That He might Deliver us from this Present Evil World!
By the Watchman Dana G Smith
Keywords: Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father, deliver, World, snare, vexed
Words:2138
Galatians 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The hope that exists today is found in our Lord Jesus Christ, who being sent by God the Father, brought his love to earth, dying for our sins on the cross at calvary. For many who are believers, this is the main message of the gospel. A message that is lost many times in the present age we live in. Being found in Christ Jesus is important and there are many today that simply are not this way. Being born again by the Spirit of God and not the will of man. It is not by religious rites, doctrines, traditions, and church platitudes that saves us, changing us, so we can live above reproach in this present world. No, it is by the power of God, being achieved by the LORD Jesus Christ himself defeating all powers and principalities and then living in us.
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
It is this power that runs in the lives, spirits, and bodies of the believers. It is the power of God, which being formed in his, by His Grace, through Faith, that we; being made the righteousness of God in Him, who knew no sin. As we walk our race in these days, we find ourselves amidst the end times and the devastation of the ‘snare which shall come upon the whole world’.
As a snare it comes on all on the earth!
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Snare: 3803 strongs GK; trap, comes from a word meaning “to set up” or “pitched”.
Luke put the Greek word meaning ‘trap’ or ‘snare’ in chapter twenty one and verse thirty five. It is from another Greek work meaning “to set up” or “pitched”. Remember Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, but scripture says of Lot that he “pitched his tent toward Sodom”. There may have been many reasons for this, but Lot still “pitched” his tent toward an evil place.
Genesis 13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
It became necessary for Abraham to intercede for Sodom, Gomorrah, and for Lot. By the time of the destruction of the cities mentioned, Lot by now had fully been incorporated into the life of the ‘cities of the plain’. In fact the Apostle Peter speaking on Lot’s deliverance says Lot was ‘Vexed’ with the filthy conversation of the Wicked!
2 Peter 2:7 ¶And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked
“kataponeo , primarily, “to tire down with toil, exhaust with labor” (kata, “down,” ponos, “labor”), hence signifies “to afflict, oppress”; in the passive voice, “to be oppressed, much distressed”; it is translated “oppressed” in Acts 7:24, and “sore distressed” in 2 Pet. 2:7, rv, (kjv, “vexed”).”
The Greek word for ‘vexed’ is kataponeo and you can see by the description above that it means to tire down with toil or exhaust with labor. But in 2 Peter 2:7 it means to be “sore distressed”. Remember the story how Lot was willing to give his two daughters to the wicked men of Sodom if they would leave the strangers alone? Both his daughters being virgins were not even wanted! These men of Sodom wanted nothing to do with the women, they wanted men. This would be ‘distressing’ enough, but to understand Lot here, we need to see that this man was fully and completely sorely distressed. The situation and wickedness of the men in Sodom made Lot, a family man fully stressed out over it. He was deeply troubled, unhappy, upset, and worried! So much so, when the wickedness of the men in Lot aroused over two new men in the city, he did not give a second thought to giving his own daughters, just to quiet them down. No doubt if Lot had been a vocal opponent to the things going on in Sodom he probably would have been killed. Scripture doesn’t say why the men left Lot and his family alone. It could be Lot’s relationship to Abraham and the protection brought by his Uncle under the LORD God’s banner. Whatever it was, Lot and his family was brought out of that wicked place with only the casualty of Lots wife, because she looked backed, ignoring the angel’s warning not too!. We also don’t know if she wanted one last look, wondered what destruction looked like, or what! We do know that she turned into a pillar of salt for her disobedience. In this judgment I see a hint in this. We as believers in the Lord are to be both ‘Salt and Light’. If we are not Salt, or lose our savor, then it is thrown out! We are not to hide our Light under a basket, but to let it shine before all men. By turning Lots wife into a pillar of Salt, is the Lord giving us a hint as to the ‘spiritual state’ of this believer? Could it be that Lot’s Wife was not ready for judgment? Could it be she was not watching and waiting for the LORD to return? After all she knew of Abraham’s relationship with the LORD God, hearing, I ‘m sure from Lot who knew the story well! Could it be both Lot and his wife were not fully spiritually ready as they should of been? Lot was delivered because of Abraham and his intercession. Lot was delivered, being just amidst the wickedness, but his wife disobeyed at the last minute and turned around. Maybe a little too much of the world, maybe not, we do not know for sure.
