In the midst of a prayer meeting, the other night, God spoke to me. Isn't the most wonderful times when God speaks? There is none like it. For His voice is like no other. It is quite distinct from my voice. So in midst of this prayer meeting as someone else was praying and I was listening to them to be in agreement, God spoke these two words to me. 'This night'; I had no Scripture referrence at first, I simply wrote them down in my prayer notebook that I always keep with me, for just such occasions. It will be revealed in eternity of how many times God spoke to us and we didn't record it and due to our poor memory or other reasons, we forgot it. So I try to always have pen and paper to jot down and write such Divine speakings to my soul.
And I never know whether it is for me, or preparation for a sermon or some other reason. But those two words lingered on my mind and heart as we finished up. I said nothing to anyone else about it, but savored what this was all about. Arriving home, I did a word/phrase search on Bible gateway and found that this phrase of 'this night' is found 17 times in Scripture. It is a powerful teaching and leading for us in prayer. I desrie to share this with you in this blog posts:
'This Night'
I have listed each reference verse to this phrase and will give short devotional/commentary about it for instruction into our walk with God and prayer unto God.
I Thessalonians 5:4 - 9, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. v. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. v. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others: but let us watch and be sober. v. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. v. 8 But let us, whoa re of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. v. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain slavation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
The contrast for us here is found in that of light and darkness and night and day. Those in Christ are of the light and day. Those in sin and for Satan are of the darkness and night. Men's works and life declare which they are, 'by their fruits ye shall know them.'
"And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them."
Lot is in Sodom and the angels of God have come. Abraham has besought the Lord for deliverance and mercy. But the angels of God, being taken in by Lot for food, fellwoship, and hospitality are soon approached by the wicked men of the city. 'This night' they came in to view the evil of this place. And it did not disappoint. For soon the children of night were knocking at the door and seeking for Lot to bring the angels out to them. 'That we may know them' is the abomination of sinful lusts, violence and loathsome conduct of men.
NOte that as God sends His angels 'this night', there is also the works of darkness that tries to come in. 'this night' is a battle ground between the flesh and the spirit, and these two are always contrary the one to the other.
"And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father."
HEre again we see the evil of this night. Did you ever stop to think that last night or this night how much evil is being practiced by men? God, Who sees all and knows all, views the four quarters of the earth and under the thoughts, practices and ways of men does He see any virtue, godliness, holiness or faith? Or is it all sin, vileness, and treachery of hell?
Lot has escaped Sodom. He left with his wife and two daughters. Yet, the last words of the angels that gave them deliverance. (I still believe only because of Abraham's intercession). "Look not back, but flee". And we know that Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. And thus, Morton's Salt Factory was born.
And Lot and two daughers flee to Zoar, the city of refugee and escape. Yet, Lot being fearful that the men of the city may blame him and his family for the destuction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the plain, decide to flee to the mountains. The angel said flee to the city; Lot said I will flee to the mountains. And there in the mountains, not one night but two nights, the sin of incest and lusts was done.
'Yestermight we made our father drunk and I slept with him. Now this night, we will make him drunk again and you sleep with him.' This night evil shall be done. Oh, the choices of men to pracitce evil 'this night'. Is there no end to it?
And so our first two Scriptures declare the evil of 'this night' in the hearts and practices of evil men and women who have left the good ways of the Lord. What will you pracitce 'this night'?
Exodus 12:12
"For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD."
'This night' there will be death.
- Numbers 22:8
And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
Numbers 22:7-9 (in Context) Numbers 22 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - Numbers 22:19
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
Numbers 22:18-20 (in Context) Numbers 22 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - Joshua 4:3
And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
Joshua 4:2-4 (in Context) Joshua 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - Ruth 3:13
Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
Ruth 3:12-14 (in Context) Ruth 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - 1 Samuel 15:16
Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
1 Samuel 15:15-17 (in Context) 1 Samuel 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - 2 Samuel 17:1
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
2 Samuel 17:1-3 (in Context) 2 Samuel 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - 2 Samuel 17:16
Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
2 Samuel 17:15-17 (in Context) 2 Samuel 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations - 2 Samuel 19:7
Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now. - Matthew 26:31
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. - Matthew 26:34
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. - Mark 14:27
And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. - Mark 14:30
And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. - Luke 12:20
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? - Acts 27:23
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
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