Bow Now

Eze 25:17    I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon them."

 

I sit here at Cleveland Hopkins Airport waiting for our flight to go to Charleston to see Elise and Austin. As I wandered around, I looked at all the people and I thought to myself: "I wonder what all these people think about God? I wonder if any of them think that they are the center of the universe and simply live their lives without any thought of the fact that there is a mighty, sovereign, powerful, awesome God who controls it all. I think the answer to my question is pretty obvious...the answer is "Yes", this is how most people live. In fact, it is how we all live, doing our thing. How do I know? "All have sinned...". We all do our own thing, not God's thing. And by doing our own thing we are ignoring, avoiding, disobeying the God of all creation.

 

This was the deal with the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites and Philistines. These people decided that they were going to take on Israel. They decided that they were going to bring grief to this nation. They decided that the Jews were not worthy of life, so they did what they could do to destroy them. God's response? "I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon them." In other words: "You think you are going to do your own thing and play with Israel. Let's see who wins this game. I am going to play with you. I am going to execute great vengeance. You are going to be rebuked in My wrath." This is not an enviable position....but it is the position that we are all in when we turn our backs on God. If we do not surrender, if we do not bow down to this powerful, awesome Creator of all, we will also experience His great vengeance and be rebuked in His wrath. This should send chills down every human spine...but it doesn't. We think He is some benevolent Father who will overlook our rebellion. He won't.

 

I also think about the stupid guys who rule in Iran. I call them stupid because they think that they can take on Israel...and by taking on Israel they think that they can take on God. Dumb. To believe that you are smarter, more powerful, more authoritative than God is the height of pride...and stupidity. Some day, Ahmadinajad will know something: "He will know that I am the LORD." When that day comes, he will be on his face in front of the Almighty Lord.

 

The thing is, his fate is everyone's fate. We all take on God. When we refuse to listen to Him we are taking Him on, and we will eventually all know that He is the LORD. "Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father."

 

All the better to do it now, for "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." No condemnation. No wrath. No vengeance. Why? Because of Jesus. If only Ahmadinajad would bow to Christ now. If only Putin would bow to Christ now. If only Obama would bow to Christ now. If only I would bow to Christ now.