Ezek 5:13-16
13 Thus shall My anger be spent and I will cause My wrath toward them to rest and I will be eased and comforted. And they shall know, understand, and realize that I the Lord have spoken in My zeal, when I have accomplished My wrath upon them. [Ezek 36:6; 38:19.]
14 Moreover, I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are round about you and in the sight of all who pass by. [Lev 26:31,32; Neh 2:17.]
15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror and an astonishment to the [heathen] nations around you when I shall execute judgments upon you in anger and in wrath and in furious chastisements and rebukes — I the Lord have spoken it. [Deut 28:37; Ps 79:4; Jer 24:9.]
16 When I shall loose against them the evil arrows of hunger that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, then I will increase the famine upon you and will break your staff of bread.
AMP
13 Thus shall My anger be spent and I will cause My wrath toward them to rest and I will be eased and comforted. And they shall know, understand, and realize that I the Lord have spoken in My zeal, when I have accomplished My wrath upon them. [Ezek 36:6; 38:19.]
14 Moreover, I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are round about you and in the sight of all who pass by. [Lev 26:31,32; Neh 2:17.]
15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror and an astonishment to the [heathen] nations around you when I shall execute judgments upon you in anger and in wrath and in furious chastisements and rebukes — I the Lord have spoken it. [Deut 28:37; Ps 79:4; Jer 24:9.]
16 When I shall loose against them the evil arrows of hunger that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, then I will increase the famine upon you and will break your staff of bread.
AMP
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00In my
00:29journey of learning about the Orthodox Church, I have learned and view many things different
00:36than I had learned before, mainly because innumerable aspects of my Protestant understanding
00:43of Holy Scripture was insufficient. I must share with you up front, dear listener and followers,
00:50that I am not yet a baptized member or spokesperson for the Orthodox Church, but I am studying the
00:57ancient Orthodox doctrine and faith and do a plan in the near future to be baptized.
01:06As I journey along in my discoveries of how the depth of understanding of the Gospel of the King
01:12James Bible was missing many different aspects and parts which had been left out by the early
01:19architects of this holy book. You see, many of the ancient fathers' voices of the historic church
01:27were left out in the first millennium of Christian history, and these voices were illuminaries or
01:34beacons of light of the truth who paved the way or like an invaluable roadmap for one's spiritual
01:42journey. In my search, I found that these men who were early Christian writers were called ancient
01:50fathers or apostolic fathers who lived in the first and second centuries, just like the noted apostles
01:58in the King James Bible were altogether instrumental in their writings and provided valuable insights
02:05into the early church history and her development, though they were not included in the New Testament
02:12canon. These holy saints were believed to have known the apostles or been influenced by them and helped to
02:22preserve and transmit the teachings of the apostles by shaping, supporting, and defending the early church
02:30understanding of Scripture and tradition. Some of these renowned names are Ignatius of Antioch,
02:39Aranias of Lyons, Hippolytus, Athenus, and John Christusum, Nicholas of Myra, Basil the Great,
02:51the Great, Gregory Lanzianus, Gregory of Nyssa, John Cassian, and John of Damascus,
03:01and Maximus the Confessor. All of these men were grounded in Scripture and were inspired by the Holy Spirit,
03:09and these, like many others like them, were teachers, preachers, pastors, and defenders of the true
03:16Christian faith in the first millennium of the church's history. These were the voices of early
03:22Christianity and leaders of the Orthodox Church when she had her beginning in Pentecost 29 AD. The
03:30writings of the Apostolic Fathers reveal the development of the church structure, including the role of
03:38bishop, presbyers, and deacons as seen in St. Ignatius' letters. The writings of the Apostolic Fathers,
03:48while not a part of the New Testament canon, influenced later church fathers and theologians
03:55who shaped the development of Christian theology and practice. Just to mention what a canon is.
04:03A canon literally means a rule. It describes the inspired books of the Bible and rules and decrees
04:12issued by the early church and by the ecumenical councils, canon law, and certain parts of worship,
04:19such as the liturgical canon or the canon of the Matins, which is an early morning service
04:26in the Orthodox Church. Now, in sharing a brief, and I say a very brief, history of the beginning
04:36and formation of the beginning of the church's history, that there were many infiltrators who
04:42wormed their way in to undo what the Apostolic Fathers had laboriously and faithfully set in place
04:50by the very will and command of God Almighty. These renegade zealots were not true seekers of the truth,
04:59but rather they were unwise and foolish and were inspired with a zeal that is not according to the
05:05knowledge of the truth, but rather were a prideful, highly inflated individuals who were motivated by a
05:13wrong spirit and who literally endeavored to turn the gospel of grace and love upside down. For example,
05:22there was a Jew who lived at Ephesus during a riot started by Demetrius and the silversmiths who opposed
05:30Paul's preachings, as told in Acts chapter 19. And also, there were two heretical zealots who were
05:39teachers at Ephesus mentioned by Apostle Paul. One was called Hymenus, who is said to have suffered
05:47shipwreck of the faith. He was delivered to Satan, as told by Paul in 1 Timothy. Possibly this was some
05:57form of excommunication from the church. I don't know. Apostle Paul considered himself as the worst of
06:05sinners. His overzealous life in killing the dear saints of God was suddenly and abruptly stopped.
06:13When the height of Paul's campaign of repression, he was confronted on the road to Damascus by the
06:20risen Lord Jesus Christ. In an instant, his life was turned around. The Jewish law for Paul was replaced
06:28as a central theme of Paul's life by Jesus Christ. He became the leading champion of the cause which he
06:36had tried to overthrow. The realization that Jesus, whom he had been persecuting, was alive and exalted
06:45as the Son of God, exposed the weaknesses of the Jews' law. Paul's zeal for the law had made him a
06:53zealous persecutor. He now saw that his persecuting activity had been sinful. Yet the law, instead of
07:01showing him the sinfulness of such a course, had really led him into sin. The law had lost its validity
07:11as Paul learned that it was no longer about keeping the law that a person was justified in God's sight,
07:18but by faith in Christ. There is a dear saint, whose name is Saint Natarios, who said, and I quote,
07:27those who oppress the truth are characterized by hatred for those of other religions and confessions,
07:33envy and persistent anger, violent resistance to the true spirit of the divine law, obstinacy in
07:42defending his own views, passionate zeal for prevailing in all things, the love of glory, quarrels,
07:49contentions, and love of turmoil. In 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 24, we are told a servant of the
08:00Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach with patience. So in saying and sharing all
08:09this, we see that we too as believers in Jesus Christ on our journey, as in Peter chapter 2 verses
08:1711-12, instructed for us to refrain from the sins of the flesh and or, as we learn in orthodoxy,
08:27sins of the flesh is also called passions of the flesh or passions. Let's read that beginning in verse 11.
08:39Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
08:47having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that is, when they speak against you as evildoers,
08:53that they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
09:01The title of the sharing today is called Learning About Godly and Ungodly Zeal as a New Convert in the Orthodox Church.
09:13Dear ones, this is saying that we too must guard our hearts to not be led astray by the spirit of the world,
09:22and to confuse unwise and careless zeal with the true spirit of love in our evangelism and concern for our fellow man.
09:33Again, the wise words of Saint Notarios of Agena tells or shows us the image of the true zealot of Christ.
09:43He says,
09:45The zealot, according to knowledge, motivated by the love of God and his neighbor,
09:50does all things with charity and self-effacement.
09:54He does nothing that might bring sorrow to his neighbor.
09:58Such a zealot is enlightened by knowledge and nothing prompts him to deviate from what is morally right.
10:05You see, the zealot, blessed by Christ, is a model for true and sincere Christians,
10:13and this principle characterizes those who have fervent and genuine love for God and their neighbors.
10:22These display gentleness and religious tolerance and learn to be quick in asking for forgiveness.
10:28They display graciousness of conduct and overall exemplify the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
10:38Orthodox spirituality has always been considered essential in that godly zeal goes hand in hand with love.
10:48This way, one does not become a renegade zealot from the true faith of the Church,
10:55which was established in Pentecost 29 A.D.
11:00Saint John of Damascene, who lived in 675-749 A.D., said,
11:09Zeal for piety is a good thing, but when it is combined with love.
11:15This definitely is the most important key ingredient in our lives and journey of faith
11:22while we dwell as pilgrims on this earth.
11:25Jesus Christ, our Savior, taught through Apostle Paul, who lived in 64 or 65 A.D.,
11:35teaches us that what we share should be with gentleness and kindness to those
11:40who lean to rejecting the teachings of God.
11:43He teaches throughout his epistle that the ignorant need to be instructed, not punished.
