A Prophetic Purpose

Dr. Mike Murphy

May 21, 2019

Recently, I asked several pastors if prophecy was taught in their church. The response from many surprised me.  “I am not familiar enough with the subject to preach it." “I fear the subject, many will be bored.”  “In this church we just do not teach prophecy, we know our people will get too confused by it.”  “I ignore it, besides it will all work out in the end.”    

The Bible is God’s gift to all of us.  He gave it to us so we could have a better understanding of Him, and so we could recognize and follow the plan He has for us.  In His Word we find history, law, promises, doctrine, and yes, prophecy. There are 31,124 verses that make up the Bible.  Of those verses, 8,352 contain prophecy.  Better than one in every four words that the Lord has given man incorporate and involve prophecy.

Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”. When we ignore prophecy. we are taking a black marker and blocking out a large portion of the message God has given us.  Without prophecy we cannot teach Christ.  Christ was prophecy!  There are 1,093 prophecies we find in the Bible that refer to Christ and His Church, every one of these prophecies have or will be fulfilled.  The Old Testament alone contains 48 prophecies that detail the Crucifixion.  With each being fulfilled only by Christ!  Christ fulfilled the words that the prophets gave, and it was through these prophecies that the Lord showed us an exact picture of just who Christ would be!

So why do God give us prophecy?  God gives us prophecy so that His glory, His plan, and His will might be revealed.  God tells us that He alone knows the beginning from the end(Isaiah 46:10).  God often uses prophecy to show us that only He holds all the answers, that man cannot tell you what is happening today, much less what will happen tomorrow.  When we see God’s Word fulfilled, we have one natural reaction, we uplift Him. It is through this uplifting that the Lord uses prophecy in so many ways, in each of our lives. Let us take a look at a few of these ways.

Proof of God’s Existence.  Prophecy is used to show us proof of the inerrancy, authority, and inspiration we can only find in God’s Word.  When we see prophecy fulfilled, we see the Word of God being authenticated.  And we can look to Christ as the perfect example of this.  Christ staked His entire claim as the Chosen One, The Promised Messiah, based on His ability to fulfill the prophecies that has been promised.  He staked the authenticity of His entire ministries on one of this prophecies alone, the Resurrection(Matthew 12:38-45).  We see in all four of the Gospels and in the Book of Acts, that the message of Christ is proclaimed based on His fulfillment of these prophecies(Acts 2:14-36; 3:18-26). His death, burial, and resurrection fulfilled the very words of the prophets, and it was on this authority that the early Church proclaimed Him as Messiah. God used these prophecies as a journalist or detective would investigating a case.  If the Bible is right on the where, how, when, and why, then we can, without a doubt, trust it on the who.  Prophecy shows us that Jesus is our Savior, and is the only way to the Father!

Throughout the history of this world, God’s Word has consistently predicted the rise and fall of empires, and events that would change the world. Because the Bible has done so with one hundred percent accuracy, we can have complete trust in the events that the Bible tells us are still to come.  We must never forget,  the Bible, with all of it’s fulfilled prophecies, proves to each of us the very existence of God.

Prophecy Offers Us Comfort and Hope.  We often look at the world around us, shaking our heads, and wondering just where everything is leading. Prophecy gives us the answers to those questions.  This is, without a doubt, one of the predominant themes of the Bible.  If God’s Word is proven true, and we know His promises can be believed, then we can take comfort in knowing that God is in control.  And we can have hope in the future because we know what the future holds.

When man looks to the future, he will do so in one of three ways.  He will do so with either apathy, he will do so with fear, or he will do so with hope.  On the first two of these, Satan takes great joy in seeing man take that reaction.  He can carry out his plan with ease when he finds man apathetic.  And through fear, he can manipulate man to follow his will. But when we have hope, Satan loses all control!  Because of the Grace that Christ brought to this world, we can all posses hope in the future.  We can take comfort and hope when we study the prophetic plan that God has put into place for all of us. Paul said in Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  

Prophecy shows us that God is in control, and we can take comfort and have hope in knowing the plan He has for our lives.  While fear eats at the heart of man, those who follow Christ, and understand His prophetic plan, can face the future with confidence.  We can have hope in the future, and take comfort in knowing that He will be returning for us soon!  

Sense of Urgency.  When we study prophecy, we see how God’s promises relate to the world around us.  We understand God’s timetable from the prophecies He gave us of events that are to come.  When we see these events that the Bible describes being fulfilled around us, prophecy gives us a sense of urgency.  As we see the end of the age approaching, we know that our time is short.  We have to make the most of the time we have left to reach as many as possible with the Good News of Christ.  

