sermon-archive – jeffersonvann

RETURN TO THE LORD

RETURN TO THE LORD

Joel 2:12-17 NET.

¹² “Yet even now,” the LORD says, “return to me with all your heart — with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!” ¹³ Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love — often relenting from calamitous punishment. ¹⁴ Who knows? Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake — a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the LORD your God! ¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly! ¹⁶ Gather the people; sanctify an assembly! Gather the elders; gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her private quarters. ¹⁷ Let the priests, those who serve the LORD, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, “Have pity, O LORD, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?”

The prophet Joel addressed the southern kingdom of Judah, and he never mentions the northern kingdom of Israel. Because he names no kings and refers to no contemporary prophets, the exact date of his ministry is difficult to determine. Our prophetic chronology places the book around 850 B.C., but the text itself offers no firm historical markers, leaving the date approximate rather than precise.

Joel was a pre‑exilic prophet who ministered before the fall of both the northern kingdom of Israel (721 B.C.) and the southern kingdom of Judah (586 B.C.). Other pre‑exilic prophets include Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, and Micah. Among them, Joel stands as the earliest.

Joel describes a devastating locust plague that had ravaged Judah. History records a similar catastrophe in 1915 across what is now Israel and Syria. The first swarms arrived in March, forming clouds so dense they blotted out the sun. The female locusts immediately began laying eggs—about a hundred each. Observers reported 65,000 to 75,000 eggs in a single square yard. Within weeks, the eggs hatched, and the young—unable to fly—moved like armies of oversized ants, hopping forward 400 to 600 feet a day and stripping every trace of vegetation in their path. After two more molts, they became adults capable of flight, and the destruction only intensified.

Immediately after the locust plague, a severe drought struck the land, deepening the devastation. The heat was relentless. The soil cracked, the rivers shrank, and the remaining vegetation withered. What little survived the locusts was now consumed by fires sweeping across the parched fields. Judah was left staring at a landscape stripped bare—an ecological collapse that touched every part of life: crops, livestock, economy, and hope.

But Joel’s message is unmistakable: this disaster was not the final judgment. It was an alarm, a divine warning shot. The locusts and the drought were God’s way of shaking Judah awake, forcing the nation to see its spiritual condition. Their covenant unfaithfulness had consequences, and the devastation around them was meant to drive them to repentance.

Joel insists that if Judah ignored this warning, something far worse was approaching. The locusts were only a symbol, a preview of a greater judgment on the horizon. He calls that coming catastrophe the day of the Lord—a day marked not by insects or drought, but by the arrival of an invading army, overwhelming and unstoppable, bringing destruction far beyond anything the locusts had done.

The plague was terrible. The drought was worse. But the day of the Lord would eclipse them both. Joel’s purpose was to make Judah understand that God was not merely punishing; He was calling—summoning His people to return to Him before the final blow fell.

Joel warned Judah to repent—to return to the Lord before an even greater calamity struck. The passage before us makes several foundational statements about repentance, and these statements speak directly to the questions every one of us carries about what it means to come back to God. Repentance is not a relic of the Old Testament or a theme confined to ancient prophets. It is the steady, unbroken call of Scripture from beginning to end.

The Law calls Israel to turn back to the Lord with all their heart. The prophets plead with the nation to return before judgment falls. John the Baptist begins his ministry with the command to repent. Jesus opens His public preaching with the same call. The apostles proclaim repentance as the doorway into life. And the book of Revelation ends with Christ still calling His people to turn from sin and return to Him.

Joel’s message fits squarely within this biblical pattern. His warnings are not merely historical; they reveal how God deals with His people in every generation. When disaster strikes, when life collapses, when the consequences of sin become impossible to ignore, God is not simply punishing—He is calling. He is summoning His people back to Himself.

HOW do we return to the LORD? (12).

Many of us carry a history with the word “repentance”. We remember revival meetings where the preacher urged us to walk the aisle, be baptized, or join the church. For many, repentance became something we did—a moment in the past, an event we point back to. But Scripture treats repentance as far more than a single decision or a trip down an aisle. It is a turning of the heart toward God, not merely a response to a preacher’s invitation. And Joel’s message forces us to rethink repentance, not as a box we checked years ago, but as a present, ongoing call from God Himself.

The people of Judah had their own traditions surrounding repentance. One of the most visible was the act of tearing their garments—a public display of grief meant to show their hatred of sin and their sorrow over its consequences. It was a cultural symbol everyone recognized. Joel understood this practice well; he knew it was the standard way people demonstrated repentance in his day. But he also knew its danger: it allowed people to perform repentance without actually repenting. A torn garment could hide an untouched heart.

The word Joel delivered from the Lord was direct and unmistakable: “Return to Me with all your heart—with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!” God was not asking for a performance. He was calling for a genuine turning of the inner life. The outward signs—fasting, tears, expressions of grief—were meant to flow from a heart that was truly broken over sin. Judah had mastered the ritual of tearing garments; God wanted the reality of a torn heart.

Fasting is not something most of us practice regularly. We usually stop eating only when something so painful or shocking happens that food becomes irrelevant. When a loved one is in critical condition or tragedy strikes without warning, appetite disappears. We don’t choose to fast—we cannot imagine eating because our hearts are too heavy to care. That is the kind of fasting Joel has in mind: not a scheduled religious exercise, but the natural response of a heart overwhelmed by the weight of sin.

