The destruction of Jerusalem

James 5:1-8

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Background

A little background here. James is the first cousin of the Lord Jesus Christ. The son of Alpheus, Mary’s sister’s son and one of the twelve disciples. His brother Jude’s was also called Thaddeus to distinguish him from Judas the traitor and he authored the book of Jude. These two are brothers and first cousins of Christ.

James was also the pastor of the church of Jerusalem. In Acts 15 he officiated at the first conference in the early church. Paul and Peter and all the apostles were there at this conference. Everyone spoke and gave their consensus that day. But James was entrusted with the final authority in that meeting. That’s amazing to me that of all of the great men of God that were there that day, that James was the one they all agreed to give authority too. All the apostles submitted to the authority and the wisdom of their Pastor James in that conference. Paul wasn’t jealous of James and Peter wasn’t jealous of James. There was no envy among them. Only brotherhood. No doubt Peter could have said, well I saw 3000 walk the isles on the day of Pentecost, I should get final say. But he didn’t. Paul could have said, don’t you know that Christ came to me on the road to Damascus. I should get the final say here. But he didn’t. They behaved like good Christians and trusted in the authority of James, their Pastor. That’s a message one the unity of Christian brotherhood in itself.

Correct interpretation VS Modern One

Most modern bible commentators will refer to these versus as a reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ. But that is not being discussed here. There is always a great deal of disagreement when discussing bible prophecy. When I don’t know who to trust on these versus, I often look to the early church fathers. Why? Well because someone like Polycarp was an early disciple of John the Revelator. And I’d like to think that someone who was instructed by John the Revelator might know a little something about prophecy. We should take great care when studying to scripture not to try to make our personal beliefs fit into the bible but should rather let the bible speak plainly for itself.

In Albert Barnes commentary we read this about this passage of scripture: The most natural interpretation of the passage and one that will accord the time that its being written is that the predicted time of the destruction of Jerusalem was at hand. This prophecy was given to the writers of the OT and it was given by John the Baptist, Jesus himself in Matthew 24 and James here in 50 BC which is 20 years prior to the destruction of Jerusalem. This is the first book of the NT to be written. The book of James was the very first book of the NT written chronologically speaking. Mr. Barnes is saying this is the predicted time of the destruction of Jerusalem. It was expected among Christians that this event would be a release from the trails and persecution and would be the beginning of the setting up of the Christian Kingdom. Early Christians believed that the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem would contribute to the spreading of the message of the gospel by riding the world of the Old Testament rituals and practices of blood sacrifice and by the dispersion of the Jews which would grant freedom from persecution for the early church.

By getting rid of the system of Jewish types and systems and scattering them abroad God made a way for Christianity to flourish.

Again, Adam Clark says. Paraphrasing here.

This was the last days of the Jewish commonwealth and not the last days of life. It was the last days of Jewish religion. The last days of the Jewish empire. God is warning them that their riches were not going to do them any good against His judgement. That they had earned Gods judgement and there was nothing they could do about it.

4-6

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

God hears our cries and helps us

God hears our cries. God understands our pain. God looks after His children. Sabaoth means the Lords Army. God used the Roman army to do His bidding. When we think of all of the persecution that has gone against Christians throughout the ages by the tyrants of darkness. We must always consider that there is a cycle that is historical and biblical. The cycle begins with freedom in Christ and revival of Gods people as they escape bondage and slavery. Then there is revival. After years of revival Gods people often fall into sin and forget how well God has blessed them. At that point Tyrants raise up and begin to persecute them all over again. Sometimes those tyrants are foreign nations. Sometimes those tyrants come from within. But this cycle continues to this day.

Under the Jewish system verse 6 tells us that the just were condemned and killed for their faith. And it says that they did not resist. They didn’t resist because they could not resist. In a tyrannical system where the golden rules is he who has the gold makes the rules. Those who are persecuted have no means of escape or hope outside of Christ. The powers that have stripped them of their ability to resist. Between the Roman Empire and the Jewish Empire Christians had no ability to resist. They had no second amendment right. But in their wisdom our forefathers gave us the right to resist tyranny by keeping and bearing arms. And we must never relinquish this privilege. Once we lose the ability to defend ourselves with arms, we will never get it back without a bloody revolution. We must hold dear to that constitutional right to maintain our liberties.