11:50It would be like just as we do not chastise the blind for being blind,
11:55but we leave them by the hand.
11:58And this, dear listener and followers, is fit for our growing and sharing the truth of our faith.
12:05We should never forget this true godly virtue and the standard of rule of genuineness of our love,
12:14that it is not rude and inconsiderate zeal, but rather is void from all of our fleshly, irrational, prideful passions.
12:23There was a dear saint by the name of Delosius, the Syrian hermit, who lived in the 5th century.
12:33He was known for his simple life, for gentleness, humility, and wonder-working,
12:40and his particular gift was healing the Sith.
12:43You see, our real zeal for holiness is like every other spiritual endeavor.
13:01It is a quest in our lives that should be for purity and genuineness.
13:08Genuine love inclines its heart towards love and humility.
13:14St. Simon, the new theologian, who lived in 949 to 1022 AD,
13:21is considered one of the most original mystical writers and authors of numerous discourses and hymns.
13:29He is quoted as saying,
13:31Therefore, dear ones, this is saying zeal for piety is a good thing,
13:54but it is only when it is combined with love.
13:58Apostle Paul said in Romans 10, beginning verse 1,
14:06Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
14:13For I bear them witness that they have great zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
14:18Verse 3,
14:19For when they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness,
14:26have not submitted to righteousness of God.
14:29For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
14:35Verse 5,
14:36For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law.
14:40The man who does those things shall live by them.
14:42But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way.
14:46Do not say in your heart,
14:48Who will ascend into heaven?
14:50That is, to bring Christ down from above.
14:53Or,
14:54Who will descend into the abyss?
14:57That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.
15:00Verse 8,
15:01But what does it say?
15:04The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart.
15:06That is, the word of faith which we preach.
15:09That is, if you confess with your mouth that the Lord Jesus Christ,
15:13and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead,
15:18you shall be saved.
15:19For with the heart one believes unto righteousness,
15:22and what the mouth confesses is made unto salvation.
15:26For the scripture says,
15:28Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame.
15:31For there is no distinction between Jew and Crete.
15:35For the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon him.
15:40So how,
15:42and what can we learn, dear listeners and followers,
15:46from the wisdom of Paul
15:48and the traditions of our ancient fathers?
15:52Well, personally, I have learned that in the Orthodox teachings,
15:56ungodly,
15:57ungodly, zealous Christians,
16:00are seen as offending unbelievers through intolerance,
16:04judgmental attitudes and actions,
16:07which all undermine the message of love and grace,
16:11rather than through exampling true Christian way of life
16:15with grace and with love.
16:17It is not as though I didn't know these things in my 28 years of teaching the Bible,
16:24but I have seen the intolerance,
16:27and even had myself personally have had a judgmental attitude towards those who differed from the norm of Christianity.
16:36Orthodox teaching believes that true faith is characterized by humility and compassion,
16:44not by imposing one's belief on others or condemning those who hold different views.
16:50We were all once blind and still are to a great degree when it comes to growing and understanding
16:56that there is more to what we as Protestants have known
17:01in basing all that we cherish strictly on the King James Bible.
17:07Instead of focusing on love and grace,
17:11many zealots may focus on rules and regulations,
17:14which can create a feeling and sense of a harsh and unforgiving God.
17:21And this can lead those who are unbelievers or misinformed believers
17:27to reject Christianity altogether,
17:30rather than seeking to understand it because of the ungodliness of others.
17:37These people focus on external behavior.
17:40You see, ungodly zeal often manifests in a focus on outward appearance
17:47and adherence to rules,
17:49rather than on inner transformation and on genuine relationship with God.
17:56This can lead to hypocrisy and lack of genuineness and accuracy,
18:02which can be offensive to those who are not yet believers or are borderline.
18:07So what would be example of offenses of ungodly zealots?
18:14A few could be condemnation of other religions
18:18instead of seeking to understand and engage with other faiths.
18:24Some zealous Christians may condemn them as false or evil,
18:28rather than being humble and kind and praying for them.
18:32Many times people see the humility and kindness in the true believer
18:38and ask,
18:39where do you go to church?
18:41Which opens the door to share about the ancient faith called orthodoxy.
18:46While another would be focusing on sin and God's judgment of it,
18:50instead of empathizing forgiveness and grace.
18:53Some zealous Christians may focus on people's sins
18:57and judge them harshly and tell them they're going to hell.
19:02Other examples of offense to non-believers
19:05is that some zealous Christians
19:07may try to impose the religious rules and regulations on others,
19:12even those who are not Christians.
19:15And we call those Bible bangers.
19:17Other Christians may use religious language
19:21to insult or demean others,
19:24even those who are not Christian.
19:27Dear listeners and followers,
19:31the perspective in which the Orthodox Church
19:34emphasizes the importance of the Orthodox tradition
19:38and scripture in understanding the Christian faith,
19:42it encourages its members to live out their faith
19:46in a way that is both authentic and compassionate
19:49and above all,
19:51exemplifying the love of the Triune God.
19:55Even in the Orthodox Church
19:57and those who are embarking on their journey
20:00of personal conversion,
20:03can we be guilty of becoming zealots
20:07as we learn the many facets of this ancient faith?
20:11And I believe that you probably quickly thought of an answer
20:15to this one and yes, yes, the answer is yes, we can.
20:20There are many believers who have great knowledge
20:23of the Christian faith,
20:25but they have no zeal to spread the faith.
20:28And yet on the other hand,
20:29there are many people who have zeal and enthusiasm,
20:33but they have no depth to their faith.
20:37In every path of God,
20:39there is an opposite imbalance
20:41that attempts to present itself as godliness.
20:45And zeal is no exception.
20:48There are those who are zealous,
20:50not according to knowledge,
20:51and then there are those who display a true godly zeal.
20:56And I have learned from myself
20:58that new believers or catechumens
21:01are those who study the Orthodox faith.
21:05They are cautioned in getting caught up
21:07in ungodly zeal
21:09and will oftentimes feel as though
21:12they are aflame with the divine light
21:15of the Holy Spirit.
21:17But many are misled with this.
21:20Many of these people fizzle out
21:22like a shooting star.
21:25How can a Christian discern
21:27what type of zeal he or she has?
21:30St. Theophan, the recluse,
21:33born in 1815
21:36and reposed in 1894,
21:40does an excellent job
21:41of painting a picture
21:43of both types
21:44and speaking
21:45of how we live in the world
21:47must go about our business
21:49and partake
21:50in cultural norms and customs.
21:53He writes,
21:54that he who has godly zeal
21:57is not alienated by others,
21:59though he does not act like them
22:01because he always acts
22:03in a spirit of love and compassion
22:05towards the infirmities
22:07of his brothers.
22:09Only a spirit of zeal
22:10beyond measure
22:11rubs people the wrong way
22:13and produces disharmony and division.
22:17Such a spirit cannot refrain
22:19from teaching and criticizing.
22:22But the one with the spirit of Christ
22:24is only concerned
22:26with ordering his
22:27and his family's life
22:29in a Christian way.
22:31He does not permit himself
22:32to interfere
22:33in the affairs of others,
22:35saying to himself,
22:36Who set me as a judge?
22:38He quietly makes everyone
22:40well disposed to himself
22:42and inspires respect
22:43for those customs
22:45to which he holds.
22:46He who gives orders
22:47to everyone
22:48makes himself unloved
22:50and invokes disapproval
22:52for the good customs
22:53to which he holds.
22:55Humility is needed
22:56in such cases.
22:57It is the source
22:58of Christian good sense
23:00which knows how to act well
23:02in given situations.
23:05Well, we learn
23:06that all of us
23:08are given a measure
23:09of divine grace
23:10when we enter
23:12into the church.
23:13But this grace,
23:15this flame,
23:16must be maintained
23:17through the life
23:18of godliness
23:19and the continual reception
23:21of the grace,
23:23the energy,
23:23of the Holy Spirit.
23:26One who has godly zeal
23:28will be zealous
23:28for his own repentance.
23:31He will be aware
23:31of his own shortcomings
23:33and will therefore
23:34not make attempts
23:36to correct those
23:37inside or outside
23:39of his family.
23:41Even within his
23:42or her own family,
23:43he will be kind
23:44and gentle,
23:46but with himself
23:47or herself,
23:49they must be strict.
23:50One filled
23:52with ungodly zeal
23:53will find
23:54the interior work
23:55of the heart
23:56difficult
23:56because he's always
23:58noticing faults
23:59in others.
24:00He's hard on his family.
24:02He's critical
24:02of those in the church.
24:04Such a Christian
24:06is in need
24:06of humility
24:07which will only
24:08be granted
24:09by keeping
24:10his critical eyes
24:11to himself.
