instruction or destruction?

And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance

on the nations that did not obey.

Micah 5:15

When we understand the Day of the Lord as the prophets foretell we see a two-fold future. In one part of the world yet to come, the nations of the world stream to Zion, to the temple of the Lord where He rules and puts an end to war. They are eager to worship God. They want to learn His law and follow His ways. From God Himself the nations receive INSTRUCTION (Micah 4:1-2).

On the flip side of this vision of the world yet to come, there are some people will will not obey God. They do not stream to His temple to repent and learn from Him. Instead, they will continue to trust in chariots and horses. They will still brag on their cities and strongholds. They will still turn to sorceries and the occult. Idolatry will still have their hearts. For those nations that did not obey, God decrees that they receive DESTRUCTION (Micah 5:15).

So the future Day of the Lord has two parts: 1) Reception and instruction for those who will repent and turn to God their Savior. 2) Rejection and destruction for those who do not obey God’s call to repent and worship Him. And today the gospel bears this outcome in view as well. To believe Jesus, repent, and obey Him as Lord brings life and a lifetime of learning from Him. He is meek and gentle of heart and rest is found in Him. To reject Jesus brings misery and an eternity of destruction under the wrath of the Lamb. Both facets of our faith motivate us to keep sharing the gospel with nations that need to stream to Jesu!