And Joel doesn’t stop with fasting. He adds weeping and mourning—the outward expressions of inward grief. In Scripture, these are not theatrical displays. They are the visible overflow of a heart that finally sees sin for what it is: a rupture in our relationship with God, a wound to His holiness, a betrayal of His goodness. When the heart breaks, the eyes follow. When the heart grieves, the body responds. Joel is describing repentance that is so real, so deep, so honest that it affects the whole person.

This is why God says, “Tear your hearts, not just your garments.” Judah knew how to perform repentance. They knew how to tear their clothes, bow their heads, and look sorrowful. But God was not moved by their rituals. He wanted the reality behind the ritual—the broken heart, the humbled spirit, the genuine turning back to Him.

True repentance is not measured by how loudly we cry or how dramatically we respond. It is measured by whether the heart has truly turned. The outward signs—fasting, weeping, mourning—are meaningful only when they flow from an inner transformation. Joel’s message is that repentance is not a performance; it is a surrender.

WHY should we return to the LORD? (13-14, 17b).

Joel calls Judah to return with fasting, weeping, and mourning—not because God delights in misery, but because true repentance is born from a heart that finally feels the weight of sin. But Joel does something crucial here: he anchors the call to repent in the character of God. The reason God demands a torn heart is not that He is harsh, but because He is gracious.

Joel 2:13 gives one of the most beautiful descriptions of God in the Old Testament: “For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” That is the foundation of repentance. We return to God because of who He is.

He is gracious — God gives what we do not deserve. Repentance is not met with rejection but with open arms.
He is compassionate — God feels for His people. He is not indifferent to their suffering or their sin.
He is slow to anger — God is patient. He does not rush to judgment. He gives space to return.
He abounds in steadfast love — His covenant love is not fragile or fickle. It is abundant, overflowing, and constant.
He refrains from sending calamity — God’s desire is not to destroy but to restore. Judgment is His strange work; mercy is His delight.

This is why God calls for the heart. A torn garment can be faked. A torn heart cannot. And when the heart turns, it turns toward a God who is eager to forgive, ready to restore, and overflowing with mercy.

Joel wants Judah to understand that repentance is not driven solely by fear. The character of God draws it. The warning is real, but the invitation is rooted in grace. The God who judges is the same God who longs to show compassion.

Joel ends this call to repentance with a scene that is both solemn and urgent. The priests—those appointed to stand between God and the people—are commanded to take their place “between the porch and the altar” and cry out, “Spare Your people, O Lord.” This is not a casual prayer. It is the desperate plea of spiritual leaders who understand that unless God shows mercy, the nation is finished.

The location matters. “Between the porch and the altar” was the space where sacrifices were offered and where the presence of God was approached. It was the meeting point between human guilt and divine grace. By placing the priests there, Joel is showing that repentance is not merely emotional sorrow—it is a return to God on His terms, through the means He provides.

The prayer itself is simple but profound:

“Spare Your people” — an admission that judgment is deserved, and mercy is the only hope.
“Do not make Your heritage a reproach” — an appeal to God’s covenant promises and His reputation among the nations.
“Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” — a reminder that God’s mercy toward His people displays His glory to the world.

Joel wants Judah to see that repentance is not only personal and not only communal—it is intercessory. The leaders must plead on behalf of the people. The people must humble themselves before God. And the entire nation must throw itself on the mercy of the God who is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

This priestly cry becomes the turning point of the book. When the people return to God with torn hearts, and when the priests intercede on their behalf, God responds—not with judgment, but with restoration.

WHO should return to the LORD? (15-17a).

Joel makes it clear that repentance is never a private matter. When God calls His people to return, He calls all of them. That is why, in Joel 2:15–17, the prophet commands the nation to gather for a sacred assembly. No one is excused. No one is too young, too old, too busy, or too important to respond.

The elders must come, because they are responsible for leading the people back to God.
The priests must come, because they stand between God and the nation, pleading for mercy.
The children must come, because even the youngest are part of the covenant community.
Nursing infants must come, because the crisis is so severe that even daily routines must be interrupted.
Newlyweds must come, because not even the joy of marriage outweighs the urgency of returning to the Lord.

Joel’s point is unmistakable: when God calls for repentance, He calls for a whole‑community response. Sin affects everyone, so repentance must involve everyone. The nation cannot be healed if only a handful return. The priests cannot repent for the people, and the people cannot repent without their leaders. The entire community must gather, humble themselves, and cry out for mercy.

And at the center of this gathering stands the priestly prayer: “Spare Your people, O Lord.” It is a cry that acknowledges guilt, pleads for compassion, and appeals to God’s covenant love. Joel wants Judah to see that repentance is not merely an individual act of sorrow—it is a collective turning back to the God who is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

We in 21st‑century America live in an individualist culture, so we rarely grasp the power of an entire community turning back to the Lord. That’s unfortunate, because I believe God desires to pour out blessings, righteousness, and justice on whole communities—not just on isolated individuals. But He is not going to transform a town because a handful of people on the margins seek Him while everyone else carries on unchanged. What we need is a community‑wide return to God.

