Isaiah 21: 1 – 17
Nightmare On Elam Street
1 The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land. 2 A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease. 3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it. 4 My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me. 5 Prepare the table, set a watchman in the tower, eat and drink. Arise, you princes, anoint the shield! 6 For thus has the Lord said to me: “ Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.” 7 And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, and he listened earnestly with great care. 8 Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night. 9 And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!” Then he answered and said, “ Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.” 10 Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, The God of Israel, I have declared to you. 11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “ Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12 The watchman said, “ The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” 13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites. 14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled. 15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the distress of war. 16 For thus the LORD has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.”
Today we are going to see the Lord’s Judgment on Iran. The area around the Persian Gulf was called in ancient times ‘mat tamtim’ or ‘ the land of the sea’. If you look at a map you will find the Persian Gulf and the area that our Lord Is referring to.
Do you see at the beginning of this study our Holy God’s significant point? Remember, this land was called ‘the land of the sea’. What does our Lord call it? – the ‘wilderness’ of the sea. What is He referring to? Elementary, dear Watson, the land will be turned into a wilderness as a result of the Assyrian invasion - 1 The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
What is a whirlwind? It is a tornado. We have just witnessed some devastating tornados, the most noticeable was in Joplin, Missouri. So, I wanted you to get an idea of what the scientists say about tornados.
Tornado Statistics
Definition of the Fujita Tornado Scale - developed by Professor Theodore Fujita of the University of Chicago to classify tornadoes according to wind speed and damage.
(FO) Gale Tornado (40 - 72 mph)
Light damage: some damage to chimneys, breaks branches off trees, pushes over shallow-rooted trees, and damages sign boards.
(F1) Moderate Tornado (73 - 112 mph)
Moderate damage: The lower limit (73 mph) is the beginning of hurricane wind speed, peels surfaces of roofs, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, and moving autos pushed off roads.
(F2) Significant Tornado (112 - 157 mph)
Considerable damage: Roofs torn off the frames of houses, mobile homes demolished, boxcars pushed over, large trees snapped or uprooted, and heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown
(F3) Severe Tornado (158 - 206 mph)
Severe damage: Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses, trains overturned, most trees in forest uprooted, and heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown.
(F4) Devastating Tornado (207 - 260 mph)
Devastating damage: Well-constructed houses leveled, structures blown off weak foundations, and cars and other large objects thrown about.
(F5) Incredible Tornado (261 - 318 mph)
Incredible damage: Strong frame houses are lifted off foundations and carried a considerable distance and disintegrated, automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters, and trees debarked.
(F6+) Inconceivable Tornado (319 - 379 mph)
The maximum wind speed of tornadoes is not expected to reach the F6 wind speeds.
Tornadoes can be classified into one of three types:'
Weak Tornadoes (F0/F1) These tornadoes account for 74% of all tornadoes. They cause less than 5% of tornado deaths. Their lifetime is usually 1 - 10+ minutes with wind speeds less than 113 mph.
Strong Tornadoes (F2/F3) These tornadoes account for 25% of all tornadoes. They cause nearly 30% of all tornado deaths and may last 20 minutes or longer. Their wind speeds are clocked between 113 and 206 mph.
Violent Tornadoes (F4/F5) These rare tornadoes account for less than 2% of all tornadoes. However, they cause 67% of all tornado deaths nationwide. They may last for one hour or more with wind speeds greater than 206 mph.
Since 1950, North Carolina alone has averaged 14 tornadoes and two tornado-related fatalities each year. 1998 was a record year with 66 confirmed tornadoes through the end of November. The previous record year was 1996, when 51 tornadoes hit the state. In 2000, North Carolina experienced 23 tornadoes that caused one injury.
In North Carolina, F1 tornadoes account for 74% of all tornadoes. Only 1.6% of this state's tornadoes had a F4 classification, however these caused 44.6% of the injuries and 45.8% of the fatalities.
Our Lord Is referring to the F6 tornado here which will be caused by the Assyrian army. It will be so devastating that all that will remain is a wilderness.
Isaiah describes this message from the Lord as a nightmare. Look at how our Holy Master characterizes the Assyrians - 2 A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease.
What do these people use? The answer is ‘deception’. The motto is that ‘if it worked once why not continue to use it.’
Iran and all the other Islamic nations use deception in all their dealings. For example, in developing nuclear material, Iran said they were doing this for internal energy needs. The leading oil producer in the world needs another source of energy? If you believe that then I have a bridge to sell to you.
