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Looking through the Dark Glass with Faith
January 14, 2023

We know that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We also know that without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is what is needed to transcend the human condition to connect with God, and yet faith without the Holy Spirit is not a normal part of the human condition. Those of us who are called live a life that is of faith and we live in a world that is without faith. We live in a world that equates faith to trust and tells us to have faith in scientists. There is nothing wrong with scientists and they do many wonderful things here on earth. Scientists can be seen and observed, and faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith as given to us in the Bible is not relegated to trust. Those who have faith do trust God, and faith is much, much more than trust. The Greek word for faith is Strong’s Greek word 3982, pistis, meaning belief, fidelity, truth, and assurance. Trust has all of these elements yet faith goes beyond trust. By faith the world we know was created by things we cannot see, and by faith the notable people of the Old Testament lived their lives.

Hebrews 11:1-6
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith as defined in the Bible is not a normal part of the human condition and comes to us through the Holy Spirit. Within the human condition without the Holy Spirit, when there are things hoped for the evidence of things not seen, what does that do to the mind? The normal human mind, the mind that we all have without the Holy Spirit, recognizes when something is unknown and then attempts to define the unknown. Every great invention is the result of the process of defining the unknown. When airplanes were first developed, man saw the clouds moving in the air and observed the flight of birds, how they flapped their wings to fly, and yet originally did not know why flapping the wings caused the birds to fly.

Every time mankind observed lightning, light was observed, and when electrical currents were detected in lightning, scientists and inventors attempted to replicate light using electricity, and the light bulb was created after many failed attempts. To mechanize the world we live in, people first observed what they saw. The current of water observed in streams was harnessed to drive mechanical devices in early factories, and the observed properties and the burning and explosive properties of certain fuels led to the internal combustion engine. Similarly, faith as this world knows it is limited to the world we see around us. The faith this world has is not the same as what is described in the Bible.

The attempt to fill the void of information in our own life that we sometimes have is similar and comes with consequences. Even notable people in the Bible tried to fill the void in their mind, not through faith as defined in the Bible, but through typical human action. When the anger of God was kindled against Israel, David sensed future hardship for his nation. Instead of having faith in God for the defense of Israel, David conducted a census to prepare Israel to defend itself. As a result of David’s actions, he was given three choices of punishment, and chose pestilence.

2 Samuel 24:1-16
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim–hodshi; and they came to Dan–jaan, and about to Zidon, And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer–sheba. So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer–sheba seventy thousand men. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

When God told Moses he was to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, there was this void in the mind of Moses, because Moses could not see it, telling God that he was nobody to go to Pharoah or lead the children of Israel out. God then assured Moses he would. God directly told Moses he would.

Exodus 3:10-12
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Some may read the verses of Exodus three and conclude Moses was humble, and I will counter that at that moment Moses lacked faith to the point where God was getting angry with Moses. Moses was just told by God that He, God, would be with Moses and that the people of Israel would come out of Egypt. Because we know the result of that event, it is easy for us to accept these words up front in this place in the narrative. Moses hadn’t yet experienced the result and questioned God on every point, telling God that the people wouldn’t believe that God had appeared to him. God then told Moses he would have special powers, the ability to take a rod, throw it to the ground and have it become a snake, and then also have the ability to pick up the snake by the tail and have it be restored to a rod. He was given the ability to have his skin change color by just bring his hands to his chest, and to return to the original color. Beyond that, Moses was given the ability to turn water into blood. With all of that, Moses couldn’t fill the void in his mind of being the person to lead Israel out of Egypt because Moses saw himself as being slow of speech with a slow tongue. Instead of having faith in God of doing what God would have Moses do, Moses looked to his self-perceived deficits as to why something could not happen, and God became angry with him and then offered Aaron as the spokesperson for Moses.

