TWO CAMPS

Throughout the Scripture we see comparisons of two groups of people - those who pursue God and those who do not. Those who seek God often seem to be at a disadvantage at the beginning because of the hardships they endure to follow God but in the end there is always a turning of the tide and those who seek God are rewarded.

We are living in a day and age where there is a rising of two camps. God is allowing circumstances that will cause man to choose which side he will be on. May we choose wisely.

Daniel and His Friends and the Rest of the Young Men - The Consecrated and the Unconsecrated

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." (Daniel 1:8)

Daniel purposed not to indulge in the pleasures of life. He represents the believers who will seek to live a consecrated life, overcoming the lusts of the flesh and the eyes. Daniel manifested such a temperance (self-control) over the desires of the body. He was willing to say no to indulgences that were not acceptable among the Jews despite being offered it and commanded to enjoy it. His spirit had such a rule over his body and soul that he overcame the temptations before him. Like Daniel we must be able to say “No” to worldliness and the lustful pleasures of the world.

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."  (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) 

There were of course implications to this decision. It meant for three years Daniel and his friends will not give themselves over to their appetites. Daniel and his friends disciplined their bodies to eat and be satisfied with simple food. We are also being tested in this area today not only in the area of appetite for food, although that is definitely one of them, but of the many other appetites of the flesh and soul. We live in a time where there is greater access to the pleasures of life and standards of living. People’s expectations and desires for their kind of lifestyle is rapidly leveling up. However, God is calling on His people to rule over appetites and be temperate in all things. We must be watchful that we are not becoming belly worshipers, those whose minds are set on earthly things.

"whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things."  (Philippians 3:19)

For Daniel and his friends, this did not only mean abstaining from the king’s food but it also meant being different from the rest of the young men. They had to go against the flow. This decision must have set them apart from everyone else. Today, there is such pressure to conform to the standards of this world because defiance of worldly standards can mean being ostracized or not being able to fully relate with most others in one’s social circles. It may mean not having very good reputation among many even people who may have an influence on one’s career.

Daniel and his friends, in their decision not to defile themselves may have appeared disadvantaged compared to those who enjoyed the king’s food. They may have appeared to have been deprived of pleasures as well as being unable to flow with the majority. And many times when we choose to live a consecrated life, to not defile ourselves with the pleasures of this world or indulge in the riches of this world, we may experience what Daniel experienced. 

However, we know how in the end, Daniel and his friends were handsomely rewarded for choosing to be consecrated and preserved from defilement. Their righteousness led to the Lord imparting upon them far greater wisdom than everyone else, which then led to being favored by the king and raised to positions of leadership. Those who are able to rule over worldly appetites and keep themselves pure are wise and God says that to the wise He adds wisdom. 

"Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm."  (Daniel 1:18-20) 

Wise virgins and foolish virgins - The Prepared and the Unprepared

Copyright © 2014 pixgood.com

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." (Matthew 25:1-4)

The virgins in this parable were divided into two camps. One group was called wise while the other foolish. The only difference between them which distinguished one camp from another is how well they prepared themselves. One camp chose to walk the extra mile to prepare themselves by bringing extra oil. The other group on the other hand was content just to bring their lamps and the oil that was in it.

Oil here may speak of the anointing or our love for God. This means that if we want to be part of the camp of the wise virgins, we must be those who seek greater anointing in our lives and cultivate our love for God. Anointing comes from God and is imparted to us as we come into His presence and soak there. 

Love for God on the other hand is cultivated by our obedience to Him. So the wise virgins represent believers who are really investing in knowing God, in sitting at His feet to receive from Him. Maturity in our walk truly has direct correlation with the amount of time we spend feeding on the Lord. It also has direct correlation on how much of our resources, our lives we are giving to Him. 

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34)

The wise virgins too may have appeared to have to been disadvantaged because they exerted more effort by bringing more oil. The foolish must have thought it an unnecessary burden, an inconvenience thus they themselves did not do the same. They must have thought what they had was enough. They were content at having bear minimum. In our day, we may be tested in the same area. There may be those who will tell us not to spend too much time with God because it can stand in the way of other preoccupations. There will be voices that would say your obedience to God is too radical that it is no longer practical. There are also calls today to go easy on “holiness.” You may even look boring to others because you do not live the fast life and would rather spend time with God.

But in the end, the decision of the wise virgins to walk the extra mile by having more oil, which signifies having more of God in their lives, paid off because it was they who were included in the wedding banquet.

The Lord honors those who prepare well. The Lord delights in those who desire to have more of Him in their lives. The wedding banquet here represents the marriage supper of the Lamb to His Bride. And those will prepare their lives well and put their lives in order with much diligence will be included in this banquet.

