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2:24:00 AM EST
Blowing the Trumpet in Zion
God's Judgments Are Coming Upon Us
What Will You Do?
On December 24, 2004 (two days before the infamous tsunami) the Lord led me to open my Bible to the book of Amos. This is what I read:
For when Adonai gives the order,
great houses will be shattered
and small houses reduced to rubble.
Do horses run on rock?
Does one plow there with oxen?
Yet you have turned justice into poison
and the fruit of righteousness into bitter wormwood.
You take pleasure in worthless things,
You think your power comes from your own strength.
Amos 6:11-13
Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me that God's judgments are coming upon us, America included. He asked me, "What will you do? The judgments will affect you, too."
He answered His own question by leading me to this subsequent passage of scripture in the book of Amos:
Here is what Adonai Elohim showed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts as the late crop was starting to come up, the late crop after the hay had been cut to pay the king's tribute. While they were finishing up eating all the vegetation in the land, I said,
"Adonai Elohim, forgive -- please!
How will tiny Israel survive?"
So Adonai changed his mind about this. "It won't happen," Adonai said.
Next Adonai Elohim showed me this: Adonai Elohim was summoning a blazing fire to consume the great abyss, and it would have devoured the land too. but I said,
"Adonai Elohim, stop -- please!
How will tiny Israel survive?"
Adonai changed his mind about this. "This too won't happen," said Adonai Elohim.
Amos 7:1-6
What was the Lord showing me? There are disasters decreed for this season of judgment we have entered. These judgments have been decreed because of our Pride and Idolatry (see Amos 6:13). There is a lot of differing opinion out there about the judgment of God. Theories differ and theological arguments abound. What the scripture does say clearly is that the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) Whether you think God alone brings judgment or that all bad things that happen are the result of the activity of the Adversary, the truth is that sin brings its own judgment. For everything that is sown, there must be a reaping, whether good or evil.Many of the prophecies in the scriptures have to do with judgment. Nations, including Israel, were judged based on their behavior. God's mercy prevailed for a time, usually for a long time, but then a Day came, a Day of reckoning that could not be avoided any longer. We have entered such a season on God's divine time clock; nations are hanging in the balance (including our own). We must stand in the gap and intercede like never before.
"Why pray?" you may ask. "Aren't the judgments decreed by God set in stone? " Apparently not, according to this passage in Amos, and others like it. We often hear the phrase that prayer changes things. But really, in cases of God's impending judgment, it is repentance that changes things. According to Amos 7:1-6, even though God has decreed disasters, if we pray, it is possible that He will relent and change or reverse some of these judgments. What do we pray for? We pray that people REPENT, and turn from their wicked ways, that God may hear from heaven and heal their land. (II Chronicles 7:14)
I have often said that things do not change until we change. The very definition of repentance in the Greek language (metanoia) and in the Hebrew (teshuva) means to turn or change and go in another direction. God has set the course of human history; we are on a trajectory that was established before the foundation of the world. The only way to possibly change the direction of that trajectory is to change our direction, and turn back to God. We draw near to God--He draws nears to us.
There are so many examples of this in the Bible. Those of us schooled in the stories of scripture can think of many: the repentance of Nineveh, a great imperial city, or of Nebachadnezzar, a great king. We think of those who repented too late, and too insincerely, like Esau or King Saul. I recently came across the story of an unlikely candidate for repentance. His name was King Ahab.We know what God' s opinion of this ruler was. He was considered a very bad character who did evil in the sight of the Lord. He was an idolator and a scoundrel. There is one nasty deed of his that is particularly odious, and is recorded in the 21st chapter of I Kings. We may know it well. He coveted a vineyard owned by an Israelite named Naboth. Ahab's wife, Jezebel ,conspired to have Naboth falsely accused and put to death, whereupon Ahab took the opportunity and siezed Naboth's vineyard. God sent Elijah the prophet to rebuke Ahab and declare to him the resulting judgment that was coming upon him for these deeds.
Here is what Adonai says: In the very place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick up your blood--yours!...Here, says Adonai, I am bringing disaster on you! I will sweep you away completely; I will cut off from Ahab every male, whether a slave or free in Israel. I will make your house like the house of Yarov'am the son of Nebat and like the house of Basha the son of Achiyah for provoking my anger.
I Kings 21:19b, 21-22
Ahab's reaction to the word of the Lord is surprising:
Ahab on hearing these words, tore his clothes, put sackcloth on himself and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.
I Kings 21:27
The Lord's reaction to Ahab's behavior is equally amazing:
Then the word of Adonai came top Elijah the Tishbite: "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring this evil during his lifetime; but during his son's lifetime I will bring the evil on this house."
I Kings 21:28-29
Here God chooses not to reverse, but delay His judgment upon the house of Ahab in response to Ahab's show of humility. Do you have a"tough cookie" that you are believing for? Someone that you cannot imagine ever humbling himself under the mighty hand of God under any conditions? Well, be encouraged by this story. The Bible says that "truly there was never anyone like Ahab...he gave himself over to do what is evil from Adonai's perspective. His behavior in following idols was grossly abominable..." and yet, he repented, and the Lord showed mercy to him. There is hope for any loved one, any nation, any leader you may be praying for!
