06/10/2020 - THEY DEVALUED THE CHURCH

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So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. Isaiah 1:8

Isaiah saw the reduction of the Church’s importance to the smallest things, both the Old Testament and the New Testament church, built with the blood of Jesus. It is unbelievable, but the Old Covenant leadership did not understand God’s statement made by the prophecy of Amos’ son. Furthermore, Christian leaders, after the so-called early Church to the present, do not recognize that the situation of the Church does not match the Lord’s original plan. 

When referring to the daughter of Zion, Jerusalem, Isaiah referred to the two churches. The prophet Haggai spoke of the glory of the last house, claiming that it was greater than that of the first (Hg 2.9), but that is not what we see. Wouldn’t the Church built by the Lord continue the work that He started? Apparently, either He made a mistake in the project, something impossible to have happened, or we still don’t understand the meaning of being the home of the living God. Where, in us, is the power shown by Jesus to do the same works?

Isaiah highlights the church in three simple ways. When the vineyard was planted, they used to make a hut in the middle of it, in order to protect it from whoever was going to pick its fruit – men and animals that would suck all the production. Now, the church of today has been compared to a hut in the vineyard, where the watchman scares off thieves who try to take part of the harvest. Certainly, God’s plan for His Church is for her to be the agency of His Kingdom on earth.

Likewise, a hut built in the cucumber had the same purpose as the hut built in the vineyard. But where is the One who is even yesterday, today and will be forever (Heb 13.8)? God’s house has been treated as the farm of some, which passes from father to son. Because my house will be called the House of Prayer (Is 56.7b), for solving problems and regenerating the sinner in someone sanctified by the blood of Christ.

Finally, the prophet compared Jerusalem to a besieged city, where no one enters or leaves, the food ends, diseases and anguish arise, taking care of its residents. Have we done God’s will, or do we make the church just a place for welcoming the saints and helping each other? Why did the authority granted to her stop being operated? Now this word must happen: Truly I say to you, whatever you connect on earth will be connected in heaven, and everything you disconnect on earth will be disconnected in heaven (Mt 18.18).

The watchtower does not serve to watch anything else nor does it impose respect on the enemy. In the same way, the guardhouse in the cucumber is also useless, because no one who goes there changes their lives. In some cases, moral scandals occur. Is the church leadership aware that we will appear at the judgment seat of Christ, to account for what we have done in the Body? What is the reason for being negligent, if there will be a penalty announced long ago?

We cannot have the Church reduced to a city under siege. We must assert our position before the works of the devil; after all, we were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Jesus gave us authority to destroy the works of Satan. Never accept the reduction of the Church to a watchtower! Have mercy!

 In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares