“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25).
“…Until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.”
That statement seems to be using the word “fullness” to indicate a certain numerical definition. If so, I don’t know what the magic number is. That is, I have no idea what number fullness equals. I don’t think we are supposed to know. If we were, I believe God would have told us.
It occurs to me though, that Satan doesn’t know the exact number either. However, he certainly does know that we are nearing the end and therefore getting very close to the fullness number. And, in my opinion, he is also starting to smell smoke. His final destination is close. So, knowing his M.O. like we do, it stands to reason that he may be doing all he can right now to interfere with or at least delay, reaching this fullness number.
I have a question for us, as Christians: “Are we helping Satan interfere with or delay this process?”
I pray every day for discernment and understanding of everything I see, everything I read, everything I hear and every thought that crosses my mind. I think it’s important in these last of the last days we are living in that we be on our toes. I realize (more than you can possibly know) that there are many distractions, more and more each day, in fact to keep us from being on our guard, able to recognize, and be ever watchful for deceptions.
So if you pray for discernment, and then you get some, what do you do with it?
I’m thinking about the perpetrators of the brutal, evil, senseless murders in recent days. While sitting in my living room in my easy chair, watching the evening news reports for the past couple of days about the three in Oklahoma and now two more in Washington, I, like most everyone else, I suspect, have been outraged over it all, probably screaming at the TV just like some of you with the typical, same old responses.
I’ve had all the thoughts and verbalized them, all along the lines of, “Those guys are evil and should be put to death.” I have thought and said out loud, the same thing about the perpetrators of the chemical nerve gas murders in Syria. How in our wildest imaginations or nightmares did any human beings ever get to this level of depravity?
But right in the middle of one of those outraged, emotional outbursts, I got a little dose of discernment. What if—just what if—one of those perpetrators was the final number?
What if one or more of them equals the magic fulfillment number? What if one of my loved ones, one of my coworkers or one of my neighbors equals the fulfillment? I think it’s our human nature shining thru when we think along the lines of expecting mercy for ourselves, while desiring justice for others.
See, it occurs to me that I am just exactly like these perpetrators. I am just as filthy, just as evil, just as hateful, just as much a sinner as any of them are. The only difference is that my filthy, evil, hateful, sins have been covered by the blood of Christ. I am a sinner, saved by grace! Praise His Holy Name!
So, if you are looking and longing, as I am, for the Rapture and, if it’s true that the fullness of the Gentiles is almost in—then wouldn’t it stand to reason that we would be extremely interested in “bringing in the sheaves?”
Instead of pointing fingers and demanding justice for all the “thems” and “theys” of this world, shouldn’t we be working toward that goal by ministering to as many lost as we can right now, and praying without ceasing that the Holy Spirit will surround these perpetrators hearts, break their hearts and draw them to Him?
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6).
Don’t misunderstand please, I am not suggesting that these lawbreakers and evildoers get a “pass” or that they are set free or not held accountable for their actions. Not at all! It sure feels to me like we are being “nudged” down a road toward all-out chaos and violence, pitting “us” against “them,” whatever that means to each of us. And I don’t want to fall for those tricks and skip blindly down that road because I think “someone” is trying to distract us and prevent us from focusing on the big picture here.
I am only suggesting that from a Christian perspective, if we really hunger to reach our goal, which is to be raptured by our Bridegroom and taken to His Father’s house, then wouldn’t we desire to do everything we can to hasten that process? It’s only natural, normal human nature to be outraged by this type of evil that surrounds us these days and to be livid with anger toward the perpetrators. However, we are not “normal humans” anymore. We are “The Bride.” We are the children of the King. We are saved, by grace.
Please come quickly Lord Jesus, I want to go home!