Perhaps the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah is skipped over by some who would rather not hear its proclamations of judgment: judgment on Judah (Zeph 1); judgment on the Gentile nations (Zeph 2:4-15); judgement on Jerusalem (Zeph 3:1-7); judgment on the nations: “All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.” (Zeph 3:8). Gloom and doom is decidedly forecast.*

However, while judgment is the theme of Zephaniah, it is not the theme of this essay. This theme is how to be hidden through the judgment. Zephaniah holds hidden treasures beyond the reach of the gloom and doom. Indeed, the name “Zephaniah” means “the LORD hides”. That’s very comforting in times of disaster. Wouldn’t you be grateful if you were hidden through disasters? Wouldn’t you be praising the LORD had He by His divine Providence kept you away from the World Trade Center through unusual circumstances as He did for so many on 9-11?

Zephaniah tells us how to be hidden through disastrous times. “It may be that you will be hidden in the Day of the LORD’s anger.” (Zeph 2:3) For a believing Christian, Colossians 3:3 reads that “your life is hidden with Christ in God.” That’s why the devil can’t touch your eternal spirit. It’s hidden in Christ where the enemy has NO access! HalleluYAH1 On the other hand, we might through disobedience give the devil opportunity to mess with our souls (mind, will and emotion) and bodies. The Colossians passage goes on to tell us to “put to death” (Col 3:5) those tendencies that would give the devil a foothold. (James 4:7) (Eph 4:27)

Chriistians are “not appointed to wrath” (1 Thess 5:9) referring to some horrid judgments of Revelation, but nonetheless there are tough times ahead for all. So what keys does Zephaniah give us as to being hidden through troublesome times ahead?

Eleven Points for being Hidden through Impending Judgment

1. Seek the LORD

2. Inquire of the LORD

3. Be silent in the Presence of the LORD (Zeph 1:7)

4. Don’t be complacent (Zeph 1:12)

5. Don’t think that the LORD is aloof or apathetic (Zeph 1:12)

6. Don’t rely on riches for deliverance (Zeph 1:18)

7. Uphold justice (Zeph 2:3)

8. Seek righteousness (Zeph 2:3)

9. Seek humility (Zeph 2:3)

10. Don’t curse Israel (Zeph 2:10)

11. Intercede!!!! (Zeph 3:18-20)

1. SEEK THE LORD

Points number one through three, are actions not being done by Judah and are cited as reasons for the judgment. Judah has turned from the LORD. They are not seeking nor inquiring of the LORD.

We need to seek the LORD daily to learn to recognize His voice. It is crucial to know the LORD’s voice so that we clearly hear from Him, especially during crucial times.

2. INQUIRE OF THE LORD

Many a battle has been lost because of failure to consult the LORD. King Ahaziah died because he did not inquire of the LORD, but instead inquired of another god. (2 Kings 2:16) On the other hand, King David had a godly habit of inquiring of the LORD before decisions. In times of crisis, it is even more crucial to ask the LORD, “What do I do now?” Much pain and suffering on the part of the saints could be avoided would we only consult with the LORD before taking a course of action.

In the days to come, it will become more and more critical for us to consult the LORD. Sadly, even Christians listen more to other voices than to the voice of their Father. But if you want to be hid, you will need to hear His voice telling you which way to turn.

3. BE SILENT BEFORE THE LORD

Many of us fail to listen and sit quietly before the LORD to wait upon His voice, His guidance, His heart. Even if we don’t have a specific inquiry at the time, the LORD can warn us of snares ahead of which we are unaware.

4. DON’T BE COMPLACENT

In this list of eleven, there are seven “do’s” and four “don’ts”. This first “don’t” cautions against complacency, against “lukewarmness”, against apathy. You might NOT be hidden from judgment if you are hiding in front of the television or in your own little world all the time. Will you be prepared for trouble, if you have the attitude that you need only concern yourself with your own life?

“First they came for the communists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

(Attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) concerning apathy towards the Nazis.)

5. DON’T THINK THAT THE LORD IS ALOOF

Some think the LORD created the world and then left it to its own devices. They don’t believe in a God who interacts with His creation. They think we need to fend for ourselves. Their unbelief in a caring Father cuts them off from the grace and mercies of God available through faith!

