Listen, Assemble, and Come Near
While we are currently studying the book of Genesis, it is important to pause so that we may discuss recent events and the call to action that men of God need to take. Next week we will continue in our study on the book of Genesis, however, we need to discuss the effect that what occurred on Saturday, July 13th in Pennsylvania at the President Trump rally. By now you have been inundated with loud voices and opinions from both sides of the political spectrum; and while I do not want to contribute to the noise, these events can be used to point to a call of action for men of God.
Deuteronomy 28 describes a set of blessings and curses that God was to use on the nation of Israel if they followed or disobeyed Him. Deuteronomy 28:1-3 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God: 3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.”
It is important to remember that Israel is a nation set aside for God. Some Christians will rip these passages and throw the United States into chapters when that is not the case. Replacement theology and liberation theology are both poisons in the Church today that must be confronted with God’s Word. However, there are promises in God’s Word to Israel that are intrinsically in God’s nature, and because we know God does not change, Malachi 3:6 “For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed” we should be vigilant to take hold of promises knowing they are applicable to us as well.
I want to also say that while I am talking about a gentile nation (United States), I am talking more importantly about the Church inside of the United States which makes up Jew and Gentile. Ephesians 2:13-18 “But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”
So I say this to the born again believer. We need to get on our knees and pray! Men of God, get down on your knees and pray, ask for repentance! Our nation is struggling worse than it did during the civil war. Worse than it did in any time since our nation came into being. The cause of this? Church men failed to be what we were meant to be. However, I want to point to a promise to Israel and the characteristics of God’s nature being perfect and eternal and reveal application we as men in the Church need to stop and obey. Read Deuteronomy chapter 28 and see what God says to Israel. Are these truths for us as well? Yes! Paul emphasizes this with in his letter to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
So what should we do after the events of July 13th? Go to Isaiah 48! What we have here is God talking to Israel through His prophet Isaiah. While the message is for Israel, the principles of going to God are universal.
Isaiah 48:12-19 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. 13 “Surely My hand founded the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together. 14 “Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he will carry out His good pleasure on Babylon, And His arm will be against the Chaldeans. 15 “I, even I, have spoken; indeed I have called him, I have brought him, and He will make his ways successful. 16 “Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.” 17 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go. 18 “If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 “Your descendants would have been like the sand, And your offspring like its grains; Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.”
God gives three commandments in a unique pattern that must be identified and applied as soon as possible in our own nation. Men examine verse 12!
12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.”
God calls them to listen! That means He is trying to talk to them and they are not listening. Are we listening in our own nation? Do we turn off the television, the computer, the games and listen to the Lord through His word? Men of God, we must repent! Our nation is on life support and it is entirely because we are not listening to what the Lord wants us to do.
Examine His next command to the reader in verse 14, “Assemble, all of you, and listen!” Men, are we getting together and worshiping God? Examining His word? Or are we at a social club? Wake up, seek other men of God, get together and encourage each other to follow the Lord. Follow together! Disciple now! Be in His word, not a Christian commentary or some historical book on our founding fathers, but on the Founding Father of creation! We know this is what the Lord is talking about because of what He finishes with in verse 14b. “Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he will carry out His good pleasure on Babylon, And His arm will be against the Chaldeans.” God is telling them to examine His word. Are we doing that? Or are we listening to the radio, podcast, or our favorite YouTuber?
Finally, examine verse 16 and see how God wants to talk to us individually. In our own lives with our own challenges. “Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.” God says “Come near to me,” we are to come near and listen. What an awesome privilege we have as believers in Christ to do just that.
God says, “Listen to me”, “Assemble all of you” and finally, “Come near to me.” If we are to experience a revival in this Nation we need to first start in our own lives, the lives of our wives, than our children, and than outside our homes. Our nation is entering a crucial moment and we need to stop and pray; ask the Lord for a humble heart, one tender and seeking Him. No matter your political understanding our hope is not in an election, but in Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors for Christ, and that first starts in our own home and than outward. So whatever sin you might have, repent of it, ask the Lord for guidance, listen to Him, gather with other men of God and listen to Him together, finally take individual time alone with Him. Pray for our nation, pray for our leaders, and pray for not only the peace of Jerusalem as we are commanded to do; but pray that the Lord would come soon and take us home. Keep your head up, do not let the pundits try to distract you and listen to God’s Word which is always applicable and reliable for us.
Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,
JL