2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NIV)

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

Dear Reader:

Have you noticed that the world around you seems to be coming apart at the seams? Wars, famines, earthquakes, pandemics, and pestilences are all on the rise. The News talks about economic disaster coming. The cost of food is soaring, both locally and internationally. If you are concerned about all these things coming on the earth, you would do yourself the greatest favor in the world by grabbing a Bible and reading it, cover to cover.

God’s Word is the only way to make sense of what is fast becoming a senseless world. Jesus Christ said all these things would happen in the last days and that we needn’t worry about any of it because those who believe in Him and His Work of Redemption for Humankind will be saved out of the seven years of Tribulation that will come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth (Rev. 3).

I urge you to find a Pastor who loves the LORD with all his heart and who teaches the whole Bible. As you will read below, it is imperative that you hear the Whole Word of God. It will be the best decision you ever made. Oh, and please, do it soon! Time is running out.

MARANATHA

Our lovely little black cat, Saffy, joins me each morning for devotions. During the time I am reading Scripture (aloud), she will come and sit by my left hand, offering her head and ears to be tickled and scratched. Now, it’s interesting that she doesn’t do this while I am singing hymns, or when I am praying. It only happens when I am reading the Bible.

It seems to me, in light of the verses from 2 Timothy 4, that my cat Saffy has greater discernment about putting up with sound doctrine than many people sitting in churches today.

Recently, I began to attend a church in a different denomination from the one I previously attended for 25 years. This choice has astonished many of my colleagues and friends in Christ, for the denomination is one of the traditional sects. The particular church, however, both congregation and structure, manifests a holiness and a reverence for Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which I haven’t experienced in many years. The Gospel is preached. The doctrine is sound, and, at the early morning service that I attend, there is no teaching of mythology, nor is there celebration of sin of any stripe.

As I read through Apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, I am reminded of the number of false teachers in our churches today. In Chapter 2:19, Paul writes: “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription – ‘The LORD knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the LORD must turn away from wickedness.'”

There is much ink being spilled today in denominations and other Christian associations, trying to figure out why church attendance is diminishing. There are as many theories as there are people working on this problem. But the answer is not complex, nor is it a hidden secret. Paul tells his protégé Timothy that “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give this charge: ‘Preach the Word…'”

PREACH THE WORD! What a revolutionary idea. (sarcasm)

The epistles of Paul are filled with prophecy of the ‘end times.’ He saw very clearly how things would be in the last days. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the apostle writes: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Does this passage not sum up what is evident in our churches today? Especially that last bit. That there is a “form” of godliness in most congregations is not questioned by the apostle. What is questioned is how the power of God is being denied. And what is the Power of God? 1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”

The Gospel is the power of God? YES!!

Walking into a typical modern church sanctuary today is so like walking into a concert auditorium. The first thing the eye sees is technology on a stage, and instruments and music stands. We ask, “Where is the cross?” They say, “Oh, don’t worry, there will be one projected when the powerpoint begins. ”

Attending church now is very much like going to the theatre, and chances are you will see a ‘performance.’ You walk in, see people you know, wave, and shout ‘hello’ across the room. Someone is telling a group of friends a joke, which leads to uproarious laughter. Others are on their phones, making important last-minute calls or checking their email. Of course, email checking goes on through the service, too. It all begs the question: So where is the reverence for God in His house? “Oh,” they say, “that’s old fashioned.” We love God. Just wait until the music begins. You’ll see.” However, what often follows is a long song consisting of about four notes and eight words repeated over and over again. ‘At’s not a hymn!’ (I say in my best Crocodile Dundee accent.)

It may be that I am getting to be an old fuddy-duddy, but, personally, I love the old, old hymns and actually have loved them since I was a child. They were based on Scripture and invariably told the story of Jesus and His Salvation/ Redemption of those of us who love Him. And the verses were composed in perfect Iambic pentameter or other familiar poetic cadence, all set to a melodious piece of music. Hearing a skilled choir singing (for example) “Wonderful Grace of Jesus” brings holy shivers every time. Holiness. Reverence. Yes, the Fear of the LORD. These things are missing from so many churches simply because it’s not what ‘itching ears’ want to hear anymore.