Some say the LORD will not “do good” – in other words, the LORD won’t help us through. Therefore, they don’t turn to Him for help.

Some say the LORD will not “do evil” – in other words, “God wouldn’t send an earthquake in judgment. God is love.” I hear this a lot even from leaders in the church. They say that since we’re “under grace” now, that all these current disasters have nothing to do with the judgment of God. “God is love”, they opine. Yes, God is love. But a loving Father does discipline those He loves. (Heb 12:5-11) Love does not neglect to give a warning before the Final Eternal Judgment. In His mercy, He has provided the warnings and signs that Jesus spoke of in His Olivet discourse. (Matt 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) God will not allow evil to forever run rampant because sin brings death and destruction. Though He is extremely patient, “not willing for anyone to perish,” (2 Peter 3:9) there is an end to evil. That is good news for those who would live righteously in peace!

If you still think God does not judge in our days of grace, have you read the Scriptures for yourself? Or have you only had your ears tickled by politically-correct speakers? (Can one rightly call them pastors if they don’t warn against the wolves in sheep’s clothing?) There are plenty of instances of judgment in the New Testament. Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying “to the Holy Spirit” (Acts 5:1-5) Herod was struck dead “because he did not give glory to God.” (Acts 12:20-23)

If that’s not enough for you to see that God can in our days of grace bring severe judgment, then listen to His rebukes to the churches in the Book of Revelation:

• “or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.” (Rev 2:5)

• “Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Rev 2:16)

• “If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.” (Rev 3:3)

• “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:16)

Perhaps the strongest warning is that to the compromising church in Thyatira:

• “Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

  (Rev 2:22-23)

If you’re in a compromising church, may you seek the LORD for guidance because judgment will come to the churches! It is the Word of the LORD.

You may want to heed this warning:

“Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues” (Rev 18:4)

God is calling His people out of the Babylonian captivity of the church to a place at His feet, listening to His voice and not the voice of those who would use and abuse God’s people for their own greed and empowerment. The warnings in Revelation show clearly to the wayward churches, that they will experience judgment from God in the last days.

The Good News? You can choose to be part of the faithful church of Philadelphia who are promised:

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev 3:10)

That sounds a lot like Zephaniah’s word that “It may be that you will be hidden in the Day of the LORD’s anger.” (Zeph 2:3)

It also sounds like Psalm 27:5 : “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of the tabernacle He shall hide me.”

If you don’t know where the “secret place” is, you had better find out before the “time of trouble” is upon us! Seek Him.

6. DON’T RELY ON RICHES FOR DELIVERANCE

If you can’t rely on your riches (Zeph 1:18), then you had better be trusting the LORD! In times of trouble, God works miracles for His people. He can have a prophet strike a rock in the desert and water gushes forth! He can send manna from heaven. Don’t think that God won’t do it! (Point #5)

Seek the LORD (Point #1) whether or not you need to stockpile something. He may have some doing this, but others are called to something else. Only run with the pack, if the LORD told you to run with the pack. What does God want you to do in preparation? As the song goes. “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way…”

7. UPHOLD JUSTICE

8. SEEK RIGHTEOUSNESS

9. SEEK HUMILITY

These three exhortations in Zephaniah 2:3 are echoes of the words of the Prophet Micah:

“He has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

10. DON’T CURSE ISRAEL

Judgment is pronounced on Moab and Ammon because “they have made arrogant threats against the people of the LORD of Hosts.” (Zeph 2:10) If you threaten God’s people (Israel or the Church), you are messing with the “apple of His eye” – not a smart thing to do.

“For thus said the Lord of hosts,…. for he who touches you [Zion] touches the apple of His eye.” (Zech 2:8)

Indeed, the LORD said to Abraham, from the Book of Beginnings: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.” (Gen 12:3)

Be very careful how you speak of God’s anointed people.

11. INTERCEDE

Those who sorrow over Israel, those who bear the burden to pray and intercede for Zion, have a promise that the LORD will “deal with all those who afflict” them, and a promise that the LORD will give them, in the end, “fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth.” Wow! (Zeph 3:18-20)

A duty of a priest is to make intercession before the throne of God on behalf of others. We, Christians have the great privilege to intercede. And our promise is that we shall “reign with Him’. (Rev 20:6)

So, Zephaniah closes on a note of hope – not with gloom and doom but with the glory of God in His overcoming saints! “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2:7)

“They don’t know how to cry,” I heard the Spirit whisper. Some of God’s people don’t know how to cry. Maybe that was one of the problems with the Laodicean church. (Revelation 3:14-22) Maybe a preoccupation with material wealth had quenched the Spirit which would have moved them to tears had they recognized their spiritually pitiful condition. They were lukewarm. Tepidity does not yield tears. Had they been hot, they would have been burning with passion. Both passion and compassion can produce tears.

NO CONDEMNATION

Lest I bring you to tears over this issue, especially you men who seldom cry, please let me release you in advance from any condemnation.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

If the Spirit doesn’t lead you in this way, who am I to judge another Man’s servant? (Romans 14:4)

Passion may be expressed in various ways, just as we have various ways in which we worship: in giving, in song, in action, in study, in service, in thankfulness. Some may not physically cry and weep before the Lord. A precious saint once told me that she had cried out all her tears! Physically, her eyes no longer were able to cry! But her passion remained! She still cries inside over the sorrows of many orphans and petitions the LORD on their behalf. God looks on the heart.

On the other hand, maybe you do need to cry! Maybe the Spirit will open up to you a new way of prayer through the tears.

Apostle Paul said, “I die daily.” Well, sometimes, I go through phases when I CRY daily! And in this stage of my blessed life, it’s not usually about me. It’s about intercession. The world in which we live is so wicked, so many people are lost, so many are suffering. There’s plenty of reasons to cry. But have we numbed ourselves to the human tragedy that we are no longer concerned? Have we not this pity that moves us to tears? Have we become lukewarm?

PRAYER

The disciples asked of their Master, “LORD, teach us to pray.”  I pray:

LORD, teach us to cry. Not just the cries of self-pity but the cries of a broken, contrite heart; the wrenching cries of Your grieved Spirit; the tears of a humbled heart; the soft tears of a soul overwhelmed by your infinite grace; the tears of joy; the tears of love! LORD, bring us to tears for you will surely turn our mourning into wondrous joy!

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love.” – Washington Irving

What do the Holy Scriptures teach about tears? Our Father has not been silent on the topic. As I can I’ll be posting more. Shalom!

We live in auspicious times.  The darkness may be getting darker BUT – halleluYAH! – the LIGHT is getting LIGHTER!  (Isaiah 60:2)

As the Lord sent a servant of His to tell me some years back, at my weakest physical point, near death, “The best is yet to come!”  And it’s been getting better ever since!  (Had I believed the doctors, I’d be in the worst shape of my life!  But I believed God and pursued healing!)

But there is much confusion (Babylon) out there.  We need to know our God, His Word, His Spirit, His still small voice because even within churchianity there are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

But for those who are faithful to Yahshua (Jesus the Messiah), ponder these Scriptures:

Daniel 11:32  We’ll be doing exploits!

Zechariah 12:8  Even the feeble among us will be like David!

Isaiah 8:18.   We are for signs and wonders!

(Admittedly, the devil will be doing plenty of lying signs and wonders, too, but he’s only a crass imitator!  That’s why we need to be in the Presence of the Lord to receive discernment to tell His real from the false.  The enemy tries to imitate everything of God’s.   Would there be a counterfeit dollar if there was no real dollar?  Learn to discern rather than just rejecting everything as from the devil.  And on the other hand, don’t accept everything supernatural as being from God!)

Again, we are for signs and wonders!

Hebrews 2:13  which quotes Isaiah 8:18 proves that Scripture applies to us, the children of God. (Also see 1 Cor 10:11)

Yes, while the world is being shaken, because everything that can be shaken will be shaken (Haggai 2:6-7; Hebrews 12:26-28), those with faith firmly planted on the Rock of Ages, who know their mighty YHWH will be shining and doing exploits!  Amen!

