The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His King, and exalt the horn of His Anointed. 1 Samuel 2:10
A number of recent stories in the news have been about several religious denominations being forced to close more and more of their churches. Congregations are rapidly shrinking, and financial support is drying up. We look at some of these, and are not surprised. After all, they are offering their people little but social fluff with a religious twist, and many have abandoned most of the biblical doctrines on which they were once founded. But they are not alone in seeing declining numbers. Most denominations that have a semblance of evangelical doctrines are also struggling. And among our own Assemblies, many are reduced to a faithful aging few with dim prospects of surviving for many more years. People, including our own young people, are losing interest in the teachings of the Bible. Sin has become much more attractive. People don’t want to be reminded of their sin, and so ignore what God says about it. Immorality of all kinds has been accepted as the new norm of society. And Christians and their Bibles are targeted as evil suppressors of ‘human rights’. ‘Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you’ (1 Peter 4:4). What all these people are doing is opposing God. And it looks very much like they are winning their battles. But our text declares they have already lost the war.
It is natural for us to be frustrated as we see the enemies of Christ and His Gospel becoming stronger and more repressive of the truth. But what we see happening around us does not come as any surprise to God. In fact, the Bible predicted that all this would happen. So we should not be surprised either. Nor should we expect things to improve any time soon. The adversaries of God and His people will continue to grow in strength until you and I depart by way of the Rapture. The question remains whether it will be ourselves or our children who will be called upon to suffer deep and bloody persecution for our faith. But the likelihood of persecution is growing rapidly as adversity continues to gain strength. So we turn to today’s text and give thanks that not only will our adversaries be broken to pieces but God’s Annointed will be exalted. All in God’s time. But it will happen.
Note the reference in our text to the Lord judging the ends of the earth. Those who oppose God now, and rejoice in what they think they are getting away with, will find out there is a heavy price to pay for every act of rebellion. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7). But the Same Judge who will break the adversaries to pieces will lift up those who honour His King in His rejection. ‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Our text puts everything that we see around us today into perspective. Never forget, we are not only on the winning side, we are on the side that has already won! -Jim MacIntosh