Focus: Life At Eventide

Text: Zech.14:7

"At evening time it shall be light."

When and where God steps into action, the laws of nature bow and surrender. Nature is designed to do the bidding of its creator at all times.

Wherever God sees evil, He deals with it, even amongst His own people. In Zechariah 14, we see God using the nations to lead a campaign against His own people, the Jews, because of their iniquity. God reigns in righteousness, and He does not condone any acts or lifestyles of unrighteousness in His universe. In the same Scripture we see God holding those nations to accountability for taking laws into their own hands in meting out or unleashing terror against the Jews beyond the measure divinely stipulated by God. It is in setting things right and upholding divine justice that we read that God had set up a day in which He would right the wrongs, and that day would not know darkness. Hence our text: "At the evening time it shall be light." 

Nature would not stop God from thoroughly executing judgment on evildoers. God would make the sun shine at night until divine order was fully restored.

It is contrary to the law of nature for light to shine at night, but in this Scripture we see the light overtaking darkness. It is simply because nature cannot go against its maker. God is nature's supreme law. All of nature is at God's beck and call. No force can stand in the way of our God, even in our own lives. Night and day will at all times surrender their powers to God for the execution of God's eternal purpose.

Life has its morning and evening seasons. The evening time speaks of old age. It is the time when the light begins to disappear and life enters into its twilight years. For those of us who are in the evening period of their lives, this Scripture speaks volumes and inspires hope. God declares, "At the evening time it shall be light." God will lighten our darkness. Old age is not a curse. Old age is never meant to be a burden. It is written of Moses, "And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated" (Dt.34:7). In blessing Asher, Moses said, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Dt.33:25). Isaiah talks about a time when "there shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isa.65:20).

I declare according to God's word that you shall have light in your evening time! I pray that you experience fruitfulness and fulfillment in your old age! You shall not be covered in darkness! You shall experience the reality of your hope! In Genesis 8:11, we read, "And the dove came in to him in the EVENING; and, lo, in her mouth was an OLIVE LEAF pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth" (Gen.8:11). The dove brought the olive leaf to Noah in the evening time as a proof that the flood of divine judgment had been stopped by God. 

I pray that you do not experience frustration and hopelessness in your evening period of life! I pray that you find in the mouth of your own dove the olive leaf of hope. In your old age you will find that the trees are blossoming and flourishing. In blessing Benjamin, Jacob said, "Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the MORNING he shall devour the prey, and at NIGHT he shall divide the spoil" (Gen.49:27). 

In the morning period of your life, you will labor productively, and in the evening time, you will enter your rest and enjoy the blessings of your labor!

I pray that even in the evening time of your life, you will find yourself still praying and worshiping God. The psalmist says, "EVENING, and MORNING, and at NOON, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice" (Ps.55:17). You will still have a heart that beats and yearns for more of God - a heart that still cries out to the Lord.

In the evening season of your life, I pray that you will still be up and doing according to the counsel of the wise preacher who says, "In the MORNING sow thy seed, and in the EVENING withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good" (Ecl.11:6). I pray that no time of your life shall be wasted, and your labor shall not be in vain!

I pray that you will still be spiritually engaged for the Lord like Paul did! Luke records, "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, FROM MORNING TILL EVENING" (Act.28:23). For Paul, it was on a particular day while he awaited trial, that he taught the people for all day long. But for you, you remain totally engaged for the Lord while you still breathe! From the morning to the evening of your life, you will remain useful and helpful in the hands of your God.

In the night of your life, trust in God "who giveth songs in the night" (Jb.35:10). I pray God fills your mouth with songs in the night of your life! Enjoy your evening light and glory in the name of Jesus Christ! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter