Category: Devotion of the Day

THREE WORLDS

The world that then was…
The heavens and earth, which are now…
Nevertheless, we…look for new heavens and a new earth.
II Peter 3:6, 7, 13

We are hearing much about “one world”. The Christian thinks in terms of three worlds. The first was destroyed by water. The second will perish by fire. The believer looks for a third, where righteousness dwells. This present world is reserved for fire. The new world is reserved for us who have become citizens of heaven, to whom this present evil world is bout our passage, not our portion. We are strangers and pilgrims, we seek a city.

The people of the first world “knew not” until the flood came. Only Noah had his eyes open. The people of our world know not, nor will they know, until sudden destruction comes. They pride themselves on what they know, but it is only educated ignorance. There are those today, however, like Noah who know what time of day it is. When the last storm begins to break and all heads in this world droop, they will lift up theirs, for redemption nears. The Third World is about to begin!

“PLACING” JUDAS

Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
Acts 1:25

Judas was out of place as an apostle. The other eleven may not have known it, but Jesus was not deceived. “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” “He knew what was in man.” Judas kept up the pretense for several years, and was even treasurer of the twelve. But one day the farce ended and his real self came out, and he ended up where he belonged.

Men always ultimately arrive at their own place. They may be deacons or even stand in pulpits and deceive the people. But there are prepared places for prepared people. There are dwelling-places our Saviour has prepared for His own. There is a lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And Judas arrives in time at his proper destination.

Many a Judas out of place goes to great pains to “belong.” He tries to act naturally in the church and pose as a Christian. But the Lord knoweth them that are His, and all others, including some who may have prophesied in His day, must one day depart – for Judas belongs to another place.