November 3
Ezek 7:1-9:11 | PS 105:1-15 | Prov 26:28 | Heb 5:1-14
So many scream intolerance, not realizing that it is they who are the intolerant ones. So many scream for justice, not realizing that it is they who will one day be receiving judgment for their godless ways. God's ways and man's ways are on opposite sides. The world despises the things of God, and puffed up in self-righteousness exalt the things of man, sadly, at times, falsely under a false banner of God. Many will be surprised in that day, when God's wrath is poured out. From rainbow flags hanging outside churches to drag-queen story hour in our schools, there is no shortage of those sitting in board rooms coming up with these policies, no shortage of those celebrating these decisions, and countless others who see no real harm, many participating in godlessness. They deem themselves open-minded, inclusive, progressive, etc. They are godless and self-righteous. They render judgment on themselves, and in the process cause the fall of many under their influence. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." He also said in 7:22-23, "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"
Though the people of Judah were steeped in sin at the time of their being sent into Babylonian captivity, that is not how they saw themselves. Many were religious, focused on their family, responsible at work. They were godless, but that is not how they saw themselves. We read in Ezekiel 9:4, "and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” The one placing this "mark", dressed in linen, sent from the Father, is a theophany, or a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. The word, "mark" is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, "Tav", which in that time was the form of a cross. Those protected from judgment were sheltered by the cross of Christ, just as those now are protected. We get a picture of this devastation to the godless, and the few, the remnant who are protected, as we read on in 9:5-8, "To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city. So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?”"
History proceeds according to God's timetable. Those of us living in the midst of His story, must decide where it is that we pledge our allegiance. It is either in God or in the world. A mixture of a little here and a little there is not an option. Many empires have come and gone. The history of the world is filled with the carnage of one empire taking control of another. No nation sees it until it is too late. It is time for a wake up call. We are not righteous as a nation, we are godless. We don't deserve any more chances, we deserve judgment. Whether God allows another season of revival or not is up to Him. The question is where do we stand? Just as there were multitudes of "good" people, following the norms of their society, participating or not blushing at the godless activity taking place in their nation, back then, so it is now. So many don't know God, and will be shocked when they find out they were on the wrong side of God's history. There was a 1993 movie, called "Falling Down", featuring Michael Douglass, who thought he was a good and loving man, who didn't find out until he uttered his last words, "I'm the bad guy?", just before being shot and killed.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: