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https://deleilesanmi.org/babylon-and-zion/

CREATING ZION IN THE MIDST OF BABYLON : AN EXEGETICAL STUDY OF PSALMS 137:1

CREATING ZION IN THE MIDST OF BABYLON : AN EXEGETICAL STUDY OF PSALMS 137:1

By

Pastor Dele Ilesanmi  (Bamigbade ), PhD 

INTRODUCTION

Language can be denotatively or connotatively used. The choice of a speaker or writer in the use of a word is predicated on his/her circumstances or happenings around him/her at the time of speaking or writing the word. The diction can only be understood by those who understand the dynamics of language. The names of two great cities mentioned together in a sentence in the Bible: “Babylon” and “Zion” in Psalms 137:1 indicate two great opposing nations in character and religion, in social life and belief systems. “Babylon” represents everything evil. It is man’s city; it figures falsehood; and represents the kingdom of darkness. The other city, “Zion”, is a representation of everything good. It is God’s city; it figures truth; and represents the Kingdom of Light. These two cities exist in principles today: Babylon is the city of the world; Zion is the city of God. This paper is therefore set to unravel the nuances between the two great cities in relation to what each represents in the present circumstances of our lives, and their emerging trends in the contemporary world. The paper also beams search light on the possibility of creating haven of peace, safety, holiness, and better life, which Zion represents in the midst of a vast forest of violence, carnality, sensuality, decadence, corruption, and evil, which Babylon represents.

THE SYMBOLISM AND CONCEPTUALISATION OF BABYLON AND JERUSALEM (OR ZION)
Panoramic view

Babylon is a city-state in Southern Mesopotamia during Old Testament times. This city became a large empire that absorbed the nation of Judah and destroyed Jerusalem. Babylon was the principal and capital city of the Babylonian empire.
Babylon was known as the center of iniquity, carnality, worldliness, and religious plurality. Everything connected with it was in opposition to all righteousness and had negative effect on humanity. The principal building in the city of Babylon was a temple to a false god, which we often refer to as Bel or Baal. But eventually, Babylon was also destroyed by Xerxes in 478 B.C. 

Babylon symbolizes evil and God is set to destroy it:
“19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. 22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.” (Isa 13:19-22)

“37And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant… “52 Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan. 53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD. 54 A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans: 55 Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: 56 Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite. 57 And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 58 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.” (Jer. 51: 37; 52-58)

Babylon symbolizes harlotry and abomination:
“ And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Rev.17:5)
The cesspit of devils, foul spirit, and uncleanliness:
“ And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev.18:2)

Prophetic utterance for the fall of spiritual Babylon
“And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground” (Isa.21:9)
“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” (Rev.18:21)
Christians (the saints of God) are commanded to flee out of the midst of Babylon:
“Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; he will render unto her recompense.” (Jer. 51:6)
The Lord will not spare anyone that remains in spiritual Babylon

God’s judgment will come upon the spiritual Babylon:

“Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come “ (Rev.18:10)

The righteous will rejoice over the fall of spiritual Babylon .

“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.” (Rev.18:20)
“1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.” (Rev.19:1-3)

On the other hands, Zion is the name given by the Lord to His righteous Saints. The name has different connotations. The name “Zion” was first mentioned in the account of David’s conquest of Jerusalem (2Sam.5:6-10; 1Chron.11:49). Jerusalem was the name of the city-state as a whole, which “included numerous villages and houses located outside of the fortified area of the city itself.” The name “Zion” was used by biblical writers in a variety of ways. “It has sometimes been used, as by the prophet Micah, to refer to the location of ‘the mountain of the house of the Lord’—as some place apart from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:2).

According the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, “many of the psalmists used the term to refer to the temple built by Solomon (2:6; 48:2; 84:7; 132:13)”. Also in the Book of Isaiah, the idea of “Zion” included the whole nation (Isa.1:27). In Amos 6:1, “Zion” stood for the capital of Judah. But the most common usage of the name “Zion” was to refer to the city of God in the new age (Isa.1:27; 28:16;33:5). Zion was also understood as the heavenly Jerusalem (Isa.60:14; Heb.12:22; Rev.14:1). It is also believed that “the place where the Messiah would appear at the end of time. The glorification of the messianic community will take place on the holy mountain of “Zion”.

Zion is the pure in heart in any day, in any time, in any place.The people of Zion are of one heart and one mind; they dwell in righteousness, and there are no poor among them.

Zion symbolises a place of holiness and beauty:
“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.” (Ps.50:2)
“And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.” (Isaiah 4:5).

The Lord is the founder and sustainer of Zion:
“What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.”(Isa.14:32)
The righteous represents “Zion” – the city of the Lord
“The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa.60:14)

CONTEXTUAL EXEGESIS
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.”(Psalms 137:1).

This text reveals two cities that differ in socio-political and economic life; religious, spiritual and moral leaning. One is receptive to spiritual and moral rectitude while the other is hostile to it. One is a centre of love. kindness and holiness. The other city is a cesspool of hatred, carnality, molestation, rapes, kidnapping, and killings. The ownership of these two cities are different: one is controlled by God and the other by Satan. One represents the Kingdom of Light and the other the kingdom of darkness. In his work titled “Millennial Messiah”, McConkie describes the city of Babylon as:

“In prophetic imagery, Babylon is the world with all its carnality and wickedness. Babylon is the degenerate social order created by lustful men who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Babylon is the almighty governmental power that takes the saints of God into captivity; it is the false churches that build false temples and worship false gods; it is every false philosophy … that leads men away from God and salvation. Babylon is false and degenerate religion in all its forms and branches. Babylon is the communistic system that seeks to destroy the freedom of people in all nations and kingdoms; it is the Mafia and crime syndicates that murder and rob and steal; it is the secret combinations that seek for power and unrighteous dominion over the souls of men. Babylon is the promoter of pornography; it is organized crime and prostitution; it is every evil and wicked and
ungodly thing in our whole social structure” (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 424).
.
“Alas! the nations are in a deep sleep! They are drunken with the abominations of great Babylon! Their cup of wickedness is nearly full! It will soon overflow! Then shall the day of their visitation come—a day of sorrow and mourning—a day of great distress—a day of peril and war! The hosts of the mighty shall fall! The strength of the nations shall cease, and their glory shall pass away! … Then shall the remnant of the heathen know that the Lord is God, for they shall see and hear of his judgments, which he shall execute upon the corrupt powers of the earth. … O Babylon! thou hast decked thyself with costly ornaments! Thou hast clothed thyself with the most gaudy apparel! … Thine external appearance has excited the admiration of all nations. But internally thou art rotten. … Thou hast gathered the tares of the earth, and bound them in bundles, and made their bands strong, that they may be ready for the burning. O Babylon, thy cup is nearly full! Thine hour is close at hand! Thou shalt fall and not rise again!” (Orson Pratt, Masterful Discourses and Writings of Orson Pratt, 86–87).
“Here is a truism that all men should hear: Babylon fell, and her gods with her; and Babylon shall fall, and her gods with her. False gods create an evil society. The world is the world, and Babylon is Babylon, because they worship false gods. When men worship the true God according to gospel standards, their social conditions rival those in Enoch’s city; when men worship false gods, they fall into the ways of the world, and their social conditions become as those in Babylon. When we view the fall of Babylon anciently, what we see is the destruction of her idols and ways of worship; and we shall come to the fall of Babylon in the last days, it will be—oh blessed day—the destruction of false worship. … The great and abominable church shall tumble to the dust. False worship shall cease” (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 429–30).

Again, Zion is periscoped thus:
“We are here to build up the church of God, the Zion of God, and the kingdom of God, and to be on hand to do whatever God requires—first to purge ourselves from all iniquity, from covetousness and evil of every kind, to forsake sin of every sort, cultivate the Spirit of God, and help to build up his kingdom; to beautify Zion and have pleasant habitations, and pleasant gardens and orchards, until Zion shall be the most beautiful place there is on the earth. … Zion shall yet become the praise and the glory of the whole earth” (Taylor, Gospel Kingdom, 221).
“The people of the city of Enoch, because of their integrity and faithfulness, were as pilgrims and strangers on the earth. This is due to the fact that they were living the celestial law in a telestial world, and all were of one mind, perfectly obedient to all commandments of the Lord. When Christ comes, these people will be returned to the earth again, for this is their eternal abode” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:195).

As spiritual Babylon ripens in iniquity, a great latter-day Zion will be established.
“In the day of regeneration, when all things are made new, there will be three great cities that will be holy. One will be the Jerusalem of old which shall be rebuilt according to the prophecy of Ezekiel. One will be the city of Zion, or of Enoch, which was taken from the earth when Enoch was translated and which will be restored; and the city Zion, or New Jerusalem, which is to be built by the seed of Joseph on this the American continent” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:105).
“[The Lord] has told us in great plainness that the world will be in distress, that there will be warfare from one end of the world to the other, that the wicked shall slay the wicked and that peace shall be taken from the earth. And He has said, too, that the only place where there will be safety will be in Zion. Will we make this Zion? Will we keep it to be Zion, because Zion means the pure in heart?” (George Albert Smith, in Conference Report, Oct. 1941, 99).
“Jesus will never receive the Zion of God unless its people are united according to celestial law, for all who go into the presence of God have to go there by this law. Enoch had to practice this law, and we shall have to do the same if we are ever accepted of God as he was. It has been promised that the New Jerusalem will be built up in our day and generation, and it will have to be done by the United Order of Zion and according to celestial law” (Wilford Woodruff, in Journal of Discourses, 17:250).
“When Zion descends from above, Zion will also ascend from beneath, and be prepared to associate with those from above. The people will be so perfected and purified, ennobled, exalted, and dignified in their feelings and so truly humble and most worthy, virtuous and intelligent that they will be fit, when caught up, to associate with that Zion that shall come down from God out of heaven” (John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses, 10:147).
“We live in a day when the whole social structure is dividing itself into two camps. This is a day of the polarization of all people. In the Church the faithful members are perfecting their lives and drawing nearer to the Lord and his way of life. In the world wickedness is increasing and the rebellious and carnal among men are sinking to lower levels of evil and depravity than has been the case in any past days. These trends will continue unabated until the Lord comes. When he arrives there will be, on the one hand, a people prepared to meet him, and, on the other hand, there will be greater wickedness and carnality than has ever before been known. As time goes on, fewer and fewer among men will remain aloof from one or the other of these camps.
“Then when the Lord comes, he himself will both cause and complete the division among the people. Then there will be a great day of separation in which the wicked will be consumed and the righteous will be rewarded. …
“… The Lord does not delight in the destruction of the wicked. His bounteous mercy and grace and goodness are available for all men in all ages, but they are poured out only upon those whose works merit the receipt of such a wondrous boon. ‘For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be cut off.’” (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 554–55, 560).

