The Darkness Now Widely Lurks

 

            There is a prophetic verse in the Bible with seismic potential.  And, it has now lain dormant for twenty centuries.  But it would seem, perhaps, not any longer.  This prophecy’s unfolding time may have now come.  

            The prophecy gives this forewarning. “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” (Ref. 2 Thessalonians 2:7)

            Certainly, it goes without saying that this present, highly self-infatuated world, is now increasingly insensitive, to God. And, it naturally follows that the same is true regarding His redemptive workings and timetable. 

           Nevertheless, that relentless divine agenda may have now  brought us, whether wittingly or unwittingly, to this brink of an almost unimaginable change. Indeed, if this prophecy’s time has come it will bring this world to a level of chaos and darkness which we’ve never known before.

        The prophesy clearly indicates that it is God's plan to eventually withdraw of the Holy Spirit from His evil-restraining role in this world.  Again, the scripture says it this way, “… only He who now restrains, will do so until He is taken out of the way.”

      The Holy Spirit actually has two primary roles in our world.  One is to empower the devout believer who embraces the Lordship of Christ.  The Divine Spirit was made available to the Church at its beginning specifically for this purpose.  

     The Holy Spirit serves as the conduit to literally connect the character essence of the Living Christ to that of the devout believer through what the Church calls the “Spiritual Baptism.” Through this redemptive event, He provides Christ’s enabling sufficiency to the believer to consistently sustain his or her faith-expressiveness and the resulting elevation of their heart and lifestyle realities. 

           But beyond this life-transforming purpose for believers, God’s loving Spirit has also hovered over this earthly economy from the beginning to serve God’s agenda.  Genesis 1:1 puts it this way, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

          So, in real terms, the Divine Spirit is and has always been the Hovering Guardian of our world.   And, as such He is the Primary Keeper of good order, ever countering the chaotic activities and outflows of the dark economy.

           So obviously, this prophecy actually indicates that there will come a time when God will intentionally withdraw His Spirit from this guardianship. And, the larger context of the scriptures indicates that this is a strategic and very telling move in God’s redemptive plan and timetable. 

        So, the question becomes, “Is this that time?” Are we now seeing the effects of that dramatic, status quo altering withdrawal of the Divine Guardian in this present moment?

        No doubt some will say, “Yes, absolutely.” and others will insist, “No, absolutely not.”  And doubtless, many of those answers will simply be offhanded – based simply in personal druthers, or other spontaneous intuitions.

          But perhaps, before answering, it would be better to actually examine the visible evidence which is readily available, that being the landscape of the world’s present condition.  And certainly, when one honestly does so, it is presently a terrifying picture.  Clearly, the Darkness now widely lurks.

         And perhaps, even more telling than its sprawl is the speed with which the darkness has grown.  Indeed, Western Civilization has now been all but completely swallowed up in a philosophical  darkness in only about one generation. 

         Consider, that the once bright democracies of Europe have now been largely usurped by the twin demonic influences of oppressive Marxism and radical Islam.  And, Canada has also now largely succumbed to the influence of Marxism, as has Australia.

       Mexico and major players in South and Central America now seem to be mostly losing an existential war with the Devil’s drug cartels.  And, crazed antisemitism has also again reared its head – but this time, on a worldwide scale. 

    And in that same short time, America, too, has become imminently endangered by the same evil trifecta – Marxism, radical Islam, and the drug cartels.  And unmistakably, this amalgamated evil is absolutely now making a decisive move on America.  These sociological predators are very obviously circling and salivating as they anticipate an imminent American takedown.

        So, how else do we explain the now wide expanse and blinding speed of this growth of the Darkness if not in terms of this  prophecy?  Perhaps Mr. Occam is right again. Occam’s razor holds that, “The simplest answer is usually the correct answer.” 

      So, perhaps the prophesied exit of the Divine Spirit is now actually coming to pass.  And, as a result, the now less restrained Darkness is just quickly and easily filling in behind to occupy the vacancy left by the Holy Spirits withdrawal.   

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        Undeniably, the human species as a whole has actually become much more widely insolent as we have matured into the modern creature that we have become.  We are now choosing ever more broadly to believe that we actually can safely entrust ourselves to ourselves.  

       But the vastness of violence and chaos is hard anecdotal evidence which clearly declares – “Not hardly.”  And, it surely looks like the volume is about to be turned way up on that uncomplicated declaration.

When the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?  ~ Jesus