Moreover living in a modern Sodom today or a modern Babylon, we face the same situation as Lot. Our daily lives are stressed, oppressed, afflicted by the bombardment of the wickedness of this nation. We live watching our freedoms go down in flames, our constitution torn to shreds, and righteous living thrown out the window. All the while the churches do nothing, speak nothing, and merely go about their religious duties without a word. That is, for the most part. I know there are some who speak out, but for the most part, the last thirty years has been one of prosperity and growth for the church. We have become more like the world, looking like it, getting rich like it, and becoming filthy like it. All the while, Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets, Teachers, and others make excuses for the carnal fruits that hang on the believers in American churches. In short, my friends, we are trapped, in a snare, and cannot escape. We are worried, stressed, ill, sick, and cannot see for the things coming at us! For many today, this snare and current situation has made them blind. A blindness caused by this snare and its effects on the human condition and just like Lot who was so stressed out he saw nothing wrong with offering his two virgin daughters to a group of wicked men, so too, we cannot see either and this affects our daily lives and how we live! The Laodacian church also was blinded. In this church the Lord said to them “know ye not ye are wretched, poor, blind, and naked?” The church meanwhile thought they were ‘rich and in need of nothing’. So too, we need to do what the LORD told many in the churches in Revelation to do! That is Repent and seek him! The LORD advised the Laodacians to ‘buy of me Gold tried in the fire.’ This is metaphor speak for ‘going through the fire of tribulation and testing’! In this we need to further understand the ‘snare we find ourselves in
Looking further, we find the word ‘snare’ in these passages below. They also mean the same thing as the word ‘snare’ above! In Romans it speaks of Israel being given a ‘spirit of slumber’, and quoting David who said their table be a snare or trap to them. In First Timothy 3:7 it refers to the office of a Bishop in the church warning of the ‘snare of the devil.’ In First Timothy 6:9 we find a passage and context that fits America in it’s description and gives warning to the believer as well. It says that ‘they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare’, no doubt we have in this nation, the richest on earth, truly fell into a trap and snare. In the beginning of this context it mentions that ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’. But the church says and has been teaching for Thirty to forty years now, great gain is money, wealth, and material success, along with religious advancement! This is our trap and snare today, we are paying for it as are our kids! In the final section in Second Timothy we see that there are those who ‘may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil’, but in the context it talks about ‘those who oppose’ the true servant of the LORD and the truth of the gospel! Only by the LORD’s revealing to these as they are taught, if they will at least listen to us, as we share scriptures, can they ‘recover’ from the devil’s snare!
Romans 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
1 Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
2 Timothy 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Today there are many warning’s regarding the days we live in and the times. All speak of the peril, strife, and wickedness with unbelief that will accompany the last days of society on earth before the LORD’S coming. The Lord warns us to Watch, for we do not know what hour he is coming! In Mark the word Watch is used three times in four verses. You think the LORD is giving us a hint? Yes, need I tell you? Well here it is, Watch! Watch how you live, Watch how you act, Watch out for snares, Watch out for trouble, Watch out and gaurd your heart, Watch out for false prophets, Watch out for false teachers, Watch out for the Son of Perdition, Watch out for the Mark of the beast, his image, his name, and the number of his name! The Sardis church, known as the ‘dead church’, was told to remember how ‘thou has received and heard’! What was it they heard and received? The gospel, the commandments, the truth of the Messiah, the message of the LORD God to those who would repent! The Message of Love and obedience! It warns the Sardis believers to ‘Watch’ or the LORD would come upon them as a thief! If we knew what hour a thief would break into our house it would not be hard to witness it and catch him. But because we do not, thieves break in and steal when we are not on gaurd. So too, the LORD is coming and when you least expect it, he will be here, Therefore, Repent, Watch, Pray, and be ready!
Servants to Watch, we know not the hour!
Mark 13:34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Warning to the Sardis Church!
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee
Repent therefore, Watch, and Pray always!
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man
