The Heaton File

God to be Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)

There Is One Judge

During the forty days Jesus was with His disciples after His resurrection, He taught them the doctrines of the kingdom of God. Jesus was manifested to a certain group of people to testify that He was risen. He also commanded the disciples to preach the message of salvation to the people. Peter explained to Cornelius and his household that Jesus had risen from the dead and was the Judge of the living and the dead, and that whoever believes in Him would receive the remission of sins. This is the same message Peter preached in Jerusalem at Pentecost, proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Christ. Preaching the gospel affirms the resurrection of Jesus and, through the authority of God, confirms that Jesus is the Judge of all men.

After Jesus was arrested, He was taken before the Jewish legal system and then the Roman judicial court, where He was judged by men. He was pronounced guilty and crucified. Three days later, the accused rose from the dead to become the Judge of all those who sentenced Him to die. Those of the Sanhedrin would face Jesus in death as the accused. Pilate and Herod also faced Judge Jesus in death without their Roman authority and with the full force of divine justice. All those who have opposed the one true church in the past two thousand years stand before the Judge of all time guilty. Jesus is the Judge of all the dead and those who are alive when He returns again.

Judges must have authority, and that authority must be granted by those empowered to administer it. Jesus is the judge of all men because God gave Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth. There is no place that Jesus does not have authority. Every President, King, Prime Minister, Dictator, and despot serves the authority of the King of kings – Judge Jesus. Every nation on earth is under the judgment of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. All people are subjected to the authority of the Son of God, whom the Father has made Judge of the living and the dead. The world is filled with many false religions, claiming to have a path to spiritual purity. They are denied before God through the authority of the only way, truth, and life – Judge Jesus. No one comes to the Father apart from the Judge of the living and the dead – Jesus Christ.

Obedience to the gospel of Christ demands submission to the Judge. The word of God judges all men, whether they are saved or not. Jesus is the judge of all men because He died on the cross to redeem the world to the Father, and there is no other way for men to be saved apart from the judgment of Jesus Christ. There is no man greater than the authority of the Judge of the living and the dead. When God decides to send His Son for the final judgment, Jesus will return with His mighty angels, bringing judgment upon the world. No one will claim authority. There will be no one demanding their rights. The only judge will be the Judge of the living and the dead – Jesus Christ.

Knowing there is only one Judge and that He judges righteously, all men must come to the cross of Jesus for eternal life. It does not matter whether the world believes Jesus is the Judge of the living and the dead. All men will die and all men will stand face to face before one Judge and be judged by one law and one authority given to Jesus by His Father. There is only one God. He gave Jesus the right to be Judge of the living and the dead. You may not accept Jesus as King now, but you will one day. Sadly, it will be too late. The prophets of old testified that through the name of Jesus, all who believe in Him will receive remission of sins. Today, Jesus is your Savior. Tomorrow He is your judge.

And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. (Matthew 27:33-34)

He Felt The Full Weight Of Sin

The Roman military had perfected the art of crucifixion to a fine point of human torture beyond any other means of killing a condemned man. It is unknown who first invented crucifixion, but the Persians used it, and Alexander the Great brought it to Egypt and Carthage, where the Romans learned of it from the Carthaginians. They perfected nailing a man to the cross as a form of torture to produce a slow death with the maximum effect of pain and suffering. Crucifixion was not only physical torture but also one of the most disgraceful and cruel means of killing a human being. Under Roman law, slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and the worst of criminals were subjected to crucifixion.

Before a man was crucified, he was stripped and beaten with a short whip (flagellum or flagellum) with several single or braided leather thongs with small balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones tied at intervals. Scourging would not kill a man but weaken him as the back, buttocks, and legs were flogged by the soldiers. The severity of the scourging depended on the disposition of the lictors and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. After the

scourging, the soldiers often taunted their victim. Jesus was scourged and, according to Peter’s testimony, received a severe beating from the soldiers. After the scourging, the soldiers placed the cross-piece (patibulum) weighing as much as 75-125 lbs. on the back of the condemned man.

