Sir Winston Churchill left a very rich legacy of historical information and probably a lot of us have some books on our shelves somewhere at home that would attest to that. However, his life also provides some very instructive information. And I'd like to just briefly introduce my subject by looking at one period of Winston Churchill's life. I'm going to quote from one of his biographers here, to paint the picture. It says, "The year 1928 marked the high point of Churchill's career. As Chancellor of the Exchequer he'd already introduced four budgets. The Conservative Party - from which he'd been estranged for more than a quarter of a century, but which he had rejoined in 1924 - now held him in high esteem. The Conservative Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, frequently sought his advice. His speeches in the House of Commons were witty, well argued, and widely praised. After nearly thirty years in British politics, he was a well-known, and well-liked figure despite past controversies. At the age of 53 he had reached a pinnacle of national recognition and of personal contentment".
Now, that was 1928 and he was only 53 years of age - which, believe me, is very young. (laughter) But he was on a very high plateau as far as his career was concerned, as far as his personal achievement was concerned. "Three Prime Ministers - Asquith, Lord George, and Baldwin - had each in their turn found Churchill an energetic, frank and constructive colleague, always willing to defend the government in public against attack; a brilliant debater on controversial issues; a font of stimulating ideas in cabinet, and of wise counsel in private. Each had made use of Churchill's strength of character and resolution, turning to him in times of crisis."
Winston Churchill was a man who held very passionate beliefs. But these beliefs - if we follow the biographers through some of these various books - were not just simply beliefs based on an opinion, or a feeling or an emotion. Winston Churchill, apparently, was a man who did his homework thoroughly. And after doing his homework and obtaining all the facts, putting it together, he would arrive at a conclusion, and then he would hold to that conclusion resolutely -- using some of the terminology here, that I've just quoted. The British "bulldog" approach. But it took awhile to get to that conclusion. But once reached, once he had proven to himself that this was in fact right, he then held to it very, very firmly.
"It's said at 53, in 1928, he was at the pinnacle of national recognition and of personal contentment. This contentment was not to continue. These very aspects of character that I have just referred to began to work against him - being resolute began to work against him. Let me give you just some brief examples."
"For example, after the election of May, 1929..." - right? This is just beyond the point of 1928 we referred to - "...the Conservative Party, of which Churchill was a member, suffered defeat at the elections. As the result of this whole process Churchill proposed a reconciliation between the Conservative and the Liberal Parties. Now, with hindsight we could say that that was a wise move, that it was a wise recommendation on his part. But at the time it was not politically popular. It put him at odds with the emerging leadership that had just come through this election and had won and so he was alienated from those leaders now coming up into power in Britain. He also held quite strong beliefs concerning the merit of Imperialism. He held very firm views about the withdrawal of British troops from Egypt. He also held very firm views in the opposition of the transfer of power in India. And when he held these strong views, of course, he was wont to express them."
"Probably the one that created the greatest difficulty for him in the long run was the strongly held belief that Britain needed to rebuild their defense forces. He saw that need a long time before anybody else." And remember, we're talking here about 1929, 1930, 1931. And we are talking of a time when Britain was tired. They'd been through a terrible war. Many of their young men lay buried on the battlefields of Europe and it was a devastating time for them. And the country wanted peace. They wanted peace and quiet. And they didn't need somebody - or they didn't want - they needed, but they didn't want somebody like Winston Churchill coming along and saying, "Folks, there are clouds gathering on the horizon. We probably should start to do something about this. "By June of 1931 Churchill was absolutely convinced..." - and again, based on information that had been brought to him over a period time - "...of the reality of the German threat."
Now, we know with hindsight that he was correct. But, I mean, look at it from the position that he was in at that time. He spoke up at a time when people didn't want to know. "Just go away and leave us alone. We want peace."
"In the elections of October, 1931, Churchill's Conservative Party was returned to power. But Winston Churchill was not invited to be a part of the administration."
Remember, 1928, the pinnacle of achievement, successive prime ministers had used him to gain wisdom and counsel and he was held in high regard. And now it's October, 1931 - slowly, but surely Winston Churchill was being edged towards the sideline. His views were too strong. His views were too direct, too troubling for people who did not want to contemplate another war. His biographer - and I'm referring to Martin Gilbert - records those years to be the lowest for Winston Churchill both personally and politically and he called them his "wilderness years." And the quote I've just read to you - and a few more quotes I'll read here in a moment - is taken from the book entitled, "The Wilderness Years," and it refers to that section of Winston Churchill's life that we're talking about here now.
"The more concerned that Churchill became regarding the direction of world events, the more he spoke up. And the more he spoke up, the more others tried to cut him down. It was a time of intense frustration for him. It was a time of great criticism and of ridicule against him personally. A time when motives were being questioned." All the things that a natural human being would find hard to take. I mean, even the strongest of individuals would find that over a long period of time, difficult. But Winston Churchill stood his ground. He stood his ground. His strength of character and resolution remained firm.