Pastors in today’s churches seem to be categorized into two camps: 1.) those who genuinely love the flock God has called them to minister to and who preach the whole Bible, even the parts some folks find uncomfortable, and 2.) those who love to perform on stage and receive idolization from their flock, who preach social justice, tainted with woke-ism, e.g. God is love, full stop; sin is a thing of the past; there is no such place as hell, etc. From my own limited observation, I perceive the former camp is diminishing, as moderns demand more programs, more technology, less formal doctrinal teaching, and certainly no mention of sin, hell, and redemption. They say, “There’s no such thing as sin, so why do we need a Saviour to redeem us from what doesn’t exist?”

The truth is self-evident in Romans 3:9-10 “… We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. There is no one righteous, not even one.”

According to God’s own words, there is indeed sin in the world. We do need a Saviour, and that Saviour is Jesus Messiah, who atoned for our sin by shedding His own innocent blood. He died and rose again so that, by faith in Him, we may live with Him forever. That’s the Gospel — The Word.

Apostle Paul told Timothy, “PREACH THE WORD.” Let’s take a closer look at the rest of this thought. He wrote: ‘… be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.”

Now, we have to realize that in that day, followers of Christ had only the Jewish Bible from which to preach. The Gospel – the words of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross – was relayed by word of mouth at first until the four Gospels and the epistles were written down. There was no formally bound ‘New Testament’ in the first century. Preachers in the first century were basically rabbis (teachers of the Word). First-century Christians knew the whole history of God’s Plan of Salvation, from Genesis to Malachi, plus the Gospel. Since many first-century Christians were Jews, they grew up knowing the Torah, the Wisdom, the Prophets, or what we call the Old Testament.

Modern preachers who advocate discarding the Old Testament as out of touch with present-day realities are in great danger of being false prophets. Without a knowledge of the whole Bible, our understanding of God’s redemptive plan for humankind is greatly compromised.

Teaching the New Testament solely also leads to errors such as supersessionism, in which the Church supersedes the Jewish people in God’s promises. It is more fodder for ‘itching ears,’ and way too many ‘Christians’ now believe this mythological heresy.

What does it mean to preach the Word in season and out of season?

For most of my life (77 years), it was ‘in season’ to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, at least in the Western world. There was no great opposition from the public at large, mostly because Canada, the U.K. and Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. were considered to be Christian nations. We were founded on principles and values of the Bible. Most, during the bulk of my lifetime, believed in Almighty God – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.

But it all began to change when, as nations, we started to cut God out of the fabric of our national identity. Christian prayers were no longer tolerated in public places. The Laws of the Land began to reflect a relaxing of national moral values and acceptance of behaviors long considered un-God-like. And the churches were eerily silent while evil was being let in the back door, so to speak.

Slowly, things began to change in pulpits, as well. Some preachers became reluctant to teach the whole Bible lest it offend and alienate some in the congregation. Today, such Scriptures as Romans 1 and the entire Book of Revelation are ignored as ‘hard teaching’ by too many pastors.

Now, in this season of postmodernism, “woke-ism,” and sadly, post-Christian-ism, God’s unadulterated Word needs to be preached more than ever before. PREACH THE WORD, Pastors. Born-again believers are actually hungry and thirsty, wanting to be fed real meat, not just milk. Preach the Word when convenient and safe to do so. That’s preaching in season. But also preach the Word when it is not convenient or safe, when being a Christ Follower is out of season with the rest of the world – like now.

Use God’s Word to correct, rebuke and encourage, and do it with great patience and careful instruction. The Bible has a remedy for any and all situations, and the greatest of these is love. If you see a fellow Christian going “off the rails,” gently remind him/her that God’s compassion, forgiveness, and amazing love are more powerful than whatever the devil is throwing around.

The following verse is a perfect example of what Apostle Paul means about using God’s Word to correct, rebuke and encourage. This one verse covers all three. Lamentations 3:22-24 – “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him.”

Do not imagine that we are consumed. We’re not, and because of God’s great love for us, we are able to persevere. Paul writes: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Paul said the time would come when people would not sit still in their seats to hear sound doctrine. Instead, they would gather preachers and teachers around them to tell them what their itching ears want to hear. That time HAS COME.

One of the reasons that some people insist they are born-again Christians but who have no interest in turning from un-Godly lifestyles is because somewhere they found a “Christian” pastor who was willing to skip the ‘hard’ parts of Scripture and preach a different Gospel than the Bible teaches. In Galatians 1:8, Paul writes: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”

Maybe “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” but all human beings do not. Nevertheless, too many pastors have succumbed to the worldview rather than holding fast to the Biblical view. “Oh, you read the Bible in a public place… you’ll hurt someone’s feelings.” It’s a rallying cry in today’s world. So, do we appease men, or do we choose to please God – to do all we can to point people to Jesus’ free gift of life?

