We will begin with a little history review.
After King David’s rule—about 1000 years before Jesus Christ lived—and the extraordinary Kingdom of Solomon, that was a wonder to the world…with its hanging gardens, fountains, water-works and exotic animals… ruling in peace over the 12 tribes of Israel.
The Northern ten tribes of Israel turned away from the Lord their God. The tribe of Judah was in the southern part of the kingdom with the Levites and some Benjamites. After repeated warnings by God Israel was carried away — out of their country — into captivity and exile for the sin of Sabbath breaking and idolatry in the year 721 BC. The Assyrians were cruel and heartless captors, and they carried Israel away from the promised land.
About 136 years later, in 585 BC Judah and Jerusalem also fell and went into captivity and exile to Nebuchadnezzar – King of Babylon. It was ugly! The Babylonians killed most of the Jews and Levites in Jerusalem, but they took King Zedekiah and some people to Babylon.
2 Kings 17:
18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight [Assyrian captivity]: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
Paul tells us in the New Testament that all these thing were written down for us – upon whom the end of the world has come – so that we do not have to make the same mistakes.
Does anyone doubt that God is again very angry with modern-day Israel? The United States of America is making the exact same mistake that Israel of old made.
2 Kings 17:
19 Also [Just like Israel] Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the [sinful] statutes of Israel which they made.
Judah sinned worse than Israel had sinned.
Jeremiah 3:
11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Ezekiel 16:
51 Neither hath Samaria [Israel in the north] committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.
52 Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.
2 Kings 17:
20 And the LORD rejected all the [children] of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 For He rent [tore in two] Israel from the house of David.
Basically 10 tribes in the North and two tribes in the South at Jerusalem.
I saw Dennis Rodman on the news this week in North Korea, and during his obscene ranting I saw some of his body piercings in his ears, nose and lips and it reminded me of this scripture:
2 Kings 19:
28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears [the LORD says], therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which you came.
God had delivered His people from Egyptian captivity—is allowing them to go back into captivity. Can you picture glorious Israel going into slavery with metal rings in their noses and lips like farm animals? God used Assyria and Babylon as instruments of His judgment.
2 Kings 25:
7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
Could you imagine our President blinded and handcuffed and shackled in a foreign enemy’s land?
Jeremiah began to prophesy immediately before Jerusalem, the Temple and Judah fell to Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah 32:
1 The word that came to Jeremiah [the Prophet] from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.
2 For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.
Prophets had it rough for telling the truth.
Jeremiah 32:
3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
Jeremiah said it because God told him to say it.
Jeremiah 32:
4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; [eye to eye prophecy]
5 And he [Nebuchadnezzar] shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon.
Why did these mighty nations fall – how were they able to be destroyed?
Jeremiah 32:
30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah [both] have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.
We are looking at this because that is exactly what America is doing today! I want to demonstrate how precise God’s prophecies are – and yet they are not heeded. We see that King Zedekiah made a run to escape…
Jeremiah 52:
8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
You cannot put your trust in armies or any other thing.
Jeremiah 52:
9 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.
We saw this judgment a moment ago in 2 Kings 25.
Jeremiah 52:
10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
Nebuchadnezzar executed all the royalty—the entire dynasty EXCEPT for the daughters of Zedekiah who fled to Ireland with Jeremiah.
Isaiah 37:
31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah [Zedekiah’s daughters] shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:
32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion [Zedekiah’s daughters]: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
Jeremiah 52:
11 Then [Nebuchadnezzar] put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.
Jeremiah had predicted that Zedekiah’s "eyes should see the eyes of the king of Babylon," and here Ezekiel prophesies that he should not see Babylon, though he should die there;
Ezekiel 12:
13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
This net was to intimate, that though Zedekiah escaped out of the city, the Chaldeans should overtake him, and carry him to Babylon.
Both prophesies were exactly fulfilled when Zedekiah was brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, where he had his eyes put out, and was then carried to Babylon, and died there.
Let’s fast forward to the USA and the Church of God – still the Children of Israel – we are the modern descendants of these same Israelites that we’ve been reading about.
Remember this verse we saw a moment ago:
2 Kings 17:
20 And the LORD rejected all the [children] of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until He had cast them out of his sight.
Is there anyone who understands the Word of God who does not believe that the USA and the United Kingdom are about to be cast out of God’s sight – for the exact same reasons that our forefathers went into exile and captivity?
Look at our Commander in Chief – Look at our armed forces – America has become a weak sister. Look at our crippling trillions of national debt. We are going down while the Gentile world is gaining in supremacy.
China landed its first lunar rover on the moon last month, while most Americans hardly noticed. China is building a formidable war machine.
Revelation 9:
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred million: and I heard the number of them.
All Israel went into captivity because they would not turn around. Does it look like America is going to turn around and embrace Godliness and Christianity – not likely!
Today, there is a need to repent – who believes it? It’s time to get down to the basics. America was once known as a Christian nation. The problem was that we championed the name ‘Christian’ but adhered to only a few of the basics of true Christianity.
