WHEN GOD VISITS

Jeremiah 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. GOD VISITS US BECAUSE HE SEES OUR SINFUL ACTIVITIES

I once saw a bumper sticker that read, “Jesus is coming soon… and boy is He mad!” Though I would never have that on my truck there is an element of truth in that statement. Psalm 7:11 declares, “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”

 

1. God will visit the iniquity of any land upon itself [Lev. 18:24-28]

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

2. God will visit the Christ-rejecting heathen without mercy [Ps. 59:5]

Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

3. God will visit the transgressor, even Christians, with the rod [Ps. 89:30-33, Heb. 12]

If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail

 

 II. GOD VISITS US BECAUSE HE SEES OUR SERIOUS AFFLICTION

 

1. Jesus came to give redemption [Lk. 1:67-70]

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people , And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

2. Jesus came to give the knowledge of salvation to Israel [Luke 1:76-78]

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

3. Jesus came to give Light to all [Luke 1:79, 2:30-32]

-To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

- For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

 

III. GOD VISITS US BECAUSE HE SEES OUR SIMPLE-MINDED ARROGANCE

 

1. Our arrogance shows in that we are so easily offended [Matthew 11:6, 13:21, 57; 15:12]

-And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

- Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

- And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

- Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

2. Our arrogance shows in that we are so easily ignorant [Luke 19:41-44]

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

3. Our arrogance shows in that we are so easily neglectful [Heb. 2:3-6]

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?