The Appointed Time

This blog comes to talk about a specific delay that is not necessarily evil or Satan-oriented, but God-ordained rather.

We see a delay when Daniel prayed and went into a fast for three weeks. The Prince of the kingdom of Persia resisted an angel from delivering an answer to Daniel. But when he arrived, he said, from the first day Daniel’s voice reached the heavens concerning the matter, he had been sent. (Daniel 10:10-14)

This kind could be categorized as ‘Satan-associated’ as the Prince of Persia (also known in other versions) was against Daniel’s receival of the answers.

Now let me give an example of one that is God-ordained: Joseph, after interpreting the dream for the cupbearer and baker to Pharaoh, besought the former to remember him and mention him before Pharaoh for his vindication; but the cupbearer never did.

However, when Pharaoh dreams, the butler does remember this lad that interprets dreams. This was after TWO FULL YEARS! Two!

Frustrating it should have been. But, this was the life-defining point for Joseph. Those who aren’t familiar with the story, he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream so well, that it caused him to become the Prime Minister of all Egypt, second in command after Pharaoh.

Now imagine the cupbearer (or butler) remembered Joseph two years before. Joseph would have been fled so far from touch, and reach (since there were no phones then). If perhaps he had returned to his home country, his brothers would have recognized him, and attempted to kill him again. Bottom line; he would have lived the rest of his life with this ‘frustrated potential.’

The very thing that Joseph was born for would not have come to pass if he had been remembered right away. This delay had God’s hand in it; for He had predestined a Kairos moment in the near future.

I am sure, like Joseph told his brothers ‘what you had meant for evil God turned for good,’ the unwritten scrolls must have had a version of him saying the same concerning that delay; that it too worked for his good; for his promotion, his career and his marriage. It was after this, that Joseph was given a wife by Pharaoh.

If he had been remembered earlier, none of this could have happened.

Maybe your marriage has delayed. Maybe your child has delayed. Maybe your job or promotion or house have delayed. But God doesn’t look at it as delay. And we should receive grace to be patient.

Habakkuk 2:3 says that the vision is for AN APPOINTED TIME. It is all scheduled for a specific day and time.

If you are submitted to God, and trust His full counsel and lordship, you must then strive to know the appointed times for each season of your life. If you know them, you will not be under any pressure when any thing seems to have delayed. For example, If God says (in your inquiries or communion with Him) that you will get married at 30; if you are 28, you mustn’t be moved by the winds of peer pressure.

However, if you turn 32, and it hasn’t happened: we can call it code red. Extreme divine intervention must be petitioned. This might leave some of us out, but apply it to any other substitution which suits your condition.

Other times He will not spill the details, as it could be training ground or a testing arena for you. Perhaps He’s shown you who to marry, but not when. Perhaps He has told you when, but not the who!

A much proper example is David. He was anointed king even when Saul yet reigned.

There is no way he could have barged into the palace to claim the throne. First of all, Saul already had an evil spirit taunting him. He could have spiraled out of control if such news flew to his ears.

David bore wisdom to deaal with the matter; understanding that the same God who placed Saul on the throne, is the only one who could dethrone him … which led to his saying “I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.”

Later, this provoked Saul to pass on the throne himself, (some sort of peaceful transition before his death) as David’s sparing of his life was a sign that he would rule with justice. Saul said,

“And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” (‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭20‬)

David didn’t know the when. God tested him by making him hide where Saul would come. He would have killed him there. But David did not. He patiently trusted God’s timing: the appointed time!

When we don’t know the time, we must continue trusting Him; so that we do not improvise like Sarah did — concerning Isaac’s delay. Notice in the story, that an angel

“Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (Gen 18:14)

Genesis 21:2 then tells us that Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Please note: the very time God had promised him. Maybe it was never a delay God speaking to Abraham late in life. Maybe what we have been preaching has had flaws in it; God didn’t fail when He mentioned the time. He promised a child yes! But he hadn’t specified the time; which takes us back to what I highlighted earlier ‘Him showing you the what, but not the when.’

Maybe the moral was more of God proving to us that nothing is too hard for Him (even as such as conceiving years after your womb factory has run out of business) than it was about Sarah’s unbelief. But the sure matter is: there is an appointed time; just like the preacher in Ecclesiastes said ‘there is time for everything.’

Another delay we see is Jesus’ intentional nonchalantness, when he was told of Lazarus’ sickness in John 11. Firstly He says “This sickness won’t be unto death.” The Bible adds,

So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ‭‭(John‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬)

This was intentional. Jesus knew it’d get worse. And the worst it could, was death. But He had already said it would not end in ‘the worst.’ The only problem was: Mary and Martha didn’t receive the word Jesus said. Only those around Him did, since they were in a different place from Judea.

Now what seemed like a delay turned out to be one of the best miracles ever seen in the land. Healing the sick had been seen already — but raising a man from death, after three—four days … that was something else! And it brought much glory to the Father, and turned more hearts unto Him!

So indeed, all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord! Even all manner of delays as we have just seen!

Thus … may God open your eyes and grant you insight in knowing the times and seasons of your life; that you may not walk out the prison early if you are Joseph, but suffer long with the help of His fruit, as you await for the appointed time for that issue to manifest, and persevere when what could have come earlier to you, seems long delayed.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Isaiah 60:22b At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen

1 Chron 12:32 From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

Hab 2:3 This vision is for a future time.It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (NLT)

For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (NKJV)