"In 1936, an incredible trial and test came for him..." - and again that 's just a few quotes as we go along from this particular book I referred to, The Wilderness Years. - "...Churchill was making statements such as, 'I say there is a state of emergency. We are in danger as we have never been in danger before.' " Remember, he was looking at those clouds on the horizon and speaking up. "In this period of time..." - talking about now, 1936 - "...the British Government adopted a foreign policy that was a complete change from the previous policy. This policy moved away from any defense preparations for themselves and developed a policy of appeasement. At a decisive cabinet meeting in November, '36, the pattern for British foreign policy was set. It did not emerge without disagreement. Sir Thomas Inscott told his colleagues that as the policy of collective security had disappeared..." - that policy was put to one side - "...it was necessary to replace it with something else. And he suggested that the appeasement of Germany's economic conditions might be a hopeful policy."
Now, the name Thomas Inscott may not mean much to you, but I would think the name Neville Chamberlain would. It was Neville Chamberlain who produced the final and decisive argument in favor of accelerating the search for appeasement, rather than pushing even faster ahead with defense preparations. And Winston Churchill found this foreign policy a very difficult one indeed. A clear policy was about to emerge - the search for some form of direct agreement with Germany in order to preserve Britain's financial resources. For his part, Churchill sought to fight the emerging policy and warned of the dangers of pursuing appeasement from a position of weakness." Of course he was pushing for the development of the defense forces and in particular - all of them - but in particular the air wing. "Then he made this quote: 'Anyone can see what the position is,' he said. 'The government simply cannot make up their mind, or they cannot get the prime minister to make up his mind.' He continued, 'So they go on in strange paradox. Decided only to be undecided. Resolved to be irresolute. Adamant for drift. Solid for fluidity. All powerful to be impotent.' "
I mention some of these things so that we gain a picture of the incredible test and trial that was on this man. He had friends who would talk to him privately at Chartwell House and other places and agree with him - agree with what he was saying - but publicly they would not. Publicly they ran with the mob. They ran with the pack to do the politically astute thing to stay in power, and get office, and do this and do that. You know how it goes with the politics. "In the absence of a clear lead from the government, Churchill continued to work to educate the public to the gathering dangers."
Most - as I said - of his political friends understood what he was doing. I say "most," I should have said "many." Quite a number of his friends understood what he was doing and saying, but left him high and dry. And so these were his wilderness years. These were the years that he took up the painting that you read about, and so on, where he's trying to psychologically hold himself together under the incredible pressure. They were some very, very dark days for him, indeed. So, his wilderness years were a testing and trying time for him. We know beyond this, later, as he came through the test and held resolutely to his convictions, he was called upon to be one of the greatest wartime leaders that this world has seen.
This concept is not without Biblical precedent. It seems to me - and I preface what I say with that statement - it seems to me that God's people at some point are subjected to a situation not unlike Sir Winston Churchill's sojourn in the wilderness in preparation for being a wartime leader - or being wartime leaders, if I refer to God's people - and the reason I'm addressing this subject today is as a source of encouragement.
We mentioned here about the Berg family. You can only imagine what they are going through at this particular time, but there are many other families and there are many of you sitting in this room to whom the days are pretty dark and the trials are pretty heavy and you spend time wondering from time to time, "Where is God?" or "Is God in this?" "Why is this going wrong?" "If I'm in the Church and I'm trying to obey God, why this situation and why that situation?" I think we need to be encouraged. We're going to look at a number of individuals all the way through to the Church, and notice this thread of thought as far as a "wilderness experience" is concerned.
I'd like to go back to Genesis 3 and begin, in general, with mankind before we get to specific individuals. In Genesis chapter 3. You know very clearly what went on with Adam and Eve and the decision that was made, so well just pick it up here in Genesis 3:22 where God says, following their decision that
Gen. 3:22-23 behold, the man is become as one of us to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
Mankind was created as the pinnacle - if I may borrow that word from the quote, "the pinnacle of God's creation," - created in the image of God. In the garden of Eden, in a situation where the relationship is open with God - communication backwards and forwards - now man has been removed from that and been driven out into a wilderness, in that sense. So you see in the next chapter,
Gen. 4:14 Behold, you have driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from Your face shall I be hid - no more personal contact in that sense - and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth.
This particular decision made by Adam and Eve, put man into a "wilderness experience" - and we could refer to it I believe as a spiritual wilderness experience. For the next six thousand years man is to be in this condition. So that those called by God, during this period of time - and I'm including the entire period of time here - are subject to tests and to trials to see, in the service of God, whether they are willing and able to reject the "Eve/Chamberlain approach" of finding the line of least resistance, rather than standing on a firm resolve - having done the homework and knowing what God's Word says, or what God's will is - and seeking that instead of the least resistance, which is natural to the human mind.
Churchill once said, "All will seek the illusion of rest and peace." It's natural. You want rest and peace, don't you? I want rest and peace. It's natural and normal for the human mind, the human being to seek rest and peace. It's interesting that he used the word, illusion of rest and peace, because in this spiritual wilderness to which man has been driven there is no source of true rest or peace, and yet man seeks it so desperately. To a Christian, the true Source of rest and peace is not found out in this spiritual wilderness. It's interesting that first piece of special music that was performed here. In the darkest night. In the darkest night. This spiritual wilderness is an extremely dark place and true rest and peace are simply not found there.
Look at Psalm 119 - picking it up in verse 97, using the thoughts of David, here - somebody who sought rest and peace. He had a lot of things go on in his life that caused him distress. He wanted rest and peace as much as anybody did. But look at the source of his rest and the source of his peace.
