The frivolous charge of sleeping one’s life away is often hurled toward young folks who have the capacity to sleep long hours, but some folks are actually doing it while maintaining a high degree of activity. Simply put, there is no sleep to be compared to spiritual sleep. In it one slumbers in utter unawareness of impending judgment as he lives what is called the “good life”
of material abundance.
In that state, the only arousing cause is a threat to a material comfort zone. But, it is met with an intensity determined to eliminate any alternative to the status quo. If one does not see a way to end the threat, he will continue on in denial that any effective, major change will occur. I write of nothing new, but of a repetitive occurrence in the annals of history. Please think with me on this matter.
Certainly, this was the case of the antediluvian world in the days of Noah. They knew not until the flood came and took them away. It is not that they were unexposed to the Word and ways of God, but that they preferred the sweet slumber of material and sensual deception to the ways of righteousness. One cannot help but be impressed with the same thing repeatedly occurring in the days of the Judges of Israel. However, the generations following the establishment of the Throne of David and Solomon, must have thought they finally had God franchised: that He would do nothing without consulting them first. So their love of the world plunged them ever deeper into spiritual slumber, so deeply in fact, that they could not recognize the consultation of God when He sent it to them.
It was the last days of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The practice of God’s people was evil continuously. Please note the writings of Jeremiah Five. God instructed the prophet:
“Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I wil pardon it.” Jer. 5:1. How sad! That nation of Abraham which had produced paragons of faithful men had become so low that there was not “A MAN” practicing righteousness by which the judgment of God might be averted. They were worse off than ancient Sodom and Gomorrah that did not have ten, but did at least have a man. While Israel slept, Babylon was readying itself, a mighty, warring nation whom God would use to chastise his people in ways that would not be paralleled until Roman times.
In like manner, the spiritual backsliding and slumber of former giants of the faith among American churches is to be rightfully lamented, but this also underscores the importance of a small remnant clinging to the precious Word; living righteously, judging righteously, and being spiritual lights in dark places.
Presently, the hour is late! Then let the words of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians be both heard and heeded: “…Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give the light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” 5:14-17
FOR THOUGHT: What do you think it will take, if anything, to awaken sleeping churches and individual Christians to their God-given purpose? Do the many backslidings and sleeping of God’s people in Old Testament times mean anything at all to you? What?
SOURCE OR FACILITATOR?
From the inspired pages of antiquity there comes powerful, spiritual lessons for individuals and churches in today’s Christian world. Consider the symbolism of the candlestick, It is chief among the many objects used to identify, and to illustrate the Lord’s New Testament Church. It was the instrument of light in the Holy Place of the wilderness tabernacle and later the Old Testament Temple. Among misunderstandings about the candlestick is that it is a light source. Now hold on! Think with me!
The candlestick of Bible times references the Jewish menorah. But the menorah (candlestick) was not a light source as many presume. Rather it was a light facilitator.That is, it was especially constructed for the purpose of facilitating the flow of oil through its pipes to the terminal bowls where it was ignited. It was the fire then produced by the combustible oil that created the light. The portable construction of the candlestick allowed positioning for light in specific places. In like manner, the Lord’s church, metaphorically called a candlestick, is not of itself a light producer. It is a facilitator of God’s light of truth to a lost, dark, sinful world of condemned men. The light it can only offer is the light (truthful content) of God’s Word, and its effects on life. The church supports the veracity of the Holy Word, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that has resided within and upon it since Pentecost. Additionally, it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to give understanding through the Word to saved men, and to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment to come. As men repent of sin and are enlightened by the Holy Spirit through the Word, they are not to obscure that light, but to be joined to the candlestick thus becoming a part of the great conduit/facilitator of truth and light. As it is written in 2
Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
In the first half of the last century, light in homes was furnished by burning oil in glass lamps. Sometimes that process blackened the chimneys of the lamps requiring them to be cleaned frequently. That process ignored, the lamp ceased to be an acceptable facilitator of light. Sometimes, the appearance of men to others is that of a dimmed light; a life that needs the cleaning of repentance and forgiveness. Christians are not light sources. But the question remains: how are they as facilitators? How bright or dimmed is the light of the candlestick? God help us all to be clean, excellent facilitators of the heavenly light!
FOR THOUGHT: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine” are words to a popular, Christian song for children. Does your light shine for Jesus? If your light were the only one in your world, would it be reflective of Bible truth, or does the chimney need cleansing? Outline steps you can take to improve on that.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES AS OLD AS GENESIS
When one studies the subject of “unknown tongues,” it is important to know that the term
“unknown” is not found with “tongues” in the original language of the scriptures. Rather it has been supplied by translators, and serves only to confuse the English reader. It is also most important to know that the term “tongue” is a metonymy of speech for “language.” However, that being said, if one speaks in a language not understood by the hearer, it is by that context unknown.
God is the author of language. He instilled it in Adam and Eve, and for the next 1700
years, the world was of one language. However, the determination of the post-flood world caused God to instantly implement several languages to separate the people, and to stop their ecumenical madness at Babel. “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.” Genesis 11:7. Then, since they could not understand one another on a large scale, their speech was truly “unknown tongues,” but not in a language unknown to segments of the population. It was by language (tongues) that they were separated and grouped.
God repeated the miraculous feat at Pentecost (Acts 2) as the church was baptized in the Holy Spirit power, and many languages (nationalities of people) were represented there who heard as well as witnessed the Word and power of God. This is underscored by the statement,
“how hear we every man in his own language?” Acts 2:8. Thus it was not languages unknown to men, but rather unstudied, and unlearned by those who spoke them. Then the question arises: was it a miracle of hearing or a miracle of language. Let it be underscored that it was, as the Bible states, one of languages. There were many speakers that day on Pentecost. Some casual observers initially thought they heard the babbling of drunks, but upon closer observation, as well as the explanation of the Apostle Peter, they understood that different languages were being spoken simultaneously by several speakers, so that hearers of different languages did in fact hear in their own language and understood what they heard.
To speak in a language that others do not understand is useless, and senseless, and denounced in the scriptures. Still, the unstudied and unlearned insist on attributing the activities of confusion to the Lord Who plainly teaches us that the author of confusion, He is NOT! I Cor.
14:33. There is no great mystery about what happened on Pentecost, or how God used the first church for the initial outreach of Christianity, but there were miraculous abilities given of strict order by which God is always defined. Thus, as Paul so plainly puts it, “Let all things be done decently, and in order.” I Cor. 14:40
FOR THOUGHT: Who do you credit as the author and sustainer of heretical religion? Is it the righteous, creator God who cannot lie? Is it fallen Lucifer who seeks to undo the work and plan of Jesus? Your answer will reveal much in discipleship. Do you believe the brief exposition offered in this article is truth or falsehood? Why?