The Shemitah: Judgment or Restoration*

Scripture gives us a choice - to receive the blessing, honor God's commandments, accept His Word, or reject it. The LORD told us that there are blessings and cursings, life and death, to choose between. Adam and Eve had a choice, and they chose to disobey the commandment of God, and we have sin and death as a result. It is the same with the LORD's commandment regarding the Shemitah. The Shemitah is described in Leviticus 25: "And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard..." (Lev. 25:1-4). In the seventh year, the land would remain unplanted, and no harvesting would be done. This sabbath year would be for the owner, his sevants and any traveller or stranger who might be staying with them. The sabbath year would also apply to any animals owned. The LORD promised that as the Israelites prepared to observe the Shemitah in the seventh year: "Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years." (v. 21). The children of Israel would not suffer lack for their obedience to let the land have a sabbath unto the LORD in the seventh year. There is no record of Israel or the Jewish people keeping the Shemitah seventh year sabbath for the land. There was a similar special sabbath year called the Jubilee year, which was to be oberserved every fiftieth year as well (v. 8-9). A Jubilee year would begin on the Day of Atonement of the fiftieth year (v. 9). In the Jubilee year, liberty is to be proclaimed throughout the land, and every man's possession shall be returned or restored unto him (v. 13). In giving commands regarding the speacial sabbath years, the LORD said that His people should not take usury or increase from their brothers, "but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee." (v. 36-37). Not only do we not observe the Shemitah and Jubilee, but the whole system of debt in America is based upon usury and increase. Considering this, will we see the restoration that comes from obeying the commandments of God or judgment for disobeying them? The LORD commanded that the Israelites should not compel a poor brother into being a bondservant or slave, but a hired servant until the year of Jubilee, when all is restored to him (v. 39-41). For over two hundred years, we kept people as bondservants or slaves in our country. There were no Shemitah or Jubilee years of liberty and restoration for them. We ignore the sabbaths whether in days, or years, even though Jesus told us that the sabbath was made for man, for his benefit, as an opportunity to enter into the LORD's holy rest. The prophet Joel prophesied about a complete devestation of the land, where all trees and crops shriveled and dried up like had never been seen previously. What little was left on the land had been eaten by locusts. No offerings could be brought to the house of the LORD, because there was nothing available to bring. The land had ceased to prosper. Could this attack upon the land be the result of a failure to give the land a sabbath rest unto the LORD in the form of the Shemitah, as He commanded Israel to do? Joel revealed what the people must do: "Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come." (Joel 1:14-15). Again Joel said, "Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand..." (Joel 2:1). The day of the LORD is described as a day of darkness, devouring fire, pain, earthquakes, and the withdrawal of light from the stars, sun, and moon (v. 2-10), "...for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible, who can abide it?" The LORD called His people to repentance: "Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping, and with mourning: and rent your hearts and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him..." (Joel 2:12-14). Again, the LORD by His prophet called for the blowing of trumpets, and for all of the people to gather together without exception to weep and fast in sanctification. As a result, the LORD will be jealous for His land, and pity His people (v.18). Joel then began to prophesy a restoration to the land and the beasts, gladness and rejoicing, and praises to God (v. 21-27). Rain and crops would be plentiful. Not only would the land be restored as a result of the repentance of God's people, but the LORD also promised a great outpouring of His Spirit on all flesh, wonders to be shown in the heavens and the earth, and deliverance of His remnant in Zion and Jerusalem (v. 23-32). The LORD always has a remnant in the earth. The prophet Zephaniah also delivered the Word of the LORD to His people: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger." (Zeph. 2:1-3). Do we think that failure to obey God's Word, including His Word regarding Shemitah and Jubilee, is without consequence today? The following events, being just some that occurred in Shemitah years, would tell us otherwise: 1916-17: the Stock Market collapses; some empires of the European nations collapse. 1930-31: 86% of stocks are wiped out. 1937-38: 50% of stocks are wiped out. 1944-45: the Nazi Third Reich ends, the British Empire collapses, America rises in power. 1972-73: 48% of stocks fall causing a recession, the U.S. legalizes abortion, and America suffers a loss in Vietnam. Skipping ahead to 2000-2001: the World Trade Center Towers collapse in an attack, and a financial crisis. 2007-2008: 50% of stocks are wiped out, and a global recession ensues. This would lead us to conclude that when the command of the LORD is not kept, a curse follows. This is confirmed in Deuteronomy. In Deut. 28, many different kinds of blessings are promised if God's people are obedient to His voice, and commandments: "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine (meaning "cattle, oxen; to learn, to teach, to utter"), and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store..." (Deut. 28:1-5). The description of all of the blessings continues from there for those who do all His commandments. However, there are corresponding curses for those who do not do His commandments: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store..." (Deut. 28:15-17). The curses continue as direct opposites to the blessings that are promised for the obedient observance to God's commands, which would include the periodic sabbath rest of the land unto the LORD of the Shemitah, and the appointed liberation of the Jubilee years. How can we turn the curses or judgment of disobedience into blessing and restoration? Joel and Zephaniah, and also Daniel (see Dan. 9:2-23) gave us the answer: all of God's people gathering together to pray, fast, repent, and to turn back to the LORD with all of their hearts. Second Chronicles 7:13-14 confirms this yet again: "If I should shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 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 will heal their land." The coming Shemitah (7th) year, is appointed to begin next month, in this year 2021. The next Jubilee (50th) year is scheduled soon also. These two special years in God's commandments can bring either judgment or restoration for our land based upon the obedience or repentance of the people of God. Which shall it be for our nation? *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 8/22/21 message to the church. You can contact us at P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR at Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. Look for us also on Facebook, Twitter, and at endtimeschool.com. We welcome your prayer requests, praise reports, and your support for this ministry.