INTRODUCTION

When I was a baby Christian, a Bible teacher was inquiring which books we would like to study. I chimed in, “Isaiah!” His comment, however, was in the negative, saying it was a lot of dry history and judgments. That was certainly not my take on the prophet. Even as young in the Lord as I was back then, the Holy Spirit had shown me some wonderful tidbits in Isaiah. It seems that every time I read that book, my spiritual adrenalin starts revving! No, this is not just a dry, historical record! It is full of wisdom for our times! And it holds prophesies of my dear Savior Jesus Christ, both as the Suffering Servant (Isa 53) and as the victorious King of Kings! (Isa 63:1-6; Rev 19:11-16)

Jesus “was, and is, and is to come” the King of Kings! This is who the Jews were anticipating, two thousand years ago. Perhaps some Jews failed to recognize Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah because they did not embrace the Scriptures that pointed to His suffering. They expected only that triumphant King who would throw off the cruel Roman yoke of oppression. Today, do many Christians make a similar mistake in overlooking that He is also the Lion of Judah? We acknowledge Him as the Lamb and the One Atonement for our sins, but do we fail to warn the lost that He will come again as the King of Kings in righteousness, judging and making war on evil? (Rev 19:11-16)

ON THE JUDGMENT OF GOD

Oh, “God is love” some retort. “There’s no judgment. God couldn’t do that!” Actually, I heard something akin to this from a young seminary student recently! Yes, God is love. (1 John 4:8) But as I pointed out to him, we cannot just read the “nice” verses in Scripture and disregard the others. Evil will be judged to the desired effect that peace and goodness will reign!

Isaiah is admittedly full of judgments on nations who defy the LORD. The title given by the editors of my New King James over chapter 24 reads: “Impending Judgment on the Earth”. It states: “Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants.” (Isa 24:1) Another chapter predicts “a destruction determined even upon the whole earth.” (Isa 28:22) Gee, that sounds a lot like some chapters in Revelation! Pretty heavy stuff.

But some would relegate all that judgment to former times. Now, we are “under grace”. Yes, some of us are under the grace of God because we are IN Christ, but those outside of Christ are still under judgment. (John 3:18) (John 3:16 is so often quoted but there’s more following it!) The Good News is that God’s Door is open wide! Jesus is the Door. (John 10:7)

MORE THAN HISTORY

Isaiah’s prophecies of judgments did actually occur. If you want to study the historical battles and such, this is not that study. Those historical studies are vitally important as they confirm the Word of God and establish the veracity of Scripture. I love to read the historical and cultural footnotes that illuminate the Scriptures but the best illumination comes from the Holy Spirit! The Word of God is living! (Heb 4:12) His Word is not to be confined to ancient history. Nor is God’s Word only understandable to historians. The ancient prophecies echo down through time, as the New Testament teaches:

“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Cor 10:11) I’m convinced that that passage does not intend to refer exclusively to the Books of Exodus and Numbers quoted, but points to a principle for studying the Old Testament. The Apostle Peter wrote similarly that the OT prophets were ministering to us about “the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow”! (1 Peter 1:10-13) (Please note “glories” is plural and note verse 13) The Apostle Paul also taught “whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Rom 15:4) (Also see: Col 2:16-17)

THE HOPE OF SCRIPTURE

What then is our hope? Is it not that through everything, God is working for good? We can find that hope in story after story of Old Testament saints. Is it not that God can deliver His praying, faithful people from evil as He delivered Hezekiah (Isa 37)?

Is not our hope that in the end, God wins and evil is no more? We can find that hope in Isaiah’s judgments proclaimed against rampant evil because those many judgments came to pass and God’s will prevailed. Why do we then doubt that evil will not again be judged similarly?

Is not our hope for peace? Do not good people long for the day when “the wolf dwells with the lamb” and “they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain”? (Isa 11:6-9) Christ is revealed in Isaiah as the Son who is also the Mighty God who is also the “Prince of Peace”! (Isa 9:6) Yet so many reject Him! Truly Christ is our hope and the purest “desire of all nations”! (Hag 2:7 KJ or NKJ) Next time you see a “Pray for Peace” bumper sticker, cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus!” He is our only hope for peace!

