When Satan plans destruction for a nation, what he does is that he moves the people to sin against God so that God Himself will rise and say that He will destroy His people.
Examples are those of Balaam, David and the census, Ahab and the worship of Baal in 1 Kings 17:1.
God is aware of this technique of the devil and is always looking for a way out of the dilemma posed by His holiness and His love, because a Holy God cannot tolerate sin.
If you sin you ought to be punished. Yet He knows that His people were pushed into this sin by Satan.
How does He punish His children who He actually doesn’t want to punish.
Ezekiel 22:29-31: “The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery and have vexed the poor and needy: they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: But I found none.
Therefore, have I poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath.
Their way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord.”
God said that these people had sinned. As a Holy God, He has to punish them, but He was looking for a man who would plead the cause of His people and intercede on their behalf, a man to stand in the gap.
The question now is, who qualifies to stand in the gap?
According to Psalm 15 and Psalm 24:3-5, the one who is going to do this job must be holy.
He must be someone who has a credit with God, people like Daniel (Daniel 1:8) or even Paul (Acts 21:30), who said he was not only ready to suffer but even ready to die for Christ.
In Acts 27:21-25, when a shipload of people was about to perish, God said, “Paul, because of you, nobody is going to die; I give you their lives.”
In Ezekiel 22:30, God made a statement, “I sought for a man among them.”
God is the one looking, He is the one who will decide whether the man is worthy to be used or not.
And the standard of purity of the man is God’s standard and not man’s standard. It is not the pastor’s standard.
In I Peter 1:15-16, the Bible says that as He that has called us is holy, we also must be holy.
Matthew 5:48 also says, “Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Not as the pastor is perfect. Likewise, what constitutes a credit for you is going to be decided by Him.
God says He seeks a man, not an angel. For example, Cornelius (Acts 10:1-6).
It was an angel that Cornelius saw, but God said, ‘Send for Peter?’
Why didn’t God allow the angel to preach to Cornelius? Because God said He looks for, but God said. ‘Send for Peter.” Why didn’t God allow the angel to preach to Cornelius?
Because God said He looks for a man.
He didn’t say He is looking for many men, but just a man. Leviticus 25:25, 47-49 – the man God is looking for must be a native of the land, not a missionary.
It is a Nigerian who must intercede for Nigeria. A man who will stand, not a man who will sit or sleep.
A man who will stand persistently (Ephesians 6:13), as Abraham did in Genesis 18:16-27.
This is where you come in as a disciple. If you are not holy. God can sanctity you.
God says make a tree good and it’s fruit will be good. You may not have a credit with God but you can earn a credit today.
In John 4:23 says, “God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth for the Father seeks such to worship him.”
He will find you particularly if you are a worshipper.
You might not know how to stand or how to persist. Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
If you are determined, God will strengthen you.
Action Point
PS: I know you might agree with some of the points raised in this article or disagree with some of the issues raised.
Please share your thoughts on the topic discussed. We would appreciate it if you could drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
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