Ecclesiastes 5:5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Awright friends, it’s that time again, Sunday! Time to gather round in sincere fellowship, giving thanks and praise to our wonderful God on His holy day! And there’s absolutely no excuse for it on this Canada Day holiday weekend. It’s of the utmost importance that we show our eternal gratitude for all the good things that He’s bestowed on our blessed country! We might be far from perfect, but we’re doing far better than most countries! And today we’re going to open with a popular song titled ‘The Days of Elijah (No God Like Jehovah). It was written in 1994 by Northern Irish Christian singer Robin Mark. There’s an interesting story behind the song which we will look at briefly after we sing it.
So, in an up-tempo, soulful, scintillating version of the song, let’s raise those sacrifices of praise to heaven on this Sunday, as we celebrate our country’s birthday. Singing: ‘These are the days of Elijah, Declaring the word of the Lord: And these are the days of Your servant Moses, Righteousness being restored. And though these are days of great trial, Of famine and darkness and sword, Still, we are the voice in the desert crying ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord!’ (Chorus Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun, at the trumpet call! Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes!)
These are the days of Ezekiel, The dry bones becoming as flesh. And these are the days of Your servant David, Rebuilding a temple of praise. These are the days of the harvest, The fields are as white in Your world! And we are the laborers in Your vineyard, Declaring the word of the Lord! (Chorus Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun, at the trumpet call! Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes! (Bridge There is no God like Jehovah. There is no God like Jehovah!’ (which we repeat some 11 times)
(Chorus Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun, at the trumpet call! Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes! Behold He comes, riding on the clouds Shining like the sun, at the trumpet call! Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes!’ Oh my people, that was indeed a rollicking version of the song! Even heaven rollicked along with us. (smile)
Now, let’s hear some of what the author has to say about the song. I’ll have to paraphrase it, because it’s pretty long. According to Robin Mark, ‘The song is principally a song of ‘hope’ which came from watching a television “Review of the Year” at the end of 1994. This was the year of the Rwandan civil war tragedy which claimed 1 million people’s lives, and also when the first ceasefires in (Northern Ireland) were declared. On this TV review were a lot of daft stories, happy stories, serious stories, and then absolutely devastating stories like the Rwandan situation.
As I watched the review unfold, I found myself despairing about the state of the world and, in prayer, began asking God if He was really in control and what sort of days were we living in. I felt in my spirit that He replied to my prayer by saying that indeed He was very much in control and that the days we were living in were special times when He would require Christians to be filled with integrity and to stand up for Him just like Elijah did, particularly with the prophets of Baal.
“These are ‘Elijah’ days”. Elijah’s story is in the book of Kings (1 Kings chapters 16-19) and you can read how he felt isolated and alone in the culture in which he lived. But God told him to stand up and speak for Him.’ And that’s exactly what God is saying to us right now my people! These are special times and He expects His followers to stand up strong on His behalf and fight the enemy tooth and nail, not run from them, as so many of us are doing.
Mark continues by saying ‘We also needed to be a holy and just people and hence the reference to the “days of your servant Moses”, meaning that righteousness and right living was important in all our attitudes and works. Now, we are under grace and not under law, but the righteousness that comes by faith can be no less than the moral law that Moses brought direct from God. It has not been superseded. In fact, Jesus told us that our ‘righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees”, who were the most ardent followers of Gods laws as presented by Moses. Jesus was after righteous, servant hearts, of course, that desired to live holy lives for Him.’
The full quote is: ‘For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case (by no means) enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ In other words, Jesus is “contrasting the external righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees with the interior righteousness that proceeds from the heart and which is to characterize his followers. Jesus is telling his disciples how to be righteous–not how to look righteous.” And unfortunately, that’s how many of us behave; we look righteous on the outside, but inside we’re like the Jesus described the scribes and Pharisees, ‘whited sepulchres filled with dead men’s bones.’ (Mat. 23:27)
Meanwhile, Mark informs us that “Days of great trial, of famine, darkness and sword” reflects the apparent times in which we live when thousands of people still die every day from starvation, malnutrition and war. In the midst of it all we are called to make a declaration of what and who we believe in. The second verse refers to the restoration of unity of the body, what Jesus prayed for – “that they may be one even as I and the Father are one…” by reference to Ezekiel’s prophetic vision of the valley of the dry bones becoming flesh and being knit together. (Ezek. 37) There are lots of interpretations of this picture, but one of a united church rising up in unity and purpose, is a powerful call on us in these days.’
And my fellow saints, the call for ‘a united church rising up in unity and purpose’ and fully doing Christ’s work has never been louder and more necessary, as we see our world continually sinking into the mire of death and destruction because we believers are not doing our best to keep it afloat and alive! And the “days of the Harvest” point towards the purpose of the Christian to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.’ That’s our bounden duty, our Great Commission, and there’s no doubt that we are failing at it.
And the reference to “The fields are as white in the world” refer to the ripe harvest of unbelievers, which we, as supposed labourers of the harvest, are not harvesting, because we’re either afraid or couldn’t care less. But let’s remember the Judgement Day, when we stand before the Lord and give an account of our lives. There’ll be no room for excuses or blame sharing then. That means for our own sakes we ought to get up and get together and do the Lord’s work like we promised to do when we became believers.
And we’ll close with these wise and most appropriate words from Cousin Sol writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5) Please let that be a serious warning to us my fellow Christians! Much LOVE!
…the unbelieving and idolatrous days of Elijah…have come back to haunt us…once again…let’s stand strong and conquer them…like they did in the days of old…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
SCRIP-BITS 