Perishing People
We often sing "Rescue the Perishing" in our churches. It is normally sung as an invitation or during an evangelistic service. We think of the perishing people as the ones who do not believe in Christ and will perish in their sins should they die in unbelief. Indeed, that is what the author of the song had in mind. However, I have found in Scripture and in this present age some other people we need to see as perishing.
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. KJV
The word destroyed can also be translated as perished. God is speaking to the nation of Israel. They were established to be His priests. To come to God, the goyim or nations had to come to Israel and convert. They were the light of the world in the Old Testament. In the Book of Hosea, the light had gone out. So much so, that God removed them from their priesthood until they repented.
What brought them to this condition? The lack of knowledge is why they were destroyed and yet it was not that it was unavailable to them. They rejected it. Jeremiah 33:3 is the James 1:5 of the Old Testament. Sadly, they did not use it like we neglect the admonition of James.
The temple did not disappear. The Scripture did not vanish off the face of the earth. God did not take an extended vacation. They had every means of obtaining the knowledge they lacked. They willfully rejected it. They traded it in for the ways of the world, the lust of the flesh, and new and fun religions and theologies.
The forgetting of the law was not amnesia. It was not a momentary lapse of memory. It was again a willful tossing it into a back corner of the mind to be filed under obsolete things or Neanderthal thinking. Oh, they may have kept the copies of the law on their doorposts for tradition sake or as a good luck charm, but it had no real meaning to them. They may have moseyed down to the temple from time to time to see if anything new was happening, or to assuage some cloud of guilt caused by their upbringing, or to make their parents happy. It was all vain. They had lost the purpose of the temple and had no clue about the character of God. It was just something to do. It was just a ritual without reality. God and the truth were not really on their mind. They had other things to do and many ideas to titillate them.
As they purposely chose to reject God and forget Him, He rejected them as priests and forgot their children. Being rejected from being His priests may not have moved them, but you would have thought that the forgetting of their children would have made them consider their ways. It did not. That is how far gone they were. Most people will not care as much as what happens to them, but they will care about their children. They had gotten so far from God that they could not see the disaster this would be in the lives of their children.
How did He forget their children? When you forget someone, you do not do them either good or evil. You forget them. You do not even think evil or good of them. They are lost in your gray matter. God did the same thing to their children. He did not do anything evil to the children. The result of the parent’s sin would lead them into enough evil and pain. He could not bless them because they were in sin. He withdrew His hand from them completely. The word, forget comes from a word that also involves the lack of attention. He gave them no attention. That has to be the worst thing that can happen to a person other than being cast into Hell.
In the later verses of the chapter, it says that God would not punish the daughters when they committed whoredoms. He would not punish spouses who committed adultery. Why? Israel was playing the harlot with false gods and committing adultery against Him. The children did what they learned. He wanted the people to see what their sin would reap. They still did not repent.
He also says in verse eight that it shall come to pass that like people like priest. Eventually, they got what they wanted. They had priests that were like them. They committed the same spiritual adultery and whoredoms as they did which eased their conscience. No more killjoys like Hosea who burdened them with "Thou shalts and shalt nots." When they said, "Thus saith the Lord", it was always what the people wanted to hear, but the priests were hearing it from satan and their own wicked hearts and not from God. The priests of Baal were in the ministerium and the "priests" of YHWH would meet down at the temple of Baal once a month to discuss cooperative activities and partake of a temple "virgin" or two. Yes sir, just what the people ordered a priest that would give them warm fuzzies instead of conviction.
That was then. America has been called a Christian nation. If it ever was, it has longed ceased to be such. Yes, there are thousands of buildings called churches. They have names on them that stem from something in Christian terms or the Bible. However, as a nation we have long ago chosen to reject knowledge. God is a slogan and His Word is a bumper sticker or a screen saver, but we only use the verses that make us feel good. When is the last time you saw a screen saver that said, "the wicked shall be cast into Hell and all the nations that forget God?"
