Doing God's Bidding
Here's something I wanted to ask your guidance on:
Last week I was wondering whether it might be righteous of God to somehow reimburses Israel for the cost of this war against Hezbollah.
(It seems the UN is treating this theatre of the worldwide War on Terror in a manner inconsistent with their treatment of other theatres of the War on Terror, such as Afghanistan and Iraq - apparently just because this time it involves Israel. So I was feeling for Israel, a bit.)
And today I came across an interesting verse in Ezekiel. God told Ezekiel that there were outstanding wages due to Babylon and its army, for some previous work they had done at God's bidding. The "work" Babylon had done at God's "bidding" was that they had taken military action at their own expense, against Tyrus. So God informed Ezekiel that He now intended paying wages to Babylon, for their services rendered. The way God intended to pay them was that He would allow Babylon to succeed in taking the spoil and the land of Egypt.
Could it be, that Israel has been doing God's "bidding" against Hezbollah? and at their own expense? If so, then it would be righteous of God to pay Israel his "wages".
In Babylon's case, the "wages" included territory - the land of Egypt. Israel has said they don't want that. So I wonder what other form it could take.
Two things I seemed to observe in this passage from Ezekiel are:
(1) Just because a nation was itself wicked (Babylon), didn't mean that God hadn't used them in a military campaign of His own bidding (against Tyrus).
Is it therefore conceivable that the likes of America and Israel (despite any of their shortcomings that some may like to point out), are doing God's bidding against the likes of the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah?
If so, then America and Israel are due their wages.
The link below views a startling second-by-second update on the cost to America of rebuilding Iraq, let alone the cost in terms of lost servicemen (2595 so far):
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182
America and the Allies have paid a high price over the last 100 years from which many other nations have benefited. And now Israel is paying for a "labour" (as Ezekiel called it) - amid lots of criticism from the International Community.
I find it interesting that with God's help, we can discern God's doing, in the affairs of nations: God needed to reward Babylon, and since He also needed to judge Egypt, He said of the King of Babylon, "I will put my sword in his hand (against Egypt)".
I've already shared with you the verse where I found the principle that it's important that a nation who is used by God against another nation understands God's thoughts in the matter, lest they foster a false notion of self-righteousness; or of arrogance. Because despite being used as a vessel in God's hands, they themselves shall afterwards be held to account for their own motives and thoughts. This is especially true since sometimes, God uses a more wicked nation against a less wicked nation: in which case God had delayed their own judgment only so as to use them to discipline the other, less wicked nation.
I'm wondering if God's dealings with nations in modern times can be understood that way too.
(2) The other significant thing I observed in this passage is that God gave Ezekiel a prophetic involvement in the outworking of the events described.
Ezekiel was told to "speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt" and to "take up a lamentation for Pharaoh". I don't know if Ezekiel, who was in Babylon at the time, actually wrote a letter to Pharaoh in Egypt; or whether he simply spoke a verbal decree concerning Pharaoh, much like when he was later told, "...set thy face against Gog...prophesy against Gog..."
But either way, it's interesting to notice that a Prophet's calling has a designated sphere, and one variation in those spheres is the nations. In Jeremiah's case, even though he was a very young man, he was "ordained" as "a prophet to the nations". God "set him", it says, "over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:6,10).
Even though Jeremiah was only verbally pronouncing and decreeing the things which other militaries later fulfilled like pawns in God's hands, Jeremiah is described as more than one who merely spoke about the events - he is described as one who acted with God to bring those events to pass. It was the same with Ezekiel. Just a casual meditation floods the mind with multiple examples of this interaction between Prophets and militaries:
There was Abraham before Egypt and the nations (the Bible calls Abraham a "Prophet"); there was Isaac before Abimelech; Moses and Miriam before Pharaoh; Moses leading the early military campaigns against Canaanite Kings; Moses commissioning Joshua's military conquests; Prophets worked with the Judges (the military deliverers) all throughout the Book of Judges, for example Deborah and Barak; sometimes the Prophets themselves also acted in a direct military way such as Gideon; Samuel led Israel in battles against the Philistines; David is called a Prophet by Peter the Apostle, and David sought the Lord before engaging the enemy; he also surrounded himself with Prophets such as Nathan; God always sent Prophets to each of the Kings. It seems God did nothing amongst the nations and their militaries, without first revealing it to His servants the Prophets. So Prophets were in a sense, guiding the militaries. The Music Ministry also had a role:
The priests went first into Jordan, and the tribes of Israel followed into the Promised Land. Jericho was first surrounded for seven days, and the military invasion was preceded by the shout of the people. Under Prophetic guidance, Jehoshaphat placed the musicians ahead of the military. David said that God inhabits the praises of Israel. Throughout Scripture, we see again and again this interaction between the function of the Music Ministry (praise & worship) - the Priestly Ministry - the Prophetic Ministry - military action - and the affairs of Nations (Kings).
Let the saints be joyful in glory:
let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen,
and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains,
and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written:
this honour have all his saints.
