Within-Without
"For behold, the
day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers
will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of
hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
But for you who fear my
name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall
go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked,
for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says
the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 4:1-3
You, Elohim, tell us that there will be “a time”,
called “The Day” when prophesies which seem so distant in description, will
unfold to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. I believe You are opening my
eyes and ears and I praise You for it, Teacher, but now I have to use my
newly heightened spiritual senses.
I have come to understand that, what seem like the
ramblings of some crazy men (maybe even this crazy man) to some, are actually
real events that have occurred or that are destined to unfold in the blur
between the physical and the spiritual realms. With tongue in cheek, I even
claim to You, Almighty, that there has been a whole book written about these
happenings: Conflicts and warnings of things that either give hope to, or
terrify my heart.
Minaret in Bethlehem |
When traveling The Land, I saw many of the places
and learned more about the people of which these things were written. Locations
like Megiddo and names such as Ezekiel come to mind. Even you, my Messiah,
spoke of “The Day of The Lord” and referenced often, “The End of The Age”.
Perhaps to the casual observer these portents relate only as general statements
suggesting how we will, over and over again…for lack of a better term…screw up.
But You have not, for some reason, given me a “casual mind”.
Maybe there’s more to End Times and Spiritual
Warfare prophesy. What if Eschatology suggests You want something beyond a
simple confession of human faultiness, what if You are painting a picture of an
ongoing battle, camouflaged by our insensitivity to truth and light?
I read and hear and see of things that are far more
diabolical: Times of ultimate conflict, actions of final redemption all
requiring one ultimate decision on the part of individuals and cultures. Israel
is the center of examples, where You have intervened and acted repeatedly, but warning
that a “bigger” even is beyond the horizon – not like any before.
Narrow Gate at Masada |
It begs several questions Master of Past, Present
and Future; am I prepared? Am I ready, not just for some distant apocalypse,
but am I living in a way and in a place that recognizes light from darkness and
chooses consistently the former? There is an easy answer: “Of course…I’ve read
those parts of the Bible. I know things are going to get ‘rough’”. And…there is
also the harder answer: “I don’t know if I believe this is really relevant now
– if I simply live my life as a ‘good Christian’, I’ll make out just fine.”
But then my answers aren’t really important, are
they YHWH? Your truth is far more convicting and it’s right there in scripture.
“For then there will be
great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until
now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human
being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut
short.
Then if anyone says to
you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false
christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so
as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
See, I have told you
beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go
out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as
the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the
coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will
gather.”
Mat 24:22-28
Mat 24:22-28
Olive Tree and "beholder" in Samaria |
Traditional Oil Lamp |
Praying for The Active Peace of Your presence –
within and without,
Mark C.
No comments:
Post a Comment