Have you ever wished we were
back in the good old days? Maybe you’ve heard
someone say those words. It’s
been many years, but I’ve been guilty of saying that myself.
When I think about today’s
immorality, crime rate, high cost-of-living, threats of war, apostasy, etc. it
is tempting to wish for the good old days. On the other hand, we would not have
all the conveniences that are available today. Perhaps it would be better to be
content with where we are now and enjoy what the Lord provides each day. Yeah,
I think so too.
I could close at this point
and have the shortest article I’ve ever written, but there’s more to say. My
wife and I have been studying the Old Testament, having finished the New
Testament, and during this time I have noticed one glaring fact. As a
Christian, I am so glad to be living in the dispensation of the Church as
opposed to the dispensation of the Law.
In traveling through Exodus
and Leviticus, for example, we notice immediately that very rigid rules apply,
from God, for just about everything. There are many types of sacrifices to be
carried out to the letter. There are days, years and seasons to observe that
must be observed religiously. The Tabernacle had to be set up perfectly to
God’s standards, and even the positioning of the tribes around the Tabernacle was
a precise maneuver.
Please keep in mind that I am
just skimming the tree tops. I have not gone down into the forest of very, very
rigid commands that had to be followed precisely or die. If you think I’m
making this up, ask Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s priestly sons. (Leviticus
10:1-5) They learned the hard way, with their lives, to obey God or die. It
didn’t matter that they were sons of the high priest, Aaron. God took their lives
for disobeying Him and disrespecting their position. And get this, Aaron, their
father, was not even permitted by God to mourn their deaths.
Some may say, “Oh that was so
cruel of God.” No it wasn’t! God had to demonstrate to mankind, through Israel,
that He is holy and is to be treated as holy. Bottom line … He is God. We are
not. He demands respect as the one and only true God. If we were still under
the Law today, I hate to imagine the predicament we would all be in today. However,
payday is coming for this world, but that’s another subject.
Today, we can all be thankful
for the tremendous blessings that have been provided by Jesus giving His life
for us on the cross. Further, what a blessing that He rose from the grave and
is now in Heaven as our great High Priest.
Those who come to Jesus today
asking to be saved do not need to bring a bloody sacrifice to the altar.
Instead of looking toward the cross, as Israel did in those days, we are now
looking back to the cross. Our sacrifice has been provided by God; the
sacrifice of Himself. All we need do is call upon His name in faith, believing
upon Him and He will save us.
As a Christian I do not need
to meticulously keep many, many rituals required by the Law. Jesus fulfilled
the Law for us.
God is not far off, requiring
that I come to Him through a tabernacle priest. I can now come to my Father in
Heaven any time, day or night, and talk with Him. Why is that? Jesus made that
possible on the cross. If you recall, the veil that separated the holy place
from the holy of holies was split in two from top to bottom. There is no longer
a veil between us. (Those of you who are Catholic are being duped by the
leaders of your false religion.)
Another wonderful blessing is
that we have the entirety of God’s Word in the book we call the Bible, a
joining of the Old and New Testaments. This was not possible prior to the
dispensation of the Church age.
When we consider that we can
carry in one hand (the Bible) all that God wants us to hear from Him, and talk
with Him anytime, what a wonderful blessing that is! There is only one thing
that can top that, and that would be when we see Him face to face in Heaven,
when we can touch Him with our hands, and worship at His feet.
Yes, the world is a sin
infested, devilish hell-hole today, despite all the modern conveniences, but
there is one thing I love about living in the 21st century. I love
knowing that we will soon see Jesus come for His Church and deal with Satan and
his followers. What a thought, knowing that we are at the threshold of the book
of Revelation (and others) being fulfilled!
Why would any Christian long
for the good old days, when actually the good old days are just ahead. They are
not in the past! They could be any day now! I don’t know the date our Lord will
return for us, but I do know that He will. He gave us His Word, and His Word
has never failed. His last words to us were, “Surely, I come quickly.”
(Revelation 22:20) Now those will be the good old days!
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
