How to Crush God's Feelings, Ezekiel 6

God called Ezekiel to be a watchman.

He’s calling you to be one too.

A watchman, watches, wakes and warns.

The devil lusts to be worshipped and receives it by deceiving people into addictions of pleasure and power.

Only personally knowing the Only Lord God and Savior, can we find peace, joy, satisfaction and pleasures forever more. Psalm 16:11.  

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Literally, “Word Yahweh came near saying”

The phrase is repeated often by the prophets.

Which helps paint the beautiful portrait of our Lord throughout Scripture.

God draws near and communicates with His creation.

From, in the beginning, in the Garden, to walk with the first couple, in the cool of the day.

To showing up one silent night and be called Immanuel, meaning God with us. 

To here and now, with and in, us who are His.

2 “Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,

The Lord calls Ezekiel “son of man” around 90 times. A generic term simply meaning son of mankind. That means we can and should put ourselves in Zeke’s shoes.  

Ezekiel is a captive in Babylon some 500 miles east of the mountains of Israel.

No matter, for there is no distance with God and prayer and prophesying.

The mountains represent all Israel yet specifically point to the “high places” where Israel worshipped idols, committing spiritual adultery against God.

Now, let’s listen to the Lord speak through Zeke, without interruption.

3 and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys: “Indeed I, even I, will bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. 4 Then your altars shall be desolate, your incense altars shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. 5 And I will lay the corpses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones all around your altars. 6 In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, so that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, your idols may be broken and made to cease, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. 7 The slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

8 “Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through the countries. 9 Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations. 10 And they shall know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them.”

11 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Pound your fists and stamp your feet, and say, ‘Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. 12 He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine. Thus will I spend My fury upon them. 13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain are among their idols all around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every thick oak, wherever they offered sweet incense to all their idols. 14 So I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land desolate, yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblah, in all their dwelling places. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.’ ” ’ ”

 

Did you notice a theme? The phrase that all shall know that I AM the LORD is repeated over 60 times in the book of Ezekiel.

God is Patient.

Have you ever told a child to do something, or not do something, more than once?

Twice? Thrice? More than you’ll admit?

 Eventually, after counting to three...hundred, finally, you have enough “that’s it!”  You put your foot down.

If you have, you might just get that from your Father God.

That wouldn’t work so well in business, or in the military, or if you were the God Father, but with Father God, who is love, it’s how it goes. (1 John 4:8).

The first attribute of Love in the Love Chapter, 1 Cor. 13:4, is, Love is patient...

God gives us room to grow, to run, to fall, to get back up and come back home.

But not forever.

God called them (in Abraham) from a distant land, gave them room to grow, to run, to fall, to get back up, to come back home.

He multiplied Israel into a great nation and blessed them from sea to shining sea.

They were built by God, for God, on Godly principles.

When they were small in their own eyes, they depended on God, appealed to heaven, and claimed in God we trust.

God protected them and prospered them.

But then they became big in their own eyes and got fat and sassy.

Instead of remembering their Creator who blessed them and gave them the Promise Land, they rejected Him and worshipped the very idols God destroyed to make room for them in the land flowing with milk and honey.

Baal and Asherah: pleasure

They pursued pleasure over purity and turned to Baal and Asherah, false gods of sex and fertility.

They defiled themselves in open sex with temple prostitutes. They yielded to the lusts of their flesh and were overcome with every kind of sexual perversion and wickedness.

For to whom you yield yourself servants to obey, his servant you are. Romans 6:16.

Make no mistake, they were not worshipping gods named Baal and Asherah, they were worshipping demons.

And in so doing, crushed God’s feelings.

Molech: Power

They not only turned from the one and only God in pursuit of pleasure but also in pursuit of power.

How foolish!

They turned from the only Source of Power, the Almighty, All Powerful God, in pursuit of power.

The false god of Molech, was said to be the god of power, prosperity, self-preservation.

