Unrepentant Sinners in the Hands of a Holy and Righteous Judge, Who is God

We live in a time when many do not believe in either a heaven, or a hell. However, we have several eye witness testimonies of people from various ages and walks of life, who have experienced both places from which they were subsequently returned to life. The witnesses encourage the faithful, but also warn all living by their testimonies, to consider their own salvation and future destination.
Our nation desperately needs to repent, and experience, by God's forgiveness, a spiritual awakening. Men feel safe because their sins have become the law of the land, but they are fatally in disregard of the Law of God. Because they believe they live with impunity, they reject the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace between God and man, Jesus. Some even believe that because they sit in church, and follow the religious tenets, they are safe. However, this is not so because they remain spiritually unregenerated, and unchanged.
In 1739, the minister Jonathan Edwards delivered a sermon to a church congregation entitled "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", which stunned the hearers. Many related that they saw the mouth of hell opening up underneath them as they sat in their seats. This sermon caused a widespread move of repentance and spiritual revival in America which history calls The Great Awakening (1730-1755).
This message to you today is titled "Unrepentant Sinners in the Hands of a Holy and Righteous Judge, Who is God", because we are all sinners. Some of us have been cleansed, and made new by casting ourselves upon Jesus. However, hell is reserved for those sinners who are unrepentant, and unconverted by Jesus, who is the only way of salvation and means of escape provided by God from the just condemnation and punishment we would otherwise deserve.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (Excerpts):
Based upon the Scriptures: "...their foot shall slide in due time..." Deuteronomy 32:35,
and Psalm 73:18-19, "Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors."

"He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, that has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces: they are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so 'tis easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that anything hangs by; thus easy is it for God when he pleases to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?

The devil stands ready to fall upon them and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The Scripture represents them as his "goods" (Luke 11:21). The devils watch them; they are ever by them, at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back; if God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.

The corruption of the heart of man is a thing that is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God's restraints, whenas if it were let loose it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so, if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into a fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.

Natural men's prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, don't secure 'em a moment. This divine providence and universal experience does also bear testimony to. There is this clear evidence that men's own wisdom is no security to them from death: that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death; but how is it in fact? Ecclesiastes 2:16, "How dieth the wise man? as the fool."

But the foolish children of men do miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in their confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The bigger part of those that heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell: and it was not because they were not as wise as those that are now alive; it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If it were so, that we could come to speak with them, and could inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of that misery, we doubtless should hear one and another reply, "No, I never intended to come here; I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself; I thought my scheme good; I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief; death outwitted me; God's wrath was too quick for me; O my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter, and when I was saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ then sudden destruction came upon me" [1 Thessalonians 5:3].

So that thus it is, that natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold 'em up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out; and they have no interest in any mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.

You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but don't see the hand of God in it, but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.
Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not that so is the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly;

The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and Justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood."

The above excerpts are sobering to all of us. They are just a portion of the complete sermon of Jonathan Edwards. However, if you have any doubt at all as to whether this fate, this hell, may await you, it is urgently time for you to accept Jesus as the One who can and will be your Redeemer. He is the One who ransomed us out of this pit which awaited us. It is not God who sends us there, but the weight of our own sin, and our own choice to reject His provision of mercy, that sends ourselves there. Not one of us is "good enough", or "religious enough", to escape on our own. Turn to your Savior today, and call upon His Name, Jesus.
To those who do know Jesus, we are also being called to repent and turn away from our sins:
"If My people which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land."     2 Chron. 7:14
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."    1 John 1:9
"...before the great and terrible day of the LORD come...it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered..."  Joel 2:31-32, Acts 2:21, Rom. 10:13)
That day is here.

Full Text of Jonathan Edwards' Sermon:
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

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The Coming Resurretion and the Living Resurrected

 

These are perilous times for many Christians across the world. Many are persecuted, some even to death. On the other hand, many Christians are filled with the desires for the things of the world. They enjoy their comfort, prosperity, and status, and would not want to risk losing those things. However, all Christians should treasure the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the hope and promise of resurrection for ourselves. Whether we are prospering or suffering, we all need to have a deeper and more intimate understanding of His resurrection.

Jesus taught us that even as His Father raises and quickens (restore to life, to cause to live) the dead, so the Son is also able to enliven those whom He chooses (Jn. 5:21). The Son will raise the dead by the sound of His voice:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him who sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life...The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live...the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good (by His leading and righteousness), unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."   Jn. 5:24-29 excerpt

Those raised by the voice of Jesus will be judged by Him, because He is the Son of man, as well as being the Son of God. His Father has entrusted this justice and judgment to Him.

 

The prophet Ezekiel experienced a profound vision of resurrection in a vast valley full of dry bones. Ezekiel was also called "the son of man" by God, as Jesus was, and this resurrection also occurred by the sound of his voice:

"Again He said unto me, "Prophesy unto these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD...behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army."   Ez. 37:4-5, 10

The dry bones heard the voice of the prophet, the son of man, who prophesied the word of the LORD God to them, and they were once again joined together, covered with sinew and flesh. They lived, breathed and stood again. It was the time of resurrection. This is the Valley of Decision of the prophet Joel, and the hour of harvest, in which the earth will be reaped (Rev. 14:15-16). These events of which the prophets spoke are about to come to pass upon the earth.

As we all wonder at this great resurrection authority and power of the Father, and the Son, the apostle Paul tells us that we are to seek becoming the living resurrected. We are to reach for this as something to be incorporated into our spiritual lives now. How are we to become the living resurrected? Well, before something is resurrected, even as the living resurrected, it has to "die".

 



 

Our bodies and lives are to be presented before God as living sacrifices, not conformable to this world, but transformed. This is the only way to live by the will of God, and become the living resurrected  (Rom. 12:1-2). Paul teaches further:

"...I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ...that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable (receive the same form as, to bring to the same form not found elsewhere, fashioned like) unto His death.    Phil. 3:8, 10

Our communion with Christ must include a communion with His sufferings, and death-death to the image and likeness of this world, death to the things of this world, death to our own will and flesh. If we conform to His likeness, we also must conform to His sufferings, His death, and even then, with great joy, His resurrection, while we still live.

This is not the time for a comfortable, satisfied church, but rather a church who hears His voice, His call to a living resurrection, and is pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
If you would like to know Jesus like this, and know the power of His resurrection, to have fellowship with Him in all ways, you can seek Him, and receive Him through simple, sincere prayer:
"Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sins, and become Lord of my life. I turn away from the sins and cares of this world, even my own flesh, and I turn to You, as my Savior, the true and living God. I believe that You died for me, that You rose again from the dead, and that You are coming again as our LORD and King. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and teach me and lead me in Your righteousness. By Your Spirit, give me the power and strength to live and walk in Your ways. Thank You for hearing my prayer, and receiving me. I pray this in Your name, Amen."
If you have prayed this and received Jesus, let us know! God bless you.

 

 

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A Samuel Return to the LORD

When the prophet Samuel ("Heard of God") was a boy in Israel, the priesthood under Eli and his sons was idolatrous, and corrupt (1 Sam. 2:12). They had contempt for the holy things of the LORD, and consumed His holy things upon themselves. The result of this behavior caused the people to disrespect the holy things also (v. 17). It was this attitude of disregard for the things of the LORD that caused Israel to bring the ark of the covenant from Shiloh (rest, quiet, tranquility, that which belongs to him) to the place of battle with the prevailing Philistines, hoping the presence of the ark of God would bring them victory (1 Sam. 4:3). The ark is not a talisman to be brought out and used by an idolatrous priesthood. The ark was not significant only because it was a piece of religious furniture. Its importance lies in Whose presence it represents. It is a holy vessel (Lk. 1:35) containing the Word of God  which is living,(Jn. 1:1-3) His covenant and His commands, the manna, the Bread of life come down from heaven (Jn. 6:33), and His spiritual authority of miraculous resurrection power (Aaron's staff that budded). It is a place of the blood covering, and the seat of His mercy. The ark was a type and picture of God's salvation, Jesus.

In this case, the Philistines continued to prevail, and not only took the victory that day, but they also took the ark! It was a shame and horror to have the ark of God fall into the enemy's hands. The corrupt and indifferent priests also died that day. When the news got back, Eli's daughter-in-law gave birth naming her child "Ichabod" saying, "The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken."  (1 Sam. 4:21-22).

The glory of God, the ark of God, could not be handled by just anyone. One must be cleansed and set apart, or suffer grievous harm, even death. Also, the ark of His glory could not be kept just anywhere, or mixed with idols. The Philistines discovered this as they placed the ark in their idol's temple, next to the image of their false god. The statue of the false god was destroyed by the presence of the ark, and the people of the Philistine city and the nearby area were destroyed also (1 Sam. 5:1-6). Wherever the Philistines moved the ark, death followed. Finally, they sought to return the ark to Israel on a cart with offerings of gold to appease the anger of the God of Israel, which had come upon them (1 Sam. 6:3).

Even as the ark was returned, the men of the city where it arrived mishandled the ark, and many died (1 Sam. 6:19). Finally, the man Eleazar was sanctified and set apart to keep the ark in Kirjath-jearim. It remained there for twenty years (1 Sam. 7:1-2).

For twenty years, the ark was removed from Shiloh (to be at rest, He whose it is, that which belongs to Him, also a Messianic name). For twenty years, no one was found in Israel who was able to bring the ark back to where it belonged, and all the people lamented (to wail with mourning, to groan, see also Zech. 12:10,12) after the LORD (1 Sam. 7:2).

They lamented because the spiritual condition of the people of God was such that they were no longer separated with the ark, but they were separated from the ark.

The prophet Samuel, told the people that he would show them the way to restoration:

"And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, "If you do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines."   ! Sam. 7:3

The children of Israel obeyed and put away their false gods, and idols. Samuel then instructed them:

"...gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD."   v. 5

Mizpeh means "watchtower", an elevated place or structure used as a look out for enemies. However, this watchtower is also a prophetic place according to its root meaning "to lean forward, to peer into the distance, to await, to observe." At this assigned place, the things Samuel would show them would not only bring them to a path of restoration, but would also have a prophetic significance, which we will see.

"And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh."    v. 6

 

The people gathered to that place, drew water and poured it out, fasted, and confessed their sin. Not only was this the way to their restoration, but it is the way to ours also.

מִצְפָּה

The letters that form the Hebrew word "Mizpeh" are shown above. Each letter has a meaning that reflects this path to restoration, not only for Samuel's era, but, prophetically, for the appearing of Messiah, as well. It is an eternal truth. Let us look at the letters:

Mem refers to water and blood. The people drew water, and poured it out at Mizpeh. Jesus is the water and the blood (Jn. 19:34, 1 Jn. 5-6). The second letter of Mizpeh is tsadde. This letter is a righteous desire, a trail, a journey, a hunt. The people journeyed to gather at Mizpeh, because they were seeking and desired righteousness. Jesus tells us to seek Him, and He will be found ((Lk. 11:10). The third letter, peh, refers to an open mouth, speaking, a beginning. The children of Israel  opened their mouths and confessed. The beginning of our path to salvation is with our confession (Rom. 10:9-10, Rom. 14:11, 1 John 1:9). The final letter, he, tells us to behold, watch, see, reveal. Samuel brought them, and prophetically, us, to the watchtower to see the restoration and salvation of God.

At this moment of restoration, the Philistines, again began an attack. Samuel offered a young lamb as a sacrifice that day in Mizpeh also, even as Jesus is our Lamb of sacrifice (Jn. 1:29). The LORD thundered a great thunder, and the Philistines were smitten. All the days of Samuel's life, the Philistines were subdued, and did not come again into Israel (1 Sam. 7:13).

Isn't it time for us also, His Church, to seek that journey of righteousness, and repentance, and bring back the presence of the LORD, and His glory? Haven't we also become "Ichabod", because the glory has departed from us? As Samuel instructed Israel, if we want to return to the LORD with all of our hearts, we must put away from us the idols, and false gods to which we have attached ourselves: the powers, desires, and cares of this world. The holy covenant of God will not share a place with our idols. If we confess our sins, as Israel did at Mizpeh, He will cleanse us of all unrighteousness. We are His royal priesthood, His holy priesthood, and we are to minister before the ark of His glory as such.

