“For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.Be still, be quiet, and listen to Him speak.” Psalms 47:7-8. NKJV
Once upon a time I travelled to northern New York state on vacation and found it to be quite different than what I had anticipated. Having never visited that part of the country I had no idea what to expect as far as what nature had to offer but figured that forest is forest and there wouldn’t be much of a difference between it and what we enjoy in the Pacific Northwest. As is my habit, I would get up rather early and take my coffee and walk outside to watch the world wake up, and as we were staying in the country on the edge of the forest it only took a few steps for me to find myself swallowed up by my surroundings.
One of the things I noticed immediately which was very different from the forests I am used to is that if you are quiet, the forest there is louder and very much alive with the sounds of it's wildlife. So much so that I spent close to an hour one morning just trying to identify each of the sounds I heard with the animals that made them. By the end of our visit I learned enough to actually figure out who was talking and even their mood...(squirrels can be very vocal and emotional).
The argument could be made that this past year has seen the world around us begin to talk rather loudly, considering the geological and geopolitical events we have seen. There are numerous blogs and discussion groups to be found on the internet where many are sharing their ideas and conclusions to what it all means, and especially warnings about what the future might hold as we approach the end of 2025. The question for us as believers, however, is all of this just coincidence or is God beginning to speak in a way His creation will hear and possibly understand?
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”
Psalms 46:1-11 NKJV
While all of the opinions and speculations are intriguing, my first thoughts when considering the events of the past few months went to my visit back East, and the words we find in both of these Psalms where God tells us to “be still”. The Hebrew phrase “be still” is the word raphah, which literally means to “relax, drop down, and be quiet”. When I read that I thought of how I did exactly that in the forest, and the result being that I suddenly began to hear what was going on around me. So too, I believe, this may be good advice for us as believers at this particular time.
In the context of the Psalm, we are told that the day will come where God will speak in just the manner we may be seeing right now. The earth is shaking, the weather seems out of control, the future of the Middle East is uncertain to say the least, the economies of many nations are shaky with social unrest being the order of the day in virtually every nation. Israel is hoping the on again off again peace agreement in the Gaza Strip will hold, Russia and the Ukraine is a conflict which at present seems unsolvable and everyone wants to know just what it all means? For we as believers the answer is found in this Psalm where God tells us in no uncertain terms that He is the power behind all of this and we should be reassured that He “is our refuge and strength”.
Even within the body of Christ, the opinions and speculations of the past few months have led many to question if indeed we are approaching the time in history that most of us have been waiting for. There is no question that the “labor pains” of this world are increasing in both frequency and intensity leading to a significant increase in the anticipation of the Church’s promised deliverance by Jesus Christ. Yet some are of the opinion we have entered a period with more questions than answers. My reply to that might be exactly who are you listening to for answers? The passage from Psalm 47 states clearly that God is the only King and I believe it best to go to Him for the answers we seek.
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.“So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!“Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:32-35. NKJV
We can certainly make the argument that what we are seeing now, is in fact, the time Jesus told us to specifically watch for. That said, who better to go to with our questions than our Father in heaven? The Bible is full of stories and examples of people of faith calling on God for answers and listening for Him to respond. Taking the time to simply rest quietly and listen while reading His Word and taking comfort in His promises is the best answer for understanding the times we are living in and witnessing the events around us that seem to be out of control.
If you have been wondering or troubled by all that has been happening in the past few months let the verses from Psalm 46 be a comfort to you. While it is easy to try and look for answers in the media, either worldly or spiritual, believers need to take the time to be quiet and think on His words to us in this Psalm and let the God of this universe speak to us with reassurance in order not to fear the events happening around us. May we never forget that God is "a very present help in trouble".
Rather than listening to other voices, and seeking answers elsewhere, may I suggest we go straight to the King with our questions. It's important to understand that God operates on His own timetable and just where we are on His clock is something only He knows. Instead of listening to speculations of timing and experiencing disappointment, I believe if we are quiet and listen carefully God, through the Holy Spirit, will tell us what He wants us to hear, and make sense of all that we are seeing occur.
It’s often been said that Israel is God’s timepiece and we can know where we are on God’s timetable by looking at the events occurring there. As far as the conflict between Israel and it's neighbors, God addresses that particular problem in many passages but I chose this particular one to share with you today.
“But thus says the LORD: "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the LORD, [am] your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Isaiah 49:25-26 NKJV
I believe the Bible makes it clear that there will never be a lasting peace between Israel and its enemies until the end of this age. Just this past week we have seen reports that Israel is gearing up to once again address the situation with Hezbollah in Lebanon while Iraq, Iran, and Yemen are also on their short list. The ultimate goal and purpose behind everything we see going on in the world today is that our God intends to show the entire world through the nation of Israel, that He alone is God. What we see right now is the King of this world moving the pieces into place for just that time. That the Church is still here shows us that God is still waiting for the perfect time to remove all true believers and then turn His attention to Israel and the plans He has for them.
God is the only King in this world and everything is under His control. Whether orchestrated by Him or allowed to occur by His divine permissive will, all that we are seeing is part of His plan for this world. Regardless of how out of control things may appear, we can rest assured knowing the King is on His throne and we have nothing to fear. Just as David did in these Psalms, we need to simply go to God through His Word and be still and listen for His response and instruction. As David told us, God "is our refuge and strength".
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth for the sole purpose of sacrificing Himself so we can spend eternity with Him in Heaven. The signs of His imminent return for us are all around us as we witness the world beginning to spin out of control. If you have never taken the step of accepting this gift of eternal life, I urge you to do it right now. Simply pray a prayer like this one and confess to God your need for salvation, and accept the gift He provided for you by the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against you, but I know you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins and then rise from the dead so that I may live forever with You. Lord forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to begin to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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