Judgment and Gospel

“He [God] sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.” [1]

Hananiah posed as a prophet in the last days of Jerusalem before its fall. His name means “the Lord is gracious.” He defied the Word of the Lord through God’s servant Jeremiah by saying that God would bring back the Jerusalemites that Babylon had taken captive within two years. [2]

How does a servant of the Lord respond to a people pleaser like Hananiah? Say nothing? Express anger? Jeremiah’s first response was, “Amen! May the Lord do so. May the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord’s house, and all those who are captives, from Babylon to this place” [3]

But wait! Hananiah lied. Jeremiah’s second response was…

“Nevertheless, listen now to this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people: The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet happens, then the prophet will be known, that the Lord has truly sent him.” [4]

Jeremiah had worn a yoke to the service. The yoke symbolized submission to Babylon. Hananiah took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. Then, he prophesied falsely that the Lord would break the yoke of Babylon from off the neck of all the nations within two full years. [5]

Jeremiah did not respond to Hananiah’s theatrics. He walked away, but then, the Word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, the Lord says, you have broken the bars of wood, but you have made in their place bars of iron.” [6]

Jeremiah continued, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore, the Lord says, ‘Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth. This year you will die because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord.’” Hananiah died that same year. [7]

Hananiah did not want to wear that yoke that symbolizes the consequences of sin. There were many like Hananiah in the last days of Jerusalem. Sin was all around. Horrible things were happening! Kind of like today where babies are slain in the mother’s wombs. Empires are defending sexual perversity, and criminalizing purity.

The Lord declared, “From their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.” [8]

Jesus said, “When He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment… of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” The Apostle Paul wrote, “For when they are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape.” [9]

Jeremiah’s yoke symbolized God’s judgment on their apostasy. The price of their departure from God was losing control of their nation and being ruled by a foreign nation.

Sin always has consequences. We see this with our first parents. When they doubted God and believed the serpent, they lost paradise. When we doubt God and believe the devil’s lie, loss follows.

Conviction of sin is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, because they do not believe in Me.” [10]

Jesus told His disciples that rejection of the Gospel yields severe judgment: “And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” [11]

God has done everything necessary for our salvation and for our sanctification by sending His Son into the world to become a sacrifice for our sin, and by giving us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us and to help us live a new life. We have so much more light and truth available to us than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah had. We need to repent of taking such a great salvation so lightly and embrace it humbly and gratefully. What’s more, we need to present both Law and Gospel to our listeners so that they understand that they are sinners in desperate need of the Savior Jesus Christ.

[1] 2 Chronicles 24:19
[2] Jeremiah 28:2-4
[3] Jeremiah 28:6
[4] Jeremiah 28:7-9
[5] Jeremiah 28:11
[6] Jeremiah 28:13
[7] Jeremiah 28:15-17
[8] Jeremiah 6:13-14
[9] Matthew 11:29; Galatians 2:9
[10] John 16:8-9
[11] Mark 6:11

Praying for Hard Hearts to Soften

Jesus told His disciples, “And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” [1]

The men and women of Sodom had known and been physically rescued by Abraham. They had seen him worship God with Melchizedek and refuse to financially benefit from Sodom’s riches. And they also had Lot living among them, who though weak was described as a righteous man by the Apostle Peter. [2]

The people of Sodom dismissed a need for God in their community. “The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” [3]

God, the righteous judge, [4] condemned Sodom, and the other cities on the plain. Although their sins of pride, sexual immorality, inhospitality, and cruelty were committed against other people — ultimately, they were a direct offense against God. Sin is an offense to God and demonstrates rebellion against Him.

But there is hope for sinners because God has provided His Son Jeus Christ as the way of salvation and is patient with us “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” [5]

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him?” [6]

The Heavenly Father has made salvation free for us by having His Son pay the price to pardon our sin. Now, we in Him can enter a new life with God that is according to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit… that’s what makes neglect of such a great salvation such a crime. [7]

[1] Mark 6:11
[2] Genesis 14:14-24; 2 Peter 2:7-8
[3] Genesis 13:13
[4] 2 Timothy 4:8
[5] 2 Peter 3:9
[6] Hebrews 2:3
[7] John 3:16; John 1:11-12; Romans 14:17

One Day The Empire Fell

“How the hammer of the whole earth has been cut apart and broken! How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations! I have laid a snare for you; you have indeed been trapped, oh Babylon, and you were not aware; you have been found and also caught, because you have contended against the Lord.” [1]

“The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, they have remained in their strongholds; their might has failed, they became like women; they have burned her dwelling places, the bars of her gate are broken.” [2]

The once fierce world conquering Babylonians lost their will and ability to fight.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” [3]

“Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath...” [4] A nation that believes it can get along just fine without God… a nation that believes it can defy God and still prosper is deceived.

The truth is that each of us needs a personal relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

[1] Jeremiah 50:23-24
[2] Jeremiah 51:30
[3] 1 Corinthians 10:12
[4] Zephaniah 1:18
[5] 1 John 2:17-18

Enjoying God Forever

“David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.” [1]

The king and his army officers recognized their need for God-anointed musicians to compose God-inspired music for their nation. This spiritual weapon was greater than any atomic bomb because God inhabits the praises of His people, and if God be for us, no one has any hope of defeating us.

