Speaking to Our Land by Pastor Carol Vedral

Scripture References: 

Ezekiel 36:1-15; Isaiah 40; Romans 8:20-22; Matthew 16:19

Ezekiel 36:1-7

¹ "Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD . ² This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The enemy said of you, "Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession." ' ³ Therefore prophesy and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because they ravaged and hounded you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people's malicious talk and slander, ⁴ therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD : This is what the Sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you- ⁵ this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.' ⁶ Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. ⁷ Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.”

What does this have to do with us? 

We’ve been reviewing Isaiah chapter 40 for some time now.  God has been preparing His people for His coming.  He’s been saying to us in the first few verses of this chapter, “"In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. ⁴ Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.”

The Lord continues to say, “You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"

It’s very interesting that in various places in scripture God often asks His people to speak to inanimate things. He asks them to speak to the mountains and to the land.  In other places He asks them to speak to the towns of Judah, the north and south, to the city of Tyre.

In the next chapter of Ezekiel, 37, He even asks Ezekiel to speak to dry bones.  In many verses throughout scripture God asks His people to speak and make declarations.

God wants us especially to make a declaration concerning our homes, our families and to go further, He is asking us to make that same declaration to our communities. 

This isn’t something new God is asking, we see in scripture this is His way.  He wants His land to be prepared for His people.

It says in Romans 8, “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. ²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

We’re not ready for the Lord to create a new heaven and a new earth but He is speaking to the land to get ready.

We’ve seen a lot of changes taking place in our community.  Some changes have not been ordained by God but from the hearts of selfish and greedy people for their own purposes.  It is up to God’s people to declare the plans and purposes of the Sovereign Lord.

By speaking the Word of God through declaration we begin to plant the Word of God into our communities. 

What does God want us to say?  Chapter 36 verses 8 to 15 is the answer.

  ⁸ " 'But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. ⁹ I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, ¹⁰ and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. ¹¹ I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD . ¹² I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children. ¹³ " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because people say to you, "You devour men and deprive your nation of its children," ¹⁴ therefore you will no longer devour men or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign LORD . ¹⁵ No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD .' "

This is our message on earth.  As God’s representatives He has given us the authority to speak and declare these things on earth.  In Matthew 16:19 Jesus tells us “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Another translation reads, “whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, whatever you allow on earth, will be allowed in heaven.”  We have the power to forbid the enemy’s plans in our communities and to loose or allow the blessings of God.

This is our inheritance.  Our authority over the earth needs to be exercised over our homes, on our own blocks, in our own jobs.  We need to take authority in the small places before we can take over larger areas. 

As a corporate body we agree and declare for our particular community (Eleventh Street and the Lower East Side) the following:

The enemy has condemned you to poverty, shame, disgrace; to the destruction of homes, families, to substance abuse, to physical, emotional and sexual abuse; to lawlessness, witchcraft and sorcery;

Poor people have come, hoping for a better life, but it could not be found here; they had to flee to other places to prosper.

But this is what the Sovereign Lord says to every street, avenue, building and apartment, to every business, to every park, to every house of worship, to every ministry, to every square inch of the Lower East Side:

The Lord looks upon you, Lower East Side, with favor.  You will be fruitful, you will be plowed and sown according to the plans of the Sovereign Lord, and not according to the selfishness and greed of man’s heart.  Man makes plans, but God determines the final outcome.  What was meant for evil, God will turn for the good of his people.

The Lord will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before.  Then you will know that He is the LORD.  He will cause His people to walk upon you.  They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

The Lord will prosper you, Lower East Side, so that you are no longer a shame and disgrace.  He will resettle your town, and the ruins will be rebuilt.  The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.

They will say, “This land – the Lower East Side- that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the places that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now prospering according to the plans and purposes of the Lord.

Then all who are around you will know that the LORD has rebuilt what was destroyed and has replanted what was desolate for His people.  Once again He will yield to the plea of His people and do this for them:  He will make His people as numerous as sheep, as numerous as the flocks for offering at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts.  So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of His people.  Then they will know that Jesus is LORD.”

Amen.

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