The time we live in today is unparalleled. There has never been a time such as this, and many have lost all hope and literally gone mad. Terrorism is common place in just about every nation of the world. Wars never cease, and mass killings are often the news of the day. Children in schools are being massacred. Human and child trafficking for forced labor and sex is a thriving business and with the ultra wealthy and political elites being the high paying clients. Evil runs rampant! Prisons have become corrupt money making machines. Our calloused government is bankrupting farmers, ranchers, loggers and others by protecting the supposed endangered species; such as, the Mexican Spotted Owl, the New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse, along with certain types of mice, bats, minnows, and of all things, the Bog Frog, not to mention a glut of insects. The state of New Mexico alone has a list of more than 40 endangered weeds like the Mescalero Milkwort and the Holy Ghost Ipomopsis. Although some of the weeds are noxious, they are protected under penalty of federal law.

Ironically, due to pressures from special interest groups; such as, environmentalists, animal rights activists, and those of the pro-choice movement, the government gives ear to their demands and strains at gnats while swallowing camels. One of the gnats is giving heavy fines to people and/or sending them to prison for mowing tall weeds and grass from around their homes that could be habitats for some sort of endangered rat. One of the camels they have swallowed is, of course, the genocide of babies by legalized abortion, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. In some states babies are "lawfully" killed after they are born alive.

Due to amoral godlessness and man's corrupt rule, nations are crumbling before our eyes. Rampant debauchery floods the earth with homosexuality being welcomed, even lauded as a god-given right and said to be a wholesome lifestyle. Anyone who says otherwise is tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail, figuratively speaking, of course. In addition, extremely troubled transgender men and women are praised as being so courageous for having their bodies heinously mutilated with attempts of recreating themselves as the opposite sex, but only achieving look-alike models that play their roles on the worldwide stage before curious spectators.

Political corruption is seen and exposed at every level with very little consequences. Gross immorality is often looked upon as normal and quite acceptable to many, while those of godly character are mocked and considered to be worthy of death. Christians are regularly demeaned, debased and targeted for their beliefs and wholesome life-styles. It is vogue for the "news" media, academics, social groups, and college organizations to ridicule and call them hateful, mean, and bigoted, among other things.

Overall, we mention only a few of the abhorrent atrocities that have been building greater by the day as they sweep over our nation and the world. There has been a deluge of unprecedented proportions, and we hear the mournful cry, the groans of creation as they await the manifestation of the sons of God that the apostle Paul wrote about in his letter to the Romans.

Should we speak up or continue keeping silent with hopes that it will all go away? And then we recall the wise counsel given to Esther:

"If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14.

Those questioning, yet prophetic words, which were spoken to Esther have echoed down through the ages and into our hearts today. It was not only a liberating message back then, but is now for us. The deliverance will come to pass whether we are silent or raise our voices from on High; but if silent, we stand to miss it, yet we cannot speak if we do not first hear our Father speak in and from our spirit.

Be as it may, Esther that admonition from her elder cousin, Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter after the death of her parents. This took place in Persia about 100 years after the Babylonian captivity, and that which led up to what he told her was when king Ahasuerus threw a lavish festival, and on the final day of the merrymaking, he summoned his ravishing queen, Vashti, for the purpose of flaunting her beauty to his guests; but she flatly refused. Filled with anger, and at the advice of counsel, the king stripped her of her royal position. Some historians say that she was also beheaded.

To find a new queen, Ahasuerus hosted what we would call a royal beauty pageant, and Esther was chosen to sit on the throne in Vashti’s place, while Mordecai was given a minor part in the Persian government of Susa.

Mordecai discovered a plot to assassinate the king by two of his chamberlains (valets/eunuchs). He told Esther about it, and she reported it to the king, and their plan was foiled. The two were promptly hanged.

During this same time, the king's highest official, Haman, hated the Jews and he especially hated Mordecai for refusing to bow down to him in defiance to the king’s decree. Haman plotted to have every Jew in Persia put to death. Not knowing that Esther and Mordecai were Jews, the king bought into the plot and agreed to annihilate the Jewish people. Meanwhile, Mordecai learned of the plan and shared it with Esther. He compelled her to sway the king away from his agreement with Haman to annihilate the Jews. She then risked her life by approaching the king with her plan and invited the king and Haman to a banquet where she revealed her Jewish heritage to the king, as well as Haman's plot to have her and her people killed because of his hatred of Mordecai. In a rage, the king ordered Haman to be hung on the very same gallows he had built for Mordecai.

In every age, for every purpose and every situation — God has always had His man, His woman, His people on the scene for such a time as this that will come forth in His time. They were always made ready to be His instrument to bless, to challenge, to correct, or whatever the need might be; and today, there is a sense of urgency, of destiny resting upon the sons of God’s which will be revealed in His time!

Moses was such a man in times past, one of whom God chose even before his conception. The first phase of his preparation was forty years in Pharaoh’s palace, and then another forty years on the backside of the desert, making him always ready for such a time that presented itself. Very often, we view the preparations with our eye on the final hour of deliverance. However, there must also be a present time such as this. And His time is often when we are tending the sheep, whether it is taking them to green pastures, to a mountain stream for fresh water to drink, or slaying the bear, the lion, or wolf.

Notwithstanding, there is another time such as this and it is His to unfold. It is the one for which creation groans, and we ourselves groan with them for that time to come and be seen by all. And be sure to know, we will not be late for that appointed time. Since God has called us to it, He will make sure we arrive on time. A good example of this is laid out in Douglas Clark's letter we borrowed from one of J. Preston Eby's studies. The brother wrote:

"I drove to Battle Creek, Michigan to meet some friends for dinner at 5 p.m.  I estimated it would take me one hour and forty-five minutes to get there. Unfortunately I left ten minutes late, plus I had to get gas, take an alternate route due to construction, and to top it off, I got behind a slow moving farm vehicle for about five miles.  As I reached my destination I pulled into the parking lot, found a parking space and turned off the ignition.  I glanced at my watch to see the time and it was five p.m. to the second!  In a thousand attempts I could not have made that happen. There were so many variables, yet I managed to arrive at the appointed time.

"This is what the Lord is doing with each of us individually.  We are often filled with stress thinking we are running late, taking an alternate route, or dealing with some obstacle in our way, yet God’s plan will be accomplished right on schedule.  He has taken all the variables into consideration! It is happening with all of us individually, but the sweet surprise that awaits us is that our individual experiences will supernaturally fit together in such a way that will display a corporate picture of the body of Christ for the entire world to see at God’s appointed time. This will be in contrast to what man is doing through his hierarchical and horizontal control.  No matter how hard we try, WE CAN’T MAKE GOD’S THING HAPPEN. There is a divine order that has been preordained and nothing we can do will hasten it or prevent it.  God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would be so many in number that they would be uncountable, like the dust of the earth, was a promise that Abraham could not bring about by his self-effort. The same is true for us. Although we can share what is already in our hearts as living truth,  we must wait on God to initiate what He says He will do.

"Isaac, the promised son, was the seed of Abraham, but he was conceived by divine intervention.  Like Abraham, this is where we get confused.  We each feel the heartbeat of the Holy Spirit and the inner knowledge that God wants to manifest Himself in and through His people.  It is the waiting for the appointed time that challenges us, and exposes the ‘self’ life that refuses to be still.  Notice that God’s timing always happens in a way that is impossible for man to fulfill.  ‘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, NIV).  Sarah didn’t conceive until it was well beyond her time to bear children.  The best we can do in our attempt to help God fulfill His purposes is to conceive an Ishmael!

"Two opposing moves are unfolding in the earth today, and yet each of these manifestations will fulfill His purposes.  One will reveal the futility of man’s efforts as it seeks to tighten its grip upon God’s people, refusing to let God’s people go! The other move will manifest the nature and life of God in His people independently, completely orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. The move of futility that even now is revealing itself is very much like what happened to Saul. He was told to wait in Gilgal seven days until the appointed time when Samuel would join him.  He did wait the seven days, but just when he was so close to being obedient he rushed ahead, deciding to offer up a burnt offering to God. Then just as he finishes Samuel shows up!  He was so close but he failed to wait for the appointed time. (That’s when Samuel rebuked Saul, saying, Obedience is better than sacrifice!). The appointed time is not just about the appointed day, but the appointed moment! You won’t find a clearer picture of what is happening today than Saul’s example. Just when we are so close to experiencing the manifestation of the kingdom of God in the earth many have surmised the situation and have decided it is up to us to make things ready. The judgment of those who are like Saul will be severe. Yet when their plans come crashing down, the Holy Spirit will come to them in reconciliation and they will be saved through the flames of fire!" — End quote.

For many years the body of Christ has been in the process of being made ready, and they have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this! They are the Sons of God, the manchild to be brought forth in His time! They are the Manchild that's composed of many saints. Comparing literal numbers of the entire body of Christ, they are surely a minority; but even so, God’s plan will be made manifest by them. And that plan is for them to establish God’s Kingdom for every eye to see. In the meantime, these awesome people, these peculiar people, shall walk the path of God’s chosen as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day of glorious manifestation. Proverbs 4:18.
 

The verse Peter wrote about of God’s chosen people being peculiar was quoted from the book of Exodus:

"Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a *peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine." Exodus 19:5. One translation renders it: "Now therefore, if you obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is Mine." (NRSV). And the Emphatic Diaglott has Peter’s verse as: "...a People for a purpose; that you may declare the perfections of Him who called you from Darkness into His wonderful Light."

*Peculiar treasure is translated from one Hebrew word cegullah, which means: to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up). Peculiar: from 1 Peter 2:9, the Greek peripoiesis, means, acquisition...preservation. It comes from peripoieomai, meaning, to make around oneself, i.e. acquire (buy). Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

You see, this peculiar people, peculiar treasure, treasured possession, people for a purpose, has a much more profound meaning than simply being a number of religious people who act a little strange. From the definitions of this word, we will paraphrase the verse:

This doesn’t sound like a people who are coming across as peculiar odd-balls in the world, and it is certainly not! It is one of the most honored callings and chosen body of people anyone could ever imagine, one that creation is groaning and waiting for. And now we wonder, what is required to qualify as being PECULIAR; that is, being a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation?

At first glance it looks fairly simple and easy to do; but when each point is brought to our attention, not to mention the definitions of the words in particular, it gets a little more difficult. For the ones who are walking this path, it is everyday living in the presence of their Lord. They hear His voice and those who hear the voice of the Son of God will live. It is not the same, however, for those who fear His voice and rely on Moses to hear for them.

It is one thing to embrace a secondhand word that is void of life, and altogether another to become one with the First-person Word. For people to abide by church doctrines that their pastors say that they must do is much easier for some than to scale mount Horeb, turn aside to see the burning bush, and hear the Voice of the LORD for themselves. To hear from another and walk naturally as having been told requires nothing but physical obedience, and there is no change to the person. There is little difference to this than being told by a boss on the job what to do and the person carrying out the order. Hearing such a word from another man or woman and religiously or dutifully doing it does not transform anyone. But to hear the voice of God can be very painful to the carnal man. Although it causes one to live, it first kills the old man of the world.

*Enmity: echthra, (from echtho) hostility... opposition. echtho, (to hate); hateful (odious, or hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary.

You see, we can never work hard enough or long enough in our natural might to show forth the wonders of God; for not only is it impossible for flesh and blood to inherit the Kingdom of God, it is impossible for either to do His works.

We ourselves are a spiritual work. We are His handiwork who are called to good works. We are lively stones having been made alive by Him who is life. He has made us a spiritual house which, of course, is not a ‘church building,’ it is a house made up of you and me. The priesthood does not consist of men who are set in positions by other men. No man can ordain other men to the high calling of God’s priests. He alone is the authority to do so.

