Being an Intercessor

Let me begin my talk today by wishing each one of you a very blessed Thanksgiving for yourself and for your loved ones. I am continuing today with the special theme that I have chosen for this Thanksgiving week: “What is a Patriot?”

In my previous talks this week I have spoken about three ways in which a patriot can fulfill his obligation to the nation in which God has placed him:

1. First, by recognizing spiritual realities—sin and righteousness.
2. Second, by being a grain of salt—acting as a disinfectant, holding back corruption, making the community in which he lives flavorful and acceptable to God.
3. Third, being an interpreter—being able to understand when God speaks to an individual or a nation. Being able to interpret to that individual, or to that community, or to that nation what God is saying, warning of judgment, showing them how to return and repent, so that God may recall the evil that he has sent against them.

Today I am going to share with you one more aspect of this vitally important theme, “Being an Intercessor.”

First of all, we need to define what an intercessor is. Literally, by its derivation, the word “intercessor” means “somebody who comes in between.” So we have to understand how that applies. An intercessor is one who comes in between God on the one hand, and those who deserve God’s wrath and judgment on the other hand. He stands in between and man and he holds back the wrath and the judgment of God.

There are many wonderful examples in the Bible of men who were intercessors. In fact, the really great saints of the Bible tended to be also the great intercessors. Men like Abraham. I spoke early this week how Abraham stood before the Lord, and would not let Him go on His way to Sodom until he had persuaded God that if there were only ten righteous persons in that city He would spare the whole city for their sake. Men like Moses, who interceded on behalf of Israel. Men like Daniel. And also we have to include Jesus, Himself. When on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” That’s intercession.

I want to take a picture today from the prophet Ezekiel of a nation in desperate need, with the wrath and the judgment of God hanging over it. And I want to see what God had to say about the need for an Intercessor. This is found in Ezekiel chapter 22 beginning at verse 23 through verse 31:  

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. [It takes the rain of God’s Holy Spirit to released by intercessory prayer, to cleanse a land or a nation, to withhold God’s indignation. Then the Lord continues, and He pictures the situation in Israel in Ezekiel’s day.] There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the LORD GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.”

Let me pause for a moment and just analyze that picture. Ezekiel goes right down the line, every section of the community, one after the other. He speaks, first of all, of the prophets, then of the priests, then of the princes or secular rulers and then of the whole people. I think it is very significant that the problem begins with the spiritual people. The prophets, those who ought to have a word from God for the people, but they failed. Then there are the priests, what I would call the representatives of religion, the church leaders. And then there are the princes, the men in secular government and finally the whole people. And so we see an entire nation is corrupted all the way through from top to bottom.

Now how does God respond to this situation? He continues in Ezekiel 22 verses 30–31:  

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the LORD GOD.”

Confronted by this total national breakdown, what did God look for? It is very interesting, very significant. He said, “I sought for a man among them, one man.” What kind of a man? An intercessor. How does He describe him? “That should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land.” That is the intercessor—the one that stands between God and the objects of his just wrath. And he withholds the wrath of God by standing there before God. In a sense he interposes himself and says, “God, you have every right to strike these people with your judgment. They deserve your judgment, but I am standing between you and them and if you strike them, you are going to have to strike me first.”

There’s an awful sense of the holiness of God, and yet a tremendous boldness in the true intercessor. He is totally convinced of God’s righteousness, God’s judgment, and yet he is prepared to be, as it were, a kind of lightning rod between God and the people that deserve His judgment.

So God looked for one man like that but there was not one. Isn’t that a tragedy? Not one intercessor. And then God continues, “Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them.” In other words, one man who did what God required could have saved an entire nation but there wasn’t one. So there was nothing to withhold God’s wrath from that nation.

Do you think that our nation today could be somewhat close to that situation? Don’t you think that today one of the most desperate needs is someone to stand in the gap, make up the hedge for the people of the land, to be an intercessor? Could there be any greater need or any greater privilege, or any higher calling than that, to be an intercessor for your people?

I want to look at just one more prophetic passage that also deals with the need for intercession. This is found in the prophet Isaiah chapter 59 verses 12–16. Once again the Lord pictures the total corruption and decline of a nation. And then he looks for an intercessor. This is what the Lord says in Isaiah—or rather it is God’s people making their acknowledgment:  

“For our offenses are many in your sight, [that’s, God’s sight], and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the LORD, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. [That is very near to being a picture of many American cities today.] Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. [That’s the picture of the terrible scene. And then here is the divine comment. How did the Lord respond? It says:] The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, and he was appalled that there was no one to intercede ...”

Again, precisely the similar reaction to that described in Ezekiel. When God saw the total corruption of His people, what appalled Him most that there was no one to intercede, not even one intercessor. I draw some lessons from that. The first lesson is, that even one intercessor can save a whole nation. Second, that when there is no intercessor, there is no more hope. And third, that perhaps the ultimate mark of the hardness of the hearts of God’s people, is when they can no longer produce even one intercessor. Let me read those words again:

“The LORD saw that there was no one, and he was appalled that there was no one to intercede.”

Is that the situation in our land today? Are you willing to offer yourself to God as an intercessor for your people?

Well, our time is up for today but before I close, I want to make a special request of you. This week we are asking our listeners across the nation to express their appreciation of this radio ministry by sending us a special Thanksgiving offering. I am sure you understand that this ministry is kept on the air by the offerings of people just like yourself, people who have been helped and blessed by its message. By sending us your offering at this time you will do three important things.

First, you will be expressing your appreciation for help that you yourself have received through this ministry.

Second, you will enable us to bring the same kind of help to someone else who needs it as much as you do, that may not be in a position to support us financially.

Third, you will encourage and strengthen me, personally.

So, please take time to say, “Thank you” at Thanksgiving.