Ezekiel's Message for Modern Israel

Thank you very much for the special music. It was very beautiful. Brethren, what's happened to our beloved country, the United States? It's been a hot summer in Washington, DC, with a heated debate on raising the debt limit a little while back. And now that the limit has been raised on the national credit card, we can go out and borrow more money and go deeper in debt. We spent a wild week or two on the stock market, and the stock market right now is down about 10%.

Trillions of dollars of value have been lost in the last week. Think about the weather. It's been very destructive this spring and summer, with a heat wave out in the central part of the country. And destructive flooding back in the spring with tornadoes.

Meanwhile, the moral decline of the country seems to continue in many ways. So many questions abound for our nation. Will there be double-dipped recession? That is very much a question right now. Will unemployment levels remain high, with many people unable to find jobs?

Just a little while back, I was at one of my congregations and went to the men's room before services. And there was a young man working for the motel, and I greeted him. How are you this morning? And he said, well, I just graduated from college, and here I am. I can't find a job. I'm working in a motel, cleaning bathrooms. And you could tell that he was very dissatisfied.

Will unemployment remain high? Will young people be able to find jobs in the future? Is there a way to restore the American dream? Or will the economy go in a freefall? Will the dollar become worthless down the road or worth less and less? Will the U.S.

lose its world dominance? I want to read from a booklet that is published by the United Church of God, the United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy. And I'll be reading from page 91. Will Anglo-American dominance continue? The 19th and 20th centuries saw the Anglo-American peoples dominate world affairs. Will this pattern continue into the 21st century?

British world dominance has long since passed. And although American military, economic, and industrial power still reigns supreme, the spiraling moral decay of the United States does not bode well for the future. The biblically-based values on which the founding fathers and the American people built the United States of America have given way to denial of God and the same kind of self-serving materialistic orientation that led to the collapse of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Without a change in direction will the outcome for America be any different? Far too many Americans and Britons have refused to acknowledge God and His blessings. In their intellectual and spiritual arrogance, many have chosen to deny the existence of a Creator and accept the false religion of evolution and its secular humanist theology. They prefer to believe that the awesome blessings of national wealth and power are happenstance, or the result of their own efforts. Like ancient Israel, they have fallen into a trap of their own making, choosing to ignore God's words of warning, which are plentiful in the Bible.

You know, most of us here understand the identity of the United States and Great Britain as brought out very well in our booklet. We know that God made promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and then these promises came on down to a son of Jacob by the name of Joseph, and then to Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

We are familiar with the prophecies in Genesis 48 and 49 that describe the birthright wealth that would come upon Joseph, and of course to his, especially his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim was to become a multitude of nations, and Manasseh was to become a great nation. And yet these promises were never fulfilled in the Old Testament, but they have been fulfilled in our time, and we are aware of that. We realize that America and Britain actually are modern descendants from the tribe of Joseph, in particular from Ephraim and Manasseh. And we keep proclaiming that message out into the world.

Today I'd like for us to focus on some ancient prophecies that pertain to modern-day America and Britain found in the Book of Ezekiel. Let's turn over to this book. We're going to be reading from it quite a bit this afternoon. The Book of Ezekiel. And we're going to see that many of these prophecies in this book are actually being fulfilled in our time. They are leaking to the headlines of our daily newspapers. Ezekiel wrote his inspired prophecies about 2,600 years ago, and yet they pertain to what is happening right now in the United States and what is going to happen in the years just ahead. And this message, as we will see, is actually, in the end, a very encouraging and good message. It will seem like a message of gloom and doom at first, but then it's going to turn around and it's going to be a message that is very encouraging and very inspiring at the end. Let's understand how these prophecies pertain to our nation and what is happening to it right now and what is going to happen in the days ahead. Let's begin in Ezekiel 1 and verse 1. It came to pass in the 30th year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month. Was this the 30th year of Ezekiel's life? It's not really clear what this was, what the 30th year it was. But anyway, the heavens were opened and he saw visions of God. And verse 3, the Word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest. Notice that he was a priest. That means he would have been from the tribe of Levi. And he was in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kebir and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. And so Ezekiel was in captivity. He had been taken from his homeland, Judah, to Babylon.