Exodus 4:1-17
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

It seems strange to us that a man like Moses could not use faith to fill the void in his mind about the plans that God had for him and the children of Israel, and God became angry with Moses. Even in the new Testament, people did not always have faith. The people who knew Jesus when he was a young child could not fill the void of their mind of how Jesus, the child of everyday people they knew could grow up to be this teacher of faith. Today, you don’t have the Messiah growing up in your neighborhood, but you probably have children either in your neighborhood or in your own family who have grown up, who went from immature and wild children to now driving a car. A standard joke is to know when a newly licensed teen driver is driving so you can stay off the road safely at home. The people of Jesus’ time could not accept that Jesus could be the Messiah teaching faith and salvation, and similarly we also have difficulty accepting the void that the little wild child we once knew is now grown up. Let’s read about the people of Jesus’ time.

Mark 6:1-6
And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Lack of faith was even seen among those closest to Jesus during his final years on earth. Thomas could not accept from others that Jesus had risen from the dead unless he saw for himself. It was only after Thomas personally saw Jesus that he believed, and Jesus then let Thomas know blessings come through believing, having not seen.

John 20:19-29
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Faith is something we have to have in order to please God and acknowledge the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul eloquently writes that for now we see through a dark glass, meaning that today we will not have the full picture of salvation, of what God intends for us. Moses in his mind didn’t have the full picture of how he could lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. David didn’t have the full picture in his mind of how God would deliver Israel. The people who knew Jesus when He was a child couldn’t see Jesus as the Messiah, and even Thomas couldn’t see how Jesus had been resurrected. Paul tells us that when we do not have the full picture, that we know in part and we prophesy in part, and that we see through a dark glass. He affirms the need for faith and hope and then describes how love is the greatest.

1 Corinthians 13:8-13
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Paul tells us that dark glass through which we see through dimly is where faith, coupled with hope and love, comes in. We cannot ignore the role of faith when we spiritually do not have all the answers that we feel we should have and need to be aware. Like inventors and scientists, we are also drawn to understand what is missing. In the Bible there is an early account given to us of how we try to understand what is missing. In the Garden of Eden were many trees and among all of those trees were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Of all of the trees, only the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was off limits. The void created in making that tree off limits made Adam and Eve curious as to why and Satan used that against Adam and Eve. Instead of doing what God told them to do, instead of partaking of the tree of life, Satan conned them into partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan used deceit, a rumor, to fill that void telling them that by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would become like God, even though God told them they would die. With this void in their life, not being able to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, did Adam and Eve have faith in God or did they trust Satan through the deceit and rumor used?

Genesis 3:1-7
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Paul warned the Corinthians that it is possible to have faith in the wisdom of people and advised them to have faith in the power of God. In explaining that he came to preach about the resurrected Jesus Christ, in showing that he did not use excellency of speech or wisdom, he reminded the people to have faith in the power of God, and not in the wisdom of men. He then added we have this void in our life, that we cannot comprehend what God has prepared for those who love Him. Moses could not comprehend the role that God had prepared for him and only after God became angry with him, could Moses accept. We may not comprehend what God has prepared for us, and unlike Moses following the urging of Paul, we must have faith in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:1-9
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

It is not normal for the human mind to accept a void. The human mind challenges voids and seeks to fill the unknown with something, anything that is known. Faith through the Holy Spirit requires us to accept that not all things will be known at this time. How does the human mind fill the void of the unknown? Invention and scientific discovery are typical options. Because Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we need to avoid what is evil in filling the void. When the human mind doesn’t have all the answers what does it do to fill the void? It creates solutions to fill the void through rumors, innuendos, lies, and conspiracy theories, which shift blame to a third party even though the thought originated in one’s mind.

Proverbs 6:16-19
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

The world in which we live was created through the power of God, and every part of the natural earth that we see declares the glory of God, and for those who are called, who have the Holy Spirit, this is easy to understand. Those who are not led by the Holy Spirit only understand the creation, not the creator, and for them it is the creation that takes preeminence. For all of us there is this void because we were not there at creation. We who have the Holy Spirit fill that void with God as the Creator, and those who do not have the Holy Spirit fill that void with the creation.

Romans 1:18-25
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

In presenting information on the unpardonable sin, Jesus warns us to be careful of the words we use, because through our words, even idle words, we will be judged. When we don’t have all the spiritual answers, for example, when we don’t fully understand a part of prophecy, we need to be sure we are answering through faith and not idle words.

