Father God, as we have gone through this series on your self-revelation throughout history,
we pray that we would heed the warning of Israel who listened to you,
even delighted to listen to you, and yet ignored what you said.
So as we come to your word now, we ask, Father, that you would, by your spirit,
help us to see it as light and truth and hope, and that we would be motivated to obey it.
And we ask it for your sake. Amen.
On the eve of Operation Desert Storm in January 1991, President Bush Sr. said it was America's responsibility
to protecuate because we are the leaders of the world.
Fairly arrogant thing to say, really.
Typically American, but fairly arrogant thing to say.
Because they were on the winning side of World War II, they were the economic powerhouse of the world,
they've got Hollywood and Arnold Schwarzenegger,
in their arrogance, they just assumed that they would always be on top of the world,
that they would always be right and that they are always victorious.
The fact is, though, that they'd only been a major world player for around about 80, 90 years.
In that time, they'd been defeated in Vietnam,
been sorely bruised in Korea and Somalia,
and now in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Yet, in their arrogance, they think they will never be defeated,
they will always be on top of the world.
Why?
It's got to be linked to the thought that God is on our side
as we battle the forces of evil.
If you've ever visited America, you'll know what I mean.
The first thing you encounter when going into the United States
is US customs, homeland security.
They're the guys dressed up in black paramilitary stuff
with bulletproof vests and guns.
They're the guys who wanted to go to Iraq but got given a desk job instead.
And so they are looking for someone to shoot.
I remember coming one day from Canada into the United States.
Must be the riskiest border in the world.
And I was going in with someone with an Australian passport,
also a couple of people.
One person with an American passport,
two others with Australian passports.
And one of them needed to get the green card.
And so we pulled in, hopped out of the car, went in and stood in line.
One person stepped over the yellow line accidentally,
was just standing on the wrong side of the yellow line.
And the customs guy comes right up into his face and says,
back off over the line.
It's like, whoa, we're in a major security risk area here.
Another person was standing in the line.
We were standing there for 45 minutes and the line didn't go anywhere in 45 minutes.
And there was a man dressed up in a suit heading down into the US.
And as the customs guy walked along the line, he said to him,
excuse me, sir, how long will this take?
And he said, how long are you expecting to live?
And he said, well, I don't really know,
but this seems to be taking a while.
And he said to him, that's the price you pay to come to the United States.
And of course, he comes to me and I whip out my Australian passport.
Coalition of the willing, coalition of the willing.
Coalition of the willing.
The US has little reason for its arrogance,
but by the time of the monarchy in Israel,
they did have good reason.
With the promised land and the temple and the Ark of the King,
Israel had been on top for over a thousand years.
Their history was pretty impressive.
We started this series on the kingdom of God back in the book of Genesis,
right at the beginning.
And the framework for understanding the kingdom of God
and therefore the kingdom of Israel was established in the garden.
God's people in God's special place under the rule of God.
And God ruled them through his mighty word.
Genesis 3, however, reveals rebellion against God's word and his rule.
It's sin.
It's people who have no right to rule,
rising up against the one who has the right to rule,
ignoring his word and doing their own thing.
And the outcome is expulsion from God's presence and everything is cursed.
The good news is, we discovered very quickly,
that God has not abandoned his world.
He even gives Adam and Eve a very small glimpse there
that he will one day rise up someone who will crush the head of Satan.
And as we see, the Bible progresses,
God has a plan to undo and reverse the impact of their rebellion.
In Genesis 12, God makes a promise that he will undo Genesis 3
through one man and his descendants.
And God's plan is to bless this man and his descendants
by giving them a special place
where he will rule over them and dwell with them.
The plan was for the whole world to be blessed through these special people.
And in Exodus 19, as we saw, expands on it,
explains that the way God was going to bless this world
was to set apart a bunch of people who would be different than everyone else.
They were people who would be obedient to God's word.
The way that they would be different is that they would wholeheartedly love God
and that they would obey him
and that they would love their neighbours as themselves.
The book of Joshua takes us into the beginning of the conquest
of this special place of God, his promised land.
It was hard and slow because of the numerous enemies which occupied the land
and the numerous enemies of their heart which they did battle on on the inside.
And we saw last week in 2 Samuel 7
that they did finally rid the land of all of God's enemies under King David.
The promised land is here.
It's ours.
Fulfillment.
We have arrived at the destination.
And David's son Solomon sets about building a permanent temple in Jerusalem
with the Ark of the Covenant in its place in its permanent home
and God would be a permanent fixture.
Israel is on top of the world.
And they thought that they would always be on top of the world
because in the middle of their land was the city of Jerusalem.
In the middle of the city of Jerusalem stood a permanent temple
and in the middle of the permanent temple was the Ark of the Covenant
which held the word of God and God's presence was assured.
Such was the arrogance of the people of Israel.
And it isn't long and we see the enemy within is still a problem.
1 Kings 10, the Queen of Sheba comes and Solomon shares the wisdom he has gained from God.
That is, the people of Israel are now blessing the nations.
That's in 1 Kings 10.
And the beginning of 1 Kings 11 we read,
Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in his love.
Turns out they are no different than anyone else.
Ezekiel 33 gives us a glimpse into the attitude of the people of God
as they consistently ignore the word of God.
As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls at the doors and the houses
saying to each other,
Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.
And so my people come to you as they usually do
and sit before you to listen to your words.
But they do not put them into practice.
With their mouths they express devotion
but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.
Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice
and plays an instrument well
for they hear your words
but they do not put them into practice.
The people of God would simultaneously sit, hear and enjoy the word of God
and then ignore it like it was just some kind of a love song.
They would go through all the motions of worship
but their hearts were far from God.
And so throughout Israel's history for the time of Samuel onwards
the prophetic office was closely linked to the conditions laid down by God
for enjoyment of covenant blessings.
Although Israel's salvation has for its basis
God's gracious act of saving the people out of Egypt
there is a close link between the enjoyment of the final outcome of that salvation
and Israel's obedience.
Now on the surface
that appears to mean that Israel's salvation
was achieved by obedience to the law
but that is not the case.
Grace first comes in the saving acts of God
and then the law binds the saved people to God as his people.
And should these people refuse to accept their responsibility
to live as God's people
then they must suffer removal from the land of blessing.
Exile
in the same way that they had previously experienced out of Eden.
The relationship of good works to salvation
is essentially the same in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
In both salvation is by grace
but grace never stands alone with our good works.
To put it another way
we may say that no one is saved because of obedience
but no one is saved without obedience.
So the ministry of the prophets
was calling the people of God back
to covenant obedience.
Even when the kingdom of Israel split under Solomon
and they start to slide into destruction
the ministries of the likes of Elijah and Elisha
combined in an effort
to bring the people back to covenant obedience.
In their arrogance though
the people of God by and large
refused to obey
and listen to the word of God
from the mouth of the prophets.
Their sinful hearts were far from God.
And it gets that bad
that by Ezekiel
by the time of the prophets of Ezekiel
and other pre-exilic and post-exilic prophets
they were defiling God's temple
with idolatrous worship.
A defilement that spread everywhere in the land.
In other words
God's special promised land
was now viewed as putrid
by God
according to Ezekiel 6 and 7.
And the penalty for this defilement
was expulsion
out of the land.
Israel had chosen uncleanliness
they have chosen
to ignore the word of God
and so they will have uncleanliness
in its full measure.
They will be driven out of God's land
into an unclean land.
Uncleanliness
will not just be their hearts
but uncleanliness
will be their total environment.
And so the unthinkable happens
in Ezekiel 10.
The thing that Israel thought
would never happen
God
leaves
his temple.
And now it is no more
than a few stones
heaped on top of one another
and with his departure
God hands the city
and the nation
over to be destroyed
and it happened in 586 BC.
