From the Desk of Jeff King

A line in the sand

God cannot resist a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). He also is drawn to people who defend holiness and His great name, which are one and the same. Acts of loyalty earn a person instant credibility with the Lord. You become a trusted and valued friend. Let's look at one example each from the Old and New Testaments:

In ancient Israel, the Levites – the men of the tribe of Levi who were granted the privilege of priestly rank – do something in the wilderness that elevate their standing with God above Israel’s firstborn. Numbers 8:13-14 says, "And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the Lord. Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine."

What did they do to merit this extraordinary promotion? The Levites were rewarded because they crossed a line in the sand, if you will, to defend God’s honor. When Moses returns from Mount Sinai and sees the people worshiping a golden calf in Exodus 32, he calls out from the entrance of the Israelite camp, "Whoever is on the Lord’s side – come to me!" Verse 26 says all the sons of Levi gathered themselves to Moses. The firstborn of Israel lost their right to serve because of the golden calf, according to Jewish sages.

Now let's move to the gospels. Here we see great multitudes follow Messiah Yeshua as news spreads of His healing miracles. At one point, He climbs into a boat to teach because the crowd is about to trample Him on the shores of Lake Gennesaret. But in John 9 we see the Lord changing tactics – He seeks out one individual privately. It is the man He healed of blindness, who now is being ridiculed and excommunicated from the synagogue by the Pharisees. The religious men grill him with questions; they ask him repeatedly who restored his sight. His parents show little backbone when summoned to speak on his behalf: "He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." Verse 22 says they feared the Jews. But the son, who does not yet know the identity of his Healer, gives a courageous response.

When the Pharisees order him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner," he replies, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see." The question is repeated: "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" I love this next exchange. The man answers, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" The Pharisees revile him and say they are disciples of Moses. "As for this fellow," they say about Yeshua, "we do not know where He is from." The man fires back, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears Him." What chutzpah! He reminds me of Elijah mocking the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:27). This healed man so angers the Pharisees that they throw him out of the building. Yeshua hears about the confrontation, finds the man and reveals Himself as Messiah. The man responds, "Lord, I believe!" and worships Him. Yeshua was so moved that he left the crowd to meet with the man privately, in the same way God drew close to the Levites in the Old Testament because of their loyalty.

Today we live in a Godless society. The Ten Commandments are removed from an Alabama courthouse because they are too offensive. Massachusetts approves same-sex marriage, public schools in America forbid prayer, and Canadian legislators regard the Bible as hate literature. When God looks upon the earth, what does He see? Will He find a remnant of believers who, like the Levites, will stand up for righteousness? Where are the called-out ones who will defend His great Name? The Lord watches and waits for a people who will show some backbone, cross that line in the sand and stand with Him. No matter the cost.