In the Bible we learn that God chose Abraham to be the
father of His chosen people, the people through which His promise of redemption
would come (Genesis 18:18; 22:18). This promise was passed on to Isaac and
reiterated to Jacob (Genesis 28:14). Following their time in Egypt the
Israelites were lead to the Promised Land by God. On the way they were given
charge of God’s immutable law, the Ten Commandments, and they were also given
ceremonial laws and services, which were symbols of God’s plan for our
salvation (Psalms 77:13; Hebrews 8:1-6). It was the responsibility of the
Israelites to live out this example and share the hope of a coming Saviour.
However, Israel repeatedly “did evil in the sight of the
Lord” (Judges). Time after time they got comfortable and forgot their purpose
and adopted the ways of the neighbouring heathens. God raised multiple judges
to help them every time they cried to Him for help, then they rejected God and
demanded a King “like the other nations” (1 Samuel 8:5-7). So God granted them
their request. And as has been the pattern they fell into apostasy again
leading to the division of the nation and the “loss” of ten tribes and the
captivity of the remaining two.
Despite the nature of His people, “The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. God made a covenant with David that his line would
last forever (Psalms 89:3,4; 2 Chronicles 7:18) So He sent prophets to remind
the Jews of this promise. Isaiah and Daniel outline all the signs that were to
come announcing the birth of the Messiah and the nature of His mission (Isaiah 7:14;
9:6,7; 53:3; Daniel 9:25, 26).
But after the Jews left Persian captivity they decided that
this should never happen to them again so to prevent this they developed a
religious group known as the Pharisees. The Pharisees were to be the keepers of
the law and to ensure that everyone in Israel knew and obeyed God’s law. This
all seemed like a good idea until the Pharisees decide the only way to keep God’s
laws is to make more laws (Matthew 23:1-7). They forgot that God empowers us to
keep His law because we cannot do it in our own strength. So they make God’s
law tedious, this is also displeasing to God and they end up under Roman rule.
To keep the people loyal the Jewish leaders, misinterpreted the
prophecies, that the Messiah would come to die, and told the people He would
come to over throw the Roman rulers. This sent absolute confusion among God’s
chosen people and when the Messiah arrived only a few people were prepared, Joseph
and Mary (Matthew 1:18-25), Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-45), Simeon and
Anna (Luke 2:25-38), and wise men from the East (Matthew 2:1-5). God then sent
one final messenger, as promised, before Jesus began His ministry (Isaiah 40:
3). John the Baptist preached a message of repentance (Matthew 3:1-3; Mark
1:1-3; Luke 3:3,4)
When Jesus began His ministry He had to correct the
misinterpretation (John 2:19-21). Even until the day before He died His closest
disciples didn’t fully understand that He came to die (John 18:10,11,36). It
wasn’t until Jesus rose from the dead that they finally understood the
prophecies (John 2:22).
And unfortunately ‘those who fail to learn from history are
doomed to repeat it’. Again, God has chosen a specific group of people to shine
a light on His immutable law and to carry to truth of Salvation, found in the
Sanctuary, to bring hope to a dying world, and we are failing. Like the
Israelites we put aside the beautiful truth that we have because we want to be “like
the other nations”. The prophets have laid out what is to happen before Jesus
returns and like the Israelite leaders we modify it to suit our own ends.
People are being lied to in order to attain perceived success. Greater numbers
are being called into the church exposing them to half-truths and thereby
imperiling their souls (Matthew 23:15; Revelation 12:15).
Jesus is coming soon. The signs are all there. This time He
comes as a conquering King to bring rewards according to our works (Revelation
22:12). We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Our faith helps us
to rely on God’s grace to overcome sin; the greater the sin the more grace we
receive to resist (Romans 5:20; 6:14). And our faith in His power to help us
reject sin and worship Him will determine our eternal reward.
I pray God’s courage on all who hear His Spirit to choose to
obey His call to sound the alarm “ Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand.”
Through Faith
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