It's Late in the Game...Be a Contender

Summer is here, and the heat is on. Just ask the folks in Phoenix. Aside from the increase in temperature, you can tell that summer has arrived by observing the sights and sounds of baseball—America's pastime. I've been a fan of the sport ever since I was a little boy, and I cherish the memories of my dad taking me to my first Major League game back when the Atlanta Braves were contenders during the mid '90s.

If you've been following events in the sports world in recent years, maybe you've noticed some prophetic messages being conveyed by the Almighty (see Daily Crow). These convergences are interesting, especially considering the lateness of the hour. To borrow a stock phrase used by a scoffer at the Boston Globe...it is, after all, "the bottom of the ninth."

I will single out just a small sampling from the overwhelming flood of prophetic convergences which are signaling the Day of the LORD. It's not the man himself that we should focus on. More importantly, it's what he represents and how we should hear what the Spirit is saying to us.


Slaying a Giant

Luis Gonzalez. The man of the hour. Mere months after the twin towers fell on September 11, 2001, the Arizona Diamondbacks faced off against the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic.

The 2001 season was the 99th for the Yankees franchise—only the 4th for the brand new, fledgling Diamondbacks organization. As one of the most successful sports clubs in the world, the Yankees have won 18 division titles, 40 AL pennants, and 27 World Series Championships—all MLB records (see Wikipedia). The upstart Diamondbacks, however, had won...well, no championships at that point (except for the NL pennant, of course).

In short, this was your typical David vs. Goliath sports match-up. And, as I am inclined to do, I was rooting for the underdog. Reason being: If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are the underdog in the eyes of the world...though we know the upset victory is coming (Rev. 19:11-21).

November 4, 2001, in Phoenix, AZ: It's Game 7, and it's literally the bottom of the ninth with the World Series on the line. The Diamondbacks have the bases loaded and Luis Gonzalez steps up to the plate. He is fulfilling every kid's dream who reenacts moments like these on the sandlot diamond. There's just one problem for Luis and his team. They've got to somehow score off of a closer, Mariano Rivera, who had never blown a save for the Yankees in a World Series game. In a word, he was a sure thing for a team who had been accustomed to winning and punishing opponents.

As Buster Olney portrays in his book The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty, the storybook ending for New York in the year of 9/11 would not come to pass. Luis Gonzalez hits a bloop single off the game's most feared closer to win the game and the championship. Goliath goes down, and a dynasty comes to an end. Interestingly enough, the hero who came through when it counted most was not a big-name star, but the lesser known Gonzalez.

Turns out, this wouldn't be the last time Gonzalez would have an opportunity to step up to the plate and be a hero...


A Daring Rescue from the Flames

Some peculiar numbers showed up in my search regarding Luis Gonzalez:

He was born on 9/3/1967
His career OBP (on-base percentage) was .367

I think of the "jubilee" symbolism associated with his birth, having been born in the year of Israel's liberation of Jerusalem, June of 1967.

Now, as if being a World Series hero and baseball legend wasn't enough, Luis Gonzalez came through in the clutch again this year (see here). On 6/2/2017 Gonzalez rescued a woman from a burning car, removing her from the flames and out of harm's way until the paramedics arrived on the scene. Oh yeah, and this took place in Phoenix, AZ.

Talk about being at the right place at the right time! Are you serious? How many people can say that they had the game-winning hit in the World Series and also saved someone's life? I thought this was too good to pass up and figured there was a subtle, yet powerful message for those of us who are watchful and discerning.

*Side note: The Yankees are rising up again this year led by their rookie phenom, Aaron James Judge. This "Judge" wears #99, which was noted above (99th season for Yankees in 2001); the number 9 represents finality and judgment (see Daily Crow's 'Number Index' page). At 6' 7'' tall, Aaron Judge has a name of biblical significance and reminds me of James 5:9, "...Look! The judge stands at the door!"

Can you smell the smoke from the fire of God's imminent day of judgment? It's late in the game now and time for us to rise to the occasion. It's time for us to be ready, available, and willing to jump in and rescue those in danger.

Be a Contender

Brothers and sisters, don't be like Brando, saying regretfully, "I coulda been a contender!" You have this urgent plea from our dear brother, Jude:

Dear friends, although I was eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all" (Jd. 3, HCSB).

And if you're gonna be a contender, you'd better make sure you're delivering the true gospel, not one that has been cheapened or corrupted. People's lives are at stake. Your life might be at stake if you are trusting in your works to save you.

Knowing that our time is short and the heat is on, Jude's exhortation should be ringing in our ears, louder than ever. Given the connection with Gonzalez rescuing the woman from the fire and his previous late-game heroics, I was immediately drawn to this passage:

Have mercy on some who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jd. 22-23, HCSB).

The Greek verb translated "snatching" in Jude 23 is harpazo! So, before you get seized and snatched away (1 Thess. 4:17; Rev. 12:5), start looking around for anyone who can be yanked away from the fire (c.f. Amos 4:11; Zech. 3:2). Save them from what fire, you might ask? The likely referent is Jude's earlier mention in v. 7—eternal fire!

Further clarification: What does it look like for us to "snatch someone" from the flames of God's judgment? Look back at Jude's original exhortation at the opening of his letter, "...contend for the faith..." Be a contender. You contend by giving those who are headed for eternal judgment the gospel. Point them to Christ. Tell them about Jesus—who He is, and what He has done for them. He is our only means of rescue and escape (Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:3).

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