“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2).
TEXT —Habakkuk 2:1-4
Message
The following story is told by E. Schuyler English. “A man who lived on Long Island was able, one day, to satisfy a lifelong ambition by purchasing for himself a very fine barometer. When the instrument arrived at his home, he was extremely disappointed to find that the indicating needle appeared to be stuck, pointing to the sector marked: ‘HURRICANE.’ After shaking the barometer very vigorously several times, its new owner sat down and wrote a scorching letter to the store from which he had purchased the instrument. The following morning on the way to his office in New York, he mailed the letter. That evening he returned to Long Island to find not only the barometer missing, but his house also. The barometer’s needle had been right: there was a hurricane!” He could not read the plain sign!
The passage is a follow up on the conversation between God and Habakkuk who wanted to know why sinful Israel would be punished by another nation more sinful than her – that’s simply not fair, Habakkuk insisted. In chapter 2:1, Habakkuk was still waiting to hear what God would say about this when he was told to instead, write the vision of the impending disaster down so Israel could be warned as they would read it. He was to present it in writing and make it very plain, like an illuminated road sign to save many from perishing.
As believers we are like the fine barometer bought by the man on Long Island. The instrument is not meant for decoration, even though it appears beautiful. It is for warning and giving accurate signs. And like Habakkuk, we are expected to be God’s mouthpiece that will take the complete and clear message of salvation and deliverance to the perishing world. We are here primarily to warn people about the impending danger. While our beautiful church buildings are good on their own, their real usefulness lies in becoming the bridge that will connect people to their Saviour and prepare them for a better home above.
Thought for the day
The gospel requires “going” and “spelling” out divine entreaties and warnings.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Julius Ejiro