Noah and the Rest of His Generation - The Righteous and the Unrighteous

"And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you." (Genesis 6:17-18)

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation."(Genesis 7:1)

There was also a distinction made between Noah and his generation. This is a very dramatic distinction as it meant one man stood out different from a whole group of people. What set Noah apart? The Lord said that Noah was a righteous man while his whole generation was corrupt.

The Lord is calling us to live righteous lives. We are called to uphold integrity in both the little and big things. God is calling out for moral purity. There is such wickedness in the heart of man and God wants to cleanse us of these things. To move on with God, God seeks for clean hands and a pure heart. So we must cry out for God to cleanse us and make us follow Him.

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully."  (Psalm 24:3-4)

In Noah’s generation he may have appeared very foolish for not indulging in sinful living and then later on for building an ark. There was no fear of God in his generation and so he must have been laughable in the eyes of many for building an ark and preparing for God’s judgment. 

And it must have required tremendous work for Noah both to stay righteous in an evil generation and build an ark and bring in the animals while the rest of the people just spent their days in fruitless and godless living. Is this not also a very familiar situation for us today? Those who are adhering to the laws of God are being mocked and considered outdated because today it is becoming more fashionable to defy the laws of God and engage in sinful lifestyles. More and more today, it is becoming needful to have the strength of heart to go against the tide and stand for God amidst compromises.

But in the end, Noah’s righteousness led to his and his whole family’s preservation from the flood. God’s judgment is drawing near are we preparing ourselves to be spared from this judgment?

Sons of God and Illegitimates - Disciplined and Undisciplined

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;For whom the LORD loves He chastens,And scourges every son whom He receives.”If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5-8)

Here we see another set of people who were divided in two camps - the sons of God and the illegitimate and not sons. The way they were differentiated is by whether or not they endured the chastening of God. The passage tells us that the sons of God have endured God’s chastening, rebuke and scourging.

The chastening of God is divided into these three things. Chastening in the Greek translates to giving of instructions. So the Lord instructs His sons in His ways. They are made aware of the things that please and displease the Lord. However, when the son of God is unable to heed the instructions of God and he disobeys His word, the Lord then rebukes that son, which in Greek refers to verbally correcting. This means being corrected by God by showing us our sin. But in the areas where there is willful disobedience or rebellion, the Lord may choose to scourge us which in Greek means to flog. This means God may choose to take disciplinary action upon us to bring conviction in our hearts, which then leads to repentance.

On the other hand, those who refuse or do not endure (which means not submit to it unto the end) the correction of God, are considered by God as illegitimate and not sons.

We came into this world self-centered. Self-centeredness is an attribute of Satan. Thus, if we are self-centered we reflect the character of Satan who is the father of self-centeredness. Thus, when we accepted Jesus into our lives and became part of His family, God needed to begin a work of adjusting us to conform us to Him because our Father is a selfless and others-centered Father. If we are going to be dealt with as sons, we must reflect His character. 

God can only deal with us as sons if we will accept His discipline, His instruction, correction and disciplinary action.

Is God putting things in order in our lives today? Is He pointing a finger at areas in our hearts that He needs to transform? How are we responding to the chastening of God in our lives? Are we heeding the instructions of the Lord? Are we accepting the corrections and even the disciplinary action? May we be a people who endure the discipline of God, accepting with meekness God’s cleansing and transforming work in us. May we always say to God “Yes, Lord.”

Today, we are being called to choose between two camps.

Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the LORD’s fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you! (Zephaniah 2:2)

We read in Revelations that in the Tabernacle of Moses there was also a distinction made. 

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.  But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. (Revelations 11:1-2) 

The outer court was distinguished from the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The Lord instructed to leave it out because it was given to the Gentiles. Outer Court in the Tabernacle of Moses represents being babes in Christ. And those who will just settle for being babes in Christ are risking being tread upon in the last days when great tribulation shall come to the earth. 

These Christians will be susceptible to the great delusion and darkness that will sweep the earth. Staying in the outer court is not safe. Thus, the Lord is calling us to move forward, to choose the camp of those who will progress in the Lord. How can we be preserved in the last days? We can be like Daniel and Noah who stood for righteousness. We must also be like the wise virgins and sons of God who with meekness follow the Lord and accept His discipline.

Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger. (Zephaniah 2:3) 

And we must understand that there is no such thing as a middle ground. We cannot be fence-sitters delaying our obedience to the Lord thinking that I will continue my self-centered living for a little longer but eventually I will come to the Lord. We cannot have one foot in the world and the other in the presence of God. We must understand that when God calls us to make a decision, He limits a day to waiting for our decision. We cannot simply think that I will prepare for the great revival and the tribulation when it is already here. That was what the foolish virgins did and we see what became of them in the end. 

This is the hour to make our choice. Let us decide wisely. If you are one who has already made a decision and perhaps there is so much discouragement around you today, know that there is a reward awaiting you from the Lord. He will honor your choice to pursue. There will be a turning of the tide and you will be on the good side!