And around 597 BC, Ezekiel was taken into captivity. Now, at this time, Daniel, who was a contemporary of Ezekiel, had already been in Babylon for about nine years. But Ezekiel was out among the captives. His living conditions would not have been nearly as good as Daniel. Daniel was living in the palace, remember, helping and serving under King Nebuchadnezzar. But these two would have known each other. Jeremiah was also a contemporary, but Jeremiah was just a little bit older than either Ezekiel and Daniel. He had been prophesying for just a little bit longer. And all of these prophets then were living at this time when Judah, the house of Judah, was going into national captivity to Babylon. We read in Ezekiel's book that he was married. He had a wife. He lost this wife at the same time that Jerusalem was being destroyed. And he was told not to mourn when his wife died. He was not to mourn for the loss of his wife. We find that he did have a home there in the area of his captivity. He was a priest prophet, and his influence would have been great among the exiles. His ministry lasted for at least 22 years. We're going to find that these prophecies deal with the captivity that was going on of Judah, the house of Judah, but they pertain even more to our time and the house of Joseph, and especially to America and Britain, which would be that part of Israel that received the birthright promises. Well, let's notice that Ezekiel was given a job. He was given prophecies to deliver, beginning in chapter 2 and verse 1. He said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.

Then the Spirit entered me when he spoke to me and set me on my feet. And I heard him who spoke to me, and he said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God.

Ezekiel had a message directly from God. As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are a rebellious house, yet they will know that a prophet has been among them. Brethren, you know, at that time the people did hear Ezekiel's message about the destruction, continuing destruction and captivity of Judah. And in our time, we believe that this message must be proclaimed so that people know there has been a prophet also present today. We believe this message that we are proclaiming is going to intensify in the years ahead. Well, let's go on to chapter 3 in verse 1. Moreover, he said to me, Son of man, eat what you find, eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel. I want you to take note that it is to the house of Israel. Who is the house of Israel? Is it just the house of Judah? Back at that time, we were going to see, no. No, the house of Israel actually applies or talks or is directed toward all 12 of the tribes, but sometimes it refers only to the 10 northern tribes. I hope that our history is good that there was in ancient Israel a division of the nation and two nations developed. The northern kingdom was called the house of Israel, the 10 tribes that left after the death of Solomon. And so then the southern two tribes were known as the house of Judah. So we have the house of Israel and the house of Judah, two separate kingdoms or nations. So this is directed to the house of Israel. Notice in verse 4, he said to me, Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech or hard language, but to the house of Israel. But verse 7, the house of Israel will not listen to you because they will not listen to me. For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. That is, all the house of Israel, all 12 tribes have not obeyed God, they've been disobedient to God, they were in the Old Testament times. God let both nations go into national captivity. But he says in verse 8, I have made your face strong against their faces and your forehead strong against their foreheads. So Ezekiel would be able to go and not be afraid to preach the message like Adam and Stone, harder than Flint. I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. Notice in verse 17 that Ezekiel was sent to them as a watchman.

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Therefore, hear a word from my mouth and give them warning from me. Brethren, could it be that today the Church of God serves that role also? That we serve as a watchman to the house of Israel. And we know that our message is directed out into all the world. And we are preaching the gospel to all nations just as Jesus said it would be. But is our message also a message of warning for the house of Israel? We believe that it is. And part of our job is to be a watchman and to proclaim a warning to our nation for the direction that things are going. Things are not going well today for our nation. I think we all realize that. They're not going well economically and they're not going well socially and other ways as well.

So we need to proclaim a warning as a watchman as part of our job. So as we go through this book, we're going to see that it is directed toward the house of Israel. Now sometimes the house of Israel does not mean the house of all twelve tribes. Sometimes it means only the northern kingdom that divided after the death of Solomon. Now let's notice that in Chapter 4. And here Ezekiel is instructed to take a clay tablet in verse 1 and lay it before him and portray on it the city of Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem was about to go into captivity. At one time Jerusalem was the capital city of the United Kingdom. Under King David it was. Jerusalem was the capital city then. So Jerusalem can refer to all the twelve tribes, the United Kingdom. Just as today we sometimes refer to the United States as decisions being made in the leadership coming out of Washington. Washington represents all fifty states. Sometimes Jerusalem can also represent all twelve tribes.

