“…after so long a time…”~ Heb. 4:7
Our text is in reference to the rest God promised His elect people when they were coming out of Egypt. David tells us it was also good for the saints of his day (Psa. 95:11), and the writer of Hebrews (Paul), says it is still effective for believers today.
When David mentions “after so long a time,” he is referring to the five centuries that elapsed between the promise to Israel and his own day. And may I say, “a long time,” has passed from David’s day to our own.
I’d like for us today in this article, to hone in, so to speak, on the thought “After so long a time.” We’re told that all scripture is good for instruction, so let us see what we can learn from waiting a long time.
God is not held in a time capsule as we are. We are creatures of time and must live within its limits. A timeless God has ordained it so. But to Him we’re told a thousand years are as a day, and a day as a thousand years. For example, to Him, it was just two days ago when he promised that He would soon return!
Waiting, therefore, is no problem to God as it is to us. There is an interesting text in Isa. 30:18, “…therefore will the LORD wait…blessed are all they that wait for him.” I call that, waiting on a waiting God.
My son Andrew has a term I like, “I’m in it for the long haul,” he says. That certainly goes along with what Habakkuk says, “…though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
Two texts in Hebrews have helped me through these many long years. “And so, after he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he obtained the promise,” 6:15. “For ye (us) have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise,” 10:36.
“…for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”~ Isa. 49:23
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Yes and Amen
Great devotional, very much needed to read this. Thank you.