The Lord says, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be STRICKEN WITH PANIC. I will make JUSTICE THE MEASURING LINE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THE PLUMB LINE…” (Isaiah 28:16-17)
A plumb line is a tool used by builders and painters to find the true vertical. A plumb bob, typically a pointed lead weight, is suspended from a string and gravity then makes the string hang PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. Thus, the builder can ensure that the structure he is constructing IS ERECTED PERFECTLY TRUE.
Amos said, “This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.” (Amos 7:7-8) Why did God have to do this? “My people are DETERMINED TO TURN FROM ME. Even though they call me God Most High…” (Hosea 11:7) Israel responds with this, “We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away. For OUR OFFENSES ARE MANY in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the LORD, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.” (Isaiah 59:11-13)
“The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so, HIS OWN ARM ACHIEVED SALVATION FOR HIM, and His own righteousness sustained Him…AS FOR ME, THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—FROM THIS TIME ON AND FOREVER,” says the LORD.” (Isaiah 59:15-17, 21)
Why was God so forgiving with Israel? “…you are a people HOLY TO THE LORD YOUR GOD. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, HIS TREASURED POSSESSION. The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and KEPT THE OATH, HE SWORE TO YOUR ANCESTORS…” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8) God made a covenant with faithful Abraham saying “I will surely BLESS YOU and make your descendants as numerous as THE STARS IN THE SKY and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring ALL NATIONS ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED, because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:17-18)
Does this mean that Israel gets away with sin? NO! God has punished them many times for their disobedience, they have been taken out of Israel twice, they will not, as a nation, go up in the rapture, they will be here and accept the anti-christ as their God and will be awakened, “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, PROCLAIMING HIMSELF TO BE GOD.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) When this happens Israel’s eyes are open and “The woman (Israel) fled into the wilderness to a place PREPARED FOR HER BY GOD, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.” (Revelation 12:6) The second half of the Tribulation…
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham