August 28
Job 28:1-30:31 | PS 42:1-11 | Prov 22:7 | 2 Cor 2:12-17
In ancient Rome, at times when the empire would achieve a major victory, the senate would declare a holiday, and the city would hold a parade. Led by the general, the senate would be in full regalia, the Roman priests would be swinging smoking jars of incense, which would flood the air surrounding the large crowd gathered and over those following in the procession, the Roman soldiers being honored along with the captive enemies who were doomed to either slavery or death. Paul spoke 2 Corinthians 2:14, with this image in mind, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." We must never forget who we are in God's army. Whether the lead pastor of a church, or a member of a small congregation who goes about witnessing in His name, we are but soldiers, marching behind our General, Jesus Christ. It is for His glory, never our own.
We move from taking part in the triumphal march, to the pages of Job, who certainly would be a soldier in this procession. But our walk will not always be easy. These Roman soldiers had to fight in the battle. Job spent many years highly respected, as he functioned as God's emissary. Now in his weakened and diminished state in the eyes of the world, we read in Job 30:9-13, "And now I am their taunting song; Yes, I am their byword. They abhor me, they keep far from me; They do not hesitate to spit in my face...At my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise against me their ways of destruction. They break up my path, They promote calamity; They have no helper." These are our times. Isaiah spoke of them, when he said, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" As we see this played out in every major city in the world, we must never forget Who we answer to and Who we belong to, not the world, but the Lord.
We are in a battle as we enter end times. It seems that evil has gained a foothold in every arena of society. But we are God's fragrance in these times. We are God's soldiers and we are in the midst of a battle. Our general, and for that matter the crowd is not what the world applauds, but what God desires of us. We will be maligned, disrespected, and worse. During these times of upheaval we need to devour the contents of the Word of God, and seek Him fervently, as David expressed so vividly in Psalm 42:1-2, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?"
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: