March 9: CARRIED BY FAITH THROUGH THE NIGHT

Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). Revelation 21:25

Throughout history, open city gates have been, practically speaking, synonymous with times of peace. The use of the word peace in our fallen world is a relative term however, simply denoting a lack of declared war. The historical record indicates that, of the last three and a half thousand years, a whopping 92 percent of them have been marred by the experience of war. The poor 8 percent that is left is ravaged with the devastations and memories of war, along with fearful anticipations of future conflicts.

In spite of this heartbreaking record, God has consistently maintained a remnant of those who faithfully look to Him, fully trusting in His Providence for their eternal future. God’s people are supernaturally enabled to experience inner peace regardless of the circumstances that swirl around them. And then there have always been those who blame God for every disaster. Such thinking represents the acceptance of the enemy’s influence, whose goal it is to misrepresent Him and incite disobedience of His word, self-seeking among men, wreak havoc, and label every tragedy an “act of God”. The enemy misrepresents even the Lord’s patience, to place it in a false light, whispering, “See, you did this and you did that and you got away with it.” This slant upon the longsuffering of the loving Creator creates the impression that He approves of evil. Nothing could be further from the truth!

These open gates help us to visualize the coming reality of a world — a universe! — without enemies. Because of the presence of God, His glory, and His light that fills the Holy City, there shall be no night there. Today’s verse makes it clear that the gates will always be open. Everyone will be welcome at all times.

Remember that the Lord has given us every sunset to mark the end of each day and the beginning of the next (Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31). This designation suggests the exercise of faith through the darkness of night. It is a miniature picture of His Plan of Salvation, which places the believer in an ark of safety that brings him into the glorious, never-ending Light of Day. By contrast, our crafty enemy works to condition us to mark the beginning and end every day at the darkest hour of night; his evil intent is to alter times and the law of God (see Daniel 7:25). Nevertheless, along with Daniel, Isaiah envisioned the victory of those in the LORD and their glorious future with Him:

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:1-4

For further study: Isaiah 5:20-22; Lamentations 3:22-23; John 1:9; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Peter 1:19