I’m not talking about one congregation, not even Piney Grove by itself. I believe God wants to revive this whole community and breathe life into every church that calls on His name. Imagine what could happen if believers across our town humbled themselves, prayed together, and returned to the Lord. That is the kind of movement God has honored throughout Scripture. And that is the kind of movement we should be asking Him for today.

Let’s lift our eyes beyond our own pews and pray for a revival that reaches every home, every church, and every corner of our community. Let’s see what God will do when His people come together and return to Him with one heart.

THERE SHE WILL SING

THERE SHE WILL SING

Hosea 2:14-20 NET.

¹⁴However, in the future I will allure her; I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. ¹⁵From there, I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.” There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt. ¹⁶“At that time,” declares the LORD, “you will call, ‘My husband’; you will never again call me, ‘My master.’ ¹⁷For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!” ¹⁸“At that time I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl on the ground. I will abolish the warrior’s bow and sword — that is, every weapon of warfare — from the land, and I will allow them to live securely.” ¹⁹I will commit myself to you forever; I will commit myself to you in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and tender compassion. ²⁰I will commit myself to you in faithfulness; then you will acknowledge the LORD.”

Many of the Old Testament prophets had to do outrageous things to get the people’s attention. God had a message for his people, but they often refused to listen to his words. Yet his prophets were more than his spokespersons. They were also visible signs of his existence. When the people looked at the prophets, they could see the state of their relationship with God. No aspect of the prophets’ lives was private to themselves, especially their marriage relationships.

We have already seen this in Jeremiah 16, when God commanded that prophet not to marry. This restriction served as a powerful, tragic symbol for the nation, hinting at looming, terrible judgment. It evoked a heartbreaking future in which families could suffer from disease, famine, and war, with their bodies left unburied. Such imagery reminds us of the dire consequences that could come if we don’t heed the warnings.

We also saw this principle in Ezekiel 24, when God instructed that prophet that his wife was going to die, but he commanded him not to mourn her loss in the traditional way. God kindly guided Ezekiel to avoid the usual public mourning rituals, such as weeping, wearing sackcloth, or covering his face. Instead, he was advised to keep his turban and sandals on and refrain from eating the “bread of mourners,” encouraging him to stay strong and grounded during this time.

This personal tragedy resonated deeply with the Israelites during their Babylonian exile. The loss of Ezekiel’s wife served as a reminder of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, which was so cherished. It was described as the “delight” of the people’s eyes. Just as Ezekiel was instructed not to mourn his wife, the people of Israel would also find it difficult to properly grieve the destruction of their cherished city and the heartbreaking loss of their children.

But the story of Hosea takes this principle to a new level. He was intentionally instructed to marry the wrong person. The resulting bad relationship became a symbol of the broken covenant between the people of Israel and their God.

Introduction: a bad relationship

First, Hosea was instructed to marry a prostitute. His wife, Gomer, would serve as a constant reminder that God had married Israel, yet that nation had turned to other gods and worshipped idols rather than the one true God.

Gomer bore three children, and Hosea was instructed to give them unconventional names. The children’s names were also signs of the strained relationship between God and his people. They likely contributed to conflict and dysfunction within Hosea and Gomer’s family as well.

Their first son was named Jezreel (יִזְרְעֶאל). It meant “God scatters.” That may have been a reference to Israel’s impending defeat and the end of the dynasty of Jehu. This would be especially significant because King Jehu had committed genocide at a place called Jezreel. So, every time Hosea and Gomer mentioned their son’s name or called him by name, it would remind them of that embarrassing fact.

I would imagine, for example, that not many parents have chosen to name their son “Adolph” after that name became associated with a cruel and deadly dictator. Having a son named Jezreel would have been an embarrassment to the parents, and I would assume the kid did not appreciate the name either.

The next child born to Hosea and Gomer did not fare any better. They were instructed to name her Lo-Ruhamah (לֹא רֻחָמָה), which means no pity. It sounds like a name a professional wrestler would use. It certainly did not sound like an appropriate name for a sweet little girl. Her name would be a reminder to Israel that when God sent his invading armies into that kingdom, he would not show pity to any of its inhabitants. The invaders would be allowed to destroy, desecrate, and annihilate. God would watch, and he would do nothing to protect them.

Children can experience shame and anxiety when other children make fun of their names. This poor girl had no chance to escape it. Her name was a reminder that her family was different. Her dad was a prophet, and they sometimes did strange things. Because of this weird name, she had to endure the taunts and jokes of all the other kids. I can’t imagine she turned out very well. It’s hard to be well-adjusted mentally when you carry around a name that virtually predicts you will be dysfunctional.

The third child was another son, named Lo-Ammi (לֹא עַמִּי), meaning “not my people.” David Guzik commented on this: “This was not so much a sentence or a penalty as a simple statement of fact. It wasn’t as if the people really wanted to be the people of God, yet God would not have them. Instead, the people of Israel rejected God, and here the LORD recognized that fact. He would not play “let’s pretend”: “You pretend to be My people and I will pretend to be your God.” The time for those games was over.”[1]

Hosea’s messed-up family did not stay together long. Gomer went back to her life as a prostitute, breaking her husband’s heart. God’s point in orchestrating this dysfunctional family scenario was that Israel’s apostasy was breaking his heart. That is why he was forced to scatter them and send them to the Valley of Trouble.

