Departure Platform or Kingdom Mandate?

As long as there are a people who feel they have their “ticket stamped” to go to a “much better place,” there will be no reform of what they deem to be merely an exit platform, rather than a Kingdom mandate (cf.Jn.20:21;Lk.9:2;Jn.16:7). If the departure platform is somewhat rickety, people will just try to stand still and hope the train out of there arrives soon. With such a view, no one reforms or rebuilds the platform; they simply grip what is available to grip and hope to be off of it as soon as possible. The emphasis today upon the sudden coming of the Lord isn’t about Him, it is about us. The religious pundits pounding their pulpits exclaiming the quick return of our Lord are getting hearty (and well financed) “Amens!” in response to their promises of sudden escape from disappointments, rudely jostled comfort zones and nerve-racking prognostication. We have been taught by pop-theology to use faith for immediate relief, not long-term endurance, not long-term results (Heb.11:13 does not figure into Esau’s demands for immediate relief).  The Esau mindset of blowing off the coming generations and spending what you’ve got on relief for the present generation flies well in today’s skies. Joseph did not get immediate results (or relief) after his prophetic dream and prophetic pronouncement. He and Daniel and Esther were sent ahead to “preserve a posterity,” “continue a remnant” and “save lives.” (Gen.45:7 Amplified) Joseph stood and stood and took ground “until the Word of the Lord proved him” and he was not proven to guarantee him plenty of airtime and notoriety but for the survival of a nation (Ps.105:18). He was not dealt the luxurious right of faith for immediate relief or escape. But the result was the salvation of a nation and its being propelled into the future of its destiny for Jehovah’s purposes and Name’s sake.  (On March 3, 2023 MARTY will be speaking on “The Kingdom in This Present World” at Kingdom Congress at Grace Church in Willis,TX. The meetings will not be livestreamed. No Fee. For detailed information go to martygabler.com/kc2023/)