CHAPLAIN’S PAGE – “THE WATERS OF ADVERSITY”
Those of us who know the Kingdom truth are in a unique position in these perilous days. Spiritual blindness has been put upon many pastors because they have opted to close their understanding of world events. In their place the Lord has raised up watchmen who are awake. Being a watchman carries an awesome responsibility. Ezekiel made this only too clear in chapter 3:17-21:
“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, ‘Thou shaft surely die’; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked ways, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet, if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned; Also thou hast delivered thy soul”.
As in Ezekiel’s day, very few will listen, nevertheless it is our responsibility and we ignore it at our peril. It will probably make us unpopular, and we must expect to lose friends. We dare not ignore the call. Some who are reading this may think that the urgency of the case is overstated. Warning after warning of the dangers of these last days was given to the prophets.
The New Testament carries similar warnings, but still the church slumbers on. 2 Timothy 3:1- 5:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”
Peter, in his second epistle and chapter three gives us this warning: 2 Peter 3:3-6:
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’ For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.“
So what’s new ? They laughed at Noah while he was building his ship, but their mocking turned to terror as the waters approached! The waters of adversity are rapidly approaching today. Our financial system is unsustainable, and a major crash is on the horizon. Other serious signs stare us in the face, and still the church slumbers on. Who but the church is there to sound the alarm bells ? Seven hundred years before Christ, Isaiah was moved to write :Â “His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark: sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” – Isaiah 56:10.
 The above text is pointing to the organised church. That being the case , individuals who love the Lord and His Word, must step in and do the work of the sleeping pastors. They must be prepared to fight the good fight with all their might. Thank the Lord that there are still some pastors who sound the alarm. The time of armchair Christians is over. A recent article in The Daily Telegraph stated that a survey shows that the majority of Christians never read the Bible.
Let me put it another way; imagine it is our intention to become a barrister, it would entail years of study. All that hard work would only be needed until retirement. The study of God’s Word is for eternity. Surely, this must be a sound investment! Those Christians who have little or no knowledge of the Scriptures are content to remain in their bubble of security. They have no concept that preparation is necessary for their eternal role in the Kingdom. That role is not floating about on fluffy clouds. Almighty God will have work for those who will be prepared. What an honour, what a privilege. With our present understanding we cannot even begin to imagine what our wonderful Lord has in store for us. A mere glimpse was given to Peter in his second epistle where he made it known that the time will come when those who are prepared will be partakers of the divine nature;
2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”.
This promise is totally beyond our human understanding. There will be no mysteries to us such as time and space. These things will be a part of us, forever. Is it not worth burning the midnight oil for a few years?
End
