“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jer. 33:3) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33)
In most nations, and indeed in the minds of many individuals, the government has taken the place of the Lord God in this respect, and happily so, in fact I would suggest that it has been done by design. When one is down and out, money is given, in some places when one reaches a certain age, money shows up at the end of each month in their bank account, needed services are provided at an extremely reduced rate, or at no cost at all to those who have decided to not “wait on the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)
The most telling signs of faith in Jesus Christ appear when our worldly circumstances take, as they say, a turn for the worse. Have you ever noticed in the Old Testament how many times people fled to Egypt, even Hosea 11:1 says, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” It is in many ways used as the analogy of the world, and for many who claim Christ as Lord, it is where they go first when hard times hit. Government assisted housing, medical services, food, nearly all of what is necessary for the survival of the flesh the government is willing to provide for nearly all that ask, as long as one is willing to submit to their requirements.
We could be trusting and patient, but that is not our way. The Lord provided water in the wilderness, they complained how it was not as it was in Egypt, He provided manna from heaven, it wasn’t good enough, they were provided for, but not in the way that it used to be. Here is part of the path that Satan has set in place for these days, just enough to keep one alive, as long as one is willing to remain in bondage. They call them “mandates,” those who have been blessed with eyes to see call it slavery, they call it “Universal Basic Income,” those who have been blessed with ears to hear call it bondage.
The steps have been laid out in a very slow, methodical manner, the nose ring has been pulled in a very gentle way, but the effect is still the same. “And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.” (Job 2:4) Far too many have not only become adjusted to the crumbs from the rich man’s table, (Luke 16:21) but they have learned to view them as a blessing, when there is a feast if they would simply wait on the Lord and seek His face.
It is in our nature though, to worry, then complain, then to acquiesce to what is offered, we rarely in patience sit before the Lord and wait for the blessings to flow down from heaven. The chains have been presented, and many have willingly placed them upon themselves, those who have some form of financial wherewithal will be shown that “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.” (Prov. 11:4) Soon enough, those who have stockpiled food and water will find that the worms have begun to feast upon that which they trusted in, and those who have given their faith and trust over to mankind will find Jeremiah 17:5 to be true in the approaching days, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
The walk to Egypt is rarely fraught with danger, it is a smooth path with little trouble, and the invitation is always exciting, the walk away from the world, not so much. Either direction is always left up to us, one must be able to recognize they are in bondage before they can desire to be freed from it. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
The pull of the world will grow exponentially in the coming days, when troubles begin to appear at your doorstep, you must be able to see the chains that they are holding when they offer you a way out of those troubles. Courage to resist, patience to endure. “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12)
