Because of Zion I will ‘not keep quiet’ and because of Jerusalem I will ‘take no rest’ till her righteousness goes out like the shinning of the sun, and her salvation like a burning light… I have put watchmen on your walls o’ Jerusalem they will ‘not keep quiet day and night’. You who are the Lord`s recorders,’ take no rest’ and give him no rest, till he puts Jerusalem in her place to be praised in the earth. (Isaiah 62:1, 6-7 BBE).
The issue before us for discussion is quite ardent. It calls for urgent attention regarding God`s kingdom services. It requires all who bear the name of the Lord to do self-examination. Before we proceed, I will like us to pause and think about the following questions:
Whose child am I? (John 1:12 KJV)
Unto whom am I living? (2 Corinthians 5:15)
What is my duty? (Ecclesiastics 12:13, Matt. 28:18-20)
What are my priorities? (Matt. 6:33, col. 3:2)
Who is my example? (John 12:6)
As I attempt to honestly judge myself by these questions using the scriptures, I am seriously under conviction and crying for God’s help. It just occurred to me that I’m a “believer” and yet there is no distinction between me and a morally sound unbeliever. I claim to be a child of God and I do not treasure truth and cannot receive with gladness God`s word especially when it contradicts or opposes my own ideas and understanding. How can I say I am living for the Lord when my own gratification is my priority; when I cannot let go my best or widow’s mite for another person for Christ’ sake. What do I claim to be doing when all my works are far from establishing righteousness? I profess with my mouth that God is my number one and my heart is quietly laboring for and exalting worldly riches. Oh, see how I’ve traded my eternal reward and glory for vanity and the applause of men. I have exchanged my enthusiasm for the house of God for leisure and pleasure, my devotion and communion time for sleeping and jesting, and my fasting and prayer days for hustling. I have traded evangelism and discipleship trainings for holiday trips, celebrations and business seminars. I perceive that this issue is so serious in the heart of God, and I can hear God calling…”Awake o sleeper rise up from the dead and Christ will give you light”. So be careful how you live, don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise, make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life, instead be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph.5:14-18 NLT)
Indeed it has become very clear to me by the word of God that we have been sleeping and have handled God’s business with feeble hands. Our efforts and works are best described as “dead and dark”. We have been very careless and have lived like foolish people; we have not maximimised the opportunity God has given us for God’s kingdom profit. Our Christian lifestyle is without understanding of what God’s purpose and will for our lives is. We are overwhelmed and excited about the things that perish and our hearts are almost completely captured by worldliness and vanity.
Now God is calling on us saying; Wherefore lift up your hands which hang down and feeble knees, and make straight path for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. (Heb. 12:12-13). Maranatha!
The word “holiday” simply means leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure. This period is usually associated with merriments, pleasures and fun. Sinners simply refer to transgressors i.e. people who break religious laws. Jesus Christ our blessed elder brother in flesh and sufferings (Heb.2:9-15) was utterly consumed with ardent zeal for the work God gave him (John 2:17) and speaking in John 9:4 says; I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. Also in John 4:34, we hear him again saying; My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. A voice in a certain place witnessing to this said……Lo I come in the volume of the books it is written of me to do thy will oh God. (Heb. 10:7). Again in Matt. 9:13, we hear him defining his mission saying……”For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. And in Luke 4:18-19, he further explained his mission saying “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord”. Thus far I have no singular doubt whether Christ ever observed any holiday. Even in Mark 6:30-32 (NIV) where it appears to me as if he did sought rest, I discovered that it was a compassionate expression of concern and care for his followers (not himself) who were suffering from exhaustion as a result of the tedious ministry work he (Jesus) had occupied them with and he never meant it for pleasure rather I see him attending to a crucial need for personal infilling and deeper consecration and communion with God. Hence the choice of the venue (desert place), which is not a tourist attraction or a very beautiful city or a place where everybody wants to be. He chose for them a place where ordinary people detest and avoid, he referred to a place whose condition or circumstance enhances communion with God. Furthermore he charges us in John 12:26 saying if any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be.
To comprehend the depth and weight of the matter before us, we need to point out certain features/behavior s associated with “holidays” and then discuss them in relation to some men in the scriptures who seemed to have been victims in their time despite their exploits. Some of such features/behavior includes the following;
1. Unnecessary Silence
2. Unrealized Drift
3. Slothful Relaxation
Forthwith we shall be looking into the origin, the exploits, the pitfalls/mistakes and the repercussion of the failures of these men and thereby draw caution for our own lives. May God help us in Jesus name. Amen.
