God is Ready

Gtcotr/ss021708

While many people are waiting on a move of God, God is waiting on a move of people.

Key Scripture: Matthew 7 NKJV

7 ¶ "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

In 605BC King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian army invaded Judah and laid siege to Jerusalem. In their victory they carried away the Temple treasures and many of the promising young men of royal and noble birth. This helped to insure that Jerusalem would continue to follow the dictates of Babylon and pay tribute to the King. Daniel was among those taken to Babylon as a prisoner in 605BC.

In 597BC Judah rebelled against Babylon’s rule and broke their covenant with them. The Babylonian army once again over ran Jerusalem and took away more prisoners, among them the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel became a voice to those in captivity in Babylon while Jeremiah was left in Jerusalem to prophesy to those still living in Judah. Both men prophesied that the worst was yet to come.

In 587BC, just ten years later, the Babylonian army once again laid siege to Jerusalem which lasted more than one year. In the end they broke through the defenses, completely destroyed the Temple, laid waste to the city and it’s walls and either killed or carried away almost every Jew who could be found.

We read a song written about the captivity amongst the Psalms describing the humiliation these Jews faced …

Psalms 137 NKJV

1 ¶ By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.

2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it.

3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How shall we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!

6 If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

Jeremiah prophesied that the Children of Israel would serve the King of Babylon for 70 years before they returned. (Jeremiah 25:11)

The prophet Ezekiel became the voice of God to the Jews who were living as captives in Babylon. Often he would prophesy, teach in pantomime or reveal visions he had, describing God’s view of Israel’s sins. Ezekiel ministered in efforts to get God’s children to change their ways and be ready to participate when the time came to be delivered and restored to their promised land. For example:

* Ezekiel 4 – Ezekiel symbolizes the siege against Jerusalem

> drawing on a tile

> an iron pan between him and the tile siege

> lying on left side for 390 days

> lying on right side for 40 days

> eating food cooked over human dung – (wait God!)

> cook it then over cow dung …

* Ezekiel 5 – shave yourself and divide the hair in thirds …

> a third burn

> a third cut up in pieces

> a third scatter in the wind

* Ezekiel 12 – dig a hole in the wall and remove your stuff …

* Ezekiel 21 – sit around and sigh … sigh loud and long

* Ezekiel 24 – do not mourn over the death of your wife

That’s just some of what God had Ezekiel do in efforts to impact the children of Israel. (Ezekiel = God will strengthen)

If one visits the city of Bagdad today there is a near neighborhood called Keffil by the river which holds the claim to contain the burial spot of this neglected prophet of God. Although he taught the children of Israel to be prepared for their day of deliverance, he did not get to return to his beloved Jerusalem with them.

In all of his teachings none speaks louder today than the admonition contained in the words of his prophecy found in the second half of Ezekiel 36. This is the prophecy which sets up the Ezekiel chapter 37 vision of the valley of dry bones. Lets look now at Ezekiel 36 and hear the word of the Lord for us today as this prophet declares what God was about to do for His children in that day and I believe is ready to do for us in our day as well.

Ezekiel 36 NKJV

33 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt.

34 "The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by.

35 "So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’

36 "Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it."

38 "Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."

I purposefully skipped over verse 37, hoping to make a greater impact when I point it out to you. The verses of this particular prophecy begin in verse 16. The prophecy tells of God restoring His children and His lands to a garden of Eden atmosphere, filled with flocks of men who know their God. What a wonderful thing!

God is ready to do this thing but there is something lacking. What is it? It is The prayerful participation of His children. Verse 37 says:

Ezekiel 36:37 Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.”

What does this really mean? Lets read it in The New Living Translation to get a more modern understanding of this word.

Ezekiel 36:37 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am ready to hear Israel’s prayers for these blessings, and I am ready to grant them their requests. (NLT)

That’s the message Ezekiel is still trying to get across to God’s Children today … God is ready --- He is ready to hear your prayer and ready to grant your requests to fulfill the promises He has made you.

Jesus put it this way:

Matthew 6:8 “… your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (NKJV)

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (NKJV)

John 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (NKJV)

John 14:14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (NKJV)

John 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (NKJV)

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (NKJV)

John 16:23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” (NKJV)

John 16:24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (NKJV)

James, the son of Mary and Joseph, the half brother of Jesus and the pastor of the first church in Jerusalem, elaborated on the same theme. This is from The New Living Translation:

James 4:2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can’t possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.

* God knows what we need before we ask.

* But He wants us to ask anyway.

* He is ready to hear our requests and …

* He is ready to act on our behalf and do what He has already determined He is willing do for us.

* Ask God to help and His plan will come to pass in your life.

* Ask and receive that your joy might be full.