This was a deep dark demonic worship.

In their perverted passion for power, they sacrificed children to Molech.

By so doing, they crushed God’s feelings.

The Bible is not only history, but also HIStory, timeless, thus, ever timely. So, let’s bring it to the present and apply it to US.

America

The names change, but the demons remain the same. 

Our nation has followed in their footsteps.

God multiplied US into a great nation and blessed US from sea to shining sea.

We were built by God, for God, on Godly principles.

When we were small in our own eyes, we depended on God, “appealed to heaven,” the words on our first flags flown by George Washingtons fleet.

We really believed what was printed on our money, “IN GOD WE TRUST”.

God protected US and prospered US.

But when we became big in our own eyes, we got fat and sassy.

Instead of remembering our Creator who blessed US and gave US this Promise Land, we rejected Him.

Our nation has yielded to lusts of the flesh.

Addicted to pleasure and power.

Overcome with every kind of sexual perversion and wickedness.

Worse than, a hundred times, no, a thousand, a million times worse than they did back then.

Our previous White House aided and abetted sex trafficking of thousands upon thousands of innocent children.

That crushed the feelings of God.

They openly mocked God by promoting child mutilation.

They flaunted that vile perverted lifestyle out in the open, on the White House lawn, on Easter Sunday.

That crushed the heart of God.

They defended and funded and applauded the slaughtering of multiplied millions of the most innocent of all.

That crushed God’s heart and feelings and must’ve sorely tried His patience to not crush US then and there on the spot.

But that’s not all.

But first we must make one thing perfectly clear.

THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE.

THERE IS NO OTHER.

There is only one God, the Creator of everything.

He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as described in His Holy Word, His Holy Bible.

There is no other Holy Word.

There is no other God.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Colossians 1:16-17. “For by Him all things were created that are in the heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD. THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING.

Elohim is Hebrew for God.

YHWH, is His name, breathed, not spoken by Jews, for His name, they say, is too Holy to utter.

We say, Yahweh.

Don’t yawn and think, I know all this already. Pay attention. This is the great deception sweeping our nation and world. We’ll see why in a moment. You need this Truth settled deep and unshakable in your soul. Or, you will be deceived.

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD. THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING.

Don’t take my word for it, take His:

Isaiah 45:5. I am the LORD (YHWH), and there is no other; There is no God (Elohim) besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me.

Deuteronomy 4:35 You were shown these things so that you would know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him.

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.

1 Kings 8:60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God. There is no other!

1 Timothy 2:5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

James 2:19. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

 

The Lord our God is One. There is no other.

Therefore, according to the Bible, there are no other Gods.

Matt. 25:5, Mark 13:6, Luke 21:8, Jesus says of the last days that many will come claiming to be Him, deceiving many.

So, any entity claiming to be God, is deceived or demonic.

Any person claiming some entity other than God to be God is demonically deceived.

So when, anti-constitution, Israel hating, congresswoman, Ilhan Omar says "Praise be to Allah" over Marxist Muslim Mayor Mamdani's win, and others...

She is not praising the one and only God.

Currently in America, Ilhan Omar, Zohran Mamdani, 42 Muslim Americans who just won historic elections from mayors to council members, and 4.5 million others, reject the God who built and blessed US and welcome and worship an entity that claims to be God.

That entity they worship is called by the same name that possessed the participants of October 7, and 911 slaughters. That entity is the enemy ever increasingly possessing people of power in our nation. That entity will possess one rising to power who the Bible calls the lawless one. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10. 

Okay, back to our text. Israel turned from God, to worship foreign gods (idols), demons in disguise.

God eventually, after counting to three...for hundreds of years, finally, had enough, “that’s it!” He put His foot down.

He lifted His hand of protection and prosperity and peace.

Israel swiftly went from a powerful united state to a divided kingdom. 

Then, they were besieged by illegal aliens, foreign nations, first Assyria, then Babylon.

Foreigners who worshipped foreign “gods” invaded their land.

The invaders didn’t know it, but they were doing God’s disciplining by tearing down all the high places of idol worship in Israel.

After the exile was over and Israel returned to their land, they continued to sin, they still killed the prophets, they eventually rejected Jesus, but they learned their lesson about idols. They never again worshipped idols. That’s why during the quickly approaching Great Tribulation they won’t be fooled when the antichrist sets up an idol in the 3^rd temple.

Back when Israel was under siege, they ran to their idols to pray and there they were slain. Their dead bodies defiled the land and permeated the atmosphere with the stench of death.

That is where sin always leads.

To death.

However, there’s still some life and light left in this picture.

The Remnant.

Even though God’s patience has an end, His mercy endures forever.

God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, so He made sure a remnant remained.

Look again at Ezekiel 6:8-9.

“Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through the countries. 9 Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations. 10 And they shall know that I am the LORD;

Somewhere during the fiery tribulation brought on by their own sin, the remnant remember their God.

The One who loved them and blessed them. 

The one whom they crushed.

They see their filthy lust next to His beautiful love, and they loathe their wretched selves.

A foreshadow of their descendants who after the great tribulation see Him whom they pierced and mourn as for their only beloved Son. Zech. 12:10. And all Israel will be saved. (Romans 11:26).

All of this, and all of that, so all shall know that I AM the LORD.

Psalm 16:11
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for drawing near and speaking. We pray that we are as the remnant that remembers You. Please forgive us for crushing Your heart. Help us loathe the vile wickedness of demonic idols. Open our eyes to see Your beauty and know You as our LORD.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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Strangers & Pilgrims in Faith, Hebrews 11:13-16

The Hall of Faith is teed up at the end of chapter 10 by saying:

You have need of endurance so that after you've done the will of God you may receive the promise. For yet a little while and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

Now, the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draw back My soul will have no pleasure in him. (Heb. 10:36-38).

Then, the first thing we see in Hebrews 11 is a powerful pillar:

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Then a second powerful pillar appears in Hebrews 11:6: “Without faith it's impossible to please Him.”

In between we read amazing feats of faith.

By faith the elders obtained a good testimony. (Hebrews 11:2)

By faith we understand the worlds were framed by the Word of God (Heb. 11:3).

By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice (Heb. 11:4).

By faith Enoch did not see death, for he had this testimony, that he please God (Heb. 11:5).

By faith Noah being Divinely warned, prepared an ark for the saving of his household (Heb. 11:7).

By faith Abraham went out and dwelt in the land of Promise with Isaac and Jacob, seeking a city whose Builder and Maker is God (Heb. 11:8-10).

By faith Sarah received strength and conceived life judging Him faithful who had promised. (Heb. 11:11-12).

On and on the Hall of Faith names heroes of faith by name.

Then, it closes in a climax of courage with the spotlight on unnamed faith heroes.

"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 

Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—  of whom the world was not worthy.   They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.

God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us." Hebrews 11:33-40.

Tucked quietly in the midst of these powerful pillars and courageous feats of faith is a diamond in the rough.

With just a few verses the Lord graciously allows us to see as He sees, into the thoughts and intents of the hearts of these faith heroes.

And then, even better, He reveals His response.

That diamond in the rough is what we have the honor of examining today.

Hebrews 11:13-16
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced (greeted) them and confessed (admitted, acknowledged) that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

An outline of our text, and/or, a profile of the Hall of Faithers, may look like this:

1.    Endurance. Died in faith (13a)

2.    Selfless. Not having received the promises (13b)

3.    Patient. Saw and greeted them afar off (13c)

4.    Perspective. Understood they were strangers and pilgrims (13d)

5.    Committed. Seek a Homeland (14-15)

6.    Covenant. Desire a better, heavenly...(16a)

7.    Unashamed. The glorious response of our Lord. (16b)

1.    Endurance

These all died in faith.