Psalm 119:97-103 O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day. What's his mind on? The wilderness that he's in? The physical circumstances? You through Your commandments have made me wiser than my enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for Your testimonies are my meditation. Here is a man with wisdom and understanding. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments: for You have taught me. How sweet are Your words unto my taste!
I don't get a sense here from David that the sweetness of taste is coming from the wilderness - this spiritual wilderness of this world that is cut off from God. David knew the real source of rest and peace and it is internal. It is God's Spirit working with a human mind that produces the knowledge, the wisdom and the understanding that gives true rest and peace. We are to be Churchills - if I may just continue that analogy as a thread through the sermon here. We have to do our homework. We are to do our homework thoroughly, to do it well. But once we have done our homework and we have proven through God's Word what the law of God is, what the will of God is, we are to hold resolutely to that path that that law sets before us. The law is a lamp that shows us a path and once we've identified that path we are to be people of decision and people of determination.
There are some very pointed examples. Let's go back to Genesis chapter 6. And you'll know by going to Genesis 6 we're going to the example of Noah. Genesis chapter 6. Now, in the examples that I use, I'll simply just highlight them and draw your attention to them rather than spend too much time in detail. I think you'll get the point with just the few references that I want to make. In verse 3 of chapter 6 we see that God has had enough of the antics of mankind. His heart is evil continually and so God says it's a hundred and twenty years.
Gen. 6:3 The LORD said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he is also flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. So God had determined in His mind there was a definite time limit to this activity and this behavior because of the evilness of man. Look at verse 5 to back that up.
But there was one individual - and only one individual - that walked with God, in Vs 9 Noah. ...and Noah walked with God. Now try to emotionally put yourself in Noah's position, because it makes it perfectly clear what Noah's community was like. It was so evil and so bad that God was going to wipe it out. And Noah lived in the middle of that. And he walked with God. Now, God came along to Noah in Vs 13 and said The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold I will destroy them with the earth.
There is no reference that I'm aware of - and if it's here, you can tell me afterwards, but I'm not aware of it - that Noah was told specifically what God had thought in verse 3, that it was a hundred and twenty years. He knew that God was going to involve Himself and intervene in the affairs of man, but Noah was told was told to go and build a boat in an area where it was not real smart to build a boat.
Now, I was thinking this morning, driving back from Palmdale, it would be like going out to Palmdale and building a boat in Palmdale. If you've never been to Palmdale, you need to go to Palmdale in the middle of summer. (laughter) In a car that doesn't have air conditioning. And building a boat that's too big to put on a trailer to take down to Long Beach Harbor to launch. So you're out in the middle of the high desert out here, with this object, that people look at you and think you're stupid! You're a nut! You're an idiot! And think of all the ridicule and persecution and questioning of motives and everything that would go on with this man who didn't seem to know that it was a hundred and twenty year period, that it was a definite period. And so he built this boat and it's sitting out there and he's looking at a bright blue sky and everybody ridiculing him for what he's doing.
Look at Hebrews 11 verse 7. It's quite a strong statement for this particular individual. In Hebrews 11 and in verse 7- was Noah motivated by the wilderness in which he found himself? Apparently not, because it says By faith.
Heb. 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear ... Having done his homework and deciding that he was going to walk with God, he set his mind to do just that. And in spite of all the circumstances that surrounded him, he stayed the course. He prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. He lived in the wilderness, on his own, staying the course for a very long time. And it would seem to indicate to me by the wording of this - the implication - by faith Noah, so on - that he grew through the experience and he became a stronger person by having done so. Then, at the end of that, he was used mightily by God for a very important purpose for mankind. He grew in character and resolution - borrowing that phrase again.
Let's go to Genesis 39. We'll come onto another character in the Bible, Joseph. Now Joseph was going to be used by God in a very strong way. Joseph's lineage was very important to God's plan. So, in Genesis 39 we're introduced to Joseph in a particular situation that I think many of us would find difficult.
Gen. 39:1 Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down there. He was a slave. He was sold into bondage, into slavery.
Now, you can go back - and it's a moot point as to how wise Joseph was in his conduct with his brothers - but there's one thing that the Bible makes perfectly clear, that Joseph was loyal to his father. And that is a good quality. It is a good trait. He was loyal to his father. So here is an individual that essentially was doing the right thing - doing the thing of character - being loyal to his father. And he finds himself in slavery. In slavery. And he hasn't done anything wrong, necessarily, of himself. I think this would be an incredible test. We see in verse 7 a further test.
Vs. 7 It came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, "lie with me." He did the right thing. His response was correct. His response was godly. Now what thanks did he get for doing that? Two years in the clink! It tells us he was in there for two years - chapter 41.
Gen. 41:1 It came to pass at the end of two full years... He did the right thing. He obeyed God's law. He was resolute. And he got thrown in jail.
Now, I can empathize with this to a degree, because while I was pastoring up in the Bay Area, there was a period of time when every Friday afternoon I would go over to the Pleasanton Federal Penitentiary and visit with a lady. She was a church member. She and her husband were in jail - they were in separate institutions - and they were in jail for a crime they did not commit. And our legal department was involved and I checked it thoroughly and they agreed that this couple did not commit the crime which they were in jail for. And I would sit there every Friday afternoon and go through two of the worst hours of my whole week. And if you want bad hours, go visit in a prison. They are not fun places! And you are sitting there with a woman who is confined - she is a church member - she's hungry for news of the church and brethren. You're sitting there and you know that after two hours you're going to have to get up and walk out through the barbed wire and leave her behind - for something she didn't do. That is tough, let me tell you! That is a difficult situation to be in.
Well, here he is. This is the situation. But we see down in verse 38 - still in chapter 41 Gen. 41:38 Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? Joseph stayed the course. And as a result he was used mightily by God. We can see that just in chapter 50, verse 20.
Gen. 50:20 But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. God had a much greater and a higher purpose - to which Joseph was not knowledgeable as he went through his tests - as he went through his trials - as he sat in prison for two years wondering, "Why? I've obeyed God. I did the right thing, and I'm here." And he didn't know it was a two-year stretch. He was just in prison till somebody changed their mind and brought him out.
There was one servant of God who had a very literal wilderness experience - and this is Moses, obviously. Come over to chapter 2 and verse 10 of Exodus. We know that Moses was raised in Pharaoh's household by Pharaoh's daughter.
Ex. 2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. And so Moses was raised in the lap of luxury. Archeology would tell us it was a highly developed civilization, and to be raised in Pharaoh's household would have given him the best education, the best lifestyle, clothing - you know - all of the good things of life. For forty years he had it cushy. Then - we will not argue as to the right and wrong of his actions - but he killed an Egyptian in trying to take care of an Israelite. And it says in verse 15,
Vs. 15 When Pharaoh heard this, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. He's out in a wilderness experience. Having been taken from the lap of luxury, he's now out taking care of Jethro's flocks and herds.
Ex. 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert. This is not the lap of luxury. And so for forty years, he was put through this kind of an experience. A test. And a trial. But we know, of course, that God had in mind to use him - as we see, down to verse 10 of chapter three
Vs. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. So he was in a desperate situation for forty years - in that sense, comparatively speaking - but God had it in mind to use this individual - that he would be strengthened through this experience for God's use.
Now, Moses didn't know he was going to be used, so he didn't look at it in that light. He must have scratched his head many a time and wondered, "Why? Why am I out here doing this? What is the purpose of this?" And yet, in hindsight, we know that God was preparing him for a very special purpose. And then, we can take that one step further and as he then was used to draw Israel out of Egypt, God then took His people as a whole, rather than as an individual, and did a similar thing with them. Having brought them out of Egypt, He took them into the wilderness.
Deut. 1:30-32 We see in Deuteronomy 1, verse 30 - The LORD your God which goes before you, He shall fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes; -- So God is telling them, "I'm going to be with you." And in the wilderness, where you have seen how that the LORD your God bare you, - You know, He deliberately took them into a wilderness situation, where there wasn't sufficient food or water for them - that He was going to provide for them if they would just trust Him - and bare you, as a man does bear his son, in all the way that you went, until you came into this place. Yet in this you did not believe the LORD your God.
And so, Israel had a wilderness experience - in preparation for being used mightily by God. Moving them into the Promised Land wasn't just for their edification. Moving them into the Promised Land was a statement about the true God for all of the other nations round about. And God was preparing them for that purpose and that role. And so we see the Church in the wilderness - a time of trial and testing in preparation for being used mightily by God.
I don't think we can go past David. Let's go to 1 Samuel 18. This man David became very familiar with this wilderness years experience. Just to pick up a couple of points here in chapter 18 - we're introduced in verse 1 to this relationship between David and Jonathon. And it was a very, very strong, positive relationship. Their souls were knit together.
1 Sam. 18:1 ...the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And that is a very edifying - you know - There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, right? There is something about a deep, properly related friendship.
We see in verse 5 - 1 Sam. 18:5 David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely - He did the right thing - And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. Sort of like Winston Churchill in 1928, he was at the pinnacle as far as the nation is concerned. He is in the king's household, he's doing the king's service, the people like him. Great. Life is very good.
And then we drop down to verse 9. 1 Sam. 18:9 Saul eyed David from that day and forward. And slowly we see David moved to the outside - moved to the sideline. From his pinnacle of success, he now moves into some pretty dark days.
Let's come on to chapter 20, verse 42. Chapter 20 and verse 42 shows us here of the severance of the relationship between David and Jonathan. They had to separate.
1 Sam. 20:42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be with me and you and between my seed and your seed forever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city. So their relationship was severed.
1 Sam. 22:1 David therefore departed and escaped to the cave Adullum: - He was in the king's household and now he's in a cave out in the wilderness. A true wilderness experience. And to add insult to injury, this is a man that everybody in the country liked, looked up to, a great leader - it says
Vs. 2 everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented gathered themselves unto him.
Now put yourself in David's position. You're standing there at the doorway of your cave and you're looking at this crowd coming up the hill and you're saying, "Oh, No! Anybody except this! I'm out here in the wilderness. That's bad enough! Now I've got all these malcontents to take care of and look after as well." I mean, just physically - from a human point of view - this is a difficult time.
If you follow through closely, there are twenty-one recorded attempts on David's life. Do you have any idea the psychological impact on a man when he's running from cave to cave around in the wilderness, never knowing when somebody's going to pop up out of a bush and put a spear through him? Twenty-one recorded attempts on his life! Day in and day out he knew that he was a marked man. Fun, huh? This is a man of God, anointed to be king. You think David didn't perhaps from time to time say, "Why? What is going on, here? Why is this happening?"
Look at chapter 26, because this is a very, very important time for David. After all of these attempts on his life - after witnessing all that Saul was doing for the nation, for the people, in a negative sense - we arrive in a position here in verse 7 1 Sam. 26:7 David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold Saul lay sleeping - he's right there, on the ground, in front of them, sound asleep - his spear was stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
Vs. 8 Then said Abishai to David -- Now, look at the reasoning process, here - and don't think any of us wouldn't be susceptible to this kind of reasoning - after all this period of time in the wilderness, God has given you your enemy. There he is. God has done this, David! We will be able to help the nation. We'll be able to help the people. We'll get rid of this guy and then you can be in charge and everything will be up and up for everybody! Everybody will really appreciate you! Let's do it! God has delivered the enemy into your hand this day: now therefore let me smite him. And David said to Abishai, "No."
Vs. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless? This is David's supreme test after a period of wilderness experience. Negative experience. And David passes the test.
You see, the importance of the wilderness years in terms of a test and a trial, is that it provides a perfect opportunity for every aspect of human nature to become activated. And I think that's why the reasoning here, of Abishai in verse 8, is so important. Abishai is saying, "God has done this, David."
We all, at baptism, took the old man and we put him in that pool, and we said, "He's dead!" Now, we knew that life went on, and so on, but we wanted that old man to be in that grave and we wanted him dead. But as life went on - you know - it isn't that easy is it, to kill off the old man. The old man's still hanging around, lurking around corners and bushes and leaps out every now and again. What a perfect opportunity to know whether that old man is dead or not, to be put into a wilderness experience where the human mind is given all of the material it needs to rationalize and to reason - call it human reason, if you will - courses of action.
"Look, David. He's at your feet. God did that." Now, God didn't - in that sense - do it so David could kill him. God did it for a test. But the mind could rationalize that. In a wilderness test it's very easy to focus on human beings. It's very easy to focus on this person and on that person - on this issue and on that issue - when the Bible tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. But it's very easy - when you've got your back to the wall, and you've been doing the right thing and nothing's going right - to begin to say that person, or that issue, or that thing - you see, that is the test.
Have we done our homework? Have we proven? Are we able to hang on to those things in these times of trials and difficulties? Solomon stated more than once, There is a way that seems right unto a man. It seems right. It doesn't seem wrong, it seems right. And God is not interested in what seems right to us! You know, Lucifer and his cohorts must have done what they thought seemed right to them at the time. I assume so. It seemed right for them. Look where it got them!
God is interested in the holy, righteous character that is being formed in us by His law, because that is right. His law is right. His Word is right. His way is right. Not what seems right to us. And I think God wants to know what seems right to us. What does seem right?
It's interesting, coming over to Matthew 4. I mentioned about Lucifer and his cohorts, or his demon friends, now lets come to Matthew 4. There's a statement - we know that Jesus Christ has qualified to replace Satan, and it was a qualification test., but look in verse 1 of Matthew chapter 4.
Matt. 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Jesus Christ had a wilderness experience. Forty days and forty nights of fasting in the wilderness. That is an extremely difficult thing for us to contemplate - forty days and forty nights without food and being out in the wilderness. But Christ was being prepared for an ultimate test and then that is recorded in the rest of chapter 4, and which we know He passed.
Paul is another one that we could take the time to look at. I will not refer to that. Where did Christ take Paul after Paul's "conversion" on the road to Damascus? He took Paul for three and a half years into a wilderness experience. Testing. Trying. Training. Teaching. Because Paul was going to be used in a very, very powerful way by God to reach out to the Gentiles. And so Paul had his experience, as well.
But lets move on to a more contemporary context for us. Let's come on to an individual - Herbert Armstrong. Let's think about him from this point of view, because we have a lot recorded about him. We are very familiar with a lot of the experiences he had in his life through the Autobiography and things that he has written.
God used Herbert Armstrong to restore the work of the Church of God. Again, hindsight, we can say that. But, before Mr. Armstrong was used in that way, God took him into the wilderness. Now, by Mr. Armstrong's estimations - and I have no way of really knowing, you know, the exact details of this - that around about 1920 - 1919, 1920 somewhere in there - Mr. Armstrong, at a very young age, was earning money that would be appropriate to being a millionaire today. That's what he said, so I assume that's true. He was making big bucks. He was successful. He says he was meeting with the top echelons of industry and in the advertising world in which he was engaged. He was successful. He was at a pinnacle point in his life.
Then you move on from 1920, '21 and so on, and you begin to get into a very lean period of time and Mr. Armstrong went into a very big dip. And it's interesting, he was doing some of these things around about the time Winston Churchill was going through his. I'll just take one quote out of the Autobiography. "And so the year 1929 had come and gone..." - so from that pinnacle of the early '20's on down - "1930 was to be another of the 'lean years' -- as indeed were several others to follow. We were at rock bottom financially. We had learned what it is to go hungry".
