Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.
Before the first coming of Christ to this earth during His incarnation, the prophet John was sent with the message of repentance that was pertinent to that generation. The Jews had long predicted the coming of The Deliverer, and now that Christ was just about to make His first debut on earth, the people were to be prepared for His appearance.
But just as it is today before Christ’s second coming, the people were not prepared to receive Him, since their hearts and minds had been inundated with the teachings of scribes and pharisees who for the most part were teaching things that robbed the scripture of the essence of Godliness.
The people had become sticklers for ceremony and forms, and they came to regard these as the sum total of godliness. Thus, the religion that pervaded those years before Christ was mostly centered on the external, while the heart remained entrenched in a formatted religion that did not inspire any real change.
When we become satisfied with celebrations, rites and forms, it is a sign that true godliness is lacking, and as such, repentance is coming due. Wherever there is an insatiable craving for ceremony, festivity, and celebrations, it is usually a sure sign that vital godliness has gone out the window, and the people will inevitably become dependent on the outward forms of religion for salvation.
The same was true in the days of John, where there was a strict enforcement of external washings, and purifications, while their hearts remained in a frigid condition. This led to a religion without compassion, and the multitudes who blindly followed the leaders came to accept the husk without the kernel as being the real deal.
Therefore, it was important that the forerunner of Christ preach repentance to the people, lest they remained in a deluded state. Those reforms that formed the backbone of John’s message were rooted in the commandments of God, and he encouraged people to make meaningful changes at the heart level, not merely in meaningless rites or ceremonies. Let’s read:
Luke 3: 2 The word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 He answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
A careful observation of John’s instructions to the people reveal that he was pointing them to the law of God, which was being violated, while church was being attended religiously. For instance, when John spoke to the tax collectors “Exact no more than that which is appointed you” he was referring them back to the eighth commandment which says “Thou shalt not steal”
When John told the soldiers not to “Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages” he was referring them back to the eighth, ninth, and tenth commandments which say “Thou shalt not kill” Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not covet” respectively. In fact, John stated the laws in the exact order in which they appear in the decalogue.
Thus, John’s preaching of repentance was not vague rambling over obscure matters; instead it was direct and targeted, so that those who were living in error could know exactly what the prophet was speaking about. When we speak of repentance in our day, we should never speak in the fuzzy, murky or indefinite.
Definite sins and errors where the multitudes have diverged from the paths of truth and duty should be clearly stated, so that all those who are willing could take concrete steps in much needed reforms. But to preach of repentance in vague terms will leave folks with consciences that have not been awakened to the urgency of the moment.
It is worthy of note that in preaching repentance in his day, John did not make mention of the Sabbath, and this is because up to that time, the validity of God’s Sabbath was without question, even in minds that did not fear God. Therefore, John was not sent to reprove things that were irrelevant, but rather to address current errors that were being held by the masses.
In speaking to the people of His day, Christ referred to John as “Elijah the prophet” who was to come. This is because of two main things: (1) John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah, (2) He would also be uplifting the downtrodden law of God, just as Elijah was sent to do in his day. Let’s read:
1st Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubles Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Matthew 11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
But the scriptures also predict that just before the second coming of Christ a remnant people will be raised up in the spirit and power of Elijah, who are to uplift the law of God that has been downtrodden in our generation, just as it was in the days of John, and Elijah.
Those who have been called to preach the Elijah message in our day are not to present vagaries or irrelevant matters that to not address the problems that are affecting the churches of Christendom. It is a fact that many Christians have become riled up at what they view as the desecration of the marriage institution.
While it is true that alternative lifestyles and same sex marriage are contrary to the scriptures, yet we must be careful that these issues do not become a sort of distraction, from the real problems at stake in our day, for even though these are valid issues to be addressed, yet, it is the Biblical worship of God that is in focus.
In fact, there are many Christians currently who are irked by gay marriage on the one hand, while on the other, they have in some cases, unknowingly clung to erroneous teachings which do not have scriptural foundation. On this point, the Bible declares that he that is guilty of one is guilty of all and therefore, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth must be the focus of the Elijahs of our day.
Before Jesus puts in His appearing, He declares that the prophet Elijah will be sent to restore the broken law of God in the minds of the people, showing to them exactly where their feet have diverged from the path of righteousness and duty. This is the crux of the matter, with all other side orders to play 2nd fiddle. Let’s read:
Malachi 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
These three angels’ messages form the backbone of any repentance in our day, because they are direct and targeted, and tailor-made to address the current sins of this generation. The first angels’ message is of such that it targets those forms of worship which do not honor God as The Creator.
Many Christians worship God as Savior, because of what Jesus did on Calvary for the human family, and that is all well and good. Others worship God in His capacity as Deliverer and Healer, and that’s why you hear songs such as “Jehovah Jireh”. Again, that is all well and good, but for persons to worship God only in these capacities stops short of His ideal.
It is in His capacity as the Creator of heaven and the earth, which is of the utmost importance, for this is the worship that acknowledges His sovereignty. It is His Creatorship which He almost always refers to as the real reason why He is worthy of worship.
In fact, when a detailed study is done of the various capacities and offices of God, none rises to the level of His Creatorship, because without Him creating us there would be no need for A Deliverer and without A Creator, A redeemer would never be needed, for there would not be anyone to redeem.
Therefore, in the preaching of repentance to our generation, the first angel’s message is direct and targeted, just like John the Baptist’s, for it calls the inhabitants of earth to worship God in His capacity as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, not only as Savior and Deliverer.
Since He has created us by His own power, then He has the right to order our lives according to His will which will bring the issue of submission, on the part of the human agent into play. Thus, the question to be settled in many minds will be “Does The God of Heaven have the inalienable right to tell me what to do, and how to worship?”
Every theological question, with the back and forth either for or against, really boils down to this one, singular question: Does God have the right, and the authority to tell us what to do? It is the very same question which arose in the heavenly courts when satan sinned, and it will be the final question to be settled upon the earth in the final conflict of the ages.
In Noah’s day there were many philosophers to be found, and some of them had presented powerful arguments against the predictions of the prophet, and all of their rebuttals were based on then known undisputed scientific facts. In fact, the Bible record also supported their science, as evidenced by the following verses. Let’s read:
Genesis 2: 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
6 But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
But at the end of the day, all of their philosophy and science would boil down to one basic question: will we obey God according to what He is telling us, and find shelter in the ark, or will we stay put, contrary to His will? In other words, does God have the right, or the authority to tell us what to do?
Indeed, all of the theological arguments, and all of the religious books that are written and studied, all of the doctrines, and teachings that persons have learned in Sabbath school or Sunday school, and all of the sermons, religious concerts, and our regular attendance at any church, all comes down to one fundamental question: Does God have the right to tell us what to do.
The answer to this one question will determine our lifestyles, it would settle the issue of God-ordained marriage, it will determine the choices made at the restaurant or at the dinner table, it will affect all of the interactions between children and their parents and it would ultimately and inevitably decide when, and how we worship. Here it is again for the record:
Can God tell us what to do?
In the first angel’s message God is telling the human family to worship Him in accordance with scripture, in His capacity as Creator, which will inevitably lead folks to honor the seventh day Sabbath as of Divine origin. The mark of the beast begs to differ and says God does not have the right to tell us what to do. Let’s read:
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.
12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
These are the two issues and the two choices that all of earth’s inhabitants must choose between. In other words, our eternal destiny will hang directly on whether we choose to serve and obey God by worshiping Him according to His command, or if we will choose the only other option on the table, to worship according to the dictates of man.
For the sake of clarity, God can only be worshiped in His capacity as Creator if the seventh day Sabbath is kept according to the commandment. There are those who may be sincere in their hearts, who are currently worshiping on the first day of the week, as the official day of rest, but according to the Bible, this is not correct.
True repentance in our day means not only to claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it also means to stop attending those churches which embrace erroneous worship, and to obey God’s voice, by worshipping Him on the 7th day Sabbath which He has blessed, plain and simple, because faith without works is dead.
In the beginning, there were two institutions given
in Eden: [1] The Sabbath, and [2] The marriage institution. These two institutions have always been reiterated throughout the scriptures, but in our day both of them have suffered tremendous violence.
When the laws of the land declared marriage to be legal between two consenting adults, or persons of any sex, a great breach in God’s law was made, and since that fatal day of darkness, society has steadily descended lower and lower to the point where we now have troubles on our hands, the likes of which most people were not anticipating.
Thus, with one institution out the window, there is only one more shoe to drop, in which the issue of worship will take center stage in the not too distant future. Therefore, The God of heaven is calling our attention to the urgency of the moment, because our personal decisions in this matter will determine our eternal destiny. Let’s read:
Isaiah 58: 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Exodus 13:13 Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you.
The issue of the mark of the beast centers squarely on the issue of worship, and it is scheduled take the world by storm when the enforcement of a brand of worship not supported by the scripture is instituted nationwide across America and subsequently engulf the entire world.
Therefore, as the issue percolates on the horizon, and as efforts are being made behind the scenes to bring it to a head, God is calling on all individuals, all churches, all pastors, all clergy, and everyone who lives and breathes, to awake out of slumber, for it will be the most decisive and cataclysmic event of our lives, when it occurs.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture, which declares to us that God’s mercy is still extended to the human family, and as such, He is calling us to a repentance that will take concrete steps in obeying not one, but all of His commandments. Let’s read:
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
God Bless!