Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Judgment on Mount Seir

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 35:1-15

 

 

 

It did not take long for persecution to begin in the Church. After the great revival that occurred in Acts 2 after Peter’s address to the crowd in which 3,000 were saved, A miracle of healing by Peter and John brought about persecution (Acts 3,4). This persecution escalated with every Apostle, except John, suffering martyrdom for their faith. God preserved John so he could author his gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. Living and functioning in a fallen world means God’s people should expect persecution, enduring it by knowing Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33).

 

Ezekiel receives another word from the Lord and is instructed to prophesy against Mount Seir (Ezekiel 35:1-2). It is not a good word because it is a word telling them the Lord intends to stretch out His hand against them and make the land most desolate (Ezekiel 35:3). The Lord will lay their cities to waste, and then they shall know the Lord God is the Lord (Ezekiel 35:4).

 

The charges against the people of Mount Seir are that they have harbored an ancient hatred against the children of Israel using the power of the sword during Israel’s time of calamity (Ezekiel 35:5). God is preparing them for bloodshed like they intended for Israel, making Mount Seir most desolate with no one leaving or returning there (Ezekiel 35:6-7). The mountains, hills, and valleys will be filled with those slain by the sword, with Mount Seir remaining perpetually desolate and uninhabited, causing them to know the Lord God is the Lord (Ezekiel 35:8-9).

 

The reason for the charges against the people of Mount Seir are their claims that the nations of Israel and Judah are theirs with intentions of possessing them, even though the Lord is there (Ezekiel 35:10). The Lord intends to return His anger against them making Himself known to them as the Lord God (Ezekiel 35:11-12). The Lord reminds them that He has heard their words of boasting against Him (Ezekiel 35:13). The Lord concludes by reminding the people of Mount Seir that the earth will rejoice at their destruction like they rejoiced when Israel became desolate, with them knowing the Lord God is the Lord (Ezekiel 35:14-15).

 

The region of Mount Seir is the region in which Esau settled (Genesis 36:8). Since the people living in the region of Mount Seir were descendants of Esau, God told the Israelites to leave them alone and not meddle with them on their way to the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 2:1-7). The people of Mount Seir are mentioned again in Scripture (2 Chronicles 20:1-30) when they joined forces with the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to attack King Jehoshaphat of Judah. This led Jehoshaphat to call the nation to prayer, culminating with the Spirit of God coming upon Jahaziel, telling the army of Judah to come out against them because the Lord is with them. The strategy of attack is for the singers to precede the army with the praises of the Lord, causing ambushes to come upon Ammon, Moab, and the people of Mount Seir. Whether this is the calamity referred to in Ezekiel 35:5 or not is unimportant, because God intends to execute judgment against the people of Mount Seir for what they did to His people, Israel.

 

There are consequences for anyone coming against God’s people, which now includes both the Jews and the Church. While neither the Jews nor the Church are perfect, they are people called by God with a purpose. However, we should pray that God will help them deal with their imperfections instead of persecuting them. In Revelation 2 and 3, John addresses seven churches, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses to return them to a right standing with God. When one observes an imperfection in the Church, rather than persecution, one should try teaching from the Word of God so that they can correct the imperfection. Persecution is one trying to establish superiority over another, similar to the persecution of Jesus and the early Church (John 11:47-48; Acts 4:13-17). A persecutor’s purpose is to put someone down to build themselves up as superior (Luke 18:9-14). Instead of persecuting someone in the Church for a wrongdoing, we should correct them using the word of God so they can repent and experience restoration to a right standing with God. Persecution has consequences, but correction can bring restoration. Remember, vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19).

 

Restoration to the Lord begins with one making Jesus their Lord through confessing Jesus as their Lord with a genuine belief that Jesus died for their sins and was resurrected from the dead in victory over sin and death (Romans 10:9-10). This is not optional for all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) and live under a death sentence for our sins (Romans 6:23), but as the second half of Romans 6:23 tells us, God’s gift to humanity is eternal life through Jesus Christ. If you have never done so or have drifted away from God, I invite you to experience restoration by praying with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post. 

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Who Is Jesus?

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 7:37-53

 

John 7:40-41

Therefore [c]many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”

But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 

(NKJV)

 

With the rise of identity theft in the digital age, knowing the true identity of another person may require doing some due diligence to verify who they are. Unfortunately, the religious leaders of the time of Jesus did not exercise due diligence, or did not want to, so they could verify whether Jesus was the Christ, like some in the crowd believed, or a fraud. This caused them to have a mistaken identity of who Jesus was, causing them to miss knowing that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

 

During the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out inviting anyone thirsting to come to Him and drink (John 7:37). Jesus then continues by saying that anyone believing in Him will have rivers of living water flowing from his or her heart (Isaiah 55:1; John 7:38). Jesus was prophesying about the Holy Spirit which anyone believing in Him would receive after Jesus was resurrected and glorified (John 7:39). Jesus has just identified Himself as Messiah.

 

This declaration by Jesus caused some to call Him the Prophet or the Christ, with others doubting because they believed Jesus came from Galilee (John 7:40-41). Citing Micah 5:2, they remind everyone that the Christ will not come from Galilee but be of the lineage of David (John 7:42). This caused a division among the people, with the religious leaders once again wanting to seize Jesus but holding back because of the crowd (John 7:43-44).

 

The officers of the Temple came to the chief priests and Pharisees who wondered why they had not brought Jesus to them, indicating that as the purpose of their confronting Jesus (John 7:45). The officers reply by telling the chief priests and Pharisees that they had never heard a man speak like Jesus, prompting the chief priests to ask if they too have been deceived (John 7:46-47), They also tell the officers that the crowd they feared does not know the law and that they are accursed (John 7:48-49).

 

Nicodemus, who met with Jesus in the night recorded in John 3:1-21 then speaks up (John 7:50). Nicodemus asks the chief priests and Pharisees if they would accuse a fellow Jew of something without hearing from him to understand what he is doing (John 7:51). Jewish law requires evidence from two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6). This also implies the accused can call their own witnesses. The Pharisees and chief priests did not give Jesus this right, as pointed out by Nicodemus. The chief priests and Pharisees justify their actions by accusing Jesus of claiming to be the Christ while not coming from Bethlehem as foretold in Scripture and then departing to go home (John 7:52-53; Micah 5:2)

 

Jesus represents a threat to the religious leaders of his time because the people are turning to Him and away from the established religious structure. His bold statements are causing many to believe He is the Christ. Therefore, they insist Jesus cannot be the Christ because he is from Galilee and not Bethlehem. The Pharisees only see someone coming out of Nazareth in Galilee and are not aware that Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7). This is similar to someone like me who was born in one state and moved as a young child to another state, where I have spent most of my life. One who did not know me as a child may erroneously believe I am from the state in which I now live when I am from another state. Rather than gathering all the facts around Jesus’ birth, these men would like to use the fact of Jesus’ coming from Galilee to declare Him a fraud.

 

To truly know who Jesus is, we must ask ourselves these questions,

  • Is what I know about Jesus based on the Bible?
  • Do I believe Jesus was a good man, a prophet, or the Christ (Messiah)?
  • Do I believe Jesus died, was buried, and rose again so I can be saved?

 

If your answer to these questions is that your knowledge of Jesus is biblically based, that Jesus is the Christ, and that he died, was buried, and arose again for your salvation, you are on track to know Jesus and not just know about Him. Romans 3:23 reminds us that we are sinners, with Romans 6:23 pronouncing a death sentence on sinners. However, the second half of Romans 6:23 promises us eternal life as a gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). For one to know Jesus as their savior, they must genuinely and publicly confess their belief in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).

 

If you believe in your heart that Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the grave but have not made a public confession of this belief, I invite you to pray with me now,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I invite you to let someone know of your decision or to comment on this post about your decision. I also encourage you to become involved in a Church that teaches the Bible and following through with baptism. May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post. 

