On the way to the Kingdom of God - Part 4: Trusting God
Yesterday began the second biblical month - the month of IJAR/ZIV, also known as the month of healing.
We can always use healing. In the last month I have been sick three times in a row. I lay in bed or on the sofa for most of the month. Again and again I turned to God's promise that Jesus not only died for our guilt, but that His shed blood would serve to heal us. I usually heal very quickly, but this time I was probably attacked very badly. Many Christians immediately asked me if I had forgotten to put on my spiritual armor from Ephesians 6:10-20. Yes, maybe I was a bit careless. Psalm 91, which I used to recite regularly about myself and my family, somehow wasn't on my prayer list as often. The Lord showed me once again that it is important to know that we are weak beings and that we can only walk through the dark valleys together with Jesus. (Psalm 23:4). We must entrust ourselves completely to our Shepherd.
A few days ago, a dear and longtime sister in faith called me. The Holy Spirit had asked her to urgently pass on the following message to me:
"No matter the circumstances, trust me!"
After struggling with my third illness last week, Jesus spoke to me at around 1 a.m. on Saturday: "It is finished!" Yes, this time the Lord had healed me from the gastrointestinal infection after just 12 hours. After a restful one sleep, I felt new strength rising in me and in the morning I was reminded of the words from Isaiah 40:31.
"…they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint..“
However, when I opened the book of Isaiah 40, my eyes fell on the first verses:
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare[1] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.“ (Jes 40:1-2)
The so-called Book of Consolation begins with Chapter 40 of the Book of Isaiah. This portion of the book contains prophecies addressed to the people of Israel who are living in exile. YHWH our God does not want to leave the people of Israel without consolation, not without hope for renewal in the future. He cares about His people. His concern is comfort to God's people in difficult times. That was true then for the people of Israel and it is also true for us Christians today in the so-called end times or time of trouble.
As we know, YHWH is a God of covenant, is a God who punishes, but He is also a God who saves. The God who delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt wants to deliver them now (here in Isaiah 40) from bondage in Babylon. With Jesus, God's Son, we have also entered into a covenant with God. It is known as the New Covenant. Since God does not change, the old covenants (with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, ...) and promises of God still apply. In the New Covenant, the LORD promises us that together with Jesus (Yeshua) we will enter the kingdom of God on earth.Now, finally, we will finally be freed from the slavery (the slave labor) of Satan and led into the kingdom of God.
The Lord God wants to come to His people, but the people must make their way and prepare for the coming of the Lord. god is holy YHWH left Israel for a time because of their sins. Just as Israel's sins were a hindrance to meeting God, our sins are also a hindrance to drawing near to God. In the law of Moses we find many regulations, but above all God's commandments that show how man can come to God. It is not an easy path, for God purifies and purifies us. As sinners, we are allowed to ask forgiveness in Jesus' name, because in the New Testament (New Covenant) we read that Jesus prepared the way for us through his death on the cross (tribe) and his resurrection from the dead. He himself says: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”
Our task is to sanctify ourselves, i.e. we have to break with our sins and return to God, i.e. to convert and live in God's spirit and according to His rules.
We know that taking the kingdom will not be easy. We will go through much of the tribulation before the Lord Jesus, our King and High Priest, appears in heaven. In recent years we have been able to recognize many signs of the end times, as Jesus interpreted them in Matthew 24. In addition, there has been the pandemic in recent years, which has turned our lives upside down and has not yet ended, as I have just experienced first-hand had to. We should not lose sight of the fact that the Israelites experienced the plagues before the Exodus from Egypt very closely, but were under special protection from God. In the now coming time - the time of tribulation, our God wants to steer and guide us. Almighty and Eternal God promises to cover us under his wings, and refuge under his wings. to grant.( Ps 91:4 )
Are we ready to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? Are we ready to follow the example of our Lord Jesus? Are we willing to trust God and place ourselves under His protection?
Despite fear and worry: trust God
"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.“ (Is 40:31)
In the German Christian hymn "Nun aufwärts froh den Blick gewandt " (EGB 394) we are reminded that we should go forward and not look back.
Now upwards looking forward (translated by myself)
Now looking up happily and firmly step forward! We take our master's hand and our Lord goes with us. Forget what lies behind and weighs down your way; what pleases your heart forever, is well worth the sacrifice. And whatever still holds you captive, throw it away from you! Bury the whole world for you in Christ's tomb. So you climb freely with him up to the light heavenly heights. He ahead of us, he breaks the ground for us - who can resist him? Therefore look up happily and step forward firmly! We go by our master's hand, and our Lord goes with us.
I thank our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, who not only shows us the way, but also always walks with us.
I thank our heavenly Father that he loves us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his son for our sins.
I thank the Holy Spirit who speaks to us daily.
Amen