Turn Ye, Turn Ye, Turn Ye

Wherein then is hope?

First off, what I am seeing repeatedly throughout Ezekiel is God in control.  That is hope.  Look at the following verses from Ezekiel 33:

Ez. 33:2: “WHEN I BRING (the sword upon the land…then whosoever hears….)

Ez. 33:28 “I WILL LAY (the land most desolate…then shall they know that I am the Lord….”

Ez. 33:33 “WHEN THIS COMES TO PASS…(then shall they know a prophet has been among them.”

This same theme - God is in control - is promoted throughout the scriptures.  Below is a mere sampling of verses that testify to this.

Isaiah 45:6-7  …there is none beside me; I am the Lord, and there is none other.  I form the light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Psalm 22:28  For kingship belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.

Job 12:10  In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Exodus 9:16  But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

Isaiah 14:24 Jehovah of Hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so it shall come to pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand. 

Acts 2:23 This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  (Explore Gen. 3:15, Is. 50:6, 52:13-14, 53, 59:2, Ps. 22:14-17)

Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Acts 13:48 And hearing, the nations rejoiced and glorified the Word of the Lord.  And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

….And hearing. The word, the sword, the S+word, the warning, the trumpet blown throughout the land.

Secondly, the warning’s purpose in Ezekiel is designed to save.  Yes, save.  Usually a warning is given to enable you to take action that avoids impending peril.  If you don't heed a warning like that, then you are foolish indeed.  Those of us in hurricane regions sure appreciate hurricane warnings.  That is hope.  God expressly says in Ezekiel 33:11 “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:  turn ye, turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O House of Israel?”  

The warning given through John the Baptist is designed to save.  In Matthew 3:2 John urges “Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  He was saying today.  Now.  This is the acceptable time [2 Cor. 6:2] about which Jesus further proclaimed [Luke 4:18-19] in the temple:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to…preach the acceptable year of the Lord!” closing the book of Isaiah mid-sentence, focused only on the "warning".  Why is that important?  Because we are between the WHEN and THEN of God’s purpose.  We are in the wonderful day of salvation before the wrath of God falls upon those remaining where they stand in unbelief.  John saw the sword upon the land and spoke out!

The warning given in Jesus’ first words of ministry echoed John’s: “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  [Matthew 4:17], Mark 1:15 clarifying first, “The time is fulfilled.”  Matthew 4 finds John imprisoned for his warnings.  

The warning given in the apostles’ first preaching (Mark 6:12] was “repent.” Mark 6 finds John the Baptist beheaded for his message and Jesus being rejected by his immediate community.

The warning given the world in Christ’s commissioning of the twelve was repentance for the remission of sins.  Interestingly enough, Luke 24:44 says it was Christ who opened their eyes to understand scripture, echoing God is in control (even of our understanding!).  “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and Psalms concerning me.”   Luke 24 finds Christ has been crucified for His message.

The warning given through Peter in Acts 2:38, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, was “repent.…”

The warning given through Paul and explained to King Agrippa in Acts 26 was “repent….”  and Acts 26 finds many of the early church martyred for their warnings….some through Paul himself.  

Every single act of salvation begins with that understanding:  we must repent.  It is a message hard to swallow for the pride that is in us, but nonetheless true.  Many say there is no God, therefore, there is no sin, yet God tells us, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves”  [1 John 1:8].  Isaiah 66 tells us God will choose their delusions, and bring their fears upon them; BECAUSE, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before my eyes.”   It is a message for which John the Baptist, Jesus and the church (then and now) have died.  Repent.

Repentance turns us.  Repentance points us in a new direction for it is sin that separates us from God, but Jesus Christ died for the remission of those sins and the reconciliation of you, me, to our maker.  To repent is to turn from death unto life.  Repentance is hope.  Today if you hear that warning, be assured God is granting you repentance.  Turn. Turn. Turn ye and live.  And that is good news as we live in the days of reconciliation, for there is a day coming where Jesus will finish the one negative line he left out when quoting Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim….the day of vengeance of our God.”  

As Christmas approaches, listen closely.  Hear the angels sing, “Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.”  Or listen to the Byrds.