“Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk everyone in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.” (Joel 2:8)
The prophet Joel is describing the Day of the Lord and the army of locusts that will come upon the land. There is much discussion as to what these are. But what we will focus on is the order of things. Whether these are actual locusts or another thing, there is an order that they keep. Not one tries to usurp the other. This is a God inspired thing. The same is true in all of God’s creation. There is an order of where each thing keeps its place, not intruding and disturbing the created order of God.
The same goes for us. God has placed an order in our lives. It’s in His Law and it is also written in the fabric of man. We cannot walk without first learning to crawl. We cannot lead without first learning to follow. Bible Truths are arranged so that they are learned one upon another. “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” (Isaiah 28:10) Jesus told the Pharisees: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23) That is the fallen nature of man. We pick and choose outside of God’s order, creating confusion.
God has established order in our lives, in our families, communities and churches. There is an established order in families. This has implications for our part in church. “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” (1Timothy 3:2-5) Deacons in the church also are to be proved blames. “And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.” (1Timothy 3:10)
There is an order in our lives. The steps we take are steps ordered by the Lord and established by the Lord according to His Purpose and Will. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” (Psalms 37:23) When we are walking in God’s Will and Purpose, we don’t have to fear what may come on us. The Lord holds us up, even if we stumble and fall. (Psalms 37:24)
God established order in our salvation. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.” (1Corinthians 15:21-23) Death came by a man. And life had to come from a man. This is the reason Jesus had to become a man. God could not intervene as God. God had to intervene as a man. He had to be subject to this world and yet remain untouched by this world. And Jesus did that. He never gave in to the sin in this world. He was untouched by this world. And Jesus showed us the way. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6) And He continues to show us the way to the end. And keeping the order of God, just as He resurrected, we will be resurrected.
Sometimes we may think that God has forgotten us or that He has forgotten the gift He has given us. Nothing could be further from the Truth. He has an order of doing things. When we see God using others and their gifts, He knows our gift and will use it when it fulfills His Will and Purpose. Has He forgotten the Jews who first were His people? No! All of God’s promises to Israel and the Jews will be fulfilled in the reign of Christ. “And when He had removed him (Saul), He raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also He gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will. Of this man's seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:” (Acts 13:22-23) “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; ... To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; ” (Luk 1:68-69, 72)
Likewise, the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. “And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9) What do we do in the meantime, when we feel we are not using our gift? We continue in “well doing,” in doing God’s Will whenever and wherever He opens a door to bless others, to pray for the needs of others and to be His feet, hands and love.
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