Matthew 12:31-37
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

We cannot allow ourselves to use idle words to fill the void that we have as we look through the dark glass that Paul wrote about. We must rely on faith to move forward to salvation, and cannot allow doubtful matters to be part of our faith. Paul warned the Romans to avoid doubtful disputes, and those doubtful disputes come about when there is this void that we have that we attempt to answer in some way other than accepting through faith. These doubtful disputes lead to disunity and give people a false impression of the right to judge others. All of this comes because faith is not used as we look through that dark glass.

Romans 14:1-12
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Paul warned Timothy to avoid disputes over words and instead to focus on salvation and the faith required to attain salvation.

2 Timothy 2:8-14
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

Hosea warns of knowledge and also warns against striving against each other and reproving each other. We strive against and reprove each other when we look through that dark glass that Paul wrote about and attempt to fill in the void in our attempt to complete the picture, forgetting that Paul wrote that we look through a dark glass, and that as we look through that dark glass we must have love that is stronger than faith and hope. When we come across situations that are like looking through a dark glass and we then fill in the void we need to consider if that is our understanding or what is taught in the Bible. When Hosea warns of knowledge and laments that people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, the warning comes when one rejects knowledge and the law of God.

Hosea 4:4-6
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Sometimes we hear of people who have new truth which sounds fascinating until we consider what happened to the old truth. Sometimes we hear about new prophetic understanding, and that can be really fascinating because when we look to the future, what we tend to see as we look through that dark glass is something really murky, because as Paul wrote, we know in part and we prophesy in part, and in that Paul equates what we don’t know that we relate to others as prophecy. Where there is prophecy, there is false prophecy, and there are false prophets. When people have new truth that results in abandoning God, they are false prophets, even if their new truth is accompanied by signs and wonders.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

In the Old Testament, this type of false prophet was to be put to death, which is something as Christians we will not do, leaving their judgment and fate to Jesus Christ. As Christians, we will never bring harm or death to another person, even if we believe they are a false prophet. We will not follow their teachings, and we will ignore them. We are even warned about prophets who speak things which do not come to pass. These are the types of false prophets who don’t advocate leaving God, but who claim some future event will happen, and then it doesn’t. God shows that even these prophets needed to die.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Again, when we come across a person who claims some event will happen in the future, and it does not come to pass, we will leave their judgment and fate to Jesus Christ taking no action on them in any way. Why do people develop these false prophecies? They see through a dark glass and instead of accepting that God has given them a dark glass they fill in the void. Instead of living by faith acknowledging that what they have before them is a dark glass, they develop narratives to fill that void, narratives that become false prophecies and disputes over doubtful matters. If fully understanding prophecy was essential to salvation, God would give his people that knowledge and understanding, but we come to salvation through faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We come to salvation not having every last answer to prophecy that is presented in the Bible, not having seen with our own eyes the final result. We come to salvation through faith, which comes to us through hearing, and the word of God. We cannot repeat the mistakes of Israel in the Old Testament.

Romans 10:14-21
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

We come to salvation through faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God, and we stand in the power of God’s might. We are to stand in the power of God’s might as we look through that dark glass knowing that Satan seeks our destruction. Standing in faith looking at that dark glass, instead of trying to arbitrarily fill that void that results from the smokiness of that dark glass, we live through faith, which is our shield and defense, as we use the truth of God’s word, righteousness, and knowledge of the gospel in our life.

Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Paul, who to the Corinthians wrote of the dark glass that from time to time we all encounter, emphasized the need for faith, living a life where we hope for things that we have not seen. Though we are called to live a life of faith, we live in a world where faith is replaced with trust, and instead of trusting God whom we cannot see, we are encouraged to trust scientists whom we can see. As we encounter those dark glass moments in our faith we must hold our faith, knowing that while it is humanly normal to fill in the void of those dark glass moments, we instead live by faith hoping for things, the evidence of which we have not seen.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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