When The Hedge Comes Down

15 Minutes With Jesus / Robert Haymes

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When The Hedge Comes Down

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Today’s program is called When The Hedge Comes Down. Let’s turn to Job 1:1-22,  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did regularly. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, From where do you come? So Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it. Then the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? So Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face! And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; and a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you! While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you! While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you! While he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you! Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. Of course we know, after this, that Satan came again and the Lord gave him permission to strike his body, and he struck him with sore boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, yet He did not allow him to take his life. And so Job suffered greatly, and his three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, and each one came from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And Job had a long conversation with his three friends. Why did God let this happen to Job? We find out in Chapter 32, verse 1. So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.  Job 33:8&9, Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. Verse 12, Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man. So we see clearly that Job was righteous in his own eyes. KJV, Behold, in this you are not just; I will answer you, that God is greater than man. Do we understand this, after all that has been happening here in America and around the world since September 11, 2001?; That God is greater than man, or do we still trust in our own way, saying how great and proud we are? Job 38:1-7, Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job 40:1-14,  Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said: Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord and said: Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like his? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, And array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you. 

God always has a purpose in letting His hedge of protection to come down; with a person, with a family, with a city, or with a nation. There is a purpose. It is founded in his love. In his judgement He remembers his mercy, as it is written in Habakkuk 3:2, O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid; O Lord-, revive your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. And if we will humble ourselves, as it is written in 2 Chron 7:14, we will receive his correction. his purpose is not to destroy us, but to correct us, that He might bless us in the days to come. God has prepared great judgements which are prophesied in his Word, which are coming forth even now in our lifetime. He has prepared great salvation for us all in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins on the Cross at Calvary; that we might be saved from our sins, and changed into his image from faith to faith and glory to glory; that we might some day enter into his glorious Kingdom to dwell with Him forever. He has also prepared his wrath for the day of wrath which will come upon and destroy all those who reject the great gift of his Son who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. It is not his will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If we will repent and turn to Him with all our hearts, He will forgive us and cleanse us and change us, and give unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Why did God let the hedge come down on Job? It was because of his self righteousness. God dealt with him in a very severe way, and he was brought to true repentance. Then the Lord blessed him twice as much as before: Job 42:10-17,  And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days. 

Why did God let the hedge come down on America on September 11, 2001? He had a purpose, founded in his love, to deal with our pride and our wickedness. And, as many have testified that were there that day in New York City, He had mercy on many people and saved many people’s lives. Yet the pain and the loss and the anguish is still there in many hearts. Many hearts and lives have been changed; many have been corrected and brought to repentance, but many have returned to their pride and rebellion against God and have not been changed. What about our nation? How have we changed? Did we turn back to God after 911?, or have we continued on as a nation in our wicked, corrupt ways. Many other judgements have come since 2001. Have we listened? Have we changed?  We must understand that, according to the Words of the Prophets and our Lord Jesus Christ, there is much more shaking yet to come in the Earth. Do we understand this; that God is greater than man? 

Why did God let the hedge down in 2020 with the CoronaVirus  pandemic? Never in the history of the world has the whole world been forced to stay in their houses. When the plague began the Father told me, I put this plague in the Earth, and I am watching my people to see if they will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. In 2 Chron 13&14, God said, that if we will do so, then He will hear from Heaven and He will heal our land. This is the answer people! We must humble ourselves when the hedge comes down, and turn to God with all our hearts. If we will do that, we will find grace in his sight, and He will have mercy in the midst of his judgement. Turn to Him Church! Turn to Him America! Consider the times we are living in, and understand the days that are coming, according to the Words of Jesus and the Prophets. God has promised that before Jesus returns He is going to shake all things, that only those things that cannot be shaken will remain: all creatures, all the hills and mountains, all the seas, all the towers and great buildings, and all the economies, and all the great men of the Earth, and all nations. The only thing that will not be shaken is the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all those who are truly trusting in Him, and walking with Him in obedience to his Word. Let’s turn to Mat 7:24-27, Jesus said, Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. Let’s turn to Heb 12:22-29, But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, YET ONCE MORE I SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO HEAVEN. Now this, YET ONCE MORE, indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. 

Why did God let the hedge down in my life? Several years ago, while I was working in remodeling, I had a shop with a garage door and two padlocks. One day I pulled up to the shop and the door was down and both locks were missing. Not only that, but over $2,000 worth of tools and equipment were missing.  God truly let the hedge down that day, and it shook me very much. I was shaken, but He had a purpose. I was going in a wrong direction spiritually and I was already getting in bondage. Through that experience I was brought to repentance and deliverance from that bondage and in the midst of it God had great mercy on me. My landlord was also a contractor and he loaned me whatever tools I needed to keep on going in my work until I could replace them. The last tool was a chop saw which I replaced a year later. A friend of mine sold me a compressor and a table saw for $60. I was shaken. I was greatly shaken, but it was for my good.