Today’s selected reading continues in the Old Testament prophetic book book of Ezekiel, and more specifically, begins with the twentieth verse of the twenty-eighth chapter, and continues through to the final verse of the twenty-ninth chapter. When you read this passage of Scripture, you will discover that there were essentially two distinct prophetic words that were released through the prophet Ezekiel. The final set of verses within the twenty-eighth chapter deal with the land and region of Zidon, while the passage we find within he twenty-ninth chapter we find a prophetic word dealing with and concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt, and the land of Egypt itself. When the twentieth verse opens, it opens with the word of the Lord coming unto the prophet Ezekiel concerning the Son of man instructing him to set his face against Zidon, and to prophesy against it. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel revealing unto him that the Lord of hosts was against Zidon—and not only that He was against ZIdon, but also that He would be glorified in the midst of it. What’s incredibly unique when reading this particular prophetic word is that the Lord essentially makes three curious declarations concerning and unto Zidon. The first declaration is one that declares the Lord is against the land and region of Zidon, while the second declaration reveals the Lord being glorified in the midst of it. The Lord goes on to declare of ZIdon that they shall know that He is the Lord, and then goes on to reveal the source of that knowledge. The first declaration deals with the controversy of the Lord, the second declaration deals with the glory of the Lord, and the third and final declaration deals with the knowledge of the Lord. CONTROVERSY! GLORY! KNOWLEDGE! Through and unto the prophet Ezekiel the Lord declares that He was indeed against Zidon, and that from that place of being against Zidon, He was not only going to be glorified in the midst of her, but also that they would know that He was indeed and was in fact the Lord. GLORY IN THE MIDST OF CONTROVERSY! This is a rather peculiar thought when you take the time to think about it, for you wouldn’t think that glory—especially the glory of the Lord—would be directly connected and related to the Lord’s controversy with a nation, with a city, with a people, with a kingdom, with an empire, and even an individual. If you read this particular passage you will encounter the reality that the Lord being glorified in the midst of Zidon was directly connected to the controversy He indeed had with Zidon. Pause for a moment and consider this reality, for it is possible that the Lord can be glorified, and that the Lord can receive glory for Himself—even in the midst of controversy with a nation, land and people!

 CONTROVERSY! GLORY! KNOWLEDGE! As you read this passage, you will notice that first we encounter the quarrel and controversy the Lord of hosts had with and against Zidon, and from that place of quarrel and controversy, the Lord would not only be glorified in the midst of the land, but also that the inhabitants of the land would know that the God of Israel was indeed and was in fact the Lord of hosts. What’s more, is that when you continue reading this, you will not only notice that from this place of controversy do we encounter the Lord being glorified in the midst of it, not only do we discover the inhabitants of the region knowing that He was indeed the Lord, but we also go on to read how the Lord was going to be sanctified in her. GLORIFIED IN THE MIDST OF THEE! SANCTIFIED IN THE MIDST OF THEE! It’s actually quite interesting to note that directly in between the Lord being glorified in the midst of Zidon and the Lord being sanctified in the midst of Zidon is a declaration concerning the judgments of the Lord. Notice if you will the full. Text that is found in the twenty second verse of this chapter—“And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her” (Ezekiel 28:22). Pause for a moment and consider just the first portion of this verse, for when this verse opens, it opens with the Lord declaring to and declaring of Zidon that He was against it. There was something in the midst of Zidon that caused the Lord to find reason to not only have a quarrel with and against it, but also an apparent controversy with it. Immediately after the Lord makes the declaration that He was against Zidon, He goes on to make the very next declaration that He will be glorified in the midst of thee. How interesting it is to think that the Lord can be glorified in the midst of a people with whom he has controversy, and with whom He has set His face against. Not only this, but despite the quarrel and controversy the Lord had with Zidon, the Lord declared that those who dwelt in the midst of that land and region would ,know that He was indeed the Lord. GLORY, KNOWLEDGE, SANCTIFIED! Please don’t miss the significance and importance of these words, for these words bring us face to face with a reality that is actually quite astounding and remarkable when you consider it.

