God rescues His people collectively and individually as well. The rescue of God is not a mass rescue but is aimed at those who worship and trust the Lord in truth and spirit. There are a few things we need to understand:
• God rescues those who are humble, walk with the Lord, and trust Him. Genesis 6:5-7 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But God found an exception. In verses 8-9, we learn, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Noah, Enoch, and Abraham walked with God and trusted Him.
• The righteous are under the protection of the lord. Psalms 34:15-20 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.” Those who are right with God will experience the faithfulness and protection of God. They are the apple of His eye: no, one dare touch them, lest the wrath of the Lord is poured out on them.
• Those who cry to the Lord in all earnest find favour with the Lord. Those who have no one, the orphans, widows, fatherless the handicapped etc, the Lord has special concern for them. The Bible reveals God’s attitude toward orphans and widows: He cares very deeply for them. God commands us to protect and care for the poor, orphans and widows. Psalm 82:3 “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” God commands us to care for orphans and widows. When He gave the Law to Moses and the Israelites, He gave instructions for how to treat the orphans and widows among them. He also cautioned us of harsh consequences in case we failed in our responsibility. Exodus 22:22-24 “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” In the New Testament, James says that taking care of the needs of orphans and widows is part of religion. James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
Dr Ashwin Drummond
laddertoheaven.co.in