An Opportune Time 2

Herodias had developed a grudge against John, and the thought of killing John was already conceived in her heart. It had become her vision, but was impossible at this time because the opportune time had not yet been created. This shows that there are many ideas in people’s hearts which may seem impossible to execute at certain points in time, but achievable at some other time. Mark 6:19 says, ‘Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him but she could not.’ The authority of the bible should be noted here because when the bible says you cannot (as seen in Herodias’ case), it really means you cannot. At this stage, most people get things mixed up and they think that they can just step out in an exercise of what they think ‘faith’ is. When the Israelites tried to take the Promised Land out of season, they were thoroughly dealt with (Num 14:40-45). Faith results in action but it does not begin as an act. It begins as a clear understanding. In Mark 6:21, it was seen that an opportune time was eventually created for Herodias to execute her vision. When Herod made this offer to Herodias’ daughter, the Scripture connected this event to what was going on in the heart of Herodias. When this opportune time was presented to her, she then stepped out to obtain the manifestation of her evil desires. Although, this was a perverted use of a spiritual principle, her patience, persistence and consistency fulfilled the demands of that principle. Therefore, it worked for her and even though we are the heirs of the kingdom and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), it seems that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light (Luke 16:8) in the judicious exercise of spiritual principles. Hence, we need to practice the guiding principles of the faith we readily profess. This is what God admonished us to do in Habakkuk that we wait on our vision until it begins to speak, until the environment becomes conducive for our steps of faith. At this stage, the visionary will be able to recognise the great doors of opportunities opened up for the manifestation of his dream. Though disheartening, it is obvious that no one whose mind is hyperactive can apply this spiritual principle because he that believes will not make haste. Such believing people have realised that before you can understand God’s wisdom, you must have reached your wit’s end. If your wisdom is still supposedly working for you, you are obviously not yet ready to receive God’s wisdom. This is what is indicated, illustrated and discussed in Isaiah 40:31 those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength (or will exchange their strength for His). The kingdom is not for clever people the race is not for the swift, but time and chance … (Eccl. 9:11). It is for those who appreciate, recognise and can maximise the opportunities presented to them. The systems of this world will always humble the clever i.e. eternal spiritual laws will always humble the man who thinks he is clever beyond reproach.

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