As I was trying to put together this message I was just interrupted with this guy needing to talk to me again. It was another emergency. I have already spent too many hours dealing with his issues. He believes that his wife is being unfaithful to him. Every time there is something unusual, such as her not matching her time and locations, I get a phone call. ‘I got the evidence now,’ he declares. I told him that she denies any wrong. I informed him that if he is a believer, a son of God, then he needs to trust our Father. If his wife is doing something, he and I both know that our Lord will reveal it. It will not be proven with ‘iffy’ evidence. When we panic we think that we have to do something. We have to come up with the solution. I rest in the fact that He can do all things, so why not let Him. Why not let our God take care of our concerns.
We read that the people being attacked instead of turning to God, thought they could get help from their neighbors – 3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it.”
In counseling session, I have learned that people do not want to accept my answer in problems like these – let us pray to our God and seek His help and trust that He will hear and grant our request. Look at what is says in Psalm 20, “ 1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; 2 May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; 3 May He remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah 4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose. 5 We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. 6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. 9 Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call.”
You can take comfort resting in the Lord. David was surrounded by hundreds of men out to kill him, but he turned everything over to the Lord and this is what he was able to say and do as revealed to us in Psalm 3, “1 LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. 2 Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah 3 But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O LORD; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah”
We see in verse 4 the outcome for people who do not put their trust in the Lord but in their own schemes.
4 My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.
Our Adoni Yahweh has given Isaiah warning in advance by commanding him to set up a watchman. You can never accuse the Lord for not warning people of upcoming disaster.
5 Prepare the table, set a watchman in the tower, eat and drink. Arise, you princes, anoint the shield! 6 For thus has the Lord said to me: “ Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.” 7 And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, and he listened earnestly with great care. 8 Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night.
How about us? Will He do the same? Will He set up us as Watchmen? Many of you are familiar with the prophet Ezekiel. We read in chapter 3, ““16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.” 22 Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there, and He said to me, “Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you.” 23 So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 24 Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, O son of man, surely they will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them. 26 I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and not be one to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.”
Numbers are interesting things. There is a lot to be learned if you do a review in the Bible when it comes to a certain number. For Example, with the number 4 we see that it many times refers to the earth. Such as [1] north, [2] south, [3] east, and [4] west for points of a compass. The seasons are broken down as [1] winter, [2] spring, [3] summer, and [4] fall.
The number 5 is seen as God’s Grace. The number 6 is man and the number 7 is that of perfection or completion for example, the 7 days of creation.
In the book of Ezekiel we read that 7 days was a time set for mourning. Ezekiel sat in ‘Bitterness’ not being mad at God, but rather mourning for the spiritual deadness of his brethren.
Having completed his mourning Ezekiel was ready for day 8 or sometimes known as a ‘new beginning’. Our Lord God now spoke to Ezekiel and told him He had a job for him to do – be a watchman.
If you have ever served in the military, you will have experienced this position as a watchman or also referred to as ‘guard duty’. It has to be the most boring job you can ever do, yet it is probably the most important job there can ever be. Your duty first of all is to stay awake. If you do not do that then you cannot do what this valuable position requires – to give warning of any approaching enemy and secondly to be ready to act for the preservation of those you are watching over.
There is a problem though with this spiritual position assigned by our Holy Commander in Chief. The people did not understand His job classification. You see the enemy [Satan] planted some phony watchmen as revealed in Isaiah 56:10 - 12, “10 His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory. 12 “ Come,” one says, “I will bring wine, and we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, and much more abundant.”
A church that the Lord allows to become successful needs to be on guard against the inclusion of false shepherds. It is normal at this time for men who are not called by the Lord to service to attempt to wean their way into a top leadership spot. These individuals flatter the chief pastor of God’s flock through deceptive words and actions. Their main goals are to seek power, prestige, and positions of authority.
See if you agree with me on this example of a new business. A person has a great idea and the passion to develop it into a new venture. He/she at the beginning of the business surrounded themselves with good people who shared in the growth pains. As the business developed into a corporation new people were hired to fill key spots. These individuals do not have the initial experience nor could appreciate the efforts originally made to make the company thrive.
As the Scripture indicated in Isaiah 56: 11, listed previously, “yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand. They all look to their own way, everyone for his own gain, from his own territory.” These people do not share in the same passion or interests as those at the beginning. Ultimately, if the owner has a son, he passes on the business to him. The son most likely lacks the same drive and interest in the business that his father had and will ultimately cause the business to decline. This will cause the stockholders to vote in a new corporate manager and many will not even remember who was the original founder.
