CHAPLAIN’S PAGE – ‘SEPARATION’
THAT we live in momentous days is obvious to most. Those in these islands in past years were able to view world affairs from a safe distance, and were unaffected by events abroad. Today, things have changed, and technically, because of the tunnel, we are no longer an island. This generation has accepted, without protest, that the millennium has brought a ‘new look’ to the nation. They also accept that our culture, history and traditions must be discarded from our race memory.
It is ‘all aboard the skylark’ as we sail to our new destiny in Europe. The New Age has dawned, and man has ‘come of age.’ Who needs old time traditions and outdated laws? The older generations, unable to accept change, will soon depart this mortal coil. The new generation will walk into the Age of Enlightenment. Gone for ever will be any signs of the old order. Does this sound good to you? After all, if there are no separate nations, how can there be wars? As brothers and sisters with a common bond, world peace is assured. Those past differences of religion and culture will have disappeared into the ecumenical melting pot, just one big happy family.
This is the dream of the one worlders. Is this a new concept of the modem politicians? Far from it, for it can be traced back for four thousand years. Many will argue that because it has been man’s goal for centuries it must be right. However, as believers in God’s revelation to man, we are enabled to view this concept from His viewpoint. We see that the theme of both Testaments is separation. Shortly after the flood, and when the people had multiplied, God divided the nations.
‘These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generation, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.’ (Genesis 10:32)
Later, the city of Babel was built in opposition to God’s plan, and we know the outcome of that venture!
After that division and approximately 700 years later, Moses declared,
‘When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, When He separated the Sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.’ (Deuteronomy 32:8-9)
Although this was God’s doing, man today will say that it has no relevance in the modern world. Is there any guidance in the New Testament?
‘And hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.’ (Acts 17:26)
It could be argued that Paul was merely quoting Deuteronomy 32; therefore it has no relevance for the 21st Century. Does the Almighty change His mind? If so, then we have a major problem. It would mean for example that we cannot rely upon any of the promises of Scripture. No restoration of Israel, no Second Coming of Christ, no resurrection of the dead. It could also mean that the Church of Christ was founded upon a lie. If any of these things are subject to change, then, as Paul would say, ‘We are of all men most miserable.’
We have the assurance of God on this fundamental issue:
‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Malachi 3:6).
How can we be certain that it is His Sovereign Will that the nations must remain separate in these last days? There are a number of texts which confirm this point, for example, John informs us in Revelation 12:5:
‘And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron ‘
It may be argued that this is no proof that nations should be separate before His Coming, that if they are one beforehand, He could separate them subsequently. Not so, for Matthew confirms that nations shall be separate at the time of His return
‘When the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ (Matthew 25:31-34)
If the Nations are not separate at the Lord’s Coming, why should it be necessary to separate the sheep nations from the goat nations? We also know that nations will remain separate throughout Christ’s Reign at the end of the thousand years:
‘And He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.’
(Revelation 20:2-3)
Thus we have established that nations will remain separate throughout Old and New Testament times, and the Millennium. Man’s long held dream of a supra Government, is the antithesis of God’s Great Plan. No wonder Satan endeavours to establish his counterfeit kingdom before the Lord’s return.
Does the principle of separation apply to Christians? Paul gives us the answer in II Corinthians 6:14, 17 and 18.
‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.’
This instruction is unambiguous, and yet multi-faith services and dialogue with pagan religions is now an everyday occurrence. Even our Lord was separated from the world, for Hebrews 7:25-26 tell us:
‘Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heaven.’
True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who are the elect of God, must not be worldly. Although we must work, and have our being in the world, we must not be of the world. Our church leaders inform us that we must have close ties with those of other faiths in order to learn from each other, and to have ‘useful dialogue.’ This jargon sounds attractive, and many are fooled by it. This has been Israel’s downfall throughout her history, and still we have not learnt. How patient God is!