Surely our hope is of glories to come. “Christ in us” IS “the hope of glory!” (Col 1:27) Saints, we have much more to look forward to! “But hope that is seen is not hope.” (Rom 8:24) Yet our Blessed Hope will come! (Titus 2:13) “When He appears, we shall be like Him!” (1 John 3:2) Wow! I’m going to be like Jesus! John also wrote in that same verse, “it has not yet been revealed what we shall be”. Why? Because the full revelation of Christ Himself has not yet been revealed! But “we shall be like Him” when “we shall see Him as He is!” Again, I say, WOW!!!!! Now that’s something for which to hope! “And everyone who has this hope in him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:3)

The Book of Revelation is about, as its full title indicates, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It contains prophesies of His Coming again when “we shall see Him as He is!” This is our hope, “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think!” (Eph 3:20) That nice song may say “I can only imagine…” but more accurately, we can’t even imagine all the wonders God has in store for us who love Him!

Now, one more point before I get back to Isaiah, for the benefit of those who think the Book of Revelation was fully fulfilled in 70 AD: please have the humility to admit that you, nor I, are not yet like Christ, even if you put us all together! Since “when He appears, we shall be like Him” hasn’t happened, then Christ is yet to come! As another song goes, “What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see!” “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20)

As I re-studied this book recently, what amazed me were the many similarities between Isaiah and the Book of Revelation. Why should that be amazing? Really, it’s to be expected, since many of the prophetic Scriptures are also looking far ahead to the absolute Day of the Lord! The many correlations and parallels between the two books make this very logical reasoning. Let Scripture interpret Scripture. I will be posting a chart with these many similarities. The Old Testament prophets echo through time, right up until the end, when the Alpha & Omega, the First and Last (Rev 22:13 and Isa 41:4) closes the old chapter of human history and ushers in visibly and unquestionably His Kingdom! (Heb 2:8)  We have not yet seen “every knee” bowed, but we can rest assured that we will see that Day! (Phil 2:10 and Isa 45:23) “Look up! Your redemption is nigh!”*

* from a line in my song based on Luke 21:28;  http://heartsinspired.biblefox.com/2009/07/13/hello-world/

The 144 thousand of Revelation 14:4 praise and pray with Psalm 144 and the LORD God of Israel answers with what is prophesied in Zechariah 14:4 !!!!

Read it for yourself!  (Rev 14:4; Zech 14:4; Psalm 144:5 particularly)  Is this not amazing???   Yet Christ’s triumphant Return will be more than amazing!!!

Psalm 144:

1.  Praise to prepare for war (v. 1-2)

2.  Humility and confession of their weakness (v. 3-4) – a wise heart because “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

3.  A plea for deliverance (5-8; 11)

4.  An expression of faith in God’s deliverance: “I will sing a new song…” (v. 9-10)

5.  A prayer of “so that”, expressing their desire for peace and prosperity.  It looks forward to the establishment of peace and security for all (prophetically, the Millennial Reign of Christ).  In order for peace to reign, evil must be conquered!  Evil does not negotiate but wants to subdue all under its hand.   However, the Prince of Peace wins and His Kingdom is established forever!  HalleluYAH!

FYI: As with many prophetic Scriptures, I believe the 144,00 to refer particularly to the remnant of Israel who will follow Messiah AND ALSO spiritually those Holy Spirit-led Church saints “who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.”  The remnant of Israel will be waging war in the physical threatened with their very extinction as a people;  the Church saints will be doing battle against evil in the spirit realm.  (Ephesians 6)

And so the true “Desire of all Nations shall come”!!!

(Haggai 2:7)

“The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”   Jeremiah 31:40

Some people think that all the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled already.   Certainly, enough of them have been that we can be assured that God’s word is true.  But there remain numerous prophecies to be ultimately fulfilled regarding Jerusalem, the City of Peace.   The promise from Jeremiah above remains unfulfilled… but maybe it is soon to be fulfilled!  (Zechariah 14)

The city was demolished after Christ’s time on earth.  Jerusalem was ravaged by Titus 70 AD; again by Hadrian in 135 AD; warfare over and in her has continued over the centuries.  But God’s word will be fulfilled and Jerusalem will be a City of Peace, as her name foreshadows, never again to be “uprooted or demolished”.

Maybe you over-spiritualize the promise.  But a wholly spiritual interpretation of “Jerusalem” would not be so precisely geographically defined as in Jeremiah 31:38-40.   God loves people, but He also loves His creation, including the earth.  Indeed, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed….to be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning…”  (Romans 8:19-22) Do you not hear the earth groaning, even more and more?