Senior Pastor’s are very susceptible to this satanic invasion of their church by individuals who will destroy all the good works that has previously been made. The Pastor is offered new programs and so-called talented people who come into leadership and assume a ministry territory. One such addition to ministries is a Psychological Counseling department. What head Pastor has not thought of some kind of relief in dealing with difficult situations. These so called counseling experts offer their specialized services. As an outsider they now obtain inside information about the whole church family. What the Pastor does not realize is that he is giving away His role of shepherding the flock God gave to him. Look at 2 Kings 20: 12 – 19,
“12 At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. ”14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” So Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. 18 ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?”
The senior Pastor does not know that this serpent of an advisor is stealing his church from underneath him. He has given this ‘Rasputin’ the keys to his kingdom. This special assistant steals the hearts of his flock by his cunning false wisdom as Absalom did to his father in 2 Samuel 15: 1 – 6,
“1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” 4 Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” 5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”
Men who the Lord raised up to assist His chosen co-shepherd ultimately get pushed to the side. These true ‘watchmen’ are replaced by ‘yes’ men. These false shepherds smile on the outside but have evil intentions on the inside as they seek control through evil designs. The Satanic offer of the issues of life of the Pastor as described in 1 John 2: 15 – 16 blinds the head Pastor.
”15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”
The fruits of the spirit that initially guided the Pastor turn to Pride. He loves his popularity. He has forgotten the key things that got him to where he is today.
Zechariah 4: 6 says, “6 So he answered and said to me: “ This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, ’Says the LORD of hosts.”
Micah 6: 8 also reports, “8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
The natural progression of downfall causes the Pastor to get his heart and eyes off the Lord. To keep the attendance up the man now becomes a ’entertainer’. He now refuses to hear from his faithful watchmen choosing to hear only from the ‘Kisser uppers’.
It is difficult to say ‘watch out!’ when another group is saying, ‘everything is great!’. If you are a church leader ask yourself whom you would want to hear from. Of course, it would be from the ‘build me up butter cup’ group. This condition is not new. Look at what happened to Solomon’s son in 1 Kings 12: 1 – 15.
“1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt), 3 that they sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”5 So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed. 6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! 11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’” 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.” 13 Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given him; 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!” 15 So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from the LORD, that He might fulfill His word, which the LORD had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”
Wisdom is replaced by pride. The sheep then are not warned of dangers anymore. The Holy Spirit has departed from this church.
Since we all are sinful beings we would rather err on the words of encouragement then to words of warning. Look at what Jeremiah 6: 17, says, 13 “ Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. 14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, they shall be cast down,” says the LORD. 16 Thus says the LORD: “ Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘ Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
In the past our Holy Lord God Almighty repeatedly warned His people and unbelievers of upcoming Judgment through His Prophets. Today every believer in our Lord Jesus Christ is His representative to be His witness.
Think seriously about this statement. For a disciple or follower of our Lord Jesus Christ to refuse to share the ’Good News’ with the lost because of fear or any other reason, makes him/her in effect, their executioner.
Here is a poem that touched my heart. I do not know the author perhaps he/she wants to remain anonymous. If someone knows of this person let me know and I will give him or her credit for it.
‘My friend,
I stand in Judgment now,
And feel that you’re to blame somehow.
Never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth.
You never told me of the second birth.
And now I stand this day condemned.
Because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things, that’s true.
I called you ‘friend’ and trusted you.
But I learn now that it’s too late.
You could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the Light.
You let me live, and love, and die,
You knew I’d never live on high.
Yes, I called you ‘friend’ in life.
And trusted you through joy and strife.
And yet on coming to the end,
I cannot, now, call you ‘My Friend’
Please recognize that as a ‘watchman’ Ezekiel was responsible for every individual. Today’s Pastor’s also are responsible for every person our Lord sends his way. They are to faithfully represent God and take care of His sheep. If they do not want to agree with these requirements they need to go find another line of work. Many false shepherds fail to do both of these commandments. They may experience the same thing our Lord did to false ambassadors of the past.
Leviticus 26: 14 – 21,14 ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, 15 and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, 16 I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. 18 ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 I will break the pride of your power;I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain;for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. 21 ‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins.
Judges 2: 2 – 3,“2 And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? 3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’”
The Lord allows confusion and problems to come into a church whose leaders have become hardened by refusing the advice of his faithful watchmen. He looks at this information only as criticism. You will then notice how the sheep begin to be treated. The leaders discipline those sheep who should be ministered to and minister to those who should be put out of fellowship. Instead of having a church that heals the broken hearted they are the main catalyst that hurt the members.
