Hear O Heavens and Give Ear O Earth

Isaiah 1:2-3 Hear, O heavens, and give ear O earth: for the Lord has spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me.
2 The ox knows his owner and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel does not know, My people does not consider.

What is true for God’s people at that time is now true for God’s people at this time. Christianity has rebelled against the Lord. The real awareness of the Lordship of Jesus Christ has waned throughout the Church world. The ox knows his owner and the ass his master who feeds him, but spiritual Israel considers not. Jesus said it this way, This people draws nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:8-10.

Isaiah 1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burnt with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

The strangers are those who have crept into the churches and brought defilement. Even many of the pastors and teachers in the church are not really committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The country, cities, and land represent the provisions of the Lord for His Church. Jude speaks of this in his epistle. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only true God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 4.

Isaiah 11:8-9 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
9 Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

This is God’s description of Christianity. It is a besieged city. The daughter of Zion, the true Church of God, is left only as a cottage in a vineyard. Those who are really submissive to the Lordship of Jesus Christ have become a small house of the Lord. If the Lord did not leave us a small remnant, we would be as Sodom and Gomorrah. I do not think I need to explain to you about Sodom and Gomorrah. You see what is happening in our day. You see the assault against the Church. You see the degradation and how so much of Christianity has succumbed to it. Only a very small remnant will be left.

Why is God allowing this onslaught against Christians? They must be the first to be judged. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? I Peter 4:17. This is not a new teaching to us. We have known that the time must come when there is a separation of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). Christians, for the most part, have pushed that time so far into the future that they do not ever need to be concerned about it. So many Christians refer to Jesus Christ as Lord with no awareness of what His Lordship really means. God has winked at their ignorance, but the time of reckoning has come. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent: because He has appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has ordained; whereof He has given assurance to all men, in that He has raised Him from the dead. Acts 17:30-31.

God’s mercy will leave a very small remnant, and this remnant will be the voice of God during the days of judgment and great tribulation. Thus, the true apostolic and prophetic ministries will be restored at this time. Apostles and prophets always come during times of apostasy. Much of what has paraded itself as the Church will be brought down. They will not hear the voice of the Lord coming through the remnant. Those that do respond to His voice will become the true Body of Christ. What about all the apostles and prophets we have seen coming on the scene? It has been very fashionable to carry a label of apostle and prophet. The true apostolic company will not be found on television or in megachurches. They will be more like Elijah, John the Baptist, and the beloved Paul.

Romans 11:5-8 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7 What then? Israel (Christianity) has not attained that which he seeks for; but the election (the remnant) has obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 According as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should see not, ears that they should not hear; unto this day.

God fulfills His promises on a remnant. Notice most of all that we do not become His remnant by works; it is solely by His grace. Those who have cast off all arrogance and pride and have humbly submitted to His Lordship and grace will find themselves in His remnant. They are the ones that come through the days of judgment unscathed. These are they which follow the Lamb where ever He goes (Revelation 14:4). Hear O heavens and give ear O earth!