Even angels are usually milquetoasts, wimpy men or soft china doll women. Somehow, I do not think Michael the Archangel looks like any of those we see on posters and pins. Cherubims are not chubby little kids with wings. Seraphims do not sound like harp players. No angel in Scripture ever appears as a woman, so I have no clue where that came from, but it was not from the Word. The only female beings with wings are in Zechariah and they are carrying a woman in a basket that represents evil. They may well be demons.
When Zechariah spoke to the angel, he spoke to a masculine messenger. (Zech 5:5-11) Revelation speaks of demons with the hair of women and the faces of men (bearded). (Rev 9:7,8) He may have seen these beings from the back and thought they were women by their hair. Hmm, man can I do a sermon on that one! In many cases, we have a fantasy Christianity, not one based upon Scripture.
This fantasy and lack of knowledge certainly does not come from lack of materials or people. America has more books, tapes, CDs, radio, and TV programs by a horde of preachers than any country on the planet and we can share with the world via the Internet. We have more than enough Bible Institutes, Colleges, and Seminaries. Yet, many "believers" cannot defend or even state their faith. Many "believers" are shanghaied into wacko cults daily because they have no knowledge of the Word.
We have chosen to forget God. Many preachers are total skeptics and unbelievers. They proclaim things that are contrary to the Scripture. They deny and mock everything that Orthodox Christianity has stood for since the early Church. They would do better to go out and start some sort of social club. However, that would be the honest thing to do and we cannot expect that of false prophets.
I am not shocked or amazed that these wolves parade about in sheep’s clothing. Many Scriptures prophesy and warn that such would appear and even were appearing at that time. No, I am not surprised nor am I shocked and amazed that congregations let these lads and lassies in the pulpit.
Many people are "Christians" by their ethnic or geographical location rather than conviction. I was born into a "Methodist" family and my wife was born into a "Lutheran" one. Neither Wesley nor Luther would have called us true Christians. We were religious but lost. My wife and I knew very little about the doctrines of our "faiths." I often wondered why I was not down the street with my friend, the Catholic, when I quoted that "I believe in the holy Catholic Church" in the Methodist building. My wife had never heard of sola fide, sola scriptura and thought that as long as she had been sprinkled as an infant she was just fine. I wore Methodist on my dog tag and she always answered Lutheran when filling out forms, but our lives betrayed our speech.
Many other Americans share the same problem. Often when witnessing to someone they would argue from their "faith" and tell me I was wrong. I would turn my Bible around, hand it to them, and ask them to show me where I was wrong. They would stutter, stammer, and say that they did not know where it was in the Book, but I was wrong. I was in a Northern, white neighborhood knocking on doors when I came across a lady that said she was Lutheran. I said, "Great, then you believe in what Martin Luther said about only by faith and only by Scripture." She looked puzzled and said, "Martin Luther King?" I tried not to laugh, but I almost fainted. I replied that Martin Luther had been around a tad bit before the other guy. When I was only a few months in the Lord, I witnessed to one lady and she said Baptists sure knew their Bible. Little did she know that I had just used the last of the four verses that I knew. C];-)}|>
Baptists are just as bad. Most cults get quite a few of their converts from among the Baptists. I have known many Baptists that would let a preacher abuse his authority because he would rant, rave and quote "Touch not my anointed", or "You better not go up against God’s man." Had they been better versed in the Scripture, they would have known they had authority to dump the lad. On the other hand, some overreact and will dump a preacher for any cause which is also not Scriptural. (1 Tim 5:19,20)
Others will sit under a preacher that does not preach what they believe because he came highly recommended by some group or seminary. Instead of being Bereans, searching daily to verify what he is saying is true they just hear him and accept what he says because of his degrees. Even worse, some of them can prove he is wrong and they just shrug it off. They are convinced they cannot be right or they should not question him because they are just laymen and he is the educated clergy. They do not know the Scriptures and they greatly err allowing wolves in sheep’s clothing to devour the flock. They perish for lack of knowledge while the tools of wisdom surround them. This is much like a man in a canoe dying of thirst while he is floating in a fresh water lake. If Hosea were here, he would look around shaking his head saying, "Different people, same stupidity!" The old axiom, "All we learn from history is that we never learn from history" is vibrantly illustrated in our time. How many death certificates should show stupidity as the cause of death?
