A word from heaven!

In my personal devotions, I am currently reading in the Old Testament book of Ezra. This morning I read the fifth chapter and, in the opening verses, read these words: "Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechari′ah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel Who was over them. Then Zerub′babel the son of She-al′ti-el and Jeshua the son of Jo′zadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them." (Ezra 5:1-2).

It was those simple words: "... in the name of the God of Israel Who was over them." that jumped out at me. To give a brief background note Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, had conquered the Babylonians and, in fulfilment of the 200-year-old prophecy of Isaiah, he released the Jews who had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar; instructed them to rebuild the Temple that Nebuchadnezzar had had destroyed; and even returned the Temple vessels that had also been taken to Babylon. [On a side note, it is interesting that Persia is the country that, since the overthrow of the Shah (ruler) in 1979, and the installation of the Islamic Ayatollah Khomeini, has been known as the Islamic Republic of Iran - Israel's sworn enemy! One wonders how many Iranian Muslims are aware that it was the founder of their nation who ordered that the Temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt, and even gave a grant towards the cost of doing so!] However, any attempt to build and establish something for God will soon attract the attention of the enemy, and it didn't take long for a group of Gentiles to commence a campaign of harassment and opposition that, eventually, led to the abandonment of the work. A new king has ascended the Persian throne, and the opposition took this opportunity to write to him, in the most fawning of terminology, requesting that he demand that this work be terminated. This he did!

Some sixteen years later, the Lord sent two prophets - Haggai and Zechariah - to call the people to renewed commitment and faith. They quickly roused the Jews into action, inspiring their flagging spirits, and reinforcing them with renewed strength and dedication. That is what I was reading earlier. In spite of the fact that an official veto on the work remained in force, they recommence the building project, realising that, although an earthly king has forbidden them to do so, the heavenly King has now spoken - they have heard a word from heaven!

Mike Spence, the Vice-President of the United States of America at this time, was recently criticised, and mocked, for claiming that the Lord speaks to him. Yet is not this what the Church today needs more than anything else? All of our fancy planning, and courses, are as nothing if we are not hearing from the Lord. The sounding forth of the true prophetic voice is, surely, one of the greatest needs of the hour. These words, written almost forty years ago, are increasingly relevant: "For too long we have listened solely to the voices of the politicians, the statesmen, the scientists, and others who shape and mould today's society. We need now, more than anything to hear again a word form heaven. We need to hear the voice of God."

Of course, if the Lord is to speak, we must take the time to listen. Yet how many, who would claim to be disciples of the Lord Jesus, spend little or no time reading the Word, and in prayer? One day, each one of us will stand before the judgement throne of Almighty God. Those of us who are "in Christ" and who are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit, are already acquitted at that throne. However, we then have to face the judgement seat of the Lord Jesus, and answer to Him for what we have done with our lives since we yielded them to Him. That's a sobering thought!

The old song has the refrain "By and by, when I look on His face; I'll wish I had given Him more." May we give Him more, now. It will be for our good, and to His glory. Listen for that word from heaven. It could be directed towards you"

What, in the world, is happening?

Mass murder, and mayhem, in Las Vegas; mass uprising, and demonstration, in Barcelona; the mass of an asteroid the size of a tower-block forecast to miss planet Earth by just thousands of miles (close, in astronomical terms!); the growing threat of North Korea being the catalyst for World War III. This is the world in which we live - and it would be easy to despair in the light of these, and other, events happening around the world.

In my personal devotions, I am currently reading in the book of the Revelation of Jesus, given to the apostle John. It is not the easiest Biblical book to understand. It is of the apocalyptic genre, and is filled with symbolism. I certainly find it to be confusing, at times; but I am also being led to rethink some long-held ideas. However, the overriding lesson of the book is that, however events may seem to suggest otherwise, Almighty God is in control, and that He is working all things out according to His own eternal plans and purposes.

I have just reached chapter 20 of the book (not that John wrote it down in chapters and verses! These were added by others in order to facilitate finding any particular part of the book - and of the Bible). In the previous chapter, we have what we might refer to as the beginning of the end. John records:

"Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying,
            “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
              Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory,
             for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
             and His Bride has made herself ready; 
            it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure” - 
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." (Rev.19:6-8).

Almighty God has been reigning in heaven throughout eternity. In His sovereignty, He has permitted evil men - and evil angels; the servants of the satan - to do their worst, and we are seeing some of that, on a daily basis, in our own time. However, there is a day coming - and it may be a lot sooner than some seem to think - when He will move in divine power, and His will shall be fulfilled on earth,  even as it already is in heaven. 

The Lamb, in this great chorus of praise is, of course the Lord Jesus, the Christ; and the Bride is the Church - not simply those who have their names on a congregational/fellowship roll, but those who have been truly born again through God the Holy Spirit, through repentance and faith. (see Jn.3:16; Eph. 2:8).

One day (soon, I believe) Jesus will return for His Bride, and take His faithful people to that dimension that we refer to as 'heaven'. So Paul writes:

"But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the shofar of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord."  (I Thess.4:13-17). 

At the Judgement Seat of the Christ (see II Cor.5:10), the works of His people will be judged, and all spots and blemishes removed. It will be after this that Jesus will return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and will conquer His enemies and establish His kingdom.

The Revelation was first given to people who were going through similar experiences to what we go through today. As today, many were persecuted, to the point of death, simply for being faithful to Him. In Rev.19:11, we are introduced to "... a white horse! He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, ..." Suffering saints then, and now, need to be reminded that our God is faithful, and never deserts us, because His promises are true. 

So how does this relate to current events? I would suggest that we are seeing more and more evidence that we are in the end-times. The devil knows - better than we do! - that his time is limited. He is doing all that he can to wreak havoc. There is no hope without Jesus. However, in Him, there is true hope, and life, and the assurance of an eternity spent in His nearer presence, where sin cannot exist, and where we shall praise Him, the Lamb upon the throne, our Saviour, our Lord, and our Friend.

How do you see the future? Perhaps it doesn't concern you! I believe that it should. I also believe that you need to ensure that your future is with the Lord. He gave Himself for you, on a cross - dying there that you (and I) might have the life that He offers - "... life in all its fulness." (Jn.10:10). Will you respond to His call? Will you accept the gift of salvation that He offers? It is a simple fact that tomorrow is promised to no-one - as the victims in Las Vegas have, sadly, discovered. What you do have is this moment. What will you do with it?