Tag: Israel

9.t. “But their lies have led them astray”

Amos 2:4   Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.

Amos 2:6   Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted;

Amos 2:11   And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, You shall not prophesy.’ “Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life; he who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life; and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day,” declares the Lord.

How can someone reject what God expects inline with obedience?  I fear it is easier than we think.  Step back and take account of how much time was spent in His Word over the last week or two.  Was there thirst and hunger for your soul?  Was there anticipation for the Holy Spirit to speak into your heart and mind?  When there is no desire and seeking how to humbly serve, honor, follow, trust, and obey Jesus Christ it is no wonder God can say “you have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept His statutes.”  Not only this but because there is no hunger and thirst to serve and honor Him something else creeps into our lives – lies.  These lies are born out of the lack of God’s Word and because of this, we are influenced by what the world, culture, and society deem appropriate.  The worst part is that we buy into these lies.  We buy into the lie that we are good enough and have done enough to merit God’s favor.  We buy into the lie that if the world approves or condones something it is alright.  A friend of mine told me this once, (I’m sure he heard it somewhere else) “right is right even though only one person is doing it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”  It is more than a lack of God’s Word in our daily lives that leads us to rejection of its application in our lives.  It is the lack of desire, hunger, and thirst for God’s Word that allows lies to replace the absolute truth found it in.  If ever there is a time to repent from this lack of desire and hunger it is now. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

9.q. “You will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise”

Amos 1:1   The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

Zechariah 14:5    And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Isaiah 29:6   you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.

Amos speaks of a pending earthquake that affects the region.  When looking at archeological findings from 1955 through the present day, many confirm a massive earthquake that took place during this time.  Warnings were given to the people of God.  Prophets were sent to proclaim the coming of God’s judgment because of their wayward living and neglect of following and obeying Him.  You have to wonder how many people listened and changed their lives because of the prophet’s warning.  At the same time, you have to wonder how many did not.   After all the times were good and prosperous.  Does a man ever change?  Does a man ever listen?  Are we seeking and desiring God to speak into our lives?  Are we any different than those who did not listen?  God’s Word is full of promises of both blessings and warnings of judgment.  We do well to spend time in His Word with a desire to have Him speak into our heart and soul and lead us on paths that honor and glorify Him.  Do not rest in prosperity and ease of life as time passes by.  We never know the time in which God will call people and nations into account of their complacency and neglect.

9.o. “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.”

Joel 3:17  “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it. “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim. “Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the people of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations. I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion.”

Zephaniah 3:14-16     Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.  On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

We live in a time when it is hard to see God’s hand at work in our world.  But if this pandemic is not from the hand of God then what are we thinking it can be from.  God is sovereign and has plans and purposes far above our understanding.  Do we think He needs to explain what He is doing for our approval?  The fact that we do not know should not lead us away from God.  Whatever His plans, whatever His purpose, we can rejoice in the fact that He is our God.  He loves us.  He sent His Son to redeem us.  He called us unto Himself.  He has promised eternal life.  He has promised us refuge, hope, peace, rest, love, power, and courage through faith in Him alone no matter what the circumstance.  We are to rejoice in Him.  In times of trials, our voices of praise and worship of God should grow louder, not weaker.  Our trust and faith are more strong. Our resolve to trust Him more, more firm.  Our home is not here.  Our home and destination is in heaven with Jesus Christ.  I wonder if we too often consider this our home and lose focus and vision of our eternal home.

No matter what comes our way we can be assured God is in control and His plans and purposes will be accomplished.  We can be assured of this.

9.m. “For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”

Joel 3:9  Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord. Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake.  But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.

The valley of decision grabbed ahold of my attention. It is not as though these people are making a decision to seek God, repent, and turn to Him.  They have made their decision to reject Jesus Christ.  they have made their decision to do battle against Jesus Christ.  Their decision is what warrants God’s decision of judgment, wrath, and anger.  It is their decision just like it is for each of us.  We can come to Him but have we made a decision with all of our hearts, mind, soul, and strength to rely upon, trust, honor, follow, and obey Him?  Have we made a decision to listen to Him through how the Holy Spirit speaks to us through His Word?  Have we made a decision to deny self and self-reliance?  Have we made a decision to be humble?  Have w made a decision to seek how we might honor Him in all we say, think, and do?  This is a bit out of context but, it is time for us to come up out of the valley of decision and clearly put this behind us by making the decision for how we serve, honor, trust, obey and follow Jesus Christ.

9.l. “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.

Joel 3:1   “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

Zephaniah 3:8     “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.

Revelation 16:14     For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

Isaiah 66:16     For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many.

Ezekiel 38:22    With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur.

Obadiah 1:15   For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.

There are many more verses that speaks about the time of restoration for Judah, Jerusalem, Israel.  This time comes after a time of severe trials against them.  We understand this to be during the great tribulation period.  This time will surely come and what has been spoken and recorded will happen.  There are two periods of this time no sane person would want any part of.  The “Tribulation Period” and the “Day of the Lord”.  This time will be like no other time.  All those who come to the saving grace knowledge of Jesus Christ during this time will be persecuted continuously and many of them will die because of it.  All of those who flat out deny Jesus Christ, will not listen to the witnesses Christ has placed on earth during this time, deny the existence of God, take the Mark of the Beast, and will choose to do battle with God rather than repent and turn away from their wickedness.  If you don’t think the return of Jesus Christ is imminent they the signs of the times must be escaping you.  The eyes to our hearts, minds, and souls should be ever looking and anticipating His return.  Behold He is coming in the clouds and will take His bride home.

6.k. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.”

Revelation 3:15    “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Matthew 24:12    And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Deuteronomy 5:29    Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Psalms 81:11-13     “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.  Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

1 Kings 18:21   And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Do you ever stop to wonder what the Christians in Laodicea were like and how we compare to them?  What were their daily lives like?  How did they speak, think, and act?  What was their worship like?  Where did they place God in their lives?  What influence did culture have on how they reverenced God?  The big question that comes to my mind is how close are we to acting, living, thinking, and speaking like the Christians in Laodicea.  Notice how it says they prospered which led them to think they needed nothing.  They are called wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  They sought comfort, ease, and became content with their lives apart from God.  How many times do prosperity and ease lead people down paths apart from God?  For this very reason, you need to make every effort to live in fear, reverence, and thankfulness of the redeeming salvation through Jesus Christ.  We are to live as though we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.  Sons and daughters who live to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust and obey their Father.  Sons and Daughters who never forget from that which they were saved.  Sons and daughters who remember and love Jesus Christ because they remember that which they have been forgiven.  Sons and daughters who live each day with Jesus Christ being first in their life.  Sons and daughters who deny self and live no longer being self-centered and self-reliant.

How do you compare to the Christians of Laodicea?  Are you living lukewarm?  Repent and intentionally choose to live each moment of every day honoring Jesus Christ.  What are you tolerating in your life that you shouldn’t?  What are you doing that you know you shouldn’t but you do because other Christians are doing it?  REPENT!!!!!!

6.c. But I have a few things against you:

Revelation 2:12   “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Pergamum was known for a few things; Satan’s home and dwelling place, the altar to Zeus, and Asclepius the god of healing )also known as Asclepius the Savior).  This is the place where these Christian believers lived.  This is the culture they were surrounded in, day in and day out.  Every day their faith was being tested and it took conviction and courage to fight them.  It appears that some of the people in the church at Pergamos were thinking they could indulge in the pagan practices around them without harm to their own spirituality.  Though they had been courageous in maintaining their faith they were beginning to compromise their faith by adding pagan practices to it.  They were slowly adopting these practices into their daily lives.  When you read this do you think about what has crept into your life that you have adopted because others have adopted into theirs?  Do you wonder why there appears no to be a difference between how non-believers and believers live out their lives?  Christ gives a clear warning.  Repent of these practices and walk worthy of your calling in Jesus Christ.

5.e. “For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”

Job 9:15  Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.

1 Kings 8:38-39   whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house,  then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind),

1 Corinthians 4:4    For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

Jeremiah 31:9  With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel,

Daniel 9:3    Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Daniel 9:18   O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.