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The Good and True Shepherd

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Ezekiel 34:11-31

 

John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

(NKJV)

 

The Easter weekend has passed, a time when Christians around the world remember how the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, died for their sins and rose from the grave in victory. The sorrow of Good Friday becomes the victory of Resurrection Sunday, a time of celebration and victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:55). However, since we still live in exile in a fallen and sinful world, we can forget that the good shepherd is with us and need reminders like those of Israel and Judah such as that provided by Ezekiel 34:11-31.

 

The Lord offers this word of encouragement to the Jews in exile, promising to gather them up like a shepherd seeking out his sheep (Ezekiel 34:11-12). The Lord promises to bring His people out from all the countries in which they are scattered and bring them to their own land (Ezekiel 34:13). The Lord promises to feed His people in good pasture with their fold on the high mountains of Israel. They shall lie down in rest in their land (Ezekiel 34:14-15). The Lord will seek what was lost, bringing back what was driven away, binding up the broken and strengthening the sick, but will destroy the fat and strong in judgment (Ezekiel 34:16).

 

The Lord then tells His flock that He will judge between sheep and sheep and between rams and goats (Ezekiel 34:17). The Lord reminds His people that they have eaten the good pasture and not tread down the residue of the pasture that remains (Ezekiel 34:18). The Lord’s flock eats and drinks what they have trampled and fouled with their feet (Ezekiel 34:19). The Lord will judge between the fat and lean sheep because the fat sheep have butted all the weak sheep with their horns, scattering them abroad (Ezekiel 34:20-21). The Lord will establish one shepherd over His sheep, His servant David, who will feed them and be their shepherd (Ezekiel 34:22-23). The Lord will be their God, with David a prince among them (Ezekiel 34:24).

 

The Lord will make a covenant of peace with His people and cause wild beasts to cease from the land, making it possible for them to dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods (Ezekiel 34:25). The Lord will make His people and the places around His hill a blessing, causing showers to come down in their season, showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26). The trees of the field shall yield fruit with the earth yielding her increase. They shall be safe in the land and know that He is the Lord (Ezekiel 34:27). They will not be prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the field devour them. The people shall dwell in safety with no fear (Ezekiel 34:28). No longer shall the people be consumed with hunger nor bear the shame of the Gentiles, and they shall know the Lord God is their God and that He is with them (Ezekiel 34:29-31).

 

The nations of Judah and Israel are in a time of exile with feelings that God has abandoned them. This is a prophetic word from the Lord to His people living in exile, reminding them that God has not forsaken them. This passage parallels one of my favorite passages in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, where God reminds His people in exile that his plans for them are for their good and not their destruction. This passage also reminds me of Psalm 23 and the good shepherd who does not abandon His people in need and leads them through whatever circumstances life throws at them, even the valley of death. Israel and Judah must survive so the Messiah can come and be born in Bethlehem and die for the sins of humanity on the cross of Calvary.

 

We live in a fallen and corrupt world and may feel abandoned by God at times, but we must remember that the same God who did not leave Israel and Judah is our God. The early Church, the Church that turned its world upside down or right side up experienced persecution from both the religious leaders and government of their time (Acts 4:1-22, 16:16-24, 17:6). Many, so-called churches today preach a message that tickles the ears of those listening to make them feel good with no depth of biblical truth. The Apostle Paul warned his protégé, Timothy, of this time with the encouragement to remain true to the Biblical truth he knew (2 Timothy 4:1-5). Many Christians around the world live in countries where believing in Jesus Christ as Savior is illegal, with many in these nations martyred for their faith. As the time of the return of Jesus Christ approaches, we will begin to see more persecution by governments, culminating in the rise of Antichrist. My prayer is that the Church would remember the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, is with it and remain true to biblical teaching and spreading the Gospel despite persecution. Revival is coming with the Church enduring persecution by knowing Jesus is with it.

 

On a personal level, one must become part of the flock of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, by confessing Him as their Lord and believing in His death, burial, and resurrection. If you have never prayed to repent of your sins, seeking forgiveness from God, and to make to receive eternal life through believing and confessing Jesus as Lord (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 10:9-10), I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God bless, challenge, and convict everyone reading this post.