The Messages of Birds and That Which Hath Wings.

 Sabbath 27/02/21

The Messages of Birds and That Which Hath Wings. 

Sermon by Tarisai P Ziyambi 

#Inverness Sda Church 

Opening Hymn: 326: Open my eyes that I may see

Closing Hymn:181: Does Jesus Care

Scripture Reading : "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter"  Ecclesiastes 10:20.

The powers of darkness are uniting and consolidating their powers, their secretive meetings and plans have been declared beforehand by that which hath wings, shall we heed the warning message? The Scripture reading from the book of the the "Preacher" to the "congregation" is telling us that in our thoughts or words we should not curse the King or the Rich because birds of the air will carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter (even of the hidden thoughts ). What does it mean that the birds of the air shall carry the voice? This is symbolic of how fast your voice /words can be spread abroad, we are living in a world that conversations with people as far as Zimbabwe can be done with a click of a button. Church our words may come back to bite us, we are now seeing this in the cancel culture pandemic which lockdowns opposing views and its advocates into oblivion. The former US President Trump was banned from social media because of his Words which triggered the liberals and his opponents, he was also impeached and exonerated twice, once for a call with Ukraine president and another for a speech on capital hill resulting in what the Democrats call "incitement" . Recently , President Biden's nominee Neera Tanden for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is unlikely to be confirmed because of her past "mean" and "divisive" tweets and words against GOP and conservatives. We are living in a world where spouses, family and friends are spying or being spied on by their electronic devices. Hackers and pedophiles have been caught talking to children in their bedrooms through security cameras, doorbell technology etc. NSA have been wiretapping private communication of citizens and in some cases there has been abuse of warrants to investigate citizens for various reasons. Private words and actions of individuals in their bedchambers have been proclaimed in the streets, will yours be found to be impeachable? What I am saying is that we shall be held accountable for our Words by God who hears and reads the thoughts, our virtue signals on church gatherings can fool the congregation but God will reveal in the streets those secretive and malicious words and thoughts. "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" Matthew 12:36.

Our study today will be taken from 2 Kings 6:8-20 in view of applying the story to our "Present Truth".Let us read verses 8-12... In a nutshell, the King of Syria was perplexed that his war plans against Israel were being leaked on various occasions and given to Israel beforehand. Let us consider the application of these verses in relation to our current situation. At first we need to know that the "other" side is always planning and therefore they are usually successful. If we fail to prepare we are preparing to fail, how is that the children of God are careless in their plans to advance the gospel? The evil union of the Dragon, Beast and False Prophet is producing a "New World Order" designed to antagonize the righteous "Church" of God. The Syrians in blue or red are united in their evil plans; brothers and sisters (ignore the noise of their Hegelian dialectic which is the thesis versus antithesis to get to the synthesis) , the Revelation tells us that they have one mind to accomplish persecution of the Saints "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast" Revelation 17:13. We are further told that "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful". The Lamb shall overcome them brothers and sisters, we are on the winning side only if we are the called, and chosen, and faithful. Our speech should tell the world that we have been with Jesus and should not deny the faith like Peter : "And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew"Matthew 26:73-74.

Israel was only safe from the Syrians when they heeded the warning message from Elisha. If they had disbelieved the prophetic message through their worldly approach to spiritual matters and the higher criticism of eschatology and theological gymnastics they would have been destroyed. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children" Hosea 4:6. 

Ezekiel 3:17-19 "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul". 

"The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not apparent in the language employed. These men are false teachers. It was to such a class that Jesus declared, “Ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God.” [Mark 12:24.] The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. Christ has given the promise, “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” [John 7:17.] If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad, and that would bring into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error" GC88 598.3. 

"Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour’s teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God’s Word that they are light-bearers? A lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world, leads many to follow in the steps of learned men; and by their reluctance to investigate for themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of error. They see that the truth for this time is plainly brought to view in the Bible, and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit attending its proclamation; yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn them from the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced, these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another".  GC88 596.3

"Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence to bind his captives. He secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the silken cords of affection to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever this attachment may be, parental, filial, conjugal, or social, the effect is the same; the opposers of truth exert their power to control the conscience, and the souls held under their sway have not sufficient courage or independence to obey their own convictions of duty".  GC88 597.1.

Now back to our story... 2 Kings 6:12-20. When the King of Syria heard that Elisha was getting messages from that which hath wings who listened to the closed door meeting and leaked vital information to Israel, the Syrian monarch was wrath. In Daniel 11:44-45 we are told: "But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him". The King of the north shall come to his end brothers and sisters, we have chariots of fire around us, The Lamb shall overcome the union of the dragon, beast and false prophet. "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" Daniel 12:1-3. 

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom.” “He shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” [Proverbs 3:13; Jeremiah 17:8]. 

When the testing time shall come, those who have made God’s Word their rule of life will be revealed. In summer there is no noticeable difference between evergreens and other trees; but when the blasts of winter come, the evergreens remain unchanged, while other trees are stripped of their foliage. So the false-hearted professor may not now be distinguished from the real Christian, but the time is just upon us when the difference will be apparent. Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled, and the half-hearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of prosperity. GC88 602.1

So... What was the message of the Preacher? "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter" Ecclesiastes 10:20.

Be mindful of your thoughts because they are audible... "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:.." Proverbs 23:7. We need pure thoughts to have pure words, let's the mind of Christ be in you. Jesus was God's thoughts made audible and His words were creative. "By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God,—God’s thought made audible. In His prayer for His disciples He says, “I have declared unto them Thy name,”—“merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”—“that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” But not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God’s wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which “angels desire to look,” and it will be their study throughout endless ages. Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song. It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love. In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which “seeketh not her own” has its source in the heart of God; and that in the meek and lowly One is manifested the character of Him who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto".  - DA 19.2. 

In conclusion brothers and sisters, let your words be impeachable but life giving : Ezekiel 37:4-14 "Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.  Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD". 

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31

Now Lord I pray that you may open our Spiritual eyes that we may see and what we see and hear let us proclaim it in the streets and be the Salvation Army of God to fight the Great War against sin and death. Let us spend our energies in words and deed for the glory of God. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His Word. Amen.