God’s people have an important duty that will decide their eternal future. “And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 40:4). The Prophet Ezekiel was in prison at this time, and Israel had been in captivity for over 100 years. Clearly, this command is for our day.

God always appoints one man to deliver His message. He also surrounds His man with loyal supporters. Without them, doing the work would be impossible. God tells us to “set thine heart” on the work! The late Herbert W. Armstrong said we grow spiritually in direct proportion to how much our hearts are in God’s work. We are being judged today by this criterion. “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?” (1 Peter 4:17).

What is at stake for those of us called out of the world today? A future beyond the stars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRLMmHhfcqc&feature=youtu.be

Life and Death

Whether or not we deliver the warning message is the difference between life and death. “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 33:7-9).

God says we can gain rich spiritual life by living by the words from His mouth. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). However, as we see from the passage in Ezekiel, our motivation must not be selfish. Once we receive the truth, God expects us to pass it on as a warning—primarily for the end-time nations of Israel: America and Britain today.

“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). If our work—both individually and collectively—doesn’t measure up to God’s standard, it will burn. So will we, but there will still be a chance to repent and save our eternal lives.

Obviously, our spiritual foundation should be as gold, silver and precious stones—not wood, hay and stubble. The former is refined by fire; the latter is consumed entirely. The context here proves that we must perform God’s will before the Great Tribulation in order to receive the greatest reward imaginable.

No Comparison

The Apostle Paul suffered tremendously throughout his ministry. “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27).

Through a storm of persecution and trials unlike anything most of us have ever experienced, Paul remained positive and focused on God’s work. Burned in his mind was a powerful vision: Human beings are created to become Gods. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:17-18).

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1). Like Paul, God’s people today live in dangerous times. But no trial can outlast our incredible human potential.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). The very elect will become the Bride of Jesus Christ! Is that not worth rejoicing over? We have to learn to rejoice in trials as Paul did.

Groaning in Travail

“Because the creature [creation] itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:21-22). God created the entire universe to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31). But the rebellion of Lucifer and one third of the angels damaged the universe and caused it to decay (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28).

“For the earnest expectation of the [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19). Those who do God’s work today will receive God’s greatest reward: They will renew and refresh the universe as the firstfruit sons of God. Take some time to look up at the night sky. There is an enormous amount of work for us to do out there.

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (verses 24-25). These two verses probably talk more about hope than any other pair of verses in the Bible! That means a lot coming from Paul, a man who was about to be beheaded.

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3). Throw your heart into this work. God’s greatest reward should move and stir us as we wrap up this age of man.