A. Holiday; A Time Of Unnecessary Silence; This simply refers to instances or occasion when there is absence of speech/voice. This implies the period or certain occasions in a person’s life when he is expected to speak and he refuses to do so. Now let’s look at some insights from the following scriptures pointing us to a very important personality in creation
‘’Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sort of trees grow up from the ground-trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the Garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the bird of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.”’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.”’ “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. (Gen. 2:7-9, 15-25, 3:1-7 NLT).
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Adam was the first man God created. He was a replica of God made to take charge of the earth for God. God charged him with the responsibility of tending the whole earth and creation. Actually the making of man was God’s mark of success and till now it remains God’s peak of success. So any labor under the heavens that leads to the extermination of lives of men under the heavens is devilish, and it displeases God. Alas God was very pleased and excited with the man he had made and gave him dominion, blessings and prosperity and even a companion (woman; Eve), made in the exact image of the man. God so highly esteemed Adam so that God was not afraid to desire man in the place of equality with him, God. No wonder “the tree of life also in the midst of the garden”. This is a very good evidence pointing us to the insight of God’s plan for the man he had made. No wonder the Lord God said “It is not good for a man to be alone; I will make him a helper which is just right for him. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib and brought her to him. At last, the man exclaimed, “This one is the bone of my bone and the flesh from my flesh!’’ She will be called ‘woman’ because she was taken from a ‘man’. Thus God had made man for himself a helper and also desired and made same for the man. God made the man in his image and likeness, so made him also the woman out of the man. Adam actually started very well and while God was always around, it was as if man will never disappoint God. All that God brought for him to name he named with enthusiasm. Beloved indeed the way Adam started was too promising and God was motivated all the more not to even consider the unlimited confidence he had for the man. God at this time would leave the entire creation in the care and control of the man and probably went to heaven to appropriate other things there, though the scripture did not give us any insight as to God’s location when the conversation was going on between the serpent and the woman but it made us understand that God was seemingly absent. It was just at this very moment of God’s absence that man bastardized the entire creation and made worthless God’s plan for man. The question in my heart now is: I claim to be an anointed man/servant of God who is commanding heavens attention and people everywhere I go, I’m beginning to expect recognition and honor from people, I’m beginning to feel self-sufficient as though God is at my command. When the time comes when it appears God is absent will I and my environment still be in order?
The Bible tells us that there was a conversation between the woman and the serpent and as I saw when the serpent started telling the woman lies, my eyes became open and started looking desperately for Adam in the pages of the scriptures and could not locate him until gen. 3:6 where the woman had finished eating and now gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it too. And I’m asking! Adam; what happened? Why didn’t you interfere when the serpent came with his questions to Eve? Why didn’t you interrupt when the serpent replied the woman with answers contrary to the instruction God gave? Why didn’t you intercept Eve when she took some of the fruits to eat? Adam why didn’t you reject the fruit and rebuke her when she gave some to you? The truth is Adam chose to be “unnecessarily silent” and relinquish his duty to the woman and I’m wondering how he felt watching the debate with such tranquility. I’m thinking could this not be the exact picture describing the present decaying state of the gospel? Could this not be the reason why the senior pastor is not motivating evangelism and yet expecting the church members to evangelize? It could be the reason why many believers will not evangelize saying they are not the pastor. I think this is the reason why believers in the office, school or business will hide their true identity saying this is not church. Beloved, God does not expect you to keep silent when sinners sit down to justify sin. E.M Bounds said; whatever is permitted by the present generation is accepted by the next generation. This is just the cause of the spiritual and moral decay we are experiencing in our time. For example Apostle Peter in the book of Acts would not permit conspiracy and lies in his congregation and we saw how Ananias and Saphira were not spared by God’s wrath. (Acts 5). Matt 18:18 says, I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
More so beloved understand also that the rippling effect of sin becomes more alarming only but when the figure head is overtaken. We didn’t see anything when Eve ate the fruit, but as soon as the man in charge, Adam finished eating the eyes of them both were open, and they knew that they were naked;…..God told the Israelites to make sure they dispose and drive out completely the inhabitants of the promised land, and If they allow anyone to dwell with them, those they allow will become snares, thorns and pricks that shall vex them in the land which they dwell (Num. 33:50-56). So it came to pass that the Israelites after possessing the Promised Land spare few of the inhabitants and those they spared in turn lured them into idolatry. Friends this is the crux of the matter, if it were possible that we mind our business and at the end we are secured, then I should say brethren once you are converted concentrate on yourself alone. I mean if the sinners and the sin we overlook around us doesn’t turn round to hunt us then I will say there is no problem, just concentrate on your own Christian journey. Friends, please let us mind one another’s business. Pray exhort and rebuke with the word of God in love and patience all the people we find around us. It is the secret of our security and perfection.
