IS THE GOSPEL FOR THE MASSES?
It was one (Enoch) the seventh from Adam. He alone, the Bible says; "was not (Genesis 5:24)," and typed the seventh Church age and the rapture of the Saints. Out of the millions, when the flood came, as judgment to a wicked world, there were eight that were saved.
Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house."
There were thousands upon thousands of Israelite slaves that left Egypt; how many, that were of age, made it? Only, Caleb and Joshua, two men of war, out of the masses that saw the power of God and witnessed the supernatural, by the hand of Moses.
When Jesus was born, this was a great an marvelous event! How many realized what had happened? A very few. Many followed Jesus in the early part of His ministry, desiring only the fish and the loafs. But when he brought the Word, there were only twelve that stayed with him. And one of them would betray Him.
When the great Apostle Paul was near the end of His ministry, and ready to depart this life, where were the multitudes?
"...all men have forsaken me (2 Tim 4:16.)"
WHAT ABOUT TODAY
What does this mean to us today in relationship to what we believe; Mal 4:5-5, Luke 17:30, Rev 10:7? Will there be MASSES of people, truly receiving and believing, the present truth, found in the Bible?
It is never the masses that receive the truth, it does not belong to them. That is why it came to you as an individual, predestinated to receive it, when you heard it!
The song writer caught the inspiration; "I'm one of the few, one of the few and by faith in God's Word I will make it..."
WILLIAM BRANHAM
From the church age book, William Branham (1909-1965) speaking of his own ministry; "The people of this prophet-messenger's day will be as they were in Ahab's day, and in John's. And since it is "ONLY THE CHILDREN" whose hearts will be turned, it is only the children who will listen. In the days of Ahab only 7,000 true seed Israelites were found. In the days of John there were also very few. The masses in both ages were in the fornication of idolatry."
Unquote; We know that was spiritual fornication of idolatry.
WHEN YOU SEE THE MASSES COMING
When you see the masses coming, there is usually some fish and loafs being distributed in a natural way. Leave off the fish and loafs and give the masses the Word of God only, and you will see the multitudes that came, suddenly disappear.
It was that way in Christ' ministry while on the earth. It should not be strange, that it will be the same today.
Remember, Jesus in Matthew 14:22, sent the multitudes away.
In the garden, when He had to settle His own "will" completely, He ask that only three would be with Him.
THE MASSES WERE OFFENDED
When He offered the crowds, that followed Him; "My flesh and My blood is food," they were offended and left Him.
John 6:53 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
Jesus then ask the twelve; "do want to leave also?"
John 6:67 "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
CHARLES SPURGEON
Charles Spurgeon wrote; "It is painful to reflect that in the vast mass of ripening manhood the word of God does not abide. Tens of thousands of them do not even hear it. They look upon the Sabbath as a day of amusement, and to religious exercises as a slavery. Thousands more attend to the word only after the fashion of the old proverb, "In at one ear and out at the other." They see their natural face in the glass of the word, but they go their way and straightway forget what manner of men they are."
WHAT DO WE WANT OUT OF CHRIST
I wonder, could we say like Peter, when the fish and loafs were no longer available and there stood Jesus alone, offering Himself as food. When everyone else was leaving. Would we understand and not be offended? Could we say to Him, "You are enough, You have the WORDS of eternal life!"
Pastor Bill Ivy - Living Word Tabernacle - Campbell Missouri USA - www.livingwordtaberancle.com