They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. Joel 2:7-9
The upshot of these verses is this: when Jesus returns with His heavenly legions, nothing will be able to withstand them. They’ll overcome any defenses. They’ll overtake any opposition. They’ll march anywhere and everywhere that evil hides, and they’ll find the enemy wherever he may try to hide. Like the plagues that hit Egypt (thanks to Pharaoh’s unrepentant heart), the advancing armies of the Lord will be unstoppable.
Recently, we found out my wife is diabetic. She had been feeling progressively sicker for months, but it took a visit to the ER (and time in the hospital) to confirm that she had developed diabetes. It was shocking to see her health so quickly degenerate, and I’m thankful we went to the hospital when we did. She’s now dependent on numerous insulin shots, a remade diet, and regularly checking her blood sugar. Our doctor is hopeful that her type 1 status won’t be long-lived, but only God and time can tell. For now, thank the Lord there is insulin and treatments. I’m simply glad to have her home.
Evil works that way. When it attacks, it hits where we’re vulnerable, and then it moves as quickly as it can to destroy. My wife’s weak spot was her personal health (and the fact that she has a very high tolerance for pain and sickness anyway), so it isn’t surprising that the disease hit her the way it did. The disease worked fast. Something like diabetes can quickly change everything in your world. Ditto cancer, MS, HIV, heart attacks and strokes, or a host of any other diseases and afflictions. It’s evil at work, indeed.
But evil won’t stand a chance when Jesus returns. Evil will be defeated by the constantly advancing troops under the command of King Jesus. Disease, pain, and death will be no more. There will be no place where evil, the devil, the fallen angel demons, or any adherents to their sick ideas can hide. The armies of God will oppose evil wherever it resides, however it manifests, in whomever it takes refuge. And they will win. The end of time is already foretold: Jesus wins. Sure, that seems so hackneyed to say, like a clichéd child’s story. But it’s true. Riding at the head of the army He calls from His faithful, unstoppable Jesus wins.
For more reading: Exodus 10:6, Job 16:14, Proverbs 30:27, Isaiah 5:27, Jeremiah 9:21, Joel 2:10
King Jesus, I look forward to when You and your army advance against evil and vanquish it. I look forward to standing with You.
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