That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life...
Philippians 2:15-16a

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I Want to Live Back Then

If you could live at any time during history, when would it be?  I remember after reading Little House on the Prairie when I was young, I wanted to be just like Laura Ingalls and live in the "olden days."  I thought it would be so much fun to have a log cabin, wood stove, and kerosene lamps.  I liked the idea of the simplicity of life back then.  No TV, no computers, no radio, no cars, no electricity.  That wouldn't have bothered me at all.  I'm not a huge fan of outhouses, but I probably could have gotten used to that too :).  When I got a bit older, I realized those "olden days" weren't just fun and games.  They were A LOT of hard work.  There were no hospitals and no grocery stores.  People had to grow their own food, and when they got sick the results were often tragic.  Living in the 21st century does have some advantages, and I'm not so sure I would have loved the pioneering west as much as I thought I would when I was a little girl.


There's another time when I wish I could have lived.  Today I was reading I Kings about when Solomon becomes king of Israel.  I think that would have been one of the most amazing times to live on the earth.  Look how the Bible describes the time of Solomon.
And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance (I Kings 10:27).
The queen of Sheba said this after her visit to Solomon ...and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.  Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom (I Kings 10:7-8).
Solomon was rich.  The land was prosperous.  He built a glorious temple to the LORD God.  Just read the description of that in I Kings 5-8, and that will give you an awesome picture of the wealth, beauty, glory, and majesty Solomon had.  But, I think my favourite part about Solomon, and the reason I would want to live during his reign is this...
...And he had peace on all sides round about him.  And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon (I Kings 4:24-25).


Wouldn't it have been wonderful to live not only during this time of great wealth and prosperity, but of PEACE!  The world today longs for peace.  Someday a false peace under the anti-Christ will come, and people will think that at last they will enjoy some comfort and security.  That peace will not be true peace, and it will end tragically for those who reject Christ.  But, someday Jesus is coming back, and when He reigns we will have true peace.



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