We portrayed this siege in verses 2 and 3. And notice in the last part of verse 3, this will be a sign to the house of Israel. Lie also on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. Now is this talking about this house of Israel? Is this talking about all twelve tribes? As we read on down we will see that it's not. It's talking about the ten tribes up the northern kingdom. He was to lie upon his left side a number of days. Notice in verse 5, I've laid on you the years of their iniquity according to the number of the days, 390 days. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. Can you imagine this? Being Ezekiel was told to lie on his left side for 390 days. Now I guess, you know, day number one wouldn't be too hard. Day number two. But what about three, four, and working your way all the way to 390 days lying on your left side. Where did he lie on his left side? Did he do it in his front yard? You would think it was in some place where people would see him. Maybe in a public area among the captives there where he was. But that was his assignment, to lie on his left side for 390 days. It was a sign to the house of Israel. And we say the northern kingdom. Why? Because notice in the very next verse, verse 6, when you have completed them, Lie again on your right side. Then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah. This is the southern kingdom of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. And he was to lie then on his right side for 40 days. I have laid on you a day for a year. And so after lying 390 days on his left side, there in the iniquity of the house of Israel, he was to lie on his right side for 40 days. What an assignment! This prophet was given some difficult things to do. You know what, brethren? We will see that his message was not well received at the end of the sermon. I'll bring out a little bit about the difficulties that Ezekiel faced and even how his life ended. He was sent with a message to the house of Israel, actually all of the house of Israel.

The message that God has for Israel here in Ezekiel never went, though, to some of Israel back at that time. The northern tribes went into captivity around 720 B.C. And so this message never reached the house of Israel, the northern tribes, in the days of Ezekiel.

They did reach, to some extent, the house of Judah during the time of their captivity at that time. But that was only two of the twelve tribes. Well, let's notice in chapter 5 now that this message is one of captivity. It is one of being scattered into captivity after also suffering loss from pestilence and the sword in warfare. In verses 1 and 2, He took His beard and His head and then divided the hair and burned with fire. A third of it, verse 2, He took a third of it and struck it with the sword, symbolic of destruction and warfare.

And one third, He was scattered to the wind. That was symbolic of captives going out into slavery. And so you can read on down to see that God was doing this because of rebellion against His laws and because of sin and wickedness. Verse 6, She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations and against My statutes, more than the countries around. For they have refused My judgments and they have walked in My statutes.

So this is a condemnation of the way of life that Israel and Judah lived. And already Israel, the ten northern tribes, had gone into captivity. And then in Ezekiel's time, the house of Judah was going into captivity as well. In verse 11, therefore as I live, says the Lord, Surely because you have defiled My sanctuary, with all your detestable things and all your abominations, Therefore I will also diminish you, My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity.

One third of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst, And one third shall fall by the sword all around you, And I will scatter another third to all the winds and draw out a sword after them.

And so, you know, God allowed this to happen to ancient Israel and Judah. It already had happened to Israel, the house of Israel, and now it was happening to the house of Judah. But you know why is this in the Bible? It's in the Bible because there's a message for modern day Israel. And this message actually never went to the house of Israel. As I mentioned, they were in captivity, went into captivity over a hundred years before Ezekiel's time.

That's a message for the house of Israel today. And we're going to see that as we go along. It is a message for Israel just before the coming of Christ. And Christ is going to return, in fact, to restore Israel and gather Israel out of captivity. In chapter 6, in verse 2, Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them.

And say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, the hills, and the ravines and valleys. Indeed I, even I, will bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. Then your altar shall be desolate. And verse 6 says, all your dwelling places in the cities shall be laid waste. And verse 7, the slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Notice this expression, you shall know that I am the Lord. Did you know this never happened to ancient Israel and Judah?

They never really came to know that God was God and in control. It's talking more about our time when Israel will come to know that God is God, and they'll come to worship Him and begin to do His will at last. Verse 7 gets into the beginning of the Good News.

