Devotions

When Moses told Pharaoh, “Let my people go,” it was because God had announced the time for harvest. The moment had come for Israel’s deliverance from captivity!

But Pharaoh responded, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2). Pharaoh represents Satan’s demonic system, including false religions and oppression that hold people under bondage.

Before Israel could be delivered, the powers of darkness had to be shaken. So God struck Egypt with nine natural calamities. Yet those nine disasters only hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

Finally, there came a calamity so devastating that everyone in Egypt—from the rulers down to ordinary citizens—knew this wasn’t just nature out of control. It was God speaking. The Lord had sent an angel of death, and in one night the eldest son in every Egyptian family died, including Pharaoh’s son. The very next day, Israel paraded out of Egypt. Here was the harvest that came just before judgment.

Centuries later, when Jesus announced the ripe harvest in Jerusalem, He knew judgment was about to come. Years hence, Titus and his army would invade the city, and 1.2 million people would be killed. Many would be hung on crosses, and the city itself would be burned to the ground.

This is why Jesus warned His generation, “You say there are four months before harvest. But I’m telling you, the harvest has to begin now. You have to be about the will of God, because the greatest calamity is at your door. I’m commissioning you now to finish My work. The time to start reaping is today.”

How did Jesus describe the calamity that was to come? “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). Yet, before that calamity came, it would be time for the harvest.

Jesus understood men’s hearts and knew that we forget God in times of prosperity.

Christ knew that in times of distress and calamity, people are forced to face eternity. Suffering, fear and hard times ripen people for hearing and receiving the gospel. Consider the context of His words: “When he saw the multitudes . . . because they fainted . . . then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous” (Matthew 9:36–37, italics mine).

This truth has been demonstrated throughout the history of God’s people. Moses reprimanded his generation, saying, “God led you. He increased your numbers. And He greatly blessed you, giving you green fields, honey, butter, milk, sheep, oil, fruit. But you grew rich and rebelled. You lightly esteemed the Rock of your salvation, and forsook Him.”

“But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat . . . thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation” (Deuteronomy 32:15).

Scripture tells us Israel was brought low after this. Yet, in their distress, they called upon the Lord, and He delivered them: “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses” (Psalm 107:6, italics mine).

Consider also David’s testimony: “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears” (Psalm 18:4–6, italics mine).

Trouble, distress and perplexity have always birthed a cry for help. This has been the pattern throughout the centuries. You remember what happened after the Twin Towers in New York fell: churches were packed! Prayer meetings were held in Yankee Stadium. Congressional leaders gathered on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, praying, and singing “God Bless America.”

For a season, God was the talk of the nation. Fear and distress had made people think about finding truth. And that sums up the law of the harvest: THE DARKER THE DAYS, THE WHITER THE HARVEST.

Jesus gives us a picture of what the last days will look like. This last-days picture began at His ascension and it will end only when He comes again—and we are getting very close to that point now!

Jesus’ disciples wanted to know the condition of things as the last days approach and He answered by speaking of famines, earthquakes, tribulations, nations divided. False prophets and false Christs will deceive many and lead multitudes astray. Believers will be hated for even mentioning Christ’s name. And the love of many will grow cold, with some falling away because of the bold increase of sin and lawlessness.

“Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 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” (Luke 21:25–26). In short, Jesus is describing the most anxious, depressed, stressed-out generation of all time.

So, are His prophecies happening now, right before our eyes? Think about it. This generation definitely is full of anxiety and worry. Multitudes are fearful as they watch incredible disasters unfold: hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, mudslides, tornados. Entire nations tremble with fear over the threat of terrorism. And heart failure is the number-one killer in the world today.

False religions, false prophets, false Christs are leading many astray. Millions are turning to Islam, with nation after nation infiltrated by Islamics. You would have to be in total denial if you didn’t see that everything that can be shaken right now is being shaken.

In the midst of all this upheaval and turmoil, I hear Jesus’ words: “The fields are white. The harvest is plentiful” (see John 4:35). I’m convinced that He is telling His Church, “People are ready to hear. This is the time to believe for a harvest. Now is the time for you to start reaping.”

Christ is the Lord of the harvest and if He declares that the harvest is ready, we must believe it. It doesn’t matter how wicked this generation becomes. It doesn’t matter how powerful Satan seems to have grown. Our Lord is saying to us, “Stop focusing on the difficulties around you. Instead, raise up your eyes. It’s time for you to see that the harvest is ready.”

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4, ESV).

Some things in your life need to be brought to an end. There is that sin, those patterns and habits, the struggles and problematic situations. All these cause us to be weary and worn out and they need to be finished.

The Holy Spirit has planted a hunger in the heart of every man, woman, boy and girl in the world today – a desire to live righteously and to do things right. Even those who don't know Jesus, people of other religions, all innately have within them a desire to live life well, to love others well, to try their best.

Because of the pitfalls of sin and Satan, many fall far short and become corrupt in their thinking. But deep within us, we all want victory over sin. We want to be cleansed. When we have invited Christ to be Lord and Savior of all that we are and all that we think and all that we desire, then the Holy Spirit puts in each of us a greater desire, a passion, to be holy and pure and righteous before God.

This word righteousness in Romans 10:4 means: to be in right standing with God; functioning in right behavior, right motives, right mind, right emotions. It means taking things that are wrong and out of sync with God and establishing a right alignment to the plans, purposes, will and heart of the Father. The Bible calls this the pursuit of righteousness.

Now, what is this righteousness? Is it just simply doing the right things? I would suggest not, because many people can do the right things with wrong motives. That is called a religious spirit and today many people are indwelt with that spirit. Outwardly they function and do all the right things, but inwardly they are dead men's bones.

The essence of what Paul said in Romans 10:4 is that Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given and as a result, all who believe in Him are made right (righteous) with God.

Unfortunately, seeking the Lord wholeheartedly does not exempt us from outside attack. After ten years of peace, Asa’s corner of the world was suddenly invaded by a huge Cushite army for no apparent reason. Asa was Solomon’s great-grandson but his godliness did not guarantee a smooth road for the rest of his life.

In such a moment, seekers after God have built up a reservoir of ready faith to meet new problems. They know exactly what to do:

“Asa called to the Lord his God and said, ‘Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you’” (2 Chronicles 14:11).

Asa’s faith was not some kind of instant cake mix stirred from a box. He and the people had already been calling out to God for a decade. Hence, there was no panic. They cried for the Lord to arise—and He did. The Cushites (Ethiopians) were decisively wiped out, despite their overwhelming numbers, “for the terror of the Lord had fallen upon them” (verse 14).

This is a classic example of a principle of God’s dealing with humanity. Hebrews 11:6 expresses it best: “Anyone who comes to [God] must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” I cannot say it strongly enough: When we seek God, He will bless us. But when we stop seeking Him . . . all bets are off, no matter who we are. It doesn’t matter how much talent we have, how many diplomas hang on our walls, what word of prophecy was proclaimed over us, or anything else.

On Asa’s way home from the battle, a prophet stopped him and his army along the road to reinforce what had just happened: “Listen to me. . . . The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2).

Jim Cymbala began Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn and longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson, Cymbala is a frequent speaker at the Expect Church Leadership Conferences sponsored by World Challenge throughout the world.