The musicians, “prophesied according to the order of the king. They “prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord.” [2]

Music that honors God and promotes His praise is prophetic in nature, because it is resourced by His Spirit moving in our hearts and it is a foretaste of the heaven that we shall one day enjoy.

“He [David] had the plans for all of the courts of the house of the Lord by the Spirit.” “All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.” [3]

David was careful to listen to the Lord’s voice and obey His leadings, even in regards to the architecture of the place where worship should take place.

“David blessed the Lord before all the assembly; and David said: ‘Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, oh Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, oh Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious Name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.” [4]

Praise and thanksgiving unto God stems from a knowing that all we have is from Him. He is our Heavenly Father! All that we have is received from Him. Our Heavenly Father gives to us because He loves us.

Worshipping God connects us with our origins because we were created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

[1] 1 Chronicles 25:1
[2] 1 Chronicles 25:2-3
[3] 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19
[4] 1 Chronicles 29:10-14

Being On Time

“The sons of Issachar had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” [1]

The Holy Spirit is prompting me to pray for our nation to discern the time that we are in and to know what to do. The first step for us to take is to be willing to receive correction and to act upon it…

“Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored.” [2]

We need to pray for deliverance from enslavement to works of the flesh, and for an appetite via the Holy Spirit to produce good fruit that glorifies God…

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” [3]

There are numerous avenues and opportunities to hear God’s Word, but are we choosing wisely or making bad choices? Are we hearers only, and not doers?

“Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the Word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” [4]

“Dear Heavenly Father, please help our nation turn from evil works that lead to destruction and overwhelming sadness, and turn to Your Son, Jesus Messiah, for forgiveness and redemption, and for the infilling by Your Holy Spirit that we might live lives that bear good fruit and remain on the narrow path to eternal life. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”

[1] 1 Chronicles 12:32
[2] Proverbs 13:18
[3] Galatians 5:19-26
[4] Mark 4:18-20

Living as a Child of God

God our Abba Father has made a way for every person to be in His divine family. He accomplished this by sending His Son into the world to redeem us from our sins, and by providing His precious Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us.

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:3

The Lord has provided all we need to live in harmony with Him and to enjoy Him in our lives.

“Thank You Abba Father for Your great love for us. Help us now please to live in such a way as to reflect Your grace and love to others. And I pray for those who are not yet in Your family that You will open their eyes to behold Your goodness and to receive the forgiveness of their sins through faith in Your Son Jesus, and to be filled with Your Holy Spirit. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I ask this. Amen.”

Hear the Word of the Lord

“And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.” [1]

Daniel had been given a vision by God of a time of great peril for people. It made him sick to think of what some people would do to others. The phrase, “No one understood it” applies in more ways than one. Without God’s Spirit providing discernment, no one can understand the meaning and application of such prophetic utterances, and without God’s Spirit, people lack the will to want know about such things, but God gave us these warnings because He loves us, and cares about us.

The Lord Jesus is saying to His churches, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” [2]

As for me, I too am unsettled, as I consider that the Lord Jesus has provided so many words to prepare for us the eternity that is coming, but so few are heeding, being caught up in the pleasures of this temporary life. “Lord, please help us to hear, understand, and act on Your Word.”

[1] Daniel 8:27
[2] Revelation 2:7

The Fear of the Lord

What did the prophets and seers of the Lord do when their nation was transgressing against the Lord? The answer…

“The Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.’” [1]

How did the people respond to the Lord’s overtures of love to draw them back to Himself?

“They would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. They rejected His statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not do like them.” [2]

“They caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.” [3]

So, what did the Lord do? Did He endure this abusive relationship? No, He rejected it. He allowed the perpetrators to experience the consequence of their bad choices.

“The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them from His sight. The Lord removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So, Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.” [4]

A foreign nation forced them to receive peoples from other nations who did not respect their faith in God…

“Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities. And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore, the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, ‘Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land.’ Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.” [5]

They tried to serve two masters…

“They feared the Lord yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.” Jesus taught, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” [6]

The Lord advised them who to fear: “The Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” [7]

What is the fear of the Lord? “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” [8]

The Holy Spirit worked in the Apostle Paul and in his fellow servant Titus such a fear that they would not take advantage of those to whom they preached and taught God’s Word…

“I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? …Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?” [9]

Paul urged his listeners: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” [10]

[1] 2 Kings 17:13
[2] 2 Kings 17:14-15
[3] 2 Kings 17:17
[4] 2 Kings 17:20, 23
[5] 2 Kings 17:24-25, 27-28
[6] 2 Kings 17:33; Matthew 6:24
[7] 2 Kings 17:36-38
[8] Proverbs 8:13
[9] 2 Corinthians 12:14, 17-18
[10] 2 Corinthians 13:5

By the Word of the Lord

“By the Word of the Lord [Jesus Christ is the Word of God – [1] the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

He [Jesus Christ] gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord [Jesus Christ], the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” [2]

When the Bible says, “The Word of the Lord came to Abram” or anyone else in Scripture that is to say that God's Son Jesus Christ came to him by His Spirit. The glory of this miracle is to God that He would be so gracious as to come to him and speak the Scripture to him. [3]

Jesus Christ still comes to us by His Spirit. He reminds us of what the Scripture says…

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. [4]

[1] Revelation 19:13
[2] Psalm 33:6-12
[3] Genesis 15:1
[4] John 14:26; John 16:12-14