I will leave a remnant, a remnant will be then ones that survive the captivity. I will leave a remnant so that you may have some who escape the sword among the nations when you are scattered through the countries. Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive. This has not really happened yet to the house of Israel.

Not at all. But it will happen in the future. In verse 10, they shall know that I am the Lord and that I have not said in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them.

When we think about all the evils going on and why God is going to bring punishment upon modern-day Israel, as He did ancient Israel, then we should be worked up a little bit about it ourselves. Notice in verse 11, thus says the Lord God, pound your fists. You know, we should show displeasure. We should certainly sigh and cry. We'll read that verse later on here in Ezekiel.

We should sigh and cry. We should pound our fists and stamp your feet, it says. And say, alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel. For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. In the last part of verse 12, thus will I spend my theory on them.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord. Again, we have that expression. You shall know that I am the Lord. 62 times in this book that expression is used. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. But it's really talking about modern Israel, not ancient Israel. They never came to know God back at that time, but they will in the future.

We're going to see that these prophecies really are given more with modern-day Israel in mind than it was ancient Israel and Judah. Verse 14, so I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land desolate. Yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward Dibla in all their habitations. Then, and here's that expression yet again, then they shall know that I am the Lord. I want to read much of chapter 7. It catches a glimpse of that punishment and correction that God is going to bring upon Israel. In verse 2, you son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel.

An end, the end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end has come upon you, and I will send my anger against you.

I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations. One of the messages of this book is that God will repay. He will correct. We cannot sin and get away with it. Verse 4, My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity, but I will repay your ways and your abominations shall be in your midst.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord God, a disaster, a singular disaster. Behold, it has come. An end has come. The end has come. It is dawned for you. Behold, it has come. Doom. In a way this is. There is some gloom and doom. You know, correction and punishment, after all, is never easy. Doom has come to you, you who dwell on the land. The time has come.

A day of trouble is near, and not of rejoicing in the mountains. Now upon you I will soon pour out my fury and spend my anger upon you. I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations. Look at all the things going on in our country. Look at all the millions of abortions going on.

Of course you say, well that's happening in other countries too. Okay, God is going to judge them as well. It still is wrong. And look at all the immorality in our country. Look at people that just divorce and remarry, and divorce and remarry, and get married and stay together until divorce do you part. And look at all those who just live together, not even bothering to get married. That's not what God wants to be done.

Marriage is a definite event. It is a commitment. And so today we have so many of those things that are going on. And God is going to judge us according to our ways. Verse 8 again, Upon you I will soon pour out my fury and send my anger. I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will repay you according to your ways, and your abominations will be in your midst. Then you shall know that I am the Lord that strikes. You can read on down, but this catches a glimpse of what God is going to do.

And there is an application toward what lies ahead for our beloved nation. God is going to correct, and He is going to punish us. Now again, I ask you, is it gloom and doom that God would correct and punish? Let me ask you this. When a child is out of line, badly out of line, and a loving parent steps in to set things straight, and teach the child to be respectful and to be obedient, is that gloom and doom, or is that what the child needs?

Then the child begins to obey and begins to be happy, and can be a productive person in that family and later in the community. You know, correction is not bad then when we think about it that way. And what God is going to do, He loves our country enough to correct us for all the sins and the abominations and detestable things that are going on today. He is going to step in and set it straight.

We'll read just a few more verses in this chapter. Chapter 7, verse 19, They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like refuse. Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. In verse 23, Make a chain, for the land is filled with crimes of blood, and the city is full of violence. I wonder, already we have mass murders going on, just this week we heard about someone else plotting to blow up and kill people in a school down in Florida. So, you know, these type things do exist in our country. But could it be that what we saw recently in the United Kingdom, in England, with the rioting in the streets, could situations like this develop and intensify in the years ahead? In not only England, but also here. If the going gets rougher, then there could be looting and violence and things of that type that will intensify. So the land is filled with crimes of blood, the city is full of violence. I will bring the worst of the Gentiles, and they will possess their houses. Verse 25, Destruction comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. Disaster will come upon disaster, and rumor will come upon rumor. Verse 27, The king will mourn, the prince clothed with desolation, the hands of the common people will tremble. I will do to them according to their way, and according to what they deserve, I will judge them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. Again, that expression, 62 times in this book, they shall know that I am the Lord. Brethren, God will punish and God will correct. One of the lessons of this book is we cannot get away with sin. That applies at the personal level, it applies at the national level as well. We cannot sin without suffering the consequences, and ultimately having to answer to God for it. God will correct, He will punish. Have you noticed that flooding and tornadoes, drought, fires, our economy, all of these things have been worsening as our sins have increased and worsened, then so have our problems. Is there a connection? We believe that there is. Brethren, as I've mentioned, Ezekiel's message is a positive message. It is one that includes correction and punishment, but it's one that includes good news.

