victory | Missing Pieces

The world is reeling from evil and threats of evil. Everything is spiraling out of control. Governments and economies are shaky and unpredictable. Many believe that we are living in the end times. Fear and uncertainty are rising, but this should not be the case for those of us who belong to Yeshua. This should not be a time for looking around, but for looking up and waiting eagerly for Yeshua’s glorious return. Throughout the Bible, Yehovah tells those who belong to Him not to fear, but to trust Him. It helps, in these troubling times, to stay focused on Yehovah and His word.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Josh 1:9)

There are wars and rumors of wars. Even though nuclear bombs have been around for approximately eighty years, government leaders today are issuing threats of nuclear war at an alarming rate. It seems to be not if, but when. As governments increase spending on warfare, their people are languishing, especially the vulnerable. What is Yehovah’s response?

Woe to those who enact unjust decrees
and draft oppressive legislation
to deprive the impoverished of justice
and rob my people’s poor of their rights,
looting widows and preying on orphans. What will you do on the day of punishment,
when calamity comes from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
Where will you leave your wealth so as not to squat among the prisoners
or fall among the slain? (Isaiah 10:1-4 CJB)

Conspiracies and conspiracy theories abound. Whom should we believe? Can we trust world leaders, the media, or anyone else?

The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,
and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble (Isaiah 8:12-13 NLT)

In over 150 countries, people who follow Yeshua (Jesus) are threatened with or are suffering severe persecution, even martyrdom. Many who belong to Yeshua have lost lives, family members, homes and employment. Many of our brothers and sisters in Yeshua have escaped with only the clothes on their backs. They are now living in refugee camps under deplorable conditions and are in constant danger. Is there hope for them?

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt 5:10-12 NKJV).

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Messiah’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Messiah Yeshua, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:12-14 ESV).

How much time do we spend on news reports, or planning strategies for “what if”? Do we let fear drive us to find solutions rather than seek His guidance? Do we doubt that Yehovah can address all the current issues and the evil that is so prevalent in this world? When we feel overwhelmed, let us turn our focus from what is happening around us, and meditate on the following verses from Isaiah 40:12-20 (NLT).

    Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
    Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth
    or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
¹³Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?
    Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
¹⁴Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
    Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
    or show him the path of justice?

¹⁵No, for all the nations of the world
    are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
    than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
    as though it were a grain of sand.
¹⁶All the wood in Lebanon’s forests
    and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough
    to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
¹⁷The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
    In his eyes they count for less than nothing—
    mere emptiness and froth…

²¹Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand?
    Are you deaf to the words of God—
the words he gave before the world began?
    Are you so ignorant?
²²God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
²³He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing.
²⁴They hardly get started, barely taking root,
    when he blows on them and they wither.
    The wind carries them off like chaff.

²⁵“To whom will you compare me?
Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One…

²⁸Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
²⁹He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
³⁰Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Yehovah is in control and is aware of all that is happening. Our job is to move boldly under His direction, trusting that He is fighting our battles for us.

When Yeshua went to the cross, it seemed like total defeat. His own chosen people whom for centuries He had loved and prepared to receive Him as Messiah rejected Him (Luke 23:18-25). He came to share Good News, the best news with them. He fed them, taught them, healed them, freed them from demonic oppression, comforted them, yet they rejected Him. He was betrayed by one of His own followers, one in a group that He had held especially close and dear (Luke 22:47-48). The rest of that special little group was scattered after His arrest, one denying that He even knew Him (Matt 26:69-75). His so-called trial was a sham. Those conducting it broke just about every one of their rules for conducting a trial. He was cruelly beaten and whipped, crucified, mocked, and humiliated in every way by the very people He came to save. At the end, it seemed that even His Father had abandoned Him (Ps. 22:1). At any time, did He ever wonder what was the point? Why had He gone to the trouble of becoming one of us, to suffer with us and to serve us, when we were already His enemies and there seemed little likelihood of anyone being willing to commit themselves to faithfully following Him? Yet, despite the discouragement and pain that He suffered, He continued with His mission and poured Himself out as the perfect sacrifice that would pay our otherwise impossible debt and cleanse us from unrighteousness. In the end, His broken body was taken down and placed in a burial cave. Everything seemed hopeless.

After three days and three nights in the grave, a remarkable thing happened: Yeshua was resurrected! His body was no longer broken, but was whole and now immortal. Death had not defeated Him, rather He had defeated death! His humiliation was now His glory (Phil 2:8-11). His brokenness was now impenetrable wholeness. Now, instead of rejection, countless people have clamored for Him through the centuries and still do today! Many people have willingly suffered much and have even been martyred rather than be separated from Yeshua. In fact, today there are people in over 150 countries who are suffering much persecution because they refuse to abandon Yeshua. His supposed defeat is now revealed as the greatest victory ever.

Even though Yeshua’s death seemed an indication of failure and defeat, it was really the greatest triumph of all time. What does that mean for us? Our sins can be forgiven when we sincerely desire it, our debt paid in full, and we are rescued from the clutches of our enemies. Our greatest defeat may turn out to be our greatest triumph. When we have loved and served Yeshua only to be disregarded or even shunned by others, we find that we are valued and highly esteemed by the only One whose opinion truly matters. When we are betrayed by the very ones on earth who should love and support us, we are loved, cherished, nurtured and protected by Yehovah who created us. We may do all that we can to advance the Kingdom of Yehovah on earth and it may seem that all our efforts have been futile, but perhaps we are not yet able to see the whole picture. Maybe our efforts will bear good fruit even after we are gone. Just like Yeshua our mortal bodies will also be replaced with immortal bodies at our resurrection (1 Cor. 15:53). Our so-called defeat will become our victory!

Yeshua sits at the right hand of Yehovah in glory and splendor (Rom 8:34; Mark 16:19). If we remain faithful to Yehovah, we have a place with Yeshua in His glory (Eph 2:6). Yeshua became like us so that we could become like Him. Through our suffering, we are tried and tested and prepared to be effective citizens in the Kingdom of Yehovah. Right now in this world there is ever-increasing darkness and evil. Yeshua warned us that there would be tribulation, but that we should be encouraged because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Sha’ul (Paul) tells us that our present suffering is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us later (Rom 8:18). With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can endure to the end, just as Yeshua did. There is hope for us, even in our darkest hours.