Rumor From God – I'm Following Jesus

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Chapters: Book of Obadiah, Psalms 82-83
Message: Rumor From God

Hello My Friend,

Rumor; Report of a fact; a story well authorized. Flying or popular report; a current story passing from one person to another without any known authority for the truth of it. There are two kinds of rumors, one is story that may or may not be true, that passes down from person to person and changes a little bit each time it is told. By the time the story reaches back to the person who told it, it is a completely different story. And then there is a story that is true, a well known fact that does not change, it remains, by the time it gets back to the person who told it, it has remained in tact. There are in fact two kinds of rumors going around about Christ, one is the story of the Gospel that never changes, all who hear it, accept it as the truth, and receive Christ just as the Gospel is written from the Word of God will continue to tell the same story. Then there is the story of the false gospel, this story changes every time a new religion or new version of the Bible is produced. NO one will ever get saved under the false gospel story! Sadly, like every lying rumor is believed more than the truth, so is the false gospel story, [Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.]

As the world is getting more corrupt, and Christian prosecution is at an all time high, many Christians, especially those captive to godless nations, are left wondering where God is, and why He does not do something. We can learn a lot from the rise and fall of Israel, if only all nations would get in His Word, and study their history. Now, with Israel in a total disaster after Ahab, and Judah facing war as Jehoshaphat seeks to get it back under God’s rule, many started to wonder where God was, [Psalms 82 A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. 5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.]

[for thou shalt inherit all nations.] This is not the same Asaph as in David’s day, some say he is, but it is not likely since this was penned when Jehoshaphat reigned, and these verses follow Obadiah who was in Israel at that time. All nations are under God’s control, He knows exactly what is going on, regardless of how it all looks, God is watching over His people, right there in the midst of them. Our human understanding tends to think that the death of a Christian is a bad thing, when you stop to think about it, it may be that God is bringing them home to save them from something else. The Book of Obadiah is the smallest book of the Old Testament, having only one chapter and twenty-one verses. The author of the book is Obadiah and it was written to the people of Edom, descendants of Esau. The timeline for these events took place approximately 900 BC and 880 BC. The purpose of the book was to warn Edom of God’s punishment for being a sinful nation, and against His people. What we are to learn from the book is that God brings down all who have been sinfully exalted.

[Obadiah 1:1-7 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. 2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. 3 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? 4 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. 5 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? 6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! 7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.]

[We have heard a rumour from the LORD,] What is the rumor from God? The only way to be saved from judgment is knowing the true Gospel, and accepting it, [John 14:6-7 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.]

[and an ambassador is sent among the heathen,] If you are a saved, born again Christian, then you are an ambassador for Him among the heathen. In this evil world, that gets more evil by the day, people need to hear that there is hope, that all this pain and suffering does have an end, and regardless of how much we have sinned, there is still hope for us beyond the grave. We have an expected end that is actually a new beginning, [Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.]

[Then shall ye call upon me,] You see, God waits until we are prepared to accept the rumors that we can only be saved by His Son. When our heart is prepared, and we are willing to accept the true Gospel that is when we are able to call upon Him and be saved, [Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.]

You see death, and affliction is what opens the heart to what is really going on. So many people walk around in fear of death, which is so many live such corrupt lives. They live like they are dying, only they are succumbing to every lust imaginable as though that will ease the blow. Let me tell you, those who live such immoral lives are no different than those who live evil lives, or those who refuse to believe in God, or even those who believe in God, but never received Christ, they will all face Jesus. And it is all rumored here in the Book of Obadiah too.

[Obadiah 1:15-17,21 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. 16 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. 17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.]

[But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance,] Much of this refers to the Jews returning from Babylon after being in captivity for seventy years and restoring Israel, but there is also a prophetic message here of a king who will judge from Mount Zion, and that is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. A remnant of Israel shall be saved and for those who come in faith and hope to this Mount Zion as well as people of all nations (kindred’s). The kingdom shall be Christ’s, He will reign with just judgment, and those who receive Him will be delivered, those who do not will be like rubble, and even death will not be an escape, [John 5:26-29 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.]

The message of Obadiah gives a sense of assurance, encouragement, and hope to the people of God, if Edom would have chosen God, they too would have been saved. Even when faced with overwhelming odds, the justice of God and assurance of His faithfulness gives us courage that the principles of right and wrong never fail. Psalm 83 was written during the time Jehoshaphat’s army marched out against the great confederacy of nations, which threatened the very existence of Israel. This song was sung before the battle, in anticipation of a victory, the Levites chanted it with a loud voice, in full assurance that God would deliver them.

[Psalms 83:1-5,14-18 A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; 15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. 17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.]

[they are confederate against thee:] As I read this I could not help, but think of what is taking place here in America, the confederates of today are not the same as what we learned from in history. All these fools tearing down and destroying monuments, burning buildings, and attempting to cut off this nation, are not the same as the ones who were actually just defending their freedoms. Contrary to what the rumors are saying that are causing this revolt because of the way white people treated black people years ago, and if people would just open their eyes to the truth they would see that that was not the case. The confederates of today we evil, and trying to start another war, this time against the country itself and everything it stood for, which is, FREEDOM. Rumor has it from the LORD that nation will rise up against nation, it is something that must come to pass. Nevertheless, those who believe the rumor that Christ will save them, and receive Him as Saviour will be saved.

[Mark 13:7-10,13 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations. 13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. ]

Today’s Prayer: God, You have blessed us with so many freedoms, above all, You have given eternal life to all who believe in the true Gospel of Your Son, and receive Him as their Saviour. We are given eternal life only by trusting in His sinless sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection. How merciful You are, how wonderful You are, to save a sinner like me. Lord, Lead me and guide me, give me Your mercies, grace, compassion, and love to all. Use me to spread the rumor of the Gospel, and of Your Son returning, and coming for all His people while He judges the earth of all its evil, and how He can save their soul too. I as these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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