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WINDS OF CHANGE No 3
`To God's elect, strangers in the world . . . .'
We recall travelling very early one morning in January 1997, and as we
did so we caught the end of a radio programme on the World News
Service. The presenter of the programme was bringing together the
strands of comment made by two middle-ranking politicians from the two
major political parties in the UK. The subject of the programme had
been the burgeoning costs of the Welfare State in this country, and the
politicians' opinions had been given as to how these mounting costs could
be met in the future. In the cold darkness of that early wintry morning
the presenter's words struck a chilling note as he said:
| " It is the concensus of opinion that the time will come when
citizenship of this country would depend not upon birth but in
the acceptance of their responsibilities of citizenship (in making
provision for their welfare). Those who could not or would not
accept their financial responsibilties would be denied the
privileges of citizenship." |
For such views to be aired on the radio, especially at an hour when most
of the population would not be listening, reveals the slow and steady
erosion of the `rights' of citizenship that is being considered in the
corridors of power. (Within a very short time it became clear that those
political comments on an early-morning programme were no idle
musings, for later in the year the policy of `compassion with a hard
edge' was launched, and those hearing or reading such comments must
seriously consider the implications of the possibility of a coming society
which is based upon privileges granted to an elitist group who accept
whatever `responsibility' the ruling caste decide is the qualification for
citizenship!)
That kind of citizenship was seen in its full flowering in the old Roman
Empire, where every person `born' into it through the conquest of a
country by the imperial Roman armies had the right to be called a
Roman citizen - provided they accepted their responsibilites, with all
that that word implied in the daily life of Roman citizens. We are not
intending to set out a yet more scaremongering scenario of the future life
for Christians in a coming world dictatorship - they will emerge in far
more lurid detail than we can imagine at this moment as we approach
the end of the 20th century. Neither do we suggest that such dramatic
scenarios are hidden away in secret political manifestos, awaiting only
the time of their release. Rights of citizens are rarely snatched away so
dramatically; they are more likely to be steadily eroded through legal
channels, and reasonable persuasion dictated by the solid ground of
middle-class citizens who want only to maintain the status quo and enjoy
a quiet life. The `dramatic end' is usually only seen with hindsight,
when people looking back see that `rights' have been replaced by
`privileges' that are accepted as sensible and necessary for the
protection of the middle-class status quo. That these changes will come
is clearly revealed in Scripture, if indeed we are living in the `last days'
before the coming of the Lord!
With this thought we will turn to our opening title: `To God's elect,
strangers in the world', and spend time considering the position of those
who are citizens of another Kingdom. Here there are also rights and
privileges, but they are for ALL who belong to that Kingdom, those
whose entrance has also been brought about through `conquest', the
conquest of the Lord's love for those He created in His image. First we
would turn to Scripture in order to paint a contemporary picture of a
time when an earlier people of God had moved into their `inheritance'.
