19th September 2024

19th September 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Obadiah 1v15-18)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The story of Slawomir Rawicz is controversial and fascinating in equal measure. If you believe Mr Rawicz he and several others escaped from a Soviet prison camp in 1941 before travelling four thousand mile on foot to freedom in India. The journey crossed the Gobi desert, climbed the mighty Himalayas and witnessed the death of many of Rawicz’s companions. Nevertheless, in 1942 the remaining escapees reached freedom far from the horror of the Russian gulag. Some have scoffed at Rawicz’s story and cast doubt at his claims - there is little evidence any such journey took place.


I’ll not tell you what I think about the long walk of Slawomir Rawicz but I know that many think the world will go on forever and they scoff at any talk of a last day. But I am certain that Christ is returning and I am sure that the day of the Lord is bad news for those who reject Jesus - for them there is no escape from the day of the Lord. 


However, the one who has trusted Christ has found an escape from the wrath of God and they will be found on the holy mountain of God called Mount Zion (v17). Zion is the mountain on which the ancient city of Jerusalem was built but it also serves as an image of heaven and God’s rule and reign. In Revelation 14v1 John saw an image of 144,000 standing before Jesus on Mount Zion. This number can be understood as representing the entire church of Jesus Christ. If there were 12 tribes and 12 apostles, 12 times 12 is 144. 144 multiplied by 1000 is 144,000. Why 1000? In Scripture 1000 is seen as a number of great size and scale and so the 144,000 symbolise the church of Christ redeemed throughout human history.


These men and women have found their escape on Mount Zion which throughout the Old Testament symbolises God’s sovereign rule. Where is Jesus now? He is reigning in Zion which is heaven (Psalm 2v6) and all who trust in Him will “possess their own possessions” (v17b). This phrase might cause us to scratch our heads but it simply means that God’s people will have returned to them all that has been lost. No one will be disappointed in heaven.


If Slawomir Rawicz actually made his “long walk” it was a brutal journey indeed. The Christian must be certain that our journey to Zion is guaranteed to hurt. Yet we do despair. In Christ our future is secure and our hope is not misplaced. Psalm 125 is our song “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.”  


Brothers and sisters, keep going.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q94 What is Baptism? Baptism is a Sacrament, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
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