I think we have all prayed prayers and expected God to answer in what we would think is a reasonable amount of time. When the reasonable time we had established passes, instead of waiting, the obvious answer for most is to do it ourselves. Some will even say God had given them a new way or plan in addition to His word and many will follow in those ways. Many times prayers go unanswered and the days turn into weeks and the months into years and still there is no answer. In God’s silence, many are at their best as they gather all the ingenuity man can supply, or so they think. Generations come and go and the promise of Jesus return has not happened. Instead of waiting on God and seeking His face, many become very comfortable with following their own ways, which as scripture makes clear always ends in disaster. Deuteronomy 29:19 “When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.” God said He would answer our prayers if we were faithful and He said He would return to take us into eternity. But most do not like the word wait and continue to go their own ways.
When God does not move as fast as we would like, the danger is to turn away from God. Many will go their own way and at the same time give praise to God for blessing the work of their disobedient hands. God’s timing is perfect as are His ways, so we must wait for His plan to unfold. Isaiah 9:7 “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Romans 5:6 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Hosea 14:9 “Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”
If we do not wait on God, that means we are going are own way, which means we are rejecting God’s ways. Proverbs 12:15 “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” The Psalmist talks about the journey from Egypt. Psalm 106:6 “We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. 7 When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. 10 He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them. 11 The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. 12 Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. 13 But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. 14 In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. 15 So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.” Waiting for God’s plan to unfold is about believing God will do as He said He would do. Romans 4:18 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” Elizabeth said to Mary, Luke 1:45 “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Not waiting means you do not believe God’s word.
God’s timing is much different than ours and our circumstances can be difficult and because of those difficult circumstances many will turn away. Habakkuk 1:5 “Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed for I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.” But as Jeremiah had prophesied, the Babylonians would be destroyed. Jeremiah 51:24 “Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion,” declares the Lord.” Habakkuk then described the power of God and said, Habakkuk 3:16 “I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. 17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk believed God and waited in the midst of devastation and did not give up.
Likewise, Job did the same. Job had lost everything and was suffering greatly, and God seemed nowhere to be found, yet Job remained faithful. We have the account before us, so we know what was going on and the outcome. Job did not know, but remained faithful. God had said about Job that Job 1:8 “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” At the end of the book of Job, God said, Job 42:8 “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You (Job’s friends) have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” Job remained faithful, waited and persevered. James 5:10 “Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” Then Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.” During his journey, Job described his search for God. Job 23:8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. 11 My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. 12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.” Job would also say, Job 19:25 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”Scripture is very clear as to what the church is supposed to look like and do. The Gospels are a prelude to Pentecost and Pentecost was the power and authority Jesus had which would now be in the church. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” The disciples taught that Jesus would return soon and they needed to be ready. Jesus said, John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Each of us has only been given a certain period of time to be ready, so the message is the same. But since it has been a very long time since Jesus walked this earth, many have decided to continue in their own ways. The church did receive power but quickly turned away to follow in the ways and strength of man and lost the power given at Pentecost, but because of rebellion, God allowed the abomination that causes desolation to decimate the church. This happened because the church began to follow a different Jesus and other gospels. 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” 2 Peter 2:3 “Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” These false teachers may not say out loud where is this coming but they will not direct you to repent and turn from wicked ways so that His coming would be sped up. 2 Peter 3:11 “You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
Many do not fear God because He has been silent for so long. Most have accepted the powerless church and do not seek the power to return. They have become foolish like the Galatians. Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] 4 Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Instead of seeking God and making sure we are following the true Jesus and His Gospel, most are content to continue in the ways they have been taught, even though those ways look nothing like the way, truth and life. Isaiah 57:11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? 12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you. 13 When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away. But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.” Those collection of idols talked about are the other gospels the church is saturated with. Jeremiah 11:13 “You, Judah, have as many gods (other gospels) as you have towns; and the altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.” Instead of inheriting the land, the church continues to follow their own ways and remains desolate and defeated, completely powerless against our enemies.
Yes, hundreds of years have gone by and God appears to be silent and the church remains desolate and powerless but we have His word before us. Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” We know the outcome with Babylon and we know that God blessed Job even though satan tried to get him to curse God. We have a choice as to whether we continue to follow the powerless ways of man or return to God’s word and wait for Him to turn His face back to the church. What we call a long time is just a brief moment for God. Ezra 9:8 “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.” Isaiah 8:17 “I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.” Isaiah 54:7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.” Don’t give up!
