Episode Transcript
Hello, I'm Doctor Kylie Fisher. Welcome to heavenly harmonies. Psalm 119, verse 114 says, thou art my hiding place and my shield.
I hope in thy word. As we draw ever closer to the end of time, the end of this world as we know it, we are more and more in need of God's guidance and protection. There are many warnings in the Bible about the deceptions that will exist at this time in earth's history.
How can we be sure that we have a shelter in the time of storm? Stay with me to discover how the hymn of this title can keep you near to the heart of goddess. The Lord's our rock, in him we hide a shelter in the time of storm secure whatever may be tied. A shelter in the time of storm mighty rock in a weary land, cooling shade of the burning sand.
Faithful guide for the pilgrim band a shelter in the time of storm a shade by day, defence by night a shelter in the time of storm no fears alarm no foes affright a shelter in the time of storm mighty rock in a weary land, cooling shade on the burning sand. Faithful guide for the pilgrim band a shelter in the time of storm the raging floods may round us beat a shelter in the time of storm we find in God a safe retreat a shelter in the time of storm mighty rock in a weary land, cooling shade on the burning sand. Faithful guide for the pilgrim band a shelter in the time of storm o rock divine o refuge dear a shelter in the time of storm be thou our helper ever near a shelter in the time of storm mighty rock in a weary land, cooling shade on the burning sand.
Faithful guide for the pilgrim band a shelter in the time of storm. So we've been looking at a number of songs that speak about and that encourage us to continue to trust in God even during times of trial. And so here today, we're looking at another one, the Lord's our rock.
And no doubt you noticed the theme of this song, which is repeated so many times in the song, a shelter in the time of storm God is our shelter. God is the shelter for the Christian during times of storm. And, you know, some people have the idea that the christian life should be a life without hardship, because, you know, you're following God.
And so, you know, if God's all powerful, then why should troubles happen to christians? It is true that God is all powerful, but God is also all wise and all loving, and he gives choice and he has given free choice. And sadly, there are those under his government who have chosen to abuse that free choice. And so they choose to do evil.
And so God's people living in a world of evil and a world of sin and a world where the prince of the world loved darkness rather than light. And he rejected God and his magnanimous, his wonderful, loving government. And so now he delights only in evil, and he delights to bring destruction and death and misery, and particularly to God's people.
And so it is that God's people living on earth today do not just have an easy time of it, but they probably experience maybe even more attacks from the devil, the enemy of all good, than other people would. So to imagine that being a Christian is just an easy life. No, that's not what the Bible presents.
And so christians need a shelter. We all need a shelter in the time of storm. So that's what our song is talking about.
And no doubt you've experienced those stormy times in your life. You know, maybe some sickness that you're experiencing yourself. It might be some terrible thing that happens to a loved one, perhaps even the loss of a loved one.
It could be the loss of your job. It's, you know, it could be a natural disaster. There's so many things that can be storms in our lives today.
But for us as christians, we can find comfort in the word of God. No matter what difficulties and challenges we may be facing here on earth, in God's strength, we can maintain our faith in God. He's the rock.
There are many, many Bible verses that talk about that we can maintain our faith in God and in his word. So let's look at some scriptures and a general application of this hymn. I before we look specifically at this hymn and what it has to say to us about the great controversy theme.
And so probably one of the key scriptures on which this song is based is one that we read a few episodes ago. So I won't take the time to read all of it today. I will just refer to it.
I refer you back to a couple of episodes ago when I read this chapter, read these verses and spoke briefly about them. So Matthew, chapter seven, verses 24 to 27. This is the one about whoever does these words of mine or hears these words of mine and does them, he will be like a man, a wise man that built his house upon a rock.
And so let's. But then there was a foolish man that built his house, born in the sand and his house fell. Now let's notice a couple of things about this, and let's compare this with some other verses.
We'll come back to this one in just a second, so keep your finger in that. So, as I was just saying, there are many, many verses that speak about God being our rock. And so let's look at deuteronomy, chapter 32 and verse four.
There's many other verses you could look at. Deuteronomy, chapter 32 and verse four. I think this was the earliest one that I could find in the Bible.
Maybe I've missed one. But this was a very early reference to God as our rock. Deuteronomy, chapter 32, speaking about God.
And it says, there he is, the rock. His work is perfect. So it speaks there about God being the rock.
And like first corinthians, chapter ten, verse four, speaks about the Israelites. It says that they drank of that rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. So you might remember, have read the experience of Israel in the wilderness and God miraculously brought water out of the rock.
It says in one corinthians, chapter ten, verse four, that rock symbolised Christ. Also David, psalm 18 two. He sang, the Lord is my rock.
So God is certainly presented in the scripture as our rock. But let's notice from Matthew, chapter seven and verse 24 that there is something else that is referred to as the rock. Matthew 724, which I did just quote, which says, therefore, whosoever heareth these are sayings of mine and doeth them.