According to
chapter 1 of Ezekiel
Ezekiel is one of God's people
that's been kicked out of God's place
and wondering
at this point
what has happened
to all the promises of God.
all our hope
was
wrapped up in this land
in this temple
in this ark
and now
it is all gone.
God
what have
you done?
Perhaps you can imagine
the 30 year old Ezekiel
wandering beside the Kibar River
thinking about his future.
As a 30 year old man
son of Busi
the priest
he would have began
his priestly ministry
in the temple
and now
he's 800 kilometers
from home
in a foreign land
under the rule
of a foreign empire
he was a captive
he was a slave
he was a long way
from home
both physically
and spiritually.
All of he knew
about God
and his promises
were 800 kilometers away
the temple
was the center
of God's activity
with his people
but without a land
and without a Jerusalem
and without a temple
without an ark
what is left
is God dead?
Has God abandoned
his promises?
Has God forgotten
about his people?
Good questions.
And yet
in Ezekiel 1 verse 1
tells us that
Ezekiel saw
the heavens opened
and I saw
visions of God
on the Kiba River
800 kilometers
away from Jerusalem
in a foreign land
as a captive
no priest
no temple
only a few
of the people
of God
Ezekiel gets
a really
strange sight
he gets
a vision
of God
where God
should not be
God shows up
God has not
forgotten
his covenant
promises
to Abraham
and David
yes
right now
the people
of God
were put
in the time
out corner
for their
rebellion
their sin
and their
impurity
and even
though
the majority
of the
messages
of the
prophets
is one
of judgment
it is also
a message
of hope
in Ezekiel 36
God makes
a remarkable
promise
he says
for I will
take you
out of the
nations
I will
gather you
from all
the countries
and bring
you back
into your
own land
I will
sprinkle
clean water
on you
and you
will be
clean
I will
cleanse you
from all
your impurities
and from
all your
idols
I will
give you
a new
heart
and put
a new
spirit
in you
I will
remove
from you
your heart
of stone
and give
you a heart
of flesh
and I will
put my
spirit in
you
and move
you
from the
inside
that is
to follow
my decrees
and to be
careful
to keep
my laws
and so
through the
mouth of
this prophet
God reaffirms
his covenant
prophecies
to his
exiled
people
the people
of God
are now
looking
forward
to a
new
age
and the
new
age
will be
an age
in which
God
says
I
will
clean
you
I
will
purify
you
from
your
defilement
and your
impurities
I
will
take
the
initiative
to deal
with
the
problem
and the
problem
is
your
heart
I
will
pronounce
you
clean
Jeremiah
prophesies
at the
same
kind
of
time
and
calls
it
full
and
complete
forgiveness
in
Jeremiah
31
that
is
what
they're
looking
forward
to
in
this
new
age
and
central
this
new
age
will
be
the
ruach
the
wind
major
theme
running
through
the
prophets
looking
at
this
time
the
wind
which
is
translated
the
spirit
the
new
age
that
Ezekiel
and
others
prophesy
about
will
be
the
age
and
with
the
spirit
God's
spirit
God's
wind
will
be
placed
within
God's
people
changing
them
from
the
inside
so
that
they
will
be
responsive
and
that
they
will
delight
to
obey
the
word
of
the
Lord
we
notice
in
chapter
37
we
see
how
this
will
be
done
with
Ezekiel's
remarkable
vision
of the
valley
of
dry
bones
as
Ezekiel
prophesies
the word
of God
the
spirit
goes
out
and
breathes
into
the
dead
bones
and a
miracle
happens
dead
people
come
to
life
through
the
spirit
of
God
working
through
the
word
of
God
it's
a
miracle
the
nation
which
is
dead
through
God's
spirit
going out
through
his
word
now
comes
alive
life
and the
work of
the
spirit
and the
word
will be
inseparable
in the
new
age
the
word
and the
spirit
together
will bring
about
new
life
and so
what is
the
final
goal
of this
new
life
that
these
new
people
are
looking
forward
to
in
this
new
age
it's
seen
in the
very
last
chapters
of
Ezekiel
chapters
40
to
48
and
God
shows
Ezekiel
a new
and
permanent
temple
and
chapter
43
of
Ezekiel
we
read
this
then
the
man
brought
me
to
the
gate
facing
east
and
I
saw
the
glory
of
the
God
of
Israel
coming
from
the
east
his
voice
was
like
the
roar
of
rushing
waters
and
the
land
was
radiant
with
his
glory
the
vision
I
saw
was
like
the
vision
I
had
seen
when
he
came
to
destroy
the
city
and
like
the
visions
I
had
seen
by
the
Kibar
river
when
I
fell
face
down
the
glory
of
the
Lord
entered
the
temple
through
the
gates
facing
east
and
then
the
spirit
came
and
lifted
me
up
and
brought
me
in
to
the
inner
court
of
the
temple
and
the
glory
of
the
Lord
filled
the
temple
God
and
his
people
through
the
spirit
are
now
united
as
one
that's
the
glory
of
the
new
age
the
Ezekiel
who
saw
the
glory
of
God
depart
in
chapter
10
and
11
now
watches
God
return
in
this
new
age
and
he
himself
is
wrapped
up
in
it
and
taken
into
the
inner
court
the
final
verse
of
Ezekiel
is
the
whole
thing
in
a
nutshell
and
the
name
of
the
city
from
that
time
on
will
be
the
Lord
is
there
the
Lord
is
there
God
will
now
be
forever
with
his
people
because
he
has
purified
them
and
made
them
fit
for
his
presence
they
are
clean
they
have
the
spirit
and
they
are
now
united
with
God
forever
so
how
is
he
going
to
do
that
how
does
he
deal
with
the
sin
that
separates
them
in
the
first
place
Ezekiel
doesn't
say a
lot
about
it
but
he
does
give
us
some
hints
is
when
God
calls
Ezekiel
the
son
of
man
and
the
son
of
man
symbolizes
the
bearing
of
the
sin
on
his
body
when
Ezekiel
is
told
to
lie
on
his
side
in
chapter
4
and
in
chapter
16
God
promises
a
time
when
he
himself
will
make
atonement
for
the
faithless
Israel
that
is
God
himself
will
purify
their
sin
and
God
also
promises
a
time
when
he
will
judge
the
people's
useless
shepherds
as it
says
in chapter
34
and place
over them
one shepherd
my servant
David
don't forget
the promises
we heard last
week from
2 Tamerals
chapter 7
that God
says the
descendant of
David will
sit on my throne
forever
and so here
we have in
chapter 34
I will place
over them
one shepherd
my servant
David
and he
will
tend
them
and he
will
tend
them
and be
their
shepherd
I
the
Lord
will
be
their
God
and my
servant
David
will be
prince
among
them
the shepherd
who tends
the sheep
is none
other than
the good
shepherd
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
who picks
up from
Ezekiel
34
in John
chapter 10
and refers
to himself
as the good
shepherd
and why
is he the
good shepherd
shepherd
because he
lays down
his life
for the
sheep
he is
the
sacrificial
lamb
and it's
because of
his sacrifice
that God
is able to
pass over
our sins
as we saw
in the second
sermon of
this series
and so
through Christ
we are
purified
the spirit
of God
comes
and we
are united
with God
right now
in the
heavenly realms
right now
people of God
right now
and yet
we look
forward to
it too
we look
forward to
the complete
complete
fulfilment
of that
perfection
of being
in the
inner
sanctuary
with God
and actually
seeing him
face to face
and so
right now
this side
of heaven
we who
are purified
by Christ
live in an
impure world
and we live
by faith
and not by sight
and we live
in impure
bodies
and that
means
this side
of heaven
it's a
struggle
both in the
flesh
and in our
souls
when you
don't feel
pure
can I
trust God's
promise
that he has
in fact
dealt with
my sins
and that I
have complete
access to God
the Father
when I
don't feel
like it
when what
is before
me
consistently
that I
see is
my own
sinfulness
Romans 7
puts it
like this
for in my
inner being
I delight
in God's
law
but I
see another
law at work
in the
members of
my body
waging war
against the
law of my
mind
and making
me a
prisoner of
the law
of sin
at work
within my
members
what a
wretched
man I
am
what's
the answer
to this
struggle of
being pure
and impure
next verse
who will
rescue me
from this
body of
death
and take
me to the
perfection
of heaven
where there's
no tears
when it's
all clean
when I'll
not just
do it by
faith but
experience it
physically
thanks be
to God
through
Jesus
Christ
and so
I live
by faith
in Christ
2 Corinthians
5 talks
about the
same groaning
as we
long for
heaven
and that's
where it
says in
verse 7
we live
by faith
and not
by sight
the battle
is to deal
with our
sin and
to trust
in the
promises
of God
so all
these promises
of the
gift of
the spirit
the purification
of sins
eternal
life
are not
meant to
make me
apathetic
they are
not meant
to cause
me to be
lazy
this side
of heaven
there is a
battle of
endurance
and holiness
and faith
raging
this side
of heaven
and the
promises are
there as
in 1 John
chapter 1
verse 7
if we walk
in the light
as he is
in the light
we have
fellowship
with one
another
and the
blood of
Jesus
his son
purifies
us from
all sin
if we
confess our
sins
he is
faithful and
just
will
forgive us
our sins
and purify
us from
all
unrighteousness
he is the
atoning sacrifice
for our sins
not only for
ours but also
for the sins
of the whole
world
and yet
don't just
sit there
because the
very next
verse says
we know
that we have
come to
know him
that is if
we've come
to enjoy
in all this
purity and
forgiveness
of sins
if we
obey
his
commands
the man
who says
I know
him but
does not
do what
he says
is a liar
and the
truth is
not in
him
but if
anyone
obeys
his word
God's
love is
truly made
complete in
him
whoever claims
to live in
him must
walk as
Jesus did
in other
words
don't make
the mistake
of Israel's
history
listen to
Jesus the
good shepherd
when he
leads us
with his
words
words like
Sam just
read out to
us
not everyone
who says
to me
Lord Lord
will enter
the kingdom
of heaven
not but
only he
who does
the will
of my
father who
is in
heaven
many will
say to
me on
that day
Lord Lord
did we
not prophesy
in your
name and
in your
name drive
out demons
and perform
many miracles
and then I
will tell
them
plainly I
never knew
you away
from me you
evil doers
therefore
application
everyone who
hears these
words of
mine and
puts them
into practice
is like the
wise man who
built his
house on the
rock
Jesus says
don't make
the mistake
of the people
of God have
made in the
past listen
to my word
and obey
my word
you see the
people of
God
in the
time of
the monarchy
were tempted
to trust
their wealth
and their
political
stability in
the Davidic
line and
even in the
temple itself
while ignoring
the word of
God
they slipped
into apathy
because they
thought that
they had
actually arrived
at the
complete
kingdom
and the
warning from
their time
and the
mouth of
Jesus
is be
careful
of enjoy
listening
to the
word of
God
while
ignoring
its call
to
obedience
and my
friends I
would love
to see
revival come
to St
Paul's
but revivals
don't happen
by talking
about them
true revivals
have happened
only when
people have
gained a
right idea
of God
and his
majesty
and his
holiness
revivals
have happened
when people
grew in
their sense
of accountability
before God
when they
grew in
their sense
of their
sin
and when
they grew
in their
sense of
Christ's
completed
saving work
on the
cross
all those
things together
in their
understanding
also of
their call
to
obedience
to
Christ
these
are the
times
when God
visits his
church
pours out
his spirit
and dead
bones
come alive
amen
them
150
to
this
in
Jesus