'A Rumor from the Lord'

"Jehovah" Self-Existent, Eternal

*Isaiah 55:12-13, "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

 It's that time again, a time for decorations, party hats, candles on the cake, and presents tied up with bows. It's your birthday, and family and  friends are gathered to celebrate. Birthdays are always special and we all have them. That one day on the calendar that is your day.

There is no way of getting around the date on which you were born; however, the older we get the shorter the days, and the seasons change so quickly. Trying to avoid getting older, we decide we are not going to have anymore birthdays, although it's impossible to ignore the cards, presents, or well wishes from others, not to mention that date on the calendar.

In an effort to try not to look our age, science has given us rejuvenating medicines and surgery. Unfortunately, the body knows our age: our minds may not comprehend, but our bodies do. Even the best surgeons cannot change what time, and our environment, does to our physical bodies from the inside out and, quite often, it is what is on the inside that ages our outward appearance.

Even more unfortunate, age and maturity do not necessarily walk hand in hand. Even mature adults can stand idly by while watching something destructive happen while others move in stealing and plundering what is left. This is not something unheard of but something that occurs quite frequently within the world's society. It occurs because within each one of us there is a knowledge to do good and a knowledge to do evil. It is this knowledge that can become anyone's worst enemy in a time of chaos and disorder because it is active not just an understanding.

Knowing how we are going to react in times like these doesn't occur until we are put into that particular situation. Either in a positive or a negative way, often people react in a way they never thought they would. How can we as mature adults stand against the throes of an enemy that lurks within each one of us? An enemy that can cause destruction then steal and plunder what is left.

There is a well from which you can draw strength in a time that is overwhelming in your life. A well that never runs dry, that flows directly from God's throne unto His own. A well of grace that gives you strength in time of need.

*Obadiah 1:1-6, "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!"

Obadiah, whose name means "servant of Jehovah", prophesied during 841 B.C. to 825 B.C., during the time of Elisha. His prophesy, as recorded, was in the form of a vision, the destruction  of Edom. During the reign of David, Edom became under the authority of Israel; however, time and time again Edom revolted and joined the forces of the nations who God brought against Judah and Israel because of their disobedience.

Genesis 27:38-40 tells us, "And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck."

Amaziah, king of Judah, went against the army of  Edom in the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand then took Selah and called the name of it Joktheel. Then Jehoash, the king of Israel, sent a message to Amaziah, king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son for a wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. You have indeed smitten Edom, and your heart has lifted you up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall and Judah with you? Amaziah would not listen; therefore, Jehoash king of Israel went and he and Amaziah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh. Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents. Then Jehoash took Amaziah and came to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, and took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house and hostages, then returned to Samaria. However, during the reign of Jehoram, Edom revolted and made a king over them.

When Jehoram became king, he strengthened himself, and killed all his brothers and princes of Israel with the sword. Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign. He reigned eight years in Jerusalem and walked in the way of the kings of Israel because the daughter of Ahab was his wife. During the reign of Jehoram the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah and made themselves a king. Then he went forth with his princes with all his chariots and killed the Edomites which encompassed him. Therefore the Edomites revolted against Judah.

*II Chronicles 28:1-5, "Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus." Again the Edomites came and struck Judah carrying many away captive. Then the Philistines invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and took Bethshemesh, Ajalon, Gederoth, Shocho, Timnah, and Gimzo along with the villages and dwelt there. Also Tilgathpilneser, king of Assyria, and distressed Ahaz. So Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, but the king of Assyria did not help him.

Idumea, "the field of Edom" was mountainous. Obadiah called it the land, or "the mountain of Seir," the rough hills on the east side of the Arabah. It extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea, and contained, among other cities, the rock-hewn Selah generally known by the Greek name Petra. It is a wild and rugged region, traversed by fruitful valleys. Its old capital was Bozrah. 