So here we see that it's not only God that is the rock, but it's also his word is a rock. His word is sure ground to our feet. And if we heed that word, then we will be heed that word and do it.
It's not just a matter of listening to God's word, but actually doing it, putting it into practise in our own lives. Then we're like the man who made God's word his foundation, and he had a firm and solid foundation. It's like building on a rock.
And rock is the most enduring of all materials that you can build with. And so during times of storm, if we are founded upon the word of God, we, you know, our. No matter what may happen to us in this life, our eternal inheritance is secured.
That's what we're really primarily interested in. However, if we don't make the word of God our shelter are now, then during the times of storm, you know, look, our lives might seem like they're going along okay, but the Bible warns us, during the time of storm, if we have not made the word of God our foundation, then our spiritual house will be destroyed and we will come up to time of storm without being fully prepared. That would be a really, really terrible tragedy.
So we need to make God's word our shelter today. That's the vital, vital thing that the Bible teaches us today. If you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Today is the day of salvation. That's how to find a shelter in the time of storm. So, look, as I was saying, we all experience these storms in our lives and these difficult things that come.
But the Bible speaks about a storm that is coming, and that will come, particularly at the end of time, and this storm will be relentless in its fury. Let's notice revelation, chapter twelve and verse 17. Revelation, chapter twelve, verse 17.
We have looked at this before, but let's look at it again because this describes the source of this storm. It's coming. Revelation, chapter twelve and verse 17.
The storm that's coming, and that's even now gathering force. Revelation, chapter 1217. And it says there, and the dragon we know, that is Satan.
The dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of goddess and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. And so in our great controversy theme, as we're tracing this out, you know, we trace through so much of the reformation, through the early days of the reformation, and up to the experience of God's people as they waited for the second coming of Christ during the year 1844. And, you know, one who lived through that experience, they lived through those, both of those disappointments, and yet they still spoke of the year 1844 as the happiest year of their life.
And so, you know, God's people suffered a terrible, terrible disappointment. There were storms that threatened to sweep away their faith. And, in fact, sadly, particularly that second disappointment, it swept away the faith of those who probably, if you had spoken to them, you know, before that time of trial, before that time of disappointment, they would have been sure that their feet were grounded firmly on the word of God.
So, you know, so many people, their faith was swept away, but there were others who truly had made the word of God their foundation. And so, you know, as we're going through these trials that we experience every day, these small trials, if we're faithful during those small trials, that's the way to prepare for greater trials. But, you know, if we're not faithful to God during even these small trials, how will we stand during this greater trial, this terrible, terrible storm that's coming? So let's have a look in a little bit more detail at this storm.
We've only got a few brief moments to look at this topic. Today, but I hope that you will continue to research about it. And so I would like to recommend, as well as studying the Bible, I would like to recommend another book, which I've got here, and I've spoken about this before, so the great controversy.
This is just a wonderful book to help us to understand this terrible, terrible storm that is coming. Let's notice a verse because we noticed that the dragon was wroth with a woman, went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We were saying in our last episode that as God's people began to realise the truth about the sanctuary and what had actually happened, on October 22, 1844, they began to study the sanctuary that Moses built.
Moses and the Israelites built in the wilderness. You can read about that in Exodus. Yeah.
The Book of Exodus gives lots of details about that sanctuary. And then later on, this was built into a temple by Solomon. It was the one in Exodus was a really small scale model.
The one built by Solomon was the most glorious building this world has ever known. But that sanctuary, we're told, was actually, you know, that design was not thought up by Moses. He worked from the pattern that was shown to him by God.
It was actually modelled on the heavenly sanctuary and in the earthly sanctuary, there were two rooms in that sanctuary, plus a courtyard. And so we understand we haven't had time to go through it, but we understand that from the time of his ascension back to heaven, up until, you know, up until October 21, 1844, Christ was in the first room, the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, on October 22, 1844, what happened was that he moved from that first room into the second room. So that was the time when revelation eleven, verse 19, says that the temple of God was opened in heaven.
It was seen in his temple, the arch of his testament, because Christ had moved into the most holy place and God's people realised the enduring nature of his law, that ten commandment law. And you notice that in revelation 1217, that's one of the things that Satan absolutely hates. He hates the law of God.
And those who keep that law are the special subjects of his wrath and of his hatred. And so what is Satan doing today? You know, where is the devil today? Let's have a look at first Peter, chapter eight. Sorry.
First Peter, chapter five, verse eight. First Peter, chapter five in verse eight, which it says, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. You know, Satan has become God's enemy.
He was once created, but sadly, he's now the enemy of God. He is now the enemy of all good and he has just indulged evil for so long that it's just completely debased every good trait in his character. And now his sole delight is just to wreak havoc on this earth and to bring misery into the lives of all human beings.
You know, even those who, you know, sadly, there are some who I guess maybe don't realise the character of Satan. I don't know. It's really tragic that there are people who, I don't know, close their eyes to the designs that the devil has upon them, but he doesn't even care about them.
All that he cares about is. Is himself and just destruction and misery and that's all that he takes to light in. It's just absolutely incredible.
And, you know, so Satan, as we discovered in the last couple of episodes, that as the time of Satan on this earth grows ever shorter, his wrath grows ever greater. And so he is today going around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And he devours us.
I mean, I guess, you know, he, you know, brings physical hardships upon us. But Satan is not so much interested in bringing physical misery upon us, although he does do that. But what he really wants to do through that misery is to lead us to give up on God and to lose I our spiritual life, our spiritual inheritance, or.
Well, it's a literal inheritance, like heaven is a literal place. But Satan wants us to miss out on an eternity with God, an eternity of peace, of love, of joy, and that's what he wants. And so he does this through deception.
And so the deceptions that he is going to work, particularly at the end of time, are brought to view in revelation chapter 13 and also revelation chapter 16. But let's. And many other places as well.
But we're going to look at revelation chapter 13, revelation 13, 1314, which says he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in sight of men and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. So at the end of time, Satan is going to work these tremendous miracles, these tremendous signs and wonders. Many, many people will look at these signs and wonders and they will think this is the great power of God.
But sadly, they will be deceived into forsaking God, forsaking his word, and in particular no longer keeping the commandments of God, including the 7th day Sabbath. The Sabbath of the fourth commandment. And so Satan will strive to convince them through these miracles.
Satan has power to work miracles. Remember that he is a fallen angel. He has far more power and far more intelligence than what you or I will ever have.
And so if we think that we can match wits with the devil in our own strength, we can never do it. We can only do it, as we were saying before, by the word of God. And that was those verses that we read in Matthew, chapter seven and verse 24.
Whosoever hears these words of mine and does them, he is like the man that built his house upon a rock. And so, yeah, the storms beat upon that house, as it says in the third verse of this, our hymn for today, the raging floods may round us beat, but we find in God and in his word a safe retreat. Let's look at just a couple more verses about this before we listen to the second coming broadcasting Network choir singing this song.
The Lord's our Rock. But I do want to read Isaiah, chapter 32 and verse two. Isaiah, chapter 32 and verse two.
It says there a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Who is that man? It is none other than the man, Christ Jesus. And when we make his word our guide, we are building upon Christ the rock.
And so let's now listen to the second coming broadcasting network and they are going to sing for us our hymn for today. The Lord's our rock. The Lord's our rock in him we hide our shelter in the time of stone take you whatever may be tight I shelter in the time of stone mighty rocking a weary laid on the burning sun faithful God for the pilgrim band a shelter in the time of a shed by day, defence by night a shelter in the time of stone no fears alone, no foes Afri.
A shelter in the time of stone my dear old shade on the burning sun faithful guide for the pure grim man a shelter in the time of storm the raging floods may round us be a shelter in the time of storm we find in God a savoury tree I shelter in the time of mighty rock in a weary lake on the burning sun faithful God for the pilgrim man a shelter in the time of storm o rock divine or refugee a shelter in the time of storm be thou forever need a shelter in the time of storm mighty rock in a weary land cooling shade on the burning set faithful God for the pilgrim and I shelter in the time of psalm 27, verse five says, for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion. In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. He shall set me up upon a rock.
And we have found today what that rock is. It is God, and it is the truths of his word. You know, these miracles that Satan will work at the very end of time will be so deceptive that Christ himself warned us that if it were possible, even the very elect should be deceived.
But God's people will not be deceived by these miracles. Why is that? Because they have made the word of God their rock. Because they have built their lives upon his word.
And so, you know, how can we tell? Because God's people also will work miracles in the end times. You know, how can we tell the difference between a miracle worked by God and miracles worked by Satan? Well, Isaiah 820 says, to the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Friend, you and I need to study the word of God and understand that word.
We need to receive not only the truth, but the love of God, the truth, in order to stand during that fearful time. You know, if we do make that choice today, no matter how weak we may be, Satan well knows that the weakest soul who abides in Christ, sorry that he is no match for the weakest soul who abides in Christ. And as our song says, a shade by day, defence by night, a shelter in the time of storm.
No fears alarm, no foes affright. If we make the word of God our sure defence, we do not need to be afraid of Satan and his devices. Let's say a brief prayer to close.
Dear Lord, I just pray that for each person listening that you may be to them as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Dear Lord, may we find you to be our faithful guide in our lives. May we find you and your word to be a shelter in the time of storm.
I pray in Jesus name. Amen. So thank you so much for joining me today on heavenly harmonies.
Remember, you can listen to our past episodes on our radio programme. You can find past episodes on our website. Do join me again next time to discuss another wonderful hymn.
But until then, stay close to the heart of God through song.
