THE LORD SPOKE (September 14)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 4-6

You probably won’t have more than one at a time. And you may go through long dry spells when you won’t have even one. But it should be your objective to find that one. Chances are, it will be your mate. In fact, once you have a mate, it will be complicated to have another one of these. A close friend.

Even Jesus had a special friend among many friends. Besides the seventy, he had twelve who were especially close to him. He spent more time and had more intimate contact with three of those twelve but, even then, there was one who was known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. We can do no better. It’s okay to have several, even many, friends. But it’s essential to have one special friend upon whom we can lean. By the way, we also need to have someone lean on us too. Both to lean on us for our correction and to lean on us for our support. We need that. It’s as important to give as it is to take in a genuine friendship.

In all probability, that one special friend will be the mate God gives you. In most cases it would be difficult to have a mate and another special friend who is equally close. We’re just not made that way - either to divide our intimate attention between two or to allow our best friend to have another best friend. That’s a contradiction in terms. Best no longer means best if there is more than one object.

One of the main reasons for having a best friend is explained in our reading today:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord or three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

When one is down, the other can pick him up. Tomorrow, the reverse may be true. One’s strengths compliment those of the other. A genuine friend knows when to talk to you and when to shut up. A genuine friend knows what you need to hear and how to get you to listen, even when you don’t really want to hear it. A genuine friend doesn’t give up on you. Even when you blow up, he keeps on listening. He loves you enough to confront you. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6, KJV - the NIV says they “can be trusted”).

Take a look at the missionary teams formed in the Book of Acts. Sometimes they’re larger or smaller but they usually include three main components:

• a Paul - the dynamic leader, up front, speaking out, making mistakes, forging ahead
• a Barnabas - the grey-haired counselor, encouraging, calming down, correcting mistakes
• a Timothy - the young disciple, learning by observing, making his own mistakes

Together, they make an unbeatable team. In fact, they rub off on others who do more of the same (II Timothy 2:2). Even 2000 years later.


New Testament: Revelation 20

If something is said once in the Bible, that surely settles it. But if it’s repeated six times, should we not sit up and take notice? So how, pray tell, can an amillennialist look God in the eye and say there’s no such thing as a Millennium?

Nothing could be more clear or more absolute from Revelation 20 than the truth of a 1000-year period during which:

Rev. 20:2 - Satan will be bound
Rev. 20:3 - the nations will be freed from his deceit
Rev. 20:4 - Jesus Christ will reign
Rev. 20:6 - those resurrected beforehand will reign with Him

and after which:

Rev. 20:5 - many other saints will be resurrected
Rev. 20:7 - Satan will be released for a short time (c.f. Rev. 20:3)

So, how can an amillennialist deny that? Only by resorting to a non-literal interpretation. Only by ignoring the prophecies of Isaiah. And Zechariah. And Daniel. And a host of other passages of Scripture. Only by denying the biblical distinction between Israel and the Church. How else can all those prophecies regarding Israel’s future kingdom be ripped out of their context and misapplied to the Church? By spiritualizing, allegorizing, and mythologizing you can make them say anything you want.

But the fact is, they say “one thousand years”. And they say it emphatically.

By the end of the chapter, an awesome crescendo rises before a great white throne. The very earth and sky flee away. Myriads stand before the throne as the Book of Life is opened. The righteous Judge of all creation has the last word. The curse will have run its course and everything is new thereafter. The end of time has come.

When all my labors and trials are o’er,
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,
Will through the ages be glory for me.

O that will be glory for me,
Glory for me, glory for me,
When by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me.

When, by the gift of His infinite grace,
I am accorded in heaven a place,
Just to be there and to look on His face,
Will through the ages be glory for me.