Peter tells us that unbelievers will scoff, rejecting the Lord’s warning of a coming judgment(2 Peter 3:3-4).  Prophecy gives us a way to reach many of these people.  We can show them how God’s Word has always been accurate in the past, and what the Bible says awaits us in the days ahead.  Prophecy opens a door to allow us to show them the urgency in accepting God’s plan for our life, and the importance in making that decision to follow Christ today, while there is still time. Prophecy shines an urgent light into an otherwise dark world(2 Peter 1:19).

I also believe that the Lord gives.us prophecy for one other very important reason.  Prophecy helps us to know the mind of God.   God created us in His image, and knows our intriguing and curious nature.  The first question we always seem to ask is, “Why?”.  God answers the why!  He uses our curiosity and nature to draw us into His Word,  establishing a stronger relationship with Him.  Like any conversation, as we hear His Word more, we understand Him better.  It is because of this, that Christ promises those of us who read and seek to understand God’s prophetic word will receive a blessing in their lives(Revelation 1:3).

Prophecy plays such an important part in our daily walk with the Lord. Through prophecy we can know God better, Christ was brought into the world and forever changed our lives, we can know and understand God’s plan for this world, and we can look to the future with a comforting hope.  In the Bible, God gave man an incredible gift.  In prophecy, God gave man His incredible vision. For those who follow and study that vision, prophecy leaves us with a hope that always has us ‘looking up’!  

Praying God’s prophetic word is always a blessing in your life!(Revelation 1:3)

Rule Number One!

Dr. Mike Murphy

April 2, 2019

 

As the man entered the kingdom he saw a sign, “There are only three laws in this kingdom, but they are strictly enforced.”  As he travelled a little farther, he saw the sign again.  By the time he had reached the city, he had seen the sign hundreds of times.  As he made his way through the city, he saw the sheriff and approached him about the signs.

He introduced himself and began to ask the sheriff about the meaning of the signs.  The sheriff answered, “Ah yes, the signs!  Our laws are quite simple, we just expect you to obey them and to know the laws well.”  So the man asked the sheriff, “What is law one?”  The sheriff replied, “All laws and judgments are by order of the king, and his decisions are final.”

“Easy enough.”, the man said.  “So what is law two?”  “You must always follow without question the first law”. the sheriff quickly answered.  “So law two tells me to only read law one”, the man said with a smile.  Then with a smirk on his face, the man asked, “Then what does law three say?”  “You are under arrest!”, the sheriff immediately yelled.  “Law three tells us that anyone who needs more laws than one and two are to be arrested immediately!”

Man has often created laws and rules for the strangest of reasons.  In the United States alone, we have created laws that the lawmakers cannot even explain!   In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle.  In Delaware, it is against the law to whisper in church(If I had grown up in Delaware I would by now be serving a life sentence!).  In Colorado, it is unlawful to lend a vacuum cleaner to your next door neighbor.  Owners of flamingos are not allowed to have their pets in barber shops in Alaska.  In my state of Tennessee, it is illegal to use a lasso to catch a fish.  No one can sing the alphabet on the streets at night in Kansas.  And in North Carolina it is against the law to sing off key(Remind me to never sing in North Carolina)!

We often create laws without even knowing what purpose we are creating them for.  Without logic, or without even thinking, we create rules that  our society must scratch its’ head at in order to follow.  Like the kingdom above, we create rules two and three because we had no clue what we were doing when we created rule one!

But there is a place where only one rule is needed.  Where we can read the first rule and have full understanding.  Where rules two through ten only make sense if we fully understand and follow ‘Rule Number One’!

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”. Exodus 20:3.  Rule Number One!  Everything starts and ends with this law, the first of the Ten Commandments.  When we do not honor and obey this law, then none of the other laws hold purpose and meaning.  Without ‘Rule Number One’ the rest of the Ten Commandments become meaningless, nothing more than suggestions for our world and our society to live by.

Jewish history and tradition is built around the Ten Commandments, and these laws were built around and based upon the first of these commandments, “You shall have no other gods before Me”.  When we acknowledge and confess the there is no other god but the Lord God, we place all power in His hands.  By doing this we accept that He alone created all things.  That He gives all things purpose, and that everyone and everything is sustained by and through Him.  It then goes. without saying, that if He creates and sustains all, then He knows best what laws and rules we should be governed by.  

