PRODIGAL
SUN
FEBRUARY
2022
For
we are
His workmanship,
created in
Christ Jesus
for good
works, which
God prepared
beforehand that
we should
walk in
them. (Ephesians
2:10)
Let
you light
so shine
before men that
they may see
your good
works and
glorify your
Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:16)
Are
we walking
in the
gifting(s) God
has placed
within us
and giving
Him the
glory? If
not, why not?
Less than a week ago
I was directed to Ezekiel 12. What I found there was one of the
most sobering
passages I’ve
read in
a long
time. The
scenario unfolds
in Babylon
with Ezekiel in
captivity being shown by God what was about to take place in Jerusalem
to the
remainder of the tribe
of Judah.
God had sent many
prophets over the years to warn all of Israel what would happen if
they did not return to Him. In short; the loss of all things, His
blessings, His protection,
their lands, and even their children. Then, as today there were many
false prophets promising that
nothing bad would happen to them, and because judgment was delayed
they continued
sitting down
to eat,
drink and
rising up
to play
with their
new god
(idol) (Exodus 32:6)
just as the early Israelites did. Here we are thousands of years later
and we
still have not learned that
God means
exactly what He says.
Hezekiah is still on the throne in Jerusalem but Ezekiel prophesies he
is about to be taken to
Babylon and shall die there. (vs 12 & 13) Let’s read 14-16. “I will
scatter to every wind all who
are around him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out
the sword after them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord,
when I scatter them among
the nations
and disperse them
throughout the
countries. But
I will
spare a few
of their men from
the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all
their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they
shall know that I am the
Lord.” Continuing in verses 19-20, “And say to the people of the land,
‘Thus says the Lord to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: “They shall eat
their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so
that her land may be emptied
of all who are in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in
it. Then the cities that are
inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become desolate; and
you shall know
that I am the Lord.”
Because Divine judgment was, according to man’s standards, delayed at the
least and not coming according to
the false prophets God gave Ezekiel these words, “vs 23.. But
say to them, “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every
vision.” vs 24 “For no more shall
there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of
Israel.” vs
25 “For
I am
the Lord. I
speak, and
the word
which I
speak will
come to pass; it
will no more be
postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and
perform it,” says the Lord God. Vs 27, “Son of man, look, the house
of Israel is saying, ‘The
vision that
he sees
is for
many days
from now,
and he
prophesies of
times far
off.’ Vs 28 “Therefore
say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be
postponed any more,
but the word
which I
speak will be
done,” says the Lord
God.
Within
seven years
all that
Ezekiel had
prophesied came
to pass
exactly as
spoken.
Let’s
fast
forward
now
to approximately
AD 27.
(Matthew 24:1-2)
Then Jesus
went out and departed
from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of
the temple. And Jesus said
to them “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly I say to
you ,
not one
stone shall
be left
here upon another,
that shall
not be
thrown down.”
We see here the prophetic
word of Jesus about the temple’s destruction over forty years
in advance
to His
disciples. Although
the disciples
were associating
this particular
event with Jesus return
and the end of the age we know now there will be a considerable time
lapse between the two, or a repeat of the temple’s destruction in the
future when Jesus returns.
The destruction of
the temple in
AD 70
is central
for this article.
Beginning
in approximately
63 AD
a man
named Joshua
roamed the
streets of
Jerusalem saying, “Woe
is (or to) Jerusalem.” This warning continued for approximately 6 ½ – 7
years and
only stopped
after a
Roman thrown
stone hit
and killed
him after
saying, “Woe
is me!” This man stayed faithfully at his post until stopped by
death. Josephus was to later
write that some 100,000 people fled Jerusalem, and I’m sure it is safe to
say that some
were saved
due to ‘the mad
man’s ravings.’
We know that God always
warns all of mankind, and especially desires to communicate
with His
children. He
wants us
to know
His ways
as Moses
did and
not just
His acts.
Are we
truly listening?
Will we
respond to
His leading through
the Holy
Spirit?
America is on a collision course with disaster and there is no stopping it.
She has been given numerous
extensions for many years thanks to the intercessions of faithful saints,
but there also are times that consequences for actions must be
carried out. I’ve had some
terrible visions of what is coming in America, one of which is it being
reduced to a third world
nation. There
will be
no escaping
our reaping
what we
have sown for
the past
four hundred years. Our
nation is so saturated with blood and given to violence it can’t
escape. (None of this article is about the return of Christ although
it too seems close.) Why was I
led by the Spirit to Ezekiel? Are we down to single digit years as a ‘free’
nation? (An encouraging passage is in the last paragraph on the first
page where a remnant is
left to
explain why all
this is
happening.)
Peace and Blessings,
kenhayesfleming@gmail.com
(814) 687-3707
www.wbcis.com