Psalm
33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...”
From April 19-25, America read the Bible, from
cover to cover, from our nation’s capital, for all the world to hear.
Then, May 7, as a nation we bowed our heads for the
National Day of Prayer. (We read the Presidential
Proclamation during Thursday Night Prayer).
Ten days from that date (same number of days as
from Ascension to Pentecost) on May 17, 2026, our nation will come together in
one accord for Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise &
Thanksgiving.
This coincides with (May 17, 1776) the 250th
anniversary of the Second Continental Congress calling for a day of,
humiliation, fasting, and prayer, to seek God’s providence and ask for His
protection and blessing in their fight for freedom, virtue,
and posterity.
Providence heard. Just weeks later, was birthed our Declaration of Independence, July
4, 1776.
Which wasn’t really a declaration of independence, but
of dependence on Almighty God.
Now, since you know the Word of God is timeless, you
won’t be surprised that the place we continue our journey through Ezekiel is
totally timely. Appropriate. Relevant.
You may even think it hits a little too close to home.
Ezekiel
14:12-23.
The word of the Lord came again to me,
saying:
The Word of the Lord comes to those who are listening.
Are you listening?
13 “Son of
man, when a land sins against Me by persistent
unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My
hand against it;
I will cut off its supply
of bread, send famine on it, and cut
off man and beast from it. 14 Even if these
three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by
their righteousness,” says the Lord God.
15 “If I
cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and
they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through
because of the beasts, 16 even though these
three men were in it, as I live,” says the
Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only
they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17 “Or if I
bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the
land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18 even though these
three men were in it, as I live,” says the
Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only
they themselves would be delivered.
19 “Or if I
send a pestilence into that land and pour out
My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and
beast, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and
Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they
would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would
deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 For thus
says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My
four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild
beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? 22 Yet
behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will
be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they
will come out to you, and you will see their ways and
their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning
the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought
upon it. 23 And they will comfort
you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall
know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in
it,” says the Lord God.
Judgement
God is patient not passive.
He indeed governs in the affair of men.
He warns, yet again, judgement is coming. Only this
time He zooms way out with a lens so wide it could include America.
Previously, He zoomed in close, named names and
specific sins.
But not in our text today.
He says, “when a land sins against Me
I will stretch out My hand against it.” He doesn’t say: when Judah; your people; Israel...
He says, “when a land...”.
When a land sins against the Lord, judgement
falls by way of:
Famine –
Provision removed
Wild Beasts –
Protection removed
Sword –
Peace removed
Pestilence –
Prosperity removed
Now if you struggle with the idea of your loving, kind, merciful God sending famine, wild beasts, sword, pestilence. Please consider the following.
The earth is under a curse since we sinned and screwed
everything up.
Because God is loving and kind and merciful, He
extends His hand of provision, protection, peace and prosperity.
However, when a land, keeps biting the Hand that
feeds... He simply lifts His hand of provision, protection, peace and
prosperity.
Famine and wild beast and sword and pestilence quickly
fill the void.
Don’t think it so cruel or strange. You do the same.
Someone you’ve bailed out repeatedly, eventually, you stop... and allow consequences
to run their course; sowing and reaping to come to fruition.
Year after year Israel ignored God’s warnings until just
as He said, judgement fell and Israel was overthrown by:
Assyrians 722 BC.
Babylonians 586 BC (605;
597; 586).
Rome 70 AD.
Luke 19:41-45 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Before you get too comfortable and say, “Yeah that
wicked Israel had it coming...” remember, God includes all of us
in this warning.
“When a land sins...”
Our land is a land soaked with the blood of multiplied
millions of aborted babies crying out against us.
Our government contains elected officials that hate
God, Israel and every good and Godly Biblical principle that makes up the
foundation of our nation.
This message would be quite different had it not been
for God’s Divine timing orchestrating that we land on this portion of Scripture,
now, while we’re smack dab in the middle of a national saturation of Bible
reading and prayer.
In this, He extends to US a glimmer of hope, with an
urgent call to seize this moment of national and personal repentance.
Additionally, never forget, Israel has an Eternal Covenant
with God. Something no other nation has. So, at this moment God’s grace is shed
on US as we stand in battle with the apple of His eye.
Those who mess with Israel, (even those He uses to
discipline Israel), are held accountable for their sin against Him—and His
people.
Consider that the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the
Roman Empire have all disappeared.
HIStory continues to prove, “Blessed is the nation
whose God is the Lord,” Psalm 33:12.
Archeological discoveries and ancient writings attest
to the rise of societies as they pursued Godliness, and then, their collapse as
corruption consumed them.
What happened to Jew slaughtering nazi Germany after
WWII.
Following its 1945 demise, the nation suffered total
infrastructure collapse, severe food shortages, mass homelessness, and economic
failure. It may have looked and felt a lot like famine, wild beasts, sword,
pestilence.
What about Jew hating Iran?
Iran’s Islamic Regime wages war against God by vowing
to wipe Israel off the face of the map.
They slaughter Christians in the underground Church. Yet,
all that persecution just illuminates the provision, protection, peace and
prosperity of the Almighty hand of Providence multiplying His glorious Church that
the gates of hell cannot stand against. The Church in Iran increases, while the
Iranian regime decreases.
Today Iran’s economy is in famine mode. The average
monthly income is $110 - $150 (USD equivalent).
That equates to $500-$700 for a single chicken.
$60 - $80 for a loaf of bread. (Foreshadow of Rev.
6:6, third seal, a loaf of bread for a day’s wages).
This is just the beginning.
Right now, God is using America, to set the stage for
a war where Iran will join a coalition of Russia, Turkey, Libya and Sudan.
(Side note: speaking of Turkey—they
are showing off a missile alleging it can reach the US. Why would they do such
a thing? Turkey is a member of NATO, thus, supposedly, officially an American
ally).
That coalition will attack Israel. It’s called the Ez.
38-39 war.
Five nations (at least) against one.
David verses Goliath.
It won’t be a fair fight.
One side will be totally outgunned.
One side will end up like Five Guys fries.
God will stand with Israel and stretch out His hand
with more than famine, wild beasts, sword and pestilence. His weapons
will be an earthquake, torrential rain, great hailstones, fire and
brimstone. Ezekiel 38:18-23.
It’ll take seven months to bury the dead and seven years
to burn off the weaponry.
Today, if you want to see a living breathing miracle,
just look at Israel. Against all odds, she stands by God’s mighty hand of provision,
protection, peace and prosperity. One of the tiniest nations, yet among the
most prosperous and powerful and lush and beautiful.
Yet not so long ago she sat in sackcloth and ashes,
barren, dry, withered. Barely any life, human or animal.
Where kings once reigned and angels sang, the land sat
in poverty and ruins, uninhabited, untended, unwanted.
Until the owners came home. The ones to whom God gave
the land, finally returned, just as He said they would.
And then, upon their return in 1948, the land sprang
to life. The nation has grown into the most cherished, sought after, fought
over, piece of land on earth.
Ezekiel 36:24, Ezekiel 37:11-12, Isaiah 11:11-12, Amos 9:14-15, Jeremiah 30:3
If you want to see a living breathing example of God’s
grace and forgiveness—just look at Israel. She’s turned from Him over and over
and over again, and yet, He remains faithful to His Eternal Covenant Promise to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
He sees the end from the beginning. He knows one day,
after the Tribulation, after seven years of famine, wild beasts, sword, and
pestilence on steroids, He will return and Israel will recognize Him as the
One they pierced, and finally, they will receive Him as their Messiah.
Zechariah 12:10; John 19:37, Romans 11:26,
Revelation 1:7.
So, He endures, for the joy set before Him.
Yes friends, God is still alive and well and governs
in the affairs of men.
Nationally, and individually.
Which brings us to three individuals mentioned in our
text.
Even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in
it, as I live, says the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter;
they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.
Noah was asked to do
the impossible; save the world. Yet, he couldn’t influence one single person
outside of his immediate family. Still, he remained faithful, built the ark,
and saved the world.
Daniel was stolen from
his family, then had any opportunity for him to have a family stolen from him.
Yet, he remained faithful and influenced the most powerful people on the planet
and was given some of the most powerful prophecies in all of HIStory.
Job lost his kids, his
wealth, his health, his wife and friends turned against him. His own wife told
him to curse God and die. Yet, he remained faithful and is forever an example
of faith and patience.
As faithful as
all these are, none could save even one from the judgement to come.
As righteous as they were they couldn’t turn impending
judgement on a land already past the point of no return.
We all stand alone, before the Judge of our soul, and
soil.
I can’t save you. Mom can’t. Dad can’t. Neither can Noah,
Daniel, or Job
Nobody but Jesus.
You can’t make their decision, but you can make a
difference.
The last part of our text talks about a remnant
who will be brought out, they will be both sons and daughters.
Some commentators claim the remnant is wicked, but the
original text does not use any such language. In the Bible “remnant”
refers to the faithful few who remain loyal through trials and tribulations.
These are called “sons and daughters” who come
out and comfort and show that in all the Lord has done there is justice
in judgement.
God is omniscient. He knows everything. The end from
the beginning. However, just because He knows something is going to
happen, doesn’t mean He makes it happen.
As much as He hates evil and longs to bring it to an
end; as much as He loves His family and wants to be united forever and ever,
amen. He will not take short cuts. He will not compromise Divine Justice.
Furthermore, He knows every single soul that will
eventually turn to Him, and so He patiently waits, and walks through the
necessary process, even if ever so painful at times. Because it’s not His will
for any to perish.
Alas, many will.
You see, God knows, your remnant, your sons and
daughters, those who will come out; the one you'll pray for until the day
you die. The one that will not turn to the Lord until one day amid the Great
Tribulation, that child will remember your life, give their life, and your
prayers will be answered, they will come out and comfort you.
God knows that bully from across the tracks who
laughed whenever you prayed. God knows, in just a little while, he’ll realize
you were right and give his life to Christ. And then, there’s Tom and Heather
and Nicole and Deb and Doug and Lydia and Penny and the guy who changed his
name to Allah and...
Dear Saint, you are called to make an Eternal
difference.
Don’t ever, ever, ever, ever, stop praying, believing,
Seed planting. The Word of God will not return void. Your most powerful answers
may not come until after you're gone. Your greatest triumphs may be during the
most troubled time, but the greatest harvest in HIStory.
So, let’s be busy, living to leave an Eternal legacy.
The
Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should
come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus thank You for loving us enough to
tell us the Truth. Not just the good stuff, but the hard stuff too. Thank You
for warning us of our national responsibility and personal accountability. Now
Lord, help us follow You, every step. Help us do right, just because it’s right.
Please guide us, correct us, and work through us to lead everyone You’ve given
us, straight to You.
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer Requests:
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Email: pray4measap@aol.com
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Watch online:
Facebook: Justice in Judgement, Ezekiel
14:12-23
You Tube: Justice in Judgement,
Ezekiel 14:12-23
This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you
to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
