Under the Microscope

Under the Microscope

11/26/16

We would like to believe that we have the ability to move about freely on this earth with no one specific pair of eyes watching our every movement.  We continually seek this peace and fun-loving lifestyle but in truth, we are under the scrutiny of millions of people, right down to our thoughts and choices of the securest matters.  It has become a common theme that if our lives do not end immediately after we do something wrong, that we have gotten away with this act and therefore not subject to the laws of man and more importantly the laws of God.  But there is a God who sees all activities of mankind, so close in fact that He knows them before we even complete them, so why don’t we begin to follow His Ways and leave the faulty ways of mankind behind because all of us are under the microscope of God and nothing gets past His loving eyes and heart.

Cells are the most important organism that we have to identify conditions and diseases in the laboratory.  In some cases we can detect certain levels of chemicals in the blood without the direct usage of a microscope but even when the fancy instruments measure their results their mechanism of detection, in theory, uses such a magnifying lens to obtain the minute volumes of elements that circulate through our bodies.  When we inform the physician that a person may have leukemia, a urinary infection, or a skin or body cavity infection a microscope is used to determine exactly what infecting organisms are present so that proper treatment of the problem can be completed.  Without the microscope, the patient would receive a guess about how to treat their issue and given antibiotics that may not work, then the infectious bacteria would be allowed to grow even more and produce further damage to the body that could even result in death.

I have always been fascinated with the microscope and how with a single set increase in magnification one trained eye can see exactly what is floating around in areas that are causing pain.  With humans being in all shapes and sizes the effectiveness of such a microscope can only be obtained if the oculars (lenses) are conformed to the face of the user and the oculars are focused properly onto the slide contents or tissue plate on the stage (platform) of the scope.  It is then that the prepared object can be adequately viewed in order to understand what the source of the problem is to the patient.  Many times this simple process is all that is needed to know the patient is suffering from but in other occasions the process takes a bit more time and staining to receive the desired answers for treatment.  To save time for all medical professionals concerned, it would be wonderful if the microscope itself could automatically adjust itself to the required specifics every time before the human even places their eyes to the scope. This is not possible but there is one being that continually has His eyes focused on our lives and it is through this focused truth that God loves us with His entire heart, but at the same time He sees our need for Him and prescribes His truth and medicine to restore us to His ways but as in all other aspects of human activity, it is strictly our choice to receive this forgiveness and obey His Ways or not.

It can be easily stated that all activities of many of the people in this nation are under a constant microscopic strain and it does not look like this type of scrutiny will change anytime soon.  It is becoming obvious that Christians and those who believe ideas that go against the world are going to feel and witness escalated tensions and assaults against them until they either convert to the ways of the world, driven from their immediate environments or even killed due to their stances.  This statement should not be surprising to some because they understand that these times would be coming and will only increase as our world gets further away from God.  However, for those of you who do not understand what is going on or who do not believe in God; just know that through your actions of denial and self you are proving the Living Word of God correct 100%.  I do not say this sarcastically or in any hateful manner, but if you do not believe me, then read the Word of God and you shall see for yourself.

I also find it amazing that in this troubled timeframe it has become evident that long time and deep friends are becoming strained with each other for festering differences that have slowly smoldered underneath the skin for quite some time.  It seems like it no longer matters what issue one can speak about, some type of argument and placement of division will occur after those words have been mentioned.  Friends becoming public scrutiny through blame of their own differing opinions is nonsense but will this may be a fact this type of setting has brought down numerous empires in our past and must be warned about before drastic measures are taken again; not by mankind but by God Himself. 

The third part of our series that occurs in 1 Samuel Chapters 4-6 continues in this article and serves as the foundation of the lie that Israel fell for, did not address, then eventually accepted and ultimately lived through during the time of these passages.  This setting does not occur in 1 Samuel Chapter 4 but in 1 Samuel Chapter 2 and it deals with the heart of the High Priest and the house that he held in Israel.  1 Samuel 2:21-29 and it is through these verses that the stage is set for a great calling to become a terrible falling, not only for an individual’s house but for a nation as well.  This section of the series should have been the first one written but for some reason, God said to write the other two first, which I did.