God has been removed so far from our standard of morality that our President has declared that the United States is no longer a Christian nation.
That is a sad state of affairs—but it is consistent with the history of our patriarchs who also rejected God and His blessings. The Old Testament is the history of Israel's failure to obey God. Over and over Israel tempted and provoked Almighty God.
Ezekiel 9:
4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
We should be moved greatly that God’s name is being removed, rejected, tarnished and besmirched in our nation. Everything Godly is sneered upon—out in the world. We need to check our attitudes in God’s Church as well.
Every day God is sending new warnings that our nation had better heed and return to Him.
THIS WEEK’S NEWS
92 million people out of work!
Poisoned water supplies for hundreds of thousands!
Storms!
Godless leaders and an unjust Justice System!
Incurable diseases!
Violence in our cities and on our roadways!
God is removing the hedge of protection that once preserved our blessings. How is the Church of God responding to this National crisis?
The Church of God is not sighing and crying too much about the demise of our nation because we all believe that we are the privileged ones that will be spared the mayhem and carnage that is descending on our nation.
Strangely, in spite of the evidence to the contrary—our Israelitish patriarchs always believed that they too were the exception to the rule. They believed that they would get off scot-free – without consequences are penalties! They always thought it would happen to someone else.
Could it be that within God’s Church we are in danger of making the same mistake where we speak religious sounding words but in fact exhibit very little Christian substance? When we measure that which passes for religious practice in many of our congregations today—it is only a pretense of true Godly faith.
Where can we find True Christianity? The Christianity practiced as Jesus and the apostles taught it? In the Church of God it is like we are doing just enough to fool only the most superficial of adherents.
Within the Church of God:
Where is the seriousness?
Where is the faith?
Where is the urgency, to warn our nation – and the world?
Where is the urgency, to preach the Gospel?
Where is the reconciliation, between members and organizations?
Where is the mercy, for those who are weak?
Where is the humility that God’s people should exhibit?
Where is the zeal, to get back to the very basics of living our faith?
Where is the sacrifice, the living sacrifices that we should be?
Romans 12:
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Where is the honest introspection, examining ourselves by God’s Word?
Where is the giving of ourselves – as Christ gave us His all?
Where is the caring?
Where is the sincerity?
Where is the integrity?
Where is the spirituality?
Where is the submission?
Where is the yieldedness?
Where is the forgiveness?
And where is the crucial concern for our brother and sister with needs?
Where is the “oneness” that would show the world that we are God’s people?
John 17:
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
God says that there is a lot of rhetoric and talk but precious little substance in His Church.
Isaiah 29:
13 The Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.
What is the basis of our faith anymore? Where is the spiritual practice of our faith? By the conceited manner of some, you would have to conclude that they tell themselves that God gives special privilege to an elite number.
There is no favoritism with God, nor is He a respecter of persons. Knowing that we are God’s holy and chosen ones should not be cause for smugness.
We were once in the world ourselves—in ignorance and darkness. How can we escape from Satan’s ways and the bondage of this world? To escape — we need to be invited by God to return to the very basics of Christianity.
These are the basic principles of our faith:
Hebrews 6:
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us (#7) go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of (#1) repentance from dead works, and of (#2) faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of (#3) baptisms, and of (#4) laying on of hands, and of (#5) resurrection of the dead, and of (#6) eternal judgment.
Notice that is says we are to go on to perfection! That is the #7 and final doctrine of Jesus Christ.
Through God’s grace and calling we began to learn the basics one by one.
(#1) basic doctrinal principle: God granted us repentance to be able to turnaround and come out of the evil world.
Repentance is not a sentiment – or a good thought – it is a requirement for conversion and salvation.
God has preserved His Word – the Bible – for all the world to see. But to those He is calling – He has opened the pages of the Bible to our understanding. He is guiding us by His Spirit. He has shown us what to repent of. Stop breaking His Commandments! Follow His laws that preserve our lives. Come out of the ways of this world that lead only to anguish, hurt, pain and death.
It is God who has granted us repentance – the ability to turn around and live Godly lives – pleasing to God.
(#2) basic doctrinal principle: The faith we have toward God the Father and in His Son was a gift.
Romans 6:
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We are going to die eternally for our own sins – unless God intervenes somehow. None of us decided on our own that we would start believing that we could be saved from the sure penalties that come as a result of our sins. He made us His children—Children of God—brothers and sisters to Jesus Christ. Have we forgotten what it means to put on Christ and the attributes of Christ?
1 John 2:
6 He that saith he abides in [Christ] ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.
That means that we do the things that Jesus did—not walking on water— but laying down our lives to help save others.
1 John 3:
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
We are to worship and love God first and foremost.
And we are to love others with the love that God has shown us.
Matthew 22:
37 Jesus said unto [to the lawyer], Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
When it is all said and done—and we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives— and we will—He is not going to ask us about the cars, jobs or
houses that we’ve had—He will ask us about all our relationships with people.
Romans 14:
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
It is only our relationships with people that will be enduring throughout eternity. Unless our lives are a reflection of Christ’s life, when it is all said and done He will say to us, “I never knew you.”
