We’re on the Spot

When the prophet Samuel was looking for a man most suitable to succeed Saul as King of Israel he got a search warrant. Under Divine guidance his choice settled upon a youthful shepherd lad named David. The time was when Israel and the Philistines were at war with each other. The Philistines had as their champion a super giant who stood 9 feet 3 inches and carried a 153 pound load of armour. What a man! He was also endowed with a stentorian voice to bellow defiance to the Israel host that sent the surrounding landscape ringing and the Israelites quaking with fear and trembling. For forty mornings and evenings this pantomine went on in the same contemptuous scorn that, in these days, some clergy and professors of higher education say of those who believe in their Israelitish identity in effect – “Who are you anyway? You’re just a group of nomads who claim to be descendants of the lost ten tribes of Israel. You’re lost alright – no doubt about that. You have no leaders amongst you with honours and degrees of scholarship such as our theologians and educationalists have. Why, you even haven’t got a church – bah!?

In more boastful and barbarous terms Goliath taunted David – “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field. To which David replied: “I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel whom thou has defied . . .”

After David rejected armour he chose five smooth stones, and the two champions took up their respective positions for a showdown. David in his simple shepherd’s attire and Goliath in his heavy armour. David, full of Divine faith and confidence, didn’t dawdle or hedge, but RAN to meet his enemy. With a whirl of his slingshot he sank a stone in the forehead of his adversary with fatal results, which put the whole Philistine army to ignominious rout, and victory with its spoils to the Israelites.

Had we in this evil age the faith and courage of David we could scrap all our costly armament of astronomical billions and go forth to meet this modern Goliath antichrist that troubles us just as Jehoshaphat met the three-powered confederacy of Mount Seir, Moab and Ammon when they invaded Judah, and with the same result – they destroyed each other completely – none escaped. Read this “truth is stranger than fiction thriller” in the 20th chap. of Second Kings. It is a classic par excellence.

Even today, with the world rocking in fear of coming events, we COULD have a similar demonstration of God’s miraculous power. “See” he says, “I have given you the tool you need, but you don’t seem to want it; at least you don’t show any disposition to use it. Why? How can you expect to win without it, and why will you suffer needlessly?”

That puts us squarely on the spot and calls for an early answer. It also condemns us as rebels for aiding and abetting the enemy. Also it indicts us for not putting our trust in Almighty God.

There is a strong under-current of desire for NATIONAL REPENTANCE and INTERCESSION running through the nation, but we lack an organization under proper leadership.

Richard Jackson, an astute political reporter, in an article concerning one of the many crises which have disgraced the Federal Government, says – “The English have lost their country politically, and, so far, are too dumb and uncaring to know it.” Precisely! How accurately he describes us as a nation!

That excellent writer, Patience Strong, says –“We must mount an offensive, for which we are in the best possible position to do – because we have the backing of God’s Word, which is positive and dynamic.”

3. Shakespeare – “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, BUT IN OURSELVES that we are underlings.”

4. Almighty God – the Supreme Arbiter, states the conditions – “If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their lands.” II Chronicles 7:14

Here is a directive founded on wisdom. When we wake up, if ever, to the shocking discovery that we have betrayed our Divine stewardship, and lost the pearl of great price (The Kingdom) by default, there will be such a weeping and gnashing of teeth too horrible even to contemplate.

Let us hasten to accept His most gracious offer and implement its directions to choose a leader to organize a campaign for repentance and make that the bull’s eye of our activities.