Jesus fell under the weight of the cross, and the soldiers compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry the patibulum the remaining way to the place of crucifixion. When the soldiers arrived at the site, in an act of ironic mercy, they offered the condemned a bitter drink of wine mixed with myrrh (gall) as a pain reliever. When Jesus tasted the wine and realized it was myrrh, He refused it. The divinity of Jesus could have warned him of what the soldiers were giving him, but Jesus bore the cross fully as a human. He refused to take of the myrrh as it would deaden some of His pain and bring some small measure of relief to His suffering. It was probably welcomed by the other two victims who were crucified with Jesus, but they wanted the pain to go away. Jesus wanted to feel the full measure of pain because that was the price for the sins of the world.

God watched His Son die on the cross, fully human. He could have sent 172,000 of his mighty angels to deliver His Son or to give some relief to His beloved, but the Father stayed His hand, watching Jesus fully accept every ounce of incredible pain. The suffering of Jesus was immense, and He took nothing to deaden its pain. No one would have blamed Jesus for taking the myrrh to help Him endure the results of His scourging and the long hours of torture that lay ahead. The Son of God refused to accept one ounce of pain relief because He must feel all the pain to be the Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. There was no pain relief for Jesus – He bore it all.

The reason Jesus died on the cross is because of my sin. Everything about crucifixion was about my sin. The soldiers beat Jesus without mercy in the scourging because of my sin. Jesus fell under the weight of the cross because of my sin. When the soldiers offered Him myrrh to give Him some relief from the excruciating pain, Jesus refused because of my sin. The Son of God endured incredible suffering for six hours on a Roman cross because of my sin. Relief did not come from myrrh – it came when Jesus said, “It is finished,” and died. Then, and only then, did the Son of God find relief from the burden of my sin. The glory of the Father came on the first day of the week when Jesus rose from the dead. All of the suffering of Jesus gives me life and hope of my own resurrection. He suffered so that I would not suffer. His pain was real and intense, so my joy is true and confident. Thank you, Jesus, for not taking the myrrh.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.'” (Jeremiah 7:3-4)

Trusting In Lying Words

Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem was the symbol of the nation of Israel, their power, and their belief in the one true God. It stood for over three hundred years, serving as the central place of worship under Solomon’s reign and the kings of the south during the divided kingdom. In the days of Jeremiah, the threat of the Babylonians loomed large on the horizon. The final days of Judah were drawing to a close. Jerusalem is doomed, and it is on the shoulders of Jeremiah to prepare the nation for the coming judgment of the Lord against the rebellious nation.

The prophet Jeremiah is opposed by the religious and political leaders in Jerusalem. False prophets fill the ears of the leaders and sway the people to listen to them instead of the man of God. The destruction of Jerusalem is certain, including the destruction of the Temple. Jeremiah warns the people the Temple could not and would not save them. There was a belief that as long as the Temple stood, the Lord would protect them and never let any harm come to them. The people failed to remember the story of their fathers taking the ark of the covenant of the Lord into battle, believing it would save them, but they failed. To the shock and surprise of the Philistines, they captured the ark of the covenant. God’s people took the ark, but God was not with the ark.

Jeremiah warns the people of the failed theology of crying out to the Temple to save them. When Solomon built the Temple, he reminded the people that the Lord does not dwell within the walls of a building. Nebuchadnezzar would destroy Jerusalem and take everything out of the Temple to Babylon. They burned the house of God and broke down the walls of Jerusalem because God was no longer with the people. Judgment had come by the hand of the Lord against a rebellious and sinful people.

The sight of the Babylonians ransacking the Temple must have been a horrifying sight to the Jews. Jeremiah warned them against trusting in a building when they refused to trust in the Lord God. The Lord is not possessed because of a building. Trusting in the lying words of salvation through the Temple brought about the destruction of the nation. The people trusted in the wrong thing. They lost sight of the meaning of worship and the purpose of the Temple. God demonstrated His wrath when the Babylonians left Jerusalem and the Temple in ruins.

