Hope Still Exists.

I have found throughout my life and christian experiences that when a calamity falls on a person or society, sometimes some people’s thoughts turn either away from God, or turn again onto God. A lot of people question God by asking “What sort of a God allows these things to happen”? And invariably, the people who ask these questions never really followed God in the first place. However, some people who follow God will just sit quietly for a while and not question things. Only then, to find that a small glimmer of spiritual hope and light grows up to restore and strengthen God’s Children once again.

I have found that after some form of troubles in my life, and after all the predictable reactions of my frustration, anger, and dissappointment that a small glimmer of Christ’s love will soon start to appear again. Not with a blinding flash, but with a tiny shimmer. Which will soon grow and draw my attention back into himself again.

After their exile out of slavery in Egypt the Children of Israel started to think of God again. Their return wasn’t an easy journey, but pretty soon they were able to establish a relationship with God through the design and building of the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant in the wilderness.

But, eventually this wasn’t enough. And they wanted to have a permanent place to settle from their wanderings. They were fed up being ruled over by Judges and Prophets and they wanted to have a home of their own. And a King. (1st Samuel 8:4-5).

And so a royal lineage was created with the crowning of King Saul, King David and King Solomon. This eventually led to the founding of Zion, The City of David and Jerusalem. And this culminated with the building of the Temple. Amidst all the wars with the Philistines, the Amorites and other surrounding tribes, eventually a temple was built. The Kingly lineage started with King Saul but it was King Solomon who made the final construction of what was to become known as The First Temple. Out of the darkness of their captivity and wanderings in the wilderness the nation of Israel finally had a home. And a Kingdom

But again, they became complacent. Some time afterwards, through Solomon’s sons, there was a split in the kindom. Ten of the tribes went to the north and two stayed where they were. This gave rise to the Kingdoms of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah.

But, once again, things weren’t plain sailing. Eventually the Babylonians came from the north and east and took all of the Hebrew peoples captive and led them into exile. The Temple and city were destroyed.

And over time the people who were taken, and who lived in Babylon and the provinces started to turn their thoughts to God once more. Psalm Ch137 v1 says…”By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There we wept when we remembered Zion”.

And so God maneouvered certain people into place to allow the Hebrew peoples to return and rebuild the city. Ezra and Nehemiah were the two main people involved in the rebuilding, but they had their objectors also. The city was rebuilt. The Temple was re-established. And the priesthood installed again. And this became known as The Second Temple.

And again, the people grumbled and were weak. And in 63BC Rome invaded Jerusalem. There were revolts and wars, uprisings and insurgences. And Israel were enslaved within their own city. A puppet people under their Roman governers. But this time something different happened. On a quiet night, in a small town approximately 5 miles south of Jerusalem……

…….The Messiah came.

And things were to be different from then on from the point of view that The Messiah predicted the final fall of the Temple. This was when the age of the “Second temple” came to an end…

Matthew 23 (37) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. (38) Look, your house is left to you desolate…..”

However, although a Temple has never been built there again, God’s people started to grow in a new direction. This time, the church was a spiritual one. This time, the law and the sacrifices would be superceded, and replaced by something called “the guidance of the Holy Spirit”. Faith, and righteousness were now the order of the day.

The Messiah had paid one final sacrifice for His people and so we would grow into a people that God had been desiring for all along. A Holy people. A people who would love God without the need of guilt offerings or restitution.

And that brings us to today. Through the mealstrom of history God’s people are now a worldwide spiritual group. Oh, the horrors still continue. The same hypocrisy still goes on. But God still has His chosen people. And we are known by our desire to want to be with God. Not through sacrifices, or devotions, but through love and worship. And a desire to learn and love more about Him. As the prophet Jeremiah said…

Jeremiah 31 (3) The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

And so, God’s people grew and continued. It was at antioch that the Church people were to become known as “christians”.

Acts 11 (26) “…So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch…”

And that is the position we are in today. We are chosen and destined in God. God is our only Hope because only God offers the Hope that we truly need…

1st Peter 2 (9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

So, let us never forget who we are. For we are founded, and grounded, on Jesus Christ. All of use different. But all of us united, under Him. Amen.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand.
 
Email - TheseLivelyOracles@hotmail.com
Internet - www.theselivelyoracles.co.uk
Facebook - These Lively Oracles
Twitter(X) - @livelyoracles58

 

Location: 1 A1, Belfast BT1 5YE, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Like

Popular posts from this blog

The Voyage To The Unknown

In fourteen hundred and ninety two. Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He had three ships and left from Spain; He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain. And so the poem by Jean Marzollo goes. It’s a glamourous and fantastical poem about what was a dangerous and hastily threw together journey. I was listening to a sermon by my favourite online preacher when he spoke of Christopher Columbus. He said…..               When he set out, he didn’t know where he was going.                When he got there, he didn’t know where he was.               When he got home, he didn’t know where he’d been. Our “faith journey” as a Christian is very much like that. Everything starts out at some point in our lives. And we do the things that we do to join in with other Christians and churches. But most of the time our journey leads us on twists, turns and detours that we coul...
Read more

Welcome to St. Goldilocks.

The vast majority of us have heard of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. And we all know the story of how Goldilocks was walking through the forest when she spied a cabin and went inside. Then the main plot of the story begins. As Goldilocks tried out the porridge, the chair and the bed there was always one that was far too uncomfortable or too cold, one that was not too comfortable or too hot and one that was just right. This story has given rise to something referred to as the “Goldilocks Zone”. It refers to an optimum area where everything is in balance and not too extreme. A comfort zone, if you will. Astronomers refer to our planet’s orbit as being in the Goldilocks zone. Too close to the sun and we would burn up. Too far away from the sun and we would freeze. Some businesses use the Goldilocks theory as a model and balance for their workplaces. Their dilemma is either too many workers but not enough work, or too much work and not enough workers. So the management try to...
Read more

Built In A Hurry.

Many years ago I worked on building site which was building high-end houses. Very expensive, very large and fitted out with all the latest materials. A certain customer walked into the company’s offices one day and asked to see a plan of the new house being built. The builder showed him the plans which showed the various road layouts and where each house would be built on each road. The customer pointed to one of the buildings and said that he wanted to buy that particular house and that he wanted construction to start on it right away. The house couldn’t be built right away as the roadway hadn’t been constructed nor any of the other dwellings built yet. The customer said that he had the cash and that he could pay in full right away. And so the builder started work. The roadway was laid first and the various water, electrical and communication cables were all laid. Within a few days the roadway was built and the ground site cleared to start laying the foundations. After they were layed...
Read more