In every way, God is greater than man. A man would have to be a thief to claim equality with God. Yet, Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
In the last days, believers must remain alert. There is no time for sleeping. For it is while believers sleep that the enemy works most effectively. Even the Lord Jesus acknowledged the great need of the day when He said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Just as it was in the days of Gideon (Judges 7:5-7), the Lord wants soldiers who are fully aware of their surroundings. A sober minded believer keeps his eyes open, knowing he has an enemy that is on the prowl and ready to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The sober minded believer also knows that one lapse in judgment can cause immense damage during the spiritual battle. Sobriety keeps every reality in the forefront of the mind.
As time winds down, the need for sobriety increases. Temptations are seemingly escalating from every angle and source. Even if sin did not have the ability to lure away a believer, busyness and hobbies tug at his heart to steal away one’s time and strength. The Devil labours to keep the believer from working while it is day (John 9:4) knowing that a sober believer gets much more accomplished for the Lord. While men are spiritually asleep (Matthew 13:25), the enemy has free reign to disrupt and destroy the lives of others. The apostle Paul saw this dilemma and warned “that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:11).
Sometimes the Bible conveys some disheartening truths including man’s inability to love the Lord during difficult times. Regrettably, believers are easily offended and sometimes even scattered from the Lord because of a lack of resolve. The Lord prophesied in Zechariah 13:7 concerning His followers’ reaction to His rejection. Though the Lord knows the future, consider how this rejection must have grieved Him when it actually transpired. At a time when any faithful disciple should have been loyal to his Master, those closest to the Lord were instead scattered. The One that fed them when they were hungry (Mark 6:35-44), healed family members when ill (Mark 1:29-31), calmed the troubled waters during the storms (Mark 4:37-41), and taught them many wonderful truths was now the cause of their offence.
It is important to realize that the perception of peace in a person's life can be truly deceptive. Those who live for the Devil and for themselves may seem to prosper and enjoy peace. They may even testify of the peace that they seem to enjoy while those living for the Lord honestly exhibit trials and temptations associated with such a relationship. Yet, we have God's word on the matter: the wicked have no peace. This truth is so important that the Lord repeated the thought of the wicked having no peace in Isaiah 57:21. The wicked may enjoy times of calm in their lives, but these times are not the true and enduring peace that only comes from a relationship with the Saviour. Consider this vivid description before embarking on such a life: “the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isaiah 57:20). Peace comes from God!
Humility moves God to action. This common theme runs throughout the Bible; however, our passage reveals some truth otherwise hidden. According to Second Chronicles, the people of God are responsible to humble themselves. While doing so, they must also pray, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways. God’s use of the word then in the passage reveals that God’s actions result from the actions of His people. Their humility will move the Lord to action. If, or when, they humble themselves, God hears from heaven, forgives their sin, and heals their land. God takes note when people display humility (Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 66:1-2). Though some things have changed concerning Israel versus the church, God remains constant and is still looking for humility in the lives of His children.