The words of Jeremiah ring true today when people trust in lying words. They view salvation as being something attained because they sit in a building, have a pedigree of a certain type, or grew up in a “Christian nation.” Some individuals identify with specific groups based on their religious affiliation. Jesus talked about those who said, “Lord, Lord,” and did many works in His name; yet the Lord tells them He does not know them. They trusted in the wrong things. Refusing to do the will of the Father, they find condemnation instead of salvation. Trusting in lying words can have eternal consequences. When a man trusts in the wrong things, the end is tragic.

In the days of Jeremiah, some trusted in the word of God and His will. Men like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who devoted their lives to the Lord alone. They were taken to a foreign land, but never gave up their faith in a faithless world. Trusting in God will bring eternal joy and everlasting life. It matters who the heart trusts. Examine yourself to see if you are trusting in the right words.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:52-54)

Resurrection

At the funeral service, the preacher became overly enthusiastic, and his sermon significantly exceeded the time limit. Finally, his assistant whispered, “It’s getting late, sir!” “I know,” the preacher said, “but this doctrine of resurrection is extremely important.” “Yes, sir,” the minister said, “But we’ve got to get the body over to the cemetery in time for it.”

Resurrection is a Biblical teaching that defies the wisdom of man. Death is the final act, and there is no returning from death. There is nothing in the arsenal of human reasoning that can recreate life once it is gone. Nothing man has devised can create life, and nothing man understands can give life back to a dead body. The concept of resurrection is purely divine, as God is the only source of life. In the beginning, the Lord spoke man into existence from the dust of the ground. There is within all men the breath of life that returns to God at death because He gave it life in the beginning. Science cannot create life; only God can create life.

To be resurrected means returning a dead body to life. Abraham demonstrated his belief in the resurrection when he took his son Isaac to the mountain to offer him as a burnt offering. The Hebrew writer says Abraham believed God could raise his son from the dead, and so he acted in faith. During the ministry of Jesus, His good friend Lazarus died. Jesus delayed going to see Lazarus, arriving four days after he died. The family had sealed Lazarus in the tomb after three days because the body had begun to decay. Martha, the sister of Lazarus, told Jesus she believed her brother would rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus told her He was the resurrection and the life.

Arriving at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus told the family to remove the stone from his tomb. The Lord then called forth for Lazarus to come out. Lazarus came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes. Jesus had brought Lazarus to life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Resurrection is real! Jesus proved He was the Son of God through His miracles – especially when He raised the dead. Everything Jesus did led up to the greatest miracle of all, which was His own resurrection.

The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. If there is no resurrection, there is no hope. The child of God lives in faith, knowing there is life after death. Everyone will be resurrected – some to eternal life and some to eternal death. All who die will be resurrected. The joy of being in Christ is knowing resurrection is real and full of hope and joy. Jesus is the resurrection and the life because He rose from the dead and reigns at the right hand of His Father. God has promised life to those in Christ.

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (John 4:25-26)

The Answer To All Things

When Jesus was resting at the well of Jacob, which was near the city of Sychar, a woman of Samaria came to draw water. The woman went to the well at the sixth hour (noon) because she was deemed an unacceptable citizen, given her tainted reputation as a woman. Jesus asked her for a drink of water, startling her that he, a Jewish man, would have any dealings with a Samaritan woman. The woman asked how Jewish could draw water as the Lord had nothing to draw from the deep well. Jesus tells her He had water that would spring up into everlasting life. Hearing of the everlasting water, the woman begged for this water.

