CHAPLAIN’S PAGE: ‘SET IN A SILVER SEA’
England
One of the profoundest statements ever made was by Sir Arthur Bryant, author of ‘Set in a Silver Sea’. He said, ‘A nation which forgets its past, has no future’. Sadly this has been our national trait throughout history. Those of us who are blessed with the knowledge of our identity, (and denigrated by those who should know better) constantly look back to our roots. That we are encouraged to do so was made manifestly clear by Isaiah.
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him. (Isaiah 51:1-2)
In this text we are enjoined to look to our founding fathers. Why should we? Because they were chosen by God for a special, long term purpose. The Lord knew their every thought, and how they would react under every circumstance. Knowing their special qualities, He used them to bring into being a nation that would have a profound effect upon the gentile nations. A nation that would lead by example. The factor which dramatically changed what could have been a simple plan, was that the founding fathers, and those who came after them, had freewill. They consequently ignored the Law, thereby heaping upon themselves, and the gentile nations, the reward of their disobedience. A cursory glance at the kings of Judah and Israel will confirm that they did so. Some may argue that God could have made things much easier had He not given them freewill. The result would have been a nation of zombies, unable to make decisions outside of their programming. For a nation to have a profoundly good effect upon others, they must act of their own freewill.
Today, as the storm clouds gather, more and more people are becoming aware that an ordered and peaceable life is no longer possible. Everything is changing; human beings are becoming less important as technology takes over. The present generation is consumed by it, and is unaware of the realities of life, preferring virtual reality to the real thing. The Creator ‘s wonderful instruction manual is derided and scorned, after all they declare, ‘we are cousins of monkeys and kangaroos’. So says Richard Dawkins and his ilk. Sadly, this teaching is now standard and even a spokesman for the Diocese of Blackburn declared ‘adaptation’ may lead to evolution. Confusion is added to confusion as more modern translations of scripture roll off the press. The producers claiming that they are based on modern research, and are more reliable, than the K.J.V. These have been foisted upon the faithful by the one worlders as a means to bring about their dream of a utopian society. Some will say, is this not what we all want since the dawn of history? Indeed so, but based upon what? Man will say, based upon our best endeavours. Sadly, the key factor on this premise is the fact that ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked’ (Jeremiah 17:9). This being so, it cannot be a sound principle on which to build a utopian  society.
The long term fulfilment of God ‘s plan from Abraham is still awaited when man’s politics will change overnight to Theocratic government. No longer will the empty, promises of smiling politicians peddling their web of deceit be a reality. The basis of that rule will be the Royal Law of Almighty God, in Christ, seated upon His Throne in the Holy City. The entire world will be ruled from that place, where living waters will flow from that sacred rock,
‘And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be’. (Zechariah 4:8)
We must constantly be on our guard during this period of Jacob’s trouble. Satan knows where he stands in God ‘s timetable, and that he has but a short time (Revelation 12:12). He knows already that his cause is lost but this does not deter him in his blind rage and arrogance. The damage he is currently causing worldwide bares its own testimony of his success. We naturally expect the world to be taken in by his barrage of lies, but sadly, the church has also been blinded. How is it possible that this has come about? Do we not have the assurance of Christ Himself that even  the gates of hell shall not prevail against it? (Matthew 16:18) So how is it that it continues to slumber and disintegrate? Is it not because the clergy deny God ‘s living word? He has therefore given them blind eyes that cannot see. They are ‘deceiving, and being deceived’ (II Timothy 3:13). Many pastors worldwide teach a new gospel based upon their dream of a one world religion. As the visible church slumbers, the enemy advances step by step towards its goal of wiping away every trace of our Christian heritage. All this ably abetted by the faithless pastors who are the willing tools of Satan.
When will the laity wake up and realise that in so many churches they are being fed with a watered down gospel and in many cases a false gospel? One reads in the press such comments as ‘Christianity is a spent force’. Professor Dawkins and his ilk, making fortunes informing a gullible public that belief in a Creator God is outmoded. They won’t say that in the day of judgement! Matthew 16:18 was quoted above to testify that the church will prevail in spite of all that is set against it; yet we are witnessing its destruction, has God failed? Indeed no, for no promise of God can fail. What we are seeing is the pulling down of the visible church. The true church, God ‘s precious and holy church, is the invisible church. Those who remain faithful to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those who love the Lord Jesus and His shed blood at Calvary. Those who thirst for the Living Word. Such souls may be found within, and without the visible church. This is the true church which will never be destroyed. Satan with all his guile and lies will never harm these precious ones. Race nor creed can prevail over them, for they are the Lord’s jewels.
Take heart, whilst all is falling apart around us, ‘The Lord is the same yesterday, and today, and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8). This crumbling edifice of man’s construction is soon to pass away. In its place will be God’s edifice, an edifice of joy, contentment, peace and love. This will only come about because of what our wonderful Saviour did for us when He shed His precious blood upon that tree two thousand years ago. Amen!
