Let the rebuilding of the walls commence!

[ByTheSpirit]

Throughout the history of mankind, we see a pattern emerge. A pattern that outwardly can seem very harsh and sometimes even cruel.

Man sins, and persists in his sin. The Lord is gracious and patient with them. Showing them love in the hopes that His kindness will lead them back to Him in repentance. But should His advances go unheeded, He then turns to discipline to get man's attention.

This is a call for perseverance and patience among the saints. God disciplines those whom He loves. When God sent a prophet with a message of doom for Israel, He always followed with a promise of restoration and renewal. Though He was punishing them, He would restore them. Job was a man who did no wrong, who trust fully in the Lord, and seemingly was being punished for some crime as his friends alluded too. Yet God restored him, for Job waited patiently for the salvation of his God.

Micah 7:7-11 (BSB)
But as for me, I will look to the LORD;
I will wait for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me.
Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will arise;
though I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be my light.
Because I have sinned against Him,
I must endure the rage of the LORD,
until He argues my case
and executes justice for me.
He will bring me into the light;
I will see His righteousness.
Then my enemy will see
and will be covered with shame—
she who said to me,
“Where is the LORD your God?”
My eyes will see her;
at that time she will be trampled
like mud in the streets.
The day for rebuilding your walls will come—
the day for extending your boundary.

Maybe you've been going through a storm or you've been in a drought or famine, wondering where your God is. And not just a storm or famine of material needs or the like, but a lack of hearing God's voice and word as you once did.

The LORD is calling out to you, and to all of us!

Malachi 3:7 (BSB)
Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Isaiah 1:16-19 (BSB)
Wash and cleanse yourselves.
Remove your evil deeds from My sight.
Stop doing evil!
Learn to do right;
seek justice and correct the oppressor.
Defend the fatherless
and plead the case of the widow.”
“Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they will be as white as snow;
though they are as red as crimson,
they will become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the best of the land.

Seek Me and LIVE! He says!

Let the day for rebuilding the walls commence! Let what has been shattered, be restored! Let what has been broken, become mended. Return to God your Father! Return to Jesus Christ our Savior and through the power of the Holy Spirit allow Him to wash over you and restore you in His presence!

He is the vine... apart from Him we can do nothing! Though He has shattered and torn down, it was to teach our utter dependence upon Him and when we return, He will restore! And He will not just restore the walls that have been torn down, but he will expand them as well!

1 Peter 5:10-11 (BSB)
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

Good topic/post..
---
He (Triune God) restores us again & again..
---
I went through restoration & renewal..several times..
- during my spiritual journey.

 

[hislegacy]

Man sins, and persists in his sin. The Lord is gracious and patient with them. Showing them love in the hopes that His kindness will lead them back to Him in repentance. But should His advances go unheeded, He then turns to discipline to get man's attention.

Show me that in the New Testament, because all I can find is:

Romans 2:3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Show me that in the New Testament, because all I can find is:

Romans 2:3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

I'm not following... what am I supposed to show you?

What does Romans 2:4 say?

God's goodness is supposed to lead us to repentance...

What was the message of Hosea?

God loves you and wants you to know Him. Knowing Him with the implication of abandoning our sins and returning to Him in faithfulness.

But in the prophets, specifically Amos, we see that God has moved past compassion and is now punishing them in hopes that they will return.

Amos 4:6-12 (BSB)
“I beset all your cities with cleanness of teeth
and all your towns with lack of bread,
yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the LORD.
“I also withheld the rain from you
when the harvest was three months away.
I sent rain on one city
but withheld it from another.
One field received rain;
another without rain withered.
People staggered from city to city
for water to drink,
but they were not satisfied;
yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the LORD.
“I struck you with blight and mildew
in your growing gardens and vineyards;
the locust devoured your fig and olive trees,
yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the LORD.
“I sent plagues among you
like those of Egypt;
I killed your young men with the sword,
along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp,
yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the LORD.
“Some of you I overthrew
as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze,
yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the LORD.
“Therefore, that is what I will do
to you, O Israel,
and since I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Good topic/post..
---
He (Triune God) restores us again & again..
---
I went through restoration & renewal..several times..
- during my spiritual journey.

Praise the Father for that! I have as well. Each time, just a little closer it seems than the last. Not that I enjoy my periods of wandering, but I'm certain they were meant to teach me. Being torn down is no fun, but it makes the restoration all the better I think. Thank you for the testimony!

 

[hislegacy]

I'm not following... what am I supposed to show you?

The relationship between God and man changed in the New Testament.

God’s correction is through His word, not devastation.

Will post more in a bit.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

The relationship between God and man changed in the New Testament.

God’s correction is through His word, not devastation.

Will post more in a bit.

I see what you're saying. The OT concerned more the kingdom of Israel/Judah and the things God did to them were "different" per se.

