Friday, January 1, 2016

THE LAST DAYS


Anita Clark



“Woe to them that call evil good, and good  evil; they put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”  Isaiah 5:20

There are recorded six “woes’ in this text written by Isaiah, but inspired and spoken by Jehovah God. He removed the Northern tribes of Israel before Judah, who were taken away by Assyria into captivity.  Several years later Judah, the two tribes were allowed to go into captivity to Babylon.  These deportations out of the promised land manifest the anger of God against these tribes of Israel, who became vile and sinful and would not listen to God and His Word.  When Judah was taken away to Babylon, Gentile Times began.  Israel was scattered all over the world, and to this day they are not the head nation, but the tail.  Soon they will return and come to repentance to their God.  He does not allow His “good to be called evil,” or His “light to become darkness,” or His “sweet to be classed as bitter.”

The world of the Gentiles is more and more trying to transpose these opposite things, that cannot mix.. “Good,” (Christians yielding to God) is called radicalism, Darkness of the world, sin that was once recognized as just that, “SIN.” is now looked upon as “light,” the acceptable way to conduct one’s life. That which is “sweet” innocent, sweet as Jesus Christ to us, is looked upon as “bitter,” unacceptable and foolish and ignorant.  God will judge the world for this wicked evaluation of His ways and His people.

MUCH STRESS IN THIS OLD WORLD FOR THE CHRISTIAN – Luke 21:34 records Jesus’ words, “And take no heed to your selves, lest at anytime your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting...”  “Overcharged” speaks of “to be burdened, depressed, or weighted down.”  The word “surfeiting” means - “headache as from drunkenness, effects of intoxication- giddiness and nausea of self indulgence.”  These are meanings of the Greek word from the Strong’s Concordance.  Jesus continued to say, “...or cares of life, so that day come upon you unawares.”  The “cares of life” speaks of “worldly worries, cares pertaining to the business of life.” The phrase “upon you unawares” means “like a trap or a noose.”

Have you ever felt that way? Are you ever overwhelmed with all the evil that goes on in the world.  The drug addition, the terrorism, the killings and the wars and the natural catastrophes, which are increasing.  Yes, one could certainly be “overcharged” and distressed.  But, we have the Lord.  What a difference that makes?  If you haven’t tried resting on the Lord and letting Him handle all the stress, I would recommend it.

In verse 36, Jesus tells us, “Watch ye therefore and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
This probably is speaking to the Jews during the Great Tribulation, however, the admonition is the right one for our day also.  Times are so hard and trials just keep coming!  However, we have our mighty Lord, Who hears our prayers.  We have the Word of God which is such an encouragement.  Some of these powerful encouraging Scriptures are: “All things work together for our good. (Romans 8:28),” and “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)” or “Now, thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ... (II Cor. 2:14) “or “Nay, in all these things we are more that conquerors through Him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)” or another one of my favorites, “”For it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Phil. 3:13)” or “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  How blessed we are to have been given such words of victory!

I Peter 1:5-6 tells us, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
How precious that the Scriptures encourage us to keep trusting on.  We do not know how dark the way may get before the Beloved Lord comes, but we know that He will be with us through all adversity, trouble or loss. Look up! Our Redemptions draws near!