There are many nations, especially in Africa that typify Babylon. The contemporary Babylon is an epicentre of sensuality, corruption, and decadence, terrorism, molestation, kidnapping, killing, and the worshipping of false gods which are seen in many cities, great and small, scattered across the globe. Babylon represents anything evil. In Rom.10:3, the Bible says, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
In the text under examination, we could discover that the author (though unknown) recalled the good old days before the conquest of Jerusalem by Babylon: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.”(Psalms 137:1). The people wept because they remembered when they were in Zion with full access to their God; access to social and infrastructural amenities; they wept because they remembered the time when they could eat their preferred food and chose the type of wears they liked from their wardrobes. They remembered that Zion was free from violence, corruption, decadence of any type, and evil as were experiencing in Babylon. Nigerians who were born 50 years ago could recall that Nigeria was a “Zion”. The socio-economic life of the people was better than the present time. Our Naira was stronger than Dollar. The standard of living was quite amazing. In 1980s, a tin of Peak milk was less than #20. Then I could buy milk for my dogs. I could recall that there was a time I sold a big cock, very big at the rate of #80. As at that time of Zion’s experience, Nigeria was already tilting towards Babylonian Captivity. I could walk more than six miles alone to the farm to join my father as a pupil after returning from school on Fridays and returned home on Sundays before dawn without any fear of attack of molestation. But, today, the story is different. So, as Nigerians, when we remember our Zion’s experience, with nostalgia, we are likely to weep if we truly experience Zion. Any country that has experienced the good old days and now strongly to go back to that time is already in her Babylon, trying to return to Zion. if you were rich before, had sound health before, and serving God before but the story has changed today, you are already in your Babylon – Babylonian captivity. Think of going back to your Zion.

CREATING ZION IN THE MIDST OF BABYLON
Given the features of Babylon above, one could conclude that Babylonian experience is not good. As Christians, it is highly imperative for us to create our own Zion in the midst of our present Babylon. As Nigerian Christians, we can still be holy in the midst of prevalent corruption. We can still hold on to our God regardless of the present threats from the power that be and other religions.
“Zion in the midst of Babylon.” What a luminous and incandescent phrase, as a light shining in the midst of spiritual darkness. What a concept to hold close to our hearts, as we see Babylon becoming more widespread. We see Babylon in our cities; we see Babylon in our communities; we see Babylon everywhere.
“And with the encroachment of Babylon, we have to create Zion in the midst of it. We should not allow ourselves to be engulfed by the culture which surrounds us. We seldom realize the extent to which we are a product of the culture of our place and time.
“During the days of ancient Israel, the people of the Lord were an island of the one true God, surrounded by an ocean of idolatry. The waves of that ocean crashed incessantly upon the shores of Israel. Despite the commandment to make no graven image and bow down before it, Israel seemingly could not help itself, influenced by the culture of the place and time. Over and over again—despite the prohibition of the Lord, despite what prophet and priest had said—Israel went seeking after strange gods and bowed down before them.
“How could Israel have forgotten the Lord, who brought them out of Egypt? They were constantly pressured by what was popular in the ambience in which they lived.
“What an insidious thing is this culture amidst which we live. It permeates our environment, and we think we are being reasonable and logical when, all too often, we have been molded by the ethos, what the Germans call the zeitgeist, or the culture of our place and time.
“There is, of course, a zeitgeist to which we should pay attention, and that is the ethos of the Lord, the culture of the people of God. As Peter states it, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9)…

“There may be a lesson here for us. We can create the real Zion among us by limiting the extent to which Babylon will influence our lives.
“When, about 600 years B.C., Nebuchadnezzar came from Babylon and conquered Judah, he carried away the people of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar selected some of the young men for special education and training.
“Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were to be the favored ones among the young people brought to Babylon. The king’s servant instructed them that they were to eat of the king’s meat and drink of the king’s wine.
“Let us clearly understand the pressures that the four young men were under. They had been carried away as captives by a conquering power and were in the household of a king who held the power of life or death over them. And yet Daniel and his brothers refused to do that which they believed to be wrong, however much the Babylonian culture believed it to be right. And for that fidelity and courage, the Lord blessed them and “gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom” (Dan. 1:17).

“Seduced by our culture, we often hardly recognize our idolatry, as our strings are pulled by that which is popular in the Babylonian world. Indeed, as the poet Wordsworth said: “The world is too much with us” (“The World Is Too Much with Us; Late and Soon,” in The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth [1924], 353). In his first epistle, John writes:
“I have written unto you … because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 Jn. 2:14–15).
We do not need to adopt the standards, the mores, and the morals of Babylon. We can create Zion in the midst of Babylon. We can have our own standards for music and literature and dance and film and language. We can have our own standards for dress and deportment, for politeness and respect. We can live in accordance with the Lord’s moral laws. We can limit how much of Babylon we allow into our homes by the media of communication.
“Wherever we are, whatever city we may live in, we can build our own Zion by the principles of the celestial kingdom and ever seek to become the pure in heart. Zion is the beautiful, and the Lord holds it in His own hands. Our homes can be places which are a refuge and protection, as Zion is.
“We do not need to become as puppets in the hands of the culture of the place and time. We can be courageous and can walk in the Lord’s paths and follow His footsteps. And if we do, we will be called Zion, and we will be the people of the Lord.
“I pray that we will be strengthened to resist the onslaught of Babylon and that we can create Zion in our homes and our communities—indeed, that we may have “Zion in the midst of Babylon.”3

CONCLUSION
As Christians, we need to be optimistic that one day we will return to Zion. Our future is very bright. We need to remind ourselves that Enoch and his people created Zion in their day, and the four Hebrew men: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah created Zion during the time of great wickedness and evil in the land of Babylon. We can do the same. Our Babylon will soon fall, and our Zion will soon be established, and we shall all shout for joy at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

END NOTES
Beautifully explained in “Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary”, 2003
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/35-fall-of-babylon-and-establishment-of-zion?lang=eng. Accessed on 28/04/21
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2006/04/zion-in-the-midst-of-babylon?lang=eng. Accessed on 28/04/21

PROVINCIAL PROGRAMME TAGGED “FROM BABYLON TO ZION ” HOLDS BETWEEN FRIDAY 30TH APRIL AND 2ND SUNDAY, MAY 2021. MINISTERING : PICP EKITI PROVINCE 9, PST OMOTOSHO EMMANUEL K. THIS PROGRAMME WILL HOLD IN ALL OUR AREA HEADQUATERS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AND ALL WILL CONVERGE AT THE PROVINCIAL HQRTS ON SUNDAY. TIME: 4PM DAILY. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU COME.

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EDUCATING FOR LIFE: REFLECTIONS ON NATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITYY
By
Pastor Dele Ilesanmi (PhD)

“I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety.” (Psalms 4:8, HCSB)

Introduction
No doubt, so much discussions and conferences have been held and much has been written on the issue of national peace and security world over. The spate of insecurity around the world today, cascading in torrents, calls for concern and makes it crystal clear that the present world is incapable of dispensing peace and curbing or stemming insecurity.

The Capsule Reality
It is evidently clear that the daily manifestation of gruesome killings, obnoxious kidnappings, molestations, rapes, arsons, wanton destruction of property with impunity are signs of a failed nation-state. All these poignant leanings are not companions of peace and security or safety. Peace and safety are absent in a nation where one cannot sleep in one’s house with two eyes closed without being afraid of attack. Peace and safety are no more in a country where institutions of learning, banks, companies, markets, farms, palaces and churches are objects of attack every day. Our roads are no more safe. Going in a car to your office is risky. Walking on the road to your home or place of work is dangerous. Going to the contiguous or adjoining street or town to visit your friends or attend a meeting is not advisable. You cannot send your child on an errand to a neighbour’s house without entertaining fears. There is palpable fear in the land. No one can predict the next line of actions of the assailants, or rather the bandits.

Without economizing the truth, there is a systemic collapse in all sectors of the economy. Things are in state of imbroglio. The security apparatus has failed. The military power has been weakened and the intelligence agencies of all the nations of the world are confused. The centre cannot hold again. The governments at all levels have used all the weapons in their arsenals to curb the spate of insecurity but to no avail. The security and intelligence professionals are in total disarray. The proposals, theories and hypotheses for panacea from the ivory towers are nothing but irrelevant to the real situation. Now the whole world has caught cold and sneeze from the shambolic water of insecurity. Having tried all the necessary available options to us with little or no result, we are only left with one option: JESUS. He is our Prince of Peace (Isa.9:6) and the only Hope of our safety (Prov.21:31).

Concise Concepts of Peace and Security
Peace and security have attracted many definitions. Though, this is not strange given the appalling trend of acrimony and insecurity around the world today. Without recourse to academic jargons, peace and security or safety can be lexically explained. Peace is a “state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony”. It is an “absence of violence”; and “cessation of war”; freedom from oppression and attacks. Safety, on the other hand, is the condition of being secured, protected, and freed from attacks. National security is the ability of a nation-state to cater for the protection and defence of its citizenry.

This national security covers many other things such as political security, economic security, homeland security, energy and natural resources security, cyber security, human security ( includes peoples’ safety from hunger, disease and repression include harmful disruption of daily life.), among others. In summary, national security is the safekeeping of the nation as a whole. And without this national security there will not be national peace. Thus peace is predicated on security. When there is no security, there will be no peace. But the giver of both is JESUS.

In His own comfortable skin, Jesus, the only hope of our peace and safety, encapsulates the concept of peace in Matt.5:38-41 thus:
38Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

This is a very hard thing to do as human beings. However, this is not hard for people who have the mind of Christ (1Cor.2:16; Phil.2:5-8). Jesus wants peace not rewarding evil with evil. He wants us to eschew evil and do good, and pursue peace (1Pet.3:11 cf.2Tim.2:22). He wants jaw-jaw and not “war-war”. In Romans 14:19, Paul said “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”

Here is the Right Solution:
Secular Views: Quasi Solutions
In his popular book, “Philosophy of Christian Education: An African Perspective”, Prof Joseph Ilori identifies three methods by which we may seek to solve the world’s problems. The first method is revolution, which means, violent upheaval. This may cause a sudden change in government and society. The great educators like Socrates, Erasmus, and Tolstoy believed that change must come from within, such change must be predicated on ethical principles. The second method, according to Ilori, is war. It is believed by Heraclitus in Greece that “war is the father of all things and that it creates the seed for progress”. Hegel made a declaration that “war decides the destiny of the world”. In his response to war, Nietzsche said “war is the essence of civilization”. Ilori mentioned Christian education as the third option for solving the world’s problems. He illuminates that Christian education “works slowly, in an evolutionary manner. It creates no sudden utopias. It offers no magic remedies. It gives no categorical promises. It demands effort and discipline. It awakens man to his own creative possibilities’. He concludes that Christian education is man’s most formidable tool for survival.
According to Winston Churchill, “to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war”. In his own view, Benjamin Franklin said, “There never was a good war or bad peace”. In other words, peace is peace and is better than war because war always has side effects but not peace.

