English – Chinese
In this incident in which Jonathan dislocated his elbow, I am taking stock and realizing the gravity of God’s calling, revelations and commands. It is serious business. I consider that:
What is life to Him? God’s business is serious business. He is serious with us, and He will not permit our being lackadaisical with Him. “Behold both the goodness and severity of God.” How can we not be serious, sober and vigilant in all things?
Let’s consider the present day and the events in our own midst. What has happened to Howard and Jason Benson, Delores Molnar, Pascal Gregoire, Stan Howell, and so many others?
Consider the stupid and ignorant notions about the nature and character of God prevalent in our society today, and the false gospel of mush and sentimentality all around us? Are those people not perishing? Will they not perish? Believe it – they will and are!
What will happen to all those who oppose us for righteousness’ sake?
God had shown me the black angels over the neighbor’s house, where Jonathan was injured. Yes, that was over 18 years ago! So what? No, He did not give me explicit commands, like, “Don’t go there; don’t have any more to do with them,” but must He? Shall we ever be guided by bit, bridle, whip and spur? We are to take heed; the sooner, the better, the more earnestly, the better. Woe to us if we do not. Jonathan had no business there, if only because of that revelation, and especially on the Sabbath, doing what he was doing.
God has not only finished winking with the nations; He has also finished winking with us. And that is why we must speak up and do His will without hesitation, ambiguity, or equivocation. This is especially so when given our great privilege and responsibility we have been granted of God for this day! Wow! All the more will we be called into account, not in the “by and by,” but here and now, even as it happened with all those I have mentioned.
Furthermore, consider how the Lord commanded Israel that when they entered Canaan, they were to destroy all its inhabitants – men, women and children. They were to be ruthless. Was God sparing the tender, delicate, pretty young maid? Was he sparing the suckling? Did He spare any of these in Sodom and Gomorrah or in Jericho, besides Rahab and her house, who assisted God’s people?
Did Saul not lose his kingdom because he failed to kill everything living of the Amalekites and because God had commanded otherwise? What kind of loving prophet was Samuel, who hewed Agag to pieces with a sword after Agag pitifully said, “Surely, the bitterness of death is past”?
If God has finished winking, having repeatedly said so, what are we doing overlooking trespasses and offenses? Are we winking? Is this a time for winking? Isaiah was told, “Cry aloud, spare not….” Is not the Spirit of God the same yesterday and today and forever?
All those who took His life were slain and their nation scattered to the four winds, and what a slaughter that was! And all this was after, not before, His resurrection and ascension. What kind of teaching is it that Jesus would never do such things now, and that He is full of pity and compassion – He wouldn’t hurt a fly? This teaching is demonic and highly deceptive. Look how it has won the hearts of carnal men and even deceived the believing.
Does not Scripture declare dire consequences for offenders in this present “dispensation”? Yes indeed, It does:
“He who despised Moses’ Law died without mercy on the word of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy of punishment, the one who has trampled the Son of God, and who has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him Who has said, ‘Vengeance belongs to Me, I will repay, says the Lord.’ And again, ‘The Lord shall judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:28-31 MKJV).
God made it known very clearly just how serious matters are. He sacrificed His only begotten Son, that’s how serious matters of our existence are. Consider also that His life was not taken by a quiet departing in His sleep or by a merciful bullet to the head or by lethal injection on a cushioned gurney or even by an efficient hanging. No, He had to suffer the horrible agony and public humiliation of the cross, no less, at the hands of brute beasts, with His own people crying for His blood and His own Father turning His back on Him. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
That is how serious it is; but no, we must spare ourselves the gravity of life. It is enough we must live it. We must not make it any worse than it already is (I speak with tongue in cheek) – we must be gentle and tenderhearted and kind and sympathetic and loving and sweet and understanding and wise and compassionate and “godly” and “Christlike.”
Devils tie our hands and tape our mouths with sweet, desirable malarkey. That is Satan’s strategy and his False Love.
“Make your enemies now,” says the Lord.
“He that keeps his life will lose it,” He says.
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice as a trumpet and tell My people their sins,” He cries.
“Spare not,” He declares, but Agag says, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
God says, “Spare not,” but Satan says, “Let’s love one another.”
God says, “Spare not,” but messengers of Satan, posing as God’s ministers, choose to flatter and coddle and savor the things that are of men, and thus he prevails over them to destroy. Get behind me, Satan! You are an offense to me and to God!
Victor Hafichuk
June 24, 2008