As we continue to talk about increasing our faith and standing firm on the word of God, it is important to understand that the church is nowhere near what the church is supposed to be. To see that, all you have to do is read the Gospels and Acts and compare what you read to what you see in the church. Acknowledgement of our desolation is the starting point in this walk of faith. We have this promise. Zechariah 1:3 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” The church is not what it was supposed to be, and the only option is to repent. Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” The only way to truly be a people of faith, who stand firm on the word of God, is actually to return to the word of God. Yes, many Christians say they stand on the word of God, but in reality they are only standing on the doctrines of man and demons, as we saw yesterday, and are ignoring what God’s word actually states.
We are called to have no other gods before us, which also means no other gospels. Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all.” 2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” That wasn’t new. Deuteronomy 29:26 “They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them.” Jeremiah 25:6 “Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you. 7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.” We were told Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” Deuteronomy 28:14 “Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” Instead of listening, Gods’ people stubbornly went their own way. Jeremiah 7:24 “They did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.” Isaiah 30:1 “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; 2 who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge.” Isaiah 65:2 “All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— 3 a people who continually provoke me to my very face.” Deuteronomy 32:5 “They are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation. 15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior. 16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. 17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. 18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.” Acts 19:9 “But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.”
This is exactly what the church has done and continues to do. To yield means “to give way to someone or something that one can no longer resist or give way to arguments, demands, or pressure.” They were supposed to yield to God and become unyielding but instead they yielded to other gods, just as the church has yielded to other gospels. This happened because God’s people followed their leaders. Sadly, most of the kings, both Israel and Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as did the Jewish leaders that crucified Jesus. Then the leaders in the church continued to lead people astray, each trying to eagerly gain followers to their own distinct beliefs. King Solomon lost the kingdom his father David was given because he did not yield to God’s word. 1 Kings 11:9 “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.” Other kings did the same. 2 Kings 17:7 “They worshiped other gods 8 and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.” Jeremiah 38:17 “Jeremiah said to (king) Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live. 18 But if you will not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians and they will burn it down; you yourself will not escape from them.’” Zedekiah did not yield to the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah. Jeremiah 37:2 “Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah 52:8 “The Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, 9 and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.” 2 Chronicles 36:15 “The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.”
Not only did the kings lead God’s people astray, but the false prophets also led them astray and encouraged the kings to rebel. As Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, Jeremiah 37:19 “Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, ‘The king of Babylon will not attack you or this land’?” Ezekiel 13:2 “Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken? 8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations.” This was still happening. Titus 1:10 “For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.” When talking about the false teachers, Peter said, 2 Peter 2:1 “there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” This why it is so important to test the spirits. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
The church is called to yield to the word of God and be unyielding, which means “completely unwilling to be swayed or change a decision, opinion, demand.” If Adam and Eve had yielded to God instead of satan, they would have not been removed from the garden. If the people of Israel had yielded to God’s word, they would not have been vomited out of the Promised Land, just as they were told would happen. Leviticus 18:28 “And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.” But as we know, the people did not listen and to this day still do not listen. If the church had yielded to God’s word, the abomination wouldn’t have been able to cause such desolation. Today our focus is on those who lead in the church, although unyielding applies to everyone who follows Jesus Christ. Today there are many false teachers, prophets, evangelists, apostles, and pastors. 1 Timothy 1:6 “Some have departed from these (sound doctrine) and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” They were supposed to preach and teach the gospel. Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. 7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.” Ephesians 4:11 “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” But they did not and went their own way and taught what was not sound doctrine and even spread doctrines of demons. The body of Christ was not built up, but torn down. Malachi 2:8 “But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.” As Peter said, 2 Peter 2:2 “Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.”
God uses His servants to proclaim His message. 2 Kings 17:13 “The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” 14 But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” 16 They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger. 18 So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, 19 and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. 20 Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.” They refused to yield themselves to God.
Today God still sends His messengers because people are still obstinate and stubborn and refuse to turn from their wicked ways, as most refuse to acknowledge the church is corrupt. Prophets are still sent out to speak the word of the Lord, but they do not add to scripture or take away the words of the Lord. They tell people what they do not want to hear, which is all in scripture. Peter said Acts 2:40 “With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” That is a small number compared to all the Jews who to this day reject Jesus as their Messiah. Just like the Jews did not want to hear the word of the Lord, the church today still does not want to hear God’s word. As I said yesterday, if a minister actually taught what the bible states and not what the doctrine and the hierarchy stipulate, that person would either be run out or fired. Although they may be given a chance to repent of their sins against that body and submit to the manmade church if they confessed the error of their ways. But if they were truly committed to God’s word, they would not submit and continue to proclaim God’s word. Peter said when they “commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus,” Acts 4:19 “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego also said when threatened to be thrown in the fire for not bowing to the idol, Daniel 3:16 “we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Job responded to his accusers, Job 27:2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, 3 as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, 4 my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. 5 I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. 6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.” They were unyielding in overwhelming situations.
Like these others, Daniel was also a committed man of God much to the dismay of those around him. Daniel 6:3 “Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” They then tricked the king and said, Daniel 6:6 “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.” It would be certain that Daniel knew what the lion’s den was, but he continued to worship God and did not change his ways. 10 “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, 20 “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” So they threw him in the lion’s den and God saved him. The king said, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” Daniel refused to yield to those who wanted to get rid of him because he refused not to yield to his God. Before Jesus was crucified, He prayed, Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
We are told in Malachi, Malachi 1:10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.” Isaiah 1:12 “When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” Isaiah started off by saying Isaiah 1:2 “Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.” That great worship music on a Sunday morning might not be so great. Closing the temple doors needs to happen in the church today but it will take men and women who stand on God’s word and are unyielding.
Most ministers, priests, teachers believe what they are preaching and teaching to be true. Individual churches, denominations, seminaries, bible colleges all believe the doctrines they have come to believe as truth. Since the church, denominations, including seminaries and bible colleges are so far from the truth, God’s word in Malachi is still relevant as most churches, denominations, seminaries and colleges need to be shut down and not started again but to return to the beginning, the gospel of Jesus Christ. That does not mean close for a month and then start over with everything still the same. We are not talking about what happened in the Reformation where people were opposed to the Catholic church and then started something just as bad. Or when a church shuts down and starts over by rebranding and follow some guru’s vision for church growth. This happened a lot with Saddleback (Rick Warren) and Willow Creek (Bill Hybels) as everyone wanted to be like them, but they forgot that they are to be like Jesus, not men who appear to be successful but have no power from on High. Most churches who make significant organizational changes, still believe the same doctrines, they just have a new website, building, new worship, better worship band and programs and may even draw more people but still have no power. It doesn’t matter if these churches / denominations / institutions have budgets in the millions and people are flocking to them, and they are considered highly successful, they need to shut down and return to the true gospel. Picture if you will one of the gurus saying we are stopping and closing the doors. Willow Creek at one time repented and said we made a mistake, but it wasn’t the repentance Jesus was talking about and if you know anything about Willow Creek and Bill Hybels you will see they did not turn from wicked ways. Many churches have accepted government oversite so they can be called a charity so people can a tax break for their giving. Giving would plummet if the charitable status was removed and it should be removed. The schools have to follow guidelines in order to be accredited.
