(For the only prophesy I ever imagined may have been from God has not yet happened.)
My song of mourning echoes God’s indictment spoken to falling nations of the Old Testament and the New Testament warning of Hebrews. For my own heart mourns ahead for what is to become of this land of so much promise.
And allow me to add an unpalatable and unspeakable truth: Muhammed was no prophet of God, Joseph Smith was no prophet of Jesus Christ and no political leader I know even comes close to speaking the hallowed word of God.
January 29, 2021 – but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” – Hebrews 12:26b
A song of mourning through Ezekiel
Picture a Prophet, faithful to the Lord God, lamenting the downfall of nations including his own. Ezekiel speaks a song of mourning for nation after nation and leader after leader.
WHY have these listened to false prophets?
What consequence for those who have turned against the LORD.
The compelling scenes of Ezekiel’s encounters with the Lord God will seem familiar to those of you who have also discovered the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John.
Most of what God has to say should bring even a 21st century observer of these last days to mourn for the lost righteousness the LORD has intended. Once again the faithful must sing a song of mourning for so many cities and every nation.
Mar. 16, 597 B.C. – Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar beseiged Jerusalem a second time and took captive King Jehoiachin and a group of 10,000, including Ezekiel.
– Source (paraphrased) John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions – Ezekiel
.. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Then He said to me,
“Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.”
And as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. Then He said to me,
“Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted against Me to this very day.
Ezekiel 1:28b-2:3 NASB20
“But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.
Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me;
and behold, a scroll was in it.
When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back,
and written on it were songs of mourning, sighing, and woe.
“As for you, take up a song of mourning for the leaders of Israel..
‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard..
‘But it was uprooted in fury; It was thrown down to the ground; And the east wind dried up its fruit. [fn]Its strong stem [fn]was torn out So that it withered; The fire consumed it..
‘And fire has gone out from its stem; It has consumed its shoots and fruit, So that there is no strong stem in it, A scepter to rule.’”
This is a song of mourning, and has become a song of mourning.
“O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
“Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
“Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,
Your sailors and your pilots,
Your repairers of seams, your dealers in merchandise,
And all your men of war who are in you,
With all your assembly that is in your midst,
Will fall into the heart of the seas
On the day of your downfall.
The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
And all the tribes of the earth
will mourn over him.
So it is to be. Amen.
Could a song of mourning be for US?
The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning.
Context: TIME ~570 years Before Christ; PLACE - Tel-Abib in Babylonia, [later Persia, then Seleucid Empire (Greek) in 21st c. Iraq; PROPHET - yᵊḥezqē'l, captive priest and prophet of Israel taken to Babylon while in his 30's along with his wife and family, the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah (who are in their 50's) and some 10,000 jews.
In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire.
Ezekiel 1:13 NASB
This is Ezekiel’s description of just the glorious creatures!
Do you believe it?
IF you are a Christian or a Jew — perhaps.
But IF you are like most other twenty-first century human beings, you probably DO NOT believe such fantastic scenes from the Bible.
And their actions are even more fantastic!
14 [ESV] And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl.
And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.
20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body.
24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
But wait, there’s more; you sceptical (believer?) of the Bible!
And a voice came from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.
Ezekiel 1:25 NASB20
.. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.
Ezekiel 1:28b NASB
Tell the truth (in your comment to this post)
Suppose you gave this fantastic detailed description of events to just ten (10) of your closest friends or family?
OR imagine that you read the scroll of Ezekiel 1 to a gathering of one hundred (100) citizens of your town?
HOW MANY WOULD BELIEVE YOU?
One, perhaps?
Even if some cannot believe this Scripture a few may believe you because of your own integrity.
THAT is the burden of the Prophet — his Word from God will be difficult to receive.
a caution to Pastors & Prophets
IF you speak any word NOT from God, claiming thatGod spoke it, no one with ears to hear should believe what you preach.
Do you swerve from Scripture to substitute your own visionary words?Good luck convincing your viewers that Ezekiel spoke the very word of the LORD.
Are you quite selective in how much of the HOLY BIBLE you preach? By all means, let us know how your church responds when you preach that this experience of Ezekiel really happened.
And IF you are a Pastor unwilling to confirm that all Scripture is ‘God-breathed,’ your gathering will never have ears to hear Ezekiel or even Christ, who revealed a similar vision to the Apostle John.
The Prediction and Predicament of the Prophet
“SO WHAT?” say the rulers of this world.
What IF I do not preach the WORD OF THE LORD as GOD has said it?
Place Ezekiel into the year of our Lord 2022, or the Lord Christ Jesus into our contemporary ‘evangelical christian‘ church and you will encounter the same predicament.