Jesus asked her to call her husband, to which the woman said she had no husband. It was then that Jesus revealed He knew she had had five husbands, and the man she was living with was not her husband. This shocked the woman, as she had perceived Jesus to be a prophet. The Lord tells the woman that God desires true worshippers who would seek Him in spirit and truth. It is then that the woman reveals her knowledge of the Messiah, the long-promised Christ who would come into the world and tell all things. The Jews worshipped in Jerusalem, but the Samaritans, a mixture of Jewish and Gentile lineage, worshipped in Samaria. She knew when the Christ would come, the truth would be revealed.

The Samaritans were the result of the Assyrian nation intermarrying with the Jews, thus creating a mixed race. After the fall of the northern ten tribes seven hundred years earlier, the Samaritans became the offscouring of the land of Palestine. Their worship, like their heritage, was a mixture of the Law of Moses and paganism. The Jews had great contempt for their brethren who were half-breeds in their eyes. Yet, the Samaritan woman understood that Christ was coming and the Messiah would bring the full truth. While she did not realize who was standing before her, she did know the character of the Christ who was coming.

Jesus came to “tell all things.” God sent His Son into the world to reveal the divine plan to save man from sin. The wisdom of man proved that salvation could not come through human wisdom, as the flood demonstrated what happens when man is left to himself. Moses gave the Hebrews a law that was written down and rehearsed often to the people, but they failed to keep the law. The Jews proved that salvation could not come through animal sacrifice. Jesus came to bring all truth. He revealed everything the world needs to know to attain eternal life. After Jesus returned to the Father, twelve men took the message of the gospel to the whole world. Two thousand years later, the world has the fully revealed word of God.

The woman at the well was correct when she said the Christ would come and tell all things. Jesus said that He was the only way to the Father. He was the only truth of eternal life. The Son of God was the only source of living water that would bring eternal life. There is no other way to God, no greater truth, and no eternal life but through Jesus Christ. The Bible, from Genesis to the Revelation, is the fully revealed word of truth concerning Jesus Christ. Everything the world needs to know about God is found in Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us all things.

So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” (Luke 16:22-24)

Lessons Learned Too Late

Life is unfair because of the disparity often found between one man who enjoys all the finest things of life and the other man who lives in the despair of a miserable existence that only the dogs will sympathize with. This is the story of a rich man clothed in purple and fine linen who enjoyed the best things life could offer. He had five brothers who lived in the same splendor as he, following the same path. The brothers had no time for God. Their wealth was their god. They believed all the happiness that could be found in life was the fame, fortune, and pleasures of the flesh. Everything their hearts desired, they embellished with grand passion. Life was very good to this family. There was no time to consider the needs of others.

Every day, a beggar was lying at the gate of the rich man. He was the scourge of the world as someone who could not care for himself. The beggar was a diseased man full of sores, making him a wretched sight to look upon. Few people took notice of the beggar. Fewer still knew his name. The beggar did not ask for much. He would have been satisfied with the crumbs that fell from the table of the rich man. The only creatures sympathetic to the beggar were dogs who would lick his wounds, giving him some measure of relief. As the rich man passed by, he was horrified at the sight of the beggar and never did anything to help him.

The rich man was an ungodly man. He was a Jew who had learned the law but had spurned obedience to God’s word. His life was measured by his possessions, his pride, and his pleasures. He never took time to serve the Lord God who delivered his people from Egypt. The only thing the rich man could think of was his purple garments, fine linen, and sumptuous lifestyle. In contrast to the rich man, the beggar was a righteous man. He spent long hours at the gate begging for food. His trust was in the Lord, and he served Him quietly to the best of his ability. There was no fanfare about his faith in God. Just a quiet, reserved, devoted love for God.

Both men shared a common goal. The rich man died and was buried. It must have been a large funeral procession with many days of mourning and grieving. Everyone in the community comforted the five brothers. The beggar died, but his story is very different. No one noticed his death for a while. When it was discovered that the diseased beggar was dead, his body was taken up and buried in a common grave: no fanfare, ceremonies, or much of a remembrance. People who passed by the rich man’s gate noted that the man full of sores never came back. They went about their business with little concern.

The rich man’s name is unknown. Jesus called the beggar, “Lazarus.” God knew the name of the diseased beggar at the gate. The rich man did not know his name, nor did he care to know it, but God did. When the rich man died, he was buried. But when Lazarus died, he was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham. All the good things in life for the rich man were gone, and all the misery of life for Lazarus disappeared. In eternity, the rich man was in torment, and Lazarus was comforted in Paradise. The rich man realized too late that his life had been wasted. He was now in torment. The man he never took notice of was in eternal joy. He remembered his life and how ungodly it was. Abraham reminded him that nothing would change for him. His desire to teach his brothers was impossible. He learned that salvation belongs only to those who do the will of the Father. That lesson came too late.

Most people live for themselves. They care little for serving God. Their only desire is to enjoy the best things in life, and they probably will – until they die. It is then that lessons are learned too late; life is not about the here and now, but about the reality of eternity. The rich man remains in torment, and Lazarus is still in eternal joy. You will die. Do not be deceived into thinking that you will be granted some special treatment. If you do not do the will of the Father, you will suffer torment. Lazarus was a righteous man even in his state of suffering. Do not learn the lessons too late because there is no second chance. Now is the day of salvation. What are you learning?

Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” (Joshua 4:21-24)

When The River Stopped

The Jordan River rises from the springs of Mount Hermon in Syria, flowing about 100 miles to what used to be Lake Hula. It then winds in and out for 200 miles through the deep valley called the Ghor. Finally, the Jordan empties into the Dead Sea, 1,286 feet below sea level. In the ten miles from Lake Hula area to the Sea of Galilee, the river falls 689 feet. There are many rapids and whirlpools, making navigation impossible. Most of the zig-zagging river is no more than five feet deep, except during the flood season in March. The melting snow from Mount Hermon often floods the little river valley, which is from a half mile to two miles wide.

When Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan River, the river was in a flood stage. During the time of harvest, Jordan would overflow its banks, making crossing the river very dangerous. More than two million souls would cross the Jordan to enter the promised land. Like the miracle at the Red Sea, the Lord replicated His divine power to hold back the waters of the Jordan. Joshua told the people to follow the Ark of the Tabernacle as it was borne on the shoulders of the priests. They were to stay about a half mile behind the priests. When the feet of the priest dipped in the edge of the water, the Jordan River stood still, and rose in a heap very far upstream. The water that went down to the Dead Sea was cut off. As the priest stood in the middle of the Jordan River, the people crossed over on dry land.

God also instructed Joshua to establish a memorial of the crossing of the Jordan River. One man from every tribe took a stone from the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, and carried the stone to where they would lodge that night. These stones would be a memorial to the day Israel crossed the Jordan by the power of God. Joshua also set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan River, in the place where the feet of the priests stood firm as the people passed over the river. The author of the book of Joshua noted that the stones remained to his day.

Memorials are for teaching and reminding. God has always had memorials as part of His way to show His people His power and for them not to forget what He has done for them. The Passover was a memorial to remind Israel that only by the power of God they were freed from Egypt. Setting the stones in the midst of the Jordan reminded the people why they possessed the land of promise. Everything pointed to the power of God, and only by His grace would the people be blessed. All the earth would know the hand of the Lord is mighty. The Jordan being heaped up in one place was not a natural phenomenon. It was not a freak act of nature. The waters of the Jordan stopped because God said so.

Memorials can also serve to instill fear. God wanted His people to remember why their parents and grandparents perished in the wilderness. The memorial stones served as a warning that taking sin lightly came with a cost. Only by the mighty power of God was the Jordan forded, and that power would destroy Jericho and the cities of Canaan as God delivered the nations to the power of Israel. The people of God soon forgot the meaning of the memorials as they embraced idolatry and were destroyed. God has placed the memorial of His word into the hands of the world to show His power and to warn of His wrath. Ignoring the word of God comes at the peril of eternal life. Like the stones taken from the Jordan, the word of God is the testimony to the promises of God – both good and evil. God will bless those who obey His will and punish those who forget Him.

