“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Hab. 2:14.
That the Church of God is to enjoy better days is most clearly revealed in the Scriptures; and yet, because of the darkness of men’s hearts and through unbelief, it is too little considered. The contemplation of the future prosperity of Zion is a matter fitted to encourage the hearts of God’s tried people in a dark day, as they look forward in faith to the fulfilment of the glorious things that are spoken of Zion. Unbelief questions the fulfilment of these promises, as of all other promises, but faith lays hold on them and draws from the promises the encouragement intended for the Church in them, being assured that all the promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus.
That the Church of God is today passing through a dark day few will dispute. It has been the experience of the Church down through the ages of time to have some bright seasons, some of these particularly glorious, and at other times to have seasons of adversity and trial. That both times are necessary for the Church of God is certain as all things are in the Lord’s hand who knows what is good for His Church. He is ordering and controlling all events with reference to the particular needs of His Church in every part of the world. We can be sure that the situation in which the Church finds itself at any particular point of time in history is not brought about merely through the will of man but ultimately by the will and purpose of Jehovah.
In the dark day the realisation that God is ordering all things for His own glory and for the good of His Cause in the world, should be a matter of rejoicing to His people and something to uplift their drooping hearts and spirits. They are to look beyond the dark and threatening clouds and see the bright shining of the glory of God behind all these things. He who has caused the dark clouds to interpose between His Church and their sensible enjoyment of His favour, is the One who can, at His will, disperse the clouds and cause His glory to shine in His Church with the brightness of noonday. When the beams of His glory break through it is to scatter the dark clouds and to refresh and revivify the earth with the warmth of His favour and Presence. Let us not then be cast down in the dark day if our hope is in the Lord. The One in whom we have come to trust is the omnipotent Jehovah who is able to turn the shadow of death into the morning.
For the coming of better days the true Church of God longs and prays and waits. Long did the Old Testament Church wait for the breaking of that day long promised, when Messiah would appear. Though many of the Old Testament saints never saw that day literally, yet they saw it by faith and rejoiced in it. Christ could say: “Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” When, in the fulness of time, the Saviour did appear there were those who were there to welcome His appearing. Elizabeth, Mary herself, Zacharias, Simeon, and Anna, the prophetess, the shepherds, the wise men from the east, as well as the angels of glory, all welcomed the dawning of that day. So it shall be also with the coming of the Saviour in the power of the Holy Spirit to ingraft the Jews into their own olive tree and to revive the Gentile world. Some who long for those days may be away in glory before that time comes. They, like Abraham of old, rejoice in anticipation of these promised blessings. Others may be spared to see them and be brought, like Simeon and others, to rejoice in the actual fulfilment of them.
The breaking of Christ in millennial glory on His Church will be to His people a day of rejoicing and a day of the gladness of their heart. At that time, like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, they will be eyewitnesses of the majesty of Zion’s King. God’s house will no longer be dark and desolate but full of light, and full to overflowing with souls seeking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward. The ordinances of God’s sanctuary will be life-giving and refreshing to the souls of the people of God. The ways of Zion will no longer mourn. Come, each one will say, let us go up to the house of the Lord and to the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. The ways of sin and evil will be desolate. The multitudes who found their pleasure in the ways of sin and evil will find their pleasure there no longer. Iniquity will hide her face for very shame. Days will then be on earth such as were never on earth since the world began. Only the Pentecostal blessing given to the early Church through the ascension of Christ to the right hand of power, will be in any way comparable to these days.
Will we not, then, sigh and long and pray and weep for those promised days of blessing? Are we not encouraged to pray for them? “I will yet be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them.” Let us humbly, believably, perseveringly plead for those days and who knows but we may even see the dawn of them.