Praise ye the LORD" (Ps 149:5-9)
So I wonder if God similarly invites Christians today, to work with Him in His interaction within the affairs of nations and their militaries - through intercession, yes - but beyond that, through prophecy, through decreeing.
Are we to be involved with God in His judgments? Do we see an example of this theme in the New Testament? Absolutely. But we do it through preaching the Gospel, and by prayer. And it has mainly to do with the ultimate Judgment; or with judging matters in the Church.
Jesus told the disciples that just as God gave Him a Kingdom (the very word Kingdom implies judgment, because it invokes images of nations and their militaries) in like manner Jesus would appoint a Kingdom for His disciples. And what will they do in their Kingdom? "You shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel".
Paul said, "Don't you know that we shall judge angels? Therefore whenever there is a dispute in the Church, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church". matters are trivial compared to the matters we shall judge in the future, said Paul.
Jesus said in Revelation that He will give power over the nations to him who overcomes, and the overcomer shall rule them with a rod of iron; they'll be broken to shivers like a piece of pottery; just like Jesus received from His Father.
"We shall reign upon the earth," said John.
So we see three categories whom we shall judge: (1) Israel; (2) Gentiles; (3) Angels
This is a high calling! Not only must we prepare to be judged, but we must be worthy to judge.
There are three ways we must respond to this calling: (1) Watch always; (2) Pray that ye may be accounted worthy; and (3) Walk worthy of the calling.
The way to walk worthy is to serve. Humility. He who is least among you, will be esteemed greatest in the Kingdom (in the judgment). The greatest among you is he who serves.
The whole theme of Scripture is that God is coming to Judge the Nations. The Day of His Kingdom is coming.
The Book of Revelation is all about the prayers and praises of the saints, and how these ascend to God, and in response, in the timing of God, the angels are dispatched to unleash His judgments upon them that dwell upon the earth. Even in heaven, John saw the souls of deceased saints praying that their martyrdom may be vindicated upon them that dwell upon the earth. As God's judgments begin to be poured out, all of heaven sings praises.
So the whole Body of Christ - in heaven and earth - is involved in a surge of Judgment to be poured out in the ripeness of the time.
John's role was said to be, "Thou must yet prophesy among many nations". The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy.
So we see in the Book of Revelation three ways in which the Body of Christ, in heaven and in earth, is involved in God's Judgment upon the earth: (1) Prayer; (2) Prophesying (the testimony of Jesus); and (3) Praise & Worship.
Our role is to declare the Good News of the Gospel among all Nations (that is the spirit of Prophecy). The door of repentance is open to all men. The Kingdom is at hand. All men are pressing into it. Whosoever will may come. Meanwhile, as the Church endures persecution, the prayers of the saints ascend to God like incense, requesting vindication, requesting His coming. The Days of Vengeance shall come. The year of the controversies of Zion.
On the last day, the dead in Christ shall rise, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. There shall be new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. The angels shall gather His elect from all nations (the Gentiles), and they shall come and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the elect Jews, in His Kingdom. In flaming fire He will take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel.
My thought is that if we shall be involved with Him on that Day in judgment and in rulership with such ultimacy and finality; and if we are told to judge those within the Church - then I'm wondering, is it too much to think that we can be involved with Him NOW, in any of the less ultimate affairs of His dealings with the nations?
Since the Gospel message is all about a coming culmination in national affairs (Judgment and Salvation) and since we will reign with Him in that; and since Paul also said that he had judged what to do concerning a particular Church matter. They were to put away a wicked person from their midst. It was their duty to judge Church matters. "But them that are without, God judgeth".
And since Jesus said, "I give you the keys of the Kingdom. Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven". Binding and loosing were Levitical, judicial terms. Its part of judging.
So, can we decree things, and see them enacted in current world events?
The main way the Body of Christ gets involved in the judgment of the nations is by declaring the ultimate Judgment; by preaching the Good News. Our preaching of the Good News to the Nations is akin to Ezekiel being told to "say to Pharaoh". We don't take-up arms, because we point to the greater, ultimate, eternal judgment.
I was once led by the Spirit to decree something over a Church, and it came to pass. God led me to close down a Church. I did so in the spirit realm, and soon afterwards it came to pass.
But I know Paul said it is our place to execute judgment within the Church like this. But what about prophetically executing judgment over a current conflict in the Middle East - is that our prerogative? Paul said, "but them that are without (outside the Church), God judgeth," he said. Does that mean we should leave it right alone?
I'm absolutely sure the spirit of the Gospel is not to take up arms, because Jesus said before Pilate: "My Kingdom is not of this world, or else my servants would fight. But hereafter you shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds". Our job therefore is to preach the Good News and to declare the coming Kingdom (kingdom implies judgment).
However, after reading those verses in Ezekiel today, I almost felt led to pray a certain way, with a certain measure of Prophetic unction, into the current crisis in the Middle East, like Rees Howells was used by God to intercede for the Allies in WWI.
But I want to make sure that I'm not mis-reading the heart of the Gospel, that I'm not presuming that God acts in judgment before the Judgment, that I'm not presuming an inappropriate role for us.
I pray that more American servicemen and women get GoBible on their phones!