Once Again All Things Will Be Shaken

past: William Higgins (LMC Staff)

A number of weeks ago I saw an article entitled, "The coronavirus pandemic is making world vibrate less." (CNN April 2013, by Harmeet Kaur). It talked about how since people were staying abode and not using cars, trains, and buses, that seismologists were noticing that the earth's upper chaff was actually moving less. I thought that it was very interesting that man action can have this kind of effect on the earth, that nosotros get in shake! But I also idea that in a way the world is moving and shaking much more than I have always seen it shake earlier. This is the kind of –

Shaking

– that Psalm 46:1-iii speaks of when it says, "1God is our refuge and force, a very present aid in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the eye of the body of water, 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling."
This kind of shaking has to exercise with events that happen that leave us stunned or even traumatized. When life changes in means that nosotros never imagined. When things happen that we thought never would. And that's exactly what has happened because of the coronavirus pandemic. Under the stay at home club, almost everything has come to a screeching halt.

• Big cities seem deserted. I work in an isolated office closed to the public and even around here, every bit I drove to work in mid-March through April there was hardly any traffic on the streets. It's like something from a post-apocalyptic motion-picture show.
• Businesses are closed.
• Schools have airtight during the schoolhouse year.
• Sporting events are shut down.
• Churches have stopped coming together.

And life has changed . We take to social distance. Nosotros have to wear masks. When I collection down to Georgia in April to care for my father, I actually had to check to see if in that location were curfews or mandatory quarantines that would stop me from getting at that place.
Life has inverse. Many have lost jobs. And for those who have jobs things are very different with many working from home. Many are lonely at present, not existence able to be with friends and family. Some are experiencing mental health problems that are heightened by the stresses of this situation. Something equally simple every bit getting groceries is a far unlike experience than it was just a few months ago, equally is likewise getting food from a restaurant.
The globe economy has been devastated. And, of class, underlying all of this many have become sick or have lost their lives.
Such unprecedented change. And it came on united states so rapidly. It tin can go out united states of america feeling dazed . It seems like the very earth under our feet has crumbled and our stability and equilibrium are gone. And the deep waters are raging all around us, as Psalm 46 pictures.
The question I'g asking is –

What is God's purpose in all this?

Let's turn to Hebrews 12:26-29. This is a passage that talks about God shaking things and and then let's come across what nosotros tin learn nearly God's purpose in shaking things.

"26At that time his (the Lord's) vocalization shook the earth, only now he has promised,
"Still once more I will shake not merely the earth just as well the heavens."

The writer begins with a reference to the giving of the Law in Exodus 19:18. This poesy says, "Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on information technology in fire. The smoke of it went up like the fume of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly." So, when God gave the ten
commandments, God shook the earth.

Next, he refers to Haggai 2:vi with the phrase that begins, "yet once more . .." This passage is taken to refer to the final judgment. And in this case, God will shake not only the globe only as well the heavens. Hebrews 12:27 is the writer'southward exposition of Haggai two:vi –

27This phrase, "Yet once again," indicates the removal of things that are shaken –
that is, things that accept been made – in order that the things that cannot be shaken
may remain.

So, on the terminal day God volition shake all of creation; all that God has fabricated; heaven and world.  And this shaking volition exist a kind of sorting process whereby anything that tin can be shaken – the old creation – will be removed. It will be no more. And simply those things that cannot be shaken will remain –
a reference to the new creation.

Scripture talks about this coming event in several places. For example, in Isaiah 65:17 the Lord says, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new world, and the former things shall not exist remembered or come into mind." And Isaiah 66:22 seems to be in the writer's heed, considering it says, "the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain earlier me." The aforementioned keyword and thought.

28Therefore let u.s.a. be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot exist shaken, and thus
let us offer to God adequate worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our God is a
consuming burn down.

So aye, annihilation in this old creation, the world that we currently alive in, can exist shaken. But God and God'due south kingdom (or new creation) cannot exist shaken. God and his new creation will remain forever.

I wanted us to look at these verses because nosotros acquire here what God is up to when he allows us to be shaken. God uses shaking to prove us what is ultimate and eternal – and what is non. To rephrase the terminal office of Hebrews 12:27, God uses shaking "in order that the things that cannot be shaken may" – it says "remain." But since nosotros're not withal at the final judgment we tin insert "be seen" or "revealed to united states."  When things are shaken nosotros are enabled to see the difference betwixt what is temporary and what is eternal. We are enabled to see the difference between what has to do with this earthly life and what has to do with God's kingdom.

Now in the examples in Hebrews God is the i doing the shaking – in the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai and on the terminal twenty-four hours. With regard to the pandemic, I cannot say that God is straight causing it. Merely I tin can say that God has allowed it because it's happening. God has immune us to be shaken every bit individuals
and as a people. And, as we know, whatever God allows God will utilize for God's own purposes and fifty-fifty for our good, as Romans 8:28 teaches usa.

So since this is and then, let me end with what I see every bit –

The message for us

– in all of this. Because of the pandemic, we are reminded in a big mode that one. Annihilation in this world tin can exist shaken. Things practise not ever stay the same; in that location are no guarantees.

Whether information technology's:
• our daily routines of life
• our jobs and career path
• our health
• our earthly relationships
• our life goals and plans for the futurity

All the things that we take for granted and so often give us a sense of condolement and stability – all these can change so speedily and even disappear. So this shaking shows us that they are non ultimate or eternal. This is the sorting or revealing process I've been talking about. The pandemic makes this clear to us.

2. We shouldn't be overly focused on or attached to these earthly things. All of the things I've mentioned – jobs, plans, earthly relationships, comfortable routines, health – they are all expert things, fifty-fifty blessings of God.

Just similar with all created things nosotros can turn them into idols that we put in place of God. We become overly devoted to them; excessively captivated with them. We orient our lives around them. We live our lives for these things and not for God. Nosotros tin can become so caught up in these things that xx years pass by without a idea. It's like where did my life become?

What I'm saying is that we tin can dear them more than God, or instead of God. And the shaking that's going on can reveal this to us. Information technology can be a wakeup call. Information technology can requite united states an opportunity to brand some hard choices to rightly lodge our lives again – or maybe for the first time.

So allow's not just rush ahead to attempt to get through the pain and suffering of this shaking. There is pain and suffering. But in the midst of the shaking:
• Allow God challenge you.
• Allow God sort through some things in your heart and life.
• Let God reveal some things to you about where your true loves are.

And so finally, 3. We should supremely be focused on and love what cannot be shaken. Every bit Christians, we know God. And in the words of Hebrews 12:28, "we have received a kingdom that cannot exist shaken ." We have this now! The world doesn't have this. But we do. And this should be the foundation and center of our lives.

And that, we have what is unshakeable in our lives should lead us to praise God. Equally Hebrews 12:28 also says, " thus (since this is so) let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. "

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Source: https://lmcchurches.org/2020/06/gods-purpose-in-letting-us-be-shaken/