It's one that includes Israel repenting and being restored after God is corrected and punished. It's not a message of gloom and doom at all. It's a message of hope. It's very positive. And once modern Israel repents during a time of national captivity, there will be God's protection and God's blessing and His restoration of the nation. Let's read some of this beginning in chapter 11. We just don't have time to read all of the prophecies about how God will punish and correct. There's a lot about punishment and correction in this book, but there's a lot also about restoration after Israel has repented. Modern-day Israel will repent, and then God will be able to use this nation in the way that He has intended all along. In Ezekiel 11, verse 16, And notice this has to be talking about the future. Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. What a wonderful thing! America and Britain, the other twelve tribes, many of them in the nations of Northwestern Europe, we know that the Jews are scattered around the world. Some of them are in the modern-day nation of Israel. All the twelve tribes are to be brought back to the land that God gave to Abraham. And at that time, they will be converted, and they will keep God's laws and God's commandments. Verse 21 says, So there's going to be a time of restoration. One verse says that God will enter an everlasting covenant. We'll read, that's in chapter 16, the last few verses, but let's skip on over to chapter 20. And here, God indicts Israel for Sabbath-breaking. Let's notice that in Ezekiel chapter 20 and verse 11. So ancient Israel did that in the early days. And modern-day Israel is no different. Ancient Israel went into captivity. Modern-day Israel will be no different as well. Let's go to verse 33 of this chapter, Ezekiel 20 verse 33. As I live, says the Lord God. And this is talking about the end of this age and the coming of Christ, to set up God's kingdom and to rule over modern-day Israel as a converted nation. As I live, says the Lord God. Surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered. With a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out. So God Almighty is going to bring Israel under His government.

And verse 38, I will purge the rebels from among you and those who transgress against me. God will not allow all the abominations and detestable things anymore. Verse 40, on my holy mountain and on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord God. There, all the house of Israel, notice all the twelve tribes of Israel then, all of them in the land shall serve me. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your sacrifices together with all your holy things. I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And that is the last part of verse 41. I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.

And how will God be hallowed? When Israel is converted, they will begin to be a model nation for other nations, the Gentile nations. God will be hallowed then in Israel before the Gentiles. Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I bring you into the land of Israel and to the country for which I lifted my hand in an oath to give to your fathers. And verse 43. You know, I think this is a very significant verse because it shows that Israel, when Israel is converted, and when they look back at all the things, all the abominations, all the things that we, all the evils in our society today, we will shake our head and wonder how did we ever get so far away from God and His laws. Verse 43. There you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled. And you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight. When Israel really comes to see how evil all of these things are, you will loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed. Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways.

God will not destroy Israel, but He will correct and punish. Not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord God. So God is going to restore Israel. He's going to grant repentance. Let's read just a couple of other wonderful prophecies about our people coming to a time of national repentance and then restoration.

Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel 36. And beginning in verse 17.

Ezekiel 36 and verse 17. Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds. To me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. Therefore I poured out my theory on them for the blood they had shed on the land and for their idols which they had defiled it. So I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the countries. I judged them according to their ways and their deeds.

And skipping on down to verse 21. But I had concern from my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. Therefore, say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord God, I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for my holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations, I will sanctify my great name.

