Thursday: The Refuge in Times of Trouble
Biblical prophets compare the coming judgment from God to the roaring of a lion,
Image © Janet Hyun from GoodSalt.com
a sound that makes everyone tremble (Joel 3:16, Amos 1:2, 3:8). In the Bible, Zion designates the location of God’s earthly throne in Jerusalem. From this place God will punish the enemy, but at the same time He will vindicate His people who patiently await His victory. They will share in His triumph when He renews creation.
To some people the Scripture’s portrayals of God’s final judgment are difficult to comprehend. It is good to keep in mind that evil and sin are very real, and that their forces are strong in trying to oppose God and to destroy every form of life. God is an enemy of evil. That is why Joel’s words invite us to examine our lives in order to be sure that we are on God’s side so that we can be sheltered on the day of judgment.
Read Matthew 10:28-31. How do these texts help us to understand, even during calamitous times, what we have been given in Jesus?
The Lord sustains those persons who persevere in faith. He may bring desolations upon the earth (Joel 3:1-15); yet, His people should not fear His acts of sovereign judgments because He has promised to protect them (verse 16). He has given them His word of assurance. His sovereign and gracious acts demonstrate that He is a faithful covenant God who never again will allow the righteous to be put to shame (Joel 2:27).
Joel’s book ends with a vision of a transformed world where a river flows in the midst of the New Jerusalem, the very presence of the eternal God among a forgiven people (Joel 3:18-21).
This prophetic message challenges us to walk in the Spirit, to pursue Christian living wholeheartedly, and to reach out to all who yet have not called on the name of Christ. As we do, we claim the divine promise of Christ’s abiding presence through the Holy Spirit who dwells in the hearts of His faithful people.
“We must know our real condition, or we shall not feel our need of Christ’s help. We must understand our danger, or we shall not flee to the refuge. We must feel the pain of our wounds, or we should not desire healing.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 158. What is your understanding of your own “real condition”? What pains are you suffering? How have you experienced the “refuge” promised to us in Christ?
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Refuge promised in Christ is "to be found in Christ" or "when Christ comes my life goes with Him". Now in pains of my "real condition" and kept by the faith to endure throughout trouble. In final analysis God is sovereign in that punishment that was given to me by His sovereign judgement. Lion - Satan - angel of God's wrath only operates because God give him a job. (Not that the sin comes from God but when sin comes God uses it for His punishments.) Like a criminal on the cross I am justly condemned to death. God is right for that. It is temporal punishment.
To be found in Jesus is to be free from eternal punishment, not to be found naked before God. To be dressed up in Christ's garment. To be found like Son of God and not like enemy of God. That is what "refuge in Christ" is for me.
Also there is a hope to escape death by Christ Second coming in our life time. That means to be freed from death condemnation and to be changed in new creation in a twinkling. But still if we are that generation we need to suffer "end time troubles" and to overcome the Beast so pain is still here.
Christ is made perfect by suffering on the cross (Epistle to Hebrews said that) so (I don't like it) that is only way for us also.
The only precious refuge is found in Christ alone, that the everlasting life he promises to those who obey Him by keeping his commandments. Now what is required of us is to prepare ourselve to meet Him. He is coming very soon
To God be the glory great things He has done. Yet again my God as given me every reason to trust in him with all my heart. He has just comforted my worried mind after reading this lesson.
Yes we all have pains. Being ignored for being Christ like is the worst one can imagine.
But in God everything is possible.
What a powerful and blessed assurance to have a refuge in our Savior Jesus Christ. This is the great hope of all the saints to go home to heaven but to get there we have to suffer just like Christ suffered. But, we will have the victory just like he did because in Jesus everything is possible. This lesson speaks to my immediate problems and it gives me validation that everything will work out according to God's will. Thanks be to God!
"We have reached the period foretold in Scriptures. The time of the end is come. The visions of the Prophets are unsealed, and their warnings point us to our Lord's coming in glory as near at hand" DA 235
O whose side are we going to find refuge? Under whose pavilion are we going to hide? Under whose shade are we going to find shelter when these perilious time come. They are hestaning apace. The Lord in Prov 23:26 says, " My son give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways" The Lord sees our disorder. He knows that our souls are diseased with sin, and He desires to you,"Thy sins are forgiven." The Great physician has a remedy for every ill.
Let all who desire safety Him his/her heart.
Happy Sabbath to all.
We hav a blessed assuarance that Jesua is coming soon, so we ought to prepare ourselves to meet HIM in HIS glory.