Matthew 7:
21 Not everyone that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
There is a big difference between putting on a smile for your friends at Sabbath services—on one hand—and laying down your life, as Christ did, for someone overtaken in a fault.
Galatians 6:
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Time is very short. We do not want Jesus to spue us out of His mouth. We want to be protected by God and be in the Kingdom of God. Can we look in the mirror and see that compared to Christ we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked?
Revelation 3:
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
At the time when the Church should be the beacon set on a hill for all to see its light—we have become a willing counterpart of the fraudulent culture of this world. At this late hour, we are not that much different from this world’s ‘Christianity.’
Romans 13:
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we [first] believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works [done in] darkness [repentance], and let us put on the armor of light. …and let us arm ourselves for the fight of the day.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. … not in lewdness and indecency, not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. …But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and put a stop to gratifying the evil desires that lurk in your carnal nature.
There are not too many people to whom their Christian faith is as relevant as life itself. Most people do not look at their faith as though it made the difference in their lives between eternal life and eternal death. Even among church-goers, Godliness and morality are at an all time low. It is not surprising with so many church leaders liberalizing and watering down doctrine that true first century Christianity is on the decline.
What must be done to stem the tide? It is no wonder that Jesus rhetorically asks us the question:
Luke 18:
8 …When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?
The advice that Jesus gives to our age is to reverse the slide into secularism, turn around and be on fire for God’s way.
Revelation 3:
19 … Be zealous therefore, and repent.
That is easier said than done because everyone has been lulled into a false sense of complacency. Yes, everyone!
The Church of God is asleep. Why else would Jesus say about us:
Matthew 25:
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Oh, we all claim to believe in God – but the Scriptures reveal that belief in God is not nearly enough.
James 2:
19 You believe that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Let’s look at Phillip’s and Stephen’s stories that demonstrate the basics at work in the lives of Christians.
Acts 6:
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against
the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
There were not enough hours in the day to do all the anointings, counselings, instructions, and writings of the Gospel accounts that needed to be done—they need some help from the deacons.
Acts 6:
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. [(#4) basic doctrinal principle of Jesus Christ Hebrews 6:2]
7 And the Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. [Levitical Priesthood from the temple]
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. [Stephen was a deacon.]
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Acts 6:
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.
There is a basic principle of our faith that says:
2 Timothy 3:
12 Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Brethren, we must ask ourselves this question, “If I’m not being persecuted for my faith – does my faith show?” Stephen is about to run into some serious opposition to his faith.
1 Peter 3:
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Acts 6:
11 Then they suborned [bribed] men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. [not true]
12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: [not true]
14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
15 And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Acts 7:
1 Then asked the High Priest [of Stephen], Are these things so?
Of course they were not true – Stephen was being persecuted with lies and false accusations. But here was a perfect place to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Acts 7:
2 And [Stephen] said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
Stephen knew the basics – that God made physical and spiritual promises to Abraham. Our God is a covenant God.
And Stephen goes on for pages to tell the entire history of Israel. Stephen knew his faith! He knew his scripture. God worked miracles through him. But when he pointed out to the High Priest that God’s warnings were never heeded:
Acts 7:
51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: [you crucified Jesus]
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
And Stephen became the first martyr of the Christian faith.
Acts 7:
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
For emphasis the Scriptures record twice that Jesus stood up at His heavenly throne – cheering Stephen on.
Acts 7:
59 And they stoned Stephen, [while he was] calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. [He died.]
Stephen was prepared for the times and for what God had in store for him to accomplish.
He had no idea that he was going to be used mightily by God in that way – but he had the basics down pat – and therefore God was able to use him in that way.
It is glory to God when the world despises you for standing up for true Christianity. Today, people believe that there is an easier way to get into God’s kingdom. They’ll just hook their wagon to a rising star.
They trust that someone they know will make sure they get in – their pastor, or their church group, or their family, or their good friend in high places – they will just hang close to him and go in on his coat-tails because he would not steer them wrong.
Let’s see what the scriptures tell us about someone getting us in – giving us a pass card so to speak.
Ezekiel 14:
13 Son of man, when the land sins against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 14:
20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
Too many brethren are going so far off course that they never return.
Learn the basics
of the principles of Jesus Christ. We must come to Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at the other example of a man who had the basics.
Acts 8:
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
That had to be the toughest area on earth to preach Christ. Those people were synchristic—having acts of religious worship that combine beliefs of Christianity and paganism mixed together. Their basics were scrambled.
2 Timothy 3:
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Remember the Samaritan woman at the well that Jesus had spoken to? Jesus told her:
John 4:
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him.
Getting the basics down enables us to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
Acts 8:
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Phillip ran face to face with the first Pope. [Phillip was a deacon - and he prevailed because he knew his basics and he followed the lead of God’s Spirit.]
Acts 8:
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
16 (For as yet [the Holy Spirit] was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then [Peter and John] laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. [A doctrine of Jesus Christ Hebrews 6:2]
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"Back to the Basics" |
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