Straightened and Separated
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough ways smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
Luke 3:4-6
The first advent was an equalizer. Everything would be made straight, level, even. The Christ would come for one and all, good news of great joy, for all people. Those who had been sunk low into the valleys, the poor in spirit, the broken and the beaten, they would be lifted. A messiah would come to meet them, even in their fallen and faltering state. These in the valleys saw Him best, for it is most easy to discern and decide the straight path when you have known only the difficulty of steep and winding ones.
While these were lifted, others would be lowered. Those who perched on mountains and hilltops, who had the satisfaction of their merits, and feasted on the ease of their exceptional lives, would have to come down to see Him. The troubles endured by descending from the high places would be a suffering too steep for the florid-footed. It proved impossible for so many of them.
The crooked, who knew corruption well, had envisioned no inspiration until now. They understood the game afoot among the haves and have nots. With no plumb line or pattern prevailing in their conscience, they were purely pragmatic. They would finally observe a righteousness not manufactured, masked, or manipulated. Their ways would be straightened and smoothed at the sight of justice rightly divided.
Every type of every man and woman would meet and witness the salvation of God, His perfection revealed, without partiality. The first advent beckons us come. We are drawn into His net of repentance to be saved from imminent judgment.
A second advent awaits, and the equalizing effects will be everted. The time of straight paths and the savior’s peace will pass. He will come with a sword. We will not unify but divide, sheep from goats, wheat from tares, regenerate from rotten. Each to their respective place. Mountain and valley will divide, Heaven and Hades.
We long to see His justice, His right dividing, when righteousness will rule and wickedness laid waste. Come quickly Lord Jesus! But please Lord, not before my neighbors’ paths are made straight and likewise bless your second advent.
Are you aware of your time and place in redemptive history?
Does your life and conduct reflect one who is living between the advents?
Are you concerned for your neighbors’ souls who hang in the balance?
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, From the north, and from the south.
Psalm 107:2-3