24:13New Orthodox believers
24:14and catechumens
24:16are often cautioned
24:17to avoid rushing in
24:18to acquiring
24:20religious items
24:21and books
24:21rather than
24:23focusing on
24:24their relationship
24:25with Jesus Christ
24:26and their faith
24:27in this journey walk.
24:30The emphasis
24:31is on living out
24:32our faith daily,
24:34building relationships
24:36within the church
24:37and understanding
24:38that becoming Orthodox
24:39is a gradual process,
24:41not a sprint
24:42to be the first one
24:44baptized
24:44or elevated
24:45into a position
24:46that they might desire.
24:49Focus is on learning
24:50about the ancient faith
24:52and relationship
24:53with the Triune God
24:54and the Blessed Virgin Mary
24:56whose name in Greek
24:58means Theotokos,
24:59the God-bearer
25:00and also Mother of God.
25:03Also, we learn
25:04about the Cloud of Witnesses
25:05in the Bible
25:06which is speaking
25:07about the saints
25:08who have gone before us
25:10and are actually alive
25:12and are cheering us on.
25:13We venerate them
25:15but we do not worship them
25:17because only God the Father,
25:19Jesus Christ
25:20and the Holy Spirit
25:21are worshipped.
25:23We are encouraged
25:24to embrace
25:25a gradual journey
25:27to learn
25:28that Orthodoxy
25:30is not present
25:31as a quick fix
25:33or a sudden conversion
25:34or escape
25:36but it is
25:37a lifelong journey
25:39of learning
25:40and deepening
25:40one's relationship
25:42with God
25:42according to the
25:43early fathers
25:44of this ancient faith.
25:47You see,
25:48the theology
25:49of the Orthodox Church
25:50has been established
25:51for centuries.
25:53It does not
25:54waver or change
25:55as society changes
25:57in trying to keep
25:58the people entertained
25:59and coming back
26:00to do their duty
26:01once a week.
26:03One of the things
26:04that is necessary
26:05for all new converts
26:07to Orthodoxy
26:08is to not
26:10get lost
26:11in their zeal
26:12of learning
26:12all the new aspects
26:14of the ancient faith
26:15that differ
26:16so greatly
26:17from Protestant beliefs.
26:20Sometimes,
26:21some people
26:22just learning
26:23about faith
26:24rush ahead
26:25to read
26:26and listen
26:26to all they can
26:28so they can
26:28inform others
26:29around them
26:30and advise them
26:31on what they should do
26:32when they're still
26:33wearing their baby diapers
26:34so to speak.
26:35Dear listener
26:37and followers,
26:38I have learned
26:39in my personal journey
26:40that it is important
26:42to remember
26:43that while the Orthodox
26:45value
26:45of zeal
26:47for faith,
26:48it cautions
26:49against overzealousness
26:51which can turn
26:52others off,
26:54especially those
26:55who are inquiring
26:55about the faith.
26:58Here's the bottom line.
27:00Do we want to seek
27:01after relationship
27:02with our Savior?
27:04Do we want to share
27:05him?
27:06Is he at the center
27:07of our spirituality?
27:09Or is the trappings
27:10of ungodly spirituality
27:12that is at the center
27:14of our misguided exuberance?
27:17We learn that our zeal
27:19is far from complete
27:21as we journey
27:21in our pilgrimage
27:22on this earth.
27:24It will be a lifelong process
27:26of learning
27:26and refining
27:27because there's balance
27:29in all things.
27:31Let our godly zeal
27:33will be in the worship
27:33of Jesus Christ
27:35our Lord
27:36and seeking
27:36authentic relationship
27:38with him
27:38and seeking
27:39to share him
27:40with others.
27:42The thing of
27:42Orthodox Christianity
27:44being the icons,
27:46music,
27:47worship,
27:48and so on
27:49are all important
27:52to enhance
27:52and help us
27:53to express our faith.
27:55but they are not
27:56faith in themselves.
27:59It is the genuine faith
28:01and authentic relationship
28:03with Jesus Christ
28:05that brings us
28:06to salvation
28:07and the genuine love
28:09that we have for him
28:10and for those around us.
28:13Let us stay on track
28:14and keep our eyes
28:15fixed above
28:16on our wonderful
28:18and marvelous
28:19Lord and Savior,
28:21Jesus Christ.
28:21Amen.