I know of one large church that has hurt over 800 families. The Pastor of this church could care less that some sheep have been hurt and stop fellowshipping altogether. His position is that he has enough sheep in his church to worry about what happens to these complaining sinners. When confronted about this position, his pat answer is that he knows that when he stands before God he will have a clear conscious. What ever happened to going after the one lost sheep.
The point in this passage of the book of Ezekiel was that Yahweh was keenly aware of everyone and in what they thought, said, and did. A question to be asked is what is wickedness? It is doing the deeds of the flesh as pointed out in Galatians 5: 13 – 26
“13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
In verse 19 notice the words ‘wickedness’ and ‘wicked way’. Is there a difference? I believe that our Holy Spirit is showing a person’s evil state of mind [wickedness] and the acting out of this wicked thinking in their behavior. The Gospel of Matthew 12: 34 –35 tells us this, “34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”
When our Holy Sovereign Lord saw a wicked person He would inform Ezekiel. It was Ezekiel’s responsibility to go to that person and inform him or her of their wrong.
There is a good point to be understood here. God has not called us to be Christian policemen. We do not have the authority to go and confront anyone. These two scriptures point out how to go about correcting a brother or sister who is in sin.
Matthew 7: 1 – 2, 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Galatians 6: 1,“1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
Ezekiel knew his fellow Jews and they knew him. This is why he could go up and confront them when they were doing wickedly. The major thought here is familiarity. If I didn’t know you personally how could I go up and confront you with your sins. If I knew you and you knew me, you more likely would believe that I care about you.
One last thing I want to mention about being a watchman. Picture yourself doing this service. My question to you would be this, what direction do watchmen gaze at? If you answered a guard would look straight ahead, it would be incorrect. A watchman must look in all directions so an enemy could not sneak up behind him. One of the hardest things for me to deal with is the backstabbing of supposedly Christian brothers or sisters. I know if I, in any way possible, speak or act incorrectly toward a person, the Holy Spirit disciplines me. I know that I am not in any position to judge a person whether or not they are a believer. Yet, I have a difficult time believing that a person is a believer who hurts me or other Christians and nothing happens to them – No conviction of the Holy Spirit or any other form of discipline from the Holy Spirit. Does this problem ever happen to you?
I know that you have come into contact with people who believe that they are going to Heaven because of their works. Some believe that our God has a scale that He places all the good things we do on one side and all the bad things on the other side.
There is something wrong with this thinking. First of all whom does a person think he or she is to set the groundwork for eternal life. We are but dust. We do not control God. Look at verse 20 once more..
20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.”
So much for the idea of God using a scale. It’s like building up 100 ‘atta boys’ and then you do one thing wrong and they are all erased.
The apostle Paul additional clarifies this point in Romans 7: 7 – 25 as he reports,
”7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Let’s go back to Isaiah chapter 21
9 And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!” Then he answered and said, “ Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.” 10 Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, The God of Israel, I have declared to you.
Please notice that Babylon is ‘fallen’. It is not destroyed. For awhile this city/state that is anti God has influenced mankind to go it alone. Now they are dealt with. Their influence is greatly depleted. Yet, this evil will lie dormant for a short period of time and then come back again to lead men and women away from the only True and Living Holy God.
Have you ever noticed this at your work? Those individuals who have kissed up to the boss and hear that this manager was dismissed begin to fear for their own jobs. Such were the fears of the other allies of Babylon, namely Persia, Saudi Arabia and the surrounding people around the Persian Gulf.
11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “ Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12 The watchman said, “ The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” 13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites. 14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled. 15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the distress of war. 16 For thus the LORD has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.”
Their will be great confusion. We have not experience it ourselves, but picture that you hear news of an army massing on your borders. They are known to be merciless in their actions against other nations. And now they are coming for you as verses 11 and 12 point out - 11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “ Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12 The watchman said, “ The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!”
Our Great God even gives us a description of how the people will act - 13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites. 14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled. 15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the distress of war.
Our Lord spells out the consequences upon Kedar which is today the country of Kuwait - 16 For thus the LORD has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.”
Look at how specific our Lord Is on His message. It will occur in one year. He gives people a chance to flee before the devastation. They are being warned ahead of time of the total destruction – all the glory of Kedar will fail. Lastly, our Lord gives them the reason for all this – for the Lord God has determined to allow it to happen.
Can we see now the importance of studying His word? Instead of turning on the TV and listening to lies, let us go to the True Source of knowledge and learn from Him