The promise of the City of Peace is also stated in Joel 3:17.  “Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.”  Historically, Jerusalem has been invaded in the last two thousand years more than once!

Why has history revolved so much for centuries around this city?   Crusades have been launched over her; she has truly been a “cup of trembling” for the nations. (Zech 12:2)  And why?   Since God has chosen Jerusalem, Satan defies the Holy One of Israel!  Hence, this battle over Zion, over Jerusalem.

The beginning of Joel 3:17 declares:

“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,
who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.”

Satan wants that which belongs to God!

Jerusalem is the city God has chosen for His own.  Granted, it has often played the harlot.  But God loves her nonetheless and though He has judged her often, He will remain faithful to her.  (If you’d like many more Scriptures regarding this, search “dwell Zion” in the Biblefox Bible search.)

Yes, I realize there is also a spiritual understanding of these verses but that does not diminish the obvious.  God is not a liar.   If a man made a contract with you to give you land and then afterward said, “Well, I didn’t mean physical land; I was referring to pie in the sky”,  you would feel as if you had been cheated and take that man to court.  God is not a liar nor a trickster.

God asked His people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!  (Psalm 122) If you want peace and security, seek her good – not only the “spiritual” city, but also the actual city to which all these Scriptures refer.  I pray for the peace of the city of Jerusalem situated in the country of Israel AND I pray for the people all over the globe who are a spiritual Israel, the Church.   But someday “all Israel”, all the princes of God, will be saved.  (Romans 11:25-26)  That will include many Israelis who are “inhabitants of Jerusalem” who will “look on [Christ], the One they have pierced…”  (Zech 12:10- 13:1)  The fountain of salvation will open to them, for God will open their eyes who are blinded for now, and this will be to God’s ultimate glory.  They will receive their Messiah!   “And so all Israel shall be saved!”  God wants us who already know Messiah to pray for those beloved, those of God’s election, (Romans 11:28) who will in God’s time and for His glory also know Jesus of Nazareth as their promised Messiah!

Will you not join with the Lord in praying for His eternal purposes?  Or will you be like so much of the institutional, historical church who throughout centuries has despised and mistreated and killed the people through whom were entrusted the Scriptures and the seed of Messiah?   God forbid!  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We’ve all been there. Someone asks our opinion and we want to be truthful but we also don’t want to offend.

The scenario is cliché on sitcoms: The wife asks the husband, “How do I look?” And the husband is in a quandary because he doesn’t know how to answer: “Should I tell her the truth? Or should I just be nice?”

What is the answer? Perhaps there isn’t just one answer. But if we are “full of the Spirit” at a given moment, I think we’ll have the “right” answer for each individual situation. But, in reality, we all “fall short of the glory” (Rom 3:23) because, honestly, we Christians are not always “full of the Spirit”, not always walking in love, not always “full of grace and truth”. So let’s extend grace for one another when we don’t get the balance between grace and truth just right.

I remember hearing a teaching on the “right word” at the wrong time is a wrong word. Some of us with the gift of discernment, can see clearly the problem at hand, but we might lack the mercy in delivering that insight. Sometimes, the Lord just wants us to say it, and sometimes He just wants us to pray it. I admit I have gotten this wrong.

On the other hand, some of us with the gift of mercy, may not ever confront a glaring problem. And the problem therefore endures. In the end, was it effectively mercy? It is the truth that sets us free!

Jesus, Whom we should seek to emulate, always had the right answer at the right time with the right motive. But we fall short. We don’t always get it right. Yet our great God is able to use even our weaknesses.

On the other hand, sometimes we do get it perfect! I know there are times when I happened to be full of the Spirit that my response couldn’t have been more right. And then there are other times when I wasn’t feeling particularly holy, but because God wanted something done and I happened to be there, the Spirit just took over.

I remember a situation where someone had verbally assaulted me on a stand for righteousness, and the Spirit of God just rose up in me and I quoted a Scripture very forcefully. Now, it wasn’t even like my normal self to do this. I usually try to be more gentle in speaking the truth. But, at that time, I knew it was the Spirit moving in me to deliver that word. The authority in my voice shocked even me!

