Ezekiel for Today and Tomorrow
Chapters 33 to 34
The Work of the Watchman! CHAPTER 33 Down through the centuries we as a people have had various large and small wars, many nations have wanted to sink the British people and those who have sprung from them, to the bottom of the sea. We've had at the turn of the page into the age of A.D. those like Boadicea and Caractacus who saw the tyranny of the Roman Empire. They raised their voice to give warning and through their leadership the British peoples were delivered and freedom remained. There was the time when the Spanish with their fleet of ships like the world had never seen, came across the English channel. Britain had its champions then who raised their voice and led the people to victory over their enemies. The Fresh under Napoleon tried to subdue the British under their heel and could not. It was people like Nelson, Wellington, Drake, and others who stood tall and were the watchmen of their time, the freedom fighters. During the Second World War it was Churchill who was the champion of the time. Winston Churchill was laughed at by the British government when he voiced his cry that there would never be peace with Adolf Hitler. Churchill was out working in his garden when the call came from London and the King to return to London and lead the British people against the might of the German army. The British government came to acknowledge Winston Churchill was correct. God has from the beginning of Israel being led out of Egypt by Moses, had prophets sent to them, to SHOUT and DECLARE the warning message of punishment and destruction, when Israel would not repent of their sins and leaving the way of truth and righteousness of the Lord. We can see the prophets of old as contained in the Bible, sent to Israel and Judah, the so-called 3 Major (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and 12 Minor prophets (Hosea through to Malachi). They were the WATCHMEN for the first captivity of Israel and Judah. But ONE MORE great and mighty CAPTIVITY is yet to befall the modern offspring of Israel and Judah. Most of the Western world are the nations of modern Israel and Judah. God's original message to them was to be written down (as we have seen in Jeremiah 30) FOR the time was to come again at the end of this age for Israel and Judah to go into punishment captivity. When God shows someone the truth of His word, the truth of the modern meaning of the prophets of old, then that someone has a GREAT RESPONSIBILITY to WARN the nations, not only of Israel and Judah, but other nations of the world also, as the prophecy applies. If that someone knowing the truth WILL NOT lift up their voice like a trumpet and shout the warning message, then the people's blood will be required at the prophet's hands. If the prophet does proclaim the warning message, then the people's blood will be upon their own shoulders. The prophet has done his job! I certainly did not plan or even consider as a young man that God wanted me to be one of His prophets to Israel and Judah. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I had other plans and thoughts for my life. But the Eternal brought me to see many of His truths that had been hidden from me as a young man. One of those truths is the very fact that the nations of modern Israel are the nations of North-Western Europe and the British and American peoples. I was not called to be one of the detailed expounders of that truth, that was for others to do, and indeed has been done. Probably the most scholastic research ever done on this subject can be found on the Website—- britam.org It has never been my calling to expound to you the in-depth details proving that a very good portion of the nations of the West are indeed the descendants of the House of Israel. But with that truth, I have been called to be ONE of the watchmen to the nations of Israel. I have been called not only to be a teacher of the word of the Lord, but one who has been given the understanding of the prophetic books of the Bible. So, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to SHOUT OUT to you of Israel what WILL BEFALL you IF you as nations will NOT REPENT! My duty is then done. Your blood will not be upon my head. With the modern worldwide INTERNET God is SHOUTING OUT to you concerning your SINS, your WICKEDNESS, your ABOMINATIONS. All peoples around the world, in most nations, certainly more and more every year, have access to the Internet. All are free to what is on the worldwide Internet. All, from the kings, to the people on the street, have access to the Internet. People can be informed, they can pass on to others what is there. From the heads of state to the kids playing in the back-yard, the INFORMATION HIGHWAY is out there for all to drive down. Be assured when your blood comes upon you, as it will indeed in God's own time, you will not have the excuse that you were not told your sins and wickedness. But, God has NO PLEASURE in the death of the wicked. He would like you