In Between
Isaiah 22, Jeremiah 39 & 52, 2 Kings 25; 1 Kings 18; Joshua 24
Sept 1, 2023
By Dan Li
Isaiah 22:
1 The burden of the valley of vision. What ailes you now, that you are fully gone up to the housetops?
2 You that are full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: your slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.
3 All your rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in you are bound together, which have fled from far.
4 Therefore said I, Look away from Me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort Me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of My people.
5 For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.
6 And Elam[1] bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir[2] uncovered the shield.
7 And it shall come to pass, that your choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.
8 And he removed the covering of Judah, and you did look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest.
9 You all have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and you all gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
10 And you all have numbered [counted] the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have you all broken down to fortify the wall.
11 You all made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but you all have not looked unto the Maker thereof, neither had respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago.
12 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
13 But behold – joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die.
14 And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you all die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
15 Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get you unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,
16 What do you have here? and whom do you have here, that you have hewed yourself out a sepulchre here, as he that hews himelf out a sepulchre on high, and that carves a habitation for himself in a rock?
17 Behold, the LORD will carry you away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover you.
18 He will surely violently turn and toss you like a ball into a large country: there you shall die, and there the chariots of your glory shall be the shame of your lord’s house.
19 And I will drive you from your station, and from your state shall he pull you down.
Note: The above prophecy was given to Isaiah, about 700 B.C. pertaining to the nation of Judah. The exact events, who was involved, the things they would say and think, in what manner they would try to escape and the path they would take, how they were caught, how they would not repent when told to by God, God’s feelings and judgment upon them, and how that God would not forgive them- til they were all dead; all these things were all foretold over 100 years before they occurred (2 Kings 25:1-7; Jeremiah 52:6-11) in 586 B.C.!
First Example
During the time of Jeremiah & Ezekiel, the people of Judah, God’s people, had turned nearly completely wicked. God determined to destroy the nation of Judah to almost the uttermost, but He kept back a small remnant for Himself. Judah was God’s people, very much like Christians are God’s people. They were chosen, sanctified, and special from among all peoples of the Earth- they alone in all the Earth, were “God’s people”. During their time of judgement, “the day of their visitation” by God, Judah’s king (Zedekiah) and his people tried to escape by passing between the walls, the gap they made between the walls that carried water into the city, and the walls that separated themselves from the armies of the Gentiles on the outside their walls. God foretold how this escape attempt would fail, about 100 years before it happened, because God was not going to allow them to escape His judgment. They were to be caught trying to do it, instead of submitting to God’s judgment, and most of them would die for doing it.
This is a people of God who were “in between”. They were an in-between people long before they attempted to pass between the two walls, in their hearts. They were calling themselves God’s people, yet living as though they despised Him and they hated His word. They were trying to walk the space between between serving God and the world. They wanted the name and protection of being God’s people, yet they wanted to disobey and rebel against Him. They would not trust God, they instead trusted themselves, their own intellect, their own mental, emotional and spiritual judgment – their own abilities. They were in the narrow ‘in-between’ space, but God wouldn’t have it – they were to suffer and die for trying to do it (v.13-14).
Many Christians are trying to do the same thing today. They say they are Christians, and they may really be Christians who have received genuine salvation, just as the people of Judah really were God’s chosen people, but they are trying to walk the space in-between the walls between God and the world. They want the benefits of being God’s people, but they also want their idols and serve them. God calls out to them daily, early in the mornings, and even late at night, while they are not so busy, so maybe they will hear Him and listen to Him. But they repeatedly refuse listen, and repeatedly refuse to repent. They stay super-busy, lest their mind stop for a minute and they hear God calling to them, lest they slow down enough for their heart or conscience to begin to trouble them. God is patient, “not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Pet 3), and He sends other people to talk to them, but they won’t hear them either, and even treat the messengers poorly. God is so patient with them that they begin to think God doesn’t care about their idols or their sins. But after a time and space given for repentance, if they still will not turn from their idol, God will turn them over to it. If they still will not repent, God will destroy them and send them to Hell. God’s Word says so, many places, repeatedly.
There is a deadly doctrine today in most churches, that now teaches a reliance upon man, man’s systems and institutions, man’s methods, and self, man’s intellect, man’s wisdom, and man’s abilities, instead of a reliance and faith upon God. This causes a powerless church*, “for without Me, ye can do nothing”. These Christians who teach this or receive this, systematically and repeatedly will not walk their life by faith with Jesus, but instead find the earthly stuff more secure, more permanent, more trustworthy than God.