 I WILL BE GLORIFIED IN THE MIDST OF THEE! THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD! WHEN I SHALL HAVE EXECUTED JUDGMENTS IN HER! Pause right there. Notice how and from what perspective and reality the knowledge of the Lord can and would be produced among the inhabitants of the region of Zidon. The Lord declared that those who dwelt in the midst of the region of Zidon would know that He was the Lord, but that that knowledge would come when He executed judgments in her. KNOWLEDGE CONNECTED TO JUDGMENTS! WHEN JUDGMENTS PRODUCE KNOWLEDGE! Did you know that it is possible to know—and even understand—that the God of Israel is in fact the Lord of hosts when He executes judgment in the midst of nations? I would dare say that this reality often gets overlooked, for there are countless men and women who fail to recognize and understand that the knowledge of the Lord can be attained and obtained by observing the judgments He executes in the midst of nations, cities, kingdoms, empires, and even the earth itself. I can’t help but think of the entire prophetic book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and that even the Lord’s judgments which He releases within the earth and upon its inhabitants are designed to release within the earth a knowledge of who He is. THE REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE MIDST OF JUDGMENT! Essentially, when the Lord finished executing His judgments in the midst of Zidon, those who dwelt in the midst of the land would know and understand that the God of Israel was indeed the Lord of hosts. The Lord declared to the prophet Ezekiel that the inhabitants of Zidon would know that He was the Lord, and that that knowledge would come when He executed judgments in her. GLORY IN THE MIDST OF JUDGMENT! KNOWLEDGE IN THE MIDST OF JUDGMENT! SANCTIFICATION IN THE MIDST OF JUDGMENT! When and as the Lord released His judgments in the midst of Zidon, not only would He be glorified in the midst of her, but He would also be sanctified in her. Notice if you will that when you come to the twenty-third verse the Lord goes on to declare and reveal that He would send into Zidon pestilence, and blood in her streets, and that the wounded in her would be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side. Interestingly enough, the twenty-third verse includes a similar declaration to what is found in the twenty-second verse, for the Lord declares once again “and they shall know that I am the Lord.” Twice within the same number of verses the Lord reveals unto the prophet Ezekiel that the inhabitants of Zidon would know that He was the Lord—a knowledge that would come in the midst of judgments which would be released within the midst of and upon her.

 The twenty-third verse of this chapter reveals the nature and face of those judgments, for the Lord would send into the midst of Zidon pestilence, blood, and the sword—all to fulfill the controversy and quarrel He had with both land and inhabitants. PESTILENCE, BLOOD AND THE SWORD! In all reality, this sounds like it could be the subtitle of a single book in a series, or perhaps the main title of a movie which Hollywood would produce. The truth of the matter is that the judgments the Lord would indeed execute within and execute upon Zidon would be pestilence, blood and the sword. The Lord would execute judgments in the midst of Zidon, and those judgments would not be limited to pestilence alone, but would also include blood shed and blood spilled in the streets, and the wounded judged in the midst by the sword. BLOOD IN THE STREETS AND THE SWORD ON EVERY SIDE! It’s actually quite telling that the Lord would make such a declaration that the inhabitants of ZIdon would know that He was the Lord, and to know that that knowledge would come from the place of blood in the streets and the sword on every side. The glory of the Lord revealed and manifested when blood fills the streets and when the sword is seen, heard and felt on every side. SURROUNDED BY THE SWORD, YET THE LORD IS STILL GLORIFIED! It is actually quite peculiar to think that a people could be surrounded by the sword, and yet from that place of being surrounded by the sword—a sword which was the direct manifestation and demonstration of the judgment of the Lord—that same people could know that the God of Israel is indeed the Lord of hosts. GLORY IN THE MIDST OF JUDGMENT! WHEN THE SWORD PRODUCES THE GLORY OF THE LORD WITHIN THE EARTH! If there is one thing this particular passage reveals, it’s that the sword which the Lord unleashes in the earth can indeed bring and produce His glory among the inhabitants of the earth. Even when and as you read the New Testament book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and as you read concerning all the judgments He would unleash and released upon the earth, it’s important for us to note that He is not only being glorified in the midst of those judgments, but He is also being sanctified in the midst of those judgments. In all reality, one might very well say that the judgments of the Lord are designed and intended on His being glorified in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth, and His being sanctified in the earth. GOD GLORIFIED AND GOD SANCTIFIED THROUGH JUDGMENT!

 Consider if you will the language that is found in the sixth chapter of the prophetic book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, for within this chapter we encounter the seven seals which the Lamb opened—seals which were upon the scroll that was in the hand of the One who sat upon the throne. “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another hose that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:1-17).