The LORD God has given the followers of Jesus Christ a mission – to take the Gospel message to every nation on earth. Why did Jesus commission us to do that? The answer: The Father doesn’t want anyone to perish but for all to spend eternity with Him in heaven. The Creator wants a relationship with His creatures, but we all fall short of the perfection needed for that relationship. So God the Father sent God the Son to Earth to atone for, pay for, the sin of the whole world for all time. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

So are your ears itching, or are they wide open to hearing the Good News that Jesus is LORD and Saviour of the world? Not only that, but here’s something to really tickle those ears – He’s coming back to the earth again, someday very soon.

Get right with God, dear ones. Our time is really short. Find a Bible-believing church pastored by someone who isn’t reluctant to preach and teach the whole Bible. God bless and keep you. AMEN.

Lynda A. Janzen

This Bible study continues from my last article, In That Day, in which we discussed the day of the LORD and all the components within this ‘day’ or time according to scripture in the Old and New Testaments. Nine Old Testament prophets mentioned the “day of the LORD” (or the “day of Yahweh”). In the first article, we looked at the prophecies of Joel, Amos, and Isaiah. This piece will examine the prophecies and visions of Zephaniah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah.

In its opening verse, the Book of Zephaniah reveals an interesting genealogy. The author, the prophet Zephaniah, is King Hezekiah’s great-great-grandson. Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah, who was also related to King Hezekiah. Josiah was King Hezekiah’s great-grandson. This places Zephaniah in a unique position, as he and Josiah were cousins once removed. Zephaniah, the only prophet of royal blood, had the distinct honor of directing his prophecies toward the princes of the kingdom, who were his relatives.

ZEPHANIAH

Josiah’s reign, which began at the tender age of eight after the assassination of his father, Amon, marked a significant turning point for Judah. Amon and his father, Manasseh, were evil kings who practiced idolatry, leading Judah through 57 years of apostasy and idol worship. However, Josiah, ruling from 640 to 609 BC, led a transformative campaign to end idolatry and restore the worship of Yahweh, inspiring a new era of faith in Judah (although short-lived). Josiah took after his great-grandfather, the righteous king Hezekiah.

As the scriptures state, Josiah’ turned to the LORD with all his heart, soul, and might’ (2 Kings 23:25). His struggle against Judah’s wickedness involved the destruction of all the sanctuaries and altars of idol worship across the land of Judah and Israel. In 622 BC, Josiah initiated the reconstruction of the Temple, a significant event that led to unearthing a scroll containing the Law of Moses, likely the Book of Deuteronomy. This book or scroll had been lost or hidden since the death of the righteous King Hezekiah, leading to the people’s lack of knowledge about the Law, statutes, observances, sacrifice regulations, Feasts of the LORD, etc.

Zephaniah started prophesying in Judah around 635 BC, about ten years before the religious reforms under King Josiah. He preached against the idolatry of Judah and the surrounding nations and prophesied that a day was coming when all who did not submit to the LORD and His word would be subject to God’s wrath, known as the day of the LORD (or day of Yahweh). This coming day of the LORD is a central theme of Zephaniah, to which references are made about nineteen times in this book (and it’s only three chapters long). This is fitting, as 19 is a number for judgment in the Bible. See Judgment and the Number 19 :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready.

The day of the LORD is a time of judgment for Israel and Gentile nations that rebel against God’s word and will and break God’s commandments. It can refer to a near future judgment that occurs later as a historical event or as a reference to the eschatological event that will finalize the present age and usher in the millennial reign of Christ. Sometimes, both the near future event and the eschatological event are described within the same chapter or book in the Bible.

This is the case with Chapter 1 of Zephaniah. Verses 2-3 concern the whole world during the Tribulation. “I will utterly consume all things from off the land, says the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, says the Lord.” Verses 4-13 is a prophecy of judgment that God brings upon Judah and Jerusalem when King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquer and subjugate the Jews.

Thirty years after Zephaniah’s prophecy, in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, pillaged Judah, and the first group of Jews were deported to Babylon. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among those taken into exile. The same year, Jeremiah prophesied that because of Judah’s sins, God would send Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and take the Jews captive to Babylon for 70 years.