The Founding Fathers believed and took these very words to heart.  Many stated the Ten Commandments as the bases for our civil and municipal laws. Twelve of the original thirteen colonies incorporated the entire Ten Commandments into their state's criminal and civil codes.  This was why the Ten Commandments are found on the very structure that governs our laws, the Supreme Court.  And it is by no mistake, that in order to view the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in the National Archives, you must first pass by the Ten Commandments.

We know these standards that we use to rule our society and our lives, because we know the One who gave them to us.  The reason we know that murder, theft, adultery, and lying are sinful, is only because the One who created and sustains us all, tells us they are sin.  Paul tells us in Romans 7:7, “What shall we say then?  Is the Law sin?  May it never be!  On the contrary,  I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, You shall not covet.”  Paul tells us that were it not for the Law, the Ten Commandments, we would never have known what sin is.

So if only through us knowing and recognizing the Lord as God can we know sin, then how would we know sin if we did not acknowledge the Lord God? The simple answer is, we would not!  Sin would be nothing more than what we wished for it to be.  Unfortunately, this is where we find our society heading today. When we take God out of the equation, sin becomes subjective.  Sin is then decided in the mind of man, not instructed in the Word of God.  So today,our society finds itself trying to define sin without the instruction of the One who defined it.

So what happens when man, not God defines sin?  Right and wrong becomes a matter of personal opinion.  Sin becomes abstract, a matter of perspective.  Man quickly comes to the conclusion, that if right and wrong is a matter of personal opinion, then whatever he deems as right in his situation, cannot be denied him.  This is the slippery slope we find ourselves on today, and we when we look closely at our society, we can quickly see where this will lead us.

We only need to look at a few of the Ten Commandments to begin to understand the impact of not following ‘Rule Number One’.

“You Shall not make for yourself an idol."  Our spirit is born with a natural inclination to worship, to lift up and honor the Lord.  But when we remove God from this equation, we will replace Him by putting greater value on those things around us.  By removing God, we seek answers to our most difficult questions from the strangest of places.  And we place man on a higher level, often placing those we see in society on a pedestal.  

Nowhere can this be seen in our society more than in Hollywood.  We watch as popular actors and actresses are all but worshiped.  We wait in lines mindless hours so that we can get their signature on a page, or their picture can be taken.  We pay endless dollars so we can have a piece of clothing they have worn, or a prop from a movie they have made.  Our government calls them to testify as experts, based only on a character they have played on screen. Society holds them up as idols, worshipping at their feet and hanging on their every word.  And when they fail us, society quickly replaces them on the pedestal with the next star to emerge.

And where has this gotten us?  Our society lies in decay, as Hollywood tells us that God is not needed, that man holds in himself all the answers.  We watch as Hollywood’s defiance and ego rises like the tower of Babel.  But when we look closely at the direction they would lead us, we find the same answers those did at Babel that day, complete confusion.

“You shall not murder.”  “You shall not steal.”  “You shall not commit adultery.”   These commandments not only define sin, but protect society itself. When God’s Word is removed, chaos will always follow.  Looking at our society today, we see chaos raising its’ ugly head.  Crime is on a rise in many of our major cities.  Events we once watched on the news in shock and horror, now get little more than a passing glance.  Marriage and the family have been all but gutted, left in pieces by society on its’ operating table.  Divorce is at an all-time high, and the very definition of marriage itself is being defiled by our society daily.  And where has this lead us?  Pornography and abortion have become multi-billion dollar industries.

This last year, in New York City alone, more black babies were aborted than born,  Think about that statement for a minute.  If this continues, we will watch whole sections of our society disappear.  Chaos will not only rule, it will be all that is left.  This is why it is often said, no civilization can survive without God.

“You shall not covet.”  Covet is actually not what most think.  Covet is actually much stronger of a word in its’ meaning than greed and envy.  Covet implies a sense of entitlement, and we will do anything necessary to get it.  Covet is not a desire, it is a demand.  In order to get what we want, covet says we will lie, cheat, steal, or even murder to have what we feel we are entitled to.  While murder, lying, adultery, and theft are sins of action, covet is a sin from within. James 1:15 tells us that sin originates from within, from our desire.  Covet is at the very heart of that desire.  A society without God, is a society that is emerged in covetousness.  Satan’s favorite slogan, ‘to thine own self be true’, is the rallying call of a coveting society.  Selfishness becomes the standard of any society that makes covetousness it’s god.

This is where we see our society is moving today.  We watch as so many around this nation are only concerned with themselves.  We watch daily as our society justifies its’ actions in the name of covetousness.  ‘Love thy neighbor’ is quickly being replaced with ‘love thyself’.

So how far does our nation now find itself from “Rule Number One’?  To find this answer, I did a little experiment after church this past Sunday.  I stopped to eat at a popular restaurant chain with family and friends, and in doing so, observed all those around me.  I watched as families, couples, and friends all gathered.  I watched as they ordered, chatted, laughed, and ate their meals.  I watched as they did all but one thing, pray!  I did not see one table take even the slightest of moments to thank the Lord for their meal and for all He was doing in each of their lives.  As I watched many that day gather to eat after the services of churches in the area, I soon began to realize one thing.  They had left God on the pews as they walked out of the church doors.  I could not help but wonder, has this nation forgotten ‘Rule Number One’?  Sadly, I walked away with more questions than answers.

To my earlier question, “how far does our nation now find itself from ‘Rule Number One’?”  I truly wish I had an answer.  Whatever that answer may be, I do know it is way too far.  I pray the words of Christ will echo through the walls of our churches and in the homes of this nation.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and foremost commandment.”(Matthew 22:37-38).  History is full of the examples that show us, no society can survive that does not follow these words.  I just pray our nation will once again come to its’ senses and begin to realize again, all that matters is ‘Rule Number One’!

Praying this nation once again remembers to spell God with a capital ‘G’!

Beyond Frustrated

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 28, 2019

There are two things about Hell that I am absolutely certain about.  First, as any good Southerner will tell you, the official drink of Hell will be unsweetened tea.  Second, I am left knowing, without a doubt in my mind, that Hell is the official address for a “certain and popular cable company”, as I am well convinced that Satan stands as that company’s major stock holder!  

For the past two months, I have been struggling in my dealings with that “cable company”.  We have had a problem with receiving a clear picture from our cable, and we have now had technicians of the company scheduled for repairs seven times.  And during these seven visits, I have also had numerous representatives of the company give me endless excuses as to why the picture on our televisions so often pixelate.  I have watched as they have changed every line in our house, changed out each of the cable boxes four different times, changed the modem(we also have internet with this company) in the hope that would help in the signal the modem sends to the cable boxes, and even change out the incoming splitter in our attic where the cable comes into the house.  And during this time, I have also watched as they have had to send a refresh signal more times than I could even begin to count.

It was with all this in mind, that I prepared for another technician, to pay us yet another scheduled visit.  And prepared I was, as I was loaded for bear! I was more than ready to unload every frustrating question on this technician the moment he arrived.  Having gone over in my head several times all the details of the problems we were having. And determined, this technician was not going to leave until I got answers, or they got the problem resolved.

As the technician arrived, what all my frustration had prepared me for, soon turned to something I was surprised by, as the frustration of my questions, soon required me to turn to my faith for answers.  As soon as the technician arrived, and began to look at one of our cable boxes, he noticed several of Christian study guides that I had on a bookshelf in the room. With one single question, he melted my frustration away.  As with that question he asked me, “Are you a Christian?” With that one question, came several others. Questions that led to me to talk to him about my life in the ministry. Questions that led him to tell me about his family, about his wife's desire to get their family into a good church. Questions that led me to the chance to share with him my faith, and to tell him about the difference that Christ had made in my life. And questions, that opened the door for me to be able to help direct him to a good, local church in his area. One that I have learned in the week since, that he and his whole family attended this past Sunday.

With one question, the Lord took the whole situation out of my frustrated hands, and placed them in the assurance of His hands.  With one question, the Lord showed me that all the pixeling in the world matters little compared to the opportunity to share Him with another.  And with one question, with a single asking statement, the Lord reminded me that my plans are trivial when they come in contact with His plans.

The Lord used that moment of frustration to reminded me of a very important lesson.  No matter the situation I face, no matter how frustrated I might become, I cannot allow myself to compartmentalize God.  His love and grace demand that He be the God of all my life. If not, I must accept the fact, He is not my God at all. Ephesians 2:19 tells me, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  The Lord created me to be a reflection of the good works only He is capable of doing through me. A reflection that calls on me to give it my undivided attention. For me to not just be there in the moments that I want to give to Him, but in every moment. So the opportunity might always be there for Him to work through me.

