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<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY>
<19 November 2002>

Contents:
----------
1) <Devotional> "Ordinary men" - Ravi Zacharias
2) <Bible-Study> "Elijah’s mantle" (Pt-11)- Charles Wigg
3) <Prophecy> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-83)- A.W.Pink


1)  <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY>
"ORDINARY MEN"
Ravi Zacharias

Malcolm Muggeridge observed that the depravity of man is at once the most 
unpopular of all dogmas, yet the most empirically verifiable. Despite 
abundant evidence to the contrary, we want so badly to believe that humans 
are basically good, and that our evil acts are a problem of conditions or 
environment, but do not stem from evil in the human heart.

This false idea was well documented by historian Christopher Browning's book 
on the Holocaust, hauntingly titled Ordinary Men. Said one critic: "The most 
frightening aspect of...Browning's...book is the knowledge it conveys to us 
that it was not a few brutes, but many good and ordinary men, who committed 
murder for Hitler." (Footnote 1: Christopher Browning, Ordinary Men (New 
York: HarperCollins, 1991), jacket copy.) One might think that the men who 
engineered such atrocities were somehow of a different breed, perhaps 
genetically predisposed or psychologically imbalanced. I do not mean to 
mitigate the power of false beliefs or influence of a mob mentality, yet I 
cannot escape the fact that those capable of such ghastly acts against 
millions of people were, by all accounts, ordinary men.

Malcolm Muggeridge tells of a time when he was a journalist in India, and 
left his residence one evening to go for a swim. As he entered the water, 
across the river he saw a woman bathing. Muggeridge impulsively felt the 
allure and temptation of the moment. He had often felt this kind of struggle 
but had resisted because he was a married man. On this occasion, however, he 
wondered if he could cross the line of his conscience, and swam furiously 
toward the woman. His mind fed him the fantasy that stolen waters would be 
sweet. Finally only a few feet away from her, he emerged from the water and 
looked at the woman. At once he realized that he was looking into the eyes 
of a leper—a toothless old woman was grinning at him. He was gripped with 
disgust and thought, "What a dirty lecherous woman!" when suddenly the rude 
shock of it dawned upon him. It was not the woman who was lecherous; it was 
his own heart.

Friend, perhaps you, like me, need only to look as far as your own life to 
see that your heart is bent on following its own devices and falls short of 
what God intends. Let me say that God stands ready to forgive sin and offer 
new life for the asking. He is in the business of turning wayward hearts 
toward Him and bringing hope and healing to "ordinary men."  That's an 
extraordinary answer for ordinary people.
---
Copyright (p)(c) 2001 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). 
Reprinted with permission. A Slice of Infinity is a radio ministry of Ravi 
Zacharias International Ministries.

_______________________________________________________________________

2)  <BIBLE-STUDY>
"ELIJAH’S MANTLE" (PART-11)
Charles E. Wigg
....

As Elijah went up into heaven, his mantle fell down. That was the mantle 
that he had cast upon the shoulders of the young ploughman many years 
before. Only now, after those years of menial service, during which time he 
had proved himself: Only after passing that final test, was Elisha able to 
wear that mantle. But first he tore his own garments in two pieces. He no 
longer wished to be seen in them, but in the mantle of his master. He ‘put 
off’, before he ‘put on’.

We are to do this also, Col. 3:7-10, where we are credited with having ‘put 
on the new man’. This means, that we are now to seen by men; bearing the 
likeness of our Master. See also Romans 13:14, and Gal. 3:27. This latter 
verse shows us that it is expected that from the moment we emerge from the 
waters of baptism, it is expected that Christ should be seen in our lives. 
The former verse shows us that the putting on of Christ; is a daily thing, 
we are to do this in prayerful surrender as we begin each day.

TO THE WORK:  Elisha now parted from his master, but wearing the cloak that 
fell from him, and now anointed with a double portion of his master’ spirit, 
did not remain at the place of parting but returned to the bank of the 
Jordan. He was not to waste his time in mourning his great loss, but now, 
suitably equipped; he was to devote himself to the service of Jehovah, and 
thus to carry on his master’s work. Just as the disciples were not to stand 
for a long time, looking up into heaven.

As he stood by the bank of Jordan, he did what he had seen his master do. As 
he faced those cold swift waters once again, he took that very same mantle, 
folded it, and smote the waters with it, at the same time calling on the 
mighty name of Jehovah. “Where is the
Lord (Jehovah), God of Elijah”. Elijah had gone, but the Mighty Jehovah was 
still there, and all his power was available to His servant, to enable him 
to carry on His work. Thus the waters parted to the one side and to the 
other; and Elisha went over. When seen by the sons of the prophets, Elisha 
was obviously different; they were compelled to confess, “The spirit of 
Elijah doth rest on Elisha”.

It would be so wonderful if we so lived and manifested the Spirit of Christ, 
that those with whom we come in contact could see the difference in our 
lives also, and testify to beholding His likeness in us.

