The Just Shall Live by Faith | Signs of the Times

The faith that strengthened Habakkuk and all the holy and the just in those days of deep trial was the same faith that sustains God’s people today. In the darkest hours, under circumstances the most forbidding, the Christian believer may keep his soul stayed upon the source of all light and power. Day by day, through faith in God, his hope and courage may be renewed. “The just shall live by faith.”

In the service of God there need be no despondency, no wavering, no fear. The Lord will more than fulfill the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him. He will give them the wisdom their varied necessities demand.

Of the abundant provision made for every tempted soul, the apostle Paul bears eloquent testimony. To him was given the divine assurance, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” In gratitude and confidence the tried servant of God responded: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10.

We must cherish and cultivate the faith of which Prophets and Apostles have testified—the faith that lays hold of the promises of God and waits for deliverance in His appointed time and way. The sure word of prophecy will meet its final fulfillment in the glorious advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as King of kings and Lord of lords. The time of waiting may seem long, the soul may be oppressed by discouraging circumstances, many in whom confidence has been placed may fall by the way; but with the prophet who endeavoured to encourage Judah in a time of unparalleled apostasy, let us confidently declare, “The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20.

Let us ever hold in remembrance the cheering message, “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (The Story of Prophets and Kings 386-388).

I got to thinking about Mark 16:16, which says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

I hear a lot of Christians at times expressing unbelief. I’m sure I do it myself all too often. I think we’re like the woman at the well. You remember she said to Jesus, “Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with” (John 4:11).

Oswald Chambers says “Beware of pious fraud in you which says “I have no misgivings about Jesus only about myself.” None of us ever have misgivings about ourselves; we know exactly what we cannot do. But we do have misgivings about Jesus. We are rather hurt at the idea that He can do what we cannot.

God has given prophecies in His Word that link together the chain of events from the past to the future. They tell us where we are today in the procession of the ages, and what may be expected in the time to come. All that prophecy has foretold has come to pass, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order.

Today the signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Everything in our world is in agitation. Before our eyes is fulfilling the Saviour’s prophecy of the events to precede His Second Coming.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars...nations shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places (Matthew 24:6-7).

The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place—that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.

The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things. Here are revealed the great final scenes in the history of our world, . . . the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men's hearts to fail them for fear.

Today men and nations are being tested by the plummet in the hand of Him who makes no mistake. All are by their own choice deciding their destiny, and God is overruling all for the accomplishment of His purposes (Maranatha, 68).

We must have faith that it is the close of time in Earth’s history. Remember the words of 1 Peter 1:8 and John 20:29:

Who having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou has seen me, thou has believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

It is not everyone’s privilege to see, but it is everyone’s privilege to believe. Our love and our faith do not rest upon sight. Neither does our rejoicing. We have “joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13).

Do not demand to see a sign. Only three saw the glory of the Transfiguration, but all the disciples walked with Christ in the valley. The others were not disqualified by missing the vision. It is not a lack of sight but a lack of faith that rules us out.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” We must believe without seeing.

A hymn we used to sing went like this:

Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone,
Dare to have a purpose firm, dare to make it known.

Will you dare to be a Daniel? Are you prepared to face your den of lions? Are your purposes firm?