Has a mystery of God’s word taken place that you don’t know about? Are you in darkness when it comes to understanding? If so, where will you put the blame? On God, because he has made his word so difficult to understand? No! Such thinking can never be justified, because the Lord “hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (Matthew 11:25) Hid only from those that follow their own way.
The wise and prudent trust in their own interpretation of the scriptures, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9) Therefore the truth of God’s word is withheld from them. On the other hand, babes need help. When you realize your helpless condition and cry out to the Father who gave you life, he will comfort you. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) Contrite: To be humble and repentant before God, crushed by the sense of guilt and sinfulness.
The wise and prudent are all around us, which is the reason you hear so many scattered doctrines and confusion. Jesus said, “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.” (Matthew 13:14)
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” (2 Peter 3:10) Not a twenty-four-hour day as we know it, but as God declares it. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) Our time does not mark his time. From the dawn of a new day to the finish of that day can be a thousand years, or a million years, as it pleases him.
The day of the Lord, when he completes the perfect plan of redemption, began with the birth of Jesus, God’s own son who was called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” It has been over two thousand years now and counting. The prophets spoke of this day and what it would bring, and Jesus came to fulfill their words. Are you taken unawares? (Luke 21:34)
Most of the church world that call themselves Christians are looking for a future kingdom of God when Christ will sit on a throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth for a thousand years. As though God needs an earthly throne. He said, “The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Isaiah 66:1) Have these been taken unawares? Why do they not hear what Jesus said? “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!” (In Jerusalem) “For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21) The revelation of God’s word (Christ in you), reveals the kingdom of God to you. Not a natural kingdom for the natural man or woman to see, but those that Jesus spoke to. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.” (Matthew 13:16)
Speaking to the man of flesh, Paul wrote, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) Who loves him? The ones who keep his commandments. The ones who are truly born again and have spiritual understanding. Because God has revealed the hidden mysteries to us “by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10) Has this day taken you unawares?
Most church members are looking to the future for the great judgment day. But why do they not hear what Jesus said? Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) “Now” means “as it is now!” You don’t see the judgment day? Are you taken unawares?
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48) The words of judgment have already been spoken. You are judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ in the last day. Not necessarily your last day, but God’s last day before eternity begins. The last call, the day of the Lord. Has this day and your judgment come upon you “as a thief?“
The day of the Lord is here and it’s just like the prophet Amos said it would be. “Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?” (Amos 5:20)
On a dark, overcast day the sun is still there but its light is blocked by heavy clouds. In this day that we live, the truth of Jesus Christ is still there but the light of his gospel is blocked by heavy clouds of sin and doubt. A day of great spiritual darkness and most people don’t even know it’s here because it came as a thief in the night and took them unawares.
This is the day that people run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord and shall not find it. (Read Amos 8:12) The truth will feed a hungry soul but what is taught today are empty words of manmade doctrine, and the famine continues. People put their trust in blind leaders to show them the way out of the darkness and hunger, but they all perish together. (Jude 4)
Why? Why can they not find the truth and eat of that “hidden manna?” It’s because the carnal nature of man is not willing to fully submit to the authority of God’s word. They don’t like the narrow way that Jesus taught because it restricts their worldly appetite. They want the broad, easy way that allows them to follow their own lust and still claim the name, Christian.
Many that follow worldly religion will one day reach the point of no return because God will send them strong delusion and let them believe a lie. (2 Thessalonians 2:11) “Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” (Luke 13:26-27) All taking place in your lifetime, the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Has it caught you sleeping? There is a way of escape for those that have not gone too far. Humble yourself before almighty God and seek out his ways.
There is much more to be said about the day of the Lord such as the antichrist spirit being revealed and about the great tribulation that Jesus spoke of. It is here already but like so many other things, people are unaware. Also, the beast that John saw rise up out of the sea.
“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” (Romans 10:16) “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7) Are you dead in trespasses and sins? Then, this scripture is for you. “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” (Ephesians 5:14) Light that pierces the darkest night and reveals all things.
