Comment By Torchlight

Perplexity of Nations

The new instability of France has brought another grave problem to world statesmen. There are also ominous signs of serious unrest in other European states. Add to these the problems of Vietnam, the Nigerian civil war, the Middle East powder-keg, and the racial upheavals in the U.S.A., and the serious plight of mankind in this twentieth century assumes frightening proportions. It becomes increasingly evident that man is in the grip of forces he is powerless to control. In spite of increased knowledge and wonderful scientific achievements, in spite of many worthy schemes for social betterment, the greatest problem of all-the problem of sin remains unsolved by man. The plight of creation marred by sin, and its only hope of deliverance, are stated by the apostle Paul in the well-known passage:

"... the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans 8.20-23).

One divine purpose in the present age is to expose sin to be what it is. The prophetic word indicates that as the age moves to its climax, sin's power over mankind, and its daring challenge to the Most High will reach its zenith, and then its final defeat. If we did not know this we might well despair. The word of prophecy is "a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts" (2 Peter 1.19). Such knowledge brings with it solemn responsibilities, and in the light of it the apostle Peter asks, "What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness?" (2 Peter 3.11). This is a question for sober consideration by present-day Christians.

In Western lands the prevailing affluence and the indifference to spiritual realities are a constant threat to godly living. The danger is that we lapse into a Laodicean formality and be found "at ease in Zion". God forbid that in these momentous days of human history God's people should lose their sense of destiny! All our earthly possessions and hopes may vanish in smoke in a moment. If the nations are in perplexity, if the world is being shaken, then surely the fear of God should possess our hearts. We conclude this meditation with the challenging appeal of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians, equally relevant to ourselves:

"Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee" (Ephesians 5.14).

If sleep among the dead is overtaking us, let us arise to stand in the presence of Christ's glory and shed its radiance into the surrounding gloom.

The Blessed Dead

"There is ... a time to die", so wrote Solomon. This is no trite utterance; it expresses the most solemn fact in human experience. At this moment death is claiming its daily quota of mankind, and from the sorrow of the parting from loved ones flows a river of tears.

In recent months many of God's saints, "the excellent in the earth", have been called home to be with the Lord. We are poorer for their passing, and the sadness of such partings will continue until the Lord comes. The psalmist viewed the death of God's saints from a different angle when he wrote, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints" (Psalm 116.15). To us the lives of God's saints are precious, and treasured memories cluster round the brief years 3f their earthly sojourn. But God's saints belong to Him and death is the present means by which He gathers them to Himself. Their death is precious in His sight. It is as though He has said, "Enough, thy work is done, come up hither".

Several words are used in the New Testament to describe the Christian's departure from this life. Peter writes of "my decease" (2 Peter 1.15). The word used here is exodus, a word familiarized by its association with the people of Israel who departed from Egypt, with its sorrow and affliction, to go to "a better land", The death of the believer is also described as "falling asleep" (John 11.11; 1 Thessalonians 4.14). This views the Christian's day of toil as completed and his entrance into rest. When Paul contemplated his imminent death he wrote to Timothy, "The time of my departure is come" (2 Timothy 4.6). Dr. Moule comments thus on this verse, "The word rendered 'departure' is analusis, the Greek original of our 'analysis'. An analysis means a setting-free, a detachment, a separation of things or thoughts from one another. The original noun here, like the kindred verb in Philippians 1.23, denotes the undoing of a connexion, as it were, the untying of a cord, the weighing of an anchor, so as to set the voyager free to seek the further shore". This is a delightful picture of the Christian's loosing from earth and his departure for the better land. And what a welcome awaits him on the other side! There stands to welcome him One who loves God's saints more than we can ever love them. Let such thoughts temper our sorrow as we mourn the loss of our loved ones. Theirs is the better part. They are with Christ which is "very far better", they are "at home with the Lord".

"Oh they've reached the sunny shore!

They will never suffer more.

All their pain and grief are o'er,

Over there!

Oh they never shed a tear!

For the Lord Himself is near,

And to Him they're ever dear,

Over there."

Senator Robert Kennedy

A wave of shock passed through the world last month at the news of the brutal assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy. That a second member of the Kennedy family should be murdered in such tragic circumstances seemed incredible. Recalling the events of 4 1/2 years ago when President John F. Kennedy was shot at Dallas, there has been much speculation as to the significance of these happenings. We do not enter into such matters here except to express deep anxiety at the rising tide of violence which appears to be sweeping the world at the present time. The lust to destroy for its own sake is another alarming symptom of the sickness of the modern materialistic, godless society. We have referred to other aspects of this problem under the heading, "Perplexity of Nations", on page 99.

The tragedy at Los Angeles falls heavily on the Kennedy family and particularly on the wife and children of the murdered Senator. We are sure there will be much exercise in prayer regarding this matter. We need constantly reminding of our responsibility,

"... that supplications, prayers; intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men; for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who willeth that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2.l~).

unknown | Jul 1968
Comment By Torchlight