Let us start by looking at instructions of Jesus in Luke 17; 26-33 in respect of the days that we live in.
26} And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. {27} They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. {28} Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builder; {29} But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. {30}Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. {17:31} In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. {32} Remember Lot’s wife. {33} Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose.
We have been given the code to decipher what the end of these age is going to look like and what we should do, The end of this age will be a time of reckoning when God will Judge men for their wickedness, violence and corruption. The instrument of judgment will come to the wicked suddenly and surprisingly like a thief in the night in the mist of man’s preoccupation with the ‘usual” such as business activities, social and family activities, essential activities such as eating, drinking, building, celebrating and a host of other activities that put pressure on man and preoccupies the mind distracting man from the essence of his creation which is to seek God, find him and be conformed into his image in spirit and truth.
The Flood and the Fire
The determinate counsel of God was revealed to Noah and Lot before the incident. These God’s prophets warned others as they were enjoined to do. The Gospel that will facilitate their deliverance and escape from Judgments was also given but it just did not make sense to them. In the same way, the Noah of this generation and the company of Lot are warning the earthmen of the impending disaster and the need to repent from religious activities and the pursuit of vanity driven by selfishness.
Ignorance in these days may no longer be an excuse and disobedience to divine instruction will attract heavy penalty just as it was in those days. Remember, they knew not until Noah entered the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all.
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all way; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
{Matt 24:40}
The Way Out
Let him which is in Judea flee to the mountain Mat4;16……….
Let him not come down… Let him not return …Luke 17;31
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. Gen 19;17
God ‘s method is to provide a way of escape for his people in the mist of impending Judgment not by taking his own away from the scene but by bringing them into a position or greater dimension of his power and glory where they cannot be touched. In Egypt, Israel was preserved in Goshem by his greater presence. Daniel was preserved in the mist of lions while others were torn to pieces; the three Hebrew children were untouched in the midst of a raging fire that consumed the men that threw them inside the fire. The pursuit of God’s people to escape the judgment is to rise up to a higher level of intimacy, obedience by seeking the ways and the thoughts of God which are higher than our ways and thoughts. In otherwise, using altitudinal dimensions, God dwells on high while men lives on the lower dimension. God dwell on the mountain top of Zion and invites men into that dimension. “Come up hither” was his bid to John on the island of Patmos. He requested Moses and Israel to come to Mountain but they would not. Our charge is to “flee to the mountain “ and leave the lower, carnal , inferior and lustful dimension into the higher ground of abounding love, peace, righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost.
As we can see in the experience of Lot, it is easier to stay on the lowland area of ease and pleasure, no wonder lot pleaded that he should be spared from the task of climbing to which the Angel reluctantly agreed as we can see in the next event . The cities of the plain which can only offer temporary security for men were eventually overthrown. However, just as before, those who are ascending the mountain of the Lord in this season will be resisted by the gravitational force of the flesh and humanity but “let him not come down”. The Kingdom mountaineers will be assailed by difficult terrain of the mountain , they will go through the school of disappointment, delay, loneliness, heat and dryness but it is these terrain that will assist the wayfarers in developing ‘ Hind’s feet” for high places. It is here that the required intimacy, the necessary sensitivity, consistency, strength and vitality is developed. Indeed the mountain climbers will suffer ‘violence’ and it is only ‘Violent commitment and determination and the violent force of love occasioned by clear vision of his purpose and deep revelation of His person” that will enabled this climbers to take the mountain top by force. It should also be noted that the Journey, difficult as it may, will break the power of the fleshy inertia and bring us into the realm of true worship, prayer and transformation.
At this juncture, we must recall the David’s men who climbed over Mount Zion through the dangerous waterways and forcefully eliminated the ‘ Jebusite Enemies” representing the forces of sin and the flesh and established the ‘ City of Zion” “ representing “the perfection of beauty’ which we are called into in Christ.
Let us be encouraged , shaking off every weight and distraction of the flesh, looking unto Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame , pressing beyond the veil as a pioneer leaving us an example that we should follow.
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