GOD’S LAST CALL TO HIS WAYWARD CHILDREN

Memory Text: “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.” Isa.21:6

     To study the Bible’s lessons on the fall of nations it is always for the same old reasons. But as Solomon said, “there is no remembrance of former things.” This is why GOD commanded the children of Israel, “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.” Deut.11:18-21. Whenever His Word is abandoned, ruin is always soon to follow. This is because of Satan who ever strives to increase his destruction throughout the land, thereby causing suffering and the cursing of GOD.

     Today, the degraded state of morals, from social and business to government and religious has reached a level identical to the days of Israel and Judah when GOD’S last vestige of righteous judgment had ceased to exist. Even the character of the "family" we see today has degraded to a level the LORD addressed in the days of Judah: "And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable...The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isa.3:5, 9-12.

     In the above words a mournful tone of appeal from GOD is heard. Over and over, the LORD warns those who oversee the lives of others. “Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.” Eccl.9:18. With all of the deplorable sins being allowed and even encouraged, America has nearly reached its limits of GOD’S forbearance. And yet, heaven’s call to holiness goes unheard: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isa.5:18-24.

     “The law of the LORD of hosts” is not the ceremonial law of Moses that was stored outside the ark of the covenant, but the eternal Ten Commandment Law: the “two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God,” that were stored inside the ark (Ex.31:18): the Law that will judge both devils and men: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” “Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” Rom.2:13; I Cor.6:3. But the Bible obedient Christian has risen above the sinful standards of this present world “and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Heb.11:13.

     In the “new covenant” GOD promises to write His Holy Law into our hearts through the Presence of the Holy Spirit. And so, to infringe on its authority is unthinkable to the GOD fearing, Bible believing Christian. As it was then, so it is today: “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Eze.18:31; 36:26. For those who are “the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal.3:26) have taken to heart the words of the Apostle Paul: “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Rom.8:4.

     In closing: All that we love about Jesus: His judgment, His reproof—and His love is solely due to His perfect allegiance to the Ten Commandments. And this should be our desire, to pray to fulfill the words of Christ: “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth,” “for I do always those things that please him.” Jn.17:19; 8:29.

     Christ didn’t obey to make sure “He got to heaven:” He obeyed to make sure “we get to heaven.” As Paul said, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.” I Cor.10:24. These words rebuke the harshness so often seen among Christians, for they shut the door on working redemptively in everyone’s lives. And by so doing further harden the hearts of those who our LORD, Saviour & KING is trying to reach.

     Nevertheless, as it was in the days of the prophet Elisha, so shall it be when men unite against GOD’S faithful children in the closing scenes. The oft repeated lesson regarding honoring GOD’S chosen is as pertinent today as it was then. “And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.” II Ki.2:23-25.

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” Deut.30:19.