Elisha also gained the respect, even the fear of the sons of the prophets, 
as they bowed themselves to the ground before him. Such greatness, suddenly 
thrust upon him, would have ruined men of lesser character, but not Elisha. 
It seems that he was deaf to the praise and flattery of men, and those who 
serve God today, should be also!  The praise of men is at best very 
insincere and hollow, but it is the praise and approval of God that we 
should seek. We should serve God in such a way that at the end when we stand 
before the judgment seat of Christ, we will hear Him say, “Well done, good 
and faithful servant!” It seems that they had a faulty understanding of the 
character of God, and the way that He values His servants. They failed to 
understand the nature of God’s Spirit. It is obvious that their minds were 
clouded with the teaching and actions of demons. Such spirits delight to 
lift up those that they control, to give them ecstatic experiences, and then 
cast them down in depression and gloom. They thought that Jehovah was like 
this also, and wanted to send and to search. Thinking that Elijah was 
suffering from horrible injuries, (the consequence of his being cast down by 
God), on some mountain or in some valley. But Elisha knew better, he knew 
the worth of God’s servant, and understood how much God loved and valued 
him. Jehovah had provided for His servant, He had protected him when evil 
powers sought to kill or destroy him, and now He had taken him into His own 
presence.

However these men persisted, inferring that they cared more about Elijah, 
than Elisha did, until he felt ashamed, and agreed to their vain 
suggestions, and actions. But all was fruitless, as Elisha knew it would be, 
and when the fifty strong men returned empty handed, Elisha rebuked them, 
saying “Did I not say unto you, Go not”. [To be concluded]
---
[Reproduced with permission]
_____________________________________________________________________

3)  <PROPHECY>
"THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-83)
GOD'S DEALINGS WITH THE EARTH DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD 1/2
Arthur W. Pink
....
The interval of time, which separates the removal of the Church from the 
earth to the return of Christ to it, is variously designated in the Word of 
God. It is spoken of as "the day of vengeance" (Is. 61:2). It is called "the 
time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). It is the "hour of temptation, which 
shall come upon all the world" (Rev. 3:10). It is denominated "the great day 
of the Lord" (Zeph. 1:14). It is termed "the great tribulation" (Matt. 
24:21). It is the time of God's "controversy with the nations" (Jer. 25:31). 
In Dan. 12:1 it is described as "a time of trouble, such as never was since 
there was a nation even to that same time." Our Lord referred to this same 
period when He said; "For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not 
from the beginning of the creation, which God created unto this time, 
neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no 
flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom He hath chosen, He 
hath shortened the days" (Mark 13:19, 20). As one reads these unspeakably 
solemn Scriptures the question naturally occurs to our minds, why will this 
period be visited with sorer afflictions than any season, which has preceded 
it since the commencement of human history? The answer is, because this will 
be the time when the thrice-holy God avenges the Death of His blessed Son. 
God has a "controversy with the nations," observe "the nations" not "nation" 
for the Gentiles, equally with the Jews, shared in the awful crime of the 
Crucifixion. It is written in Rom. 12:19, "Dearly beloved, avenge not 
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance 
is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." And, as in everything, so here, the 
Holy One sets us a perfect example--"Who, when He was reviled, reviled not 
again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him 
that judgeth righteously"(1 Pet. 2:23). Yes, He committed Himself unto Him 
that judgeth righteously, and now the time will have come when His cause 
shall be espoused and when the righteous Judge shall exact full satisfaction 
for that awful crime perpetrated nineteen centuries ago. On the Cross, the 
Smitten One cried, "Pour out Thine indignation upon them, and let Thy 
wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their habitation be desolate; and let 
none dwell in their tents. For they persecute Him whom Thou hast smitten; 
and they talk to the grief of Thy wounded" (Ps. 69:24-26). Then will be the 
time when God answers that prayer.

Yes, my reader, you are living in a world which is stained with the blood of 
God's own Son, and which in the sight of Heaven now lies beneath the guilt 
of that terrible crime, a crime which each new generation since then has 
perpetuated by "Crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting 
Him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:6). Long have God's judgments been withheld. 
Long has His grace been displayed. But soon shall this dispensation of grace 
close, and then shall the Lord God make answer to His Son's cry and "pour 
out His indignation" upon the world, which murdered the Lord of Glory. This 
"pouring out of God's indignation" is described in numerous passages. We 
read in Zeph. 1:14-18, "The great day of the Lord is near, and hasteth 
greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry 
there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a 
day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of 
clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced 
cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, 
because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured 
out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their 
gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the 
whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make 
even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Again we read, 
"Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing 
whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce 
anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have done it, and until He have 
performed the intents of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it" 
(Jer. 30:23, 24). And once more we are told, "For, behold, the day that 
cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them 
neither root nor branch" (Mal. 4:1). [To be concluded]

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