My logic can only lead me to more moments of frustration.  But His wisdom is capable of taking me to continuous moments of hope that my frustration can never know.  His Word tells me, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”(John 15:5).  The reality of my logic looks to frustratingly blind me to the simple wisdom He looks to remind me. A simple wisdom that finds the Holy Spirit constantly keeping my ego in check by always whispering the reminder in my ear, I am nothing without Him.  I owe Him everything. Every moment He might need me. Every chance He might seek to work through me. Every opportunity He might present before me to share all He has done in me with another.

We often find ourselves saying, there is no situation to big for our God. And that statement could not be more true. But in my moment of frustration, the Lord also reminded me, there is no situation too small for our Lord either.  No situation so small that He does not see it, no situation too small for His hands to guide us through it. No opportunity too small for the Lord to work through us to reach another.  No situation He places me in that is too small to still be greater than my petty frustration.
As He pushed my frustrations to the side that day, He reminded me of how mighty a Lord we serve.  A God, that is always lovingly looking to remind us of just what is important. Painting for us an eternal picture that even the pixeling on my television could make unclear.  A picture that even brings clarity through the clouds of my frustration. A picture that left me more with an image of what He sought to show me, than what my television had waiting for me.
Will I be frustrated again before the “cable company” gets my television fixed?  History shows me that will probably be the case! But despite what history shows me, He now reminds me that my frustration can never guide me, and that frustration can never stand in the way of the amazement of His plans, and His ability to work through me. Standing now as a constant reminder, grace will always offer a greater hope for tomorrow than my frustration ever can.  His plans always look to take me to a place beyond my frustration.

Praying your frustrations never stand in the way of His plans to work through you!

The Hunting Season(Part Two)

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 9, 2019

Sir Isaac Newton once said, “About the time of the end, in all probability, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation in the midst of much clamour and oppositions.”  We watch today as men and women boldly proclaim what this world, and way too often this Church, do not wish to hear.  They profess a reality that can only be found in God’s Word, and a truth that can only be found in His reality.  His Word tells us that He will bless those who bless His people and He will curse those who curse His people(Genesis 12:1-3).  History shows us the truth of that statement, and as we discussed in the part one, His coming judgment shows us the reality of just how true those words will one day ring.

The second coming of Christ has, is, and will always be connected to the nation of Israel.  That is not just a truthful and realistic statement, but one as literal as Sir Isaac Newton said would once be proclaimed.  As the Lord looks at this world, He does so with a watch in both hands.  And if we were to look closely, we would see the time on both of those watches are set on Israeli time. His first watch stopped the very second the Messiah was cut off(Daniel 9:26). His second watch, He keeps close to His vest, and it is only for His eyes to see. It is made up of the souls of those who have called on the name of Christ, and been washed by His blood.  It is a watch that ticks away, counting down the seconds until the glorious moment He shall appear in the clouds to call home those that believe.  As the countdown on that watch ends, the ticking of the first watch will again begin.  For seven years that watch will again tick away, until the Lord himself will place His foot squarely on this earth, saving His people, and judging the actions of every nation.  But through it all, one thing remains consistent, both watches are on Israeli time.

We now live in a day when that second watch is ticking fervently.  And as we look to the clouds, and anticipate the approaching season, we fail to see that the hunters are already gathering.  The anticipation of the hunt is beginning to overwhelm them, and they now look to begin this hunt before the season officially begins.  The truth shows us, the hunters are not willing to wait for the start of the season.  And the reality of the day tells us, the nations of this world are already calling out the hunters.  

All around this world today, we can see that the hunters are gathering their stride, increasing in number.  Most do not realize, but the most persecuted people in this world today are now Christians.  Each year, over two hundred million Christians face persecution. In the vast majority of the nations of this world today, Christians are persecuted daily for their faith.  Eighty percent of all persecution in the world today is directed at Christians.  The numbers show us that the hunters are not just looking to target His people, but also those who call on His name.  The trophy rooms of the hunters are quickly being filled with both, and by all signs, their ammo is far from running short.  And with this we must remember, the hunting season has not officially started, the worst and most deadly of days is still to come.

So if the Lord has both watches in hand, and the hunters are already out because they see the hunting season rapidly approaching, when will this season officially begin?  To answer this we need look no farther than the words of the prophets and the words of Christ.

In Genesis 1:14, the Lord proclaimed, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years”.  The Hebrew word we see used in this verse for the word “sign”, is the word “oth”, and it means “a remembrance, a warning, a token of proof”.  We see from this that the Lord gave us the seasons for more than just the days, but as a remembrance of all He has told us.  As a warning of all He has shown us would one day come.  And as a token of proof, helping us to show those around us that His Word will be fulfilled.  In Psalm 2, David writes the words God gave him of such a season.  He speaks of a time when the nations of this world will rise up against the Lord, and His Anointed One.  A day when Christ will overturn the evil that has rose from these nations, and shall rule this world from His throne in Zion(Israel).  

With each word of the prophets, and with all that Christ told us. Israel is the sign that will help us to remember, to warn us, and as a token of proof that this season is quickly approaching.  Many in the Church today look at Israel, and look at His chosen people, and tell us they are an issue for a day that has already passed.  They will tell you that His focus today has shifted to the Church, no longer on Israel.  But God’s Word tells us something completely different.  It tells us that Israel has never left His thought, and will never be forgotten(Romans 11:15-24).  The season that we see approaching reminds us of the promises that God gave us about Israel, warns us of what Israel and this world will soon face And as Israel stands before us as a nation again today, offers us a token of proof that every word He gave us will be fulfilled.  Israel is not a sign, Israel is the sign! And it is just as strong of a sign today as it was at the very moment He created the watches He holds in each of His hands!

When Christ spoke of this coming season, He gave us an incredible passage about that day.  ”Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.  Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”(Matthew 24:32-35).  Christ told us that to recognize the coming of that day we needed to look to the trees!

Throughout the Word of God, Israel is referred to as the fig tree, the same as Christ did in the words quoted above.  Hosea 9:10 tells us, "When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree."  From Joel(Joel 1:7, 2:21-25) to Jeremiah(Jeremiah 24:3), the fig tree is representative of Israel and the chosen people, and was taught as so to every Jewish boy and girl at the time Christ walked this earth.  When speaking of the Last Days, and of the coming season, it was by no surprise that Christ would use the fig tree as an example in His parable.  It was quickly recognized of what Christ was speaking when He used the words, and those same words should be just as recognizable to each of us today.

The fig tree was not only the symbol of Israel, it was at the very heart of Israel.  The fig tree was as much a part of Israel as Israel was the fig tree.  And if we look closely, I believe the fig tree has always been at the heart of God’s Word and His plan.  Remember back to the garden of Eden, and remember the actions of Adam and Eve as they realized they had sinned.  When their eyes were opened to their shame, they sewed together fig leaves to cover themselves(Genesis 3:7).  Years later, from the fig tree(Israel) would come another covering of their sins.  Would come One who would offer a permanent covering of their sins, and who would make their sins no more 

When we look at the fig tree, we soon recognize that it is different from all other trees.  The foliage and the fruit of the tree act differently from all the other trees we see in a garden.  The fruit of a fig tree will generally begin to appear before its’ leaves do, and because the fruit of the fig tree is green, it blends in with the leaves until the time it is almost ripe.  The fig tree is one of the last trees to bear its’ leaves each spring.  When you see the leaf of the fig tree, it is a tale-tell sign that summer is ready to begin.  

The presence of a fruitful fig tree was seen as a symbol of prosperity, and a symbol of blessing throughout the land of Israel.  A fig tree that was decaying, or not putting forth fruit, was also seen as a symbol, one of coming judgment and of rejection.  It is for this reason that we saw Christ curse the fig tree(Matthew 11:12-25).  As Christ cursed the fig tree, we would soon watch the nation of Israel disappear from this earth for almost two thousand years.  But although the fig tree was cursed because it was not producing fruit, the roots of that tree did not die.  We have watched, in this generation, that fig tree bloom again.  Israel is again a thriving nation in our presence, just as the words of Christ told us it would be so many years ago.  As we look at that fig tree today, we see it’s fruit blooming, and we see it bearing its’ leaves.  And if we look closely at the fig tree, it becomes obvious to see, that summer is near.  The season is upon us.

This is a season that will be like no other, one unlike any this world has ever seen. A day when Esau will look to take back his birthright, and will hunt down Jacob as he never has before.  A day when the hunters will smear their faces in a blood that will cause the Heavens to weep, but a blood that will bring a smirky smile to the faces of Satan and his demons.  A day the world will no longer wish to just ignore or just send away those that are called His chosen people, and those that call on His name.  It will be a day when they will look to replace our suitcases with our coffins.  A day this world may long for, but a day they will long after regret.  A day this world may bring in with screams, but a day that will end with a glorious shout.  A day this world may see as the beginning of the end, but will actually be the end of the beginning.

