Last week we looked at the Biblical concept of time. We saw that our concept of time will give us the context weare living in. Our context will determine the choices we make and the actions we take. The tribe of Issachar were “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do”. Discerning correctly the times we are in, will ensure we know the appropriate course of action we should take.
We also looked at three Hebrew words for time which speak of three distinct time concepts found in the Bible. The passage in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 introduces us to these three different ideas of time – zemân, ‘êṯ, and ‘olam. (See last week’s blog for an understanding of these three time concepts.)
This week we want to focus on the third concept which is ‘olam translated as eternity in Ecclesiastes 3:11.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NASB alternate reading) He has also set eternity (‘olam) in their heart, Without which man will not find out the work which god has done from the beginning even to the end.
The word ‘olam means a series of times. It’s the linking of an unlimited series of Divine kairos moments that are working out God’s eternal salvation plan. The author of Ecclesiastes is saying there is another time clock that’s exists in life which is separate from chronological time we live in. It is embedded in the heart of everyone. It is called eternity. The only way one can discover or discern what God is doing is to be in touch with this internal Divine time clock called eternity. You can go on living in “chronos” time and get lost in the futility of life, or you can choose to be guided by that internal time clock called eternity and live your life in partnership with God.
Jesus put it this way “my father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17). Jesus had this mindset while on earth – God was always working His salvation plan – seeking and saving the lost. So everyday, Jesus looked for Divine activity (kairos moments) and joined God in His work. Transformational momentum is created when we live like that. I want to give you 2 examples of what happens when we live with “eternity in our hearts”.
Example 1: The momentum for healing
In this example we will see how the faith to believe for their miracle of healing developed a life of its own as people stepped out of the box and began pushing the limitations of their faith. A momentum was created by these Divine kairos events.
People touch Jesus and get healed
Luke 6:19 (NKJV) and the whole multitude sought to touch him, for power went out from him and healed them all.
Luke tells us that it became somewhat of a norm for the sick to push their way into a crowd in order to touch Jesus and receive their healing. Where did they get the idea that if you touched Jesus you will get healed. Someone one day must have stumbled on this. He or she must have bumped into Jesus in the crowd and suddenly realised they were totally healed. Word must have got around and now multitudes have come to believe that if they get close enough to Jesus and touch him they will be healed.
The woman with an issue of blood
Matthew 9:20-21 (NLT) just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “if I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”
We need to understand a little bit of Old Testament culture in order to fully grasp the significance of what this woman did. The woman had been suffering from a physical condition where she was constantly bleeding for twelve years. In the Mosaic law it stipulates what a woman had to do when she was going through her monthly menstrual cycle.
Leviticus 15:19 (NKJV) If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 15:25 (NKJV) ‘If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean.
This poor woman had to keep herself in isolation for twelve years as she continued to seek treatment for her medical condition. This one time she decided to risk it all because Jesus was passing her way. Not only does she risk breaking the law by mingling with the crowd, she was now considering touching Jesus for her healing. She probably was thinking if she did touch Jesus, the Old Testament law will render Jesus unclean for a whole day and he would have to go through the purification ritual to make himself clean again. So instead of touching Jesus, she decides to just touch the fringe of his garment. She was healed.
We see a development now from people who believed that if they touched Jesus they will be healed, to a woman who believed she didn’t need to touch Jesus – just touching the fringe of his robe would be sufficient.
Peter’s shadow healing the sick
Acts 5:15-16 (NKJV) they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Fast track to post resurrection. We see the momentum for healing pick up with the number of healings increasing exponentially after Pentecost. By the time we get to chapter five of the book of Acts, we see that the city of Jerusalem was so charged up with the atmosphere of faith that people began to believe that God was not restricted by the need to have physical contact with the one carrying the anointing to heal. The crowds believed that healing was possible if they just close to Peter, just close enough so his shadow would touch them.