God has chosen a faithful remnant to receive his testimony with eyes to see and ears to hear. The others of the multitudes have heard the Word of the LORD through you AND rejected it.
“Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted against Me to this very day. So I am sending you to those who are impudent and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the LORD [YHWH] GOD says:
As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.
Ezekiel 2:5 NKJV
7 “But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.
“Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”
3:12
Then the Spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the LORD rose from its place, I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me.
It was the sound of the wings of the living beings as they brushed against each other and the rumbling of their wheels beneath them.
— Ears to hear Scripture spoken by the LORD — ears to hear the Word of the Lord Christ Jesus — eyes to see the same glory of Heaven revealed by Jesus Christ to the Apostle John — ears to hear the scene of heaven as the LORD showed and spoke to the prophet Ezekiel?
Herod the Great left a temple to Jerusalem’s elite where MULTITUDES could enter stadium-sized courts rivaling Rome’s great temples. Jewish religious officials would continue their façade of political power in a city held captive to a tolerant Roman ‘peace.’
Jerusalem was all abuzz. Tongues of fire, Galileans preaching about the Messiah Jesus to men in their own languages, and now a well-known beggar lame from birth STANDING beside Peter and John as they walked to worship in the Temple. The public courts seem more packed than usual and everyone looks for explanations of all this from the Apostles. So multitudes follow Peter to Solomon’s portico.
Simon Peter replies: “Men of Israel,
why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.
But you denied the Holy and Righteous One,
and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and youkilled the Author of life,
whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Do you have a question about the signs of God before your very eyes?
PETER preaches his response to the questions of the crowds who witness what has just happened. And the Apostle takes no credit for this miracle either by his personal power {dynamis} or piety, reverence or respect (eusebeia – often translated as godliness).
Amazed multitudes run to the Apostles, crowd in on them, look to them for an explanation in their response.
Peter replied to their amazement, yet with the same personal conviction AND compassion of his Lord Jesus who offered to those with ears to hear grace when He preached to the crowds.
Luke has already shown our Lord’s gracious encouragement though Jesus’ replies in his Gospel.
And Jesus answeredG611and said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.
And Jesus, answeringG611 them, said, “Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him,
And He answeredG611and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: people who were blind receive sight, people who limped walk, people with leprosy are cleansed and people who were deaf hear, dead people are raised up, and people who are poor have the gospel preached to them.
HOW MANY SIGNS OF THE MESSIAH DO YOU NEED?
Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe [literally, fear was occurring to every soul]; and many wonders and [confirming miracles]signs were taking place through the apostles.
Acts of the Apostles 2:43 NASB20
Luke now shows the Apostles preaching to men wondering about many SIGNS of the day in ACTS of the APOSTLES. Peter replies in effect that ‘JESUS has done this through faith as a sign to you.’
Strong’s Number G611 matches the Greek ἀποκρίνομαι (apokrinomai),
“And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Acts of the Apostles 3:16 NASB20
“And now, brothers,
He first addressed them as ‘men of Israel.’ Peter replied to their fear (or awe) more personally now as the Apostle of Jesus calls them brothers.
(Are any already convicted by the Holy Spirit by the signs they have just witnessed?)
Countenances diminish from amazement in their crowd curiosity to faces of men showing humility as they cling to Peter’s words:
“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Acts of the Apostles 3:17-18 ESV
Like his Lord and Master, Christ Jesus, the Apostle replies with great compassion, ‘I know that you didn’t know what you were doing’ (ignorance).
John had heard such forgiveness even from the foot of the Cross. Peter had experienced it from the risen Christ forgiving his ignorance and denials.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
What does repentance mean once we are no longer ignorant?
“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord GOD. “Repent and turn away from all your offenses, so that wrongdoing does not become a stumbling block to you.
Hurl away from you all your offenses which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why should you die, house of Israel?
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repentand live!”
The Prophet Ezekiel 18:30-32 NASB20
Peter replied to their ignorance in familiar fashion from the preaching of the Prophets.
And Jesus responded and said to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans just because they have suffered this fate?
No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse offenders than all the other people who live in Jerusalem?
“No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Gospel of Luke 13:3-5 – Jesus preaching on repentance
Peter replied much as Jesus had taught, as well as John the Baptizer had warned and others.
“Repent G3340, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent G3340, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Gospel of Matthew3:2; 4:17 NASB20 – Repent – Strong’s G3340
AND notice how frequently in the Bible REPENT follows ‘THEREFORE’
‘Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 3:19 NASB20
AND Return
Peter replied also with an implied action required of those with ears to hear his call of repentance. You must now return to God.
