April 3: CONDITIONED BY THE ENEMY

In peering into the life of Abraham, God allows us to see that he was a servant and friend of God from the time that God called him, and also that much growth and learning was still to come. Abraham’s intention to be obedient to the LORD from the start of their relationship did not bring about an instant obliteration of the years of conditioning he had been immersed in since birth. The pagan culture of the Chaldeans had included polygamy, among other practices contrary to God’s will. This long-term conditioning had also affected Sarah. Therefore, the idea of bringing Hagar into the picture seemed “normal.”

One of our archenemy’s most effective strategies is that of conditioning. He does this deceptively and with subtlety, the ‘conditionees’ being unaware of the ‘conditioner’s’ insidious work. The family unit, as the Creator designed it, is a haven of trust and security; it is an ideal incubator, if you will, for children to grow and develop in a healthy way. The parents’ exclusive relationship with each other mirrors the exclusivity with which each of God’s people were intended to relate to Him. The ideal design for the family by the Creator has been under attack as far back as in the Garden of Eden. The enemy will use one family member against another in repeated scenarios, without their awareness of his manipulative intentions.

In the history of our world, every precept of our loving Creator has come under attack. This is especially true within the assembly of God’s people, the church, called to be a united messenger to the world, and symbolized by a woman in Scripture. God foresaw it all, which is why there is an extensive collection of prophets, prophecy, and loving warnings in His Word. The temple, or sanctuary, refers to a physical structure, building, or place of assembly that has been developed in Scripture to symbolize individuals as a dwelling place for God’s Spirit (see John 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19). It can also be a collective term, evidenced by context (1 Peter 2:5). This is especially significant in light of the Bible’s longest time prophecy:

And [the angel] said to me [Daniel], “For two thousand three hundred days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14

The part of the ancient Hebrew service that called for the cleansing of the sanctuary represented an aspect of God’s merciful judgment when the record of confessed sins, as well as those committed in ignorance, were removed (cleansed) from the sanctuary. The Lord is in the process of cleansing His sanctuary on earth – both as individuals and as a collective whole – in preparation for His return. According to the angel’s statement above, this segment of the fulfillment of the sanctuary service by our Great High Priest began in 1844. We have been, and are being, conditioned by the enemy to normalize practices that are not in accordance with His Word. But God, in His forbearance, is patiently working with His faithful people to help them overcome these things, that His Word may be proclaimed in its fullness and purity to all men everywhere . . .

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30 (see also Hebrews 9:7)

For further study: Ezra 7; Daniel 9:25; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Hebrews 9; Revelation 3:18,21