On a scale of 1 -10 how urgent would you rate “Christ-in-you-the-hope-of-glory” proclamation?
How urgent do you think God rates “Christ-in-you-the-hope-of-glory” proclamation?
Proclamation of Christ is vital for people to hear and apply.
If heads of nations, denominations, communities and people will not heed the message of Christ and His servants, God has another method of speaking. He calls them stumbling blocks. My Dad used to call it the great persuader (a spanking). Pain!
Sword, famine, plague and earthquakes are four judgments that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:7-8 with His disciples. Similar judgments are mentioned 2 Chronicles 20:9, Jeremiah 29:18-19, and Revelation 6:8. To abandon faith in God and to reject His commands leads to pain.
Jesus Christ, His Prophets, His Apostles and we by His Spirit urge people to turn from sin to God.
King Jehoshaphat was led by the Spirit of God to bring His nation back to God. One of the first corrections that he made was to addresses the judges in the land. He told them, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.” [2]
Secondly, he corrected the religious leaders. He told them, “You shall act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart: whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the Lord and wrath come upon you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty.” [3]
When armies approached his nation to destroy it, he called the people to pray for the Lord’s help. As they prayed, “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel” and gave him a word from the Lord to speak to the people. He told them, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah, and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” The king and all the people bowed their faces to the ground and worshipped the Lord. Then, they stood up and praised the Lord with loud and high voices. [4]
What happened? The Lord led them to put the singers of praise out in front of their soldiers. “When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.” “They found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.” “They came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.” [5] Praise the Lord!
The Lord gave King Jehoshaphat a wonderful victory over war and death. But there’s more at stake than just a good life here on earth. King Solomon wrote, “Do not let your heart envy sinners but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.” [6] Surely, there is a hereafter.
The Bible urges us to believe in Jesus Christ for victory in the hereafter. Paul wrote, “He is the image of the invisible God.” “...All things were created through Him and for Him. “...In Him all things consist.” “...That in all things He may have the preeminence.” [7]
You want to see God? You want to be with Him forever? Look at God through the lens of the Gospels! What did Jesus do and say while He walked the land of Israel? The miracles that He did for the disabled, the diseased and the dead help us see God.
Jesus became like us so that we could become like Him and be with Him. “For it pleased the Father... to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, ...having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard...” [8]
Christ in us is the hope of glory. Not only for eternity, but also for now. Let us pray for the judges of nations to come to Christ so that they will judge rightly. Not for bribes! Let us pray for religious leaders to come to Christ so that they will be faithful witnesses for Christ. Let us pray for one another to be in Christ! To love Him (first commandment)! To love our neighbors as He loves them! To work with the power and wisdom that His Holy Spirit provides us so that more people will want to be in Christ.
[1] Colossians 1:27-29
[2] 2 Chronicles 19:6-7
[3] 2 Chronicles 19:9-10
[4] 2 Chronicles 20:5-19
[5] 2 Chronicles 20:20-30
[6] Proverbs 23:17-18
[7] Colossians 1:15-18
[8] Colossians 1:20-23
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