Also I’ve tried to imagine that if it were only Eve that had eaten the fruit, I think it would have simply been that she disobeyed her head (Adam) and I perceive that the evil in the world would have been very mild and under control. Only the woman would have been vulnerable to sin and evil. But see how the two of them stood there naked and ashamed of each other and God, implying the division that has taken place between them both and God. Little wonder the consistent conflict between humans and God, between humans and other animals, between pastor and church elders, between one church denomination and another, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between one country and another etc, OH my LORD it has become very clear to me the actual reason why Christ came; that he might reconcile us and restore that perfect unity that was between us right from the beginning. Oh may your perfect will prevail LORD in Jesus name. Amen.
B. Holiday; a time of unrealized drift:
This refers to a moment when men deviate unconsciously from their primary assignment to do things that appears to be important but they are irrelevant. This means a period when a person’s attention is drawn from the most important thing to the less important. It is a time when a person begins to concentrate more even with vigor on the minor things and is less concerned for the major. It is a time when things of high value are being handled with less esteem.
And the sons of Noah that went forth of the ark were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (Gen 9:18-27NKJ).
Dear readers, the scriptures in focus are pointing us to a man; called Noah. Noah found grace in the sight of God. God spared Noah and delivered him from his wrath that was manifested unto all creation through flood. God wiped out creation with the flood and preserved Noah and his household. While God was careful to spare Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives, God also preserved certain breeds of animals and plants, in order to continue existence and thereby restoring mankind and the entire creation. God chose to use Noah because of the measure of faithfulness he saw in him, and Noah through obedience was saved; he and his household and certain substances/animals. The bible says… Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God. (GEN. 6:9 KJV). Thus did Noah according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (vs. 22). And the lord said unto Noah, come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. (Gen 7:1) vs. 20 and the lord smelled a sweet savour…..vs. 21. And the lord bless Noah and his sons and said be fruitful, and multiple and replenish the earth (9:1). 1 pet 3:19-20, heb. 11:7, 2 pet 2:5. All the above scriptures constitute Noah’s profile. The scriptures above prove Noah’s position with God. Despite all these laudable expression of God toward Noah; he still could not focus/exert himself on what was crucial to God. Brothers and sisters God did not destroy the world with flood because the earth was no longer yielding much fruit, God did not destroy the world because men were no longer planting vineyard, God destroyed the world because of the wickedness of the men of the earth and I’m sure God expected Noah, considering his age(old, and no longer a youth) and position (father of three sons & father in-law of three daughters) to disciple his sons and help them avoid that which brought down God’s wrath upon creation . Now to the crux of the matter; Noah took to husbandry as though it was the reason for his escape. See how he became drunk with the wine of the increase of his vineyard and displayed himself shamefully within his tent. See how his secret sin brought condemnation and curse on Ham his younger son. See the permanent division his reaction brought to mankind (masters and slaves, Jews and gentiles, obedient and rebellious, believers and unbelievers). Behold the opportunities Noah had to transform creation. Consider his drift and the consequences of his reactions. Are you a believer and a leader? Have you not started drifting from your primary purpose and calling when you start planning anniversaries, celebration and even leisure trip? I perceive that the story of Noah is recorded as a timely warning to us who are saved; that although we have been saved for a prosperous life experience, we have been saved primarily… to be a light of the gentiles and a salvation unto the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). We are commanded to go into all the nations and make disciples and teach them to become lights as well (Matt 28:18-20). My dear brethren let us not labor for the meat which perished and neglect the labors that turned the souls of men unto God. Church leader, who is now planning end of the year party, anniversaries and even holiday trips for yourself and family to tourism cities around the world, I can hear God asking you, is that the work I brought you to that position to work? Is that your primary assignment? Are all the people that I’ve put under you been spiritually saved? Have all the nations around you; (family members, neighbors, colleagues) etc. been transformed? What is it that calls for all the celebrations? Don’t you remember that heaven only rejoices over one sinner that repents? What is it that qualifies you for a rest? Have you forgotten that God rested on the seventh day from all his labors, only after he had finished all the work of creation? Who taught you to contemplate rest/celebration for yourself and others? Are you the shepherd of your own soul? Do you know you are taking the laws into your own hands? Do you know that is rebellion? Remember the story of the prodigal son and return (Luke 15:11-32). Remember the consequences that followed when Noah celebrated his earthly prosperity. Consider the words of Paul….for Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel (1 Cor. 1:17a)
C. Holiday; a time of Slothful Relaxation: This simply means rest from work; to do something recreational. This is actually referring to a period when an individual ceases from his commitment and obligations. This is a time when a man known to be previously committed or engaged in a very serious befitting business begins to indulge in enjoyable leisure activities.
