It's Time and It's Too Late

O. T. #1864  "It's Time and It's Too Late"

January 20,2021

Ezekiel 7-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

When it was time, it happened. When it was time, God sent His judgment upon Israel and Jerusalem. When it was time, nothing could prevent it. The entire land of Israel was ripe for judgment. As said previously, those chosen people and nation brought idols into the Temple where God's glory was in the Holy of Holies. They either worshiped only those false gods using idols of gold or silver or they worshiped both God and the idols. Either way, they broke the first and second of the Ten Commandments. God warned them over and over again, sending prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah (and others) that if they did not repent and turn to only worshiping God, then their land  would be destroyed. But their hardhearts did not turn them. Thus, God's patience ran out. In 586 BC the final destruction of the Temple happened by Nebuchadnezzar and his army. As Ezekiel wrote this chapter, this was all in view. The time had come; time was up; punishment was coming at the appointed time. (Forgive me for reviewing so much, but we do have new viewers coming and I want to get them up to date on what was going on in this chapter.)

What can we gleam from this gloom and doom? God is faithful to His Word. Whether it is concerning discipline or blessing, He will do whatever He says He will do. We read it happening when God told Abraham that he would have a son, even though he was 100 years old and his wife Sarah was 90 when it happened. Then God used Moses to deliver the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. (Wasn't he informed of that at the burning bush.) Didn't Isaiah predict a Messiah coming? (Jesus came to earth to be that Messiah.)

Here is a verse that gives us hope. Jesus was speaking to Martha after Lazarus had been dead 4 days- John 11:25-26 says, Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Folks, if we believe and trust in Jesus as our Savior, then we will live forever. What a promise! If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity? Jesus is the only way to God the Father. It is not by good works nor what family we are in, nor if we are a Jew. It is by grace through faith.

LET IT GROW

It's time and it's too late. When it was time for the Babylonian army to attack and destroy Jerusalem and it's inhabitants, it happened. It was the proper time, the prefixed time, and the purposed time. It was a time of reckoning with the wicked and rebellious people. Their secret sins came to light. God saw and sees all. He looks into the hearts of people.

Why did God do all this destruction and killings? After all, He is a loving God isn't He? We hear that so much, and it is true. However, the land was full of bloody crimes-Idolatry, blasphemy, witchcraft, Sodomy, and the like. The bloody crimes had to be paid for with bloody judgments. Sin is paid for with blood, like they did in the Old Testament with animal sacrificial blood. (And so it is today-Jesus paid the price for our sins.) Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, as John the Baptist proclaimed when he saw Jesus?

They sought peace and the vision of the prophet, but it was too late. (verse 26) The calamity caused them to do this. But it was too late.

The fire of judgment must now do its refining work of separating the dross from the silver and gold. The end result is that the rebels will be cut off and the righteous remnant will be purified. (Liberty Bible Commentary)

Dear one, as long as you have breath, it is never too late for you to come repenting to Jesus. He awaits with open, loving arms of grace and mercy. Although, once you pass from life into death, it is too late. Then comes the judgment. I pray that it is not too late for you.

LET IT GO

How can we ever say enough thanks to Jesus for taking my nails on the cross, my beatings and sufferings?

Death could not hold You, the grave could not keep You.

Living He loved me, dying He saved me, buried He carried my sins far away, rising He justified, living forever. Oh glorious day!

My Savior, Jesus is mine!!