To be one of those people that would dare shut one of these institutions down, you would have to have the fire of God with you and be unyielding. For example, let’s say you were a church in a denomination that wanted to turn away and return to the gospel. Yes, you would probably lose your job, your salary and benefits, maybe housing and if the people were willing to follow, the building would probably be returned to the denomination depending on the arrangement or sold. But you can’t be worried about any of that. There is an example with Amaziah, king of Judah where he hired additional soldiers from Israel, but a prophet said 2 Chronicles 25:7 “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. 8 Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.” 9 Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?” The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.” 10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home.” When the siege ramps were against Jerusalem and Babylon was about take over, Jeremiah said Jeremiah 32:25 “And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed.’” God responded and said 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? 42 “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. 43 Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ 44 Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord.” When you yield to the word of God you do not have to worry. Luke 12:28 “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Nothing is impossible for God, but we must stand firm on His word and not be moved but it must be God’s word you are standing on and not on other gospels. Psalm 16:8 “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken / moved.” Moses said Exodus 14:13 “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Joshua was told Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” You can’t be afraid to speak the truth. One area for people that is difficult is the subject of hell and God allowing people to spend eternity in hell. Too many in the church sidestep the subject, tell people they will be in heaven no matter what and there is nothing that can prevent that once they are baptised or prayed a little prayer. A true servant of God cannot be afraid to speak the truth; God will allow people to spend eternity in hell. Let’s be honest; most people do not want to think about an eternity in hell, myself included. The thought that millions are going to spend eternity in hell is overwhelming. First of all, death is not something most are comfortable with, even Christians, even though Jesus said, John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Not only is death hard to think about but the fact is that those who died have no other chance to go to heaven. Millions have been deceived and deluded and still are being deceived and deluded. Yes, many rock and rollers think hell is a party place and what a great time it will be, but they have no idea as most do not, what hell is. Hell is totally void of God. There is no place you can go on earth or in the universe where God is not. Even in the worst war zone, God is still present. In hell, God is not present. This is why so many do not want to think about it and even go so far as to say hell is not real and as some people (JW’s) believe, they just are no more and cease to exist like an animal. So people think if hell is so bad, why would a loving God allow someone to go there. First of all you should be asking why the Almighty God allows you to live in the first place. Next, we are already told the answer. God’s people refused to obey. God doesn’t make you obey like a robot but there are consequences for unbelief. God gave Adam and Eve everything, yet they rebelled against God and listened to satan who had already rebelled against God. For satan, his destination was hell with no second chance. People must obey God, or they too will join satan. Matthew 25:41 “‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” God’s servants must take His word seriously. I am not talking about the fire and brimstone preachers who scared people but led them astray with other gospels. We must make sure that people understand what happens to people who rebel against God’s word and refuse to repent. If this was emphasized, people would take their repentance more seriously. Then people must understand that they need to live their lives totally committed to God.
God’s messengers are always to be unyielding no matter what, but that also applies to followers also. When God sends you on a task, he doesn’t send you out powerless. Luke 9:1 “He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. When Paul was heading to Jerusalem, Acts 21:10 “a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” Paul then responded, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” When God called Ezekiel to be a watchman, He said Ezekiel 2:3 “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.” This very difficult task was to speak to his own people. Ezekiel 3:4 “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.” This sounds like an impossible task, but this is what God said to Ezekiel, Ezekiel 3:8 “But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” When God calls His servants to speak His word, they are fearless because God is with them.
When Jeremiah was called to speak the word of the Lord, God said, Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah then tells us what is happening to him. Jeremiah 20:7 “I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. 9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. 10 I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” 11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.”
Isaiah said Isaiah 50:4 “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. 5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. 6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. 7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! 9 It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will condemn me?” Joshua was told Joshua 1:2 “Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua was told do not turn from God’s word. Moses said Deuteronomy 28:14 “Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” 1 Samuel 12:21 “Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.” Psalm 119:51 “The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law.” Joshua knew what it meant to yield himself to God. He then told the people, Joshua 24:14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” He said to the people, Joshua 24:23 “Now then, throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Jesus tells us His followers must be totally committed to Him. It starts with the leaders but if they refuse, you may be that leader, but people who will stand strong are hard to find. Ezekiel said about the false prophets Ezekiel 13:5 “You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.” Lamentations 2:4 “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading.” It got so bad in Jerusalem that Ezekiel described it this way. Ezekiel 22:25 “There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken. 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.” God then said, 30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.” Obviously, there was Ezekiel and other true prophets but for there were no others. Yes, I have heard people talk about standing in the gap. There are even Stand in the Gap ministries but unless you lead people back to the word of God, the breaches in the wall will not be repaired. It is not about starting a new ministry, it is about doing as Jesus did, in the same power and authority from on High.
To do as Jesus did, we too must carry our cross, not just the leaders but everyone. Luke 14:25 “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” God expects His messengers, those He has specifically called with a message to be unyielding and speak only His word, even if those sent to refuse to listen. God expects the listeners to respond and repent and not be like those who said to Jeremiah we will not listen. Jeremiah 8:6 “I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.” Don’t be with those people any longer and don’t be afraid to make a change. 2 Timothy 3:1 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Jesus said John 7:16 “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” Jeremiah was told Jeremiah 1:7 “You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” Ezekiel was told Ezekiel 3:10 “And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.” If the Lord is calling you, then listen carefully and test the spirits and focus on His word. When Samuel was just a boy, 1 Samuel 3:10 “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Isaiah responded and said Isaiah 6:8 “Here am I. Send me!” Jesus said Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
