04/09/11

Lord's rebuke against the House of Judah

Jeremiah 22:6 - For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.

Today's message is not a history lesson but a message for us today.

Like I pointed out in my before mails our spiritual walk has different stages starting from Egypt to Zion. No doubt the message of Jesus' Gospel is for all mankind but His salvation is only for His people, His sheep. The word 組entile' is mostly mistaken for heathens. It originally meant the Jews who were outcast or lost because they followed other practices and other beliefs. The term originated for those from Galilee and was not staunch Jew therefore the place was crushed such that no Prophet (Man of God) could come from Galilee. Although God created all mankind He is most concern of His people and the others are like grass which the gardener also looks after but on the Harvest Day will be cut and burnt in fire only the trees bearing fruit will be spared.

Since God is primarily concern with His people He corrects them, pruning them and chastises them to make sure they do not fail, while He may ignore the doings of the others for a time being.

Judah is the third stage of spiritual growth where a person comes in the presence of God's glory. It refers to a person who has experienced the love, mercy and power of God in his or her life.

In today's message the Lord is talking to such people who He says have defiled themselves with half truths. They have little, little understandings of the Truth. Truth in the Bible is symbolized as a rock and the spiritual lives of these people the Lord calls as rocky region (Gilead) and they show the world they are holy (Lebanon) but are not.

The Lord is tell the Churches of today who live their lives like this, that He would cause them to be like a desert where they will thirst for God's mercy and will not receive, His people will leave these churches and many others will become victims to deception, the churches will lose their congregation and few will remain.

As God has been more gracious with us and has been pouring more of His Spirit on His people, He wants to see results. The First Rock (Jesus Christ) He allowed to be struck but the Second Rock (the Holy Spirit) He will not allow to be struck. He showed us how He did not forgive even His very love one Moses, so who are we to test Him?

People of Judah, you who have tasted and seen the Lord is good now need to build your relationship with Him by knowing Him more and living your lives according to His ways. Your showing 'holiness' does not fool God and your rocky ground is not going to hold you.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are Holy and You desire your children to be holy. No man can comprehend the sacrifice You have done out of your love for man and You will not let this sacrifice to go waste. Your Word will not return to You without doing the work You set it for. Lord, we pray for your Church and all the people who call by your Name, may they know your Name and walk in your ways, may your mercy be upon them...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
John 7:45-53
45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
53 And every man went unto his own house.

John 10:24-29
24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

John 17:9 - I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

James 1:9-11
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)