We desperately need a Samuel return to the LORD.

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The Seventieth Year

 

It is seventy years since the United Nations re-established the nation of Israel in 1947, after the end of WWII. At the same time, the nation of Jordan was established for the Palestinian people. This month, oddly enough, that same group of the nations of the world will meet in Paris to officially condemn Israel as the nation that has prevented peace. The fact that this event comes at the end of seventy years is extremely significant. This time frame of seventy years has a special scriptural, spiritual, historical, and prophetic meaning. Therefore, this year should become a very special sign of which to be aware for the people of God.

שִׁבְעִים

The number 70 is shiveem in Hebrew. It means "sacred, a week, complete, to take an oath". The Hebrew letters of the word are shin, beth, ayin, yod, mem. One way to express the meaning of these letters might be, "Crush and devour the House that God sees and watches over, and it will bring the hand, the completed, finished work of His flood of chaos and blood."

Jeremiah prophesied a significant time frame of seventy years, during which God's people would be in captivity in Babylon. As that seventy year time was fulfilled, Jeremiah prophesied that God would not only deal with Babylon, but all nations who had set themselves against Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem:

"And it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation...and will make it perpetual desolations...Take the wine cup of this fury at Mine hand, and cause the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink...Drink ye and be drunken, because of the sword which I will send among you...for I call a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth...evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth."    Jer. 25:12-32

Many nations shall see God's judgment at the end of Jeremiah's seventy years, including the isles which are beyond the sea, the kings of the north, and all the kingdoms of the world. (v. 18-26).

You may notice the fact that the fullness of the desolations, found in the judgments of Jeremiah's prophecies against all the kingdoms of the world, has not yet occurred. Prophecies may be fulfilled at separate times, and in multiple fulfillments. As an example of this, Jesus cited only a portion of Isaiah's prophecy when He spoke in the synagogue (Isa. 61:1- part 2) as being fulfilled that day, and left the rest as unfulfilled at that time. This may also apply to Jeremiah's seventy year prophecy. However, we should also be aware that the prophet Daniel discovered an even greater depth of meaning to the seventy years of Jeremiah, which impacts the timing and completion of this prophecy.

 

 

While in captivity in Babylon, the prophet Daniel studied and meditated upon Jeremiah's seventy year prophecy. This caused him to intercede and repent for himself and captive Judah, because they had failed to heed Jeremiah's warning, and had chosen to believe instead the smooth word, the flattering false-prophecies. He confessed that God's people had sinned and committed iniquity, had done wickedly and rebelled against God, departing from His precepts and judgments, disregarding His prophets (Dan. 9:5-11). Daniel prayed for God's mercy and forgiveness (v.19), and asked God to shine His face upon His desolate sanctuary again (v. 17).

The angel Gabriel then appeared before Daniel and began to open Daniel's understanding of Jeremiah's seventy year prophecy. Not only did that prophetic word deal with seventy years, but it dealt with seventy weeks of years (Dan. 9:24). This is an extended time period that would cover not only the return from captivity, but the appearance of Messiah, His cutting off (death), the destruction of the sanctuary, the abomination that makes desolate (even, we believe, in a third temple, yet to be built), and a war of complete desolation (v. 25-27).

We have already seen much of this come to pass, and we will see the completion of it, because we are living in the consummation of the age.

Daniel further describes this time of trouble in chapter 12. As the turmoil and destructive events of the seventy weeks of years time period come to a head, it is also the time when God's people are to shine brightest:

 

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."   Dan. 12:3

We are in that seventieth week of years of Daniel, and Jeremiah. We are fast approaching the end of this age of the Gentiles. Events across the world lead us to be aware of the signs of the times. We are even now seeing the nations unite against Israel seventy years after its re-founding. Let this be a warning trumpet to us all. Now, more than ever, we are to take the Gospel to all nations, to the Jews first, and then also to the Gentiles.

