The first week or so of March always seems to bring about an air of excitement for me. The NCAA men's basketball tournaments (Conference and The Big Dance) become a focus for many. I find myself (because I'm in Arkansas) waking up to a new weather reality every day. And with the Spring Break season peeking around the corner, the countdown for the end of the school year is close at hand. 
This particular end of the school year is poignant for me and perhaps for all of those that graduated high school in the class of 1982. Yup, that's 40 years! Reunion conversations abound as memories flood. With the advent of social media, it has been significantly easier to reconnect to those with whom you graduated and perhaps ensure a high percentage of classmates will attend such a gathering.
This particular end of the school year is poignant for me and perhaps for all of those that graduated high school in the class of 1982. Yup, that's 40 years! Reunion conversations abound as memories flood. With the advent of social media, it has been significantly easier to reconnect to those with whom you graduated and perhaps ensure a high percentage of classmates will attend such a gathering.
So what do you do at a 40th High School reunion in the age of social media? When reconnecting online you may have taken the opportunity to catch up with your classmate's life. So what is left? Reminisce, eat, introduce spouses or dates, reminisce some more. You then converse about related life experiences, the loss of parents or other classmates, retirement (plans for. if not already in the midst of), and then of course the blessings of grandkids. "I just happen to have some pictures on my phone..." Phone? Yup, we are living out Star Trek.
There was an attitude evident in the early graduating classes of the 80s. From 1980-1986ish, we were ready to change the world in ways that no one had ever considered. We were determined that no one would stand in our way. We would get the things out of life we wanted regardless of the cost. I guess in some ways we were out to seek and destroy...
"Seek And Destroy" by Metallica, from the July 25, 1983 album Kill "Em All (Note: scary Halloween masks worn by the band may not be appropriate for children, no bad lyrics (we try our best to keep that filtered out of The Notes) just a few scary images)
Releasing about a year after our graduation day was the first album by the band Metallica, Kill 'Em All. The first song recorded in the studio wound up being the 9th track, "Seek And Destroy". Influences for the song came from the English Heavy Metal bands Diamond Head ("Dead Reckoning") and Saxon ("Princess Of The Night").
"Seek And Destroy" has become a staple in arenas that feature harder edge sporting events such as hockey, rugby, and wrestling. From 1992 to 2015, covers of "Seek And Destroy" have been included on albums by 12 Metal acts. The song is a staple of Metallica live shows and has been used live by 8 other heavy metal bands at their shows (these performances are not available on any label recording). "Seek And Destroy" ranks at #4 on AOL Radio's list of best Metallica songs.
"Seek And Destroy" is a dark song. It taps into an energy that all people can feel at one time or another. It also explores the very nature of going after something with the intent to eliminate it. The theme is also something that is eluded to in visions that are occurring in the life of the prophet Ezekiel, whose life we have been probing by looking at the Bible book that bears his name.
The Bible as a whole is a book that is filled with hope and promise. God is love, right? However, those encouraging aspects are tainted by the darkness brought into the world by the actions of the first people in Genesis. We must understand that a loving creator God will not allow disobedience from His creation. We may say this multiple times today, but there are consequences for our actions.
As we read the Bible, especially the Old Testament prophets, we must look through a dual-lens. Prophecy tends to just bend that way. Passages that fulfill prophecy later in the Bible narrative also have, can and will take place again as history works its way to eternity. The challenge we face is what did the passage mean at the moment it was occurring, what does it mean for us today, and what does it tell us about the future?
In Ezekiel 9 we see one of those occurrences as Ezekiel is continuing in the vision from the previous chapter. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Can't You See" (The Marshall Tucker Band)) Ezekiel has seen the abominations that the children of Israel were perpetrating in Jerusalem and the rest of Israel. In chapter 9 the consequences of their actions are on full display as God's wrath is poured out through agents who are sent to seek and destroy.
As Ezekiel's vision regarding Jerusalem continues, God prepares 6 "executioners of the city", one of which is a scribe. The scribe is to go about putting a mark on those who are appalled by the disobedient, abominable actions of the people. The executioners are instructed to kill 'em all except for those who have the scribe's mark. Ezekiel finds himself being the only one left alive as he cries out to God, "Oh, Lord God! Are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?" To which God replies, "But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”
Did you catch that last phrase? "I will bring their conduct upon their heads." It is true that in Ezekiel's vision, God is speaking of the Israelites. Remember the dual-lens we spoke of earlier? If the things described in chapter 8 of Ezekiel are any indication of what is an abomination, our world is in trouble soon. The "seek and destroy" order issued in chapter 9 is the result of the arrogance and pride of the nation as they refused to turn away from their idolatry. Ezekiel's vision portends, "...there is no escape and that is for sure, this is the end we won't take anymore..." They refused to turn away from the things that God had promised would cause national and individual destruction, so the consequences were national and individual destruction.
We must be very careful if we find ourselves taking a condemning view of the Israelites. Some self-exploration of our world would soon reveal some of the EXACT same abominations as Ezekiel witnessed in his vision of Jerusalem. Malachi 3:6 tells us that God doesn't change. Given that, should we not expect that God will soon say of us, "My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but will bring their conduct upon their heads."?
Ok, so we don't go down the dark, scary hole too far, let's remember that God is love. So how can we be saved from God's "seek and destroy" order? According to Ezekiel's vision for Israel, a scribe will place a mark on those who are not to be harmed. I confess to not knowing whether this is a literal action or symbolic. I do know that those who have surrendered their will to God's will are "marked" by what Paul calls the "fruits of the Spirit" as they believe in Jesus' sacrifice on their behalf.
Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control are those lifestyles by which we show an evidentiary "mark" of being saved from the executioners. Galatians 5:19-25 NASB/AMP/KJV Are we able to be these things all the time? Nope. We will fail, but the Bible says that if we repent of those times where our "mark" is not on display, He is just and willing to forgive us for that and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NASB/AMP/KJV
So where are you friend? Are you being driven insane by the evil feeling in your brain or are you marked with confidence and calm that is given to you by Holy Spirit's dwelling inside of you? Both of these lifestyles have consequences.
The question becomes, what happens to you when God's wrath is poured out and He says..."seek and destroy"...Read His word and then read the news...you may need to change your lifestyle. Another prophet, Isaiah, provides some pretty good advice... "seek Him while He may be found..." Isaiah 55:6 NASB/AMP/KJV As always, we're here to help you do that. Email me for more information (click here)
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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