At the time of the Exodus they refused permission to the Israelites to pass through their land and ever afterwards maintained an attitude of hostility toward them. They were conquered by David, and afterwards by Amaziah, but they regained again their independence. In later years, during the decline of the Jewish kingdom, they made war against Israel. They took part with the Chaldeans when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, and afterwards they invaded and held possession of the south of Palestine as far as Hebron. *Psalms 137:7, "Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof." At length, however, Edom fell under the growing Chaldean power. *Easton's Bible Dictionary

When Jacob deceived his father, Esau became bitter against his brother, then when it was discovered he desired to kill his brother Jacob, his father sent him away. He chose strange women to marry which were a grief to his father and mother. Then, choosing another path, he moved away from God and served other gods not of his father's. He became a servant of Israel, which he rebelled against, and, still to this day, he makes wrong decisions when it comes to which side to defend. However, the prophesy of Obadiah concludes, "For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it. And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's, " 15-21.

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Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand and Jesus' brothers said to Him, "Depart and go into Judaea, so Your disciples also may see the works that You do because there isn't any man that does any thing in secret because he wants others to see what he can do. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." They said this because they did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said, "My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it. I testify that the works it does are evil. You go to this feast. I will not go yet because it is not yet My time." When He had said these words to them, He still stayed in Galilee because the Jews sought to kill Him, but, when His brothers were gone, He also went to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

Now about the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught and then the Jews marvelled saying, "How does this man know the writings, having never learned?" Jesus answered, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory, but he that seeks his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keep the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" The people answered, "You have a devil. Who seeks to kill You?" Jesus answered, "I have done one work, and you all marvel. Moses gave you circumcision and you circumcise a man on the sabbath day. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath day so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry at Me because I have made a man whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

Then cried Jesus in the temple saying, "You know Me, and know where I come from. I am not come of Myself, but He that sent Me is true. You do not know Him but I know Him because I am from Him, and He has sent Me." Then they sought to take Him but no one laid hands on Him because His hour was not yet come. Many of the people who believed on Him said, "When Christ comes, will He do more miracles than these which this man has done?" The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning Him so they sent officers to take Him.

In the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Therefore, many of the people when they heard this said, "Of a truth this is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Don't the scriptures say that Christ comes of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was?"  Because of Him, there was a division among the people and some of them would have taken Him but no man laid hands on Him.

When the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees they asked the officers, "Why haven't you brought Him?" The officers answered, "No man has ever spoke like this man." Then answered the Pharisees, "Are you deceived as well? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed on Him? But these people who do not know the law are cursed."  Nicodemus said to them, "Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he does?" They answered him, "Are you also of Galilee? Search and look, no prophet arises out of Galilee." Then every man left and went to his own house.

Then Jesus went to the mount of Olives and, early in the morning, He went again into the temple. When all the people came to Him, He sat down and taught them. Now the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman taken in adultery and when they had set her in the middle they said, "Master, this woman was taken in the very act adultery. Now Moses commanded us in the law that such should be stoned but what do You say?" This they said tempting Him so that they could accuse Him, but Jesus stooped down and, with his finger, wrote on the ground as though He didn't hear them. So when they continued asking Him, He stood up and said, "Let he that is without sin among you cast a stone at her." Again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Those which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even to the last and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing in the middle. When Jesus stood up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?" She said, "No man, Lord." Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."

Then Jesus spoke to them again saying, "I am the light of the world. He that follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life." Therefore, the Pharisees said to Him, "You bear record of Yourself, your record is not true." Jesus answered, "Though I bear record of Myself, yet My record is true because I know where I am from and where I go, but you cannot tell where I come from and where I go. You judge after the flesh, I judge no man yet if I judge, My judgment is true because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me. Also, it is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bears witness of Myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of Me." Then they said, "Where is your Father? Jesus answered, "You neither know Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you should have known My Father." These words Jesus spoke in the treasury as He taught in the temple, and no man laid hands on Him.