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John 5:28-29)

Everyone Will Rise

Jesus taught that most people walk the broad path to destruction, with only a few choosing the narrow path to righteousness. This has always been the case with the human story. In the days of the great flood, only eight souls were saved from the whole earth. The nation of Israel was the greatest nation on earth, but through rebellion, they were destroyed by the will of the Father, with only a remnant surviving. Most people in the world do not believe in the one true God, and fewer accept Jesus as the Son of God. In the number of those who believe Jesus is God’s Son, fewer still follow His will. Regardless of the few that will be saved, all men have two things in common: all will die and all will be resurrected.

Death is a reality the world cannot deny. Marble monuments fill the landscape of every continent with the memories of those who lived and died. Death is an appointment that cannot be ignored. All men will die. The world knows this and believes in the reality of death. What the world does not accept is that there is life after death. It has seldom been the denial of death that men have struggled with, but the acceptance that there is any accountability to the actions of life. For most, death is the final curtain with nothing after. Jesus denies this, telling His disciples that all men will die and everyone will rise from the dead. What makes a distinction in the resurrection is the kind of life after death everyone will experience.

All men will die, including what happens to the world at the coming of the Lord. When the Lord returns, the universe will be obliterated with a great noise and fervent heat. Everyone will come forth from their graves by the power of God. No one will be left behind, and no one will be forgotten. It does not matter how a person died; they will be remembered. The righteous will enjoy a resurrection of life, and the unrighteous will face a resurrection of condemnation and judgment. Those who have done good will be resurrected to eternal life. For those who did evil they will face the damnation of eternal fire. Jesus taught that all men will rise from the dead. The Son of God taught that the righteous will be saved, and the unrighteous will suffer eternal torment with weeping and gnashing of teeth in eternal darkness.

God is not a respecter of persons. He does not regard the stature of a man or his place in history as a qualification for eternal life. The righteous will be saved, and those who do not do the will of the Father will be damned. Jesus taught that all men will be resurrected. There is life after death. The manner of life one lives will determine where eternity is spent. Solomon taught long ago that when life is over, judgment comes. The duty of all men is to fear God and keep His commandments. God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. All men will be resurrected. Jesus came to be the resurrection of hope and life. Only those found in Christ will be raised to eternal life. The only hope of life after death to be joyous is when one obeys the word of God and is faithful unto death. You will be raised. The question remains what type of resurrections will that be.

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. (Jeremiah 10:23)

Do Not Stop On Tracks

The railroad has been the lifeblood of America since the 1820s. Today, there are nearly 136,729 miles of track servicing the nation from coast to coast and border to border. Thousands of cities owe their beginnings to the rail, depending on it for travel and commerce. In every city where the train comes into conflict with the automobile, precautions are taken to secure safety for both train and car. Steel rails are embedded in the roadway to make the passage a smooth transition. Lights, sounds, warning signs, and mechanical arms are in place to warn of a train approaching. Trains are one of the most familiar sounds, as horns warn of the arrival of the train.

One of the signs found at many crossings is, “Do Not Stop On Tracks.” The warning is clear and the message unmistakable. Where the steel rails are is where the train will pass. Leaving an automobile on the tracks will endanger the lives of the passengers. The weight of the train makes it impossible to stop or even slow down to avoid a collision if the warnings are ignored. More than 900 people are killed each year in highway-rail grade crossings. It would seem clear that stopping on the tracks would be a very dangerous thing to do, and yet warnings are posted to remind people of the danger. And people stop on the tracks and die.

The challenge of human wisdom lies in the fact that humans lack wisdom. God created man as an intelligent being, but one that is reliant upon divine guidance. There are many things humanity has accomplished since creation, and there is no doubt the genius of the human mind will devise many other great wonders in the future. In the midst of these great accomplishments is the need to caution people not to stop on the tracks of a railroad crossing due to the danger. That would seem to be a foregone conclusion, but the human mind does not work that way. Reason would suggest stopping on the tracks where a 200-ton machine is barreling down would not end well. Human wisdom needs a reminder.

God created man to be dependent upon His will to survive. It is not in man to know the best course to choose apart from the word of God. A man cannot plan his own course of life without complete failure. The world in the day of Noah is the clinical experiment of what happens when man seeks his own laws. God not only destroyed all humanity, saving Noah and his family, because of the wickedness of the human heart; but it was also to show why man cannot be a law to himself. He needs signs reminding him not to stop on the tracks. Why did Jesus come to earth? Could the world save itself? Was there something in human wisdom that would raise the soul of man to be perfected as righteous? Nothing man could do would save him. It took the intercession of God to send His Son to die for man–to save man.

It is not in man to direct himself because he cannot answer the question of death. Jesus answered that question by His death. The world could not answer the question of eternity until the One from eternity came and opened the doors of eternal life. God gave the world His word to remind us not to stop on the tracks. Divine law is required to save humanity because humanity cannot save itself. Refusing to heed the warnings will result in catastrophe. Read the Bible. It is God’s word to save you from your sins through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10)

The Days Of Youth

Youth is the beginning of life where new discoveries are made. It is the prime of life when energy is boundless and hope lies endless. The days are long, the future is a million miles away, and life is full of vigor. God created the time of youth to be a time of happiness. There is an innocence of a life unspoiled by tragedy and heartache that pervades the heart of youth. An endless abundance of strength to conquer the world forges the youthful spirit to seek the highest mountains of life. Youth is an amazing time.

God created youth with and for a purpose. He never suggested that an oppressive set of laws and rules should bind young people. From the beginning of time, the Lord knew the blessings that young people would bring to the home, the community, and to His cause. The scriptures are filled with young people of great faith. God wants the time of youth to be a place where youthful voices, young hearts, and innocent minds glorify him. Faith is not an old person’s walk. It is the character of godly young people who have fallen in love with the Lord God and serve Him every day.

Seeking greater faith in God while enjoying youth is a testimony to God’s wise creation. What would the world be with the youthful faith of Joseph, son of Jacob? As a teenager, Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. Chains bound Joseph, but his heart continually trusted in the will of God. It would be twenty-two years before Joseph fully realized his purpose. He never lost his faith in God and would be the headwater of the greatest story in the Old Testament – God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt.

David was but a youth when he challenged the behemoth Goliath in the Valley of Elah. The powerful army of Israel cowered in fear, but David faced the giant with the determined faith of a dedicated soldier of the Almighty God. While the army (and Saul) looked at Goliath as so big, who could kill him; David saw a man so big, how could he miss. He killed Goliath through his faith in the Lord God. Daniel and his three friends paved the way for greatness in the story of young people standing for truth. They faced the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar on more than one occasion, and each time, trusting in God, they were victorious. Their stories will be told until the end of time.

God needs young people in the church. They are not the future of the church; they are the church today. Churches must focus on training, admonishing, encouraging, and exhorting the young people. If they are neglected, the church suffers. Young people must be taught to serve the Lord as faithful servants of God. The older must listen to the spirit of youth and find ways to serve the grace of God in the work of the kingdom alongside them. They have so much to offer in the work of the church, bringing valuable insights and energies. The joy of youth is found when young people bring others to Christ. That is how, as a young person, faith grows when they have a desire to help their friends seek eternal life.

God tells the young people to enjoy their youth. Be cautious with the decisions you make, so there will be fewer regrets, but enjoy life and show Christ. Seeking greater faith during one’s youth is a testament to the creation of God. Let the beauty of Christ shine brightly in the lives of young people who show Christ in their lives. Some of the greatest evangelists of the gospel of Christ are young people. Teach them to love the Lord. Let them show others Christ.