The legend of King Arthur’s Camelot and his Knights of the Round table needs no introduction. The story of the glorious kingdom’s rise and tragic fall has captured the world’s intrigue and imagination for generations.
The lessons from that mythical Age have inspired humanity to imagine what ‘could be’ if the pursuit for what is right triumphed over human weakness and evil.
Legend has it that the end of King’s Arthur’s Camelot came with a final battle. Just before the battle commences, Arthur is grim; believing all the lofty ideals for a golden Age of men and morals are about to lie in ruin.
At the moment all seems lost, Arthur encounters a young boy named Tom who declares his undaunted fealty to Camelot’s ideals. Heartened by the boy’s words, Arthur charges Tom to run behind the lines and tell spread the word about Camelot. As Arthur watches Tom leave, his hope for Camelot to live on in the hearts and lives of humanity revives.
A grim parallel
Like Arthur’s last battle, today’s global Christian Church is drawing to an end of its lofty ideals and past dreams. Despite all our hopes that we envisioned strived for, many churches now lie closed and believer-numbers in many nations have plummeted. More alarmingly, lack of spiritual fruit by many church-goers makes doubtful their claimed allegiance to Christ.
For all our meetings, traditions, and conferences, not enough has changed in our lives or Gospel-service for the Lord around the globe. The world has suffered terribly for our failure. Global wickedness has increased exponentially, in some cases worse than the biblical towns of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Like Arthur and his knights, we realise the obvious; the spiritual war of love and truth we now wage may be the last before Christ returns. We must bravely face the confronting reality that the seeds of our world’s coming destruction have not just come from without—from a world rebelling against God with ever-increasing evil—but from our own failure to embody and spread Jesus’ Camelot-like Kingdom ideals.
Despite what Christendom might do now to rectify this grim-reality; our best efforts to win the battles for revival and great awakening in the world, we may have already allowed the Enemy to win the spiritual war of our time.
History repeats
In biblical times, our situation parallels prophet Jeremiah’s day when King Josiah ruled Judah. Josiah made many lofty reforms to turn God’s people from wickedness. Despite his efforts, God told him it was too-little too-late; He was going to send Egypt and Babylon against them.
Like Josiah, many believers (myself included) have been warning and trying to bring reformation to the collective global Church and world for over twenty years. For every small and seemingly large ‘win’ in variousbattles, the overall war to defeat a Sodom and Gomorrah-like spirit in the people and kingdoms around the world has largely been lost.
In light of what has been lost, it’s vital that we try to salvage what still remains.
Like the kid at the end of Camelot, it’s up to collective believers around the world to testify and spread the word one last time (before Christ returns) about God’s Kingdom and golden reign. We must spread the word about why it is still worth fighting for, even when most seem to desert it, and much seems lost.
While even ONE true battle-willing believer remains, hope for redemption (for many who will still be saved in our day) isn’t lost because unlike King Arthur, God is the one King who will never fail. God is the one who can still salvage the seemingly unsalvageable things in a mostly evil time.
Spread the word about the true Camelot
So true-believer, if you’re still out there, just like that faithful young kid from Camelot, go out into the world while there’s still time! Tell people about Jesus’ Camelot-like Kingdom! Let a weary, wicked, and seemingly-doomed world know that there is still Gospel-hope, and still time to repent.
A Kingdom that will never fail is coming, though all the kingdoms of this world may come to a temporary evil-end. For this cause, rally the troops of what’s left of the true-Church to a call to arms of love-in-action, true-repentance, and redemptive-truth.
Although, like Arthur once thought, all seems lost, take heart; for there is still a King worth fighting for, and His name is Jesus. His Kingdom will eventually prevail—the greatest Camelot-like Kingdom of them all.
While those ideals remain alive in us and proclaimed everywhere by us, Jesus’ spiritual Kingdom will continue in the worst of times in this world. One glorious day it will defeat every evil, and establish righteousness once and for all.
Tim is currently a youth pastor in California. He loves God and has a heart to see people know Jesus and His will for their lives, and the time they’re living in.
Tim Price’s previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/tim-price.html