Many of us have heard of people who do seemingly acts of heroism. Ordinary people who, at the moment of crisis, do the right thing. These are people who are few and far between. People, who when asked what they were thinking, often state, "I saw what was happening and knew someone had to do something," or "I wasn't thinking, I just reacted," or "I'm not a hero, I just did the right thing." 

All of us have stumbled across problems where we find the choices rolling around in our mind are often out of proportion with the person we think we are. We can be bombarded with both good and bad decisions at the time the problem arises; however, the longer we dwell on the situation the more difficult our decision becomes.

While there are some who make a decision to step in, while others stand by with their mouths gaping at what they just did, often there is the decision to simply sit back and watch how the whole thing pans out rather than stepping in, taking control, and doing the right thing. Then there are the thoughts of the aftermath that continuously roll around in the mind like a haunting recurring nightmare. Thoughts that begin with the words, "I could of, should of, would of."

For the most part, our decisions are based on the person we are on the inside, what is in our heart, because what we truly are is never really seen until the moment of truth arises. Often, that moment of truth arises out of great distress or disaster, times of trials and testing, and, because human nature is revealed through the active knowledge of good and evil, what occurs can surprise even us as individuals. 

Esau's moment of truth arose when his brother Jacob deceived him, and, from that moment, he sought to kill Jacob. Esau had rejected his birthright and lost his inheritance, an inheritance he could have had if he had made the right decision at the proper moment. For one morsel of meat Esau sold his birthright, and "You know how afterward he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected for he found no place for repentance even though he sought for it carefully with tears," *Hebrews 12:17.

Genesis chapter one tells us that God created man in His image and His likeness and he put the man and woman in the Garden of Eden and blessed them and said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so."

Both man and woman were given an inheritance from God; however, all this was lost in their moment of truth. A moment that brought sin, loss of inheritance, and death to all of mankind throughout eternity. A moment when they disobeyed the one commandment of God, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die."

When Adam 'should of' stepped in and 'could of' done the right thing which 'would of' spared them both, Adam stood by and watched how the whole thing would pan out. For one bite of the forbidden fruit all of mankind suffered death and separation from the God Who created them. But God, Who is not willing that any should perish, gave them a promise of a seed, a seed that would bruise the head of the serpent that deceived Eve.

At the time of God's own choosing, He sent that seed, His Son, into the world, born of a virgin, conceived of the Holy Spirit. Not to condemn nor judge the world, but so that the world 'should be' saved through His atoning blood.  That all 'would be' justified in Him through faith. In order that we 'could be' heirs together with Him through the promises of God.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly, and through redemption in Jesus Christ we have received an inheritance that is eternal. An inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled which shall not fade away nor perish.  Through Christ all things become new. Old things pass away and all things are created new and all things are of God Who has reconciled us to Himself by Christ Jesus. Our old man of sin is crucified together with Him. We put on the new man, which, after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

There is a decision you need to make at the right time, the opportune moment. A decision that can change your life, turn it around, and move it in the right direction. It's not an act of heroism but it can save your life. It's doing the right thing when God calls you into His kingdom. All it takes is an act of faith, believing in Jesus Christ. It is an action of confessing with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believing in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. Because with the heart you believe unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There are times when you need someone to come along beside you whenever a problem arises. Someone who can give you good council at the time you need it the most. Someone Who is willing to guide you and lead you through a moment of crisis, that moment of truth. When you hunger and thirst after righteousness you shall be filled. The Spirit of Christ is a well of living water springing up that can flow in and through you. Trust in the Lord, believe in the Lord, and He will lead you through. He is there reaching out to be your helping hand, in a sense, your Hero. There to give you wisdom when you need Him the most.

P Before God ever brought destruction upon Israel He sent correction. His great army came, the locust, the palmerworm, and the caterpillar, pestilence after the manner of Egypt. He withheld the rain and brought draught upon the land. Yet Israel chose not to call upon their God. They did not hear the trumpet blowing in Zion nor the sound of alarm in His holy mountain.

*Revised April 5, 2008