How this applies today

But you see the blood of the innocent had made its way to the Lord of hosts. The word hosts there means army. The Lord’s army was indignant against the persecution of Gods faithful. The cries of the people rose into the ears of the Lord of armies. The armies of the world serve God. Regardless of what they think Our Lord God reigneth over the heathen. And this happened 20 years after James wrote this when Titus brought the Roman armies against Jerusalem.

Think about this. I’m amazed by God. I really am. In one move God destroyed the enemies of His people and at the very same time got rid of the Old Testament religion of the temple and temple sacrifice. You see there was no longer any need for a temple. At this time, we became the Temple. This was the beginning of the church age.

1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

The church was no longer a temple or a building. But a personal relationship. We are the temple. That is why I preach against sin. Sin is beneath us. We are made in Gods image and gifted with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and are the temple of God. It is very important how we treat ourselves and others because we represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Versus 7 and 8:

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

James is saying to the NT believers be patient, hold on. Your Lord is about to free you. That was the first message from the book of James to the early church. God is going to free you soon.

Deuteronomy 11:14 KJV

That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Zachariah 10:1

Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

The early rain was in the fall and the later rain was in the spring. So James is telling that the Gods deliverance for the people would occur as the result of God freeing them.

The early rain occurred on the day of Pentecost. When 3000 people were saved and added to the church when Peter preached the gospel. In Acts 2 Peter really preached the gospel with boldness. He was bold in his condemnation of the Jews and how they rejected Christ and the people turned to Christ in mass. Considerably different from how preachers preach today.

By the time we get to Acts 6. The first deacons were selected. There were 7 deacons. And of course, we Baptists love our deacons. But the reality is that before a single deacon was selected the church numbered over 100,000 members. So, if your church has 100,000 deacons and 5 members. You aren’t doing it right. The early rain was the harvest of souls on the day of Pentecost.

In Acts 17: 6 the Jews proclaimed:

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

This is the early rain that James was talking about. The later rain when God was placed his judgement on Jerusalem. They knew that after the later rain the message of Christ would spread throughout the whole world.

We are all a part of the later rain that began there in Jerusalem. We are all a part of that harvest.

Now we know that history repeats itself. Often, we find in the bible a repetition of historical events. If we ask the question has America had an early rain? The answer would be yes. When the colonists broke away from England, they wanted religious freedom. They wanted the freedom to worship God their way. They wanted freedom from a controlling tyrant who was taxing them into poverty. They wanted the right to establish a government that was one nation under God. Not one nation under Moloch of Satan. Religious freedom never meant the right to worship Satan or Allah or Buddha it was a Christian concept. That is not to say that I have a problem with the freedom of one to have their own religion. But America was designed to be a Christian Nation. Our great religious awakening in the midst of our thirst for liberty the colonial preachers who preached against the British crown gave us a great awakening. In others words if you want revival it is always attached to revolution. Real Spirit led revival like the ones our forefathers had, requires a revolution. You cannot have one without the other.

When Luther nailed his thesis to the door and brought about the reformation in Europe what also happened? A revolution occurred. A great spiritual awakening always comes with a great political awakening. America had an early rain. It led to the declaration of independence and freedom for Americans.

I remember reading about Daniel Boone and George Washington. When you read those accounts, you must know that Gods hand was upon these men. One account where Washington and his troops were crossing the river and the British General was in the middle of celebrating a victory. Thinking they had won. But the British knew they were coming. It is said that a scout handed a note to the British General stating that the Americans were coming. Do you know that the general stuffed that note into his pocket and never even bothered to read it? Who do you think caused that General to ignore that note? The Lord of Armies.

So, is a later rain coming for America?

This is from a poll taken in 2021.

44% of the people in the Southern States want to succeed from Washington DC and the union.

39% of the people in the Western States want to succeed from the Union.

34% of the Northeastern States want to leave the union. Boston New York Vermont Etc.

30% of the midwestern states want to leave the Union.

Illinois Indian Ohio

34% of the Mountain states want to leave the union.

Montana and that area.

That means that as of 2021 when this poll was taken, 36% of this country wants nothing to do with Washington DC. It means that liberals and conservatives alike want to withdraw from the federal government in Washington DC.

People are sick and tired of the politics in Washington DC. Over a third want to get rid of Washington. You better believe that the people in Washington know this.