Now, he writes this in just a few sentences, but put yourself into that situation. As a parent, I find this a very difficult situation. As a parent he didn't have the money to provide the food on the table that day that his children needed. Now, it's one thing for you as an adult to go hungry. It's another thing, perhaps, for, you know, your wife - you two might be able to tough it out. But when you've got little kids and those little kids are going hungry -- that's tough! That tears at your heart!
When he records things like having to send the kids off to school with cardboard in their shoes because the leather had worn through - that is hard for me as a parent, and I assume it had to be hard for him. What I'm saying is, these were not easy times. They were difficult. As he said, "But these were, nevertheless, years of spiritual growth.
"These were the years in which Jesus Christ, the living Head of His Church, was instructing me in His Word, preparing me for His ministry, humbling me, rooting out the self-confidence, the cocky conceit, the vanity and egotism." And by his own admission, as a young man in his early twenties he was cocky, he was conceited, and he had a fairly healthy ego. "But he was replacing these self-trusting attributes with reliance and dependence on God." A wilderness experience. "He was giving me painful but valuable lessons in faith. He was granting us a few miraculous answers to prayer." Just enough to send a signal, "I'm here."
Now, we read out to you numerous prayer requests every week of serious situations. Health situations - the need for healing, the need for intervention - and every now and again in the midst of all of that, there will be an announcement that will indicate that God has heard and God has intervened.
I gave that example, a personal example of our family here a few weeks ago, when my daughter had prayed a certain thing and within fifteen minutes received an answer to her prayer. Now, she wasn't healed, but there was just that little light that said, "I'm here." And that's what God did, as Mr. Armstrong says, to him in these very dark years. Because God is doing something bigger than what we want to take place. This wilderness experience is difficult and we don't want to be in the wilderness - we want to be in the Promised Land. We don't want to have hurt and pain, we want peace. And happiness. And contentment as human beings. But God has a far greater plan and a far greater purpose that He is working out. And now we look back with hindsight and we can see what God did with Mr. Armstrong. Once He had deflated the ego, he was able to raise up this modern era of the Church.
And then the Church was lifted up onto a pinnacle. Eight million Plain Truth Magazines. Number one religious program on television in this country. They are magnificent achievements in the field of which we work of preaching the gospel. You think back to those times. I'm not saying everything was perfect, but God blessed this work and raised it up to that level.
Today the Church of God is struggling for identity - it is struggling for direction - it's wracked with internal schisms and divisions. We are truly in a wilderness experience, if we are to relate it back. It's just like working with Moses. Moses went through his personal experience and then he was used to put the Church in the Wilderness through it's wilderness experience. Mr. Armstrong went through his personal wilderness experience and then was used for the Church to go through it's own wilderness experience.
Should we be surprised that this is happening to the Church? Let's go back to Isaiah, chapter 40, and we'll look at some prophecies. And we will apply the principle of duality.
In Isaiah, chapter 40, an interesting statement is made - and over the years in the Church we have said this and said it to ourselves - I think we understand it. In verse three of chapter 40
Isa 40:3 The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. The Church has a work to do and in this spiritual wilderness that has existed since the time Adam and Eve made their decision, God has raised up voices from time to time. And the Church, prior to the return of Jesus Christ, is to be a voice that cries out in the wilderness and to say, "Hey! There is a different way. There is a Kingdom. Listen!" OK. So here is the work of the Church being talked about.
In Chapter 41 - lets pick it up in verse 8 - we have a prophecy that does concern the Church. And if you look closely at verse 8 you can see why.
Isa 41:8-9 But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. You only need to go back to some of the writings of Paul, and go back to 1 Peter, chapter 2 where it talks about the chosen generation, the seed of Abraham - and this is referring to the Church having been called. As it says, You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called you from the chief men and said unto you, You are my servant; I have chosen you. - No man can come to me except the Father draw him - I have chosen you and not cast you away. Now, without changing context, we move on into verse 10 where it says,
Vs. 10-11 Fear you not. Now, why would it make the statement Fear you not unless there was something to fear - to be fearful about. If this is the Church that God has chosen, this is His servant, this is His seed, He says, Fear you not. The indications are that there would be something to be fearful for. For I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against you... Now, God says, "I will take care of you," but God doesn't take away the dark days. There is a wilderness type of experience, here, for the Church - where people are going to rise up against the Church and be incensed against it. ...they shall be ashamed and confounded. They shall be as nothing; and they that strive with you shall perish. Strive with you.
See, here is a group of people who are doing the right thing. They are standing up, crying out as a voice in the wilderness, saying, "This is not the right way to go, folks. Here is the way to go." They're doing the will of God. They're doing the work of God. And what is their thanks for it? Well, just like Joseph, they're going to get it in the neck for doing that. People are going to rise up against them.
Now, we'll add to this - and I was coming back here to Isaiah, so you might want to keep that - just let me add the words of Jesus Christ out of John 16, verses 1 and 2. This makes complete sense in the context of what we've just read by way of a prophecy out of Isaiah.
Jn 16:1-2 These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time comes when whosoever kills you will think that he does God service. And here, these people are doing God's work.. How unfair! How unjust does this appear to be.
