When God brought the children of Israel to the borders of the promised land, 10 rebels swayed the entire congregation to call God a liar and stone the leaders, saying… “Let us make a captain and return to Egypt!” Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in prayer, while Joshua and Caleb pleaded with the people, but to no avail. Everything went wrong. But as Moses continued in prayer, the Lord gave this promise: “As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord!” (Numbers 14). No unbelief and disobedience would stop His work to bring Israel into the land of Canaan, to bring His Son into the world to save us.
Habakkuk the prophet was grieved at the wickedness of his own leaders and horrified at the rise of Babylonian power. Everything was going wrong. But God assured Habakkuk that the labor of Babylonian power would end in futility, and He gave His promise again … “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). No captivity and exile would be able to stop the return of Israel to the land, or Christ from coming to earth. And it didn’t.
When Jesus was born, God gave the world “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” right under the noses of wicked oppressors. The Devil tried to kill Him at birth but couldn’t. He tried to seal the tomb and prevent His resurrection but couldn’t. He’s tried to burn Bibles, oppress Christ’s people, and stop the invitation of forgiveness and eternal life from going around the globe, but he couldn’t. What is happening that everything appears to be going wrong again? – it only means Christ’s return is near and the Devil is terrified. But we have the Everlasting Promise which shall be even more glorious in His consummation than in His humble beginning. For this time… “the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and ALL FLESH shall see it together.”
Maranatha!
(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)
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