Last Sunday, I spoke by the unction of the Holy Spirit on the topic; ‘The Pilgrim’s Wilderness Experience’, wherein He dealt on the lives of some pilgrims in the Bible and their experiences. Now after such a message, many may be asking: ‘Will there not be an end?” I’m here to tell you, THERE IS AN END… in that divine promised land; where no pain, sorrow or even disappointment can enter. 

     Our text ells us that the very same Elijah, who was our focal  character  last week, prayed, desired,  yearned and pleaded that he die by the hands of God, was translated. This man so pleaded with the Almighty that his life be taken, so to put an end to his wilderness journey and experience which caused him pain, yet God refused, in that this man had been faithful despite all harsh conditions he had been in. Elijah spent three and a half years in the house of a widow, was sought of by the enemy (King Ahab), and still had a death sentence on sight, yet still followed God. Many have gone through much in their life, experienced pain so much and have seen troubles unfit for a man to survive alone, and they are crying, weeping and pleading that instead they continue in such a way, let the Almighty just take their lives. But I came to tell you that just as Elijah saw at the end of his wilderness experience, there is an end. The toiling, pain, work, and laboring of this man ended really well; it ended in glory. And he had witnesses.

     Jesus, our Lord, spent so much a time at Gethsemane in tears. Imagine the pain, hurt and shame laying before Him in a cup-the cup of suffering. He wept also, pleaded and wished that such a cup be taken away, yet at the will of God, He drank of the cup, looking at the End of it all- the crown and joy set before Him. He endured a night of horror and pain, shame and disgrace, unrest and humiliation; and afterwards, after all had been done, after the persecutions and injuries, after He went to the cross, and died a painful and excruciating death, THE CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR BECAME THE RESURRECTED LORD, THE SON OF MAN BECAME THE SON OF GOD; and THE SON OF DAVID BECAME THE KING OF ALL KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS. Are you here and yet to make peace with Him who gave all for you? Know this; t’was for your sake He came down! And He isn’t just going to be your Resurrection, He also will be your Victory! He arose by the Power of God (the Holy Spirit) and thence, the stripes, the pains, the sorrow, the anguish, the hurt and marks, wounds of horrifying pain were removed from Him; all that remained were scars of Victory- Psalms 30:5. After the darkness, comes the light, after the night comes the day, after weeping comes laughter, after the rainfall comes the fair weather, after death comes resurrection, after toiling comes celebration, and after the persecutions and trials of our faith, comes GLORY. And I speak to you, Dear Fellow Pilgrims, “You shall end well in Jesus’ Name!”

     When Elijah got into glory, his day outnumbered his night; his life on earth was short-lived, but that in Heaven is eternal. So please, my Brethren, don’t give up. You have been in this race for too long to fall out now; you have endured so much for you to walk away now. Jesus, our Lord, knows of that which will happen to us in such a  time as this- . And when you turn all those sorrows, pains, sadness and weaknesses to Him, He will take care of you, till that day when He shall come and all kind of pain be rolled away- Revelation 21:4. I pray also, that you and I be there, for our purposes will be fulfilled there. Do you know why God created man? It’s not for him to toil or work or preach or fast and pray or labor, or bear children. No! He created us for His praise…that we may show forth His praise. But sadly, so many don’t have time to show forth the praise of Jesus. They may have time to complain and murmur, but have none to give fruitfully to the Master… God will only give this crown of everlasting Joy and happiness to all those who end well.

    We also discussed (last week), more other men who also ended well after such an experience in the wilderness for so many years. One was Joseph; this young man of a beautiful countenance was carried away from his family, by his own brothers, sold to merchants, was bought as a slave to an Egyptian, and thrown into prison through false accusations. Yet, after so many years, God ended his wilderness experience… Joseph became the second in command to Pharaoh, His end was much better than his beginning- Ecclesiastes 4:14. Moses was a man who also yearned to die, just as Elijah had wished. When the burden of leading a rebellious, disobedient and mixed multitude became unbearable, this zealous and righteous leader begged for death. He said, “I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee…”  Yet, after this wilderness experience, after his own disobedience, its punishment and repentance, after all that happened to him, Moses ended well-Exodus 33:14. He was the only man, ever existed, who was buried by the Hands of God. How else do we know that this called servant of God ended well? He appeared atop the Mount of Transfiguration…both he and the man, Elijah-Matthew 17:1-5. And we know that no man in hell or any ‘not glorified in Heaven’ could have appeared to Christ for His transfiguration. This shows that these men made it to the Promised Rest of God. And for Job, his kind of wilderness experience seems to me to be one of the most unbearable for any mortal. This man, in spite of his integrity and righteousness, experienced so much pain. A man, testified by the Lord to be blameless, lost his children, his sheep, cattle and everything in just one day; the richest man in the East became the poorest… yet this wasn’t the end. The enemy went further again to touch his flesh, stir foolishness in the heart of his wife and caused his friends to become false accusers, all against him. But this man held on to his integrity, refusing to go against God and he was saved. He had to learn that though he was righteous, yet still dust and ashes before the Lord; confessed, repented and forgave, even prayed for his accusing friends… More than that, he was replenished, and all which he lost was restored doubly… and once again, none was richer than he, neither could there be found any maiden much fairer than the beautiful daughters of Job. He even died FULL OF DAYS-Job 42:10-17. O, what a glorious end of a pilgrim…

      What about Peter? He wrote and spoke of the end- 1 Peter 1:6-12. Talk of Paul, he testified of the crown of glory which the Eternal Father shall give to him and as much just as he who desire the Lord’s coming-2 Timothy 4:6-8. And Stephen? A man who so loved God, filled with the Holy Ghost and power was stoned to death for trying to preach and turn some stiff-necked Jews to Christ; yet in spite of this (wilderness) experience, he blessed and greatly desired that his offenders be forgiven. He too knew his end; for he saw Jesus stand to welcome him gloriously into Paradise-Acts 7:54-60. I tell you, o Church, it won’t be long, and we will be translated into glory… Will you be going with me? Remember that it’s not all that call Him, ‘Lord’, that will enter that glorious Kingdom-Matthew 7:13-14. You are different, special, of royal breed and of a distinct race… you are not like them, so stop comparing yourselves. Remember the five foolish virgins? They also were spotless, and blameless, pure, holy and righteous, without blemish, yet their unpreparedness made them unable to enter the Rest of God. Prepare yourselves… Isaiah 25:8-9.

     All these pilgrims; Peter, Paul, Stephen, Joseph, Job… Remember their stories, for it was written as a testimony to us, showing the Father’s love for us. They erred, they were weary, they despaired and sought death, forgot all the goodness of God, and some even disobeyed, yet for the Father’s love they were saved. He helped them all, including His Son to end well. He alone can Help Us… Let he that thinks he stands, take heed! 1 Corinthians 10:12. No man is far from falling; and all whose hope are in Christ barely for what they can get from Him (without eternity in view) are to be pitied- 1 Corinthians 15:19. God’s grace alone can help us, and He is ever a Rewarder of His children- Hebrews 6:10-12. But we must abound in Faith and Patience; for only through FAITH can we please God, and in PATIENCE, we can endure to the End!

So, Consider He Who said, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.” Revelation 1:18.  For if He could achieve this, then HE IS WELL ABLE TO KEEP HIS OWN!!!

REMAIN BLESSED!!!