Now, God does promise safety and protection. Now we'll go over to Revelation 12, verse 14 and read that and remind ourselves of this Scripture over here. Revelation 12 talks of the woman. It's talking of the Church. And specifically, in verse 14
Rev. 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
It seems to me - once again using that statement - some credibility to the assumption that God's protection invokes both preservation and testing. Preservation and testing. This going into the wilderness - as is talked about here she might fly into the wilderness - we know from these Scriptures - and we can come back to where we were in Isaiah 41 - that God will provide the needs. He's already said that. Alright?
Isa. 41:10 ...I will strengthen you. I will help you; I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness. As He says. But, in providing the preservation, might it be that there is a period of time when it might appear as though God is not there? Look at verse 17. We're in Isaiah 41.
Isa. 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water - and in the context it's talking about God's people - the poor and the needy seek water and there is none. They need it. This is not just a want. This is an absolute need for survival and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. God does promise that He will take care of them, but, here they are obeying God, doing the right thing and they're thirsty! And they're going to die unless they get some water! Did you bring us out here in the wilderness to die? Familiar words? Familiar thoughts?
Now, there are other Scriptures that you might want to consider in conjunction with this. And I'm not turning there to go through them now, but you're very familiar with Matthew 24. If you are in a situation such as this, human reason can run rampant, right? Now, Israel's already demonstrated that. God took them out into the wilderness - and they were thirsty - and they needed water - and there was nothing there! And so human reason said, "Let us build us a calf. Let us do this. Let us do that. Moses isn't here. Moses doesn't care. Our leadership is gone. Let's do what we've got to do to survive." They criticized the leadership, or whatever it is they were involved in at that period of time. Human nature run rampant. Then God finally brought some water out of a rock. After the test, after the trial of faith, He then took care of them.
Isa. 41:17 As He says here ...I the LORD will hear them, and I the God of Israel will not forsake them. But there was a time when they were not sure! And in Matthew 24 it tells us that there's going to be a time when people are going to say Matt. 24:23 Lo, here is Christ - or there is Christ - or Christ is out in the desert. Now, why might they be saying that? Because they're not sure. They're under an incredible test. They've done what they thought was the right thing to do and there's no water! It hasn't worked out the way they thought it would work out or could work out.
Isa. 41:18 God says I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of valleys. What kind of a test would it be if you knew that over there in the wilderness there was this beautiful brook that God had provided - with nice meadows on either side and shady trees - and for times, time, and half a time you're going to sit under the willow trees by the brook and it's going to be cool and it's going to be great, be wonderful? You'd be out of here in an instant! What kind of a test would that be?
What kind of a test would it be if that wilderness is like Palmdale? (laughter) There ain't no brooks in Palmdale, let me tell you. You go out into the desert and there's nothing there! And you've done what you thought was the right thing to do in response to God's instructions and you get there and you're thirsty! And you're hungry! And your kids are squawking and squalling because they need nourishment. They need some food. "God, why did You bring us out here?" See? The mind begins to reason.
When this happens - when people say "well, over here or over there" - God says, Matt. 24:23 Believe it not. It's going to take faith. It's going to take people that have done their homework. It's going to take people that are resolute in their convictions. Absolutely certain in their mind of their relationship with God!
In Isaiah chapter 16 - I am not focusing now in these comments on a specific place, but just referring generally to the subject of a place of safety. But this is one of the verses that was used in the past that contains the word, "petra," that introduced that concept to us. It says,
Isa. 16:1-3 Send you the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela - or from Petra, the rock - to the wilderness - to the wilderness - unto the mount of the daughter of Zion For it shall be, that as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. In verse 3 it says Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; don't betray them.
Hide the outcasts. That word, "outcasts," is an interesting word. It's not a very pleasant word. It does mean, "to expel," but it also can mean, "to strike, to banish, to cast down." It is not going to be popular to be a voice crying out in the wilderness of this world. It's going to be very difficult to be an outcast. As a bird - a little baby bird - pushed out of the nest - unable to take care of itself - open to the elements, so to speak. A very difficult situation to be in.
Isa. 26:20 In chapter 26 and verse 20 it says Come, my people, enter you into your chambers, and shut your doors about you: hide yourself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
The Church is being tested, and the Church will be tested. And like Churchill, we must be prepared to stand firm on our beliefs. And only you can do that. Only you can do it. It's a personal and it's an individual thing - like Churchill - to have done our homework and to have that degree of confidence and faith in the conclusions that we have arrived at from the Word of God, from the Law of God.
Psa. 94:16 There are two questions asked here. Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? Who is going to do this? It's interesting that it's framed as questions. Is there a simple answer to this? Can we just simply say, "Huh! No Sweat! God's people. They're the ones that are going to do this, obviously."
Well, look at Amos 5 and verse 10 - a prophecy - and consider this in the analogy I've used of Winston Churchill - Amos 5 and verse 10. This is not as easy as if may first superficially appear to be.
Amos 5:10 The prophecy says that They hate him that rebukes in the gate, and they abhor him that speaks uprightly. This world is in serious decline. Whether you see it from your vantage point or not, it is in serious decline - deteriorating on a daily basis - a falling apart - it's becoming the world that Noah knew and knew so well, of iniquity and evil. And for God's people, when they have set the course and they know what it is, this is going to be a divergent trail. Where the world is going and where God's people are going, the gap is getting wider and wider - not closer and closer.