Biblical Views: Right and Reliable Solution
As divinely pointed out by the king of Israel, Solomon, the son of David, safety is the exclusive power of God: “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD” (Prov.21:31). The safety of the world and Nigeria is the Lord. The horse, the weapons, the security apparatus and military intelligence cannot save us – they are not reliable. The Psalmist said in Psalms 33:17, “An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.” Thus the safety of any nation is the Lord. This can be corroborated by a song of degrees earlier sang for Solomon in Psalms 127:1: “…except the LORD keep the city (nation), the watchman waketh but in vain.” This implies that human efforts are useless without God – only God can protect a nation. Hence, King Solomon, the wisest man ever lived on earth, submits in Eccl.7:12 that wisdom and true (Christian) education are better than money (or weapons), even though money is important: “For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.” Thus, it is imperative for all the nations of the world to seek Wisdom first because this Wisdom is Christ Jesus, who is the power and Wisdom of God (1Cor. 1:24).

The right solution to our problems of lack of peace and insecurity is here and can only be found in JESUS. Jesus is the dispenser of peace not the world. In John 16:33, He (Jesus) says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” It is only in Him we can have our peace and not in any one. This is a very clear statement from the Prince of Peace Himself. He is the conduit through which our peace can be secured. In Rom.5:1, Paul, the apostle testifies to this: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Jesus is not a religion but a Saviour (Matt.1:21); Jesus is not a man but the Prince of peace (Isa.9:6); Jesus is not a method but the Preacher of peace (Eph.2:17); Jesus is not a mere historical figure but our Peace (Eph.2:14). Jesus is not only the Life but the Life and Light of all men (John 1:4; cf. 1:9; 8:12; 9:5).

Conclusion
Perfect peace is possible for anyone (or nation) who wishes to accept Jesus Christ into his/her life. A nation that is ready for peace will be ready to accept Jesus Christ. That is the only way to enjoy peace – that is the only lasting solution to intractable problems confronting our national peace and security. The Book of Isa.26:3 is our witness: If anyone stays in Christ “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Therefore, the only way out of this mess in our national life is to run to Christ, only in Him our peace and safety can be guaranteed (Prov.18:10 cf. Acts 4:12). Though this goes beyond religious inclination, we have not heard any genuine Christian who is a terrorist – who kills innocent people in the name of a religion. Anyone who has the mind of Jesus cannot terrorise his nation. Jesus is not a religion but the Life (John 1:4; 11:25). Accept Him today to have your lasting peace and security. This education for life is coming to a people or a nation that lacks the TRUE EDUCATION, not the type we receive in our secular schools but the one that can engender lasting peace and security. The education that is Bible based, Christ centred, Holy Spirit controlled, life applied, and socially relevant. The education that produces peace, and not terrorism and banditry. May your spiritual eyes of understanding be enlightened in Jesus’ name (Eph.1:18).

To spiritually and imaginatively enter Paul’s world, I therefore pray that may the God of peace be with you all in all nations of the world and in Nigeria. Amen (Rom.15:33).

Click on deleilesanmi.org for further spiritual enrichment or https://pstdeleilesanmi1.cw.center

• 

DOES GOD EXIST?
By
Pastor Dele Ilesanmi(PhD)

No doubt, the question of God’s existence is the most important question of human philosophy. This is philosophically theological though, we cannot confine the understanding of God into a philosophical and theological discourse. God is beyond what we can understand within the purview of academic discourse. Perhaps, hence, the question is often asked and answers are given, yet people still ask the same question ad infinitum. Probably the answers given are not adequate. No doubt, the answers to be given here will be longer than the question asked. After all, question is derived from ignorance and answer is derived from knowledge. It is very easy for me to answer this question straight away that God exists. But that will be shallow to the scholars. Hence, this question is reconstructed thus: How can we know that God exist? Therefore, this piece is set to explain or prove the existence of God.

God is too great for us to fully understand. That may be the major reason for people to ask the question: Does God exists ad infinitum. That does not mean we cannot understand Him. Indeed, this God has no beginning and He has no end. There is no place where His presence is not felt. His knowledge transcends all other beings. He is distinct from and transcendent to all His creatures. This is a mystery. Defining Him, therefore, means limiting Him. He is very difficult to define because it is impossible to perfectly define what you do not know its beginning and ending. No man knows the beginning of God; man is mortal and limited in knowledge and wisdom. Thus, man is incapable of defining his Creator. This is because no one can fathom His mysteries; no one can probe the limit of His Almightiness (NIV, Job 11:7). Besides, He is the Creator of heaven and the earth and no one can fathom His understanding, or rather there is no searching of His understanding ( Isa.40:28). Therefore, this write-up is not set to define God but can only attempt to describe Him.

The Bible presents the description of God as He has revealed Himself. God is personal (Exo.3:13-15; 6:3; Isa.42:8); God is spiritual (John 4:24); and God is holy and you cannot compare Him to any being (Isa.40:25). What is more, God’s attributes distinguish Him from other beings. Metaphysically, God is self-existent, external, and unchanging; intellectually, our God is omniscient, faithful, and wise; ethically, this God is holy, righteous, and loving; emotionally, God detests evil, He is long-suffering, and is, indeed, compassionate; existentially speaking, our God is free, authentic, and omnipotent; and rationally, God is transcendent in being, immanent universally in providential activity, and immanent with His people in redemptive activity ( Lewis G.R in Horton, David(ed.)et al. pp98-117, 2006).

