Week 21: May 26th, 2019

Topic: Who will stand in the gap? - Part 5

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 22:23-31

We shall continue our discussion by mentioning the reasons why many people cannot stand in the gap and the consequences of not standing in the gap.

Reasons why many people cannot stand in the gap

There are several things and conducts which can disqualify people from standing in the gap and some of them are the following: Lust, vanity, selfishness, corruption, injustice, covetousness and greed. Though, we have been talking about our pastors, priests and leaders concerning the issue of standing in the gap, but nobody is exempted from this responsibility. Therefore, those who do not flee from these conducts will be penalized.

Lusts: Everything in this world is about lust, and all that is in the world are the lust of the flesh, craving for sensual gratification, and lust of the eyes, which is greedy longings of mind; and the pride of life because of assurance in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly possessions. The Bible says “For all that is in the world —the lust of flesh, the lust of eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world”1 John 2:16. Therefore, if you have the desire to stand in the gap, do not crave for physical pleasure, control your craving for whatever you see and you must not boast about your achievements. Since we are sojourners and pilgrims in this world, we must avoid and abstain from the sensual urges, the evil desires and the passions of the flesh that wages war against the soul 1 Peter 2:11. In order to qualify to fill the gap, you must keep away from dishonorable and world desires. Always “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” Galatians 5:16. For this reason, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts” Romans 13:14. For you to fill the gap, you must refrain from lustful lifestyle and walk in Spirit.

Vanity: “‘Vanity of vanities,” says the preacher; ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity’” Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12:8. All our works and everything that we are doing under the sun, they are all vanity Ecclesiastes 1:14. Everything going on under the sun is vanity, and we did not bring anything into the world, and we cannot take anything out of it 1 Timothy 6:7. Why not submit to God so as to fill the gap? Change before the repentance time passes because all your wealth and enormous earthly possessions are vanities. Henceforth, think deeply and start doing what pleases the Lord.

Selfishness: Selfishness is widespread across the globe. Nowadays, people are inconsiderate and self-centered. Humans are mostly concern with their own personal interest, gain or pleasure. They are so selfish to the extent that they are focusing on themselves alone, thereby neglecting and ignoring the work of God who created and gave them sound health. Believers throughout the world, let nothing be done for selfishness or empty conceit, through factional motives or strife. Let us work as a team; Christianity is one indivisible entity. Let us start doing things with humility without arrogance or self-righteous attitude, and regard others as more important or better than ourselves according to the scripture which says “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” Philippians 2:3. Anyone who intend to stand in the gap must stop doing things from selfish ambition or a desire to boast.

Corruption: Corruption is like a disease that is plaguing mankind. Today, countless people are ready and willing to act dishonestly in return for money, pleasures or personal gains. These activities are not limited to the pastors or our leaders, but it cuts across the spectrum of our society. The scripture says, “‘And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.’” Malachi 2:1-2. You are not immune against this curse; change your ways and do not ignore your duty so that your blessings will not be cursed. The blessing of the priests was cursed because of their corruption; as it is written “‘For the lip of a priest should keep knowledge and people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have departed from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,’ says the Lord of hosts” Malachi 2:8. Since every corrupt person will be penalized, let no foul or profane word come out of your mouth and never act in any corrupt manner.

Injustice: Injustice seems to prevail in every nation of the world. Everywhere on earth there is violence and injustice instead of fairness and justice according to the scripture which says “Moreover I saw under the sun: in place of judgment, wickedness was there, and in a place of righteousness, iniquity was there” Ecclesiastes 3:16. Since wickedness is in the place where justice and right ought to be in the world today, that is the reason that those who are worth to stand in the gap are very scarce. Despite the commandment of the Lord which says “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor” Leviticus 19:15. Partiality and favoritism must stop in the churches. Everyone must be fair and just when discharging their duties in order to fill the gap. Do not forget that anyone who builds his/her house by acts of dishonesty and his/her business empire by injustice will be doomed. The people who are exploiting others or use other people’s services without pay. As it is written “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by injustice. Who uses his neighbor’s service without wages and gives him nothing for his work” Jeremiah 22:13. For you to stand in the gap, stop every form of forced labor and never expand your business by injustice.

