June 17: HIDING FROM THE LORD

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” Revelation 6: 15-16

There is much in the news about great world leaders coming together and planning what “must” be done to solve the world’s problems. The upper echelons of government, the business and banking sectors, the military, and the religio-political world have elaborate ideas and schemes to “save the planet” and “reduce the carbon footprint”. Some of the ideas and plans are put forth in such a way as to win political support, while others are purposely aired to stir up fear, strife and unrest. The unrest will serve as an excuse to use military force to back the plan. These things are intended to move the world toward acceptance of a centralized, totalitarian style of control. People will readily give up their freedoms for the sake of a “peace” that they do not know is counterfeit (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

The Bible presents a very different scenario for these days. Yes, things are getting worse by the day, but our trust is not in the plans of men. Our delightful task is to present the truth about the character of the Creator and His perfect plan for a total restoration of the earth. Every aspect of His plan is a revelation of His love. He is about the business of cleansing from sin—defined as the breaking of His law (1 John 3:4)—and preparing His people to live in a world of incredible beauty and perfection.

Our opening verses take us back to the Garden of Eden just after Adam and Eve sinned. Even though they knew the Lord intimately, their sin made them want to hide from Him. The separating effect of sin is more than a tragedy. It can lead to eternal loss of life, but God—our God of love—wants us to live! In love, pity, and compassion the Lord initiates the process of reconciliation with each of us: He comes to seek us out, asking “Where are you?” (see Genesis 3:8-9). Do you welcome that question? Are you willing to accept His offer of help.

Those who have rebuffed the Holy Spirit’s gentle calls will find themselves terrified when God comes near, even the great, rich, and mighty, along with common, everyday people, whether slave or free. No one who rejects the offer of salvation is immune to the sheer terror of the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The Bible makes it clear that people from all walks of life would rather be crushed under rocks than look upon the glorious splendor and majesty of the face of Him who sits on the throne, Almighty God. The description of our Savior as a Lamb makes it seem absurd that it could be so. But for those who love Him, to behold Him is the longing of their hearts.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, that I will seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4