Well, all but Enoch and Elijah. They walked with God, until one day they were taken, raptured, caught up, they did not die. Enoch, simply “was not” for God took him. Genesis 5:24.

Elijah was caught up in a chariot of fire. 2 Kings 2:11.

They didn’t need to find faith at the last minute. No death bed repentance needed.

These Hall of Faith Saints lived by faith and died in faith.

They endured to the end.

They crossed the finish line in faith.

This is important because how we finish matters.

All the good we’ve done before will be forgotten if we turn from Him to sin. 2 Peter 2:20-21, Ez. 3:20, 18:24, 33:12-20.

They lived with their eyes on the Prize, the Promise, their bags packed, ready to go at any moment.

Do you?

Do your loved ones?

Do those God’s given you?

Have you asked them?

If they say, “Maybe someday, not today.”  

Give them warning: To not live by faith, but to live by flesh may make it impossible to die in faith. And without faith, it’s impossible to please Him. Hebrews 11:6.

Saving faith takes more than lip service for fire insurance, it takes repentance of the heart. Matthew 3:2, 4:17, Mark 1:15.

It’s rare and hard for a person to change their mind and heart at the flip of a switch. Saying, “sorry” just because you’re in trouble, doesn’t count.

So, to be safe, be like the just, and just live by faith. Then, dying in faith will take care of itself.

They endured and died in faith.

2.    Selfless.

Not having received the promises

What promises?

Well, a few verses back Heb. 11:9, says, ^“By faith he (Abraham) dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.”

Specifically referring to God’s promise to Abraham beginning in Genesis 12:1-3, that He would make him a great nation with an abundance of prosperity and property, and people and that through him all nations of the earth would be blessed. Of course, that was referring to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  

Additionally, there was the first promise that pointed to the Seed of the woman that would crush the serpent’s head. Genesis 3:15. Of course, that too, was referring to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Now, since the Promised Messiah has come, He has given us even more promises.  

2 Corinthians 1:20. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

2 Peter 1:2-4. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as 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, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Speaking of partaking of His Divine Nature, Jesus promises His Holy Spirit filled with exceedingly great and precious fruits and gifts. (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4).

According to Jesus His Holy Spirit is our, Helper, Teacher, Guide, and Spirit of Truth; He abides with us, reminds us, testifies through us, and tells us of things to come.  John 14:15-16, 15:26, 16:13.

And that, is just a small introduction.

He has a whole basket full of fruit, just waiting for you to taste and see that the Lord is Good.

The Holy Spirit is not only a fruit maker, but a gift giver:

All those are characteristics of folks filled with the Holy Spirit.

Do they describe you?

The Saints in the Hall of Faith, received not the promises, yet they selflessly endured looking not to themselves, but forward to the Promise.

3.    Patient.

They did not receive the promises, but having seen them afar off, embraced them

The faith heroes needed patience to embrace God’s promises when He revealed that His plan was a multigenerational marathon.

Through faith and patience they greeted, welcomed, embraced God’s big picture, even though it would be fulfilled after their life on this earth.

James 1:2-4. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Like the shot of energy produced in a marathon runner who presses through the pain of “the wall” by looking to the joy of the afar off finish line, so too, are you, when you press through the testing of your faith, by looking to Jesus.

Faith heroes know, tests of faith produce patience muscles needed to finish the race strong.

4.    Perspective

They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

They knew they were just passing through.

Having that Eternal Perspective makes all the difference in the world.

Faith heroes know they are just pilgrims in search of a city whose Builder and Maker is God.

This earth is not our home.  

5.    Committed

For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Faith heroes are not double-minded, not looking back like Lot’s wife, not calling to mind their old lifestyle, but seeking a Heavenly Homeland.

Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Luke 6:45.

Faith heroes are committed to keeping their words and thoughts set on their Homeland.