You know, God has given promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he must uphold. His name, His Word, is at stake. And so He will keep His Word. God's name has been profaned by our people. And yet the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. When God turns modern-day Israel around to be obedient to His way of life. Verse 24, For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you to your own land. Verse 25, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. You know, this is wonderful, isn't it? God's going to clean us up. I like that, don't you? I'd like for us to be cleaned up. It's going to be a wonderful thing. We won't have any crime, no bloodshed, no murder, not one adultery, not one marriage breaking up. That's going to be wonderful. God's going to clean us up. And you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. A heart of flesh is one that can repent and keep God's laws. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land I gave to your fathers. And isn't this beautiful? You shall be my people, and I will be your God.

So, brethren, do we see that how the message of Ezekiel sent to the house of Israel, to all of the house of Israel, all 12 tribes, actually, how this message applies for us today, how it applies to modern Israel. And these prophecies bring us to the time of the end when God is going to punish and correct modern-day Israel and then restore them and use them in the way that He's intended all along.

Notice some other beautiful verses in the next chapter, Ezekiel 37. And it shows how Israel and Judah are going to be joined together no longer will they be two different nations or kingdoms. Verse 31, And I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they've gone and gather them on every side and bring them to their own land. All 12 tribes will be brought back to the land of Israel. You know, why do we have those verses in Joshua describing the boundaries of each tribe? Because that's where they're going to be brought back. The tribes of Israel will be brought back to those tribal boundaries that are described in the Bible.

God will bring Israel back. I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all. They shall no longer be two nations. No longer the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols or their detestable things or with their transgressions.

And I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. Then they shall be my people and I will be their God. David my servant. David will be resurrected in the first resurrection as a spirit being. Will be king over them. And they shall have one shepherd and they shall walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do them. They shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant where your fathers dwell. They shall dwell there they and their children and their children's children forever. And my servant David shall be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them. Did you know that God already has established a covenant of peace with us? When we repented, when God gave us a heart of flesh that's able to repent and have his laws written upon our hearts and minds, then we entered an everlasting covenant at that time that we repented and were baptized and received God's Spirit. We were cleaned up and we entered an everlasting covenant. Well, God is going to enter an everlasting covenant with all of Israel and of course by extension the other nations also.

He goes on to say, I will establish them and multiply them and I will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them. Indeed, I will be their God and they shall be my people. The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore. So the other nations are going to see the example that is set by a converted Israel.

I want to read from our booklet, the last chapter. What is the title of the last chapter of our booklet, The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy? The title of the last chapter is what we've been talking about this afternoon. The title is From Punishment to Destiny. And that's exactly what Ezekiel is describing. Israel's correction and punishment. And then the destiny that God has in mind is that Israel will set an example for other nations how to live God's laws in God's way of life. Let me read from pages 106 and 7 and 8 in our booklet and this chapter, the last chapter, From Punishment to Destiny. When the Israelites turn to God in repentance and obedience, God will again shower physical blessings on them. Their land will become abundantly productive. As other nations see Israel's prosperity and relationship with God, they will inquire how they too can be blessed.

They will soon learn that Israel's prosperity comes because of its obedience to God. Very simple. Cause and effect. Obey God. You get good weather. You get good crops. You get many blessings. Brother, today we're suffering because of sin and curses that come as a result of sin. Other nations will see that it comes from obedience to God. The nations will begin to learn God's ways with the help of a restored and obedient Israel. Finally, Israel will at last really be the world's model nation that God intended. Exemplifying the blessings and way of life, other nations will strive to emulate. God will teach the truth of His Sabbath. All of Israel will begin keeping the Sabbath. Other nations will learn from Israel. Israel's example. Also, Israel starts to keep the Holy Days. Other nations will learn also to keep God's Holy Days. The glory of the restored Israel will shine far greater than Israel's golden age under Solomon. Or that of any other nation or kingdom the world has ever seen. Nobody has ever seen a whole nation of people converted. Everybody in the church. Think about that. It's going to be a wonderful time. That's what the book of Ezekiel is talking about. God has not forgotten nor will He ever forget His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The pages of history and prophecies yet to be fulfilled show God's remaining true to every detail of His Word. So, the book of Ezekiel, far from being gloom and doom, is that of punishment and correction, all right? But one of them restoration and Israel going on to fulfill God's purpose for this nation. The message was given at the time of the fall of ancient Judah. Ancient Israel had already fallen over a hundred years previously. But the message is even more for modern-day Israel, even all twelve tribes. But I would say even especially for the birthright tribes of America and Britain. There are three personal lessons that we can emphasize from this book that is very, very important. And that is number one, that no individual can sin without paying the penalty, which the penalty of sin is death. Notice that in Ezekiel chapter 18 and verses 4 and 20. Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse 4. We cannot individually sin and not expect to pay the price for sin. Sin will bring a penalty, and that penalty is death. Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse 4, Behold, all souls are mine. The soul of the Father as well as the soul of the Son is mine. The soul who sins shall die. And again, in verse 20, the soul who sins shall die. We know the Bible repeats things that are important. So on the personal level, as well as on the national level, no person or nation can sin without eventually dying. And we're seeing our own nation go downhill very rapidly. But we should take a personal lesson from this as well. We cannot sin without suffering the consequences, which would be death. A second thing we can learn from this book is that we should pound our fist, and we should stamp our feet at all the evils and the abominations that are intensifying around us.

