Message From The MessengerThough They Were In It

... a Message from the Messenger
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This message focuses on the exception to Proverbs 22:6, using Ezekiel 14:14-20 as the text and points to a time when Christian parents will not be able to “deliver neither sons nor daughters”.

• The Pollution Of A Nation
• The Exception Of A Principle
• Noah Found Grace
• Job Tested
• Daniel Acquires A Witness
• Their Children Not Delivered

Though They Were In It!  [The Pollution Of A Nation]

What are we?

Are we more than Israel, I think not!

Throughout the history of Israel, which is recorded in the "Old Black Book" of 1611, or any revision thereof...1701 or 1833, we learn what will happen to the nation that goes astray from the Lord God. [Ezekiel 14:12,13]

"The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth 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:"

Even if this judgment is in particular for Israel, America cannot afford to ignore the lesson --- this display of the wrath of God on a people that are "polluted" "with all their transgressions."

As I consider the vast changes in our nation since the days of my youth, I tremble. In 1 Kings 14:24 it is recorded that Rehoboam allowed "sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel."

What I am about to preach, I have not heard preached, one time in all the years that I have been saved by the Lamb of and can not be believed by the unregenerate heart, (things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction) 2 Peter 3:16b.

 It is a scary subject and will put you in awe!  For the time is near at hand for us, (even as it was and will be for Israel).  I remember years ago, a man of God, preached and taught me, in his exposition of Romans chapter one, that right in the middle of the list of the sins of those of a "reprobate mind," is this sin of "disobedient to parents."

This brings to my mind. I clearly remember, this particular sin was manifested in my life in my teen years.  I had "a reprobate mind" and not until I came to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ did I experience a "renewing of" my mind, in regard to my attitude toward my parents [Romans 12:1-2]. 

Can anyone argue, that "disobedient to parents" has not "rifled" through the land for several generations in this nation.

In my youth (those years of 1960-70) I vividly remember my rebellion from my parents.  I was in "the leading edge" of the wave of rebels, (this to my shame!).  I colluded with the DYFS (Department Of Youth And Family Services).

In looking back, I tremble at what I did.  The State of Connecticut took me from my parents and made me a ward of the state.  Let me comment on this.  It did not have to happen!  That is, my parents could have been successful in rearing their children. 

The whole business of running with the crowd, wrong music [Rock] and not having any limits and boundaries could have been avoided.  If my parents had been God fearing born again, Bible believing Christians that were separated from the world --- the standards engendered would have kept me out of trouble.  I have no doubt as to the truth of this!  The Bible says "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." [Proverbs 22:6]

THIS FORMS A PRINCIPLE!

This passage in the Bible is not alone---in this proclamation. It forms a basic truth, concerning the "bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord," of Ephesians chapter six.   See the prosperity that is promised. (verse 3), "Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey."

The Exception Of A Principle

This is then, the promise made to Israel concerning the fathers and the children.  But what I want to do is deal with is the "EXCEPTION," and not the principle itself. 

The Bible clearly shows that there was a time, or will come a time, where godly parents will perform all, or "keep all his statutes and his commandments," in regard to rearing of the children up to the Lord, but will experience total failure in seeing the principle, established by God in Proverbs 22:6, come to fruition.

This message, Though They Were It, focuses on "THE EXCEPTION" to the principle taught in Proverbs 22:6.  My text is verse 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.”

And again, in verse 16,

"Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate."

Vs. 18, "Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 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."

Wham!  Hit them hard!  When the Spirit of God by the man of God, repeats four times in one chapter of Scripture, three men by name, we have to take it serious.  A true Bible believer will take it serious!  Four times by the prophet: "the word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest" [Ezekiel 1:3] concerning Noah, Daniel and Job.

These three men had their testimonies inscribed forever in Scripture as being "righteous," [verse 14,20].  Genesis chapter six states: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord," and in Hebrews 11:7 says: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."

Noah Found Grace

His testimony was so powerful that it was "to the saving of his house."  This is my prayer for my children.  I want to see each one of these children "turned to God, to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." [1 Thessalonians 1:9b, 10]. I want to see "the saving of" my house.

This is what Noah saw!  Is this what you want to see concerning your house?  Is your testimony such, that it will offer a powerful influence in lives of your children.  The time is fast running out! Behold, the time is coming when no matter whom you are, you "shall deliver by your righteousness, neither sons nor daughters" [verse 16, 18 and 20].  Three times!  Look at it!

"They shall deliver neither sons nor daughters."

How sad (that we have come to the point in this nation) that the spiritual darkness in all its blackness has come and clouded the eyes of even the very Christians themselves, to think that they can escape the consequences of the proclamation of the prophecy of God.

"Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves."

Job Tested

Job had this testimony!  "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." [Job 1:1]

Job loved his children. "And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually" [Job 1:5].

Job never did quit!  Job was a father, whose "righteousness" could "deliver" his children.  Proverbs 22:6 will shine forth as a great principle even as a beacon to those fathers and mothers whose testimony is in Jesus Christ.  That land will prosper, that nation will be happy.  That land will not be desolate.  But the time will come (or is already come) that "the land will be desolate" [verse 16].

Daniel Acquires A Witness

And what of Daniel?  How does God record his testimony? [He records it through a Gentile king]. "Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast forever for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions," [Daniel 6:25-27].

Did you get that?  A clear cut witness by the Holy Ghost! Daniel's "righteousness" is to be seen by all, who will read, and believe, the Holy Scripture, and see the effect of a god-fearing man.

Their Children Not Delivered

Now pull these men out of the time they lived, and stick them into time frame prophesied here in Ezekiel 14 and they will fall flat on their face, [not able to deliver children]. 

We are at this same point [as Israel was] in this nation, when we will see what Ezekiel had said would happen to a nation that "sinneth" [Israel].  The passage, primarily, points to Gods judgment of Israel, in the time shortly before the destruction of Israel and Judah as the punishment for her transgressions "that polluted the land." "The land sinneth against me by trespassing grieviously" [vs.13].

But there's another thing here, a future sense to this whole passage [Ezekiel 14:12-20] that points to the Great Tribulation or Jacob's trouble. "Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacobs's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it" [Jeremiah 30:7].

As we approach the tribulation, we find the churches in apostasy, ("except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition").

Remember, the end of every dispensation always ends in apostasy, and will always brings God's judgment.  The Laodicean church characterizes this time shortly before the tribulation.  The people’s rights!  The new age!  Spiritual darkness prevails. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come," II Timothy 3:1

Things are not getting better.  Things are getting worse!  We are living in the threshold of perilous times. 

The time is coming, when godly fathers and mothers cannot "prepare an ark” to the saving of their house, as Noah did.

Perilous times shall come! 

The day is coming when a father, one that fears God and eschews evil, can not by his prayer sanctify his children as Job did.

Perilous times shall come! 

The time is coming, when even the testimony and influence of God's man will not move a Gentile king in the making of his decrees as Daniel did.

The time is short!

Work while there is time!

Remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said, while he was in this world. "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4

"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."