Have you ever wondered why Ananias and Sapphira were struck down by the Holy Spirit for lying to the apostles (and to the Lord)?  And yet so many to this day lie to their church leaders (and to the Lord) and live to tell about it?  It could seem harsh.  But there’s a reason for it.

Have you ever wondered why Moses was banned from the Promised Land because he struck the rock and didn’t speak to it, disobeying the Lord?  Doesn’t that seem a bit much?

Of course there is much more to both of these stories.  But there’s a reason for both of them that is the same.

God was doing a new thing on the earth.

When God was doing a new thing on the earth, it was/is rare and extraordinary.  The time of the Exodus was one of those seasons.

The Exodus–Huge

God was going to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians without the Israelites going to war.  It seemed impossible but a deliverer had been prophesied for many years.  Through Moses and the plagues, the Israelites were indeed delivered in a mighty way that shook the earth.  The whole world heard of this great act of God and trembled (Joshua 2:10; 9:9).

But because God was doing something extraordinary and earth-shaking, there was great holiness among the people.  The fear of the Lord was significant and acts of disobedience were not held lightly by the Lord God.  It was a sacred time.  The converse was also true in that it was a time of extraordinary blessing in obedience.  They were delivered for, provided for and even more.

It was in this time we also see some of the most extraordinary miracles of God.  There was the continual manna in the desert, the parting of the Red Sea, miraculous provision of water and more.  Miracles happened regularly to make provision and provide protection for God’s people.

God was doing a new thing on the earth.  It was a sacred and deeply significant time for the people of God.  And because of it, their obedience/disobedience was held at a much, much higher level.

The Birth of the Church–Huge

We see the same thing again when God was birthing the church.  It was a new thing God was doing on the earth and it was hugely significant.  Jesus had been killed and was resurrected.  How much bigger could it get than that?  And the church was being birthed that would explode across time and history.

God was doing a new thing on the earth and it was a significant and special time for the people of God.  Because of it they were held to a much higher degree of holiness.  Which is why we see when Ananias and Sapphira lied that they were struck down.  It was a lie not to man but to the Holy Spirit who was working mightily (Acts 5:3).  In seasons of great holiness like this, there is greater repercussions for unrighteousness.  And for obedience.  The people had the privilege of great favor with God and even with all the people (Acts 2:47).

We also see during this time extraordinary, mind-blowing miracles.  There were healings and deliverances at significant levels.  Peter’s shadow itself brought healing as the presence of God was so upon him (Acts 5:15).  And then there was Paul:

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them” (Acts 19:11-12).

That is insane!  The shadow of Peter and things such handkerchiefs and aprons that touched Paul brought healing, miracles and deliverance.  Crazy.

But it was because God was doing a new and amazing thing on the earth.  There were greater miracles, greater trials, and greater blessing for obedience and also accountability for disobedience.  It was an extraordinary season of history.

The Coming of Jesus for His Bride?  Hugest of All

God in my opinion is doing some new and exciting on the earth again.  I don’t think the wildness of 2020 is just an anomaly.  Rather I think God is setting things in place for his soon return.

What does that mean for things to come?

1) It means that we are entering into a season that is sacred, righteous and holy.  Because of this our blessing in obedience will be rich and joyful and also there will be greater accountability for disobedience (or delayed obedience).  Not that God is looking to strike people down because he isn’t.  But in seasons of holiness and when sacred times are upon us, we will need to treat them as holy and important.

2) We can expect to be moving into times of greater and greater miracles.  Perhaps we will see some of the greatest miracles than have ever been seen before.  Because of that we need to start now praying more boldly and more frequently for healings and deliverances.  Additionally when times get really rough (think not being able to buy/sell food or provision because we’re Christians according to Rev 13:17), we will need his miraculous intervention like never before.

3) We can expect very difficult times.  If you look at the time of Exodus, they were all hoping for a deliverer and Moses and Aaron seemed to be the chosen people.  But things got worse and worse and more and more terrible.  Everything Moses did made Pharaoh oppress them even more than before.  People despaired that Moses was actually the deliverer and that God was going to deliver them.  They had a few nasty words to share with Moses:

“May the LORD lok upon you and judge you!  You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us” (Ex 5:21).

It was really terrible suffering before God did something wonderful.  As the footsteps of God draw near, the enemy of God brings awful calamity.

The same thing happened before the church was birthed.  Things were so bad even among the supposed people of God that they and the religious leaders had Jesus killed.  There had been prophetic silence for 400 years.  And there was great and significant upheaval between Rome and the Jews.

It was not a pleasant time.  Even more than that the church was birthed in the face of great and terrible persecution.  It was a deeply joyful time that eclipsed the suffering, but indeed there was suffering.

Because of that I think we expect that very difficult times will come right before God breaks out into something extraordinary.  I believe the footsteps of God are drawing near and the enemy of God is bringing more and more calamity.  And even when God does break out into something extraordinary, I believe it will come in the context of great suffering.  But the joy of what we will experience will eclipse that suffering.

How Then Should We Respond

We are in important times.  I do believe it will actually get harder yet.  Much harder.  But it is because God is ready to do something so extraordinary, so joyful, so amazing that it will shake the heavens and the earth once again.  But as his footsteps draw near, things will get harder.  But the life of Christ in us will eclipse those sufferings.

To prepare for those things we must respond in several important ways.

1) Strengthen your hope and joy in the Lord.  Things will look bleak in every way, but strengthen your hope and joy that the Lord is with us and is doing something extraordinary.

2) Nurture love for one another.  It says in the last days “the love of most will grow cold.”  We see that with internet cruelty.  We see that with just this virus that keeps us disconnected.  We see that with political opinions trying to divide us.

In this season we need more love and connection, not less.  More intentional closeness, not distance.  We must practice love.

3)  Be of great courage.  This is an important one.  When times are tough, people are tempted to compromise.   We must, must, must know the truth of God’s Word and stand on it.

The first temptation in the Scripture was to doubt the truth of God’s Word (Gen 3).  Nothing has changed.  The truth of the Scripture is on trial and there will be a price to pay to courageously stand.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,

And,

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.  (Heb 10:35-39).

Courage is one of the most important things we need in this hour.  To act, to obey, to go forward boldly, to stand strong resolutely, to love fiercely.  Walk in courage even when there is a price to pay.

Conclusion

So be encouraged.  God is doing a new thing on the earth.

It is significant.  It is holy.  It is joyful.