6.    Covenant

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.

Endurance, selflessness, patience, eternal perspective, commitment, leads to covenant.

Psalm 37:4. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Their heart’s desire is heavenly.

That comes from being in covenant with the Lord.

Being in covenant with God, releases the world’s gravitational pull.

When you have the Best, the world has nothing to offer.  

7.    Unashamed

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3.

“Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” 2 Cor. 6:17-18.

 

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we know Your Word is True that says, “For yet a little while, He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”

Help us obey Your Word that says, “Now the just shall live by faith.”

And please keep us in remembrance that You also said, “But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

We pray that we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Now Lord, will You make us to be soul winners and disciple makers, so we, and all those You’ve given us, will indeed be, Your sons and daughters.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.

 

Shaved by a Sword, Ezekiel 5

Son of man, build a model of your beloved Jerusalem under siege. Build a siege wall around her, a siege mound against her, place battering rams at her gates, and the enemy camped all around her.

You will lay on your left side 390 days for the sins of Israel. And then on your right for 40 days for the iniquity of Judah. During these days you will not roll or change from side to side, for these words are established and set, and I will not turn aside or change My mind.

When you cook use fuel of dung, for the iniquity of Israel and Judah is a stench in My nostrils. Thus, they will eat defiled bread.

That summarizes the prophetic vision of Ezekiel 4, that continues into chapter 5.  

Before we cross the threshold into Ezekiel 5, imagine you sit down in the Barber's chair for a trim and shave and the next thing you know...

He pulls out a sword, and hands it to you.

Ezekiel 5:1
“And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair.

Take a sharp sword as a barber’s razor and shave your head and beard?

What? Wait! Something’s not right here.

Priests are not supposed to shave their head and beard. Their unshaved hair represents consecration to God.

Shaving reflects loss of consecration, great disgrace, or mourning.

But Zeke was super consecrated. He built the model of Jerusalem under siege just like God asked. 

He laid for hundreds of days without complaint. He even ate food cooked over poop (cow dung).

Now this? Why would God ask Zeke to be disgraced like this?

Well, for one thing, Ezekiel wasn’t a priest, he was a prophet.

The prophet spoke for God.

And what God wanted to say through the prophet’s action was that the iniquity of Israel had brought on them a loss of consecration, great disgrace and mourning.

Ezekiel used a sword to show judgement would come by way of the sword.

Ezekiel cut his own hair, his own beard, to show their own sin, brought this upon their own head.

And the warning must be taken personally.

Listeners dare not say, “sucks to be them,” and go on about their merry way.

No. You must take heed and consider your own roll in sin. 

I swung the hammer, I held the nail, my sins nailed Jesus to the tree.

“Take scales to weigh and divide the hair” reflects that God’s judgments are weighed, balanced and just, to a hair’s breadth and width.

He sees not just our outward deeds, but our inward thoughts and motives.

Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

You have been weighed in the balance and come up wanting.

 ² You shall burn with fire one-third (of his hair) in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them.

Through Ezekiel, the Lord dramatized another prophetic warning of what would happen to the Jews in Jerusalem about a half-dozen years later. (In 586BC Babylon’s third siege destroyed Jerusalem).

One third were burned.

One third struck with the sword.

One third scattered to the wind.

Several believe, “burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city” was carried out on the clay tablet Ezekiel made with the drawing of Jerusalem under siege (Ezekiel 4:1).

Which makes sense since he was a captive in Babylon, so he couldn’t travel 500 miles west to Jerusalem to burn a third of his hair in the city.

 ³ You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. ⁴ Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.

There was small number of poor Israelites left in Jerusalem. (Jer. 39:10).

Even they faced the weight of God’s judgment.

(2b) From there, I will draw a sword out after them... (4b) a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.

Meaning, of those who stay and those who go, none will escape the long arm of the Lord’s judgement.

Hebrews 12:29. For our God is a consuming fire.