Paul’s unusual miracles
Acts 19:11-12 (NKJV) now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
Things sure picked up steam and by the time we get to chapter nineteen, the faith of believers had reached a place where they were no longer restricted by touch or distance.
Example 2: Momentum to eradicate poverty
Another example of how one event seemed to have triggered a series of events that created momentum for faith to increase and thrive is in the area of helping the poor. Ministry and concern for the poor featured much in the New Testament. It began right from the onset of the early church and continued to spread among the Greek churches planted by Paul. What I want to highlight is the shape and form the ministry took on as time went on.
The church in Jerusalem gave to the poor
Acts 2:45 (NKJV) and they sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
We see that the early church right from its infancy began to provide for those who were poor. People were selling stuff that was hanging around in the garage, possessions they could do without and channeled sales to the poor among them.
The church in Jerusalem was able to eradicate poverty in their midst
Acts 4:34 (NKJV) nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
By the time we get to chapter four, the church took it up a notch. Christians sensed that God was in this and began to increase momentum in helping the poor among them. The wealthy who owned multiple houses and lands, began selling them to help the poor. The momentum built to a point where anyone who was poor, who allowed themselves to be part of this faith community in Jerusalem, found themselves being freed from the bondage of poverty. In fact Luke says there was “no one among them who lacked”. Imagine a community that becomes aware of what God was doing among the poor, joins in with Him and increases the intensity of their giving to the point they had eradicated poverty within their sphere of influence.
Christians in Macedonia gave beyond their ability
2 Corinthians 8:1-4 (NKJV) moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
What started as people who were wealthy helping the poor, grew in influence to the point that those who were in “deep poverty themselves” tapped into divine resources and gave beyond their capacity to give.
We need to realise that every act we do in obedience to God’s word, has a potential of creating a momentum that will influence others to act in similar ways and result in large scale transformation. That’s what living with eternity in our hearts looks like. We have a choice to live the mundane “chronos” life and be caught up in the futility of life, or we could start living with this eternity time clock embedded in us. Discern what God is doing and respond accordingly. This kind of lifestyle will create momentum. The more of us living like that will create a tsunami of change, a supernatural transformation in our lives, our families, our communities, our city and our nation.
How do we do this? Is there a formula, a recipe, a blueprint so we can all follow. My experience and based on my study of the great men and women of faith in the Bible, we stumble into this life. It isn’t a science. We just put one foot in front of the other till we see God’s plan unfold in and through us. The best picture that is given to us is the story of the four lepers in 2 Kings chapter 7.
Stumbling into eternity
The story has its context in a time when Israel was in a severe famine. The city of Samaria was under siege by the Syrian army. The Bible tells us the famine was so severe that a donkey’s head sold for 80 silver shekel (about $50). Not only was it an unclean animal it was the worthless part of the body – and it was going for top dollar as if it was a rib eye steak. The desperate situation catapulted four lepers into what would be one of the most unusual and amazing miracles in the Bible.
2 Kings 7:3-4 (NKJV) They said to one another, “why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘we will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”
It wasn’t much of a faith declaration. In fact it was more of rolling a dice. “Let’s take a chance. We may have more luck with the enemy.”
Stumbling into victory
2 Kings 7:5-8 (NKJV) When they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; So they said to one another, “look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.
They didn’t have a strategy. They didn’t follow a formula. They just put one foot in front of the other but unbeknown to them they were walking in step with God. Every step they took, all of heaven rolled on in front of them. They were clueless of what was happening. It wasn’t for them to know. They just had to put one foot in front of the other. They had stumbled into eternity time zone. They literally stumbled into their miracle.
We are living in unprecedented times and seasons. To continue to live our lives merely driven by “chronos” time will be a tragedy. God is doing something in our midst. Be aware everyday. Look out for those “kairos” moments of Divine activity. Because God is working all the time. Put one foot in front of the other and walk with God. Let’s see what God will do in and through us.