The Valley of Trouble

Long before, the Hebrews stoned Achan and his family to death in a valley called “trouble” (עָכוֹר) after he rebelled against God’s command at Ai. Now, God is going to send the entire Northern kingdom into its own Valley of Trouble. Remember, Hosea is prophesying to the Northern kingdom – Israel. Other prophets would focus on the Southern kingdom of Judah. Judah had at least a couple of good kings. Israel had none. At the time he was prophesying these things, the kingdom of Israel was enjoying a reasonable amount of economic and political success. But the time of trouble was coming to them because they were prosperous and healthy, yet they used that blessing to turn away from God and follow the idols of the pagans.

Consequently, God had to bring judgment on the Northern kingdom and Jehu’s dynasty of kings. During this time of trouble, several kings succeeded one another, but none of them lasted long. Several were assassinated. The last king of Jehu’s line (Hoshea) died in exile.

But even during this season of trouble, God was going to do a special thing for this wayward bride, Israel.

The second courtship

God says that in the future he will allure her; he will lead her back into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. It would be like a second courtship. We even see how she would respond to this allure. God says he will fence her in with thorns; he will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say, “I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now” (6-7).

You see, throughout Israel’s rebellious era, she was tempted to worship other gods because those idols were associated with what she wanted: prosperity, fertility, and health. But during the exile, the only thing those idols did was remind her of what she had lost. Consequently, the exile cured Israel of her idolatry.

The Opportunity for Hope

God was going to let them go through that time of trouble, but he was going to be with them on the other side. He promised to give back their vineyards to them and to turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.” There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt.

Out of this terrible time for Israel, there will come an opportunity for them to repent and return to God. God promised to plant them as his own in the land. He will pity ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah). He will say to ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), ‘You are my people!’ And they will say, ‘You are my God!'”

But it is not that everything will be the same as it was. No, you see, the Israelites used to equate Yahveh, their God, with Baal. They referred to God as their Baal – their husband. But that word for husband carried the connotation of one who dominates his wife. God says he would not allow them to have that kind of relationship with him. God says they will no longer call him their Baal. The standard word for “husband” is Ish, and the female form is Ishah. So God says to call him their Ish. Some of them started calling God Ishi, which signified a much closer relationship. Ishi means “my husband.” But it referred to a loving, nurturing husband, not a master.

Now, what is God telling us in all this? Let me suggest a few things for us to think about:

No matter how far you run from God, He is still there, waiting for you to come back. Israel was like the prodigal. They finally came to themselves and realized that life with their heavenly Father was better than the pig slop they were eating.
God wants to restore you. He will let you suffer the consequences of your wrong choices, but what he really wants is your love. No other god wants our love, but God always does.
God can take a bad reputation and turn it into a good one. He can take the Jezreels and turn them into people who are planted deep and produce an abundant harvest. He can take the Lo-Ruhamas and bless them with his unmerited pity and favor. He can take the Lo-Ammis and turn them into his chosen race and royal priesthood. He can take Saul, the chief of sinners and persecutor of the church, and turn him into an Apostle of grace. There is not one character trait that God cannot redeem.
Peter saw the power of God at work in the life of Christ and asked him to depart from him because he was a sinner. But Jesus didn’t do that. He saw not just Peter the sinner but also Peter the Rock upon which he would build his church. So don’t ever let Satan convince you that Jesus cannot use you.
We are living in uncertain times. Now is the perfect time to turn your back on the Baals of your life and return to your Ishi, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bridegroom is coming soon. We all need to get ready for Him.

[1] Enduring Word Commentary.

GOD’S UNHIDDEN FACE

GOD’S UNHIDDEN FACE

Ezekiel 39:21-29 NET.

²¹ “I will display my majesty among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited among them. ²² Then the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward. ²³ The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity, for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword. ²⁴ According to their uncleanness and rebellion, I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them. ²⁵ “Therefore, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name. ²⁶ They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid. ²⁷ When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations. ²⁸ Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile any longer. ²⁹ I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD.”

Ezekiel prophesied during the age of empires. The superpowers swallowed up small nations like Israel and Judah. Those empires reshaped the Earth’s geography by enslaving weaker nations and forcing them to become part of them. God’s people were enslaved and controlled by pagan nations because, during the age of empires, what was right was determined not by morality but by power. Might was right.

It was important for Ezekiel and the other prophets of this age to emerge and speak for God. If it were not for the prophets, the average Jew might conclude that the reason all this was happening was that their God was not strong enough to prevent it. After all, one of the names of their God was Yahveh of Armies (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת). That name signified that the armies of the nations moved at the Lord’s command. Even though pagan kings and commanders gave the commands, God was behind the movements of the armies and their victories.

But during the age of empires, those armies did things that the average Israelite could not explain. They attacked Israel and were victorious over it. They destroyed Jerusalem and demolished its temple. They killed its warriors. They deported the citizens of Israel and Judah to foreign lands, where they lived in slave-like conditions under the power of unholy tyrants.