As I stand here today, I think back on the words the Lord once spoke to Rebekah, and to the struggle she felt in her womb so many years ago.  A struggle that has not yet finished.  A struggle that her oldest child is just not ready to give up.  A struggle that the hunters are right now preparing their weapons for.

May the Lord keep you from the midst of that struggle.

The Hunting Season

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 8, 2019

“How could they be twins?”, she thought.  “So different, no one would ever believe they were even brothers.”  Each moment she had carried them she felt their differences, and she felt their struggle.  A struggle so strong that it had brought her to her knees in front of the Lord.  The answer the Lord gave her was not one she was prepared for, far from the answer she had expected.  An answer almost as unexpected as the twins she now carried.  She had come to think she would never have a child.  She had come to accept the disappoint she saw in her husband’s eyes, and the anguishing pleads to the Lord that often filled his nights. The realization that she was pregnant was a blessing beyond any she thought the Lord was capable of, but one that filled her with joy that His hand had moved beyond her wildest expectations.  A gift from the Lord that filled her husband’s eyes again with the delight that she had once known in him.  But as she sat there that day, feeling the struggle that felt like a war in her belly, she again remembered the words that the Lord had told her.

The words the Lord told her she could not even imagine, could not see how they could be fulfilled.  But just as she had seen His hand move inside of her, she knew that His words would one day be fulfilled.  Two nations were both inside of her.  Two nations that would feel this same struggle.  Two nations that would be at odds, as the older of her sons would one day serve her younger.

As the twins grew up, they continued their struggle, growing up as if children from two different families.  Her youngest was a quiet child who loved to spend his time around their home, content with the everyday life that was found in their tents.  Her oldest, was a completely different boy.  A hunter, who loved the open and wild land.  Who was rarely seen in the presence of their home.  

As she looked again on these same boys, who had so struggled in her womb, she again remembered the words the Lord had spoken to her.  She knew in her heart that the words He told her would be made true, but for the life of her, she could not see how this dominant and wild older son would ever find himself at the knee of her younger one.

We have all grown up being told the story of Jacob and Esau.  We know how Esau sold his birthright, and how Rebekah helped Jacob to deceive his father, Isaac, into placing his blessing upon Jacob.  We know of the anger that came to Esau, and how he threatened to kill Jacob and to hunt him down.  We know how this anger drove Esau to flee from the presence and the love of his father and his mother.  We know how this event drove the lives of both brothers. And we also know how the two brothers would come together again in hope of reconciling their past.

God would change the name of Jacob to Israel, and he became the father of the twelve tribes that would make up the nation we know as Israel.  From his name the world would one day be forever blessed.  And from his name the promises and the future of this world could be seen.  Esau would also see his name changed, to one we know as Edom. From him would also come a nation, a nation that would always plague Israel and seek its’ destruction.  In the name of one brother is found the hope, the promises, and the future the Lord has made to this world.  In the other brother is found the desires that drive this world, physical pleasure taking its’ place over spiritual blessings(Hebrews 12:15-17).  In two brothers, we can see our past.  And in two brothers, we can see our future. 

If  we look closely today, we can again see the struggle that Rebekah once felt.  We can watch as the two brothers again take center stage.  We can watch as the focus of this world is again finding its’ way to the younger brother. And if we listen closely to the sounds around us, we can hear the traits and the stirring of the older brother again.  We can hear the weapons being sharpened, and we can hear the hunter growing restless in anticipation of the hunt that lies before him.

The Lord once spoke to Jeremiah and told him, “Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,’ declares the Lord, ‘and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks”(Jeremiah 16:16).  For years we have watched as the fishermen found their way into this world.  Men who heard the call of God, like the words He once spoke to Peter and Andrew(Matthew 4:18-19).  Men who were taught in the ways of the Master Fisherman.  Men who knew well the waters in which they were called to fish, and knew the nature of the fish they sought.  Men who were lead to cast their nets in the stillness and gentleness of the seas, and knew how to recognize the coming signs, when the waves would crash into their boat, and the waters that surround them would soon become rough.  

As we watch today, we see the storm approaching.  We see the peaks of the waves rising, and see the lightning streak across an ever nearing sky.  In a distant, we begin to hear the thunder, and we feel the wind increasing as it blows across the sea.  As we make our way off the waters, we see the hunters gathering.  Sharpening their weapons, painting the camouflage on their faces, and preparing for the approach of the hunting season.

