By Pastor Samuel Obafaiye,
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, the bible says that there is a season for everything; and a time for every activity or purpose under the heaven. The sun is one of God’s most important creations. It powers the solar system. It determines our seasons.
Though the sun radiates continuously, different places on the Earth receives it’s rays at varied times, so that at every given place on the Earth, there would normally be a sunrise and sunset.
Figuratively, sunrise could be a time of productivity, an active state, a time of newness, a developing stage, time of emergence or growing. It can also be the opening or beginning of something.
Sunset on the other hand can be a time of decline, closure, nightfall, darkness or final phase.
Even though, there is a time for the sun to rise and set for localities in real times and for things in figurative sense. God says your own sun will no longer set.
Isaiah 60:19-20
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee:but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
The plan of God for us is to attain His expected end for our lives.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
– God’s expected end will manifest upon your life in Jesus name.
Romans 8:29-30
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called:and whom he called, them he also justified:and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
– The intent of God is to bring us to a state of glorification after our justification. As The Lord lives, you will be glorified in Jesus name.
– For many of us, we don’t still look as the brother and sister of Jesus yet. But as The Lord who has called us lives, we shall reflect the image of Jesus here on Earth.
– you are here, your life been doing a backslide of late? You shall no longer go down in Jesus name.
There are biblical characters that God helped to fulfil their days, so that their sun never went down.
Abraham
At 75 years, and his wife being 60, they were still expecting a child. He received the promise of God that he was going to be father of nations and believed. God did not allow his sun to go down. He has eight sons, many of them becoming nations. He died at 175 years of age.
Genesis 25:7-8
And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
– you are here and God has promised you something. Trust Him, the sun will not go down on His promises for you. They will come alive.
Joseph
God gave Joseph brilliant visions. Visions of what his life will look like. He was to be greater than his siblings and even his parents. The devil did not want him to be anybody in life and even sort to kill him. God however helped him that his sun did shine and not set.
His destiny was fulfilled.
He saw his third generation grew up.
He died at 110 years of age.
Genesis 50:22-23
And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house:and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation:the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees.
– what are the vision that God has shown you? It may take some time, but it shall come to pass. Thirteenth year for joseph was like forever. But alas, the vision was established.
– Are you in a pit? You are coming out.
– Are you a servant in Portiphar house? He will later serve you.
– Are you in a dungeon? God will bring your head up.
– Are you clothed in shameful garment? They will be changed for garments of honour.
Job
Job was described by God as someone who is perfect and upright; God fearing and hater of evil. He was blessed by God abundantly. God even used him to show off to Satan. Satan became mad and at the permission of God, afflicted the life of Job greatly. At the end of Job’s ordeal, God made sure that his sun did not set.
He later had 7 sons, 3 daughters. Double of all the animals he had before.
He then lived 140 more years and saw his four generations!
Job 42:12-17
So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job:and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons ‘sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.
– whatever Satan has stolen from you that is affecting your sunrise will be return by God in double.
Your strength shall be doubled.
Your health doubled.
Your wealth doubled.
Your intellect will be doubled in Jesus name.
Unfortunately, there were some biblical figure who their sun set, even prematurely.
King Saul
So privilege to be the first king of Israel. But only reigned for two years before his sun began to set.
1 Samuel 13:13-14
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly:thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee:for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue:the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
The kingship was supposed to be hereditary, unfortunately the crown left his family and tribe to another family and tribe altogether.
Though he sat on the throne for close to twenty years, but God already left him after his second year. His error made 3 of his sons to die with him, even Jonathan who was a good man.
– you will not be pushed to behave foolishly.
– may people not determine the intensity of your sun.
– your reign shall not have an end.
– the grace and willingness to keep God’s commandment rest upon you.
Gehazi
He had a great privilege to have served Elisha. He was a witness to many of Elisha’s miracles. He was a candidate for the anointing of God upon Elisha. But how sad! His sun set abruptly. He never graduated with honour but with leprosy. He also passed the curse to his descendants (II Kings 5: 25-27).
– may greed not be one of your attribute.
– you will not suffer for lack of prioritising.
– no disease will cling on you and your family.
The Young Prophet
One of the sad stories in the bible. An unknown man empowered by God to stand before the fearful king Jeroboam to declare a prophesy. He gave a sign to affirm that the prophesy will happen. The sign immediately happened. The king’s hand became withered for pointing to him. Sharp prophesy, tremendous power! Unfortunately, his sun set soon afterwards. He was to be a voice for God in the land, but his voice was drowned in the grave (I Kings 13:1-32).
– you will not fall into error
– your will not agree to deceit
– you will not give away what will be used to kill your sun
– you will not rest before your rest.
Message delivered on March 23, 2014