It is going to become more difficult to be that voice speaking up and saying, "This is the way." This is the way. Now, I'm not saying you do it in a way to get in people's face, but just simply the fact that you have proven something to be true, and you hold it firm, that you are resolute - the people in this world are driven crazy by that kind of thinking. Crazy to the point that they will want to kill you, thinking they are doing God service.
We are going to be more and more out of step with society. And we are going to be ridiculed for what we believe. We are going to be attacked - our motives will be questioned - and this is not easy. This is difficult for a human being to take. But God is asking the question, "Who's going to do this?" And I hope in your heart as you listen you're saying, "I'll do my very best. I understand what God wants and I will do my very best." Instead of taking a wilderness experience and looking for appeasement - looking for the line of least resistance - because it hurts - because you want peace and you want quiet. God wants people that will stay the course.
One last experience that I will refer to refers to the time after Jesus Christ has returned. In Ezekiel chapter 20. Jesus Christ has returned - he has subdued the nations - and He is now in the process of gathering His people - gathering His nation together again. As it says in verse 33 of Ezekiel chapter 20,
Eze. 20:33-34 As I live, says the Eternal God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you. And that is the returning Christ subduing the nations. And I will bring you out from the people - Israel has been scattered in captivity - and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. What is God going to do? What is Christ going to do with those people?
Vs. 35 I will bring you into the wilderness Before they are relocated and reestablished in their lands, they are taken into the wilderness. And not just any wilderness. They are taken into the wilderness of the people.
Now it's interesting that for time, times and a half - three and a half years - God's people have been in the wilderness. God has been taking care of them. God's been training them, preparing them, putting the final touches to the kings and the priests that are going to rule and reign with Jesus Christ. Christ has returned - they are now standing there as spirit beings with Jesus Christ - ready to start implementing the kingdom of God on this earth - and where does Christ being the remnant of Israel to? To where these people have been located for this period of time and they are worked with right there.
Eze. 20:35-38 ...the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, says the Eternal God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: and I will purge out from among you the rebels. Again, a time of testing and trial in preparation for God establishing them in their countries as an example to the rest of the world once again. A Promised Land setting so that all nations can look to Israel again as an example of God's way of life. But it's a wilderness experience.
Vs. 42-43 Come on down to verse 42. And you shall know - this is why God does it - that I am the Eternal, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers. And there shall you remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein you have been defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evils that you have committed. Through this experience God reigns supreme in the hearts and the minds of His people - because of the experience that they have just been through. And so they are then used mightily to begin, on the physical level, to begin to teach and reach out to the rest of the world of God's way.
Churchill's sojourn in the wilderness strengthened him. It prepared him to lead his country at a crucial time in its history. God's people are going to experience - are and going to experience - a wilderness experience in preparation for the leadership that this world will require when Jesus Christ returns. And brethren, we need to be very encouraged that we are a part of that process - not discouraged when the days are dark. Nobody denies that the days are dark. And nobody would deny that the wilderness experience is not an easy experience. But it does show the hand of God at work amongst His people. We ought to be very reassured to know that God loves us enough that He is putting us through this experience. That He loves mankind enough that He is preparing a group of people to work with Jesus Christ at His return.
The final Scripture is in Deuteronomy chapter 8, beginning in verse 1.
Deut. 8:1-2 All the commandments which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Eternal swore unto your fathers. And you shall remember all the way which the Eternal your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart We've said that the old man is dead. We indicated that at baptism. The question would remain - is he? What is really in the hearts and the minds of God's people? whether you would keep His commandments or not.
And a wilderness experience is that kind of a test. Having entered into a covenant, Israel did not remain faithful to that covenant. We have entered into a covenant - will we remain faithful to the covenant that we've entered into?
Vs. 3 He humbled you, suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that He might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Eternal does man live. And when you're in the wilderness, you know that it is God and God alone that provides. There's nothing else around you - there's no physical substance around you to buoy you up and say, you know, "I did this. We can take care of ourselves."
Vs. 5-6 It says in verse 5, You shall also consider in your heart, that, as a man chastens his son, so the Eternal your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Eternal your God, to walk in His ways, and to fear him. And if you look at verse 14 where after he's warning about not forgetting God when you've received blessings and
Vs. 14-15 your heart be lifted up and you forget the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness There is no greater and more terrible wilderness than the spiritual wilderness in which we now find ourselves in this world. wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions We live in a world that's surrounded by demons that are absolutely hostile to the whole concept of the soon coming return of Jesus Christ to this earth and offering salvation to mankind. They will do anything they can to prevent you being there to rule and to reign with Jesus Christ. and drought, where there was no water The only water that is going to be sufficient for us is the water provided by God, the Holy Spirit - the true water of life. who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint. And God provides that for us there - it is there for us. It is not in this world of itself, God provides that.
Vs. 16 Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers knew not, that He might humble you, that He might prove you, to do you good at the latter end.
There's the bottom line - to do you good - because God wants you in His Family. He wants you as a son in His Family. And He wants us to be able then to work with the rest of humanity and bring them into a relationship with God.
We may feel very alone in our little wilderness experience, but brethren, always know, God is there and His will is being accomplished.