The Mark of the Remnant
Ezekiel 9:3 Then the glory of the God of Israel ascended from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose waist was the scribe’s kit.4 And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.”5 But to the others He said in my presence, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare.6 Utterly kill old men, young men, female virgins, little children, and women, but do not touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.”
A day doesn't 't go by without someone saying to me "How can our world be so evil?" To which I shrug my shoulders and say meekly "I don't know. These are strange days." There have been "strange days" since the beginning of days!! I truly believe we will see Jesus rapture us out of here before long, but until then what can we do? Of course we know our faithfulness to share the gospel and win as many people as possible has to be premiere in our thinking. The Great Commission is a strong commission from Jesus to finish what he started while he was here on earth and Jesus left us the Holy Spirit to be able to do that very thing. So many Christians have never started or abandoned the Great Commission calling and in many ways, have surrendered to the World's way of living. In the above scripture the people of God had given in to the worship of the world, or Baal and the prophet Ezekiel spoke a message from God as to what needed to happen for those, who were called a Remnant, to be spared during this time of falling away. Ezekiel speaks of one who is a man clothed in white linen who was to go about and mark those who were repentant about the abomination all around them. 4 Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst. Linen represents purity and this man in linen is possibly a pre-incarnate Messiah and this man will go and find those who haven't bowed to Baal, or the world. Do we have what we would call abominations going on in our world today? Are you bowing to them and shrugging your shoulders or are you hitting your knees in fervent prayer for God to raise up a remnant who will stem the tide by not agreeing with those abominations? Abomination (def) - A thing that causes disgust or hatred. This definition of abomination shows us our response should not be one of hatred because then we are trying to fight the fight with the world's ways. No. Our response has to be the same of the Savior who died for the sins of the world and that response is in active love.
Active love is love that shares the only hope, Jesus. No other!!! Just stating that fact will fight against the alluring message of the world because this world preaches a relative, watered down message that is failing before our very eyes. Paul knew that if we preached Jesus and Him alone it would be a change agent in the lost world we now reside. Here is what Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a sick craving for controversial questions and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,5 and constant friction between people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Paul had to again and again bring those in the churches he established back to the mission. As we need to come back to our mission also. The mission is the same and we must take up our cross and follow Christ with hearts that are burdened for sharing the gospel. We are marked as a Remnant when we respond to the mark Jesus has put on our hearts through His blood. The mark of salvation compels us to bend the knee to Jesus and not bend the knee to the world and lead others to receive that mark of salvation so they will receive eternal life in heaven.
Paul's admonition for those who are going about sharing the gospel is this: 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. If you have been born again through the blood of Jesus you have the Mark of Salvation. But you need to spread the news to a lost and dying world so they can also have this mark made possible through Jesus. When you do that you are responding to the message of hopelessness as presented by the world and giving them a message of hope through Jesus and they will respond. They will respond!!! Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. We know about the mark of the beast and our world needs to realize the mark of salvation....The Mark of the Remnant!!
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren