"GOD'S VAIN SEARCH"
Intro: The last thing God wants to do is bring His judgment upon a people. In order to be righteous, He must judge sin. So when all else fails - judgment must come.
I. JUDAH'S DESPERATE PLIGHT.
A. The nation was thoroughly corrupted.
1. Those in government had corrupted themselves.
a. They became greedy - began accepting bribes.
b. They ruled for their own self interest.
c. They became dishonest.
2. The priests had failed in their duty.
a. They were supposed to represent God to the people.
b. They became materialists.
c. They began to deny the supremacy of the spiritual.
d. More interested in the physical than the spiritual needs.
3. The prophets became liars.
a. They were predicting peace - when God was bringing war.
b. They were predicting prosperity - when God was taking away their possessions.
c. They were predicting victory - when God was bringing defeat.
4. The people became irrecoverably corrupt.
a. Corrupt leaders, corrupt followers.
b. Lack of true spiritual guidance leads to carnal cesspool.
c. False prophets, false hopes - no need to repent.
II. GOD'S VAIN SEARCH FOR A MAN.
A. Someone to make up the hedge - stand in the gap.
1. A great breach had developed in their relationship with God.
a. The hedge of His divine protection was gone.
2. He desired for man to intercede - through prayer to stand in that gap to bring God and man together.
B. God said, "but I found none."
1. Everybody too busy doing his own thing.
2. Other interests take precedence.
3. Each one had his own excuse.
a. I'm too busy building a house.
b. I'm too busy planting my fields.
c. I'm too busy creating my financial security.
d. The very things we are seeking to develop shall be destroyed.
III. THE SAD CONSEQUENCE - GOD'S JUDGMENT FELL.
A. He was left no other alternative.
1. He had called to them - they wouldn't answer.
2. He had warned - they ignored.
3. He pleaded - they mocked.
4. He stretched out His arms - they walked away.
B. He had sought for a man - He found none.
C. History has strange ways of repeating.
1. Times have changed - things have changed.
2. Man is the same.
a. Without God, he is lost, he is a sinner.
3. Principals and truth the same.
D. We look at our nation today.
1. We see the corruption and chaos.
2. A great breach exists in our relation to God.
3. The hedges are being broken down and our defenses are departing.
4. God is seeking for men.