SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
Scripture: Ezekiel 25, 26

In verses 25:1-7 Ezekiel says, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites, “Hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you said, “Aha!” against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity, indeed, therefore, I will deliver you as a possession to the men of the East, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.’ For thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for the land of Israel, indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel prophesied against the Ammonites and he told them exactly what destruction was coming their way. In the rest of the chapter he declared destruction – in verses 8-11 on Moab, in verses 12-14 on Edom and in verses 15-17 on Philistia. And in chapter 26 he declared destruction on Tyre. History recorded every one of the prophecies concerning these antichrist spirits coming to pass just as Ezekiel spoke it. Even the destruction of Tyre is recorded in history just as Ezekiel spoke. How was judgment released by God? It was spoken through His prophets, and the declarations came to pass. What we hear from the Lord and we declare, He surely will bring to pass even if we do not see it when and how we expect. In Amos we are told He does nothing but He declares it unto His servants and prophets first. Prophets subdued kingdoms by prophesying the Word of the Lord concerning the judgment of those regions. Do we not see a restoration of the prophetic judgment of the Lord in the days ahead? Are the last days not full of a prophetic people who declare the Word of the Lord in their generation? I trust we are preparing for what is ahead. God is calling us to be a people in the last days who resemble the prophets. They spoke the Word of the Lord and then God brought their judgments to pass. When the Lord removed Israel, He removed their leaders. We see in history the prophets clearly hearing from the Lord, and obediently declaring and subduing kingdoms. Hearing from the Lord was always first and declaring His Word next. We need to get ready to walk in that place in the last days. Ezekiel 34 ends with a prophecy of restoration and if we look at Israel today, the statehood of Israel is certainly restored. They are in a place where they appear ready to wind up the age. I trust that those of us in the church are getting ready in the same way.