A while back in 2014, there was a Cadillac commercial with a dad and son driving towards what appears to be a supermoon. They said when you shoot for the moon, you get there. Now obviously a Cadillac CTS, no matter how awesome it is, will never get you there because it is a car that can only give you a view from earth. I also enjoy going for a drive out of town to see the moon in my 2004 Astro Van, and yes, I have the same view as a Cadillac. I love watching the moon, though I am not even close to being an astronomer as I just look with the naked eye and sometimes with binoculars. Before I go on, it is important to make sure your wording is correct. “Astronomy is the branch of science that studies everything outside of Earth's atmosphere. Astrology is the non-scientific practice of using the positions of celestial objects to explain or predict human behavior.” If you are involved in Astrology as a Christian, (Zodiac signs, horoscopes - don’t even look, tarot cards etc.) repent and have nothing to do with it. Just enjoy God’s creation with your eyes, not your worship. We are told Deuteronomy 4:19 “And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. 20 But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.” We then see how evil this is. Deuteronomy 17:2 “If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant, 3 and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, 4 and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. You must purge the evil from among you.” Obviously today we don’t put the person to death, we lead them to repentance so that the God of creation comes near. Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.” Yet there will be those who refuse to repent. Stephen said Acts 7:39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. 42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars.”
In the beginning God created the sun and the moon. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.” Psalm 74:16 “The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon.” The whole world can look up and see God’s creation; therefore everyone is accountable before God. Romans 1:18 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” As we saw from Stephen’s message, people rejected God and continue to do so. 21 “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” Because of rebellion, the church has been left desolate. Daniel 8:12 “Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.” Isaiah 1:9 “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” Matthew 24:21 “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” This distress is already happened and is still happening. 10 Your sacred cities have become a wasteland; even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation. Isaiah 64:11 “Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured lies in ruins.”
The church is the third temple and like the first two has been destroyed, but not completely even though we do not deserve God’s grace. As Nehemiah was told, Nehemiah 1:3 “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” After making his own inspection, Nehemiah said Nehemiah 2:17 “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So, they began this good work.” The same needs to happen with the church. The church has not been completely destroyed because God gave David a promise that there would always be a remnant of survivors, so there is still hope. Jeremiah 33:17 “ For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, 18 nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’ ” 19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21 then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”
Let’s get back to the sun and moon. As I write this, the sun and moon are still functioning just as God created them. It is interesting when people say, God did not create them and then offer their idea that instead everything just blew up and turned out perfectly, yet man still has not come to the end of the universe, nor can they explain it. Simply put, they are saying they do not believe in God. Psalms 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” Sadly, many Christians have listened to them and refuse to live by faith. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Even though they may not worship the sun, moon and the stars, they do not completely believe what is written in scripture.
God told David 1 Chronicles 17:7 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. ‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ 15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.” Many have read this promise to David and have doctrinized a false teaching that they are secure no matter what. Yet, Solomon, Israel and Judah all lost their kingdoms and only a remnant was left. God said to Solomon, David’s son, when he asked for wisdom and knowledge, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” He then went on to build a magnificent temple, and even after all that God gave him, he did not remain faithful to God and did what he was told not to do. He was told, 2 Chronicles 7:19 “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’” 1 Kings 11:6 “So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. 7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. 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. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son.” Solomon would lose the kingdom of his father and then eventually Israel and Judah would be destroyed by the Assyrians and the Babylonians because they rebelled against God. The temple that Solomon built would be destroyed as was the second one that was built to replace it.
God would keep His promise to David and there would be survivors, yet very few in number. Nebuchadnezzar came and besieged the land just as they were warned would happen. 2 Kings 23:37 “King Jehoiakim did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done. 2 Chronicles 36:6 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.” Along with him, others like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah would go to Babylon and God would use these four young men greatly. Jehoiachin would succeed his father Jehoiakim but would surrender to the king of Babylon. 2 Kings 24:12 “In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. 13 As the Lord had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. 14 He carried all Jerusalem into exile: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.” So very few would survive, yet God would keep His promise to David even though most of God’s people would perish.