I remember going to Washington DC in 1988. I got to meet my representative and tour the White House. I believe it was Tommy Robinson at the time. And our group was welcomed, and Washington was wide open and it was the peoples house. But fast forward to 2021 and there are fences and armed guards surrounding the capital. It looks more like a tyrannical government than it does one that is of, by and for the people. It looks as though they are afraid of something.

Now for those of you who are asking. What does this have to do with the bible? It has to do with warning God’s people about what we may be facing soon. There very well could be a later rain. And it will not come from the citizens of this country. Forming a militia now is next to impossible. I was reading about one that attempted to form not too long in Georgia. It has various members who were black, white, Asian and Hispanic. But in the article, it claimed that this militia was a racists organization. Even though the members stated openly that they just wanted to be organized in the even that things went bad and that all races were welcome. The truth is that they were not racists at all. But by organizing they became a threat and had to be denounced. And you definitely couldn’t band together a church in order to defend and protect your people. Well maybe you could. It’s not like the government would send in the ATF and surround your church with tanks and burn it to the ground with men women and children in it.

And it’s not like you couldn’t move somewhere off the grid and raise your family with good Christian morals without fear of persecution from the federal government. There is no way that the government would send agents to shoot your wife and child out of fear that you were forming a militia. No something like Ruby Ridge could ever happen again.

Listen to me. Somewhere in our future there is going to be a breaking point. And God is going to bring pay day to those who have taken away our rights and enslaved us. God is the breaking point. If I had a dollar for every time a Christian has said to me, “We have got to do something about this, but what can we do? I’d be a rich man.” What can we do? My answer is, sure it’s great to be a prepper. To put away food and grow your own crops and do everything you can under your second amendment rights to be ready to defend your family. There’s nothing wrong with any of that. But don’t forget to prepare your soul. Get your family in church NOW. Don’t put it off. Don’t be one of those Easter and Christmas Christians. Be one of every time the doors are open Christians. Why? Because God not only gives the increase, but He gives the victory to His children.

We have heard the verse if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray a million times. And it’s true. But we have to get our children into the house of God and teach them Godly Christian morals and values.

God destroyed the wicked system in the first century Jerusalem in 70 AD. And God will be the one who breaks the back of those Satanist who worship Moloch and are attacking our Christian nation today. Our job is to be faithful. Here is what we must do, three things.

One lean not to our own understanding. 1 Corinthians 1:19

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 2:5 KJV

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Number 2. It means having courage in the face of Satan’s attacks.

James 4:7 KJV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

It is my personal belief that the entire “FLU” narrative that shut everything down was an attack on our constitutional rights and is straight from the Pitts of hell. Now I don’t want to offend anyone. But to mandate vaccinations on people is a violation of your right to decide for yourself. To tell people that they cannot go to work without taking any kind of medication is a violation of your constitutional freedoms. No job or government has that authority over us. And I don’t see how people fail to see what is going on. Just look at how powerful the pharmaceutical industry has become in this country,

Think about this. You are watching the news and on comes a commercial. The commercial goes something like this. When you wake up in the morning do you have eye boogers or sleep in your eyes? Well, it is quite possible that you are suffering from a condition known as eye boogeritis. Those who suffer from eye boogeritis should seek immediate treatment from their physician. But thanks to medications like platudavill you no longer have to suffer from the embarrassing condition of eye boogeritis. Side effects may include but are not limited to, Vomiting, diarrhea, heart attack, cancer, anal bleeding and sudden death.

Or announcements like this: Tonight’s news brought to you by phizer. Phizer with phizer covid will be the least of your worries. The average American has no idea how powerful the pharmaceutical industry has become. And what will blow your mind is finding out who runs the pharmacy industry. Bill Gates told us all in 2015 that the world was overpopulated and needed to be culled. He then announced that vaccines could help decrease the population by up to 15% and invested 10 billion dollars into vaccine technology. He made a profit of 190 billion off a vaccine that was supposed to prevent covid. So, the same man who says the earth is grossly overpopulated and that people need to die. Gave us the cure for what amounted to a flu. And yes, thousands have died from that cure. Now he is making these fake news segments for what he is calling the SEERS epidemic which will be another pandemic he predicts will hit in 2025. Wonder how much money he will make off this next one?

People we have got to wake up and realize that we cannot trust the government of the pharmaceutical industry that dictates to it what to do. And that we aren’t as sick as they want us to believe we are and get ourselves back in church and place our faith back in God. I have no idea what is coming next. Nobody does. But we could be on the precipice of a later rain.