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. KJV
The next group of perishing people is not stupid. They are stupefied. They are numb or confused. They live from minute to minute. They have no clue where they are going or what they are doing. They are just existing. They have no plan for the future. They do not expect anything from the future and some expect that there will be no future at all. In a way, they are dead while they live.
If they are unbelievers, they just assume that this is all there is and their ultimate end is to die like a dog and just rot. Therefore, the past is irrelevant and the future so uncertain as to not be relevant since it may never happen. This moment, this present is all that matters and whatever it takes to get through this moment is truth. Consequences will be ignored or dealt with if it comes up in the present. The best they hope for is the old Epicurean chant of "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die!" It is no wonder that many opt for the die now and avoid the rush plan if death will end the pain of this moment. They do not consider that their sleep may be interrupted by an eternal nightmare of torment.
Sadly, some believers are no better off. They have no spiritual vision. They live for the moment or at least for the daily grind. They expect nothing but their daily bread and some have doubts of that. They have no clue of what an abundant life is all about. They believe Jesus said that He had come to give them life and life more redundantly and Heaven when they die.
They do not know what spiritual gifts are and if they are aware of them, they are positive that they do not have one unless it is pew warming. They expect nothing from their pastor except a fifteen-minute sermon that will make them feel good and that he will do weddings, funerals, and hospital calls. After that, they do not want to bother him or him to bother them. That is about what they feel about God as well. Show up and get me out of trouble from time to time and keep the blessings rolling and He can have the rest of the time to Himself. After all, they have plans so they imagine He must have some hobbies or causes as well. As long as their friends are at the church and the offerings are paying the bills they are content. No vision!
Their lives are miserable. Their families are in disarray. Their finances are out of control and they contemplate that a new job, a new spouse, house, or car will fulfill them. They go to their graves bitter and confused and end up with nothing but firewood at the Bema. (I Cor 3:9-15) They are just saved by the skin of their teeth or rather the great grace of God through the Blood!
Unfortunately, they are this way because many pastors have no vision or maybe the wrong vision. As long at the finances are doing well, he will keep his position and his annuity. He wants just enough numbers to impress his peers at the pastor’s meetings. Of course, those numbers must be made up of the right kind of people. We do not want too many poor people or worse yet their kids who may not be disciplined and will dirty up our beautiful building or wake up a deacon during the service with their horseplay.
Vision in this passage means a dream, revelation, or oracle. If the pastor is not speaking as the oracles of God, the people will not have a dream. (1 Peter 4:11) If he only gives them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear they will perish. If he has a maybe this or so and so said that knowledge of the Scripture, they will perish. He needs to know that he has the very Word of God in his hand and that God meant for us to know what He said or his congregation will perish. They need the revelation of God’s Word clearly preached to them or they will fall asleep and be distracted by false dreams by devils that pose as angels of light. (Eph 5:14; 2 Cor 11:14,15)
If the pastor cannot confidently say, "Thus saith the Lord" he needs to reconsider his calling. No one charges at the sound of an uncertain trumpet. (I Cor 14:8) He does not have to know everything, but he better know that all the answers reside in God and His Word or he is guilty of impersonating a preacher. The Body cannot keep the commandments of Christ if the preacher does not know what they are and thinks that gray areas are a great place to play like a busy freeway. God knows no gray shadows. He only knows good or evil. (James 1:17; Isa 5:20) Grace and mercy pick us up if we play on that freeway, but we are to read the signs and stay out of it. (Rom 6:1,2)
How will they perish? Will they lose their salvation and go to Hell? No, but they will go back to the ways of the world and be naked without their armor of God thus dying by exposure to the beggarly elements of this world. (Prov 14:14; Eph 6:11-20; 1Cor 5:4,5; Gal 4:9) Not all of them will go off into the world and commit grievous sins. Many will become legalists and harsh critics of the rest of the Body and even doing eyeservice in the Lord’s house. (II Cor 12:20-13:6;Phil 1:15,16; Col 3:22) They will be set at nought by the world and become laughingstocks when they attempt to witness or serve in some other capacity because they are doing so in their own strength and not by His spirit. (Zech 4:6)
Their only hope is to return to Lord to receive forgiveness and filling of the Spirit. Then again they shall be in their right mind, which is His mind and see the things that He has for them and for their church. (Phil 2:5; Eph 3:20) Let he that hath an ear, let him hear!
Job 8:13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: KJV
Thus, we come to the final group of perishing people, the hypocrites. In the Old Testament, the word translated as hypocrite refers to someone soiled by sin or one that is impious. We know that the unsaved sinner’s hope will perish because he has forgotten God by failing to pay attention to Him. He keeps God out of his memory. That is the meaning of the word forget here. He has no use for God and is foolish since he will lose whatever he gains in this life and will lose his soul in the next.
In the New Testament, the word translated as hypocrite means an actor under an assumed name. Many lost people call all Christians hypocrites and especially the ones who run into the freeway and sin. They are wrong. All Christians sin. Saying that we do not is just deceiving ourselves. (I John 1:8-10) Praise His Name, we are washed and cleansed at salvation, but unless we die at the moment of salvation, we will get dirty feet as we pass through this world on our way home. (John 13:8-10) Sin is not hypocrisy, but failure to appropriate all that we have to avoid it. Sometimes we are deceived. Sometimes it is because we are ignorant or immature. Whatever the reason, it is still sin and needs to be confessed and forgiven to maintain fellowship with Christ, but it does not affect our relationship as adopted and sealed sons. (I John 1:6, Rom 8:15, Eph 1:13)
Hypocrites are tares. They look like the wheat and smell like the wheat, but they are not wheat. Some may even do "miracles" and preach wonderful sermons, and pray eloquent prayers, but in the end, their hope will fail and they will perish. (Matt 13:25-43; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 6:2)
These folks come to church to just cause trouble. They want fancy titles and may even educate themselves attaining doctorates in theology, but they ever learn and never come to the full knowledge of the truth. They have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. They will perish with their degrees in the flames. (2 Tim 3:4-9)
I have known people who were raised in a Christian home, attended church every service and were taught in Christian schools from 4K until their fifth year of Bible College only to get saved in that fifth year. One can only imagine how many make it through seminaries and are never saved. Where I live a pastor’s wife was recently saved. What a revival would happen in some churches if the deacon or elder board and the Sunday School teachers were saved. How many missionaries are around the globe making the heathen twice the child of Hell that they are? (Matt 23:15) Make your calling and election sure! (I Peter 1:10) Speaking of that, hey TULIP dudes, how do you make your election sure if you have no free will to do so or does God tell you to sit in the corner of a round room to make you crazy?
Where do you stand today? Do you have a vision or are you perishing in darkness? Get in His Word and on your knees! Are you a hypocrite? Cry out for His mercy and you may yet be saved!!! Brother and Sister, have you neglected Him? Have you put Him out of mind and rejected His knowledge and wisdom thinking you have it all worked out? You know nothing as you should and you are perishing. You are backslidden and have no hope except for a chastening rod and loss of rewards now and in that Day of Judgment! Come back to Him now and find a Father longing to receive His prodigal child and bless you!!! Will you do it? Unbelieving friend, He wants you to come home as well and be adopted into the family through the new birth! Why will ye die?
Ezek 18:31-32
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. (KJV)
