11 October 2013 - reign without end

11 October 2013 - reign without end


“By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”

There is a risk that we can come to believe that the powers of darkness that rule this present age are the only powers there are.  We are then so cynical that we dismiss apparent goods just as these people dismiss the exorcism that Jesus performs.  Do we really?  Yes, as we shall see.  But aren't we thankful?  Not as thankful as we ought to be as people who know the truth.  Our thankfulness is halfhearted.  We see a blessing and think, perhaps, 'It is good for the moment, but he will come to ruin eventually anyway, so why bother getting his hopes up', or something similar.  We do not recognize the essential nature of what happens in such deliverance.  We need to recognize that the power that drives out demons is something so different from the power of Beelzebul that they have to be essentially different.  And that difference means that, even if the world is still under the power of darkness, hope is dawning.

But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

The powers of darkness make their authority known aggressively.  It is hard to overlook.  Its nature is to dominate.  It wants to obscure the light.  But we are called to recognize the higher reality which is true all the while.

But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
he has set up his throne for judgment.
He judges the world with justice;
he governs the peoples with equity.

The dominance of wickedness is temporary.  We will eventually see these powers "sunk in the pit they have made" and their foot caught "in the snare they set". 

If we are guilty of forgetting about the lasting things and trying to acquiesce to the powers of darkness we deprive the house of God "of offering and libation".  Let us fix him and his house as the greatest priority of her hearts.

Gather the elders,
all who dwell in the land,
Into the house of the LORD, your God,
and cry to the LORD!
We must recognize that the LORD reigns even now.  Even when darkness seems to hold sway he rules over all.  When desire for his house fills us we will be able to say with the psalmist:

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, Most High.