Deuteronomy 4:24. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Galatians 6:7-9. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap... (That’s good news or bad, depending on what you’re sowing). ⁸ sow to the flesh and reap corruption, sow to the Spirit and reap life everlasting ...⁹ weary not in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not. 

If you don’t quit, you win.

Ezekiel’s True but painful prophecy about Jerusalem being burned, struck with the sword and scattered to the wind, contradicted false prophets promising a golden age of peace and prosperity.

God speaks Truth, even if it hurts.

He tells us because He loves us.

Proverbs 3:11-12, My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.

⁵ “Thus says the Lord God: ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her. 

I have set her (Jerusalem) in the midst of nations and countries.

This is True spiritually and physically.

Israel is the apple of God’s eye. Zechariah 2:8, Deuteronomy 32:10.

Salvation is of the Jews. John 4:22.

Israel is the centerpiece of God’s plan.

Ø Where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14.

Ø Where the Son of God was born, lived and died for the Salvation of the world.  

The timepiece of His earthly clock.

Ø Where He split time from BC (Before Christ) to AD (Anno Domini; Latin: in the year of our Lord).

Ø Where He will return to end the age, destroy evil and set up His earthly Kingdom from Jerusalem. Rev. 19:11-21.

Ø Where He will lead us through the millennial reign to the end of time.

Upon His return it’s the Jews who will recognize Him as the One whom they pierced. They will mourn as one mourns for their only son and all Israel will be saved. Zech. 12:10, John 19:37, Rev. 1:7. Rom. 11:26.

So be not deceived, God loves Israel, has an everlasting covenant with Israel. Genesis 12:3, 13:15, 17:8.

If you have a problem with Israel, you have a problem with God. He says of Israel and no other nation, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” Genesis 12:3, 27:29, Numbers 24:9.

To even think God replaced or abandoned Israel due to her sin is an insult to God’s integrity and sovereignty. 

God knew they’d screw up before He ever laid eyes on them, yet He chose them.

God knew You would screw up too, yet He chose you.

God never makes mistakes.

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5:8.

⁶ She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.’ 

⁷ Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you’— ⁸ therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. ⁹ And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations. 

God is just.

His judgements are right.

That does not mean equal.

God does not do DEI (Some say that means diversity, equity and inclusion. However, in God’s eyes, it’s probably more like, demons entertaining idiots).

Israel was given His judgements and statutes. So, they are held to a higher standard.

To whom much is given much is required. Luke 12:48.

Therefore, they should be examples of Godliness.

Instead, they rebelled and refused. They did not walk, nor keep, nor do, His statutes and judgements.

So, they receive a stricter judgement, a greater condemnation. James 3:1.

It’s no surprise the nations around her, Islamic nations, like Iran, Iraq, Libya, Turkey, etc. have Jew hating leaders that do not follow God’s laws and ways.

That can be expected.

It doesn’t make it right.

They will be held accountable.

There will be a day of reckoning. They’ll be judged by God for yielding to hate instead of following their God given conscience.

Also, they will be judged by how they treated Israel. Matthew 25:31-46.   

Speaking of nations being judged, let’s look at US.

America was built on God’s judgements and statutes.

We are held to a higher standard. We receive a stricter judgement, a greater condemnation.

Let’s look even closer.

For American Christians to allow evil to rise to power as it has, is inexcusable.

We’ve willingly been so lukewarm and lazy, that our apathy led to such atrophy, that we can’t even keep deranged men out of our daughter’s shower.

Almost a fifth of our population is missing. Over sixty-three million babies, slaughtered. It still continues by over a million a year.

We let it happen.   

We allowed a handful of, not so supreme judges, to overrule God, the Supreme Judge of all the Universe.

We allowed them to hand us abortion and gay marriage.

We allowed them to take Bible reading and prayer.

We’ve made them commander in chief over the president in the tariff war.

