All Things Continue*

Monday evening begins the Feast of Tabernacles, followed by Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah). The seven days of Tabernacles is related to the marriage supper of the Lamb, when the Bride is shut up with the Messiah for seven days as practiced by wedding couples. In the natural, a bride puts much preparation into her wedding dress, and the wedding plans. However, it is troubling to see that the Bride of Christ is not paying attention to the approaching wedding date, and the preparation that should accompany it. Revelation 19:7 tells us that the bride has made herself ready, but if all things remain the same, then we're missing something. Why are we not preparing? The apostle Peter wrote that there would be scoffers, though they are willfully ignorant, who know the Word of God, and recognize that there was a creation. These scoffers, walking in their own lusts, make the observation, "Where is the promise of his (Christ's) coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2 Pet. 3:4). These scoffers, who have knowledge of God, deliberately overlook that fact that not all things have indeed continued the same since creation, but the world was subject at one point to the judgment of God by the flood. This time, Peter wrote, the judgment against ungodly men will not be by flood, but by fire. (v. 5-7). The Lord does not rush into judgment, causing some to relax and go back to life as usual: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all (Jesus told us to take the Gospel to all nations) should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night..." (v.9-10). In this event, Peter wrote, the heavens will pass away, the elements, the earth and its works will be melted and burnt. Considering these things, Peter asked the church a question: "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (behavior, manner of life) and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (v. 11-13). This is the weaving and preparing of our wedding garment - knowing the truth of the prophecy of God concerning these coming events, and showing this knowledge in our behavior and manner: our lifestyle. We show our faith by our works, as James wrote. When the Pharisees demanded of Jesus to tell them when the kingdom of God would come, He answered that the kingdom was not in any physical place, but "the kingdom of God is within you." (Lk. 17:21). Jesus pointed out that up until the moment when Lot was removed from Sodom, and the door of the ark shut Noah in, life went on as it normally did: the people married, they ate and drank. Life seemed unchanging, as the scoffers of Peter had said. However, sudden catastrophe came: "Even thus it shall be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." (v. 26-30). Again, Peter pointed out how God's people should not be behaving with the same indifferenace: "...be sober...as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior, manner); Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." (1 Pet. 1:13-16). Our lifestyle is a witness to unbelievers, saving some as we will see. Our lifestyle is to reflect our calling in Christ as a "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light..." (1 Pet. 2:9). Peter explained that even as others may not believe, or may speak against us, even treating us as evil-doers, "...they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (v. 11-12). Our manner of life as a result of our preparation in faith can have a great impact on the unbeliever and the scorner (see also 1 Pet. 3:14-16). The divine power of God has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, that we may be partakers of the divine nature, escaping the lust and corruption of the world. (see 2 Pet. 1:3-4). Becoming partakers of the divine nature is a progressive walk, that we determine to begin and to continue:"...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 5-8). Paul also wrote concerning these same things: "...the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off conserning the former conversation (behavior, manner of life) the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness...Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Eph. 4:21-32). Our manner, behavior, and godly lifestyle, based upon our belief in the promises of God, not only affect our own wedding preparation for the day of Christ and the marriage supper, but also have an effect on a world that wrongly believes that "all things continue as they were". *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 9/19/21 message to the church. To contact, request prayer, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.