Blow the Trumpet in Zion Pt. 2

How shall we then live?

Paul simplifies that perplexing question. "For me to live is Christ," [Phil. 1:21] and "...if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." [Rom. 8:11]. The word made flesh who dwelt among us.  Emmanuel.  The perfect Lamb of God who was righteous, our High Priest who became sin, entered in to the Holy of Holies, making sacrifice once for all.  The "S"word that has come upon the land. 

We have seen that Ezekiel and John the Baptist were to blow the horn of warning, yet for the warned, hearing is not enough.  Ezekiel 33:5  "He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him.  But he that takes warning shall deliver his soul."  Hearing demands action.  Hebrews 11:7, "By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." (Incidentally, I'm anxious to see how Hollywood handles Noah in the new Russell Crowe movie - see the you tube video at bottom of post.) James 1:21-22 admonishes, "...receive with meekness the implanted WORD, which is able to save your souls.  BUT be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

What deceives us?  Pride, and it seems to me all sin has its root in pride, springing up from love of self:  Certainly that doesn’t apply to me!  I’m a good person!  I let Jesus into my heart years ago! I don’t need anyone, let alone God! We are all God’s children! I’ve been baptized! Look at all the good things I do! I deserve it! I’m too intelligent to accept “blind” faith!  Eve finally succumbed to a bite of the apple when her ears were tickled by pride.  Pride's deadly pattern not only afflicted the nations, but God’s people who continually need to guard against it. Ezekiel 33:24 reveals the Hebrews’ haughty attitude over the fall - though warned of their rebellion’s outcome in earlier chapters (see Ezekiel 2, 5 and 6 for instance):  “Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance!”  God’s response?  “Thus saith the Lord God; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?  Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor’s wife: and shall ye possess the land?….I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease….Than shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.”

Lest the church think we are not like that, read the Lord’s messages to the churches in Revelation.  Ephesus was warned to return to their first love (or else I will come to thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place), Pergamos against the doctrine of the Nicolaitans - essentially compromise with the world (or else I will come to thee quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth!) - Thyatira against tolerating fornication and spiritual idolatry (or else I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation), Sardis against their dead works (or else I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee), and Laodicea against lukewarmness (or else I will spew thee from my mouth). Only the churches at Smyrna, faithful unto death, and Philadelphia, the church “of little strength” who kept His word and did not deny His name, escaped rebuke.  They were faithful unto death (Hebrews 11:13), or persevered.

Ezekiel's continued message [33:31-32] to Israel could easily apply to our churches today, as the people continued their charade:  "Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that comes forth from the Lord.  And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as MY PEOPLE, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them:  for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.  And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not."  Is this not the same admonishment Jesus gave in 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments”?  

Hence, whether it is Ezekiel, John the Baptist, or Jesus calling the nations, individuals, or the church to repent, the warning has gone out.  The question is, do you see your need to repent; will you be the one who heeds the warning as did Noah, or the one that says it’s all hogwash?  

Wherein is hope for me? I want some good news - how about you?