During this time, the Jewish people were tempted to believe that the God of the Bible was not as all-powerful as the Bible said he was. They were tempted to see themselves as second-class citizens and to view their God as a smaller, weaker, less important deity. They had the old stories of God’s supernatural power, delivering his people from bondage in Egypt, leading their kings in the conquest of the land, or in battle against their enemies. But those stories began to seem like fables and nursery rhymes.

One of the purposes of the prophets during this time was to correct a misconception about God. They had to keep explaining that this age of empires, with all its horrors, was not outside God’s control. “Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” The people had convinced themselves that God had hidden his face from them, and that was why these greater gods and greater nations had taken over their lives. The tyrant’s might had proven itself right. But the prophets kept reminding their people that the exile came about because the Israelites themselves had broken their covenant with God. There was a moral reason for the age of empires. The military was not the prime mover of this history. God’s relationship with his people was the prime mover of these events.

The nations watched as God hid his face from Israel (23-24).

In verses 23-24, the Lord declares that the nations will realize that Israel was taken into captivity because of its disobedience and rebellion against Him. As a result, He turned His face away from them and handed them over to their enemies. They perished in battle, and He punished them for their impurity and sins, withdrawing His presence from them. He hid His face from them so they could not see Him at work. Yet he was still at work. He had not surrendered His sovereignty to these foreign kings or to their foreign gods.

These foreign emperors and kings were unaware, but Ezekiel predicts that they will come to know. Even during their exile, when they are captives of the empire’s rulers, God’s power will manifest among them in those lands. Prophets such as Ezekiel and Daniel would be taken to these foreign lands, where they would live out their lives and serve their ministries. The pagan kings, including Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, would encounter God and His word through the testimony of His people. They would realize that the God of Israel is all that the other Old Testament authors described about Him.

These kings would come to respect the God of Israel and understand that their control over these people was temporary and had nothing to do with their greatness. It was God himself who gave them over to these pagan rulers. He was punishing his people for their rebellion. Israel had a God, and their God had hidden his face from them for a limited time.

The nations would watch as God brought them back (27-28).

But Ezekiel prophesied that, in his mercy, God would reverse the punishment. He had exiled them, and he would bring them back. What is more, the very lands that had captured and enslaved them would watch helplessly as God brought them back to their land. God was behind the exile, hidden face and all. God would be behind the restoration. He had a purpose for the punishment, and he has a purpose for the restoration.

God assures his people, “When I bring you back from the lands of your enemies and gather you from various nations, I will show how great I am among you while many nations watch. Those nations will realize that I am the LORD your God, because I was the one who sent you into exile across the nations and then brought you back to your own land. I promise I will not leave any of you in exile anymore.”

As the age of empires continued, this small land of Israel became a visual sign for all those tyrants and their minions. They came to realize that, of all the nations they had destroyed, this nation had been restored. They came to respect this land and suspect that God had yet to do some great thing among them. It was so centrally located that war after war was waged in this land, yet those who had returned from exile remained. That horrible exile had cured their idolatry.

The prophets were unanimous in proclaiming that God was not finished with this land. Something important was going to happen there, and among these restored people. The nations around them would recognize it when it happened. But what was the reason for the return from exile?

The nations would watch as God poured out his Spirit on them (29).

God says that he will no longer hide his face from his people when he pours out his Spirit on the house of Israel. This prophecy was not unique to Ezekiel. In fact, God had said the same to one of the pre-exilic prophets.

God told the prophet Joel that his people would experience a terrifying time, comparable only to a locust plague that devastated a farmer’s crop. But then God said he would make up for the loss caused by the locust plague. He said he would make up for the years of loss caused by the invading locust armies. He said his people would have plenty to eat, and their hunger would be fully satisfied; they would praise the name of the LORD their God, who has acted wondrously on their behalf. His people would never again be put to shame. They will be convinced that He is in the midst of Israel. He is the LORD their God; there is no other. His people will never again be put to shame.

Then Joel made an interesting and unexpected prediction. He said that after this restoration, God will pour out His Spirit on all kinds of people. Their sons and daughters will prophesy. Their elders will have revelatory dreams; their young men will see prophetic visions. Even on male and female slaves, He will pour out His Spirit in those days.

When the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost, it was in the Jewish city of Jerusalem, and God’s presence and power filled the lives of Jewish people who had come to know their Messiah. Peter’s message at that time was, “Let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” The mass repentance that day was a Jewish repentance. The Gift of the Holy Spirit that day was a gift to the nation of Israel. But those Jews were residents in many different regions and nations and spoke different languages. The purpose of the infilling of the Holy Spirit among those Jews was that God intended to use them to bless the nations all around them. The Book of Acts tells us that this enormous church, begun by the supernatural event of Pentecost, was sent by God to those nations. God filled the church with his Holy Spirit. Then God scattered them all over the face of the Earth in a massive missionary campaign.

The horrible exile and the merciful restoration were only the first two stages in God’s plan. The third stage is what Ezekiel and Joel predicted. It would begin with a miraculous empowerment and result in new people.

