August 29, 2021: SOAP #4287:  Ezekiel 4-7; Revelation 3

SCRIPTURE:  Ezekiel (NIV) 5:12 A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword.  13 “Then my anger will cease and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent my wrath upon them, they will know that I the LORD have spoken in my zeal.

OBSERVATION: These words should strike fear in the hearts of God’s people.  God had done great things for Israel.  He had delivered them from Egypt and given them their own land.  He blessed them in many ways, but they turned away from Him. 

If they do not respond to His blessings, He will bring judgment.  In “anger” he will show them His “wrath.”  But His anger and wrath will come to an end and “they will know” that the LORD had spoken. 

APPLICATION:  We love to consider the great love of God.  BUT He who loves much, hurts much when we reject His love.  The world will soon discover that God is not only a God of love; He is also a HOLY God!  One does not have to look very long to discover that the USA is experiencing God’s judgment.

Our God is kind, and gracious, and merciful, and generous, and compassionate; He is also good, and righteous, and just, and faithful.  God’s judgment is an expression of His holiness and His love.  His holiness is expressed in the perfect standard by which we are judged.  His love is expressed in His desire to protect us from the destruction of sin. 

On the cross, Jesus took my judgment.  The cross is an expression of holiness in that Jesus had to pay the full price for sin, even though he had not sinned.  The cross is an expression of love; the Father sent the Son to take my place!  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, your great love draws me to you, and your perfect holiness protects me from the devils’ ways to destroy me with sin.  You are the perfect God for me!  Amen

Pastor Leon   
Making friends for time and eternity!