SAVING THE CHURCH
(week 33/13)
OLUBI JOHNSON
Jeremiah 30:7-9 KJV: Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (8) For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: (9) But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.
Ezekiel 34:2-3 KJV: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (3) Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Ezekiel 34:22-23 KJV: Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. (23) And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
Here, the scriptures above speak symbolically and prophetically of God saving His church in this 3rd day typified above by Jeremiah as ‘Jacob’ and by Ezekiel as ‘my flock’.
What is God saving the church from?
Bad leadership that is exploiting them financially and materially and is not feeding them spiritually.
This sad spiritual condition of the church is typified by 3 New Testament characters and accounts:
1. The mad man of Gadara (Mk. 5:1-17): typifying a church that lacks understanding, so is living among the dead; is naked: having no righteousness; is cutting himself with stones: misusing the stone or rock of revelation knowledge; and cannot be bound: is rebellious (1 Sam. 15:23) and will not be submitted to (1 Pet. 5:5) and restrained (1 Pet.4:2-3) by the authority of the Word.
Proverbs 21:16 AMP: A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead).
Revelation 3:14-17 KJV: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
2. The woman with the issue of blood (Mk. 5:25-34): typifying a church that is dying spiritually. She is losing life typified by blood (Lev. 17:14): a church that is not receiving the life of God in sufficient measure because of pride and a lack of knowledge and practice of BOTH right-standing and right-doing.
Revelation 3:1-2 KJV: And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (2) Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3. Jairius’ daughter (Mk. 5:35-43) typifying a church that is dying physically pre-maturely because of sexual impurity and spiritual mediocrity typified by ‘wood, hay and stubble’. So this type of Christian is suffering the loss of growing into the perfection and fulness of Christ and the reward of the Spirit without measure.
1 Corinthians 5:1 KJV: It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
1 Corinthians 5:5 MKJV: to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:15-17 MKJV: If anyone’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. (16) Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (17) If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.
In our article next week, we will see how God will save the church.
