Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Proverbs 22:8 NKJV

8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
And the rod of his anger will fail.

Injustice, persecution, and brutality experienced by believers at the hands of wicked men have long been a cause to question the justice of God. It has been stated by someone, “the wheels of God’s justice grind exceedingly slow but they grind exceedingly fine”. This is in some instances so. But there are other instances in which this justice is swift and final.

The writer of Proverbs sets before us a vital truth, “God guarantees equity in this present life.” This may either be short term or long term. The great image in Daniel 2 teaches this truth. Kingdoms ever so evil and powerful may arise, but they will fall in history. They are not perpetual. They are limited. Some fall quickly. Some last for generations but they all fail.

In the short term, a Diotrephes may rise up in a church, sow iniquity and exercise his willful and malicious way. But he will fail. The Borgias with all their evil failed. Bloody Mary failed. Harry Emerson Fosdick failed. The “God is dead” teachers failed.

Hitler failed within one generation. Communism failed in three. Castro has come on the stage of history. He will exit and his evil with him. There is equity in the present life.

But the end of justice may tarry long. And even in the short term it seems eternal to those who suffer. We can be sure justice will come for God’s saints in the Middle East and Africa. They have for a long period of time suffered the oppression of cruel masters. The unbending enmity of the Muslims toward the Christian is not of a late determination. The primary purpose of the Muslim faith is to destroy Christianity.

Certainly God has both restrained and thwarted them in their purpose. But their purpose remains firm. It is wrong headed and futile to think common cause can be made by Christianity with Muslims.

What does this mean for us?

1. We must be fully aware of the suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters in the areas of the world controlled by Muslims. Their suffering is directly attributable to the hatred of Muslims toward Christianity.

2. We must pray. Pray that God will bring sorrow to the oppressors and bring failure to the rod of their fury. Pray that God will strengthen them to endure in the time of suffering.

Augustine, that great light in God’s church, was a citizen of Africa and God can raise up again from there gifts for His church which will light her in her progress and His purpose.

Daniel 12:8-10 ESV

8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?"

9 He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.