But God still disciplines people, especially those He loves. His discipline can often come in a (to use a term you used) "devestating" way.

The point of what I'm saying is that God will discipline us and tear us down, to get us to turn back to Him. He tries at first through kindness and compassion. If that has no effect, He seemingly turns to more dramatic means to get our attention. But it's to get us to seek Him all the more. It's for our good, and after we have suffered and been disciplined, He Himself will restore us.

 

[hislegacy]

The point of what I'm saying is that God will discipline us and tear us down, to get us to turn back to Him. He tries at first through kindness and compassion. If that has no effect, He seemingly turns to more dramatic means to get our attention. But it's to get us to seek Him all the more. It's for our good, and after we have suffered and been disciplined, He Himself will restore us.

That is what I am disputing. God does NOT tear us down, He will however allow us to live with the in sequences of our actions.

Like the prodigal son. The Father waits for to come home.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

That is what I am disputing. God does NOT tear us down, He will however allow us to live with the in sequences of our actions.

Like the prodigal son. The Father waits for to come home.

I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts together currently (I'm kinda tired) so forgive me if my thoughts here are kind of disjointed. But perhaps we can find some agreement here. "He will however allow us to live with the consequences of our actions."

If I spout off at someone in anger, and they punch me in my mouth (extreme example but hear me out). That's a consequence of my action. Did God punch me? No, of course not. Did He use that punch to teach me a lesson? Tear down a wall of sin, if I may use that analogy? Of course He did. So you could say, in a sense, God directed that punch at me to teach me not to sin, but to live a more righteous lifestyle no? I now know in the future I should be less angry and less apt to open my mouth in a moment of rage. It's taught me a lesson and hopefully, if I've learned from it, will bring me closer to holiness. As I live a more holy life, is that not the most prosperous place a person can be?

 

[hislegacy]

I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts together currently (I'm kinda tired) so forgive me if my thoughts here are kind of disjointed. But perhaps we can find some agreement here. "He will however allow us to live with the consequences of our actions."

If I spout off at someone in anger, and they punch me in my mouth (extreme example but hear me out). That's a consequence of my action. Did God punch me? No, of course not. Did He use that punch to teach me a lesson? Tear down a wall of sin, if I may use that analogy? Of course He did. So you could say, in a sense, God directed that punch at me to teach me not to sin, but to live a more righteous lifestyle no? I now know in the future I should be less angry and less apt to open my mouth in a moment of rage. It's taught me a lesson and hopefully, if I've learned from it, will bring me closer to holiness. As I live a more holy life, is that not the most prosperous place a person can be?

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

God is not the cause - nor does He orchestrate it. God didn't use your fat lip from being punched - it might have brought you to your right mind, but God does not operate in evil. God did NOT direct the punch - that is evil.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

God is not the cause - nor does He orchestrate it. God didn't use your fat lip from being punched - it might have brought you to your right mind, but God does not operate in evil. God did NOT direct the punch - that is evil.

You don't agree with what I shared, that's fine. I don't want to continue this and take the thread from where it started. We can start a new one if you'd like about this topic?

EDIT- Actually it may be beneficial to this conversation to just continue here so I digress.

Hebrews 12:4-11 (BSB)
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord,
and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
For the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and He chastises every son He receives.”
Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

The writer of Hebrews here says that suffering for the gospel is directed by God. He is disciplining us for our good. The manner in which you've implied that God does not cause or orchestrate evil, seems to go against this. How do you reconcile your statement that God does not cause nor orchestrate evil, but yet he brings suffering through discipline.

 

[Veni]

Micah 7:10
Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.

Who is she?

 

[biblelesson]

That is what I am disputing. God does NOT tear us down, He will however allow us to live with the in sequences of our actions.

Like the prodigal son. The Father waits for to come home.

Hebrews 12:7-8,
7 “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”

8 “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Hebrews 12:11 KJV,
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Chastening means: to correct by punishment or suffering.

 

[biblelesson]

Micah 7:10
Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.

Who is she?

She is identified in Micah 7:5 KJV, …”keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.”

She is an enemy of his own household, Micah 7:6 KJV, …”a man’s enemy are the men of his own household.”

Micah 7:10 KJV speaks of her destruction for being an enemy, within his own house, when she should have been someone trustworthy.

 

[hislegacy]

Hebrews 12:7-8,
7 “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”

8 “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Read up just a couple of verses:

Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

 

[Aaron112]

Throughout the history of mankind, we see a pattern emerge. A pattern that outwardly can seem very harsh and sometimes even cruel.

Mankind, the world, is harsh, cruel, deadly, death dealing.
As Written.

 

[sunlover1]

The relationship between God and man changed in the New Testament.

God’s correction is through His word, not devastation.

Will post more in a bit.

Hello! How do you view the demise of Ananias and Sephira in light of your comment above? Forgive my grammar.
Thank you!