“It is coming!”
“Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every knee become as weak as water.’ It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
(Ezekiel 21:6-7; NIV. Please read Ezekiel 20-24.)
“It is coming!”
According to the prophet … “it is coming”.
According to the Word of God … “it is coming”.
Noah preached it for 120 years.
Lot heard it from two men (angels), who spent the night in his home.
Pharaoh saw it in the dreams interpreted by Joseph.
Moses declared it before Pharoah.
Joshua demonstrated it at Jericho.
Othniel to Samuel lived it as judges.
Elijah warned Ahab about it.
Isaiah to Malachi prophesied about it.
John and Jesus referred to it.
Paul and Peter agreed on it.
John revealed it to the 7 churches.
Whether it be Noah’s world or ours … Ezekiel’s nation or ours … ”it is coming!”
ON SECOND THOUGHT: If it is coming … and I believe it is … we need to be ready. Let us stop wasting time - predicting when it will come on this nation or this world. Let us stop wasting time – mocking those who think that they know when all the while acting like we know that it is not when. It is coming … and we have the Lord’s Word on it!
p.s. When I read the Word of the Lord to Ezekiel (24:15-25), it took my breath away … again. I started to write about that awful and awe-filled moment in this good man’s life, but I am not worthy. Such cost – such devotion are beyond my understanding – and certainly my experience. I have no words … except, God bless Ezekiel, and may God raise up another Ezekiel for the Church’s sake - for this nation’s sake – for the world’s sake.
June 22, 2008 at 4:56 pm
God has promised us that the day is coming. Why do I live as if it is not? When I read the Bible and think about how long ago it all happened … when I look at how long the world has existed … it is hard for me to fathom that “the day” could come in my lifetime. It doesn’t seem real. It seems like a phrase that we say, “it is coming”, because it is in the Bible … because God promised it would come … and because we are supposed to believe it. But do I? Do I really believe it?
I watch these people as they hear God’s words spoken through Ezekiel. They don’t seem to believe that it is really going to happen either. They live as though they have all the time in the world. Is this what I do?
I want to have the integrity of Ezekiel. He says what the Lord tells him to say. He does what the Lord tells him to do. He believes God’s words even when it hurts … and follows Him even when it is not easy. When his wife dies he does not even get to grieve. How would it feel to know that God is using you and your wife as an example … when you’ve been faithful to Him … when you’ve done what He has asked you to do. He’s using you as an example to people that are probably not going to listen anyway.
Yet Ezekiel keeps following … keeps his faith … keeps it up.
June 22, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Way back when I was a baby Christian, I heard a some “fire and brimstone” preaching. But then it seemed like the preaching I heard was more “sunshine and rainbows”. It seems like a whole group of folks didn’t want to be scared by the thought of judgement. It became wrong to speak about judgement. You could not say someone was wrong…that would hurt their feelings and they won’t want to come to chruch with you!! (forget the fact that they weren’t coming to church anyway!!!)
God speaks judgement! He shows that there is a right and a wrong. Shouldn’t we agree with Him? I know that it takes tons of courage to stand up and say “You are wrong”…courage I’m not sure that I have. But even if I don’t have the courage to say it, it doesn’t change the fact that judgement is coming. The day is coming when we will each stand before the Lord. That should be enough to cause me to speak…courage or no courage!!
I’m not sure that the “fire and brimstone” method was much more effective than the “sunshine and rainbows”. I have learned so much from a teacher that speaks God’s truth straight out of the Word in a kind and compassionate way. Every week I see that there is a way to agree with God and speak His truth, and be like Jesus. Over the last three years I have seen a whole lot of hearts touched by the Word…and many souls added to God’s family. Thank you for speaking truth, my friend.