On our watch, we’ve allowed people to rise to positions of power that our founding fathers might’ve hung as treasonous traitors.  

We just handed the keys for the most powerful capitalist city in the world, to an anticapitalist; Muslim Marxist Mayor Mamdani.

That’s insanity. An awful antithesis. A flashing warning of wickedness.

Anti-constitution, Israel hating, congresswoman, Ilhan Omar said "Praise be to Allah" over Mamdani's win.

In Tehran Iran, they celebrated Mamdani’s election.

Iran wants to destroy America "big satan" and Israel "little satan".

Fouad Izadi, political theorist and lecturer at the University of Tehran, said that Zohran Mamdani’s victory was built on slogans reflecting, the Iranian spirit on the day the US Embassy was seized, and that future candidates who embrace these principles will be the next rulers of the United States.

When those who want us dead, celebrate the victory of the mayor of our most powerful city, and compare it to when they seized our US Embassy, we are under siege from within.

Charlie Kirk was sounding the alarm, warning: “Immigration without assimilation is invasion.”

The enemy silenced him. The puppet who shot him didn’t have a clue, but the demons that tempted him knew.

Mamdani’s ideology is anti-constitution, anti-Christian. It’s opposite everything America stands for.

And sadly, what many of America’s youth are ignorantly clamoring for.

This awful antithesis is a flashing warning of wickedness.

Why?

Because evil is always an inversion. It calls evil good, and good, evil. It accuses others of the very thing it is guilty of.

Matthew 16:18, Jesus told us, “I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” That means Jesus expects His Church to be shining His love and Light in the darkness, marching forward, prevailing against the gates of hell.

If only His Church will unite and stand and shine, darkness will flee.

Jesus rebuked the Compromising and Corrupt Churches of Pergamos and Thyatira for allowing deceptive doctrines and the immorality of Jezebel. Revelation 2.

You may be a great Christian, who never sins, (much).

But what do you allow?

There are times you’re not supposed to turn the other cheek (as in turning a blind eye to evil).

The Church must stand up, confront evil, speak Truth, in love.

Lest we become comfortable, complacent and complicit in sin.

Our disobedience isn’t always about what we’re doing, but often because we’re doing nothing.

All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.   

James 4:17, Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

¹⁰ Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds.

¹¹ ‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity. ¹² One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

¹³ ‘Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them. ¹⁴ Moreover I will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you, in the sight of all who pass by.

¹⁵ ‘So it shall be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, and an astonishment to the nations that are all around you, when I execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken. ¹⁶ When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your supply of bread. ¹⁷ So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken.’ ”

This severe prophecy was fulfilled exactly as the Lord through Ezekiel foretold.

Lamentations 4:10, paints a heart wrenching picture of this time saying: “The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became food for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

The famine, wild beasts, pestilence and sword, not only tell history past, but HIStory future, in the quickly approaching Tribulation shimmering on our horizon.

However, dear child of God, do not lose heart or hope, as noted in the Epoch Times article, The New Moral Revival: Why Socialism Feels Like Faith to a Generation Searching for Meaning, which reads in part:    

Yet another revival is quietly rising alongside it. Religious devotion is growing again among young Americans, particularly young men. They say they are drawn not to institutions but to discipline, virtue, and community—the very things missing from modern life. The same hunger that drives some toward socialism is leading others back to faith. Both recognize the world’s moral collapse. One begins with the transformation of the self, the other with the transformation of society. One teaches repentance and forgiveness, the other teaches resentment and control. One redeems the soul, while the other reengineers the world.

There’s hope and healing available as long as there’s a Christian still standing. Dear Church, fight, fight, fight, the good fight of faith, until the Lord calls us Home.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for telling us the Truth, even though it hurts. Help us not fear darkness but face it and chase it, prevailing against it by uniting with You, standing strong, shining bright, Your Love and Light. So together we, and all those You’ve given us, will hear You say, “Well done.”

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.  

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