 This particular passage found within the New Testament prophetic book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ describes the judgments that would be released upon the earth as a result of the seals which were upon the scroll being opened. Within this chapter we encounter specific judgments being released upon the earth, yet even when we read these judgments being released within and released upon the earth, we must understand the nature of those judgments. While the judgments of the Lord are designed and intended on dealing with and confronting evil and wickedness upon the earth, they are also designed to cause the Lord to be glorified in the midst of the earth. WHEN JUDGMENTS BRING GLORY! GLORY FOLLOWS JUDGMENT! The Old Testament speaks of a sword the Lord would send upon the earth, yet there was something following closely behind that sword that we oftentimes fail to recognize and understand. When we consider the sword which the Lord unleashes and reveals within and upon the earth, we must also recognize and understand that following directly behind that sword is the Lord’s intention of being glorified in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth. Following directly behind the sword which the Lord releases upon the earth is the reality that the Lord desires to be sanctified in the midst of, and as a result of judgment. We dare not forget or minimize this reality, for the Lord can and will sanctify Himself in the midst of judgments which He executes within and upon the earth. The Lord is sanctified in the midst of the earth when He releases His judgments, for the Lord demonstrates, manifests and fulfills His holiness and His demand for punishment of and punishment for sin. Even when His own Son hung there naked, dying and bleeding upon the cross of Calvary, the Lord of hosts—the Father of lights—was being sanctified in and through His Son. It was there in death where the Lord was not only sanctified in the penalty of sin, but also sanctified in the promise of redemption and forgiveness. It was there at the cross where both the penalty and price collided with and met the promise of freedom, forgiveness and redemption. The Lord was sanctified in the judgment He released upon His own Son as He hung there upon the cross, for it was there where His wrath and judgment were satisfied, and it was there where His mercy and His grace were demonstrated, revealed and manifested. Let us not forget that the Lord is not only sanctified in judgment being meted out, but also when mercy you and grace are freely offered and manifested within the earth.

 When you come to the eighth chapter of the prophetic book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, you will discover seven angels—each with seven trumpets that were ready to be sounded. This particular chapter opens up with the seventh seal being opened by the Lamb, and silence ensuing in heaven about the space of a half an hour. As you come to the second verse of the chapter, you will begin reading concerning these seven angels and the seven trumpets they were given to sound. “And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thundering, and lightnings, and and earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and theirs part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying, with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, which are yet to sound” (Revelation 8:2-13). This description of the activity of these seven angels continues into the. Ninth chapter and picks up with the fifth angel who sounded the trumpet he had been given: “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the Ari were drained by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, and the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was was the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them” (Revelation 9:1-6)

 Verses seven through ten of this chapter describe the creatures which emerged from the bottomless pit, and then beginning in verse eleven we discover a description of Abaddon: “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter” (Revelation 9:11-12). Beginning with the very next verse we read of the sixth angel which sounded the trumpet which had been given unto him: “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the flour angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that stay on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For their power is in their. Mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which. Neither can see, nor hear, nor walk? Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (Revelation 9:13-21). It isn’t until the fifteenth verse of the eleventh chapter of the prophetic book of the Revelation that we return to the seven angels which had each been given trumpets, and the sounding of the trumpet of the seventh angel—“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:15-18).

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of this reality is found much earlier in the Old Testament—during the days of Moses and Aaron when Moses was chosen by the Lord of hosts to return to Egypt and demand of Pharaoh that he let the people of God go. In the seventh chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus we encounter some incredibly powerful words which were spoken and declared by the Lord unto Moses as the Lord was preparing for a showdown in the land of Egypt. Beginning with the first verse of the seventh chapter we notice these words which were spoken by the Lord unto Moses—“See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall by thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth. Mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them” (Exodus 7:1-5). If you read this particular passage slowly, closely and carefully, you will notice that the Lord declared unto Moses that He would not only harden Pharaoh’s heart, but He would also multiply His signs and His wonders in the land of Egypt. The Lord would go on to declare that Pharaoh would not hearken unto Moses and Aaron, in order that the Lord might lay His hand upon Egypt, and bring forth His armies, and His people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt. Notice in the fourth verse that when the Lord speaks of bringing forth His armies, and His people out of the land of Egypt, He declares that He would do so by great judgments. Please don’t miss or lose sight of this, for it would be through the Lord’s judgments upon the land of Egypt that His people would be delivered and set free from their Egyptian slavery, bondage and oppression. In other words, the judgments released upon and manifested within the land of Egypt would bring about the destruction of Egypt, yet would result in the deliverance of the children of Israel. The Lord would multiply His signs and wonders within the land of Egypt—signs and wonders which would be used to deliver and bring forth His people out from the midst of the land of Egypt. In other words—within this passage we not only see the redemptive purpose in the Lord’s judgments, but we also see the revelatory purpose in the judgments of the Lord, for the Lord declared that the Egyptians would know that He was the Lord.  