These same people teach the importance of making wise or good decisions, yet these same people repeatedly make a decision to distrust God, even systematically, favoring instead what they see as more stable – things of the world, trusting in their own arm, own self, or man and man’s systems, methods, and institutions, instead of and in-place of God. They fail to delineate normal garden-variety worldly wisdom vs God’s wisdom – yet they call this worldly wisdom “godly wisdom”, when it isn’t. With their every life decision, in each and every situation God sends their way, they choose whether to trust God or to distrust God, they determine whom they will serve, whether it will be God or whether it will be money (mammon). And, when God sends them difficult situations that should drive them to the arms of Jesus and more trust in Him, they say it is the Devil bringing the difficulty, yet don’t recognize that it is God who brought the situation, but that it is the Devil tempting them to not trust God in the midst of it, but instead rely on themselves and their own understanding.
Many Christians who have repeatedly refused to walk in the difficult road that God has prepared for them by faith, and to take up their cross daily, are now found have no faith in God – no wonder why. Many Christians today are living in daily doubt towards God, have little to no faith left, won’t walk with Jesus daily by faith, and still others have left the soul-saving faith of Jesus altogether. They have, with their mouths, said they are the Lord’s people- a Christian, but with their life they deny Him, choosing instead to live unto themselves. They are trying to walk the place ‘in-between’, and God won’t have it: Jesus said, “Whoever keeps his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake or the sake of the Gospel, will keep it unto life eternal.” Few pastors and teachers teach this, and even fewer live it, and where does that leave the rest of the people in the churches? Many are ministers teaching a prosperity doctrine, or a ‘you can have it your way and go to heaven’ doctrine that will send many people to Hell. The Bible doesn’t teach this, rather, it teaches the opposite:
“And He said to them all, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?"” (Luke 9:23-25)
Second Example
A similar situation was happening many centuries before Judah was destroyed, during the time the king of Israel, Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Israel was God’s people too. Yet because false teachings and false prophets that were among the people, and heavily promoted by Ahab and Jezebel, many people of the children of Israel were in a place of ‘in-between’. They were in-between being God’s people, obeying and serving Him (God), and the Baal and Ashteroth gods and their prophets. Ahab and Jezebel persecuted the children of Israel who would only serve the living God. So, God sent the prophet Elijah to deal with this situation. God did not immediately destroy Ahab and Jezebel, God planned their doom at His appointed time. God had Elijah pray that it would not rain – and it did not rain for about 3 years, which caused a severe famine. Ahab and Jezebel were furious and tried to arrest or kill Elijah, but they could not. After about 3 years, God sent Elijah back into Israel, Elijah assembled the congregation of God’s people, and he asked them a simple question:
“How long will you all halt between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings 18:21)
The people were halted between two opinions, whom to serve. They were in the in-between place that God hates, so much so that all the people did not answer him a word, not in either direction, they were in-between. God brought the people to a time of decision. There was a challenge to the prophets of Baal, if Baal is real and is really god, let him bring fire down from heaven for your sacrifice to him. But since Baal was/is a false god, and there is only one true God, no fire fell. Then, when Elijah prayed to God, the real and living God sent fire down from heaven upon the sacrifice and fully consumed it and all the scarce precious water that he had poured upon the altar and all around it. Then those who served Baal were put to death. Then God sent the rain again after Elijah prayed for it to return, 3 ½ years later (no rain for 3 ½ years, and famine).
Third Example
Further centuries before that, Joshua brought the children of Israel to a similar point and place of decision. Before Joshua died, he gathered the children of Israel together and told them this:
“Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15)
God does not like His people in the place ‘in-between’. Jesus said,
“Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13),
and 1 Corinthians says,
“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He?” (1 Cor 10:21-22).
And in Revelations, Jesus tells the Laodician church the following:
"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; I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would thou were either cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see."
Rev 3:14-18
The Christians in this church were neither hot nor cold, they were lukewarm, that in-between place that God so very hates – He says if they don’t repent of their lukewarmness (their state of being in-between), He would spew them out of His mouth. He gives them counsel on how to repent. When Christians have enough to eat and have lots of goods (think how people in America can’t hardly give stuff away – no one even wants most of it), they have so much, and feel no need for God. Needs, trouble, and problems help draw us to God to ask Him for the things we need, and He in turn, becomes our Provider and strength that we put our whole trust in, instead of other things; and become rich in the things of God (spiritual things, God)). But those with lots, no so.
Reflection On Those Passages For Us Today, Now
“Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1Cor 10:14
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (1 John 5:21)
Many Christians today do not plainly realize they are idolaters, somewhere in their heart they do know it though, and God our Judge, who knows our hearts, certainly knows it. Idolaters will not go to Heaven (Eph 5:5-7). There are several lists of things like this in the Scriptures (like Eph 5:5-7), that Christians are not to be (1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Cor 10:whole chapter; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Thess 2:4-5; Col 3:5-6; 2 Peter 2:15-17; and more…) .
