'...and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.''Daniel 7:22b
In Matthew 16:2-4, Jesus clearly shows that it is normal and even expedient to analyze natural events and occurrences to understand or locate the place we are in God's timetable. His words exactly are:
''He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times ''.
These words were his reply to the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to him to test his authenticity by asking him to show them a sign from heaven to prove he was who he said he was i.e. the Messiah (Son of YHWH). His reply meant in other words; ''you should know that it is the time for the Messiah to come and that I am He by inference from the things happening all around you.''
YHWH has times and seasons - he has a plan and has allocated them to specific periods in man's history. This is because he is the beginning and end - Alpha and Omega. He made time and it exists for His own purposes and not the other way round. As Daniel said:
“Praise be to the name of God forever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.'' Daniel 2:20 -22
However, judging the times and seasons and analyzing the events happening all around us requires godly discernment. It is easy to fall into the trap of making inferences about events by human thinking that do not bear too much weight in spiritual things. Jesus was addressing Pharisees and Teachers of the Law, not lay people when he said ''You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times ''. His expectation was that they would go back to the scriptures to analyze his actions, words, the timing and events happening to determine if indeed he was the Messiah that was prophesied that would come. Spiritual things are not discerned by physical reasoning.
As the Apostle Paul explained,
''these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,'' 1 Corinthians 2: 10 -15
The most important thing in these times is our intimacy and fellowship with God's Holy Spirit that lives within us. The Spirit of truth was sent to guide us into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell us what is yet to come. He will glorify Jesus because it is from Jesus that he will receive what he will make known to us. [John 16:13-14]
Especially for leaders of Jesus' flock at these times, intimacy with Jesus is imperative because things are not as they seem to be and right or wrong cannot be deciphered by human reasonings - they are spiritually discerned.
To many, the coming of Jesus was the rising of another troublemaker and a 'wannabe' Messiah, however to the discerning he was ''“... the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16.
The rise of the Kingdom of God is not a threat to everything true and just. It is only a threat to the spiritual dark forces of this world. The Kings and Princes of YHWH's kingdom carry his peace and prosperity for the salvation of the world. They are his ambassadors of peace because Jesus is the Prince of Peace. But as Jesus said,
''This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.''John 3:19-20
The Kingdom we preach is an everlasting one. It calls ALL men to be part of it. Its King has paid the price for citizenship for all men, so all are called. However, only a few are chosen because the cross of citizenship is not one all are willing to carry. The time is short. As you prepare God's people, please prepare yourself to be carried and led by the Spirit of Truth in all things. He that called us is faithful and will do it.
Amen
''And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.'' - Jesus [Luke 14:27]
''He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.“‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’'' Daniel 7: 25 -27
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