“For or Against?” – FBC Morning Light (11/15/2023)

Ezekiel’s Warning to Edom: “I Am Against You”

Well, good Wednesday morning to you. Today in our Bible reading we're in Ezekiel chapters 35 and 6, as well as 2 Peter chapter 1. I want to show a contrast between chapters 35 and 36 in Ezekiel. It's a contrast between God being for and God being against.

I really can't think of any more frightful, fearful word to hear from the Lord than, I am against you. I am against you. If God is against you, if God is against me, what hope on earth do I have? What hope on earth or in heaven do I have?

And yet that's exactly the verdict that God has rendered against Mount Seir. And Mount Seir is a place name representing the land of Edom, the country of Edom. And the reason that God says that he is against Edom is because of how Edom treated God's people Israel when they were in duress, when they were being attacked, when Israel was being attacked and assaulted.

He says in verse 15 of chapter 35, as you rejoiced because of the inheritance of the house of Israel was desolate, so will I do to you. Alright, so the Edomites, they just, when Israel was defeated and taken into captivity, the Edomites cheered.

They said, yes, yes, oh, just like their rival team was defeated in a football game or something like that. You know this, but obviously much, much, much worse. And the Lord says, because of that, in verse 3, he tells Ezekiel the prophet, he says, say to Mount Seir and therefore Edom, thus says the Lord God, behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you.

And what does that mean? When the Lord is against you, then what follows is woe and misery and pain and heartache and agony. Well, just listen to some of it. The Lord says, I will stretch out my hand against you and make you most desolate.

I shall lay your cities waste and you shall be desolate. Then you'll know that I am the Lord. You know what, it does kind of challenge us as a people, doesn't it, to be very careful about the whole matter of pride and arrogance and an attitude toward the people of God.

You know, when a nation begins to set itself up against God's people and starts persecuting the Church, then that nation and its leaders better watch out, because the Lord will be against that nation.

The Lord’s Promise to Restore Israel: “I Am for You”

Well, that's what he said to Edom, and as a result, Edom was decimated and became desolate, because God was against them. But in contrast to that, in chapter 36, the Lord says to Israel, to his people, he says in verse 9, he says, for indeed I am for you.

So even though God had brought judgment upon Israel, his people, because of their idolatry, their spiritual infidelity, and brought enemies against the Assyrians and the Babylonians, and pretty much brought the kingdom of Israel to an end, the Lord said, I'm not done with you.

I am for you. And he goes on to say, I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it, and the city shall be inhabited, and the ruins rebuilt.

I will multiply upon you man and beast, and they shall increase and bear young, and so on and so forth. The Lord is promising a restoration to the people of Israel. Why? Because he is for them. Now you say, well, okay, this is Old Testament Scripture, what does this have to do with me, with us, in the New Testament era?

If God Is for Us, Who Can Be against Us?

Okay, well, just this. Listen to Romans chapter 8 and verse 31. Paul is writing to believers, followers of Jesus, who have come to faith in Christ. They have been regenerated, they've been justified by the blood of Christ, they are redeemed, they've been adopted into God's family, and set apart unto him, and are being sanctified, and ultimately will be glorified.

And Paul asks this question, he says, what shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Given all that God has done, what all has God done? Well, you look back in verses 28 to 30, he says, we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.

Familiar with that verse? He goes on to talk about what God has done regarding those whom he has called according to his purpose. Whom he foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he, the Son, might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom he predestined, this is a look at the work of God, he foreknew, he predestined, these he called, whom he called, he justified, whom he justified, these he glorified. And then he asks this question, what do we say to these things?

If God be for us, if God has done all these things demonstrating that he is for us, well then, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Listen, take great comfort and encouragement this morning, believer in Christ, with the fact that, the truth that, if you are in Christ Jesus, God is for you, and that means great blessing. You will, by his grace, know great blessing from his hand.

Some now, and ultimately all of it in eternity. Thank him for it. Our Father and our God, we are grateful today that those who know Christ have the confidence of also knowing that you are for us. Thank you for this today, in Jesus' name and for his sake.

Alright, well listen, have a good rest of your Wednesday, and I hope your midweek comes off to a good end. God blesses you richly. Good day.