God at Work Today
God has been working on this earth for nearly six thousand years. For some four thousand of those years, God worked openly among men. He sent His angels with special messages; He caused men to see visions and to prophesy of things to come; He sent His Son to be a living example among men. When the Son had finished His work and joined His Father in heaven, He sent back His Spirit upon those who would continue His work in that Age.
But now for nearly two thousand years God has been silent. Since the power of the Holy Spirit was withdrawn at the close of the Apostolic Age, He has not spoken to men on earth except through His Word, the Holy Bible. But because He is silent in our day does not mean that He has cut Himself off from the world. He is still at work, silently. Our time is comparable to the time when Samuel was a child: “The word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation” (1 Sam. 3:1). We walk by faith alone, faith based on His Word; there are no open miracles to confirm the Word to us.
How God Works Today
Let us emphasize one point: we do not believe there are any active, open manifestations through Holy Spirit Power; however, we do believe God is working in various ways to assist those who shall be heirs of salvation. How is He doing this?
• Through the Written Word
God, through His Spirit or power, by means beyond the understanding of mortal men, infused the minds of various prophets, apostles and others, that they might recall and accurately record His complete Word (John 15:26; 16:13). Though this was an open manifestation, the written Word that remains still inspires us today to learn and obey the law of God.
God preserved His Word through difficult times. There was a time when men sought to destroy the Bible either in whole or in part, but because of His protecting care, it survived intact and we have it today just as it was compiled many centuries ago. Its very survival is evidence that it is the Word of God. Prophecies written on its pages that have been fulfilled through the centuries are a further weight of evidence.
• Through Impressions
This phase of God’s Spirit is not limited in time; it is just as available in our day as it was forty centuries ago. Paul’s words to the Philippians give this assurance: “If in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” (3:15). If we are among those who are seriously attempting to do His will, we will be impressed with whatever is necessary to the successful completion of our work for God.
• Through Human Instruments
Most often when God used human instruments in His plan, those instruments were very aware of it. But people have been used who neither knew God nor His plan. One such unwitting instrument was Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire. He is mentioned by name in the prophecy of Isaiah and is spoken of as “anointed” (Isa. 45:1). As used here, the word simply means “chosen.” Cyrus was chosen by the Lord to overthrow the wicked King Belshazzar. He later authorized the captive Jews to return to their homeland and to rebuild the temple, as we learn from 2Chron. 36:22. In both tasks he was unwittingly serving as God’s instrument.
• Through Circumstances
Although unseen and unheard, God arranges circumstances so that anyone who will follow His way will learn of Him by some means. We have this promise direct from the Master: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). These words, coupled with the words of the Great Apostle, that we have the “promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come,” assure us of sufficient time to complete our work if we are among those who will do.
• Through the Arrangement of World Affairs
Through the prophet Daniel God informed us that from that time on there would be but four universal kingdoms, followed by the fifth, Christ’s Kingdom. The prophecy of the four has been fulfilled. World rulers have risen from time to time and aspired to dominate the whole earth, but God has not allowed it. Those who would usurp too much power have been cut off before they could attain their desired end. And we are confident that in our time there will not arise a world ruler from among men that will rule the whole earth. It is not in God’s plan. Nor will He allow any man or nation to trigger an atomic or hydrogen bomb that would destroy mankind and the earth. It is part of His long-range plan that there will be men and women living on the earth to meet Christ at His return, and we are sure that He will protect His people until the fulfillment of His plan.
Peter was inspired to write that “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,…but is longsuffering,…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
• Through Prayer
The avenue of prayer has never been closed to God’s people. We read that “the prayer of the upright is His delight,…He hears the prayer of the righteous,” but “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination” (Prov. 15:8. 29; 28:9). And from James we learn that “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (5:16). Notice that in each instance it is conditional: God hears the prayer of all who are striving to be righteous. And whom God hears, He answers-not openly or audibly, but through silent, natural means.
How can we have our prayers heard and answered? We read in 1 John 3:22: “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
• Through Angels
The angels are a definite part of God’s plan of working with worthy earthborns in all ages, our present age not excluded. He promises: “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). But note that this promise also is conditional. The angels watch over those who “fear” God. And of them the writer to the Hebrews says, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14).
Though invisible to human eyes, the angels are as much a part of God’s work today as ever. Because we have the written Word, we do not need an angel to tell us what we should do, however we do need their protection.