ONE DAY THE TRUMPETS WILL BE SOUNDING!

I can’t remember what bought my attention to Ezekiel 33, but I’ve been reading it for a couple of days.

The Lord is speaking to Ezekiel about taking heed of the warning trumpets.

In those days they would have men in watchtowers looking out for invading armies or natural disasters. When they saw something coming towards the city, they would blow trumpets to warn the population, so they could prepare for battle or flee from whatever was coming.

God is warning the watchmen to do their job properly or the deaths of the people will be on their heads. On the other hand, if they sound the trumpets and the people ignore it, their deaths will be on their own heads.

Our God does not take pleasure in killing anyone, he does it only when he must. He would much rather have the wicked turn to him for forgiveness and be saved – no matter what they have done!

In verse 11 it says, ‘As I live says the LORD (*Yahweh), I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but (*rather, I desire) that the wicked turn from his ways! For, why should you die, O house of Israel?’

He is talking specifically to Israel in this passage, but as with all things in the old testament, I think it also refers to us now.

Jesus warned the disciples about what was going to happen to them, to Israel, and to the world. (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13 and Luke 21)

Jesus is the banner to whom we should rally. (Isaiah 11:10) He is the word of God and the warning. If we ignore him, we risk losing our lives, because our good deeds will not save us without him.

Verse 12. Says If someone is righteous, but they sin, their previous righteousness will not save them. However, if a wicked person repents, their previous wickedness will not bring condemnation – that is, their sins will not be counted against them.

He goes on to say ‘Though I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in the iniquity he has committed he shall die. Again, though I say to the wicked he shall surely die, yet if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery and walks in the statures of life, committing no iniquity, he shall surely live and not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is lawful and right, he shall surely live. (verses 13 – 16)

If I understand right, when Jesus returns, he will stand on the mount of Olives where he ascended into heaven. The angels, (two men dressed in white), told the disciples that Jesus would come back in the same way as he went up. (Acts 1:9-12)

Mark 13:32 says therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back. So, we have all become watchmen. If I am right, we are in the end stages of ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,’ and are in the stage of ‘earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places.’ (Luke 21:10-11) If so, next will come ‘fearful events and great signs from heaven.’

I stress If because although I know for certain these things will happen, I don’t know when, or if we will recognise them when they do, because we are so limited in our thinking and understanding. (*I am talking about me of course, but as far as I can see, also, mankind generally).

Anyway, my point to all this is that Jesus warned us, and it is our responsibility to warn others. Whether they take notice or not is up to them, but it is our responsibility to sound the warnings and to keep ourselves pure through faith in Jesus.

It is also our responsibility to let people know that **‘Yahweh’ does not do things lightly, and if someone repents and changes their ways, no-matter what they have done wrong previously, they are totally forgiven and their sins are remembered no more!

That is surely good news!

This is how I understand my God.

Read for yourself, see what you think.

*Added in for clarity.

**Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God. It means ‘I am.’ The ‘H’ is sounded like a breath out - I like it. I thought I’d done a blog on the names of God, but I can’t find it, so I will try and do one soon.