The second group of Jews was deported to Babylon, including all the princes (perhaps Zephaniah) and the best of the soldiers, in 597 BC. In 586, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple and slaughtered thousands of Jews. The day of the LORD that Zephaniah had prophesied about (verses 4-13) nearly half a century earlier had been fulfilled. “Hold your peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel” (Zephaniah 1:7-8).

Zephaniah’s description of the day of the LORD in verses 14-18 appears to describe the end-time judgments of the Tribulation (thus connecting back with verses 2 & 3). “The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hastens greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of waste and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.” (Zephaniah 1:14-16).

Within these three verses are seven names for this future day of judgment, including the day of the LORD. The word day refers to the day of the LORD and is mentioned nine times in these three verses. As I have mentioned many times, 9 is the number for judgment in the Bible.

In Zephaniah 2, the prophet is once again prophesying about the coming near judgment of the Babylonian invasion. Judah is not the only nation involved in God’s judgment to punish the wicked rebels. Philistia, Moab, Amon, Cush, and Assyria would also be judged. In Jeremiah 27:2-8, God told all the surrounding nations to surrender and to serve Nebuchadnezzar or He would “punish that nation with the sword, famine, and plague until it was destroyed.” All the neighboring nations joined Judah in refusing the Lord’s offer to surrender and live.

Even though King Josiah had brought a nationwide revival to Judah, within a few years of his death in 609 BC, the nation was steeped in idolatry again. Ezekiel recorded that priests in the Temple kept idols in their closets and worshiped them there each day before going on duty. In 592 BC, Ezekiel received a vision in which he was transported into the inner court of Jerusalem’s Temple and saw these priests with their abominable idols and images (Ezekiel 8:5-10).

In the vision, Ezekiel also saw the occupants of the Temple participating in the cultist ‘weeping for Tammuz’ ritual, as recorded in verse 14. In verse 16, he sees men worshiping the sun. As Ezekiel continued to watch, God’s glory moved from the Holy of Holies to the threshold of the building and then out of the Temple and out of the city. This was the last time the Shekinah Glory of the LORD was seen in a temple in Jerusalem.

Just as Nebuchadnezzar was given temporary control of the Middle East for the purpose of judgment, the Antichrist will be given temporary control of the whole world for the same purpose. Then, the Lord will gather all the nations for judgment, and his anger will consume the entire world. “Therefore wait upon me, says the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy” (Zephaniah 3:8).

After the judgment comes the restoration of the remnant of Israel. Zephaniah 3:9-20 describes the regathering and restoration of the children of Israel, which will be fulfilled in the Millennium. “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away your judgments; he has cast out your enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of you: you shall not see evil any more. The LORD your God in the midst of you is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:13-17).

EZEKIEL

Ezekiel was the son of Buzi, a Zadokite priest. He was preparing to become a priest in God’s Temple when the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem in 597 BC and carried him away with 10,000 other captives. He was 25 years old at this time. He was taken to Babylon, and five years later, at age 30, God called him to be a prophet. Ezekiel was a younger contemporary of Jeremiah. While Jeremiah ministered and prophesied to the people in Judah, Ezekiel prophesied to those already exiled in Babylon while Daniel served in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Daniel received many visions from the LORD regarding future events.

In 593 BC, Ezekiel received his inaugural vision in which the heavens were opened, and he saw visions of God. He first saw four ‘living creatures’ (Cherubim) and described their movements. “And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning’ (Ezekiel 1:14). Each creature had four faces and four wings. Besides each of the faces, brightly shining spinning wheels moved in sequence with the creatures. Above the creatures sat a glorious throne upon an enormous crystal platform. Ezekiel realized that he was beholding the glory of God, and he fell on his face before the throne. God called Ezekiel and commissioned him to proclaim the word of the LORD to the rebellious house of Israel (Ezekiel 1:1-2:7).

The LORD (the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ) called Ezekiel ‘son of man’ 93 times in the Book of Ezekiel, indicating his humanity. Jesus gave himself the same name (87 times), as recorded in six books of the New Testament. The difference is that the first word is capitalized (Son of man) in the New Testament, indicating Jesus’s divinity. Interestingly, the Book of Ezekiel contains 48 chapters (6 x 8). The entire Bible contains 66 books in total. The number 6 represents man in the Bible. The word ‘man’ is mentioned 2,640 times, or 6 x (8 x 55), in the Bible. Before the Babylonian invasion, God gave Ezekiel a prophecy of impending doom and death regarding Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

Before the Babylonian invasion, God gave Ezekiel a prophecy of impending doom and death regarding Jerusalem and the Jewish people. “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you’— therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations. Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds” (Ezekiel 7:9-10).

God warned the Israelites about breaking God’s commandments and covenant during Moses’ and the children of Israel’s time at Mount Sinai. Leviticus 26 lists the promises of blessings for obeying God and the promises of retribution for disobeying Him. Two severe promises of retribution are found in Leviticus 26:29 & 33. “And you shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall you eat. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.”

These promises of retribution in Leviticus 26 and the prophecy in Ezekiel 7:9-10 were fulfilled during the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. During the Babylonian captivity of Judah, a siege of Jerusalem occurred for 18 months, beginning in 588 BC and ending in 586 BC. During the siege, the resultant famine became so bad that people resorted to cannibalism to survive. In 586 BC, the surviving Jews in Jerusalem were deported to Babylon., as the northern tribe of Israel had been deported throughout the Middle East some 137 years earlier by the Assyrians.

Furthermore, God promised He would send the sword, famine, and pestilence to kill two-thirds of the Jews, and one-third would be scattered throughout the nations. “One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them…. So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken” (Ezekiel 5:12,17). These three judgments, the sword, famine, and pestilence, against Judah are mentioned seven times in Ezekiel and 15 times in Jeremiah. Of course, God promised these retributions for disobeying Him in Leviticus 26.

Ezekiel 7 is a word of the LORD to Ezekiel, prophesying that Israel’s judgment is near. “Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; The time has come, A day of trouble is near” (Ezekiel 7:7). The ‘day’ is referred to three times in Chapter 7. In history and in fulfillment of prophecy, that ‘day’ was Av 9, 586 BC (some say 587 BC); when the First Temple was destroyed in 586, Jerusalem was decimated, and most Israelites were deported to Babylon.

In Ezekiel 11:17-20, God gives Ezekiel a prophecy regarding the restoration of Israel. “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ‘And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.'” This restoration and redemption will be fulfilled during Jesus’ millennial kingdom.

Ezekiel also prophesied about the destruction of Israel’s neighboring nations after Israel and Judah’s destruction: Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, and Egypt. The ‘day of the LORD’ is mentioned twice in Ezekiel 13:5 and 30:3. Neither refers to the end-time Tribulation. They both refer to the coming Babylon invasion and the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple.

Ezekiel often repeats his prophecies of impending doom upon the land of Judah and her eventual restoration and blessings in the Millennium. The theme is consistent throughout the Book of Ezekiel: first comes judgment and then restoration. Regarding Israel’s restoration, Ezekiel often mentions a day or on that day in reference to life in the millennial kingdom.

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it and will do it'” (Ezekiel 36:33-36).

Ezekiel gave the prophecy of the dry bones in Chapter 37. Ezekiel was given a vision of a valley filled with dry bones. Ezekiel was instructed to prophesy that these dry bones would come to life, that the bones would come together, that flesh would cover them, and that they would have the breath of life (much like Adam in Genesis 2:7). “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10).

The LORD informed Ezekiel that the bones represented Israel (both houses). The prophecy that Israel will be brought up from the grave is partly symbolic in that the nation seemed dead and will be restored to physical life. In historical hindsight, we know this occurred on May 14, 1948, when Israel declared her independence and joined the ranks of the modern nations of the world. The prophecy is also to be construed literally because, according to Daniel 12:1-3, at the close of the Great Tribulation, when Christ returns in His second advent, there will be a resurrection of Old Testament saints who will share in the millennial kingdom as resurrected saints.

Verses 15-24 describe the regathering of the surviving Jews after the Tribulation. They consist of all 12 tribes of Israel who will once again be consolidated into one kingdom ruled by one king. “I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 37:22-23).

In Ezekiel 37:24-28, Ezekiel prophesies even further into the future and writes about King Jesus, Prince David, and the nation of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom.