How can we then know that God exists? This question can be answered in two parts. First, we should know that everyone has an “inner consciousness of God”. And, second, the Holy Scripture and nature itself are evidence of His existence. Besides, there are four traditional proofs about the existence of God or what I can call four theophilogical arguments about the existence of God. These are: cosmological, teleological, ontological, and moral arguments. The cosmological argument proves God to be the cosmic Designer; the teleological says that God designs the universe with a purpose and that He is an intelligent God; the ontological argument concludes that there is no being greater than God that can be conceived, which can be said to be in existence; while the moral arguments explains that God is a moral God, He is the Judge in whom all will give account to, who will finally judge the whole world. Every man is accountable to this God. Thus He exists.

Beyond these arguments, all people understand that they are God’s creatures and He is their Creator. Paul, the apostle, says “… they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened”(Rom.1:21). What to know about God has been made known to us already and this is very plain (Rom.1:19). Thus whosoever denies the existence of God is only willfully rejecting the truth that he knows. It means that such a person is a fool (Psalms14:1; 53:1).

With the benefit of hindsight, to know that God exists is crystal clear. Indeed, the revelation of God to man does not completely exhaust His being and activity. Although to some He is arguably incomprehensible, no man can absolutely fathom Him (Deut.29:29; Job 36:26; Isa.40:28). He cannot be comprehended but can only be apprehended. Sancy says “Finitude cannot comprehend infinity, nor human thought patterns, which are associated with the created environment, completely grasp the transcendent realm of God” (Horton, op.cit.pp88). Robert says on the basis of this limitation of human reasoning, some strains of mystical theology have denied of knowing God. For example, modern rationalism has argued for the “unknowability” of God. No wonder the fool denies the existence of God (Psalm 14:1).

There are theistic proofs that God exists as mentioned above. The cosmological, teleological, ontological, and moral arguments point to one thing: God’s existence. However, we can also identify three major ways in which we can know that God exists. According to Arlie J.H, the priori approach argues that from a conception of God as being so perfect that His non-existence is inconceivable. He says that a posteriori approach gives evidence from the world, from observable, empirical universe, insisting that God is necessary to explain certain features of cosmos because He is the Creator. The last approach is the existential approach, which asserts that the direct experience of God is by way of personal revelation (Horton, et al. op,cit.pp 348-356).

With the benefit of hindsight, therefore, does God exist? Yes, He does.

THURSDAY DIVINE TOUCH HOLDS AT SANCTUARY OF LIFE PARISH, ZONAL HEADQUARTERS, EKITI PROVINCE 9. MINISTERING : PASTOR ILESANMI DELE A  ( PICZ ) AT 5PM.*

• 

JESUS: THE CRUCIFIED GOD IS ALIVE 
By
Pastor Dele. A Ilesanmi

• 

“12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Col. 1:12-21, KJV; Emphasis mine)
“5 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.
7 He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.
8 And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.”(Phil.2:5-8, NLT, cf. John 1:1, 14; Emphasis mine).
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Tim.3:16)

Introduction

A cursory look at the resurrection accounts of our Lord Jesus Christ in the four Gospels reveals a wide variety of material. Admittedly, any attempt at harmonizing the accounts will be speculative, and dogmatism must be absolutely avoided. Certainly, each account shows a possible arrangement of events in a credible sequence.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus is one of the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith. His bodily resurrection validates the claim that he is both Christ the Lord and God – God incarnate (John 1:1, 14; 20:28; Col.1:13-16; Phil. 2:6; cf.1John 5:7) and that by His death we have forgiveness of sin, salvation and redemption (1 Tim. 1:15; Lk. 19:10; Jn. 3:17; Matt. 9:13; Rom. 5:6-11; 1 Jn. 3:5; 1 Jn. 4:14; Rev. 5:9). This also substantiates the proposition that His life and death were not just the life and death of a good man but that He is indeed God incarnate and that by His blood which He shed on the cross we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins (Col.1:14). Admittedly, Thomas, one of His disciples, confessed this to the whole world when he confirmed that Jesus is God in human flesh in John 20:28 “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” This is a mystery!

The Great Mystery: A Religious Truth, Not an Academic Discourse

This is a great mystery – a great mystery that can only be understood by a spiritual man. This great mystery is not within the purview of academic discourse. It can only be discerned spiritually by a man who has the mind of Christ in him (1Cor.2:10-16). Thus, there is need to demystify and demythologize this considering Jesus’ deity as God the Son and God-incarnate (John 1:1, 14). This will be done by employing what this writer calls “Biblical Functional and Ontological Models” in this paper.

It should be noted here that “mystery” is a religious truth that cannot be understood by the application of human reason alone without divine help. So, when we talk about “mystery” here, we mean a religious truth that goes beyond human reasoning until there is divine aid. Thus, when we say Jesus is “Son of God” and yet He is “God” – this is a great mystery – a religious truth that can only be understood by a spiritual man. It takes the spiritual man to understand the spiritual things: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”(1Cor.2:14).
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Tim.3:16).

The Question: Who Is Jesus?

The question, ‘who is Jesus?’ is again asked. Right from the New Testament days to the present day, the question of who Jesus is generates conflicting views. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were confused about the personality and deity of Jesus Christ. The church and the people outside the church, the heathens, are differed in their views. Having given the benefit of hindsight about His identity, Jesus asked His disciple a theological question, “Who do men say that I am?” (Mark 8:27; cf, Matt.16:13; Lk.9:18). The answers given by His disciples show that there is a great variety of opinions among the people: for example, “some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets.” Then, Jesus went on in His theological enquiry whether His own disciples who have been with Him for some time know Him or not. He asked them this question: “But whom say ye that I am?” (Lk.9:20; Mark 8:29; Mat.16:15). Indeed, this is the heart of the matter. At least every one has to give his own personal answer and make his own personal confession.

