Tag Archives: 400 years

400 Years

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My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Robert Biddick, was born on July 15, 1609 in Cornwall, England.

I think.

Record keeping was sketchy back then.

I have no original documents, no photographs, no diaries handed down. Someone else’s genealogy research has supplied me with a name and a date, but I have no proof that Robert existed. Four hundred years is a long time.

Let’s put God’s four centuries of silence into perspective, shall we?
2022 – 400 = 1622

In 1622:

  • the settlement at Jamestown was attacked and 347 English settlers were massacred.
  • the Pope declared January 1 to be the first day in the new calendar.
  • Robert Biddick, my 8x great-grandfather, was 13 years old.
  • America wouldn’t become a country for another 246 years.

What would Captain John Smith or Miles Standish or Robert Biddick think if they were plopped down into 2022? It’s a very different world today, with cars and electricity and macaroni and cheese in a box.

Similarly, Micah, the last prophet to speak would have been completely perplexed by the newfangled Israel. There were things in existence that were unheard of four hundred years prior:

  • Pharisees and Sadducees and their list of 613 new laws
  • Synagogues in every town
  • Roman roads, aqueducts, and military occupation
  • Greek language (Just think! A whole new language!)

They waited eight generations for a word.
Then The Word was born.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.” Galatians 4:4

The fullness of time = 400 years.
We’ve been waiting over 2,000 years for His return.
Time must be almost full again.

Inconceivable

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Privates shouldn’t question a general’s command.

Errand boys shouldn’t challenge a CEO’s decision.

And evidently, humans shouldn’t doubt an angel’s words.

After appearing to Zechariah in the temple, the angel Gabriel delivered a lengthy message to the elderly priest.  The detailed description of what was about to happen even included the name heaven picked out for the coming baby — John.  A plain name for an extraordinary infant.  According to the angel, the baby would be

“great in the sight of the Lord“,

“filled with the Holy Spirit“,

and “in the spirit and power of Elijah“.

This child would do great things.

“He will go before the Lord“,

“turn the hearts of the fathers to their children“,

and “make ready a people prepared for the Lord“.

Since Malachi prophesied the final words of the Old Testament, there had been silence from God for 400 years.  No “thus sayeth the Lord“, no angel visitations, no visions.  Gabe’s big moment had finally arrived and it was met by questioning unbelief.  In Zech’s mind, this idea (and baby) was inconceivable.

“How will I know this is going to happen?”  CEV

“By what shall I know and be sure of this?”  AMP

“How can I know that what you say is true?” Exp

“How shall I know if this is so?”  GN

“Do you expect me to believe this?” Message

Unfortunately, Zechariah didn’t stop there, but felt he needed to explain to the heavenly being the facts of the situation.  “I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”  What did he expect the angel to say?  “Oh, I didn’t know all that.  Well then, never mind”?  Actually, Gabriel got a little irritated with the human being and put him on mute for the next nine months.  Very effective.  “Zechariah paid a price for his unbelief. His unbelief did not make God take his promise back; it just kept Zechariah from enjoying it.  When we do not believe God’s promise for our lives, we do not necessarily destroy the promise; but we do destroy our ability to enjoy the promise. What made this such a severe punishment was that Zechariah had such great news to tell.”  David Guzik

Mary also got a visit from Gabriel with equally startling news.  Mary also asked a “how” question — “How will this be?”  But she received a straight-forward answer and no reprimand because her question was not laced with doubt.  “Mary’s question is logical. She asks basically the same question Zechariah asked but his question was asked in skeptical unbelief, her question was asked in wonder-filled faith.”  David Guzik

Lord, may my questions be free from skeptical unbelief

and filled with awe-inspired faith.

And go ahead and shut me up when You need to.

Long Time, No Hear

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listeningSome of my friendly blog buddies have been wondering if I am just now “coming to” after the twin news.  I admit, the announcement did leave me speechless for a while.  But actually, the silence here at Small Drop has been a bit of an experiment.  What happens when I stop writing…or posting….or speaking?  Do people stop reading….or logging on….or listening?  How long are we willing to wait to hear from someone?

How about 400 years?  Malachi wrote the last word of the Old Testament sometime around 430 B.C.   Then came four centuries of silence.  No prophets spoke, no predictions were proclaimed, no judgements were called down on the wicked, no blessings were promised to the faithful.  Nothing.  Silence.

Four hundred years ago it was 1512.  Martin Luther was in seminary and Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel.  What if we had not heard from God since 1512?  It’s remarkable that the story even survived.  It’s astounding that God’s people continued to wait and hope and pray.  Somehow, each generation kept handing down the directive: Wait.  God will speak again.

Then He did.  His first word after all those long years was, “Waaaahhhhh.”  He cried.  The priests weren’t expecting a baby’s wail.  They were sure it would sound more like a thundering voice coming out of smoke and fire, “Thus saith the Lord.”  So they missed it.

That’s what I love about God — He keeps me on my toes.  Just when I think I figure Him out, He does something wild and unexpected.

My experiment with silence on the blog confirmed my suspicions, as each day fewer and fewer people stopped by.  And then something wild and unexpected happened.  Yesterday, after all those days of no posts, hundreds visited Small Drop for my biggest day ever.  Figuring things out is highly overrated.  Being surprised is much more fun.

Lord, I welcome Your surprises.  Go ahead and say or do what I’m not expecting.  Just don’t let me miss it.

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.  Hebrews 1:1