The Place of Safety

Well, good afternoon, everyone! I really appreciate the the sermonette, and I appreciate all the work that many of you are doing towards the potluck. It really is much appreciated. And it is good to remind of ourselves of the feast. And as we think of the feast, we know there's going to be lovely days coming forward, a lovely time in the world tomorrow. And therefore, I would like us to discuss after the sermon, after the services, after the closing prayer, discuss some of the things that as teenagers and young adults, what sort of things you would like to do at the beginning of the world tomorrow, and how do you see God using you in those tasks in the world tomorrow. And likewise, for all of us, we're going to be pioneers. We're going to be pioneering a new world, and therefore, things are going to be very different. You see, the world today is in complete chaos, but there is going to be a time of peace, real peace. But before that, regrettably, we're going to go through serious, serious times. But in the Bible, there's also talk about a time to flee, a time for some to flee. And so, the question I have, what is this thing called a place of safety that some people have used, that term? Why a place of safety? Doesn't God protect you just where you are? So why would you need a place of safety? God does protect us, doesn't He? And what about for those that don't go to the place of safety? So today, I want to address some of those questions, brethren, and not only about what is a place of safety, but then I want to conclude by asking, why do we need a place of safety? And that ties into the very questions that I would like you to be thinking about, young people, is what sort of jobs do you love or would love to be doing in the first few years of the world tomorrow? Because, indeed, as Mr. Wada'als used to call it, as some of you may remember, he didn't call it a place of safety, he called it a place of final training. And so, why do we need a final training? And so, that's what I plan to go through today. Now, you and I know that we're going through difficult times, and we're going to go through difficult times. In Isaiah 58, verse 1, it tells us, as members in the church, as our job as ministers, to cry aloud. And, indeed, our examples should cry aloud, like we heard in the sermon, so that people ask us questions, what is the reason of the hope you have? Because things are so bad. And so, Isaiah 58 does say, cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, tell my people their sins, their transgressions. The world is sinning. And, as you look at it today, day by day, it's sinning more and more. And, yeah, in Isaiah 58, it tells us a couple of things to do, which I'm not going to go into specifically, about such as not pointing fingers to other people, caring for others, making sure you keep the Sabbath properly. And then, in Isaiah 59, it says, your iniquities, Isaiah 59, verse 2, says, your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have eaten his face from you, so that he will not hear. That's why the world today is going into bigger and bigger troubles. It's mankind's sins, pure and simply, disobedience to God.

You see, mankind's sins have separated our nation, all nations have separated the nations from God. And that is the problem. And what do we see as a result? We see the nation being as if less and less protected. There is an interesting analogy in Isaiah 5. At the beginning of Isaiah 5, let's talk about God's vineyard. And in Isaiah 5, it says, you know, I've planted this vineyard, I've taken so good care of it, I've put an edge around it, and I've expected it to give me good, nice grapes. But what has it done? It's given us terrible grapes. And brethren, our nations are like that. Particularly Israel. Israel-like nations like America. We have been blessed. We have been blessed. God has protected us. He's put a hedge around us. And you know what we've done? We've become proud and arrogant, thinking that we have done it while God is the one who has given us the blessings. And we turned our backs on God. That's what we've done. And here in Isaiah 5, if you go a little bit further, it says, for instance, in verse 20, it says exactly what is happening today. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Isn't that so precise of what is happening in today's society? And who put darkness for light and light for darkness. Isn't that so true? Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter? Everything is upside down. That's the world today. So because of that, God is going to punish the nation. And we see that in verse 25 of Isaiah 5. Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused and he's going to punish the nation. Now you and I in God's church, as God's people, have to be careful. Because we live in the world. And you know the story of an apple, a rotten apple in a basket. It spreads that rottenness to the other apples. And we have to be careful because the world is a basket full of rotten apples. And you and I still have to be in the world but not of the world. And so we've got to make sure that we don't get spoiled like the other apples are spoiled. Don't get bad. And therefore, it's not easy for us.

Now as we stand out and become different, God is going to bless us. But there is a Satan and Satan is still going to try and create problems and difficulties. And we know that at times we'll get pretty bad. Our job, in the meantime, is that of being a watchman. And we've got to tell the world, the nation, and that's what the Beyond Today magazine, our programs, are telling the world, repent. Change. In Ezekiel 33 it says, the watchman has to make a clear sound noise. That is the job of the church. Ezekiel 33, we've got to make a clear noise, a clear sound, that people know they need to repent. And you know what? Sometimes we get many letters in the church criticizing us, from people in the world, because they say, oh well, you're this or that and the other, because we tell people to repent. But we have to. We have to do that. That's our job. Because if we don't blow the trumpet, and if we don't warn the people, as it says in Ezekiel 33, and we read in verse 6, if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, then the responsibility is on us.

So, what has this got to do with hope? We know Christ is going to come and is going to bring a wonderful world tomorrow. But we know that mankind has sinned. And so God is going to punish mankind. But after that, He's going to bring a healing. When Christ comes back, He's going to heal the nations.

But in the meantime, you read scriptures like Ezekiel 14. And if you turn to Ezekiel 14, you see that a time is going to come. A time that is going to come in Ezekiel 14, for instance in verse 13, Ezekiel 14 verse 13, that it says, Son of man, when a land sins against me by persistent unfaithfulness, that's what this nation is today. He's sinning by persistent unfaithfulness. I will stretch out my hand against it. I'll cut off its supply of bread, send famine, cut off man and beast from it. And then look at it in verse 14. It says, And even if these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness, says God. So He's going to bring such a punishment on the nation that, for instance, Noah, Daniel and Job would only save themselves. And that is repeated in verse 18. It says, And also repeated in verse 20, it says, He says, They would deliver neither son nor daughter, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness. Well, that can be quite frightening, count it. But, but, look at verse 22, And brethren, we need to be that special people in God's eyes that He is going to protect. And He will protect. He will protect. And we have to have that hope.

Now, as I mentioned earlier in the introduction, can't God protect you anyway? Of course He can. Look at Psalm 119. That's the longest Psalm. Psalm 119 verse 114. Psalm 119 verse 114. You are my hiding place and my shield. I hope in your word.

And God can hide us wherever we are. And Psalm 32 verse 7 says similarly the same thing. And there are many others, brethren. The Bible is full of encouragement telling us He does protect us wherever we are. Psalm 32 verse 7 where it says, You are my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Yes, God does shelter us. When you and I have trials, He does intervene for us. How many of us can vouch for that? Of course He does.

God can and does protect where we are.

But there are times when God has removed His people and protected them by removing them from society. You just have to look at the example of Noah and Noah's flood in Genesis 7 and 8. Noah and his family were separated from the society in the ark.

And when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, they were protected. And, as you know, they stayed in that ark for a whole year. They stayed in that ark for a whole year.

And so God does at times take you out of the society to protect you. So it does not mean that God doesn't protect you everywhere. He does. But there are times where He decides to protect you in a special place. Another example where God protected a family and removed them from that society is the case of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. Regrettably, the wife looked back and wanted to go back, which is a warning to us. But God did protect Lot.

From what? From Sodom's depravity. Lot was taken out.

We also know that, for instance, the Israelites were taken out of Egypt. The whole society was taken out of that society. Now, there are a couple of things that are interested in. The Israelites did not know how God was going to protect them. When they left Egypt, they got to a point that they had two mountains on each side, they had an army behind, and a sieve in front of them, and they said, We're stuck. Did they know how God was going to deliver them? They did not know. They had to walk in faith. And God told them, Go forwards in faith. And then God opened the sea, and they had to walk through it in faith.

You see, they had the hope that they'd been delivered out of Egypt to a promised land. So you and I have hoped to go to a promised land, which would be when Christ comes back. But there's going to be a lot of difficulties and trials, like two mountains on the side, an army behind, and you and I are going to be in a situation that we don't know how. We're going to have to have faith, absolute trust in God. I can't tell you how, detail by detail, how God will protect us.

But I can tell you that He promises protection, and I can tell you we have to have faith, absolute trust in God. Because at the other side, when Christ comes back, and the new world tomorrow, you and I, and you teenagers, you teenagers, will have a most exciting job. I know you teenagers may think, oh well, all these things are going to happen, and I'll never get married, I'll never have children, whatever. You will get married. If it happens very quick, and maybe you'll be an older teenager or a young adult, you'll be able to get married in a wonderful society.

A God fearing with Christ ruling. Wow! There is a hope! As we heard in the sermon, there is a hope. So young people, what is going to be your job? What is going to be your ideal job that you'd love to do in that society? Think about that. You see, we know from Matthew 24 that there is going to be a terrible time. Then in Matthew 24 verse 15, it says, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand, then let those who are in Judea flee. Now why flee? If God can protect you right where you are, why flee? Because there's going to be a place of protection. This is applicable to those that are in Judea, but people could be in other places. God could bring them all together. How? I do not know. Just like the Israelites did not know how God was going to take them out of Egypt. But they had to have faith and trust. But it says you've got to flee. And then in verse 20 of Matthew 24 it says, pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. So there is a Gania reference to fleeing a flight. So we have to pray that God will be with us and protect us, that we'll be able to do it at a time which is not so difficult. So, and it says then in verse 21 and 22 that that tribulation will be so terrible, so terrible, that it's never been like that. Now, you may say, well, that's kind of bad news, sermon. But there is good news, sermon, too, because there is a protection for you. There is a protection for you. But there are conditions. But there is a protection for you.

So the question is, when is it? Is it next year? Is it in five year start? Is it ten year start? Well, it's when the abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel happens, then you kind of know the timing. Because in Daniel, as we look in a moment, it gives you how many days it starts from there and gives you a countdown.

But we need to understand, brethren, that this is not just a physical war. We have to always keep the big picture. This is not just a physical war. This is a spiritual warfare. Because the God of this world is, at this time, in the process of being deposed from His position that He was given and is in the process of being deposed. In Daniel 12, verse 1, it talks also about a time like never before. In other words, it's like the Great Tribulation. It says, then Michael, that's an archangel, shall stand up, the great Prince who stands, watch over the sons of His people, of Your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation. In other words, it's actually putting it saying, this is the Great Tribulation that's talking about in Matthew 24 that you and I read a little moment ago. It says, it will never be like that. So it's actually talking about the same thing. It says, at that time, Michael will stand up. So there's going to be a great war. And as you read in Daniel 12, a little later, in verse 11, it says, And from the time that daily, the word sacrifices in italics, so it's not in Hebrew, from the time that daily is taken away and abominationally set up, there shall be 1,290 days. So from that time, we have a clock counting down. You know, counting down. So we have 1,290 days, which is 1,260 plus 30 days, right? And why do I say 1,260? Because 1,260 is three and a half years. And three and a half years is the time, the period of the Great Tribulation, which in parallel is the period of the two witnesses preaching. But 30 days before, there's the abomination of desolation, and that's why Christ says, when you see the abomination of desolation, flee. So there is like a gap of 30 days. And there's other things about that gap of 30 days that our booklet, the Middle East in Bible Prophecy, explains in a lot more detail. So I do recommend you to go through that booklet, because there's other scriptures like Hosea 5 and others that I'm not going into, and Psalm 83, that it's got very interesting things regarding those 30 days. But I'll leave it at that for your own little private Bible study.

But what do we have here is a time of a spiritual warfare that Michael stands up, as we saw in verse 1. Now, this is described a bit more in detail when Michael stands up in Revelation 12. Now, if you and I turn to Revelation 12, Revelation 12, Revelation 12, verse 7, Revelation 12, verse 7, and war broke out in heaven.

You see, so it's a spiritual war in heaven. And Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. And in verse 9 says, that dragon is that old serpent called devil and Satan. So the dragon and Satan fought with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought. So in other words, there's Michael and his angels fighting Satan and the demons. This is a spiritual warfare in heaven. This is big, brethren. And they, that is Satan and the demons, did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. And so the dragon that was cast out to the earth, who deceives the whole world, and then we know there'll be great wrath.

He's got great wrath. You read that in verse 12. And he's going to attack who? You read that in verse 13. He's going to attack the woman who gave birth to the male child. Now the woman, yes, symbolizes a nation which gave birth through that nation.

Judah, that woman, Jewish lady, that gave birth to Christ. But spiritually speaking, a woman, Christ, came out of that woman, and that woman, spiritually speaking, represents Israel. And once again, in spiritual terms, in spiritual Israel, which we, the church, are. So at this end time, Satan is going to persecute the church. He's going to persecute the church. And then we read in verse 14, But the woman, that is the church, was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the walnuts to a place where she's nourished for a time, one year, times, two years.

So two plus one makes three and half a time. So it's three and a half years. So the woman is nourished, is protected, in a place of safety, somewhere in a wilderness, from the presence of the serpent. In other words, somewhere where Satan can't get to God's people. And this is what we refer to the place of safety. So there will be a place of safety. The church will be in a place of safety for three and a half years. But the interesting thing, brethren, the interesting thing, Yah, brethren, is that then it says, in verse 15, the serpent spewed out water out of his mouth, which we understand to be a military force, like a flood after the woman.

Just like when the Israelites left Egypt, an army chased them. And then it says, But the earth, verse 16, helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood. Just like when the Israelites left Egypt, the sea opened up and swallowed the army. In this case, the earth will open up and will swallow that army that is persecuting the church. How will this happen? Well, I don't know. We don't know. But we know that it will happen, because God is faithful and he's not lying.

We know there's going to be a protect. We know it's going to be in one place, because it's just like the Israelites, when leaving Egypt, they were in one place together.

So the ears, that is going to happen. But the frightful thing, brethren, the frightful thing is the next verse. And that's verse 17, because it says, And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make word of the rest of her offspring. And what basically that means, brethren, is that part of the church will be protected and part of the church will not be protected. That is the important thing for us. Think of it like the ten virgins. They all in the church, all ten. But five are wise and five are foolish. Five are protected and five are not.

And the ones that were not protected says, yeah, because the other ones were protected and they couldn't get to them. The earth protected them. But the remaining ones, which were not protected, it says who they are and who are they? They keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. You know, what's their virgins? They keep the Sabbath. They keep God's early days. They don't eat unclean foods and things like that. And so some are protected and some are not.

Now, this is my big question. It's like saying, this is the million dollar question. What is the differentiator between A and B? What is differentiator between those that are protected and those that are not? They're both in the church. They're both keeping the commandments of God. They both have the testimony of Jesus. What is the difference? Has it ever crossed your mind? It's crossed my mind many times. And I've searched the Scriptures many times on this subject. And so let us dig a little deeper on that. In the first one, we have the letter to the Philadelphian church, the Philadelphian era of the church, which is in Revelation 3, verse 8.

And there it says that those people will be protected. So Revelation 3, verse 8, we see that these brethren that have, let's call it, this attitude, let's call it an attitude, or this spirit, and says, I know your works. I see I have set before you an open door, and no one can shout it, for you have little strength and have kept my word.

They've kept God's word, have not denied my name. And then it says in verse 10, because you kept my commandment in Greek, it's also word, logos, because you kept my commandment to persevere. I will also keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world, to test them with the well on the earth.

In other words, that trial on the whole world will be the Great Tribulation. So because you kept my word, my commandment, to persevere, and the word persevere is this word again, upamone, which is a noun in this case, which is a cheerful or hopeful endurance. A hopeful endurance. We've got to have hope and endure with that hope. And because of that, we are teachable, we are meek, and we are fearing God, and we're doing what God tells us what to do. And so we endure patiently, seeking righteousness in meekness with genuinely brotherly love, because the Church of Philadelphia means brotherly love.

So those will be protected. But then look at verse 17 of the same chapter, talking to the Church in Laodicea. In verse 17 says, because you say I'm rich and I become wealthy and I have need of nothing, would you say that somebody that has that vibe, that attitude, is that a humble attitude, a meek attitude? Or is it more of an arrogant attitude?

And then it says, verse 18, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in a fire. In other words, I'm advising you, in other words, I'm telling you, that's Christ speaking to these brethren, saying you're going to have to go through the Great Tribulation to be cleansed, to be purified, to take that arrogance out.

So I might be wrong, but I see one thing here. There might be others. I'm not saying this is the only thing, but I see one important thing here. One important thing here is an attitude of meekness and teachability versus an attitude of arrogance. They're both keeping God's commandments. They're both in God's church. They both have all the beliefs. But there is a different spirit, a different vibe. Now, there is a very interesting scripture that I want to draw your attention to, that quite often we do not pay attention to. And that is in of all places in Zephaniah. So turn with me to Zephaniah.

Zephaniah is like the fourth book before the end of the Old Testament. So it's right at the end of the Old Testament. In chapter 2, I'm going to read from verse 1 through verse 3. Gather yourselves together. Yes, gather together. Now, what does gathering together mean? It means become united. You that are scattered, humble yourselves to one another and be united. There is a thing that is actually very needed to be united. That's humility. And so then it continues. Oh, undesirable nation. Oh, yeah. We are an undesirable nation. We are a group of people that many others, once they get to know us, they don't think we are a desirable group of people. Before the decree is issued or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger, before this day of wrath, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. Look at verse 3. Pay attention to verse 3. Seek the Lord all you meek of the earth. Now meek is a person that is gentle, but it's also that's teachable, malleable, like clay in a potter's hand. It's malleable, teachable, moldable, humble, not arrogant. Arrogant is hard, not flexible. It's teachable. Who have upheld his justice, righteousness, and seek humility? And then he says, it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. Wow! So, all you meek, seek God, be close to God, be teachable, be meek, gather yourselves together. It may be that you will be protected, hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

You know, so, yeah, we see a strong possible clue or hint. And I'm not saying this is the only one, please, brethren. But to me, it's an important hint that differentiates those that will be protected from those that will not. An attitude of teachability, of humility, of malleability, of loving-kindness to others. Because you can be in the church, and you can be sometimes hard and kind of strict and inflexible. But he is talking about being meek and teachable, and therefore, persevering and doing what God wants us to do. Isaiah 66. Isaiah 66, in verse 2. It also says an interesting Scripture. Isaiah 66, verse 2.

Isaiah 66, verse 2. For all these things my hand has made, and all these things exist, says God, says the Lord. So God says, you know, the heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool. What can you do for me? And then he says, in the second part of verse 2. But on this one will I look, on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word.

God has got everything, heaven, the earth at his feet, but he looks at the person that is meek, contrite, teachable. That is very special to God.

You know, this reminded me of the days that when I was at IBM in South Africa, I started just fixing machines, but I grew up within the company after many years, and I became an executive director, and I had a number of people working for me. And I had to hire people, and I always thought hiring was the most challenging task.

More challenging than firing. Now, firing is tough. You know, if you have to go and tell a person, I'm sorry, you gotta go. And I know I had to tell half of my team to go. I was told that on the night of the Passover by my manager. And I said, you gotta tell your staff tomorrow that half of them are going to be fired, and I want you to tell me their names tonight.

Now, that is probably, you'd say, the toughest job. But I would say a tougher job is hiring, because if you hire the right people, you will save yourself a lot of problems.

What has that got to do with meekness and teachability? If I hire the right people for the right attitude, willing to work, willing to be taught, willing to be malleable, you may not have the greatest knowledge, but I can teach him the knowledge. But I can't teach him the attitude.

And as a manager, hiring people are looked for the attitude. And this is what we read here in Isaiah 66, that God is looking for our attitude. And so, when it says, and you know Scriptures, watch and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape, Luke 21, verse 36, watch and pray for what? For yourself, for your and my attitude, that our attitudes are right with God. They're malleable, they're teachable, they're humble, they're contrite, they're meek. Are we?

You know, it also says, be zealous for good works. Yes, we gotta be zealous. We gotta work for good works.

But you know, brethren, there is another Scripture that really touches me, and it touches you as well.

That is the last two verses of the Old Testament. If you read the last two verses of the Old Testament, it's like the concluding message, like the conclusion.

Malachi 4, verse 5 and 6, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet. And you and I, brethren, believe that you and I are doing the work of Elijah the prophet at the same time.

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and what is our job today, brethren, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

Brethren, God is merciful. God is very merciful.

And we do need that time to be set aside and separate. So why? So that God can train us. I remember how Mr. Waterhouse used to say it. I'm probably not going to say it the same way he used to say it. But we all need to be together so that the Americans are de-Americanized, the South Africans are de-South Africanized, the Brazilians are de-Brazilianized, the Italians are de-Italianized, and the Scotch are de-scotched.

But the point is that, with a little bit of humor, but the point is we need to take all these ruffles out, be trained, so that we will have a core of young people that are not marred by the final events of this end time, because there will be a second exodus and they'll come into the world tomorrow. But God will need pioneers, young people, young ladies, young men that are sound, not emotionally damaged, to be the leaders in the world tomorrow. And God wants you there.