In recent years, this question forms the epicentre of theological discussion, which has culminated in Christological debate. Although the substance of this paper is not to join in this Christological debate, it is to demystify and demythologise the deity of Jesus Christ through functional and ontological models. To save time and space, “The central statement of the Christology of the Ancient Church is that God becomes one with man: Jesus Christ “Very God and very man”.’ For those who care to know, the Council of Nicaea (AD325) states:

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance(homoousion) with the Father, by whom all things were made.

The debate about who Jesus is lies mainly on the suggestion of Oscar Cullman in his classic book, “The Christology of the New Testament”, that ‘while the Greeks were more interested in nature or an ontological Christology, the Jewish people were more interested in a functional Christology. Similarly, today some people place a greater emphasis on the “deeds” or “action” of Jesus Christ than His nature or being and vice versa.

Functional and Ontological Models

Jesus is functionally equivalent to God; He has the same power and authority as the God of Israel. For example, power to heal the sick (Mark 1:32-34; Acts3:6; 10:38); power to teach authoritatively (Mark1:21-22; 13:31); to forgive sins(Mark 2:1-12; Lk 24:47; Acts.5:31; Col.1:14; 3:13; Heb.8:12); He has the power to save, to give eternal life (Acts 4:12; Rom.10:12-14; 6:23b; phil.3:20; Jude 1:25; 1John 5:11-12); to raise the dead (Lk.7:11-17; John 5:21; 6:40); power to exercise judgment(Mat.25:31-46; John 5:19-29; Acts 10:42; 1Cor.4:4-5; 2Tim.4:1), just to mention a few.

On the ontological dimension, Jesus is God. The incarnational theology of John is a clear revelation that Jesus is God (John 1:1-18). Time does not permit me to dwell extensively on this here. To know that only God (Jesus) is mighty to save, the name JESUS means SAVIOUR (Mat.1:21). Jesus is also called God (Mat.1:23). Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, called Him (Jesus) “My Lord and my God” when he confirmed that the same Jesus (God) that was killed, crucified and buried resurrected (John 20:28). Resurrection of the Christ stands in a class of its own that Jesus is mighty to save. Apart from “countless” miracles He performed, He, Jesus, the very God that was crucified, still performed one other miracle after His resurrection to demonstrate His divine nature and /or deity. This is the miracle of the GREAT CATCH OF FISH (John 21:4-14). When He resurrected, He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Mat.28:18). He is talking about power to save, to deliver, to judge, and power to do all things as God who will never die – the Great “I AM”.

Jesus may be called a Prophet and a good Teacher; His utterances lend more credence to His divinity or deity as the very God of all. For example, His role as a Prophet, He did not use the trademark formula: “Thus saith the Lord”. Instead, He spoke authoritatively. Jesus went beyond the function and moves to ontological plane when He used the seven ego eimi (“I am”) utterances:

“I AM the Bread of life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51);
“I AM the Light of the world” (John 8:12);
“I AM the Door of the sheep” (John 10:7, 9);
“I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 11:25);
“I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25);
“I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6); and
“I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1, 5).

For the avoidance of doubt, Jesus declared Himself emphatically in John 8:58 as the “I AM” of the Old Testament, who had been before Abraham – a more direct claim to His deity. Hear Him: “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” In other words, He has been before the formation of the world and through Him all things were created, or rather He is the Creator of all things (John 1:1-4; Col.1:12-21). All this lends credence to ontological Christology.

The Crucified God Is Alive: Power of Resurrection is another Mystery
Admittedly, Jesus, the very God of all, was crucified for the sin He never committed. Truly, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the awesome, incontrovertible and indomitable power of God. That is the power that conquered sin, Satan, death and grave, an indubitable, exceeding great power (Eph. 1:19). Jesus declares:

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death (Rev. 1:18); All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18).

That same power – power of His resurrection – will be at work only in those who know Him (Phil. 3:10). And the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead will dwell in only those who believe Him (Rom. 8:11); they will have power over death, Satan, sickness, disease, poverty, barrenness, serpents, poison and over all elemental forces of darkness if they obey His commandments like the disciples of old by preaching the Gospel to every creature (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark. 16:15-18; Lk. 10:19).

What is more, for those who have accepted the gift of faith, Jesus is much more than a mere historical figure, a prophet, and a good teacher. He is the Christ, the Savour, the Son of God, and the very God of all that was crucified. He is God-incarnate. He came to the people He created on earth to save them from their sins, to establish the (His) spiritual Kingdom of God on earth, and to offer the promise of eternal life to all those who believe Him. But the greatest surprise is that He came to His own but His own recognizes Him not as God (John1:10-11).The books of Colossians, Philippians and John early cited chronologically above in the beginning of this piece give a graphic picture of a God the Father who is a God-incarnate the Son, with an “ontological equality but economic subordination”.

Easter Message

The main thrust of Easter message is that Jesus died and rose again; He conquered sin, Satan, Sickness, oppression, death; that all powers in heaven and on earth belong to Him; that anyone who believes in Him is free and will not perish but have everlasting life; that we should show love to one another; that the spirit of humility should be permitted in our lives; that a believer will not die again but live forever in the presence of God; that the Gospel of Christ is the only message that can save the World; that your attitude to this will determine where to spend your eternity; and that the proclamation of this message will change your life and clothe you with the power of God.

