Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
Now the Lord rises to act and is lifted up and exalted in the display of his power at the time of judgment. This rising belongs to the prophecies of the last days and the closing of this world of sin, standing just before the general desolation at the second coming and the setting up of the kingdom of Christ which shall not be destroyed. Then the wicked are consumed like the burnings of lime and like cut thorns burned in the fire, when fire descends from God out of heaven and melts the earth with fervent heat until they suffer the second death and utterly perish. At the same time the righteous who live righteously and receive life through Christ are secure and provided for in the holy city preserved within the fire, dwelling with everlasting burnings in a place of defense with bread given and waters sure, seeing the King in his beauty and knowing the Lord as Judge, Lawgiver, King, and Savior. Then false professors are awakened to their lost condition, and their plans produce only chaff and stubble that fail in the fiery test.
Time and Setting
The verse belongs to prophecies that look forward to the last days and to God's judgments upon the earth. It deals with the events that mark the closing days of this world of sin and with the bringing in and setting up of the kingdom of Christ which shall not be destroyed. The Lord's rising, lifting up, and exaltation are placed just before the general desolation or dissolution at the second coming. Then he rises to act and is exalted in judgment through the display of his power. At that moment false professors are awakened to their lost condition and fear the destruction that follows.
This rising follows the earth's mourning under the curse brought by human transgression. It comes during the closing tribulation and is part of the last trials described for his people. It occurs when the saints are in the beloved city or holy city on the earth during the punishment of the wicked, before the new heavens and new earth are ushered in. At that rising the wicked are as the burnings of lime and as thorns cut up that are burned in the fire, and they utterly perish. While this punishment is taking place the righteous who walk righteously and speak uprightly are protected and provided for in the city in a place of defense with the munitions of rocks, with bread given and waters sure.
There they dwell with the devouring fire and everlasting burnings and see the King in his beauty and glory, even Jesus in his glory, while the heart meditates terror at the destruction witnessed outside. The verse belongs to a prophetic description of the Lord coming to judge and defend Jerusalem, set in a millennial context, which is why the description is not read literally. It belongs to prophecies concerning Israel, with Israel serving as a type of conditions in the Christian age.
Judgment and Deliverance
The verse declares that the Lord will now act decisively, rising, lifting Himself up, and being exalted, displaying His power at the time of judgment. His rising in power brings the final destruction of the wicked, when His fire consumes them while the city of God is preserved within it. It assures His chosen people of extraordinary help in extraordinary times amid the coming evils.
At that time false professors are awakened to their lost condition just before the general desolation and dissolution at the second coming. They fear the destruction that follows, facing sudden fear when the Lord rises to act and is exalted in judgment through the display of His power. Their plans and human schemes produce only chaff and stubble, following the earth's mourning under the curse brought by human transgression, and their claims are exposed and fail in the fiery test that His action brings. The Lord's rising is part of the last trials described for His people during the closing tribulation.
The wicked are consumed like the burnings of lime and like thorns cut up that are burned in the fire, like cut thorns and dry fuel. God brings retribution when fire descends from God out of heaven upon the wicked, melting the earth with fervent heat until it becomes a fiery oven, a furnace of fire, a devouring fire, a lake of fire, an unquenchable fire where the wicked suffer the second death. There they are consumed, devoured, and burned up root and branch until they utterly perish and cease to live.
While this happens the righteous who live righteously, speak uprightly, and receive life through Christ are secure, protected and provided for in the holy city and the city of God preserved within the fire. They dwell with the devouring fire and everlasting burnings in a place of defense with the munitions of rocks, with bread given and waters sure. They see the King in His beauty and glory and Jesus in His glory, witness the terror and destruction outside, and know the Lord as their Judge, Lawgiver, King, and Savior. They are protected in the holy city on earth during this punishment, before the new heavens and new earth appear.
Now the Lord rises to act and is lifted up and exalted in the display of his power at the time of judgment. This rising belongs to the prophecies of the last days and the closing of this world of sin, standing just before the general desolation at the second coming and the setting up of the kingdom of Christ which shall not be destroyed. Then the wicked are consumed like the burnings of lime and like cut thorns burned in the fire, when fire descends from God out of heaven and melts the earth with fervent heat until they suffer the second death and utterly perish. At the same time the righteous who live righteously and receive life through Christ are secure and provided for in the holy city preserved within the fire, dwelling with everlasting burnings in a place of defense with bread given and waters sure, seeing the King in his beauty and knowing the Lord as Judge, Lawgiver, King, and Savior. Then false professors are awakened to their lost condition, and their plans produce only chaff and stubble that fail in the fiery test.
Time and Setting
The verse belongs to prophecies that look forward to the last days and to God's judgments upon the earth. It deals with the events that mark the closing days of this world of sin and with the bringing in and setting up of the kingdom of Christ which shall not be destroyed. The Lord's rising, lifting up, and exaltation are placed just before the general desolation or dissolution at the second coming. Then he rises to act and is exalted in judgment through the display of his power. At that moment false professors are awakened to their lost condition and fear the destruction that follows.
This rising follows the earth's mourning under the curse brought by human transgression. It comes during the closing tribulation and is part of the last trials described for his people. It occurs when the saints are in the beloved city or holy city on the earth during the punishment of the wicked, before the new heavens and new earth are ushered in. At that rising the wicked are as the burnings of lime and as thorns cut up that are burned in the fire, and they utterly perish. While this punishment is taking place the righteous who walk righteously and speak uprightly are protected and provided for in the city in a place of defense with the munitions of rocks, with bread given and waters sure.
There they dwell with the devouring fire and everlasting burnings and see the King in his beauty and glory, even Jesus in his glory, while the heart meditates terror at the destruction witnessed outside. The verse belongs to a prophetic description of the Lord coming to judge and defend Jerusalem, set in a millennial context, which is why the description is not read literally. It belongs to prophecies concerning Israel, with Israel serving as a type of conditions in the Christian age.
Judgment and Deliverance
The verse declares that the Lord will now act decisively, rising, lifting Himself up, and being exalted, displaying His power at the time of judgment. His rising in power brings the final destruction of the wicked, when His fire consumes them while the city of God is preserved within it. It assures His chosen people of extraordinary help in extraordinary times amid the coming evils.
At that time false professors are awakened to their lost condition just before the general desolation and dissolution at the second coming. They fear the destruction that follows, facing sudden fear when the Lord rises to act and is exalted in judgment through the display of His power. Their plans and human schemes produce only chaff and stubble, following the earth's mourning under the curse brought by human transgression, and their claims are exposed and fail in the fiery test that His action brings. The Lord's rising is part of the last trials described for His people during the closing tribulation.
The wicked are consumed like the burnings of lime and like thorns cut up that are burned in the fire, like cut thorns and dry fuel. God brings retribution when fire descends from God out of heaven upon the wicked, melting the earth with fervent heat until it becomes a fiery oven, a furnace of fire, a devouring fire, a lake of fire, an unquenchable fire where the wicked suffer the second death. There they are consumed, devoured, and burned up root and branch until they utterly perish and cease to live.
While this happens the righteous who live righteously, speak uprightly, and receive life through Christ are secure, protected and provided for in the holy city and the city of God preserved within the fire. They dwell with the devouring fire and everlasting burnings in a place of defense with the munitions of rocks, with bread given and waters sure. They see the King in His beauty and glory and Jesus in His glory, witness the terror and destruction outside, and know the Lord as their Judge, Lawgiver, King, and Savior. They are protected in the holy city on earth during this punishment, before the new heavens and new earth appear.