Job examined his life.  He has lost his family, his flocks, and his body is being attacked with boils and sores.  In this calamity, he examines his life and proclaims “I am in the right”.  He is not saying he has done nothing wrong but that he has not done something to deserve all of this happening in his life.  He has lived knowing that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him and live humbly before Him.  Humanly we can understand what he is saying because from the worldly view it does not seem fair or right.  We see what has happened and think what has happened to Job does not seem to be in line with the way he lived.  Justice does not seemed to have been awarded fairly.

Does God ever make a mistake?   Is He ever unjust?  Does He ever do wrong?  Is there anything in all of creation that is not under His control?

In our trials and troubles, God may seem far away but He is ever-present.  In our trials and troubles, God may seem not in control but He is all-powerful.  In our trials and troubles, it may seem God is unaware but He is all-knowing.  In trials and troubles, God does not change and has not changed and will not change.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Though we do not understand we can trust Him.  We can seek His mercy and know that His perfect will is being done, His perfect plans are being carried out, and His purpose will be for the good of those called according to His purpose.  In times of chaos, cling to Him.  In times of trials and troubles, trust Him.  In times of loneliness, know He loves you.  In times of sickness, seek the Great Physician.

5. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people

Job 7:17  What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning and test him every moment?

Psalms 8:4   what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

  Psalms 144:3   O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?

Isaiah 40:17     All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

Luke 1:68   “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people

When you stop to think deeply about God these references ask a very important question.  “What is man that You are mindful of him?”  Think about how many things you have given your heart to do and make something.  You may have even gone to school to become educated so that you were able to build out your project or life vocation.  Now think back and try to remember some of the stuff you gave great thought, time, and effort into completion.  More than likely you have forgotten more things that you remembered.  The point is that we can give all of our attention and effort to something and at the moment it is very important but over time we lose interest or have moved on to something else.

God, our Creator, awesome in power created us and has steadfast love toward us.  He has not forgotten or disregarded His creation.  He loves His creation so much that He gave His only Son to redeem us.  If we had created something and it did not turn out as we had hoped we more than likely would scrap it and start over.  God chose to redeem fallen mankind.  “What is man that you are mindful of him?”  This is the God of all there is, who created everything out of the vapor of His breath.  He has chosen to be steadfast toward mankind in holiness, grace, mercy, and love.  He chose to make a way for salvation and being right (without sin) in His eyes.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever might believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”  We only have to look to Jesus Christ and know the love the Heavenly Father has for mankind.  In this redemptive love, we find either salvation or rejection, an eternity in heaven or eternity in hell, forgiveness or judgment.  It is no small thing God has done to redeem mankind.  What is man that you are mindful of him, set Your heart on him, regard him, think about him, care for him, make so much of him”?????

4.z. They are ashamed because they were confident

Job 6:20   They are ashamed because they were confident; they come there and are disappointed.

Jeremiah 17:13     O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.

Isaiah 45:16-17   All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together.  But Israel is saved by the LORD with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.

Romans 5:5    and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 9:33    as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

There is a hope that drives people into confidence.  Depending on what this hope is will lead a person to eternity with God or eternity apart from God.  The difference is where their hope is. If their hope is in Jesus Christ and their heart desire is to honor, serve, follow, trust, and obey Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength all the days of their life, Eternity with God is promised.  If their hope is in or on anything else they will spend eternity in Hell apart from God and in torment.

The problem with confidence is that it can blind us to things of God.  It places other things in front of or in place of God.  You can be confident in a lie because you do not seek out the truth.  You can be confident in something that is not of God because you have chosen to turn a deaf ear and blind eye to Him.  You can be confident in a lukewarm, neglectful, and complacent life of service to God because things of this world have captured your heart.  “They are ashamed because they were confident.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ leaves no room for our confidence to be in or on anything else.  Yet, we live like this, don’t we?  We desire and chase after things of this world that will not last and do not strengthen our walk with Jesus or mature us in knowledge and understanding of Him.  In this chasing, we water the flame of hope in Jesus Christ to something less than a spark from an ember.  The world has a way to entice and draw our hope away from Jesus Christ.  It tries to get us to place our hope in other stuff, activities, and shiny things of this world.

When our hope is in Jesus Christ we will find peace, rest, joy, strength, courage, and love.  We will never be ashamed.  We will have confidence in Him who has promised great things to those who trust in, rely on, and cling to Him.