The book of Revelation gives us a picture of the result of this new age we are now living in. First, there are 144,000 Jews from all the tribes of Israel. No, they are not JW’s. They are identified by tribe. But these are believers in the Messiah. They have a gospel message to preach to another group. It was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in long white robes and holding palm branches. They were shouting in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Now, Ezekiel’s message was to a poor, downtrodden, defeated nation whose God seemed to have hidden his face from them. Yet his message was good news. He told them that God would not hide his face from them forever. He had a plan for them. His plan included everything they had been hoping and praying for. The tyrants and their empires would come and go, but God would restore Israel to the land. As Joel prophesied, God would make up for what the locust plague had destroyed.

But there was more good news to follow. This beaten, bedraggled nation would be the launching point for God’s great, holy, and righteous empire, which would eventually cover the globe and produce a redeemed new universe. Daniel saw all the world’s empires toppled by a stone cut from a mountain. God is going to bowl a strike and reset the universe.

If you are a Christian today, you are part of that new universe. You may feel as those Israelites did in Ezekiel’s day. You may feel like a helpless pawn to the powerful and dark forces of a world out of control. But if you are a Christian today, you are not that helpless pawn. You are part of what God is doing. Let the Holy Spirit reign in your life, because no one else’s reign will last.

Communion meditation

But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply to the many! (Romans 5:15 NET).

As we remember again what our Lord did for us on Calvary’s cross, we would do well to consider what the Apostle Paul says in this text. He compares two things: a transgression and a gift of grace. The transgression is the rebellion in Eden. Adam was justly condemned for transgressing the prohibition in the garden. But as a result of his sin, death has come to all of us, even though we were not there and were not given the same choice.

But Paul says the gracious gift is not like the transgression. Some things make the comparison possible. Jesus made a choice just as Adam did. The consequences of Jesus’ choice will be experienced by everyone in Christ, just as everyone in Adam is experiencing the consequences of Adam’s choice.

But the differences are these. Jesus offers the gift of his own sacrifice to everyone who chooses to come to him. He paid the price, but we can choose to accept his death on the cross and apply it personally to our own sin debt. The other difference is the result. Adam’s sin brought a reign of death. Christ’s gift of grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life.

WATCHMAN

WATCHMAN

Ezekiel 33:1-7 NET.

¹ The word of the LORD came to me: ² “Son of man, speak to your people, and say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman. ³He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the trumpet, and warns the people, ⁴but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death. ⁵He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. ⁶But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’ ⁷“As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf.

Some refer to them as lookouts. Ships at sea position these lookouts on high points to watch for other vessels and hazards. On road construction sites, work crews use them to monitor approaching vehicles and warn the other workers. The Forest Service places them in towers to detect smoke from forest fires and dispatch firefighters swiftly.

The purpose of a watchman was to warn of danger.

We have read about watchmen at work in 2 Samuel and 2 Kings, as well as in the Psalms and Isaiah. It was a familiar sight in cities of the Ancient Near East. Their purpose was to protect the city by alerting its citizens of coming invaders. If they saw the signs of an invading army, they would blow their trumpet, and the citizens and the army would be warned so that they could defend themselves against the attack.

The presence of these watchers was common in Ezekiel’s time. The Lord reminded Ezekiel of their presence to explain to him his purpose as a prophet.

Ezekiel was responsible for being a watchman.

He was to be a watchman, but not exactly like those with trumpets. He was to be a lookout for spiritual enemies. Instead of guarding the city’s walls, he was to guard the hearts of its people. The Lord told him that if he sees the enemy coming into their hearts and he doesn’t sound the alarm to warn them, he would be responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but the Lord will hold them responsible for their deaths.

Two wars were going on simultaneously. There was a physical war that threatened invading armies who would bring disaster and captivity to the people of God. But another war was also raging in the hearts and minds of those same people. Ezekiel was the watchman responsible for protecting the people from that invasion.

The Lord said that if he declares that certain wicked people will surely die but doesn’t tell them to change their ways, they will die in their sins, and he will be held accountable for their deaths. That made Ezekiel passionate about his work. He fervently warned his listeners that their lives were in danger because they had rebelled against God and needed to repent before disaster overtook them.

The people listened, but they failed to respond.

Ezekiel attracted a following. People gathered to hear that unconventional prophet deliver his sermons. They observed him to critique his style and scrutinize his word choice. To them, it was entertainment, much like watching a TV show. They never considered that God might be guiding his words. Nor did they realize that God had sent him to guard them against the invisible army invading their hearts and causing their downfall.

There were also false prophets in Ezekiel’s generation. If people got tired of Ezekiel’s harsh words, they could change the channel. On the other channel, they could find a prophet who would tell them what they wanted to hear. Oh, and they were such eloquent liars. They were so erudite. They had such a way with words. Their sermons were so polished that you were left feeling so blessed. Their message was always the same: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. He is a good shepherd, and he always takes care of his sheep. You are safe in his arms, no matter what you do.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel has the tough job of warning the people of coming disaster, both from the invading foreign armies and from the invisible invasion that had already begun. It didn’t matter that the people showed up to listen to him if they never heeded his call to repent.

We have to respond to God’s warnings.

