PJ Hanley
The LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” Ezekiel 9:4
This vision struck me very hard yesterday as I was in my garden listening to Ezekiel. As I listened, He emphasized this picture to me. I saw Him searching the earth and marking the believers who were broken and grieved over the fallen state of His people. In the midst of darkness, I saw his eyes fixed on those who were cut to the heart over sin and wickedness within the worldwide church. As he found them within the crowds He set them aside, and kept searching for more. I felt the Lord say to me as I saw this picture, “Rachel, this is what I’m doing right now in the earth.”
Let me back up to last year, as my understanding of this picture relates to something I saw last summer (2019). I’m a pastor of a small church in Ireland that my husband and I planted together in 2012. One evening while leading worship in our church, I was looking out at the congregation and I saw the feet of Jesus walking among the lampstands from Revelation chapter one. I saw his feet and the edge of his white robe, as he was walking through the congregation of my church and examining our worship.
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash… His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace…” Revelation 1:12-15
I could barely continue playing as awe and conviction seized me. Immediately, I knew what was going on as I felt Him show me that he was visiting and examining the churches. My heart began to grieve as the Spirit reminded me of the passage,
‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. Revelation 2:5
I realized that the Lord was searching the churches of the world and examining them, their teachings, and their deeds. I was left wondering that Summer 2019 what was about to happen in the world that would sift the churches.
The end of the first chapter of Revelation clearly states that the lampstands are churches. That year I had been playing with the thought that not every body that calls itself a church is seen as a lampstand in God’s eyes. How convicting that you could consider yourself a church, and God doesn’t?! The passage in chapter two also implies that a lampstand-church can be removed from its place before the Lord. I felt the Lord was clearly watching the churches, examining which ones would remain in their place before Him. This was all incredibly sobering, as I prayed that we and others would have conduct worthy of His presence. How we all should long to remain steadfast and holy before Him.
Back to yesterday, Summer 2020, and Ezekiel 9:4
It’s like it finally clicked. The Lord has been speaking to me all this past year about the judgement He was bringing on the worldwide church because of her iniquity. We are witnessing before our eyes the falling away of the majority of the western church. Churches are happy to give up meeting and will set aside the main staples of the faith to be relevant and embraced by the world. No more assembling together, no more singing, no more Bibles, no more communion or breaking bread, no more holding to the apostles teachings as they aren’t in line with the State’s mandates of health and safety.
“Repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place…”
Jesus has been examining our church meetings. Judgement on these unrepentant institutions has been fixed. The only thing left for you believers left in these places is to come out.
“…sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed…”
Does your heart ache for the church? For too long we’ve tolerated the lie that being burdened with the state of the church is only for leaders. The corruption and lukewarmness of the church should deeply hurt every true believer in Jesus. Sin and idolatry has been propagated by churches and leaders, but it has been tolerated by sleepy, prosperity-obsessed believers. Blaming the church and doing nothing will land you in the same judgement as them.
God is searching the earth. He’s searching church pews. He’s searching the homes of believers who have been prevented from returning to church — not by the State, but by their own pastors. Are you grieving the state of the church and her abominations? Does your heart hurt for what grieve’s God’s heart? Or are you happy to be a stay-home pajama christian because the state of the church is not your problem?
The Lord is searching for those who are His. He is marking and setting aside a portion of true, devout believers among the earth to be His pure and spotless Bride. He is watching the response of your heart to what is going on. Will you be marked?
Article by Rachel Chahanovich July 21, 2020 – Amidst closed churches due to Corona Virus (Covid-19)
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