Tomorrow begins a series of four supermoons. One writer said, “When the moon is near the horizon, we see it alongside trees, buildings and other objects. That gives us a sense of scale, so our brain compares the moon to these nearby objects, making it appear larger. When the moon is higher up in the sky, there's nothing to compare it to, so it looks smaller. Photographers sometimes use this effect to capture stunning images of distant objects with the moon appearing extremely large behind them.” Kind of like the Cadillac commercial as it looked like they were going to drive right on to it. “August's 19th supermoon will be the first of four this year, with the others occurring on Sept. 17, Oct. 17 and Nov. 15. The closest supermoon will be October's Hunter's Moon, rising at 7:26 a.m.” Again, isn’t it amazing how they can tell you exactly when it will rise? Even though the sun, moon and stars are always doing what they were designed to do, sometimes God’s creation shouts at us to pay attention. When talking about the idols of Babylon Isaiah 46:5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? 8 “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” If you camp at MacGregor Provincial Park in Ontario, there is a spot called sunset point that looks out over Lake Huron. Just before the sunset, campers make their way to the shore to hopefully see a spectacular sunset out over the water. I say hopefully because sometimes there is cloud cover, and you cannot see it take place, even though the sun is still setting. But when you do see it, the sunsets are amazing. Sunrises can also be spectacular. These supermoons that are coming up and those clear skies where the stars light up the sky, the spectacular sunrises and the sunsets should all bring our focus to our creator God and sustainer of life even more than the everyday celestial showing. Don’t ignore them because the day is coming when they will cease to be, and eternity begins. Sadly, most will look and then carry on with their lives and not give a thought to God, let alone submit their lives to Him. We do not worship what God has created but we had better pay attention to His creation and submit our lives to him. So when you look to the skies on Monday and see a rare super / blue moon, turn your eyes to Jesus Hebrews 12:2 “the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
There has always been a remnant of survivors. Daniel 9:1 “In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.” Then we see the remnant, those who survived, freed to return to the land of promise. 2 Chronicles 36:21 “The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah. 22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: 23 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.” As God promised David, there would be survivors. Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. 3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, 4 ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ 5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? 11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.”
You see God’s salvation at work in the book of Esther. Here you had a group of people taken captive by the king of Babylon. Esther 2:5 “Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.” It doesn’t say what happened to her parents, but there were very few survivors when the King of Babylon laid siege on the land. The book of Esther talks about what happened to this group of survivors and even though they had survived one onslaught, there was another plot to wipe them out completely. Take the time to read the book of Esther and you will see the hand of God at work preparing to save His people even before it happened. Since you read the book of Esther, you know that Haman wanted to kill Mordecai but not just him, all of his people, but he did not realize queen Esther was a Jew. He tricked the king into signing an edict that would allow the annihilation of the Jews. Esther 3:13 “Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.” Mordecai said to Esther. Esther 4:13 “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Since the first edict could not be changed, another was made by the king at the request of his queen. Esther 7:3 “Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” The king then said Esther 8:8 “Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked. 11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.” Esther 9:1 “On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. 20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.”
Today most people who call themselves Christians have no idea they have been deceived and taken into captivity by the abomination that causes desolation because they have committed to denominational and doctrinal positions. There commitment has given them a false sense of security. Peter said 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” The worst situation you can be in is thinking all is well with your soul, things are going well, your church is a well-oiled machine, fantastic worship and a person at the front telling you that your place in heaven is secure when it is not. Due to this false sense of security, there is no repentance of their sin. If you recall from Deuteronomy above, we are told that bowing down to the sun, moon and stars deserves death, but we are also told that following other gods also deserves death. Deuteronomy 17:3 “contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, 4 and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.” Following other gospels is the same as following other gods, meaning you are following a different Jesus as we have talked about many times. Yes, there are those who actually say they are Jesus but for most, by following other gospels you are following a different Jesus, whether the person states that they are Jesus or not. 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.” Even though all along you have been told you are a Christian and you will have eternal life, by following other gospels you are not the Christian that you have been told you were, and you will not hear well done good and faithful servant but Luke 13:27 “I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’” Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Here is the good news. Because you are reading this means you are searching for truth. You know that you are not looking for someone to follow or other gospels to learn but the word of God. You also have come to understand the church is not the church it is supposed to be and are waiting for truth once again to reign. Most importantly if you are reading this you are still alive, therefore you still have hope of salvation and can still be filled with joy. Since Jesus is alive and you are alive, there is still time. 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.” Don’t be one of those people who refuses to listen, because if you do listen and turn from wicked ways there is hope. Isaiah 46:3 “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. 4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” For that to happen we must submit wholeheartedly to serving God. As we saw in Esther, mourning can still be turned into gladness. Having said that, there is also the option to refuse to repent and carry on believing all is well with your soul. Don’t take that option as your eternal life depends on it. Every one of us should be working out their salvation, even if things are going well. We all need to make sure because the end is near. It has been over 2000 years that have gone by since Jesus walked the earth and Jesus could return at any moment to take us home. Also, death could come upon us at any time old or young so we had better be prepared. Amos 4:12 “prepare to meet your God.” Are you prepared?
Israel and Judah were defeated because they refused to repent and turn from their wicked ways, just as the church has refused. Jeremiah 7:23 “I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’ 27 “When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.” As we saw in Matthew 24:22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive.” The abomination that causes desolation has decimated the church. There are churches everywhere but there is no power. Ezekiel 13:10 “‘Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with? 14 I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash.” This devastation is worse than what happened to Israel and Judah when the Assyrians and Babylonians attacked and took the few survivors into captivity. Millions have died thinking all was well with their souls, all the while worshipping a different Jesus because they had been taught other gospels. Most people are completely unaware that satan is in the church. Daniel 9:27 “And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” Instead of turning away from the Catholic church that had been leading people astray for hundreds of years already, at the time of the Reformation, the church continued in the wrong direction and spiralled out of control and added to the destruction of the church. Instead of returning to the word of God, the words and ideas of man created a myriad of doctrine and theology, all heading in the wrong direction and all leading to death, not life. At any time, the church could have returned to God’s word but did not and has not but continues to follow the ways of man and doctrines of demons and remains powerless against our enemies.
But again, there is hope of good news. God said Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.” By repenting, the church could have been rebuilt and continued to do as the church was supposed to do as we were shown by Jesus and empowered to do as Jesus did from on High. God said to the people, Zechariah 1:16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’” Zechariah 8:2 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” 3 This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.” Amos 9:11 “In that day “I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be.”
Because Jesus is alive and we are still breathing, there still can be salvation, hope, joy, and gladness, even though Isaiah 64:7 “No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. 10 Your sacred cities have become a wasteland; even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation. 11 Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured lies in ruins,” there is a remnant seeking God. Because of rebellion, God said Jeremiah 25:10 “I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 “But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate forever.” The desolation changes when we strive to lay hold of God once again. Jeremiah 29:10 “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
The good news for the church is the desolation will come to an end and joy and gladness will return. Isaiah 62:1 “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2 The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. 3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 54:6 “The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. 7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.” Isaiah 51:11 “Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. 15 For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name.” Isaiah 35:1 “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
To have this joy and gladness once again, the church must cry out to God to save and restore us. Isaiah said Isaiah 64:1 “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! 3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. 4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. 5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. 1 Chronicles 16:34 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” 36 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.” Psalm 54:1 “Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. 3 Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God. 4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” Psalm 90:13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. 17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 80:19 “Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.” But satan does not want you to pray because he knows the power to destroy his work is available to those who believe God’s word. 2 Chronicles 32:11 “When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst.” But you need to tell satan to stand behind you and continue to call out to God. King Hezekiah told the people not to listen to the lies. Isaiah 36:21 “But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.” As Isaiah said, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Jeremiah 31:2 “This is what the Lord says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel.” 2 This is what the Lord says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel. 7 This is what the Lord says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, ‘Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ 11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. 12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord— the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. 13 Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. 14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the Lord. 16 This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. 17 So there is hope for your descendants,” declares the Lord. “Your children will return to their own land. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 33:10 “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
As we saw in Esther when all hope was lost, God’s plan of salvation unfolded for His people and the tables were turned on their enemies. Today we serve the same God who has promised David to save His people, so there is still hope. Psalm 130:5 “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Isaiah 25:9 “In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Psalm 22:22 “I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.”