This priesthood is royal, it is kingly, it is ordained by the High King-Priest Himself. It is not after the order of Aaron or Levi who administer the dos and don’ts, and who are always subject to blemishes themselves. The royal priesthood is after the order of Melchisedec who has no beginning or ending. He is both Priest and King, who by nature fulfills the law of resurrection Life and by authority is the ruling King. The people of this chosen generation are in union with Him and have joined the company of the elect out of all ages. They make up a holy nation, a race that is dreadfully majestic. They are priests, lords, kings who are peculiar, blameless and consecrated unto God.

There are some, however, who question where they are in Christ. We have heard them say that they fear missing out on this high calling, that with all their shortcomings they simply do not have what it takes to be a son of God. Their fear of not being manifested with the rest of the His peculiar body keeps them searching, ever searching for the latest and greatest revelation and present day teaching. Searching out the truth of a matter is the honor of kings, this is well and good; for we too want to know the great mysteries of God. We earnestly desire the most recent, up-to-date, anointed doctrines the Spirit is pouring into His people which can be a very real part of hearing the voice of our Lord. Sadly, however, it can also be a natural zeal that has nothing to do with being part of a peculiar people who are hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord, and who are also keeping His covenant.

But this is not the case with many. Even so, it does not stop them from worrying whether they are spiritual enough, or even smart enough, to be numbered among the sons of God. The fact is, most of them are overly concerned, which is their greatest handicap. Not only are they hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord, they are also keeping His covenant.

They may not always hear; but when they do, their obedience is unquestionable. And they are to be commended for keeping His covenant. This covenant, of course, is not the law of Moses. The old covenant (testament) was instituted by God and it was between Himself and Abram. It was initiated when He passed through the carcasses that were cut in half by Abram. The old covenant was only a type of the New Covenant, which is now between Jesus and His Peculiar Treasure.

When the shed blood of Jesus is drank, when His torn flesh is eaten, and when it is esteemed as good — then I will say with all confidence — you are keeping His covenant. Therefore, whether you can quote one scripture, whether you can teach or preach two minutes worth of Kingdom truth, or whether you have any fellowship with like-minded saints — if you are hearing and obeying, and you are keeping His covenant — you are peculiar. You qualify, which makes you a rare treasure of high value which was purchased by a great price. You have chosen for a purpose, His purpose, to be seen in His time. You will manifest great valor when the covering is removed! You are a valued portion of the unblemished pearl of great price.

Although spiritual praise is a high and holy thing, and it is the heartbeat of our souls, this is not the subject in this case. This generation, the holy nation of God has been made ready to manifest the valor of their Lord in unprecedented excellence. Those of the royal priesthood, the members of this kingdom of priests, are waiting to be unveiled so they can declare their perfections in Christ. They are anxious to ‘flex their muscles’ and show forth their Manliness. This desire to display themselves is not due to vanity, but so others may know Jesus.

Moreover, such manliness does not speak of infants, babes, adolescents, or even a bride but speaks clearly of the manifestation of the Sons of God. It is the unveiling, the exhibition, if your please, of His Peculiar People! And these of the high calling will not only be seen and known by the world as a whole, but by the chiefs, the kings, the presidents, the leaders and priests of the church system. Some will repent as their hearts are transformed while others, like Haman, will be hanged on the gallows of God’s justice, and if not then, the Lake of Fire, Godfire, will change them.

The gospel, the truly good news of the ages, will be declared to every kindred, tongue, and people — saying, the LORD is good, taste Him! The rulers of the world down to the street sweepers will revere and worship Him.

The world is surely in shambles, and the Hamans of today — factions of the government, most of Hollywood, and the news media — hate you and me. They loathe the body of Christ. They make us a pitiful laughing-stock. Christians are openly accused of being mean, hateful, judgmental, bigoted, and homophobic, among other things.

But it is wonderful to know that those Hamans of today have been found out and called by named. Judgment has been decreed upon them, and their gallows are surely being made as these indicting words are being read, while according to HIS TIME and purpose, GOD’S PECULIAR PEOPLE have come to the Kingdom FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!