Covetousness and greediness: The commandment of God says “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbors’” Exodus 20:17. Because covetousness is a grievous offense, God instructed Moses not to appoint anyone with this trait as a leader, by saying; “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” Exodus 18:21. We can deduce from this passage that only those who fear God, honest and hate covetousness are competent to be pastors/priest or leaders of Christianity. “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely” Jeremiah 6:13. Henceforth, stick to the criteria of appointing leaders/priests as stated in the Bible. All incompetent pastors/priests and the leaders of Christianity will be punished; God will dispossess them of their wives, lands and properties for their covetous and fraudulent activities Jeremiah 8:10. Any pastor/priest who is not trustworthy, fear God, and hate covetousness cannot stand in the gap, instead, he/she will be punished.

We need to realize that greed brings grief and being greedy will cause trouble for your household. Nothing good comes from a greedy and grasping person than to destroy the community but whoever hates and refuses bribes will live Proverbs 15:27. It is for this reason that Jesus Christ described the Pharisees who are hypocrites as greedy and wicked by saying “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness” Luke 11:39. Therefore, learn from the greed of Gehaz which brought him leprosy instead of spiritual gifts/power 2 Kings 5:20, 23-27. Elisha inherited power from Elijah, but because of Gehaz’s greed, he failed to inherit power from Elisha his master, instead he became leprous 2 Kings 2:9-14.

Consequences of disobedience

The scripture says, no sinner/wicked will go unpunished; which means that the pastors/shepherds and the leaders will be punished for their iniquities Proverbs 11:21. Some of the consequences for the shepherds/priests who transgressed are the following:

•   The shepherds/pastors have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord; therefore, they fail completely and their flocks are scattered. Our leaders are irrational and stupid failures because they refused to listen to God or ask Him for guidance, so they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered Jeremiah 10:27.

•   The Christians have become lost sheep; their shepherds/pastors have led them astray to favorite places of idolatry and seductive realms of the darkness. They have gone from one sin to another to the extent that they have forgotten their resting place and cannot remember how to get back to the sheepfold Jeremiah 50:6.

•   God is against the disobedient shepherds and consider them as His enemies. He will hold them responsible for what has happened to His flock and take their right to feed the flock.   He will stop them from feeding themselves and rescue His flock from their mouths, then the sheep will no longer be their prey Ezekiel 34:10.

•   Woe to the irresponsible shepherds for all the atrocities and cruelty against the Christians who are the flock of the Lord Ezekiel 34:2-4.

•   Any pastor/priest that deserts the flock is foolish and shall be doomed. Woe to the worthless shepherd who abandon the flock! Sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye. His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind Zechariah 11:17.

•   The judgment of God will come upon the pastors and rulers who are destroying and scattering the Christians. God will pour judgment on them; they will be punished for the evil that they have done and they will pay for their crimes Jeremiah 23:1-2.

Pleas to the Christians

We plead with believers throughout the world to be obedient to the Lord God their Creator and strive to stand in the gap for the Christendom. Let our conducts prove that ‘for us to live is Christ’ because He is our source of joy and our reason to live. And ‘To die is gain’ because we will be with Him and live perpetually Philippians 1:21. Let us make a resolution today that ‘It will be better for us to die for the Gospel, than for anyone to make void our glory and deprive us of glorifying the Lord in every situation 1 Corinthians 9:15. Henceforth, we must be courageous and have the mindset that “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Romans 8:35. Therefore, let us make every effort so that we will be worthy to stand in the gap.

Finally, we exhort the pastors and elders to tend, guide, protect and nurture the flock of God among them which is their duties, not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonorably motivated by the advantages of profits belonging to the office, but eagerly and cheerfully. Not domineering as arrogant, dictatorial and overbearing persons over those in their charge, but being examples or models of Christian living to the flock, thereby setting pattern of integrity for your congregation. And when the Chief Shepherd (Christ) appears, they will receive the unfading crown of glory 1 Peter 5:1-4.

The Seal: Acts 20:28: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”