Chapters 38 & 39 describe the great Gog/Magog war. The timing of this multi-nation invasion is debatable. However, Ezekiel 38:8 says it will occur in the latter years, and verse 16 says it will happen in the latter days. Ezekiel 38:18-23 records how God fights for Israel and destroys the nations that invade the holy land. Then God tells Ezekiel, “Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 38:23). The words in bold, “know that I am the Lord,” are mentioned four more times in Ezekiel 39. Ezekiel mentions them 63 times in total. These words are mentioned 77 times in total throughout the Bible. Joel and Isaiah mentioned them one time each.

I wrote about the Gog Magog War in a two-part article two years ago. See The Gog-Magog and Armageddon Wars: Part 1 :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready & The Gog-Magog and Armageddon Wars: Part II :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready. Ezekiel 40-48 describes the city of Jerusalem and the new temple during Christ’s millennial reign. Jerusalem’s name then will be changed to ‘YHWH Shammah’ or ‘Yahweh (the Lord) is there.’

JEREMIAH

Jeremiah was a priest when God called him to be a prophet in the 13th year of King Josiah’s reign (626 BC). Jeremiah mainly prophesied about the coming destruction of Judah (and some of the other surrounding nations) by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. He was known as the ‘weeping prophet’ as his prophecies against his country and fellow Jews left him very distraught. He prophesied throughout the reigns of Judah’s last five kings: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. His ministry stretched from approximately 626 to 580 BC. Following the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, Jeremiah was taken against his will to Egypt by Jews in rebellion against the LORD. That’s the last we hear of him in the Bible.

“Despite severe opposition from his countrymen, Jeremiah faithfully proclaimed God’s message of impending judgment. The book of Jeremiah begins with an account of the prophet’s call from God. The following section (chapters 2-24) contains Jeremiah’s prophecies of judgment and restoration for Israel from before, during, and after the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. This is followed by a list of prophecies against the Gentile nations that have wronged Israel (chapters 46-51). The book’s last chapter is a historical narrative of the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecies of Jerusalem’s fall.” ^{1} When and Where In The Bible and Throughout History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten- pg. 37.

Jeremiah reminds me of Noah, the righteous preacher. Noah preached for 120 years, but nobody listened. “For 40 years, Jeremiah served as God’s spokesman to Judah, but when Jeremiah spoke, nobody listened. Jeremiah was a street prophet in Jerusalem. He was poor and underwent severe deprivation to deliver his prophecies. He was thrown into prison (chapter 37) and into a cistern (chapter 38), and he was taken to Egypt against his will (chapter 43). He was rejected by his neighbors (11:19-21), his family (12:6), the false priests and prophets (20:1, 2; 28:1-17), friends (20:10), his audience (26:8), and the kings (36:23).

Throughout his life, Jeremiah stood alone, declaring God’s messages of doom, announcing the new covenant, and weeping over the fate of his beloved country. In the eyes of the world, Jeremiah was not a success. But in God’s eyes, Jeremiah was one of the most successful people in history. Success, as measured by God, involves obedience and faithfulness. Regardless of opposition and personal cost, Jeremiah courageously and faithfully proclaimed the word of God. He was obedient to his calling.” ^{2} Life Application Study Bible (KJV) – pg.1409.

One proof of Jeremiah’s obedience to give God’s unadulterated message of doom is the fact that Jeremiah used the term saith the LORD (KJV) 323 times in the Book of Jeremiah, more than any other author in the Bible. In contrast, Ezekiel mostly used the words Lord GOD (saith the Lord GOD). Ezekiel used the term saith the Lord GOD 209 times. Isaiah said ‘saith the LORD’ 68 times and ‘saith the Lord GOD’ 12 times.

The English word Lord (only the first letter is capitalized) is Adonay (or Adona) in Hebrew and means Lord (of God) or lord (of men). It comes from the word adon, translated as lord, master, or ruler. The all-capitalized English word GOD in Hebrew is Jehovah (or Yahweh). So, Jeremiah called God’ Yahweh Elohim,’ and Ezekiel called God’ Adonay Yahweh’ when using the term’ saith the LORD (or Lord GOD).’

Jeremiah used the words Lord GOD 14 times, Isaiah 25 times, and Ezekiel 217 times. Jeremiah mentioned the LORD 712 times, Isaiah 425 times, and Ezekiel 217 times. The authors of Psalms mentioned the LORD 687 times and the Lord GOD 4 times. Clearly, Ezekiel used the name Lord GOD (Adonay Yahweh) more than any other prophet.

Strong’s H136 – Adonay (Lord in English) is usually used in conjunction with Strong’s H3069 – Yahweh (or Jehovah) and in English reads GOD. So, when you see the word Lord, it is usually followed by GOD as in Lord GOD. Jeremiah (in the Book of Jeremiah) and Ezekiel never used the word Lord (H136- adonay) by itself. However, Psalms used Lord (by itself) 51 times, Isaiah 22 times, Lamentations 14 times, and Daniel 10 times. Lord is a title spoken in place (or in conjunction) with Yahweh in the Jewish display of reverence.

The prophecy Jeremiah gave Zedekiah regarding Jerusalem’s fate being sealed is recorded in Chapter 21 (amongst others). “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will assemble them in the midst of this city. I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger and fury and great wrath. I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence.

And afterward,’ says the Lord, ‘I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence and the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life; and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword. He shall not spare them, or have pity or mercy” (Jeremiah 21:4-7).

The ultimate restoration for the children of Israel will be when the remnant is gathered from the nations after the Tribulation and the second coming of Christ to establish His millennial kingdom. “And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:3-6). This prophecy is repeated in Jeremiah 33.

This King of Righteousness is given a name in the New Testament. The name is Jesus Christ. “Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:20-26).

In 605 BC, Jeremiah prophesied that because of Judah’s sins, God would send Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to destroy Jerusalem (and the surrounding nations) and take the Jews captive to Babylon for 70 years. The same year, the first group of Jews were deported to Babylon, including Daniel and his three friends.

“Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because you have not heard my words, Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jeremiah 25:8-9.11).

Jeremiah 30 is an important chapter as it describes the day of the LORD, although it is not called that directly. It begins with a time beyond the captivity (prophesied about in Jeremiah 25) when God will bring back Israel and Judah to the land God gave to their fathers. Jeremiah then describes the day of the LORD, which we know as the Great Tribulation. Jeremiah calls it the time of Jacob’s Trouble.

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

“Therefore fear not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity, and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with you, saith the Lord, to save you: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered you, yet I will not make a full end of you: but I will correct you in measure, and will not leave you altogether unpunished” (Jeremiah 30:7-11).

Jeremiah 30:23-24 describes the Lord’s return to the earth (the day of the LORD). “Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goes forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he has done it, and until he has performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days you shall consider it.” Jeremiah 30:17-22 also describes the day (time) of the LORD in the Millennium, and this ‘day’ continues into Chapter 31.

In Chapter 31, Jeremiah writes about a new covenant that God will make with Israel in the future. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:31-32).

The permanent remission of sin from the shed blood of Jesus Christ is at the heart of the new covenant. The sign of the new covenant is the cross on which Jesus’ Holy blood was shed. In 33 AD (IMO), during the last Passover Jesus attended, Jesus and the 12 apostles ate the Passover supper as recorded in Matthew 26 (and Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20). Jesus described the new covenant in these passages of Scripture:

“As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:26-27). Communion is the Christian practice or ritual of taking bread and wine (or grape juice) to memorialize what Jesus did for us on the cross.

The new covenant is made first with the nation of Israel and, ultimately, with all humanity. After the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah and his new covenant, it was given to the Gentiles. Jesus’ first advent began the new covenant, which allowed for salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and allowed for the remission of sins permanently. The Holy Spirit would indwell all believers in Jesus as Messiah. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit upon the faithful Church (both Gentiles and Jews) began the spiritual Kingdom of God on the earth. However, the physical Kingdom of God/Jesus will not be realized until Jesus returns the second time as LORD of LORDS, KING of KINGS, and reigns for a thousand years (and then eternity).

Jeremiah 31:31-34 is a dual reference prophecy. I mentioned the first part of Jeremiah’s new covenant prophecy (verses 31-32) above, which refers to Jesus’ first advent. The following two verses refer to Jesus’ second advent, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:33-34).

This was not accomplished during Jesus’ first advent. It will only be realized during the Millennium. The six tasks of Daniel 9:24 for the children of Israel will have finally been accomplished at this time.

Chapter 39 in the Book of Jeremiah describes the destruction of Jerusalem. Chapters 40-45 describe events following Jerusalem’s fall. The book concludes with prophecies concerning various nations (46-52). Jeremiah also wrote the Book of Lamentations. Known as the Book of Tears, Lamentations is a dirge, a funeral song written for the fallen city of Jerusalem.

In the next installment, we will discuss the prophecies of Obadiah, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Randy Nettles

rgeanie55@gmail.com