THE REDEMPTIVE AND REVELATORY JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD: SEEING THE HAND OF GOD MANIFESTED IN THE MIDST OF JUDGMENTS AND COMING TO A KNOWLEDGE OF HIM THROUGH THEM! The same language we find in the Old Testament book of Exodus is found again in the Old Testament prophetic book of Ezekiel, and reveals the Lord’s purposes in and through judgments. I think far too often and far too many times we fail to see the purposes of the Lord in the midst of His judgments within and upon the earth. We read passages in Scripture concerning the judgments of the Lord upon the earth and we naturally assume that He is this vindictive, spiteful, vengeful tyrant who delights in judging and punishing the inhabitants of the earth. There are countless men and women who are even offended with the Lord and hold a grudge and quarrel with Him because they perceive Him to be a God who delights in inflicting harm upon men. There are men and women who fail to see the goodness of the Lord because they don’t have a proper understanding of the judgment(s) of the Lord, which He releases within and upon the earth. If there is one thing the seventh chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus reveals, it’s that the judgments the Lord was going to release within and upon the land of Egypt were not only redemptive in nature—“bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt”—but also revelatory in nature—“and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” It would be the judgments of the Lord upon and within the land of Egypt that would not only bring about the deliverance of His people, but would also cause their Egyptian counterparts to know that the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob was indeed the Lord. THE TESTIMONY LEFT BEHIND IN EGYPT! WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE WERE DELIVERED, A TESTIMONY WAS LEFT BEHIND! THE TESTIMONY LEFT BEHIND IN THE WAKE OF JUDGMENT! If you read this particular passage of Scripture you will discover that while the Lord delivered and brought forth His people out of the land of Egypt, He deposited and left something behind within it. That which the Lord left behind in the wake of His judgments was the testimony that He was indeed the Lord of hosts. In the wake of the judgments of the Lord upon the land of Egypt (His signs and His wonders), and in the wake of the deliverance of His people, the Egyptians would have this testimony which would remain present among them—The God of Israel is the Lord! Please don’t miss or lose sight of this, for the testimony which the Lord leaves behind in the wake of any judgment(s) is indeed that He is the Lord of hosts. The Lord’s judgments upon Egypt would result in devastation and destruction, yet in the midst of, and in the wake of that devastation and destruction, a people would be delivered, and another people would encounter the true and living God. The Lord can indeed and can in fact be glorified and sanctified in the midst of His judgments upon the earth, and even when you read of the judgments of the Lord upon the earth in the New Testament book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, you will find a description of those who experienced such judgments not repenting of their iniquity and immorality before the Lord. Don’t lose sight of or miss this, for the very fact that this is written and recorded suggests that the Lord’s judgments did in fact of a redemptive nature connected with them, for those who experienced such judgments could have repented before the Lord of hosts.

 What’s so absolutely incredible about this particular passage in the prophetic book of Ezekiel is that the Lord was going to cause two different people to know that He was the Lord. IN the twenty-second verse of this chapter we read of the Zidonians—“Thus saith the Lord God; bBehold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her” (Ezekiel 28:22). When you come to the twenty-fourth verse, you will read of a different people knowing that the God of Jacob was the Lord—“And there shall be. No more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God” (Ezekiel 28:24). In judgments would the Zidonians know that the God of Jacob was indeed the Lord of hosts, and in release and returning would the house of Israel know that the same God of Jacob was the Lord. What’s more, is that in the twenty-fifth verse of this chapter we read “When I shall have gathered the house of israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God” (Ezekiel 28:25-26). The Lord’s judgments within the land of Egypt would result in the deliverance of His people from their slavery, their bondage and their oppression, and the Lord’s judgments upon the nations and people which despised Israel would result in their release and returning from captivity. I am convinced that the next time we think we are witnessing or perceiving the judgments of the Lord within and upon the earth, we need to take a step back and ask for discernment to understand that which the Lord is seeking to accomplish. The Lord always seeks to do so much more than just execute His judgments upon the earth, and far too often we fail to recognize and understand this. There has always and there will always be a testimony the Lord will leave behind and in the wake of His judgments, for there will be a knowledge that will be released that He is indeed and is in fact the Lord. Moreover, within the judgments of the Lord are His purposes to redeem out of slavery, bondage and oppression, and to release from captivity and exile. Let us this day seek to understand the judgments of the Lord—not only upon nations, peoples, lands, tribes, tongues, kingdoms and empires, but also upon kings, rulers and princes as well. The entire twenty-ninth chapter deals with the Lord’s judgment upon Pharaoh king of Egypt—a similar reality to what we witness in the Old Testament book of Exodus. Let us this day seek to know and understand the redemptive and revelatory nature of the Lord’s judgments within, and the Lord’s judgments upon the earth.