An Even Playing Field
Everyone that has ever been around a child has heard the expression, “it’s just not fair.” It’s easy even as Christians to feel that way at times. Sometimes it does seem that some people just have an advantage over others. The rich get richer; the poor get poorer and so on. Whether you feel that way or not, God always has a solution. He always finds a way, even designs and pre-ordains a plan that will provide your every need. That way is by rest.
I have always been intrigued by John the Baptist. When Jesus spoke of him He said he was the greatest prophet to ever live. What a statement! I look at those before John and think about Elisha or Elijah and look at all the miracles they performed and wonder, why John? In the book of Isaiah, it speaks of a time when God would send one to prepare the way of the Lord. It goes like this:
Isa 40:3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up,every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level,the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." NIV
As I begin to look at these Scriptures and the fact that Matthew said John was the fulfillment of these scriptures, I had to take another look.
Matt 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. KJV
I’m not questioning the fact that John was out in the wilderness or that he made a path for the Lord but the Word says every valley would be made high, every mountain made low and crooked paths made straight.
I inquired of the Holy Spirit for the key to this, since we have no history that the mountains were filling up, the valleys or roads straitening out. What was He talking about if this was fulfilled in the time of John? I am certain that He wasn’t talking about some earthquake. When you look at the results of this leveling and filling, what was the Holy Spirit saying? He was making everything even, level, and fair.
The religion of the day had been placed above the common man. The way to God had been made crooked by money hungry controllers. The mountain of God was unapproachable to the average person. Women were viewed as second class. Money and power had replaced sincerity and hope in their delivering God. God was making an even playing field again for all to come to Him. Everyone, including tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners of every kind, were going to find God in the streets and the desert. Those that set themselves above others would be brought low, and those esteemed as little would be brought high.
The priests had been warned years before, also in Isaiah. But religion knows no boundaries when it comes to pride.
Isa 30:9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction. 10 They say to the seers,"See no more visions!"And to the prophets,"Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. 11 Leave this way,get off this path,and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!" 12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:"Because you have rejected this message,relied on oppression and depended on deceit, 13 this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging,that collapses suddenly, in an instant. 14 It will break in pieces like pottery,shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern." 15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:"In repentance and rest is your salvation,in quietness and trust is your strength,but you would have none of it. NIV
Returning to repentance and rest is our salvation. God always wanted His people in a state of rest. Rest meant they were not trusting in themselves. Rest meant they would not pervert the gospel and make it hard with heavy burdens to carry. Rest meant confident assurance. And no matter what, that God had their future in His hands and all they needed to do was rely on Him. Controlling leaders had said no to any prophecy that would lead them to the Lord's submission, they had said no to resting in Him. Leaders know that people at rest can’t be controlled.
In the old covenant, Israel was to take the message of God’s love to everyone. But the message became a hard line of rules and a burdensome crooked path. The Word given was pure and perfect but had become something it was not intended to be, a list of do’s and don’ts. The law although was never to bring salvation but only to point the way to Jesus. The playing field had to be made level. People had to find His rest. Isaiah said God would utterly destroy those things they previously relied on.
Today we find the same tragedies. It was easy to get there. We find ourselves in the same place as Israel when we allow ourselves to pick and choose only those things that we want to hear. Unfortunately, there are plenty of controlling leaders who will keep you in the dark about God’s rest. Isaiah said the Word alone would become a hindrance to you without the Spirit. Isa 28:9 "Who is it he is trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk,
to those just taken from the breast?
10 For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there." 11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, 12 to whom he said,"This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose" — but they would not listen. 13 So then, the Word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there — so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. NIV
Because of a precept upon precept, “do, do” mentality and refusing to enter into rest, the doing of the Word would cause them to backslide. The Word of God would become just a set of rules of do’s and don’ts that you couldn’t accomplish and that would cause you to backslide. I love the fact that tongues are mentioned here in the old covenant, the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Rest. Our hope of putting down our works and resting in His rest is here now.
Haven’t you ever noticed how dry and dead religion becomes without a fresh touch of His Spirit? Life was meant to be the abundance. What Jesus spoke of was meant to be easy and light. Why do we insist on carrying loads that no one can bare? Jesus said to the priests that they put burdens on people that they could not bare and they would not lift one finger to help them. I don’t think it has changed much since His day.
I believe God is moving us to a place again of a level playing field. I believe that people will respond the same as they did in John the Baptist's day. They will flock to the truth. They will see the demonstration of the love of God by His Spirit and know that it is the real thing. I expect to see signs and wonders that will be undeniable - flowing from a heart of leaders that have only the interest of the Lord and people. I mean all people at heart, just like Jesus did.
Join me in the playing field that has become level for all. What was not fair is now fair. God is asking you to play. He is calling on you to bring His love and healing to all in your world. The wonder of demonstrating the power of His love to this generation is unfolding as never before.