AN UNSHAKEABLE KINGDOM
In the present climate where the COVID-19 Coronavirus is bringing the nations of the world, seemingly almost to a standstill economically and socially, and everyday seems to bring new restrictions on people movement and association, with strict social distancing being enforced by police units - for the Church of Jesus Christ, the Living God - this is a time of realignment and refocusing on all that really matters in life.
Australia, where I live, in this past short space of time, has experienced massive fires, floods and prolonged drought. If that was not enough for the nation to bear, now we have joined the nations of the world in facing the unseen battle with a highly contagious virus, COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan Province in China, and quickly spread around the world.
I would venture to say that the impact this virus is making in disrupting the normal patterns of everyday life in many nations, has not been seen since times of war. Certainly, in my sixty nine years living in Australia and New Zealand, has there ever been anything like the measures being undertaken now by governments jointly around the globe.
Christians, who adhere to the Bible as the inspired Word of God should perhaps be not too surprised that such things are happening today. In Matthew 24 in the New Testament, when the disciples of Jesus asked Him what would be the sign of His coming [again] and of the end of the age, He replied: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many." And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows." Verses 3-8
Jesus said there would be pestilences in various places. Over the past two decades, there have been a number of deadly viruses that have appeared causing varying degrees of infection rates and mortality. SARS virus, Bird flu, Swine flu, Zika virus, Ebola and now the Coronavirus - come quickly to mind. No doubt there have been others receiving perhaps less media coverage. What does the word 'pestilence' mean? Well, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word as: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating.
The Cambridge English dictionary defines pestilence as: any serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people.
While this current pandemic is causing much fear and panic, and a sense of foreboding is hovering over many lives about their economic and health futures, this is a time for Christians who have their hope in Christ, and who are fully trusting the integrity of His Word - to shine brightly with a deep sense of God's abiding peace and love.
Truly, as in the Book of Esther in the Old Testament, this is a time for those who belong to the kingdom of God to know they "have come to the kingdom for such a time as this."
There is a real sense that, when the world and the world systems are in meltdown, the church has the opportunity to arise and shine brightly amidst the darkness and gloom. It is interesting that I saw a post on Facebook yesterday that showed shelves in a US supermarket, normally stocked with Bibles - and there were but a few Bibles left on mostly bare shelves. People are looking for hope! They are desperate to find peace in the storms of life. Jesus is still the Prince of Peace, and He is the Author of Life, who still holds out hope for the hope-less!
The writer to the Hebrews in the New Testament book of that name says in chapter 12 that everything that can be shaken will be shaken so that only those things which cannot be shaken will remain. Friends, there is a shaking going on!
Verses 28, 29 tell us: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us be gracious, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire!
The kingdom of God is an unshakeable kingdom!
TO BE CONTINUED
The Cambridge English dictionary defines pestilence as: any serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people.
While this current pandemic is causing much fear and panic, and a sense of foreboding is hovering over many lives about their economic and health futures, this is a time for Christians who have their hope in Christ, and who are fully trusting the integrity of His Word - to shine brightly with a deep sense of God's abiding peace and love.
Truly, as in the Book of Esther in the Old Testament, this is a time for those who belong to the kingdom of God to know they "have come to the kingdom for such a time as this."
There is a real sense that, when the world and the world systems are in meltdown, the church has the opportunity to arise and shine brightly amidst the darkness and gloom. It is interesting that I saw a post on Facebook yesterday that showed shelves in a US supermarket, normally stocked with Bibles - and there were but a few Bibles left on mostly bare shelves. People are looking for hope! They are desperate to find peace in the storms of life. Jesus is still the Prince of Peace, and He is the Author of Life, who still holds out hope for the hope-less!
The writer to the Hebrews in the New Testament book of that name says in chapter 12 that everything that can be shaken will be shaken so that only those things which cannot be shaken will remain. Friends, there is a shaking going on!
Verses 28, 29 tell us: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us be gracious, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire!
The kingdom of God is an unshakeable kingdom!
TO BE CONTINUED
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