvation is in Christ Jesus, equipped with the word of God to keep us severed from the ways of the world, praying in the spirit [what God hears us say in the heart and spirit means more than words], and persevere in seeking goodwill towards fellow followers of Jesus Christ.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1