They were enjoying their new way of life, which they thought would last
for ever, but they had forgotten the words of Moses that they were on
a journey into the fulness of their inheritance: (Deuteronomy 12:5a)
| "You are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from
among all your tribes to put His name there for your dwelling." |
The Book of Judges gives us the historical setting, but in the King James
Version the Book begins with the word `now'. So often it is the
seemingly insignificant words that reveal so much. This simple word
`now' links the previous Book of Joshua to the Book of Judges, and if
we understand that the central message of Joshua is one of God's people
entering into possession of their inheritance, then the Book of Judges,
linked to it by that one simple word, has a central message of Israel
trivialising their inheritance! Throughout the Book of Judges there is the
record of the failure of the people, and the faithfulness of God to His
Word. The concluding verse of Judges gives us the reason for that
failure: (Judges 21:25)
| "In those days Israel had no king;
everyone did as he saw fit. " |
The fact that these two Books are linked is clearly seen in the narrative
of chapter 2, which further comments on Joshua's exploits before
recording the resting place of this man of God: (Judges 2:8-9)
| " Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of
one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his
inheritance at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim,
north of Mount Gaash. " |
But perhaps the key to understanding the reason for Israel's slide into
apostacy lies in verse 6 of chapter 2:
| " After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take
possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. " |
The people forgot! They forgot how they had been forged into a nation
through the dreadful wanderings in the wilderness! They forgot that as
a nation a new generation had entered into a Covenant relationship with
God! They forgot that they were a people under God, called and formed
to reveal His Glory, and `they went to take possession of the land;
EACH TO HIS OWN INHERITANCE'. Clearly that first generation
could not pass on what they had FORGOTTEN to those who followed
after them, and we see the result: (Judges 2:10-16)
" After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers,
another generation grew up, one who knew neither the LORD nor what
He had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the
LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their
fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and
worshipped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked
the LORD to anger because they forsook Him and served Baal and the
Ashtoreths. In His anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to
raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around,
whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to
fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them just as He
had sworn to them. They were in great distress. Then the LORD
raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. "
No longer were they a unified nation . . each one was concerned with
his own inheritance. No longer did they remember the Word of the
LORD . . and they were easy prey to raiders whom the LORD raised
up in His anger to chastise them. In the end it led to what we have
recorded as the concluding verse in the Book of Judges: (Judges 21:25)
| "In those days Israel had no king;
everyone did as he saw fit. " |
They had no king . . no authority to answer to . . no-one to whom they
were subject! They had therefore no-one to protect them . . no-one to
provide for them . . and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
Nevertheless throughout that dark period of Israel's history we see
God's faithfulness as He raised up Judges to rule His people. The
exploits of Deborah and Gideon and Samson have held the attention of
many a Sunday School child over the years. Little is known of Othniel,
Ehud, Shamgar, Tola and many others mentioned in Judges, and so little
is spoken of their exploits. That is not the message contained in Judges.
The Judges were raised up by the LORD only when the Israelites `cried
out to the LORD, and He raised up for them a deliverer'. Certainly the
Book of Judges could be called a Book of Despair, when looked at from
the viewpoint of natural man, but a Book of Hope, when looked at in the
light of the faithfulness of God!
If we bring this scenario into slightly more contemporary times we will
see the same pattern in the historical figures of Western Church history.
When the life of the Church was at its lowest ebb, striding onto the stage
came such great figures as Luther, Calvin, Zwingle, and more than we
have space to list. If we bring this principle still closer to contemporary
times we see on the stage the figures of Wesley and Whitefield, and no
doubt we can name others even closer to our own time. The Scriptures
are full of examples of God's faithfulness to His people, who often seem
to be at the point of irreversible disaster before He intervenes and raises
up men who become the vessels of true spiritual revival for His people,
leading them back from the `abyss' of their foolishness. It is then His
true revival causes the Church to turn from looking into itself to reaching
out to others with the Good News of God's Salvation. Indeed, He will
not share His Glory, even with His redeemed people in this
Dispensation. True revival reveals God's faithfulness in the midst of
man's failure.
This brings us to the position in which we now find ourselves in the life
of the Church. We too are linked with one simple word, and it is the
same as the one we saw linking the Books of Joshua and Judges. The
Church of the Redeemed has indeed been brought into the land of their
inheritance, brought in by the death of Jesus and raised to new life in a
Kingdom not of this world, and `now' we too are called as one people
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to enter into the fulness of our
inheritance so that Jesus might be revealed to the `surrounding nations'.
Dare we suggest that the message seen in the Book of Judges finds a
parallel outworking in our contemporary Church life, as `they take
possession of the land, each to his own inheritance'? Will the Church
also have as its concluding verse the words: `In those days Israel had
no king; everyone did as he saw fit'? If that is our understanding,
however, we have failed to trust in the faithfulness of God, for He
WILL hear the cry of His people and raise up for them `judges' who
will lead them out of the despair into which they have fallen.
