The church on the whole....outside of typical fundamentalist churches who are spread across the more rural areas and hollows of America....and who have not come to consider themselves more enlightened than Christians from the past....act as if they are somewhat ashamed of any talk about God's judgment on America....or even any talk about....(shhhh....Satan and demons)....choosing rather to focus on how God must be impressed by what we are trying to do through Donald Trump. Worst case scenario we all....or they all....get raptured up out of a bull Wall Street stock market....or a college bowl game?) No....we cannot see how far we have fallen....those of us who vote Republican. How was your worship service today? Could you detect any concern in the face of the pastor....any warnings whatsoever to remain vigilant.....as we look towards the coming of our Savior....and our King? Probably not....it's a mood killer.
The Babylonian captivity of seventy years had ended. Some Jews returned from Persia and the temple was rebuilt....even though some of those cried....as the temple was nothing like the one that they remembered.
Nehemiah was an official in the king's court when it was reported to him that the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruin and the people were greatly distressed and in danger. He was a praying man....as he wept for Jerusalem.....and secured a decree from the king to return and rebuild the wall.
There was a lot of opposition but the wall was rebuilt....but do we remember this? Nehemiah was back in Persia for twelve years as the final dedications were made....but when he returned to Jerusalem he found that the people had not been faithful to God....particularly but not exclusively in that they greatly profaned the Sabbath. We also may not be aware that Nehemiah was a contemporary of Malachi who rebuked the people in much the same way as did Nehemiah.....as the people had God's decrees but were spiritually destitute.
In a way we in America have rebuilt a temple and a wall....not on our border but a political wall in our Supreme Court....but if there was a Nehemiah to return he would rebuke us....for we also have God's Word but are spiritually destitute. That wall will do us no good....nor will that temple of religious freedom....if we do not trust in and look to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ....for as Malachi warned...."But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap."
Four verses into Malachi we read..." 'Though Edom says, 'We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins'; thus says the LORD of hosts, 'They may build, but I will tear down'...." Time and again in Malachi the people challenged God's rebuke with....'How have we done this?'....and...."For what reason will you do that?"
In the last few verses of this last book of the Old Testament we read...."For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,' says the LORD of hosts, 'so that it will leave them neither root nor branch'.....but for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall."
The Babylonian captivity of seventy years had ended. Some Jews returned from Persia and the temple was rebuilt....even though some of those cried....as the temple was nothing like the one that they remembered.
Nehemiah was an official in the king's court when it was reported to him that the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruin and the people were greatly distressed and in danger. He was a praying man....as he wept for Jerusalem.....and secured a decree from the king to return and rebuild the wall.
There was a lot of opposition but the wall was rebuilt....but do we remember this? Nehemiah was back in Persia for twelve years as the final dedications were made....but when he returned to Jerusalem he found that the people had not been faithful to God....particularly but not exclusively in that they greatly profaned the Sabbath. We also may not be aware that Nehemiah was a contemporary of Malachi who rebuked the people in much the same way as did Nehemiah.....as the people had God's decrees but were spiritually destitute.
In a way we in America have rebuilt a temple and a wall....not on our border but a political wall in our Supreme Court....but if there was a Nehemiah to return he would rebuke us....for we also have God's Word but are spiritually destitute. That wall will do us no good....nor will that temple of religious freedom....if we do not trust in and look to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ....for as Malachi warned...."But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap."
Four verses into Malachi we read..." 'Though Edom says, 'We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins'; thus says the LORD of hosts, 'They may build, but I will tear down'...." Time and again in Malachi the people challenged God's rebuke with....'How have we done this?'....and...."For what reason will you do that?"
In the last few verses of this last book of the Old Testament we read...."For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,' says the LORD of hosts, 'so that it will leave them neither root nor branch'.....but for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall."