More states want to make legal gay marriage. That is against the Bible. More people want to condone just living together unmarried. That is against the Scriptures. So we should sigh and cry at all the abominations being done in our nation today. Turn to Ezekiel 9. If we do, then God will take note of that. If we sigh and cry, and we abhor all that is happening around us, God will take note of that. If we just go along with these things and don't hate them, God will note that as well. In Ezekiel 9, verses 4-6, the Lord said to him, said to go through the midst of the city, the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it. To the others, he said, in my hearing, go after him through the city and kill. Do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. And think of how grisly this becomes. Utterly slay, old and young, maidens and little children, women. But do not come near anyone on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary. And so, you know, God does take note of those who pound their fist and stamp their feet at all the evils and the abominations going on, and who sigh and cry.

God does take note of them. And there are verses about how God will be watching out for those who sigh and cry and come out of this evil world. They might be able to escape all these things that are about to happen. So let us abhor sins and abominations all around us. Let us sigh and cry. Maybe God will just put a mark upon us and help us through this evil time just ahead.

And the third thing we can take to heart in the book of Ezekiel is the responsibility that God has placed upon us as a church to be the watchman. Turn to Ezekiel 33. God has put a burden upon us. We do need to sound a warning. Our literature, our magazine, The Good News, our television program Beyond Today, on the Internet, the Kingdom of God Bible Seminars. In many, many ways we want to be the watchman for modern-day Israel, and by extension, on out into the world. Ezekiel 33, verse 1, Again, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman.

When he sees the sword coming, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning. His blood shall be upon himself. But notice, he who takes the warning, rather than today, that means those who listen to our message. Those who listen carefully to the warning that we are sounding will save his life. So, you know, that is a positive result even here and now. Some will listen to the warning that is given.

In verse 6, But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes away, or takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will require at the watchman's hand. The watchman did not warn. He did not send out the warning signal. Verse 7, So you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Therefore you shall hear a word from my mouth and warn them for me. So we need to take seriously our responsibility in sounding a warning. And we've always said it's not just a responsibility of a few, but all of us together as a church are helping to do this work today and preaching the gospel to the world, and sounding a warning, sounding a warning to our nation and to other nations as well. We serve as a watchman, a modern-day watchman. Well, in conclusion, just a personal note would be good about Ezekiel. Ezekiel's job was not easy. Think about that. Lying 390 days on your left side. Boy, you get to be very sore, wouldn't you, on the left side. 40 days on the right side. That side would get sore as well. Ezekiel lost his wife at the time Jerusalem was being destroyed in the temple. He was told, don't mourn for her. Do not...the desire of your eyes will die, but do not mourn. That's not easy. At that same time, Ezekiel became dumb, mute. For three years he was not able to speak or say anything. That would not be easy either. And finally, his message was not well received by his fellow exiles in captivity in Babylon. Jewish tradition says that he was put to death by his fellow exiles in Babylon for rebuking them and correcting them. And this tradition says that Ezekiel was dragged upon stones until his brains were dashed out. An Arab historian says that he was buried in the sepulcher of Shem, the son of Noah. So it wasn't an easy job that Ezekiel had. And I think as we consider his prophecies, as well as the messenger, we say, what a message and what a messenger.