Perspective: The Best Of Times vs The Worst Of Times.

Busily Waiting

Alan E. Weston

[This is a brief article that is worth lingering on and contemplating. The point is, during the birth of Jesus, times for Israel were really hard, living under Roman occupation. However for those who knew the prophecies about Jesus coming were excited and that excitement overshadowed all else. For those unfamiliar with the birth of Jesus and/or the significance of that event were only focused on the brutality of Roman rule. Like today. For those of us familiar with today's prophecy and its significance, these are exciting times. For those unfamiliar with the array of prophecy and its significance, these are very scary ominous times. History repeats. Again.]

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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” These famous words penned by Charles Dickens opens his novel, A Tale of Two Cities, in which he addresses the major themes of duality, revolution, and resurrection in Paris and London during the late 18th century. These words could easily be applied as well to today’s modern world where the global scale of current events causes this to take on even more portentous meaning. Just as in Dickens novel, the stark dichotomy depends on one’s point of view.

When seen through the proper perspective it is a blessing to be living in the most exciting period of human history, the conclusion of the age of the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church was birthed on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem about two thousand years ago. And, it will come to an end soon on the Day of the Rapture. There are very few other past events that could equal this for its pure drama, anticipation and emotional exhilaration.

One such occasion might be the time of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The excitement surrounding this event was recorded in the gospels, right? No, not really. There were untold numbers of people living in Israel at the time, but there isn’t much excitement to be found. However, there were two groups who were greatly impacted.

One of the groups were the shepherds to which the angel of the Lord appeared announcing the Savior’s birth. Remember, shepherds were not exactly the pillars of Jewish society. Yet, they were so excited that they recklessly left their flocks behind and ran into town to see this thing that the Lord made known to them. Another group consisting of two deeply spiritual individuals, Simeon and Anna, were very excited to see the new born Jesus. When Joseph and Mary took him to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, Simeon held Jesus in his arms and said that he could now die in peace. Anna immediately started evangelizing everyone else. For all of these people it was the best of times.

The remaining population of Israel continued to live their lives under Roman oppression. For these people it was the worst of times. The difference between them can be summed up in one word, awareness. God’s revelation to the deplorable shepherds and His fulfillment to the spiritually waiting Simeon and Anna caused them to understand the times and be excited and fulfilled. For everyone else it was business as usual.

These same two groups exist today. There are those who are unaware of what’s really going on, angry and fearful of the lawlessness and deceptions and wishing for things to go back to normal. For them it is the worst of times. Then there are those of us who are aware and rightly understand the times we are living in, seeing the spiritual battle being waged right in front of their eyes and anticipating our glorious future. For us it is the best of times.