Then again, there have been times when I’ve been restrained by the Spirit of God from saying anything at all.

In evangelism, there’s been many times when I’ve thought afterward, “If only I had said this… or said that…” The Lord can use even our feeble efforts, as he used a few loaves and fishes to feed multitudes. Our Father knows our hearts for winning the lost and He knows how to undo even our shortcomings. Sometimes I think it works like the proverbial “good cop, bad cop”. God can send someone else along to balance us out. But that shouldn’t be used as an excuse to stop growing in grace and truth!

When I was in deep darkness, the Lord sent many saints my way. Some of them were sweet and gentle and some downright angry! Once a man yelled at me: “Get out of my store and don’t ever come back!” His tirade rather shocked me because I was only talking about “world peace”. I didn’t realize I was involved in something sinister. (See my testimony.) His response may have seemed to some very unchristian, even downright mean, but it was what I needed at the time. I wondered what I had said to elicit such a vehement response. After all, I just wanted “world peace”. I was too naïve to know the “chant” I was using was actually calling on demons! That man’s response was exactly what I needed at that time. It made me re-assess my path.

So God can use all sorts of imperfect beings to bring us to His Perfect Self. He gets all the glory because we certainly, if we are honest with ourselves, are short of the glory! The good news is that He is changing us from glory to glory as we spend time in His Presence. (2 Cor 3:18) We saints are all destined to be like Jesus! Glory HalleluYAH! And guess what? We can’t take credit for even that because it’s His work in us! He is the Potter and we’re just lumps of clay! But glory! What the Master can do with us is just amazing, amazing grace… and truth!

Have you seen the ads for “Quantum Jumping” that constantly come up on internet ads?   When I was young and naive, it was bunk like this that got me into a quasi-New Age cult.  (Read my testimony page.)

Here’s the Real Quantum Leap:

John 11:25-26

“Jesus said to her, ‘I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Take a leap of faith, and choose to believe this.  Jesus died on the cross for mankind’s sins and then he rose from the dead, with the victory over death.  Ask God to show you this Truth.  What happens then?  He takes the blinders off your eyes to see the Truth!

2 Corinthians 3:14

You then become a new creation in Christ.  And when your physical body dies, your spirit and soul will continue to live on in Christ.  There’s more… and it’s the Truth!

2 Corinthians 5:17

This Truth has been attested to for thousands of years by millions of believers.  It’s tried and true.  This Truth was prophesied through the prophets.  It’s in the Bible.   Why do you think the Bible is the most censored book on this planet?  Because evil oppresses and does not want you to know the Truth!  The Truth sets you free!  Jesus Christ is the Truth!   And this Truth is freely given, freely bestowed on all who would believe.   The Truth is in the Word of God.  Jesus is the Word manifest, the Truth, the Resurrection and the Life!

Pray for the Truth.  This could be your last call.

John 14:6

How our Father loves to bestow good gifts on His children!  (Matt 7:11; James 1:17)  Psalm 37 is a psalm of inheritance.  Notice how many times the word is mentioned.  This Psalm ties in with one of my other favorite Scriptures that promises us that for His chosen, God “works all things together for our good.”  Romans 8:28

All in all, that mean that the God of all the universe is looking out for us!  He knows exactly what we need, when we need it, how we need it.  He knows better than ourselves!  That’s why we He admonishes us to “Rest in YHWH, and wait patiently for Him”!  Yes, rest assured!

Therefore, delight yourself in the LORD!   Yes, He will give you the desire of your heart!

I have often pondered does that mean He will give you what you think you want when you think you need it, OR does Father know best our deepest heart’s desire?    OR does it mean that our Father actually places righteous desires in our hearts when we delight in Him?  OR does it mean both?!!!

Longevity gives us perspective.  I can look back over my life and see how my Father has orchestrated things.  Some things that I wanted ‘NOW’ were actually best at His ‘later’ date!  I still have things that I’m waiting for, but may God grant me the grace to just “rest” in Him, knowing He shall bring it to pass to His glory!

My precious granddaughter’s name is “Hephzibah”. It’s a beautiful name but it isn’t simple and it isn’t convenient. When people first hear it, they want it re-pronounced, spelt, and explained. But the meaning is lovely: “my delight is in her”. Would every child know that their parents delight in them! God placed this name in Scripture (Isaiah 62:1-5) to let the people of God, the Israel of God, the Church, the Bride of Christ know that God will call us by a “new name” which expresses His delight in us as we grow ever closer to our wonderful LORD!

Names hold great significance in the Scriptures. Reading through Genesis, one will find over and over passages that explain why a child was thusly named. We read that God even changed people’s names. He changed Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, adding His own Hebrew letter in there, (the English ‘H’). What a daily reminder of the covenant God had made with them! He also renamed Jacob, “Israel” meaning “Prince of God”. (Gen 32:28)

It is most important to know the Almighty God’s name. “God” is not a name, it is what He is, Creator and Supreme Being. But God reveals His name so that we can be in relationship with Him. To Moses, He revealed His name to be YHWH, “I AM THAT I AM”, always existing, not having a beginning. (Exodus 3:14) Elsewhere it is shortened to YAH, “I AM”. (Isa 26:3-4) Other passages reveal this “YHWH” in many of His relational aspects through many covenant names, “YHWH who heals”, “I AM Shepherd”, “YHWH Shalom” and others. Each name reveals a characteristic of our Almighty Creator that He welcomes His people to know Him as. But within the very name “YHWH”, He reveals Himself as the Self-Existent One and LORD. In the King James version, this name is represented by “LORD”, all letters capitalized. (I don’t know why they just didn’t keep “YHWH”!)

God declares “I, YHWH, that is my name; and My glory I will not give to another…” (Isa 42:8) “I, even I, am YHWH and besides Me there is no Savior! (Isa 43:11)

Yet also in the Book of Isaiah is the wondrous revelation of God’s incarnation:

“For unto us a Child is born, a Son is given…and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…” (Isaiah 9:6)

That promised Child will be called “Jesus”  (“Yeshua” or “Yehoshua” in Hebrew)  meaning “Jehovah saved”. (Luke 1:31) This is the Promised Messiah, promised from the fall of man, to deliver man, to save him from sin, to redeem him from the curse, to bring him back into proper relationship with His Creator!

“Yeshua” or “Jesus” is the name that God has exalted to be “above every name”! (Philippians 2:9) If that verse means what it says, which I believe it does because God cannot lie, it means that the name of “Yeshua” (“Jesus” in English), is even above God’s other covenant names! Of course, you can’t know God as Shepherd, if He is not first your Savior. You can’t know God as SHALOM (Peace), if He is not first your Savior. And so Jesus said, “No man comes to the Father except through Me” for one must know the Almighty God first as the Savior Jesus Christ, and only then can we receive “the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15) If you don’t have a relationship with YAH the Savior, who sanctifies you, how can you come into the Presence of the Holy Father?

Jesus, during His earthly ministry, declared “Before Abraham was, I AM.” What a blasphemous statement for anyone to make, if it were not true. But it is the truth! God Himself came down to earth* and put on human flesh, to die the death due us for our sins. If you accept Him as “Yeshua”, as “Jehovah saves”, then you may know Him as His other names including “Emmanuel”, “God with us”.

This is the Good News: that God Himself descended to us as Yeshua the Messiah to lift us back up to Him! “And thus we shall always be with the Lord!” (1 Thes 4:17) HalleluYAH!

Call on the name above every name, knowing that His name reveals Him as both God and Lord! Call on the name of Yeshua! Call on the name of Jesus Christ!

PS: A “different” “Jesus” cannot save you! Only YHWH saves! If you think you can have salvation in a “Jesus” who is not also “YHWH” and LORD, you are misled! A self-proclaimed “church” that does not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ is not preaching the Good News, but another gospel which is really no good news and so a misnomer! (2 Cor 11:3-4) (Gal 1:6-7) (2 Cor 11:14)

* Nothing is too difficult for God! Do you not believe that God is omnipresent?

STRONG’S CONCORDANCE REFERENCES: “Jesus”  = Greek 2424 derived from Hebrew 3091 meaning “Jehovah saved”.   H3068 = Jehovah;  H3050 = contraction for H3068 = Yah = “iah” =”jah”.