Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, special ones.
We had a lot to talk about this morning. Some of it is pretty heavy. I guess it shouldn’t be a big bad surprise to meet challenges along the way that we simply don’t know how to resolve. I suppose that’s even essential to a fresh effective faith. How hard would we be leaning on Everlasting Arms if ours were altogether adequate?
On with the day. May His Face shine upon us as we look to Him.
Love, Ray.
There is more mysterious strangeness being presented to John in this audio-video spectacular. Much of it is too strange for my comprehension at this point in time. But there is a one-word theme that captivates my attention in this short chapter. It’s a theme that surfaces time and time again throughout the pages of Scripture. I’m thinking of the one word in verse 7 that is shouted by the “mighty angel”—the 4-letter word “WILL.” While it’s a little word, it represents a very big truth that I’m banking on. It is part of an emphatic unequivocal non-optional promise that God’s plans and purposes WILL be fulfilled. PERIOD! “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” So until His will is fulfilled, it remains in the zone of mystery—the “twilight zone.” And my puny plans, wishes, complaints, comforts, or disbeliefs are absolutely ineffective to alter the fact of His WILL—which WILL be done in earth as it is in heaven! And sincerely praying that way allows us to be aligned with that WILL. Misalignment is about as dangerous as anything I can imagine.
It is implied here that more horrendous stuff is coming—beyond what John was allowed to record. It may be beyond what we can imagine now. I think this little piece of instruction John is given (“Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” V.4) gives another angle of support to the idea that GOD’S WORD IS INSPIRED NOT JUST FOR WHAT IT SAYS, BUT FOR WHAT IT DOES NOT SAY.
Allow me to snatch a piece of calming inspiration from my reading today in Proverbs 18, verse 10. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” So while the fulfillment of some facets of His will toward this God-rejecting world may indeed be incredibly awful to behold, not to mention, experience, I am safe in Him. PERIOD!