Toward A Creative Ekklesia*

The Ekklesia (the called out assembly of God's people), also known as the church, is missing something of our destiny and purpose in the earth. This missing piece of the puzzle is essential in these current times, which are also the end times. That missing piece is the creative calling in our identity. Where does this creative piece of the Ekklesia come from, and how do we apply it? In Genesis 1, it is revealed that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The word "created" used here is the Hebrew word bara, which means to shape, to create, to form. Out of nothing, God made something. In the verses that follow, Gen. 1 also says, "And God made...". The word "made" is the Hebrew word asah, meaning to make, to do, to produce, to bring about. As we can see, in the things being made, doing is required. Finally, in the act of creating, God said, "...Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:26-27). So we have our answer as to where our creative force comes from. It was given to us when God created us in His image and likeness, and when He gave us dominion over all creation in the earth. So, how did God do the making or creating? He created by speaking: "And God said...". The Hebrew word translated as "said" is the word amar, which means to say, to speak, to utter in one's heart. Even the utterances in your heart have creative authority. Having been created in God's image and likeness, there is then something we must be doing. Daniel wrote that in the midst of the act of the greatest abomination and defiling of the holy that will occur in the end times, "...but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do ("exploits" was added to the originl text). And they that understand among the people shall instruct many...and some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." (Dan. 11:31-35). While the earth is foundering, the end time Church should be doing, creating, not holding conferences. As Moses' life was coming to an end, he had these words for Israel: "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;...I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments...that thou mayest live and multiply...I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." (Deut. 30:15-19). In our creative calling given to us by God, we choose life or death, blessing or cursing: "A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Prov. 18:20-21). We have experienced this many times both personally, and in ministry. When medical professionals have scorned and mocked creative words of life spoken over those who were declared to be near death, we kept speaking the creative words of life in the scriptures. We have seen miracle recoveries. Are creative miracles coming out of your mouth? God told us through His prophet Isaiah, that if the wicked will forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to the LORD, then He will have mercy upon them. As surely as the flowers and fruit follow the rain from heaven, God creates, saves and delivers by the words that go forth from His mouth: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish (asah from the above Genesis verses, meaning to make, do, produce, bring about) that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isa. 55:7-11). Moses told us that a choice was being made for life or death based upon our obedience to the commandments of God. Here again in Isaiah, the choice between righteousness and unrighteousness creates or produces a result. What are we creating in our choices? Jeremiah also said that the way of life, or the way of death has been set before us (Jer. 21:8). That choice, and the creative words spoken are clearly found in scripture. Jesus strongly attested to His creative Word of resurrection: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, 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." (Jn. 5:24-25). The creative Word has been given to us from Christ, the Creator of all things. We must choose to believe it, to do it. Even our entry into Christ's salvation comes as a result of belief and confession (Rom. 10:9-10). Abraham received the promises of God before the Law. He believed that when God spoke, it was accomplished. Our creative call is based upon the same faith. The greatest grace of God is the assurance that He will do what He says, so we can have faith and hope. Abraham is the father of us all in this type of faith: "He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness." (Rom. 4:13-25). Here is our righteousness also: that same kind of faith in the creative Word of God. What is the Ekklesia creating? What are we believing in the middle of these trying circumstances around us, and what are we speaking regarding them? Now is the time for the Ekklesia to step forward in creativity. As Moses spoke: I set before you life and death: choose life! I pray that the Ekklesia would be able to bring forth, to produce, by the Word of God in their mouths. *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/24/21 message to the Church. To contact: Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com, or PO Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705 Find us also on Facebook, Twitter, and at endtimesschool.com

Choices Make Destiny

"My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth."

 

"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

 

The quotes above are from Abraham Lincoln. Another quote that has been attributed to Lincoln is:

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

 

During this week when we celebrate the independence of this nation, we should keep in mind that this nation was founded on the Bible. The founding fathers made choices concerning the guiding principles of this country, and they always chose to fall back upon scriptural truth. There are choices to be made by us as individuals and as a nation in this present time as well. Whole destinies, even into future generations, will be determined by the choices that we make today. Each choice yields a specific result, and this is a Biblical truth as well.