Yet even now," says Adonai,
"turn to me with all your heart,
with fasting, weeping and lamenting."
Tear your heart, not your garments;
and turn to Adonai your God.
For he is merciful and compasssionate,
slow to anger, rich in grace,
and willing to change his mind about disaster.
Who knows? He may turn, change his mind
and leave a blessing behind him...
Joel 2:12-14I believe our merciful God is willing at any time to change His mind regarding disaster. Recall the story of Israel's sin in worshipping the golden calf that they had made. The anger of the Lord blazed against them, and if you read the passage of scripture in Exodus 32, it appears God was pretty determined to wipe them out! It was the fervent intercession of Moses that caused Adonai to relent, turn from His own anger (which was justified), and change His mind about the disaster He had planned for His people. History was forever affected by the prayers of one humble man who knew his God as a man knows his friend. I believe it was because Moses knew the Lord as well as he did that he was so successful in appealing to His merciful nature. He knew His holy character and His loving heart; he knew that God was not a harsh Person who would reap where He did not sow, but that He was a compassionate, benevolent Father, with a big soft spot in His heart for His people. I don't think God could resist the heartfelt appeal of His close friend, or ignore that determined pull on the apron strings of His mercy.
We must know our God in this hour to pray effectively. We must understand His severity and His mercy. (Romans 11:22) Like the tribe of Issachar, we must understand our times, and have wisdom from the Lord about what to do and how to pray. I believe that what I am telling you is a nugget of that wisdom from the Lord that we so desperately need in our unstable times.
I have noticed that in the book of Revelation, Heaven is constantly giving God praise, and rejoicing in His judgments. I don't see much rejoicing in God's judgments in the church today. I think it is because we do not understand the purpose of the Lord's judgments upon mankind. His chastisement is meant to eventually produce the peacable fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11) The judgment God spoke over Ahab was meant to lead him to repentance--and it worked! God's hand of discipline accomplished more with this intractable king than all the many times the Lord had extended mercy. Sometimes, when God is merciful and puts off judgment, it really is not mercy at all. Human behavior tends to worsen the longer there are no consequences to that behavior. Consider how the predeluvian world waxed worse and worse as God's mercy was extended throughout Methuselah's lifetime, until His Spirit could no longer strive with man. Consider how Israel and Judah's prosperity deluded them into thinking that everything was all right. God will not send judgment, but peace! they thought. Their idolatry and sin multiplied. And then, when they least expected it, swift judgment came upon them because they did not heed the warnings of the true prophets.
The turmoil that is happening in this world is a harbinger of the Lord's coming. We should rejoice, and look up, for our redemption is drawing nigh. But as we gaze into His face, and watch for His coming, let us also cry out to him for mercy on the souls of this earth who yet need to know their Messiah. Let us seek the Lord while He may be found and call upon him while he is near, praying for the repentance of nations, tribes peoples and kings, that disaster might be averted and judgment perhaps delayed or deleted. It is the time for the determination of national destinies. Will they be sheep nations or goat nations? That depends on their response to God and our response to the Spirit of the Lord to pray.
Much of the church is asleep in this hour. They are oblivious to the times we are living in. Will you rouse yourself? Will you become that mighty warrior on the wall who will not keep silent until God moves? We have shifted into a new season. We have shifted into "he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22) Different times require different measures. God is calling us higher. These times will require our endurance. Are you ready?
The Blood is our Protection
Even as I call out the alarm, the question comes to my mind: What are the godly to do when the Lord judges their society? As we begin to see things crumbling around us, as we begin to see God's hand of judgment pass over our land, our cities, even our churches and families, what are we to do? The Word says that the righteous shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). The Word says that in the time of trouble, the Lord is our refuge and stronghold (Joel 4:16). The Word says that he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). Thousands of years ago, the Lord sent the death angel to the land of Egypt to carry out His judgment against that land. But He told the Israelites to slaughter a lamb, andput its blood on the doorposts of their homes. He told them, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." No plague (not even the ones that God decreed) could overtake them because they were covered by the blood of the lamb. It is time to huddle under the wings of El Shaddai, the God who is more than enough, and apply the Word of God and the Blood of the Lamb to our lives.
We are now entering the season of Passover, when we commemorate those days in ancient Egypt and the miracles of judgment God did there to win the heart of Pharaoh. We also commemorate the Lamb of God who was slain from before the foundation of the world to redeem a people to Himself. We have been spared the brazen judgment of God, because One took our place. Trust in that sacrifice in this hour. Meditate upon the cross and what the blood has purchased for you. With that revelation you will go forth in these trying times that will vex men's souls with a peace that is not of this world, and that in itself will be a sign to others when everything we know comes crashing in all around us.
Please, saints, prepare your hearts. Put on your "endurance training" gear, that armor of Light, and begin to run the race that is set before you. We are almost at the finish line, where the Author and Finisher of our faith awaits us with open arms. Remember, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. May we all run in such a way as to merit those gracious words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!"
* All scriptures quoted from Complete Jewish Bible
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