The Darkness Comes

The Darkness Comes May 23, 2020

Just to stay alive

Just to stay helpful

Bringing meaning

To this darkest of times.

1

Should have seen it coming.

The callousness

The irreverence

The worsening

Advertised standard.

The ugly talk

Made to sound heroic.

Made to sound righteous.

Leaders who only

Protect self with platitudes.

Stifling all honest questions

2

Calling them seditious.

Driving conscience underground.

Christ is not mentioned

Caring is inconvenient

Often branded illegal.

"Oh, the Government

Has a Program."

Details on the radio

Or online constantly.

Folks dare not march

In any other direction.

3

Whispers circulate

Of round-ups in the night

Vans and buses

With no known destination.

Church buildings

Remain idle

Since the Disaster.

What disaster?

More of a chess move

Methinks.

Pawns fall prey.

4

King, Queen, Bishop

Have the Day.

I met an old man

Yesterday.

Bus Station.

He slipped me

What appeared to be

An old wrinkled

Document, but important.

Title on the pages said

Matthew 24.

5

Then he was gone.

Praying now I am

Like never before.

I Will Not Smell, I Will Not Hear... June 04, 2011

Amos was a farmer, a shepherd and a tender of sycamore fruit in the

6

Southern Kingdom of Judah. His very name meant "Burden" or "Burden-bearer". He was destined by the will of God to deliver a message of warning and rebuke to the idolatrous Northern Kingdom.

There was no prophet or priest in his family line; no formal training.

But his words were articulate and his message as sharp as a surgeon's scalpel.

Many of the warnings ring true in our age:

1. You have assimilated the idolatry and false hopes of your neighbours.

7

2. You see no coming rod of correction.

3. You delight in the excess of ill-gotten gain snatched from the poor and the vulnerable.

4. You see nothing but clear skies ahead.

5. You can hardly tolerate the pause of the sabbath.

6. Your sacrifices are insincere. I will not smell them.

7. Your praise is irreverent. I will not listen.

8

8. Your idea of the Day of the Lord is simply more pandering of yourselves.

9. If you were to serve me in truth, there would be much more charity and social justice.

10. You are experiencing a famine for the hearing of the Word of God in progressive measure.

11. I have laid a plumb-line to that which you have built; found it grievously wanting; intend serious judgment.

12. Many a difficulty, many a disaster have I set before you to cause you to return to me.

9

13. Your commercial practices are dishonest, opportunistic, enslaving and oppressive.

14. A remnant shall be saved and brought again to blessing and security.

If one looks at the last recorded messages of Jesus in the Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation one sees much of the same "burden". (See Robert Murray M'Cheyne's excellent book on this.

Banner of Truth Trust) Today's churches miss this. They emphasize

10

that Jesus is love; Jesus is inclusive; Jesus' mercy rejoices against judgment. Pastors will not issue the necessary rebukes.

Sometimes even when they try, the message falls upon deaf ears.

(Ezekiel 33: 30-33) Is it too late?

Take a look as well at Ezekiel 9.

Be warned! The "famine" is coming; has already come.

11