The LORD instructed the children of Israel, as they were about to come into the land of covenant promise, that both the blessing and the curse were set before them. If they made the choice to obey the voice of God, and all that He commanded them with all of their heart, and soul, the blessing that follows that obedience would be carried into future generations. The LORD promised that the blessing from the choice of obedience would even carry to over a thousand years in the future, when the LORD would turn and gather a future generation from captivity from all the nations, and return them to their land. Not only would they be returned, but they would be prospered beyond anything their forefathers had known (Deut. 30:1-5). The LORD went on to promise:

"...the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand...and in the fruit of thy land, for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers: IF thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, and IF thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul...for this commandment is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off...But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil."  Deut. 30:9-15
The commandments of God, and the resulting blessing found in the choice of obedience to them, was not something that was a hidden knowledge, but the LORD made very clear that the people could easily know the way to blessing. Not only is it written, not only has He made sure that it comes out of our mouths, but He has even placed it in or hearts not just to speak, but to DO. We cannot say, "But LORD we didn't know we were choosing the curse instead of the blessing."
So here is the curse that also comes from a choice that we make:
"...if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them, I denounce unto you this day that ye shall surely perish...you shall not prolong your days upon the land. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."   Deut. 30:17-20
The choice to turn away from God, to separate from Him, to serve other gods, not only brings the curse of death to the chooser, but to the future generations. Life and blessing are only found in this God, not in any others.
Joshua placed the same choice before the children of Israel after they came into the covenant land, and after the idolatrous kings and people had been displaced. Joshua had to tell the people to fear and serve the LORD in sincerity and truth, and to put away the gods which their fathers had served, and the gods of those (the Amorites-the greatest and most powerful of the peoples, who were powerful no longer) who had inhabited the land before them. The fact that Joshua had to tell the Israelites to put the idols/gods away must have meant that they were worshipping them, even after all the wonderful things that God had done for them. Joshua went on to make the choice clear:
"...if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD....If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that He hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD." 
                                                                                                    Josh. 24:14-21
Joshua recorded in the book of the law the choice made by the people that day. However, all creation witnesses the choices we make. Joshua set a great stone as a monument of all that the LORD had spoken to them that day, "...for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which He spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."
Jesus also spoke about the witness of the rocks and stones, when the Pharisees tried to stop the praise to the King, Jesus, who comes in the name of the LORD:
"And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."  Lk. 19:40
Man may try to pretend that he does not know the truth when he makes a choice, but even the rocks know, and declare it.
We may say that we are not like the children of Israel. We do not worship nor serve other gods. However, we do worship and serve other gods, and we do make a choice to turn away from our God, when we deny His commandments and embrace the doctrines and practices of these other strange gods. As a nation, we have removed the names of God, and Jesus from our schools and the education we give our children, many times while teaching the names of other gods in their place. We have removed the name and the words of God from our public and government sectors. A threatening atmosphere has been established against any and all who choose God, and His commandments.
When the religious council tried to threaten the disciples of Jesus against continuing to speak and heal in the name of Jesus, even when the miraculous healing was right in front of their eyes and couldn't be denied, the disciples had to make a choice. So Peter responded, ",,,we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."  (Acts 4:8-22).
Those in our nation who continue to speak the name of Jesus, and speak and live by the Word of God, are threatened and falsely accused of hate and intolerance. The Word of God clearly enumerates the curses that come when the choice is made to refuse to retain God in our knowledge. Even though our nation may call these choices holy and acceptable before God, the people of God are commanded not to partake of them, and their resulting consequences (Rom. 1:21-32). Destinies are changed by our good or evil choices, and God has not hidden His Word from us, for us to be unsure which is good, and which is evil.
When we as a nation, choose to legalize and affirm the killing of unborn children, we are following after the worship and practices of the false gods Molech and Chilion. The worship of these gods demanded the death of children through fire. We cannot say that we didn't know that we were choosing to turn away from God and His commandments, choosing instead the curse. God's Word clearly says that He hates the shedding of innocent blood (Prov. 6:16-19, Isa. 59:6-8, Jer. 7:6-7. Joel 3:19).
These are only two examples where our nation and people have chosen to turn away from the LORD and His commandments, and have chosen the curse, rather than the blessing, death rather than life, and evil rather than good..
The choices are set before us individually, and as a nation. Choose good, choose life, choose to cleave to God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul. This is the choice that carries with it the blessing of God for the destiny of each person, of the land, and even of future generations. When we, the people of God, turn away from the choice of the curse, and turn back to our God, He will hear from heaven, and He will also heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14).
 

Recommended Viewing: "Monumental" (Documentary): http://www.monumentalmovie.com/

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, forgive me, and fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.