These are times of change such as have not been experienced for several
decades, and we have mentioned before that an `anxiety factor' is
being seen in the lives of people in the West. It has been suggested that
this is a true spiritual awakening, but if we look at the times when God
raised up `judges' - certainly seen in the more contemporary figures
of men such as Wesley - we would suggest that what we are seeing is
merely an `anxiety factor', rather than a spiritual awakening which
would lead to repentance through conviction of sin. It was as the
Israelites cried out in repentance that God heard their cries of distress
and sent them deliverers in the form of Judges. In times of great
revivals we tend to think of the figure-heads such as Wesley, and we
therefore forget that Wesley was surrounded by vast numbers of
unnamed people of God who had been revived by the Lord - people
raised up as God listened to the cries of His people. It was then that
His people turned outward and a harvest was reaped for the Kingdon of
God!
Let us turn our thoughts back to the `anxiety factor' which, we
suggest, is emerging in the the life of Western society. If it truly is an
`anxiety factor' that is being revealed and not a `spiritual awakening',
the `crowds' will seek an antidote to anxiety by turning to someone
who will promise stability. At the same time he will take advantage of
the people's anxiety and seek to establish his own power THROUGH
instability, thereby increasing the anxiety factor and drawing the crowds
even further into his grip. The new political `spin-doctoring' is but the
`old' way of doing this. A truth taken too far, with more added to it,
works to the politicians' advantage by placing something into the peoples'
minds which satisfies them and persuades them that the politicians are
really on their side and understand their anxiety. In simple terms the
anxiety is removed by pointing to an `external foe', who can only be
defeated by a nation which is in total acceptance and obedience to those
with `higher knowledge'. It leads to the emergence of a dictatorial
system, a system which DEMANDS total obedience, and when at last the
people finally wake up to the truth they find they have an `anxiety factor'
AND a totalitarian system to ensure its continuity.
If we now take this principle into the Church situation we can see where
it will lead. Then go one step further and face the fact that it is already
happening in the Church! The anxiety factor is there, in the change from
the old `charismatic blessings' to a call for more radical discipleship,
often under the guise of preparing for persecution. So in order to
disperse the anxiety factor an `external foe' is needed, which can be
seen in the spiritual movement that is causing so much division amongst
long-established Evangelical and Pentecostal churches at the present time.
Continuing with this principle we see emerging exagerated rhetoric - or
to use the modern expression, spin-doctoring - which offers the panacea
for the anxiety factor. In turn this will draw the divided sides deeper
into their own camps, within which will emerge dictatorial leadership,
who through further exagerated rhetoric provide `security' by
increasing the anxiety factor. As the grip grows tighter it will become
evident that a spiritual totalitarian system has developed through
parachurch ministries which offer `apostolic oversight' over local
churches and fellowships, thereby sapping their spiritual life while at the
same time offering `security' as they are drawn deeper into a religious
totalitarian system. This will leave the Church under the control of a
false spirit, which seeks to bring all into line in order to offer ultimate
`security'!
Could such a system really be emerging? Certainly Scripture reveals a
world-wide dominating religious system under the control of a `beast
coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke
like a dragon'. Scripture also reveals a great falling away from the
truth, and we saw this in the Book of Judges where the people were
despising their inheritance, trivialising their blessings and incurring
God's wrath. Cannot we see such a trend in our contemporary Church
life through the spiritual movements which are continually emerging,
subsiding and re-emerging in the western churches? The anxiety is
certainly apparent. A yawning chasm of division is clearly evident.
Dictatorial leadership is developing amongst churches who will not see
the false religious spirit that is rapidly spreading its tentacles over them.
This will end in a religious totalitarian system which will offer the
security of continuous blessings `for each in their own inheritance'. But
we also see this anxiety factor amongst those who DO have their eyes
open to the danger unfolding in our times, and it takes little more than
a casual denouncement in meetings on either side of the division to find
a `ministry name' brought into question. The `tumbrels of the
revolution' have not stopped their journies of death!
Historical principles of massive changes within societies follow very
familiar patterns, and we find them outworking within religious as well
as secular groups. It is a principle that in order to remove someone
from a group they must first be marginalised; only then can they, with
the group's approval, be annihilated for the common good. Rights
become privileges - subject of course to acceptance of `responsibility'.
We believe the last time this pattern was outworked was the period of
the 1930's in Europe. Many anxious eyes scanned the newspapers, and
people sought security in the political system as the only way to deal
with their anxiety - only to find that `as each sought their own
inheritance' their rights had become privileges linked to responsibilities,
and the warnings of the dissidents were ignored until their cries became
weak and faint and were finally annihilated. Today we have only to
read the current religious press in all its variations and styles to find this
pattern at work amongst the `nation' of the Church in the West.
Dare we take the parallel seen in the Books of Joshua and Judges for the
western Church, who also have walked into a rich inheritance but are
`now' trivialising their inheritance as each tribe `went to take
possession of the land, each to his own inheritance'? Have we really
reached the point where `after that whole generation had been gathered
to their fathers that another generation grew up, who knew neither the
LORD (in the sense of not knowing God's will and purpose for the time
in which we live) nor what He had done for Israel'? We would suggest
that a parallel is emerging which is more than circumstantial, and to give
depth to that remark we will record part of a Book Critic's review. The
book sets out the political views which were in vogue at the end of the
First World War, views of politicians who were aware of the anxiety
factor of people traumatised by the terrible events of that war. It was
said that:
" Pandering to the genuine anxiety of the post-war generation
(those who had come through the war), whilst holding the
world in ignorance of the Soviet realisation . . . . . The lack of
moral integrity amongst the politically persuaded intellectuals
would lead to the seeds of tyranny (being planted) by the
democratic majority (as led by the political leaders promising
to dispel the anxiety factor) and led to the Second World War
and its aftermath in Europe and a people enslaved. "
(Bracketed comments ours).
|
If we take these words and apply them to the contemporary religious
world of the Church, particularly in England, we find a parallel at work:
| " Pandering to the genuine anxiety of the post-charismatic
generation (who had seen the divisions and hurt that had
occurred), whilst holding the church in ignorance of Scriptural
reality . . . . . The lack of prophet's integrity amongst the
Scripturally persuaded leaders (in promising continual blessings
and revival) would lead to the seeds of spiritual tyranny (being
planted) by the assembled majority of churches (as led by the
appointed church leaders promising revival and a continuing
round of blessings) and led to an aftermath of bondage in the
Church and a people enslaved. " |
We leave it to the reader to consider whether there is a parallel
emerging here or if it is fanciful exageration? But if as we suggest there
IS a parallel being outworked, we really do need to define in more detail
the meaning and spawning grounds of the expressions used. By using
the term `anxiety factor' we are intending it to be seen as something
experienced within a whole social group of people (that is, a nation)
which is composed of individuals. And whilst many individuals would
deny experiencing such an emotion, there is nevertheless a growing
sense of anxiety amongst people who have an inarticulated sense of a
coming detrimental change to their lifestyle. As the crisis deepens it
will lead to the emergence of Nationalism, which naturally looks for
`enemies within'. Thus the marginalising of minority groups will begin.
In turn this will lead to the emergence of a charismatic figure, who, with
the apparatus of a political machine already established, promises a
revival of the nation's integrity . . a restoration of prosperity to the
people, IF they will only entrust themselves to him. It will lead to a
full-blown totalitarian political system spreading its deadly tentacles over
every aspect of life, and with the rights of the people being restricted to
the privileged ones who accept their responsibilties, it will lead to a
people enslaved through their own desire to cling to their blessings and
the way of life which they have established for themselves.
A totalitarian system is a regime layered on (controlling) the legitimate
democratic governmental system of an individual nation state, and during
this century it has been seen in Europe in the forms of Communism and
Fascism. (These are but twin heads of totalitarianism, but have different
emphasis on certain parts of its ideology, and both leave the people
enslaved!) Once fully established the regime can safely dispose of those
who have been marginalised in the upsurge of Nationalism. Remember
totalitarianism CAUSES the problem and then PROVIDES the answer
for an anxious people who have taken their responsibilities in order to
enjoy their privileges - which can be removed if the responsibilities
(which require total obedience) are not outworked! Clearly there has to
be a cultural seedbed in a nation before such a grotesque regime can
implant itself upon a people. In the case of Germany it has been said
that between the two world wars there arose in the national psyche an
undoubted anxiety crisis - an overwhelming sense of `militant
romanticism', a sense of a collective national genius which resided in
the united German people. There emerged a sense of being a chosen
people who were called to populate the earth, `redeeming' the
surrounding nations with its new-found sense of common genius (long
held in bondage and anxiety but inextinguishable). It was a collective
populist expression by a people who knew they had once had the
blessings of an inheritance (before the First World War) - and they
wanted them again. It was a throwing-off of the anxiety factor. On the
sidelines there stood a waiting and watchful charismatic figure, who
understood the throbbing Nationalism that was emerging and layered on
to it a totalitarian regime that fully met the religious even messianic
fervour that was rising! We have only to recall the rabble-rousing
rhetoric to know that a folk religion, a populist regime, was being
layered onto the national aspirations of a people who had thrown off the
anxiety factor, but, as we have said, it led to a people enslaved! Within
that system there were people trapped . . strangers in the land. They had
been systematically marginalised over a period of time, and it took only
the infamous Kristallnacht in 1938 to reveal to the Jewish people what
was about to be unleashed against them.
Now comes the difficult part of these thoughts as we draw them together,
still keeping in mind the parallel seen in the Books of Joshua and Judges
as well as secular history and political ideology. We have already
mentioned the feeling of a collective anxiety factor within the psyche of
this country, which at the moment is being spoken of as a spiritual
awakening. (And we should never doubt that there are INDIVIDUALS
who are experiencing a spiritual awakening, and thank God for it.) But
do we see a deepening danger as people are drawn into Church life
through various man-made courses which offer a changed lifestyle rather
than experiencing a changed life through hearing the Gospel of God and
receiving His Grace through accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour? Do
we see a deepening danger in the direction the ecumenical spirit is taking
the Church by drawing all denominations into unity through acceptance
of each other? Do we see a deepening danger of `Christianised
Nationalism' emerging, which has a collective understanding of the
genius of mankind that needs to take its `redemption' to the ends of the
earth? Do we see the emergence of `Christian Totalitarianism' . . a
`Spiritual Party' which will take hold of a `People's Religion', giving
it shape and form which will need universal unity AND a `common
enemy' in order to fuel the nationalism? Do we see the `Spiritual
Party' emerging which attacks the `voice of caution' (the call to return
to Scripture), often attacking it quite viciously, to the point of coming
close to cursing those who urge caution? Do we see this rising populist
religion in mass rallies where spiritual rhetoric is heard, continually
reminding the people of the inheritance of a people called by God, called
not only to inherit the earth but to subdue and take dominion over it?
`Christianised Nationalism' needs its banners and flags . . it needs
colour and excitement . . it needs noise and bizarre and sensational
manifestations. Its `anointed' leaders give it `party form and shape',
and the people hope for restored glory and purpose, but it will lead to
a people enslaved! Has the way been so thoroughly prepared, through
Toronto and Pensacola, through the slow, steady and consistent
acceptance of emotion and experiences at the expense of the sole
authority of Scripture - an acceptance demanded by its leaders, with
those who disagree being marginalised and expelled? Is the emerging
`Celtic Christianity' a further sympton of a People's Religion, relying
as it does even more on sensation and emotion, and drawing heavily
upon its pseudo nationalistic suggestion of earlier roots when all was
perfect? Do we see the arrival of the `Religious Brownshirts' in the
form of men's groupings, the brotherhood of men held together through
promises and covenants, joined together in initiating ceremonies where
collective allegience to a central authority is sworn - a hierarchial
system looking very close to a party machine? Such religious groups
have been seen before in the history of the Church. and if this is so then
the `voices of caution' face a `spiritual Kristallnacht' as real as that
seen in Germany in 1938! We need to understand the extent to which
apostacy can go before the Lord intervenes and saves His people through
raising up `judges' - albeit with another title in this Dispensation of
Grace!
