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By this all will know that we are God’s disciples — if we have LOVE for one another (John 13:35). In the perilous times ahead, will we have this love in order to shelter brothers and sisters in the faith if necessary, even if we put our own life in danger?
Recently I finished reading a captivating book about the life of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman who was dubbed the ringleader of the Underground or Resistance headquarters in Holland, against the Nazis who systematically set about exterminating the Jews. “The Hiding Place” proved to be fascinating reading and at times it was difficult to put the book down due to the suspenseful storyline. Life and death hung in the balance. Those who sympathized with the Jewish people by helping them hide and escape, if caught, were punished with imprisonment, torture and brutality, many dying from illnesses involving disease, malnutrition, infections such as gangrene, pneumonia, and other afflictions from impossible conditions.
Corrie had a close relationship with God and read the Bible daily. Her parents set a stellar example spiritually for the whole family and were consistently involved in helping others in their neighbourhood. Where there was a need they stood in the gap to fill it cheerfully despite their own hardships. The ten Boom family were close and had strong bonds to look out for one another. With this background of loving their neighbour they were united in wanting to help the Jews by having them live in their home until further arrangements could be made to enable their escape to freedom. And so they had a hiding place built in their quirky house which proved to be the perfect spot to hide several people at one time from sudden invasions and intrusive inspections by the German soldiers. The hiding place was a brick wall built across the back wall of Corrie’s own bedroom. It was about 3 feet wide and was ventilated. A single bed could just fit sideways into the cavity. A great many Jewish men, women, and children were saved by the ten Boom family from death at the hands of Hitler’s monsters.
A noticeable theme from the prisons in the story were the stone cold hearts of those in power who had got to the point of not caring or having any feelings towards the prisoners except for contempt or disgust. Things disintegrated rapidly into a culture of anything goes because those in power could do as they wanted to, and so the prisoners were shot, gassed, humiliated, stabbed, and violated by means of having their dignity or any semblance of humanity stripped from them. Lack of food and basic comforts, the freezing conditions, no beds to sleep on, fleas and lice crawling over their emaciated bodies, inadequate clothing, and filthy conditions due to overcrowding, as well as unsanitary toilets, all made for nightmarish prison camp conditions. So few survived. Corrie was one such survivor and gave God all the thanks and glory because it was a miracle. Her sister died in the same camp only a week or so prior to Corrie’s release.
Watching the movie of the same name left out so many pertinent details, as movies often do. This is quite frustrating as Corrie’s story is worth being told in its entirety, and one day it will be. For now she sleeps until her resurrection, and that time is for the future but we, as God’s firstfruits, must stand in the gap also and show love for one another as Corrie did to strangers, by risking her life to hide them from danger.
The Perfect Hiding Place For The End Times
For those who have gone before us, it will be in death, buried in the grave, where their hiding place will keep them safe and free from harm. Those who will be living when persecution comes, it will be in the shelter of the Almighty as in Proverbs 18:10, Psalm 18:2, 144:2. If we are relying on our own ability or strength, we will perish. However if we look to God for His help and allow His Spirit to lead us, we will be triumphant. Faith and trust in God to deliver us and belief in that faith will see us through. God will always see us through if we remain close to Him through humble obedience with hearts full of love for Him and our brethren.
How long do we have to continue to meet in peace before the persecution of God’s saints for keeping the Sabbath begins in earnest? We simply do not know but it seems like it is almost at the door. Remember what happened in Angola, South Africa, only a matter of a few weeks ago? The Angolan government made an announcement to all church bodies ensuring that all church organisations be put on notice to register in order to regulate control of their activities. Those not registered were warned they will be shut down and deemed illegal. You can read more in detail from this link...https://www.christiantoday.com/article/angolas-government-targets-thousands-of-churches-for-closure-obstructs-protests/131103.htm.
We hear of some in Asian countries like North Korea and China, being jailed for distributing Bibles. Others in the Arab countries like Syria, Iran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Afghanistan being beheaded for their belief in Christianity. Yet others in the world are being tortured and thrown in prison for choosing to follow Christ. We only hear snippets of news. There would be a whole lot more happening in these countries about which we know nothing. Instead we get fed a diet of garbage padded up with news about sports, celebrities and innocuous facts that have no real effect on or to our existence.
We are told in Matthew 10:22 “And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake (Jesus Christ): but he that endures to the end shall be saved”. This scripture is warning us that God’s people will be persecuted. Following on from this we read in Luke 21:12 “But before all these (earthquakes, famines, and pestilences), they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my (Jesus Christ) name's sake”. God comforts us by advising in Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which you will suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried;...be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life”.
Instead of being worried, concerned or unsure of these future events, God provides scripture in Mark 13:11 to help us realise ahead of time that He will not only be with us but directing our words too “But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit”. How wonderful is that!
There is no denying these events will occur. Whether we are alive or not for these days, God only knows. Best prepare now by developing the love we should have for our brethren knowing that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, and Deuteronomy 31:6). Let's strengthen ourselves in the LORD in order to love the brethren with all our hearts and minds, willingly giving our life for them (Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, John 12:25).
Psalm 119:114 says “You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word”. We simply cannot fail if we allow God’s Spirit to lead us to the sure victory.
Finally we are left with the most powerful directive found in 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, because He (Jesus Christ) laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren”. God knows we can do this because it is His power and not our own, and so we will give our lives for our brethren. Whatever it takes.