Anything a person loves, or fears, or trusts, or obeys, or honors or elevates, in these places of elevation in their heart that only belongs to God- and give that to something or someone else, makes them an idolater, an idol worshipper, which is spiritual adultery against Jesus.
To see these in one’s own life, it is necessary to have one’s eyes opened by the Lord to see correctly, and blindness is among the things that Jesus said the lukewarm Laodician church had (Rev 3). They were blind to their own spiritual condition, to their idolatry. Their “angel”, which means, their “messenger”- probably their pastor – had no clue, and they all thought they could see correctly already. They must have been shocked to hear from Jesus that they were blind, poor, wretched, and naked, in the eyes of Jesus, their Judge.
There are components to idol worship:
1) Money is the most major component. This is why Jesus says, “you cannot serve God and Mammon”, it’s either one, or the other, you cannot serve both.
a) They don’t trust God with their finances, to provide for them, so they purposefully doubt God. They instead rely upon self, their own understanding (contrary to Prov 3:5-6), man’s wisdom (contrary to 1 Cor 1:18-2:14), man’s ways (contrary to Matt 6:8,18-21,24-34),, man’s methods (contrary to Colossians 2:6-10 ,e.g. Dave Ramsey’s financial doctrine is particularly insideous because it is dressed-up as if it is biblical and from the Lord, when it isn’t, cherry-picking a few parts of Scriptures to the exclusion of other Scriptures, not considering the Scriptures as a whole- this is called ‘scripture-twisting’);
b) they always want more, and their mind is on money often, whether they are poor or rich;
c) they won’t give to the poor or to God (contrary to Matt 5:42).
d) their life-direction is led by and dictated by their want or need of money, not the Lord, not the Holy Ghost.
e) they lust after prosperity (James) and are not satisfied with just their needs being met – they want comforts.
“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 1 Tim 6:9-11
Even people who are not rich, many of these lust after it, they covet after it- they want to be rich. This also, is the love of money. And of course, the rich do love their money too. “Wherever you treasure is, there your heart will be also”.
— What is it you treasure?
— What do you elevate in your heart in honor, or think highly of in this world?
— What do you think is valuable or of great worth in this world?
— What do you fear the most, what are you afraid of? (Luke 12:4-5; Acts 9:31; 2 Cor 7:1; Phil 2:12; Heb 12:28; 1 Pet 1:17; Jude 23).
Give fear unto God, as He alone is worthy of that, but do not fear man, nor the Devil, nor evil circumstances, because that would be giving the fear that only belongs to God, to something/someone else instead. Our fear only belongs to God. Everywhere in Scripture that tells you to fear – that fear is done in honor to God. Everywhere in Scripture that tells you not to fear, it is either because God is showing mercy, or because that fear is being directed away from honoring God. Are you giving honor to something or someone who is not God through fear (not in the fear of God) – if so, that is idolatry.
2) Love of self, pleasures, and comforts more than lovers of God. This is why Jesus repeatedly called-out those who do things before men, so to be seen well by men, instead of God. The self-man is a man also (those who are lovers of self, care more about the self-man than God). God will not share His glory with another.
— Do you treasure yourself more than God or His Word?
— Have you died to self, and it is no longer you that live, but Christ who lives in you? (Gal 2:22)
— And, do you seek after the approval of men, while denying Jesus – not being more concerned with whether God approves of you?
Test Yourself By The Light of The Word
“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” (1 Cor 11:31)
1) There are so many idols in this world. John gives this test:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
2) Jesus gives this test:
"If a man loves Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. He that loves Me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you." (John 14:23-25)
3) Jesus’ words to a Revelations church:
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would that you were were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (Rev 3:15-19)
Conclusion
Let’s repent of being in that place in-between, let us abruptly stop lingering between two opinions, and let us resolutely choose this day whom we shall serve, lest we find ourselves also cast away (Luke 9:25; 1 Cor 9:27; Matt 13:45-49).
* I used the word “church”, with a small ‘c’, to mean a singular local group of believers, not the greater body of Christ kind of Church, the big ‘C’ kind.
[1] 5867 עולם עילםo [‛êylâm ‛ôlâm] \{ay-lawm’} o-lawm’\ Probably from 5956; {hidden} that {is} distant; {Elam} a son of {Shem} and his {descendants} with their country.
[2] 7024 קיר [qîyr] \keer\ The same as 7023; fortress; {Kir} a place in Assyrian; also one in Moab: – Kir.