Learning from history is always difficult in the midst of a crisis, but it
is to history we must go - and that history must be sieved through
Scripture if it is to be of any spiritual value. As the `spiritual refugees'
escape there lies before them the danger of forming AND BEING
FORMED INTO another `Christianised Nationalist' group who seek to
oppose the apostacy. Such `resistance groups' rarely last for long as
they do not have the `party machine' in place to set up a rival group
which is able to withstand the intensive attack that will be mounted
against them from totalitarian regime. Again Church history reveals
what happens to any who oppose a Nationalist regime, whilst
contemporary secular history reminds us that when men are gripped by
religious fervour their very ideology cannot tolerate those outside their
enclave. If we would hear the voice of God we need to return to
Scripture, for only there lies the answer to what is emerging in our
times. We therefore return to the Book of Judges which, we suggest,
reveals a parallel message outworking in our contemporary Church life
in the West. Earlier we set out a passage from this Book: (Judges 2:6)
| " After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites,
they went to take possession of the land,
each to his own inheritance. " |
In these simple almost stark words there is a sense of how each tribe
worked out how best to serve its own interests, how best to expand its
own territory, how best to make itself independent and secure, quite
forgetting that they had been called out of Egypt by God and forged into
a nation in order to reveal the Glory of God to the surrounding nations!
Their tribal jealousies and self-interest led to what is recorded as seven
oppressions by OUTSIDE nations . . and seven deliverances of God
through the twelve Judges He raised up to rule over His people. In the
Hebrew language numbers are recorded by letters, and we can clearly
see the message revealed that `the evil done by the Israelites in the eyes
of the LORD' had reached completion (seen in the number `seven').
But we also see by the same number `seven' the completion of God's
deliverance, because of His unconditional Covenant made with Abraham
and his descendants - and so that no-one would be ignorant as to who
had raised up those judges the number `twelve' reveals the
governmental authority of God.
Those people were not judges as we understand the word; they judged
Israel as the LORD, as elohim - and to avoid the thought of blasphemy
we would call them `little elohim', little gods - God ruling directly
through His divine authority, seen in the Judges and recorded in the
Scriptures. They were ordinary people, called into office and revealing
the voice and the will of the God of Israel through their exploits. They
revealed the truth that only by turning back to God could full restoration
be enjoyed and Israel become a unified people, a nation under God!
Perhaps to emphasise that the Judges were ordinary people called and
upheld by God, we find a strange collection of people. Some were well-
known figures, beloved by Sunday School teachers for holding the
attention of their pupils, whilst others were not so well known, their call
sharing a few verses with others. But if we concentrate for too long on
the mighty men of valour we shall miss the point of TWELVE people
being called by God to reveal His governmental authority over the
unified nation of Israel.
Thus they are recorded in Scripture: Othniel, the first Judge, his name
announcing that `GOD IS MIGHT' as He comes to deliver His people.
Jair, the eighth Judge, his name meaning `HE ENLIGHTENS',
revealing God speaking to His people. Jephthah (leaving aside the
controversy of him sacrificing his daughter as a burnt sacrifice to fulfill
his vow to God) has the meaning of `HE (GOD) WILL OPEN' -
and that daring charismatic Judge did indeed open the doors of
deliverance for God's people. To perhaps demonstrate that God is no
respecter of persons, Tola the seventh Judge, whose name has a meaning
of `A WORM', has little recorded of his exploits - perhaps God was
speaking through him of how He saw the exploits of His people! But
regardless of who they were, or the meanings of their names, the record
of the twelve Judges shows that they were directly called by God, that
they acted as people totally dependent upon God, and they were judging
a people who had no right to consider themselves other than a unified
nation under God.