1 Samuel 2:21 gives us the account of Hannah the birth of her children and this verse must be included in this passage for it if was not mentioned that she bore the amount of children that she did, then the prophecy of God would have been discredited and deemed a lie.  But through this single verse the person who God spoke to about this personal prophecy about God’s High Priest is documented and put into place according to His Word.  Verse 22 begins with stating the Eli, the High Priest, was very old and it would seem that he had been in the position of high priest for a very long time.  This means that Eli was well versed in the ways of God and that he had no excuse for the allowances of misdoings and wrongs that were presently being committed inside the nation of Israel.  The second part of this verse states that Eli had heard about all of the crimes and sins that his sons had committed and how they even slept with the women that were present at the doors of the tabernacle.  Verse 23 states that Eli called his sons to him and addressed the situation about the accusations against them and asked them why did they do these things against the people of God?

One of the important things to remember here is that Eli and his sons knew the aspects and intimate details of the Laws of God, yet in their own ways ignored the Word of God.  Verse 24 and verse 25 has Eli telling his sons that it is bad enough when the people sin against others but to have people directly sin against God is a whole entirely different ballgame and places everyone – especially them – into a very high risk category of becoming of a new status that we refer to as being dead.  Eli’s two sons who had the job of being judges over Israel totally ignored their father’s words and chose to continue in their ways against the people of Israel and against God.  It was this choice of selfishness that led to the prophecy against Eli and his house and the slaying of thousands of men on the battlefield, not to mention the further unfolding of the lie that Eli and his house protruded.

It is through this direct negligence of God’s Ways that led to the unfolding of the prophecy given to Eli and his house and the completion of that prophecy after the loss of thousands of lives on the battlefield.  There is no way possible that either party involved in these verses could deny the fact or say that they did not know the truth of what was being told to them.  Here comes the dangerous part, and the part that places our nation and the state of the world in jeopardy with God.  Eli’s sons were judges that were placed in positions of complete authority over the laws of Israel and should have represented themselves according to the standards of God.  When their actions became so blatantly sinful and included disgusting sex acts for the maidens of the tabernacle, Eli had no choice but to talk to them about their deeds.  The problem was that in the eyes of Eli’s sons he had lost all authority over them by his past allowance of their deeds without any consequences being they came to the conclusion that their ways were higher of their parent, a major problem according to God’s Word.

Secondly, Eli himself was at fault for once he had addressed the issues to his sons and after it was made clear to him that they were not going to adhere to the ways of God, he did nothing further to correct the situation.  Eli allowed his sons to rule and dictate their own policies over Israel directly guided by their lustful desires instead of the ones that God had directed previously. This act of Eli was the catalyst that forced God to show His hand to the Israelites on the battlefield, and it was this lack of doing what God had established as the correct way to correct faulty ways that landed Eli into hot water.  A parent’s obligation to their children does not end with a simple scolding along with a question and answer session.  God is specific about the actions of His children and how they should be dealt with when behavior becomes unbecoming of God.  Eli chose to stop with the Q&A and do nothing more to ensure God’s house, laws and children remained on His Way and not the human’s word.  Does this sound familiar to us?  Look at how our children are behaving ever since the well mannered disciplinary skills of parents have been taken away, or ignored by said parents.

God sent a messenger to Eli in 1 Samuel 2:27-36 explicitly explains to Eli of what would occur to his house with the decision that he had made with his sons.  This prophecy over Eli was both on the personal aspect of his life and over the entire house that he represented, which meant that his sons were going to be included in the downfall of Israel.  The messenger gave Eli specific details about his life and what was to come of it along with the entire house that represented him, down to the point where the future of his house’s blossoms would end in a single day.  We see this prophecy being fulfilled in 1 Samuel Chapter 4 states that the entire house of Eli was destroyed and killed, along with thousands of men of Israel on the battlefield.  Think that your single or individual disobedient heart does not make a difference to the outcome of a nation?  Please, please reconsider your thoughts for you do have a choice and God wants your choice to be Him on all levels of our existence.

The last part of this article draws a conclusion that broke God’s heart in two.  Not that having Israel lose thousands of men, His dwelling place captured, the loss of His High Priest and judges of Israel all in one day wasn’t bad enough but it was this next act in 1 Samuel Chapter 4 that stresses the importance of the final words of prophecy against Eli when in Chapter 4:19-22 states that Eli’s daughter-in-law found out about the results of the battle and immediately went into labor with Phinehas’ child.  She bore a son and named him Ichabod, to which the ladies around her began to rejoice.  Eli’s daughter-in-law acted unusually after she gave birth to Ichabod for even the child’s name alone explains why she remained somber and silent.  The name Ichabod means where is the glory, or no glory present.  In verse 22 she states that the glory of God has departed from Israel through the actions on the battlefield for she understood exactly why things occurred in the manner to which they did and what the entire prophecy concerning Eli meant.

What occurred to Israel in these passages was horrific in nature and we must include the grotesque details of what occurred to the Philistines after their victorious battle win as well.  Through the previous two messages that God has given us He has shown us exactly what occurs if we harbor Him somewhere else other than our hearts.  God makes it very clear that it is His #1 desire for Him to inhabit the center of our hearts and to be the source of our heartbeat.  God also makes it clear to us of what occurs in our lives through our own choices if we do not keep God first in our hearts, even when there are stressful times in our lives. Thirdly, God points out that if we propose to the world a lie even when using God as the lie to others, He shall not tolerate any side which is involved and will strike equally against those who legitimately win battles against us.  Finally, God will complete His Words from the beginning until the end of every word spoken in concordance with what He has said to His children.  This includes the good, the bad, the ugly, to the just and to the unjust alike without any favoritisms being displayed.

It is this point that our nation has come to as well, for we have lost the definition of our country and have placed our decisions into our hands instead of them being through the hands of God.  To make matters worse, we have now thrown out God and His Ways and labeled them as blasphemous to our human laws thus solidifying our defeat in a future setting.  Also, God has sent us messenger after messenger over a varied amount of time to warn us of our sinful behaviors and to change them before He must allow ugliness to occur.  Just the sons of Eli ignored his words so have we the words of God’s messengers that have preached to us about what God desires from His children.  As well, our leaders of the Church have deliberately allowed sinful acts – many being committed by themselves against the people - to go unchecked in the pulpits of these church buildings and in the hearts of those who should be setting God’s standards instead of their own due to the evil belief of lies as their god.  How can we stand before God and deny these charges against His people and against His House?  Church, we are in the exact same position as Israel was in when this battle was about to begin and if we do not change our ways and turn back to God and place Him in the center of our hearts, we are going to have the exact same outcome as Israel did so long ago.

This is a death sentence for this nation and a proclamation and fulfillment of the prophecies that God has given to many messengers over the past few years concerning the destruction and devastation of this nation.  Now, now is the time that God is saying this to us, you can choose the path that Eli took or choose the path that Eli should have taken when God spoke the warnings to him and his house.  Eli made it clear that God was the persona non grata in his land and in his heart and was destroyed for that choice.  Let us not make the same choice as Eli did.  Turn our hearts towards God and allow Him to rule and reign as He desires to do, His yoke is easy and the freedom that is obtained is breathtaking.  God loves you and wants to be in your life completely.  He is in my heart and is the beat to which my heart steadies onward.  I understand that my life shall never be free from the disease called sin but I have the confidence and faith to know that when God looks through His microscope over my life, I pray that all He shall see is the red cells of His Son that cover my eternal disease.

DLB