July 25 - Futility

The greatest sin of the Israelites is the sin of unbelief. Despite of God’s wonders, they did not believe Him. The result was that their lives were turned into futility, vanished like a breath and they lived their lives in terror. This is the result of unbelief, turning everything that we have into nothingness, reversing the creative work of the Lord who brought something out of nothingness. Abraham believed that God could raise the dead and bring something out of nothingness. The ones who believe shall see the glory of God while the unbelieving ones would see what they have vanish away like smoke.

When one refuses to believe, a judgment of futility has already been at work in their lives. When one rebels against God, God would allow agents of destruction to come upon the rebellious, making their lives empty. The first chapter of Romans describes the wicked living in a condition of futility because their minds are corrupted by something that is not real. The eighth chapter relates to us the futility and frustration of creation because of human sins. The whole book of Ecclesiastes is about the futility of life that is tainted by sin. Emptiness, void and futility are actually judgments on human unbelief.

When the Israelites refused to believe God, their lives were shortened. God demonstrated this possibility to them through Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Waters were polluted, flies and frogs everywhere, crops destroyed by locusts, trees and animals killed by hail and thunderbolts, eventually all would lose their firstborn. A company of destroying angels was sent to take away what they had simply because they failed to believe God. Belief turns nothing to something while unbelief turns something into nothing. This is the spiritual principle God operates on.

Look at King Asa, when he believed God, blessings came to him from nowhere. The whole nation enjoyed peace and prosperity. War, the agent of destruction, was not with him and he was able to build up the nation. However, he did not finish well, he yoked himself with those who did not believe God and he oppressed his people. When he was sick, he only consulted physicians but did not seek the Lord for healing. So he lost everything and eventually his own life.

The choice is yours: believe God and see God turn something from nothing or let unbelief open up the gate for the agents of destruction to come in. Believe in the Unseen Real and reject any belief in emptiness. Anything that is not in line with reality is to be rejected, including all lies and dishonesty. Stay away from virtual reality and imagination outside of God. Renounce any practices that would lead you into a void or an emptiness of the self. Hold on to God and nothing else.