The message applies to us today as clearly as it applied to the people in Ezekiel’s time. When God warns us of the consequences of our sins, we must listen, but we must do more than listen. We have to repent of our sins and change our ways. If we fail to do that, God is forced to condemn us for that neglect.

In the church age, we have watchers, just as in Ezekiel’s time. We have people whose spiritual gift is to be on the lookout for where we, as the church, are failing to live up to the standards of the covenant. Four places in the New Testament discuss the spiritual gifts. Romans chapter 12, I Corinthians chapter 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. Neither list is exhaustive, but one gift is discussed in all three chapters: the gift of prophecy.

The purpose of the gift of prophecy is the same as it was during Ezekiel’s time. It is not primarily for foretelling the future. Its primary purpose is to declare God’s mind and what he wants us to do, or not do. It is the watchman’s gift. Every church has them. They are not always popular for the same reason that Old Testament prophets were often executed. Nobody likes to be reminded of their sins.

It is an embarrassing thing to have to listen to someone tell you that you are doing something wrong. But God has built into each Christian community a ministry of doing just that. He knows that we need them. He knows that unless the watchers are at their post, the enemy will invade and destroy.

We have some examples of the Lord himself serving as a watchman in two chapters of Revelation. The letters sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor are prophecies to those churches.

In his letter to Ephesus, the Lord praised their orthodoxy and endurance despite the city’s reputation as a pagan city. However, He warned they had abandoned their first love, not the truth. They were theologically correct but flawed in action, neglecting the very works they taught. Jesus cautioned that if they didn’t return to their initial love and deeds, they risked being replaced. Love does more than say “I love you.” Love proves itself by works. Faith that does not work is dead faith.

In his letter to Smyrna, Jesus told them to remain faithful to the end and promised them the crown of life. Their testing was like an Olympic game where winners undergo rigorous trials and emerge victorious wearing a crown, which is the same as the one Jesus promised the church at Ephesus: life itself. Wearing the crown of life means being raised from the dead at Christ’s return. Ultimately, that is the only victory that matters.

The believers at Smyrna could also take solace in the fact that Jesus promised their time of testing would be limited. What those ten days of testing entailed, we can only speculate. We do know that at least some would pass the test. Some would live to see the time of testing completed and gain victory over the apostate Jewish community by surviving their attacks.

In his letter to the church at Pergamum, Jesus identifies two distinct false teachings. First, he speaks of “the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.” Most of us remember this prophet for speaking to animals. Jesus reminds his readers of another incident in Balaam’s life, when he tricked the Israelites into sinning. Pergamum apparently had prophets who were leading the church astray.

Then there was “the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” Jesus commended the Ephesians for hating the Nicolaitans’ works, but did not explain what those works were. Both the Ephesians and the believers in Pergamum knew exactly what the Nicolaitans were teaching. While the Ephesian Christians had resisted their influence, the church at Pergamum had not. They had been compromised by – not one, but two heresies.

In his letter to Thyatira, Jesus spoke against a false prophetess. He called her Jezebel and demanded that she repent of her false prophecies. He told the church to hold fast to what they have.

He found Sardis sleeping and told the church to wake up, or else he would come upon them like a thief.

He commended Philadelphia for its faithfulness.

He warned Laodicea for being lukewarm: neither cold nor hot. They had what they needed, so they felt no need to be radical in their faith. Jesus is depicted as knocking at their door, symbolizing a relationship they could pursue. Taking this for granted led to tepid faith, and remaining lukewarm would be disastrous.

In each of these cases, God had a message for his church, and Jesus was the watchman he sent to deliver it. In most of these cases, that message was a warning. We ignore God’s warnings at our own peril. Our God loves us, so he cannot stand by and let us put ourselves in danger. He will send a word of warning. But it is our responsibility to heed that warning.

CEDAR SPRIG

CEDAR SPRIG

Ezekiel 17:22-24 NET.

²² “‘This is what the sovereign LORD says: “‘I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³ I will plant it on a high mountain of Israel, and it will raise branches and produce fruit and become a beautiful cedar. Every bird will live under it; Every winged creature will live in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I make the high tree low; I raise the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it!'”

Today’s message is all about a parable. Jesus is not the only one who taught in parables. The Old Testament prophets sometimes used parables, too. The parable we are going to look at today is that of the eagles and the vine. It is found in Ezekiel 17.

The large eagle, Ezekiel 17:1-6

God told Ezekiel, “Son of Adam, tell a riddle and parable to Israel. Say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: A large eagle came to Lebanon, took the cedar’s top, and brought it to a trading city. It planted some of the land’s seed in a fertile, water-rich area, like a willow. It sprouted into a vine, spreading low with branches toward him but roots beneath. It grew into a vine, producing branches and shoots.'”

This is not the entire parable, so only some elements have been revealed at this point. This large eagle is the king of Babylon. His empire is the superpower of the time. The vine is Zedekiah’s offspring: the royal line of Judah. Although humbled and in exile, the vine spread, producing branches and sending out shoots.

It is human nature to want to get out of your humbling circumstances and make something better for yourself and your children. We all want a better life for ourselves and to overcome the obstacles we encounter. But like Zedekiah, we can be tempted to do this in ways that are outside God’s purposes for us. Not all of us are destined to be mighty eagles in this life. Sometimes, the best that we can hope for is to be a spreading vine under the mighty eagle’s power. Zedekiah had made a covenant with Babylon, and things went well for his children as long as he kept it.

But there was another eagle, and the vine defaulted on its promises to the first eagle. That was an unwise choice. The vine was blooming where it had been planted, but it wanted more than God allowed.

We need wisdom to find balance in our lives. That means seeking the best we can make of our lives while staying true to our responsibilities and current boundaries.

Leaving God out of the picture, Ezekiel 17:7-8

In the parable, another large eagle with strong wings and dense plumage appears. The vine leans its roots toward it! It reaches out its branches from the plot where it was planted, as if asking for water. It was cultivated in a fertile field with plenty of water to grow branches, produce fruit, and become a magnificent vine.

As this parable continues, we are introduced to another large eagle. In real life, vines do not change their direction to accommodate the animals they encounter. But in this parable, that is exactly what the vine does.

The king and his sons chose to abandon their covenant with one evil empire and side with another. But their sin was leaving God out of the picture. Perhaps you and I should consider the choices we are making and whether our failures stem from making them without seeking the Lord’s will.

We need to consult God before making decisions outside his will. Zedekiah did not do that. He saw his chance, and he took it. He exercised his own sovereignty rather than trusting in God’s.

Will it flourish? Ezekiel 17:9-10

God asks: Will the vine flourish? Won’t he tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Notice, though it is planted, will it flourish? Won’t it wither completely when the east wind slaps it? It will wither on the plot where it sprouted.’”

The king and his sons had chosen to abandon their covenant with Babylon and seek another eagle’s protection. The parable asks about this new plan. The question is: “Will it flourish?”

Perhaps there is a change you are considering for your life and family recently. Will it make things better, or get you in more hot water?

The New Testament encourages us to pray for wisdom if we need it. James says, “If anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.”[1] We all know how dangerous it is to make decisions based on faulty or incomplete information. Wisdom requires knowing things that we sometimes do not know. We need the courage to ask.

We need wisdom to avoid rash and hurting choices.

price of escape Ezekiel 17:11-15

God said: ‘Tell that rebellious house, ‘Don’t you understand these events?” Notice that the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and officials, and brought them to Babylon. He made a covenant with a royal family member, putting him under oath, and took away the land’s leaders so the kingdom would be humble and keep its covenant. Yet this king rebelled by sending ambassadors to Egypt to procure horses and a large army. Will he prosper? Can he escape after such betrayal? Can he break a covenant and still succeed?'”

The royal family of Judah had sought to escape its covenant with Babylon by seeking help from Egypt.

What struck me as I pondered these words today is how quickly families are destroyed by those who encounter trouble and seek to escape it by breaking the covenant with their spouse. In a fallen world like ours, some marriages may be destined to fail, but every divorced person also knows that escape comes at a heavy price.

We need strong commitments that honor God and respect each other. This includes our marriages and other commitments. The world is looking for representatives of God’s righteousness. One way we can shine the light of God’s truth is by keeping our promises.

No cheating, Ezekiel 17:16-21

God says Zedekiah will die in Babylon, the land of the king who put him on the throne, because he broke his oath and covenant. Pharaoh’s army won’t help him as ramps and siege walls are built. He thinks lightly of the oath despite giving his pledge. He will not escape! God says he will hold Zedekiah accountable for breaking his covenant, catching him in my net, and bringing him to Babylon for judgment. His top troops will fall; survivors scattered. And when it happens, they will know that God has spoken.

The king of Judah had made a terrible decision. He had made a covenant with Babylon, but then decided to switch allegiance to Egypt. This infuriated God because the Babylonian exile was his idea. He intended to punish his own people for their idolatry and hypocrisy. He wanted to humble them, and so bring them back to himself. But they wanted to cheat.

Our God does not like it when we break the rules. We can justify our cheating all we want, but God knows when we step over the line. We need to keep between the lines so that we demonstrate our commitment to God.

The cedar sprig, Ezekiel 17:22-24

God says that he will take a sprig from the top of the cedar and plant it on Israel’s high mountain so it may bear branches, produce fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds will nest under it, sheltering in its shade. All trees will know he is Yahveh. He will bring down tall trees and make low trees tall. He causes green trees to wither and makes withered trees thrive. He, Yahveh, will do it.

The bad news for Judah was that God would not establish Zedekiah and his dynasty. The good news for Judah was that God was not through with them. He himself would take a sprig and plant it on a high, towering mountain. Another king would come who would keep his covenant of peace with God and humanity.

There is even some good news for those of us who are not descendants of Judah. This coming king would not remain a humble sprig but would grow into a great cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.

God has established his new king, and everyone — Jew and Gentile alike- can find rest and support from him. We are the birds of every kind.

LORD, thank you for your Messiah — Jesus Christ. He is the cedar sprig whom God chose to rule over the universe. He is the king of kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Vine and we are his branches. We pledge our loyalty and trust him. We choose to abide in him. We will allow him to be sovereign in our lives. We will not break the promises we have made to him. We will not seek to escape from the commitments we have made in his presence.

[1] James 1:5.