We need not prolong these thoughts, indeed we must draw them to a
conclusion, but the message of the Book of Judges to our contemporary
Church in the West is surely obvious. Their oppression came in the
form of servitude to foreign nations, caused by their inter-tribal
jealousies and rivalries as some expanded their territories at the expense
of the remaining tribes of Israel. In those days when Israel had no king
they were trifling with the inheritance of THE King, which had been
given into their hands by God that they might be a unified people under
God. Their deliverances from oppression and from servitude to foreign
nations came about through the sovereign governmental authority of God;
it came to a people who responded to the voice of the Judges who called
them back into being a nation under God. They were very forcibly
reminded that what they considered to be `rights' as citizens were
actually `privileges' accorded to those who accepted the responsibility
of nationhood, and on accepting the responsibility they were restored into
full fellowship with the God of Israel!
Now finally we can begin to see the parallel between the people recorded
in Joshua and Judges and our contemporary western Church scene, and
we must consider the message very carefully! Can we not see that the
Church is oppressed and in servitude to a `foreign power', and that this
servitude has come about because of jealousy and rivalry between the
`tribes', which has split and divided the `one nation' under God? Are
we not now seeing within these `tribes' a breaking up, through even
more intense rivalry, into `clans'; each one seeking to move `their
neighbour's boundary stones' in order to extend their own territory?
Even within the `clans' rival voices are constantly heard, which cause
even further splits and divisions, drawing those so divided into forming
an opposing `clan'! Will they then become large enough to form a
tribe, or will they become marginalised and scattered as the `totalitarian
regime' tightens its grip upon them? Do they wish only to enjoy
THEIR inheritance, without realising that they are in servitude to a
foreign spiritual power whose intention is to negate their witness as `a
nation under God' . . as `God's elect strangers in the world', called to
reveal and proclaim God's salvation to people who are lost and heading
for destruction?
If the message seen in this parallel of the Books of Joshua and Judges
is indeed reflected in our contemporary Church life, God will certainly
hear the cries of distress of countless numbers of His people WITHIN
the Church of the Redeemed, for we are ALL baptised by one Spirit into
one Body. He will raise up `judges', who under the direction of the
Holy Spirit will lead God's people into His deliverance. How will we
recognise the voice of God's present-day judges? Certainly it will not
sound like some who are speaking today, but it will surely echo the
words of the Lord of the Church when He prayed His High-Priestly
prayer: (John 17:20-26)
| "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will
believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be
one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they
also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent
Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they
may be one as we are one; I in them and You in Me. May
they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that
You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where
I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me
because You loved Me before the creation of the world.
Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know
You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You
known to them, and will continue to make You known in order
that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I myself
may be in them. " |
As we wait, may we truly hear His voice, and in true repentance turn
from the path that leads to near destruction? May we trust in God's
faithfulness that a Deliverer will come to rescue His people and take the
whole `nation' more fully into our inheritance.
The alternative is too frightening to contemplate, but contemplate it we
must. Are we seeing the emergence of a religious system that
encompasses the whole world? Saints from an earlier generation saw this
as centered on Rome, but then they could not have foreseen the world in
which we now live! Too often in past history well meaning and sincere
people have been the means through which an evil genius has worked -
only to cry out too late `What have we done?' Is there a `judge' of
another spirit waiting, watching, ready to take this populist religious
movement into its `inheritance' of the apostate Church, spoken of in
Scripture. This apostate Church, joined with the secular populist system
that is also emerging in the West, will turn into the full-blown Fourth
Beast seen in a vision by Daniel all those long years ago. And before
there are indignant cries, consider the similar indignant cries of another
generation - and then remember that those cries were extinguished by
the flames of the Holocaust! What dark days do we have to enter into
before the Church cries out to the Lord? That is known only to Him!
"But when they cried out to the LORD, He raised up
for them a Deliverer . . . . who saved them. " Judges 3:9
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Our sure and certain hope is this: We know the faithfulness of God to
His people, `God's elect, strangers in the world . . .'
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
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You may E-mail us at: derek@northernstyletrust.com or Telephone (01493) 444494 (UK)
Our Web Address: www.northernstyletrust.com
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