to TURN from wickedness, to REPENT of your sins, and so the evil which He has thought to do to you, He will not do. For as he has said, WHY WILL YOU DIE O HOUSE OF ISRAEL - TURN FROM SIN AND LIVE!! If the wicked will turn from sin then he will not die, none of the sins will be mentioned; if you will do what is lawful and right then you will SURELY LIVE, says the Lord (verses 1-20). Jerusalem falls! Ezekiel was told that the city of Jerusalem had fallen. Remember that Jerusalem was a TYPE of what was going to happen to Israel in the last days. Ezekiel here is told that Israel says they have the land and none will take it from them. They are confident in their own power (verses 21-26). Ezekiel is told that many people come to him, sit at his feet, hear the words of God, BUT THEY WILL NOT DO THEM! They send forth "love" with their mouth towards God, but in their heart there is no desire to do anything but what they covetously want to do. Many God says, look upon the prophets like Ezekiel with favor, look at them as he that sings a lovely song, or has a pleasant voice, or can play well on a musical instrument; they will be willing to hear the words of the prophet, BUT THEY WILL NOT DO THE WORDS OF TRUTH!! When the words of the prophet COME TO PASS, and God says THEY WILL COME TO PASS, then you WILL KNOW a prophet of God was among you (verses 27-33). Are you one that is willing to open up this blog, one who will read it, study from it, say, "Yes, yes ... tell it to 'em Keith. Give it out and let them know their sins!" But then do YOU go away, turn off the Computer, and forget about DOING THE WILL AND WAYS of the Lord? I hope and pray you are NOT one of which the Lord speaks about in this section of Ezekiel. I hope and pray you are one that is not a forgetful hearer but a DOER OF THE WORD. CHAPTER 34 God's concern for His flock The Eternal One is very much concerned for each individual of His flock. He tells Ezekiel to give a WARNING to the "shepherds" (spiritual and political) of Israel. God asks, "Should not the shepherds FEED the flock?" the answer of course it a BIG YES!! God goes on to say that the shepherds of Israel have fed themselves, lived very nicely thank you, but have NOT healed the sick, have not bound up the wounds of the injured, have not gone seeking those who were driven away. The Eternal speaks of why Israel was to be scattered and fallen and driven away in the end time. Why they are to wander through the maintains and high hills. It is to be because they had no real shepherds to feed and guide them. And the shepherds did not bother to search for them. So, God will indeed deliver His flock from the lazy and "couldn't care less" shepherds. God Himself will search them out. He will deliver them from the false shepherds and He will search them out and find them and bring THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN SCATTERED, HE WILL DO IT IN THE CLOUDY AND DARK DAY!! (verses 1-12). We will see as we read the CONTEXT, that the expression "cloudy and dark day" is interpreted for us. God will gather Israel from OUT OF the countries they have been scattered in, bring them back to the plenty and safety of the land, to feed them with JUDGMENT. God will feed them. They shall no more be a prey, the Lord will be the judge, and they will have ONE master shepherd, EVEN DAVID, and the Lord will be their God, and David will be a prince among them! (verses 13-24). It is the time of the end, the cloudy and dark day of the Lord will have come. The judge of the earth will come. Jesus will return and the RESURRECTION of the saints will take place. David will be raised up from the dead, just as we saw in Jeremiah 30:1- 9. There can be no mistaking the TIME of this prophecy! We go on to read about the House of Israel and the House of Judah being sown together, and as God plucked them up and scattered them, to destroy and afflict, so He will watch over them to build and to plant. It is the time every person shall be judged for themselves, individually and personally. It is the time when a NEW COVENANT is to be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. It is a covenant of PEACE, where people can dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. Showers of blessing will come down. They will be safe in the land. The heathen will prey on them no more. They will dwell SAFELY and none shall make them afraid. And "thus they shall know that I the Lord their God an WITH THEM, and they, even the House of Israel are My people, says the Lord God" (verses 25-30) Can it be said that ANY nation has EVER had this covenant bestowed on them. No nation has EVER experienced such an everlasting covenant. It is the same covenant spoken about in Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:37-44; 33:7-16. What a BLESSING is in store for Israel and Judah. We wait with anticipation for all the promises of the Kingdom of God on earth. ....................... To be continued |
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