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"So Teach Us To Number Our Years,
That We May Apply Our Hearts Unto Wisdom"
By Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow
(Preached at Life BPC, Watchnight Service, Dec 31 2002)
Tonight is the last day of the year 2002. How
quickly time flies. It is the custom of this Church to hold a
Watchnight Service for the Lord’s cleansing before we step out into
the New Year.
In reading Moses’ Psalm of Life we are reminded
that life is hard (life is full of troubles brought about by our own
sins) and life is short. The Chinese say it is rare for a man to
live up to seventy, and Moses observes, if strong, we might live up
to 80. How old are you tonight? So teach us to number our years that
we may live wisely for Him. Live not for your own pleasure, but live
for the glory of God. If you are forty and qualify for Eldershield
you should also consider these words of wisdom.
Looking at life in the light of the last days
before the very soon coming of Christ’s Return, when global wars are
predicted in the Book of Revelation, we had 21 years of peace
between WWI and WWII. From 1945, end of WWII to 2002, we have up to
now 57 years. According to the law of average sooner or later war
will overtake us again and when it comes, Dr Walvoord of Dallas
Seminary, USA says it will be WWIII, which fulfils Rev 9:13-16.
WWIII he identifies is the one to break out at the great river
Euphrates, which is modern day Iraq. Is this scenario fitting
President Bush’s repeating intent to attack Iraq in order to destroy
Saddam? President Bush says this war will be swift and sure, and
Iraq is going to be a walkover. But Winston Churchill warns, "Never,
never, never believe any war would be smooth and easy, or that
anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and
hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever
must realise that once the signal is given he is no more the master
of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events."
We do not say for sure at this juncture that
WWIII is soon here, but Bush has threatened Saddam with nuclear arms
if he uses weapons of mass destruction. If that happens we cannot
prevent proliferation toward a WWIII. As we mention Iraq here comes
North Korea who is able to deliver a nuclear bomb in 30 days, and
South Korea is looking to USA for additional 700,000 troops. WWIII
automatically appears, whether you like it or not.
Rev 8 tells us in the final war on earth, one
third of mankind will be destroyed. God who loves His own will not
let us go through this holocaust. He will catch us away from a
burning earth into the clouds above in what the Bible calls a
Rapture (I Thess 4:13-18).
When will the Rapture take place? In I Cor
15:51-52 Paul says, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Now if WWIII breaks out at the great river
Euphrates at the blowing of the sixth trumpet and the Rapture occurs
at the blowing of the last trumpet which is the seventh trumpet in
Revelation, where is the reference? It is found in Rev 10:7, "But in
the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to
sound, the mystery of God (i.e. the Rapture) should be finished."
When the Great Tribulation of WWIII will sweep
this earth, "Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking
after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of
heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for
your redemption draweth nigh" (Lk 21:26-28). Dear Reader, are you
booked to be raptured to space at the Second Coming of Christ? Is
your ticket OK or RQ? If OK you will fly. If RQ you will be left
behind. This is a lesson I learnt many years ago as a young
greenhorn traveller. The travel agent gave me an RQ return ticket.
When I showed my ticket at the airport, my name was not on the list
because it was not OK. I was stranded for two days.
If Christ is coming any time now, He expects us
to be busily occupied, trading with His talents He has committed to
us. Our Korean missionaries to Cambodia have reached out to many
towns beyond their original assignments. We should support them with
our prayers and gifts. Locally, Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi are our
latest efforts. Praise the Lord, the two English Sunday Schools are
growing by leaps and bounds. When the Lord returns, He will say,
"Well done, Thou good and faithful servant!" If you can help in any
quarter but chose to do nothing, will you not regret when He comes?
When I preached a sermon on Jesus’ coming
sometime ago, a fellow pastor said I was scaring my hearers. If I do
not warn my hearers I would be found neglecting my duty by default.
My warning of a possible WWIII suddenly acquired significance when
N. Korea is reported as having a nuclear bomb in 30 days. This has
necessitated America to warn N. Korea she is able to fight Iraq and
N. Korea at the same time. What Churchill warns is right. When war
begins there is no telling what will happen from there.
From a regional war it will spread around the
world. While He tarries, let us be prepared at a moment’s notice to
greet Him when He comes. "So teach us to number our years, that we
may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Amen.
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