“Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In” (Isaiah 58:12). Last month, we celebrated the annual life and legacy of a civil rights giant, The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His book, “Where Do We Go from Here, From Chaos or Community” leaves many questions unanswered, especially with all the underlying issues 2020 brought to the surface. The cultural morass exposed the fact that much of what appeared to be progress were merely cosmetic and costume changes. If a more thorough examination was given to the conditions, things are worse than before. The sin of accommodation and tolerance were licenses distributed to the majority who dismissed absolute truth as a moral standard. Laws and executive orders are being passed to patch severely severed limbs of society, while they have lost their function of usefulness. Even the Prophet Habakkuk says, “For plundering and violence are before me, there is strife, and contention arises. 4 Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore, perverse judgment proceeds” (Habakkuk 1:3-4). 

Desperate times call for desperate measures. God is fully aware of the times and those of us who occupy the earth during these times. As it was with Habakkuk, an awareness of depth of the occurrences must be the qualifying factor. The Lord showed him iniquity and caused him to see trouble (v.3). In contrast to what he was enabled to see, he concluded that laws alone were powerless in facing such dangers. Today, there are laws for everything that happens in our nation. They are there to protect us from what has been created by and through relativism. Truth being relative to the situation creates a chasm and a new law is passed to bridge the gulf that relativism created. Accommodations for behavior are made when there are no preachers or statesmen who would uphold a righteous standard. Where progress was made, wreckage and ruin stand as testaments of incomplete work. Some are engaged in good deeds, but good works are determined by the outcome of completed efforts. God pronounced His goodness on each day of creation after He had completed His assignment for that day. The Tower of Babel was not good because it was incomplete. 

God seeks individuals who engage in the work of rebuilding the old waste places. Those desert places that have become the habitation of jackals. This is only possible when the whole counsel of God is preached and practiced, and not just a select portion that fits the fancy of a select few. It is a costly enterprise, for one must be willing to face the ridicule and judgement of those who wish to maintain the status-quo.  A bridge is walked on so that others can cross over to the other side. This is apostolic work since it is the reestablishment of foundations, and that is why true apostles are foundational. The Church was built upon the Apostles first with Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone. If society is to become strong and secure, Jesus must have His rightful place among us. He is a Stone of stumbling and Rock of offense. But ultimately, when Christ appears, there will be those who will gain the reputation from God and among some men as being The Repairers of the Breach and the Restorers of Streets to Dwell in.”