"Therefore He said that he would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He destroy." (Ps. 106:23, from today's Psalms reading)
It was 28 years ago today that the evil government of the reign of the Ceausescus came to an end in Romania. President George H. W. Bush said that this was not a political revolution; it was a spiritual revolution. One of the reasons for this victory was a group of 4000 Followers of Jesus in Timisora, kneeling and praying in the rain---- "had not_____ stood before [Me] in the breach...."
"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." (Ezekiel 22:30) Fundamentally, this is Jesus Christ on that Roman cross. The Bible tells us that Jesus, "....delivers us from the wrath to come." The text also speaks, however, of people like those Romanian Followers of Jesus who participate in Jesus, "in the breach," for the whole world. The Word for, "breach," in today's text is the exact same Word which is translated in the Ezekiel 22:30 passage as, "gap." The Word seems to have military connotations, the idea of an enemy making a "breakthrough." And in that, "breakthrough, gap, breach," is exactly where you and I, members of the Church, need to be.
I cannot remember when I have felt more empowered to do this. What about you today? Do you have any sense of urgency, "....on behalf of the land," whether Israel or your nation? For the USA, I believe one of the major breakthroughs was in the year of 1962-1963. It was a masterful military strategy on the part of Satan. He found a negligent, self-absorbed, focusing-on-things-other-than-Jesus-and-His-Words Church, caught us sleeping, and allowed Satan's willing henchmen to take prayer and Bible reading out of the American schools, thereby destroying the, "wall," of our nation's founding. This was just as our Lord Jesus said of the latter days, "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way" Though I was only 19 & 20 when this went down, I was sleeping.
Personally, I believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is Father's, "...Chosen One [who stands] before Him in the breach...." And what He is calling to you and me to do is what He said to Moses in the wilderness, "But as for you, stand here by Me...." You and I may not be in the governments of our respective nations, but we are Citizens of the Kingdom of God/Heaven. Those who are enemies of the Godhead cannot, "st[an]d before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath...." It is up to you and me.
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to walk in all that You mean in Your Word. Amen.
**************************
We have room for about 8 more for the January 27, 2018, briefing. Please let us know if you will be attending.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