So what prey do these hunters seek?  And how do we know that the hunting season is soon to begin?  To answer what prey the hunters will pursue, we need to look no farther than the words the Lord spoke to Joel.  And to know when this hunting season will begin, we need to look no farther than the trees.

To best understand the prey, and who these hunters will stalk, we need only to look at the landscape on which these hunters will be hunting. Centuries ago, the Lord showed Joel what this landscape would be.  In three simple chapters, the Lord laid out for Joel details that should be held tight in our mind today, details that a not so distant tomorrow will one day see.  In chapter three, the Lord gives a wake up call to the nation of Israel, and to the Church today. He tells us details about a coming “Day of the Lord”, a time when Christ will return to this earth, and judge the nations for the actions they have taken.  A time when the fortunes of Israel will be restored, a time when the remnant of Israel will be saved(Romans 11:26).   A day His promises will all be fulfilled, a day when the sins of Israel will all be forgiven and His chosen people will be restored to the land that He once promised to Abraham(Isaiah 10:27, Jeremiah 30:19-40). A day when the arrogance of man will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted(Isaiah 2:17).

As the Lord paints for Joel a picture of that day, He also tells him of the conditions that will bring man to judgment, and of the arrogance that will bring this world to its' knees. In Joel 3:1-2, the Lord tells us, “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat.  Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land.”  In these two verses we see three actions that the Lord will judge this world for. Three arrogant atrocities that will drive mankind during these days.

First, His judgment will come because of the action this world has taken against His chosen people.  Second, because of what they have done to His inheritance.  And finally, because they have sought to divide His land.  In these three warnings, we see the role these approaching hunters will play, and we see the prey that the hunters will so arrogantly seek.

As we look at the world today, we see the ugly hatred of anti-Semitism again raising it’s head.  We hear the words, and we see the actions, as this world focuses its’ hatred on God’s chosen people.  In Europe today, over half of all racist actions are taken against the Jewish people.  We are watching a hatred form in Europe that is on a level that was found in the days that led up to the Third Reich, and the atrocities it brought to this world.  But unlike the days of the past, we are watching as this hatred is spreading beyond the boundaries of Europe, spreading rapidly like a plague throughout this world.  We now see incidents of this hatred in Asia, in South America, in Australia, and yes, even in this country of America, as we watch political leaders in this country use names of hatred against the Jewish people without consequences.  We watch as a whole religion uses words that refer to them as pigs and apes.  Who calls for their annihilation, and who cheers in the streets as they are massacred.  We find ourselves in a world that is starting to find it easier to despise and ignore His people, than to honor and to respect them. We watch as the world is pointing out to the hunters their prey, and placing a bounty on each of their heads.

As the world growingly hates His people, they seek ways to take the land He promised His people(Genesis 15:18).  We watch as the world gathers, offering resolutions to appease those that hate Israel, those who look to destroy Israel. We watch as His land, and as His city Jerusalem, is felt as an anchor around the neck of this world, a greater burden than they now wish to bear(Zechariah 12:3).  The world finds it increasingly easier to ignore the wisdom in the Lord’s promises, and to seek the failed logic found in their own solutions. The world now finds it easier to accept the lie, then to seek out the truth.  They find it easier to take the land and divide it, than to read the details in the deed of the One who owns the land.  They prepare to send out the hunters, ordering them to clear the land of the obstacles that stand in their way.  Obstacles of spiritual blessings, that they now wish to replace with their own physical desires.

And as the hunters clear the land, and as they seek their prey, they look to destroy any trace of His inheritance.  Of the promise this land holds on a future day.  Of the One who will reign over this world from that land, and of those who serve for and with Him in that land.  A land filled with people that have been grafted together, those who are called His people and those who have been blessed and saved through His glorious name.  The day is quickly coming when the hunter will seek both, both seen as obstacles that stand in this world’s way.  A day this Church should be aware of and preparing this world for, but a day the Church has turned a deaf ear to.  Choosing not to hear what they do not wish to face. But the day is coming when the Church will have no choice but to open it’s ears and again hear.  They will hear the yells of the hunters who have snuck up on them, readying their weapons as they seek to plunge them in deep.  

The world today is calling forward the hunters.  And the world today sees a season of open hunting that is soon approaching.  A season that will seek the blood of those who call themselves His people, and of those who call on His name.  In part two, we will look at when that hunting season will begin.  And will will look at what that hunting season will look like for those that will be seen as the prey.

Praying the season will not come and find you as prey.