In Conclusion

In the air of finality, Christ Jesus is the Ultimate Reality, the Ultimate Revelation of God, the Ontological and Absolute Reality. His deity is the bedrock of Christianity and the fulcrum on which the entire cosmos revolves (John 1:1-14; Col. 1:12-21; Phil.2:5-8,). This makes Christianity the only religion that portrays the very nature of God Himself. Thus, Christianity as a religion is teleological. This essentially distinguishes it from all other faiths or monotheistic faiths. Jesus is the True God and the true God is eternal life and that eternal life is Christ Jesus (1John 1:2; 5:11, 12, 20). Therefore, the real God, our Saviour, the very Voice of Hope, the very Hope of the entire world (1 Tim.1:1). He is the reason for the dawning of new day of salvation, victory over Satan, freedom, new life, new hope, new glory, new access to God, and the beginning of everything new. And again, of course, Jesus is the reason for the season. He came to save us; He fought for us; and conquered the world for us. He has gone now, yet He is alive. He has gone to the Father now; He will return sooner or later. Jesus, the crucified God, is alive today.
PRAISE THE LORD ! HALLELUYAH!

Prayer Points :

Give thanks to God for His resurrection power that is at work in you.
Give thanks to God for raising Christ form the dead and giving Him glory
Father, release a fresh anointing of the Holy spirit to spread abroad the news of Christ’s death and resurrection, with signs and wonders following.
Father let your spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in me for great exploits
Pray that God should put an end to your problems
Pray that God should give you total victory this year
Pray that God will move you from glory to glory
Pray that the death and resurrection of Jesus will not be in vain in life
Pray that God should make you fruitful and useful
Thank God for answering your prayers

HAPPY EASTER CELEBRATION

Writes in from the RCCG, Sanctuary of Life Zone, Ekiti Province 9, Ado-Ekiti.
You can send your comments to:
pstdeleilesanmi3@gmail.com
www.deleilesanmi.org

• 

KEEPING TO TIME
BY
PASTOR D.A ILESANMI ( Ph.D )

Time is a priceless treasure or an inestimable jewel given by God to humanity. Time is so vital that no one who is heavenly conscious could afford to waste. Time makes up one’s destiny. It is the only thing that makes every human equal. Our lives are governed by time. God made it so (Eccl. 3:1-8). Our lives are string of experiences held together by the thread of time. We don’t control time, we are controlled by it. There is time for everything, “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Eccl. 3:1).

The “African Time” phenomenon which has permeated all strata of African society is ungodly. Thus, it must not be encouraged in the church of God. Anyone who does not understand God will not understand time and purpose (1 Chro. 12:32; cf. Rom. 9:9; Gen. 18:10; 2Kings4:16; Num.9:2; Exo.13:10; Eccl. 3:1-8). In Britain, there is no acceptable excuse for lateness to work or event but not in Africa (though ungodly). In Africa, the common excuses are children, jobs, long distance and traffic. The painful thing is that when some of our people were looking for children, Jobs, wives, husbands, etc, they were the first to come to church and the last to leave. But now they have received what they were looking for; it is time for them to give excuses. Is it the fault of God to give you that child, job, wife or husband? Are you like Adam who gave excuse for disobedience? Please, avoid God’s curse (Gen. 3:11-19). If it is traffic or distance, attend the nearest church to your residence/home/house or you leave for appointments or church services in good time.

Indeed,  at times, there may be an unpredicted circumstance that may keep one late to work, meeting or church service. This, one would understand, that, is not quite frequent but unusual. However, it behoves on one to call one’s leader or subordinate, as case may be, to keep him/her informed about joining the meeting or service late. Again, this should not be frequent.

Similarly, the convener of a meeting should not waste people’s time. When a meeting is slated to hold for one hour, it would be amounted to a lack of integrity on the part of the convener if he/she extends the meeting beyond the stipulated time, except the group jointly agreed. Again, this should not be frequent. In church service, at times, Holy Spirit may move beyond our expectation to the extent that time may not be as important as the wonders of God. Nevertheless, Even though God controls and changes times and seasons (Dan.2:21), there is need for the leaders to let members understand this. Yet again, leaders should not hide under this to waste people’s time.

As Christians, we must understand that time is life when we treasures it; it is a seed when we sow it at the right time; and it is money when we spend it judiciously. Time is a tool not as a crutch when we use it purposively. Lateness is an enemy of progress. Those who come late to church service/meeting are enemies of God. For you to make it to heaven, you must be time conscious; those who want to excel in life will live and work by minutes. Punctuality is divine while perennial lateness is demonic. Those who come late to church programmes are weak in spiritual understanding – they attend services or programmes simply as a show or for the fear of their pastors, not God. In all standards, lateness is a manifestation of indiscipline and a sheer disobedience to God.

God sets time for everything under the heaven (Eccl.3:1-8). In John 9:4, Jesus said “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”. In John 7:33 “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me”. This same Jesus answered and said in John 11:9 “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world”. Therefore, the preacher said in Eccl 9:10, that “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest”. All of these Biblical statements point to one thing – time. We can see how important time is to the meaningful existence of man. Don’t joke with your time and the people’s time.

In summary, keeping to time is a good measure of how responsible a person is. In fact, if you keep to time, you will be respected and seen as responsible. If you don’t, people may see you as irresponsible and God sees you as a disobedient child. There is hardly any excuse for arriving late for appointments, functions or church services. Keep to time today. Read and memorise this poem, which encapsulates the entire piece of today:
Work while you work
And play while you play
To be useful and happy
This is the way… (cf., John 7:33; 9:4; 11:9; 12:35; Gal. 6:10)

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