A Call To The Remnant

For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. (Isa 54:6-8)

The times in which we live are like no other times in history. We are approaching the end of ages and the birth pangs have begun and everything that can be shaken is being shaken. This is true not only of our denominations and institutions, but also our secular institutions and governments. Now, what is true for institutions and churches is also true for individuals. God’s people are being tested in ways that they have never been tested before as individuals and in their personal walk with the Lord. Are you feeling forsaken today? Your faith in God maybe steadfast but you feel forsaken. Not only do you live in a barren land but that barrenness has also touched your own soul. Not only do you feel barren but trials have mounted one on top of the other and it seems that you are under judgement. I want to encourage you today saint, the afflictions of the land is touching your soul.

You do indeed live in a barren land and your righteous soul is vexed, could it be any other way? If judgement indeed begins at the house of the Lord, that judgment will affect you. Perhaps you have had to leave your church? Or, perhaps you are still there and are totally dismayed by the worldliness that surrounds you? Either way, you seem to be in a place that is hopeless? I want you to read the promise of God quoted above.

But with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. (1Sa 1:6-7)

Can you see the agony of Hannah? She herself was surrounded by fertile women but her womb was closed and this caused her to be ridiculed by her adversary. Perhaps there is little or nothing to show for your own walk with the Lord? Perhaps you hear the enemy whisper in your own ear that all you strivings and longings have produced nothing? If we look at the state of Israel in the midst of Hannah’s troubles we see something very disturbing.

1Sa 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

Can you see what was happening in the days of Eli? The word of the Lord was precious or rare and there was no open vision. People could not hear from God, the heavens were closed and when that happens then the flesh rises up and consumes. It is a bitter circle. It starts with disobedience and that creates distance from God until the voice of God grows silent and the flesh begins to dominates everything. Principally it begins with leadership, the priesthood, and the people follow suit. We see that the priesthood of Eli’s time was exceedingly wicked, demonstrated by his own two sons. This led to a famine in the land of the hearing of God’s revelation.

Can I suggest that we live in such a land. The vast majority of the shepherds have gone the way of the world and this has resulted in a famine of the revealed word of God in the land. The people starve through lack of true vision and word. In the end of Eli’s time, they even sought to use ark of the covenant in order to gain a victory over their enemies and the result was they lost the ark itself. All of their identity is taken away by a worldly enemy of theirs that they proved by their actions to be no different than.

Hannah’s distress leads to the birth of Samuel, one who hears from God. The distress of the family of Eli which represents the priesthood leads to the birth of Ichabod, displaying for all to see that the presence of God has departed. We can see this today. Ichabod and the priesthood of Eli is represented by what passes for Christendom and Samuel represents God’s remnant people here on earth. Now, I want you to see in a another place where there is a separation of the ark of God from the people of God and what I believe God is showing me what that means.

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to-morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. (Jos 3:4-5)

In this passage Joshua and the children of Israel are about to cross the Jordan into the promised land. As you know, they have wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Their fearfulness and lack of faith has condemned them to wander in circles until every one of fighting age in that generation had passed away, they would not enter the promised land. Now at last it was time. Can I suggest brothers and sisters that our generation has come to the very edge of the ages. It is not the Jordan that lies before us but it is the end of the ages that lie before us and we are about to see that place that the Lord Himself has prepared for us. This is our tumultuous time.

Now the ark of the Covenant and where it was positioned has always been highly significant in the Old Testament. David of course found this out the hard way, Eli heard of its capture and dies, Solomon places it in the temple and the shekinah glory falls. The Ark of the Covenant dominated the holy of Holies and represented the beating heart of God. When the Israelites moved from place to place they would set up their tabernacle in the midst of the people with the Ark of the Covenant at the very center. When they moved the Ark it was moved in the midst of the people. So we can see when it is removed from its regular place it becomes highly significant. Always remember , the Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of God. So, in the above passage we see that just prior to the children passing over into the promised land that the Ark is moved ahead of the people by two thousand cubits and they were told not to come near it. Now, two thousand cubits is just a little shy of a mile.

Now why do you suppose that the Ark is moved a mile in front of the people when its typical place was in the midst of the people? Does there seem to be distance between you and God right now? Your faith has not left you and you have been so used to have the presence of God in your midst but now there seems to be a distance between you and God. Can I suggest that the Ark was moved to the front of the people, a mile in front of the people so that they could follow God Himself to the very point of crossing over. A great miracle was just about to happen, the Jordan would be stopped so that the way could be made for them to enter into the promised land. All of God’s children would know that it was not by might nor by any power of their own but that it was by His Spirit and His Spirit alone that they would be taken from their wilderness wanderings into the promised land.

Can I tell you brothers and sisters that the Lord’s coming is at hand. We will pass from this world soon into that place that God has prepared for us. You have not been forsaken and with great mercies He shall gather you. In a little wrath God has hidden His face but with great mercies and everlasting kindness God will finish that which He has begun. Yes He has taken His place out in front of us but only so all can see and follow Him and trust Him. The time is at hand brothers and sisters, the whole earth is being shaken because the Bride-groom is returning for His Bride. Stand fast and follow the Lord brothers and sisters, put on the full armor of God for the times are drawing to their close and with great turbulence this world is coming to its end. And the Lord will lead and guide His people and He will be with us as we pass through the waters.