October
2007
What if God Quit?
What if God quit, if he took down his shingle and got out of the redemption business, how long would it take you to notice? Would it be the next Sunday when you went to church? Up to seven days later? Would it be the next day when you sat down to pray with your Bible? Up to 24 hours later. Would it be the next time you were in trouble? Who knows how long that will be. The Shekinah or Glory of God (the pillar of fire and cloud) was the visible token of God’s presence with his people. The Lord intended his presence to go from Sinai, eventually, to Jerusalem. The constant presence of God with his people was an important part of Israel’s relationship with him, because he made provision for them and protected them in the context of his fellowship and relationship with them. In other words, Israel was to constantly experience the God’s mercy and love, and to enjoy his fellowship as part of their covenant with God; at the same time the Lord was working out his historical purposes for the world by involving Israel in building his kingdom. In the New Testament the kingdom of God advances by the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, and it depends on the activity, service, obedience and work of the Jesus’ disciples for that progress. After he ascended Jesus sent the promised Holy Spirit to the church to provide them with a personal token (actually the inner reality) of God’s presence with them constantly, to enable them to be effective in their service and obedience, and to provide them with the benefits of real and close fellowship with God.
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