Psalm 16:1-2
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Luke 3. The Mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:26) stirred up the spirit of my mind (Ephesians 4:23), drawing me into communion with the Holy Ghost (2 Corinthians 13:14) at verse 9:
Luke 3:9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
The ministry of John the Baptist was to prepare the “way of the Lord,” and to make His paths straight (3:4). His message: All that is uneven will be leveled, what is crooked will be made straight, the rough ways will be made smooth (Luke 3:5-6; see Isaiah 40:3-8). The lowly shall be exalted (Isaiah 57:15), the lofty shall be humbled (Isaiah 2:11), and the crooked paths will be straightened, the rough ways smoothed, that the lame and halt might find their way to Christ the healer (Hebrews 12:13). The summation of John’s message: “All flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6).
The preaching of John was filled with rebuke and warning (“O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (3:7; see Isaiah 58:1). He demanded genuine repentance, evidenced by commensurate fruit, a change of mind that produced a change in behavior (3:8a), and a repudiation of vain religion: “Say not within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (3:8b — see Luke 19:40 — Selah!).
But it was John’s conclusion that got me: “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (3:9).
Along the still waters, I reflected on “now,” the “axe,” the “trees,” the “fruit,” and the “fire.”
“Now”: Christ has come into the world and the time of Israel’s expectation had come.
The “Axe”: Christ is the “Battle Axe” of Jacob (Israel). God had sent into the world His battle-ax: “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms” (Jeremiah 51:20; see verses 19- 58; compare Revelation 18; especially Jeremiah 51:45 with Revelation 18:4; see also Isaiah 2:6—Selah!).
The “Trees”: God uses trees as a symbol for men (Daniel 4:20-22), and nations (Romans 11:17). Christ had come to “fell” the unfruitful trees.
The “Fruit”: consistently, the “fruit” of the “tree” refers to the works done in this body of both believers (2 Corinthians 5:9-11) and unbelievers (Revelation 20:13).
The “Fire”: For believers, the fire tries every man’s work to purge and sort the good from the bad (1 Corinthians 3:13; see also 1 Peter 1:7); for the unbeliever, the fire contains their evil for eternity (Revelation 20:10; 21:8; see also Luke 16:23).
As I pondered these things, and thought about the current mid-term elections, and how the “fruit” of the wicked and unreasonable is oppressing the fruit of the righteous in California, and our nation, I prayed.
Jesus came with His axe in the first coming, to fell the trees of poisoned fruit; and in the second coming, to gather them and cast them into the fire. O, God, I set my supplication before You: fell the tress of corrupt fruit from their office today—let these evil trees be plucked up by their roots and cast into the sea — returned to the waters of obscurity (Isaiah 17:12; Revelation 17:15; see Luke 17:6).
In the valley, as I continued praying, I sensed the Cross and the presence of the cross-bearer. I heard my Shepherd speak to what He did to fulfill the message of His forerunner, how the valleys and mountains would be leveled, how the crooked ways of evil self-serving politicians might be straightened, and the ways of our state and nation made rough by the liars and thieves may be made smooth—“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). On the Cross, He wielded His mighty ax and broke Satan’s power over mankind and it is by the Cross that we follow up on His great work.
At the table, He anointed my head with His oil, and took my cup to fill it for the day’s service. Goodness and mercy followed as we went together into the harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
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