UNTIL ROSS SMITH
ALL REFERENCES FROM AMPLIFIED VERSION UNLESS NOTED
Matthew 24:39 And they did not know or understand UNTIL the flood came and swept them all away–so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Sometimes there has to be an overwhelming event before the reality of God’s dealings is confirmed. In the case of these people in Noah’s day, myriads were wiped out. But the “UNTIL” suggests that Noah and his family lived in some degree of ignorance, they certainly did not “understand” the phenomena of rain, for they had never seen rain, but they understood God well enough to “CONFORM”. The society that perished left it too late to “know or understand”; they missed out on the benefits of the “UNTIL”.
THE DELUGE
The word “UNTIL” is used in situations where the event is dependent upon another event. It is defined as “up to the point in time” and indicates that something will happen.
MAYBE IT IS A GOOD WORD TO KEEP IN OUR HEART AND MINDS BECAUSE GOD INTENDS THAT “SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN”, AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF THAT WHICH IS PENDING, EITHER BENEFICIALLY OR CATASTROPHICALLY.
“UNTIL” is a significant word in scripture, it occurs 470 times in the Amplified version, and there are 107 occurrences in the New Testament.
What then is the context of our “UNTIL”? What is overdue or outstanding in our responsibility to God? In light of scripture, one goal has to be reached, and “UNTIL” that milestone is reached, many of the promises of God go unfulfilled.
That milestone is “CONFORMITY”, and it has three facets according to Hebrews, and the Bible describes some of the accompaniments.
Hebrew 12:11 For the time being (This is the time interval where the event is dependent upon another event) no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards (This is the “UNTIL” moment when the time period has elapsed, or the anticipated event has occurred) it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness–in CONFORMITY to God’s will in (1) purpose, (2) thought, (3) and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God].
In reviewing my own experience, and you undoubtedly will find the same, I have no question over the “PURPOSE” part. We can determine how intense our “PURPOSE” is by reflecting on how reliable we are in pursuing the ultimate goal. It does require, however, the differentiation between “PURPOSE” and the inferior attitude of “MENTAL ASSENT” and is achieved by “examining our motives”. James 4:8 rephrases it as “purify your heart”.
Probably the most challenging area is the one of “CONFORMITY OF THOUGHT”. We have explored this area over the years; however, this is where the “UNTIL” fits in. While ever our “sense and reason without the Holy Spirit”(Romans 8:6) exists, then our “CONFORMITY” is similar to the state of society in Noah’s day.
Matthew 24:38 For just as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, [men] marrying and [women] being given in marriage, UNTIL the [very] day when Noah went into the ark, And they did not know or understand UNTIL the flood came and swept them all away–so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
I have contemplated what is involved in “HOW WE THINK”, and for me, the bedrock is “EXAMINING OUR MOTIVES”. If we review our motives, at the present time, we will find they have a high degree of materialistic and emotional content; we work on the level of “feelings” rather than “knowing’s”.
Proverbs 16:2 (NET) All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord EVALUATES THE MOTIVES.
In general, our review will find a significant component of “I, my, me, mine”. Much, or maybe all of this, has its genesis in the unacceptable and objectionable characteristic of PRIDE. We must ask ourselves the questions when examining our motives, why do I FEEL like this: why do I THINK like this, why do I ACT like this.
In summary, the dominance of pride, either recognised or ignored, distorts and perverts our motives and is indicative of our failed attempt to die to self, resulting in worthless thoughts and destructive behaviour.
If we expand this examination, it will identify that we erroneously either feel or think we are neglected, rejected, unappreciated, isolated, denigrated, et cetera et cetera et cetera. When we look at each area, the plinth for that thought is “PRIDE”.
We choose to ignore the fact that Father abhors pride, and our accommodation of this miasma isolates us from God. It includes attitudes like resentment, envy, jealousy, avarice, et cetera because all these things are cultivated in PRIDE; they all circulate the currents that swirl in our ego.
I have had occasion to contemplate the energy-sapping sense of “lack of self-worth”, and again our motive requires exploration when this condition exists, for it is not self-worth that matters, but it is God’s worth that counts.
Matthew 10 and verse 29 relates to the scriptural value of the sparrow. The sparrow cannot die without two things, (1) “God’s consent and (2) God’s observation”. ISV says, “without Father’s permission”. Albert Barnes stated, “God your Father guides and directs its fall, only with His permission and where he chooses”.
The Sparrow is identified as of minuscule value, so low that two sparrows were for sale for the smallest coin of the day, a farthing. I recall when I was a child that we had coins for penny, halfpenny and farthing. Luke 12:6 indicates that you could purchase five sparrows for a halfpenny, an extra one thrown in.
If we put this into perspective, self-worth means nothing when we consider the price of our redemption, can there possibly be any comparison? And yet, we concern ourselves with the mundane (read “self”) and forget the munificent.
It is, in fact, navel-gazing which requires that we look down and so become incapable of recognising His Inconceivable Greatness. We are not thinking right! What overwhelming event will constitute our “UNTIL”?
This verse is highlighting the minutiae of Providence. Job said in 36:5, “God does not regard anything as trivial,” so why should we? And Romans 8; 28 says all things work together for good”. God’s Providence is punctual, pertinent and particular, both to the person and the event. The significance is further reinforced when the Word says, “your Father”, not “their father,” referring to the sparrow. Sparrows are His creatures, we are His children, and we underestimate how involved God is in our lives, negligently forgetting that He numbers the very hairs on our head.
The continued engagement in worthless thoughts, such as “lack of self-esteem”, often leads to a “Pity Party”. Jonah was an excellent example of this. Self-pity is our sinful, selfish response to something not going our way or the way we think it should. It often provokes an angry response, lashing out, and we justify it by calling it “righteous indignation”.
Self-pity has a rewind button and seems to be on auto, as we replay the historical event or offence that confronts my pride, each time we find embellishment for vindication and all the while cultivating or reinforcing our pride. If we see it in this light, we will see how destructive it is and will review our motive to take the spotlight off “ME” and focus on Father’s purpose.
We will still fail or fall if we view circumstance as anything other than God’s Providence to direct my footsteps to Him. Because we have deviated, we often have to go cross-country, over broken topography, to get back on track. It can be a painful excursion, a solo trip, and generally lacking what the Psalmist calls “hinds’ feet”. We were not designed for this sort of territory.
We have a good indicator of whether our thoughts/actions are in order, and that is if we are able to obey the injunction to be “wholly joyful” despite!!!!!. This result will never surface when my motives are not fully aligned with His motives, and His motives are for the very best for everyone, regardless. If we accept His directions to (1) love our neighbour, (2) look out for one another, (3) humble ourselves, just to name a couple, then our motivation is to be “pleasing to God and lead a “real new life”.
Self-pity contains a very high degree of “silent debate”, that internal dialogue which is carcinogenic to our spirit. Self-pity or pride infers that I have some “rights”, but “I am not my own; I have been bought with a price”. (1 Corinthians 6:20) Just reflect, how often does the event, person, incident surface in our thoughts and we don’t dismiss it? This is the consequence of pride.
Matthew 10:38 goes on to say, “And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, CONFORMING WHOLLY TO MY EXAMPLE in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.
The examination of our motives will no doubt unearth that noxious and pervasive trait of “PRIDE”. PRIDE IS PERNICIOUS. Pride has been defined as feelings of deep pleasure or satisfaction in achievement, an accomplishment, or in someone else or something else. But it has also been described as conceit, egotism, vanity, vainglory, all about one’s own appearance or status in life and not just something that’s been accomplished. (PERNICIOUS pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. Pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.)
It is an inwardly directed emotion that can easily offend and carries with it a connotation that displays an inflated sense of one’s own worth or personal status and typically makes one feel a sense of superiority over others and can easily make someone look condescendingly at others.
PRIDE AND PEACE CANNOT COEXIST. PRIDE AND PROGRESS CANNOT COEXIST. PRIDE AND PIETY CANNOT COEXIST.
IF WE WANT TO THINK RIGHT OR “CHANGE OUR MIND”, THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO START THAN “EXAMINING OUR MOTIVES”.
The third component of “CONFORMITY” is the “ACTION” part, and this is dependent upon parts 1 and 2, or “UNTIL” we have conquered 1 and 2. The church at large expects that because God is a loving God and because they adopt the name “Christian”, that the resources of heaven are at their disposal. This idea is quickly dismissed because of the obvious impotence of the church in being able to implement the promises of the Word and demonstrate His sovereignty.
The stumbling block is that pesky “UNTIL”, and I am sure that each one, if we are honest, already know what our “UNTILS” are and how they grossly inhibit us by the plethora of “WORTHLESS THOUGHTS” (Ephesians 4:17) by the engagement in “SILENT DEBATE” or that inappropriate internal dialogue, or by “Letting ourselves” contrary to the directions of the Word. (Romans 12:21)
So many things occupy our day, which are completely legitimate but maybe not expedient. But there are things that we can be sure of that are relevant to the “UNTIL”.
1 Timothy 4:13 TILL (This is the earlier translation of “UNTIL”, I COME, (This is the time interval where the event is dependent upon another event) DEVOTE YOURSELF to [public and private] reading, to exhortation (preaching and personal appeals), and to teaching and instilling doctrine.
There is a sobering instruction recorded in Joel 2. It involves instructions on how we are to conduct ourselves, leaves no wriggle room for excuse or ambivalence, and then details the time frame, “UNTIL”.
Joel 2:12 THEREFORE also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning [UNTIL every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship is restored].
The “THEREFORE” that commences this verse has exposed some very troubling similarities between the context in which this book was written and the circumstances faced in our nation and the church today. It is recommended that a thorough appreciation of this chapter be considered as it will serve to educe the demands of verse 13. If we genuinely want to be sons of God, then this instruction is an inescapable and inexcusable remedy for the state we are in.
“UNTIL EVERY hindrance is removed.” This is a vast spectrum of disorder. It demands that we comprehensively repent, to “turn and keep on coming”, not just until we feel we are in the clear again for a while, not until we get over our disobedience to the Word, but make a turnaround completely and perpetually, with the assurance that our circumstances and obscure events are there for our harmonising with God’s purpose and our eventual elevation. Still, we have to deal with our “UNTILS”.
SELAH
williamrosssmith.wordpress.com
Ross Smith 