In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Isrealite army to fight the Ammonite. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath… Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the kings palace guard. When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. (2Sam 11:1-2,4-5,8-13NLT).
King David, “the man after God’s heart” was anointed to be king of Israel while a youth by Prophet Samuel at God’s command. David was a man of battle all through his life time; he has constantly fought and led battle for God’s people. He fought and restored the glory of Israel and sustained it for a while. David was a man of God from youth. David would not dare anything outside God’s permission. The fear of God ruled him as such he lead his life and all the people under him at the mercies of God instructions. David walked with God with an understanding that brought consistent victory over his enemies and the enemies of Israel such that one would rarely think he could ever make mistakes, sin or even displease God. David’s firmness about God’s business gave him a reputation such that anybody; including even me should think he would ever desire to be absent from God’s business.
Behold, in the days when kings go to war, King David stayed behind to have siesta, at a time when the armies of God were camping in the open field and the ark of God was dwelling in tents, mighty king David was having leisure and enjoying pleasure. David was in Jerusalem rather than with his camping armies. How could David have forgotten so quickly the path he treaded to that height of greatness and glory? The truth is the ascent of the dizzy height is always attended by the possibility of a slip and then of a head long fall. Beloved at this point I’m afraid for myself even though, I am determined and have vowed “never to live my life apart from the grace of God”. I am wondering, what is that negative constituent in man that makes man vulnerable to disappoint God regardless of how long man has walked with God. What is that nature of man that can never please God? Thank God for Jesus Christ the son of God who was 100% human but yet pleased God all the way. Oh that like my lord Jesus, I will not frustrate God’s agenda, amen. David instead of going forth with his army to complete the subjugation of Ammon, sent Joab with his officers and all Israel and abode in Jerusalem. Formerly, when the lord had given him rest (2 Sam. 7:1) he spent his leisure in a worthy manner and displayed an ardent and even excessive zeal, but now in choosing rest for himself, he showed a lack of zeal and his unhappy choice was followed by a disastrous consequence. His actual fall into sin seem to have begun by the abdication of his functions as captain of Israel, which was itself the effect of previous relaxation of the girded loins and negligence of the untrimmed lamb. Holiday, voluntarily chosen without adequate reason and regardless of opportunity of useful service is commonly;
Induced by a course of successful enterprise and the attainment of great prosperity. Note; if adversary has slain its thousands, then prosperity has slain its tens of thousands.
Indicative of a state of spiritual declension;
-of a gradual decay of faith and neglect of watchfulness and prayer, and so leaving his hold of God.
– of a deflective sense of responsibility to God
– of pride and self-security “mortal’s chief enemy” so that the self-denying labors and hardship of the battle field seem no longer necessary and
-of undue love of ease and sensuous pleasure seen in David’s case.
Whereas, David’s sudden fall appears very surprising but it was a gradual process of decay going on at heart which at length brought the giant to the ground. Beloved, pause for a moment, ponder through with deep sense of understanding the lives of these men, take deliberate mark of that which brought them down from their height of glory; Its simply just a choice of a brief moment of ease/holiday. We often have taken the laws into our hands and acted on our desire as if the God that called us doesn’t know our needs. As if God is a task master who is care-less about our welfare. Heb. 4:15 says; For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all point tempted like as we are, yet without sin. May God forgive and deliver us quickly from this horrible sin in Jesus name. Amen. Now King David’s slothfulness to carry out his duty as the captain of Israel procured him an iniquity which he vehemently sought to cover. Little wonders the saying; an idle mind is the Devil’s workshop. See all he did to make Uriah relax from the lord’s battle. See how he didn’t mind who he was crushing in other to cover up for his sin. See how he arranged for the death of those active armies of Israel in active service. It has become very clear to me the reason why many leaders including religious leaders would persecute certain of their subjects even to the point of exterminating them. Thank God Uriah died in active service. Beloved, Uriah refused to trade his commitment for the comfort the King offered him. Behold his confession;… “The Ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents ; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamping in the open fields; shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. (2Sam 11:11kjv). Oh my Lord and Savior may I be blunt doing my duty for you with zeal beyond distractions, In Jesus name. Amen. Because of Zion I will not keep quiet, and because of Jerusalem I will take no rest, till her righteousness goes out like the shining of the sun, and her salvation like a burning light. O watchman, no rest for you, pastor no rest for you, leaders no rest for you, parents no rest for you. God has plans for us and our entire generation; God still has dealings with sinners. Dear Christian brothers and sisters “HOLIDAY” remains a ban. Maranatha