You know the LORD God [brothers] and you are not ignorant of God’s requirements in the LAW, the Commandments Moses gave you from the Lord our God.
19 “Therefore, make teshuva (repentance, turning from chet [sin] to G-d) and turn in order that your chatta’im, your averos (sins) may be removed, [TEHILLIM 51:1; YESHAYAH 43:25; 44:22]
to the love for the children (of God, your fellow brothers)
to love wisdom and righteousness (now that you are no longer ignorant of G-d’s Messiah, WHO IS our Savior.)
Peter then proceeds with an amazing invitation to those who not only have rejected their Messiah, but some in the crowd of the Temple gathering at Solomon’s Portico who may have been part of the shouting crowds calling for Jesus’ crucifixion at Jerusalem’s most recent festival.
Revival of the Spirit
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.. – Ephesians 2:1
Turn your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt. – Psalm 51:9
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.. – ACTS 3:19 NASB
ἀνάψυξις anápsyxis, an-aps’-ook-sis; from G404; properly, a recovery of breath, i.e. (figuratively) revival:—revival.
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus..
You denied the Holy and Righteous One.. You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead..
that your sins may be blotted out,
in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
NO, brothers (and tell our sisters and children as well), we know that God will not and can not have any sinner in His Presence — NO sacrifice is sufficient to blot out our many sins.
and that He may send Jesus, the [Messiah, the anointed one] Christ appointed for you,
whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things,
The Christ, the One Who came to us in body and soul, Who Is now the presence of the Lord, will cover your sins by His Perfect Sacrifice – He has blotted out your sins so that you may in your living spirit be with Him until your body dead to sin is restored with all things.
about which God spoke by the mouths of His holy prophets from ancient times.
Peter replied pointing to Scripture
The Apostle includes Moses with God’s holy prophets, separated to speak the One truth of the Lord God.
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Of course every faithful Jew not only knew the Law of Moses, but also heard the Scripture of Moses WHEN rabbis chose to preach all of the truth of Scripture.
Therefore, many standing at Solomon’s Portico listening to Simon Peter preach knew these thingsSimon [שִׁמְעוֹן] Peter preaches..
“Moshe Rabbenu indeed said, “NAVI KAMOCHA [T. N. i.e., a prophet like Moses] for you Hashem Adonoi will raise up from your achim; to him you will give heed according to everything whatever he may speak to you.” [DEVARIM 18:15,18] ..
Gevurot 3:22 Orthodox Jewish Bible
How are you doing with 'hearing' all this in the native 'tongue' of your birth?
Peter replied to those God chose in the Temple to hear by the Spirit.
You will see shortly that Simon Peter's preaching truth from the Scripture of Moshe will not be received by all, in deference to the great sign Peter has just performed at the Beautiful Gate.
From the back of crowds temple officials begin to push their way to the front where Peter, the Apostles and a formerly lame beggar stand before Jerusalem's largest crowd praising God and the Messiah of Israel.
It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘ And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
Acts 3:25
.. God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Acts of the Apostles 3:26 ESV – Simon Peter Replies to the jews at Solomon’s Porch by Preaching Christ Crucified & Risen
And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob” – Romans 11:26
“And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.” – Isaiah 59:20-21
[The true sons of Israel (Jacob) know the true Word of Scripture. – Roger@TalkofJESUS.com Let’s talk.]
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. – Gospel of John 4:22 – The Messiah Jesus to a woman in Samaria
And why does Peter preach also to those at the Temple who will not be saved along with those who by the Spirit have been blessed with ears to hear?
So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat.. And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel—
.. But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.
Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads..
If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.
But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
Simon Peter preaches repentance in Jesus Christ to Spirit-called crowds. Yet while the Apostles proclaim the Good News of the MESSIAH from Solomon’s Porch..
authorities of Herod’s religious/political bedfellows of the Sanhedrin (their ‘Congress,’ so to speak) move to oppose the Gospel.
As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed
because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Christ, who IS risen, had been arrested by some of these same officials a few weeks back while Peter and the Apostles stood helpless.
And what would these men have just heard as Peter preached from Solomon’s Porch?
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
.. “For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.‘ And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.
ACTS of the Apostles 3:22-23 NKJV
Peter replied differently than in Gethsemane
Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”
The Apostle preached with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Peter is a rock now in the strength of the Word of the Lord. This is no cowering Disciple denying Jesus as he huddled up to a campfire within earshot of false testimonies.
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![For all the nations have drunk[fn]the wine of her sexual immorality,which brings wrath.The kings of the earthhave committed sexual immorality with her,and the merchants of the earthhave grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess. - Revelation 18:3 CSB](https://talkofjesus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/celebrating-in-the-city-of-destruction.jpg)