 

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2017-Season of Zechariah

 

 

Recently, the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, made statements regarding Israel and Jerusalem that, at best, were lies, and at worst, were anti-Semitic. There has been very little outrage expressed by the Church regarding these statements. One example from Sec. Kerry's comments follows:

"If the choice is one state, Israel can be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both, and it won't ever really be at peace."

The statements of Sec. Kerry are unacceptable, and shameful to America, but they reflect the prophetic conditions of our time warned of in scripture. They also signal the nearness of the end of the age (not the end of the world, as some incorrectly speak), the creation of a false treaty of peace that will result in a horrific war, the building of a third temple in Jerusalem, and the return of Messiah, Jesus.

In the face of lies, demands, and accusations against Israel by the highest officials, and by the United Nations, it is essential and timely to read and know what God's plans are for Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem.

God describes Jacob (Israel) as the "apple of God's eye" (Deut. 32:9-10, Zech. 2:8), meaning Israel is the center of God's presence, fountain, and face. God makes assurances in the strongest terms as the Keeper of Israel:

"Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."  Ps. 121:4

 

שָׁמַר

That word "keepeth" in Hebrew has a very strong meaning. It is the word shamar, to keep, guard, observe, have charge of, protect, save life, watchman, wait for, preserve, keep covenant, perform vows, to be on one's guard. The letters of the word, shin, mem, reysh, are even more emphatic, meaning to devour, to chew to pieces, to flood in massive water, chaos, and blood by the Head, the Highest. We will see this meaning fully developed later. While the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps, the Church seems to be sleeping, with very little to say about these important prophetic developments. Even though Secretary Kerry and others have spoken concerning Israel and Jerusalem, the words of men will not prevail over the Word of the LORD as given to His prophet, Zechariah  regarding Jerusalem:

 

 



-The LORD will return to Jerusalem and His house (the third temple) shall be built in it. The LORD shall comfort Zion, and yet choose Jerusalem. (Zech. 1:16-17, 2:12)

-The LORD has said that He will be unto her (Jerusalem) a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.  (Zech. 2:5)

-The LORD says that he who touches Zion touches the apple of His eye, and God will shake His hand upon those who touch her, and they shall be a spoil.  God also tells all flesh to "Be silent" before the LORD regarding their opposition to Jerusalem.  (Zech. 2:8-9, 13)

-Furthermore, the LORD says that He is jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and with great fury.  (Zech. 8:2)

-The LORD returns to Zion, dwelling in the midst of Jerusalem on the holy mountain of the LORD of hosts. He calls Jerusalem His city of truth.  (Zech. 8:3)

-The Creator of heaven and earth, and the One who forms the spirit of man within him, declares that He will cut in pieces those people of the earth who gather against Jerusalem.  (Zech. 12:1-2, 9)

-The LORD Himself will defend, and battle for Jerusalem.  (Zech. 14:1-3, 12)

-The LORD considers the city, and the house of David to be as God, and as the angel of the LORD.  (Zech. 12:8)

After all of these things, the LORD will reveal His salvation to Jerusalem:

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only Son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn."

"And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem...and the LORD shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name one."

                                                                                                 Zech.12:10, 14:8-9

With the nations currently rising up against Israel, and Jerusalem, this makes 2017 to be the year of Zechariah. We ignore the words of the Keeper of Israel and Jerusalem at our own peril. Those nations who move against Jerusalem will be judged harshly and unequivocally. In view of these events, it is time for the Church to wake up, and rise up, to be the Bride, to be the Ekklesia, the called-out assembly of God's people. Many in the Church fast for the new year. If we do so, let us do so sincerely (Isa. 58, Zech. 7), fasting for the peace of Jerusalem, and for the spreading of the Gospel to the Jews, and then the Gentiles. Let us also fast for our own nation, because we do not know the Word of God, nor how to repent before God. The little Word we do know, we ignore, or call irrelevant to our times. We have gone our own way, doing what seems right in our own eyes. This year, let us turn back to the LORD, and to His life and light.

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